Banana Payasam / Ethapazham/Nenthra Pazham Pradhaman

 
Bananas are among the most widely consumed foods in the world.They are an excellent source of vitamin B6,soluble fiber andcontain moderate amounts of vitaminC,manganese and potassium.There are many varieties found in India,the most famous one in Kerala being the Ethapazham/Nendra pazham.

Any special event or celebration is an excuse to make payasam and there is nothing like Mom's bowl of steaming payasam for our birthdays.Today I am sharing a  delicious recipe of Kerala banana/ethappazham Payasam.  
 
Ingredients:

• Ripe bananas(ethapazham)-2,big
• Jaggery/sharkkara syrup-1 cup
• Coconut milk thin-1.5cups
• Coconut milk thin-1cup
• Ghee-2tbsp
• Cashew nuts-a handful
• Raisins-a handful
• Dry ginger powder-1tsp
• Cumin seeds roasted-1/4tsp(optional)
• Coconut pieces roasted in ghee-2tbsp 
• Cardamom powder-1/2tsp

Method:

• Place the bananas in a steamer and steam it until the bananas are well cooked.
• Remove the outer skin.Split it into two and de-seed them.Mash the bananas to a paste using a ladle or grind.
• Melt jaggery with 1/4cup water and remove the impurities by straining.Keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pan add mashed banana paste.Add jaggery syrup into this and cook them on a medium flame by stirring continuously.
• When they form thick,add ghee to it.Mix well.
• Add thin coconut milk.Boil till the mix is slightly thick.Stir and cook for few minutes.
• Now add thick coconut milk(first extract) along with cardamom powder and mix well.Do not allow it to boil.Switch of the heat.
• Sprinkle dry ginger and roasted cumin seeds powder. 
• Heat ghee in a pan,fry cashews,raisins and coconut pieces and pour this over the payasam and mix well.Let it rest for a couple of hours.The payasam turns thicker during this time.
• Yummy Banana payasam is ready.

 
NOTES:

• Use good ripe banana/ethapazham.If you don't get it,buy raw plantains and keep it in a container in which you keep rice.The plantains will turn very ripe within 2-3 days.
• After adding the jaggery syurp,check the level of sweetness  and add,if required.
• Ready made coconut milk or coconut powder mixed with water can also be use in this preparation.
  

Serve hot or chilled & Enjoy!!!

Happy Cooking!!!

 

Khubani Ka Meetha(Dried Apricot Dessert With Custard)

Khubani ka meetha is an authentic traditional Hyderabadi desert recipe.It is a must dessert served in Hyderabadi weddings.It is made out of dried apricots.''Khubani'' means apricot in urdu language and ''meetha''meaning sweet that's why it is called''khubani ka meetha''.

Today I made this classic Hyderadadi dessert for the Potluck Party Event hosted byJagruti's Cooking Odyssey.
I made the yummy dessert from my friend Avika Nair's A day through my life. She brought ''Khubani Ka Meetha'' to the party.Avika's pictures were so tempting and it looks delicious.This was something very new to me and never tried it before.....Avika,Thank you so much for sharing this dish with us.

There are numerous advantageous of eating apricots,both fresh and dried on a regular basis.Apricots are rich in vitamins A,B2,B3 and C.It contains high amount of  magnesium and phosphorous and this helps to improve the function of brain.Magnesium can also helps to normalize the blood pressure very effectively.I decided to try this classic dessert with custard.
Ingredients:

1. Dried Apricot-12
2. Sugar-2tbsp
3. Cardamom-2,crushed
4. Lemon juice-few drops
5. Custard powder-2tbsp
6. Milk-3/4cup
7. Sugar-1tbsp(for making the custard)
8. Custard for topping-2scoops  

 Method:

1. Wash and soak dried apricots in water overnight.Make sure you add enough water to cover all the apricots.
2. Remove the apricots from water after the soaking time.Do not throw the soaked water.
3. Heat a saucepan and add the reserved liquid(used for soaking)and the apricots.Allow to boil.
4. When it starts to boil,add sugar and stir well.
5. Mash the apricots and cook the apricots on low flame till you get a thick consistency.
6. Add clove and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
7. Add a pinch of cardamom powder and cook for 3minutes more  on a low flame. This is the apricot compote.Allow to cool.
8. Meanwhile,make custard.Boil milk and add sugar.
9. Take a small bowl and dissolve custard powder with 3-5tbsp of milk without lumps.Add this to the boiling milk and stir well.Allow to cool.

Assembling:

1. Take a bowl and make desired layers of the apricot compote and vanilla custard.
2. Garnish with chopped apricot nuts or cashew nuts. 

 

Serve chilled with custard,ice-cream or malai and Enjoy...
Happy Cooking!!!
 
   

I am Linking this classic Hyderabadi Dessert to Potluck Party,Cyber Style.....

Thank you so much Shobha keshwani for sharing Kabile tarif Award to me for myMango Payasam /Dessert.

Mango Payasam / Mango Dessert

Today the members of the Potluck Party are again celebrating a cyber potluck party at their space.This event is hosted by Jagruti in her blog Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey.
I have made a dessert for this party.This dessert is prepared from mangoes and it is an excellent dessert for all.
I can assure you that if you are a mangoes fan you will definitely will enjoy my dessert. 

