AAMRAKHAND | AMRAKHAND | आम्रखंड | HUNG YOGURT WITH MANGO PULP

It is an authentic Maharashtrian Sweet dish which is very easy,healthy and heanvenly delicious.It is a must food item on special ocassions like Dasa,Diwali,Paadava (Hidu New Year) etc.

I grew up watching my parents making Aamrakhand and Shrikhand."Aamra" means "Mango" in Sansrit language.As I grew up, I was responsoble to make Aamrakhand many times at my parents place.When making this particula dish, I do not believe in short cuts.It is time consuming but worth while.It is time consuming because you will need to hang yogurt/Curd for more than 12 hours atleast (I keep for 24 hours atleast) to get the perfect Hung yogurt.Later, blending it such that it is soft, and bringing the texture of cream is also very important.

When done perfectly, it almost has texture of Ice Cream.That way, it is always a better option to serve as Ice Cream to kids instead of real Ice cream.

It is mainly served with Puri.but also tastes good with Chapati/Roti etc.You can also choose to serve it just as dessert.I personally do not like adding dry fruits to it but you can always add dry fruits in it.

NOTE :  The Mango Pulp should be added such that one should feel it while eating but should not feel all Mango -ish.It should be such that you are trying to catch the taste,you are catching but still its not there....The flavor should bring the delight and not the sourness to your mouth.So I suggest that religously follow the amount of Mango Pulp used here in the recipe.Or else it will be more like Mango Lassi.

INGREDIENTS :

1. Chakka/ Hung Yogurt - 1 Cup .Home Made Chakka Recipe here.
2. Sugar - 6 Tsp 
3. Mango Pulp - 3 Tbsp
4. Green Cardmom - 1 (If you are using Powder,just a pinch.)

STEPS

• Place a large strainer (large enough to fit all the ingredietns) over a vessel.
• Transfer, Chakka.Make a well in chakka and add Sugar and mix it lightly.
• Now add Mango pulp and start to blend/whisk  all the mixure with clean hands such that it starts to go trough the strainer and settle in the vessel (Using glove recommended if doing with hands).You can also use a suitable laddle for this,By doing this, we are removing any lumos preset and also givesa nice glaze to yogurt.
  
• Now take out all the yogurt from bottom of the strainer and transfer to vessel.
  
• Add Cardmom.Just brake it before adding,so that flavor is absorbed.We do not want it to take over all other flavors.Yes, this is how it works wonder or else it can be spoiler as it has strong essence.
  
• In the vessel, again whisk Aamrakhand until all the pupl is distributed and absorbed evenly.Do it gentlly.Then give folds as we do for baking batter.It helps Aamrakhand become smooth, whipped and gives fine texture and wonderful consistency.See the photo below how wonderfully consistent it is.You can see the Pointy ends and glaze on it.That itself means that Aamrakhand is perfect.
  

• Let it set for few hours in the fridge before serving and serve in yeat another impressive way by using Ice Cream Scoop.Yes,that is how the consistency should be.

TIPS : 

• If you do not want to keep it thick, add milk and mix it well.
• You can add Dry fuits of your choice.Saffron tastes good too.

MANGO SHEERA BURFI | SOOJI HALWA BURFI | आंब्याचा शिरा

Sheera is a sweet dish made from Rava/Sooji/Semolina.It is very famous all over INdia with just differnt names like Sheera,Sooji Hawa,Rava Kesari etc. On any good occassions, Sheera is offered to God and then distributed as prasad among Family and friend.When something good happens like Exam results,Job or any wish you had comes true, it calls for celebration.First thing that comes to mind is preparing Sheera/Halwa.It has a very important place in every Indian's heart.

Today,I have made it with Mango Pulp.Also,I tried to give it little different shape.So I made it in the form of Burfi or Fudge.So, the recipe is same but the presentation is different.I have  added no color while making.The color is because of Mango Pulp.

