Avocado Milkshake

Avocado Milkshake

The avocado is a tree native to Mexico and Central America. It scientifically classified in plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. Avocado or alligator pear also refers to the fruit, botanically a large berry that contains a single seed.

Avocados are commercially valuable and are cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. They have a green-skinned, fleshy body that may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical. The fruit is not sweet, but distinctly and subtly flavoured, with smooth texture.

Avocado is  has  several B vitamins and vitamin K, with good content of vitamin C, vitamin E and potassium and also  phytosterols and carotenoids.  About 75% of an avocado's energy comes from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat as oleic acid. Other predominant fats include palmitic acid and linoleic acid. The saturated fat content amounts to 14% of the total fat.

 As high avocado intake, has in one study shown lower blood cholesterol levels in the tested patients I am trying to add avocado to our diet.

So let us begin with …

How do I choose an avocado?

A ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure when held in the palm of the hand and squeezed.

Want to get to the flesh of the avocado you brought wait …

A cut avocado browns fast, this is called enzymatic browning, exposure to air causes this to prevent this, lime or lemon juice can be added to avocados after peeling.

What can I make with avocado?

Avocado can be used in savoury and sweet preparations.

Generally, avocado is served raw, thought some can be cooked for a short time without becoming bitter. The flesh of some avocados may be rendered inedible by heat; prolonged cooking induces this chemical reaction in all cultivars.

Avocado is popular in vegetarian cuisine as a substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content.

In Spanish-speaking countries such as Chile, Mexico, or Argentina avocado is used as the base for the Mexican dip known as guacamole, as well as a spread on corn tortillas or toast, served with spices. 

Avocados are also used to make salads, fillings in sandwiches, sushi, on toast, or with chicken or served mixed with white rice, in soups, salads, or on the side of chicken and meat.

Avocados in savoury dishes, often seen as exotic, are a relative novelty in Portuguese-speaking countries, such as Brazil, where the traditional preparation is mashed with sugar and lime, and eaten as a dessert or snack.

However the commonest way to serve avocado is in shakes. In different countries avocados milkshakes are topped and sweetened differently. The additions vary from milk, ice cream, flavoured water, chocolate syrup, treacle.

In Ethiopia, avocados are made into juice by mixing them with sugar and milk or water, usually served with Vimto and a slice of lemon. It is also common to serve layered multiple fruit juices in a glass (locally called Spris) made of avocados, mangoes, bananas, guavas, and papayas.  Sounds interesting….

(Courtesy: Wikipedia)

Today I made guacamole saved a medium slice and made a shake out of my avocado. Let meet the shake first.In the past I have made Guasacaca here.

Avocado Milkshake

Avocado Milkshake

Ingredients:

• 2 cup milk, chilled
• 1 slice of avocado
• 5 tblspn sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract

 Method:

• Since I want to make a shake with milk lemon is a no-no.
• To prevent browning of the avocado what I did was added a cup of milk to my slice of avocado and blitzed it.
• Then added all the other cup of milk (so that I could adjust the consistency of the shake), sugar and vanilla essence.
• Serve chilled.

Avocado Milkshake

 Sending this to Srivalli's  Event Kid's Delight hosted by Harini.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad

Making a salad is a simple job but lazy me hardly makes salads.

Salads are appreciated at my place so I should make them.

For the most noisy birthday, yes it’s my younger ones birthday I am talking about, noisy because she keeps on going on and on that it’s her birthday and she wants this and that. Keeps on changing her mind about this that becomes that in an instant, and makes me mad!

Anyway we made this pasta and thinking not all my friends like pasta and the sauces that go with it I made this salad.

To say that the Pesto Rosso and this salad was a hit will not be an understatement. The least expected dishes became the empty ones much to my embarrassment.

Pasta Salad

Recipe Source: Foodnetwork

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 4 cups shell shaped pasta 
•  ½ cup cauliflower, cut into small florets
• ¼ cup carrots, juliennes
• ¼ cup mushroom, sliced fine 
• ½   cup mayonnaise
• ½   cup buttermilk
• 1 tblspn garlic, chopped
• 1 tblspn parsley
• 1 lime Juice 
• 1 tsp pepper, freshly ground
• 1 cup processed cheese, shredded
• 1 small head romaine lettuce, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 tblspn spring onion greens, chopped

 Method: 

• In a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
• Meanwhile in a thick bottomed   kadhai/wok add the mushrooms and the cauliflower cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic, parsley, half of the lime juice,   salt, and pepper to taste. Reserve about 3-4 tblspn aside.
• Toss all the   ingredients in a large bowl pasta with the rest of the dressing.
• Drizzle some of the remaining dressing on top and sprinkle with the spring onion.
• Cover and refrigerate the salad and dressing separately up to 6 hours.
• Before serving serve slightly chilled.

