Mango Khoya Kulfi

Rich in nuts and mawaa; a pleasure for all souls : )

Who can ever say NO to this heavenly dessert? My Niece is a die-hard fan of it so I made them for her and she took good care of them : )
Very simple and feather light to make:

1 tin cream full fat
250ml double cream (thick whipped one)
150grm khoya(from 1 liter milk)
1 cup mango pulp
¾ tin thick condensed milk
sugar more to taste if needed
3-4 tsp kewra
100 gram fine grinded Almond with skin
1 slice of white bread
2tsp cardamom powder
Crushed Pistachios to taste

KHOYA:
1ltr milk for khoya extra
3-4tsp lemon juice
3-4tsp sugar
3 tbs powder milk

-bring milk to boil, squeeze in 3-4 tsp lemon
-as the milk turns in chunks, drain out the water
-pour on cold water and drain it out again
-mix in 3-4 tsp sugar in the chunks and add the powder milk and mix till all form a chunky structure.

KULFI:
-mix all the above given ingredients accept the bread and khoya
-don’t beat just whisk all till smooth
-now add the shredded bread pieces and mix all
in the end just drop I chunks of khoya so they don’t get mixed like a paste
-add in the almonds and pistachios
-pour out in Kulfi moulds if u have them
-I dint have them so I used the small cups
-let them chill over nite
-serve garnishing with nuts of ur choice
-its very heavy and creamy and tastes excellent when khoya chunks come in ur mouth Ummmmmmmmmmmmm : )

„Health is Wealth“

Since a while i have been into a lot of other type of researching, a very very dear friend of mines brought me to these thoughts some years back. I will do the same here as she did with me…. She just gave me “food for thought” and then asked me to gather my own information and believe on them ONLY if I felt they had sense…

So my journey started in googling all out, reading books, reading all reports and then experimenting them on myself!

The first thing I came to know was the “Colloidal silver „I remember as I first got to take this in place of Anti biotic I thought ok what wonders will this water do but my friend was determined to give me and stopped me from taking the strong meds..

OF course it’s all only if Allah Wills but HE has also given us humans this sense too to differentiate in good and bad …

This silver water (known more with this short name) is merely a natural Anti biotic, which does not destroy the healthy human cells which does not have any chemicals, which works exactly there were needed and which really helps you get rid of your illness in a short time.

I have and still am curing myself when needed with it Alhamdolillah with really good results, and I recommended this to a dear friend and she also had success in using it for her children..

Just a small description where it works and these all are self experimented:

It helps in flu, in any throat infection, in eye infection (as drops)

Skin rashes, pimples, fever, cold.

I am no doctor so I cannot recommend any one or convince anyone but I can surely give you some new “food of thought” : )

Here’s a link to follow… surely its always pro and contra… but as I said one has to experience it!!

This is how it looks:
A simple battery, with two silver rods….

http://www.atlasnova.com/CSGenerator1AC.htm

Some info Q&A

http://www.argentcolloidal.com/EN/faq.php?lang=en

Watch out for my second discovery: )

„Grann-Ma’s & Mommy’s Handy Household Tips “ part 1

We all are living in a time where many prefer to use hard chemicals for a fast result but what did our forefathers do?? They didn’t have those Anti so and so liquids and tablets and sharpeners and the perfumed sprays but they ran a perfect house hold too…

I myself have always enjoyed listening and getting Granny’s and Mummy’s tips for this and that since I was a teenager. These useful tips nearly always helped; apart from this I could always rely on them knowing that it was a No Fail Tip.

I would love to share them here for all who come across my blog and may find it practical: )

I have gathered many more of them over the time, listening to my German aged Neighbor Mrs. Skuballa too , she’s a Gem indeed and I enjoy each time talking to her and getting more and more useful tips from her, so Thank you my dear Mrs. Skuballa!!!!!

I have translated a lot of them from German to English so they might seem a bit tricky or puzzling : ) so do ask me if any confusion…..

Did you know?

