This Layered Coconut Water Jelly is a refreshing Malaysian vegan Dessert.

Coconut Water Jelly is one of my favourite desserts. I make this 5 ingredient aromatic dessert because it’s so refreshing and has many health benefits. A Vegan Jelly made with vegan gelatine (agar-agar). My go to refreshing delight which cools me down during hot Summer days. In fact, I enjoy it even during Winter!

Coconut Water Jelly Ingredients

Coconut Water, Coconut Cream or Rich Coconut Milk, agar-agar powder, sugar and the Pandan Leaves (aromatic screw pine leaves).

You can get these from your supermarket and If any are unavailable, you can get them from Asian Supermarkets or Thai/Malaysian online stores.

Coconut Cream/Coconut Milk

The best coconut cream is from Malaysia and Thailand.

I use a brand sold here in the UK which is just as good, ‘Kingfisher rich and creamy coconut milk’. It’s probably from one of these Asian countries and packed in the UK. (can shows as ‘packed’ in the UK).

Coconut Water

If you’re using coconut water straight from the whole coconut and the coconut meat is soft and tender, you can chop up some the meat and add it to this layer for some extra texture.

You can get Fresh Coconuts from an Asian Supermarket or opt for the ready ones in cartons. I usually use the ready ones and my go to brand here in the UK is Vita Coco as it is low in calories yet has a lovely natural sweetness to it.

Pandan

If you are unable to find Pandan leaves, you can substitute with a pandan extract/essence/paste. Some extracts are clear and others have it’s green hue

Available As: fresh, frozen, and dried leaves and paste, extract, and powder.

Place of Origin: Southeast Asia

Distinctive Flavour and Aroma: sweet and floral

Also known as Fragrant Screwpine leaves or Vanilla Grass or Fragrant Plant.

Nothing beats using the leaf itself though. Pandan leaves are known for their sweet aromatic fragrance. The fragrance of the Pandan Leaf reminds me of home (Malaysia) every time. It envelopes the whole house to the point that it lures my husband into the kitchen from his home office in hopes that whatever I was preparing, was ready for his tummy lol.

Pandan is a herbaceous tropical plant that grows abundantly in Southeast Asia. I use it to lend a unique taste and aroma to flavour desserts, drinks and savoury dishes. You can get Pandan leaves fresh, frozen, as well as dried.

Pandan Leaves can also be used to wrap food such as chicken or sticky rice. The leaves impart these foods with an aromatic note and make the food look appealing. The paste, extract, and powder, tint the ingredients with a green hue while contributing a lovely flavour.

Agar Agar

If using agar agar flakes, use the conversion ratio of 1 tsp powder to 1 Tbsp flakes.

This ingredient is also known simply as agar, is a gel-like substance derived from red algae. It’s found in powder, flake and strips form and can be mixed with liquid and simmered to act as a thickening agent for desserts, soups and sauces alike.

Agar is a popular alternative to gelatin because it’s plant-based, flavourless and suitable for most diets. It also has a higher melting point than gelatin, making it ideal for use as a solid medium in the laboratory.

Benefits of Agar Agar

Agar is an effective Vegan Gelatin Substitute. It supports satiety, strengthens bones and helps prevent Anemia. Agar is low in calories yet high in fiber. Contains manganese, magnesium, folate and iron. It may also help improve digestive health, aid in weight loss and keep your blood sugar stable.

Equipment

You just need 2 small heavy bottom pots, ladels, and your mould. I use a clear rectangular pyrex dish with measurements 9″ x 6″. You can use any type of mould. Cocktail glasses are great too for making individual servings. They make the perfect party item.

How do you make the Layered Coconut Water Jelly?

The process is actually very simple. First, you boil the creamy coconut jelly in one pot and then the clear coconut water jelly in the second pot. It’s then a matter of working fast to assemble the 2 into layers and setting them in the fridge. Easy Peasy!

If you like coconut, then why not try these other vegan coconut desserts

Creamy Blueberry Coconut Popsicles.

Dairy free chocolate coconut popsicles.

Sugar-Free Mango Coconut popsicles.

Zesty Orange Coconut popsicles

Vegan Coconut Rice Porridge

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Layered Coconut Water Jelly – Vegan and only 5 Ingredients

A Malaysian traditional yet simple 5 ingredient aromatic dessert. It’s actually Coconut Jelly made with a vegan gelatine (agar-agar). A refreshing delight with a wonderful fragrance of the Pandan Leaf (Screwpine Leaf).

Course Dessert, Party Food, Snack

Cuisine Malaysia, South East Asia, Thailand

Diet Diabetic, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Coconut, Coconut Cream, Coconut Water, dessert, diabetic friendly, Jelly, Pandan Leaf, Refreshing, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Setting Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories

Ingredients

Coconut Milk Layer

• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 5 Tbsp sugar. (I used Erythritol) Adjust to your taste
• 1 ½ tsp agar agar powder
• 1 pandan leaf Aprox 6 inches
• A pinch salt

Coconut Water Layer

• 2 cups coconut Water
• 3 Tbsp Sugar. (I used Erythritol) Adjust to your taste. If the coconut water is naturally sweet then you do not need much sugar/sweetener.
• 1 ½ tsp agar agar powder
• 1 pandan leaf Aprox 6 inches of

Instructions

Coconut Milk Layer

• Add coconut water to a small pot, then sprinkle on agar agar powder and stir to mix.
• Add coconut milk, sugar, salt, and pandan leaf. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once it comes to a full boil, the agar powder should be completely dissolved.
• If you want to add coconut meat to this layer, you can add it at this point and bring the mixture to a boil one more time.
• Lower the heat to the lowest setting to keep it warm and not set. Keep the pot covered while you make the other layer. Make sure it’s just barely simmering and not boiling away.

Coconut Water Layer

• In another small pot, add coconut water and agar agar powder and stir to break up the powder. Add sugar and pandan leaf, then bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Once it boils, check to see that there aren’t any tiny little grains of agar powder still floating around. Keep the mixture hot and covered just like the coconut milk layer.

Assembly

• I made 5 layers for this recipe but You can just make a simple 2 layer Jelly or however many layers you wish. I made 3 layers of white (⅔ cup each) and 2 layers of clear (1 cup each).

If you are using same number of layers and measurements as me, then :

• First layer : pour a white layer into the dish and spoon off any bubbles, then refrigerate just until the top has set about 5 minutes.
• You can test this by gently tapping the layer with your finger, and if it’s no longer liquid and doesn’t stick to your finger, it’s ready for the next layer.
• 2nd Layer : Make sure the clear layer is steaming hot, pour it over the back of a spoon carefully, letting it drip gently onto the edges of the first layer. If you pour too quickly, it’ll break or ‘dent’ the first layer. Refrigerate again just until the top is set about 7 minutes.
• Repeat with the remaining agar mixture, making sure that you keep both mixtures hot and covered while you wait for it to set. If for whatever reason it has gone cold, you can simply reheat it when you are ready to pour.
• Once you’re finished, let the jelly refrigerate for at least 2 hours so it is nice and cold when you serve it. Enjoy!

