Phirni / Firni / Rice Pudding

Phirni is a thick and creamy pudding made from ground rice,milk, sugar and saffron. 

This traditional Indian dessert is worth trying for any special occasion! 

Try and enjoy with your loved ones.

Ingredients: Serves - 4 to 5 (approximately) 

Basmati rice - 1/3 cup 

Full cream milk - 1 litre 

Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 cup 

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp 

Saffron - few strands 

Nuts - for garnishing

Directions:

Wash and drain the basmati rice.

Add water and allow to soak the rice for 30 minutes.

Drain it completely and allow to dry in cloth.

Once it is dried, grind it into coarse powder using pulse mode.  Keep aside.

Add one liter of milk in a heavy bottom pan; allow to boil.

Take few strands of saffron in a bowl, add 1/4 cup of hot milk into that and allow to soak.

Add rice powder gradually into the boiling milk and stir well to avoid lumps.

Continue cooking in low to medium flame till the rice is cooked and milk quantity reduced to half.

This process will take approximately 15 to 20 mins.

After that add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron infused milk . Give a mix and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Switch off the gas.  Once it becomes warm ; Transfer to a serving bowl and top it with nuts.

Let it refrigerate for at least 5 hrs before serving for best taste!

Now tasty and creamy Rice Phirni is ready to serve.

Caramel Palada Payasam | Palada Pradhaman | Onam Special Payasam | Kerala Style Easy Palada Payasam

Here's an interesting, easy to make Kerala Style Caramel Palada Payasam!  

Palada Payasam / Pradhaman is one of the traditional payasam varieties in Kerala and a must served dish during their special occassions such as Ona sadhya.

Try out this best suited for any special occasion and give your feedback.

Ingredients: Serves 4 to 5 approximately

Rice ada - ½ cup (store bought)
Sugar - ½ to ¾ cup
Full cream milk – 4 to 5 cups
Cashew nuts - 10 to 15
Raisins – 5 to 10 pieces
Cardamom powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 to 2 tbsp
Water - 3 to 4 cups (to cook ada)

Directions:

Heat water in a pan. Once the water starts to boil add Rice ada and allow to cook for 10 minutes.  Switch off the gas.

Drain the excess water completely, rinse with cold water and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan; fry cashews and raisins till it turns slightly golden brown in colour. Keep aside.

Heat milk in a open pan and allow to boil in medium flame.

Add drained ada and allow to cook till becomes soft and milk thickens.

Keep stirring in equal intervals.

To caramalise the sugar:

Take a dry pan; melt the sugar in slow flame till it reaches golden colour.

Now add 1/4 cup of water to the caramel; give a thorough mix and switch off the gas. Keep aside.

(Note: Be cautious of hot spatters / splashes when you do this)

Pour caramel to the milk ada mixture. Stir thoroughly.and continue cooking.

Check for sweetness and add extra sugar according to your taste.

Add cardamom powder, roasted raisins and cashews. Give it a mix and switch off gas.

Serve warm or chilled.

Delicious Caramel Palada Payasam is ready to serve!

Note:

Here I used store-bought ada, as preparing from scratch is time consuming.

When the payasam is cooled, it tends to get thick. So before serving add some milk till it reaches the desired consistency.

Adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste.

The cooking time will differ according to size of the ada.

Gur Anarsa (Jaggery and Rice based sweet popular in Bihar)

This recipe is my entry to the event "Shhh!!! Cooking Secretly" challenge conducted by Mayuri Patel of Mayuri's Jikoni.  For the month of December, I have paired with Shobana Vijay of "shobasdelight" and the ingredients given by her are Rice flour and Jaggery.

We planned to try Bihari cuisine with the given ingredient.   As I am from southern part of India; I am excited to know more about the cuisine of Bihar (a state in eastern India, bordering Nepal)

When I browsed for the Gur Anarsa recipe, I understood that, it resembles Tamilnadu's traditional recipe "adhirasam" in taste, though the preparation and outcome of this dish is different. 

Gur Anarsa is a traditional and lip smacking sweet dish of Bihari cuisine. It is usually prepared during festival days like Holi, Diwali and on other special occasions.

In this, Rice flour and jaggery (Gur in Hindi) are combined together to form a dough that is coated with sesame seeds; fried till it gets golden colour.

