Tag Archives: Milk

Desi Tiramisu | Easy, eggless, healthy using hung curd and jaggery

September 15, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

Twice a week when my husband is on his day shift, he eats his lunch at his company’s “restaurant”. He calls it canteen but I call it restaurant because of the wonderful spread they put out which sounds so scrumptious especially for me as I love buffets.

So he comes back home and gives details of what he ate there (much to my dismay 😅) which includes starters, variety salads, main course dishes and my favourite part – Desserts 😍. Tiramisu is one among them and my mouth waters when I hear it. If it was before, we would have gone out and enjoyed it, but now since everything is homemade, even the famous dessert had to made at home too.

And imagine my happiness when it turns out so delicious that all my cravings got satiated. I referred a lot of recipes online and understood that many had made Tiramisu using hung curd. So I made it even healthier by using jaggery and digestive biscuits.

Main point is all these ingredients are easily available as compared to the original Tiramisu where most are exotic ingredients.

So hope you all try and love it too. Happiness is definitely indulging in this delicious Tiramisu! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 Cups Hung Curd

2 Cups thick Custard

3/4 Cup powdered Jaggery or Cane sugar

For the biscuit layer:

Approx 12 Whole wheat Digestive biscuits

4 tsp Instant coffee powder mixed with 2 Tbsp water (or as needed)

For dusting: 2 tsp Cocoa powder or grated chocolate

Step by step recipe:

1. For making hung curd, follow the stepwise pictorial that I have shared here.

2. For making custard, follow the instructions given in the packet of custard powder. In my packet it said, take 500 ml of milk and boil it with 2 Tbsp of sugar. Mix 2 Tbsp Custard powder with 2 Tbsp Milk so that it is free from lumps. Then add the boiling milk to the custard paste while whisking well (off the flame). Then heat the mixture on low flame till the custard turns very thick. Cool it completely. This gave me 2 Cups of thick Custard.

3. For the Tiramisu, take hung curd, the cooled custard and sieved jaggery powder (remember to sieve) in a bowl.

Note: Check how thick I have made the custard. It should resemble hung curd texture. Only then you will get a perfect tiramisu.

4. Mix well using a spatula so that they are combined well. Keep aside.

5. Now mix together instant coffee powder with water to make a coffee solution. Dip the digestive biscuits one by one and arrange in a rectangular pan as shown.

6. Keep two layers of biscuits in the bottom most layer so that it gives a good base while cutting the Tiramisu. Now layer with the hung curd mixture.

7. Again layer with biscuits dipped in coffee solution.

*I did not waste the broken biscuit too 😅*

8. Again layer with the hung curd mixture. Refrigerate overnight or for about 10 to 12 hours to get perfectly set Tiramisu.

9. After it sets, dust with cocoa powder using a sieve and serve. Too delicious for words! ❤️

Notes:

* Be careful to get the texture of the hung curd and Custard really thick. Else you won’t get perfect texture of Tiramisu.

* Although regular Tiramisu uses cream, sugar and mascarpone cheese, we found hung curd, custard and jaggery combination works superbly well and gives such a delicious Tiramisu which is a lot healthier too.

* Also substituting with digestive biscuits makes it so healthy and undoubtedly tasty too. Don’t forget to dip it in instant coffee solution.

* The layers are: Biscuit layer 1, Biscuit layer 2, Hung curd layer 1, Biscuit layer 3, Hung curd layer 2. After chilling cocoa powder dusting or chocolate gratings.

* I usually make this at night and it sets perfectly by next day afternoon.

* The slices are not super perfect but the taste and texture is. I can guarantee you will love it. We just could not have enough of it. So delicious! Just look at the layers. 😍

I have tried to note down as much points as possible so that it’s easy for you all to follow but if you still have any doubts, either comment here or message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mitha or on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help.

Cakes and Bakes

Wheat Jaggery Cherry Muffins | Eggless, easy, healthy cupcakes

August 31, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

We are getting fresh cherries here and after eating them as it is and making this Cherry Jaggery compote, it was time to use them in my favourite way – the baking way. The muffins came out beautiful and tasted so delicious that I have already made them thrice this month.

