Friday, August 24, 2007

Rice Pudding with Peach Sauce AND Jeera(cumin) Baby Alu(potato) Fry

I tread the produce section a bit cautiously!


I know you are wondering Why? Let me tell you :)
I have to do so, lest I come home with a Pluot or a Plucot in lieu of something else that I had in mind!


Pluot, it seems is a cross between a plum and an apricot, half plum half apricot said the label. It is called a plucot if the percentage of apricot is higher!!!!!!!!


The first time I saw this, I spent a good 5 minutes staring at the pluot, weirder combinations crossing my mind :) even got a few glances from the people around! Maybe I'm not 'THAT' open minded ;)


So if you ever come across a situation wherein you cannot decide between a plum or an apricot, Pluot can come to your rescue....LOL!!!!!


Still unsure why do I need to eat 'Y' if I feel like a 'X' ??
A lil' extravagant, aren't we ;)
.
Anyway, these hybrid sorts do not tempt my fancy, in fact, I'm a little wary of them!!
I like my plum to be a plum and my peach to be a peach :) I'm a simpleton you know .... ;)


Speaking of which, that I'm obsessed about Peaches is an understatement! I am as crazy about them as some folks are about Mango.
Nope it is not a comparison, just an observation :)


Almost get the withdrawal symptoms when the season is ending, such is my fondness for these beauties of a fruit !!!




Most of the times it is enjoyed as is, but I do make a few dishes out of it and
Rice Pudding with Peach Sauce is one of them! I do try to avoid putting too much sugar or butter into the preparation, that would take away from the taste of the lovely peaches.
Please do let me know of any concoctions that you make, using peach, will appreciate it. You can leave a comment with the same :)
.
2 heaped tbsp rice, washed & soaked for 15 minutes
2.5 cups milk
sugar as per taste
2 peaches
1 tsp lime/lemon juice.
.
1. Bring the milk to boil in a thick bottom saucepan.
2. Drain water from the rice and crush lightly with your hands. If you are making a huge quantity, you can pulse it in the mixer for a few turns till the rice breaks, not to be made into a paste.
3. Add crushed rice to the boiling milk and cook till the rice is done.
4. Add sugar as per taste, stir a few minutes and take off from fire, your basic rice pudding is ready. Cool in the refrigerator, will thicken a lot on cooling.
5. For the Peach sauce: De-skin the peaches and chop into pieces.
Sprinkle sugar(depending upon the tartness of the peaches) and 4/5 drops of lime juice. Let rest for 10/15 minutes. Blend to form a puree OR if you like some chunks in the sauce, just mash coarsely with a fork. Chill. I've displayed both the variations.
6. To serve:
Add a few tablespoons of the pudding into decorative bowls. Top with chilled peach sauce.
Indulge your senses with a Peachy Rice Pudding!This goes to Sharmi for JFI-Rice
.
.

.

And now over to one of my most loved vegetables ever - Presenting Mr. Potato/Alooooooo
.
An Ode to the spud!!!!!


How sweet and tasty art thou!
You blend so well with one and all!
You are the saviour of all vegeterians, when they travel outside their comfort zones!
You are wrongly accused, yet you take it all in your stride!
Well knowing it is not you, but your accomplices Mr. Cream & Mr. Butter who are to blame!
You nourish us with all the vitamins and minerals we need, so selflessly!
Oh! Mr. Potato, what would we do without you!!!!!!
.
WOOPS! got a bit teary eyed there, for my dear potato ;)
.



Jeera Baby Alu Fry
.
8 baby alu
1 tsp jeera(cumin) seeds
1 tbsp jeera, freshly roasted and crushed
1/2 tsp chili powder
1.5 tbsp oil
.
1. Par boil baby alu. I microwave it for 6 minutes.
2. Peel.
3. Heat oil and pan fry the potato till it gets a crispy exterior, remove and keep aside.
4. In the same oil add cumin seeds, splutter. Add hing(asafoetida), crushed jeera, chili powder and immediately add the potatoes. Add salt and let cook for a few minutes till the flavors blend.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
6. Simple and tasty Jeera Baby Alu Fry is ready to be savored as an appetizer or a side dish.
.


