Thai Falooda

Falooda or Faluda is a popular beverage in South Asia made by mixing rose syrup with vermicelli  with either milk or water.Falooda is an adaptation of the Persian dessert Faloodeh and was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal period.It is very similar to the Thai drink "Nam Manglak", which is made from basil seeds mixed with sugar, water, and rose waterHere I'm making this falooda using Thai product that's why i give name Thai falooda and it's taste like original falooda. so let's check.

Serve 2 large glasses.

Ingredients:

1.      2 cups chilled milk

2.      1/2 cup rice noodles or vermicelli sev

3.      1 teaspoon basil seeds (Takmaria)

4.      1/2 cup sala syrup or rose syrup

5.      1/2 cup ice cream + 2 scoops for serving

6.      1/4 cup sugar

Method:

1.      Soak the basil seeds (Tukmaria) in half cup water for 10 minutes.

2.      Add less water in pan let it boil add rice noodles and cook.

3.      Add chilled milk, sugar and rose syrup in blander and bland well.

4.      Add 2 tsp basil seeds and half cup ice cream in milk and mix well.

5.      In a glass, add half rice noodles and than pour the chilled milk.

6.      Garnish with one scoop of ice cream and serve quickly.

Note: Here i use home made kaju draksh (Cashew and raisin) ice cream, if u use vanilla ice cream than add little cardamom powder and garnish with nuts.

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Salty Lassi, Masala chash or Butter milk

The traditional lassi is a salty yogurt drink which has a thicker consistency as compared to buttermilk.

It can be savored with various spices and ingredients, but it almost always includes ground cumin powder and salt.Salty lassi is not only extremely easy and quick to make but also very refreshing and cooling to beat the heat of summer.

Ingredients:

1.      2 cups yogurt

2.      1/4 teaspoon salt

3.      1/8 teaspoon black salt

4.      1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds powder

5.      1/8 teaspoon black pepper powder

6.      1 cup chilled water

7.      fresh coriander leaves hand full

8.      Ice cube

Method:

1.      Add yogurt and water in blender than blend for one minute.

2.      Add all ing. and mix well.

3.      Garnish with a sprinkle of cumin powder and finely chopped coriander.

4.      Add iced and serve chilled.

Note: if you can add more water Than it's become chash or butter milk.

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Lemonade

Summer’s already start here, Thailand is bound to be very hot at this time but this year its still raining.

Over the next few posts I intend to highlight many of my favorite summer special drinks, starting with the always in demand – lemonade. Lemonade is popular around the world for many reasons.

Daily consumption of four ounces of lemon juice per day, when mixed with two liters of water, has been shown to reduce the rate of stone formation in people susceptible to kidney stones. Lemons contain the highest concentration of citrate of any fruit, and this weak acid has been shown to inhibit stone formation. Both mint and ginger are known to sooth the digestive track and promote digestion. They are used as natural remedies to combat nausea, indigestion, heart burn and a whole host of other discomforts.My mother makes this recipe on every summer and it is traditional Indian lemonade. You’ll find that the mint and ginger flavors makes this drink really refreshing.

Lemonade: serve 2

Ingredients:

1.      1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2.      3 tablespoon sugar powder

3.      1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves juice

4.      2 teaspoon fresh ginger juice

5.      1/2 teaspoon salt

6.      1/4 teaspoon black salt

7.      1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds powder

8.      2 and 1/2 cups water

9.      3 to 4 ice cubes

Method:

1.      In a large pitcher add lemon juice, mint juice, ginger juice, salt, and sugar.

2.      Stir well lemonade and serve over cumin powder and ice.

3.      Garnish with lemon slice and mint leaves.

For the mint and ginger juice:

Take 10 to 20 Mint leaves with 1 tbsp water and blend it well with a blender. make a pulp then squeeze the water and use.

Take big piece of ginger add little water, bland and squeeze the water.

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Sev Bhujia or (Besan Sev)

Ingredients:

1.      2 cups chickpea flour (Besan)

2.      1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3.      Salt to taste

4.      Water as needed

5.      Oil for deep frying

Method:

1.          Combine all ingredients in a bowl, Knead smooth and soft dough by adding water.

2.          Carefully add water don’t add more otherwise dough is sticky.

3.          Heat oil in a deep cooking pan. Place the dough in a sev mould.

4.          When oil becomes hot, holding the machine over the oil and turn handle of machine to force the dough through mould.

5.          Deep fry besan sev on medium high heat. 

6.          Drain on paper towel. Do the same process for remaining dough.

7.          After cool sev store in air tight container.

8.          Use this sev in any Indian chat or subji.

 

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Mango Chundo (mango spicy and sour jam)

 This delicious pickle from Gujarat (India) and store about one year.

