The Brunette Diaries

4 Indian Mango-based Dessert Recipes

The king of the season is here! The only reason why we look forward to summer is because of the yummy finger licking MANGOEEEEEEES! Be it aam ras or just the fruit itself, we cannot get enough of it! Here are few more ways to satiate your hunger for the fruit with these amazing desi mango-licious dessert recipes!

1.Mango Kulfi

This amazing dessert has been known to be originated during the Mughal dynasty as one of the royal sweets. Known to belong to the ice-cream family, it’s loved by everyone from kids to adults.

Ingredients:
1 Can condensed milk
½ Mango Pulp
½ cup cream
12-15 almonds-blanched and shredded
Kulfi moulds

Method:
1) Mix together the condensed milk, cream and mango pulp.
2) Beat to blend well. Add the nuts, saving a few for garnishing.
3) Mix well and pour into moulds.
4) Freeze at the lowest possible temperature.

2. Mango Phirni

Phirni is the twin sister of Kheer also invented during the rule of Mughal emperors. This North Indian dish is a creamy rice-based dessert.

Ingredients:
1 cup of rice
Mangoes 4 tablespoons
Milk 1 ltrs
Sugar 3/4 cup
Pistachios, blanched and sliced 8-10
Almonds, blanched and sliced 6-8

Method:
1. Soak rice in two cups of water for half an hour. Drain and grind to a coarse paste. Add a little water to dilute.
2. Add the rice paste in boiling hot milk while stirring simultaneously, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously till the milk thickens well.
3. Add sugar, and continue to simmer till sugar dissolves and is incorporated well. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and stir in mango cubes keeping a few aside for garnishing.
4. Pour this mixture into bowls, garnish with sliced pistachios, almonds and mango cubes and serve chilled.

3. Mango Shrikhand

A delight for all the yogurt lovers! This Maharashtrian dessert is made of strung yogurt which is then flavored.

Ingredients:
Mango Puree – 1 cup
Yogurt – 3 cups (should not be sour)
Powdered sugar – 1/4 -1/2 cup
2 Blanched and shredded Pistachio
4 blanched and shredded Almonds
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Few strands of saffron soaked in warm milk

Method:
1. Place yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang it overnight to drain out the whey from the yogurt.
2. Mix the hung yogurt with powdered sugar nicely until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add saffron, half of the chopped pistachio and almonds, mango puree, cardamom powder and mix well.
4. Refrigerate for an hour and garnish with dry fruits while serving.

4. Mango Mastani

Fruit Juice+ Milk+ Ice cream+ Dryfruits= Pune-based Mastani !
A thick milkshake served with a big dollop of icecream. Mastani is a unique name it’s actually based on the name of the queen Mastani who was wife of Peshwa Bajirao.

Ingredients:
Mango puree 2 cups + to serve
Milk 1 cup
Fresh cream 1 cup
Sugar 3 tablespoons
Vanilla ice cream as required
Mixed nuts chopped for garnishing

Method:
1. Blend milk, cream and few ice cubes along with mango puree.
2. Pour into the serving glasses leaving half inch space on the top.
3. Scoop out a dollop of ice-cream and place them on the top and garnish with dry fruits.

Grab your apron and try one of these easy to make Indian desserts! Cause we are ‘Mango People’!
Image Sources:
http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com
http://www.archanaskitchen.com
http://www.khanapakana.com
https://cdn.instructables.com

Also Read: Super Simple Mango Basundi Recipe You Must Try

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Quick And Easy Breakfast In Bed

Have a big date-night coming? Or your anniversary? If not, it still wouldn’t hurt to surprise your better-half with an amazing breakfast in bed. We all know the pain of getting up early on a Sunday to make breakfast; so here are a few quick and easy breakfast items that’ll score you some major brownie points!

Pancakes

Who doesn’t love pancakes, right? Did you know it was super easy to make pancakes at home with minimum ingredients?

All you need is:

2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
2 cups self-rising flour
1/3 cup caster sugar
Butter, for frying, plus extra, to serve
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 spoon of Nutella

Here’s how you get your chef mode on:

1. Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla essence together. Sift flour in a large bowl and stir in sugar. Make a well in the center and add milk mixture and whisk until thick.

