Roma's Space

Creme Caramel is a French pudding which is really easy to make. I learnt this recipe from a show on TV , The Chef and his better half. They actually baked their caramel but I am used to steaming puddings so I went ahead that way. It turned out firm, yet soft. The caramel coat complemented the vanilla flavor of the pudding. The smooth texture and simplicity of this dish makes you want to make it again and again.

This is my entry to the Steamed Dishes Event hosted by Srivalli.

Ingredients :

• 1 cup milk
• vanilla essence
• cinnamon sticks (optional)
• 100 g cream
• 2 eggs

Procedure :

For the Custard :

1. Boil milk , you can add cinnamon sticks to the milk and take them out once milk is boiled.
2. Turn of the heat and add a few drops of vanilla essence.
3. Beat eggs with sugar. Add small quantities of milk and continue beating. This is called tempering the eggs. Basically bringing them to the same temperature as the milk.
4. Let the mix cool a bit. Now add some fresh cream and beat the mixture well.

For the caramel :

1. Once the egg and milk mixture is ready you need to caramelize the sugar.
2. Take sugar in a pan and heat it till the sugar becomes a brown liquid or caramel.
3. Pour the caramel into the pudding mould and let it harden.

For the pudding :

1. Now pour the milk mix over the caramel.
2. Put water in your microwave steamer. Place the stand on it and on that your pudding dish. Micro on High power for 10 – 15 mins. (or Steam in a rice cooker without the whistle for 15 – 20 mins)
3. Check with a fork if its done. If it comes out clean then its cooked else micro it for 5 mins more.
4. Once the pudding cools overturn it into a vessel of your choice. The caramel will ooze out from all sides. Dont worry, thats the way its meant to be.

Enjoy your Creme caramel!

Please NOTE :

1. Eggs need to be tempered as otherwise they will scramble due to the temperature difference.
2. Try to use a steamer / cooker which best fits the size of the pudding bowl. This will ensure even steaming.

It was a bright summer day when Mr.Mango Moody asked Ms.Mango Masti if she would like to marry him. Masti was ready but her father Mr.Dusheri did not consent as Moody was a Begampalli and Dusheris were sweeter.

Papa Dusheri said “Why do you want to marry that big, fat Begampalli. He is not as sweet as us Dusheris”. Masti’s eyes welled up and Papa Dusheris was sad.

For months together Moody and Masti tried to convince him. Finally Papa Dusheri consented and the Dusheri-Begampalli families got busy with the wedding preparations. The insane shopping started. Mr.Moody didnt like Ms.Masti’s extravagance. Towards the end of their shopping spree Masti wanted to buy a red, zari saree for the wedding and Moody rejected it as it was exhorbitant. Poor masti accepted his wish and left .

One day before the wedding Moody got Masti a present. Masti could not contain herself. It was the same saree she had left at the saree store the other day! Masti thanked Moody and said she would remember that day forever.

Finally the BIG day came. Lots of little green mangoes danced at their wedding. As you can see in the picture, Masti looks gorgeous and Moody looks so happy. May they live happily ever after.

Please bless the couple. Blessings in cash only. Ohh sorry, presents in blessings only!

This picture is my entry to Mango Mantram, the food art event hosted by Indira of Mahanandi. Thanks for hosting this unique event. It was a welcome change to think beyond recipes.

This money bag has been specially made with the vegetable we are celebrating all this month in JFI , Bell Peppers!

Bell pepper is amongst the tastiest vegetables I have come across. Typically available in a green color and goes onto being found in other technicolor versions like red, orange and yellow. It can make your dishes really colorful and attractive. Interestingly, all colors of bell peppers taste different. If you ever happen to have all of them try making Baked Vegetables . It will highlight the taste of each of them. Enjoy a different taste in each bite!

My husbands all time favorite capsicum dish is Bharwa Shimla Mirch. I usually make this one when I have guests over for dinner (only constraint is that one needs to find the really small capsicums to stuff).