PREP TIME

15 min

COOK TIME

10

TOTAL TIME 

25 min

                                                                                                                                                  

Recipe for Gur Anarsa   

Recipe type: Sweet

Cuisine: Bihari Cuisine (Indian)

Yields: 8 to 10 pieces

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup
(Follow the method given below to prepare rice flour )
Jaggery - ½ cup (grated)
Sesame seeds - 2 to 3 tbsp
Ghee - 1 to 2  tsp
Ghee - for deep frying

Directions:
How to prepare rice flour for anarsa Preparation:

Wash the raw rice thoroughly to get rid of any dirt and stones.   Soak it for 3 days ; by changing the water daily. 

Drain completely; spread it as a thin layer in a newspaper / cotton cloth and allow to dry in shade for 20 to 30 minutes or till it's almost dry yet slightly moist. 

Add the rice in mixer and grind it to fine powder (do it in batches).

Sieve to get fine powder and collect the remaining millet rava (coarse texture) in the sieve; add it to the next batch while grinding.  Continue the process.

Now your rice flour is ready to use.

Measure 1 cup of  rice flour and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated jaggery.   Start mixing; add ghee  and knead to form a soft dough.(it will take nearly 5 to 6 minutes)

Cover and rest this dough in room temperature for 24 hours to get soft anarsa.

Heat ghee / oil in a wok.  Mean while, divide the dough into balls.  Flatten it and coat with sesame seeds.  Similarly prepare the remaining balls.

Deep fry the anarsa in low  flame.  Do not flip in between.  Remove and drain the excess oil and serve hot.

Traditional and easy to make Anarsa is ready to serve.

Desserts / Sweets

Here is a mouthwatering collection of exotic international desserts to traditional Indian sweets such as puddings, popsicles, Ice creams, ladoos, halwa, burfi and yummilicious Payasam / Kheer varieties.

Homemade sweets / desserts are always the best; so try and share with your loved ones to make every special occasion into a memorable one!

                                 Puddings / Popsicles / Ice creams

Rose Milk Popsicles / Home Made Popsicles
Strawberry Yogurt Popsicle
Baked Caramel Custard (Pudding)
Baked Chocolate Pudding / Brownie Pudding

Coconut and Lychee Crème Caramel
Strawberry Mousse (Eggless)
No - Bake Strawberry Cheesecake in a glass 
Eggless Chocolate Mousse 
Umm Ali - Egyptian Bread Pudding
Fig and Honey Pudding - Eggless(No bake pudding)
Mango Pudding / Mango Coconut milk Pudding
Rose Milk Pudding Recipe / Rose Milk Jelly
Tri colour jelly
Strawberry juice jelly
Vanilla Pannacotta with Pomegranate Jelly
Chocolate Panna Cotta

Mango Kulfi
Almond Malai Kulfi
Avocado Ice cream / Eggless Avocado Ice cream
Biscuit Chocolate Balls /Chocolate Biscuit Truffles

                Indian Sweets

Ladoo / Urundai Recipes

Oats Flaxseed Ladoo / Oats Flaxseed & Peanut Ladoo

Pasi paruppu Urundai / Moong dhal ladoo / Nei Urundai

Ellu Urundai / Sesame Seed Balls

Dates and Nuts Ladoo / Dry fruits Ladoo - No Sugar Ladoo

Coconut Ladoo / Laddu Using Condensed Milk

Malai Ladoo / Paneer Ladoo Using Condensed Milk

Rava Ladoo / Rava Laddu using Condensed milk

Easy Red Aval Ladoo (Poha / Rice Flakes Ladoo)

Sesame Peanut Ladoo / Ellu Kadalai Urundai

Halwa Recipes
Wheat Halwa / Godhumai Halwa
Pal Halwa / Milk Halwa
Carrot Halwa
Beetroot Halwa
Corn flour Halwa / Karachi Halwa - Stove Top Method
Microwave Palkova / 10 Minutes Palkova Recipe

Burfi Recipes

Badam / Almond Burfi
Chocolate Burfi - Using Milk Powder

Instant Kalakand / Kalakand / Milk cake
Mohanthal Using Condensed Milk
Kaju Katli / Cashew Burfi

Chocolate Paneer Burfi / Paneer Burfi 

Kesari Recipes
Rajasthani Lapsi (with Jaggery) / Broken Wheat Sweet
Rava Kesari / Kesari Recipe - Semolina Pudding
Pineapple Kesari - Indian Style Pineapple Pudding
Red Aval Kesari / Poha Kesari - Krishna Jayanthi Special

others
Basundi / How to make Basundi at Home
Sweet Poha / Vella Aval / Aval with Jaggery
Gur Anarsa (Jaggery and Rice based sweet popular in Bihar) 

