Cardamom and Rose Kheer with Roasted Rhubarb

So I have signed up to be part of a set of folk who will be selling sweet treats at a dessert market next weekend. I decided to test out a recipe today. Needing something that was easy to portion, tasted good hot or cold, and wanting to stick to an Indian theme, I opted for Kheer (plus, here in Berlin people seem to love a bit of milchreis a.k.a rice pudding). Cardamom and rose seemed like an excellent paring, and I thought a little rhubarb at the bottom would balance out the sweetness of the rice. Sprinkle on some crushed pistachios and you're on to a winner!

This will make 4 decent sized portions

this is only three, though

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil
8-10 cardamom pods, seeds out and ground
50g short grain round rice (risotto type)
750 ml milk
30g sugar
30 ml pouring cream
2 tsp rose water
pistachios, crushed, to decorate 

2 sticks of rhubarb
a sprinkling of sugar

Method:

-take a large pan and pour in the oil. Add the cardamom and fry until fragrant then add in the rice and stir to coat in the oil
-pour in the milk and stir. Add in the sugar - half first then more after tasting. Stir and cook on a low heat until you can't feel the sugar scraping along any more then whack up the heat 
-once the milk has begun to boil, turn it down and gently simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 5, and watching more closely at the end. By this point the milk should have all buy been absorbed and it should be thick and creamy
-stir in the cream and carry on cooking
-meanwhile preheat the oven to gas mark 6, wash and chop the rhubarb in to 4-5cm long pieces and place in an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with a little sugar, cover in foil and roast for 15 minutes
- add the rose water to the kheer, stir and remove from the heat.
- mix the cooked rhubarb together to mingle the colours and spoon in to 4 glasses/bowls. Top this with the kheer and then adorn with lovely crushed pistachios. 
 to be enjoyed hot, warm or cold! 
NB: if having cold, assemble but wait to add the nuts until ready to eat

Oaty Waffles

A change from porridge!

Hello, hello! It has been a very long time since I've actually posted any thing on here. I didn't realise how long until just now. I went on holiday to Japan to visit a friend back in March, hence no posts, and since then I've been baking old recipes. 

So today, a new post! I generally eat porridge for breakfast every day. Today I wanted a little change. So I wondered if porridge could be turned in to waffles...IT CAN! Just blend up the oats and use instead of flour. Bada-bing. This recipe serves two people, making 3 wee ones or 2 larger ones each.

Ingredients:

100g oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
100 ml skimmed milk
1 medium egg
1 tsp (low fat - what I had) butter
few drops vanilla extract

to serve
2 bananas
low fat natural yogurt
cinnamon

Method:

- plug in your waffle iron and set to medium-hot
- using a hand blender, whizz up the oats to a fine powder. Add in all the dry ingredients and mix together.
- melt the butter in a measuring jug in the microwave. Add in the milk, egg and vanilla and whisk. Pour this on to the oaty stuff.
- whisk together
- spoon a 1/6 (for small sized) of the batter on to the iron, close the lid and cook!
- repeat and serve with banana, some yogurt and a little more cinnamon!

Just as good for you as a bowl of porridge - but stacked. Bernard Black would be proud.