Pineapple Semolina Pudding (Pineapple Kesari) Recipe

When I need a quick fix dessert recipe, I always resort to kesari – a semolina pudding with ghee, cashewnuts, and saffron. The ghee, nuts and saffron make this dessert exotic and special; but nobody will know you only spent 15 minutes making it!

I am delighted with this variation on regular kesari (also called sooji halwa). Pineapple juice adds a hint of fruity flavor to kesari, making it unique. Be sure you read my note on sugar** before you make this recipe.

Pineapple Semolina Pudding or Pineapple Kesari Recipe

serves about 8

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or canned pineapple juice*
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 cup cashewnuts
1 cup semolina (rava or sooji)
1 cup sugar**
a pinch of saffron threads

* To make juice from fresh pineapple, blend 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple, with about 3 cups water to make a puree. Strain the juice, and measure out 4 cups.

**This will make a not-too-sweet dessert. If you want it sweeter, feel free to use more sugar, but keep in mind that how much sugar you need will vary slightly depending on how sweet your pineapple is. You may need to use less sugar if you are using canned pineapple juice.

Method

Heat a heavy bottomed wok or saucepan with 1/4 cup ghee. Add cashewnuts and fry on low heat till the nuts are golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the the cashews from the ghee and place in a bowl.

Add semolina to the ghee. Stir on medium-low heat for about 3 minutes or till the semolina is toasted. Remove the semolina into a bowl. Wipe the pan clean.

Pour in pineapple juice and sugar. Bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, and add the toasted semolina. Cook, stirring constantly on medium heat, till the pudding thickens – about 5 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on how coarse your semolina is.

When the pudding starts to thicken, add 2 tablespoons ghee and stir. Remove from heat. Stir in fried cashew nuts.

Sprinkle saffron on top.

Vegetable, Paneer and Pasta Bake Recipe

I always enjoy the time I spend with my cousin Meena. She is such a pleasant and genuine person, and the time we spend together is always special. When we met last week (after more than a year!), we spent lazy afternoons gossipping, playing pallankuzhi, and cooking.

 This delicious vegetable, pasta and paneer bake recipe comes from Meena. She makes this vegetarian bake recipe for her post-swim meal. It is filling, and delicious without being heavy.

Meena didnt use cheese in this recipe, to keep it on the lighter side. But you can add some cheese on the top before baking. Vegans can use soy milk and tofu cubes instead of paneer (althought, I havent tried making the vegan version of this bake).

Meena microwaves the bake, which makes things very quick and easy. You can bake it as well, see instructions below. Remember, all the ingredients here already cooked – you only want to bake or microwave this dish just till the sauces bubble and the mushrooms cook.

Thanks meena, for your precious friendship, and for this delicious recipe that I know I will be making again and again.

There are multiple steps in this recipe, but dont let that put you off. Its well worth the effort. And you can make a big batch of this vegetable, paneer and pasta bake and freeze it.

Watch a step-by-step on how to make vegetable paneer and pasta bake

Vegetable Paneer and Pasta Bake Recipe

serves 3-4
Ingredients for the vegetables & paneer
6 oz paneer (substitute with drained, pressed, firm tofu)

3 cups fresh spinach, tightly packed
3.5 oz white button mushrooms (about 15 medium sized mushrooms)

Method
Cube the paneer and set aside.

Wash the spinach, and chop it. Place the washed, chopped spinach on a small wok. Cover it with a lid. Heat the wok on low heat, just untill the spinach wilts. Then remove from heat and sprinkle a little salt. Set aside.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a paper towel. If the mushrooms have too much dirt, wash them in water, and drain well.

If the mushrooms are large, cut them in 4, if they are small, cut them in half. Set aside.

Ingredients for the pasta
1 1/2 cups cooked pasta*, such as elbow macaroni, shells, fusili, or penne
*Make sure the pasta is cooked al dente – it should not be over cooked or mushy.

Ingredients for the tomato sauce
4 small tomatoes
1 small onion (1/4th cup when chopped)
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt & cracked pepper

Method
Core the tomato, chop it roughly and puree it in a blender.

Peel and chop the onion and garlic finely.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat till the onion gets translucent, about 2 minutes.

Add the pureed tomatoes and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Now add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let the sauce gently boil, till it thickens a little, about 3 minutes.

Ingredients for the white sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour (maida) or wheat flour
1 cup room temperature or cold milk, preferably whole milk
1/4 teaspoon or to taste, dried Italian seasoning
Salt and cracked pepper

Method
Place the oil or butter in a non stick sauce pan (without heat). Sprinkle the flour over the oil or melted butter. Using a whisk, stir the flour into the oil or butter to incorporate. Place the pan on a stove over low heat. Immediately, pour in milk. Whisk again till the flour dissolves.

Increase heat to medium. Cook the sauce, whisking constantly, till the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Now add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Turn off heat.

To assemble and cook the vegetable paneer and pasta bake

Take a medium baking dish, about 8 inches in diameter. Line the bottom with the paneer cubes. Layer the wilted spinach on top of the paneer. Pour the tomato sauce all over. Next, pour the white sauce. Arrange the mushrooms and pasta on top of the white sauce.

Optional step: sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese on top. Meena didnt use cheese in this recipe.

Place the bake in a 400 f oven and bake for 15 minutes or till the sauce is bubbling. If you are baking this in the oven without cheese, you need to pour the white sauce on top of the pasta, so that the pasta doesnt dry out in the oven.

Alternatively, microwave the bake on full power for 5-8 minutes or till the sauce bubbles. Microwave ovens vary.

Serve warm with a green salad.

My Parents’ Indian Kitchen: a Peek

This is the house I grew up in. This is the kitchen that shaped my interest in food and cooking. When we were children, my sister, brother and I would come running in here requesting a cold, freshly squeezed lemonade, a quick snack of spiced, stir fried bread, or a deep fried treat.

Even now, when I smell curry leaves and chilies being tempered in oil, I am transported back to this very kitchen. I’ve already shared with you some our family recipes. Now I invite you to take a peek into my parents’ kitchen in India..

Kamalamma the cook, gets ready to make idiappam or string hoppers made from rice flour. The pantry or store room is stocked with different kinds of rice, lentils, spices and kitchen supplies.

Sacks of short grain rice arrive once or twice a year. The rice is used for boiling, making idlis and dosas, and is also roasted and ground into rice flour.

In parts of India, it is common for the household staff to live with the family. This corridor leads to the back of the house and to the live in maid’s quarters.

My parents always keep a lot of fruit on hand. A huge sack of sweet lime or sathukkudi has just arrived from the market.

This is the back of the house, where all the prep-work, and cleaning happens outdoors.

Outdoor dish washing area – dishes are hand washed and either towel dried or left out in the sun.

Pooja (prayer) items are washed an ready for my brother’s evening prayers. The coconuts, banana, flowers and cup with water are offerings to God. The brass bell is rung to ward off evil spirits.

Part of the dining room, and entrance to the kitchen.

This is the everyday dining room. We have a larger dining area for entertaining guests.

My mother is a near permanent fixture in the dining room..

Now that you’ve seen my parents’ kitchen in India, head over to this post and see my kitchen in the US!

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