Valentine special...Gajar halwa cheesecake pie/ Indian style carrot pudding cheesecake pie

Last one month has been hectic, like a roller coaster ride with loads of housework, looking after the kids, my voluntary work, social commitments and so on.Sometimes blogging does take a backseat with priorities coming my way.

I am just back from the city of Destiny,Vizag after attending the International Fleet Review where my better half performed for the air show and I sat there in the enthralled audience mesmerised and proud as he and his fly boys roared in the Vizag skies in their fighter jets defying gravity with their heart flipping manoeuvres.

Like many people I also knew what the words duty, loyalty, respect, selfless service, honour, integrity and courage meant.But how often do we see someone living upto those values. In the defence services I see the soldiers living them everyday, every moment and in everything they do whether on duty or off duty.

With the hubby embarked on the aircraft carrier as usual, this Valentines Day is also a lonely one with

the kids to give me company. Well, after eighteen long years I am used to the embarkations and deployments and there's no use cribbing and complaining about something that's not in our hands. Myself and the kids have reconciled to the fact that he is for our country and that's what gives him satisfaction. My heart cries for my kids when they feel sad and miss the father's presence on their birthdays, school annual day, sports day and important days in their lives.

 

On occasions like these I cook his favourite dishes and we miss him a little less.Gajar ka halwa being one of his favourite desserts and with the bright red carrots thronging the veggie market I decided to make a fusion dish with the carrots.After my cheesecake classes I had some cream cheese lying in the refrigerator and the idea of this unique cheesecake struck me.I made them in small tart moulds and  a pie dish to give a different look to the no bake eggless cheesecake.The cheesecake pie turned out to be perfect and mind blowing with the unique flavour of gajar ka halwa ,a perfect fusion of the East and West and a keeper for sure .A little different from the usual chocolates and strawberries dominating the Valentines Day menu and that's what makes it distinct from the rest. 

Ingredients

For the Gajar ka halwa/ Indian style carrot pudding
1/2 kg Fresh Red Carrots,grated
1 lt full fat milk
1/2 tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp ghee/ clarified butter
Chopped dry fruits

For the Pie Crust
1 C biscuit crumbs,powdered in the grinder
A little less than
1/3 C melted butter

For the Cheesecake

 3 oz Whipping Cream
4 1/2 oz  Cream cheese
1/2 C Gajar ka halwa
2 tbsp powdered sugar
A pinch cardamom powder
For the garnish
1 tbsp Pistachios,chopped
2 tbsp Gajar ka halwa

Method
For the Gajar ka Halwa

• Cook the grated carrots with the milk  in a wok in medium flame, stirring in between till the milk dries up,takes around 30-40 minutes.
• Add the condensed milk and sugar and cook till it dries up again,for nearly 20 minutes.
• Add the Ghee ,dry fruits and cardamom powder and fry the halwa for 10-15 mins stirring constantly till the colour changes to a bright red colour .Fry till the consistency you want,I like mine a little dry.
• Switch off the flame.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

For the pie crust

• Add the melted butter to the ground biscuits and mix till well combined ,I use digestive
•  biscuits.
• Press into the bottom and sides of a 8 inch pie dish with a removable base uniformly.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake.

For the Cheesecake

• Whip the whipping cream in a hand mixer for 3 minutes till it stands in soft peaks.Make sure the whipping cream is cold.
• Add the cream cheese and sugar ( if needed)and mix with the cream with the mixer in low speed till incorporated.
• Add the gajar ka halwa( room temperature)and  cardamom powder and combine all with a spatula in the cut and fold method gently.
• Pour the mixture into the pie dish and garnish with gajar ka halwa and chopped pistachios.
• Return the dish back to the fridge and let it set overnight or for 5-6 hours.
• Unmould from the pie dish and serve cut into slices.

A happy Valentine's Day to all!!
Do take a look in my friend Parinaaz ' s blog A dollop of that!whats cooking for Valentines.She has a beautiful blog with mindblowing pics and mouthwatering recipes .

Red velvet trifles

And Sweta's blog  Oriyarasoi- a cosmopolitan Odiyas kitchen has lip smacking  recipes of different cuisines from around the world but she specialises in authentic Odiya recipes.Do have a peep what's special for her Valentine.
No bake strawberry delight

Perfect Snickers Brownies

One more year has passed away into history and how time flies just right by you. The last few years have been a blur, like a whirlwind ...moments have just rushed past.The beautiful moments in life always accelerate  and you want to grasp it and hold on to it as long as possible.