The best part about these muffins is its healthy and uses ingredients like wheat flour, jaggery and cherries. You can enjoy them guilt free. My kids love them as a mid meal snack.

Also, this recipe is great for basic wheat jaggery cupcakes for which I get lots of requests. So just skip cherries and you get plain cupcakes as shown below.

You can give them to babies above 6 months old. I started these healthy muffins for both my kids since 6 months and they love it now, much more than store bought maida ones. Wheat muffins might be denser but definitely flavourful and so tasty.

Hope you all try and love it too. Happy and healthy baking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients:

1 and 1/2 Cups Wheat flour or Atta (I use Pillsbury brand)

1 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

Wet ingredients:

1 Cup Milk, at room temperature

1 Cup powdered Jaggery

1/4 Cup Ghee

1/4 Cup chopped Cherries (fresh or candied)

1 tsp Vanilla essence

A few quartered cherries for garnish (optional)

Step by step recipe:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together using a sieve in a mixing bowl. Keep aside.

3. Add milk and jaggery in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well to melt jaggery in the milk.

4. Now add ghee, vanilla essence and chopped cherries. Mix well.

5. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

6. Now mix both using a spatula just so that the wheat flour specks are not seen. Do NOT overmix the batter as it will lead to dense cake.

7. Now pour the batter into greased muffin tray till three fourth of the level. Garnish with quartered cherries (optional).

8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 15 to 20 mins in the center rack of the oven till a toothpick inserted in the center most muffin comes out clear and not wet.

9. Allow it cool. Remove and serve.

Notes:

* This lasts well at room temperature in an air tight container for a day. Then refrigerate and microwave before serving.

* I always use Pillsbury wheat flour for my bakes and they come out perfect and delicious.

* If jaggery is not fine powder, then sieve and add into the milk. Jaggery can be substituted with brown sugar or cane sugar or regular sugar.

* Cherries can be substituted with any berries or you can skip it completely for plain muffins. This is how perfect plain wheat jaggery muffins comes out too.

* Do NOT overmix the batter. Else it will lead to dense muffins. Just mix together so that wheat flour specks are not seen and that is enough.

* Don’t forget to preheat the oven for 10 mins atleast before placing the muffin tray.

* It took my muffins exactly 15 mins to bake perfectly. But it might vary according to your oven. So keep an eye after 12 mins but do NOT open oven door before that.

Snacks

Eggless Mayonnaise

June 17, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

We are special kind of vegetarians. Don’t know how many of you are like us. We don’t eat eggs as such but eggs in cakes and other store bought foods is okay for us 😅. Many of our friends tease us for it as we are not strict vegetarian nor a perfect “eggetarian”. Somewhere a mix of both and hence fall in a unique category 😂.

So since we fall in this unique category, we don’t mind mayonnaise inside our sandwiches from cafes (as eggs are not visible to the eyes, you see 🙈).

But while making at home, I make this eggless Mayonnaise with my Whole wheat bread and it makes a delicious combination. Though this mayonnaise is not very healthy due to corn flour in it (corn flour is a refined flour and does not have nutrition), I make it as it’s far better than store bought ones which have loads of preservatives in it. Anyhow when making a sandwich with wheat bread and vegetables, the nutrition level raises.

Hope you all try and like it too. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 Cup Milk (to be used as 1/2 + 1/2 Cup)

3 Tbsp Corn flour

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Vinegar

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Take 3 Tbsp corn flour in a bowl. Add 1/2 Cup milk and whisk well to form a lump free mix. Keep aside.

2. Now heat 1/2 Cup milk in a pan. When it turns hot, add the corn flour mix. Whisk continually.

Note: Be sure to stir the mix before adding as corn flour tends to settle at the bottom.

3. Whisk well for about 5 mins. It will get thick. When it turns thick and glossy like as shown in the picture, it is done.

4. Now remove and allow to cool. Grind in a mixer for few seconds. (to ensure that there are no lumps and the mayonnaise is smooth in texture.)

5. Now remove in a bowl and add sugar, salt, pepper powder, vinegar and olive oil.

6. Crush mustard seeds using a mortar and pestle.

7. Add it to the mayonnaise.

8. Mix well. Done!

Notes:

* Mustard seeds powder can be substituted with store bought mustard sauce.