1.   If your scissors are blunt, just cut sandpaper with it twice thrice and there you have your brand-new blade back.

2.   Your gold chains which turn gray can shine again if you rub a half cut onion on it and later wipe it with a clean cotton cloth…

3.   The vase which get black strains on the bottom or the lovely delicate juice bottle or jugs which are difficult to wash due to thin long necks…no problem… next time when u boil eggs, keep the peeled shell pieces and throw them in the vase.. Pour some washing soap and shake strongly, the egg shells with clean those stains…

4.   This happens too often and annoys us a lot… glasses piled in one another and then ooops all stuck… well never wrestle with it as if they break you can hurt yourself… Fill the bottom glass with warm water and the upper with cold and see wonders….

5.   The big round salad tomatoes have lost their freshness and are too soft to cut???… no problem, just soak them in a chilled water bowl for 10 minuites, and there you have a fresh one to cut in slices…

6.   You tasty pudding or custard never gets that thick skin on it after cooling if you sprinkle some sugar on the top as soon as you dish out in a glass bowl…

7.   How to avoid milk from burning??? Wash the pot with cold water before setting it on the stove

8.   The fridge has an unpleasant smell… hmmm pour some coffee powder in a plate and place it in the upper rack, it will absorb all sorts of smells..

9.   The store room has lots of things and has different smells, take fresh Mandarin/clementine and prick cloves all around it will be like 10-15, and place it in the store room in the middle shelf. Your store room will never stink!

10. The sliding drawers irritate while closing and opening as they stick at each end…grrrrr calm down… take a piece of wax or a thick candle, rub the slides on the both sides..and there you go.. your draws will slide like silk.. : )

So I will update more again after I have translated them too : )

Ras-Malaai Spongy Soft

Ras Malaii is a very delicate and sensitive dish, it turns out best if handled with love and extra care;  and shows really bad moods if we just try to ignore it :) I remember i used to make these with closed eyes and had the best results, till one day they started getting moody... no matter what i did they just din't turn out good.. so i striked!!! A whole year... i thought okayyyyyyyy fine now i'll just leave it...

So after a years pause i set my hands on it again and Alhamdolillah i had them the way i wanted them :) May be they were tired of being served over all :)

So heres how i made them:

2 cups Nido milk powder
2 tbs oil
1 ½ egg (don’t beat, put as is and use only the yolk of the second egg)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp plain flour
1-2 tbs milk if needed

1 L milk
200ml whip cream pack (it's in liquid form)
200ml carnation tin (liquid)
1tsp cardamom powder
8-10 tbs sugar or more or less to taste!!!
Nuts of ur choice
(I just used crushed Almonds)

*pour all three milks plus sugar in a heavy pot and give one boil, then turn down flame and just let cook
*I cooked nearly 1 1/2 hours till it became thicker, not very but you can feel it changes a bit creamy in color too
*First of all mix the oil well in the powder, sieve baking powder and flour together and mix in
*Break the eggs in a separate bowl and add to the powder
*break the yolks with hands and mix in the dough well
*if u feel its dry just drop in few drops of milk to make the dough soft and silky
*shouldn’t be too soft neither hard just soft!
*make tiny balls similar to hazel nuts, as they increase when put in milk.
*carefully add them to the simmering milk and let cook
*Don’t use spoon to turn them, just let them turn and twist themselves
*cover the lid leaving just a slit open so the milk does not over boil
*took nearly 20 minutes till the Ras-malaai reached its actual size(nearly like walnuts)
*keep them covered for a while and then turn into any glass bowl and let cool
*Tastes best when chilled so keep it over night before you serve
Enjoy the Rasilli Malaaii : )


Some tips to take care of:
*dont rub the dough too hard
*dont move them once added to the pot coz moving up and down can make them either hard or break them
*dont use too much baking powder, the balls will open up and break
*make balls with a light hand , dont press the dough too much between the palms
*never use any extra egg if the dough is dry always use drops of milk to make it smooth, as many use another egg and that makes the dough so sticky that u cant form balls

PS: On my dear friend's pointing out i will clear that flour HAS to be this less coz its meant to give the balls a bit of firmness1 PLZ don't add any more as it can stiffen the balls and make them hard, this much is exactly okay to make them a bit firm yet soft!!!!

