Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal| South Indian Yam Mash

Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal is a delicious Tamilnadu-style side dish. It is made using small yams called ‘karunai kizhangu‘ in Tamil.

It is a very nutritious preparation, one that is very easy to put together. Today, I am sharing with you all our family recipe for Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal, the way we make it at home.

Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal, a delicious Tamilnadu dish

What is Karunai Kizhangu?

Karunai Kizhangu are small yams that are about the size of a fist. They are also called Pidi Karunai Kizhangu in Tamil because of their size (‘pidi‘ means ‘fist’ in the language). They are also referred to as ‘Yam Ordinary’.

I have seen many people refer to elephant-foot yams as Karunai Kizhangu in South India, which is wrong. Elephant-foot yams are ‘Senai Kizhangu‘, while the term ‘Karunai Kizhangu‘ refers to these smaller yams. Also, these yams are different from colocasia roots (i.e. ‘arbi‘ or ‘seppankizhangu’) – these are much less sticky.

Karunai Kizhangu or Yam Ordinary

Like the other varieties of yams, Karunai Kizhangu possess several health benefits. They aren’t very easy to come across in India, but you do find them sometimes in Bangalore and Chennai. I was lucky to find these yams recently at a vegetable store – for they are delicious and very versatile!

What goes into Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal

Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal is a heritage dish from Tamilnadu, a sort of mash made using small yams. It makes for a delicious side dish for rice with sambar and rasam, and also goes very well with vattalkozhambu.

This is a simple dish to prepare, needing just a few ingredients and little time and effort. The yams are boiled and mashed, then cooked with ingredients like green chillies, ginger, salt, lemon juice and fresh coconut. I also add in a dash of jaggery and red chilli powder for added flavour.

This Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal is completely vegetarian and vegan, suited to those following a plant-based diet. If you want to make it gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida used in the tempering. Most Indian brands of asafoetida contain wheat flour and are, therefore, best avoided while following a gluten-free diet.

Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal recipe

Here is how to go about making it.

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

1. 5-6 medium-sized karunai kizhangu (yam ordinary)

2. 1 tablespoon oil

3. 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

4. 2-3 green chillies

5. A sprig of fresh curry leaves

6. A 1-inch piece of ginger

7. 2 pinches of asafoetida

8. Salt to taste

9. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

10. Red chilli powder to taste (optional)

11. 3/4 tablespoon jaggery powder or to taste (optional)

12. 2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut

13. Juice of 1/2 large lemon or to taste

14. 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Below top right and bottom right: Steps 3 and 4, Bottom left: Step 5

1. Wash the yams well under running water, making sure to remove all traces of dirt from them. Then chop them into large pieces and place in a wide vessel. Add in enough water to cover the yams completely.

2. Place the vessel in a pressure cooker. Cook for 3 whistles on high flame or till the yams are completely cooked and soft. Let the pressure release naturally.

3. When the pressure from the cooker has completely gone down, get the cooked yams out. Drain out all the water from them. Let the yam pieces cool down completely, then peel them.

4. Mash the yam roughly. Keep aside.

5. Now we will prep some of the ingredients needed to make the Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal. Peel the ginger and chop finely. Chop the green chillies into large pieces. Keep the lemon and curry leaves ready.

Top left and right: Steps 6 and 7, Centre left and right: Steps 8 and 9, Bottom left and right: Steps 10 and 11

6. Now, we will start preparing the Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to sputter. Next add in the asafoetida, chopped ginger and green chillies, and the curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.

7. Turn the flame down to low, and add in the mashed yams. Mix well.

8. Add salt and red chilli powder (if using) to taste, as well as the turmeric powder.

9. Also add in the jaggery powder, if using. Mix well. Cook on low-medium flame for 3-4 minutes. Switch off gas when all the ingredients come together as a harmonious whole.

