You Gotta Try This Panna Cotta

The first time I laid my eyes on a Panna Cotta was on the popular cookery contest, Master Chef Australia. This dessert piqued my brain, just the way Lemon Curd and Cream Anglaise did. Moreover, it seemed like a dish that most contestants whipped up effortlessly. After months of daily torture on TV, I finally tasted my first Panna Cotta (one with lime syrup on top) at our anniversary dinner. One word – heavenly – the dessert, not the dinner (what with a 2-year old and all).

 It made sense to search for a panna cotta recipe after tasting it once. So, I was quite disheartened to see the generous use of heavy cream in my new favorite dessert. The fat content, along with the dearth of heavy cream out here, ensured that I wouldn't make this very often. Tail tucked right between the legs, I visited my mom one weekend. To my utter delight, mom served me Blueberry Panna Cotta for dessert. Imagine my delight. She got the recipe from a reliable source, so the recipe was failproof. 

I made the Panna Cotta twice after I got back home – once with a blueberry topping right out of a can (with a ghastly chemical after-taste) and another with a freshly-made strawberry compote of sorts that was sour enough to cut through the richness of the dessert (now, that’s just Master Chef Australia talking).
   

 Vanilla Panna Cotta

I simply loved the rich red color of the compote!

• Milk – 1 tin
• Condensed milk – 1 tin
• Corn flour – 4 level tbsp
• Gelatin – 2 heaped tbsp
• Water – ½ cup
• Fresh cream – 2 packets (Amul Tetra-pack cream will do)
• Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

 Strawberry compote:

• Fresh Strawberries – 15
• Water – ¼ cup
• Sugar – to taste
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp
• Cornflour – 1 tsp (optional)
• Butter – 1 tsp (optional)

 Method:

1. Soak gelatin in water.
2. Mix milk, condensed milk, and cornflour in a saucepan. Cook over a gentle heat until thick. Stir constantly.
3. Allow the thickened milk to cool, then add the soaked gelatin to it, and mix till the gelatin dissolves completely.
4. Combine the fresh cream and vanilla essence with the milk mixture.
5. Pour in individual serving bowls or in a pudding dish, and allow the Panna Cotta to set.
6. Serve with blueberry preserve or strawberry compote.

Blueberry Panna Cotta ready to be savored

Half empty within 
minutes of serving!

To make the strawberry compote:

1. Wash the strawberries, remove the stem, and roughly cut them into quarters.
2. Cook the chopped fruit, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan on low heat.
3. Add butter once the strawberries are soft and start disintegrating. The butter lends a gloss to the compote.
4. Add cornflour mixed with a little water to it and stir well.
5. Allow to cool. Spoon over chilled Panna Cotta.

Next time, I’m going to skip the vanilla and instead add some coffee powder - Mocha Panna Cotta!

I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert. ~Jason Love

Sin-Worthy Unnakaya

Just the other day, the tempting aroma of plantain fritters that my s-i-l was frying downstairs wafted through our house. My daughter thought it was the aroma of Unnakaya – a Malabar delicacy that makes you a glutton. The next thing I heard was, “Mommy, please make me some Kunnakaayams.” It was a hilarious moment hearing her pronounce it wrong, yet identifying the delicacy.

How about some Unnakaya with tea

How could I resist her sweet little request. That said, I had to muster up my patience to make this delicious snack. You’ll know why when you see the recipe.

Unnakaya

Ingredients:

2 kg plantain, not too ripe, not too raw

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cardamom

¼ cup coconut

½ cup milk

Nuts and raisins as much as you like

Ghee

Method:

1. Cut the ends off the plantains and steam them until just cooked. Take care not to overcook them.
2. Peel the skin and remove those fibrous things that run down the length of the plantain. Next, cut the plantain lengthwise and remove the black line of seeds from the center of the plantains. It is easier to do this when the plantain is still hot.
3. Pass the plantain through a sieve to mash the plantain well. You can also use a potato ricer; just make sure there are no lumps. Knead the mashed mass of plantain to form a dough. If the dough is a bit soft, you can refrigerate it for a bit.
4. For the filling, blend together eggs, sugar, milk, coconut and cardamom. Strain the mixture into a bowl to remove cardamom bits.
5. Heat a pan, pour some ghee and roast the nuts and raisins. To this, add the egg mixture and stir well like you would to scramble eggs. Take off the heat once the mixture cooks through and solidifies; make sure all the liquid has dried. Once the filling has cooled, you can proceed with shaping the unnakaya.
6. Apply a little ghee on your palm and fingers (the grease prevents the dough from sticking to your hands). Make balls about the size of a lemon. Flatten each ball on your palm to form a circle and place a teaspoon of the filling in the center. Now carefully fold the circle down the middle like you would close a book. You get a nice oval-shaped unnakaya. Smoothen the seams with your fingers.
7. Shallow fry the unnakayas in medium heat until golden brown. Take care not to burn them as the sugar in the plantain caramelizes quickly.
8. Enjoy this snack without an ounce of guilt – you deserve a treat for painstakingly making these unnakayas!

Wish I'd made some more!

This sweet dish is a real winner - even my husband, who hates the whole banana family, devours them.

Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart. ~ Erma Bombeck