HOW TO MAKE ROSE KULFI/SHAHI GULAB KULFI

ROSE KULFI RECIPE/SHAHI GULAB KULFI

INGREDIENTS :

To Garnish:

METHOD :

• Dissolve Saffron strands in few teaspoons of milk and keep it aside.
• Mix Milk Powder in cold milk to make a thick paste, mix well until there are no lumps.
• Add rest of the Milk to the Milk Powder Paste, along with Condensed Milk, Sugar and mix well.
• Bring this Milk Mix to boil on a very low flame for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Scrap the sides in between.
• Add Mawa/Khoya and mix well, preferably using a whisk.
• Leave this on a very low flame stirring thoroughly.
• Care should be taken not to burn the mix and make sure there are no lumps.
• Pour in the Rose Syrup and mix well.
• Leave this on a low flame for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add Cardamom Powder, dissolved Saffron and mix well.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Freeze the Mix for about 2-3 hours until half set.
• Remove the mix from the freezer and whip it up in a blender or with an egg beater for few minutes.
• Pour this into Kulfi moulds.
• Garnish Rose Kulfi with slivered nuts and dried Rose Petals.
• Again freeze it for about 8-10 hours or until well set.
• Serve Rose Kulfis chilled.

NOTES :

• If you feel the mix is watery can add 1 tspn of Corn Starch.
• Use a wide heavy-bottomed pot to simmer the Milk Mix.
• The large surface area of the pot will speed up the process.
• While boiling the milk, stir it frequently otherwise it will tend to burn and will totally spoil the taste of Kulfi.
• Adding Mawa/Khoya is truly optional for Rose Kulfis, I add them to give a rich texture.
• For a soft Rose Kulfi add more sugar, also sugar helps in scalding down the milk mix soon.
• I have used the Rose Syrup(sweet version), so I have adjusted the amount of sweetness to my preference in the recipe.
• Can also use fresh/dried Rose Petals, Rose Essence/Rose Water to flavour this Rose Kulfi.
• Pour only 3/4 of the level in the mould, while freezing, as it tends to expand.

HOW TO REMOVE KULFI FROM THE MOLD:

• Run each mould with the lid on under a tap of running hot water or fill a bowl with hot water, stand the kulfi mould in the bowl for few seconds. 
• Carefully invert the mould on a serving plate holding on to the stick.
• Alternatively, can twist the mould between your palms of both of your hands.
• The idea is to make the mould warm so that Kulfis come out clean from the mould.
• Both ideas work best.

KALKANDU PONGAL /KALKANDU SADHAM

HOW TO COOK KALKANDU PONGAL/KALKANDU SADHAM

INGREDIENTS:

To Cook Rice :

For Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham:

METHOD :

To Cook Rice :

• Clean and wash the Rice for 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
• Drain the Rice and add it into heavy bottomed pan/place it inside a bowl with a lid in a Pressure cooker.
• Pour Milk, Water and a pinch of Salt to the Rice and give a quick stir.
• Cover the Pressure cooker and cook for 3 Whistles on a high flame.
• Lower the flame and cook for other 2-3 whistles.
• Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to release.

For Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham:

• Grind the Rock Sugar/Kalkandu & Cardamom Pods in a mixer-grinder into a fine Powder and keep it aside.
• Slightly mash the cooked Rice, add the powdered Rock Sugar/Kalkandu & Cardamom powder to the cooked Rice and mix well
• Leave this on a very low flame until the powdered Rock Sugar/Kalkandu is well absorbed into the Rice.
• Pour in 1/2 Cup of Milk and cook on a low flame until you get the desired consistency.
• Meanwhile heat Ghee in a pan and roast Cashew nuts until golden brown colour and Raisins fluff-up.
• Pour this onto the Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham and mix well.
• Serve Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham hot with a hearty drizzle of Ghee over it.