                                  Payasam / Kheer Recipes

Carrot Kheer / Payasam
Carrot Semiya Payasam / Carrot Vermicelli Kheer
Sweet Corn Payasam / Sweet Corn Kheer
Vermicelli Kheer / Semiya Payasam
Sago Vermicelli Payasam/Javaarisi Semiya Payasam
Black Rice Payasam / Kavuni Arisi Payasam
Thinai Payasam / Foxtail Millet Kheer
Red Aval Payasam / Poha Kheer / Matta Rice Flakes Payasam
Pal Payasam / Arisi Payasam / Milk Pudding / Chawal Ki Kheer
Palada Pradhaman Recipe / Palada Payasam
Pasi Paruppu Payasam / Pasi Paruppu Arisi Payasam / Moong Dhal Rice Kheer
Makhane Ki Kheer / Phool Makhana Kheer / Puffed Lotus Seed Kheer

Malai Ladoo / Paneer Ladoo Using Condensed Milk

If you are fighting with time for last minute diwali preparations, here is not only a quick and easy sweet but also tasty sweet recipe for you to cherish the occasion!

Try and give your feedback!

                    

PREP TIME

5  min

COOK TIME

5 mins

TOTAL TIME 

10 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Malai Ladoo / Paneer Ladoo

Recipe type: Indian Sweet

Cuisine:  North Indian

Yields: 10 ladoos(approximately)

Ingredients:
Paneer - 250 gms
Condensed milk - ½ cup
Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp
Almonds / Pistachios - for garnish
Ghee / clarified butter - for greasing the plate

Kaju Katli / Cashew Burfi

Kaju Katli / Cashew Burfi is a one of the popular and tasty Indian sweets. It is very easy to prepare with only few ingredients which is easily available at home.  For this recipe, you don't need to check sugar syrup / string consistency; even beginners can try this without hassle!

Try this mouthwatering sweet for Diwali or for any special occasion and enjoy with your loved ones!

PREP TIME

5 min

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME 

20 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Kaju katli / cashew burfi

Recipe type: Sweets

Cuisine:  North Indian

Yields - 12 to 15 pieces

Ingredients:
Cashew nuts - 1 cup
Sugar - ½ cup
Water -  ¼ cup
Cardamom powder - ½ tsp
Ghee / Clarified butter - for greasing the hands

Carrot Semiya Payasam / Carrot Vermicelli Kheer

My best wishes to you for good health, happiness, prosperity & peace to prevail on your life during this new year 2017 and beyond.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for those who have encouraged me throughout the year by their likes and comments which indeed is a booster for any blogger. 

Here is a tasty treat to celebrate your successes of 2016 and to welcome another successful year 2017.

Though I prepare carrot kheer quite often, addition of vermicelli is a twist that really gives a nice bite to this dish.

                                            

PREP TIME

15 min

COOK TIME

25 mins

TOTAL TIME 

35 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Carrot Semiya Payasam / Carrot Vermicelli Kheer

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 6 to 8 (approximately)

Ingredients: 

Carrots - 6 to 8 (medium sized)
Vermicelli (semiya) - ¼ cup
Sugar - ¾ to 1 cup (Adjust according to your taste)
Milk – 3 to 4 cups
Cashew nuts - 15 to 20
Raisins – 5 to 10 pieces
Cardamom powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 to 2 tbsp
Water - to cook vermicelli (Amount of water will vary according to the variety of vermicelli used)

Makhane Ki Kheer / Phool Makhana Kheer / Puffed Lotus Seed Kheer - Women's Day Special

This rich, easy to make and creamy phool makana / puffed lotus seed kheer is usually prepared during Vrat or Navarathiri fasting in North India.

Here is another suitable occasion that I found to post this recipe, for you all to try; on 8th March, International Womens Day, the day to celebrate our empowerment and equality for the progress of humanity! 

I hope you all will try this out to celebrate the day, along with your family! And of course, on every other occasion.

PREP TIME

10min

COOK TIME

30 mins

TOTAL TIME 

40 mins

                                                                                                                                                         

Recipe for Phool Makhana Kheer
Recipe type: Dessert / Kheer

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4 to 6 approximately

Ingredients:
Puffed lotus seed - 1 cup
Milk -  ½ liter
Condensed milk - 4 to 5 tbsp
Sugar - 3 to 4 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 15 to 20
Raisins – 5 to 10 pieces

Saffron - few strands
Cardamom powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 to 2 tbsp

Tri colour jelly - Oman (45th) National Day Special

November 18th is a very special day in the Sultanate of Oman; the day which is celebrated as ‘National Day’!

