Mukhwas

Now this is a must have in our Jikoni.  Mukhwas, a breath freshner made at home by meeeeee, who else

I love the tradition of serving mukhwas after a delicious Indian meal.  The colourful medley of coconut, fennel seeds, candy coated fennel seeds, dhana daal and a beautiful mix called hira moti masala(available in Indian Grocery stores).  I sometimes add finely chopped roasted betel nut which I buy pre-packaged but I love colouring the coconut and roasting the sesame seeds(which I have coat with lemon, salt and turmeric and then roast.

 

Mukhwas is generally served in place of after dinner mints and in small portions (about a teaspoon full) however, I can go on eating this for far too long…the famous quote at Vithlani house is “mukhwas che, chevdo nathi” its a mouth freshener not a snack! well…. a little bit of what you fancy and all that!

Mukhwas

 

 

2 cups coconut ( grated)

3/4 cup waryari (roasted) Fennel seeds

2 cups dhana daal (rosted)

2 cups taal            (roasted) Sesame seeds

1 cups waryari sugar coated

2 cups mithi sadi sopari ( finely chopped betel nut)

2 tea spoons hira moti powder

2 table spoons lemon juice

2 tea spoons salt

1 tea spoon turmeric powder

Mix lemon juice and salt and turmeric powder.

In a large bowl add sesame seeds ,lemon juice mixture and mix well. Live for  2 to 3 hours. Roast the sesame seeds on medium heat stirring continuesly .Once it stars to splutter its done. Keep on the side.

Roast Dhana daal on medium heat until its rosted .

color the grated coconut and roast in the oven  for about 5 min or until its nice and crispy.

Mix all above ingredients in a large bowl and let it cool completely and store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Egg replacement

Egg replacement

 

 

 

 

Since  I published my last blog on red velvet cupcake ,many people have ask me what egg replacement I use.Here is the name and the picture .You can find it in any grocery stores or health stores.

Red Velvet Cupcake

Red Velvet Cupcake recipe:

Cake:

Makes 24

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (i used egg replacement)
• 1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add egg replacement beating until  is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.
4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
5. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.
6. 

Frosting:

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.
2. 

 

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Paan

 

 

At our home in Charleston whenever we host a feast for our friends and family I make an extra effort to order in some fresh nagarvell leaves.  These aromatic heart shaped leaves are washed and then filled with a variety of ingredients to form a mouth freshener. It works somewhat like an after dinner mint, but the flavours are those of roses and fennel, toasted coconut and sesame.  The leaf is then formed into a triangular little parcel that is generally a bit size, and occasionally only slightly bigger.

The pan is very popular in India with some kiosks serving just Pan in a variety of flavours.  Some are delicious whilst to me the others are a definite don’t touch item as they contain tobacco and a vile red paste which stains the teeth and mouth.  There are different varieties of pan like Kapuri, Calcutti, Banarasi, Manghai, Ganga – Jamuna, Anarkali and Tobacco to name but a few (I have not tried most of these I must confess). While these are all readily available in India, here in Charleston, I would have to drive for miles to locate the pan.

The pan parcels I make are very popular with our friends and guests and I carefully prepare all the fillings by roasting, toasting, colouring, infusing and blending each filling as I have been taught.   The method seems a bit painstaking but it really is worth it as you will see the sheer joy and surprise on your guests faces as you bring these little darling parcels out after dinner.

Here is how I make them.

 

Paan

 

 

 

15 paan

4 table spoons gulkand paste

3 table spoon paan chatni

1 tea spoon hira moti powder

1/2 tea spoon paan sugandh powder

1/2 cup rose syrup

1 cup coconut grated

1/2 cup dhana daal rosted

1/2 cup waryari rosted

1/4 cup mithi sadi sopari

In a bowl ,mix all above ingredients well and keep on the side.

 

 

Wash clean and dry the paan. Cut the ends , lay on the flat surface . Top with above masala and fold the paan in triangle and secure with clove.

 

 

 

 

Wagharelo Rotlo

So in a previous post I shared a recipe for Rotla.  The bread made with bajra no lot (millet flour).  I must have mentioned that this rotlo is delicious served warm or cold or even crumbled and cooked in a yoghurt sauce.

This wagharelo rotlo was again a Mwanza in-laws favoured meal and so I asked my sister in law, Manjubhabhi to share the recipe with me.  The rotlo is crumbled and then tempered in a little bit of oil and then some stirred yoghurt is added along with spices.  Manu and I often enjoy this wagharelo rotlo for an evening meal (whenever there is left over rotlo from lunch).

 

Wagharelo rotlo

 

 

Here is a quick and easy recipe .

 

 

 

4 Rotla

1 cup yogurt

3/4 cup water

1 1/4 tea spoon salt

1 1/2 tea spoon chili powder

1/2  tea spoon turmeric powder

1/2 tea spoon garlic paste

cilantro

 

 

Mix  yogurt with water make sure there is no lump. add all above ingredients keep on the side.

Make small pieces of rotla and keep on the side

1 tea spoon oil

1/4  tea spoon mustard seeds

pinch asafoetida

 

In a pan add oil ,once heated add mustard seed and asofoetida. add the rotla pieces and add yogurt mix ,Stir continuously  until rotla are tender and the yogurt reduces to a thick souse like consistency. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy garam garam  khato,kikho masala daar rotlo !

 

Fruit salad

 

Fruit salad

Here’s a tasty way to finish off your dinner. Adults and kids will be standing in line for this refreshing and easy to make treat.

 

 

3 different flavored jello

Pop in the fridge to set ( in separate  containers)

Scoop out the jello and cut in to small cubes. once you cut them out, take a serving bowl or dish mix the different  color jello pieces together  and keep in the fridge.

 

 

 

Take 2 envelops of unflavored geletine  ( white)

2 cup water

1 can condensed milk

Mixed fruits of your choice. (cut in to small pieces )

 

 

Boil 1 cup of water and dissolve the geletine in hot water , add 1 cup of water ( room temperature )mix well and add can of condensed milk and stir in well. Let it cool completely. once cooled pour the mixture over the prepared jello cubes garnish fresh fruit pieces of your choice   and refrigerate. Let it set for 3 to 4 hrs.Serve with pistachio pudding  or vanilla ice cream

Create your own flavor and enjoy !!