COFFEE ICE-CREAM

 

We had locked Danny out in the balcony as Skip was having breakfast. I was at my work desk, whipping out a draft when I heard Skip call out for me, followed by some incoherent sounds.

Lockdown has given me selective deafness and I wondered if it had turned into the actual one. While I wriggled my pinkie in my ear, the calls became frantic. Skip was standing with the plate in his hand, pointing towards the curtain rod adjoining the door that led to the balcony. I kept staring at it, seeing nothing untoward…

…until I heard the word Squirrel. ( I’m getting goosebumps even as I type this out). Those new to my blog may perhaps not know of my extreme fear of critters (including birds) that enter the house. I am at times unable to move in fear and have been known to abandon my baby and run for my dear life when a vicious  magpie, looking to attack only me, entered the house.

I, thankfully had my phone with me. I called my father-in-law and  whilst precious seconds ticked away, having to listen to the recorded, automated message on the importance of vaccination, Skip and I  had our eyes glued on the squirrel. I mustered enough courage to be able to talk in my extremely calm, low-pitched voice (at times like these, I cannot scare people by howling into the phone as soon as they receive the call) and asked him to come up and save us from the squirrel.

What followed was a chaotic chase. Danny had to be let in as the balcony door had to be opened to let the squirrel out. Danny spotted the critter and started barking. The Squirrel jumped on to our bar section and curled up into a ball (it was all an act, I would say). I pulled Skip in front of me as a human shield. My father-in-law, coolly walked into the kitchen, got a long-handled broom and gently prodded the squirrel out of the house. It ran out and jumped on to the jackfruit tree facing our house.

Skip proclaimed I had frightened the Squirrel away.

All in a ‘work from home’ day’s work!

My favourite flavour in ice-cream is coffee and while adding the coffee powder, I wondered if it was enough for the flavour to come through.

Yes, it was!

Oh, how I miss the Corner House Coffee Ice-Cream but I could confidently say this came pretty close to it in taste, if not in texture.

If you do not have heavy cream, you can also use fresh cream. Read up on how to use fresh cream for ice creams on this post – Mango icecream.

Stay home, stay safe and follow me on Facebook and Instagram (Lucidlucent).

COFFEE ICE-CREAM

Ingredients:

Instant coffee powder – 3 gms (2 tsps)

Hot water – 2 tbsps

Heavy cream – 250 gm (1 cup)

Condensed milk – 200 gm (1/2 cup)

Method:

1.     Whip the cream and set aside.

2. Dissolve the coffee powder in hot water. Once cooled, add it to the condensed milk and mix well.

3. Add the whipped cream to the condensed milk mixture and mix until fully combined.

4.     Pour the mixture into the ice-cream tin. You may also additionally pour coffee decoction on the ice cream mixture and swirl it.

5.     Freeze it overnight.

6.     Done.

 

 

 

 

 

CHICKEN 65

 

Lockdown conversations: I find myself laughing at the silliest of jokes (which under normal circumstances would have merely provoked a snicker from me) and giggling even while having the most sedate of conversation. It must be my way of coping with the current situation.

The other day I was speaking to Honeylaze (yup, you read the name right, this is her gamer name) and typically our conversation revolves around books, food, parenting and work but here we were, discussing online games. Honeylaze told me she beat her children’s score at bowling and also sent me screenshots to prove her gaming prowess. Much against my better judgment, I downloaded the App and you will find me sneaking in a game between cooking and washing vessels.

I called my Uncle and our conversation went on for half an hour during which time he told me the recipe for homemade bird feed made with cat food!

Sky and I had a 10-minute discussion on which gravy would go best with egg fried rice.

I was checking with my lawyer friend if he knew of anyone who handled FRRO related matters and he responded saying he could take up Ferrero Rocher matters. *more laughter*

I pity my housemates who have to put up with my howls of laughter because all these conversations have ended with me laughing out aloud. It may not seem funny to you as you read this, but do feel free to give me a call and let us infect each other with laughter because laughter is the kind of contagion I could do with right now.

