Apple almond kheer is a delightful no sugar added Indian style dessert fit for any festival. Flavoured and thickened with almond flour it is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for beginners.

I am  not good when it comes to viral recipe trials. By the time I decide buy the ingredients and try it, the trend is over!
Clearly,it needs much more devotion and promptness. So that is an area we shall leave it to the enthusiastic experts. However there is one recipe I have been wanting to try and was waiting for the apple season to come. Enjoy my version of the apple kheer with no added sugar. 

What is apple kheer?

Made with full fat milk that’s slow cooks rice grits,  kheer is a must try  dessert. This is traditionally served in festivals  and grand Indian  weddings. We have added a whole collection of kheer in our post- Payasam pathaman and kheer
Apple kheer a fusion dessert  that embodies the idea of a kheer but has apples and almond flour to flavour and thicken. It is not a super sweet version , rather one to share at dinners or home gatherings.

Is this diabetic friendly apple kheer?

I make this with no added sugar or sweetener, just the sweetness from the apples making it a bit more on the diabetic friendly Indian dessert side. Please be aware that the apples are sweet enough, so moderate the portion size.

Ingredients to make almond apple kheer

Apple: crunchy sweet apples are the base flavour for this kheer. Personally, I like pink lady or red apples to make this kheer. I would avoid tart green apples as they can be too sour and may split the milk.

Butter or ghee:To kick off the caramelization and the colour on the apples, unsalted bautter or a small amount of ghee is helpful.You can use coconut oil if you are making it vegan. 

Almond flour: the almond flour gives a rabdi like feeling to the kheer. I use the blanched almond flour. If you don’t have these you can grind a few almonds or soak them and grind with the milk. Instead of almonds you can used any nuts of your preference like cashews, pistachios. Melon seeds or puffed makhana(lily seeds) powder also taste good and thicken the kheer easily.

Milk: full cream milk is best suited for this recipe. It has the right consistency and doesn’t easily split the milk when adding the sauteed apples. I would avoid almond milk to make this kheer among the plant based ones as it easily splits. You could use coconut or soy as well.

Sweetener: I have actually not added any in this recipe as the apples were super sweet and we like a mild sweetness for our kheer. You can add sugar as the milk boils. If adding jaggery syrup or maple syrup add it after you remove from heat. Alternatively date paste will be lovely in this kheer.

Spices: the common sweet spices used in Indian desserts are saffron and cardamom. I have used a few strands of saffron and powdered cardamom to finish the recipe.

Let’s make almond apple kheer

It does take a few steps to make this kheer, however, it is not a hard recipe to follow some absolutely recommend beginners to try it.

To prep the Apple: the Apple can be chopped like I have done or grated to have a smoother kheer. It is optional to peel the apple as this will be all about mouth feel. I leave the peels in as it gives a good bite. Once prepped add the apples to a pan with a touch of unsalted butter. On a low heat let this mix cook down and caramelize. Ensure that this is a low heat process. You can cover the apples for a minute if you feel they are dry. This captures the water from the juices allowing the apples to steam.

Boil the milk: in a separate sauce pan,  boil the milk. As it bubbles and boils, stir in the almond flour.
Thicken the milk the almond flour is the thickening agent. When the milk has started boiling and rising a bit, lower the heat to a simmer. Sprinkle the almond flour on the boiling milk. Stir well ensuring it is lump free. Let this cook down for about 5 to 6 minutes with stirring in between.

Add the apples: add the cooked apples into the mix and mix well. You can take off the heat at this point.

Flavouring the kheer: sprinkle cardamom powder and a few kesar strands and mix well.  At this stage my kheer is done. If you prefer to add sugar or jaggery syrup do so at this stage and mix well.

Is this a vegan kheer?

If you are using plant based milks the recipe can easily be turned vegan. Coconut milk or soy tastes good. For sauteeing and caramelizing the butter, coconut oil is best. 

Can we make this with other fruits?

Of course  you can change the fruits to make a variety of kheer. Mango ,jackfruit or plantain banana will be my first choice.
You can try dates and dried figs too. When using sweet dry fruits adjust the sugar accordingly.

Other quick try kheers

Sabudhana kheer
Sweet potato kheer
Mothichoor ladoo kheer
Rajgira kheer
Manipuri black rice kheer

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When you try out this almond apple kheer, let us know in comments how much you liked it. Share it with family and friends.
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The moment you place a plate of stuffed vegetables feel so much more special that just stir frying.
This is the magic of bharwan. It is not vegetable specific and can be seen in most dominant cuisine styles.
In Indian recipes as well you will come across a large number of vegetables served as roasted or curries with stuffed produce. Okra, capsicum, bottlegourd, eggplants, chillies, bittermelon, lemons,  mushrooms, you name it, there will be a lipsmacking stuffed version of it.
Thats when we got these baby brinjals!! That too farmfresh baby brinjal (eggplant) spotted in the market deserves a wholesome approach. Here is my version of the tastiest stuffed baby eggplant.