NOTES:

• Can prepare the same dish by adding Moong Dhal, (if using Moong Dhal use,1/3 Cups).
• Dry Roast the dhal on a medium flame until it turns fragrant before cooking the Dhal with Rice. (over roasting can alter the flavour of the dish). 
• If using Dhal in the recipe add extra 3/4 Cups of Water.
• Adjust the amount of Milk & Water as for your rice variety.
• Powder the Rock Sugar before adding it to the cooked Rice.
• Alternatively, if you are adding the whole Rock Sugar, can melt it with some water and pour it onto the Rice.
• Do not over boil the Rock Sugar mix.  We don't need to boil it into string consistency.
• Adjust the sweetness to suit your taste preference.
• Adding extra ghee is strictly optional, but gives a wonderful flavour to Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham.

27th Pasuram from Thiruppavai

HOW TO COOK AKKARAVADISAL  - AKKARA ADISIL

AKKARAVADISAL RECIPE - AKKARA ADISIL

INGREDIENTS:

To Cook Rice & Dhal:

For Jaggery Syrup:

For Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil:

METHOD :

To Cook Rice & Dhal:

• Clean and wash the Rice and Dhal for 2–3 times or until water runs clear.
• Drain the Rice-Dhal mixture and keep it aside.
• Heat Ghee in a pan and roast the Rice Dhal Mixture for about 5–7 minutes until the colour changes slightly, and it turns fragrant. (Do not over roast)
• Add Rice Dhal Mixture into heavy bottomed pan/place it inside a bowl with a lid in a Pressure cooker.
• Pour 2 Cups of Water and 2 Cups of Milk and a pinch of Salt to the Rice Dhal Mixture and give a quick stir.
• Cover the Pressure cooker and cook for 3 Whistles on a high flame.
• Lower the flame and cook for another 3–5 whistles.
• Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to release.

For Jaggery Syrup:

• Melt Jaggery with 1/2 a Cup of Water and a Teaspoon of Ghee, on a medium-low flame until the Jaggery pieces dissolve completely, and it starts to boil.
• Switch off the flame, filter the melted Jaggery to remove any impurities and keep it aside.

For Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil:

• Grind Cardamom Pods with Mortar and Pestle into a fine Powder and keep it aside.
• Soak Saffron strands in a few teaspoons of Warm Milk and keep it aside.
• Slightly mash the cooked Rice and Dhal mix.
• Pour the melted Jaggery to the above along with powdered Cardamom and mix well.
• Leave this on a very low flame until Jaggery is well absorbed into the Rice and Dhal mix.
• Pour in the remaining 11/2 Cups of Milk and mix well.
• Cook this on a low flame for a few minutes.
  
• Pour in the Saffron Milk and cook for another few minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat Ghee in a pan and roast Cashew nuts until golden brown colour and Raisins fluff-up.
• Pour this onto the Rice-Dhal Mixture and mix well.
• Cook this on a low flame for a few more minutes until you get the desired consistency.
• Pour in the remaining Ghee to the Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil and mix well.
• Serve Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil hot with a hearty drizzle of Ghee over it.

NOTES:

• Roasting both rice and dhal in Ghee enhances the aroma and gives an even texture while cooking.
• Roast it on a very low flame until fragrant, over roasting can alter the flavour of the dish.
• Adjust the amount of Milk as for your rice variety.
• Use full-fat milk to cook Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil.
• Can substitute half the amount of Milk with Water if you prefer a simple Akkaravadisal.
• We need the rice and dhal to be well cooked, so a bit of extra Milk & Water would be needed (more than what we use normally for cooking the rice). 
• Do not over boil the Jaggery mix.  We don't need to boil it into string consistency for Akkaravadisal.
• Adjust the sweetness to suit your taste preference.
• Adding extra ghee is strictly optional, but gives a wonderful flavour to Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil. Traditionally the Pasurams mention about the extra note of Ghee in Akkaravadisil.
  
• Can flavour Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil with your choice of powdered Dry Ginger powder/Cloves/edible camphor. But adding these ingredients are purely optional.

