INDIAN SWEETS

sweet bonda -Vada in Coconut Milk

October 20, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Sweet Bonda- soft spongy Urad Dal Vada soaked in sweetened coconut milk. It’s a heirloom recipe of a very culturally rich small community of a district in Tanjore/Thanjavur. Perfect Navratri Sweet.

The memories of this sweet bonda traces back to when I was about 14-15 yrs. Back road drives, our yearly trips with aunts, uncles and cousins.

That year we visited Tanjore, South India. Tanjore is known for many things: It’s paintings, the very popular temples that were build during the Chola empire, and their hospitality. How can I forget the food?! To this day, Thanjavur and it’s food has stuck with me. We stayed at my mom friend’s home. A traditional home with thatched roofs, inviting thinnai and beams that were intricately carved out of teak wood. There are not enough synonyms to describe how varied their food is and how very delicious it is.

Reaching Tanjore past midnight, we went straight to bed after a few minutes of obligatory talk….

Modak/Kozhukkatai/Sweet dumplings with sesame and coconut

August 18, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Modak/Kozhukkatai, a sweet dumpling served on the auspicious day of the birth of Ganesha, the elephant GOD. It’s nutty, sweet and with a drizzle of ghee, it’s irresistible.

You are what you eat, so eat something sweet!

He sits majestically, adorned with flowers and a spread of Modak, laddos, corn, puffed rice and vada is abundantly piled on a silver platter and placed in front of him. The moment we dread, with tears: mom dad and myself have to bid him goodbye for a year. Dad does the aarti, and we take him to do visarjan( leave him in water}. Sighs. It’s a sad few moments.

Morning starts off real early, 5.00 a.m to be exact. A bath and new clothes, a brass plate in hand, dad and I get ready to go bring Ganesha from commercial street. A place where my grandfather and his father got the custom made Lord that’s made out of a mould, and liberally sprinkled with gold dust….

Gujiya Pie – Modern take on the traditional

March 17, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Gujiya Pie, a modern take on a beloved Indian treat. Gujiya or deep fried hand pies are a quintessential treat for Diwali and Holi. Gujiya Pie is a unique treat that is easy to make and impressive for a party or take to a potluck.

One of the most awaited festivals and celebrated throughout India is Holi. Holi is celebrated in India by the people to get rejuvenated after the months of winter season. People meet, hug, share sweet, play with color, visit their homes together, eat delicious foods, wear new clothes. It a nice way to form a bond, re kindle friendships and camaraderie. It brings out the child in everyone.

It’s a tradition that dates back millenniums. It is the greatest festival of Hindus indicates the triumph of good over evil. It’s a festival that is celebrated over two days and marks the beginning of spring….

Sweet Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal / Ven Pongal

January 14, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Sakkarai Pongal or Sweet Pongal is a speciality of Southern part of India. Made during the festival of Sankranthi and Pongalm its also a very popular breakfast. It is made with rice, daal and jaggery. It’s topped with ghee and nuts. A sweet treat like none other.

Pongal / Sankranti to all who celebrate!! When they say India is a land of festivals, it is true. We probably have a festival every month of the year. The crazy part is that they are not small festivals; each one is big. Pongal is a harvest festival dedicated to Sun God. It’s a celebration of the first crop. It’s celebrated over four days, each day with its own significance. You can read more about the mythology and significance behind Pongal here.…

Pumpkin Halwa Swirled Vanilla Ice Cream with Saffron Sesame Crumble

November 18, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This homemade pumpkin halwa icecream is so easy to whip up. It’s packed full of ingredients you most likely have on hand already, and isn’t too ingredient-heavy. Mix it with store bought ice cream, or make your own ice cream. Topped with crunchy brittle, it’s a surely winning dessert.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Before this week is over, many of us would have had a couple get-togethers with family or friends.

I have to admit: Thanksgiving is my favorite celebration among the many American traditions. I find the meaning behind it intriguing, and I enjoy the holiday. It’s about family, and being grateful and thankful for everything. And this Thanksgiving, I am more than thankful to be among my favorite people, my FAMILY. Words can’t explain how grateful and thankful I am for everything that’s happened to me….

Top 10 Quick Diwali Sweets

November 1, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Here are a few quick sweets to make last minute Diwali is right out the corner. Colors, lights, fireworks, clothes, family, friends, parties, dancing, and, of course, we can’t forget the food. The food and sweet is in abundance. It has the spirit of coming together, laughing over mugs of coffee and tea, snacking, and just relaxing. One of the specialties of Diwali is the snacks that are prepared days before the actual festival. Here are my top 5 Quick Diwali sweets I make every year and it is loved and enjoyed. Happy Diwali from ours to yours!!