10. Add in the lemon juice.

11. Add in the grated coconut and finely chopped coriander. Mix well. Your Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal is ready. Serve it warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Tricks

1. It is purely optional to use the red chilli powder and jaggery powder. If the heat from the green chillies is enough, you can avoid the red chilli powder. The jaggery adds a beautiful flavour to the Masiyal, but it is not used traditionally. Skip it if you do not prefer using it.

2. Adjust the quantity of lemon juice you use as per personal taste preferences.

3. Elephant foot yam (senai kizhangu) and raw banana (vazhakkai) can be used to prepare Masiyal in the same way.

4. Make sure you keep the gas at low-medium flame, to prevent burning.

5. Sesame oil (nalla ennai) or coconut oil goes best in this Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me in your comments!

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Grilled Pineapple On Pan

Grilled Pineapple is an absolutely delicious appetiser or snack, one that can be put together very easily using a bare minimum of ingredients. It is a big favourite at our place, and I make it often. Today, I am going to share with you all my Grilled Pineapple recipe, the way I make it at home, using a pan on the stovetop.

Pineapples are flavourful on their own but, when grilled, the flavours get even more concentrated and intense. Marinated with ingredients like salt, red chilli powder and sugar, they turn lip-smackingly wonderful – I kid you not! No wonder Grilled Pineapple is such a popular starter at several barbecue restaurants!

Grilled pineapple slices, ready to be served

Why you should try out this Grilled Pineapple recipe

This is a very easy recipe that even a beginner cook can use. There’s no oven or fancy apparatus needed, and there’s little time and effort required. In fact, my 7-year-old bub enjoys putting together a platter of Grilled Pineapple, with a little help from daddy. 🙂

There is no oil used in this recipe and, like I said earlier, very few ingredients used. The best part is – you can customise the ingredients used as per your family’s preferences (see the ‘Tips and Tricks’ section). The end result is always delectable!

This is a completely vegetarian and vegan recipe, suited to those following a plant-based diet. It is entirely gluten-free too.

This Grilled Pineapple makes for a lovely appetiser for parties and get-togethers. We love making this as an evening snack on the weekends we stay in at home. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser!

Other interesting dishes made with pineapple

Pineapples are among my most favourite fruits, and I love having them as is. Sometimes, though, I do use them in my cooking – like this Grilled Pineapple recipe, for instance.

Check out some other interesting pineapple-based dishes on my blog – Pineapple Thogayal, Thai Pineapple Salad, Pineapple Pulissery, Pineapple Hot Sauce, Ananas Menaskai, Anarosher Chaatni and Pineapple Kesari Bhat.

I recently started getting interested in Nyonya/Peranakan cuisine. This Nyonya Achar recipe shared by my food blogger friend Preethi is right up my alley. I think it’s a brilliant way to use pineapple!

How to make Grilled Pineapple on pan

The Grilled Pineapple recipe is as follows.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 1 medium-sized pineapple

2. Salt to taste

3. 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste

4. 1/4 teaspoon garam masala or to taste

5. 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Method:

Left top, centre and bottom: Steps 1, 2 and 3, Top right and bottom: Steps 4 and 5

1. Remove the leaves from the top of this pineapple and remove the skin and thorns. Cut the pineapple into slices that are neither too thin nor too thick. You can grill these slices whole or remove the core from them and cut into smaller pieces – that’s up to you.

2. Take the salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix everything well together.

3. Drop the pineapple pieces into the mixing bowl. Use your hands to coat the pineapple pieces evenly with the spice mix.

4. Place a grill pan on medium flame. Once it begins to get heated up, place about half of the pineapple pieces evenly around the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook the pineapple pieces for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.

5. At this stage, flip the pineapple pieces over and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side too. Continue to keep the flame at medium. When done, transfer the grilled pineapple to a serving plate. You can serve them hot or warm.

6. Grill the rest of the pineapple on both sides, in a similar manner.

Tips & Tricks

1. Use a ripe (not over-ripe), juicy and firm pineapple, for best results. A sweet pineapple that is not overly sour tastes delicious when grilled.

