Guava Ice Cream

Temperatures are soaring and air is very warm indeed ... somehow I don't seem to enjoy summers here. But that is not the case for all my family around me.

They seem to jump in joy, run around with kites, swim in cool waters and eat loads and loads of ice creams. Tubs of cold treats are the only things to keep them happy.

I am quite lazy to whip up custard from scratch or go for exotic flavours. Fruity flavours are quite different from chocolate /toffee /caramel ones and they taste yummy. I love guavas as they have a very unique flavour.

We used to chop up unripe guavas, mix them with chilli powder and salt and enjoyed during the summer afternoons. The ripe ones have a sweet aroma and a wonderful soft almost gooey centre dotted with seeds.

Most of the Indian homes have a guava tree, so the yield can be made use in this delicious way. Did you know that the guava leaves have medicinal properties and are used as antiseptic and anti-diarrheal purposes.
 
This icecream is inspired from an authentic Caribbean recipe but adapted to my taste. It has the most wonderful aroma and the depth of flavour is intense...

For the Icecream:
Ripe guavas: 8 nos [small].
Whole milk: 100 mls + 3 tbsp extra.
Whole cardamom: 3.
Cloves: 2.
Cinnamon: one 1 inch piece.
Ginger powder: 1 tsp [optional]
Chilli powder: 1 tsp [optional]
Light muscavado sugar: 200 gms.
Corn flour: 1 and 1/2 tbsp.
Water : around 100 mls.

1.In a deep heavy bottomed vessel simmer the milk  and the aroma spices for 12-15 minutes.
2.Remove from heat. Cool completely and let the spices infuse with the milk overnight or atleast for 6 hours.
3.Strain the milk and reserve until further use in the refrigerator.
4.Wash and cut the top and the bottom bits of the guavas. Chop them finely and grind to a paste.
5.Transfer the paste to a container and add the 1/2 cup of water.
6.Rub the paste through a metal strainer with a spoon to extract the soft smooth pulp.

 7.The resulting pulp should be around 450-500 mls.
8. Mix the corn flour with 3 tbsp of milk. Place another pan on slim flame.
9.Add half the pulp, ginger powder, chilli powder and sugar. Whisk until all the sugar is melted and everything is evenly mixed.
10. After 4-5 minutes when the mixture comes together add the corn flour mix and whisk together.
11.Once thick remove from heat and cool.
12.Add the spiced chilled milk to the cooled pulp and mix well.
13. Transfer to a freezable bowl and freeze for 2 hours. Remove from freezer and whisk to break down the ice crystals.
14.Repeat a couple of time and freeze until firm.


Enjoy scoops of icecream garnished with crystallised ginger pieces and cloves.

Notes: There is no need to peel the skin of the guavas as ripe ones have very thin skin and peeling them you would lose essential vitamins. Leaving the skin doesn't impart any bitter flavour to the icecream.

The amount of sugar I have used imparts a mild sweetness to the icecream. You can add 50 gms mor if you prefer a sweeter treat. You can also use regular caster sugar in place of muscavado sugar.

The chilli powder and ginger powder are purely optional but it provides a wonderful depth to the icecream.

Enjoy..

Scribbled by Reva

Watermelon Slush Ice... Summery pink treat...

Personally I am not a big fan of icecreams but this time I had to try something cold and sweet but minus the cream /eggs / chocolate / flavourings  and all the hard work. Watermelons are a huge favourite every summer and they decorate the road side stalls in  small mountain heap.

Something about watermelon reminds us of summer in a big way ..:)

Of all the melon varieties, watermelon has a more photogenic presence with its pleasant red watery flesh rimmed with green skin and studded with black seeds.

Actually the watermelon plant is a vine like creeper which finds its way around on the ground and it needs a firm support to grow.

It is believed to have first grown in South Africa and then migrated to other places. As we all know they are 92% water, so grows well in dry arid places.

The fruit itself is a berry , can you believe it???? Yes, it is a berry and referred by the botanists as "Pepo"...:)) A very cute name, isn't it..!!!

There are almost 1200 varieties of watermelon, some are bland and bitter too. Personally I have not come across any of those other varieties.

For the Ice Slush:
Fresh watermelon : 1 kg [red flesh part]
Caster sugar: 100 gms
Cranberry juice: 60 mls.
Lemon juice: 30 mls.

