Avil Milk/Milk Aval | Summer Special Drinks

Come summer and all day you feel like gulping down something cold and refreshing.I love Milk based drinks as it fills you up along with quenching your thirst,cool right?So while browsing through some recipes on a website,I read about this popular juice joint in Calicut which served Milk based drinks,all through the year.We had a similar joint in Ernakulam from where we got our regular dose of Sharjah Shake and the likes.It is from that shop I learnt the trick of freezing the milk for milkshakes which makes it creamier and thicker.

Avil Milk/Milk Aval is a very easy recipe which uses only a handful of ingredients,most of which is easily found in your kitchen.There are different ways to make this drink but I followed a recipe from my memory of drinking it in the juice shop in Ekm.The drink is quite filling because of the addition of Avil/Flattened rice flakes,banana and nuts.You could also take it up a notch by adding a scoop of ice-cream.

Avil Milk/Milk Aval

Ingredients

Avil/Aval/Flattened rice flakes - 1/2 cup
Cashewnuts - 10-12,chopped
Banana - 1 small
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Boost - 1 tbsp (you could also use Horlicks or any Malt drink powder)
Cold milk - 2 cups
1 candied cherry for garnish

Method

In a non stick pan,add the avil and dry roast for 5-10 minutes or until the avil turns crisp.This is a mandatory step because if added fresh,the avil would turn soggy.
In the same pan toast the cashewnuts till light golden brown in colour.
In a mixer/blender add the banana,sugar,boost and milk and blend together till smooth.
For assembling the drink - add roasted avil to a tall glass and top with the toasted cashew.Add the milkshake on top.You could also alternate layers of milk and avil but I just added one layer.
Top with some more avil and nuts.Sprinkle some Boost on top and garnish with a cherry.

Step by step Pictorial

In a non stick pan,add the avil and dry roast for 5-10 minutes or until the avil turns crisp.This is a mandatory step because if added fresh,the avil would turn soggy.

In the same pan toast the cashewnuts till light golden brown in colour.

In a mixer/blender add the banana,sugar,boost and milk and blend together till smooth.

For assembling the drink - add roasted avil to a tall glass and top with the toasted cashew.Add the milkshake on top.You could also alternate layers of milk and avil but I just added one layer.

Top with some more avil and nuts.

Sprinkle some Boost on top and garnish with a cherry.

Tadka Pav | Simple Bread Recipes

When someone casually mentions about changing seasons and how they look forward to one particular season etc,I just smile gently.I live in Chennai where there are only 3 seasons-hot,hotter,hottest!Right now it's the third season and boy,we are literally getting roasted here.Though this time I hear it's pretty much the same in every city,sigh!

However there are a few silver linings for summer season.Curds set so well and the dosa batter ferments beautifully.I could gulp down gallons of juices milkshakes without any guilt and eat mangoes as meal by itself.One more advantage is the super quick rising of bread dough.Though I have to admit,I've never had a problem with that even otherwise,but in summers it is pretty quick.So one afternoon,when it was 42C outside I had an urge to bake bread.

I had bookmarked this recipe a while back and it was calling out to me.Immediately after my lunch,I set about making the dough and letting the dough rise.Even before tea time,I had fresh,warm Pav rolls on my dining table and I patted myself on my back.Not for making the bread but for choosing the hottest day of the month for doing it :)

Making Pav buns is on my to-do list and this one is it's close cousin.Tadka Pav or Pav rolls with a delicious Tadka added on top of the rolls immediately after they are out of the oven makes it an amazing roll which tastes delicious on its own.Goes perfectly well with a hot cup of Masala chai :)

Tadka Pav

Recipe courtesy - Rajshri Food

Ingredients

Maida/All purpose flour - 250 gms

Kasoori Methi - 1/2 tsp

Chat masala - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp

Haldi/Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Yeast - 1 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup

Refined oil - 15 ml

Salt - 1 tsp

Milk for brushing on top of the rolls

For the Tadka

Butter - 2 tbsp

Kasoori Methi - 1/2 tsp

Chilli flakes - 1 tsp

Chat masala - 1/2 tsp

Method

Add yeast and sugar into a small bowl.Mix in 1/2 cup of warm water and mix well.Let it rest for 5-10 minutes or till the yeast bubbles and froths up.

Meanwhile in another bowl mix together maida,kasoori methi,chat masala,pepper,red chilly powder and haldi.

Add the risen yeast mixture into the flour and knead well.Add more water if required to knead the dough into a soft but non sticky dough.

Mix together oil and salt and incorporate it into the kneaded dough.

Smear some oil into a bowl and place the dough inside and cover with a cling wrap or a damp towel.Let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes or until it doubles in volume.

Once the dough is risen,punch the dough and knead it briefly.

Make 12 equal portions out of it.Shape into smooth round balls and place into a baking tray.Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes.

Once risen,brush the rolls softly with milk.

Preheat the oven to 230C for 10 minutes and bake the rolls for 12 - 15 minutes or until the rolls turn golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

Heat butter in a pan and mix in kasoori methi,chilli flakes and chat masala.

Brush this tadka generously on top of the warm rolls.

Serve warm with some masala chai. 

Step by step Pictorial

Add yeast and sugar into a small bowl.Mix in 1/2 cup of warm water and mix well.Let it rest for 5-10 minutes or till the yeast bubbles and froths up.