RAVA KICHADI RECIPE

HOW TO MAKE RAVA KICHADI

INGREDIENTS :

For Tempering :

For Rava Kichadi:

METHOD:

• Dry roast Semolina(White Rava) until colour changes slightly for 5-8 minutes on a very low flame.
• Keep it aside to cool down.
• Chop Onions, Green Chillies, Garlic and Ginger.
• Clean, Peel and cut Carrots into tiny cubes.
• Peel the Green Peas and keep it aside.
• Heat Ghee in a pan, splutter Mustard seeds, fry Bengal Gram Dhal and Urad dhal until they turn into light golden brown in colour.
• Add Cashew nuts to the above and fry until it turns into light golden brown in colour.
• Saute Onions, Green Chillies, Ginger, Garlic and Curry Leaves, until Onions turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric powder and give a quick stir. 
• Add finely chopped Tomatoes to the above and cook until tomatoes turn soft and oil separates from the mix.
• Add Carrot, Green Peas and cook on a very low flame for few minutes.
• Pour 6 Cups of Water into the pan and boil.
• Add Salt to taste.
• When Water starts to boil, lower the flame and add a tablespoon of Ghee or oil into it and give a quick stir.
• Slowly add Roasted Semolina(White Rava) in small batches.
• Stir continuously while adding the Semolina(White Rava) into the boiling water to avoid forming lumps.
• Mix well and close the pan.
• Leave it on a low flame for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture turns slightly thicker.
• Add some ghee(optional) and stir it at regular intervals.
• Cook on a very low flame until Semolina (White Rava) turns soft.
• Serve Rava Kichadi hot with Coconut Chutney & Sambar.

NOTES :

• Perfectly dry roasted semolina plays a major role in the texture of Rava Kichadi.
• Over-roasted semolina tends to become dry even after adding enough water, and under-roasted semolina turns gooey.
• Can add few drops of lemon juice, if you prefer a slight tanginess in your Rava Kichadi.
• Can add few teaspoons of Ghee to Kichadi, at the final stage too.
• Adding Ghee to Rava Kichadi gives a nice flavour and gives a soft texture to the dish.  Can substitute it with any Vegetable Oil too.
• I usually add a small stick of Cinnamon, a Cardamom and 2-3 Cloves while tempering for Rava Kichadi.
• Adding the above spices are truly optional, but gives a nice aroma to Rava Kichadi. 

Homemade Ginger Wine with Ice

Ginger Wine – A Homemade, Heartwarming Toast to New Beginnings

Homemade Ginger Wine - Fresh, Spicy & Made Without Yeast 

"This easy homemade ginger wine recipe is made without yeast, infused with fresh ginger and chillies, and is a festive must-have for Christmas or New Year."

Let’s welcome the New Year with a cheer... and a clink!
A glass of my long-dreamt-of homemade Ginger Wine – warming, aromatic, and soul-hugging. 🍷✨

    As I write this, Essence of Life – Food completes its 3rd year and steps gracefully into its 4th (2019). And what better way to celebrate this milestone – and the new beginnings that come with January – than by finally ticking off a recipe I’d been meaning to make for years?

Yes, years.

A Recipe 10 Years in the Waiting...

    This Ginger Wine Recipe has lived quietly in my handwritten recipe book since 2009 – underlined, starred, and stubbornly marked “for next time.” Every now and then, I’d buy ginger specifically for it, only to back out at the last minute. Maybe it was the timing, maybe the laziness – who knows?

    But this year, with a few batches of Raisin Wine and Banana Wine already snug in my wine corner, I decided: enough waiting! I rolled up my sleeves and brought this spicy little number to life.

And it didn’t disappoint.

What Makes This Ginger Wine Special?