What is a brinjal?

Brinjal, eggplants and aubergine are all the same.

The fruits of Solanum melongena is a sturdy shrub that grows easily. The fruits come in various shapes and colours. Some are deep purple and large and used for roasting. Some green or varigated, some elongated like a zucchini and some round like a little ball. The flavor profile is nearly the same. All can be roasted, boiled or grilled and rarely eaten raw.

Here are some recipes we have previously tried with eggplants.
Kashmir doudh wagun
Kerala vazhuthananga mezhukkuperatti
Srilankan wambat moju
Chettinad kathrikka podi varuval

Ingredients to make this peanut masala stuffed brinjals

Unlike the popular dry masala stuffed baingan recipe, this is one that uses fresh ground pastes and roasted peanuts. This makes the eggplants succulent ans keeps the moisture as it roasts.

Brinjal: since eggplants come in various sizes for this recipe what you need is small baby oval or rounded eggplants. The colour or variety is up to you it can be purple, variegated or the white variety. While coosing the eggplants for this recipe, ensure that they are all even sized so you can get them cooked evenly.

Peanut: roasted peanuts form the bulk of the filling.this not only gives the nutty creaminess but also makes this recipe much more nutritious. You can use peeled peanuts of keep in the skin on. Peanut butter is not suitable becoz of the oil content. 

Onion: the red onion provides the base masala flavour.Usually I prefer this and a smooth paste so it is easier to stuff the eggplant. You can choose shallots or white onions to make the same. Shallots will be a bit sweeter.

Fresh masala base: the true flavour of the recipe comes from the fresh pastes that are made. This is a combination of fresh ginger root, garlic and green chillies. When made a paste together, they create fresh and robust flavour paste. This combined with the peanuts make the stuffing so tasty.

Lemon juice: the final splash of Lemon juice once the recipe is done provides a summery freshness to the recipe. You can have lime, lemon or tart orange juice to make this shine.

Lets make bharwan baingan

The recipe is a bit of work between prepping the brinjals and making the masala paste. However, once that part is completed, it is fairly a easy process. Check the notes below so you can actually make it in larger quantities for meal prep. 

Mealprep the stuffed brinjal

Stuffed brinjal stays good in the refrigertor for up to a week, so we highly recommend this recipe to add to your meal prep. Though it takes a bit of time, if you have a large quantity of eggplants, do not hesitate to make a big batch and freeze for later. Complete the roasting process and cool before freezing. In this way, eggplants wont leach and the result when you thaw it back up is as good as the fresh ones. Freeze as a single layer first and then store them in a container. This ensures they do not stick to each other. 

Collaboration

As bloggers we always draw inspiration and ideas from each other and support in the growth and enthusiasm. This time in the Shh cooking secretly group we are exploring stuffed vegetables recipes which have such a huge variety to offer.Check just one more, stuffed capsicum from The mad scientist kitchen.

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Stuffed brinjal recipes are a favorite for us in our house. When you try this version of peanut filled, stuffed eggplants do let us know how you liked this recipe in the comments below. The recipe my sound similar to Bharali vangi, however is far different in flavour. 

We would love to hear from you in the comments below.

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Enjoy sipping this warm broth with pumpkin and soft tofu through winter months or as you recover.

Ever since her braces the tooth sensitivities are high and my daughter looks for something filling  yet soothing. That’s when we devised this soft tofu and pumpkin broth soup that has been a winner.
Served warm, the soup has a lot of liquid and soft cooked pumpkin pieces. The soft tofu can be added chunky or broken down to form more of an egg drop soup consistency. This is a bowl of pure comfort and nourishment at the same time. It is a beginner recipe that is needs a chopping board, knife and a cooking pot only. It is,

• low calorie
• gluten free
• devoid of nuts
• dairy free.

Ingredients for the pumpkin soft tofu soup

Pumpkin: the chunks of pumpkin give the body to this soup. Any variety is fine as long as they soften when cooked. I like the Japanese variety somehow as it has a smoother mouth feel. It is perfectly OK to swap this to butternut squash as well .

Soft tofu : this is the softness and the uniqueness of this soup. When cooked,the soft tofu assumes a soft jelly like texture. It cannot be swapped for firm tofu as it feels clunky. So no swaps please on the soft tofu.

Seasonings: Salt and pepper is plenty to right make this soup good. Yet I have a secret ingredient you should try.