2. As mentioned above, you can grill the pineapple slices whole (as shown in the main picture in this post) or cut them into smaller pieces (as shown in the step-by-step pictures in this post). That totally depends upon your personal preferences.

3. Remember to keep the pineapple slices neither too thick nor too thin. Grill them on low-medium flame only, to prevent burning.

4. Adjust the quantities of salt, sugar, red chilli powder and garam masala as per personal taste preferences.

5. You may omit the garam masala if you are not comfortable using it. However, I would highly recommend using it, as it adds a lovely mild spice kick to the pineapple. I have used home-made garam masala here.

6. I have used a WonderChef grill pan here. You may use a regular dosa pan for the grilling too, or do it in the oven. However, if you want those beautiful grill marks on your food, a grill pan is a must. A charcoal-fired barbecue can also be used to make this Grilled Pineapple.

7. Make sure the pineapple pieces are evenly coated with the spice mix.

8. You can play with the spice mix as you please, substituting ingredients or adding more. For instance, cinnamon powder can be used in place of the garam masala I have used here. You can use a mix of black salt and regular salt, too, for added flavour.

9. I have used powdered sugar in the spice mix here. You can use regular granulated sugar too.

10. Some people marinate the pineapple pieces in the spice mix for some time – a few minutes up to an hour. I don’t, as I don’t think it is strictly necessary. You can go ahead with grilling the pineapple right away, once you have coated it with the spice mix.

11. I have used a freshly cut ripe pineapple here. You may use canned pineapple instead – skip the sugar in that case. I would recommend using a freshly chopped pineapple only as the canned ones contain way too much sugar.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Chocolate Ganache Tart| No-Bake Chocolate Tart

This Chocolate Ganache Tart is just the perfect thing to make if you and your loved ones adore chocolate, like me. 😊 It tastes fabulous and is super easy to put together – this is a freezer tart that does not require any baking. Even a beginner cook can ace this, and I’m not kidding!

Psst – Looking for last-minute ideas to surprise your Valentine? Try out this tart! The beautiful strawberries available this time of the year make for just the right decoration, too.

A delectable Chocolate Ganache Tart, decorated with strawberry slivers

What goes into this Chocolate Ganache Tart

The base of this tart is made using mildly sweet cookies, like Marie or digestive biscuits.

The filling is chocolate ganache, made with fresh cream and chocolate. I have used a mix of dark and milk chocolate here, because that’s the way my family prefers it.

Lastly, there’s the decoration for the tart. I prefer using fresh strawberries when they are in season or, else, toasted cashewnuts. I have written about both styles in the proceedure below.

Some other interesting chocolate recipes

I have a few other easy but interesting chocolate recipes on my blog, which you might want to look at. Check out these Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bites, Dark Chocolate Truffles, Easy Hot Cocoa, Chocolate Orange Hung Curd Cheesecake and Mexican Chilli Chocolate Ice Cream.

Also, do check out this Chocolate & Cheese Sandwiches by my fellow food blogger, Poonam. They look so delicious and inviting!

How to make Chocolate Ganache Tart

Here is how to go about making the tart.

Ingredients:

For the base:

1. 180 grams biscuits, mildly sweet

2. 1/2 tablespoon sugar

3. About 60 grams unsalted butter or as needed

For the chocolate ganache:

1. 80 grams dark chocolate

2. 100 grams milk chocolate

3. 250 ml cream

For the decoration:

3-4 large strawberries OR 12-15 cashewnuts, dry roasted

Method:

We will start by making the base for the tart.

Top left, centre and right: Step 1, Centre left and centre: Step 2, Bottom right: Step 3, Bottom centre and left: Steps 4 and 5

1. Break the biscuits roughly, using your hands. Transfer them to a mixer jar. Add the sugar into the mixer jar too. Grind together into a fine powder.

2. Transfer the biscuit powder into a large mixing bowl. Add in the butter. Mix well using your hands, till you get the texture of wet sand. You may add in more butter if required.

