Yummy Tiramisu (without Eggs and liqueur)

The first time I ever heard the word 'Tiramisu' was in front of the erstwhile Holiday Inn, in Pune (I believe its now the Sun and Sands). It was a cool night, my friends and I were returning home after a movie and my room mate S exclaimed that the Tiramisu at the Holiday Inn cafe was absolutely delicious ! Now I don't exactly remember the sequence of events ( this was some 7-8 years ago ), all I do remember is that I never got to taste the famed Italian dessert, we had to satisfy ourselves with some ever delicious chocolate ice cream instead..
After that I forgot all about it.

Tiramisu is an Italian layered dessert meaning 'pick me up' or 'cheer me up'. (Probably due the coffee/espresso and sugar used in the dessert !!). The original recipe consisted of briefly soaking the special lady finger biscuits (savoiardi - long finger like delicate biscuits which are super absorbent) into espresso (with an optional splash of brandy). These are then layered with a mixture of mascarpone cheese and a custard made with eggs, Marsala wine and sugar. A light sprinkling of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings provides a subtle finish. The whole thing is refrigerated for some time before serving.

I kept coming across the item in most of the menus when I came to the US. I never tried it though. Recently I decided to try it out at home myself...I checked out a few recipes on the web and most of them either had some kind of a liqueur or an egg-based custard. Since I do not use either in my cooking, my recipe options were limited. Eventually I did find one and reproduced it with delicious results !




Ingredients:
20 - Savoiardi (Lady finger biscuits)
16 oz plain mascarpone cheese
1.5 cups strong coffee or espresso (cooled)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/3 C powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla / almond extract
cocoa powder or chocolate shavings
finely chopped nuts (optional)


Method:
1. Prepare the coffee / espresso beforehand and make sure it is cool.
2. Remove the cheese from the refrigerator and make sure it gets to room temparature.
3. Whip the heavy whipping cream in a large container. ( A hand held mixer can do this in minutes)
When the cream starts getting thicker, add about half the amount of the sugar and the vanilla and whip again for a couple of minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
4. Mix the remaining sugar well with the mascarpone sugar. Gently fold in the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese, in batches if required. This is to be done with a light hand so that the whipped cream doesn't lose all its airiness !Keep aside.
5. Dip the lady fingers into the coffee for 2 seconds on each side. ( This might depend on the type of biscuits used. They should not get too soggy, just enough to soak some of the coffee).
6.Lay them into a 9 X 13 glass dish or any container of your choice. Once the base of the container is covered with the coffee-laden biscuits, pour half of the whipped cream - mascarpone mixture over them and gently spread over the entire surface.
7.An optional step here would be to sprinkle some nuts and chocolate shavings over the first layer.
8.Repeat the process with the remaining lady fingers and the whipped cream mixture.
9. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap / foil and set into the refrigerator. Keep chilled until time to serve.

Slice into squares and enjoy !!!


Notes:
Since I have not tasted any other kind of Tiramisu, I have no idea how close( or distant !!) it is to the original recipe. I am sure the inclusion of Kahlua (coffee liquer) or an egg based custard might produce superior results. You will have to test that and judge for yourself. But this version, although a very plain and basic one, did not disappoint me. The biscuits were soaked just right and had a melt in the mouth feel to the dish. The taste of the coffee was very pronounced. I could try using espresso or a different flavoured coffee for a slight variation. The whipped cream mixture could also be flavoured differently. That however, is for another post !

Ciao !


Here are a few other Tiramisu recipes:

http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com/recipes.htm
http://365daysveg.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/tiramisu-eggless-way/

Jai Ganesh !

Wishing all readers a very Happy Vinayak Chaturthi !

