Thick Strawberry Milkshake

by Trisha Vaz
Something of a sequel to my thick mango milkshake, here’s my take on a thick strawberry milkshake. Simple, quick and so tasty. Once you try these, you’ll be hooked. I used frozen strawberries for this since fresh strawberry season is over here 🙁 These actually worked to my advantage as it resulted in a thicker milkshake, like a gelato. I had to use some milk to thin it down a little. However if fresh strawberries are easily available, by all means please use them. You may not even need to use milk to thin it down. This makes a really pretty drink in my opinion. 🙂

Thick Strawberry Milkshake
Makes 2 glasses
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice-cream
12-15 frozen strawberries, hulled
A couple of splashes of milk, if needed
Blend all the ingredients together till you’re left with a smooth milk shake.

If you want your milkshake sweeter, feel free to add a sweetener to your liking.

Add more berries for a more fruity flavor or cut down the quantity of strawberries if that suits you better.

Enjoy!

This recipe is linked to –
Mix it up Monday
Just Another Meatless Monday
My Meatless Mondays
Mangia Mondays
Hearth and Soul
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
A Little Birdie Told Me

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Beverages, Recipes

Thick Mango Milkshake

by Trisha Vaz
A real treat for those crazy summer days is a good milkshake. In the past, I used to make mine with fruit or berries or chocolate and milk. It acted as a good cooler, but I could never get it to be as thick as the ones found commercially. And we really love a thick milkshake.

 A well made, thick milkshake is really hard to come by these days. Don’t get me wrong! When you step into a McDonald’s outlet or the like, you can sure get what they call a thick milkshake, but honestly it tastes so artificial and who really knows what goes into one. So once I started using the internet to check out recipes and other wonderful resources and how to’s on food etc. I realized what I had to do to make a nice thick milkshake was simple freeze the fruit and add some yogurt for a healthy treat or for a more indulgent one use ice cream instead of milk. This changed our whole home made milk shake experience.Sure you still can’t be too sure about what goes into commercially made ice cream, but atleast I have the satisfaction of using actual fruit instead of just flavors and sugar. And a homemade milkshake tastes so much better.

I had to make a mango milkshake before my favorite fruit went out of season. This thick mango milkshake that I make uses just 3 simple ingredients. The measures given make 2 glasses, but you can easily adjust the amount to make more or even tweak the flavors or the thickness. So have fun this summer with your very own homemade milkshakes.



Thick Mango Milkshake

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
Pulp of 2 ripe mangoes (You can use any variety you like)
A couple of splashes of milk (Depending on how thick you want your milkshake)

Blend all the ingredients together till you get a smooth milk shake.

If you want your milkshake sweeter, feel free to add a sweetener to your liking.

Add more mango for a more fruity flavor or cut down the quantity of mango if that suits you better.

Most importantly have fun.

This recipe has been linked to –
Mix It Up Monday
Mangia Mondays
Just Another Meatless Monday
My Meatless Mondays
Hearth & Soul
A Little Birdie Told Me
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Beverages, Recipes

Tropical Summer Smoothie

by Trisha Vaz
I know how erratic my posts have become on the blog lately. Heck, some of you, I’m sure, are wondering how come there’s another post so soon. I’ve been loaded with work lately and that’s always a good thing. I’m so eager to show you some of the stuff I’ve been working on once they’re done. But till then, here a quick, simple and yummy smoothie to keep you going. They’re perfect for summer. I’m seriously considering putting them into popsicle moulds the next time I make it. I popped all my fruit into the freezer overnight so I didn’t need to use any ice.

Tropical Summer Smoothie
Makes 2-3 servings

10-12 strawberries, frozen
3 ripe bananas, frozen and chopped into pieces
Flesh of 2 mangoes, frozen
Sugar / sweetener to taste
Approx. 1/4-1/2 cup of unflavored yogurt
Pop all the ingredients into the blender and give it a whiz. 
Serve chilled.
Easy peasy, isn’t it?
Do check out and participate in my ongoing giveaway. You can find the details here.
This recipe is linked to – 
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Potluck

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Beverages, Breakfast, Recipes

How to make Marzipan from scratch!!!

by Trisha Vaz
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve received numerous requests from readers for my marzipan recipe used for my Easter goodies. Its taken me this long to post it as I’ve got it scribbled on a tiny piece of paper and I haven’t had much time to hunt for it or type it out. But I finally managed to track it down and type it out. That too, just in time for Easter. So this post is for all of you who’ve waited so patiently for it.

