Rose Milk Popsicle

Popsicle is made by freezing any flavored liquid around a stick. With summer around the corner, this aromatic and exotic rose flavored popsicle will be perfect to cool you down. Rose milk is one of my childhood favorite and i can't have enough of it. You can find rose milk in a few Indian restaurants menu here in the US. Freezing the rose milk in the molds is a fun way to eat with your family. Hope you will have fun making'em and slurping'em. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

2 cups 2% Milk 

4 tbsp Rose syrup

1 tsp Rose water

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsp Sugar or to taste

How to:

• Heat the milk and let it boil for 3-5 mins. Keep stirring to avoid the skin formation.

• Switch off and immediately add the cardamom powder, sugar syrup and sugar to taste. 

•  Add the rose water and let it come to room temperature.

• Now pour the rose milk into Popsicle molds and freeze them for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

• To loosen and remove the popsicle out, slowly run warm water on the outside of the mold.

• Serve and enjoy it on a hot day.

Tips:

• If you like milky popsicle, boil the milk for few more mins until it thickens up before adding the syrup.
• You can also add finely chopped nuts or cooked vermicelli for more texture.

Brownie in a Mug

Within 2 mins and with very little effort, your late night sweet/chocolate cravings will be satisfied by this warm and decadent brownie. This totally-divine dessert is ready to devour with just a few staples from your pantry. Mix in a mug, microwave and serve it in the same mug. 

Btw, make sure you finish up the brownie when it is still warm, because once cooled it really hardens up and we don't want that. So, go ahead and enjoy your evening with a warm mug of coffee brownie. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1/4 cup All purpose flour/Maida

3 tbsp white Sugar or more to taste

2 tbsp Cocoa powder (unsweetened)

2 tbsp Canola Oil

3 tbsp Water

1 pinch Salt

How to:

• Mix together all the dry ingredients in a coffee mug; the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt.

• Pour the oil and water to the dry mixture and mix well.

• Microwave the mug for 1 min and 40 secs.(Every oven is different, so keep an eye and do not over cook.)

• Remove and serve warm with a scoop of your favorite ice-cream.

Masala Rice

The other day, i was searching for a flavored rice and started googling, i chanced upon this masala rice at http://showmethecurry.com/. The recipe was for leftover rice, but i used freshly cooked rice and was very much pleased as the ingredients seemed very simple and adding chana masala  to rice is something i would have never thought of. Also the flavor from chana masala was a total knockout, especially when fused with the aroma of freshly cooked basmati rice. This is a quick rice dish, which you can make it in less than 10 mins. If you are using leftover rice, just reheat the rice, in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 secs, with some water sprinkled to prevent drying out.

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice

1tbsp Chana masala powder

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tbsp Peanuts (roasted)

2 Green chillies (minced0

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

5-6 Curry leaves

1 pinch Asafoetida

1tbsp + 1tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Pressure cook the rice along with 1tsp oil and required salt.
• Fluff it and transfer to a bowl or plate. Add the chana masala powder, mix well and keep it aside.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida, followed by turmeric powder.

• Then add curry leaves, green chillies and roasted peanuts. (If you have raw peanuts, add it before curry leaves and roast'em.)

• Now reduce the flame, add the cooked rice into the skillet, gently toss and cook until rice is all heated through. Check salt for taste.

• Switch off and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve with raita or chips.