A guest post - Thoothukudi Macroons

Macroons/macaroons are a signature dish in the south indian harbour town of Tuticorin(Thoothukudi).I've had this sweet treat many a times but never ever wanted to try it at home wonder why..Because Anita my school friend was waiting to do a guest post i guess :)

I discovered recently that Anita is a fabulous baker.She's was kind enough to share her recipe for this month's guest post.

 Lets get to the recipe now.

Thoothukudi Macaroon

Ingredients:
Egg whites – 2
Granulated sugar – ¼ cup
Confectioner’s or powdered sugar – ¼ cup
Vanilla extract – ½ tsp
Raw Cashews coarsely ground – ¾ cup

How to make the macaroons:

• Preheat oven to 220 F or 105 C. 
• Sieve the powdered sugar and add it to the granulated sugar. 
• Into an extremely clean and dry stainless steel bowl throw in the two egg whites. Start whipping them up until they reach soft peak stage. 
• Continue whipping while adding the vanilla extract followed by a gradual addition of the sugars until they reach the stiff peak stage. 
• Stop whipping and fold in the broken or coarsely ground cashews gently. The macaroon batter is now ready to be piped. 
• Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper, aluminum foil or a non-stick baking mat and pipe the macaroon batter using a piping bag with a tip or a Ziploc bag with a hole cut at the corner. The batter should hold it’s shape.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hr and 15 mins and then turn the oven off and let cool inside for another 15 mins for a crunchy melt in your mouth macaroon. 
• This batter makes about 25 medium sized macaroons. 
• Store the macaroons in an airtight container. 

Enjoy Delicious thoothukudi macroons like her lil angel is licking it :) 

Thank you Anita for the recipe and the beautiful pictures.

Notes:

-  For 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, process 1 cup of regular sugar with 1 tbsp cornstarch. Source: Here

- Baking time would vary with the size of the macroons.

A guest post - Thoothukudi Macroons

Macroons/macaroons are a signature dish in the south indian harbour town of Tuticorin(Thoothukudi).I've had this sweet treat many a times but never ever wanted to try it at home wonder why..Because Anita my school friend was waiting to do a guest post i guess :)

I discovered recently that Anita is a fabulous baker.She's was kind enough to share her recipe for this month's guest post.

Gooseberry Ginger lemonade

Amlas/Indian wild gooseberries are really healthy, if you can get to eat them that is.I find it too bittery sour that I can't even nibble a bite of it!!So my mum gave me this idea of making gooseberry juice and i added a little spice to it :) The results were refreshingly cool!

The simple technique to enjoy some amla is by chewing it and then gulping down some water, which makes your mouth taste really sweet (after all that bitterness) :)

I thought of pickles and relishes before this easy lemonade came by...I felt this was the best alternative to pickles.Healthy, cooling and refreshing too.Not to forget its loaded with Vit C to fight some cold and Iron which most women are deficient off.

You need
Gooseberries/amla as much as you need
Lemon as per need
Sugar/honey as per your need
Ginger an inch sized piece
Water as required.

• Chop off the flesh of the amlas and ginger and blend them in a mixer with a little water.Squeeze off the juices using a strainer.Store this concentrate in the refrigerator.

• To make the juice:
• In a glass add about 2 3 tablespoons of amla juice concentrate and a tsp of lemon juice.Mix in sugar or honey to make the juice as sweet as you like.Add enough water.

• Serve chilled or as it is :) Enjoy your spiced amla lemonade :))

Note:

- The amla juice concentrate has been sitting in my fridge for the past week and its doing good.I haven't added any preservatives.

Gooseberry Ginger lemonade

Amlas/Indian wild gooseberries are really healthy, if you can get to eat them that is.I find it too bittery sour that I can't even nibble a bite of it!!So my mum gave me this idea of making gooseberry juice and i added a little spice to it :) The results were refreshingly cool!

Pink chocolate pudding

If you are looking for a instant dessert this is what you've been looking for.I wanted to make a simple yet delicious(to the tongue and eyes) dessert.Since we are a bunch of choco-holics at home, I thought i'd give this a try.I loved it and now waiting for the other two to give me their comments :)

I found this recipe here there's a gallery of chocolate desserts and otherwise,this one like i said interested me as its got just minimal ingredients that are bound to be in your kitchen.