 

 
This Easter, why don’t you try making some goodies at home. Marzipan is a little finicky to get right but I’ve used this recipe that specifies exact time for cooking it. That makes it easier to handle. I’ve used this for years now and find it easier compared to some of the other recipes. I know that traditionally marzipan calls for almonds to be used, however, cashew nuts are more abundant here than almonds are so this recipe uses cashew nuts. 
 
 
Marzipan

 

200gms Cashew nuts, ground to a powder
400gms Sugar
150ml Water
œ tsp Almond Extract
 
Melt sugar in the water over the fire on high heat.
 
After the sugar melts, add the powdered cashew nuts and stir on low
heat for exactly 7 minutes.
 
Remove on a flat dish and add the almond essence.
 
Allow it to cool by stirring with a spoon or spatula.
 
Bind into a dough, color and use as desired.
 
Note:

 – If the marzipan turns too dry add a couple of drops of rose water and knead till it reaches desired consistency.
 – If the marzipan is slightly moister than you’d like, knead with some icing sugar till it reaches the desired consistency.
 – If the dough is too moist, put in back on the fire for a minute or so and stir. This step is usually not needed. I had to do this just once when using a different stovetop and the lowest flame was way to low than what you’d find on a regular stove top.

 
 
 

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Cakes, Cookies & Desserts, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, Recipes, Vegan

Mushroom Toast Bites

by Trisha Vaz
Here’s something I came up with on the go. In the spirit of complete disclosure, I must admit that I got this sauteed mushroom beauty from my brother who had whipped these up to serve along with some barbecued beef strips at out last barbecue. It was delicious and everybody loved it (even the mushroom haters.) This is so simple and easy to put together and even if you aren’t planning on barbecuing anything, this would work really well as a side dish. A few days ago, I was feeling completely uninspired about what to cook up for dinner. Yes, that does happen to me sometimes. And as a last minute light bulb that sprang to life in my head, I realized that I had some yummy button mushrooms in the fridge. Immediately I thought of the sauteed mushrooms, but it struck me that I didn’t want to do anything fancy besides this. I simply toasted some bread and served the mushrooms with the bread and a nice fresh salad alongside. That was a simple, yummy weeknight meal for us.

Mushroom Toast Bites


200g packet of button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thickly
2 onions, sliced
1-2 green chillies, slit
1 tsp olive oil
A knob of butter
3 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed to release flavor
Salt, to taste
Crushed black pepper, to taste

Place the oil and butter in a pan over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and saute till they’re done. Don’t overcrowd the pan as the mushrooms will just stew in their juices. Do this in stages if you’re using a small pan. Drain the mushrooms and keep aside.

Using the same pan, add a dash more oil / butter, if needed and tip in the garlic and onions and saute them on medium heat till they’re lightly caramelised.

Add the chilies and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix well.

Take off the heat.

You can add some chopped coriander leaves at the end. I didn’t have any that evening, so I just left that out.

Lightly toast slices of bread and cut in halves and place the stir fried mushrooms over it.

Arrange on a platter and serve.

This recipe is linked to –
Savory Sunday
My Meatless Mondays
Mix it up Monday
Recipe Sharing Monday
Just Another Meatless Monday
Mouthwatering Monday
Mangia Mondays
A Little Birdie Told Me

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Recipes, Starters / Appetizers

Mini Eggless Banana Walnut Muffins

by Trisha Vaz

Can you tell that I absolutely love bananas? They’ve always been one of my favorite fruits. If you’re new here and don’t believe me, check out these beauties – Banana Bread, Bananas Foster, Stuffed French Toast and Monkey Business. See I wasn’t kidding. Today I have yet another banana treat for you. And let me tell you that these were absolutely wonderful. Even though they were an eggless bake, they were light, moist and super yum. I made mini muffins this time just as an excuse to have a second helping, maybe even a third 😉 These were so great that the next time I whip these up, I’m going to make them the regular muffin size. I think that tells you how much we enjoyed them. I hope you do too! Oh, I love my new silicone mini muffin cups. They are so gorgeous, they just brighten up my day. Am I crazy to want them in every color available 🙂 ? Unfortunately I forgot to use them while baking the muffins but they do make a pretty picture. Can’t wait to bake with them.