Spicy and Teekha Bhunna Gosht (Spicy Stir-Fry Meat)

The most delicious way to make this incredible dish!Another recipe of my ever dearest Mom...
The divine fragrance of those tiny round red whole chilies is irrisistible :)
Best is to serve with chappatis but no hamr if you plan to make parathas too, its either way yummmy :) Here's what you need for it:


500 gram mutton
200 gram yoghurt
3 large onions (sliced fine and thin)
1tbs fresh grated GG paste (ginger/garlic)
¾ tsp black pepper from the mill
½ tsp red crushed chili
1 tsp salt
½ tsp paprika powder (sweet one)
7-8 whole red chilies
Whole spices: 4 cloves.5-6 black pepper corn-2 black big cardamom
½ cup of oil (makes nearly 125 ml)
½ cup water

-heat half the oil in a pot
-wash and put in the meat and water and cover to cook
-when the water has nearly evaporated add in the GG paste and the whole garam masala and stir

(plz note here that many use the readymade GG paste it does not have the exact aroma coz it has preservation stuffs in it too, so best is the fresh grated garlic that’s out of this world in aroma!!!)

-now take a another pot, heat the rest oil and fry the onions till light gold brown
-turn the meat in it and stir, add in half the whole red chilies, keep stirring
-now add all the rest spices in the yoghurt and pour all on the meat, mix well and leave it to cook
-as the meat was already half done so keep any eye as when the yoghurt dries up it should not burn
-add in the rest red whole chilies and stir well, you will smell the aroma of the chilies as the oil starts showing up, and the gravy forms a thick texture, its ready!!

  No tomatoes or any greenery in it, eat as is with chapatti its ultra  delicious!!

Spicy and Masalay daar Chicken Biryani

An Authentic recipe of my Mom, being from Hyderabad Dakkan she had her unique recipes and also made changes accroding to her style.She was a GEM one could have....

I remember that big pot set on the tawa for dum each time we had guests and the home full of aroma  and we all eagerly waiting for it to be dished out...

For Biryani we should take more quantity of spices because it has to be layered with rice.

To get that masaladaar look and taste we need a good amount of yoghurt, onion and tomatoes too.

It may seem that it’s too much but you can always do changes according to your taste, this here is what I actually did. I served 8 ppl with this amount and Masha’Allah had some left over for me to gobble next day :

Chicken:
1 whole chicken cut in 16 pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ tsp ginger/garlic paste
Rub in the lemon juice and GG paste evenly and thoroughly all over the chicken, with lemon it stays firm and does not break while stirring and also gets that yummy sour taste.

Rice:
4 cups rice (ca; 750 grams)
Boil till ¾ (2 kanni) drain, keep aside
To make the Biryani Masalay daar we need thick yummy gravy so I used a lot of the following:

Prepare for layers:

1 bunch Fine chopped coriander
½ bunch peppermint
10-14 whole cherry tomatoes
4-6 whole green chilies
6-8 boiled sliced egg
1 tsp zarda rang (yellow food color)
2-3 strands of saffron diluted in 3 tbs milk
2 tsp kewra essence

7 onions (sliced thin and fried)
1 cup oil ( it only fries well in a good amount of oil, no worries we drain it after wards : ) )
6 tomatoes (thin sliced)
10-12 plums (not the total dry but the ones for dry fruit a bit wet)
3 big black cardamoms
1tsp =half black peppercorn/clovers (together)
500 gram plain yoghurt

Spices:


I roasted all these in the frying pan:

1 ½ tsp salt

2 tsp red chili powder
1 ½ tsp white cumin (sofaid zeera)
1 ½ tsp crushed coriander
½ tsp turmeric (haldi)
1tbl grinded almonds
1tsp grinded sesame (till)
½ Indian curry powder

Let them cool down before adding them all to the yoghurt!
Mix all well into a nice paste

Method:

take a heavy bottom vessel or a broad wok
heat oil, add in the black cardamom, black pepper/cloves let fry a bit
add in the sliced onion and fry on a medium high heat, as it starts to turn pink add in the plums and stir till onion nice gold brown and plums all soft and fluffy