My contribution to the Think Spice Think Cumin event hosted by Sunita.

49 comments:

TBC said...

Beautiful presentation of the pudding. I am not to fond of milk though:-(
Loved your ode to the spud. I feel the same way too. I love potatoes in any size, shape or form. You should have left the skin on for the fibre.As you said, potatoes are very nutritious. It's all the delicious toppings that adds the fat & calories.

Manasi said...

I am a huge mango fan!! The pudding looks nice... I am reconsidering my feelings towards the peach now!
Nice ode!! LOVE the Aloo!!

TheCooker said...

Richa...you are too much :) the batata brought out the poet in you.
The pudding looks good. Made the design with a toothpick?
Try peaches in muffins. Or lightly saute not-so-ripe peach slices in a bit of butter w/ nutmeg or cinnamon and use this to top ice-cream.
And ofcourse there is the bellini!

Kajal said...

Kheal khatam Richa....etalu saras idea ave chhe kiya thi my dear......rocking girl te to jabar jast kamal kari chhe......shabdo nathi madata mane tari post mate keep it up.:)))

Nice entry for cumin my dear.........looks very delicious...........:)))

FH said...

Great post! LOL!!
I saw a weird looking Plum ,green with black spots and it had some exotic name too.Things they do to poor Plums and Peaches!!:D
I love the pudding in the Margarita glass.YUM and Aloo of course need quite a few poetry written on them starting with you!:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Richa,
Peach pudding looks yummy and those potatoes so delicious and mouthwatering.

sunita said...

Is that pudding for me:)...love those gorgeous looking potatoes as well...thanks for sending them over.

Tee said...

The pudding looks really pretty! have never tried this combo...something else for me to put on my list :)
I found the perfect song for your love with the batata...''Main shayar to nahi...magar aye hasin'' ;))
batata ani jeere, jabardasta laagat asel! :)

Anonymous said...

hey richa , even saw the Pluot /plucot here in Boston n guess wht ?? i even bought one home :)....don worry u havent missed eating some great fruit ....after eating it last night i m not tht crazy abt it .....as u say Plums shud be plums n so shud other fruits:D

Swaruchy said...

Excellent....loved ur pudding dear...the presentation was awesome........will have to try this out for sure......:-)

J said...

Nice pudding. And you fried those babies!!! :D

bee said...

those aloos are so inviting. you can't do this to us in the middle of the freaking afternoon.

here's an idea with peaches - sprinke salt and chilli powder and eat. they're awesome.

Saju said...

This post is after my own heart. Comfort Food with a capital C!
I love rice pudding, and make it with dried apricots and nutmeg, in the oven, English style.
The potatoes are just irresistable, may explain why by troussers are tight for me. All the rain in England has had me eating for comfort!

Pravs said...

wow ! what yummy dishes ! Love to have the rice pudding now...just had lunch :D

bha said...

the pics look amazing for the pudding, not a peach fan though....Thats a sweet poem for my all time fav Mr Aloo.....the dish also look attractive

Namratha said...

The pudding looks fabulous, I don't like peaches though...but maybe just maybe I might give this one a try! :) Lovely ode to the potato...liked it

musical said...

The peach pudding is pretty! and chilled one is going to be heavenly! and baby alu with zeera, yummy!

now, ehn should i join for lunch :).

hugs,
musical.

Sig said...

hehe that ode to the spud was very touching, made me a little teary too... ;), so true mr.cream and mr.butter really got the spud a bad bad name, haven't they?
so u didn't try the plucot? that pudding looks sooooo yummy, nice artwork... :) have a great weekend sweetie...

Coffee said...

WAH! Richa becoming a poet!!! Kya baat hai. ;)

The best way to enjoy peach is...... all by themselves. :D And the jeera aloo is to die for!! :)

Suma Gandlur said...

Somehow, even I haven't tried the cross breed fruits till now.
Loved your presentation of the rice peach pudding.
Baby aloos are looking so gorgeous.