Dried mushroom powder: This brings forth a soothing umami flavours to the dish. I choose the powder as at the moment my daughter finds it difficult to chew. If not you can add a few chopped pieces of shitake or brown Swiss. I would totally avoid enoki as it will make the soup a bit slimy and with the soft tofu it us not a great mouthfeel.

Broth : to be clear,  I cook the soup in water. However you will get a much more depth of flavour if you use a vegetable broth. If using the broth be mindful not to add salt till you have tested the salt levels.

Herbs: you can finish off this soup with herbs if you like. You can add chopped coriander leaves, chives or scallions.

Let’s make pumpkin soft tofu soup

This will be one of the easiest ways you will make a soup.

Prep the pumpkin: this is probably the most time consuming process in this whole recipe. Peel and chop the pumpkin into chunks. You can dice smaller if you like. Frozen pumpkin cubes work well too.

Cook the pumpkin in broth: into a cooking pot add the broth (or water) and the pumpkin cubes. Cover and cook till the pumpkin is soft and mashable.

Add the soft tofu: remove the block of tofu from the packaging. Cut them into cubes. once the pumpkin is cooked add the tofu into the soup. Simmer and cook for 5 minutes till the tofu steams well. Instead of cubes you can crush the tofu and add. This soup will resemble the egg drop soup.

Season and serve: adjust the salt and sprinkle some pepper into the soup and remove from heat. The soup is ready to be served. Serve warm.

Variations to the soup.

At times we like to spice it up a bit with this soup, so a teaspoon of sambal chilli paste or Thai curry paste into the broth adds a ton of flavour and a variation from the regular.

Likewise, along with the pumpkin, you can add any vegetable you choose. This adds a bit more variety to this broth. You could try zucchini, broccoli, cabbage or winter melon will be good in the recipe.

Meal prep and lunch boxes

The soup broth definitely tastes the best when warm. However, it can be prepared ahead. It stays good for up to 3 days. I wont recommend freezing the soup as it is nit worth that effort.

Other soup recipes that are handy when having braces.

Broccoli and peas soup
Cherry tomato soup
Avocado cold soup
Carrot and celery soup

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The pumpkin and soft tofu broth is a simple recipe. It is a perfect winter comfort or a bowl when you are just under the weather. Let me know if you like this version of a simple soup in the discussion below.
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Enjoy a lipsmacking thogayal made with dals and peels of the ridge gourd in traditional south Indian flavour. Pair it with meals of your choice to wow, your family.

What I see as a difference between home cooks and chefs is not just in the size of meals that we make. Chefs have to keep up with so many of our taste factors, cost control and visual appeal. Home cooks, do know the people they cook for, so fairly easier for them to play around with the ingredients to suit the home needs. Moreover, home cooks can focus on ensuring the best of nutrition from best of produce.What do you think

Here is an age old recipe that a lot of South Indian home cooks rely on, peerkangai thol thogayal.

What is peerkangai thol thogayal?

Peerkangai thol is the peel of ridgegrord. This along with roasted lentils, spices, coconut and tamarind is ground into a coarse paste. This is peerkangai thogayal or ridgegourd chutney. It is a popular recipe among all South Indian states and has a few different names, peechinga chutney in Kerala, beerakaya pachadi in Telugu,  heerakai chutney in Kannada.  Often paired with steamed rice, a dollop of ghee and some stirfried vegetables on the side, the recipe is a classic homestyle one.
The recipe as such is

• Vegan
• Gluten free
• Onion and garlic free
• No nightshade added
• And dairy free

Ingredients from ridge gourd chutney

 Angled loofah or ridge gourd belongs to the cucumber family. The tough outer skin has predominant ridges. The gourd as such has soft flesh that is cooked into curries or stirfries. The peel is the one we have used to make this recipe

Dals: the dals add volume and depth of flavour to this recipe. I use a mix of skinned black gram dal (urad dal) and chick pea dal(channa dal). When roasted thr dals and ground the dals add the necessary volume to the dish.
Spices:there is very minimal spices in the recipe. Red dried chillies are a huge part if the flavour. The second main flavour comes from curry leaves. Along with the salt, the small pinch of asafoetida added offsets any need for garlic or onion.
Coconut: grated coconut added a softness. The milky flavour of the coconut works well with the ridgegourd. Tamarind: there is a slight hint of sourness that you experience while having this recipe. This comes frontiers dried tamarind that is added and  ground along with the ingredients. It adds a zesty flavour to the dish when having with grains or breads.

Let’s make peerkangai thogayal

The recipe is a medium intensity one where the roasting of dals is the one that can go wrong as it burns easily.

Prep the peerkangai: the peel of the ridge gourd is the one used to make this recipe. However, the ridges have a tough fiber running through them that needs to be removed.

