Oats Kheer Golgappa

 

          Check out this simple Oats Kheer Golgappa, an unique fusion dessert. As I had some leftover oats kheer, I decided to stuff them into golgappa shells and drizzled rabri over it. It tastes simply yummy. You can garnish with chopped pistachios, almonds, dry rose petals and few strands of saffron for some visual appeal. The addition of rose water and cardamom powder gives it a mild flavor. It is a perfect party dessert. So go ahead and indulge in this easy to make innovative gourmet dessert and surprise your loved ones. 

          Oats are nutritious, wholesome and low in cholesterol. It contains fibre and is rich in antioxidants. Hence it is advisable to include it in our daily diet. Besides having it for breakfast, they can be turned into yummy desserts. 

          Both oats kheer and pani puri are my favorite. So I decided to combine them and turn into an amazing dessert. In this way, any leftover kheer can be finished off by filling them up in golgappa balls and serving them. 

• 500 ml. full fat milk
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1 tsp. ghee
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup powdered jaggery
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1 tbsp. mixed nuts
• pinch of saffron strands
• few golgappa pooris
• chopped pistachios, almonds, dry rose petals and saffron to garnish

Instant rabri -

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• powdered sugar to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp. rose water

  

          Heat ghee in a pan and roast the oats till you get a nice aroma coming through. Keep it aside. 

          Bring the milk and a pinch of salt to a boil. 

          Add the roasted oats, jaggery powder, cardamom powder, mixed nuts and saffron. 

          

          Simmer on a low flame by stirring continuously till it thickens.

          Switch off the flame and add the rose water. Mix well and keep aside to cool down. Then refrigerate till serving time. 

          

Instant Rabri - 

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients and keep aside for 15-20 minutes for the saffron to soak well. Your instant rabri is ready.

To serve - 

          Make a hollow in the centre of each golgappa with a spoon. Stuff 3/4 of the poori or fill it up to the top as per your choice with the oats kheer. 

           Then drizzle some of the rabri over it or place the stuffed golgappas over the rabri.

          Garnish with the chopped pistachios, almonds, few dry rose petals and few strands of saffron. 

          Your fusion golgappa dessert is ready. Serve immediately and enjoy the mouthful experience. It is a perfect finish to any meal. 

Shahi (Kalakand Sandwich) Tukda

          I made a fusion of the popular Hyderabadi dessert - Shahi Tukda. As I had some leftover homemade green peas kalakand, I made sandwiches out of it. I also made some instant rabdi. Then I arranged the sandwiches (cut into two / four each) on a serving plate and drizzled the rabri over it. I then served, garnished with some chopped almonds, pista and dry rose petals. My innovative fusion dessert is ready. 

1.  Kalakand - 

• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, blended
• 100 gms. paneer 
• 1 tbsp. milk powder
• 2-3 tbsp. powdered sugar or to taste 
• pinch of cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. kewra water
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp. chopped almonds

           In a non-stick pan, add the blended peas and saute till dry. Keep aside. 

          In the same pan add all the ingredients including the green peas. Mix and stir on a low flame till it starts to leave the sides of the pan. Switch off the flame and keep aside. 

        

2.  Sandwich - 

• 6 slices of bread
• butter as required 

          Spread some butter on the bread slices and make sandwiches in a sandwich maker with the kalakand as stuffing. Cut them into 4 slices and keep aside. 

3.  Instant rabdi -

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• powdered sugar to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp. rose / kewra water

          In a bowl, mix together all the above mentioned ingredients and keep aside for 15-20 minutes for the saffron to soak well. Your instant rabdi is ready.

4.  Garnish - 

• 1 tsp. chopped almonds 
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp. dry rose petals 

          To serve - Arrange the kalakand sandwiches on a plate and pour the rabdi over it. Garnish with chopped almonds, pistachios and rose petals. Your Shahi Kalakand Sandwich Tukda is ready to enjoy. 






Note - 

1.  I used evaporated milk for instant rabdi, but equal quantities of condensed milk and full fat milk can be substituted or you can reduce a liter of full fat milk to the desired consistency.

