Celebrating my 50th post with Chips 'n' Dips and Mango Kulfi...!!!

Ever since my MIL brought me those cute Tupperware Kulfi moulds I wanted to prepare Kulfi and finally I got the enthu to prepare it last friday.With Mumbai weather turning for the worst last week there couldn't have been a better dessert to prepare.Wonder when it starts raining here,otherwise this humidity will force me to prepare this again and again...he he..:)..Of course when the taste is so good one can't expect it to last long as we finished it off in just two days.

Yesterday I had prepared Olive and cashew dips as an accompaniment for the tortilla chips.What else does one want during weekends.. lazily watching tv ..and savoring those lovely chips with a cup of masala tea!!

Cashew Aioli:
This recipe I have scribbled sometime back from a tv show and modified it according to my taste by adding herbs to it.I liked the richness of the dip because of the liberal usage of cashew nuts.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Cashew nuts(soaked in water)
2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1 tsp Mixed dried herbs
2 jalapenos( I used pickled ones)
2-3 tbsp water from the pickled jalapenos
3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt(according to taste)

Method:

• Blend soaked cashew nuts,jalapenos,salt,olive oil,dried herbs and some water from (pickled)jalapenos to a slightly coarse paste(or even smooth paste).
• Mix in the chopped parsley nicely and slightly chill it.
• Serve it with Tortilla chips/Doritos/Nachos/any chips/matchstick sliced vegetables.

Note: 1.This can be used as a sauce for pasta. 2.This can be even stored in refrigerator up to 2-3 days.

Olive-Basil Dip:
Hubby liked this dip very much more than the above one.I added some finely chopped olives to the dip which made its appearance in each and every bite of the dip.
Ingredients
1/2 cup hung curd or sour cream
1 tbsp mayonnaise
3/4 cup olives(I used green,you can even use black ones)
7-8 basil leaves
1-2 small shallots
2 jalapenos
sea salt(as per taste)
some water from the pickled olives

Method:

• Blend everything into a fine smooth paste.
• Serve it with Tortilla chips/Doritos/Nachos/any chips/matchstick sliced vegetables.

Mango Kulfi(Low cal version):
Who says no to Kulfi.??especially if it is Mango Kulfi I would never deny to eat it.In Mumbai we get Alphonso mangoes in abundance and I am enjoying them during the season.Alphonso mangoes not only gave a nice color but also enhanced the taste of kulfi.Nuts add a special taste to kulfi and I have also used different nuts in different molds for the kulfi which made me to identify the unique taste of each nut in the kulfi.
Kulfi is one of the most richest Indian dessert I have made it bit low-calorie version by not adding whipped cream and I made it with cornflour which gave a creamy texture with less calories.Ingredients:
4 Alphonso Mangoes(or any other Mangoes)
1/2 tin Condensed milk(adjust according to the sweetness of mangoes)
1/4 cup milk(slightly less than that)
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp elaichi powder
some saffron strands
2 tbsp finely chopped cashews
2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
2 tbsp thinly sliced almonds
Method:

1. Mix cornflour in half the milk and stir it into the hot milk(on a low flame) and keep stirring till it forms a thick paste.Cool it down completely.
2. Blend alphonso mangoes into a smooth puree,add condensed milk(add it by adjusting the taste) and cornflour mixture and blend again.
3. Stir in the elaichi powder and saffron strands.
4. Take out some mixture into a small bowl and add any one type of chopped nuts into it and mix.Drop the same nuts at the bottom of the kulfi mold and pour the mixture over it and cover it.(you can mix the nuts and prepare also,but I wanted it with different nuts)
5. Repeat the same process for the other nuts.Refrigerate it for 12 hours(minimum or until set).It will be set properly by the next day.I have poured the left over mixture in the ice cube tray which i have tasted( and actually finished off)just after 2 hrs.
   
6. While removing it,dip the kulfi mold in the normal water for some time to remove it in exact shape.

Serve it cold.

I am sending Cashew Aioli for poornima's Let's go Nuts - Cashew Nuts event started by Aquadaze.

and Olive-Basil dip for priya's event AFAM: Olives started by Maheswari of Beyond The Usual.

and both the dips(olive-basil dip and cashew Aioli ) and kulfi to 15 Minute Cooking hosted by Mahimaa.and finally the Mango Kulfi for the My Favourite Things -FROZEN DESSERT event hosted by Aquadaze and which was originally started by Bindiya.