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Grease pan with butter. Using 1/4 cup mixture for each pancake, cook 2 pancakes until bubbles appear on surface. Turn and cook for 1-2 minutes more or until cooked all the way. Transfer to a plate.

3. Spread nutella across the pancake while serving and sprinkle some powdered sugar to make it look yummier.

Tips:

– You can also choose maple syrup instead of nutella, and add your favorite fruits.
– Nowadays, there are a lot of ready-to-make pancake mixtures available in the market to make your job easier.
– You can also use the same batter for making waffles, if you have a waffle machine at home.

Cheese Omelets

(You can make it while you’re waiting for the pancakes to get cooked)

Yummy source of protein and perfect meal for Sunday breakfast!

All you need is:

2 eggs
Grated cheese
Salt and pepper
Onions (chopped)
Tomatoes (chopped)

Method:

1. Whisk eggs well.

2. Add onions and tomatoes and salt and pepper and stir well.

3. Heat a non-stick frying pan and grease it with butter. Pour the batter and wait for the bubbles.

4. Add cheese when slightly cooked for the melted-cheese-effect.

5. Transfer to a plate.

Tips:

– Serve with toasted bread
– Use oregano instead of pepper if you want to go Italian
– Add chicken sausages cut in pieces to the batter

Nutella Milkshake

Because who doesn’t love milkshakes? And we need something to end the breakfast-cum-brunch with something sweet.

All you need is:

1 cup cold milk
2 tbsp. (or as needed) Sugar
2 tbsp. Nutella
Vanilla essence – 1/4 tsp.
Ice cubes

Method:

1. Mix everything in a blender

2. Add Nutella to the insides of the glass and pour the milkshake.

Try making the milkshake first so that you can keep it in the fridge to cool. The omelet needs to be served hot, so save it for the last. Present everything nicely in a tray with a flower and you’re set! With the perfect pancakes and an amazing milkshake, you’re surely going to be in your partner’s good books for a long time!

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Grilled Chicken with Avocado and Mango Salad Recipe

Cooked chicken is a favourite. Most of the people around the world love chicken delicacies. Chicken is grilled, boiled, stirred in spicy curries, cooked with rice, stuffed in rolls, in sandwiches, and cooked in many other ways.

But have you ever tried relishing a chicken salad? Some might have while some might have not. Even for those who have tried chicken salad, this one’s a recipe that many might not have tried. Well, it we do add mango in this, which sure does add a summer flavour into it.

We’ve share the recipe here for you. Add this in your notebook and prepare this delight tonight, for dinner.

Let us start by bringing in the ingredients for this recipe.

They are;

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
Cooking spray
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup diced peeled mango
3/4 cup diced peeled avocado

Got all of these in the kitchen?

Time we prepare the dish.

Start by preparing the grill.
In a bowl, bring the oil, chutney, juice, soy sauce and ginger together.
On a plate, place the chicken. Pour 2 tablespoon oil on the chicken. Brush the oil mixture all over the chicken and keep it aside for 5 minutes.
On a grill rack that’s coated with cooking spray, place the chicken and grill each side of it for 5 minutes or, until it’s well grilled. Do brush the oil mixture on the chicken as you turn it on the grill. Slice the chicken crosswise into stripes.
Now, place the mangoes, avocadoes and greens on the serving plates. Then, arrange the chicken over the greens. Sprinkle the reserved dressing over the salad.

After all this is done, the salad is all set to be relished. Its taste is as healthy as it looks. This salad serves you in with the perfect combination of taste and good health.

So slice up a colossal appetite for this delicious meal.

The Strawberry Brûlée

Are you done with dinner? If so, you can end your day with utmost sweetness, with just a bowlful of strawberry brûlée. This is one of the finest ways of getting your sweet tooth pampered. But for this, you’d have to line up a handful of ingredients in your kitchen and prepare this recipe on your own. You sure do seem to be ready for preparing it.

Let us begin by gathering all the required ingredients for the brûlée.

They are,

2 cups sliced strawberries
8 teaspoons raw sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

Oh yes. That’s all that you require for this dose of sweetness.

Moving on, we shall now start preparing the strawberry brûlée.

First, divide the strawberries in 4 different dessert dishes. After doing that, sprinkle raw sugar over the strawberries in each of the dish.

Secondly, whip the cream and make it a lot softer using the electric mixer. Then, evenly spread soft yogurt over all the strawberries.