3. Grease an 8×3 inch round vessel or cake tin with some batter. Keep ready.

4. Spread the biscuit powder-butter mixture evenly all over the bottom of the greased vessel. Spread some a little along the sides too. Pack it in tightly, leaving no spaces in between.

5. Once done, cover the vessel or cake tin and place it in the freezer till the rest of the ingredients get ready. This will give the tart base time to set and harden.

While the base is setting, we will prepare the chocolate ganache filling.

Top left, centre and right: Steps 6, 7 and 8, Centre left: Step 9, Centre row, middle and right: Step 10 and 11, Bottom left: The Chocolate Ganache Tart has set and is ready, Bottom right: The tart, decorated with strawberry slices

6. Using a sharp knife, chop the dark and milk chocolate into small pieces. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

7. Take the cream in a heavy-bottomed pan and place on medium flame. Let the pan heat up and allow the cream to come to a boil. Stir intermittently. Switch off gas when the cream has been boiling for a few seconds.

8. Immediately transfer the boiling hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate pieces. Mix well. The chocolate will melt in the heat of the cream and form a smooth mixture. Make sure all the cream and chocolate is well integrated together. This is the chocolate ganache filling.

9. Whisk the chocolate ganache gently for about a minute to make it silky-smooth, light and airy.

Next, we will prepare the tart and set it.

10. Get the chilled tart base out of the freezer. Pour the hot chocolate ganache into the tart base immediately. If you are using dry-roasted cashewnuts for cashewnuts for decoration, chop them up roughly and sprinkle evenly all over the chocolate ganache. Now, allow the ganache to come to room temperature.

11. When the chocolate ganache has come to room temperature, close the vessel or cake tin. Place in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours for the ganache to set. Now, the Chocolate Ganache Tart is ready to cut into pieces and serve. If using strawberries for the decoration, chop them into thin slices and arrange on the tart just before cutting and serving.

A piece of Chocolate Ganache Tart, decorated with toasted cashewnuts

Tips & Tricks

1. For best results, use good-quality chocolate. The ratio of dark and milk chocolate is completely up to your preferences. I have used 80 grams of Bournville 70% dark chocolate and 100 grams of Amul India Twilight milk chocolate here. You may use only 180 grams of dark or milk chocolate if you so prefer, instead of mixing the two.

2. I have used 250 ml Amul fresh cream here. Make sure you heat the cream only on medium flame. Do not overcook it. Once the cream comes to a rolling boil, pour it into the chocolate pieces.

3. Any type of biscuits with mild sweetness will work for the tart base. I have used Marie biscuits here. Adjust the quantity of sugar you use in the base as per personal taste preferences. You may skip the sugar entirely, if you so prefer.

4. I have used Amul unsalted butter here. Some people use salted butter in the tart base and that’s also fine. Make sure the butter is at room temperature for it to mix well with the biscuit powder.

5. Using less butter will make the tart base crumbly and stop it from setting well. Using more butter will cause it to harden up. You need to use just enough butter to bring the biscuit crumbs to the consistency of wet sand.

6. Do remember to pack the biscuit powder and butter mixture tightly all over the base of the greased vessel and a little around the edges. This will help it set well.

7. You may use a cake tin for making this Chocolate Ganache Tart. I have used a regular stainless steel container here, which was 8 inches in width and 3 inches in height.

8. If you are using toasted cashewnuts for decoration, remember to add them before the chocolate ganache hardens. Otherwise, they will not stick to it at all. If using strawberries, add them just before serving the tart, because the fruit will become extremely cold in the freezer and make for an unpleasant eating experience.

9. Allow at least 2-3 hours for the Chocolate Ganache Tart to set. Remove it from the freezer about 1/2 hour before serving, as it starts to soften and become squishy if kept outside for too long.

10. Steps 7 to 10 need to be followed quickly, with deft hands, for best results.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Shakarkandi Chokha| Purple Sweet Potato Mash

I love my food colourful and flavourful, the natural way! This Shakarkandi Chokha is exactly that – appealingly colourful and full of flavour.

