Mango Cheese Cake

Fresh ripe mangoes are used to make this light and refreshing cheesecake. This is delightfully delicious dish and can be enjoyed by just about everyone.

Ingredients serve 8
Crust
1 cup graham cracker squares, crushed (or marie biscuits)
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter

Filling
1 1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 large ripe mango

For the Mango Glaze
1 mango (1/2 cup), peeled, chopped and pureed
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice

For Garnish
8 thin mango slices
Few mint leaves

Method
Crust
Preheat oven to 175 degree C.
Add broken graham crackers, sugar and butter to a food processor. Mix well until looks nicely crumbled, takes approx. 30 seconds.
Place graham cracker mix into a 9” pie plate, spread evenly and press down firmly.
Bake at 175 degree C for 6 minutes, on the medium rack.

For the Mango Glaze
Place all the ingredients for the glaze in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. When it begins to boil, reduce the flame and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Allow to come to room temperature and then spread the glaze over the cheesecake with a spoon. Allow the glaze to set over the cheesecake for 2 to 3 hours or more before slicing it.  Allow the cheesecake to set for an hour or so before spreading the glaze over it.

Filling
Prepare mango by peeling and chopping into chunks.
Add mango chunks, cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch to the food processor. Mix for 20 seconds, until it is smooth in texture. Do not mix for too long.

How to proceed
Pour the mixture over the pie crust and bake for 35 minutes at 175 degrees C. The surface should look dry and cooked.
Let the cheesecake cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Pour glaze and garnish with mango slices.

Tips
If using Marie biscuits then reduce the amount of sugar in crust.
If transferred out of the oven too quickly, the cheesecake could crack so allow it to sit in the oven (turned off) for sometime
Adding a teaspoon of corn flour to the cheese cake batter prevents the cake from cracking.

Cheesy Melon Skewers

Quick to make starter & with a difference :)

Ingredients (makes 10)
10 toothpicks
20 melon balls (scoop outs), seedless
Cheese slices or cheese cubes (cut in small squares)
1 tbsp mixed herbs
Pinch of red chilli flakes
salt to taste

Method
Sprinkle cheese with herbs, salt & chilli flakes
Arrange on tooth pick like shown.
Serve chilled :)

Tips
Make these few hours in advance & refrigerate, covered with cling film.
Make sure to remove seeds from melon.
You can cut melon in squares, same as cheese, & either arrange them on tooth pick or just keep a cheese slice on a melon slice & a spring of mint & serve.

Veg Frankie

A quick meal you can fix for your kids anytime of the day :)

Ingredients
For The Rotis (makes 4)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
salt to taste
1/4 tsp oil for kneading
butter or oil for cooking

Spread
2 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp green chutney

Paneer Stuffing
1 cup crumbled fresh paneer
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp pizza seasoning

Capsicum Stuffing
1/2 cup shredded cabbage or lettuce leaves
1 cup red & yellow capsicum, diced
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
Salt & pepper to taste

Method
For The Rotis
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into a soft and pliable dough using enough water. Cover the dough with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Knead again using ¼ tsp of oil till it is smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll out each into approx. 8" diameter thin circle.
Heat a tava (griddle) and cook each roti lightly on a medium flame, using little butter or oil, and keep aside.

Paneer Stuffing
Mix everything and keep aside.

Capsicum Stuffing
Mix everything and keep aside.

How to proceed
Apply the mayo & chutney spread evenly on roti.
Place paneer stuffing in the centre.
Place capsicum stuffing on paneer. Sprinkle a tsp of chutney on the stuffing.
Roll it up tightly & secure with a toothpick if you want.
Serve immediately with any sauce.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more frankies.

Tips
Add salt to vegetables just before you want to make frankies, or else they will lose lots of water and frankies will become soggy.
You can use any filling in frankies, just use your imagination.

Raw Mango Jam

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Raw Mango (peeled and finely grated)
3/4 cup sugar (if you like it more sweet, increase accordingly)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Pinch of Cardamom

Method
Mix grated mango with salt & keep for aside few hrs. It will leave water.
Take a wok & put all ingredients along with the grated mango water.
Place the wok on medium flame. Keep stirring.
It will be ready when all the liquid dries up & the jam will have a golden colour.

Tips

Jam should simmer at a very slow boil. If it is too high, it will burn.
Don't make this jam in an aluminum wok or the colour of jam will turn dark brownish.
You can avoid cardamom powder & use saffron threads instead (dissolve 2-3 threads in 1/2 tsp water & rub). Or you can avoid both; it will still taste & smell good :)
Enjoy the tasty raw mango jam with bread, dosas, chapatis and rotis.

