I came up with this recipe as I really wanted to incorporate some dried fruit with a normal / traditional barfi. I also wanted to try and make a healthy sweet, using natural sugars from the fruit and very little ghee. Traditionally Indian sweets are full of calories because of the amount of sugar and ghee that are used, so I wanted to create some thing which used the bare minimum of these ingredients. The other criteria I was trying to fulfil is to make a simple, easy and quick recipe. I chose apricots because of their taste and texture, not to mention the health benefits. Dried apricots are an excellent source of iron, vitamin A, high in fibre, potassium and low in fat. Apart from perhaps warding of cancer, heart disease and protecting eyesight, apricots also help increase the immune system as it is a good source of iron, which is essential for the renewal of red blood cells. These cells oxygenate the body, helping to stop feeling lethargic and tired. This is essential especially as the cold weather is setting in and days are starting to get shorter, we need to have feel good foods:)

Having decided on the fruit I started thinking about how to encase it and what other  ingredients, if any, to add. So I visualised the colour of the fruit and what other colours would go with it and what shape to give it etc. I just wanted to use the ingredients I had at home at the time. So I added some chocolate chips (which I now feel can be left out) and thought I would coat it with the barfi mixture with added flavour of cocoa. The triangle shape came about because this summer one of my husband’s aunties had given a gadget to make shaped mithai, which I wanted to use so that is why the shape is a triangular. The gadget is essential a V shaped long metal strip with a less than 90 degree bend along its length. Although the final shape I ended up making was by pressing roll of the mixture by hand into a triangle shape, so the strip of metal did not help in making the final shape. Everyone who has tried this sweet/mithai has loved and enjoyed it, so I am glad I thought out of the box and experimented with this sweet for diwali.

Golden Triangles

As mentioned above you can leave the chocolate chips if you don’t want to add it or do not have it. You may want to reduce the cocoa content to taste, as it is a little on the high side. I feel you can also make the same mithai with other fruit and/or nut centres, perhaps cranberries.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 1 hr    Cooking time: 30 mins plus overnight setting time    Makes: 55 – 60

1 lb of milk powder

8 oz sugar

6 – 8 heaped tbsps cocoa powder

3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

10 serving spoons milk

400 g dried apricots finely hopped or diced

100 g chocolate chips / drops

Method

1) Chop the apricots into small pieces, I used scissors to make it easy. In a bowl mix the apricot pieces and the chocolate chip together, keep aside.

2) To make the barfi mixture, in a large bowl mix the milk powder, cocoa powder, so that all the mixture is brown. Then add the ghee and milk , and mix this to a crumble consistency.

3) Put the sugar in a pan and add just enough cold water to cover the sugar and heat up.  Let the mixture boil so that the whole surface is covered with bubbles. Let the sugar and water mix for a minute or so after the entire area in covered with bubbles, remove from the heat and add it to the milk powder mixture and mix it thoroughly.  It should become a soft dough.

4) In a Swiss roll tray or on the work top, place some cling film and spread a thin layer of the barfi mixture evenly.  I press it down with the back of a bowl or any other flat utensil. In the middle place a few tablespoons of the apricot mixture all along the length of the barfi layer.

5) With the help of the cling film bring the two sides together over the apricot mixture, making sure to cover the entire surface. Wrap the cling film tightly over the mixture. On a flat surface with both hands press the mixture to create a rough triangle shape, keep on turning the sides until you have a smooth and even triangle shape like a bar of Toblerone chocolate. By pressing gently on the flat work surface you are creating the shape and also ensuring that there is no gap between the  apricot and barfi layers (it should be packed in not hollow, you will be able to feel it as you create the shape). Once the desired shape has been created place on a baking tray and place in the fridge over night to set into shape.

6) The following day or after a few hours cut into pieces with a thickness of about 1/2 cm. To store the barfi place it in an airtight container and refrigerate enjoy .

In recent years there are a few buzz words associated with all the lovely fruits & vegetables available, that are used to tell us why we should eat them. The key phrases are super food, rich in antioxidants, & packed full of vitamins and so on. I feel that all food is good for us, consumed in the correct quantities and eaten on a regular basis. There has been much research that has been conducted on strawberries and the results suggest that it is rich in vitamin C, is filled with antioxidants that help fight cancer and heart disease, rich in folic acid and are also good at helping reduce tartar as well as maintaining healthy skin. With or without the title of super food, strawberries are a great tasting food which gives us an uplifting effect and can satisfy any sweet tooth.

This recipe for Strawberry Cupcakes was requested from my dear son for some months now. He asked my younger sister to make a strawberry chocolate cake, so she attempted it earlier this year. She adapted her normal recipe for eggless chocolate cake and added strawberry jam and syrup. This experiment did not quite work as the cake sank! I then had a go with the yoghurt cake recipe and added strawberry syrup and cocoa. It smelt great but the taste was not there. Then at a recent food festival, I had tried some strawberry cake/bread which was vegan. They had used a lot of chopped fresh fruit to get taste and texture. Then I also saw a few recipes which inspired me, there was this Blueberry coffee cake & Eggless Vanilla Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins.

