Lychee Coconut Ice-cream (Vegan & no-Churn)

Lychee is one of the delicious summer fruit which is favorite of all age groups. The rough, red leathery skin of this fruit fully contrasts with the white and creamy fruit inside. Its beauty is also beyond description when one sees it in bunches, especially in the orchard. As we know already that the King of fruit is MANGO where as the Queen of fruit is LYCHEE. Lychees are typically enjoyed fresh. Just remove the rough red colored skin and then squeeze the fleshy part directly into mouth discarding the seed 😉Lychee is a seasonal fruit, particularly summer is the time for this fruit to get abundantly.

Since this fruit is full of minerals, vitamins and some other nutrients, so lychee is also assigned with a named as Super Fruit. Lychee contains an impressive array of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. This fruit has more vitamin C than the same amount of any other citrus fruit, a significant amount of potassium and as much fiber as an apple. Well, at my place this is the time for the queen of fruit. So here I have come up with an ice-cream using this super food as Lychee Coconut Ice-cream.

This is the first time I have tried the recipe as well as tasted the delicious flavor. This ice-cream is an refreshing one for these ongoing hot summer days. There is no need of any ice cream machine to prepare this richest and creamiest homemade ice cream. This lychee coconut ice-cream is a vegan and gluten free ice cream. We all in my family thoroughly enjoyed this creamy refreshing flavored ice-cream. Addition of coconut is a wow factor here. Kids will definitely love this ice-cream. 

So do try this lychee coconut ice-cream soon. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also 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 😊

Preparation Time : 15 mins  |  Cooking Time : 10 mins

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Lychee	15-16 no
Coconut milk (full fat)	4 cup
Sugar	¾ cup
Desiccated coconut	3-4 tbsp
Corn starch	2 tbsp
Vanilla essence	2 tsp
Salt	¼ tsp

Method :

1. Peel the skin of all the lychee and discard the seeds.
2. Chop all the fleshes roughly and put in a blender jar.
3. Make a smooth puree and keep aside.
4. In a saucepan, take 2 cup coconut milk along with sugar and salt.
5. Stir well and warm over low-medium heat.
6. Stir in between till sugar dissolves completely.
7. Now in a bowl take rest 2 cup coconut milk, corn starch and mix well still no lumps are there.
8. Add this corn starch mixture to the pan and stir well.
9. After 5-6 minutes, the whole mixture starts to thicken.
10. Turn off heat.
11. Add in vanilla essence, litchi puree, desiccated coconut and mix very well using a spoon or hand whisk.
12. Allow to cool down completely.
13. Pour into a freezer-safe container having a tight lid. 
14. Cover with lid and place in the freezer until semi-firm.
15. Take out from freezer and pour the mixture into a blender jar.
16. Blend until smooth consistency reaches.
17. Again pour into that container and cover tightly with the lid.
18. Keep again in freezer for 6-7 hours or till the ice-cream set perfectly.
19. At the time serving, just scoop out and serve immediately !

Notes :

• Addition of desiccated coconut is optional. 

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Chhena Poda | Baked Cottage Cheesecake

Chhena Poda is an extremely popular smoky flavored sweet delicacy from the state of Odisha in Indian subcontinent. The odia word 'poda' means burnt and 'chhena' means cottage cheese, so Chhena Poda literally indicates a burnt cheesecake. And this is believed that this sweet dish is one of the most favorite dessert of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Odisha.

The history of this chhena poda tells that this smoky and sweet delicacy was originated in Nayagarh district of Odisha during the first half of the twentieth century by Sudarshana Sahoo. One-day instead of throwing out the left over chhena or cottage cheese while closing his shop, he decided to mix some sugar and nuts to those left overs and then placed inside the oven overnight (the oven was already tuned off and he didn't put on, but was still warm). And on the nextday, surprisingly he found an amazingly delicious sweet dish and named that as Chhena Poda. Now-a-days, this dish is becoming a bit popular and anybody can get chance to taste this sweet dessert in all over Odisha, particularly much in coastal areas.

This is prepared by baking a mixture of some well kneaded homemade fresh chhena (cottage cheese), sugar, dry fruits (cashews & raisins) and sooji until brown in color. After baking, the result is a soft cheese cake with caramelization all around. Fresh and soft chhena is the key factor of this sweet cake. This has basically a distinct strong flavor from caramelization of sugar. The whole process is so easy and simple and also a must try dish for sweet craving persons. This popular dessert will surely make a center piece of attraction in parties.

