RECIPE OF THE WEEK || KESARI SWEET

Very simple to cook too tasty sweet dish from South India with Semolina (rava) as main ingredient. Kesari sweet is very easy to make simple dessert as a fast food.

INGREDIENTS:             

    1. Rava(semolina) -1 cup
    2. Sugar-1 1/4 cups
    3. Cashew nuts and raisins -3 tbsp (fried in ghee)
    4. Water-2cups
    5. Pineapple or any essence-1/4 tsp
    6. Orange edible food color- a pinch
    7. salt a pinch
    8. Ghee- 1/2 cup
    9. Cardamon- 4 to 5(well crushed)

PREPARATION METHOD:

    Pour few tsp of ghee in a hard bottom vessel,roast rava till it turns light brown,keep aside.
    Again add the remaining ghee,heat a little,add cardamon,cashews,raisins fry till nice golden brown.
    Add water,salt food color,when it starts boiling add the rava(semolina),and stir well without any lumps.cook on low flame for a minute.
    Now add the sugar slowly, just the way you added the rava, so it blends in well.
    Keep stirring, feel the consistency loosening by itself (the sugar gives out water).
    Now add 1/4 tsp cardamon powder,essence keep stirring once again till the kesari thickens.
    Pour the ghee generously,and stir well.Don’t let it stick to the bottom.
    The ghee starts oozing out on the sides.That’s the perfect time to turn off the flame.you can also add bits of any fruit of your choice.TRANSFER THE KESARI TO A GHEE COATED PLATE,PRESS EVENLY,AND SET TO COOL.
    When it s cool cut into any shapes you like.Or serve as such.
    This recipe seems to be easy,but it requires lot of practice and patience to bring in the right consistency.The measurement is the main in this recipe.If all gets right you get the most simple and relishing sweet for a sumptuous meal.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK || MIXED BERRY AND BANANA FRUIT SALAD

PREPARATION TIME : 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS :

    2 cups hulled, roughly chopped strawberries
    A handful of raspberries
    1 cup blueberries
    1 apple, peeled, cored, roughly chopped
    2 bananas, peeled and thickly sliced
    1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
    2 teaspoons lemon juice
    1 teaspoon honey

PREPARATION METHOD :

Prep the berries before the bananas and apples, and add them to a large bowl. As soon as you add the bananas and apples, sprinkle lemon juice over them to keep them from getting brown. Add the zest and the honey and gently toss to combine.

Serve immediately. Or cover and chill for up to 2 hours before serving.

YIELD: Serves 6-8.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK || BOSTON ICED TEA

Yield - 14 servings

INGREDIENTS

    1 gallon water
    1 cup white sugar
    15 tea bags
    1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen cranberry juice concentrate

PREPARATION METHOD

    Put water in large pot, and heat on high until boiling. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add teabags and let steep until desired strength is acquired. Stir in cranberry juice concentrate, and allow to cool.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK || APPLE SAUCE FILLED FRENCH TOAST

YIELD:  6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 loaf egg bread*
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups 10% cream
5 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
*Preferably the kind baked in loaf pans (allows for bigger bread slices), not the free-form braided loaves. If you can only get the braided variety, simply slice more bread to fill the pan.

Caramel Glaze
3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice

PREPARATION METHOD :

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step 2: Cut bread into 3/4" thick slices. Trim off crusts. Cut enough slices to make a two-slice layer that fits snugly inside a 9" x 13" glass baking pan.

Step 3: Spoon applesauce over bottom slices of bread and place another layer of bread on top. In effect, you are making a series of applesauce "sandwiches" that fit in the pan. Set aside.

Step 4: Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually whisk in cream until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Pour over bread, making sure all the bread is soaked. (French toast can be made up to this point, covered and chilled overnight. Let the pan come to room temperature in the morning as you make the caramel glaze, then proceed with glazing and baking.)

Step 5: In a small saucepan, melt caramel glaze ingredients over medium heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved and resulting syrup is lightly bubbling. Pour glaze over pan of soaked bread. Use the back of a spoon to smooth glaze over bread surface.

Step 6: Bake 45-50 minutes, until top is puffed and browned. The centre should be soft and slightly wobbly. Serve hot with maple syrup and berries, if desired.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK || CRISPY TOFU BURGER

INGREDIENTS :

Tofu - 400 gms
Soy Sauce - 3 tblsp
Rice Wine Vinegar - 1 tblsp
Sesame Oil - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece, peeled and grated
Garlic Clove - 1, crushed
Eggs - 2, large, beaten
Fresh Breadcrumbs - 75 to 100 gms
Sesame Seeds - 3 tsp
Ligh Olive Oil for frying
Crusty Bread Rolls or Burger Buns - 4
Salad Leaves

PREPARATION METHOD :

1. Cut the tofu into 4 square pieces.
2. Lay them flat in a non-metallic dish.
3. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.
4. Pour this over the tofu pieces.
5. Cover and leave to marinate for 60 minutes or overnight.
6. To make the burgers, dip the tofu into the beaten egg.
7. Then into the breadcrumbs and finally into the mixed sesame seeds.
8. Dip each burger in the eggs, then the breadcrumbs again for an extra coating.
9. Heat the oil in a shallow pan.
10. Fry the tofu burgers on each side over medium heat until golden and crispy, for about 6 to 8 minutes.
11. Remove and drain.
12. Halve the rolls.
13. Top each base with salad leaves and a crispy tofu burger.
14. Serve immediately.

TIP : You can also add fried onions and sauteed cherry tomatoes as topping.