When I received some purple sweet potatoes from Spudnik Farms in my weekly vegetable subscription box recently, I knew I had to make something that would bring out their gorgeous natural colour. I ended up using them to make chokha, inspired by the Bihari Aloo Chokha. It tasted lovely, just as pretty as it looked. The colour was simply brilliant, and it made for a wonderful accompaniment to the simple dal and rice I served it with.

Just look at that colour, will you?

Shakarkandi Chokha? Whatever is that?

Shakarkandi Chokha is a very flavourful mash made using sweet potatoes (‘shakarkand‘ or ‘shakarkandi‘ in Hindi), North Indian style. It is a spin on the traditional Aloo Chokha, a Bihari favourite, which is made with potatoes.

A note on the ingredients used

Purple sweet potatoes are the main ingredient in this dish. They possess a high level of anthocyanins, which help in boosting the immune system. They are also rich in several vitamins and minerals, making them a healthier alternative to potatoes. The earthy flavour of purple sweet potatoes goes beautifully in a number of foods.

On that note, you might also want to check out this Indian-style burger I made with a purple sweet potato patty. This Gujarati Shakkariya Nu Shaak is made using orange sweet potatoes, but can just as easily be made with purple ones.

In the chokha, I have used ginger and green chillies to spice up the sweet potatoes, and lemon juice for sourness. A finely chopped raw onion and mustard oil is added in to infuse the dish with a rustic flavour.

The piquant taste of mustard oil, the sourness of lemon and the spicy green chillies blend beautifully with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. All in all, Shakarkandi Chokha a riot of flavours!

How to make Shakarkandi Chokha

Ingredients (serves 4):

1. 5 small purple sweet potatoes

2. Salt to taste

3. 2 green chillies

4. A 1-inch piece of ginger

5. 1 tablespoon mustard oil

6. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

7. 2 pinches of asafoetida

8. Juice of 1/2 lemon or to taste

9. 1 small onion

10. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander

Method:

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Below top right: Step 3, Bottom right and left: Steps 4 and 5

1. Wash clean 5 small purple sweet potatoes, removing all traces of dirt from them.

2. Chop the sweet potatoes into large pieces.

3. Take the sweet potato pieces in a small pressure cooker. Add in enough water to cover them completely. Allow 2 whistles on high flame. Let the pressure release naturally.

4. When the pressure has completely gone down, drain out the water from the sweet potatoes. Let them cool down completely.

5. When fully cool, peel the sweet potatoes and mash roughly.

Top left and right: Step 6, Centre left and right: Steps 7 and 8, Bottom left and right: Steps 9 and 10

6. Remove the tops of the green chillies and chop them roughly. Peel the ginger and chop roughly. Grind the green chillies and ginger to a paste in a small mixer jar, using a little water. Add this to the mashed sweet potatoes.

7. Add salt to taste.

8. Heat the mustard oil in a small tempering pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to sputter, then switch off gas and add 2 pinches of asafoetida. Let it stay in for a few seconds. Now, add this tempering to the sweet potato mash.

9. Add in lemon juice.

10. Peel the onion and chop finely. Add this to the sweet potato mash, along with the finely chopped fresh coriander. Mix everything well.
Your Shakarkandi Chokha is ready. Serve with rotis, parathas or dal-rice.

Is this recipe gluten-free and vegan?

This is a completely vegetarian recipe, and one that is vegan too. It is perfectly suited to someone following a plant-based diet.

Due to the addition of asafoetida, this recipe is not gluten-free. Skip the asafoetida if you want to make the dish gluten-free. Most Indian brands of asafoetida contain wheat flour and are, therefore, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet. However, if you can find 100% gluten-free asafoetida, you can definitely use it.

Tips & Tricks

1. If you cannot get your hands on purple sweet potatoes, you can use orange-fleshed ones. The more commonly available ones with white flesh are slightly tougher to cook and mash, so they might not be a great substitute.