  Ingredients:

1. Ripe mangoes-2,large
2. Jaggery -150gm(depends on the sweetness of mangoes)
3. Coconut milk(thin)-3/4cup
4. Coconut milk(thick)-1/2cup
5. Dry ginger powder-1/2-1tsp
6. Salt-a pinch
7. Cardamom-3-5,crushed with 1/2tsp sugar
8. Cashew nuts-a handful
9. Raisins-a handful
10. Ghee-as required
11. Coconut pieces-5tbsp,small slices

   Method:

1. Wash and peel the mangoes.Cut into small pieces and pureed in a blender.
2. Melt jaggery with enough water and cook until it gets well dissolved.Switch off the heat.Strain this jaggery syrup to remove the dust and use. 
3. Now add the mango pulp to a heavy bottomed pan.Add jaggery syrup to this mango pulp.Stir well.Add 1tbsp of ghee to this and cook in low flame,stirring continuously.
4. Cook until it reaches a thick consistency.Now add dry ginger powder and mix well.Stir for a few seconds.
5. Now add thin coconut milk slowly while stirring.Add a pinch of salt to adjust the sweetnes.Cook till it reaches a thick consistency.
6. Now add thick coconut milk along with cardamom powder.
7. Do not allow it to boil after adding thick coconut milk,otherwise it will curdle.Remove from heat.   
8. Heat ghee in a pan.Add the coconut pieces and fry until golden brown.Drain on to a paper towel.
9. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins also.Pour the fried items over the payasam and mix well.Close the lid for at least 10 minutes. 
10. It is better to serve cool than hot.

TIPS: 

1. Select the mangoes which has more juice and without any fiber.
2. Try to use very less Ghee.If you add more ghee,the taste of mango will be less.
3. Chop the coconut into very thin small pieces. 

 Serve warm or chilled.....Enjoy your payasam.....  

 Happy Cooking!!!
 

   


              I am linking this to Potluck Party Cyber Style

Chakka Varatti Pradhaman(Jack Fruit Payasam)

JACK FRUIT PAYASAM

Payasam is a popular sweet prepared in Kerala during  festivals like Vishu,Onam and Wedding occasions.Jack fruit/Chakka Pradhaman is a traditional payasam or pudding of Kerala made with jack fruit.Usually this is prepared using chakka varatti(jack fruit jam).This is a special post for Vishu festival.
 
Ingredients:

1. Jack fruit/chakka varatti-1cup
2. Split moong dal-1/4 cup
3. Coconut milk(thick)-1/2cup
4. Coconut milk(thin)-1cup
5. Jaggery-As per the sweetness of chakka varattiyathu
6. Coconut sliced into small pieces-5tbsp
7. Cashew nuts broken into halves-7-10
8. Raisins-10-15nos
9. Cardamom powder-3-5,crushed 
10. Dry Ginger powder/Chukku -1/2tsp

Method:
Dry roast split moong dal to slightly golden colour and cook the dal with enough water.In a saucepan, boil 1/4 cup of water  and melt jaggery.Cool and strain so as to remove the impurities.Keep aside.

Heat a thick bottomed vessel and add the chakka varatti to it along with thin coconut milk.Keep stirring so that the varatti mixes with the coconut milk and becomes a liquid.
Add strained jaggery syrup and the cooked dal to this mixture and simmer the mixture until it turns thicker stirring continuously.Make sure that not to burn the bottom.

Once cooked mix dry ginger powder along with little coconut milk and add to the above mixture.Now add the thick coconut milk to it.Do not boil.Stir in the crushed cardamom. 

Heat a pan and add ghee and fry the cashews and raisins till golden.Fry  the coconut pieces  and add this to the payasam.

JACK FRUIT PAYASAM

Jack Fruit Payasam can be served hot or chilled....
The pradhaman tastes great when chilled.

Happy Cooking!!!
   
  

Bread and Custard Pudding

Bread pudding is a dessert popular in British,Argentina, Mexican cuisines and that of the southern United States as well as French and Belgian cuisine.This is a very simple pudding and very easy to cook.It is a very healthy pudding for kids.I am sure that the ingredients are readily available at most of the houses too.

This pudding tastes better when served it cold,but you can also serve with warm.It may be served with a sweet sauce such as whisky sauce,rum sauce,caramel sauce,but is typically sprinkled with sugar and eaten cold in squares or slices.In Malasia bread pudding is consumed with custard sauce. in Hong Kong,bread pudding is usually served with Vanilla Cream Dessert.Nowadays this dessert has made its  way onto the dessert menus of many fine Restaurants.
Ingredients:

• Bread-5 slices,white or brown bread
• Custard-3 tbsp
• Butter- 2tbsp
• Milk-1.5 cup
• Eggs-2
• Sugar-1/4 cup
• Vanilla essence-1/2tsp
• Cinnamon powder-1/4tsp
• Raisins- a handful

Method:

• Remove the crust from bread pieces and cut into small pieces.
• Grease a baking dish with butter.Now beat the eggs well.Add sugar and whisk it well.
• Add the beaten eggs  and sugar to the warm milk.Add vanilla essence and cinnamon powder and whisk it well.
• Add 2-4tsp of warm milk to the custard and make a paste.Mix this mixture to milk mixture and keep aside. 
• Preheat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Now take the baking dish and spread the bread pieces.Sprinkle raisins over the bread pieces. 
• Pour the milk-egg mixture to the bread slices.Make sure that all the bread pieces are soaked well in the milk-egg mixture.Cover the dish with aluminium foil.
• Bake for around 15-20 mins or you can steam this pudding in a steamer for around 15-25mins on high flame till it changes its colour to light golden brown.
• Take out the dish.Allow it to cool.

NOTES:

• The custard powder mix would give a nice consistency and texture to the pudding.
• You can also prepare the pudding without custard powder.  

 
Serve it Hot or Cold.Enjoy the Dish.....

Happy Cooking!!!