Jalebi (North-Indian dessert)!!

Thanks to all those who were waiting for my next post and sorry for keeping you waited as i was making sure to come up with an "Interesting Temptation", and so here i come with the king of sweets....JALEBI!!!

This crispy, syrupy dessert is well loved everywhere in India. One of India’s favorite sweets ( I say this because it’s my favourite too ) and it’s history goes back to the days of kings and queens. Though it’s origin is not known exactly, many believe it came out of the kitchens of Punjab or Rajasthan.

Whenever I think of Jalebi, I cannot forget the advertisement (Ramu Kaaka – Jalebiii) which used to come years ago in our TV channels , I loved watching it back then, love it even now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8Z0WbSWV0

Not going by the looks, Jalebi has a soft and chewy taste and usually eaten when it's hot and dipped in sugar syrup. For those who haven’t tasted Jalebi, here’s your chance to do so.

There are many recipes on Jalebi...The trick to getting right Jalebis is getting correct fermentation of the batter. Keep trying variation in temperature and slight adjustment of the ingredients to master this skill that all your family and friends would love. I fermented the batter for 24 hrs, it gives tartness to the jalebi.

Don't get dissapointed if you end up with bad shapes in your first attempt......this is my 3rd attempt.

You will need:

2 cups All purpose flour

2 tbsp rice flour (it is added for extra crunchiness)

3/4th cup yogurt + 1/2 cup warm water

1/2 tsp baking powder (yeast can also be added instead)

1/2 tsp saffron threads, slowly dry-roasted and powdered

Ghee or vegetable oil for frying

For Syrup:

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 tsp green cardamom seeds powder

11/2 tbsp rose water

Directions:

Mix the flour, baking powder, yogurt and warm water in a bowl.

Add a pinch of saffron to it and whisk until smooth.

Keep the batter aside for 24 hours to ferment.

Whisk thoroughly before use.

Pour the batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle or a cone.

Step 1 shows batter on 1st day

Step 2 shows batter after 24 hrs fermentation

Step 3 shows the sugar syrup

Step 4 shows the jalebi done in the hot oil

I use a disposable Pastry bag as it is very convenient to hold and press for the desired coils.

Prepare one string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water and rose water mixture.

Just before the syrup is ready add saffron and cardamom powder.

Heat oil in a wok.

To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.

Pour the batter in a steady stream to form coils. Make a few at a time.

Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not brown.

Remove from the wok and drain on paper towel and immerse in the syrup.

Leave for at least 2-3 minutes till they completely soak in the syrup.

Take the jalebi out of syrup.

Served hot on the streets of india, it goes really well with ice cream or the other indian dessert - rabdi.

Here's my first attempt pic.

My 2nd attempt pic

My 3rd attempt pic

Showed all the 3 pics to say that practice definetely makes us perfect.

This is the most Cruncy, juicy and mouth watering dish i've ever tasted.

So this is all about Jalebiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

So i guess this is all for now. Will come again soon with yet another Temptation. Till then take care and have a happy weekend.

This Jalebi is on its way to 'Mithai Mela' hosted by Srivalli.

Spring delight with desserts and an award!!

The much awaited SPRING is here finally and it is a favorite season for many people. The spring is when the earth comes back to life after a long cold winter, and it is in the spring when the first flowers begin to bloom and the green world begins to return after its winter slumber.

From Passover to Easter, it seems that every culture marks spring with a celebration of renewal and new life. Spring means the opening of baseball season, a joy for spectators and players alike.

There is no doubt that the spring is one of the most beautiful, and most colorful, of all seasons. So when we are talking about colors, I thought y not I post something which is very colorful….so here I come up with some colorful desserts n beverages just for you.

The desserts n beverages i'm sharing today are:

PISTA KULFI

MANGO MOUSSE

ORANGE LASSI

MANGO MILK SHAKE

PISTA KULFI: Kulfi is a popular flavoured frozen dessert of the Indian Subcontinent, made from milk. In taste, texture and preparation, it shares commonalities with ice cream. We can prepare Kulfi with different flavours and here's one of them. I would like to thank my wonderful friend Raji for sharing her recipe and gorgeous pics!

You will need:

3 1/2 cups milk [1/2 cup for bread mixture and 3 cups to boil]

1 slice of white bread

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar, adjust to taste

10 pistachios sliced

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Directions:

Remove the crust from 4 sides of the bread and cut the bread into small pieces.
Blend bread pieces, cornstarch, and a ½ cup milk, making it into a smooth paste.Keep it aside.
Place the milk (3 cups) in a Non stick pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Continue to boil the milk for 20-30 mins on a low flame, until the milk is reduced to half.
Then, add the bread mixture to the milk in the pan and cook for another 4 minutes.