2.  You can make sugar syrup and soak the sandwiches in it for a while. I avoided it as it turns too sweet.

Eggless Semolina Cake

          You are now looking at an Eggless Semolina Cake that I tried out for the first time today. It is almost similar to Basbousa - a Middle Eastern delicacy. It is very easy to make and it turned out absolutely perfect and delicious. Have them as an after-meal dessert or as a teatime snack. So go ahead and give it a try by checking out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup semolina (sooji)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter / oil
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. pistachios, sliced or any dry fruits
• 1 tbsp. cherries, chopped
• pinch of saffron 
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• oil to grease the cake pan
• some extra cherries & pistachios to garnish

          In a bowl mix together semolina, salt, cardamom powder and sugar. Then add in the butter, followed by the yoghurt and milk. Combine everything well and leave aside for 15-20 minutes.

          Adjust the consistency and add more milk if required. The batter should be of pouring consistency.

          Lastly add in the pistachios, cherries, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well and pour into a greased cake tin. 

          Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C. for 30-35 minutes. Set aside to cool down. Garnish with sliced cherries & pistachios. 

          Then cut into desired shapes and enjoy as an after-meal dessert. For more variation, it can be served with a drizzle of some rabri over it.

                                Mix together semolina, salt, cardamom powder

                                 and sugar. 

                                Then add butter, 

                                followed by yoghurt.

                                and milk. Mix well & leave aside for 15-20 minutes.

                                Lastly add pistachios, cherries, 

                                 baking powder & baking soda. 

                                Mix well & pour into a greased cake tin. 

                                Bake at 180 degrees C. for 30-35 minutes. 

                                  Set aside to cool down.

                    Garnish with sliced cherries & pistachios. Enjoy as an after-meal dessert.

Shahi Malpua (Sweet Pancakes in thick Creamy Sauce)

          Shahi Malpuas are delicious sweet Pancakes, very popular in West Bengal and other Northern regions. There are many versions to this recipe where the ingredients differ from one region to the other. This is my family recipe that I am sharing. 

          In this recipe, I shallow fried them for a healthier option. They are then dipped in sugar syrup and topped with chopped nuts on a bed of rabdi (thickened milk).  The rabri can also be drizzled over it while serving. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup sooji (semolina)
• 1/2 cup maida (Plain flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar for the malpua batter
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• milk as required
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• sugar to taste for the instant rabri
• ghee for shallow frying
• 3/4 cup brown sugar for the syrup
• 2-3 pinches of cardamom powder  
• 4-5 cardamoms
• 1 tsp. chopped nuts 

          Batter -  In a bowl, mix together sooji, maida, coconut, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 pinch of cardamom powder, fennel seeds and required quantity of milk and prepare a batter. Leave aside for 30 minutes.

          Sugar Syrup - In a pan heat together 3/4 sugar, 3/4 cup water and remaining cardamom powder. Simmer on a low flame till the sugar is dissolved and you have a slightly thick syrup. Keep aside.

          Instant Rabdi - Mix together evaporated milk and sugar to taste. Keep aside.

          To prepared malpuas, adjust milk and add more if the batter has turned thick. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp. of ghee.

          Pour a small ladleful of the batter and cook on both sides till light golden in colour. Make in batches of two or three.

          Immediately soak in the sugar syrup for few seconds till it is well coated. Place on a serving dish and top it up with the instant rabdi and chopped nuts. Refrigerate if preferred and enjoy them hot or cold.








Note:
For the rabdi - you can go in for the lengthy process of thickening the milk till it is semi solid. 
For the batter - You can combine, atta (whole wheat flour), khoya / mawa (Milk solids), milk powder instead of sooji and maida as per choice.

                                   In a bowl, mix together sooji (semolina),

                             .    .......maida,

                                  Grind brown sugar along with cardamom into a powder.

                                  Add ground sugar.

                                .....1 & 1/2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut.

                                  Also add sugar & cardamom powder. Mix well.

                                 Add required quantity of milk....

                        ...and form a batter of pouring consistency. Set aside for 30 minutes

                                   To make the sugar syrup, grind sugar and cardamoms. 
                          

                                   Add this to the pan....

                        ...along with water & cardamoms. Simmer till slightly thick. Keep aside.

                                  Mix the batter well again. Adjust water if required.

                                  The batter should be of pouring consistency.

                                  Add fennel seeds & give it a mix.

                                  Heat some ghee & pour two ladleful of the batter.

                                    Fry on both sides till light golden in colour.

                                 Transfer on to a plate.

                             Dip them into the sugar syrup for a few seconds till well coated.

                                 Arrange on a serving plate & serve......

                               ........topped with the instant rabdi & chopped nuts.