tribute to the pups

We're dog people. I have a suspicion that if a friend were to describe us to one of their friends they'd say something like "Craig and Jon are my friends. They have a bunch of dogs." There would be a follow up about our niceties, maybe even a comment about our home renovation aspirations and delusions, but overall we're dog-people. We're okay with that. We really like dogs - we like our dogs, we like other people's dogs, we really like commercials where dogs drag their butts across the carpet.

With Jaxxon’s first Birthday being today, I figured a shoutout was in order. Since Kanga is his Mother, and this also marks the one year anniversary of that awful Gizmo-got-wet reenactment, I’ll introduce her first. They’re all great dogs so I won’t go on and on about how they're loyal and beautiful and wonderful and well behaved and genius and rare… even though they are.

Kanga’s a first generation chocolate labradoodle, also called an F1 which means one parent is a poodle and one is a lab.

 
Jaxxon is a second generation brindle labradoodle, also called an F1B - which means one parent is an F1 and the other is a poodle.  Happy  Birthday, Jaxx.

And Leo, as I mentioned before is a mix of dachshund, poodle and maybe something else too…

Of course we have to mention the late Rue.  Rest in peace, buddy – we miss you terribly. 

I'll tell you what we don't miss - cleaning up after seven puppies.  Jaxxon's in the back in this picture:

Okay, back to work - we're having a very productive weekend, so hopefully another post later today.

Badam Cake (Almond Fudge)

Wish you and your family a very Happy Diwali!



Diwali is just around the corner and I made Badam Cake(or Halwa) today. After contemplating on various sweets, I decided to make this one because it brings back good memories of my Thalai Diwali(first Diwali after marriage). I have been wanting to try Vahrehvah Chef's recipes since long time. I tried his recipe and was so surprised with the end results. Believe me, it was out of the world! I did not compromise on ghee or sugar this time. Whenever I go to Chennai, my father gets me badam cake from a hotel(I don't remember the name). Those are the best ones I have ever had. My badam cake tasted very much like those and I am happy I can make a badam cake that tastes so authentic!

The above link is for Badam Halwa. I have slightly modified the measurements because I wanted to make a cake(which is the next stage of halwa).

This is going to Srivalli's JFI festival treats-Nov 08.
This is also going to Aparna's Sweet Celebrations event.

Ingredients:
Badam/Almonds-1 and a 1/2 cups
Sugar- 1 and a 1/2 cups
Saffron-a few strands
Milk-1/2 cup
Ghee-1/2 cup ( Apparently badam cake comes out well with even lesser amount of ghee)
Cardamom-a pinch
Orange color-a pinch(optional)

Method:
Soak almonds in hot water for 1 hr and peel the skin.
Grind the peeled almonds with milk and saffron to a fine paste. If the mixie doesn't grind, add some more milk and grind. The paste should be thick.
Heat a nonstick pan on medium flame, add 1 tbsp of ghee, ground paste, cardamom, orange color and sugar. Keep on stirring continuously. Add 1 tbsp of ghee now and then while stirring. Don't stop stirring. Do so until the mixture becomes thick(takes about 30 minutes) and starts to leave the sides of the pan(at this stage, the mixture becomes like a soft dough and does not stick to the pan at all). Don't forget to keep adding ghee little by little while stirring.
Grease a plate with ghee, pour the mixture into it. Cool for 10 minutes and cut into pieces.

Deepawali Sweets - Milky Creamy Pal Poli

PAAL POLI
Mother used to prepare this sweet instead of the payasam on special occasions. Since all of us loved the creamy sweet, she prepared it very often along with our evening snacks and how we loved to lick our fingers even after gobbling up three or even four of them! Since it is an exotic sweet, rich with thick milk and dried fruits and nuts, it can be served cold or warm as a dessert in parties. INGREDIENTS:
Maida or plain white flour – 1 cup
Milk – 4 cups
Sugar – 1 ½ cups
Saffron – a few strands

Edible camphor - one tiny granule is optional
Cardamom powder – 1 pinch
Cashew nuts – 12
Raisins – a few
Ghee for frying the nuts – 1 tbsp
Salt – 1 pinch
Cooking oil for frying
METHOD:
1. Knead maida with a teaspoon of oil, salt and little water into a stiff dough.
2. Boil the milk for ten minutes and add sugar, saffron strands and the cardamom powder. (Its optional to add the edible camphor. Even a tiny bit extra can ruin the taste so be careful. Just one small granule is sufficient!)

3. Let the sugar dissolve and then decrease the heat.
4. Make marble size balls with the dough and roll out into small poories.
5. Fold the round into half, and again fold it to get a triangle shape.
6. Roll out the triangles. They should not be too thin.
7. Keep a shallow dish with the prepared milk handy before deep frying polis.
8. Heat oil and fry the triangular Polis one by one, until they are crisp and golden in colour.
9. Drain out the oil, and dip the Poli in the warm milk
10. When the next one is ready for the dip, take out the previously soaked one and place it on a plate.
11. Soak all the polis and arrange them on the plate.
12. When all the polis is done, pour the remaining milk over the arranged sweets.
13. Decorate the sweet platter with roasted cashew nuts and raisins.

Enjoy the milky creamy Poli, warm or cooled .