So do try this delicious Chhena Poda. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also 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 😊

Preparation Time : 10 mins  |  Cooking Time : 50 mins

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Chhena (cottage cheese)	500 gm
Sooji (semolina)	2 tbsp
Milk	½ cup
Sugar (granulated)	¾ cup
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Cashew (chopped)	2 tbsp
Raisin	2 tbsp
Ghee	5-6 tbsp

​
Method :

1. In a pan, fry chopped cashews and few raisins. Keep aside.
2. For caramelized effect on top of chhena poda, apply ghee (2 tbsp) all over a baking mold and then sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar. 
3. Put the baking mold into the oven for 5 mins at 210 deg. Remove from oven and keep aside too.
4. Preheat the oven at 180 deg.
5. Take chhena in a mixing bowl and mash it gently by hand. 
6. Then add sugar(1/2 cup), cardamom powder and mix properly.
7. Next add sooji, ghee (4 tbsp), milk, fried chopped cashews & raisins and mix well till everything incorporates well.
8. Transfer the chhena mixture into the mold evenly. Tap the mold a bit and bake at 180 deg for 40-45 mins / till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Take out the mold, cool it for 1-2 hours and then turn it upside down to get the deliciously soft chhena poda.
10. Cut into slices and serve warm / cold as desire !

Notes :

• Do not change the quantity of sugar for caramelization.
• Chhena poda can stay fresh refrigerated for up to 1-2 days.

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This Chhena Poda is contributed for the 145th theme of Foodie Monday Blog Hop team where the theme is 'Cakes'.

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Apple Boondi Halwa

Well few days ago one of my fellow blogger, Jolly suggested to start a event based upon alphabet. The idea is basically to prepare a dish whose main ingredient starts with the chosen alphabet. So finally the event 'A to Z Recipe Challenge' is started and this is the first month with the first alphabet A. From childhood, we all have grown with the saying that A for Apple, B for Ball 😉 Jokes apart, for me also always A means A for Apple. So I chose the main ingredient as APPLE.

There is an old saying you all might know as 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Actually this is absolutely true 😊 This fruit has a striking color and a rosy aroma as it belongs to the rose family of plants, Rosaceae. Since apples are stuffed with numerous vitamins and minerals, it contributes to a healthy and well-protected system. Apples contain plenty of antioxidants like flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamin C that help protect the body against harmful bacteria and viruses. While berries usually get most of the credit when it comes to supplying antioxidants, apples are a close runner-up 😊 There are a huge health benefits one can get from this fruit like

• great source of cancer fighting antioxidants
• good for diabetics and blood sugar regulation
• high in fiber
• a good source of vitamin C
• can help in weight loss
• a great immunity booster
• neutralize irritable bowel syndrome
• helps in preventing Cataract
• aid blood circulation
• act as a great anti-aging mask etc.

So I have come with a very simple dessert using this so nutritious fruit apple as Apple Boondi Halwa. Halwa means a sweet thick Indian dessert basically prepared using milk, ghee and sugar as the main ingredient mostly during festivals. But here I have not used any milk. Simply cook the grated apple in ghee, sugar and some flavor like cinnamon and cardamom and finally I have added some ready-made crumbled boondi ladoo ( round fried gram flour balls like pearls first soaked into sugar syrup, then flavored with edible camphor, cloves and cardamon, finally shaped into balls ). Finally I just sprinkle some chopped almonds while serving, but any dry-fruits of choice can be added while cooking the halwa too. The whole process is so simple yet tastes so delicious and healthy too. And kids will definitely love this lip smacking dessert. This apple boondi halwa is so perfect dish to prepare during festivals as well as a healthy after-school tiffin ideas for kids.

So do try this delicious Apple Boondi Halwa. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also 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 😊

Preparation Time : 15 mins  |  Cooking Time : 25 mins 

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Apple	5 no
Boondi ladoo	1-2 no
Granulated sugar	¼ cup
Cinnamon powder	1 tsp
Cardamom powder	½ tsp
Ghee	2 tbsp

Method :

1. Wash and peel all the apples first.
2. Core, dice each peeled apple and finally grate them.
3. Heat ghee in a pan.
4. Add in grated apple and fry for 5 minutes stirring in between over medium heat.
5. Now add granulated sugar and mix everything well.
6. Cook again till whole mixture starts to thicken.
7. Add cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and mix again well.
8. Cook for 1 minute more and then turn off heat.
9. Add the crumbled ladoo and mix well again.
10. Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle some finely chopped almonds and serve warm or cold !

Notes :

• Since the ladoos are ready made hence these are already sweet. So add sugar accordingly.
• Instead of grated apple, finely chopped apple also can be used.

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Aamras - Cardamom Flavored Mango Puree

Maharashtrian cuisine which belongs to Maharashtra, one of the western state of India is well known for its most tempting and lip smacking delicacies that are full of flavors and spices. Though it is characterized as mildly spicy food, the cuisine ranges from street food to snacks to fine cuisine. The food here is diverse because of the many communities that cover a range from mild to very spicy dishes. Maharashtrian food gets wonderfully strong aroma of spices from their freshly ground spice mix popularly known as Goda Masala and the use of garlic and ginger in abundance. Actually there are a varieties of dishes from this cuisine like modak, sol kadhi, puran poli, thalipeeth, pav bhaji, masala bhat, misal pav, aamras, kothimbir vadi, bharli vangi (stuffed eggplant), sabudana khichdi, sabudana vada and lots more.

