Zaiqa

With Strawberry season at peak here, every farmers market seems to be flooded with these juicy beauties. I brought home a good quantity and have been enjoying them in various ways, and reserved a few to prepare some jam.

Chopped Strawberries and Kiwi

I also had a few kiwi sitting pretty in the refrigerator which I decided to add to the strawberry jam. The end result was a sweet+tart+delightful jam which my family enjoyed.

Strawberry-Kiwi Jam

Ingredients:

Strawberry – 750 gms, stems removed, cored and chopped
Kiwi – 6, peeled and chopped
Sugar – 600 gms
Fresh mint leaves – 8, finely chopped
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Strawberry-Kiwi jam on toast – my breakfast

Method:
1. Add sugar to the chopped strawberries and mix well in a mixing bowl. Cover and keep the bowl in the refrigerator overnight for the juices to extract.
2. The next day, pour the contents of the mixing bowl into a stainless steel saucepan and add all the remaining ingredients to it. Mix well and let it cook uncovered at medium high heat for 45-55 mins. Keep stirring and keep a close eye on it. During the last 15 mins, lower the heat to medium low. Remove from heat once done.
3. Spoon the prepared jam into a sterlised canning jar and seal the jar according to instructions. Once it is at room temperature, refrigerate the jar to store.

Note: This is a preservelike spread and not a true preserve and must be refrigerated to avoid spoilage, because it contains a higher proportion of fruit to sugar and retain more fresh fruit flavor.

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Interesting reads on Jams and Jellies

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Good Eats:
Rajeshwari at Raks Kitchen explains the detailed step by step tutorial to prepare Jahangiri jalebi at home. They look yummy!

Luv,
Mona

Shakkar-paare are deep fried sweet confectionary bites made out of refined flour, ghee/oil, and a simple sugar syrup. A similar kind, which are savory are called as Namak-paare, in which salt and cumin seeds are added for taste instead of sugar.

Shakkarpaare

Your truly loves Shakkappaare, he has a big sweet tooth. So, I occasionally prepare a small batch upon his request. Kids will also enjoy this sweet treat.

Shakkarpaare – Sweet Bites

Ingredients:
Makes: 1 cup approx

All purpose flour/Maida – 1/2 cup
Sugar – 3 tbsp
Water – 1/4 cup
Canola oil/Ghee – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 pinch

Method:

1. In a saucepan, add water and sugar. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.
2. Sift flour into a bowl along with salt. Pour oil/ghee and add lukewarm sugar syrup, a little at a time, and mix well to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for a minute, and cut the dough into two equal halves. Cover the dough halves with a damp kitchen towel.

Doughball

3. Meanwhile heat oil in a kadai or a non-stick deep saucepan or a wok to deep fry.

Rolled out dough cut into squares

4. Take one half of the dough and using a rolling pin roll it into a disc, about half cm in thickness. Sprinkle a little bit of flour only if needed. Cut the rolled out dough into squares using a knife or a pizza cutter.
5. Deep fry the cut squares until golden brown in color. Remove using a slotted spoon into a wire mesh strainer for the oil to drain away. Enjoy as a snack.

Interesting Read: Losing Food Identity by Cynthia.

Luv,
Mona

Fresh and syrupy sweet Sugar-cane! Who would not like them?

Sugarcane, peeled and cubed

Sugar-canes, called as Ganna in Urdu, are easily available in Toronto at many Asian stores. I got a 1 pound cane for a dollar the other day from a Chinese grocery store beside my house.

Fresh Sugar-cane juice is sold by roadside vendors in India, but it is usually unhygienic and hence, better to enjoy it this way.

For those of you wondering how to I peeled and cubed those tough juicy and sugary canes, just follow these steps. Thanks WC!

Luv,
Mona

Cool Caramel Custard Pudding in the summer weather is so satisfying and delightfully indulgent as a dessert for the epicurean. Below is my aunts recipe, which I have always savored and cherished.

Caramel Custard Pudding

The current recipe is a stove top preperation method for the pudding, so that people who do not have an oven also can prepare and enjoy this delicious dessert. I use an aluminium vessel (with a lid and the capacity of 500 ml) for this recipe that fits easily into the pressure cooker.

An Aluminium Vessel

The caramel custard pudding is cooked in the ‘double boiler’ method. The aluminium vessel with the caramel custard is placed into a larger saucepan with boiling water and allowed to cook until set.

Caramel Custard Pudding

Ingredients:

Sugar – 4 tbsp
Water – 1/4 cup
Milk – 500 ml
Sugar – 6 tbsp
Custard powder – 1 tbsp
Eggs – 4, large
Cardamom powder – a pinch

Method:

1. In an aluminium vessel, add the first two ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep the vessel on medium high heat on the stove and let it cook until you see brown colored bubbles. Let it darken just a little bit. Remove the aluminium vessel from heat immediately using tongs and tilt the pan to spread the caramel evenly all around at the bottom of the pan. Let it cool, keep aside. This is the prepared Caramel, it sets quite quickly.
2. Now, in a different saucepan, boil milk once. Remove from heat and let it cool down. Once lukewarm, add the remaining ingredients and using a hand blender, blend it smooth. Or you could also whisk it for a minute using a whisk or an egg beater. Make sure the mixture is smooth. Using wire mesh strainer, strain it into the aluminium pan with the cooled caramel layer and cover with the lid. If you do not have a cover use an aluminium foil.
3. Take a large saucepan and put the covered aluminium vessel into it. Pour water carefully into the large saucepan, so that the aluminium pan is half way submerged into it. Cover the large saucepan with a lid and let it cook on medium high for 15-18 minutes. Later, remove from heat and let it cool down. Carefully remove the aluminium pan from the large saucepan and refrigerate it for about 2-3 hours. Serve it the same day. Just when you want to serve it, run a knife along the sides and carefully invert the aluminium pan onto a serving platter. Cut the pudding into wedges and serve immediately.

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With increasing number of H1N1 influenza (swine flu) cases worldwide, as well in my city of Toronto, I advise everyone to keep safe and take the necessary precautions. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unnecessarily. Take care!

Luv,
Mona

The beautiful aroma that fills my house when I bake these beauties revs up my appetite for them. These beautiful mini loafs are perfect for breakfast along with a cup of warm coffee or tea, or you could also enjoy them as a snack. Children will especially love these butterscotch mini loafs, as well as adults.

Butterscotch Mini Loafs

Just put all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and mix them well using a rubber spatula until everything is well blended together, and pour the batter into the moulds to get perfect results. There is no need for an electric mixer or a food processor for the mixing.

Butterscotch chips

Stock up your pantry with chocolate, white chocolate and butterscotch chips. They come extremely handy when baking to flavor up the goodies.

Butterscotch Mini Loafs

Makes – 8 mini loafs (I have used a mini-loaf tin, instead you could use use around 20 muffin cups)
Source: Cakes – 1,001 recipes from around the world

Ingredients:

All-Purpose flour – 2 cups
Baking powder – 2 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Granulated sugar – 1/4 cup
Butterscotch chips – 1 1/2 cups
Milk – 1 cup
Butter – 4 tbsp (1/2 stick), melted
Egg – 1, large, lightly beaten
Honey – 2 tbsp
Vanilla powder – 2 tsp

Method:

-Preheat the oven to 400°F.
-Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and butterscotch chips. Make a well in the center and pour in milk, butter, egg, honey and vanilla. Mix well with a rubber spatula until you get a smooth batter. Spoon the batter into the mini loaf pan, filling each 3/4 full.
-Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the muffins on racks.

Luv,
Mona