Supreme Spice on Bing

I just realized that Supreme Spice comes up in top position on Bing search engine for search word "Saffron extract" :) . Same is the case with "Tea masala extract" and "Tulsi extract".

Doodhi Halwa with Cardamom extract

I love Doodhi the most when it is served in this sweet and simple Halwa avatar :)

Ingredients:

1 Doodhi (Bottle gourd)
1/2 can condensed milk
3-4 drops of Cardamom extract
( You could also use Kesar Milk masala extract )
Little butter


Peel and grate doodhi. Heat little butter in a pan, add grated doodhi. Cook for about 8 - 10 min . Add condensed milk and let the mixture cook on low flame for another 7-8 min. Take it off the heat. Add Cardamom extract. Stir and serve with some raisins or cashews sprinkled on top.

Another variation is to add Saffron extract to give this humble dessert a royal touch.

Ayurveda and Spices

I have some very interesting books on Ayurveda and I like to browse through them when I have some time. Yesterday, I was reading about some Classical Ayurvedic formulas and found it interesting that a lot of them had one or more than one spice in its list of ingredients.
For example -

Hingashtak Churna - made of Asafoetida
Eladi Churna - Top 3 ingredients are Cardamom, cloves and Saffron
Lavangadi Churna - contains cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger.
Lashunadi Bati - contains garlic, cumin, asafoetida
Trisugandhi Churna - Cinnamon, cardamom

And the list goes on .
This just shows how spices play a important role in Ayurvedic medicine.

Shrikhand with Kesar Milk Masala

Happy Gudi Padwa to you all.

We celebrated our New Year with a yummy feast of Shrikhand -Poori.

I added 2-3 drops of Kesar Milk Masala extract to my Shrikhand. Kesar Milk Masala extract is a very aromatic blend of Saffron, Cardamom, Nutmeg and Curcumin. Just few drops of this extract was enough to make my simple Shrikhand into a very royal treat.

Mango Mousse with Saffron Extract

Chef Hari's recipe for Mango Mousse with Saffron extract.
Simple but elegant dessert for any occasion.

Gift ideas for the Chef in your family

Chef Pack

We now have added Gift sets to our website. The Chef Pack is perfect for someone who enjoys and appreciates the exotic taste and flavor of Saffron and Cardamom. This gift set comes with 3 extracts. Saffron extract, Cardamom extract and Kesar Milk Masala extract.

This gift set is beautifully packaged in a box with a festive ribbon.
Shipping is free for all gift sets.

Extracts in my kitchen

Lot of people ask me whether I use extracts in my own kitchen. And my answer to them is "Everyday in every meal"
The extracts that I use very often are - Ginger, Tea Masala, Cardamom, Garlic, Green Chilli, Asafoetida, Turmeric. And, of course, Tulsi. I have hot Tulsi water at least 4-5 times a week.

Every afternoon I have either Masala chai, Cardamom chai or Ginger chai. Depends on my mood.
My husband loves the Green Chilli extract. This extract gives him full control over how hot and spicy his curry should be :)

Now that festival season is coming close, I will use my Kesar Milk and Saffron extracts more.

Saffron Extract

Saffron is the most expensive spice and is also known as the "King of Spice".
Saffron is warming, digestive, rejuvenating and it has a sweet aroma and taste. Saffron is traditionally used in Indian rice and dessert dishes. Also is used in Italian risotto.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Filling for Modak

Modak

Modak - A must-have for Ganesh Chaturthi.
I make the filling for the modak with coconut, jaggery, Cardamom extract, Nutmeg extract and a little Saffron extract. The extracts make my job a bit easy. No peeling cardamom pods or grating nutmeg :)

What is Kesar Milk Masala?

Kesar Milk Masala is a blend of Nutmeg, Saffron, Cardamom and Curcumin.

This wonderful and rich blend of 4 spices gives an amazing makeover to a plain glass of milk. Just add 1-2 drops of Kesar milk masala extract to a glass of warm milk and you will be amazed with the results. Or use it in any dessert. I use this extract in my Kheer and Rice pudding too.

Or, next time you make Suji Halwa, kheer or carrot Halwa, add 1-2 drops of Kesar milk masala extract and taste the difference.