This is the day when scores of people celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant headed son of Shiva and Parvati.Ganesha is revered as the God of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. In any religious ceremony, the first offerings are always made to Ganapati*. Ekadanta* (One who has a single tooth) is also the first one to be worshipped when any new task is to be started. This is supposed to ensure good luck and bring prosperity and wealth in all new ventures ! The mythological story about Lord Ganesha is a very captivating one..It is a story that is told and retold by grandparents to their beloved grandkids ! (Click here to read the story :-) ) Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the festivals that is celebrated widely throughout the state of Karnataka (Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh are the other states where this festival is also accorded a lot of importance).
I remember from my childhood, when my mother used to start preparing sweetmeats well in advance of the festival. Chaklis, various kinds of laddus, chivda were the most common ones..Then on the day of the festival too, she used to prepare, modaks and karanjis, sometimes kadubus(a special kind of a sweet, wrapped in turmeric leaves and steamed and served with fragrant ghee!). My grandmother used to send a packet all the way from our village and it used to contain another variety of goodies..home made sev and more chaklis..
It does seem that festivals are all about food ! In addition they were also all about families coming together and celebrating together!Nostalgia aside, it is still a very effective method of bringing families and friends together, of communal harmony, giving a sense of belonging. The beautiful stories keep the children enthralled and give them a sense of wonder about their heritage !
In my humble opinion, modern thoughts and actions give us the freedom to soar up to the sky,
but its our heritage and traditions that give us roots and keep us firmly on the ground ! How wonderful would it be to be able to use both to have a richer and fuller life !!!
On that note I give here a recipe for the traditional panchakajjaya (offering to God with 5 ingredients)..This is a simple yet delicious treat, often offered as prasadam and is often prepared when time is of the essence !
Panchakhadya, as it is also known, is also regarded as one of Lord Ganesha's favourites !

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted chana dal (dalia)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
1/4 - 1/2 C grated coconut (can use either fresh or dessicated)
1/4 C cashew pieces
3 cardamoms
2 cloves

Method:

1. Lightly roast the dalia in a tsp of ghee. (Although this is optional, it gives a great texture and taste to the final product).
2. Also roast the sesame seeds until light brown. Do this on a low flame so that the sesame seeds dont get scorched. Sesame seeds will be bitter if burnt, so beware !
3. Coarsely grind the dalia, sesame seeds and the sugar.
4. Lightly toast the coconut in another tsp of ghee.
5. Combine the coconut with the dalia sesame mixture.
6. Fry the cashews and add them to the above mixture.
7. Powder the cardamoms and the cloves and sprinkle over the mixture.
8. Turn well with a spoon so that all the ingredients are well mixed.

The panchakajjaya is now ready to be served.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everybody !

ಗಜಮುಖನೆ ಗಣಪತಿಯೇ ನಿನಗೆ ವಂದನೆ
ನಂಬಿದವರ ಪಾಲಿಗೆ ಕಲ್ಪತರು ನೀನೆ...

(Translation: This is a kannada devotional song, much loved by kannada audiences, sung as a glorifying ode to dear Lord Ganesh. "Oh Ganapati , with the face of an elephant, we offer our humble prayers to you...for all those who believe in you, you are the Kalpataru." According to ancient mythology, the Kalpataru is a divine magical tree that has the power to fulfill any wish.

Wishing Indians across the globe
a very very Happy 61st
Independence Day !

A Simple Life

It was a few weeks ago when I was driving along a long stretch of empty road early in the morning, with my soon-to-be-two toddler P strapped in his car seat, making our way to his Montessori school. Little P was happily prattling to himself, sometimes pointing out wondrous creations like a firetruck or a school bus or even a digger, to his apparently ignorant Mummy..I was acknowledging his exclamations, making the appropriate responses, while at the forefront of my conscious mind, several thoughts were going on at once(Oh yes ! we women have been blessed with that capability...or do I mean cursed ?? How advantageous is it to have the ability to worry about several things simultaneously ??? But wait, before I launch into that thread, let me restrain myself...that will have to wait until another post !!)
Going back to that weekday morning, I was sorting out and thinking about several different topics..Important matters like trying to find a suitable job, keeping family members healthy, mundane matters like housekeeping, being in touch with friends, trying to deal with the guilt of keeping little P in school for several hours...you get the gist. It took me some time to realize that I was driving under near perfect conditions.The skies were clear, there were a few wispy clouds floating lazily, there were green fields on both sides of the road, there was hardly any traffic on the road and there was a sweet smell in the air...that of freshly cut green grass ! There is something so sweet and crisp about freshly cut grass, it always makes me smile and take a moment to just enjoy it.
And it just hit me all of a sudden that life could not be any simpler and more beautiful than at this moment: My loved ones and I were healthy and energetic, I was in no hurry to find a job and at the same time was certain that I would find something that liked very soon, Little P was adjusting well to school and was always a delight to his parents. The weather was great too ! There it was , my slice of heaven for the day !
I also realized that it was not too difficult to find such slices throughout the day, everyday ! Little things that lift my mood, moments that make me happy to be where I am, events that show that beauty and happiness can be found in the simplest of things, are all peeks into heaven, in my humble opinion.
A new bud on a flowering plant, dew drops on leaves early in the morning, flocks of birds against a clear blue sky, driving with the window rolled down and feeling the breeze on my face, seeing the unrestrained wonder and laughter on little P's face, finding myself with some extra time with no chores to do, having an uninterrupted chat with my best friend after a long time, teaching new thing to little P and then discovering that he is teaching the same thing to his father, finishing an edge-of-the-seat mystery novel,trying out a new recipe and having TH compliment it, hearing from a school friend after what seems like ages, receiving a nice comment on my blog; these are just a few of my favourite happy moments
We don't need to have the biggest houses, the latest car model, the most number of jewels and clothes, the most intelligent and gifted kids. We don't need to worry about money (it will always keep changing hands), about housekeeping (its a never-ending chore !), about the grades that our kids make (just ensure that they give their best effort and accept it at that). I mean these are all nice things to have...I wont deny it..but they are not necessary to enjoy life :-)
All we need to do is just honestly see what it is that gives us peace of mind and fills us with unconditional joy and then realize that it is already available to us in our life, in one form or the other !
So here's to our efforts to make our lives simpler, happier and clutter-free !
Hope you find your slice of heaven today :-)

