Beet root Halwa and Yoghurt Mousse Cheesecake

For a long time I had been trying my hands on some Indo western fusion dessert . This was specially to cut down the sickly sweet Indian dessert but still enjoy its lajaab flavour . 

Carrot Halwa( Gajar ka Halwa) has always been one of my favourite dessert and so is Srikhand (flavoured hung yoghurt) . So the idea came into my mind to do something combining both and give a western tadka , look and flavour . 

So to make it more colourful and appealing , I used Beet root instead of Carrots . Beet root is considered more healthier than carrots .Lots of nuts, Biscuit base and candied shredded coconut gave the crunch element to the dessert . Sweetness came from the Beetroot halwa , Creaminess from the yoghurt mousse and saltiness 

from the dried and salted Beetroot crisp powder.

The dessert is light but decadent . 

Ingredients :

Beet Root Halwa:

Beetroot - 4 cups coarsely grated

Milk Powder – 6 tbsp 

Sweet condensed milk – 1 cup

Ghee  – 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder – 1 tbsp

Sliced roasted Almonds 

Roasted Cashew Nut

Biscuit Base:
Coconut Biscuit - 15-20

Butter, melted  - 1/3 cup

              

Yoghurt Mousse :

Yoghurt - 300mls

Cream -   300mls

Caster Sugar - 2-3 Tbsp

Gelatin - 3 tsp

Water -   1/4 cup

Candied Shredded Coconut :

Shredded dessicated coconut - 3/4 cup

Sugar - 2 tbsp 

(Optional) Beet Root Crisps - From Super market 

Method: 

To Make Beet root halwa , peel off the beetroot skin ,grate and keep aside .

Add the grated beet root In a wide pan , sauté for 2 minutes and this make the beetroot tender.  Add  Sweet condensed milk mix well.Then add cardamom powder and Milk powder. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Add Ghee and stir continuously till mixture begins to leave the sides of the  pan.When mixture becomes thick then cut off heat.Add  roasted almonds and  cashew nuts .Let the Halwa cool .

For cheesecake base,  ground the coconut biscuits in a blender and add melted Butter . Mix well.Press this into the bottom  of a 9- inch springform pan. I use the bottom of a glass to do this step. A springform pan is a  necessity when making cheesecake. The sides are easily removed and your cheesecake will be perfectly  intact.Keep the cake tin in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Add cooled down Beet root halwa on top of the biscuit crust evenly. Keep in the fridge for another 10-15 minutes.

For Youghurt mousse, in a small bowl, put  water and gelatin and mix . Once the gelatin blooms , microwave to dissolve . 

Mix the yogurt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.

In a different bowl, pour whipping cream in and whisk until it whips up to soft peak. Make sure it has the same texture as the yogurt.

Add hot gelatin solution ,in the yogurt and stir fast to keep it from clumping up.

Fold the whipped cream , into the bowl from step 8 and mix. 

After mixing, pour over the Beet root halwa layer and chill for about an hour.

For Candied coconut, in a small frying pan, add dessicated Coconut and sugar and 1 cup of water . Cook till the water evaporates and the coconut becomes a bit golden brown and sticky . Cool to get it a bit crunchy . 

Add on top of the yoghurt layer . 

Ground Beet root crisps to powder and sprinkle on top. 

Option: Instead of Beet root halwa, you can use , Carrot halwa / pumpkin halwa / halved Gulab jamun .Instead of normal Yoghurt , you can use fruit yoghurts too . I have tried using Plum yoghurt and that gave an extra layer of flavour to the dessert .  

Courgette /Zucchini Fritters

Courgette /Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients:

Finely Grated Courgette : 2Cups
Finely Chopped Red Onion: 1/2 Cup
Finely chopped Red Capsicum : 2 Tbsp
Grated Ginger : 1 tsp
Chopped Coriander leaves (optional)
Chickpea flour : 2-3 Tbsps
Salt and Cracked Pepper

Method :

Squeeze the grated Courgette to remove all the liquid from it. 

Add all the chopped veges ,Chickpea flour ,salt and pepper , mix 

well. Heat a Nonstick pan,spray a bit of oil.Keep the heat 

medium.Take a spoonful of the mix ,flatten to give a patty shape 

fry slowly on the pan. 

Serve hot with any spicy and tangy relish .

Malpua ( Indian sweet & syrupy pancakes)

Ingredients:

For Malpuas:

1/2 cup Semolina

1/2 cup Plain flour

1/4 cup Self raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 tin reduced cream

2 tsp Saunf ( Aniseed)

1/2 cup Grated coconut

( you can use dessicated coconut also)

1/4 cup sugar

Chopped nuts (optional)
Oil to fry

For Syrup:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 pods of cardamon (crushed)

Method:

1. Make syrup with sugar,water and cardamon,by boiling till you get a single-thread consistency.
2. Reduce the Reduced cream to half  by cooking in microwave.It approx. takes 8-10 mins stirring after every 3 mins.Cool the cream .
3.Soak semolina in 1/2 cup of milk for 1/2 an hour. Then add both the type of flour,aniseed,coconut ,sugar and cooled reduced cream.Mix to a thick batter consistency.
4. Heat oil in a frypan and put a laddle full batter in the oil to form 8-10cm diameter circle Malpua. Shallow fry in medium heaton both sides till they are golden brown.
5.Once you have fried all the Malpuas,arrange them in a deep dish and pour the syrup on them to soakfor atleast 2 hours.
6.Garnish with coconut and chopped nuts.