This year, both citizens and expatriates are in upbeat mood celebrating the 45th National Day, as a mark of their love & loyalty to the country and to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the most beloved leader of the country.

The air is festive and the atmosphere colourful, dominated by the national hues of red, green & white.  The display of patriotism and love for His Majesty is on almost every vehicle.  Streets and buildings in Oman have been decked up with national flags & decorative lights to mark the occasion. 

Retail giants have started promotional sales; hotels and airlines have also come up with special offers to join hands in the National Day festivities.  Shops are stocked with National Day mementos.  Sales are at its peak.

Aligning with the national mood in Oman on the eve of the country's 45th National Day, here is a special ‘Tri Colour Jelly’ to try & relish on this special occasion.

Yield - 6 individual cups (large)

Ingredients:

For green layer:
Lemon flavoured jelly packets - 1( 85 gram)
Green food colour - (optional)
Hot water - 1 cup
Cold water - 1 cup

For red layer:
Cherry flavoured jelly packets - 1( 85 gram)
Hot water - 1 cup
Cold water - 1 cup

For white layer:
Condensed milk - 1 tin
Chinagrass - 5 grams
Water - 2 ½ cups

Rava Ladoo / Rava Laddu using Condensed milk

Try this easy to make, delicious rava ladoo using condensed milk; you can prepare without any tricks / tips to follow! This is the perfect sweet for beginners to try and relish for any special occasion and can me made within 15 to 20 minutes.

Try and share with your loved one for this Diwali!

Yield : 12 to 15 ladoos approximately 

Ingredients:

Semolina / Fine rava - 1 ½ cups
Condensed milk - ¾ cup
Milk - 3 to 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder - ¾ tsp
Cashew nuts - 10 to 15 pieces (broken into pieces)
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Instant Kalakand / Kalakand / Milk cake

Kalakand / Milk cake is a traditional Indian sweet which takes more than a hour to make. I prepared this with 15 minutes using paneer, milk powder and condensed milk to reduce the cooking time; of course, the taste was awesome! Feeling happy!!!!

This is a perfect sweet treat to celebrate Diwali; we all especially my kids love these delicious sweet! 

Try out this quick and easy to prepare sweet that is suitable for all special occasions!

Yield - 8 to 10 pieces approximately
Ingredients:

Paneer - 200 gms
Condensed milk - ½ tin (1 tin = 400 gms)
Milk powder - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1 or 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp
Pistachios - for garnish
Ghee / clarified butter - for greasing the plate

Red Aval Kesari / Poha Kesari - Krishna Jayanthi Special

Here is a simple but healthy recipe to serve as prasadham / offering to Lord Krishna on the special occasion of Krishna Jayanthi.  In this recipe I have used red rice flakes to increase the nutritive content of the dish; instead, you can also use white rice flakes / poha (Hindi) / Aval (Tamil).

Here are the links for my other recipes using red rice flakes:

Easy Red Aval Ladoo (Poha / Rice Flakes Ladoo)

Red Aval Payasam / Poha Kheer / Matta Rice Flakes Payasam

Sweet Poha / Vella Aval / Aval with Jaggery

Serves - 3  to 4 people

Ingredients:

Red Rice flakes  - 1 cup (thick variety)
Sugar - 1  cup
Water - 3 cups (approximately)
Cardamom Powder -½ tsp
Ghee - 2 to 3 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 nos.
Kesari colour - a pinch

    

Directions:

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan; add cashews and fry till colour changes to golden brown. Keep aside.

In the same pan, fry rice flakes till you get a nice aroma for about 3 to 5 minutes in medium flame.   Keep aside.

Fig and Honey Pudding - Eggless(No bake pudding)

This is a delicious, creamy eggless pudding using china grass as a thickening agent.  I am sure every one in your family will love this fig and honey combination in the dessert.   

I learnt this recipe from my neighbour Ganga chechi.   Thank you chechi for the simple and also for tasty pudding recipe.  Try this recipe and give your feedback.

A small on Agar - agar / China grass:

Agar agar (china grass) is a vegetarian substitute for gelatin which is flavorless and odorless, which makes it an excellent thickening agent for cooking especially for desserts like puddings.

Agar Agar is a rich source of calcium and iron, and also very high in fiber.  It contains no sugar and fat free.  It is known for its ability to aid in digestion and weight loss.

Ingredients:

Dried Fig - 100 g

Milk - ½ litre 

China grass - 10gms

Milkmaid / condensed milk - ¾ th to 1 tin full (1 tin = 395 g)

Fresh cream - 150 g

Honey - 2 tbsp