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

Ever since my MIL brought me these 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..:)..Ofcourse when the taste is so good one can't expect it to last long....we finished it off in just two days.
Yesterday I had prepared Olive and cashew dips as an accompliment for the tortilla chips which i had bought last week..What else does one want during weekends...... lazily watching tv ..and savouring those lovely chips with a cup of masala tea ..!!



Cashew Aioli:
This was a recipe which 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 and as i have grond it into a coarse paste, i could taste the cashews better.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Cashewnuts(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 cashewnuts,jalapenos,salt,olive oil,dried herbs and some water from (pickled)jalapenos to a slightly coarse paste(or even smooth paste).Then 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 upto 2-3 days.

Olive-Basil Dip:
This dip was liked by hubby dear ..I actually added some finely chopped olives to the dip which made every bite of it with a olive chunk.




Ingredients
1/2 cup Hung curd or sour cream
1 tbsp Mayonnise
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:

Who says no to Kulfi.??...especially if it is Mango Kulfi i would never say No to it..I have used Alphonso mangoes ,which not only gave a nice colour and also enhanced the taste of kulfi.I have also used different nuts for the different moulds for the kulfi which made me to identify the unique taste of each nut in the kulfi.



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:
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.Blend alphonso mangoes into a smooth puree,add condensed milk(add it by adjusting the taste) and cornflour mixture and blend again.Stir in the elaichi powder and saffron strands.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 mould and pour the mixture over it and cover it.(you can mix the nuts and prepare also,but i wanted it with different nuts)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.
While removing it,dip the kulfi mould in the normal water for some time to remove it in exact shape.
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.