MANGO CHEESE CAKE

NOTE; With Mango season in its peak I made this mango cheesecake for dessert.This wonderful dessert tastes YUM. You can make the same cheesecake using any other fruit too. Also I have used Agar Agar instead of gelatin .If you want you can use gelatin

(Gelatin – 1 sachet can be used for this cheese cake.Cook as instructed  and mix in the cream cheese mango pure and mango puree.)

Ingredients

Base

1.     Digestive biscuits – 12

2.     Butter – 2 tsps

3.     Honey: 2 tablsp

4. Square cake tin or even square glass serving bowl.

Cream cheese mixture (middle layer)

4.     Double Fresh cream – 150 ml 

5.      Cream cheese – 120 gms ( I have used Britannia)

6.     Sugar – 1/3 cup

7.     Mango puree (Fresh)  – 3/4 cup

8. Mango essence: 2 tsp (optional)

For glaze on top (third layer)

1.     Mango puree – 3/4 cup

2.      Agar Agar–  5 gms (1 packet 10 gms)

3.     Water – 1/2 cup

4.     Mango slices for garnishing (optional) 

METHOD:

1 Biscuit base

Crush the biscuits in the food processor/ mixer and add melted butter,honey and whiz again until the mixture comes together. Once done, spoon it in a greased cake tin .Press well and refrigerate for 20 mins for the base to firm up.

2 Middle part:

Cut Agar Agar to small pieces in a bowl and soak in 1/2 cup of hot water for 15 mins. After 15 mins Heat this agar agar on gas stove till it dissolves . Cool till warm

3. Add double cream in a bowl and whisk till it is just starts to thicken.Add the cream cheese and whisk further along with sugar till the blend is smooth.

To this add the mango puree ,mango essence and mix in gently.  Now gently add half of the agar agar liquid and blend well.

4.Remove the biscuit base from the fridge.Pour the mango cream cheese mix over it and set in the fridge till it sets.(Approx 1 and 1/2  hr).

Top glaze

1.     The other remaining Agar Agar should be warm (heat it again) add to the mango puree and mix well.  After 1&1/2 hrs once the top base is set remove the cheesecake from the fridge.Pour Mango puree mixture as a top layer, which should be thin layer not like the middle one, on the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate few hours or overnight till the cheesecake is set.

       Garnish with mango slices. Slice and serve cool.

MUDI BHAJA

NOTE: Simply delicious to eat this mudi bhaja made with puffed rice is an all time tea snack.You can make it and store in air tight jar for a week.

U NEED:

Puffed rice /Mudi as called in Kolkatta: 2 cups

Roasted peanuts: 1/4 cup

Mustard oil or Vegetable oil: 3 tablsp

Kala jeera:1 tsp

Hing: pinch

Broken red chillies: 4

Salt and sugar to taste

Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder:1/2 tsp

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a kadai.When hot add the kala jeera,hing and broken red chillies.Saute well.Now add the peanuts and saute well till they are light brown..

2.Add the puffed rice and toss well.Add turmeric powder,red chilli powder, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp sugar.Toss well.Switch off the gas.

3.Store in airtight container.

Another Variety(South style)

Instead of kala jeera use 1 tsp mustard seeds,vegetable oil and 2 tsp curry leaves. Rest same.

MALAI PADAVAL(POTOL)

NOTE: Padval or Potol as fondly called is seasonal vegetable.It can be cooked in many ways.This recipe brings out the flavour of padval very well.For those who don't like padvalcan use cauliflower or fresh paneer cubes.For non-veg you can use fish or chicken.Even eggs boiled and deep fried and added to the malai gravy tastes Yum.

U need:
Fresh same sized potols /padvals: 8
Thick coconut milk: 1/2 cup
Thin coconut milk: 3/4 th cup
Cashew khus khus paste: 3 tablsp
Onion paste: 2&1/2 tsp
Ginger-green chilli paste: 3 tsp
Slit green chillies: 2
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder: 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Cloves: 3
Jeera: 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf:1
Salt to taste
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Oil: as needed

METHOD:
1. Clean and pat dry the padvals.Cut the top and the bottom.Scrape skin fully.Slit to half.
2.Heat enough oil in a kadai .Fry the padvals in hot oil till light brown on both sides. Remove from oil and set aside on a plate.
3.In another kadai add 3 tabslp oil.Add the bay leaf,cloves and jeera. Saute. Now add the onion paste and continue stirring.Sprinkle some thin coconut milk as your are stirring.Add the green chilli-ginger paste and continue cooking adding thin coconut milk in between till the masala is cooked well and the raw smell is reduced.Add slit green chillies.
4. Add the fried padvals and cook for few mins.Add salt and sugar. Now add the balance thin coconut milk along with 1 cup water.Cover and cook till the padvals are cooked and the gravy is thick. Sprinkle the cinnamon and cardamom powder.Stir well.
5. Add the cashew-khuskhus paste along with 1/4 cup water..Stir well. Simmer for 2 to 3 mins.Now add the thick coconut milk and stir just once. The gravy should coat the padvals.
6. Serve hot garnished with some kishmish and finely chopped coriander leaves.

QUICK BRINJAL RICE

NOTE: Wondering what to do with left over rice/No worries..Wondering what to pack for lunch???Here is a recipe which is simple to cook and delicious to eat.

U NEED:
Purple brinjal: 200 gms
Left over cooked rice :2 cups  or
Any good quality rice: 1&1/2 cups soaked in water for 20 mins.
Shallots( small onions): 1/2 cup peeled
Garlic pod: 2 peeled and slit fine
Masala: Roast in oil till coconut scrapings until light brown and grind to a fine dry powder) 
Oil: 2 tsp
Whole dhaniya: 2 tsp
Cloves:3
Cinnamon stick: 2
Cardamom: 2
Urad dal: 1 tsp
Channa dal: 1 tsp
Khus Khus: 1 tsp
Red chillies: 5
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Coconut scraping: 3 tsp
Curry leaves:3 tsp
Salt and sugar
Ghee: 3 tablsp
Cashews: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Jeera: 1/2 tsp

METHOD:
1. Clean and chop brinjal to fine pieces.Heat Ghee in a pan.When hot add the mustard seeds and jeera.Saute. Now add the slit garlic and toss well.Add the peeled shallots and continue frying.
2. Add chopped brinjal and stir well.Add 1/2 tso haldi powder.Cook on slow fire till the vegetable is cooked.
3. Meanwhile if using fresh rice,then drain water from the soaked rice and wash well. Add 1&1/4 cup water and pressure cook for one whistle.Open lid and cool rice on a plate.Ensure the grains are separate.Set aside.
4. Once the brinjal is cooked add the cooked rice or left-over rice and mix well.Add salt and 1 tsp sugar.Add the dry powder and mix well.Add curry leaves. Your mixed brinjal rice is ready.
5. Garnish with some fried cashews and more curry leaves sand serve with pappad and raita.