My kids are growing up so fast..the elder one has already shot past me and the younger one is growing out of my lap.Soon will be facing the empty nest syndrome and am already dreading it.If only we could have a time machine and we can go back to spend some precious times with our children.I know I will pay anything to have another day with my kids when they were babies.

And during one of those gloomy days,pondering over my thoughts I baked these gooey, chewy,moist,heavenly brownies layered with snickers for my babies.This was sitting in my drafts since a month and what better day than today...my first post of a brand new year, my favourite and the perfect chocolate brownie.My perfect brownie is chewy in the sides and fudgy in the middle.The added melted chocolate makes these brownies more dense ,rich and chocolatey.The addition of snickers to the batter takes it to a different level altogether.You can personalise it by adding candies,nuts or chocolate chips but the basic brownie recipe remains the same which gives a perfect
shiny,crackly top.

You Require
2/3 C all purpose Flour
1/3 C cocoa powder
10 tbsp butter,unsalted
4 oz chopped dark chocolate
02 Eggs
1 1/4 C ground sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g x2 snickers bar,chopped

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.Line a square 8x8 inch pan or a rectangular 13 x5 inch pan with a greased parchment paper for easy removal of the brownies.
• In a bowl whisk the flour and cocoa powder together.
• On a double boiler melt the butter,add the sugar and chopped chocolate and whisk till smooth.The mixture will be grainy.Remove from heat and let it cool till lukewarm .
• Add the eggs to the lukewarm chocolate mixture and beat with a hand mixer in medium speed for 1 minute,add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
• Add the whisked dry ingredients to the mixture and beat for 2-3 minutes in medium speed,this is necessary for the perfect brownie recipe.
• Add the chopped snickers to the batter and mix with a spatula.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or till a toothpick comes out with little crumbs stuck to it.
• Cut into squares when cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy the dense,chewy,fudgy brownies with chunks of snickers in between.
These brownies are going to Helen of Casa Costello for her baking event Bake of the week.

Orange and Honey Chicken ...a new year special Colab with Oriya Rasoi and A Dollop of that

As we inch closer to the New year 2016, new resolutions are being made,hearts are filled with new hopes ,plans for reaching out for newer opportunities discussed but here I am stuck with my New Year's Eve dinner menu.

Our house guests left yesterday and it's that time of the year in Goa when people are here for merrymaking and celebrating the festive season and invariably all houses are filled with guests,all resorts ,hotels and shacks are jampacked and Goa is bursting at its seams.

For years have been enjoying the new year in Goa ,partying hard but this time as I was getting my house back in order,pondered whether to be in a crowded ,wild Goa or just spend a quiet New Years eve with my parents and sister and her family in Bangalore.

And my kids shrieked in joy when they heard my plans and thanks to a wonderful better half ...he was ready for a drive down to our destination .And so here I am all packed up and ready to spend a peaceful New Year's Eve with near and dear ones.

Have finally planned to make a succulent,skillet Chicken with savory, tangy, honey orange sauce  for the main course.Nothing beats a hearty home cooked meal with the whole family on the table. This recipe yields a moist, juicy and absolutely delightful chicken steeped in an addictive honey orange sauce  and takes just 20-25 minutes to prepare. Serve the scrumptious chicken with steamed rice and enjoy.
Adapted from rasamalaysia but have tweaked the recipe according to our tastes.

You require

1/2 kg Chicken breasts
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp refine oil
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp Asian cooking wine,optional
1 orange ,sliced round with the skin
1/2 C coloured peppers,sliced thin
1 tbsp parsley ,chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Salt to taste

For the sauce
1/2 C orange juice
3 1/2 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Can adjust the measure of ingredients according to your taste

Method

• Marinate the Chicken breasts with soy sauce and wine and salt which has to be added very little as soy sauce has sodium in it.
• Add all the ingredients under sauce and whisk well.Keep aside.
• In a  heated pan or skillet pan fry the chicken on medium heat till well browned on both sides . keep aside in a platter.
• In the same pan add the oil and fry the minced garlic until slightly browned.
• Add the chicken to the pan followed by the sauce.Turn the heat to low and cook the chicken with the sauce till the sauce reduces a bit.....for nearly 7-8 minutes.
• Add the sliced orange roundels and the coloured pepper,cook for 2 minutes and switch off the flame.
• Garnish with sesame seeds and parsley and serve hot.

A very happy new year 2016 and wishing you all an amazing year ahead !!
And please do have a look at my blogger friends posts before leaving my space.
Sweta's Sticky Chicken Bites here.

Parinaaz's White sauce Chicken Cheese croquettes here.