Notes

If you have a strong gas stove you might have a hard time getting the heat to stay very low, in that case you can keep it off heat and covered, and reheat it to boiling right before you use it.

If using agar agar flakes, use the conversion ratio of 1 tsp powder to 1 Tbsp flakes.

I use a clear rectangular pyrex dish 22cm by 16cm but you can use any kind of mould. You can even make individual ones in cocktail glasses.

Optional: If you’re using coconut water straight from the whole coconut and the coconut meat is soft and tender, you can chop up some the meat and add it to this layer for some extra texture.

The post Coconut Water Jelly – Easy, Vegan and 5 Ingredients! appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

I love the Asian version, Kheer, similar to the Turkish rice pudding but these call for whole milk and granulated sugar which spike my blood glucose levels sky high. So I tried this alternative vegan version with plant based milks and Natural Sweetener instead and loved it. A healthy guilt-free sweet dessert!

Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding goes well with :

Any chopped fresh or dried fruit of your liking.

Blueberry or other berry puree/jam/compote

Toasted nuts : Almond Flakes, Pistachios, walnuts etc.

Cinnamon

Many are now health conscious and opt for honey or agave as an alternative too. If you prefer your pudding really creamy then I suggest going for full-fat Coconut milk instead of Light. The added cashew or almond milk usually adds to the creaminess though.

Other Vegan Coconut Recipes

You may like these vegan, sugar-free and dairy-free desserts too!

Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert

Quick no bake Yogurt cheesecake in a glass

Summer Fruit Cobbler

Layered Coconut Water Jelly

Creamy Blueberry Coconut Popsicles.

Dairy free chocolate coconut popsicles.

Sugar-Free Mango Coconut popsicles

Zesty Orange Coconut popsicles

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Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding

A less watery and more exciting in flavour than traditional rice pudding. This Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding is sugar-free, dairy-free and so versatile with many variations of toppings to suit all tastes.

Course Dessert, Snack

Diet Diabetic, Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword coconut milk, comfort, dairy-free, dessert, diabetic friendly, gluten-free, rice, sugar-free, sweet, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 171kcal

Ingredients

• 150 g Pudding rice or short grain or brown rice. – I usually use brown rice (lower calorie), with extra liquid added to get it nice and soft.
• 400 ml Can full-fat coconut milk. – I use Light coconut Milk (lower calorie) but much tastier with full-fat.
• 250 ml Any plant based milk of your choice. (Almond/Cashew/Oat). – I used cashew milk as it tastes closest to dairy milk.
• 3 tbsp Natural sweetener of your choice. You can use Coconut sugar/light brown sugar/maple syrup or even honey. – Less or more according to personal taste. I used Sukin Gold Erythritol brown sugar and Skinny Maple Syrup, both 0 calorie.
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract – optional
• 1 pinch salt – optional
• ¼ cup chopped raisins – optional

TOPPING VARIATIONS:

• any chopped fresh or dried fruit of your liking
• Any Fruit or Berry Puree/sauce/compote/jam
• Toasted Almond Flakes, Walnuts, Pistachios
• Cinnamon

Instructions

• Rinse and drain the rice well.
• Place rice and coconut milk in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Add in vanilla extract, cinnamon, milk of choice, and mix well (You can add in the raisins and salt here as well if using). Continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until rice has absorbed most of the milk. If milk dries up before rice is cooked through, you can add a little extra milk or some water.
• If you'd like it a little more creamier add another 1/2 cup of milk/coconut milk. Add sugar or sweetener and stir until dissolved. Stir frequently at this point to avoid sticking.
• Remove from heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve hot or cold in bowls topped with the topping of your choice.
• As a cold dessert, let the pudding cool down well before storing in fridge. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in air tight containers. If desired, You can reheat this pudding again before serving.

Notes

TIPS

You can also cook the rice pudding in a casserole, in an oven preheated to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Stir the ingredients together well, cover and cook for 55 minutes, stirring halfway. Remove the lid for a further 20 minutes to create a crisp, golden topping. Check during the last few minutes as each oven is different.

I chop raisins so the flavour of raisins are released into the pudding to improve taste.

For added creaminess, just add a little bit of milk over the top or a dollop of whipped coconut cream.

As a cold dessert, let the pudding cool down well before storing in fridge. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in air tight containers. If desired, You can reheat this pudding again before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.3g | Protein: 3.4g | Fat: 7.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.9g | Sodium: 0.08mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 0.6g

If you make this recipe, post a pic on Instagram too and tag @sweetsharings with hashtag #sweetsharings for a shout out.

The post Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert from Ottoman times. I made this simple recipe with minimal effort yet maximum satisfaction. After trying so many sweet pumpkin desserts last Autumn, I concluded that only savoury pumpkin dishes were for me. Well, I changed my mind after trying this Turkish sweet. I tried my hand at it for the first time in Autumn (2021) and it was simply Love at first Taste!! A friend from my Alma Mater suggested I try making Kabak Tatlisi and ever since then, it has become our favourite Autumn Dessert. It’s still a favourite during Winter even!

Diabetic Friendly, Vegan and Gluten-Free.

Never had pumpkin as a dessert on its own? Forget about your classic pumpkin pie and make this super easy Turkish Sweet Delight. This Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert will be a hit with your family especially during the holidays. Being Vegan, gluten-free and so easy to make, my recipe is also Diabetic friendly with a couple of tweaks.

Calorie Conscious?

I substituted sugar with Erythritol and clotted cream with Creme Fraiche (need to watch my calories and sugar GI levels). It still turned out sooo good! Ever since this new discovery, we have had it every week. The bonus part of this dessert is that with reasonable portions, it did not disrupt my blood glucose levels.

While being a super easy recipe with a basic of only 3 ingredients, you can enhance the flavour with the addition of ginger and a couple of other spices. It’s all a matter of personal taste and preference. You even have a choice of optional garnishing (tahini, clotted cream, creme fraiche) and coarsely chopped nuts as a final topping (walnuts and pistachios).

How to prepare and clean a pumpkin.

Mature pumpkins are best to use for kabak tatlısı. If the skin is tough, use a knife to peel the pumpkin. Vegetable peelers are better for younger, thinner-skinned pumpkins and squashes. Cut the pumpkin in half, and scrape out the seeds and pulp with a large metal spoon.