Then, sprinkle the remaining raw sugar over all the cups once again. Cover each of the cups and chill it for around 4-5 hours.

Once it’s completely chilled, take it out and relish it with your friends & family. This fruity meal isn’t just delicious, but is also very healthy. Add healthy sweetness in life by preparing this twice or thrice in a week.

Prepare this now, relish it, and do tell us how it was. Have a sweet day!

It’s Time To Get High On Food In Real Sense

The only thing that comes to my mind when I see, think, eat, smell food is – Joey Doesn’t Share food! How many of you can actually connect with Joey and his appetite? *secretly raising my hand! Well, all the foodies out there, you’ve scrolled to the right post! 😉 Brace yourselves all the foodies out there, we are here to share the mutual love for food.

But do you know what’s the cherry on the cake? Adding liquor to your food! Can this thing get any better? Well, I don’t think so! Even if you are not much of an alcohol person, mixing some of the liquor to our favorite dishes won’t cause a much of a harm. This will just make your dishes taste better, and it will take you on cloud nine, for sure! And, if you are a liquor person, these recipes will make you jump out of joy, and of course, make you a tad tipsy. 😉

So, here goes the list of food where you can add liquor, make your food high on life and flavors, and give yourself a bit of a tipsy feeling. It’s time to get high on food!

Beer-Battered Onion Rings:

Ever thought about this? Your favorite onion rings can get you high, and for this, all you have to do is toss those rings in beer before you coat it with the breadcrumbs. Tada! Your crispy beer-battered onion rings are ready!

Drunken Gummy Bears:

This is the most difficult recipe we’ve ever come across. Get a bag of those cute little gummy bears, and pour a vodka in a huge bowl. Add the needed amount of gummy bears in them, and let them rest for a couple of hours. When you get them out, these drunken gummy bears will be the yummiest munchies ever! 😉 Difficult, right? Told ya…

Whiskey Marinade:

Whiskey marinade is going to be a bit messier. All you have to do is, pour a cup of whiskey in the chicken during marination, and then grill it upside down, and again sprinkle some whiskey to it.

Rum Balls:

Rum balls are the most lip-smacking dessert on this planet. Rum induced chocolate balls will get you high, for sure!

Caramel Apples:

Soak Granny Apples in vodka, same as gummy bears. Once these apple slices are drunk enough, dip them in caramel and enjoy this sweet sider.

Rummy Hummus:

Add a cup of rum in the hummus while grinding, this will just make an amazing dip while having a party.

Do you have any more ideas to get your food drunk? Share with us in the comments below.

Special Full Course Recipes For Valentine’s Day Celebrations

Do you want to make your partner feel special on this Valentine’s Day but are low on budget for it? Restaurants can be very expensive and crowded especially on occasions like these. So here are three amazing full course meal recipes to help you have the best and most romantic candle light dinner for your better half at home. They are easy to prepare and taste delicious. Just follow the simple steps and you too can be Master Chef for the love of your life!

Starter Recipe: Chicken Roulade
Ingredients are as follows –
1) 2 Chicken Breasts
2) 250 gms Chicken Mince
3) 2 Eggs
For Tart
4) 1 Blind baked tart
5) 200 gms Big Sweet Potatoes
6) 2 Baby Carrots
7) 50 gms Broccoli
For Sauce
8) 250 ml Chicken stock
9) 50 gms Butter
10) 100 gms Blue berries
11) 50 ml White wine (cooking)
12) Salt and pepper for seasoning

Spread the chicken breasts on baking sheets or cling films and pound it with the help of any heavy object or rolling pin/wooden chaka. In a separate bowl mix the mince, eggs and season it with salt and pepper. Stuff the chicken breasts with the mixture and make rolls of it. Tie it with the use of toothpicks. Preheat the oven at 450* degrees and bake the roulades for about 7-10 minutes until golden brown. For the sauce, Boil the chicken stock then add the blueberries and white wine and let it boil until it reduces to the consistency of a sauce. Take a pan, add butter and seasoning to roast the sweet potatoes. Once roasted peeled and mashed, fill the mashed potatoes in a piping bag and pipe it on the Tart. Saute the veggies and slice the Chicken Roulade. Place everything on a clean white plate, you can present the dish as shown in the picture below or can make your own style of presenting the dish.