Now add sugar and pistachios and cook for 2 more minutes.
Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder.
Cool the milk to room temperature and pour into a bowl.
Take Plastic wrap/cling wrap and cover the bowl completely.
Put it in freezer for 6-7 hrs, until the Kulfi is Set.

Serving tips: To serve, dip the bowl in hot water for 10 seconds, run a knife around all the sides of the bowl and transfer immediately to a dessert plate.

Serve as a whole or cut into smaller pieces, garnish with chopped pistachios.

There are debates regarding cornflour and cornstarch,whether both are same or different. In Europe and asia it is known as cornflour , where as in America it is called as cornstarch. Cornstarch or cornflour, is the starch of the corn (maize) grain. It is also grown from the endosperm, or white heart of the corn kernel.

MANGO MOUSSE: Whenever you are in need for a quick dessert, a little cream, some fruits and a blender is good enough to satisfy your cravings and whip up a luscious dessert. And could you think of any better flavors than king of all fruits Mango for a Mousse. Mousse is one of the easiest desserts to prepare, without compromising on the taste and indulgence factor. Try this Mango Mousse; it is heavenly, and I'm sure you are going to get hooked to the taste.

You will need:

8 oz mango pulp (i used tinned mango pulp)

1 number mango jelly (veg friendly, available in stores)

8 oz heavy whipping cream

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

Directions:

Mix warm water and mango jelly and add it to mango puree .
Warm it up and bring it to room temperature.
Whip the cream with little sugar and fold in slowly with mango mixture and mix.
Pour in cups or bowls and set in fridge for an hour till the mixture is all set.
serve cold in the bowls or cups.

Call it a Mango Mousse or a Mango Kulfi; any way you make it, this is one easy and delicious treat, perfect for spring evenings or a weeknight dessert cravings!

Tip: You can add the saffron strands and some chopped pistachios in the batter itself, leaving a few for garnish. This gives it a better flavor, color and aroma! Decorate as u like!

ORANGE LASSI: So many words to describe this fantastic beverage. Orange Lassi is a tasty, mouth-watering, colorful and easy to prepare drink. It is a source of vitamin C. It is very popular in the middle-easter countries. You can have this lassi anytime of the day. Its a true refreshing treat to have if chilled.

You will need:

2 cups Yogurt

2 tbsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder

2 Oranges (peeled)

Directions:

Put all the above ingredients into the blender.

Blend until smooth.

If you don't like the thickness, strain the juice before pouring in the glasses.

Serve chilled.

Tip: To get the most juice out of a fresh orange, bring it to room temperature and roll it under your palm against a hard surface before squeezing.

MANGO MILK SHAKE: Mango is the most beloved fruit of all and a milk shake with mango adds a breath of freshness and increases craving to have more! This is a delicious, refreshing and easy-to-make drink for hot summer days. You can make interesting variations on this recipe by using plain yogurt for some or all of the milk, and by adding a tart counterbalance to the mangoes, such as shredded kiwi fruit.

You will need:

1 lb Mango pulp (1 mango pulp tin from Indian store)

6 cups whole milk or any milk of your choice

3 tsp sugar

10 icecubes

Directions:

Put half of the quantities of the above ingredients into the blender.
Blend until smooth.
Make another batch.
Serve chilled.

So these were the desserts and beverages for Spring......hope you liked them.

The beverages r on their way to : Mahi's 15 minute cooking event.

Pista kulfi and Mango mousse to My Favourite Things -FROZEN DESSERT event hosted by Aquadaze and which was originally started by Bindiya.

NOW FOR MY AWARD: This award was given to me by a very lovely, bubbly girl Ashrita who wrote these sweet words for me..

"For the yummy woman whose recipes are a treat to all the 5 senses! Women with so much love for cooking are a rare breed in today’s world. And u r one of them, I salute you, Aruna!"

Wow Isn't that great!!!!.....thank you sooo much Ashrita................you made me feel very special!!! Those were really nice words!

Mysore-Pak (South-Indian fudge)!!

One of my very close friend Priya is going to be a MOMMY soon and iam very happy for her. Till sometime back she was hardly eating anything but now she's getting better and has a craving for food especially sweets.

She's one of the greatest admirer of my cooking, so why would i leave a chance now. Therefore i chose to make something special for her and Mysore-Pak surely is a special dish, isn't it!!!!!!