Lay the pumpkin halves flat side down, and cut in half again, repeat until you have the required amount of segments.

Save the seeds. Remove the seeds from the pulp, and rinse. Pat dry, place on a baking tray in a medium-hot oven, and bake for 10 minutes. I use toasted pumpkin seeds in oats, yogurts, salads and my favourite is garnish for Pumpkin Soup. 

How to make Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert.

There are 2 options to make this dessert, on stove top or in the Oven.

Place pumpkin pieces in a large heavy bottom pot in one layer and sprinkle spices (optional) and sugar over. cover and set aside overnight for best results. Minimum 6 hours. Pumpkin juices will be released and dissolve the sugar.

Method 1 : Boil pumpkin cubes in it’s juice till soft but not mushy. Cool and serve with choice of garnishings and toppings.

Method 2 : Place pumpkin pieces in one layer on a baking tray and pour it’s juice over it. Bake for 30 mins. Cool and serve with choice of garnishings and toppings.

How To Serve Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert.

You can serve the candied pumpkin with the following options :

A dollop of clotted cream or creme fraiche, A drizzle of tahini paste, Coarsely chopped Nuts OR go all out and have a bit of everything! My husband loves it with creme fraiche and pistachios and I enjoy it with tahini sauce and walnuts.

Other Pumpkin Recipes

Try another Turkish Dessert : Muhallebi (Mahalabia) Milk Pudding

Prefer a Savoury Pumpkin Dish instead? Try Savoury Sweet Pumpkin Fry (Labu Masak Cili)

As always: If you liked this recipe please give us a rating and/or let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

If you make this recipe, post a pic on Instagram too and tag @sweetsharings with hashtag #sweetsharings for a shout out.

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Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert

Never had pumpkin as a dessert on its own? Forget about your classic pumpkin pie and make this Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert instead. It will be a hit with your family especially during the holiday season. Vegan, gluten-free and so easy to make! If you liked this recipe, please leave a ratng below.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Asian, Turkish

Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword candy, dessert, diabetic friendly, gluten-free, make ahead, Pumpkin, super easy, sweet, turkish, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

resting time 8 hours hours

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories

Equipment

• 1 Large heavy bottom pot OR oven pan
• 1 Large Sharp knife

Ingredients

• 450 gm pumpkin – weight after cleaned
• 1 cup sugar I used Erythritol (diabetic friendly)
• 1-2 tablespoons tahini/clotted cream/creme fraiche
• 1 thumb size ginger julienned and optional
• 1 stick cinnamon small stick and optional
• a few cardamom pods crushed and optional
• Pistachios or walnuts for garnish crumbled and optional

Instructions

• Peel, wash and cut the pumpkin. Remove seeds and clean the fibrous parts out. Cut the pumpkin into desired wedge/cube sizes or rectangular pieces of about 1×2 inches (3×5 cm)
• Place the pumpkin pieces and spices in a large heavy bottom pot, preferably a Dutch oven. The pot must be large because the maximum number of pumpkin pieces must touch the bottom in a single layer.
• Sprinkle sugar and choice of spices if any over the pumpkin pieces.
• Cover with lid and set aside overnight or at least 6 hours. Best results always overnight and especially so if using erythritol instead of sugar.
• The pumpkin pieces will release their juice during the sitting time, so there is no need to add extra water while boiling it. If the juices do not almost cover the pieces, then add just a little water. I have never had to add any water.

Method 1

• Place the pot with pumpkin cubes on stove and bring it to a boil on medium high heat. Once it starts to boil, immediately lower heat to medium low and leave uncovered.
• Simmer until soft but not mushy. Let it cool completely in the same pot.

Method 2

• Preheat oven at 180C/375F. Place the pumpkin cubes/slices on a baking pan in one layer. Pour the juice over pumpkin slices. Bake for 20-30 minutes until tender. Let it cool completely.

After pumpkin pieces have been Cooked.

• Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container or covered dish. Refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes to an hour. Can be served hot too but most commonly served as a cold dessert.
• Serve with a drizzle of tahini sauce OR a dollop of clotted cream OR creme fraiche. It's a matter of personal taste and diet preference.
• You can optionally garnish it with crumbled pistachio or walnuts.

Notes

This dessert is so versatile, you can serve it with a choice or all of the suggested garnishig and toppings. It’s just a matter of personal taste.

If you are diabetic or need to watch your calorie intake :

1. substitute sugar with Erythritol or similar.
2. substitute clotted cream with creme fraich

 

The post Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert. Super Easy 3-Ingredient Kabak Tatlisi. appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

I have tried a number of pumpkin dishes this season, from sweet to savoury. It has come to my conclusion that apart from a spiced pumpkin soup or seasoned roasted pumpkin wedges for snacks, nothing beats good old simple savoury dishes. I find this super easy and fast Savoury Sweet Pumpkin Fry to be the best for me. All season I have made pumpkin cheesecakes, muffins and pies, even a pumpkin loaf. Seriously, I do not know what the hype is all about with the sweet dishes. Maybe I am getting too old or maybe I am just 100% Malaysian at heart with spicy tastebuds. 

CRAVING

Many years ago, one of my relatives served this simple savoury dish with chapati. The memory of it came to me last month and ever since then it became an obsession and craving. I just had to have it, so I asked Yazreena for her mum’s recipe. It is now my favourite pumpkin dish and it’s the simplest of them all. I really like ‘Labu masak cili’ (translated as ‘pumpkin cooked with chilli’). Making this dish is simple and fast. After having it for dinner and leftovers for breakfast, I still want more. I simply can’t get enough of it just yet!

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Pumpkin or Butternut Squash, Shallots, Garlic, Chillies and scallions for garnish. The recipe calls for a little ground dried prawns for flavour too. It’s a Malaysian thing and it does give an amazing flavour, though I know it is an acquired taste for many people. You may wish to omit the dried prawns, but I feel it then loses it’s authentic flavour.

BIRD’S EYE CHILLIES VS REGULAR RED CHILLIES

Although I prefer savoury dishes, I am unable to handle the cili padi part of it (birds eye chillies). The level of spicy is really a personal thing, so I just tweaked the chilli part in the recipe, to suit my taste. Instead of bird’s eye chillies, I added a little chilli powder, smoked paprika, and 2 deseeded red chillies for it’s flavour. Deeeelicious! Another minor unintentional tweak was that I added in 1 roasted sweet potato as well. I had this extra sweet potato from the day before which I had roasted for snacks but never got round to eating! It added an extra sweetness to the savoury dish and I have to admit, it was really good. My husband loved it so much that he had a second helping but with Rice instead of Chapati.