Aloo Methi (Potatoes with fenugreek leaves)

I had never known the simple pleasure of harvesting my own vegatables and herbs until a few weeks back ! I had planted methi seeds in my vegetable bed, by just sprinkling a handful of the seeds in a small area. Soon, I watched and gloated as the seeds sprouted and the shoots reared their heads skywards ! How I waited for them to grow so that I could pick the leaves and take them into the kitchen !! I didn't have to wait too long...At the time of sowing the seeds, in my excitement, I didn't realize that there were too many seeds in the given area and found to my dismay that the shoots were fighting for space, nutrients and sunlight...When I saw that unless I harvested, the plants would soon meet an untimely demise, I picked the tender leaves and shoots and brought them inside...
Even though I wasn't able to maintain the plants for a longer duration, I was able to get enough leaves for me to prepare two dishes and that is saying a lot ! It was so gratifying to be able to grow something and be able to cook with it !
Below is my version of Aloo Methi, a very simple, no-frills and earthy dish....Hope you like it.


Ingredients

2 medium sized potatoes
1 bunch of fenugreek leaves
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp red chile powder (cayenne pepper)
pinch of asafoetida
dash of lemon / lime juice

Method:
1. Peel the potatoes. If you prefer to keep the skin on (potato skins have a high nutrition value, so its recommended that you keep them on)...just make sure you scrub the potatoes really well before using them)
2. Dice the potatoes into small, equal sized pieces. Wash the fenugreek leaves thoroughly o get the dirt out of the leaves, Chop them finely and reserve.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds and allow the seeds to splutter. Add the asafoetida at this point.
4. Add the turmeric, cumin powder, the coriander powder, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly.
5. Drop in the potatoes and turn with a wooden spoon until potato pieces are covered with the oil-spice mixture.
6. Add about a quarter cup of water, put a lid on and reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. After 10 minutes, add the chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well. Add a little bit more water, if required. (Only add as much water as is required to keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan. Do make sure to cover the pan when you add the water, so that the potatoes get cooked due to the steam)
8. Once the potatoes are tender, squirt the lemon juice on top and serve as a side dish with rice.

Notes:
* Addition of a lot of water will make the potatoes mushy and it will no longer be (as Alton Brown says) "Good Eats" :-)
* If you do not have fresh fenugreek leaves, you can also use kasoori methi instead. You might have to add a tad bit more water.
* This preparation can be had with chapaties / tortillas too, but I find it a bit dry with chapaties.
* Makes a good sandwich filler !

All in all a good recipe to have.

Nuritional Facts on Potatoes:
* A large baked potato, including the skin, has 278 calories, out of which only 3 calories are from fat.
* The potato , as well as the skin is a great source of Vit. C, Vit. B6, copper, manganese, potassium and fiber. It is also high in iron and protein content.
* Potato skins contain a variety of phytonutrients which help in maintaining the cells of the body.

Nutritional Facts on Fenugreek:
* Fenugreek or methi leaves have a very high iron content.
* Methi seeds have nutritional as well as medicinal values. The seeds can help relieve sore throat,cough, hyper-acidity and burning sensation in stomach.
* The usual way to consume methi in medicine format is to make a tea with the seeds and have it with a little honey.
* Methi seeds can also be ground and used as a remedy for dandruff and for making hair shinier and silkier.