Rose milk shake

ROSE MILK SHAKE

Navratri  is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar and for us Gujaratis, it’s a time to get on our glad rags (chanya cholis and kurta pyjamas) and dance the night away to the traditional Garba music and some more modern Bollywood music.  A good two-three hours energetic dancing that really invokes powerful spiritual energy.

Navratri is also usually a time when people fast or abstain from certain food groups such as grains, garlic, and onions etc. All that dancing is thirsty work and although the venues here have cold, soft drinks I miss the milkshakes that the Lohana community offered during the Navaratri festivals.   The Ice cold, pink and sugary stuf went down a treat. These milk shake breaks were meant equally for catching up with friends as they were for replenishing lost energy.  How I miss my Dar friends!!

I still crave that pink shake and so I decided to give it a whirl here at home in Charleston.  I must say, it turned out pretty much like the Lohana Mahajan stuff of Dar. Here is my recipe. Do try it and see if you get hooked…

1 scoop vanilla ice cream ( Optional)

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon takmaria

2 table spoons rose syrup

Soak the takmaria in about 1/2 cup water for about 15  minutes. Drain all the water and keep on the side. Place ice cream, milk and rose syrup in a blender until smooth. Serve in an individual glasses and top with  takmaria.

Pea nuts chiki

  PEA NUTS CHIKI

 

 

 

Delicious and elegant chiki that is easy to make

2 cups roasted peanuts ( split in half’s)

1 cup jagary

1 tablespoon ghee

 

 

Heat jagary and ghee in a sauce pan on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until caramelized. Add roasted pea nuts and mix well. Stirring quickly remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a greased tray. Let it cool and  break in to pieces . Store in an air tight container.

 

Skillet ondhwo

SKILLET  ONDHWO

Ondhwo is simple yet filling and makes easy brunch on a day when you avoid spending too much time in the kitchen.

 

 

2 cups ondhwo  flour

1 cup yogurt

little water as needed

handful fenugreek leaves

1/4 cup carrots grated

1 small onion finely chopped

2 tea spoons  green chili paste

1 tea spoon ginger paste

1/2 tea spoon garlic paste

1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder

2 tea spoons salt

2 table spoons oil

1 1/4 tea spoon fruit  salt  (Eno)

 

 

For tampering

2 table spoons oli

1 tea spoon mustard seeds

1/4 tea spoon fenugreek seeds

1 table spoon sesame seeds

few curry leaves

pinch asafetida

 

 

 

In a bowl, mix ondwa mix with yogurt , salt and turmeric powder and make thick batter.  ( drop consistency) Cover and allow to ferment over night. Add fenugreek leaves, garlic paste, ginger paste, chili paste, grated carrots, onions and oil. Keep on the side. ( add eno at the last minute)

Heat the oil in the non stick skillet, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves sesame seeds and pinch of asafetida.Once it crackles add Eno to  prepared mixture and mix well. Pour the mixture in the skillet  mix well sprinkle  little  sesame seeds    and cover the lid and cook on low  heat for 15 minutes.  Gently turn over ondwo and cook for about 15 to20  minutes .Enjoy garam garam ondhwo with masala daar chai.

 

cheesecake

 

 

Cheesecake

Make this super easy cheesecake for your family and friends and every one will  be supremely satisfied.

 

 

 

200 grams digestive biscuits (crumbs)

1/3 cup butter

16 oz.  cream cheese soften

1/2 cup icing sugar

300 ml whip cream

1 cup hazelnut spread (Nutella)

Fresh strawberries

 

 

       

In a bowl, combine biscuits crumbs and melted butter. Put in the greased  spring form tin  and press down firmly. Refrigerate and chill while you prepare the filling. Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in a bawl to soften. Whisk the whip cream until soft peaks form, then fold in to cream cheese. Pour over a chilled biscuit base and smooth evenly with spatula. Cover and chill for 5 to 6 hours. Once set, place nutella spread over the cheesecake .Decorate with sliced fresh strawberry’s.