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Badam Puri – Deep Fried Almond Saffron Crispy Crackers

October 27, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

A sweet, layered, crispy, deep-fried delicacy of Karnataka, badam puri is an absolute delight during festivals. These badam puri/almond crackers, unlike the traditional ones, have badam/almonds in it and are sweetened with sugar. They make great Diwali sweet gifts, all wrapped in cute boxes.

All eight of us are put to work. Uncles, dad, mom and I. The prep for the big day of the year begins a week before the day. There’s the shopping for the pooja, the lights are put up. The home is cleaned; the baseboards, the fans, and every inch of the home are dusted and shown love. Shopping for new clothes is such a fun experience. The streets are filled with happy people carrying at least three bags on each hand. The spirit of this festival can be seen in their eyes and in the streets….

Brown Butter Caramalized Banana Semolina Mini Cake with aka Sheera Cake

September 30, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

These mini brown butter banana semolina cakes are perfect for entertaining and for festivals. They taste like a popular Indian dessert called Sheera, but in cake form!

India can easily be called the “Land of Festivals.”

This whole month has been very religious for many. I always love sharing the festival food on social media. For me, it’s always such a wonderful time to spread love and food.

This festival, Ayudha/Saraswathi Pooja, is one which is particularly celebrated in Southern India. Ayudh means instruments, so this festival is all about giving due respect to the things that we use everyday. Cars, homes, etc. are cleaned in detail. Respecting the ordinary things which we would take for granted otherwise….

Malpua (Sweet Pancake) Stuffed With Ricotta-Coconut Rum Cream

October 24, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

“Alcohol and desserts are pretty great on their own. When combined, the results are often epic”. – Ash

Diwali is right out the corner. Colors, lights, fireworks, clothes, family, friends, parties, dancing, and, of course, we can’t forget about the food. There is so much food and sweets. I love the spirit of this festival. It has the spirit of coming together, laughing over mugs of coffee and tea, snacking, and just relaxing. One of the specialties of Diwali is the snacks that are prepared days before the actual festival…

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No-churn Pistachio-Coconut Cardamom Ice Cream with Chocolate

July 13, 2016 By Asha Shivakumar

This deliciously easy ice cream is full of flavor and has coconut and pistachios that make it nutty and crunchy. Make this no churn pistachio icecream and you’ll love.

It’s summer here, and it’s monsoon season in India where I am right now. Monsoon in Bangalore is beautiful. The weather is quite perfect, not too cold or chilly. It rains, but not crazily. Being here, travelling around, and trying different foods is an amazing feeling.

There’s a huge selection of food here. From the authentic Karnataka Ragi Roti (finger millet tortilla) to a Belgian waffle flavored with rich Indian spices, everything is easily accessible.

The palette right now is wide. The ice cream flavors are numerous, with wine ice cream, cherry-mango ice cream, and butterscotch pistachio ice cream. Throughout my childhood years, I don’t remember having fruit based ice creams or desserts at all. It wasn’t that popular then. The ice cream that were fruit based were probably artificially flavored, so it was a natural instinct to go for the nutty cardamom or saffron ones, but a no churn pistachio icecream. It’s all so different now.

Although I do like the fruit ones, I still have a strong bond to the ones I grew up with. This is one of them., the no churn pistachio icecream.

Who wouldn’t like a luscious, smooth, sweet nutty ice cream? We Indians have a strong relationship with cardamom. The no churn was a popular method to make ice cream, since regular households didn’t have an ice cream machine then. I stuck to that method with slight changes after seeing Nigella Lawson’s Popular No-Churn Ice Cream.

This is one of our favorite flavors and it works so well together. I made cones using my recipe for Pizzelle.

If you make this no churn pistachio icecream, tag me on social media.

Have a lovely week my friends!!

Asha

5.0 from 3 reviews

Pistachio-Coconut Cardamom Icecream with Chocolate

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

The easiest no churn icecream is perfect for the summer days and these flavors are classic and delicious.

Author: Ash

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

4 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream chilled
1 can condensed milk
⅓ cup coconut cream
½ cup pistachio coarse paste
½ tsp green cardamom powder or powder for 3-4 cardamom pods
Semi sweet melted chocolate
2 tbsp coconut oil
Cones to serve in

Instructions

Clean the whipping bowl and the whisk very well and dry it. You can leave the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes before whipping the cream.
Add the condensed milk, coconut cream and the chilled whipping cream and whip it on low speed, around 3 for 3 minutes so it can slowly whip. Then whip it on medium high for another 5 minutes at high speed until it is almost to a stiff peak stage. Stop the machine and add the pistachio paste and whip it for another 30 seconds to a minute until stiff peak and stop immediately. Pour in a ice cream pan or box and chill overnight.
Melt the chocolate on double broiler, add coconut oil in it and drizzle on the icecream once it is completely chilled.
Enjoy

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