2. If you do not like the pungency of mustard oil, you may use any other variety of oil instead. However, mustard oil is what is traditionally used in chokha.

3. Do not discard the water used to cook the sweet potatoes. You can use it to make soup or knead roti dough.

4. Do not overcook the sweet potatoes. 2 whistles in the pressure cooker are enough to cook them through, without making them overly mushy.

5. You can even roast the sweet potatoes on an open fire, then peel and mash them to make the Shakarkandi Chokha. This infuses them with a lovely smoky flavour. Pressure-cooking renders the process easier and faster.

6. Roasted garlic and tomatoes can be added to the chokha too. However, I have skipped them, here, as I wanted to keep the dish really basic.

7. The onion can also be fire-roasted before using it in the chokha. I have kept it raw, which is also a method traditionally followed.

8. Adjust the quantity of salt, green chillies and lemon juice as per personal taste preferences.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Rose Falooda| How To Make Falooda At Home

Rose Falooda is a many-layered dessert that is made using ingredients like vermicelli, milk, rose syrup, nuts and ice cream. The layers are demolished with a tall spoon, as one eats up a falooda. 😊

Believed to have originated from the Persian dessert called faloodeh, the falooda has several versions across the world. Rose Falooda is one such version, which is downright delectable when made right. I am not a huge fan of store-bought falooda, but I love the rustic versions made at home. It isn’t a difficult thing to put together too and, today, I am going to show you all just how to do that.

Now that summer is fast approaching, it is time for refreshing cold beverages and desserts. Do try out this Rose Falooda soon and share your feedback! Psst – it’s perfect for Valentine’s, too. 😁

A less than perfect picture of home-made Rose Falooda. Tasted absolutely amazing, though.

What goes into Rose Falooda

The following are the major components of Rose Falooda. Some are store-bought, while some have been prepared from scratch at home.

1. Sevai or vermicelli is an important component of the falooda. Traditionally, falooda contains sevai made from corn starch, but you could use other types too. I have used thin rice sevai from Dragon here, as we prefer its texture. Different varieties of sevai need different techniques for cooking, so do read the instructions on the pack you are using, to understand how to go about it. The Dragon rice sevai I used needed to be immersed in boiling hot water, covered, for about 3 minutes.

2. Glace cherries lend a lovely texture and colour to the falooda. These are the sugar-filled red cherries that are commonly available in most departmental stores and are used in several desserts. I bought a pack from a grocery store near my place. You can use tooti-frooti instead, too, but I prefer glace cherries.

3. Strawberry jelly, though not a crucial component, adds an interesting texture to the falooda and, of course, a pop of colour. I have used Alpenlibe strawberry jelly (again, picked up from a grocery store). You can also make your own jelly at home or skip using any altogether – I would highly recommend using some, personally. Rose or raspberry jelly can also be used, as an alternative. If using store-bought jelly, make sure it is vegetarian (in case of vegetarian dietary preferences, I mean).

4. Cashewnuts, roasted and chopped, add a wonderful texture and taste to the falooda.

5. Sabja seeds or sweet basil seeds are an essential component of a falooda, contributing greatly to its taste and texture. They are stocked by several departmental stores, and are highly nutritious. They need to be soaked in water to ‘bloom’ them i.e. make them soft and chewy. I have outlined the proceedure to use them, below.

6. Milk and sugar, cooked together till they thicken to make rabdi. This is a crucial component, which makes or breaks the falooda. Use full-fat milk, for best results. I have used Akshayakalpa milk, here.

7. Rose syrup is another critical component of falooda, which makes or breaks it. I made mine at home, but you can easily buy it from a departmental store. I prefer using plain rose syrup rather than something like Roohafza.

8. Ice cream is another important component of the falooda, which makes it rich and flavourful. Strawberry, rose and vanilla ice cream works best – I have used vanilla ice cream from Corner House here. Some skip the ice cream in falooda, but it’s a must for me. You can make the ice cream at home if you so prefer.

