Falooda (Persian dessert)

This delectable entree' is being sent to Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2012 (Season IV) on Mona's blog - Zaiqa.

Falooda is a traditional Persian cold dessert. It was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal period. Basil seeds (sabza/takmaria), tutti frutti, sugar, and ice cream can be add-ons for this dessert. 

Fond memories of mine take me to a Sundarm Snacks store in Jamnagar, (a city in Gujarat) where we (Our family) used to have Falooda. I have never tasted anything close to it till now.

I have made it several  times at my home.and I have always fared well. The add –ons in Falooda depends on each one’s liking. My husband avoids the basil seeds so I need to serve it without the basil seeds. But I love crushing those velvety seeds inside my mouth. Just seeing those glasses served with falooda in the refrigerator tempts me to the core. But Damn…I need to wait for evenings to gorge it on.

FALOODA (Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 cups boiled milk

1 cup semolina or vermicelli

4 pods cardamom

2 drops of rosewater

Rose squash (Roofahza)

8 tsps of sugar

2 tbsps Milkmaid (Condensed milk)

Cashew nuts

Almonds

Pistachios

Directions

Take ¾ cup of water and add 2 tsp of basil seeds to it and keep it aside.

Take water in a pan to boil. Add semolina to the boiling water and let it boil till half done. Add 1 cup of milk to the water and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add 6 tsps of sugar to the semolina. And pinch of cardamom powder (equals 2 of them).Keep it aside.

Take the remaining milk and let it simmer for a while. Add 2 tsps of sugar, pinch of cardamom powder (equals 2 of them).  Add 2 tbsps of milkmaid and 2 drops of rose water to the milk. Add cashew nuts, almonds, Pistachios. Keep some aside for garnishing. Let it cool.

Serve it in preferably long glass. Add 3 tsps of Rose squash (I use Roohafza), top it up with the semolina and then with the basil seeds. Add the milk from the top. Garnish it with almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts.

Refrigerate it. And savour it cool.

You can top it up with dollop of vanilla ice-cream when serving. (Optional).         

Mini Chicken Kebabs

 I love reading, writing, phrasing sentences and creating out of the box things. Blogging has always been on my mind since 2008. But never really had time to pin down the things racing in my mind.
This is my first blog entry and that too for sumptuous food. Never really thought my love for food would make me start blog writing.

I am an ardent persuader of experiments and challenges, and when those are made of simple basic things, what better thing could one ask for in life, specially when you are the one having the pleasure of that blended melt in mouth. This appetizer is being sent to Blog Event - Eid Potluck party .
Well, Here goes my first recipe MINI CHICKEN KEBABS (I got this one from Sunita Rodriguez show "Meals on the Run" aired on Food First Channel.


Ingredients
2 Chicken breast pieces
4 to 5 Mushrooms
1 medium Onion
1 Tomato
1 Capsicum (Green, Yellow)
3 Tsp Ginger Garlic paste
4 to 5 Garlic pods
3 Tsp Oregano
Salt to Taste
Olive Oil (Any vegetable oil would do)
Pepper Powder


Directions:
Cut all the vegetables (Onion, Tomato, Capsicums and Mushrooms) and Chicken into cubes of almost same size. Take all of them into a bowl. Add chopped Garlic, Oregano, Salt, Ginger Garlic Paste, Freshly grounded pepper powder, and Oil. Marinate it for 20 to 25 minutes.
Skewer all of them to toothpicks (available in supermarkets). Take oil in a non-stick pan and fry them turning them on all sides.
I prepared this dish early in the morning as the side dish in lunch box for my husband. Glad..he liked it.
Please try this easy and quick dish in your kitchen and let me know how it went.
Hoping to blog many more recipes in coming days  which i try in my kitchen.