Plums Chutney

When eating another plum doesn't entice you, when you have off-loaded your fruits of labor aka Plums to all your friends, neighbors and still see a whole lot of plums staring at you, You decide to create a fusion recipe with all the plethora of Indian spices you have in your arsenal and use the Plums staring at you and begging you to create something delish and delectable. The result will be a savory and sweet spread that goes with everything from slices of bread, Indian flatbreads, crackers..the choices are endless.

Ingredients :
Plums: 30-35 ripe plums
3/4-1 cup : Sugar
Plain salt: According to taste
1-1.5 tsp : Black Salt  *
1.5tsp: Kashmiri Red chilli Powder*
1tsp: Dry Ginger Powder*  
1tsp: Freshly ground black pepper*
1tsp: Roasted Cumin Powder**
2-3 tsp: Chaat Masala Powder*
A Pinch of asafoetida  

Directions:
Wash the plums and de-seed and cut them into small pieces (it should give you approx 2 cups of Pulp). You don't need to peel it. Take a heavy bottom non-stick pan. Mix plums and sugar (add 3/4 cup first and then if needed add another 1/4 cup)  in thick pan and turn on the heat. Cook the plum-sugar mixture on med-high while mixing constantly so it doesn't stick to the pot. After 15-20 mins it will be a thick mixture, turn off the flame. Don't overcook as it will  make it too thick as when it cools down it will thicken again. 
Cool it for an hour or two.After the mixture is cooled, season it will plain white salt, black rock salt, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, dry ginger powder, a pinch of asafoetida, chaat masala, roasted jeera powder. Mix everything, and taste again after some time (30 mins or so) when all the spices have been incorporated and the flavors are settled. If needed adjust the spices /salt flavors according to your taste buds or add more chilli powder if you like it on the spicer side.
Store in the glass jar in the refrigerator and always use a dry spoon to take the spread out. 
* Black salt, Kashmiri Red chilli Powder, Ginger Powder, Chaat Masala, and asafoetida are easily available at any Indian grocery store or online at Amazon/Walmart.
** :  To roast Cumin seeds,take a pan, on low flame roast the cumin seeds for approx 5-10 mins, when the seeds emit a fragrant smell , turn off the flame. Let it cool and make a powder and store it in a dry container.

Gulab Kalakand (Rose Milk Dessert)

During the Shelter-in-place, tried to make use of everything and anything, whether it's milk which gone bad or excess of flowers in form of spring bounty of roses blooming in the backyard. Sharing one of my signature recipes which I created as I wanted to make use of each and everything during these times of scarcity, where time was spent finding Instacart delivery slots and figuring out what to cook for next meal with scattered pantry items.

Makes approx 10-12 square pieces
Ingredients :
8 Cups: Organic Vitamin D whole milk 
Juice of a half lemon

2 cups: Pink or red rose petals
1 cup: Milk (for blending with roses)
1/2 cup: Sugar
4-5: Blanched pistachios 
4-5: Cardamom pods 
1tbsp: Rosewater

Directions:
Soak the pistachios in warm water for 30 mins. Keep aside.

Warm  8 cups of whole milk, once it starts boiling, turn off the flame and pour the juice of half lemon in the boiled milk. Stir the milk, you will see that the milkfats (chhena)  and the water starts separating. Leave it aside for 10-15 mins. Once the separation is complete. take a fine muslin cloth or and spread it over the strainer and pour the liquid. You can use the whey liquid for other cooking purposes.  Rinse it 2-3 times so that all the smell of lemon is washed out. Squeeze the water out and let it sit for 30 mins in the strainer wrapped in the muslin cloth. The texture of the Chhena will be crumbly.

Take the Chhena (strained milk fats) in a heavy bottom pan keep stirring it on med-low flame for 10 mins or so. Meanwhile, rise the rose petals nicely and pat dry to remove the excess water. Pour the milk and rose petals into a blender and blend them nicely. Now strain the liquid mixture and pour it into the Chhena mixture after you have stirred the Chhena mixture for approx 10-15 mins. You will see that the milk fats mixture has a pink hue, Keep stirring on so that it doesn't stick to the pan.The mixture should start getting thick. Once the milk has evaporated, you can add sugar, if you like your desserts on the sweeter side, add 1-2 tbsp more sugar after tasting the sweetness content. Add the rosewater now.You need to keep stirring another 10 mins or so or until all the sugar has been incorporated into the milkfats mixture and it gets thick . You will see that all the water has been evaporated. Now peel the cardamoms seeds from the pods, crush them and sprinkle the crushed seeds into the mixture. The mixture should be lumpy and not watery.

Turn off the flame. 
Remove the peel from pistachios and cut it into thin slices. 
Meanwhile, take a square box (like a 9x9), spread the parchment paper leaving extra on sides, and spread the mixture evenly. Sprinkle the  Pistachhio's and press them into the mixture with the help of a spatula. Refrigerate it for 2-3 hours, and once it's set cut it into small square pieces. Store it in a container with a lid in the refrigerator.
You have accomplished making a very royal Indian dessert and definitely, you won't stop at eating just one. It's heavenly and melt in the mouth goodness. Enjoy!!