Its not a surprise for her as i told her already, very bad at giving surprises u know :(. So Priya if you read this post, can't wait to see you eating and praising me again....lol!!!

This delicious fudge from South -India has a granular texture. Do not be alarmed by the amount of ghee mentioned in the recipe as most of it is drained out at the end of the cooking process. No cut-backs on the quantity of ghee... the more the ghee, the more Mysore-Pak tastes better.

It is a very rich sweet and tastes heavenly. The sweet is as colorful and mouthful as its name sounds. You have to make sure to use fresh ingredients mainly Gram flour.

So here's the Recipe for you

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 20 mins

Standing Time : 3 mins

You will need:

1 cup Gram flour (Besan)

2 cups Sugar

2 cups Ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 cup Water

Greased baking dish

Directions:

Seive the gram flour well and mix it with a little ghee.

Take a thick bottomed vessel (kadai type or use non stick), melt 2 cups of ghee.

Take another vessel, boil 1/2cup of water for couple of minutes and add sugar.

Keep stirring till u get one string consistency.

Slowly add the flour stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.

When it is well blended pour in slowly absolutely hot ghee stirring continuously.

Pour all the ghee little by little, continue stirring.

Cook till the mixture becomes frothy and the ghee separates.

Spread out on a greased plate or baking dish. When firm, cut the MYSORE-PAK into squares.

Serving ideas: Serve it as welcome dish, snack time , or after lunch or dinner .

Recipe Tips: Keep stirring the mixture, else it may stick to bottom and also form lumps.

My 2nd attempt

ANYTIME THIS DESSERT IS IRRESISTIBLE.

PS: I'm making this dish for the first time.......so pls ignore the shapes. That is all for now. Will come back soon with yet another interesting post! Stay Tuned!!!

This Mysore-Pak is on its way to 'Mithai Mela' hosted by Srivalli.

My first Award!!

When Pooja sent a message to me this evening saying there was something for me in her blog, i was pretty sure it was a picture of her which i was asking for a while now. But i was just surprised to see this "I LOVE YOUR BLOG" award by POOJA. Thank you so much dear. I am glad i am your choice. And guess what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is MY FIRST AWARD in the 2 months of my blogging, so i feel like a STAR already!

Now here are some simple rules for you to follow:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs (Only if you like).
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blog.

Ok here it says that i have to nominate 7 other blogs (Only if i like).................................

Iam certainly in no position to pick the BEST 7 as i feel all my fellow bloggers deserve this award for their VERSATALITY. I'm glad i met you all. So i'm passing this award to ALL OF YOU who have been interacting with me and vice versa!!

"CONGRATS TO ALL MY NEW FRIENDS AND TO ME TOO"!!!

Veggie Pasta (Desi-style)!!

Looks like my blog is gradually turning into a foodie blog which was not how I anticipated initially. All I planned for was a vivid blog with 30% allocation to food and 70% to other interesting stuff but now I see just the opposite. Seeing fellow bloggers I’m getting sooo tempted to xperiment new recipes on a daily basis, I’m totally into foodie world now.

But i promise there r some other things in my blog which you will find quite interesting and useful. To make ur life easy let me give u the links right here!!!!!!

Home tips (link)

Kitchen tips (link)
Beauty tips (link)
Food presentation tips (link)
Ice-cream party tips (link) and many more........

Ok coming to my post, today is all about PASTA.
Pasta is always a simple-to-prepare dish using the fresh vegetables of the season. In spring you might make it with asparagus and peas, later in the summer with tomatoes and zucchini. Sometimes you can use a cream sauce, sometimes a marinara sauce, and sometimes, just with some grated Parmesan. Here is my spicy version and i call it PASTA- DESI STYLE.

Again this recipe was not on my post list, but thought many of you might love a spicy touch to the regular pasta that you make. Indians mostly love spicy food, if u agree ! Normally when you go to any restaurant here, you will find salt and pepper on your table. When i order a dish, i empty half of the pepper bottle but still i don't feel the complete taste of it.

I personally feel Pepper cannot replace chilli powder. The only restaurant where i saw a pure chilli powder on the serving table was a french restaurant in Mexico. I was sooo excited, sprinkled chilli powder all over my dishes , starting from salad to dessert at the end....lol!

