Bread Halwa

There are several versions of bread halwa and all of them are very yummy. You can make them with bread crumbs or dry breads or with deep fried bread pieces; use less ghee or more; use milk or not; it turns out differently with these variations yet very tasty. It's a handy recipe for quick desserts.

 

Serves: 5 scoops 

Preparation Time: Nil

Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients: 

1.     Bread crumbs – 1 cup

2.     Milk – 1 cup

3.     Sugar – ½ cup

4.     Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp

5.     Ghee – 2 tbsp

              6.     Cashew – 2 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: In a non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and roast cashews in it. Drain cashews and fry the bread crumbs in that.

Step 2: Add milk to this and simmer the heat; stir occasionally to avoid burning and once the milk is absorbed, add sugar and stir.

Step 3: Now add cardamom powder and 1 tbsp ghee and stir until sides of the pan are clean.

Step 4: Garnish with roasted nuts and serve hot. It is good when chilled as well.

Apple Sauce

Last week I happened to take some antibiotics due to which I had a bad stomach. I was starving and  foraging for some diet for such condition and came across what seemed to be an universal belief, BARB diet; (Bread, Apple Sauce, Rice, Banana). I was curious to try this apple sauce and did so. Believe me it was yum, indeed.

Ingredients:

1. Apples - 3
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup (I used jaggery)
3. Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Lemon - 1
5. Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

Step 1: Wash, peel and core the apples. Cut them into wedges
Step 2: In a non stick pan, add apple wedges, jaggery/sugar, juice of a lemon (adjust depending on the sourness of the apples), cinnamon powder and water
Step 3: Mix well and heat on low flame until the apple is soft to be mashed
Step 4: Switch of the stove; with the help of a potato masher, mash the apple nicely or with some chunks if you prefer
Step 5: Serve it hot or warm or cold. In refrigerator it can stay for a week. (We finished in a couple of days though)

Paanagam

Paanagam is a cooling drink that is had during summers and my grandma used to tell that this was, in the olden served as welcome drink during a wedding ceremony called ‘samandham kalandhal’ which is when the families agree upon an alliance and step forward. It is very simple to make and quite refreshing.

Ingredients:

1.       Jaggery – 1 cup

2.       Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

3.       Dry ginger powder – 1 tsp

4.       Lemon – 1

5.       Salt – 1 pinch

6.       Tulsi – 10-15 leaves

7.       Water – 1 litre

Method:

Step 1:  Dissolve jaggery in water and filter to remove debris in it.

Step 2:  Now add salt, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, juice of a lemon, crushed tulsi leaves and mix well

Step 3: Refrigerate and serve chilled. Avoid adding ice cubes as it may dilute the taste.