Rabri Recipe and The Festival of Colors (Holi)

Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is the most vibrant and colorful of all the Indian fests. Holi symbolizes the dawn of the spring season. It is celebrated in many parts of South Asia, covering Nepal as well. The Holi celebration start with a Holika bonfire, which is held on the night before Holi. The coming morning is free for all carnival of colors. People are involved in merry making by applying colored powder at each others.

Everyone plays and chases each other with dry powder and colored water. Some also carry water colors guns and small colorful water filled balloons. The festival also includes ‘matki phod’ (breaking the pot) competition. People sing and dance on the regional or Bollywood songs. “Dhol” or drum adds to the party mood. Rabri and malpua is the best dessert combination served on the auspicious occasion of Holi. So let’s welcome the Festival of Colors with the Rabri.

Ingredients:-

10 Cups milk,

4 Tablespoons sugar,

4 Pieces green cardamom seeds,

4 Drops of kewra essence,

1 Pinch of green cardamom powder,

1 Pinch of pistachio powder.

Preparation Method:-

1. Take a deep pan and add milk. Bring it to boil.

2. Add the sugar and cardamom seeds. Leave it to simmer over a low heat for 2 hours until the milk is reduced to one quarter.

3. Remove from the heat and add the kewra essence. Kewra essence is concentrated oil made from pandanus flowers used in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine.

4. Sprinkle with the cardamom and pistachio powders and serve hot or cold with malpua.

Enjoy the festival of colors with sumptuous dessert!!!

Frozen Dead Guy Days and The Refreshing Cocktails

Frozen Dead Guy Days is the most chirpy, funky and unique of all the festivals celebrated in Nederland, Colorado, USA. This year it is being celebrated from 7 to 9 March. This festival is meant for celebrating story of Grandpa Bredo Morstoel, a Norwegian who died in 1989. The festival is accompanied by number of icy and dicey events. This includes:-

• Frozen salmon tosses
• Polar plunges
• Coffin races

This festival is fueled by lot of beer to boost up the spirit of the competitions. Here we have some really refreshing cocktails to celebrate this festival to the fullest.

Honey Beer Julep

Ingredients:-

1.5 ounces Spiced beer,
0.5 ounces Honey Syrup,
3 Leaves Fresh Basil,
3 ounces Honey Basil Ale

Preparation method:-

1. In a shaker pint, muddle basil leaves with the honey syrup.
2. Add Spiced beer and ice, shake well and strain into glass over ice.
3. Top with Honey Basil Ale and garnish with a basil leaf.

For the Honey Syrup

1/2 cup Honey,
1/2 cup Water.

Preparation method:-

1. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in honey until completely dissolved.
2. Cool before mixing. Store in refrigerator.

The Eccentric Bride

Ingredients:-

6 ounces Chilled beer,
2 slices Lime,
1 pinch Chipotle rimming salt,
4 cubes Ice,
1 slice Cucumber for garnish,
1 tablespoon Chipotle hot sauce.

Preparation method:-

1. Take lime wedge pieces, and wet the rim of a tall glass.
2. Dip the rim into the chipotle rimming salt and squeeze the juice from the rest of lime into the glass.
3. Toss in the lime pieces and mix Chipotle Hot Sauce. Fill up your cup with ice, have a sip and enjoy. Garnish with cucumber!

 

Mardi Gras Festival and The King Cake Drinks

Hope you enjoyed my King Cake recipe. But any festival is incomplete without the last ritual, that is drink. So lets drown ourselves in the rich cocktail and shake to boost up the festive spirit. Here it goes...

Colorful King Cocktail

Ingredients:-

2 oz king cake vodka,

0.5 oz fresh lime,

0.25 oz sugarcane syrup,

1 oz grapefruit juice,

1 oz pineapple juice,

1 handful fresh mint leaves.

Preparation Method:-

1. Add the above ingredients into the shaker along with ice. Shake well

2.Take a purple sugar rimmed cocktail glass.

3. Add the drink. Garnish with a mint crown. Enjoy!!

King Cake-inspired Milkshake

Ingredients:-

3/4 cup milk,

2 cups cake batter ice cream,

2 tablespoons cream cheese,

1/4 cup whipped cream vodka,

1/2 cup crumbled king cake pieces,

Green, purple and yellow sprinkles.

