White Chocolate & Cardamom Kheer (Rice Pudding)

“A gift from my kitchen

Straightforward & fast,

Wholesome, with spices

That’ll fill up your heart.

Call it comfort-ilicious

Or flavors in a bowl,

It’ll complete your meal

And warm up the soul..

Oh and did I mention

A boil is all it needs,

Simple to make, yet tasty?

Now that’s a recipe for keeps!”

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 cups whole milk

6 tablespoons white Basmati rice

3 green cardamoms, crushed

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6-8 pitted dates, hydrated & chopped

8-10 pieces of white chocolate

In a deep-bottomed pan, bring to boil the milk, cardamom & sugar. Once boiled, add the rice and cook on medium low flame so the mixture is just simmering. Continue to cook till the rice is soft and fully cooked. Turn heat to high and give it another boil to slightly thicken the kheer. [PS-At this stage, it’s already a delicious pudding and can be eaten as is. But the next step just adds a creamy twist to it..]. Discard any cardamom skin, and stir in the dates & white chocolate. Mix well till the chocolate is fully melted.

Chill for 2 hours & serve with a dash of cinnamon & caramel!

Vegan Date Truffles

“Why celebrate love

A day each year we live,

When hugs & cuddles

Don’t measure & give.

Be different, be bold

No gift? Stop sighing!

Scoop up some cocoa

And get messy trying.

And when you wrap this

Homemade, not from a store,

It’ll hold all that you want to say

And a little bit more…”

Everyone wants to do a V-day recipe post. So I thought I may as well join the bandwagon. 

 

But guys! I am making it super easy for you. All those out there who cringe at making any home-made treats, this IS the one for you. There is no significant measures, no kneading, rolling, frying, braising, waiting on the timer etc etc....and the result is decadently sweet (although sugar free), moist and melt-in-the-mouth good. And they'd look rather cute as a gift too. 

 

If you're nodding your head at all the ingredients, then go pull them out and give it a try right now. Oh! and a penny for your thoughts. Please leave a comment!

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates

½ cup walnuts or almonds

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

4 tablespoons coconut cream (the thick part of canned coconut milk)

1 tablespoon olive oil (or any tasteless oil)

Coconut flakes to coat

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend till you get a thick smooth paste. A few chunks here and there are fine. If the mixture is too dry to blend, add a teaspoon of water but make sure it doesn’t become too wet.

Transfer the mixture into a airtight container and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Once slightly firm, oil your palms and shape a teaspoon of the mixture into small balls. Toss in coconut flakes and enjoy!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Pomegranate Swirls

“Plain as vanilla

With a wintery splash,

Color and moisture

In a cupcake stash.

You don’t have to complicate

My mum used to say,

For a dessert satisfying

Or fancy and gourmet.

With a world of worries

Keep something straight,

Mix it up good

And let it magically bake.

And when it emerges

Moist, with happiness within,

Like a mother’s cuddle

You’ll let yourself sink..”

Keep it simple, mummy used to say. And this day, what would have been her 57th b'day, I decided to do just that. With the simplicity of a vanilla cupcake, and a dash of winter fruit color, these cupcakes are warm, moist, indulgent and addictive - much like a mother's love. 

 

My mother was an avid baker. Back in the day when baking wasn't quite considered art...or anything worth doing - at least not in India - she had enrolled in and completed a cake making & decorating course. "Our instructor, plump as a plum, must be eating most of what she [and we] bake", she used to joke. Her swift sifting movements, proud use of an "imported" hand mixer, frequent licks of batter and fast vanishing cakes were always the bigger, happier moments at home. And the smell. Oh the smell of a cake fresh out of the oven was enough to make us do any chore! 

 

I miss her every single day, and baking brings back a part of her to me. And since I don't consider myself quite the cake perfectionist [I hate measurements remember!], when something does turn out as well as these did, I can only wonder if she lent me a hand....

 

Happy B'day Mum. Love you always x

 

Ingredients (makes 24 mini cupcakes)

For the cupcakes

1 large egg

¼ cup whole milk

4 tablespoons vanilla coffee creamer (I used Nestle Coffee Mate)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1/3 cup brown sugar

¾ cup all-purpose flour

A pinch of salt

¾ teaspoon baking soda

For the swirl

¾ cup pomegranate seeds

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ cup water

 

Make the swirl

Blend the pomegranate, sugar and water together in a food processor. Run it through a sieve and transfer to a non stick pan. Cook on medium flame till the mixture thickens and the sugar begins to caramelize (approximately 7-9 minutes). Keep stirring till you receive a jam like consistency. Turn off heat and keep aside.

Make the cupcakes

Pre heat the oven to 350F.

Mix the flour, salt and baking soda and keep aside.

Mix the milk & creamer and keep aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy. Add in the egg and beat vigorously for a few minutes till the mixture turns white and airy. I used my hands to do this so took me around 10 minutes, but with a hand mixer it should be a couple of minutes.

Working in batches, add to the batter a few tablespoons of the flour mixture, followed by the milk mixture. Mix well after each addition. Do this till all the flour and milk has been incorporated.

Transfer the batter to a mini muffin pan and add a dollop of the pomegranate jam on top of each cupcake. Using a toothpick or skewer, slowly mix the jam into the batter, so as to form swirls. Do not over mix.Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. A couple of these, a warm cup of chai and a lovable hug. Life doesn't get more perfect than that.