 Traditionally, the pickle is kept out in the sun for 10 to 15 days to 'cook' each day it is stir, covered and placed in a sunny day, then brought indoors at evening time.

 The sun makes the sugar in it melt to a syrupy consistency and the grated mango turns transparent!

 Since most of us don't have the time to do this.

 Here is a quick and less time consuming version of the recipe. Some people make this chundo(Mango Jam) using  stove but here I made in microwave it's not take much time and easy to make.

Ingredients:

1.      4 cup grated unripe sour mangoes 

2.      4 cup white sugar

3.      2 tablespoons red chili powder

4.      1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

5.      1 teaspoon salt

6.      2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder

Method:

1.     Peel and grate the raw mangoes.

2.     Take large microwave safe bowl and mix it with sugar.

3.     Put in microwave high medium heat about 5 minutes. (After 3 minutes take it out and stir.)

4.     Put again for 10 minutes for high heat and stir occasionally.

5.     After 7 minutes check sugar syrup get to a one-thread consistency take it out.

6.     This process depend of mangoes how watery,(my mangoes take 10 minutes) if mangoes are more juicy they take time but mangoes are not very juicy the process finished early.

7.     After 10 minutes take it out and add salt, cumin powder and red chili powder.

8.     Allow to cool completely add chunda in clean and airtight glass jar.

9.  Store for up to one year and serve with chapatis, bread and parathas. 

Egg less Orange Cake

Ingredients:

1.      1 ½ cup cake flour

2.      1 cup sugar powder

3.      1 teaspoon baking soda

4.      1/2 teaspoon baking powder

5.      1 ¼ cup fresh orange juice

6.      1/3 cup melted butter (vegan choice oil)

7.      1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

Method:

1.      In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

2.      Take one another bowl add butter and sugar and beat well, add the orange juice, and orange rind. And beat add slowly flour mixture and beat well (don’t beat over).

3.      Grease 9” cake pan and preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.

4.      Pour into the prepared baking pans or muffin cups and cover the pan with foil.

5.      Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (for cakes) or 25 to 30 minutes for cupcakes or until a toothpick poked into the middle of the batter comes out clean and it is lightly browned on top.

Tips:

* This Cake tasted very good and had very light and delicate texture. If frosting be careful. Be sure to use fresh orange zest.

* You can take any citric fresh fruit juice like pineapple, grapes or apple but that time you drain the juice and use. It’s give your own cake recipe enjoy!!

*  It’s very easy cake recipe, thanks to my friend Mrs. Dhan Laxmi for sharing this recipe with me.

Tom Yum Clear Soup (Vegetarian) to celebrate Thai New Year “Songkran”

 The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day from 13th to 15th April. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia.

 The word Songkran comes from the Pali language of the Therevada Buddhist scriptures (Sankhara) and the Sanskrit word (Sankranti) for movement or change. Mean entry of the sun into any sign of the Zodiac. But the Songkran in this particular instance is when the sun enters the sign of Aries or the Ram. Its full name is Maha Songkran or Major Songkran to distinguish it from the other ones.

 The festival lasts for 4 days. Maha Songkran Day is the first day of the celebrations which marks the end of the old year. April 14, Wan Nao is the day between the ending of the old year and the beginning of the New Year when foods are prepared for the temples. The third day of Songkran, April 15, is Wan Thaloeng Sok - the day on which the New Year begins and on the last day, Wan Parg-bpee, the ancestors and elders are honored.

 The Songkran Festival shares some similarities with the Indian Holi Festival in India celebrated around the same time. One custom that Songkran shares with Holi is throwing of clear water in Thailand .While in India the throwing of colored water marks Holi

 Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to a Wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city's important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually 'bathing' the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats. In northern Thailand, people may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood monastery in order to recompense the dirt that they have carried away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.

 Some people make New Year resolutions - to refrain from bad behavior, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning.

 The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by capturing the water after it had been poured over the Buddhas for cleansing and then using this "blessed" water to give good fortune to elders and family by gently pouring it on the shoulder. Among young people the holiday evolved to include dousing strangers with water to relieve the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand (temperatures can rise to over 100°F or 40°C on some days). This has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.

 The traditional Thai New Year greeting is sa-wat-di pi mai , basically "Happy New Year" .

 Tom Yum Clear Soup (Vegetarian)

Tom yum soup is perhaps authentic Thai Dish which is spicy soup served both vegetarian and Non vegetarian. Thai Tom Yum Soup is just as delicious made vegetarian. Instead of fish sauce and chicken stock, soy sauce and a good-tasting vegetable stock can be used. Tom Yum Soup is currently under study for its ability to boost the immune system and help fight off cold and flu viruses, and this veggie recipe is even healthier than the original! 

