CHOCOLATE & DRY FRUIT TART / No Bake Chocolate Tart

Celebrating our 3rd Wedding Anniversary Today with this rich, delicious and easy Chocolate tart :)

Ingredients :

For the Crust :

All purpose flour  : 3/4Cup

Powdered Sugar : 1/2Cup

Egg : 1, Slightly beaten

Milk Powder  : 2tbsp

Salt : 1/8tsp

Cold Butter : 3tbsp, Or 50gm

For the Filling :

Dark Chocolate : 200g

Butter : 50g

Milkmaid : 1/2Cup

Digestive Biscuits : 2, Crushed

Dry Fruits : 1/4Cup(walnuts / cashews / hazelnuts / Almonds)

Method :

For the Crust :

1. Sift together the powdered sugar, flour, milk powder and salt into a large bowl.Add butter to this and combine with your finger tips. 

2.Add the beaten egg and start to make the dough. If You Pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, the dough is ready. Otherwise add a little cold water and pulse again. Wrap the dough with a butter paper and refrigerate for 20minutes. 

3. When ready, take 2  lemon sized balls from the dough and line two small tart shells. Keep the rest for another use. Preheat the oven to 200degrees. Line the dough with butter paper and fill with pie weights / dry beans / rice. Bake for 7minutes / edge of the shells turn to light brown. Transfer them to wire rack and let it cool.

For the Filling :

1. Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler. Stir occasionally. Remove from fire when it melts completely.

2. Stir in the Milkmaid neatly to get a smooth mixture. Now add the dry fruits & digestive biscuits and combine well. Immediately Transfer the filling to the tart shells and refrigerate for 1hour..

3. Garnish with chocolate Syrup and chopped almonds. 


Note : Never keep this tart in fridge for long time as it will result in a hard filling

Happy Vishu - Vishu sadya recipes

Wish You All a Very Happy & Prosperous Vishu..

Kerala Festival Vishu is celebrated on this day. Vishu is the Malayali New Year and we all believe the fortune for this year depend upon what we first see on that morning. Vishukkani is arranged the previous night with  Rice, Gold, Fruits, Valkkanaadi (metal Mirror), Golden Cucumber, seasonal flower-Konnappoo and coins in a bell metal vessel called the otturuli. 

Another exciting part is the Vishu Kaineettam. After morning bath we all wear new dress and wait for Vishu Kaineettam.The eldest member of the family gives money(it was silver / gold coins before) to all junior members, relatives and servants. 

The highlight of the festival is the Vishu Sadya with traditional dishes served on a  Banana  leaf. Vishu sadya menu for this year was 

• Parippum Neyyum
• Sambar
• Aviyal
• Kalan
• Thakkali Pachadi
• Olan
• Mathaga VanPayaru Erissery
• Rasam 
• Moru
• InjamPuli
• Pappadam
• Paal Payasam

PINEAPPLE PACHADI - Kerala Sadya Vibhavangal

Starting Vishu special recipes with a yogurt based sweet Kerala dish - Pineapple Pachadi.

Ingredients :


Pineapple : 1/2Cup
Grated coconut : 1/4Cup
Mustard Seeds : 1/4tsp
Green Chillies : 2
Cumin Seeds : 1/2tsp
Sugar : 1tsp
Salt
Yogurt : 1/2Cup


For Tempering :
Mustard Seeds : 1/2tsp
Dried Red Chilllies : 2
Curry Leaves : 2
Coconut Oil : 2tsp

Method : 


1. In a claypot, cover and cook the pineapple pieces with 1/4Cup of water. After 5minutes open the lid and cook in high flame till water evaporates. Add sugar and mix well.

2. Grind together the grated coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies.  Now add 1/4tsp mustard seeds and grind for 1-2minute to crush them. Combine this with yogurt.

3. Add this mixture to the cooled cooked pineapple and combine well. 

4. Heat oil in a thadka pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the dried red chillies and curry leaves.Turn of the flame and pour over pachadi.

5. Serve hot with rice, pappad and pickle :)

EMERALD FRUIT SALAD / EASY TO MAKE FRUIT SALAD

The refreshingly green salad is guaranteed  to beat the summer heat.

Ingredients : 


Lime Juice : 2tbsp
Clear Honey : 2tbsp
Green Apple  :2, cored and cubed
Kiwi : 2,sliced
Mint Leaves : 5
Green grapes : 15
Lettuce leaves : to decorate

Method :

1. Mix together the lime juice, mint leaves and honey in a large bowl, then toss the apple cubes in this.

2. Stir in the kiwi and grapes. Place in a glass dish and chill.

3. Spread lettuce leaves over the serving plate and spoon the fruit salad over it.