This Monday, the Foodie Monday Blog Hop team has come up with the 144th theme as 'Maharashtrian Cuisine'. Well, when I came to know that this is the theme, then there were a lot of dishes came to my mind all of which are on my to-do list. But since the season of the king of fruit is going on, so I ended up with the delicious Aamras for the theme contribution. Aamras is one of the most popular dessert in Maharashtrian cuisine as well as in Gujarati cuisine, but a slight difference in taste. Maharashtrian aamras is flavored with cardamom where as Gujarati aamras or keri no ras is flavored with dry ginger powder and ghee. 

Aam means Mango and ras means the juice, so literally aamras indicates the juice of the fruit Mango. Traditionally, first the pulp is extracted from the ripe mangoes by using hands. Instead of this, anyone can simply chop the mangoes and blend in a blender to get the pulp. Then some sweetners like sugar or honey or jaggery powder is added along with cardamom powder. Actually if the mangoes are too sweet, then there is no need of any sweetner. This is recommended to choose the most sweet variety of mango like Alphonso, Pairi to prepare aamras for much flavor and sweetness. Mostly this summer delight is relished simply as it is or along with hot pooris or chapati.

So do try this delicious Aamras. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also 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 😊

Preparation Time : 5 mins  |  Cooking Time : 0 mins

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Mango (ripe & sweet)	2 no
Sugar (optional)	1-2 tbsp
Cardamom powder	¼ tsp

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Method :

1. First wash and peel the mango.
2. Chop roughly the mango and discard the stone. 
3. Put in a blender jar along with sugar.
4. Blend to a smooth consistency.
5. Strain through a strainer into a bowl to ensure that there is no lumps of mango still present.
6. Add cardamom powder and mix very well.
7. Put in refrigerate until serving. 
8. Serve the delicious chilled aamras as it is or with hot pooris !

Notes :

• If the mango is too sweet, then there is no need of adding sugar.
• A little amount of water can be added to get the desired consistency of the aamras.

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Mango Jam - no Sugar, no Pectin, no Artificial Color

Fruit preserves means the preparations of fruits along with some sweetener like sugar and then either canned or sealed to store for a longer shelf life. Varieties of fruit preserves are jam, jelly, marmalade etc. All these preserves differ from each other in consistency, ingredients used and the preparation method. But each of these preserves is so easy to make at home and tastes delicious.

• Jam is made from fruit that is crushed or chopped and then cooked with sugar until the fruit softens and loses its distinct shape. While the jam cooks, it loses water and thickens into a spreadable state.
• Jelly is the most refined one among all preserves in terms of processing. Here the fruit is crushed and cooked to extract the juice before being strained through a jelly bag or cheesecloth. The strained juice is then boiled with sugar and stabilizer, so that the jelly holds its shape. Jelly tends to be firmer than most other fruit spreads.
• Marmalade is one of the few preserves that does not require added pectin as citrus zests already contain a large amount of the natural gelling agent. Citrus zest and juice are frequently used in marmalade.

These fruit preserves have lasted beyond becoming outdated and are much popular sweet spreads for breads, sandwiches, and many other foods. Well, summer season is on full swing in India. And summer is the time of the fruit - Mango, the national fruit of India. It is a tropical fruit which plays the significant role from end of the spring to end of summer. So here I have come up with a preserve using this versatile fruit mango as Mango Jam.

This homemade mango jam is so easy to make and used only 3 ingredients. Though I have added a pinch of ginger powder, but it is completely optional. No pectin is used here, instead lemon juice is added to the jam. Since no pectin is added, so it is recommended to prepare in a small batch which will be finished within 3-4 weeks. Also if the much flavorful mango is opted then the jam'll be with more bursting smell. This mango jam is healthy one since no sugar is added. I have added honey in place of sugar and that too a little since the mangoes which i have used are more ripe ones and sweet too. Just apply on any favorite toasts or tea cake or even over salty cookies and relish !

So do try this vegan and healthy Mango Jam. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also 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 😊

Preparation Time : 10 mins  |  Cooking Time : 25 mins 

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Mango pulp (ripe)	2 cup
Honey	2-3 tbsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Ginger powder (optional)	1 pinch

Method :

1. In a nonstick pan, take mango pulp.
2. Over low heat, cook the pulp stirring in between.
3. Then pour honey and mix using a wooden spatula.
4. After 2-3 minutes add in ginger powder and mix everything well.
5. Keep cooking stirring in between till the whole mixture will be of a slightly thick consistency and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
6. Turn off heat.
7. Add in lemon juice and give a quick mix.
8. Allow the jam to cool down completely.
9. Store in a clean and dry air tight container.

Notes :

• I prefer my jam to be smooth, so used mango pulp. But small chunks of ripe mangoes can be preferred. Then the cooking time will be bit  more.
• Adjust the amount of honey depending upon the sweetness desire.
• Always prefer to keep the jam in refrigerator for longer shelf life. 

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This 'Mango Jam with no Sugar, no Pectin, no Artificial Color' is contributed for 48 Healthy Wellthy Cuisines where the theme is 'Summer Preserves'. Here are more similar recipes shared by our Healthy Wealthy Group members as Mango Pickles, Strawberry Jam, No-Sugar Strawberry Preserves with Chia. 

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