Main Course : Vegetable Tangine with Cous Cous
Ingredients are as follows –
1) 100 gms Cous Cous
2) 50 gms bell peppers
3) Olive Oil (as per need)
4) 3 springs of Mint
Tangine
5) 100 gms Potatoes
6) 100 gms Carrots
7) 100 gms Chick Peas
8) 100 gms Aubergine
9) 100 gms Bell Peppers
10) 100 gms Zucchini
11) 200 ml Tamoto Sauce
12) 100 gms Olives
13) 50 gms Butter
14) Salt Pepper
15) Paprika
16) Star Anise
17) Ground Cinnamon
18) Cayenne Pepper
19) 20 gms ginger
20) Tumeric

Drizzle the Cous Cous with hot water and olive oil and let it steam for about 8 minutes. Once done add lemon juice, salt, pepper, mint, olives and toss. Keep it aside. For the Tangine, pour olive oil in a pot, add Star anise, Ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper and ginger. As your kitchen is filled with its aroma, add the veggies and stir. Saute the veggies properly then add tomato sauce/puree along with tumeric, paprika and butter. Finally season it with salt and pepper accordingly. Spread the Cous Cous in a bowl and place the Tangine right in the centre on the Cous Cous. Dinner is served.

Dessert : Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients are as follows –
1) 45 gms Dark Chocolate
2) 23 gms Butter
3) 1 Egg
4) 13 gms sugar
5) 1 teaspoon Cocoa Powder
6) 20 gms Flour
7) Half a teaspoon Baking powder
8) Half a teaspoon Baking soda
9) A pinch of Salt
10) 13 gms Chocolate Chips
11) Few drops of Vanilla essence
12) 5 gms coffee powder
13) Few fresh strawberries for garnish

Take butter, dark chocolate and melt it, keep it aside. Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Take a separate bowl and add all the dry ingredients, Flour, Baking powder and soda, Cocoa powder and mix. Add this dry mixture to the Eggs and Sugar and mix with a spatula. Add vanilla essence along with melted butter and chocolate. Pour the mixture into moulds and place in the oven that is preheated 180* degrees. Keep it for 20 minutes or until, when you insert a skewer and it comes out clean. Place the Chocolate Fudge on a plate, drizzle some melted chocolate and freshly cut strawberries.

Here you go, your Valentine’s Day special dinner is ready to serve. It goes great with any kind of wine and lots of love.
Recipe Credits : Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar.

Tickle Your Taste Buds With A Touch Of Love This Valentine’s With Amarula

Aspri Spirits, one of the leading importers and distributors of premium wines & spirits in India, presents exceptional cocktails for Valentine’s Day using globally the most popular liqueur, Amrula.
Amarula Cream originates from Africa and is a perfect drink to celebrate your love with your partner this Valentine’s. Enjoy it plain with ice or concoct a delicious cocktail, this drink will surely bring alive the romance & love. So entice your taste buds with these creamy cocktails.

Below are some recipes of the drink you can savour :

1) AMARULA STORM IN A SHORT
37.5ml Amarula Cream Liquor
Slash of fresh grated ginger and a turn of honey
15ml bourbon
50ml half and half (half cream and half milk)

2) AMARULA SPICED DRAM
35ml Amarula Cream Liquor
20ml spiced infused whiskey (clove, cinnamon, juniper, star anise & cardamom)

3) AMARULA CITRUS CRÈME
50ml Amarula Cream Liquor
20ml triple sec
Zest of an orange

4) ULA COFFEE SURPRISE
60ml Amarula Cream Liquor
Mug of strong filter coffee
50ml whipped cream
8 marshmallows
20ml brown sugar
20ml hot chocolate powder

5) AMARULA RED VELVET
30ml Amarula Cream Liquor
20ml Red Berry Vodka
20ml Beetroot juice
20ml white chocolate syrup
10ml grenadine

About ASPRI :

Aspri Spirits Pvt Ltd was established in 2004. The company today represents some of the finest brands in the world of Wines and Spirits and is one of the leading players in the imported alcoholic beverage segment. The company with its commitment to ensure highest quality standards focuses on the sales, marketing and distribution of its diverse portfolio and is dedicated to building premium international brands in travel retail and domestic markets across South Asia.