HOW TO PREPARE

First peel and cut pumpkin into cubes and set aside. You may season and oil it to roast beforehand if you wish. I did this the first time round so I did not have to boil it after adding to the other ingredients. The second attemp was the way of the original recipe and I find that both ways turned out the same. Slice Shallots and garlic. Wash and pound the dried prawns. Chop/slice chillies and scallions. I deseeded the chillies. Season as to your personal taste. I added a little hot chillie powder and smoked paprika. (Scroll down for the detailed recipe and print version)

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a pan/pot and fry the shallots till limp but not browned. Add the rest of ingredients and fry till the aroma comes out. Add the pumpkin cubes and 1-11/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover to simmer till pumpkin is cooked and soft. Add more water a little by little if it dries up before pumpkin is cooked. Cook it till all water dries up unless you wish for a little gravy if serving it with Rice. Add in a bunch of chopped scallions the last 2 minutes of cooking and reserve some for garnish. Best served with Chapati.

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Savoury Sweet Pumpkin Fry

This Savoury dish is super easy to make. It is best cooked with sweet pumpkin or butternut squash. It can be served with rice or roti, but goes superbly well with chapati!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Asian, Malaysian

Keyword Butternut Squash, Malaysian, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Fry, Savoury, Savoury Sweet, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories

Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil I used rapeseed oil
• 500 grams sweet pumpkin or butternut squash I used 1 very small butternut squash and 1 sweet potato
• 1-1.5 cup water
• 8 shallots sliced
• 3-6 cloves garlic I used 6
• 1-2 tablespoons Dried prawns optional – wash and pound/grind
• 2 Bird's Eye Chillies or Red Chillies. I used 2 deseeded red chillies. Add/change to suit your taste.
• 1 bunch scallions chopped
• 2 teaspoons hot chili powder optional and use to suit personal taste
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika powder optional and use to suit personal taste
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in pan/wok/pot
• Fry shallots till limp but not brown.
• Add in garlic, dried prawns, chillies, chilli powder and smoked paprika. Fry till browned.
• Add in the pumpkin cubes and water. Lower heat to low and cover. Let it cook on low heat till pumpkin is cooked, checking and stirring occasionally. Add more water a little by little if it dries up before pumpkin is cooked.
• Add a bunch of chopped scallions during the last few minutes of cooking and reserve some for garnish. Cook pumpkin is soft. Most of the water will evaporate, making this a dry fry.
• Season with salt to taste. Garnish and Serve hot.
• Best served with Chapati.

Notes

1. Add or lessen chillies to suit your taste.
2. Dried prawns may be ommited due to allergies or for a vegan dish, but then it will lose it’s authentic flavour. 
3. Most of the water will evaporate, making this a dry fry.

If you have tried this recipe, do let me know how it turned out! Tag @sweetsharings on instagram and mention #sweetsharings in a hashtag.

The post Savoury Sweet Pumpkin Fry (Labu Masak Cili) appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

‘Char Siu’ means a Chinese dish of roast pork that requires an overnight marinate for good flavour. However, this is made with chicken, a healthier version and only needs a minimum of 30 minutes marinate time. Char Siu Chicken is an asian style of BBQ Chicken and is a perfect protein dish to pair with noodles or rice.

COOK’S NOTES :

INGREDIENTS NEEDED :

Chicken, Garlic, Chinese 5 Spice, Hoisin Sauce, Sesame Oil, Soya Sauce, Tomato Ketchup (OR fermented red beancurd OR Natural Food Colouring), Dark Soya Sauce, Honey.

MARINADE

I marinate the chicken thigh fillets for at least 30 minutes if pressed for time. If you have the time, then marinating it longer would yield best results.

Grilling over the stove top in a cast iron grill pan gives me more control in turning over the chicken pieces. You can roast it in the oven or even air fry it…whatever you prefer.

I normally serve this Char Siu Chicken with Wonton Noodles or Rice, paired with green vegetables. If you like noodles, then I am sure you will like my :

20-min Dry Wonton Noodles

and Quick Pickled Green Chillies

Tomorrow I will make Vegan Char Siu Chicken and post the link as soon as I am able to blog it!

PAIR WITH Noodles or Rice with Green Vegetables.

Notice the Char Siu with Rice looks more charred and fully cooked than the one with the noodles. I made 2 versions : on stovetop during first attempt which was not so charred, served with noodles. The reason for this is because I used much less honey and did not increase the grilling time. (Honey and sugar gives the old school charred look).

The second attempt was done in my Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer. This of course meant that the grilling was all done automatically for me and it still took only 10 minutes! No effort needed and turned out superb!

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Grilled Char Siu Chicken

A healthier version of Char Siu made with chicken. Mouth watering, succulant Grilled Char Siu Chicken; once you try this easy and irresistable, sweet and savoury chicken, you will want more. This is an asian style of BBQ Chicken and is a perfect protein dish to pair with noodles or rice.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Malaysian, Singaporean, Vietnamese

Keyword Asian, BBQ chicken, Char Siu Chicken, Chicken Thighs, Grilled chicken, Malaysian, Singaporean, Vietnamese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Marinate 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories

Equipment

• cast iron stove-top grill pan

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 500 gm Skinless Boneless chicken thighs 4-5 pieces.
• 2 cloves garlic minced

Char Siu Marinade Sauce

• 2 tbsp Light Soya Sauce
• 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
• 2 tbsp honey – preferably amber color I only used 2 tsp. as I’m pre diabetic
• 1 tbsp Tomato Sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
• 1 tsp Dark Soya Sauce
• ½ tsp white pepper optional
• 1 tsp natural food coloring OR 2 pieces Chinese fermented red beancurd for the colour, optional. (I opted out)

Garnishing – optional

• coriander leaves
• white sesame seeds

Instructions

Marinate chicken

• Place chicken and garlic in a bowl and rub in.
• Combine all Marinade ingredients in another bowl and stir to mix well. Set aside 2-3 tbsp for glazing the chicken.
• Add chicken to the bowl and coat well with the marinade sauce. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Before Grilling, make sure the chicken is back to room temperature.

Grilling

• Lightly oil a cast-iron stovetop grill pan and set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10-20 minutes, turning several times.
• To test for doneness, pierce the flesh with the tip of a knife: The chicken is cooked when clear juices flow out.
• During the last 2 minutes of cooking, baste with the reserved marinade to give it a nice glaze and enhance the flavour. 

Serving

• Slice the char siu chicken thighs and serve immediately. Optional garnish of coriander leaves and/or white sesame seeds.

