Kesar Badam Lassi | Saffron-Almond Yogurt Drink (sugar free)

Summer and cold beverages are co-related. Even pre-monsoon period is also bit hectic and most of us need some refreshing drink. Sweltering time and a tall glass of lassi always go hand-in-hand. Isn't it ? Well Lassi, the traditional Indian beverage is one of such kind of drink which is much popular in all parts of Indian subcontinent. Basically the main ingredients in the lassi is the yogurt / curd / dahi.  To get traditional touch, lassi is served in earthen pots called matkas. Few days ago I had shared a different flavor of lassi as Bael Lassi.

Today's post is similar kind of beverage but prepared using almonds / badam as Kesar Badam Lassi or Saffron-Almond Yogurt Drink. This lassi is much smooth and creamy with tiny chunks of almonds. For the sweetness here I used honey instead of sugar. The thickness of the lassi can be adjusted by adding less or more milk. Even some ice cubes can be added by omitting milk here. Do try this completely gluten free and sugar free kesar badam lassi to get refreshed. Do check also some other beverages from my blog.

Recipe Card for 'Kesar Badam Lassi | Saffron-Almond Yogurt Drink (sugar free)' :

beverage, Lassi, Indian Summer drink, Yogurt, dahi,Gluten free, Honey, Almond, Saffron,

beverage, Lassi, Indian Summer drink, Gluten free

Indian

Author: sasmita

Kesar Badam Lassi / Saffron-Almond Yogurt Drink (sugar free)

a perfect go hand-in-hand Indian yogurt beverage to beat the sweltering summer using almond and saffron

prep time: 10 Mcook time: total time: 10 M

ingredients:

• Yogurt (curd) 1 cup
• Milk 1/4 cup
• Almond (badam) (roughly chopped) 6-7 no.
• Saffron 8-9 strand
• Honey 1 tbsp
• Cardamom 1 no.
• Rose essence 2 drop

instructions:

How to cook Kesar Badam Lassi / Saffron-Almond Yogurt Drink (sugar free)

1. In a small bowl, soak the saffron strands in 1 tbsp of milk.
2. Next in a blender jar take curd, milk, roughly chopped almonds, honey.
3. Blend to make a smooth puree.
4. Then add saffron milk along with freshly powdered cardamom and rose essence.
5. Again blend and pour into serving glasses.
6. Sprinkle some finely chopped almonds, saffron strands and serve chilled !

NOTES:

Rose essence is optional. But this gives a nice aromatic flavor to the kesar badam lassi.

If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also kindly rate the recipe below, give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as @firsttimercook on Instagram.

You may also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

This Kesar Badam Lassi is contributed for 'Summer Drink' theme of Food For Feast group. Also read some awesome summer drink recipes shared by my co-blogger friends : Watermelon Juice, Lemonade with basil seeds.

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Vegan Gujarati Dal Dhokli

India's westernmost state, Gujurat is very famous for food. Even it is said that, if you live in Gujarat and you don’t like food to eat then you are not a true Gujarati :p . The special thing of Gujarati food is that in each dish there is some amount of sweet factor added. This Gujarati cuisine is one of the the oldest culinary treasures of India and is primarily vegetarian. There is a huge variety of vegetarian dishes, each with its unique cooking style which can be eaten all the time. 

Well Dal Dhokli is one of the traditional dish of Gujarat state of India. The main ingredients here are lentil / dal and wheat flour. The toor dal / arhar dal / split pigeon pea is the lentil variety and is the most popular one in Gujarat. Here the dish has a smooth texture liquid part comes from the dal to which some wheat flour slices are added. The wheat flour dough along with some gram flour is rolled into a thin circle like chapati and then cut into small diamond shapes using a knife or cutter. The traditional method uses ghee for the tempering part, but as I am keeping the whole dish completely vegan so used vegetable oil.