Stay home, stay safe and follow me on Facebook and Instagram (Lucidlucent).

 

CHICKEN 65

 

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken – 100 gms

Oil

For the marinade

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Curd – 1 ½ tbsp

Powdered pepper – ½ tsp

Corn flour – 2-3 tbsp

Turmeric – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Seasoning

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Chopped garlic – 2 tbsp

Green chilly (sliced) – 1

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Sugar – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Vinegar – 1 tsp diluted in 3 tbsp water

Powdered pepper – ½ tsp

 

Method:

1.     In a bowl, add the marinade ingredients, mix it well. Add a few spoons of water if required.

2.     Add the cubes of chicken to the marinade, mix well and set aside for a few hours or overnight.

3.     Deep fry the marinated pieces of chicken and cook until they turn crisp and golden. Drain and set aside.

4.     Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic, curry leaves and slit green chilly and fry until the leaves turn crisp. Add red chilli powder, salt and sugar. To this add the vinegar solution and stir it quick until the mixture thickens.

5.     Quickly add the fried chicken pieces to it and stir until the pieces are well coated and turn off the flame once done.

6.     Done.

 

 

 

 

2- INGREDIENT BANANA OATMEAL COOKIE (DOGGY TREAT)

 

Even before we had plans of getting a puppy, Skip would watch dog videos on YouTube and star-mark the ones which had recipes for homemade dog treats. 

Peanut butter, bananas, pumpkin seem to be the most popular choice of ingredients.

I had half a dozen, ripe bananas lying around and decided to make cookies for the Puppy. I did have unsweetened peanut butter but decided to keep the cookie simple and stick to two ingredients.

I have to be honest, the end product did not look appetising at all. It was dense and chewy (not the nice kind of chewy). Skip and I tasted it, while I immediately spat out my half, Skip continued chewing, gave an approving nod and asked if the cookie was meant only for the Puppy.

The Puppy has a few favourites, almost similar to Skip’s. He LOVES eggs, curd, fruits and fish. I know he loves these because he hops when he sees these items in my hand. He LOVES these cookies too.

He was being trained (which unfortunately had to be put on hold due to lockdown) and currently knows a few commands including going to his crate. I stand besides the crate with a treat in my hand and when I say the word ‘crate,’ the Puppy goes inside. Usually, I stand beside the crate when giving this command, but when I have this cookie in my hand, no matter how far I am from the crate and sometimes even without having to use the command, the Puppy rushes towards the crate. That's how much he loves them. 

BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES (makes around 35)

Ingredients:

Ripe Bananas (medium size) – 6

Oats – 5 cups

Method:

1.        Preheat oven at 180C.
2.       Mash the bananas.
3.       Coarsely grinds the oats.
4.     Add the ground oats to the bananas. If the mixture is still wet, you may add a cup more. You can also leave it in the refrigerator for a while and it will harden up enough for you to be able to shape the cookies.
5.    Bake cookies for about 15 minutes (the base of the cookies should have slightly browned)
6.       Done.

 

 

 

 

PAPDI

 

Last year when lockdown was announced, I had a sudden craving for Chaats. I walked about (the house) wondering when I could next get my hands on some good Papdi Chaat. I don’t have Chaats that often, probably a few times a year, but last year, it felt like I had been deprived of the most essential food item.

Someone suggested I make them at home.

Chaat at home? What would I do for the papdis and ‘sweet chutney’?

So I made the papdis and sweet chutney and enjoyed Papdi Chaat at home and the next day ( since I had become a chaat expert) proceed to make Aloo Tikki Chaat. This was one of the dishes that I didn’t have to look at others with raised eyebrows for approval. It may not have been perfect with the limited ingredients I had, but I had finally made Chaat at home and it was tasty enough to be put up on the blog. (Sweet chutney and Chaat recipes to follow).

When things got back to a ‘false normal’, not once did I eat or order in Chaat and now as we realise that the wave has not ebbed but is looming over our heads, I find myself looking for Chaat ingredients in the kitchen.

