No cook Indian Desserts

Click the image on the left to see the cookbook listing 10 easy no-cook Indian desserts. For detailed recipes and pictures, check out my fellow bloggers below…

1.: Anjeer Laddoo A huge variety of ball shaped laddoos are cooked across India. Most use sugar syrup / hot ghee as a binder. Anjeer laddoo uses the stickiness of dates / figs to bind the laddoo

2.: Panchamirtham (Tamilnadu)

This no cook jam was invented in the temple town of Palani, Tamilnadu. Tonnes of panchamirtham is distributed as Prasad to devotees everyday. Roasted and ground millet flour (Thinai) mixed with honey is another delicacy served here.

3.: Kesar Kulfi (Punjab)

When milk is frozen it sets into a hard crunchy ice. The western world discovered that when milk is constantly stirred and mixed with air while being frozen, it sets into creamy ice cream. Indians discovered that if most of the water in milk is removed by boiling it for hours, and the thickened milk is then frozen, it sets into a thick chewy ice cream – the Kulfi.

4.: Shrihkand (Maharashtra)

Varieties of thick creamy yogurt / yogurt cheese exist across the world. Mixing in powdered sugar and flavouring agents makes it the much loved shrikhand.

5.: Sweet Poha Long before corn flakes and cereals became popular in the west, rice flakes (poha) were common in India. You can in fact look at this recipe as a muesli variant. Mixed in with milk / yogurt, this recipe can double as a breakfast cereal.

6.: Elaneer Payasam (Tamilnadu)

A Kongunadu delicacy which relies on the delicate flavours of sweet coconut water and tender coconut flesh.

7, 8, 9.: Doodh Kela, Ambyache Shikran (Maharashtra) . Mavina hannu Rasayana (Konkan)

The flesh of fruits like banana / mango is mixed in with milk and sugar to create these simple desserts. Try using condensed milk / cream in place of milk and jaggery / honey in place of sugar. Using custard apple flesh gives Mumbai Haji Ali’s famous Sitaphal cream.

10.: Aam ras (Maharashtra) Though this can be eaten as a dessert, it is usually served as a dipping sauce along with pooris.

Turkish Cuisine - 10 Simple recipes

Click the image on the left to see the cookbook. This cookbook lists 10 simple Turkish recipes listed below : 

1.:   Cacik (Pronounced Jajik) (Yogurt with cucumbers) Closest Indian equivalent ( Cucumber raita) 

2.:   Ezme (Tomato salad)

3.:   Menemen (Scrambled eggs)

4.:   Kuru Uzum Hosafi (Dessert: Raisin compote)

5.:  Sade Pirinc Pilav  (Rice : Plain Pilav)

6.:   Tavuk Yahnisi (Chicken stew) 

7.:.  Barbunya Tava  (Fried fish)

8.:   Fava  (Pureed beans)

9.:   Irmik Helvasi (Dessert: Semolina Halwa)  Closest Indian equivalent ( Hindi : Sooji Halwa / Tamil :Kesari)

10.: Tursu ( Pickle)

History : The longest lasting Muslim empire the world has seen, the Ottoman empire centered in Constantinople (Istanbul) ruled the regions surrounding Mediterranean and black sea ( parts of Africa, Europe & Asia) for almost 600 years. Turkish Cuisine The Ottoman empire was succeeded by the republic of Turkey and it is no wonder that the Turkish cuisine is a blend of Central Asian, Caucasus, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines.  Turkish cuisine changes as we move across the land.  The regions hugging the Mediterranean sea (Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean) use seafood, olive oil, garlic, vegetables and herbs extensively. Central Turkey (Anatolia) is famous for its stuffed pasta (kashkak, manti and gözleme). Pita bread, hummus & falafel are common here. The south east Anatolian cuisine specializes in kebabs, spicy salsa and dough-based desserts (baklava, kadayıf, künefe). The northern Black Sea region's cuisine uses corn (especially in the bread hamsi)  and fish (but not meat) extensively.  Breakfast : Bread, cheese, olives, tomatoes, jam/honey, and   eggs washed down with black tea. Lunch / dinner : Soup, Pilaf (flavoured rice / bulgur/ vermicelli) or bread with a vegetable and a meat dish. Meats : Lamb, beef, chicken, fish and seafood. Pork is not used. Vegetables : Eggplants, green beans spinach, cauliflower, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, red/green lentils. Flavouring agents : Parsley, cumin powder, black pepper, paprika, mint, green & red chilies. Fats : Butter, olive oil or sunflower oil. Yogurt accompanies most dishes. Yogurt is blended with water and salt to a frothy and much loved drink, Ayran. Some uniquely Turkish dishes : Dolma (Veggies stuffed with rice / meat & cookedt) , Sarma ( veggies / meats wrapped in cabbage / grape leaves & cooked), Meze (a selection of bite sized dishes served as appetizer) Borek ( stuffed pastry), Doner Kebap ( meat cooked on a vertical spit) & Kofte (cooked minced meat balls) And this goes to Tobias' The 1st Mediterranean cooking event - Turkey