INGREDIENTS:

1. Sooji/Rava/Semolina -  1 Cup (You can roast while making or you can use roasted sooji that is available in the market)
2. Sugar - 3/4 Cups
3. Mango Pulp - 3/4 Cup (fresh or Store brought)
4. Green Cardmom - 1 (DO NOT CRUSH).We will use it whole
5. Ghee - 4 Tbsp (1 Tbsp for roasting the Rava
6. Cashews for Garnishing

STEPS:

• In a pan, add 1 Tbsp of Ghee,Rava and start roasting.Do it on the medium flame.It takes around 5 to 8 minues to roast.If you are using roasted Rava,you can skip this step.
• When it is roasted, transfer it to a plate (Keep the plate ready before hand).
• Now in the same pan, Add 3 Cups of water,Sugar,3 Tbsp of Ghee and Cardmom whole.Let it boil until sugar is dessolved completely.
• Now add Mango Pulp.Mix well.
• Start adding roasted rava a little at a time.Add a little,then give a stir.Repeat this until all the Rava is added.This way, there is no room to form the lumps.
• Now, be little cautious because when it starts boiling, the bubbles burst and little drops of sheera migh spill on you.So let it boil alon until you see the water.
• Once you see that it is thickening, keep on stirring continuously until it becomes thick and soft.
• Now spread in a plate as shown in the photo.Spread evenly and let it cool down to be warm.
  
• Now with greased knife,cut into burfi and decorate with Cashew or any dry fruits you like.
  
• It is ready to be served.
  

TIPS:

• Do not add dry fruits while cooking.Or else,you can see in the photo, how it can cause difficulty for cutting.
• You can add finey chopped dry fruits though

WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

A very basic recipe of muffins.I have replaced All Purpose Flour with WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
It surely makes healthy and guilt free Breakfast or Snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• BOWL 1

1. Whoel wheat Flour - 2 Cups (sifted)
2. Sugar - 3/4 Cups
3. Baking Powder - 1-1/2 Tea Spoon
4. Baking Soda - 1/2 TeaSpoon
   

• BOWL 2

1. Egg - 1 (with Yolk)
2. Milk - 1 Cup (At room temperature)
3. Edible Oil - 1/2 Cup (Any edible oil that does not smell).I have used Mazola Oil.
   

• MAKING MUFFINS

1. Silicon Moulds(Grease with butter or spray) or Paper Cups (Standard Size) - 12. I have used baking cups on Silicaon Moulds. 
   

STEPS :

• Keep Oven for pre heating at 400 Degree Farenhite or 204 Degree Celcius. (The Silicon Moulds I have can bear up to 425 Degrees Farenhites).Make sure to check the directions on the packing if you are using Silicon Moulds.
• Mix all the ingredeints of Bowl well and make space in the center to pour the liquids from Bowl 2.
• Completely mix,whisk the liquids in Bowl 2, that is Egg,Milk and Oil.
  
  
  
  
• Now pour the Liquid to the flour as you see in the picture below.
  
• Now,start folding the flour in one direction.I have done it in clockwise direction.Whaterver is eay for you.Make sure you do not mix it randomly.
• IMPORTANT : As I have said.Just keep on making fold unidirectionally until it becomes a nice.loose dough as shown in picture below.
  
• At the end add Choch Chips and fold the dough once or twice.
• Now transfer the dough in the muffin moulds.Top it with choco chips
  
• Keep in the Oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes.Mine took exactly 22 minutes.
• Check if it is baked by inserting tooth pick or wooden skew.If it comes out clean, the muffins are baked.
• Take out and let them cool down.
  

TIPS :  You can dust powdered sugar on top afterwards.

CREAM CHEESE व गुळा च्या कारंजा व मोदक | CREAM CHEESE के गुजीयां और मोदक | CREAM CHEESE AND JAGGERY EMPHANADAS AND DUMPLINGS

"MODAK" is sweet dumpling that mainly consists of Coconut and Jaggery as Stuffing.It is fevorite sweet food of 'Ganapati Bapp" or "Lord Ganesh".It is must thing in Ganapati festival.

I have made Modak using Cream Cheese as stuffing instead of Coconut."Karanji or Karanja (Plural) or Gujiya is just another form because the stuffing and dough is the same.Basically,both can be made using any kind stuffing.

Let us learn the Recipe.

INGEDIENTS:

• FOR STUFFING

     1.Cream Cheese - 1/2 Lbs or 400 Grams (Should be refridgerated and not thawed)
     2.JaggeryPowder - 2/3 Cup

• DOUGH

1. 1-1/4 Cup wheat flour
2. Water as needed
3. Salt -Just a Pinch
4. Little Oil.
5. Flour for dusting as needed.
   

