MANGO PANNA COTTA

Mango Panna cottaJ

Panna cotta (Italian 'cooked cream') is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and molded. The cream may be aromatized with chocolate, coffee, vanilla, or other fruit flavorings.

It is really simple to cook.

Today I will introduce you to mango panna cottaJ.

First let’s see how to prepare the panna cotta as it will be easy for you to add any flavors later.

Even the plain panna cotta with a dash of chocolate sauce or strawberry sauce makes it delicious.

Panna cotta

Ingredients-

Heavy cream*                    - 2 cups(400 to 420 gms )

Unflavored gelatin powder        - one small pack of 30 gms.

Sugar**                         - 50 gms

Vanilla bean                  -halved and scrapped(including the bone marrow)

       Or

Vanilla essence                 - 1 tsp full

Oil to wipe the molds.

Take 2 table spoons of water and sprinkle the gelatin and allow it to settle for 10 minutes till we cook the cream.

Add the cream and sugar in a sauce pan along with the vanilla bean and bring it to boil in a medium flame.

When the cream is just at the simmering point turn off the flame and add the set gelatin and mix well.

The gelatin should dissolve in the cream

Then strain it in the colander to remove the vanilla bean and bring the mixture to room temperature.

Pour it in the mold greased with oil and refrigerate. It should set in four to six hours. Better is overnightJ

*Heavy cream-I used 33% fat cream. The best would be if you get 40% fat cream.

Please don’t use any cream which is of lesser fat content to 33%.

**You can increase the sugar to another 10 gms depending on the sweet level you need.

Now to the mango part .

Ingredients-

Mango pulp *                               -2 cups.

Mango nectar                               -1 cup

Unflavored gelatin                           -1 small pack of 30 gms

Take a microwave proof bowl and add the gelatin in one cup of mango nectar and keep it aside for 10 mnts to set.

Take two cups of mango pulp. I used the canned kesar mango pulp.

*If you get fresh mangoes take 4 or 5 mangoes – Remove the skin and cut into small pieces.

Put it in a blender and make puree equivalent to 1 ½ cups.

Now heat the gelatin mix in microwave just for 1 minute only.

Add the warm gelatin into the mango pulp and mix well.

Pour it on top of the already set cream mixture.

Refrigerate for another 2 to 3 hours to set.

Your mango panna cotta is ready to serveJ

P.S-you can either prepare the mango or the cream mixture first of your choice.

To get the shape in the picture-

Take a muffin tray and slant the glass and make it rest in the muffin counter. Pour the mixture that is prepared first almost to the edge of the glass.

Set the mixture in the refrigerator.

Once it is set remove the tray from the fridge and make the glasses straight and pour in the second mixture. 

After this you need not have to use the muffin tray and can place the glass straight in the fridge.

Dear friends –

You can prepare the plain panna cotta and pour it in a mold. Once the panna cotta is set remove the mold from the fridge and place the mold in the warm water for 10 seconds.

Scoop it out in a serving plate and top it with chocolate sauce or strawberry sauce. Serve it immediately.

EnjoyJ

Spinach Dal-Aka-špenát čočka.

Hi friends,

After a small break I am posting my next recipe.

The recipe this time is spinach dal- špenát čočka.

The tasty food with simple ingredients.

What you need is

Masoor dal ( červená čočka )                       -150 gms

                                 

Spinach (Listový špenát)                            -100 to 150 gms.

Onions (cibule)                                     - one medium size

Tomato (rajčata )                                   - one small size

Green or dry red chilli (suché červené chilli )  ```       - 1 number.

Garlic (česnek)                                      - 1 pod

Ginger(zázvor)                                       - 1/2 inch

Curry leaves(optional)                                - one string

Mustard seeds(semena hořčice)                       - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds (Rimsky kmin)                           - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder(kurkuma)                            - 1 tsp.

Garam masala powder *                              - ½ tsp

Oil                                                   - 1 tbsp

Before starting to cook –please keep few things ready- as always.

Wash the lentil and keep it aside with some water in it.

Wash the spinach well and drain it in colander.

Finely chop the onions, garlic, ginger, tomato and the green chillies (if you are using it).

Now take the spinach and chop it nicely and keep it aside. Please don’t worry if there is some water in the spinachJ

Now let’s start to cook.

Heat a pan or thick bottomed vessel. Pour oil and when its warm, add the mustard seeds and when it splutters add the cumin seeds and turmeric powder (keep in medium flame ).

Then add the chilli (red or green-whichever you are using). Immediately add the onions, garlic and ginger. Saute it well by adding a pinch of salt.

 

Salt will make the onions cook faster as it helps in evaporating the water from onions.

Then add tomatoes and saute it again .When the tomatoes are slightly cooked –add the chopped spinach and stir it well. Add little salt.

When you see the spinach slightly cooked and when the mixture looks like  paste or mushy-add the soaked lentils.

Add adequate amount of water and salt and cover it with lid and increase the flame to medium high.

Please stir in between as the lentils should not burn.

When its cooked, Mash the lentils with the ladle nicely. Instead you can use the egg whipper and whip it gently till the lentils are not visible prominently.

Avoid electric whipper.

When it’s done fully –

Sprinkle ½ tsp of garam masala for flavor and mix it.

*Its optional –but as it is available in the shops which I mentioned in my earlier blog you can buy it and store it as it enhances the flavorJ

The cocka is ready to serve.

It will go very well with steamed rice.

You can even dilute it a bit and can consume as soup (polévka)-which is so filling and healthy too.

P.S.-Dear friends, you can boil the čočka separately and keep it before hand and add the boiled  čočka after the spinach is cooked.

We Indians use pressure cooker(tlakový hrnec). So instead of pan or thick bottomed vessel. we directly cook in it.

It cooks very fast and saves gas(plyn).

The pressure cooker is easily available at tescoma shopsJ. I use the one from Tescoma.

Bon appetite- Dobrou chuť.

Please look for the yummy dessert in my next column soon by this year endJ