I do it this way as the plum give a very intensive (khatta) taste yummz : )

now add chicken just stir once or twice and add the spices mixed yoghurt, tomatoes to it
now don’t cover the lid and keep mixing and stirring, it’s a long work coz we actually cook the chicken with this process by only constantly stirring it
try not to hit the meat with ur spoon and just keep turning and twisting from sides only this way your meat will stay in blocks and firm and that’s the beauty of the biryani!
the yoghurt will leave lots of water so will the tomatoes, and it will start getting thick and it might also start getting to stick on the bottom of the pot because of almonds and till, coz they make a thick gravy ..
No worries if you have a heavy bottom pot all stays well : )
you will see that all the waters are drying up and only a thick gravy is staying behind and the oil is showing up clearly, so then its times to take it off the stove
place the pot on 3-4 wooden coasters taper so that all the oil slides up in one side
drain out that oil after an hour and keep aside

now take another broad pot spread some drained oil on the bottom

Spread one layer of rice---chicken masala---cover with eggs---tomatoes---coriander—peppermint—green chilies

I made three layers repeating the same process the top most must be with rice and only some rest gravy of the chicken!
now drill 5-6 holes in different places in the pot from above till the bottom with a back of any long wooden spoon
drizzle the saffron and with the help of the point of a butte knife just press in the zarda rang

If u mix it in water  it won’t give u this red, orange and yellow color combination which makes it s rich : ) cover the holes by patting the knife on it

drizzle the kewra essence on 3 different sides
cover the pot with a big piece of Alum-foil and place it on the stove with high heat but plz stand by and don’t leave it
in about 8-10 minutes u will see and feel  steam coming out; turn the stove to the lowest grade and don’t lift the cover coz in that steam the rice will be done Insha’Allah
give it a time of 20 minutes and then lift the cover , you will know if it’s done when the pot is full of steam and the rice has fluffed up a bit, take off the alum-foil

Your Biryani is ready …..

I don’t use fried onion in layers or the top as it turns out very soggy and at times give a bitter taste but according to your own taste you can add if you like ..

Crispy and Nutty Baklava

Till long I believed that this delicate sweet dish belongs to the Lebanese and I thought wow what an invention, but lately I happened to talk to many friends and to my surprise it has a Turkish back ground.. Here is what I found while surfing in the Net for some more info :

The history of Baklava is as diverse as the number of ways it is prepared and the number of countries that claim its origins. Is it generally accepted that Baklava came to us from the Assyrians at around 8th century B.C. Layering nuts with a simple unleavened flat bread and drenched with honey. As only the wealthy of the time can afford this simple luxury, baklava was held as a special dessert for those in high positions of society such as monarchs and kings. In Turkey, to this day, one can hear a common expression: "I am not rich enough to eat Baklava every day".

Anyway who ever made it it’s DIVINE and a must try for all : )

1 pack of phyllo pastry (400x300)
2 cups of crushed nuts
Walnuts/almonds/pistachio
½ cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Juice of ½ lemon
250 grm melted butter

-First of all make thick syrup of honey /sugar/water and lemon juice
-cook till you can smell honey over all in the kitchen
Now start with the pastry:
-Take a wooden cutting board to work on it
- lay one sheet of the pastry brush with butter
-lay another over it brush butter again
-now sprinkle with nuts all over
-cover with a sheet, brush butter
-another sheet and again brush butter
-take a wooden spoon with a long tail
-place it on the sheet and roll it tightly into a roll
-now gently pull the roll off the spoon so that it gets some crinkles
-place the first roll into the greased casserole
-you need a casserole of size 10”x8” brush the bottom of the casserole with butter
-Repeat the same process till your casserole is full with rolls
-now cut small pieces with a sharp knife gently
-bake in a preheated oven on160° for around 20 minutes or till u see they have turned golden brown
-take them out, cover tight with a foil and push it back in the oven again for another 10 minutes
-now take it out uncover and pour the syrup with a deep spoon on each line of roll
Slowly and evenly. You will notice that there is too much syrup but its okay coz the pieces have to absorb the syrup to become crunchy and yummy :)
-after pouring all the syrup let the casserole rest for at least 2 hour so all pieces absorb the syrup and then all sets down and the top dries up into a crunch!
Sprinkle some left over nuts all over, it’s ready to serve! Divine out- and- out!!!!
Enjoy!!!