Sunday, November 12, 2017

Loaded Nachos

Preparation Time - 8 hrs
Cook Time           - 20 mins
Serves                 - 8

Measurements & Ingredients:
  • Corn chips/Tortillas - 1 big pack
  • Sour Cream Or thick yogurt
  • Salsa (Or Onion, tomatoes, cilantro cut into small pieces and lemon juice)
  • Grated mixed cheese
To make the Refried beans:
  • Pinto Beans - ~2.5 cups
  • Oil - 5 tbspn
  • Taco seasoning - 6 tbspn
  • Salt
  • Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Method:
If you want to know what pinto beans is, then this is how it looks.  But in case that is not available, you can substitute with Kidney Beans(Rajma).



As a part of preparation, soak the beans overnight or for 6 hrs and cook it with a little salt till it is tender.  I used a pressure cooker to speed up the process but you can cook it in an open pot too,but that would take a while.  In pressure cooker I let it cook up to about 4 whistles.

Once the beans are ready, the process begins. 

In a pan,heat the oil, preferably olive oil. To it add the boiled beans along with the water. If you have too much water then store the water for later need in case.

Add little Salt(remember you would have added salt while boiling the beans as well), Cumin powder and the taco seasoning.  Mix it. Cover and let it reach a boil. 

Then, using a potato masher mash the beans quite well.  It need not be fully mashed like a paste. 






Mix it again, close the lid and let it simmer for 5 mins.  The refried beans is ready.

All we have to do now is to plate everything.





First, arrange a few chips on a plate.  Add the grated cheese on top of the chips. 








Then add the warm refried beans, the salsa and sour cream. 









Sit back and enjoy your hard work! :-)

Notes:
  1. If you do not have Taco seasoning, just substitute with Cumin powder, Chili powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder.
  2. Instead of store bought salsa, you could add chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro and lemon juice.
  3. Wondering yogurt as a substitute for sour cream?? Yes, often when I run out of sour cream just when I needed it, I use thick yogurt.  I feel it doesn't make a big difference.
 

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Eggless Ice Cream

Preparation Time - 1/2 hr
Cook Time - 8 hrs
Serves - 15

Measurements & Ingredients:
  • Heavy whipping cream - 475 ml
  • Whole milk - 1 cup
  • Milk powder - 1/4 cup
  • Sweetened condensed milk - little less than 1/2 cup
  • Powdered sugar - little less than 1/2 cup
  • Vanilla essence - 2 tbspn

Method:

As a part of preparation:
  1.  keep 2 vessels (sizes such that one would fit in the other) and the whisk in the freezer for 30 mins before starting (If using an electric whisk keep only the attachments - the whisk, in the freezer and not the entire machine :-)).  Also keep the whipping cream in the freezer for the same time.  Chill a bowl of water in the refrigerator.
  2. Heat the milk and to it add the milk powder and mix well ensuring there are no lumps.  Let it heat up well but do not let it boil.  Once you see the smoke rising up, it's time to switch off the flame. Add Vanilla essence and the sweetened condensed milk to it and let it cool to room temperature.

After 30 mins, take out the vessels, whisk and the whipping cream from the freezer.  In the bigger vessel add some ice cubes and the chilled water.




In the smaller container add the whipping cream and place this container in the bigger container which has the ice cubes and the chilled water.



Start beating the whipping cream.  If you have an electric whisk it would be a help to your arms :-) but you could use a regular whisk as well to beat the cream but it would take a longer time. 




This is how it looks at the beginning when you start to whisk. 








You will know you are almost done whisking when you could see a clear trail of the whisk.  You can see the difference of the trail in the 2 pics.




Continue whisking until you see soft peaks which means when you lift the cream with the whisk you should see peaks standing up.




Now add the milk mixture and powdered sugar to it and whisk it just until it mixes.  Remember not to whisk it for too long.

At the end of this you will have a flowing consistency ice cream mixture and this is how it is expected to be.


Pour the mixture into an air tight freezer safe container, close the lid tight and freeze it for 6-8 hrs.









After 8 hrs...what are you waiting for? ;-)
Serve and enjoy :-)


Note:
  • Do not skip freezing the utensils
  • Make sure it is an air tight freezer safe container.  If it is not air tight, you will have ice crystals formed inside the container and the ice cream will not be smooth and creamy.  If you feel it is not fully air tight, put a plastic wrap before you close the lid.
  • You can have any variations in this, like adding mango puree to get mango ice cream etc