Garnish:
Fresh mint sprigs
Basil seeds : 1 tsp soaked in a little water

1.Mix the sugar and cranberry juice in a pan and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
2.Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave the sugar syrup to cool.
3.Remove the seeds from the water melon flesh and cut the flesh into small pieces.
4.Process the watermelon flesh into a smooth puree.
5.Stir in the lemon juice and sugar syrup. Pour the red smooth puree into a freezer proof container.
6.Freeze for 2-3 hours or until it has as slushy texture.

7.Remove from freezer and whisk to break up the ice crystals.
8.Return to the freezer for another 30 minutes, remove and whisk again.
9.Return to the freezer and freeze until solid.
10. Remove 10 minutes before serving time from the freezer and scoop out small portions into individual glass bowls.
11. Garnish with sprigs of mint leaves and a drizzle of basil seeds.

Note: Add more sugar if you have a sweet tooth or drizzle more sugar syrup or honey if you fancy some.You can make this any other fruit that your heart yearns for .... musk melon, cantaloupe, berries, lime, apple, mangoes etc... The basil seeds doesn't add any flavour but adds a pleasant feel to the slush itself.

Enjoy...

Scribbled by Reva 

Honey Ginger Icecream and A Good News..

There are some days that you are pleasantly surprised with a delightful beginning. Such a thing happened yesterday morning when the usual morning paper was accompanied with this year's "Khaana Peena Gaana Naachna" , the entertainment magazine for the weekly newspaper "Asian Voice" here in UK. It has over 35,000 issues every year and reaches all over UK.

This time it was not only about recipes but there were two more articles written by me. These are not really articles by a professional but simple words and sentences based on real life experience and everyday cooking.

Nothing fancy, just heart warming recipes and enjoyable articles.

I immensely enjoyed writing about the topics "Changing trends of South Indian Cuisine and Wedding Feasts" and "Joy of Drinks". I will post the recipes and articles in the forth coming week.

The scrumptious recipes given for this magazine are perfect for a quite dinner for two or entertaining guests and for small or large party gatherings. You just have to alter the amount of the meal cooked.

Starters 
Cashew Peanut Nibbles
Iced Melon Soup

Mains
Cumin Cashew Pulao
Chickpea Potato Korma
Mushroom Curry Leaf Fry

Desserts
Fresh Fig Falooda with Honey Ginger Icecream

So to celebrate this sweet occasion here comes the recipe for "Honey Ginger Ice cream".

Ready made custard: 500 ml
Runny honey: 5 tbsp.
Stem ginger: 2 pieces
Double cream: 100 ml
Greek yogurt: 150ml
Condensed milk: 2 tbsp
Walnuts: a handful.

1.Chop the stem ginger  and walnuts into tiny pieces.
2.Beat the custard and double cream together for 4-5 minutes until you have a thick mixture.
3.Add the honey, chopped stem ginger, yogurt and condensed milk and beat again for a couple of minutes.
4.Add the chopped walnuts and mix gently with a wooden spoon.
5.Pour into a container, close the lid and freeze for a couple of hours.
6.Whip the mixture for a couple of minutes to break the ice crystals.
7.Freeze again and repeat the process for a couple of times.

Serve dollops of ice cream sprinkled with walnuts.

Note: You can add any kind of nuts instead of walnuts. If stem ginger is not available, soak 1 inch piece of fresh ginger in honey for 2 days and use as in the recipe.

The first article has really got me thinking about "Wedding Feast" in my state Tamil Nadu. So that is what is going to come next....


Check out this link to see last year's publication in the magazine : Khaana Peena Gaana Naachna or visit the page "Recipes Published" near the header of this blog.


Enjoy ......


Scribbled by Reva

Thai Icecream with Homemade Wafer Cones

          The word "Ice cream" brings back so many memories for everyone of us irrespective of our age or work or place. It reminds us of our childhood, our summer vacations, our birthday parties or our kids birthday parties, an evening with friends in an ice cream parlour during college days or a romantic moment with your loved one .......

          When we were kids especially during summers, we have the ice cream vendor coming for his daily rounds through our streets. We used to run outside like crazy clutching a 5 rupee note in one hand tightly to get our favourite flavour.
          It was truly fun filled summer vacations. There used to be a bet among our group to see who eats the ice cream last ... it was so difficult to hold on to something so delicious and not gobble it at once....