Preparation Method:-

1. Add the ice cream, cream cheese, milk and whipped cream vodka into a blender.

2. Blend till the mixture is smooth. Add some more vodka or ice cream as per taste.

3. Stir in the diced pieces of cake with help of a spoon. Pour mixture into a Mason jar.

4. Garnish with whipped cream and Mardi Gras sprinkles. Enjoy!!

King Cake Recipe and Mardi Gras Festival

All set for the Mardi Gras Festival?? Invite your pals and relatives and offer them fruit cakes, doughnuts and spend quality time. Wanna have more fun?? Participate in the parade and design colorful parade floats. There are special Mardi Gras Parade tickets available for active participation and full fledged enjoyment. The events will boost up the festive mood. You'll love the colorful beads, hats, masks, stuffed toys and much more.

Hope you liked our previous recipe, "Rich Peach Cobbler". Today we'll bring you with the most easy homemade recipe of "Kings Cake", since Mardi Gras Festival is incomplete without it. The simplest of all the cake is a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style dough. It is topped with icing sugar or cream that is purple, green, and golden in color, denoting the traditional Mardi Gras colors.

Ingredients for Cake:-

2 tablespoons butter,

1 teaspoon vanilla extract,

1/3 cup light brown sugar,

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon,

8 ounce cans reduced-fat crescent rolls,

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese,

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar.

Preparation method for the Cake:-

1. Preheat the oven to 350 D. F. Coat round pizza pan approximately 10-inch with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Separate the crescent rolls at perforations into 16 slices. Place slices around prepared pan with points in center. About halfway down from points, press the seams together.

3. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread on dough in center where seams have been pressed together.

4. In another small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese. Fold dough points over filling, then fold bottom of triangle over points forming a circular roll like a king cake.

5. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and drizzle with colored Mardi Gras Icing.

Ingredients for Icing:-

1 cup confectioners’ sugar,

1-2 tablespoons skim milk,

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract,

Yellow, green, and purple food color

Preparation method for Icing:-

1. In small bowl, combine all ingredients, except food color. Divide the mixture into three bowls.

2. In first bowl, add a few drops of yellow food coloring. In second bowl, add a few drops of green food coloring. In third bowl, add equal amounts of drops of purple food coloring.

3. Drizzle over baked cake.

Enjoy the cake and the fest!!!

Mardi Gras Festival and Rich Peach Cobbler

The popular festival, Mardi Gras, 2014 is falling on Tuesday, March 4th. Everyone is excited about it and counting down the minutes. Madri gras is accompanied by people wearing masks and shiny, colorful costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports competitions, parades, etc. Madri Gras reflects the French as well as American culture. The name of the festival varies from place to place. This festival is incomplete without the "King Cake". We'll bring you with the mouth watering recipe, this weekend.

The festival is celebrated with great pomp and show in Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and United States. For now lets try the traditional peach cobbler with ice cream recipe as any festival is incomplete without delicious dessert. Cobbler refers to variety of dishes, chiefly in the United States and United Kingdom. It consists of a fruit filling that is poured into a large baking dish and covered with batter, biscuit, or crispy pie crust. Thereafter it is baked. Let’s have a look.

Ingredients:-

4 cups peeled sliced peaches,

2 cups sugar,

1/2 cup water,

8 tablespoons butter,

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour,

1 1/2 cups milk,

Ground cinnamon, optional.

Preparation Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 350 D. F. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well.

2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add butter in a baking dish and place it in the oven for melting.

3. Mix the remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup.

4. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon. Batter will rise to top during the baking process. Bake for 45 minutes.

5. To serve, scoop out and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 
Enjoy the festival!! 

Sweet and Sour Pork with pineapple

Pork is the staple food of various countries. It is rich source of vitamin B1, which is vital for growth and repair of muscles. It has riboflavin that helps to maintain skin and health problems. Vitamin B6, present in pork meat helps in increasing metabolism. Iron, on the other hand, gives you energy. Despite of being sweet and delicious, pineapple is blessed with number of health benefits like boosting up the immunity system. Hence, pineapple is considered more than a delicious tropical-fruit treat. Fresh and crisp bell pepper is a tasty vegetable that can be included in regular part of healthy eating plan. It is low in calories and contains no fat and is a good supply of vitamins and minerals. Soy sauce has strong umami flavor and is used in number of Asian cuisine. So lets try our hands at mouthwatering sweet and sour pork with pineapple.