• OIL for Frying.

STEPS:

• Keep oil on heat frying on a medium flame.By the time we are ready to fry,the oil will be hot enough.

STUFFING :

• In a large bowl,mix Cream cheese and Jaggery very well.It becomes like dough
• Now make balls of around an inch as shown in photo below.It makes around 16 to 18 balls.
• Keep it back to refridgerate again.
• Take out just when you are ready to stuff them.
  
  

DOUGH:

• Knead the dough with salt and Water as needed. Make sure that dough is neither stiff nor loose.It has to be just soft.
• At end add oil so that all the flour sticking to bowl is included in dough.
• Make the balls such that thye are little bigget than Cream cheese balls.It makes around 16 to 18 balls.
  

MODAK : 

• Roll the dough with rolling pin.Use Flour for dusting to avoid any stickiness.
• The rolled sheet is supposed to be around 4 inches in diameter.Do not rol too thin.Or else,cheese may flow in the oil.
• Keep a ball in the circle and make modak.
  
• Then deep fry until golden brown.You can deep fry more than one modak at a time depending upon how big is your vessel and how much oil you are using
  

KARANJI or GUJIYA

• Roll the dough ball just like we did for modak.
• Keep the cheese ball in any one halves and spread a little bit.
• Now cover it with remaing half of the dough sheet.
• Close the ends realy well.You can also make nice design using fork as shown in the Photo.
  
• Deep Fry and until golden brown.
• Just like Modaks, more than one Karanji can be fried at a time.
  
  
  
  

TIPS:

• Dry fruits can also be added to stuffing.
• Refridgerate them if you are planning to use for several days and reaheat before eating.

MARBLE STRAWBERRY FROZEN GREEK YOGURT

Well, Title and Picture say it all.Let us go for the recipe.It looks lengthy but to describe in two sentence,it goes like this :- 1. Make two sets of Yogurt of different shades.2.Mix them together and freeze.
now, let us see step bu step recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1. Hung Greek Yogurt - 2 Cups.Click here for the recipe of Hung Yogurt. I have used Low fat Yogurt.But I Recommend using Whole fat to get thicker and Softer Texture.
2. Fresh Strawberry Puree - 1 Cup
3. Sugar - 1 Cup
   

          

STEPS:

Here we are going to make Marble Yogurt which  means we have to make two sets of yogurt mixture with different shades.Let us make two parts saying PART A and PART B.At the very end we are going to combine the two parts.

PART A : 

• Take 1-1/2 Cup of Yogurt in a Big Bowl (This is because we are going to pour Part B later in this bowl too).Importantly, Keep the bowl in Freezer for some time before we use it.
• To That, add 3/4 Cup of Sugar and 5 Tbsp of Strawberry Puree.
  
• Here comes the main part.Whisk it for 8 to 10 minutes.Make sure that Sugar is dissolved completely and yogurt has become soft.
  
• Keep it to Freeze.

PART B :

• In another bowl, Add remaining Yogurt. Add remaining Sugar and Some of the Puree.
  
• Whisk the mixture until it becomes soft, mean while adding Strawberry Puree.It will help you come up with a Pink shade you would like to have.The more the Puree is,Darker is the color.
  
• Keep it to Freeze.

AFTER BOTH MIXTURE ARE FROZEN COMPLETELY (APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS LATER)

• Take out Part B mixture, Blend it completely,Put it back back to Bowl and keep in Freezer.
• Take out Part A Mixture ,Blend it completely. Do not Pour back to the bowl at this moment.
• Take out Part B mixture too.
• Start Adding Part A and Part B Mixture Little by little in the Bigger bowl and give it a mix with the help of Pop Stick as shown in Picture below.
  
• Once the mixture is set well,Keep to freeze.
  
• Let it freeze completely

NOW THE FROZEN YOGURT IS READY TO SERVE.

Impress your loved ones and your guests with this love filled Bowl

• I used low fat yogurt hence the Texture I got was little crunchy as result of low fat.Also, Sugar that has dissolved also adds some crunch to it.But the over all out come is amazing.