Here's the recipe just for you:

Preparation Time : 10 Minutes

Cooking Time : 20 Minutes

You will need:

1/2 cup green peas (thawed)

1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 onion chopped

1 garlic clove chopped
4-5 tbsp oil

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp chilli-garlic sauce
1 tomato cut into small pieces

1/2 pound pasta

To garnish:
Spring onions

Grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Salt will reduce stickiness and also add flavor. Add pasta and cook uncovered stirring occasionally. Drain and keep aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.
Add the garlic followed by onions.
Once they become translucent, add the peas and carrots.
Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add tomato and let it cook further. (for about 5 mins)
Add chilli-garlic sauce followed by salt and chilli powder.
Now add the dry pasta and mix well.
Adjust seasoning. Add more sauce if needed.
A little bit of chopped fresh spring onions would go nicely with this.

Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan, if you like.

If you are a spice lover, try this dish. I was never into pasta so much till i started preparing it my own way. Thanks to my husband for giving me this idea. You can use different combination of vegetables, but i prefer to keep it basic.

Maintaining Perfect Pasta: To keep cooked pasta fresh for later use, toss it with some amount of vegetable oil or olive oil and refrigerate.

This is on its way to FIC hosted by Neha started by Harini.

I go Chocolaty!!

Dear Friends, I feel so honored to see a huge response on my earlier post (Mini Kaja), not only I got amazing comments but some of you also tried to check if I was doing alright now……… your words were like ELIXIR to me, touchwood!!

When I started my blog 2 months back, all I had was just a NAME and a simple-silly xplanation for it (link)…… but look what I have now…..YOU ALL!!!!! I’m glad I started Temptations! I wud like to thank each and every one for your wonderful support. And what possibly can be the best way to show my gratitude!!!

So i decided to GO CHOCOLATY today and made this chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Since i made a cake anyways, i'm sending it to the event For the Love of Chocolate hosted by Poornima.

For MAKING OF CHOCOLATE CAKE

You will need:

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S unsweetened Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour the baking pan, you can use any shape.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes.
Stir in boiling water. This will make the batter lil thinner.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan .

Frosting has to be done only after the cake cools completely otherwise icing will just melt.

For MAKING OF CHOCOLATE FROSTING

You will need:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup HERSHEY'S unsweetened Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa.

Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed.

Stir in vanilla.
It makes about 2 cups frosting.

How about caramel topping on the cake, it just tastes heavenly!!

For those of you who don't have time, to make things simpler and quicker you can use storebought cake mix and prepare the cake. You can get frosting also from the store but i personally prefer home made frosting as it will have a consistency and freshness. Once again i thank you all for being there! Have a nice day!

Mini Kaja (South Indian-Sweet)!!

Yesterday (5th April, 09) I was kind of feeling nostalgic, its been 2 yrs since I saw my parents….i just wish I had wings so that I can fly to India, visit my mom-dad and fly back to my husband. Anyways the point is, when I’m depressed I feel like eating more and I don’t really care what time of the day it is!! These kind of mood swings r sometimes good for me bcoz i end up trying new things and I made these MINI KAJAS for the first time yesterday.

PS: I started making this recipe at around 11:30PM in the night, soo intense was my depression :). And I was very happy with the final-product, not at all bad for a first timer I guess:)).

I’m aware most of u know this recipe, but cannot stop myself from sharing MY VERSION too!

Preparation time: 15Minutes
Cooking time : 30Minutes

You will Need: (this recipe will make 15 Mini-Kajas)

All purpose flour-1 cup
Baking powder-1/4tsp
Sugar-1 cup
Water-1/2 cup (or lil less)
Oil - 3 cups (for deep frying)
Rice flour-3 tsps
Crisco Shortening-2tbsp
Ghee-2tbsp (for mixing)
Water-3/4 cup (for syrup)

Directions:

Make a dough (as for chapatti) from all purpose flour, baking powder, water & Crisco shortening.

Make sugar syrup with water & sugar and keep aside.

Mix 3tbsp of rice flour with melted ghee & keep aside.

Now take a medium sized dough ball & roll it into thin roti.

Spread the rice flour & ghee mixture over it.

Roll the roti tightly like a mat & cut into small pieces & press lightly.

Heat oil on medium heat & deep-fry them slowly to golden brown.

Remove & put them into sugar syrup, let soak for at least 20minutes.

Transfer them to a plate and serve hot.

Your super hot delicious MINI KAJAS are ready to eat.........!

For those of you who do not know, Kaja is a famous sweet from South-India (Andhra Pradesh). It is similar to Badusha (yet another Indian sweet) except this involves little extra rolling and folding. Hope you liked the making of this dish. Do let me know whether you find this post interesting!