Roasted Pumpkin and Feta salad



Roasted Pumpkin and Feta salad

 Roasted Pumpkin and Feta salad

This Recipe was shared by my friend Chris.This recipe offers perfect balance of sweetness,saltiness and tangyness.


Ingredients:

Cubed pumpkin with skin : 1kg
Crumbled Feta Cheese       : 200gm
Red,Green,Yellow cubed   : 1 of each
capsicum
Sliced red onion                  : 1 onion
Pine nuts or Walnuts         : Handful
chopped
Balsamic Vinegar               : 2Tbsp
Olive Oil                                : 2 Tbsp
Lemon juice                         : 1 lemon
Crushed Garlic                    : 3-4
White pepper


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.In ovenproof dish ,add pumpkin with garlic,1tbsp of olive oil,pepper,1/2 the lemon juice and 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar and roast for 30-40 mts.Then let it cool.
2.In a salad bowl, add roasted pumpkin,crumbled Feta,cubed capsicum,,sliced onion and the chopped nuts.
3.To prepare the dressing,add 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar,rest of lemon juice, 1tbsp of olive oil and pepper.Mix well. Add to the salad and mix well.
4. Ready to  be served with any roast meat or grilled meat.

Maida Halwa ( Indian dessert made out of All purpose flour)

Ingredients:

Maida ( All purpose flour) - 1 cup
Ghee( clarified butter) - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
A pinch of Elaichi powder( Cardamom)
Cashewnuts and raisins for garnish

Method:

Add Ghee in a heated pan.Add Maida and fry in the ghee till the raw smell is gone. Add water little at a time to be incorporated in the maida while stirring continuously. Keep adding water till the maida looks crumbly.Add sugar and keep stirring . When all the sugar is dissolved ,take the halwa of the heat . Add a pinch of Elaichi( cardamom) powder, raisins and chopped Cashews.
Mix well and serve hot.

Slow cooked Chickpea curry

Ingredients:

• 500gm of dried chickpea

• 2 tbsps cooking oil

•2 bay leaves
•3 large onions sliced
•2 large tomatoes chopped / one can of chopped tomatoes
•2 tbsps garlic paste
•1 tbsps ginger paste
•2 tsps coriander powder
•1 tsp cumin powder
•1/2 tsp red chilli powder
•1/4 tsp turmeric powder
•2 tsps garam masala

Method:

 Soak the chickpeas for an hour .

•Grind 2 onions, the tomatoes, ginger, garlic together into a smooth paste.

•Heat the oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame.
•Add the bay leaves and a pinch of sugar.Let the sugar start to caramalize .
•Add the remaining sliced onion and fry till light golden. Add the onion-tomato paste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the paste.
•Add the dry spices - cumin, coriander, red chilli, tumeric and garam masala powders. Fry for 5 minutes.
•Drain the water from the chickpeas and rinse them well under running water. Add the chickpeas to the masala. Mix well.
•Add salt to taste and water to make gravy (about 1 1/2 cups).
•Add in the slowcooker and cook covered for at High for 4-5 hours.
•Use a flat spoon to mash some of the chickpeas coarsely. Mix well.
•Garnish with juliennes of ginger and finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Thai style Grilled whole fish

Ingredients:
 
1 x 600 g whole Snapper/Tarakihi/Flounder/Trevally, cleaned
1 lime, thinly sliced
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 lemongrass stem, white part only, finely chopped
3 bunch of  spring onions, thinly sliced
4 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
3 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 lime, juiced
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaaves
Salt

Method:

1. Score the fish on both the sides. Marinate the fish with 2 tablespoons of the Fish sauce,Salt and 1 tbsp of lime juice for 10 minutes. Slice the spring onions on the diagonal and put them in a bowl of water to soak.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, spring onions and shallots and fry until fragrant. Reduce the heat to low and add the fish sauce, sugar, chilli and turmeric and stir for 1 minute, then add the lime juice and coriander leaves. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool the marinade.

3. Drain the fish well.Rub the fish with the marinade. Take an aluminium foil.  Place the lime slices down each side of the fish, then place the fish towards the bottom of the foil.Apply all the marinade on the fish. Place few lime slices and chopped coriander on top of the fish.Fold the bottom end up, covering the fish, and then fold the left and right sides towards the middle. Now roll the fish in the foil sealing both the ends .

4. Heat a barbecue grill or oven grill, to high and char grill the fish on each side for 15 minutes, then transfer the fish to a platter. Open out the foil like a parcel. Garnish with the spring onions

and chopped fresh coriander.