Ingredients:-

20 ounces pineapple chunks,

1/4 cup vinegar,

2 tablespoons light soy sauce,

1 1/2 teaspoons salt,

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger,

1/2 cup water,

2 pounds boneless pork loin,

1 large diced onion,

1 medium diced green bell pepper,

1 medium diced red bell pepper,

3 tablespoons cornstarch.

Preparation Method:-

1. Drain juice from pineapple and pour juice in a Dutch oven. Add vinegar, soy sauce, salt, ginger, and 1/2 cup water. Stir until smooth.

2. Add pork and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is tender. Add onion, green pepper, red pepper and pineapple chunks.

3. Simmer 10 minutes longer, or until onion and peppers are just tender. Put cornstarch in a cup and stir in 3 tablespoons water.

4. Stir into pork and juices. Then heat to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer the sweet and sour pork for 1 minute. Serve sweet and sour pork with rice.

We have lot more yummy yummzzz!!!

The Desert Festival and Dal Baati Churma

The Desert Festival is one of the major festivals celebrated in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan (India). It falls in the month of January or February. This year the festival was held from 12th February to 14th February. The zest of the festival is to bring out rich culture and heritage of the beautiful state, Rajasthan. The major attractions of the fest are Rajasthani folk dance, snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats, camel dance, polo, camel race and other local performances. The dance and drama reflects heroism, romance and tragedy of the folk heroes. As any festival is incomplete without food, Rajasthani food is incomplete without the traditional dal baati churma, the perfect Indian food. Panchmel dal is the grams curry. Baatis are small, flaky, round breads that are baked over firewood. Churma is the traditional dessert of Rajasthani. Here is the sumptuous recipe to delight you. 

Ingredients:- 

 

For the Panchmel Dal:-

1/3 cup split Bengal gram,

1/3 cup pigeon peas gram,

1/3 cup split green gram,

1 tbsp split black lentils,

1 tbsp whole green gram,

3 tsp chilli powder,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tsp coriander powder,

1/2 tsp hot spice,

3 cloves,

2 bay leaves,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

2 green chillies,

1 pinch of asafoetida,

2 tsp dried mango powder,

2 tsp tamarind pulp,

3 tbsp clarified butter,

salt to taste

For Baatis (10):-

1 cup whole wheat flour,

1/2 cup semolina,

2 tbsp Bengal gram flour,

8 tbsp milk,

4 tbsp melted clarified butter,

salt to taste

Preparation method:-

 

For the panchmel dal:-

1. Clean and wash the dals (grams and lentils) and add 4 cups of water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or till the dal is cooked.

2. In a bowl, combine the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, hot spice with 3 tablespoons of water and mix well. Keep aside.

3. Heat the clarified butter in a pan and add the cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green chillies and asafoetida.

4. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the prepared masala paste and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cooked dals, amchur, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 7 minutes.

5. Adjust the consistency of the dal before serving and if required by adding some boiled water.

For the baatis:-

1. Mix all the ingredients and knead into a firm dough. Knead well for 7 minutes. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into an even sized round.

3. Flatten the rounds lightly using your thumb to make an indentation in the centre of the baati. Boil water in a broad vessel and drop the baatis in the boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes over a high flame.

4. When the baatis are done, drain and keep aside. Heat a gas tandoor (Indian oven) and put the baatis on the grill of the tandoor. Cook them on a medium flame for 25 minutes.

5. Cooking the baatis over a medium flame will ensure that the baatis are cooked on the insides also. Arrange the baatis on a serving plate, break each baati into two pieces and pour melted clarified butter on the baatis.

For Churma:-

2 cups whole wheat flour,

4 tablespoons semolina,

1 cup clarified butter,

3/4 cup powdered sugar,

1/4 teaspoon green cardamom powder,

10 chopped cashewnuts,

10 chopped almonds,

10 chopped raisins

Milk as required

Preparation method:-

1. Mix flour and semolina in a bowl. Add half cup of melted clarified butter and mix well. Add milk as required and knead into a stiff dough.

2. Divide the dough into twelve lemon sized balls. Heat sufficient clarified butter in a wok and deep-fry the balls on medium heat, till they are well done.

3. Drain and place on an absorbent paper and cool. Coarsely grind the wheat balls in a mixer. Add powdered sugar, cardamom powder, cashew nuts, almonds and raisins and mix.

4. Serve churma with daal baati.

Enjoy the Desert Festival..