* I add coconut oil instead of olive oil sometimes.

* Be sure to whisk the corn flour well with milk both times to avoid lumps.

* Grinding ensures smooth texture of the mayonnaise. So I would suggest you to not skip it.

* This tastes really similar to store bought mayonnaise which has egg in it or even the veg mayonnaise which has released in market. But sans any preservatives and is much healthier.

Soups, Uncategorized

Cream of mushroom soup

May 30, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

My family is a huge fan of mushrooms and it is on our shopping list every week. I love to try out variety of dishes with mushrooms and apart from the finger licking delicious Mushroom Chettinad, I always make this soup specially for the kids.

They both love it very much and my daughter tells me, Amma you become a chef when you grow up okay. You make such delicious foods for us. Her innocence melts my heart. As much as a naughty girl that she is, her compliments keeps me going.

This soup is very easy to make and hardly takes 15 mins. I make this in the evenings for them as a healthy, tummy filling snack. Hope you all try it too. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Serves 2}

1/4 Cup thinly sliced Mushrooms

1 Cup full fat Milk

1/2 inch Ginger piece, finely chopped

2 cloves of Garlic (optional), finely chopped

1/2 a medium sized Onion, finely chopped

Pepper powder to taste

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp fresh Cream (or substitute with 1 Tbsp corn flour with 1 Tbsp milk)

1 Tbsp Butter or oil

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat butter in a pan and add ginger, garlic and onions. Fry till the onions turn translucent.

2. Now add thinly sliced mushrooms and keep sauteing till mushrooms cook ie for about 5 mins.

3. Pour in milk after keeping the flame to low and allow the soup to come to a boil on low flame. Else the milk might burn.

4. Now add cream and mix well. Allow it to cook on medium flame till it thickens which will take 5 to 10 mins.

5. Add salt and pepper. Mix well and serve hot.

Notes:

* I sometimes skip garlic if I don’t have. Ginger and onions give a wonderful flavour to it. So don’t skip it.

* Don’t add more mushrooms than mentioned for 1 cup milk. Else it will be a curry instead of soup.

* If you want to make in more quantity, just double the measurements.

* Be sure to cook the mushrooms before adding milk. Also, low flame is important after adding milk so that the soup does not burn.

* I don’t have cream in my pantry most times. So I substitute with 1 Tbsp corn flour + 1 Tbsp milk. Just mix together without lumps and add when the milk boils instead of cream. Gives the same texture and taste.

* Please use full fat milk for this recipe. Else the soup will be watery.

* Garnish with coriander leaves if available.

* I used button mushrooms for this recipe. You can also try Mushroom Chettinad.

Desserts

Easy Papaya pudding

May 18, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

As easy as this pudding is, I was still having doubts whether I should share this or not. It does come out tasty and tastes like papaya jelly (without gelatin, of course) but since we are using fresh fruit instead of any artificial essence, a slight bit of peel can turn the pudding bitter.

I learned this pudding from my friend Sandhya Puranik who had shared it in a food group. Many had tried it after that and I was inspired by them. Papaya has a natural tendency to set when blended and refrigerated. This recipe makes good use of it while setting it like a pudding.

I make the pudding regularly when I get really ripe papaya and we are bored of eating it as it is. The kids, especially my toddler loves it a lot and thinks it’s ice cream. 😀

Do read the notes at the end to make successful papaya pudding. Hope you all enjoy it too. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: {Serves 2}

2 Cups Papaya (ripe portion only)*read notes

1 Tbsp Milk

2 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

Step by step recipe:

1. Put the chopped Papaya along with milk, sugar and vanilla essence in a blender.

2. Blend till it turns smooth. Please do NOT add water at all. Else the pudding won’t get the texture. Pulse and blend till smooth.

3. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for two to four hours till it sets.

4. Unmold or enjoy from the bowl itself. Slice and enjoy if you are lucky enough to get the right texture!

Notes: {Important to read before you try so as to avoid the pudding getting bitter or not setting}

* Please be very careful to use only ripe and sweet tasting papaya for this recipe.