Basic Indian Curries Poster

This A3 sized poster lists variations of the following curries

Basic South Indian Curries

0.:Dry vegetable curries  (Poriyal / Kura / Paalya / Kari).
1.: Raw Yogurt curry  (Thayir Pachadi / Perugu Pachadi / Mosaru Baji)
2.: Tamarind Curries (Kulambu / Pulusu/  Pulingari)
3.: Coconut Curries  / Coconut - lentil curries (Kootu).
4.: Coconut -  Yogurt curries  (Aviyal)
5.: Lentil curries (Paruppu / Parippu/ Pappu / Thove)
6.: Cooked Yogurt Curries   (More Kulambu /Majjigae pulusu / Majjigae Huli/ Pulissery )  
7.: Lentils - Tamarind Curries  (Sambar / Huli / Pappu pulusu)
8.: Thin Lentil stock -Tamarind curries (Rasam / Saaru) 

South India has one of the world's oldest unbroken culinary heritages. The curries of South India show a remarkable similarity in the way they are cooked, served and eaten. Almost all South Indian curries are built on Tamarind, Tuvar dal, Yogurt and Coconut. You’ll repeatedly encounter various combinations of these basic building blocks across regions. Almost all curries are flavoured by fried mustard, curry leaves, and asafetida. Regional variations: The fiery Andhra curries emphasize tamarind and chilies. Karnataka curries are milder and use more lentils and coconut than Tamil curries. Kerala curries use tamarind sparingly, coconut / coconut milk heavily and rely on kokum (fish tamarind) as a souring agent in seafood curries. Coconut oil is preferred in Kerala, peanut oil in Andhra, Karnataka and sesame oil in Tamilnadu. Refined vegetable oils are now used across regions. Butter / ghee are not preferred in most curries. Specialty Additives. Jackfruit seeds and Tapioca are used in Kerala curries, Banana stem and Banana flower in Tamilnadu curries, Dosakkai and Gongura (a sour spinach) in Andhra, Bamboo shoots and Colocasia leaves in Karnataka. 

Eating curries All curries are eaten mixed with cooked rice. As you move north (northern Karnataka & northern Andhra), rice starts giving way to other cereals. Rice was a luxury till 50 years back and many villages still eat these curries with the cheaper millets cooked into a porridge.

Transforming curries : Cut out tamarind & coconut from south Indian curries, replace mustard with cumin and you’ll have a north Indian curry.

Cooking Rice : In a pressure cooker add one cup of rice and two cups of water. Close & pressure cook for 2 whistles. Let cool for  10 minutes and open.

Basic Rules: Cooking is easy if you follow 3 simple rules. 1.  Do not burn stuff - Cook on medium or low heat. 2. Do not use too much salt / chilies / flavourings. 3. Do not use an ingredient you do not understand.

 
Basic North Indian Curries
0.: Raw Yogurt curries (Raita)
1.: Dry vegetable curries (Sukhi Sabji)
2.: Yogurt - Gram flour curries (Kadi)
3.: Spinach Puree curries (Saag)
4.: Double Onion curries (Dopiaza)  
5.: Onion - Tomato curry ( Masala)   
6.: Milk / Cream based curries (Korma)
7.: Sour creamy curries (Sour Korma)
8.: Lentil curries (Dal)

North Indian Cuisine denotes the cuisine of the eight states of North India - Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh. These states share a remarkable similarity in their food habits. Wheat based flatbreads are a staple eaten with a wide variety of curries.  Most of these curries are built from six basic building blocks – Onion, tomato, lentils, spinach & dairy products. Cumin, coriander seeds, garam masala & chili powder are the most common flavourings. Ghee / butter/ vegetable oils are used across north India and Mustard oil in Kashmir.