Notes

1. You can use white meat/chicken tenderloins but remember cooking time is reduced to half the time.
2. The same marinade may be used for Vegan Char Siu using Seitan, mushrooms or Tofu. Cooking time is half the time.
3. You can Roast in the oven, Grill on stovetop or outdoor grill, or use an electric Griller. Even air frying is possible with this recipe.
4. Recipe of 20-min wonton noodles : https://www.sweetsharings.com/recipe/20-min-dry-wonton-noodles
5. Recipe of Quick Pickled Green Chillies : https://sweetsharings.com/recipe/quick-pickled-green-chillies

SERVING SUGGESTION :

The post Grilled Char Siu Chicken appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

It’s gloomy outside of my window as I type this. The days are getting shorter and it gets dark so early. I could use a pick-me-up on this, and there are a few ways to do so. Today I choose what’s top on my list of pick-me-ups! If you already know me, you would have already guessed it right by saying food! I am kind of craving for a childhood favourite street food – Dry Wonton Noodles. Today I am going to serve my 20-min dry wonton noodles with char siew chicken as I have run out of wontons. It’s still a complete and balanced meal though!

WHAT IS WONTON NOODLES?

Wonton noodles are made from Wheat and Egg, like a kind of thin stringy pasta. They are sold fresh or in dried form and in ball like coils. I usually buy the fresh type. The simple preparation is to blanch the noodles and then toss the noodles in a garlic sesame soy sauce. Then I serve it with a protein, usually wontons or chicken or both, leafy greens and my pickled green chillies.

COOK’S TIPS :

Just like all fresh pasta, fresh Chinese egg noodles should be kept in their original sealed package in the refrigerator until ready to cook, and once opened, will last only a couple of days. Unopened, they should be good for about a week, but remember to check the expiration date!

VERSATILE DISH

Today’s dry wonton noodles will be without the wontons. All I had in the fridge was a pack of chicken thigh fillets and some Bak Choy and Choi Sum. I usually prepare the wontons a day ahead, making them fresh. However, I did not have the time to buy the ingredients, let alone prepare the prawn and chicken filling. The fresh wonton noodles I have are expiring in 2 days, so Wonton Noodles it is then for dinner. Besides, I need my quick noodle fix too!

BLANCHING

Wonton noodles come in a tight woven ball or coil, so I loosen the noodles with a pair of chopsticks as I blanch it, bobbing the basket in and out of the boiling water. I do this for about 30-40 seconds. Any longer and the noodles become soggy.

I usually blanch my noodles in a special noodle strainer/blanching basket. What I do, is to put the noodles in the strainer basket and bob it in and out of the pot of boiling water. You can just put the whole batch of noodles in the boiling water too, then scoop it out and drain – this is how I blanch the vegetables though.

SERVINGS

My personal preference is to blanch individual servings of noodles and place into serving bowls separately instead of blanching all servings at one go. This way I am able to stick to 1 serving and not go overboard with my sugar levels (I am pre diabetic). Any dish in noodle or pasta form is tops on my husband’s favourite list, so he always goes for a second serving.

SAUCE

PICKLED GREEN CHILLIES

Wonton noodles bring back childhood memories in Malaysia. I love my Wonton Noodles served with pickled green chillies. This dish is never complete without the pickled chillies! I usually have a jar in the fridge so it is always readily available. However, I tend to run out of it at times, so making it on the same day as your noodles is fine, it just needs 2 hours soaking in the vinegar solution. However, making the pickles a day ahead would give you best results. You can get a jar of pickled chillies from the Asian store but I prefer making my own. Home-made pickles are the best with fresh ingredients minus the preservatives. This pickle can last up to 1.5 months if kept in the refrigerator.

CHAR SIU CHICKEN

‘Char Siu’ actually means a Chinese dish of roast pork marinated in a sweet and savoury sauce. My recipe however, is the healthier version of chicken marinated in the same sauce. Grilled Char Siu Chicken is an asian style of BBQ Chicken and it goes superbly well with Dry Wonton Noodles and even Jasmine Rice.

VEGAN CHAR SIU CHICKEN (recipe coming soon)

You may like to try :

Grilled Char Siu Chicken

Pickled Green Chillies

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20-min Dry Wonton Noodles

Wonton Noodles is a popular noodle dish in Southeast Asia and can be served dry or with soup. This noodle recipe is very easy and quick to make and takes only 20 minutes to prepare. If you have all the desired accompaniments (wontons and/or a protein accompaniment, vegetables and/or pickled chillies) already available and prepared earlier, then preparing the noodles itself will only take a jiffy to be ready.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Malaysian, Vegetarian

Keyword Dried Wonton Noodles, Malaysian, Noodles, Southeast Asian, vegetarian, Wonton Noodles

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories

Ingredients

• 400 grams fresh or dry wonton noodles (egg noodles) I used fresh
• ½ bunch choy sum washed and cut into 2-inch lengths OR 2 bak choi cut into halves. I used both Bak Choi and Choy sum
• pinch of salt optional
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
• Ground white pepper to taste
• Spring Onions/Scallions optional garnish
• 500 grams Protein Accompaniment – store bought or home made vegetarian or chicken char Siu and /or wontons. Char Siu is sliced into bite-sized pieces
• Pickles chillies OR few Fresh long green chillies sliced and added to soya sauce in a sauce dish optional

TOSSING OIL – for each individual serving of noodles

• 2 teaspoons thick dark soy sauce OR thick Sweet Soya Sauce (Kecap Manis)
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce OR Hoisin Sauce bean paste with Chinese 5 spices
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2-3 teaspoons Garlic Oil OR shallot flavoured oil store bought OR home-made

HOME MADE GARLIC OIL

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

• Prepare the pickled chillies from 2 hours to a day in advance
• Have your Protein accompaniment Ready and set aside (Wontons/Char Siu Chicken/vegetarian Char Siu). See my blog links to Chicken and Vegetarian/vegan char siu recipes

PREPARE GARLIC OIL

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the minced garlic over low-medium heat until it starts to turn lightly golden in color and crisp. Transfer immediately to a heat proof bowl and set aside.

PREPARE VEGETABLES

• Wash and rinse vegetables. Cut each head of bak choi into halves. Set them aside. For choy sum, cut into 2-inch lengths.
  
• Bring a medium or large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and a pinch of salt (optional). Blanch the vegetables. Remove, drain and set aside. Do not discard the water. It will be used to blanch the noodles as well.
• Prepare 4 serving plates with cutlery – chopsticks and Chinese soup spoon or just a fork.

PREPARE NOODLES

• In each shallow serving bowl, place 1 serve of the tossing sauce.
• With the same boiling water used for blanching the vegetables, bring it to a boil. Using a pair of chopsticks, add individual servings of noodles into water to cook, stirring continually, for about 25-30 seconds (100 g or adjust quantity depending on each person).
  
• Use a large sieve to drain the noodles and run it under cold running tap water for 5 seconds, then dip the noodles in the boiling water again just to warm it up.
  