Recipe is from Hebbar’s Kitchen.

These Papdis are baked and not fried. The baked ones will not be as flaky and crunchy as the fried ones and let’s admit it, the fried ones always do taste better. I would still recommend baking, unless you plan to eat them plain.

PAPDI

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour (Atta)- 2 cups

Fine semolina (rawa)- ¼ cup

Ajwain (carom seeds)- 1 tsp

Salt – ¾ tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp (for the dough)

Water – about ½ cup

Method :

1.     Mix the wheat flour and semolina. To this add ajwain, salt and oil. Mix well.

2.     Add required amount of water and knead into a tight dough.

3.     Roll out the dough and cut out small rounds as you see in the picture.

4.     Prick holes into the Papdis so that they don’t puff up wile baking/frying.

5.     Either fry the Papdis in oil or bake at 180C for about 10 mins.

6.     Done.

 

 

 

 

ALMOND COOKIES

 

ALMOND COOKIES

15.04.2021: R, my cook, is not keeping well and my breakfast on such days is usually bread. While, Skip, ALWAYS has bread with peanut butter, Sky and I try out different stuffing. Today we had cucumber sandwiches and cold boiled egg sandwiches.

For the cucumber sandwich, slather home-made butter on both slices of bread. Cut the cucumber into thin slices, place it on the buttered slice of bread, sprinkle some salt and pepper. I like to add tomatoes too but I didn’t have any at home. Big Basket has been acting up as covid cases are on the rise. Folks, you do not need twenty sachets of yeast and do leave some Haldiram packets for me!!!!

I was excited for Skip and Sky to try out the cucumber sandwiches as these were my favourite sandwiches in my childhood.

Sky may have loved it, I wouldn’t know. Just as he took his first bite, he received a call from his client and my raised, hopping eyebrows and elaborate hand gestures enquiring after the taste went unanswered.

I didn’t make the egg sandwich for Skip as he is not very experimental with his food but I wanted him to try the cucumber sandwiches. As I was making his sandwich, he kept staring at the slices of cucumber being placed on the bread and he didn’t look pleased.

This wasn’t going well.

K: Did you know these were my favourite sandwiches when I was in the 4^th Standard.

S (in a deadpan voice): Well, then why am I being made to eat it?

He rated them 3/5.

Today’s recipe is Almond Cookies.

For more such recipes, you may follow me on Facebook and Instagram @lucidlucent. Thank you.

ALMOND COOKIES (makes around 15 cookies)

Unsalted Butter (at room temperature) – 50 gms

Powdered Sugar – 50 gms

Refined Flour (Maida) – 75 gms

Baking Soda – ¼ tsp

Salt – ¼  tsp

Chopped Almonds – 40 gms (this is just a random number, I don’t remember how much I added, probably just chucked a handful of them)

 

Method:

 

1.      Mix butter and sugar well.

2.    Sieve flour, salt and baking soda and add to the butter mixture.

3.   Add the chopped almonds and mix them to make the cookie dough.

3.      Make walnut sized balls.

4.      Bake at 160C for 10-15 mins.

5.      Done.

 

Recipe Notes:

·       The oven’s temperature and timing would vary as per your oven’s specifications.

·       You’ll know the cookies are done when they have puffed up and browned a bit. The cookies will be soft even when done and will harden upon cooling.

·       If you feel the dough is too soft to be shaped into a ball, you can add some more flour or you could also refrigerate the dough for half an hour until it hardens.

 

OREO ICE CREAM

 

Those easily offended by ‘bad’ words may kindly skip to the recipe.

The ‘F’ word is banned in our house.

We have a child, of an impressionable age at home. He’s 8 years old. I call him Skip in my posts. The other day (when I say the other day, I mean pre-covid days) when I was out, I heard a little boy, who I think was in Standard V, use the F word and my inner 1980s self, went “cheee bad word, I’ll tell your Mummy”. Of course, that’s not what happened, I just gave the child a stiff smile and moved on. This had me wondering if Skip used the word too.

