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.

Spicy Avocado Chutney

Avocado is a rich, buttery fruit but very bland to eat it by itself. You must be familiar with the guacamole(a dip made out of avocado) found in the Mexican cuisine. Just by adding a few spices you can amp up the flavor, increase the heat and blend it to an unbelievable tasting indian style chutney. With a healthy dosage of heart-healthy fats in every spoonful, you can gobble up the chutney as a spread for crackers or as a dip for vegetables. I actually prepared this chutney to accompany my Dosa . It tasted out of the world and I am sure you will love this chutney just like we did. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 ripe Avocado

5 pearl onions

2 green chili

3 Garlic cloves

1/4 cup Cilantro packed

Few Curry leaves

1 tsp Tamarind

Pinch Asafoetida

2 dry red chili

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Urad dal

Salt, to taste

1 tsp +1 tsp Oil

Seasoning (optional)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Asafoetida

Few Curry leaves

How to:

• Cut the avocado in half, twist and open. Carefully remove the seed. Now score vertical and horizontal lines without piercing the skin and gently scoop out with a spoon.

• Roast the dry red chili, cumin seeds and urad dal in 1 tsp of oil.

• Let cool, grind to a coarse powder and keep aside.

• In the same pan, heat the remaining oil, add the onions, green chili, garlic, curry leaves and tamarind and saute for 3-5 mins.

• Finally add the cilantro, saute for a min.

• Switch off and let it cool.

• In a blender, add the onion-cilantro mixture along with avocado, salt and grind coarsely.

• Now add the ground spice powder and pulse it until smooth (or bit chunky if you like it).

• Transfer it a bowl and add the optional seasoning.

•  Serve the chutney with idly or dosa.