Mini  Eggless Banana Walnut Muffins
Yields 12 mini muffins

2-3 over ripe banans, mashed
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup natural unflavored yogurt
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 180ÂșC and prepare your muffin mould

Mash the bananas in a bowl and add the oil, yogurt, sugar and vanilla and mix well.

Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix well.

Add the mashed banana mix and fold it into the flour till incorporated. Don’t beat the batter.

Add the walnuts, reserving a few and stir them in gently.

Spoon the batter into paper lined muffin tins and sprinkle the reserved walnuts on top of them.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or till done.

This recipe is linked to –
Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweets for a Saturday
Savory Sunday
Mix it up Monday
My Meatless Mondays
Bake Fest

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Breakfast, Cakes, Cakes, Cookies & Desserts, Recipes, Snacks

C is for Chickpeas – Hummus

by Trisha Vaz
I have a soft spot for dips – I don’t know if I like them all (I’ve tried a few that weren’t my cup of tea – but I think its just because of how it was made and if it were made well, I’d probably have liked them too), but there are a few that I really, really like. This hummus is one such dip. I don’t know what it is about dips, but I love having something to dip breadsticks, crackers, chips, vegetable sticks etc. in. This month I chose to do a post on Hummus – a chickpea dip, since we’re at the C & D stage of the Eating The Alphabet series, hosted by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic. Chickpeas have a host of health benefits. They are high in fibre, help regulating blood fat and lowering blood sugar levels. You can read more about the health benefits of these little gems here, here and here.

I’d usually serve this hummus with pita bread, but the day I made the hummus, it completely slipped my mind to pick some up. I did the next best thing and made do with what was available in my kitchen, sliced bread which was lightly toasted and cut up. And it tasted great. I spiked the hummus a little by garnishing it with some red chilly powder, but if you don’t care for spicy food, you can simply leave it off. The recipe mentioned below is more of a guide than a recipe, I would suggest that you keep tasting as you go along and adjust the seasoning as required. Also, I hear that Tahini is an essential ingredient for a good hummus dip, I didn’t have any so I simply added some sesame seeds to the mix before blending. In the event I try using Tahini, I will update this post with my observations.
Hummus

1 cup chickpeas, boiled and drained (You can use the canned variety if you’d like. You can find the method to boil your own chickpeas here. If you are boiling it yourself, reserve some of the liquid.)
1- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Red chilly powder, to garnish
A spring of fresh coriander, to garnish
Salt, to taste
In a blender, blitz the chickpeas, sesame seeds, garlic, and cumin powder using a little of the reserved liquid to aid the process. Don’t use too much as you don’t want it too runny.
Add the lemon juice and blitz again, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the blender running, gradually add in the olive oil and blend till everything is smooth and creamy. 
Taste the dip and adjust the seasoning as required. At this stage, if you need to add salt, please do so.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish to your liking. 
If you’d like to join in on the fun, just comment and let me know and I’ll get back to you with the details.

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Condiments, Pickles & Spice Mixes, Recipes, Starters / Appetizers, Vegan

Crushed Black Pepper Crackers / Mathri

by Trisha Vaz
I was looking at putting together something savory for a tea time treat and I thought of this Indian version of the cracker that one of my Mother’s neighbors had made many years ago while we watched on. I don’t really remember the recipe she used. All I remember her saying is to make sure that the oil used in the dough needed to be warm. So with that in mind I just put a few things together and tried it out and it wasn’t too bad. Turns out we really enjoyed these crackers. The traditional version is called Mathri and is deep fried, though I’m sure they’d bake well too.