• Lift up noodles using noodle sieve basket. Do not discard water.
• Transfer the noodles into the serving bowl and toss them in the tossing sauce.
• Add a dash of white pepper (optional)
• Place individual servings of vegetables, char siu chicken and/or wontons in each plate of noodles.
• Garnish noodles with spring onions/scallions – optional
• Serve immediately wth pickled green chillies and a bowl of wonton soup OR clear chicken/vegetable broth with a little white pepper and scallions as flavour and garnish.
  

Notes

1. If you like it spicy, but wish to opt out of the pickled green chillies, then mix the noodles with some Sriracha chilli sauce, chilli paste or any favourite plain sambal of your choice.
2. You can prepare and mix the tossing sauce enough for 4 servings in a bowl and divide servings into 4 plates. 
3.  Recipe of Grilled Char Siu Chicken : https://www.sweetsharings.com/recipe/grilled-char-siu-chicken
4. Recipe of Quick Pickled Green Chillies : https://sweetsharings.com/recipe/quick-pickled-green-chillies

The post 20-min Dry Wonton Noodles appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

You only need 4 ingredients to make this – Large Green Chillies, Vinegar, sugar and salt. 

PREPARATION AND STORAGE TIME

It takes me only 10 minutes to prepare and is ready in 2 hours and for best results, overnight. There is always a jar of these home-made pickles in the fridge. My husband and I enjoy them with various noodles and even sometimes with a rice dish. It stores well for up to 2 months in the refrigerator but it never really lasts longer than 3 weeks in my home

TYPE OF GREEN CHILLIES TO USE

I use any type of Large Green Chillies for this pickle, NOT the small Thai chillies/birds eye chillies. The Jalepeño variety is my favourite though – simply love it’s mild herbacious flavour!

Jalepeño – I use this variety. Jalepeño Chillies have a distinct herbaceous flavour and are generally mellow enough for stuffing and eating whole – try filling them with cream cheese then baking them in the oven for a fabulous pre-dinner nibble. When pickled, it’s a perfect level of spicy with sweet and sour hints.

Serrano – You can usually get these standard mild to medium Chillies from stores in mixed packs. Although it’s not specified on the pack they’re usually actually the Serrano variety, and their heat will vary considerably from batch to batch and month to month. I find that the best way to check is to cut a sliver off and taste it to see if I’ve got a mild kick or a hefty punch.

While I can easily buy a jar of pickled green chilies from Asian stores, it is just not the same as home-made. My home-made pickles are tastier and made with fresh ingredients. I get to use all organic ingredients too, minus the nasty chemical preservatives.   

TYPE OF VINEGAR TO USE

Rice vinegar is usually used for this pickle. You can use distilled white vinegar as well. Sometimes when I run out of vinegar, I use Apple cider vinegar, which gives it a slightly different flavour. I usually use a Japanese Brown Rice Vinegar though which is my favourite for most dishes needing a splash of vinegar.

Brown Rice Vinegar is generally less acidic than other vinegars and has a milder, sweeter flavor. It is Light to dark brown in color and is made from unpolished brown rice. This version of rice vinegar is reputedly richer in nutrients and can often be used in place of white rice vinegar. If you enjoy noodles, then you may want to make this recipe to go as a condiment with my 20-min Dry Wonton Noodles. 

TAKE GREAT CARE WHEN PICKLING

Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing them. Use paper kitchen towel to soak up any excess water from the chillies before pickling them. It’s important to prevent the chillies from getting spoiled during the pickling process. Always use a clean dry spoon to scoop the chillies from the jar.

You may want to resist the temptation to touch your face or rub your eyes when preparing pickled chillies Wash hands thoroughly after touching chillies or wear gloves when preparing it. 

STORAGE

Store these quick pickled green chillies in clean, dry sterilized jars. Use only clean and dry utensils to take the chillies slices from the bottle. This will help in extending the shelf life of the pickled chillies. With proper handling, my pickled chillies can last up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

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Quick Pickled Green Chillies

A popular condiment to many Asian noodle dishes and street food in Southeast Asia. It takes only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare and can be ready within 2 hours. I always have a jar of these home-made pickles in the fridge and enjoy them with Noodles, Fried Rice, in burgers and Sandwiches and as a topping for Pizza. It stores well for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Malaysian, Singaporean

Diet Diabetic, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword chillies, condiment, green chillies, noodle condiment, pickle, pickled chillies, pickled green chillies, spicy

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Soaking Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Calories

Equipment

• Mason Jar for pickling

Ingredients

• 200 gm Large Green Chillies I used Jalepeño Green Chillies
• 250 ml Vinegar 1 cup. See notes for types of Vinegar.
• 1 tbsp Sugar Being Diabetic, I used Erythritol
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup Hot Boiled water for Blanching

Instructions

• Wash the chilies with clean water. Pat dry and cut off the stems. Then slice crosswise into 4–5mm or 1/4 inch rings.
• Transfer to colander and rinse to remove excess seeds
• Place cut chillies in a bowl
• Bring enough water to a boil and pour it into the bowl. Blanch chilies briefly for 15 seconds and drain well in a strainer to discard the hot water.
• Rinse/run cold water over the chillies in the strainer to cool the chillies. Set aside to drain well.
• Dissolve Vinegar, Sugar and Salt in a measuring cup and stir well with a clean dry spoon.
• Carefully transfer chillies to a dry, sterilised jar and pour the vinegar mixture over it.
• Secure the lid and store in Fridge. The pickled green chilies should be ready in about 2 hours but always better overnight. The color of the chilies would have turned from deep green to a more muted green now.

Notes

TYPE OF GREEN CHILLIES TO USE
Any type of Large Green Chillies are used for this pickle, not the small Thai chillies/birds eye chillies. I use Jalepeño as it has a herbacious flavour and is neither too spicy nor mild.

TYPE OF VINEGAR TO USE
Rice vinegar is usually used for this pickle. You can use distilled white vinegar as well. Apple cider vinegar may also be used, giving it a slightly different flavour. I used a Japanese Brown Rice Vinegar.

TAKE GREAT CARE WHEN PICKLING
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing them. Always use clean and dry utensils to take the chilli slices from the bottle. This will help in extending the shelf life of the pickled chillies.

STORAGE
Store in clean, dry sterilized jars. The pickled chillies can last up to 1.5-2 months if proper care is taken.

TIPS ON STERILISING JARS

1st method : Scald Glass Jars with boiling water and let it air dry. Do not wipe dry.

2nd Method : Wash your jars and the lids in hot soapy water, but do not dry them. Instead, leave them to stand upside down on a roasting tray lined with baking paper while they’re still wet. Pop the tray of clean, wet jars and lids in to a preheated oven at 140°C / 120C Fan/  275°F / Gas Mark 1 for about 15 – 20 mins.

