Dryfruit Milkshake

Last week, I was sitting back and checking my emails and Facebook updates while I hear some noise in the kitchen. Noise as if someone was looking for something...boxes being opened. plastic bag rattling. freezer drawers going in and out. Basically it was my husband looking for something and when I asked him "what are you looking for?" he said, "do we have any dry fruits and nuts at home?"
So I immediately tell him the location. I normally store all dry nuts in the freezer to prevent them from getting rancid.

Next I hear him heat up something in the microwave and that is when I stood up to check what he was up to :) He said, "I am making dryfruit milkshake" I was impressed and I had this broad smile on my face...wow...for a change he was doing everything by himself!!! And I see a bowl full of dryfruits and nuts soaking in a bowl of milk.

So our dessert was a delicious glass of dryfruit milkshake which brought back all the memories from India.

The idea of soaking dryfruits and nuts was great. That made the milkshake more delicious and flavorful!

Ingredients (serves 2 people)

1+3/4 cup milk
2-3 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
2 dried figs/anjeer
5-6 unsalted raw cashews
5-6 unsalted raw pistachios
4-5 unsalted raw almonds

• In a bowl, heat half cup milk and soak all dryfruits and nuts in it for 30 minutes.
• Add soaked dryfruit and nuts into a smoothie jar with remaining milk and sugar.
• Grind them together till it is smooth.
• Serve!

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

In a bowl, heat half cup milk and soak all dryfruits and nuts in it for 30 minutes.

Add soaked dryfruit and nuts into a smoothie jar with remaining milk and sugar.

Grind them together till it is smooth.

Enjoy Chilled Dryfruit Milkshake!

Hot & Spicy Edamame

Edamame, soya beans in a pod. Protein rich food and apt for a vegetarian like me...yes, I am addicted to edamame :) Steaming hot and lightly salted edamame make a perfect afternoon snack for me. Even my mom, who is a fussy eater (she enjoys more of street food and chaat) loved edamame. I just couldn't believe she loved it so much and now misses it in India. 

If you have been to Yardhouse, Hot & Spicy Edamame needs no introduction.  Yardhouse is one of my favorite restaurants. This is one non Indian place where there is plenty of delicious vegetarian food served, especially appetizers. In fact, we just dine on various appetizers there. Their  brussel sprouts,  edamame, onion ring tower or peach and Gorgonzola flat bread, everything is just delicious. When I first tasted their edamame I was sure I can recreate this dish at home. My husband loved it too and now he no longer has plain salted edamame. He always asks for spicy ones :) Also, it in fun to push the beans out of the pods with your teeth and suck the spicy garlicy flavor on the pods. Just yum!!

Ingredients:

2 cups Edamame

2-3 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. coarsely ground red peppers or red chili flakes

1/2 tsp. chilli powder

1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 cup water

Salt to taste

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add minced garlic, pepper flakes, pepper powder and fry for a minute.
• Add sugar, vinegar and fry for a minute.
• Add edamame and salt. mix well.
• Add water. Cover and let edamame heat up well.
• Mix well and serve.

Here is my favorite Edamame.

Enjoy!!