Coffee Panna Cotta

I had some left over cream in the fridge so I decided to minimize all the ingredients from the original recipe that just enough to make two cups.
I felt the panna cotta was too lonely standing alone so I simply process few oreo biscuits in the food processor, until the mixture has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs then placed it beside the coffee panna cotta.


The oreo biscuit crumbs are just so match with the puddings especially the smooth and wobbling consistency, really attractive! I think this dessert is simple and nice for serving guests as it could be made in advance and keep in the fridge until the dessert time.

Recipe for 8 of 80ml cups

Cream 400ml / Milk 300ml / Sugar 75g / Gelatine powder 9g (1 tbsp) / Coffee 2tbsp or more / Oreo biscuits

1. Dissolve 60ml of water with the gelatine powder for about 10 - 15 minutes.
2. Cook the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan. Use a wooden spoon to stir while it is cooking.
3. Add in coffee when the mixture start bubbling, cook until the coffee dissolve.
4. Off the heat and add the dissolved gelatine. Stir until everything dissolve.
5. Strain the mixture into a bowl then stir the mixture under another bowl of ice water until its cool down.
6. Pour the mixture into the pudding cups and place into the fridge for 3 to 4 hours.
7. To serve, dip the cups into hot water for few seconds then transfer onto a plate.
8. Serve with some oreo biscuit crumbs, enjoy!

Elai Adai - A traditional Kerala special

This is a very traditional sweet made in Kerala. Its mostly kind of a seasonal recipe, since ripe jackfruit is the key ingredient. When jack fruit is out of season, nenthrapazham ( a Kerala speciality banana) or avil (beaten rice/poha) is commonly used. This adai is even offered as prasadam in Thirumandamkunnu temple at Angadipuram near Malappuram dist.

Ela Adai is jaggery+jack fruit+coconut mixture with rice covering ,steam cooked in banana leaves. The banana leaves indeed give a unique flavor to the adai. During the season, jack fruit is preserved as chakkavaratti (jackfruit and jaggery). When fresh jackfruit is out of season, this adai can be prepared using the chakka varatti and coconut mixture for filling.

For the outer covering
Raw rice ½ cup

Boiled rice ½ cup

Salt - a pinch

Inner filling

Ripe jackfruit 1 cup

Jaggery ½ cup

Grated coconut 4 tbsp

If you are using chakka varatti then

Grated coconut 1/2 cup

Jaggery 1/2 cup

Chakka varatti 4 tbsp (jackfruit jam made with jaggery)

For the outer covering

Soak equal amounts of raw rice & boiled rice for 2-3 hrs. Grind fine adding salt. The consistency should be slightly thinner than dosa batter.

To prepare the filling

Remove the seeds and the hair on the outside of the jackfruit bulbs. Mince it fine. Take a kadai. Add half cup of water and the minced jackfruit. Cook for a while & add jaggery. When the jaggery and the pieces combine well, add the grated coconut. You should get the dough like consistency.

If you are using chakka varatti, first mix grated coconut with powdered jaggery and put it on fire & stir till they both combine and add the chakka varatti and stir for 2 minutes.

Take plantain leaves and cut them to roughly 6”square. Clean & show them over the stove flame for a few seconds to make them flexible.

Spread 2 tbsp ground batter on the leaf like a thin dosa. Since I had to grind the rice before the required soaking time, you can find grains of the parboiled rice in my batter. But it did not affect the taste.

On another leaf, spread 2 tbspn of the filling

and then invert the leaf over the spread batter. Carefully lift the leaf and fold the adai like a packet.

Steam adais in the pressure cooker or idli steamer for 10 minutes.

Serve hot or cold. This tastes best when served cold.

Milagu Kozambu - Black Pepper Gravy

MILAGU KOZAMBU or BLACK PEPPER GRAVY

The medicinal value of black pepper is well known. Milagu kozambu or Black Pepper Gravy is a welcome change after one has been subjected to rich food continuously. It is very good for digestion, and has an appealing taste as well. Taste buds tend to hibernate, leaving a bad taste in the mouth as a result of over eating or indigestion. Milagu kozambu activates the taste buds and induces hunger. It alleviates biliousness, mouth watering and bitterness in the tongue.

My sister shuns Milagu kozambu during dinner. She is terrified by the affliction of hunger pangs which would wake her up in the middle of the night. If you take a liking to the colour, taste and flavour of milagu kuzambu, you could savour it with hot rice and ghee, just like any other kozambu. A mixed vegetable salad, roasted papad, or a pachhadi (yoghurt dip) can make a delicious combination.

Hot milagu kozambu and rice, is often served after Yennae kuliyal or a traditional oil bath. An 'oil-bath' begins with a full body and head massage with warm sesame oil, and a bit of castor oil for the eyes, nose and navel. This is then followed by a rub down with freshly ground turmeric - natures best medicine for the skin. The oil is then washed away with Shikakai powder and other natural fragnant cleansers, and lots and lots of very hot water, as hot as you can you can take! (The picture alongside shows water getting boiled for a yennae kuliyal in our village! ) A meal that includes a course of hot milagu kozambu rice, after an oil bath leaves one feeling light and detoxed, and is truely a heavenly experience.

MILAGU KOZAMBU or BLACK PEPPER GRAVY
INGREDIENTS:
Black pepper - 2 tbsps
Cumin seeds – 2 tbsps
Tur dal (Red gram dal) - 2 tbsps
Dhania (Dry coriander seeds) – 2 tbsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Curry leaves – a handful
Dried red chilly – 1
Salt – 2 tsps
Tamarind - a small lemon sized ball of tamarind
For Seasoning:
Sesame oil – 2 tsps
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Urad dal (Black gram dal) – ½ tsp

METHOD:
1. Heat ½ tsp of oil. Add the asafoetida, and pepper and roast.
2. Next add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, tur dal, and red chilly and roast till the pepper cracks and the dal becomes golden in colour.
3. Add curry leaves and roast till it splutters.
4. Add the tamarind and remove from flame.
5. Allow the ingredients to cool, and then grind them finely. Add a 1 cup of water and salt and grind into a paste and set aside.
6. Heat oil in the now empty pan and add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
7. Add urad dal and roast it till golden in colour.
8. Now add the ground paste with 1 more cup of water and salt.
9. Boil till the kozambu thickens and the aroma triggers off your digestive juices.
10. Remove from flame and serve with piping hot rice and a dollop of ghee.