5 Droolworthy Popsicles To Keep You Cool This Summer

It’s just the month of April and we all are already dying of the heat. If there’s anything that can beat this malicious heat and keep us cool this summer it’s POPSICLES! Those delicious, little joy of refreshments on a stick is all we need to survive through his summer. They are easy to make, they are chilled and packed with flavors. You can pick up any fruit or ingredient, mix it with ice, freeze it and done! You get amazing popsicles ready so easy. Isn’t that GREAT!? Well, let’s try some recipes and get ourselves back into our childhood.

1) Strawberry Popsicle

INGREDIENTS:
Strawberries – 100 grams
Sugar – 2 table spoons
Vanilla essence – few drops
A few ice cubes

INSTRUCTIONS:
Take a blender, add all the ingredients and blend. Keep the mixture thick and not smooth. There should be strawberry lumps. Add the mixture to popsicle molds and let it freeze for about 15 minutes.

2) Mango Shortcake Popsicle

INGREDIENTS:
Mango – 6 cups
Organic Vanilla yogurt – 3 cups (or take plain yogurt and add honey and vanilla)
Macadamia nuts – 1 cup (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix mangoes in a blender/food processor. Layer yogurt and pureed mangoes in popsicle molds and freeze for an hour. Remove from molds and roll in macadamia nuts.

3) Cucumber Mint Popsicle

INGREDIENTS:
Cucumbers – 4
Mint – a bunch
Peppermint oil – a few drops
Fresh lime juice
Honey – 3 table spoons

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix cucumbers in a blender/food processor. Strain pureed cucumbers through a strainer. Mince 6-8 mint leaves and blend with strained cucumber juice. Add squeeze of lime juice & honey. Place a mint leaf in each popsicle mold if desired. Pour in popsicle molds and freeze for 2+ hours.

4) Fudge Popsicle

INGREDIENTS:
Coconut milk – 2 cans
Cream – half a cup
Cocoa – 4 teaspoons
Honey – 8 teaspoons
Vanilla – few drops
Salt – a pinch

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix all ingredients in a blender/food processor. Pour in popsicle molds and freeze for 3+ hours.

5) Lava Flow Popsicle

INGREDIENTS:
Pineapple – 1 and a half cup
Mango – 1 cup
Coconut milk – one and a half cup

INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend mango and pineapple separately, add coconut milk to both. Pour both the mixtures into a mold one by one, so as when they freeze, they look like lava as shown in the picture.

Enjoy your popsicles this summer and if you have more recipes or ideas, write to us [email protected]

Here’s What Breakfast Looks Like Around The Globe

Breakfast Feast – Photographed on Hasselblad H3D2-39mb Camera

What’s the most important meal of the day? BREAKFAST! Keeping us healthy and sharp. But breakfast foods vary wildly from place to place. Americans are kinda obsessed with breakfast, to the point where we sometimes eat it for every meal of the day. Except for breakfast actually, as we overslept. All around the world, people eat comforting, filling meals to start their day. For some countries, breakfast means runny poached eggs with thick Greek yogurt and pita, and for others, chocolate-filled pastries. So, let’s take a look at what country is eating what:

1) America

The country obsessed with breakfast. Here people are either have cereals or eggs and toasts. Nothing more, nothing less! And let’s not forget their coffee.

2) Portuguese

Salted cod, egg, and potato baked casserole

3) China

A typical breakfast in eastern China can include items like dumplings, rice in vegetable soup, fried sponge cake, steamed creamy custard bun, and porridge.

4) Iran

In Iran a typical breakfast consists of sweet black tea, bread, butter, feta cheese, and sometimes fresh fruit and nuts.

5) France

French breakfast includes tea, coffee, juice, or hot chocolate, with bread and butter or pastries.

6) Australia

Australians love Vegemite enough to eat it every day. They also eat a lot of fruit and sometimes indulge in a full English breakfast.

7) Brazil

They love strong coffee and plate of ham, cheese, and bread to begin the day.

8) England

The fortifying English breakfast includes eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, mushrooms, and cooked tomato and tea of course!

9) India

India varies by region, but often you’ll find a tray like this one, crowded with chutneys, dips, and bread like dosa, roti, or idli.

10) Italy

No, they don’t eat pizza and pasta for breakfast! Many Italians begin their day with a cappuccino and brioche slathered with jam or stuffed with chocolate.

Which country’s breakfast would you like to try? 😛