Vegan Wood Apple (Bael) Panna Cotta

Mangoes rules the roost when it comes to the plethora of fruits that hit the markets every summer. But when you are in Odisha, you await the arrival of the 'Bael' fruit with as much fervor as the rest of India prays for the king of fruits to put in an appearance. Also known as 'Kaitha' in Hindi, it is an amazing though unsung fruit. Though it lacks the visual appeal of the mangoes, it is loaded with multiple health benefits. It is highly recommended for patients suffering from diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol, apart from benefiting those suffering from ailments of the stomach. But another reason why the Bael is so popular in Odisha is the fact that it is such amazing cooling properties. So, while the Southern states of India swear by their buttermilk and the Northern states place their bet on Shikanji, the Odia folks cant do without their 'Bela Panna' aka 'Bael ka sherbat'.

Just like mangoes, the 'Bael' fruit comes in different varieties. There are the small ones which have a deep orange colored pulp that is ridden with fiber, small seeds and has a hint of astringency, medium sized ones which have a faint mango like flavour and also big ones with a pale yellow pulp that could rival the 'shrikhand' . Luckily, the 'Bael' tree growing in my childhood home belonged to the last group. So apart from relishing the sherbat, I used to break the 'Bael' , sprinkle a bit of sugar over the halves and dig into the pulp straight from the shell. It was a part of my daily routine during the summer vacations. The medicinal properties of the pulp also prevented the stomach cramps that came from biting into too many green mangoes slices loaded with salt and red chili powder.

Since one does not find 'Bael' in Bangalore, I have one of my relatives bring some for me every summer. And given that the pulp keeps really well in the fridge, I get to consume my favorite 'Bela Panna' atleast a dozen times. Even though it turns darker when stored in the fridge, the flavor remains intact for upto a month's duration. Luckily, I had quite a bit of it remaining when I decided to experiment with a vegan version of the 'Panna Cotta'.

I am still hung-ho about the vegan phenomena that has taken social media by storm. And I keep tying out various recipes to find substitutes for my favorites. My first attempts at a Vegan Panna Cotta were not quite upto the mark as I had just replaced milk and cream with almond milk which is somewhat thinner. That is when I got the idea of adding some of the 'Bael' pulp to thicken it and also to give it a nice flavor. The recipe was an instant hit and I could happily dig into some guilt free dessert even if it is for a month or two. So, that was one of my 'foodventures' with 'Uncommon foods'. Yep, they are the ingredients that have not captured mainstream imagination yet. No wonder it came up as this fortnight's theme for a culinary adventured hosted by the Masterchef Vikas Khanna and food cum travel writer Vir Sanghvi !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins ( plus more for setting the panna cotta )

Ingredients -

• 1 cup thick almond milk
• 2/3 cup Bael pulp ( with seeds and fibers removed )
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp agar agar powder
• 1/3 cup sugar ( substitute with sugarfree powder if daibetic )
• 2 pinch cardamom powder
• 1 tsp rose essence

Preparation - Soak the agar agar in water water for 10-15 mins.

Cooking - Take the almond milk and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to low boil on medium heat.

At the same time, boil the agar agar and water mixture. Keep whisking it till all the agar agar dissolves.

Switch off both the burners and add the agar agar solution into the almond milk. Whisk at a furious pace to bring everything together.

Wait for another 5-10 mins for the mix to cool down slightly before stirring in the 'Bael pulp'. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and rose essence. Whisk it again to mix everything uniformly.

Pour into the molds or bowls and close them. Let them stand till warm. then pop into the fridge for 5-6 hours to set the 'Panna Cotta'.

Once set, remove from the fridge and serve immediately.

Any guesses what the two maestros are cooking up ?







Wow. Vir's Sushi on Fire sounds almost orgasmic !!







And Vikas has picked up the unheard of 'Shankalu' for his dish !!


Check out these amazing videos and take some inspiration. The Masterchef says that 'the new world belongs to the explorers' ! Already cooked up a storm. Share it HERE.

Will be looking forward to your comments !!

Chuda Kadamba ( Avalakki/Poha Laddoo )

Chuda santula (Poha). Chuda Kadali Chakta. Chuda khera. Chuda payas. While there are many ways of consuming beaten rice ( or 'Chuda') in  Odisha, I came across this one very recently. 'Chuda Kadamba' or laddoos made of powdered beaten rice are not only easy to make, they taste great and are super healthy too!! They do sound like manna from heaven for folks on a strict diet regimen ( one can cut down on the quantity of ghee by half and use skim milk instead ) .

I was inspired to make this for my kid who is on a snacking spree these days. Store bought stuff can be unhealthy at times ( MSG, too much sugar, artificial sweeteners) and he is always looking for more variety. Hence I tried these laddoos which did not call for much effort and are low on white/refined sugar too !!! While I have added some cashews and raisins to my version but one can also omit the same. Read on for the quick recipe -

Preparation time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups thin poha/chuda (beaten rice)
• 5 tsp brown sugar/jaggery
• 2 green cardamoms (powdered)
• 1 tsp ghee
• 4 tbsp freshly grated coconut
• 4-5 tsp warm milk ( or as needed for binding )
• a pinch of edible camphor (optional)
• 3-4 tbsp broken cashews (optional)
• 2 tbsp raisins (optional)

Preparation - Heat 1/2 tsp ghee in a pan. Add the cashews and raisins and fry for 10-15 seconds. Keep aside to cool down.

Grind the beaten rice to a fine powder.

Next add the cardamom and brown sugar/jaggery to the same blender jar and buzz till mixed.

Add freshly grated coconut, ghee, fried cashews and buzz for 1-2 seconds.

Finally add the milk little by little and give it a buzz. All the ingredients should come together like a dough. If not add more milk by the teaspoon ( be careful at this stage ).

Rub ghee on your hands, take a little of the mixture and try to form a ball/laddoo. If it is binding well, remove the mixture from blender jar into a mixing bowl else add more milk . Add raisins and camphor. Mix well.

Make into small balls. Pop into the fridge for a few hours. Keep refrigerated and consume with 2-3 days.

Malpua

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Whole wheat flour
• 1 overripe banana 
• 1/2 cup condensed milk 
• 2 tsp cream 
• 1 tsp fennel (pana mahuri)
• oil for frying
• pinch of baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar ( as per taste  )
• milk required to get desired consistency

Preparation: Add milk, condensed milk and baking powder to the flour. Make a semi-thick paste. Allow to stand for 15 mins.

Mash the banana and add to the flour paste along with the paana mahuri.

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep wok for frying. Put spoonfuls of batter into the oil. Fry on both sides till cooked.

[Or pan fry them just as I do to reduce the number of calories consumed. They are not crispy at the edges but taste equally delicious. ]

Heat 1 cup of water. Add the sugar . Bring to a boil and allow to simmer till it turns into a light sugar syrup( do not make it very thick ).

Remove the fried malpuas from the wok and add to the sugar syrup. Soak for 10 mins.

Serve hot.