CARAMEL CUSTARD

This is a simple Indian desert and is a very popular caramel flavoured egg recipe. Sugar syrup is cooked to caramel stage and poured into molds before adding the custard base. It is steamed in a pressure cooker or oven in water bath. Refrigerated and while serving flipped upside down to a serving plate with the caramel on top.

INGREDIENTS

FOR  CARAMELIZATION

Sugar                            3 tbsp
Water                           2 tsp

FOR THE CUSTARD

Milk                            2 and 1/2 tea cup
Eggs                           2
Sugar                        3-4 tbsp as per taste
Vanilla essence    1 tsp

METHOD

HOW TO MAKE CARAMALIZED SUGAR

Heat a nonstick pan and add 3 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp water.

Stir till golden brown in colour.

Remove from heat and pour the caramalized sugar into a bowl. Turn the bowl around to coat the sides also with caramalized sugar. Leave aside to cool.

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HOW TO MAKE CUSTARD

Boil milk in a deep pan and turn off the heat. Add vanilla essence.

Beat eggs and sugar in a separate bowl.

Slowly add the hot milk little at a time to the beaten eggs. While adding hot milk whisk or the eggs will cook. Add the above mixture over the caramalized sugar.

Cover it with two layer of butter paper or a steel lid,

Add water to the bottom of a pressure cooker and when it starts boiling on low heat place this mixture in the pressure cooker. Put the lid of the pressure cooker , do not put the whistle. Steam on low heat for 25 minutes.

Remove from pressure cooker and allow to cool. Keep it in fridge for 2-3 hours.

Press the sides and flip it in a plate and demold.

Cut and Serve cold.

PALADA PAYASAM

Palada payasam is a traditional sweet desert made in Kerala(south of India) during festivals and special occasions.

In this recipe rice ada and sugar is added to milk and cooked in low heat. To give flavour cardamom powder is added and garnished with cashews and raisins.

I have used double horse palada. Only ada comes with this packet.

INGREDIENTS

Double horse (rice palada)    1/2 tea cup
Milk                                            5 tea cup
Sugar                                         1 tea cup
Ghee/butter                              1 tbsp
Cardamom powder                1 tsp
Cashews                                     5-6
Raisins                                       10

METHOD

In a frying pan heat a tbsp ghee, add the cashew and fry till cashew becomes golden, add the raisins and fry till it puffs up. Take it on to a plate and keep it aside.

Boil milk in a heavy bottomed vessel or a pressure cooker, when it comes to a boil add ada and sugar.

Cook on low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.

Add cardamom powder, cashews and raisins.

Serve hot or cold.

Note: How to make ada -  soak rice for two hours. Grind the rice into a fine paste,add salt and spread in plaintain leaf. Steam in a rice cooker. Remove and cut in small pieces.

Here I have used ready made ada.