* Pick the ripest papaya and scoop the flesh of the fruit using spoon. Do NOT add the thick portion near the skin. If you take the papaya near to skin, the pudding tastes bitter.

* Do not add water at all while grinding. Also don’t use more milk than mentioned.

* If the papaya has more water content, you won’t be able to unmold the pudding and slice like I have shown in the picture above but you can eat directly from the bowl without unmolding it. Tastes same!!

* Sugar also depends to taste and the sweetness of papaya.

* Refrigerate for overnight too if it does not set but cover well so that the pudding does not leave water. Do NOT freeze it. It requires only refrigeration.

Cakes and Bakes

Whole wheat Pav

April 24, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 32 Comments

Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest

After Whole wheat Vegetable Pizza, if there is one bake I am confident that I can bake well not only for my family, but for others too, it’s these whole wheat Pav. There have been many of our friends who have enjoyed these Pav and they could not believe it’s homemade and made of wheat flour. I have baked a batch of 32 Pavs once for a dinner get together and even though it was a magnitude of hard work, their words of praises and just seeing them eat made me so happy.

These are very filling unlike maida ones which are softer in texture but contain no nutritional value. Especially after two kids, I have to think twice before I cook whether they will like it or not and it should be healthy as well. These Pavs are loved by both kiddos and that’s why, I regularly bake them.

I thank my readers for always requesting recipes which forces me to write them down. Else I would never add them here. My motive is, if it helps atleast one, then my blogging is worth it. Hope you all bake these Pav for your family. Do let me know if any doubts. Happy baking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes 10 Pavs}

2 Cups whole wheat flour/ Atta ( I use Pillsbury brand as it works best)

1 Cup Milk (may require a little more depending on the brand of wheat flour)( can also use milk powder+water)

20 grams Butter

1 1/2 Tbsp Milk powder

1 Tbsp Cane Sugar (can substitute with regular sugar)

2 tsp Instant yeast OR 2 1/2 tsp dry active yeast

1 tsp Salt

Little milk and butter for brushing over the pav

Oil to brush the pan and dough

Step by step recipe:

1. Warm milk in a pan or microwave. It should NOT be very hot or cold. Just lukewarm. Add in cane sugar and yeast. Mix once and allow to proof (ie keep aside for about 10 mins).

*Yeast after proofing. It should rise like this with bubbles and have a yeasty aroma.*

Note: If it does not proof, discard the batch. It means the yeast has expired or the milk was too hot or cold. Don’t use it to make Pav as the pav will turn hard.

Tip: When in doubt, best is to use the yeast in lukewarm water first and see if it proofs instead of wasting milk.

2. In a big bowl or plate, take wheat flour. Add in salt and milk powder.

3. Now make a well in the center and add the proofed yeast milk.

4. Now mix together like you would do for chapati dough and form a dough. It should be very sticky and not dry. If dry, add more milk to make it sticky.

*Not sticky as the wheat flour brand is good.*

*Add more milk (around 3 Tbsp) to make the dough sticky*

5. Add in butter and mix together.

6. Now knead together for atleast 10 mins. This is very important and very necessary for soft pavs. I keep a timer so that I don’t knead less. Here I have shown the kneading process in steps.

Note: Keep doing this for 10 to 12 mins.

7. After kneading for 10 mins, the dough becomes very smooth and easily handle able. Coat it with any oil and Keep it to rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

8. After 1 hour, the dough rises and becomes double the size.

9. Now punch it down and divide into equal portions.

10. Make a ball and keep in a greased cake pan close to each other.

Note: It is very important to keep the dough balls close to each other, else it will rise sideways and you will get flat pavs.

11. Keep this to rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Once risen, brush the surface with milk.

12. Preheat the oven at 200 C for 10 mins. Make sure to preheat well before placing the pan in the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 mins at 200 C in the center rack of the oven till the surface of the pav turns brown like this.

13. Brush butter on the surface of the pav as soon as it is out of the oven.

Enjoy homemade wheat pavs as pav bhaji, Vada pav or the way you wish to!

Notes:

* First and foremost, if you don’t have milk or don’t want to waste it for making pavs, use milk powder mixed in water. It works the same way. I have done it many times and makes no change in the flavour of the pavs.