From all of that research and experimenting, I made the following recipe which was a good first attempt. The cup cakes were moist and had the correct balance of fruit and sugar. My husband said they were more like muffins than cupcakes, but all the same tasted great. I was glad that I took up the challenge and ventured into creating this recipe.

Strawberry Cupcakes

I guess this recipe can be used for any other fresh fruit cake you wish to make, like mango, blueberries etc. You can reduce the amount of sugar needed depending on how sweet the fruit is.

Ingredients

Preparation time : 45 mins        Cooking time: 15 to 20 mins          Makes: 12 big cupcakes or 24 small

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp each of baking powder & bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp of vanilla essence

2 tbsp of butter

3 tbsp natural yoghurt

1/4 cup of strawberry juice

1 cup of chopped strawberry

Method

1) Wash and chop the strawberries, keep aside. Pre- heat the oven to 180 ‘C and place the cases for the cupcakes in a tray.

2) Make the juice of the strawberries by whisking the chopped strawberries in to a pulpy juice to the quantity required. In a large bowl mix together the sugar & butter to create a breadcrumb like consistency. Now to this add the yoghurt, vanilla essence and strawberry juice.

3) To the wet mixture add all the dry ingredients, mix well and then fold in the chopped strawberries. If you are happy with the consistency (not too runny and not too thick) then fill the cases with the mixture coming up to about 3/4 full. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake until golden brown and when a tooth pick is inserted it comes out clean. You are ready to serve with some coffee or with fresh cream or even some ice cream.

]]> http://radiancerecipes.com/strawberry-cupcakes/feed/ 5 http://radiancerecipes.com/exotic-fruit-ice-lollies/ http://radiancerecipes.com/exotic-fruit-ice-lollies/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:26:26 +0000 Kiran http://radiancerecipes.com/?p=1005

Each year as the mango season is upon us we enjoy eating it just as it is meant to be – plain and simple. The other favourite is to have mango pulp (ras) with our meal (it is great served with puri and any curry). Just so as we can prolong the taste and enjoy them well after the season has ended, it is always a good idea to freeze the pulp.

In the Indian culture mangoes are considered to be the king of all fruits, a place which is rightly deserved as the taste, aroma and juice of the fruit are all beyond comparison. In recent times it has become quite the trend to label the food that we eat as super foods or foods that are good for us. In my opinion all food if eaten in the correct quantity is a super food as it is all good for us, some may have qualities that other fruits don’t but that does not mean we eat any less of it. Having said that mangoes are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and dietary minerals &  fibre, hence qualifying as a ideal superfruit.

When I made these ice lollies last year, with my son, they were with just plain mango. So this year I thought I will do two batches, one with just mango and the other with some other fruit mixed in. So I thought of the 5 a day campaign and tried to incorporate as many fruits as I had at the time. Four out of five is not bad and considering they are all rich in vitamin C, A & E and in potassium, phytochemicals, and nutrients. This is one of the main reasons why I like to make these kind of foods at home as I know that it is 100% fruit, not from concentrate and not ladled with sugar and addatives. I know exactly what goes into the lollies and I control the content of fruit and sugar. This is exactly how  it was when we young, as there were no sell by dates on the food we ate nor did it give us any allergies or side effects. The fact that it is so quick and easy to make should be the other deciding factor in making these lollies.

Coincidently when we made the lollies, my son was learning about freezing water to make ice, so this was a perfect way of teaching him the process of creating something that he enjoys eating. He was very excited as a result to see the process, however was quite anxious as the waiting time was too long (freezing time).

Exotic Fruit Ice Lollies

As mentioned I used the fruit I had at home at the time, however you can choose what ever combination you like and perhaps you could even add some herbs. I did this when I made some at my parents place after we went strawberry picking and added some fresh mint to the purée mix, it just adds an extra zing to the lollies. Another thing you can do with this lolly mixture is what I have done, place them in some ice cube trays and use as ice cubes for cocktails and punches.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 15 mins        Serves: 8 to 10

1 mango chopped

1/2 pineapple chopped

2 peaches chopped

2 kiwi fruits chopped into cubes

sugar to taste

Method

1) Purée all the fruit apart from the kiwi fruit in a hand blender, adding sugar to taste.

2) Once you have the correct taste then check to make sure the mixture is not too thick, you can add water at this point to make it a pouring consistency. Pour into the lolly moulds or ice cube trays and freeze for a few hours, enjoy on a lovely hot day.