He doesn’t. (Need to put this out soon else my parents who read all my posts will be calling me up even before they finish reading this).

I overheard this conversation between Skip and Sky.

Skip: I know many bad words.

Sky: Uh huhn *and gets back to work*

Skip: verry very bad words.

Sky: Which all?

Skip: *giggles*I don’t want to say.

Sky: You can tell me, I bet I know all those words.

Skip: I can’t.

Sky: Does it rhyme with duck?

Skip: *peals of laughter*

I don’t honestly understand the fascination with the word FUCK anymore. It’s so overused, it’s lost any “appeal” it had. It’s no longer the forbidden word. Apparently 6-year-olds are using it. We need to come up with a new word.

My choice of ‘bad’ words is bloody and shit and when I’m really angry, I use them together. I must confess, when I’m driving, I switch to Hindi.

I must clarify the F word banned in our house currently is FOOD.

That’s one of the few words, the Puppy recognises. Skip now uses our technique on the Puppy. He spells words he doesn’t want Puppy to understand. “Should I bring him his F-O-O-D?”

Summer is on us and it’s time to stock up on ice-cream unless you have a ‘tickle’ in your throat, then please do avoid refrigerated items. Now is not the time to tempt fate.

This recipe follows the same method as the mango ice-cream and Skip says it’s the best ice cream he’s ever eaten !!!

OREO ICECREAM

Ingredients:

Oreo biscuits – 12 + 5

Heavy cream – 250 gm (1 cup)

Condensed milk -   200 gm (1/2 cup)

 

Method:

 

1.    Powder about 12 Oreos in the blender.

2.  Mix the powdered Oreos with the condensed milk. (It will solidify in some time, it’s fine)

3.    Whip the cream.

4.  Add the condensed milk-oreo mixture to the cream and mix until fully combined. (You may also coarsely chop some oreos and mix it in).

5.     Pour the mixture into the ice cream tin. Top it with chopped oreos (minus the cream filing).

6.    Freeze it overnight.

7.  Done. 

 

I do hope you try the ice-cream because it’s fucking good. *cheee, bad word, need to rinse mouth with ice cream*

 

BLISS BALLS

 

How many of you feel hungry as soon as you wake up?

I do.

Probably has to do with my childhood where I would have milk as soon as I woke up and brushed my teeth.

I begin my day at 6.15am (often earlier as we have the sweetest little puppy in the whole wide world at home who likes waking up early) by having a glass of water with raisins soaked overnight. I go play badminton at 7am and need to fill my tummy before I go play. I would earlier have a cup of milk and banana but I found that it didn’t suit me as I almost regurgitated  it at times when I went swooping after the shuttle cock. I now have overnight soaked figs, dry dates, almonds and walnuts. I’ve found these dry fruits filling, enough to last me an hour. Sometimes I have a tablespoon of peanut butter.

These Bliss Balls are packed with energy and one should last you for a few hours.

I got this recipe from Idil’s Kitchen.

I had many versions of this recipe saved – energy balls, date balls,  vegan balls, no bake energy bites, some even referred to these as no-bake vegan brownies!

Dates help in binding the ingredients. Much as I would like to make these again, I have realised that soft dates make my skin breakout.

I also have the recipe for Granola Bars on my blog. Do go check it out.

 

BLISS BALLS

Ingredients:

Dates – 10-12

Coffee or plain water – 2 tbsp

Cocoa – 2 tbsp

Dry fruits of your choice (cashews/almonds/pistachios) – 2 tbsp each

To coat the balls:

Grated coconut / cocoa/ ground dry fruits or peanuts.

Method:

 

1.   Remove the seeds from the dates. (If the dates aren’t soft enough, soak them in a little warm water or hot coffee).

2.    Add the dates into the blender. Add coffee or plain water, cocoa and the dry fruits into the blender and blend until it all comes together and resembles a chunky paste.

3.     Roll them into balls.

4.     Coat these balls with either shredded coconut/cocoa or ground nuts.

5.     Done.