Use of cumin in place of black mustard, absence of coconut & tamarind, heavy use of dairy products & garam masala differentiate north Indian curries from south Indian curries

The Moguls had a great influence on north Indian cuisine. Use of tandoor, paneer, nut paste, milk and cream as curry bases, use of expensive spices like saffron/ cardamom in curries, slow cooking in sealed pots ('Dum') are all Mogul techniques.

Cooking vegetables: Add a cup of chopped veggies to a pressure cooker with half a cup of water and cook for 1 whistle.

Cooking chicken : Add a cup of chopped chicken to a pressure cooker and cook for two whistles

Cooking mutton : Add a cup of chopped mutton to a pressure cooker with a quarter cup of water and cook for 3 or 4  whistles.

Cooking fish / sea food : Heat a spoon of oil. Add a handful of cut and cleaned seafood. Stir and cook for 3 – 5 minutes.

Cooking Rotis : Take a cup of flour. Add two pinches of salt. Gradually mix in around half a cup water. Mix and knead well. Pinch off lemon sized balls, roll into thin discs and cook both sides on a hot skillet.

Shrikhand ( India's sweet yogurt dessert)

Yogurt cheese also known as  hung yogurt/ chakka is just yogurt from which most of the water has been removed. It then resembles a thick, creamy paste. This paste is mixed with fruit paste, sugar and flavouring to prepare  Shrikhand, a sweet very popular in north India, especially Maharashtra and Gujarat. Though primarily a dessert, it  is also served as a ‘curry’ with pooris. Shrikhand forms a part of many North Indian wedding feasts. It is befittingly prepared to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, the divine cow herd.

Indian desserts can be split into four major classes.

1.       Desserts soaked / cooked in sugar syrup ( jalebis, katli, mysorepak, burfi, halwah,… )

2.       Desserts based on cooked down milk ( rabri, payasam, kheer, peda, kulfi,… )

3.       Desserts based on milk solids ( rasgulla, rasmalai, kalakhand, ..) and

4.       Yogurt Desserts (Shrikhand & Bengali Mishti doi).

Vary Yogurt : Though common yogurt made from cow / buffalo milk is used to make traditional shrikhand, a variety of yogurts made from goat/ other milk can be used. Flavoured yogurts or even soy yogurt can be used to make fusion shrikhand.

 

Making yogurt cheese (Chakka) : :: Line a colander/ sieve with a cloth. Pour in  2 cups( 400 ml) of yogurt. Keep colander raised so that water can drain away overnight ( or gather edges of cloth & hang the bag of yogurt to let water drain).

Making fruit puree : Skin and deseed ripe fruit. Mash them to a coarse / smooth paste as per your taste.

Making yogurt : Boil two cups of milk. Let cool till lukewarm. Stir in  a spoon of yogurt. Rest in a warm place for 3 -5 hours.

Making flavoured yogurt : Boil two cups of milk. Let cool till lukewarm. Stir in  a spoon of yogurt. Mix in a pinch of cardamom / cinnamon / nutmeg / mace / dry ginger powder or mix in a drop of your favourite essence. Rest in a warm place for 3 -5 hours.

Making Mishti Doi ( sweet yogurt) : Bring four cups of milk to a boil. Reduce flame and simmer on low flame  till milk is reduced by half. Mix in a cup ( or less, to taste) of powdered jaggery. Let cool till lukewarm. Mix in two spoons of yogurt. Rest covered for 3 - 5 hours in a warm place.

Using Yogurt cheese : In middle east yogurt cheese is popular as labneh and is served as small balls steeped in olive oil. Yogurt cheese is mixed with chopped garlic, cucumbers & olive oil to make the Greek dip Tzatziki. It can be used as a dip / spread / cake icing / in parfaits.  Yogurt cheese made from fat free / low fat milk is  a low fat substitute for cream cheese. It has a rich taste and a creamy mouth feel without being laden with calories. It is also a good source of calcium. 

For detailed recipes and great pictures, check out the model recipes from fellow bloggers below : 

Kesar Shrikhand

Berry Shrikhand

Mango Shrikhand

Kesar Pista Shrikhand