Preparation time : 15 minutes + setting time.
Makes 4 bowls

You need
Milk 2 cups
Sugar 4 tablespoons
Corn flour 1 and half tablespoon
Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp
Red color 2 drops(optional)
Cocoa powder 2 tablespoons
Almond shavings,orange rind,chocolate shavings for garnish(optional)

•  Mix the sugar and cocoa powder in with the cold milk and mix well.
• Now heat this milk mixture on a low flame until the milk and cocoa mix well stirring continuosly.
• Mix the corn flour in a few tablespoons of the milk mix in a glass/bowl and make a lump free corn flour mixture.
• Now pour this corn flour mixture into the hot milk mix and stir vigorously to avoid any lumps on a slow flame.This will thicken as you keep heating it.(Do this on a slow flame else it will get lumpy).
• Keep heating until its thick enough to set in the bowl,and turn off the heat.
• Allow to cool and pour into wet bowls.
• Once the pudding cools, refrigerate for a few hours.

• Garnish with almonds,chocolate or orange rind (or all) and Serve chilled :) 

Tips:

- Sugar mentioned above was a little high for me.You can reduce the amount to suit your taste.

- The corn flour mix will thicken the milk and so stir continuously while you pour the corn flour into the milk.And keep stirring until the mixture becomes a nice thick lumpless mix.I was a little scared about making it too thick so my pudding didn;t set too thick its a little wobbly.But tastes wonderful all the same. 

-Red color is just for the color you are welcome to omit it.

Sending this to Just 4 fun@Good Food,
Kid;s delight Something Sweet@Edible Entertainment hosted for Srivalli,
 Chocolate Lover
 "Sweet Luv" - Anything Sweet
- Let's Cook #12 ~ Sweet Somethings
- Let's cook for valentine chocolate/hearts
- CC-Dish For Loved Ones
- Valentine Fest - Served with Love
- Valentines Day Special
-Anyone can cook #42 @Tasteof pearl city
-Be-my-valentine-challenge

Pink chocolate pudding

If you are looking for a instant dessert this is what you've been looking for.I wanted to make a simple yet delicious(to the tongue and eyes) dessert.Since we are a bunch of choco-holics at home, I thought i'd give this a try.I loved it and now waiting for the other two to give me their comments :)

Rice Kheer

I thought I should make a sweet post for Eid.I miss seeing some Eid celebrations :)
    Wishing everyone Eid Mubarak!


This is a very easy recipe.

You need 
* This will make about 4 bowls*
Cooked Basmati Rice 1 small bowl

Sago balls/साबूदाना 1/4 cup or as much as you need.

Milk 1 cup (enough to cook the rice and make it soggy)

Sugar less than 3/4 cup(was more than sweet for me, you can add as much as you want)

Cardomom seeds from 2 pods, crushed

Ghee 1 tablespoon

Nuts chopped (almonds,pistachios) 1 tablespoon

Sultanas 1 tablespoon

- Cook the basmati rice in a pressure cooker( you need 1 cup rice : 2 cups water to normally cook basmati rice, but for this a little over cooked rice is fine)

- Cook the sago balls too in the cooker for about 2 whistles( add just enough water to soak the balls)

- In a heavy bottom pan, cook the rice with some milk and sugar.After the rice soaks up the milk add the sago balls( this will thicken the kheer). Add the cardamom seeds too.

- Now fry the nuts and sultanas in some ghee and add it to the kheer.

- Let it all boil for some time until the rice is a little mashed in the milk.

- Serve the kheer hot or cold :) 

Linking this to Bachelor's feast @ My cook book Jaleela.

Rice Kheer

I thought I should make a sweet post for Eid.I miss seeing some Eid celebrations :)
    Wishing everyone Eid Mubarak!


This is a very easy recipe.

You need 
* This will make about 4 bowls*
Cooked Basmati Rice 1 small bowl

Sago balls/साबूदाना 1/4 cup or as much as you need.

Milk 1 cup (enough to cook the rice and make it soggy)

Sugar less than 3/4 cup(was more than sweet for me, you can add as much as you want)

Cardomom seeds from 2 pods, crushed

Ghee 1 tablespoon

Nuts chopped (almonds,pistachios) 1 tablespoon

Sultanas 1 tablespoon

- Cook the basmati rice in a pressure cooker( you need 1 cup rice : 2 cups water to normally cook basmati rice, but for this a little over cooked rice is fine)

- Cook the sago balls too in the cooker for about 2 whistles( add just enough water to soak the balls)

- In a heavy bottom pan, cook the rice with some milk and sugar.After the rice soaks up the milk add the sago balls( this will thicken the kheer). Add the cardamom seeds too.

- Now fry the nuts and sultanas in some ghee and add it to the kheer.

- Let it all boil for some time until the rice is a little mashed in the milk.

- Serve the kheer hot or cold :) 

Linking this to Bachelor's feast @ My cook book Jaleela.