Meanwhile in another bowl mix together maida,kasoori methi,chat masala,pepper,red chilly powder and haldi.

Add the risen yeast mixture into the flour and knead well.Add more water if required to knead the dough into a soft but non sticky dough.

Mix together oil and salt and incorporate it into the kneaded dough.

Smear some oil into a bowl and place the dough inside and cover with a cling wrap or a damp towel.Let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes or until it doubles in volume.

Once the dough is risen,punch the dough and knead it briefly.

Make 12 equal portions out of it.Shape into smooth round balls and place into a baking tray.Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes.

Once risen,brush the rolls softly with milk.

Preheat the oven to 230C for 10 minutes and bake the rolls for 12 - 15 minutes or until the rolls turn golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

Heat butter in a pan and mix in kasoori methi,chilli flakes and chat masala.

Brush this tadka generously on top of the warm rolls.

Serve warm with some masala chai. 

Rose Milk with Sabja seeds | Summer Drinks Recipe

Rose milk evokes quite a few nostalgic memories for me.Though we loved drinking milk as kids,the flavored,cool milk drinks which we were treated to every once in a while held a very special place in our hearts.So many flavors to choose from and each were as good as the other,but almost always my choice remained the pink,sweet milk which was fondly named as Rose milk.

I am not amazed that it still holds a special place in my heart even now.I mean,what's not to love.Come summer and I always have a chilled jug of milk inside my fridge with which I could churn out a glass of rose milk any time of the day.I keep trying different concentrates/powders and feel that you have to experiment with the right brand to choose your favorite.I loved this famous Kalathi kadai concentrate but right now,my favorite is this brand(Guruji Rose Sharbat)

While you can have the rose milk as it is,how about the addition of Sabja seeds which make it even more delicious and refreshing?

Sabja seeds,also known as Tukmaria seeds or Falooda seeds are the seeds of Sweet basil.The seeds expand as much as 30 times their size when soaked in water and are full of fiber and packed with nutrition.It also has cooling effects on the stomach and helps in healing acidity and heart burns.

Rose milk with Sabja seeds

Ingredients

Milk - 2 cups,chilled
Rose syrup/sharbat - 2 tbsp
Sabja seeds - 1 tsp
Ice cubes

Method

Soak sabja seeds in about 3/4 cup water for 10-15 minutes.
In a jug add rose syrup and mix in the milk-the concentrate I use has sugar hence I did not add any extra sugar.
Add a tbsp(or more) of soaked sabja seeds and mix well.
To serve,add few ice cubes into a glass and top with the rose milk.Add some more sabja seeds on top if you like.

Step by Step Pictorial

Soak sabja seeds in about 3/4 cup water for 10-15 minutes.

In a jug add rose syrup and mix in the milk-the concentrate I use has sugar hence I did not add any extra sugar.

Add a tbsp(or more) of soaked sabja seeds and mix well.
To serve,add few ice cubes into a glass and top with the rose milk.Add some more sabja seeds on top if you like.

Eggless Whole wheat Chocolate Muffins

While I was composing this post and contemplating on what to name this muffin,I was confused.I mean,it is a chocolate muffin,made with whole wheat flour and made eggless too but that is not the only thing which describes the muffin.For me,it is a complete revelation.To be honest,I never thought baked stuff with whole wheat would taste as good as its Flour counterpart.I mean,I have tried baking with atta/wheat flour but I never believed it was on par with flour and could ever take its place completely in baking.

There are times when I swap one ingredient for another while I am baking.It maybe due to lack of ingredients or trying to include some healthy alternatives or likewise.But this is one recipe where I decided I would go all 'healthy' and replace all the main ingredients with their healthier counterparts.

I wasn't expecting a miracle.In fact,I made it using a small quantity so that I wouldn't feel guilty if it turned out inedible and I had to trash it.

I'll be honest here,it turned out good.I wouldn't say great because I felt there was something which could be improved(I would add it in notes).But yes,a tasty and healthy muffin which I could gorge on and let my toddler gorge on without feeling guilty.

Eggless Whole wheat Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour/Atta - 1 cup

Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Organic Jaggery powder - 1/2 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Vinegar - 1/2 tsp

Vanilla - 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil- 1/4 cup

Chocolate chips - 1/4 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 170C.Line a muffin tray with paper liners.

Mix together milk,vinegar and vanilla.Keep aside.

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients -atta,cocoa powder,baking powder,baking soda and jaggery powder.

Make a small well in the middle and add in the milk mixture and oil and mix well till you get a lump free batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.Cool on a wire rack.

Step by step Pictorial

Preheat oven to 170C.Line a muffin tray with paper liners.

Mix together milk,vinegar and vanilla.Keep aside.

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients -atta,cocoa powder,baking powder,baking soda 

and jaggery powder.

Make a small well in the middle and add in the oil and milk and mix well till you get a lump free batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

• The coconut oil I used was normal oil which I use for my cooking,so it had a teeny tiny after taste.I was told by friends who regularly bake with coconut oil that if you use  Extra virgin coconut oil,there wouldn't be this problem.
• I used unrefined,organic jaggery powder and it was a very good alternative to regular white sugar.You could use brown sugar instead if you can't find jaggery powder.
• The muffins were slightly dry the next day,so next time I'm planning to increase the liquid content a bit.Add a bit more milk and oil or mash one banana and add that along with other ingredients.