Kaju Badam Kulfi ~ Milk Cashew Almond Frozen Dessert

The sun is peeking through here in my part of the globe and we are still in the mood of chill weather. It is a sudden change in temperature that is making it tough to cope. To keep the mood going in summer too, what could be better than drenching in a kulfi. Mind you, this is not just a summer dessert, but can be had anytime of the year.

Kulfi is one dessert that everyone in my family loves to indulge in and kaju-badam kulfi is the first one I made for this season. The creamy texture of whole-milk, the exotic flavors of cashew, and the crunch of almonds combined with a hint of cardamom makes this a rich and heavenly dessert.

Oats Raisin cookies

These raisin studded oatmeal cookies have crisp edges and chewy inners. Oats-Raisin cookies have become our new favorite. The nutty flavor of the oats and chewy texture of raisins will definitely steal your heart. The combination of white and brown sugars here in the recipe results in a rich and chewy cookie. A hint of cinnamon in these cookies makes the whole house scented while baking. The first time I made these cookies, they got vanished with in a while and I was left with few crumbs for my photography.

Barley and Brown Rice Dosa

Dosa is a fermented crepe made from rice and black lentil batter and is a staple dish from south India. This has become popular in rest of the country as well. Barley and brown rice dosa is a similar one but a healthier version as the name suggests.

No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

Decadent chocolate cheescake is perfect for any occasion. Quick to make, simple and elegant to serve, this could become a favorite for your loved one.

Beetroot Banana Jaggery Cake

An experimental task of baking a beetroot banana cake turned out successful. It is wonderfully moist and dense cake with a hint of banana flavor and richness of beets.

Samosa

Do you need an introduction to samosa? This little deep fried pastry, filled with mashed potatoes, onion, peas, green chili and spices is famous world-wide. For most Indians like me, it is surprising to know that this originated in the Middle-East and was introduced to South Asia (India & Pakistan). Samosa has become one of the signature dishes of India.

This versatile snack is not as difficult to make at home as it sounds. It can be literally made using any stuffing which your heart desires. Let’s see the basic version which calls for potato and peas filling.

Pumpkin Kheer / Pudding

I have never worked with pumpkin earlier, nor did I taste this vegetable in any form. Of late, I’ve been wondering on how this could be used in my cooking. Only yesterday, in the farmers’ market, my eyes struck on a beautiful pumpkin which reminded me of a gorgeous cake. When I brought it home, the idea of making a cake changed to halwa, but it finally ended up turning out to kheer J. Whatever be the form, the outcome was way above my expectation.

The rich, vibrant, golden color of the dessert has stolen my heart and I am sure can compete with any other kheer you name. If you are calorie conscious and also have a sweet tooth, this is for you. The natural sweetness of pumpkin minimizes the use of extra sugar. I can say that pumpkin kheer is one of the easiest, quickest, aromatic desserts I have ever made.