Sharmi said...

what a beautiful presentation Richa!! looks and sounds good.
I read the heading as Jeera baby , aloo fry. LOL jus kidding!! have a great weekend.

Suganya said...

How long did you take to arrange those peach slices? Looking awesome!

ushaprashanth said...

Hi!
Jeera aloo looks mouth watering! I love potatoes! that's a very nice recipe!

amna said...

love the jeera dishes.. the aloo looks yummy, nice and whole.. looks like u have a table in ur garden? god! am so jealous!!

Viji said...

Richa, the aloo looks yummy. Rice pudding is tempting. Viji

Nupur said...

The jeera aloo looks beautiful! I'm normally not a big fan of rice pudding, but that beautifully decorated glass is calling out to me :)

Raaga said...

lovely... very entertaining read :)

Roopa said...

loved the pudding! i have not come across the fruit here. though apricots i rarely buy as they are not sweet to my taste of fruits i get only the dried ones, but love plums :) th epudding loos excellent and what say of aloo how much i resist the more i cook with it ha ha:)

Cynthia said...

Oh goodness, Richa, these dishes are outstanding and look so delicious. Great job!

Priyanka said...

Richa...rice pudding with peach sauce ekdum soppa ani tasty vattay. using baby alu is a nice idea...havent ever tried out anything with them...kadhi nakki try karin:)

Arts said...

Te paratlele batate baghun tondala paani sutlay.. such a lovely, easy n quick recipe :) Thanks for sharing...
Mala usually rice nusta awadto pan desserts madhe nahi.. pan rice pudding nakki try karel.. My better half loves rice kheer so might like this as well! :)

Bharathy said...

Wonderful dessert and a Yummy Side dish..I missed to visit your latest posts for a month...Let me have a look at them NOW!!:)

Padma said...

Richa, nice looking pudding, I loved the *Bandhini* like design on your pudding ...lovely!

Baby aloo looks so pampered....I absolutely agree that Great Minds think alike, lol!

Mallika said...

That jeera aloo looks delicious. I cook it in a similar way but fry the potatoes with the cumin. By the way, I could so write a poem for potatoes too... I LOVE them!

swapna susarla said...

Wonderful presentation of the rice pudding!!!the potato looks yummy!!

Latha said...

richa dear, all u're posts make me laugh! u have a wonderful sense of humor!
love the pudding - looks delicious. love the aloo better! looks so yumm and easy to make!
came here now to get the malai toast recipe!

Kribha said...

Oh Richa, What can I say? Gorgeous looking pudding with peach sauce. You have made me feel so hungry by just looking at your yummy baby potatoes. DELICIOUS!!!

Suganya said...

OMG....This rice pudding is looking amazing.....Excellent art work.....Lovely pictures.....YUM!...

Prema Sundar said...

Hey Richa ,
How did u make the design on the pudding !!! looks very nice.
alu fry looks very tempting too.
Nice presentation and photography.

Sia said...

i am not a big fan of sweets so i will have those jeera aloos;)

Bong Mom said...

The pudding is too good...you decorated it so well

Bharathy said...

...where's your new post richa!!??Suprisingly...you never sit idle for a week!!..:)

Usually rice that cooks easily is preferred for Upma!
Basmati can be tried!

Lissie said...

rice pudding!!..feel like having it right now! alu jeera is my daughter's favourite dish.

Anonymous said...

Hi Richa,

Been awhile since I could go blog-hopping on a weekend morning. Your peach sauce and jeera alu both look really delish! :)

SeeC said...

Baby potatoes are my FAV, rather everyones here.
Lovely pictures richa.
Peach sauce sounds new to me.

amna said...

missing in action? everything alright?

Laavanya said...

I don't know how I missed this post of yours Richa. What a beautiful looking pudding and who knew that there was something called Plucot! News to me.
The baby pototo fry looks downright delicious and i just love the smoky flavor of cumin.

amna said...

i think i have visited ur blog some 30 times and seen the same post :D so will wait for the next post!!

Anonymous said...

Hey! Jeera Aloo nicely explained. I will surely give it a try. Thanks !!