Pumpkin Halwa!! (Using Rice Cooker)

Hello All!!

Making sweets usually involves a lot of splattering around the stove and blisters on your hands.
But this a recipe that can save you all those worries.

Ingredients : 

• Pumpkin :  2 Cups (Grated)
• Sugar : 1 Cup
• Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp
• Raisins & Cashews : 1 tbsp
• Ghee : 2 tsp

Method :

1. Put the grated pumpkin in the rice cooker and switch it to cooking mode.. You may sprinkle a little water if you want, but its not necessary.
2. When the rice cooker comes to warm mode, open it and mix it once. Add the sugar and put it back in the cooking mode.
3. When it comes back to the warm mode, add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and put it back in the cooking mode. 
4. It will come back to the warm mode  in a minute or two. Transfer it to another vessel and garnish with cashews and raisins.

Enjoy the easy, tasty Pumpkin Halwa..

You can also try this with Winter melon (Poosanikkai, Ash Gourd)

Try it and let me know..

Yummy Home-made Chocolate!!!

 "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius

Hi all!! I’m Shylendri Bilesh. This is my first ever blog. So I thought, why not start with a universal favourite. Chocolates!!!!

There are not many people in the world who say that they don’t like chocolates. Chocolates are enjoyed by people of all ages.

Here are some facts about chocolate:

• The best way to store chocolate is by wrapping it in foil and then placing it in plastic. Keep it at a constant temperature of 65 degrees F and 50% humidity.
•    Dark chocolate stored under perfect conditions will last for 10 years.
•   Quality dark chocolate contains flavonoids which help reduced the risk of heart disease.
• Eating a 1.6 oz (small) bar of dark chocolate can be good for you!
• Chocolate is associated with the release of serotonin, the hormone that makes you feel relaxed, calm, and happy.
•   Switzerland is one of the top countries when it comes to chocolate consumption.
•   Chocolate does not cause or aggravate acne, this is a myth.
•  Chocolate has great health benefits. It helps with depression, high blood pressure, Tumors and Pre-menstrual syndromes.
• One ounce of baking chocolate or cocoa contains 10% of the daily recommended intake of iron.
• Dark chocolate (65 percent or higher cocoa content) has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate.

This particular Chocolate recipe was passed on to me by my dear Mom-in-law.It is very easy to make.And above everything else it is too tasty!!! You cannot satisfy yourself with just one!!!!!

Ingredients:

• Milk Powder - 1 cup
• Sugar (Powdered) - 3/4 cup
• Unsalted Butter - 2 Tbsp
• Cocoa Powder (Unsweetened) - 1/4 cup ( I use Hersheys dark chocolate powder)
• Water - Little less than 1/2 cup
• Broken nuts or tutti-frutti or anything else that you would like in a chocolate - (optional)

Method:

1. Mix Cocoa powder, Milk powder, Butter and broken nuts together and keep it aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat water and sugar . Heat the sugar syrup until it reaches single thread consistency or kambi paagu ( To check single thread consistency : Dip a spatula in the syrup and take it out. After it cools down a bit, touch the syrup with your forefinger.Then press the forefinger and thumb and gently pull apart. You will find a single thread with no breaks. That is when it has reached the right consistency).[If the syrup gets past the single thread consistency, you will not be able to cut pieces out of your chocolate. It will crumble.]
3. Now take the vessel out of the stove and slowly add the Cocoa powder mix to the sugar syrup. 
4. Keep stirring until it becomes a thick lump( avoid over-stirring it).
5. Grease a rimmed plate or chocolate mould with ghee( clarified butter) or butter.
6. Spread the mixture on the greased plate and even it out with a spatula.
7. Let it cool.
8. Cut the chocolate into pieces with a greased knife and enjoy!!!