3rd Method : put jars through a hot dishwasher cycle that is at least 60C. Do not dry them with a tea towel, leave them to air dry.

I love my pickled green chillies as a topping on a plain tomato and cheese Pizza. it gives a really nice punch to it.

GIVE IT A TRY!

If you liked pickled condiments with a bit of a spice, give this recipe a try!  Thanks for visiting my blog. Take a picture if you’ve made this recipe and tag me on Instagram @sweetsharings  in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!

The post Quick Pickled Green Chillies appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

What are the ingredients?

Muhallebi is essentially a sweet creamy dessert, in many ways similar to the French blancmange. It is made with a combination of milk and sugar that is cooked and thickened with cornstarch or rice flour. Traditionally, found cardamom is used for flavour and a dusting of cinnamon as garnish. However, most recipes usually use orange blossom, vanilla, or rose water and is typically served cold.

Where does Muhallebi Milk Pudding originate from?

The earliest recorded recipes date back around a thousand years. Since the beginning, there have been multiple ways of making this delicious milk pudding or custard. The main ingredient is always fresh milk, but the thickener and toppings vary.

This simple treat is believed by some to have Turkish origins and is enjoyed in slightly different forms across the Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, and North Africa. Milk puddings are common across the world. Muhallebi is certainly not specifically Turkish and Mahalabia not specific to the Arab World. Depending on the region, it can be garnished with typical local ingredients such as pistachios, date syrup, almonds, walnuts, shredded coconut, cinnamon, or raisins. 

I found this recipe from a magazine, adapted from the cookbook ’Syria : Recipes from Home’and made some changes by adding evaporated milk.

Muhallebi Milk Pudding Variations:

The adapted recipe had only whole fresh milk as the main ingredient. I usually love a creamier taste so I tried the recipe with half whole milk and half evaporated milk. Sometimes I use double cream instead of evaporated milk. Both ways work well and I found that it had a richer, smoother velvety texture in the latter choices. 

Cornflour can be substituted with Rice Flour. Using corn starch will yield a smooth consistency, while rice flour will have a bit of texture. 

Mahalabia with condensed milk: Replace the cream with condensed milk and omit the sugar.

How to serve and Party Tips

If you’re not a fan of cardamom or floral flavours, you can add a bit of vanilla or almond extract; In fact, any flavouring is fine and a matter of personal preference. You can also skip it all together for just a plain sweet milk pudding. It’s a dessert very much similar to the pannacotta as well, minus the gelatine. 

Let your imagination flow and get creative with the Garnish and Toppings. You can use any nuts, raisins, rose petals or even fruit puree and much more! Here are some suggestions :

Crushed pistachios or toasted almonds are used as a common garnish. If you have a nut allergy or don’t fancy them, then just leave them out. 

Crushed rose petals are another common topping used is many middle eastern desserts. Gives some contrast colour to the dessert.

Fruit Puree such as mango or passion fruit gives a a nice mild tangy flavour in contrast to the sweet pudding. 

Seasonal Fruits. – Try berries in Summer and Pomegranate in Winter…equally aesthetically pleasing and and delicious!

Chocolate! Not traditional but always a favourite. You can use chocolate shavings or spoon over some chocolate ganache. 

Balsamic fruit. I use chopped strawberries mixed with pomegranate molasses and some castor sugar— a sharp tangy contrast with the sweet creamy Mahallabia makes it an exciting fusion of flavours.

Dried fruit or desiccated coconut or Rose jam or Date Syrup. Take your pick!

WINTER VERSION: 

For a wintry feel, serve it hot and sprinkle a little cinnamon or mix it with your other garnishings before topping.

Notes : 

This is a Make Ahead Dessert. Make the puddings at least 3-5 hours before serving. Overnight for best results. They keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Be sure to use a heavy bottom saucepan or milk pan to avoid the milk from burning and causing bits in the mahalabia.

If you are going to chill it overnight, cover the cups/dishes with cling film or saucers to prevent the Mahalabia from drying out and forming a crust-like layer. This also prevents it from absorbing any other food smells in the fridge. 

You may also like :

Quick no bake Yogurt cheesecake in a glass

Turkish Pumpkin Candy Dessert

Summer Fruit Cobbler

Coconut Water Jelly

Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding

Creamy Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

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Muhallebi (Mahalabia) Milk Pudding

The milk pudding known as muhallebi or mahalabia is as good as they come. Light, gently flavoured and super easy to make at home. It is a Make Ahead dessert and is a must try! If you like Milky Puddings as I do, then you're going to like this one! It is delicious and takes only few minutes to prepare.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Middle Eastern, North Africa, Turkish

Keyword dessert, gluten-free, mahalabia, make ahead, Middle Eastern, muhallebi, party, pudding, sweet, turkish, vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chilling time 5 hours hours

Servings 4

Calories 210kcal

Author Nurdiyanah Magness

Equipment

• heavy bottom saucepan or milk pan

Ingredients

• 500 ml fresh whole milk. 2 cups
• 500 ml evaporated milk OR double/heavy cream 2 cups
• 150 gm Castor Sugar 5 oz – adjust as per desired sweetness. I used 100gm
• 70 gm cornflour/cornstarch OR rice flour 6 tbsp
• 2-3 tsp rose water OR orange blossom water OR 1/4 tsp rose extract
• 4 pods green cardamoms finely crushed seeds (optional)

Garnish (optional)

• crushed pistachios or toasted almonds
• edible rose petals Check Notes for more choices

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal

I’m really excited for you to try this super easy Recipe. If you do try this, I hope you’ll come back to leave a comment. I’d love to know what you think! You can also share a photo of it on instagram and tag me @sweetsharings with hashtag #sweetsharings

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The post Muhallebi (Mahalabia) Milk Pudding appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

If you are in the mood for an exotic rice preparation then this aromatic spice blend is a must. When using pilau spices, the best rice to use would be long grain and preferably the aromatic Basmati Rice. What is it that makes these spices so alluring? They have incredible medicinal and even psychotropic, or mind-altering, capacities. They’re like aromatherapy and they satisfy both the physical and spiritual needs.

This recipe can be doubled or increased to make bulk for storage and it lasts up to 4 months in an airtight glass jar. I use this Spice Blend to make my all time favourite go to 'pop in the oven' One-Pot Ginger Chicken Pilau. My husband loves it and never fails to go for a second helping.

Interesting facts and Ayurvedic uses of these spices : 

Cardamom – used to give flavour and smell in cooking particularly in sweet dishes and also in the pharmaceutical sector. It helps in digestive disorders and controlling bad breath.

