Blueberry Baked Cheesecake

I've some leftover blueberries so I used to make a very simple cheesecake. I would normally bake cheesecake by using the water bath method, but after came across a recipe from a book which is bake right straight in the oven without water bath, I decided to give it a try.

There were some different between water bath method and bake straight in the oven. Water bath method normally gives a moisture and creamier texture whereas I found this bake straight in the oven is much firmer and dense. I still prefer those water bath bake cheesecake but this blueberry cheesecake quite refreshing.

Recipe:

Digestive biscuit crumbs 90g

Melted butter 40g

Cream cheese 300g

Yogurt 15g

Sugar 50g (I used 30g)

Eggs 3 (lightly beaten)

Lemon juice 10ml

Corn flour 10g

Some blueberries

1. Mix the bread crumbs with melted butter and press it into a 9 inches cake tin evenly. Set aside.
   
2. Beat the cream cheese with sugar until the sugar dissolve. Mix in the yogurt until everything combine and smooth.


3. Slowly add in the beaten eggs then lemon juice.


4. Mix in the cornflour until everything incorporate.


5. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cake tin and topped with some blueberries. Bake in a 150'C preheated over for 25 minutes.


6. Keep the cheesecake in the fridge once it completely cool down.

Fresh Apple-Grape juice

Apple-Grape juice is filling and very refreshing. I love to add ginger in my juice to spice it up a little bit.

Ingredients:
Apple(small)-1
Grapes-3/4 cup
Lemon juice from 1 small lemon(optional)
Ginger- a small piece
Sugar-1 tsp
Water-1 cup

Method:
Chop apples finely. Blend all the ingredients together adding water little by little.
Filter the juice, chill and enjoy!

Note: If you are using green grapes, skip the lemons.

Nei payasam ~ Kerala Special

Nei means ghee. So nei payasam literally translates as ghee payasam. Don't think I am going to give a recipe of payasam/kheer with ghee as the main ingredient. Indeed , ghee is the star ingredient in the recipe. This is a combination of rice , jaggery and ghee. Sounds simple isn't it. But the rich taste of the payasam is heavenly. Its also known as kadu madhura payasam (very very sweet payasam). Yes, the rice:jaggery is 1:3. Nei payasam is a famous offering in the temples of Kerala. This is also prepared during Bhagavathy Seva, a pooja conducted to please Devi, which is performed in the month of Karkitakam/Aadi (15th July-15th Aug).

As I mentioned, because of the sweetness and richness of ghee, it can be eaten in small portions only. When the payasam is prepared for any ordinary occasion or wants it to be less sweeter, then the rice:jaggery is added in the proportion of 1:2. The ratio seems to vary from home to home. Also select jaggery which is brown which gives a nice deep color to the payasam.

Ingredients
Raw rice - 1/3 cup

Jaggery - 1 cup

Ghee- 1/3 cup or less

Water -1/3 cup to melt jaggery.

Garnish

cashew,raisin - 10 nos each

coconut, cut into small pieces - 1 tblspn

Method:
Wash and pressure cook rice till it is well cooked. Later,on cooking in jaggery, it will turn grainy. Melt jaggery in a pan with 1/3 cup of water. Strain and bring the jaggery syrup to boil. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, with out forming lumps. If you find it difficult, switch off the stove. Once the rice is well mixed with the syrup, put it on fire again. Add a tablespoon of ghee. Keep stirring and add ghee at intervals to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. Reserve a tablespoon of ghee for frying cashews etc.Cook till the mixture starts leaving the sides and gets a saucy consistency. Don't over cook and it will become a hard mass on cooling.

Take a small pan. Add ghee. Add pieces of coconut. Roast till it browns. Remove the coconut and add cashews. When they start browning, throw in the raisins. When the raisins puff up , remove from fire. Garnish with payasam with roasted coconut, cashews and raisins. Enjoy spoon full of payasam. You cannot go beyond 3 spoons at one go. It stays good even 3 days with out refrigeration, when properly made.

With this measurement, it will serve 2.