When the weather warms up it is always good to have foods that are going to fill us up, be good for us and are simple, easy and fuss free dishes to create. This salad is just that, it ticks all those boxes and the great flavours are an added bonus. I cannot remember how I came about this combination, but I have been making this salad for some years and it is great as an accompanying dish as well as on it’s own for a light lunch. A few basic ingredients put together to create a dish that even children enjoy, as my son loves having this salad.

Greek Salad

I do not add salt to this salad as the feta cheese is very salty, however if you are not using feta cheese then you may want to add a little salt.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 10 mins                 Serves: 2

175 g baby leaf spinach

250 g  cherry or baby plum tomatoes (cut in half if too big)

1 cup black olives (pitted) split in half

1/2 cup feta cheese cubed

a big glug of olive oil

fresh crushed black pepper to taste

Method

1) Remove any large stalks of the spinach. Ensure that the spinach is dry and then place in a large bowl. To this add the remaining ingredients, mix well together and you are ready to serve.

I only started using pesto after marriage and used to buy ready made jars. It was a convenient thing to do, as at the time I was on an interior design course on Tuesday evenings, so that was a pasta day . It used to be a chore to find the vegetarian version of this classic Italian dish. Then about three or four years back I had bought a basil plant for the kitchen window sill and it had produces so many basil leaves, so I thought I should venture into making my own pesto. It was successful and so simple to make that I decided I would buy a basil plant each Spring and make my own pesto.

From looking at various TV chefs and other recipes, as well as a friend (who lives in Italy) telling me that I do not need to add cheese or pine nuts (as they are so expensive), just normal salted nuts are fine – I started making my own version as below. To make it more creamy I sometimes use almond, cashew, and pistachios nuts powder.

There are many uses for pesto, not only as a pasta sauce but also as a dressing for salads, for adding flavour to soups, a spread for sandwiches and roasted mushroom or eggplant. You can also create many different versions like I did by adding the sun-dried tomatoes. Other herbs and vegetables can also be added to give it an extra added flavour.

Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Pesto

I keep sun-dried tomatoes without the oil, if you have that then that is fine to use, you can even use the oil from it to give the pesto an extra tangy flavour. The pesto will store well in the fridge for 3 weeks and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 10 mins       Cooking time: 10mins       Makes: about 1 cup

2 cups basil leaves roughly torn

1 cup sun-dried tomato (about 12) soaked in hot water for 10 mins

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

Method

1) Boil some water and place the sun-dried tomatoes in 1 cup water, set aside. Pick the basil leaves, wash and tear them roughly and place in a blender.

2) Drain the sundried tomatoes and put in the blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend to a smooth paste, taste for salt and lemon juice, add if required. Hey presto your pesto is ready to be served as needed

I was asked by my dear brother in-law some time back if there is such a thing as a vegetarian paella and I said yes just replace the meat or fish with vegetables.  I had never made it before but always enjoyed the passionate description given by TV chefs when they make or try paella. Every time I would say to myself I should make it but never did venture out to try and find a recipe or recreate a traditional paella with just vegetables.

So as he was coming around for dinner one day I thought  let me try making it. I looked at various different  traditional recipes. Some had just seafood and others with game and seafood mixed together. Certain things that came out of my research were that there is usually wine, saffron, and specific types of rice used. However the method changes per region and family recipe, much like the Indian biryani or the Creole rice dish jambalaya, which I make often. So I started thinking of the vegetables that I could use, or that would have similar colours to a seafood paella – orange, black, green, red etc. It turned out to be a tasty dish which we all enjoyed.

Vegetarian Paella

I used long grain rice instead of paella or arborio rice, the texture was very good and it gave an extra depth to the dish. Maybe next time I will use brown rice which should give it a more nuttier flavour and a nice texture compare to the usual basmati, which would not hold its shape in the cooking. Next time I will also add some chillies to give it a slightly more spicier kick (we found this to be too bland for our taste), and perhaps try different vegetables also.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 15 mins          Cooking time: 30 mins          Serves: 4

2 cups long grain rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 litre of hot water

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1 vegetable stock cube

1 tsp paprika powder

1/2 tsp turmeric (hardar) powder

1 pinch of saffron (kesar)

2 onions diced

1 leek sliced

1 small aubergine cut into cubes

1 courgette (zucchini) cut into semi circles

1 of each red & yellow capsicum (bell peppers) cubed

5 to 6 button mushroom quartered

Method

1) Wash and soak the rice in some hot water, while you prepare the vegetables. Chop into fairly large chunks and boil the water.

2) Pre heat a large sauce pan or wok on medium temperature. Drain the rice, add the oil to the pan and all  the ingredients and sauté for a few minutes, you will see a shine on the rice. Pour the hot water and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Mix and check to see if the rice is done, add more water if necessary and cook until all the water has evaporated. You are ready to serve with some lemon wedges.