The dish is very healthy and loaded with nutrients. It is like a Indian soup which can be thoroughly enjoyed through out the whole year. This dish is also found in Rajasthani cuisine where jaggery is not used and in Maharastrian cuisine where some kokum is used as tangy factor in the dish. In Gujarati dal dhokli the sweetness comes from jaggery and the freshly squeezed lemon juice adds the tangyness. This is almost a kind of One-Pot meal means can be served as it is. Even one can enjoy this along with some steamed rice. Today I had this hot dal dhokli as it is with some papad :P .

Recipe Card for 'Sugar free Ragi cookies | Finger Millet cookies' :

Gujarati cuisine, Vegan, One pot meal, Vegetarian dish, Wheat flour, Lentil, Toor dal, Split pigeon pea, Jaggery, lemon juice

SIde dish, One pot meal, Gujarati cuisine, Vegan

Gujarati

Author: sasmita

Dal Dhokli (Gujarati Cuisine)

an one-pot-meal with mixed flavors of spicy as well as sweet using wheat flour and lentil as the main ingredients

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 45 M

ingredients:

For dhokli

• Wheat flour 1/2 cup
• Besan (gram flour) 1 tbsp
• Ajwain 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Oil 1 tsp
• Salt as needed
• Water as needed

For dal

• Toor dal (split pigeon peas) 1/2 cup
• Tomato (finely chopped) 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery (grated) 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice 1 tbsp
• Peanut (roasted) (optional) 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaf (finely chopped) 1-2 tbsp
• Ginger (grated) 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seed 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seed 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaf 1 sprig
• Green chili 1-2 no.
• Salt as needed
• Oil as needed
• Water as needed

instructions:

How to cook Dal Dhokli (Gujarati Cuisine)

1. Wash and clean the toor dal.
2. Put in a pressure cooker along with finely chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and enough water (2-3 cup) .
3. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook the dal till done over medium heat.
4. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl take all the ingredients under dhokli except water.
5. Mix everything and then add water little by little to make a soft dough.
6. Cover and keep aside.
7. Next to the cooked dal add grated jaggery, grated ginger and 1 cup water. Mix well till the dal blend well either using a spoon or even using a hand blender.
8. Keep the pressure cooker over low heat.
9. Now make 2 parts of the dough.
10. Take 1 part at a time and roll into a thin chapati / roti over a floured surface.
11. Cut the rolled dough using a knife or even with any cutter into diamond shapes which are known as Dhokli.
12. Put the dhoklis 2-3 pieces at a time, otherwise these'll stick to each other.
13. Give a stir and repeat till all the dhoklis are added to the dal.
14. Cook till dhoklis are well done.
15. Heat oil in a tadka pan.
16. Add cumin seed, mustard seed, green chilies and allow to crackle.
17. Add curry leaves and wait for 4-5 second.
18. Then pour this tempering over the dal dhokli mixture.
19. Give a gentle stir and then add lemon juice, roasted peanuts.
20. Stir again and turn off heat
21. Add all the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot !

NOTES:

Ghee can be used instead of oil. Spiciness is as desired.

If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also kindly rate the recipe below, give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as @firsttimercook on Instagram.

You may also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

This Vegan Gujarati Dal Dhokli is contributed for 201th theme of the Foodie Monday Blog Hop foodie group which is decided as 'Jamva Chalo Ji' and suggested by 'Mayuri di' who blogs at Mayuri's Jikoni. 

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Stuffed Mango Sandesh

Summer means Mango is on full-fledged. Anywhere one can surely notice mango, that may be in roadside stalls, supermarkets, backyards and even on roadside trees. Hence noone should miss the chance to enjoy this king fruit, Mango. And being a huge lover of Mango, my pantry always is loaded with varieties of mangoes. Also I never mind to have this fruit at any time of the day 😋

This year, I have already prepared and posted some dishes in my blog using either raw or ripe mangoes are 

• Mango Salad (Vegan & Gluten free),
• Aam ka Chunda / Chundo (Gujurati Sweet Mango Pickle),
• Aam Kasundi / Mango Mustard Sauce, 
• Minty Mango Iced Tea (Virgin),
• Kairi ka Raita / Raw Mango Raita / Kancha Amba Pachadi. 