This isn’t your store-bought wine. It’s:

• Made without yeast (yes, natural fermentation!)
• Infused with the sharp heat of fresh ginger roots
• Balanced with dry red chillies for a warm zing
• Deepened by a touch of caramelised sugar – for that gorgeous hue and bittersweet body
• No raisins, no additives – just honest, old-fashioned flavours. 

   

  The first sip is like being wrapped in a spiced shawl – earthy, bold, and just sweet enough.  (Though I didn't sip any!!! 😅)

     

Let's look into the Cultural Significance of Ginger Wine

Ginger Wine in Indian Christian Communities

    Now here’s a sip of tradition that goes way beyond the bottle! Ginger wine isn’t just a cosy winter warmer or a Christmas classic across the world—it also holds a beautifully nostalgic spot in the hearts of many Indian Christian communities.  Especially among East Indian Catholics in Mumbai and Goan Catholics. These communities have a long tradition of making homemade wines like ginger wine for festive occasions such as Christmas and weddings.

A Festive Favourite in East Indian & Goan Homes

    Among the *East Indian Catholics of Mumbai and Goan Christians, homemade wines are not just recipes—they’re rituals. Come Christmas or a wedding, kitchens buzz with the making of ginger wine, toddy, and even khimad (a local brew you probably haven’t heard of unless you’ve been lucky enough to sit at one of those bustling festive tables).

    In East Indian homes, ginger wine is often lovingly simmered in earthen jars and later served in quaint little clay glasses called cheuvnies. Rustic, earthy, and utterly charming—just the way Christmas memories should be.

Kolkata’s Christmas Tradition

    Travel to Kolkata, and you’ll find another heart-warming tradition: homemade ginger wine, paired with rich fruit cake, gifted and shared as tokens of love during Christmas. It’s not just a treat—it’s a custom soaked in sweetness and sentiment.

Ginger Wine is More Than a Drink—It’s a Heritage

    From the mud pots of Mumbai to the colonial lanes of Kolkata, ginger wine has quietly fermented into something more than just a drink. It’s a symbol of togetherness, of heritage lovingly passed from one kitchen to another—one glass at a time.  And it stays as a meaningful part of Indian Christian culinary heritage and festive culture.

*Did You Know?  Despite the name, “East Indian” Catholics actually hail from Mumbai and surrounding areas in western India — the term was given by the Portuguese and British long ago to distinguish them from other Indian Christians. So, no, they’re not from Northeast India! Just a quirky historical label that stuck around.

New Year, New Cheers! 

    Let’s raise a toast to 2019 – to tradition, to homemade joys, and to this humble yet celebratory Ginger Wine. 🥂

Ginger Wine – The Recipe Overview

• Recipe Type: Homemade Wine
• Difficulty: Medium
• Yield: 1.5 bottles
• Author: SM, Essence of Life – Food

Time Estimate

• Prep Time: 30–45 mins
• Fermentation Time: 7–10 days

Old-School Ginger Wine – Traditional, Easy, Festive, Fiery & Full of Flavour

Close-up of Ginger Wine on Ice

Ingredients

• Ginger – 1 cup, fresh and peeled
• Sugar – 3 cups
• Dry Red Chillies – 10–12 (adjust to taste)
• Lemon Juice – juice of 2 lemons (or 2 teaspoons of citric acid)
• Water – 1.5 litres
• Caramelised Sugar – ½ cup (see below for detailed instruction)
  

Let's first see How to make Caramel Syrup for Ginger wine,

How to Caramelise Sugar for Ginger Wine

 

Homemade Caramel Syrup

Ingredients for Caramel

• Sugar – ½ cup
• Water – 1 tablespoon
• Warm water – ¼ cup (heated but not boiling)

Step-by-Step Method for Caramelizing

Combine Sugar and Water

•  In a heavy-bottomed pan, add ½ cup sugar and 1 tbsp water.

Melt Sugar

 Watch for Colour Change

Warm Water

Boil the Mixture 

• Return the pan to medium heat and boil gently for about 5 minutes.