          Each of us have a favourite flavour - mango, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, tutti fruity, pistachio. Over the years new ice cream parlours like  "Baskin and Robbins" ,"Richy Rich", "Boomerang"  dotted Coimbatore which introduced new flavours like minty chocolate chip, caramel, banana toffee etc which tickled the taste buds, filled our tummies and emptied our pockets

           My most favourite flavours: "Rum n Raisin" and "Fig n honey"- these two flavours are to die for.

           Now coming to the recipe.... I heard and eaten savoury cakes and cupcakes, even chilli chocolate cake... and so I started searching for something quite different from the usual ... I got this recipe ..... Yahooooo !!! I was happy, happy, happy and without further thought I proceeded to make this one.

           As I was preparing the ingredients, Madhan [my dear hubby] became curious about what I was making.... when he saw the ingredients he thought I was going to make thai savoury dish... The questions and answers went like this.....

Madhan : "Is it soup, fried rice, pad thai, prawn coconut curry or what????"....
Reva : "Ice cream"
Madhan : "What ???? Did u say ice cream??? Chilli, lemon grass, lime in ice cream ?????"
Reva : "Yes, u heard me right. I am making ice cream."
Madhan : "Are u feeling alright"
Reva : "................"

He didn't say anything more.... he gave me a weird look like I was going crazy or some thing.....

If the ice cream is home made, then the cone should be homemade ... isn't it!!!  This is a very easy recipe from one of my cookbook collection.

Egg white [medium]: 2.
Caster sugar: 50 gms
Plain flour: 50 gms.
Butter [melted]: 30gms + extra for greasing
Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp.
Cocoa powder: 2 tsp.

1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees/ 160 degrees.
2.Line an oven tray with parchment paper. Draw two circles of 10 cms circles. Grease the circles.
3.Beat the egg whites until soft peaks.
4.Add 1 tbsp of sugar at a time and beat until dissolved.
5.Once all the sugar is mixed well, stir in sifted flour, butter and extract.
6.Take 1/4 of this mix seperately and stir in sifted cocoa powder.
7.Spoon this into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.

8.Place about 1 tbsp of the plain mix in the center of the circle and spread evenly to fill the circles.
9.Pipe the chocolate stripes across the circles.
10.Bake for 5-6 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven.
11.Work quickly to lift the wafer from the tray and shape them into cones.
12.Cool on wire rack for 4-5 min and store in air tight container. Finish with rest of the mix.

Note: This given recipe makes 8-10 cones depending upon the thickness u make the cone. It is necessary to grease the circles before each time u place the mix in the circles. Don't leave the cones in open air for more than 5-6 minutes, it soften and will not be crisp. The original recipe calls for 75 gms of sugar but I added only 50 gms [just the right amount of sweetness]. Don't pile the cones roughly. Place them next to each other in an air tight zip lock bag or a large flat tin.

Even if u can't make cones, use them as wafers to garnish the ice cream when serving in a bowl.

Thai style Ice cream
Don't  be put off by the ingredients.... it is one of the most delicious of icecreams I've ever tasted.. The flavours from lemon grass and lime along with the mellow sweetness of the coconut milk takes your tired soul to tropical paradise...... and no, u will not taste the heat of the chilli.

Verdict: Who can give a better verdict on how good the ice cream tastes than a two and a half year old.... and this is her verdict - "mmmaaaa, peeeze innum venum" [mom,please want some more]

Thai red chilli: 1.
Lemon grass [bruised or silt longitudinally]: 10cms
Lime leaves [fresh or dried]:8-10
Coconut milk: 400ml.
Caster sugar: 60gms.
Ready made custard : 250ml.
Double cream:140ml.

1.Deseed the chilli and chop into tiny pieces.
2.Heat the coconut milk along with sugar and chilli.
3.Once the sugar dissolves and the mix comes to a boil, add the lemon grass and lime leaves.
4.Remove from flame and leave to cool.

5.Chill for 3-4 hrs. Remove the lime leaves and lemon grass.
6.Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Mix with the coconut milk along with the custard.
7.Stir well and freeze until 3/4 frozen.
8.Beat the mixture well to break down any ice crystals and freeze again [I repeated the process 3 times].

Place 1-2 scoops of this lovely ice cream on the cones and serve immediately.

Enjoy....

Scribbled by Reva