Ingredients:

1.            6 cups good-tasting vegetable stock

2.            2 stalks lemongrass

3.            4 whole kaffir lime leaves

4.            3-4 Thai red chilies sliced (its very spicy)

5.            2 cloves garlic minced

6.            shallot few sliced

7.            1 Thumb-size piece galangal

8.            1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

9.            1 red tomato cut in four piece

10.        5 to 6 thin sliced baby corn

11.        5 to 6 sliced young coconut

12.        10 to 12 thin  sliced  carrots

13.        1/2 cup cauliflower

14.        1/4 cup fry cashew

15.        3 to 4 fresh green peas

16.        3 - 4 tablespoon soy sauce

17.        2 fresh lime juice

18.        1/2 cup fresh basil

19.        3 - 4 whole leaves of coriander

Method:

1.            Pour lemongrass, galangal, soy sauce and vegetable stock into a soup pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

2.            Open the pot and add the Kaffir lime leaves, garlic, onion, Simmer for another 2 minutes.

3.            Add carrots, cauliflower, baby corn and young coconut, peas. Simmer for yet another 2 minutes. Than add cherry tomatoes and tomatoes simmer for 1minutes.

4.            Turn off the heat, add lime juice, chilies, cashew and garnish with coriander leaves.

5.            Do a taste, adding more chili or chili sauce if not spicy enough. If not salty enough, add more soy sauce or salt. Add 1 more tsp. sugar if too sour. If too salty or sweet, add another squeeze of lime juice.

6.            This makes a medium-hot bowl. Some prefer to have it spicier. Find your own comfort level.

7.             Remove the lemongrass and galangal before serving if you like. They're not particularly edible.

8.            To serve, take soup into bowls with fresh basil and coriander sprinkled over. Enjoy!

Note:

I prefer my Tom Yum traditional version (Clear Soup) with out coconut milk. In Thailand, they often use coconut Milk, which is a good option for vegetarians.

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Pineapple Jam or Pineapple Murraba

Ingredients:

1.      2 cups pineapple cut in small pieces

2.      1 1/2 cups white sugar

3.      1/2 teaspoon saffron

4.      1/4 cup almond and cashew chopped

 

Method:

1.      Clean and cut pineapple small - medium pieces.

2.      In heavy bottom saucepan mix sugar and pineapple.

3.      Cook in medium to high flame about 25 to 30 minutes.

4.      First 5 minutes cook this mixture very low flame and stir occasionally.

5.      After 5 minute sugar is dissolve than cook about 20 minutes in medium high heat and still stirring occasionally.

6.      Check sugar syrup consistency it's come out one thread (one tar) or sticky and thick than take it out. Add saffron, almond and cashew.

7.      After cool completely store this murraba air tight glass jar and store about one year.

8.      Don't over cook otherwise after process your pineapple is hard.

Tips:  

* Buy Pineapple sweet (ripe) and cut in big pieces (Not very big).

* Sugar syrup making process is most important part of any kind of murraba so carefully check after 10 minutes.

* This murraba you can store in room temperature about 1 month and than store in refrigerator.

Blog and Photo Contest (Amazing Thailand's )

 Winner from Blog and Photo Contest

Congratulations to Surasak Srisawan, Warut Tangvatcharapranee,Norong Ngampattarawarakul, Dominic Scaife,Sven Jo and Daksha Chopra !! You are the winner from Blog and Photo Contest. "Dining Voucher" from Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok .

Lasaniya Gathiya (Kathiyawadi Gujarati Snack)

Ingredients:

1.          2 cups gram flour (besan)

2.          1 tablespoon garlic paste

3.          1 ½ tablespoons red chili powder

4.          Salt to taste

5.          1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

6.          Water as needed

7.          Oil- for deep frying

8.          A pinch of baking soda

 Method:

1.          In one large bowl combine the salt, turmeric powder, garlic paste, soda, red chili powder and 1 tbsp water.

2.          Add gram flour with enough water and make a soft dough. (carefully add water don’t add more otherwise dough may be too sticky)

3.          Grease your hand with little oil and cover the dough.

4.          Heat the oil in a frying pan. Place the dough in a Gathiya mould.

5.          When oil becomes hot, holding the machine over the oil and turn handle of machine to force the dough through mould.

6.          Deep fry gathiya on medium high heat until it is light brown in colour. (becareful don’t fry more otherwise burn we add red chili powder that’s why the gathiyas color are red.)

7.          Drain on paper towel. Do the same process for remaining dough.

8.          After cool Gathiya store in an air tight container.

9.          Serve with Tea or slices of onions.

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