"Just Chill" with Orange Kulfi in Orange Shells

This Summer, the mercury seems to be playing the devil, defying all gravity and breaking all records. The Sun too is playing truant unleashing its power with all its might and scorching us mercilessly with its unbearable heat, making one feel completely helpless under its strong hold. You pray for these dreadful days to pass away quickly but one knows that there is a long way to go before you can get relief from this miserable summer heat. Unfortunately for me, this is also the year when my daughter, who has just finished high school, is seeking college admissions so perforce we have to be out in the heat making a round of the various colleges for her admissions.

So to beat the heat and keep my cool, I tried out this Orange Kulfi. Its simple quick and really refreshing. Of course, now that mangoes are ruling the season right now, make a Mango kulfi instead. Substitute the orange juice with a cup of mango pulp to have a delicious creamy dessert ready in a jiffy. Though I have always considered myself quite proficient in making desserts, this is actually the first time I have tried my hands in making  kulfi, basically because I was under the impression that it was quite cumbersome to make. I was amazed at how easy and quick it was and ready within no time at all. 

 I have to thank the BBC GoodFood India magazine team for giving me a chance to be a part of their taste team and sharing this wonderful recipe with me. (This recipe appeared in the May 2014 issue). I also loved the idea of setting the Kulfi in the Orange shells which apart from looking really trendy lent a beautiful citrusy flavor and aroma to the kulfi. I think the same can be done in mango shells. 

If you too like me have never tried making Kulfi before, believe me this is the time to start. Its creamy, luscious flavour will have you addicted to it and keep you wanting for more!!

Makes 6

Time: 45 minutes + freezing

Ingredients:

oranges- 8 (try the firm-skinned variety like Malta oranges) 

milk -2 cups 

condensed milk - 200g

sugar-  6 tbsp

cornflour- 2 tbsp

Method

Zest 2 oranges with the help of a fine grater or a zester and keep aside. 

From the remaining oranges, slice off a part of each orange from the top. 

Keep the sliced portions aside—these will form the lids of the orange shells.  

Taking a spoon or a melon baller, scoop out the orange flesh completely, making sure the skin doesn’t break. Repeat the procedure with the remaining 5 oranges. Now extract the juice from the pulp of these 6 oranges, as well as from the 2 zested oranges.

Heat the juice in a pan until reduced to 1/4 of the quantity. (I found that reducing the juice took a long time. In case you are in a hurry, you can add 2 tbsp orange marmalade instead.)

Keep aside and let it cool. 

Meanwhile, mix together the milk, condensed milk and sugar. Place the mixture in a pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

 Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry. 

Add the cornflour mixture gradually into the simmering milk and stir for a couple of minutes until thick. Remove from the flame and cool for 10 minutes. 

Add the orange zest and the reduced orange juice to this mixture and mix until well blended. Slowly fill the kulfi mixture upto the rims of the orange shells. Now carefully place the sliced lids on top of the shells.

Freeze the filled oranges overnight to set. If the orange skins are damaged while scooping the flesh out, cover with cling-film and then freeze. 

Once frozen and well set, remove from the freezer, cut the whole oranges into wedges and serve immediately.

 

Eggless Mango Mousse

I absolutely love this dessert and am so happy that it is going places. Recently it was featured as a part of the " Mad Mango festival" held at Fruit Forest in Sec-29, Gurgaon. This is a restaurant which promotes healthy eating and serves everything natural and fresh, right from fruit juices to fresh fruit salads, shakes, salsas, and even paninis and wraps. When I was asked to contribute a recipe for the mango festival, the first recipe that came to my mind was this Mango Mousse. At home too, whenever I am expecting guests and am not in the mood to go in for an elaborate dessert or am falling short of time, this is the dessert I always fall back on. Primarily as it is a really, really easy dessert to put together where you literally just have to throw in the ingredients together, has endless possibilities for variations, is ready in a jiffy, tastes wow and also a major factor - it is eggless, which I find is a great help as you don't have to worry about what to serve for the vegetarian guests.

In fact this was my very first post when I started my blog a year and a half back, so I am a little sentimental about it and feel its time for me to bring it under limelight again as it is such a gorgeous dessert. I have posted this recipe earlier under the title "eggless mango cheesecake", as this is what it was originally. But over the years, to keep it more healthy, I have stopped making the buttery biscuit base as I feel it leaves you feeling really heavy but if you any of you feel like making the base, just go ahead and check out my other recipe here. Without the base, I find there are greater possibilities with this dessert - apart from the fact that you can substitute any seasonal fruit in this recipe, you can use the mango mousse layered with slices of dark chocolate cake, serve it with fresh fruits, top it on a base of ginger cookies and also you can make it the ultimate stunner for your party by serving it in individual stemmed glasses topped with whipped cream and garnished with mangoes, which is 100% sure to dazzle your guests. I have forgotten the number of times I must have shared this recipe with the cooks in our unit, officers wives, friends and family and I feel happy sharing it with you all too. I myself can't thank the lady enough who shared it with me.

Ingredients

400 gms thick curd  (Try Amul or Mother dairy curd )

250ml Cream (I used Amul cream)

3/4 tin Condensed Milk 

3 tbsp Gelatin 

200gms Mango Puree

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 cups Chopped mango pieces (reserve a couple for topping if you like)

Method
Sprinkle the gelatin in approx 12 Tbsp water. Leave it to set for 10 minutes. Then leave the bowl to stand over another bowl of hot water till the gelatin melts and becomes clear.
In a big bowl, mix the hung curd (no! you don't even have to beat the curd, just tip it in straight from the carton), cream, condensed milk, mango pieces and the mango puree. Stir till well mixed.
Add in the gelatin and stir till incorporated.
Next add in the lemon juice. If you want it a bit more tangier, add in another spoonful.
Leave to set in the fridge for 2-3 hours. 
Serve garnished  with whipped cream and slices of mangoes.

Eggless Mayonnaise

Is vegan Mayonnaise better than the real thing?
If someone had asked me this question a few days back  I would certainly have said "No way !!" How can a veg mayo beat the real thing? How could vegetarian Mayonnaise ever beat and match upto the  richness and flavor of the actual thing?
But I have to admit how wrong I was ...It was surprisingly delicious and as good if not better than the real thing!! I never expected to be able to make thick mayonnaise without eggs and this recipe gave a thickness that I was quite satisfied with.This is definitely one recipe I'm sure I'll go back to several times.
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes
4 tsp oil
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp mustard sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2-3 tsps milk
1/2 cup cream

Method
Boil potatoes, mash while warm. 
In a blender add the mashed potatoes, oil, vinegar,sugar,salt, pepper and the mustard sauce.
Whisk all the ingredients together till well blended and a you get a nice smooth, consistency.
If you find the consistency too thick, add a few tsp of milk and whisk again.
Take out from the blender and whisk in the cream.
Check for seasoning and adjust it according to your taste.
If you like a sweeter tasting mayonnaise add in some more sugar, likewise if you like it more sour reduce the sugar and add in some vinegar or few drops of lemon juice.
This recipe makes about 3/4 cup.