Rose Milk Popsicle

Kuchi ice and summer cannot be separated any time. Still remember the childhood days, we kids eagerly wait for the "ice vandi" in the afternoons. Though mom used to make ice creams at home, used to long for kuchi ice. Most of the summer days were accompanied with kuchi ice and ice cream treats.. ;) Those days, we used to have semiya ice, paal ice, grape, mango, orange flavors. We used to love the colors in our tongue after having the Popsicle.

Till last summer I didn't introduce Popsicle to my daughter, But this year, she was very particular about the Popsicles, and we got a pack of pops from stores. Like how i loved to see the colors in  tongue, she was also enjoying it. But whenever i see the colors in her tongue, i used to worry about the chemicals and colors that went in. So decided to make the Popsicles at home itself. Initially i made pops with watermelon juice. And  then tried with rose milk.  She loved its color and flavor.

By thinking the calories of milk, i have prepared some mini rose milk pops also for me. I had some rose milk left after filling the rose milk molds. So just filled them in ice cube tray.. Now the mini pops are the most wanted by the family. :)

Ingredients :

Milk - 4 cups
rose syrup - 2 tbsp
sugar - 3 tbsp ( adjust according to your taste)

Preparation:

1. In a vessel, Boil 4 cups of milk, until it becomes about 2 cups.
2. Once the boiled milk is cool down, add rose syrup and sugar.
3. transfer them to the Popsicle mold and cover with lid.
4. Let it freeze for upto 12 hrs.

It will be ready to taste then. Show the pops mold in running water for 10-15 seconds before trying to remove from the mold. For mini pops, show the back side of ice tray in running water and remove it slowly.

Mini pops can be prepared easily, in case if you don't have Popsicle mold. All you need is just a few tooth picks and the ice cube tray. :)

Insert the tooth pick once it starts setting. Say about after 45 mins once the tray is filled and kept in freezer.

Palkova- Guest post#2 for Remya

Today it is a guest post for one of my sweet friend Remya Sean. 

To tell about Remya, she is a very simple and down to earth person. The one who suggests and share the tips.. When I was new to blogging (still new but in the very beginning days) she was one among the persons who guided / helped me to improve my blogging. Even now, If I need something she will be there to give a helping hand. Very glad to have her in my life.

About her blog and recipes, you can find traditional Kerala recipes as well as innovative new recipes in her blog. Right from simple chutneys, to refreshing drinks and desserts she got a good collection of recipes. You must visit her space and explore it.

When She asked me to do a guest post, I was so excited and asked her what she likes... She gave me a broad choice of any tamil nadu recipe... So decided to make a traditional Tamil Nadu special sweet recipe, and thought it will most suit for this sweet girl. And surprisingly this girl loves Palkova.. What a coincidence right? 

Palkova is my mom's one of the signature recipe. She used to make it so perfect...  Two important things other than the ingredients are required for making palkova.. First a heavy bottomed vessel and then Patience. :) As it takes little more time than an hour, we need to stand and stir. but to enjoy a rich and healthy(! I believe it is healthy as it is made from milk) sweet, wont we stand? 

Please visit Remya's blog for the detailed recipe and more clicks :)

Milk Peda

Here is another recipe for Holi...

Milk Beda

Making of milk Peda was so simple and you can consider this sweet for festivals, Parties and potluck.

My mom used to make Palkova at home, with fresh milk, That is the only milk sweet we prepare at home...but I never thought of using milk powder and making a simple dessert... :) I thought of making palkova as i had a gallon of milk in fridge unused....  But after checking this recipe from Archana's Kitchen, I was attracted by its simplicity. So I wanted to try and as it is a successful recipe, I am archiving it for future reference

Here is the recipe:

I have adjusted the sugar level according to my preference.. For the actual measurement of ingredients please check here 

Ingredients:

Milk powder - 1-3/4 cups
Condensed milk - 1 cup (397 ml tin will be 1-1/2 cups,)
butter -3 table spoon (at room temperature)
elachi powder - 1/2 tea spoon
ghee -1 tea spoon (to grease palm)
Food color - one pinch diluted in a tea spoon  of water (optional)
Boiled milk at room temperature - 1 or 2 tea spoon (if required)
almonds / pistachios- chopped - for decoration

Preparation:
1. Add, butter, milk powder, condensed milk, and whisk them well.
2. Put them in a low heat and mix well for two to three minutes.
3. When the dough is formed, oil spots will be shown in the pan.Then add elachi powder and mix well again. (If it looks in a dry or Puttu kind of texture, no problem, we are going to kneed it again)
4. Once the dough becomes cool, kneed them well. If it is dry add a tea spoon of boiled milk and kneed well.
5. If you need the colored beda, mix the diluted colors a drop with the dough.
6. grease your palms with ghee and take a small amount of dough and make it a ball.
7.Press the center of ball with your finger and decorate it with chopped almonds or pistachios.
Repeat the steps for the remaining dough.

Adding colors are purely optional. try to add very minimal.. :)
Hope you enjoyed the recipe. Share it to your friends too :) Thanks... Tomorrow coming up with a colorful lunch box  recipe.. :)

Group of we friends are celebrating holi with colorful recipes. wish you all a colorful and happy holi wishes again :)

Sharing this recipe to,
FR event hosted by Tanushree and Organized by Swathi

Turmeric Milk

Hi There, Enjoying the winter with a sip of coffee and your favorite snack?

hmmm.... Winter is my favorite season with all Markazhi kolams, poojas at temple, cold breeze, early morning mist and so on... The other part of this season which none of us like is "Catching Cold". Though we are very careful, catching cold is unavoidable in this season.  But At our home i dont remember we running to the doctor for a prescription or to the pharmacy for cold syrup. My parents used to prepare "kashaayam" and that is the only medicine that goes in... In childhood I used to run and hide if my parents ask me to take kashaayam. But after I read about the tradition of tamil Siddha vaithiyam and its power of healing, I convinced myself to drink kashaayam.

I would say, my Father was an expert in making Kashaayam. Always he used to stock the basic ingredients to make kashaayam at home. "Sukku(Dry ginger)"," Milagu (Pepper)","Thippili (long pepper), "Panankalkandu (Palm sugar)" are the basic ingredients.  And kandanthippili,Coriander seeds, and Tulsi are also added sometimes. Will post Kashaayam recipe soon.today we are going to see about "Turmeric Milk".

My Mom's simple medicine for cold is "Turmeric Milk". She always used to prepare turmeric milk for my daughter, whenever she catches cold. Initially my daughter was also crying to drink this. So now I had to make some changes to the Turmeric milk preparation and it really helped. Now my daughter herself asking for it now and then.

Here the recipe is:

Milk - 1cup(about 150 ml)

To powder:
Coriander seeds - 3 tea spoons
Pepper -1/2 spoon
Elachi- 3 or 4 (optional)

To Mix, while  milk is boiling:

Turmeric powder - 3/4 spoon
Dry ginger powder - 1/2 spoon
Or a small piece of dry ginger.
Palm Sugar/Sugar - 2 tea spoons or as per your taste


1.First powder the items coarsely in mixi. If you are using a piece of dry ginger make it powder along with this mix.
2. Boil the milk in Simmer
3.When the milk forms a layer on top of it, add Turmeric, Dry ginger powder and the powdered mix, and stir well.
4.Let the milk boil well with the mix, then add the required amount of sugar or palm sugar.
5.Filter and serve hot. (as you take your hot beverages).

Notes:
1.Take this before you go to bed. Don't drink water immediately after taking this.
2.Adding elachi is optional, But it gives a better taste when added.
3.Always boil milk in simmer for this drink.
4.After adding the mix, keep stir whenever the layer forms. It will help the milk to boil well, so the raw smell of turmeric and mix will leave.
5.Its is better to prepare the Mix in more quantity and store, So you can use it whenever it is required.