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/7-layer-pasta-salad-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#49

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

"Republic Day Wishes to all of you!"

When we were doing the international marathon “Around the World” I was fascinated by the delicious spreads there in Thailand!!

I wanted to try these delicious dishes that I had bookmarked! I made just one of ramekin of this yummy dessert and wished I made more. If not today later again….

I wish I had not scaled down the recipe and made only one ramekin.

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Recipe Source: Here

Total Time: 50 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• ½ tblspn all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp vanilla essence 
• ¼ cup fresh grated coconut (optional)
• 5 tblspn brown sugar
• ½ cup coconut milk
• Icing sugar, for garnish
• Fresh fruit, cut into chunks or slices to serve
• Butter, for greasing dish

Method:

• Grease one baking dish or 3 individual ramekins with butter.
• Preheat oven to 260°C.
• Beat eggs and sugar well till it thickens.
• Add essence and coconut milk. Beat again.
• Mix in grated coconut. Mix well.
• Pour into baking dish. Place dish in a baking tray filled halfway with hot water.
• Bake for 35 minutes or till the top is brown and a tester comes out clean.
• Chill and serve in a plate or in the ramekins.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve with any fruit.

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#48

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Chilled Gazpacho for Spain

Chilled Gazpacho

Most of my international recipes are from what I have read in Mills n Boon! How I still adore those books … now I have slightly “upgraded” myself and I read Percy Jackson and his antics! Maybe when the kiddo starts reading M&B I will do the same again!

There was such book where the heroine is served delicious “gazpacho’ soup! The author went on describing the soup and I was surprised that there is chilled soup! Soup to my mind is to be served hot! Before the meal and generally it fills me up so much that I want hardly any dinner! Boooooooo! What a punishment for a foodie !

But exceptions prove the rule “Gazpacho" is cool, refreshing and flavourful start to a meal on a hot summer day. Gazpacho can be had from a soup bowl, or drink it from a glass.

This soup originates in the southern part of Spain called Andalusia. It is tasty, refreshing and very healthy, since it is made from nothing but fresh vegetables and a bit of oil and vinegar.

So this summer I am going to do what Spaniards do - Make a batch of /gazpacho/ and keep it in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator for whenever you need a cool drink.

So today in the Mega marathon which we call as “ Around the World in 30 Days” lets visit Spain.

Gazpacho

Recipe Source: Adapted from here and here

 Ingredients:

• 1.5 kgs/10-12 ripe tomatoes
• 2 slices of white bread, crust removed
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 green capsicum, washed, de seeded, coarsely chopped
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt to taste

Garnish: 

• 3-4 croutons (optional)

Method:

• Make a cross cut on the tomatoes near the stalk.
• Boil 3 litres of water, switch off the gas. Drop the tomatoes in the water. There should be enough water for the tomatoes to soak. Let them stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes drain and peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and drop them in the blender.
• Meanwhile soak the bread in a little water.
• Add the softened bread to the tomatoes.
• Add the capsicum, cucumber garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the blender jar.
• Make a smooth paste. In case all the ingredients do not fit in the  blender jar make the paste in batches.
• Mix well. The gazpacho should have a creamy texture and should not be too thick or watery.
• Chill the gazpzcho in the fridge for a couple of hours.
• Just before serving spoon in glasses top with spring onion and crotons.

Chilled Gazpacho

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Shahi Shikanji~Indian State Madhya Pradesh

Shahi Shikanji~Indian State Madhya Pradesh

Day 15 we are today at Madhya Pradesh!! Land of Ahilyabai Holkar!!

But let get down to cuisine here for I have been told that is what  you are interested in but I could not resist puting the link of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar so do check it out if you are interested! She is an amazing lady!!

The cuisine in Madhya Pradesh varies regionally. Wheat and meat are common in the North and West of the state, while the wetter South and East are dominated by rice and fish. Milk is a common ingredient in  Gwalior and Indore. The street food of Indore is renowned, with shops that have been active for generations. Bhopal is known for meat and fish dishes such as rogan josh, korma,  keema,  biryani,  pilaf   and kebabs. There is street named "Chatori Gali" in old Bhopal where one can find traditional Muslim non-veg fare like Paya Soup, Bun Kabab, and Nalli-Nihari as some of the specialties.

Dal bafla is a common meal in the region and can be easily found in Indore and other nearby regions, consisting of a steamed and grilled wheat cake dunked in rich ghee which is eaten with dal and ladoos. The culinary specialty of the Malwa and specially Indore region of central Madhya Pradesh is poha (flattened rice); usually eaten at breakfast with jalebi. Beverages in the region include lassi, beer, and  rum  and sugarcane juice. Local liquor is distilled from the flowers of the mahua tree and date palm toddy is also popular. In tribal regions, a popular drink is the sap of the sulfi tree, which may be alcoholic if it has gone through fermentation.