Last Sunday, at the super market I found the freshest button mushrooms I have ever seen. I bought them and began wondering what the best way to use them would be. I thought of experimenting with the Money Bag Savory I really liked in Daily Breads (A leading Bakery Chain in Bangalore). They usually stuff it with mixed vegetables but one can always fill it with veggies of one’s choice. I love the taste of capsicums with mushrooms and onions.

I got cracking on these money bags and found them to be very easy to make. They can be deep fried too but I prefer baking them as that way they are lower in calories and many can be made at one shot.

Ingredients :

Stuffing :

• 6-7 button mushrooms
• 1 onions
• 1 tomatoes
• 1/2 capsicum
• 6 Garlic pods , fine chopped
• Salt, pepper seasoning

Dough :

• 2 cups Maida
• 3/4 cup Butter
• Salt (to taste)

Procedure :

For the Stuffing:

1. Heat Oil. Add garlic and fry. Add onions, finely chopped and fry till they turn glossy.
2. Now add tomatoes and fry well till the paste leaves the sides of the pan.
3. Add capsicum, mushrooms and cook till they turn soft.
4. Add salt, pepper and mix well.

For the Money Bag :

1. Knead with dough ingredients with some water to make a soft dough.
2. Apply oil and roll out the dough with the help of a rolling pin.
3. Fill in the mushroom stuffing and pull up the sides of the dough to resemble a money bag.
4. In a preheated oven bake money bags for 15 mins at 200 deg C.

I have always been a great admirer of Madhuram’s Baking. For the longest time I have been wanting to try out one of her breads. Finally today I decided to make the almond bread as it looked delicious and straight forward.

I did not have almond butter so perhaps the bread did not get the brown color like hers, yet it was delicious. I flavored plain, unsalted butter with roasted and ground almonds. I also added some raisins to the bread batter. Thanks Madhu for making me realize how easy it is to bake a delicious bread. I am going to make it repeatedly, with a different flavor each time!

I think instead of a picture of the bread I should have posted a picture of my baby eating it. She was dragging me to the kitchen after every slice.

I made half the quantity described by Madhu’s recipe. Baked the bread for 200 ° C for 30 mins.

Based on a request by Radha I have updated the measurements of ingredients used :

Maida / flour – 1 cups
Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar – 2 teaspoons
Roasted and Ground almond powder – 1 tablespoon
Milk – 3/4 cup
Butter – 1/4 cup

Last week my neighbour gave me 4 big mangoes straight from her garden. I was ecstatic and was wondered how I can make the most of them. They were placed like a piece of art on my table for a few days. I allowed them to become semi-ripe and made good use of one mango in making these matris.

Few days ago I saw this recipe on TV where they were making little mango dumplings in a curd gravy. I tweaked the recipe to make these matris (in North India Matri refers to a kind of Biscuit made from a well-seasoned dough of wheat flour. Its usually deep fried and crunchy)

I tried my hand at this mango matri and was happy with the final taste. I actually baked the matris initially as that way they can be preserved for a few days. Whenever you want to eat them just deep fry in hot oil.

Please try finding a raw mango thats neither completely raw nor completely ripe. To make these matris a filling breakfast roll out the dough (poori-size) and deep fry. This is my entry to WBB#22, May Mango Madness hosted by Escapades.

Ingredients :

• 1 Semi-raw mango
• 3 tablespoons Gram Flour / Besan
• 1/2 cup Curds
• 1 teaspoon Chilly Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Carom Seeds
• Pinch of Kasuri Methi

Procedure :

1. Roast mango directly on the flame. Remove peel and mash into a pulp.
2. To this add gram flour, carom seeds, chilly powder, salt, kasuri methi and hing. Make a paste by mixing in curds.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry this paste, stirring continuously till it becomes a lump and leaves the sides of the pan.
4. Flatten this mixture on a greased surface with a rolling pin.
5. Cut into desired shape and deep fry till golden brown.

Please NOTE:

1. You can even bake them at 200 Deg for 15 mins. The time of bake however depends on how thin you make the matri. Do monitor and pull them out once they appear brown and crispy.
2. Please Spread out the besan Dough on greased surface while its hot else you will not be able to get a thin layer of cookies.
3. If your mango is too raw then use only half of it and add some sugar to the besan mix in Step (2).