Crushed Black Pepper Crackers

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, warm
Salt, to taste
Freshly crushed black pepper, to taste (leave it coarse)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp carom seeds
Approx. 1/2 cup warm water
Oil, for deep frying
Mix the flour, salt, pepper and carom seeds in a bowl. 
Add the warm oil and mix well to incorporate into the flour evenly.
Add warm water gradually to knead into a dough. You may not need all the water. The dough shouldn’t be too soft or too hard either.
Roll out into thick-ish discs and use a round cookie cutter and cut out into smaller circles. Prick each circle a couple of times with a fork to ensure that it doesn’t puff up while frying. 
Repeat till all the dough is used up.
Heat oil in wok for deep frying. Carefully fry a few crackers at a time on medium low flame till they turn golden brown. 
Let them cool off completely before storing in an air-tight container.
Enjoy them with your afternoon cup of tea.
This recipe is linked to – 
A Little Birdie Told Me
Full Plate Thursday

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Recipes, Snacks, Vegan

An awesome milkshake called Monkey Business

by Trisha Vaz
A couple of years ago when we were in Hong Kong, we had dinner a couple of times at BLT located at Tsim Sha Tsui. I found this place a little pricey but the set up was lovely and the food was good. Altogether a great dinning experience. We’d usually have a milk shake with our burgers and a side of fries or onion rings. When it comes to milkshakes, I tend to lean towards fresh fruity ones while my husband prefers something chocolatey. We tried out a few of their amazing concoctions and loved every one of them. I miss those kind of milk shakes and so I figured I might as well try and replicate them at home. I mean, its a milk shake! It can’t be that hard. Right? And you know what, I was right. My first attempt was to replicate this milk shake called Monkey Business – fun name, don’t you think? You can’t go wrong with chocolate, bananas and peanut butter. Thats right! With a few basic ingredients on hand, you can treat yourself to this delicious shake in minutes.

Monkey Business


1 cup approx. chocolate ice cream
1 ripe banana
2 tbsp peanut butter

Blitz everything in a blender until smooth. Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking. Serve in a glass

I used some chocolate sprinkles and a chocolate wafer to dress it up.

This recipe is linked to –
This Week’s Cravings
Sweets for a Saturday

Mix it up Monday
My Meatless Mondays
Recipe Sharing Monday
Just Another Meatless Monday
Mangia Mondays
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Beverages, Recipes

Curried Red Kidney Beans – Rajma Masala

by Trisha Vaz
A couple of days ago, I found a little treasure. Atleast to me it feels like one. I’ve always loved collecting recipe books or recipes from all over the place in the hope of trying them out someday. About 5-6 years ago, before I’d ever even thought about blogging, I’d printed out a bunch of recipes and filed them, and with time, the file kept growing, but I never really got around to trying too many of the recipes. (The only downside to it was I never really thought about documenting the source of these recipes, so unfortunately can’t credit the source. I will try to hunt them down but haven’t had much luck yet.) Then with the many tasks that occupied my day, not to mention an extremely stressful job, taking care of my home, moving from one house to another, and so on, this precious file of mine somehow fell off my radar and ended up in the deep dark recesses of my book shelf. This my friends, is what I found the other day. I was quite excited and quickly perused through it looking for vegetarian options and to my delight, I found quite a few.

The first one that I tried was the Rajma Masala or Kidney Beans Curry. I’ve tried a couple of recipes for curried Kidney Beans in the past, but this one is my husbands favorite and considering the fact that he doesn’t like kidney beans, that says a lot. I loved the simplicity of the recipe. This one is a keeper.
Rajma Masala 

1 cups red kidney beans
2-3 onions, roughly chopped
3/4″ ginger
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
2 green chillies, slit
2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Soak the rajma in water overnight or alteast for 4-6 hours.
Drain, rinse and cook the rajma in fresh water till it is tender. I pressure cook it for 10-12 minutes on slow fire after the first whistle. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
Grind the onions, ginger, garlic and garam masala powder to a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and let them sputter without burning them. Add the onion paste. Saute it till the paste has cooked off and the oil separates. 
Add the chopped tomatoes and continue to saute till the tomatoes are soft and have incorporated with the onion paste and the oil starts to separate.
Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and stir well till mixed. 
Add the green chillies and the beans and stir gently to avoid mashing the beans, making sure the spices coat it well.
Let it cook on high heat for a couple of minutes.
Add the reserved liquid that the beans were boiled in till you have reached the consistency you like. You may not need to use all the liquid or if your reserved liquid is not sufficient, you can add water.
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Lastly take it off the heat and add the chopped coriander leaves. 
Serve hot.
Note: Sometimes this is served with a dollop of butter on top.


This recipe is linked to –
Full Plate Thursday

                                        

Trisha Vaz

This post was posted in Mains, Recipes, Vegetarian