Custard

This is an very simple dessert and can be made within two minutes.  Custard powder is an main ingredient, if you dont have custard powder, you can easily replace it with cornflour+vanilla essence combo or cornflour+cardamon powder combo.

 

Ingredients required

• One cup of milk
• 2 tsp of custard powder
• 2 tsp of sugar
• 4-5 almonds, coarsely crushed
• One banana, finely chopped

Method

Boil milk in a pan.  Alternatively, mix custard powder with milk and form a paste, keep aside.  When milk boils , add custard paste and mix thoroughly.

Add sugar and stirr in well. When milk thickens , add crushed nuts and fruits.

Mix well and serve.  Traditionally it is chilled, but i served it warm due to a exiting bad weather.  This delicious dessert can also be made with apples, pear and also other nuts. 

Enjoy!!!!

Katachi aamti (Chana dal cooked in sweet, sour and spicy gravy)

  Aamti dal is from maharashtrian cuisine.  It is prepared from lentil (dal) stock, regarded as an spicy dal preparation flavoured with goda masala, tamarind and gur (jaggery).  Aamti prepared using chana dal is as follows

Ingredients required

To be roast and grounded into powder

• 2-3 tsp dry coconut
• Half tsp jeera
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 2 tsp whole dhanya
• 2 green cardamon
• 1 bayleaf
• 2 cloves
• Half tsp peppercorn
• 2-inch stick cinnamon

For aamti

• Half cup chana dal
• 3 tsp oil
• Salt, to taste
• 4-5 tsp chopped onions
• Half tsp mustard seeds
• Half tsp jeera
• 2 red chillies, broken into half
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 5 tsp of thick tamarind extract
• 3 tsp of grated jaggery
• coriander leaves and grated coconut, to garnish

Method

Soak chana dal in water for 3 hours.  Pressure cook with a pinch of haldi for 3 whistles or till done.  Roast and powder all ingredients in masala section, keep aside.

Heat oil in kadaai, add mustard seeds, wait till it splutters.  This is followed by adding jeera, red chilly, curry leaves and chopped onions.  Saute well.

 Now add masala

Saute masala and add tamarind extract.  Cook till oil separates.

After that, add cooked chana dal and lastly grated jaggery.

 Add salt and check spices, garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves

This is an  ideal combination with roti .