• Wash and pat dry the riodge gourd.
• Using a knife or peeler approach of the pointed ridges. This js where the fibres are.
• Press down the peeler and remove the green skin completely. Save this part of this chutney. Save the spongy part to make kootu or stirfry.

Roast the dals and spices: in a heavy bottomed pan, add the urad dal and channa dal and a tsp of coconut oil. Dry roast this on low heat. Add the curry leaves and red chillies as the dals start turning golden and roast all together till the chillies are crisp and the dals deep golden. Remove this from heat on to a plate and set it aside.

Roast the peerkangai thol: Add the skin. Stir fry this till the peels look deep green and vibrant. Remove and add to the same plate. Let this cool down as well.

Grind the thogayal: once cooler to handle add the roasted dals, chilli,curry leaves, sauteed ridgegourd peel, tamarind, salt and coconut to the food processor and blend into a coarse mix.
Remove the coarse ground mix to a bowl and the thogayal is ready to be served.

Best pairings with peerkangai thol thogayal

Here are a few ideas for you to try with this thogayal
Peerkangai thogayal with steamed rice, a small spoon of ghee and poriyal on the side is one great Sunday meal.
At home, we like this as a side to rasam rice and often with some kootu.
Alternatively, you can use this as a dip for idlies, dosa etc too.
We use this as a spread for wraps and sandwiches. Pretty much the thogayal and cheese sandwich is a great try. Use some  grana padano or  aged cheddar instead of saltier ones like feta.

Meal prep and lunch boxes

Thogayal stays well in the fridge for up to a week without any issues. It also freezes so well, that we often rely on a frozen block for quick lunches. We love thogayal cheese sandwiches for our lunch box. You could also use it to stirfry the rice with, like we made ghee podi rice.

Other chutneys and thogayals

Thogayals, chammandi and chutneys are a big part of South Indian meals. Here are a couple of ideas
Thenga chammandi
Curry leaves thogayal
Doddapathra chutney
Mango chammandhi
Watermelon rind thogayal

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The comfort of hot rasam on a plate with steamed rice and a ball of this thogayal is Sunday for us. We enjoy it as a meal together that screams simplicity yet home.Hope you enjoy making this chutney as much as we love bring it to you. If you make it slightly different tell us your version, we always love to try different ones .
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Milk is not one of my favorite drinks. I always disliked a cup of milk whether you add sweetness to it or not. So, when I was little my mum devised a few clever ways to make me have some. The one that I did not put up much of a fight with was for the warm cup of cardamom milk during the cooler months. As the slow autumn chill is coming through here currently, I had a sudden urge to try this elaichi doodh back again.

What is cardamom milk?

Cardamom milk is an excellent winter warm drink where steamed or boiled milk is infused with the aroma and flavour of cardamom. This elevates it from just being a drink to a copy dessert like feeling. It is also the same recipe called as cardamom moon milk.

Ingredients to make elaichi doodh

Milk: classic elaichi doodh used full cream milk. However, it is up to you to use skim, lactose free or half and half milk or plant milk like soy or oat. Ensure you have a thick bottomed pan to boil it in.

Cardamom: green cardamom pods are the ones used in the recipe. When you buy them,ensure they look deep sage green or slate green and are so fragrant as soon as you open the pack. The skin is discarded (use in curries or to make tea) and  the seeds are ground to add to the milk.

Sweetener: this can be entirely your choice. Honey, cane sugar, stevia, monk fruit or add none if you prefer it that way.

Let’s make cardamom milk

Making cardamom milk is as simple as slow boiling the milk and stirring in the cardamom powder and sweetener .

• Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods.
• Crush them well.
• Slow boil the milk till it is bubbly and frothy.
• Stir in the cardamom and remove from heat.
• Stir in the sweetener. If using honey, wait till the milk cools down a bit.
• Pour into cups and serve warm.

Will cardamom milk induce sleep?

Cardamom as a spice  is a soothing relaxant. Along with milk that is well known for inducing sleep the Cardamom milk combination makes it and excellent combination. It certainly is not a remedy for sleeplessness. 

Can elaichi milk be vegan?

If you are following this recipe with soy milk, oat milk etc,  the recipe naturally becomes vegan, however you don’t want honey in the recipe.

Can we serve this chillied?

Absolutely, pop them into small bottles and leave them in thr refrigerator. If using UHT milk, it will stay for almost a week with no issues.

Milk recipes from this blog

Kesar doodh – aromatic saffron milk

Mexican Atole | Hot corn drink

Ulundhu paal | blackgram drink

Jeera milagu Kashayam paal | spiced milk

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Hope you are a better milk lover than I am and enjoy this recipe more often. Let us know if you have some soothing warm drink recipes like this that you absolutely love in the comments below.

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