I TOLD YOU ALMOST NOTHING GOES TO THE WASTE BIN IN MY HOME!
Unless a food item rots, I try to give it a makeover and eat. On return from our travels, my handbag comes full with this and that served on the airplane, it is not possible to eat everything served on a long flight. Mostly comes the tiny chocolates, cheese squares, muffins. This time too they came, I had to use them because Cristine was not having them. Everything has an expiry. All about today's recipe share I am coming to later. I am gradually getting back to my normal schedule; that of early morning walks, then swim, shopping for the raw ingredients nearing the weekend, going out to nowhere, sit alone somewhere. Visiting some islands and parks alone are due. Actually, I enjoy more staying at home, eat home cooked food and watch something. I sincerely wish to do some online teaching, this is a life spent without the right connections. Lazy peoples' lives end doing nothing fruitful, planning great. I have to tell the son about the importance of networking. We know less about his contacts and friends. Homecoming after any tour is good, if only the home was near to our son's. We want the best of both the worlds in our lives, that cannot happen.
IT WAS INDEED A FULFILLING TRIP THIS TIME!
We felt happy to see our child in a happier mood. He allowed us to click him, he clicked us, agreed to go here and there with us. We could feel that the son is in a relaxed mood. I was happy with the studio apartment we stayed in and the neighbourhood around. We were roaming the entire city mostly on foot, I loved it given the cool weather. For us, it was cold almost. I was sad unable to wear my tunics, they came back untouched. I happily cooked with few utensils, in less of space. Back home, my cooking spree did not stop. With Cristine's help, I kept cooking without calculating if we can finish all of the dishes in five days. I do not need to cook too much. Then one thing is that it is my passion, the other reason is that I am updating my blog. In an Airbnb kitchen, I was not giving my best shot; neither the son, nor the man ever complains. It is me who is not satisfied. Like yesterday, I mended the raw Jackfruit curry adding to it more of spices, we do not cook a light curry with it. I also added more of fried onions and chopped green chillies to the Hilsa Bharta. We had a fulfilling lunch, a Bengali meal yesterday.
At night, I made luchi; the Bengali puffed bread, had with the Gobi Butter Masala.
WHAT IS BAEL FRUIT PARFAIT?
Trust me, the idea was impromptu. Not in my wild dreams I thought of preparing a parfait with Bael fruit extract. I bought the fruit from a Bengali shop to have it's juice, a summer time ritual in the family. Here we get too good quality Bael Fruit / Wood Apple / Bengal Quince. They are too sweet with no hint of bitterness in them. Cristine was not having the muffins and cinnamon cake, we had yogurt and sweet grapes in stock. All of a sudden, the idea of a no-cook, sugar-free, vegetarian BAEL FRUIT PARFAIT popped up in my head on a Saturday morning. Trust me, I loved having it. You may add sugar or honey but I did not require any. I am indeed fond of fruits-yogurt-oats kind of stuffs. I would have been happier if I could use granola instead of the oats but I do not store it fearing a spike in the blood sugar level. The cream parfaits I had been buying while touring cannot be eaten regular, such unhealthy it is. Parfaits should be done with yogurt and various combinations of fruits, now I recommend using Bael extract to it. Ayurveda goes gaga about it, since my childhood I have seen it works to ease constipation. However, medical science does not recommend it too often. If you are a diet watcher, this recipe is a keep. I want the son, brother, his wife to have this. The man, his sister do not crave for food, I wonder how! Take a look at my elaborate lunch, Cristine made my favourite vermicelli upma, my yogurt cake tasted good, mango is a love.
BAEL FRUIT : 1 STANDARD SIZED
MUFFIN : 2-3
GRAPE : 7-8 [YOU CAN USE OTHER FRUITS, EVEN DRY FRUITS]
PLAIN YOGURT : 100 GM
OATS : 2 TBSP [YOU CAN USE GRANOLA]
I DID NOT USE SUGAR, YOU MAY IF YOU WANT
PROCEDURE :
Wash and break the Wood Apple fruit without damaging your kitchen floor.
Take the extract in a bowl, add a little of water and do kneading like action. Thereafter, use a strainer to get a smooth, nectar like extract.
Beat the yogurt and chop the washed grapes. Cut the cakes into smaller cubes. You may or may not dry roast the oats, I did not.
Take a glass, not a tall one because a parfait is pretty filling. The first layer was of yogurt and then of the fruit extract. Thereafter, I added some oats, chopped grapes, cake cubes.
Then again I had put a layer of yogurt, Bael extract. Top it with the rest of the chopped grapes, cake cubes, oats.
Chill it in the refrigerator before having.
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