Cardamom and Nutmeg Custard

March has been a month of experiments, and I am loving every minute of it. I am part of a Facebook group called Cooking Tribe @ Cucumber Town. It is a group of passionate and amazingly creative cooks, who have a passion for cooking and baking. Anyway, they have a weekly theme and people share photos of their creations. This week’s theme was puddings and I decided to try this out.

Even though it didn’t turn out as pretty as some of the entries by the group’s members, it is definitely delicious.

Ingredients

Milk – 2 cups

Sugar – ½ cup

Corn flour – 3 tbsps.

Egg - 1

Cardamom powder and nutmeg powder – 1 tsp

Banana slices

Ginger cookies (optional)

Method

Heat milk and corn flour in a saucepan, on low-medium heat, while stirring continuously. Beat one egg in a bowl and keep ready. As the milk starts thickening, take a spoon full and add to the egg. This is to bring the egg to the same temperature as the milk; else the egg might curdle.

Add sugar and the beaten egg to the milk mixture and keep stirring. Once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, add the cardamom and nutmeg powder and stir well. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool. If you want thicker custard, you can heat it for some more time.

While the custard is cooling, cut a banana into thin rounds and keep ready. Crumble the cookies (if using) and keep aside too.

Take a bowl, preferably made of glass, to set the custard. Starting with custard, layer the bananas and cookies alternately. Complete with a layer of custard.

This is where you can get creative, by using jelly, marmalade or other types of cookies.

Set in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight and serve chilled. Bon Appètit.  

Chatpata Oats

After getting my husband to have broccoli (soup) last week, I decided to try my luck with a breakfast dish. Even though my experiment was successful, he ate only a spoonful!!! I don’t blame him though; he is not a fan of oats. Anyway, my mother makes this awesome tamarind upma with aval/poha/flattened rice flakes. I was making sambar a couple of days ago and had some extra tamarind pulp. That’s when a brain wave hit and I was like, “Why not try making the upma with oats; after all it has a similar texture.” 

Since this was an experiment, I made it with a small quantity. Next time, I am definitely making more of this spicy, tangy, Chatpata oats. :-)

Ingredients (Serves 1)

Oats – ½ cup

Tamarind pulp – 2 tbsps.

Sambar powder – 1-1 ½ tsps.

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp.

Asafoetida – a pinch

Chili powder (optional)

Water – 1-2 tbsps.

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp.

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp.

Red chili - 1

Peanuts (optional) – 1 tbsp.

Curry leaves – Few

Method

In a bowl, mix together the oats, tamarind pulp, sambar powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, chili powder (only if sambar powder is not spicy), and salt.

Keep aside for 4-5 hours or over night.

When you are ready to make it, heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and once they splutter, add the curry leaves and red chili. Sauté for a minute and add the peanuts. Sauté for another minute and add the oats mixture.

Sprinkle one tablespoon of water, cover and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes. If the oats looks uncooked, sprinkle the remaining water, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Remove from the pan and serve hot as breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. 

Note: The oats becomes soft by the end of the soaking period and does not need a lot of water to cook. Excess water might make it mushy, so do not pour water…sprinkle only.

A Trial to Make Broccoli More Palatable

Broccoli is, unfortunately one vegetable that is commonly unpopular amongst children and adults alike…I wonder why! Whenever we eat at a Chinese or Thai restaurant, every piece of broccoli in my husband’s plate comes to me. On the other hand, I know some folks who love the vegetable and have it everyday.

I think it is high time we give the poor vegetable some consideration…and find a middle ground where both parties can find some peace.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

Broccoli florets – 3 cups

Chopped onion – 1 cup

Garlic – 2 cloves

Ginger – small piece

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon – small piece

Star anise – 1

Oil – 2 tbsps

Red chili flakes to taste

Salt to taste

Water as required

Freshly ground pepper powder (optional)

Sour cream/cream/cream cheese for garnish (optional)

Method

Cut, rinse and boil the broccoli florets until tender (about 6-10 minutes).

While it cools, heat oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic, bay leaf and cinnamon until the onions turn translucent. Add the broccoli and salt to the onions and mix well. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Once it has cooled considerably, transfer to a blender and blend into a smooth mixture. You might want to do it in batches, to avoid a mess.

Return the blended mixture to the saucepan, add the star anise, red chili flakes, and more salt if required and let it simmer for about five minutes.

Remove into serving bowls, garnish with sour cream/cream/cream cheese, add a dash of pepper and enjoy. 

Result Husband has first spoon full and asks, “What vegetable is this?” I say, “It is your favorite vegetable.” He thinks for a while, makes a few wrong guesses and finally arrives at, “Broccoli?! This is good.” And I turn my attention to the soup, wide grin on my face :-).

 Note:

For a more indulgent version, add grated cheddar a few minutes before serving and allow the cheese to melt into the soup.

I used cream cheese for garnish.  Bring it to room temperature, add a little bit of warm water /milk to dilute it to a pourable consistency and use.