Cinnamon  – used for preparing masalas and for seasoning food. It reduces blood cholesterol and helps in the production of insulin.

Cumin – used in cooking and is a good source of iron and keep one immune from diseases. Cumin seeds boiled in water helps in coping with dysentery.

Turmeric – used in cooking and in skin care products. It helps in healing cuts and wounds and in skin problems. It also helps in coping with diabetes.

Black Pepper – used in cooking and seasoning. It helps in coping with muscle pains, cold, cough, infections and digestive problems.

Garlic – used in cooking and helps to cope with cough and cold and has antibiotic properties.

Ginger – used in cooking and helps in cough and cold and aids in preventing digestive problems.

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Pilau Spice Blend

Pilau spice blend or Masala is a spice mix that is made of cumin, cinnamon, black peppercorn seeds and cardamom pods as the basic ingredients. Other added ingredients vary with different regions and recipes as well as personal preference. The spice mix is then normally used to make pilau rice. The recipe below is what I used in my personal blend.

Cuisine Indian, Iranian, Middle East

Keyword black peppercons, cardamom, cumin, garlic, ginger, masala, pilaf, pilau, spices, turmeric

Calories

Author sweetsharings

Ingredients

• ½ tsp ground fresh Cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground Cumin
• ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
• ½ tsp Ginger powder
• ½ tsp all spice or garam Masala optional
• ½ tsp turmeric powder optional
• 1 tsp ground mixed dried bell pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic powder or granules
• ½ tsp Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt Flakes optional

Instructions

• Put all the above in a bowl, give it a good stir and mix till well combined.
• You can double or triple the amounts if needed.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.
• Use as needed.

Notes

I grind all organic whole spices. You can use the ready ground powders as a short cut. Your dish will taste just as good though not as aromatic. Recipe can be doubled or increased to make bulk for storage. Lasts up to 4 months.

Did You Try this Recipe? Let me know in the comments. I woud love to know! Alternatively you can Post a photo of it on instagram and mention @sweetsharings with hashtag #sweetsharings

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The post Pilau Spice Blend appeared first on Sweet Sharings.

A little history :

Pilau (UK spelling) or Pilaf (US spelling) is usually a rice dish that involves cooking in stock or broth. Spices and other ingredients are added as well to make a flavourful and nutritious meal.

Pilau was most likely invented in India some time after the importation of Rice to the Indus River valley. It is believed that the earliest forms of our modern word “Pilaf” are the Indo Aryan words “Pula,” (meaning a dish of rice & meat) and / or “Pulāka” (from the Sanskrit meaning a lump of boiled rice).

How long does it take to cook the One-Pot Ginger Chicken Pilau? 

It takes the chicken an hour to cook and an additional 25 minutes for the rice and a standing time of 10 minutes. I marinate or massage the chicken with the ready home made spice blend for just a couple minutes, and Voila! it’s ready to cook.

If you have the time, keep the marinated chicken in the fridge for a couple hours or even overnight. This gives for maximum flavour and tenderness.

Main Equipment :

Heavy Bottom Cast Iron Caserole

You will need a heavy bottom pan with a heavy lid, preferably a Cast Iron casserole with a Heavy Lid.  If you do not have a heavy fitting lid, find a way to securely cover a deep cast iron with double layer of foil. We do not want the broth to bubble and spill over.

Spatchcock Style

I used a shallow Cast iron pan and I did a spatchcock style to get the chicken flat enough to close the lid. Spatchcocking a chicken means to cut the chicken’s back lengthwise down the spine and then flattening it by pressing on the chest. With the bones faced down, the maximum flavour of the chicken will be released into the liquid. The released juices within the enclosure makes for an aromatic and flavourful Rice. As a result of cooking in it’s own fat and juices, you get a delicious and tender chicken.

Be very careful with handling your cast iron casserole as it is VERY heavy and even more so with food in it and is extremely hot. You need safe grip holders/thick oven gloves.

What Spices?

I use only organic ground spices and herbs and make my own blend. It’s a personal preference and I find them much more aromatic and most importantly, non GMO. You can access my home made pilau spice recipe here. 

The cooked chicken is juicy and tender that it slides off the bones easily. As a result, my Basmati turned out moist and fluffy too. Comfort or Autumn food? I say both! Such a delicious one pot comfort food, easy yet nutritious. I made the spice blend long beforehand and stored it in jars just for a rainy day like this.

Recipe Tips

This Pilau goes well with any chicken rice sauce,curry or tomato gravy. I enjoy it though with just a mix of fresh red chillies and tomatoes blended with lemon juice and a little salt... Yumm!

Serve with a leafy salad alongside too. If you’re feeding children, add some vegetable in the pilau itself. I usually add 1 large diced carrot and 1 large deseeded pepper. The vegetables are added in at the time the rice is.

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One-Pot Ginger Chicken Pilau

My own fusion of Asian and Indian cuisine comprising of Rice and chicken cooked in a broth with spices. So easy and tasty, you'll want seconds. Serve a leafy salad alongside it with and optional chicken rice sauce of chillies and tomatoes blended with some lemon juice and salt.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Eastern Europe, Indian, Iranian, Middle East, Turkish

Keyword chicken, cuisine, garlic, ginger, indian, iranian, main course, pilaf, pilau, recipe, rice, spices, turkish

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Resting time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories

Author Nurdiyanah Magness

Equipment

• Heavy Bottom caserole with heavy lid. Preferebly Cast Iron.
• Safe Grip holders or thick Oven Mits

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken medium
• 200 gm Basmati Rice
• 2 tbsp Pilau Spice Blend. half for the chicken marinade and half for the rice.
• 4 slices ginger.
• 2 slices fresh turmeric or 1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 pods Garlic crushed
• 600 ml Water
• some parsley or coriander leaves for garnishing.
• salt to taste pepper or more spices to your liking. (optional)
• ½ Lemon Rind

Notes

Be very careful with handling your cast iron casserole as it is VERY heavy and hot. You need safe grip holders or thick oven gloves. 

Serve with a leafy salad alongside too. If you’re feeding children, add some vegetable in the pilau itself. I usually add 1 large diced carrot and 1 large deseeded pepper. The vegetables are added in with the rice.

This Pilau goes well with any chicken rice sauce, curry or tomato gravy. I enjoy it though with just a mix of fresh red chillies and tomatoes blended with lemon juice and a little salt. 

I’m really excited for you to try this Recipe with your own variations too. If you do try this, I hope you’ll come back to leave a comment. I’d love to know what you think!  Post a photo of it on instagram and mention @sweetsharings with hashtag #sweetsharings

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The post One-Pot Ginger Chicken Pilau appeared first on Sweet Sharings.