And also many other before are there too, do check. So before the mango season goes away, one should definitely make use of this fruit.

Well, today's post is a sweet dessert using mango that too from Bengali cuisine as 'Stuffed Mango Sandesh'. Doesn't it sound interesting ? oh yes, it is. Some days before, we were at a party and there I came across a dessert similar to this where some chocolate sandeshes are rolled with pineapple slices. Oh my goodness, i was just in love with that, they had so beautifully presented those cute sandeshes. As the mango season is going on, so I prepared some mango sandeshes rolled with thinly slices of mangoes. Completely gluten free dessert is this.

The process is quite simple and easy. One can within a few times, prepare these cute looking sandeshes. I always prefer to use homemade chhena rather than store bought ones. Instead of chhena, some paneer can be opted here. As I am using chhena so I just mash with heels of my hand to get a soft texture so that all other ingredients'll easily incorporated with that. If paneer is used, then i will suggest to take all the ingredients along with paneer in a blender jar and just blend to get a smooth paste. 

Rest other procedure is same for both chhena as well as paneer. Mango essence if possible do add in the sandesh, I don't have so added cardamom powder. These stuffed mango sandeshes are perfect eye-catchy dessert option in any party or gathering celebration. After preparing, these can be stored in refrigerator and also taste great if served cold ! Some more sandesh from my blog are Pista Sandesh, Strawberry Sandesh. Do check.

Recipe Card for 'Stuffed Mango Sandesh' :

Dessert, Gluten free, Mango, Sandesh, Bengali Cuisine, Vegetarian Dessert, Sondesh

Dessert, Gluten free, Mango, Sandesh

Bengali

Author: sasmita

Stuffed Mango Sandesh

a most popular Bengali dessert flavored with Mango and stuffed with thin mango slices

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time: 30 M

ingredients:

• Chenna 250 gram
• Mango 1 no.
• Mango pulp 2-3 tbsp
• Sugar (powdered) 7 tbsp
• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
• Saffron few strands
• Pistachio (finely chopped)   for garnishing

instructions:

How to cook Stuffed Mango Sandesh

1. Wash and peel the mango.
2. Cut thin slices of mango lengthwise and keep over a plate lined with paper towel.
3. Then take the chenna in a plate and mash it with heels of the hand till it becomes soft & you start feeling the oil in the palm.
4. Then stop mashing and add powdered sugar, cardamom powder and mango pulp. Mix well.
5. Take this mixture in a heavy bottom pan and cook over low heat.
6. Stir continuously, till the mixture starts leaving the pan and is thickened like a soft dough consistency.
7. Turn off the heat and keep aside to cool completely.
8. Make small balls from the soft dough, give 2-2.5 inch long cylindrical shape.
9. Now take one mango slice, place one mango sandesh on the center and roll gently so that the mango slice cover the sandesh.
10. Similarly roll all the sandeshes.
11. Sprinkle some finely chopped pistachios and saffron strands on the top of each stuffed mango sandesh.
12. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve !!

NOTES:

Mango essence if available then add instead of cardamom powder here. Always preferred to serve chilled. Sweetness is as desired.

If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also kindly rate the recipe below, give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as @firsttimercook on Instagram.

You may also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

This Stuffed Mango Sandesh is contributed for 200th theme of the Foodie Monday Blog Hop foodie group. It is such a proud moment for all the very cooperative members of this group who are continuously contributing to the group which is reached at its 200th no of post. As you must be known that this is a Facebook group which focuses to make a new post as a per a theme decided earlier by the members of the group. This time for the celebration, we decided to cook recipes from our fellow members blog following the Robin Round method. And for me, after my name alphabetically Sujata Roy di's name comes. While searching through out her blog, many Bengali sweets came to knowledge and from those I opted the Mango Sandesh, but with some variation.

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