How to make Rose Falooda at home

Here’s how to go about it.

Ingredients (makes 4 medium-sized glasses):

1. 1/2 cup rice sevai

2. 15 cashewnuts

3. 12 glace cherries

4. 10 small Alpenlibe strawberry jelly packs

5. 1-1/2 tablespoon sabja seeds

6. 3 cups of milk

7. 5 tablespoons sugar or as needed

8. About 1/2 cup of rose syrup or as needed

9. 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream

Method:

Top left: Step 1, Bottom left and adjacent: Step 2, Top centre and right: Step 3, Above bottom right: Step 4, Bottom right: Step 5

First up, we will prep the various components of the Rose Falooda.

1. Take 2 cups of water in a wide vessel and place it on high flame. Let it come to a rolling boil.

2. Switch off gas when the water has boiled for 3-4 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of rice sevai into the boiling water. If the sevai is too long, break it up before adding. Ensure that the sevai is completely immersed in the water. Close the vessel with a lid and let it stay undisturbed for about 3 minutes. By this time, the sevai would have softened and cooked. Now, transfer them to a colander and let all the water drain out. Let the cooked rice sevai cool down completely.

3. Chop up the cashewnuts roughly. Then, dry roast them in a small pan on low-medium flame till they turn brown and crisp. Take care to ensure that the cashewnuts do not burn. Transfer the roasted nuts to a plate and allow them to cool down completely.

4. Chop the glace cherries into halves. Keep ready.

5. Chop the Alpenlibe strawberry jelly into small pieces. Keep ready.

6. Keep the rose syrup and ice cream chilling in the refrigerator till we are ready to serve the Rose Falooda.

Top left and right: Step 7, Below top right, bottom right and left: Step 8

7. Take about 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and add in the sabja seeds. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, by which time they will bloom (as shown in the picture above). Then transfer the soaked sabja seeds to a tea strainer and let any excess water drain out of them.

8. Next, we will prepare the rabdi that goes into the Rose Falooda. Take the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan and place on high flame. Allow the milk to come to a boil, then reduce flame to medium. Add in the sugar at this stage and mix well. Continue to cook the milk on medium flame for 10-15 minutes or till it becomes thick and starts changing colour. Scrape down the cream that forms on the sides of the pan, back into the milk. When the milk has thickened but is still on the runnier side, switch off gas – this is the rabdi, which will thicken up more upon cooling. Let it cool down completely.

Now, all the components are ready. When they have completely cooled down, the Rose Falooda can be assembled. Assemble the falooda only when you are ready to serve it.

Here’s how to assemble the Rose Falooda. Check out this video on my Instagram page, The Girl Next Door Diaries, to understand the assembling better.

1. Take a medium-sized tall glass and add some of the chopped glace cherries, cashewnuts and strawberry jelly at the bottom.

2. Add a spoonful of the soaked sabja seeds and a little of the rice sevai on top of this.

3. Add about 2-4 tablespoons of rose syrup over this, followed by about 1/4 cup of the rabdi we prepared earlier.

4. Place a big scoop of vanilla ice cream atop this.

5. Drizzle 2-4 tablespoons of rose syrup over the ice cream.

6. Garnish with some more of the chopped glace cherries, cashewnuts and strawberry jelly. Your Rose Falooda is ready. Do not mix up the layers. Serve immediately, with a tall spoon.

7. Prepare and serve all the falooda in a similar manner.

Tips & Tricks

1. Assemble the falooda just before serving. Serve immediately after assembling.

2. You can use any variety of vermicelli. We prefer using thin rice sevai.

3. Adjust the quantities of the different components, depending upon personal taste preferences.

4. This is a rather sweet dessert, as most of the individual components contain sugar. Be prepared for a sugar rush!

5. Drop each of the components carefully into the glass, to form well-pronounced layers. Do not mix them up after assembling – the layers are what make the falooda more appealing.

6. Use tall juice glasses to assemble the falooda. You could make more layers to fill the glass up, if need be.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me in your comments!