Cool Down

• Turn off the heat and let the caramel cool before using.

Step-by-Step Method for Ginger Wine

Prep the Ginger

• Wash and peel the ginger thoroughly.
• Slice it roughly, then coarsely crush using a mixer grinder or mortar-pestle.

ProTip: Crushing helps extract more flavour. Don’t grind it too fine – we want flavour, not mush!

Simmer the Base Mixture

Note: Your kitchen will smell absolutely divine at this stage.
ProTip: Adjust chilli count based on their heat. Mine weren’t too spicy, so I used 12.

Cool & Transfer

ProTip: Avoid plastic or metal containers for fermentation. Ceramic and glass are your best mates here.

Add Lemon & Caramel

Note: Lemon adds zing and helps preserve. Citric acid is a great substitute if you're out of lemons.
ProTip: See below for how to make caramelised sugar easily at home.

Fermentation Time

Note: Stirring is crucial to keep fermentation active and healthy.
ProTip: In tropical weather, fermentation can happen faster – keep an eye and nose on it!

• After 7–10 days, strain the mixture using a fine muslin cloth or sieve.
• Discard the sediment and transfer the wine to sterilised glass bottles.
• Store in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.

ProTip: Always use clean, dry bottles. Moisture invites mould – and we don’t want that drama! Do we?

Serve & Enjoy

ProTip: Store the bottled Ginger Wine in the refrigerator for longer shelf life and to keep the flavours fresh.

Ginger Wine Storage Suggestions

• Once fermented and strained, store the Ginger Wine in clean, dry glass bottles.
• Refrigerate for best shelf life and flavour retention.
• If stored well, it stays good for up to 6 months or more.
• Avoid plastic bottles — the acidity of the wine doesn’t play well with them.

ProTip: Label your bottles with the date brewed – it’s handy for tracking the ageing process.

Serving Suggestions

• Chill and pour over a generous handful of ice cubes.
• Pair it with Christmas fruit cake, spiced biscuits, or just a relaxed evening.
• You can even use it as a base for cocktails – try my Dragon Cocktail with fresh orange juice!
• Add a slice of lemon or a curl of orange zest for an elegant touch.

ProTip: The wine matures in flavour over weeks. So, if you can wait (I know it’s hard), it gets even better!Ginger Wine, Demystified

FAQ - Ginger Wine, Demystified

Is this an alcoholic drink?

Can I skip the red chillies?

Why does wine turn cloudy? Is it spoiled?

What if I don’t have a Bharani or Earthen jar?

Can I make it without caramelised sugar?

 

Homemade Ginger Wine Recipe

A Sip of Time-Honoured Warmth

    There’s something timeless about a bottle of homemade Ginger Wine — bold, spicy, gently sweet, and laced with memories. It’s not just a festive drink; it’s a bottled legacy. Whether you make it for Christmas, Easter, or just because nostalgia knocks, this golden brew connects generations.

    So roll up your sleeves, let the aromas fill your kitchen, and taste the magic of slow brewing. And hey, once you master this, the world of home brews is yours to explore…

Recipes you might like:

• Fancy a Grape Wine just like grandma made?
• Or maybe Pineapple Wine that’s tropical and tangy.
• Banana Wine, Dates Wine, Apple Wine – all waiting for you.
• And don’t forget to shake up a Dragon Cocktail – my zesty ginger wine + orange mix for parties that slay.
• Craving a fizzy twist? Try my refreshing Ginger Ale made from the same ginger wine – it’s sparkle with soul!

    If you enjoyed this recipe, you’ll absolutely love my collection of classic homemade wines and beverages — each one with a story, a season, and a soul.

    Take a sip and let tradition swirl on your palate — brewed right from your kitchen! I'd absolutely love to hear what you think — drop your thoughts in the comments below! 🥂

Homemade Ginger Wine isn't just a drink—it's a toast to tradition. Let this be your new festive favourite. 🍷