Simple rava kesari

Rava kesari is the most simple dessert that can be put together in minutes. There are various versions to making this yummy halwa. Today's recipe is from my sister's MIL. She would make this very often during festivals. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients
Rava/Sooji - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
1 to 2 tbsps of ghee
1/2 tsp elaichi powder
Chopped nuts and dry fruits for garnish
Saffron - a few strands
Orange color - optional (you can use orange color if you want to skip the saffron)

Method
1. Saute the rava in 1 tbsp of ghee on medium heat. Take care not to burn it.
2. Lower the flame completely and add sugar to the same pan. 
3. Add the elaichi powder and saffron strands/orange color.
4. Next add one cup of milk and one cup of water slowly while stirring constantly. Use a whisk to stir to avoid lumps. (See notes)
5. Turn back the heat to medium and cover and cook until the rava is completely cooked. It is purely optional to add ghee at this stage.
6. Meanwhile in a small saute pan add 1 tbsp of ghee and add the chopped nuts and saute until roasted. Add back to the cooked kesari and stir well.

Notes
1. For one cup  of rava you need to add 2 cups of water. Adding milk to the kesari gives it a very good taste and texture. I prefer to use a combination of milk and water. You can skip the milk and and add all water too.
2. If you find the rava water mixture too lumpy simply use a hand blender to remove the lumps. 
3. I used a combination of almonds, cashews, pistachios, cranberries and raisins.

Sweet nothings!

I am back again with a post finally. The last few weeks have been really hectic. Here is my contribution to Coffee's MBP - Something Sweet - for May 2007. Infact, I have not one but a few tried and tested recipes here.

Maple Pecan Cake - This is the best cake I have had in a long time. The best part is that it has maple syrup and no butter at all except for very little vegetable oil. This is truly a big hit. Thanks to Shammi of Food in the main and Taste Goblet for the recipe. Click here and here to view the recipe for maple pecan cake.

Orange Loaf Cake - an amazing cake from my My Rasoi. This cake tastes just like a regular pound cake but does not need one pound of butter. Plus it has a orange taste going on in the background and is simply delicious.

Pecan~Chocolate Chip~Banana~Bread from Baking Bites (formerly Baking Sheet). Click here for the recipe. This bread is fresh and tasty with crunchy pecans and gooey chocolate chips. This bread is a must try along with a steaming cup of coffee.

Eggless Orange Sponge Cake - an easy to make cake from Menu Today. Click here for the recipe.

Banana Payasam from Soumya's blog - The Home Spices. This is a simple yet delicious dessert that will be ready in minutes.

Blueberry~Almond~Chocolate clusters

Mmm. These chocolate clusters are delicious. I was watching Ellie Krieger's program on Food TV last week and she made this wonderful sweet treat. It seemed so easy, that I immediately wanted to try it out. The only variation I did was to use dried blueberries instead of dried cherries. Click here for the original recipe. Here is my version.

Ingredients
12 oz of dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used the Trader Joe's brand. The original recipe calls for only 6 oz of chocolate but I used almost 12 oz as I felt it was not enough to coat the nuts)
1 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1 cup dried blueberries, coarsely chopped

Method
1. Before you begin, line a baking sheet with wax paper (as you don't want the chocolate mixture to solidify before you transfer to the wax paper). Toss the almonds and blueberries in a bowl and set aside.
2. Set up a double boiler on the stove. Melt half the chopped chocolate in the top of the double boiler. Check the end of this post on how to set up a double boiler. Or click here to learn more.
3. The heat on your stove should be on the lowest setting as this will help the chocolate maintain its shiny texture. Also make sure the water in the bottom pan is not touching the top pan.
4. Stir the chocolate until it starts melting.
5. Once the first batch is melted, move the double boiler from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until melted. If you find it is not melting then move it back to the stove, but under a low flame.

Chocolate melting on the double boiler

6. After the chocolate is completely melted, add the chopped almonds and blueberries and mix well.

Nuts added to the melted chocolate

7. Take a tablespoon of the chocolate mixture and gently drop it on to the wax paper.

Chocolate clusters ready to go into the refrigerator

8. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
9. Remove from the fridge and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not store chocolates in the fridge as they lose their color and become pale or white.

Bluberry~Almond Chocolate Clusters

How to set up a double boiler
1. Fill a large pot with about 2-3 inches water.
2. Place a glass bowl on top of this pot. Use one that sits comfortably and does not touch the bottom of the pan.

3. Keep the flame on medium low and heat the water in the bottom pan. The heat from the bottom pot will melt the chocolate in the top pot.
4. Lower the flame way down before adding the chocolate.