Summer Siesta!

I love summers …I hate summers.. Don’t really know which is true. I hate it because everything is so hot and humid. It really kills me. 😰😰 But I have more and better reasons to love the summers! 

The drinks…the ice-creams…sorbets..popsicles! The “not so traditional” twist on the desi favourites!

I have done all this and more on PolkaPuffs! this summer…I like to call the Summer Siesta! 

Strawberry Panna cotta..

The name itself sounds so exotic , seductive and not to forget romantic 😍 I love the silken texture and the smoothness! And I am rather good at making them. 😉💃

Strawberry Panna cotta !

Spiced Mango Popsicle!

I have used some exciting flavours to give these popsicles a bit of warmth that will take you by surprise between icy cool licks!! ☺️

Spiced Mango Popsicles

Iced Green Tea Limeade!

This delicious twist on the popular lemonade results in a sweet, slightly tart & refreshing drink!

I’ve spiked it with a bit of fennel seeds (saunf) and the taste is amazing!

Iced Green Tea Limeade

No Churn Orange Ice Cream ! 😀

It’s summertime! It’s ice cream time! Who doesn’t crave ice creams in summers!? I know I do…
Why not start with a no – fail recipe, which requires just under 15 mins of prepping! 😋

No Churn Orange Ice Cream!

Mint & Kiwi Sorbet!

I adore Sorbets! They are so incredibly fresh and flavourful without being too loaded with calories! For those who haven’t yet tried it so far or heard much about it, Sorbet is a frozen dessert made with mildly sweet water flavoured with puréed fruits or liqueurs…whatever one prefers.. 😊 And it’s really a boon to know that it’s super easy to make these…🍧

Mint & Kiwi Sorbet!

Tropical Iced Tea!

Summers for me, call for a cooling and refreshing drink! Something healthy and easy to do !
Today I bring to you another of my homemade, easy and delicious drink that will leave you feeling refreshed! It’s my Tropical Iced Tea!

As the name suggests, it obviously has a strong flavour of tea…but what brings a twist to these beauties are the sunny tropical notes it’s sweet and tangy! Chilled and loaded with ice cubes! What more could one ask for on a hot summer day?!

Tropical Iced Tea

Thandaai Mousse!

My twisted take on everyone’s favourite! ☺️

Thandaai Mousse!

Dahi Wadas on a Skewer!

I gave our good, old Dahi Wadas a bit of swagger! 😉😉 check these babies out..!

Dahi Wadas on a Skewer!

Minty Pomegranate Mock Mojitos! 

So…it’s getting hotter here in Mumbai for the last couple of days..and my lemony, minty, zingy pomegranate mock Mojitos are perfect to beat the heat! They are super easy to make and total party pleasers!!

https://polkapuffs.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/minty-pomegranate-mock-mojitos-%f0%9f%8d-%b9%f0%9f%8d/?preview_id=102

I hope you guys will enjoy each of these soon… These are too good to let go!

Love,

Shreya ❤️

Dahi Wadas on a Skewer!

I have to have Dahi Wadas for Holi! Not having them is simply not an option 😀 My mom makes the yummiest Dahi Wadas ever!!! And I simply follow her recipe to the ‘T’ 😘

But deep fried Wadas can become a bit too heavy for us…specially when My hubby is perpetually on a diet!😰 I always have to be careful about calories and stuff like that whenever I’m cooking… Not too easy to do but i have that covered in my own sneaky way…😉

Every dieters’ dream..the indispensable ‘appe pan’../ aebelskiver pan. I am sure almost everyone of you out there has one… Small or large..cast iron or non-stick! They all work wonders. I’ve been using it for over a year now and don’t think I would be able to function without one. All my Wadas today are made my magic pan 😉 with very little to no oil at all. Seriously good and no worry of they being oily & greasy.

The Wadas were light, fluffy & so soft just like the ones we deep fry.

And to make it bit more special and colourful, I infused the curd with saffron strands …and presented them on Skewers!!!! 👌😋 😎 Now, who doesn’t like food on a stick! I mean we gorge on kebabs & tikkas all the time.. That’s where I got the idea from! And My dear hubby was indeed impressed 💖

You can present them in the traditional style or put them on skewer sticks…whatever works for you! 😊 Here comes the recipe..

Yield: 21 small or 12-14 large Wadas

Equipment: Appe pan / Aebelskiver pan, skewer sticks, a blender, a large mixing bowl, 2-3 bowls, spice mixer, 2-3 spoons, measuring cups/ spoons, a small saucepan, 2 glass jars

Ingredients for the Wadas:

1 cup skinless white urad dal (black lentil) soaked for 6-7 hrs

10-12 nos black peppercorns

2″ pc ginger

3 nos green chilly

1/2 tsp red chilly pwd

1 pinch hing (asafoetida)

salt to taste

oil as required (optional)

Method for the Wadas:

Grind together all the ingredients mentioned above to make a smooth paste using little water. The paste should not be runny. It’s supposed to be thick and sticky. Let this batter / paste sit for 30mins. Whisk the batter vigorously using a spoon for at least 4-5 mins. This will make the batter very light and airy and will ensure that the Wadas are soft.

Now heat the appe pan, add a drop of oil if needed in every section. Now drop about a 1.5 – 2 tbs of the batter in every section and cook for 2 mins on the first side, then using another spoon flip them over to the other side and cook for another 1-2 mins. Repeat this for the entire batch of the batter. And set aside the Wadas to cool a bit. Then dip them in some warm for 10 mins then drain the water. Squeeze out the extra water. This is done to just soften the wada a little more. Set them aside.

Ingredients for the tamarind chutney:

1 cup tamarind pulp

3 tbsp pwd jaggery (use more if you like)

1/2 tsp each of red chilly pwd & roasted cumin pwd

1/2 tsp crushed saunf Dana (fennel seeds)

1/4 tsp salt

Method for the tamarind chutney:

Heat the saucepan, add the pulp along with the jaggery pwd and stir till the jaggery dissolves completely and the concoction simmers slightly..then season with the above mentioned ingredients. Cook for another 5-7mins. The concoction will thicken slightly. Turn off the gas and let the chutney cool down completely before you store it in a clean, dry glass jar. Set that aside for now.

Ingredients for the green chutney:

1/2 cup coriander leaves washed, dried & roughly chopped

1 no raw mango peeled & cubed

salt to taste

1 tbsp tamarind chutney

1-2 nos green chillies

6-7 nos cloves of garlic

Method for the green chutney:

Put all in the ingredients mentioned above in a blender with a little water and pulse for a couple of mins. The chutney will have a smooth texture. Store the chutney in a clean & dry glass jar.

Ingredients for the saffron infused curd dip:

1 cup thick curd

2 tbsp warm water

15-20 strands of saffron

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method for the curd dip:

Dilute the saffron with the warm water for 20 mins or until it releases a rich yellow /ocher colour. Mix this yellow saffron water with the curd & the salt. Beat everything well and set aside I refrigerator to cool for 15-20 mins before using it.

For the plating & garnish you will need:

1 tsp roasted cumin pwd

1tsp red chilli pwd

Few pomegranate seeds

2 tsp coriander leaves chopped finely

Plating:

Put 2-4 Wadas on a single skewer stick, drizzle some of the curd dip, tamarind chutney, green chutney. Sprinkle some roasted cumin and red chilli pwd. Add a few pomegranate seeds /jewels. And a final flourish of coriander leaves! Voilà! Do the rest in a similar way & serve right away.

Or just serve in platters like we usually do! ☺️

Hope you will make these soon and enjoy them as much as I did!

Love,

Shreya 😊