Cheesy Penne

My Kids favorite & super easy to make. After eating this they said its same as we ate in Taj Exotica, Goa....the best compliment :D

Ingredients Serves 4
3 cups cooked penne
2 cloves of garlic, chopped (optional)
1 cups broccoli florets
1 cup red/yellow/green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup baby corn, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup grated processed cheese
2 tbsp butter
salt and black pepper powder to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Red Chilli flakes

Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add the baby corn, zucchini & broccoli and saute till little tender.
Add bell pepper, basil, milk, cream, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Add the Penne, cheese and oregano & chilli flakes.
Toss lightly & Serve hot.

Tips
If you like little more sauce then increase the milk & cream accordingly.

You can use any shape of pasta in this :)

Cherry Cobbler

Cherry cobbler is a classic American fruit dessert made with cherries and a thick upper crust. This deep dish pie is especially popular during the summer months, when cherries are in season. As the cobbler cooks, the topping browns and develops a slightly bubbly appearance, and the fruit juices often squeeze up through the cracks in the topping and caramelize, creating sweet, rich syrup.

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted

For Dough
3 tbsp butter, melted        
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt                    
1 tsp baking powder        
1/2 cup milk                                    
3/4 cup white sugar                        

For Topping
1 tbsp cornstarch            
1 cup boiling water                    
3/4 cup white sugar

Pinch of cinnamon                   

Method
For Dough
Mix 3/4 cup sugar, butter or margarine, flour, salt, baking powder, and milk together. Keep aside.

For Topping
In a small bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in boiling water. Keep aside.

How To Proceed
Place cherries in the bottom of a 9 inch square pan. (I used Rectangular).
Spread dough over cherries.
Pour topping mixture over the dough.

Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Bake at 175 ˚C for 45 minutes or till the top turns golden.
Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream.

Tips
* Dough should have the consistency of a thick batter (means its not thick like a typical dough).
* You can put the dough in a piping bag and decorate on cherries instead of just pouring it.
* Original recipe had 1 cup of sugar in dough, but I found it little too sweet so it's up-to you, how sweet you want your cobbler :)
* For variety, replace the cherries with blueberries, peaches, or apples OR best mix them all up n use. Like I made it here :)

Mango colada

Easy to make drink :)

Ingredients Serves 2 to 3
1 1/2 Cups Coconut Water
1/2 Cup Fresh Coconut Meat/cream
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Pineapple (Chopped)
1 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tbsp sugar
2 Cups Mango Purée
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Ice Cubes

Method
First blend all of the ingredients, except mango puree & ice cubes, until fully blended and smooth.
Then add mango puree and ice cubes and blend again until creamy, thick and frosty.
Pour into tall serving glasses.

Cold Cucumber Soup

Spicy cucumber soup...

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 cucumbers peeled & chopped

1/2 inch piece ginger chopped

1-2 green chilies chopped

3 cups buttermilk

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

Salt to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

6-8 mint leaves

Few mint leaves to garnish

Method

Take chopped cucumber in a blender. Add ginger, green chilli, salt, white pepper powder and mint leaves and blend till smooth. Add buttermilk, lemon juice and blend again. Transfer into a serving bowl and chill. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Tips

Buttermilk should be lump free. If you do not have buttermilk, you can mix equal quantities of curd and water and whisk till smooth.

You can use Black pepper powder if you are out of white pepper powder.

Biscuit Mango Soufflé

In this season of mango try out new mango desserts. Biscuit mango Soufflé is an easy and fast to make mango dessert. Here I'm giving two versions, with and without cream Soufflé. Both are yummy :) 

With Cream
Ingredients
250 gm fresh paneer
200 gm fresh cream
1 cup crushed Marie biscuits
2 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 cup mango cubes small
4 tbsp sugar

Method
Mix melted butter & Marie biscuits. Set a layer in individual cups. Freeze for 1/2 an hour.
Churn paneer, cream, sugar & 1/2 cup mango cubes in blender.
Mix rest of mango cubes in this mixture.
Layer this above the biscuit layer. Garnish with mango slices.
Cover with a cling film and freeze for few hours before serving.

Without Cream

Ingredients
2 mangoes
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup Marie biscuit
2 tbsp melted butter

Method
Grind the mangoes and sugar together. Make a smooth and thick paste of it.
Crunch all the biscuits into small pieces. Don't crunch it too small else the crunch effect of the biscuits will not last.
Mix melted butter & Marie biscuits. Set a layer in individual cups. Freeze for 1/2 an hour.
Now pour the mango paste over it. You can either make just two layers or repeat biscuit layer and then mango layer till the cups fills.
Garnish with mango balls & sprinklers.
Cover with a cling film & keep refrigerated for 2 hours and serve cold.