* The most important step is that the yeast should be right and not expired one. So proof properly with warm milk to check. If it does not form bubbles or does not give a yeasty aroma, discard it. Else it will be a waste of ingredients.

* To make perfect wheat pavs, the dough should be very sticky first and then after continually kneading for 10 mins, it should turn into a smooth dough. Though it may seem like a bit of hardwork, the result will be soft wheat pavs.

* The dough balls should be kept very close during second rise. This is also very important as other wise you will get flat pavs and not fluffy pavs. Do remember while keeping for second rise.

* The milk brush before baking gives a nice golden colour to the pavs. So don’t forget it.

* Also the butter brush after the pavs are out gives a soft texture. Don’t forget this too.

*Update: I am getting many queries asking if milk powder is necessary. It’s okay if you don’t add it since it’s not available now. It’s just for flavour and you can skip it. Just make a sticky dough with milk and knead really well. And make sure the yeast is proofed well and active.

Cakes and Bakes

Dates and Oats cake

April 17, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 19 Comments

I am always on the lookout for healthy cake recipes and so far have had great success in baking with wheat flour, ragi flour and oats. I add jaggery powder in all the cakes and it tastes so good that you can never say it’s a jaggery cake.

I have already shared the yummiest whole wheat chocolate banana cake recipe and Ragi Chocolate cake recipe. So here is another healthy cake with the goodness of the superfood oats and dates in it. This is also a wheat jaggery cake.

When I first made the cake, I could not believe that Oats in a cake could taste so yummy. But you could never say it has oats in it. The dates and milk hides the nuttiness quite well. In fact so well that my kids never know that it’s actually a healthy cake.

This cake is a perfect example that healthy food can be delicious too. The exact principle on which I started writing this blog. Hope you all try this cake. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 Cup = 240 ml

Dry Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Whole wheat flour/ Atta

3/4 Cup Instant Oats

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1/4 Cup Jaggery powder or brown sugar or cane sugar or regular sugar

Wet Ingredients:

Around 20 Dates (Deseeded and roughly chopped)

1 1/2 Cups Milk

1/2 Cup (113 grams) Butter

1 tsp Vanilla essence

Step by step recipe:

1. Soak the chopped dates in hot milk for an hour.

2. Measure 3/4 Cup Instant Oats in a bowl.

3. In the same bowl, sieve together whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix everything well.

4. Melt butter in a bowl and add the dates- milk mixture to this. Also add vanilla essence.

5. Add the dry flour mix to this and mix till the flour specks can’t be seen.

6. Add 1/4 Cup Jaggery powder to this and mix everything once. Do NOT overmix.

7. Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 C. Line the cake pan with parchment paper. Else with oil or butter. Pour the batter into the pan.

8. Bake at 180 C for 30 to 35 mins. I baked for 30 mins and then checked. Since the inside had to cook a little but the top surface had baked, I covered with parchment and baked for 5 mins more.

9. Allow it to cool completely. Invert onto a plate. Slice and enjoy!

Notes:

* Since every oven is different, keep an eye after 20 mins into baking time so that the cake doesn’t burn.

* Towards the last 5 mins, cover the cake pan with a parchment paper/ aluminium foil and bake so that the top surface does not form a crust.

* You can use any dates for this recipe but the soft ones work best. You can even grind them with little milk if you don’t like the bite of dates in your cake.

* Butter can be substituted with oil but I personally love butter in my cakes as oil cakes does not taste good after a while.

* This cake lasts well for a week if refrigerated and handled well.

If any doubts, do message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mithaor on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help. Happy cooking!

You can check all my healthy cakes and cookies recipes in this page:

Healthy Cakes and Cookies Collection

Did you know Oats is such a versatile ingredient, you could make Cake, Idli, Paratha, varieties of dosas and even gluten free pizza with it?

Sharing all varieties of dishes in which I use Oats and make regularly. Eat healthy, be happy. ❤️

Oats Recipes Collection

Editing to add: You can also bake them as cupcakes. I baked then for my kids’ snack box to school and they turned out amazing. Perfect for the little hands to handle. Just use the same measurement and bake at 180 C for 25 to 30 mins or till done. The measurement yields 12 medium sized cupcakes.