Amongst the activities of Eid-ul-Adha, are its abundant savory feasts with classic dishes consisting of mutton kheema, spicy seekh kababs and aromatic beef biryani. These substantial, protein-rich dishes are the point of interest of the day, and frequently make guests feel stuffed and slow. Serving a cool, light and creamy Eid special dessert is the key to a perfect feast, as that will soothe the palate, support digestion and bring things to a conclusion. Need to escape the hours spent in front of a hot stove otherwise during the Eid rush, but still impress your family? Look at these three instant dessert recipes!
1. Instant Mango Mousse
A major cooking opportunity of Eid-ul-Adha usually falls in the hot months of summer, and thus it becomes absolutely essential to use the king of fruit. Light on the stomach, mango mousse has to be loaded with fruits, licorice and water eliminating the need for any cooking or baking.
Ingredients:
- Ripe mango pulp: 2 cups
- Heavy whipping cream: 1 cup
- Powdered sugar: to taste (optional, depending on the sweetness of the mangoes)
- Sliced pistachios and almonds: for garnishing
Instructions:
In a large bowl, pour the very cold heavy whipping cream and use an electric, or hand, whisker until you get your peaks firm. Fold the smooth mango pulp and whipped cream together gently with a spatula until well mixed. Fill individual minis of glass or bowl with mixture. Serve with some mango chunks and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cool in the fridge for two or more hours before serving very cold to guests.
2. Creamy Quick Lab-e-Shireen
It is a cherished royal dessert which is an integral part of eid events called Lab-e-Shireen. The old-fashioned approach, however, requires several hours of milk reduction. This new version is a fast-track version, yet maintaining the characteristic punch of the flavor without any kitchen fatigue.
Ingredients:
- Whole milk: 1 liter
- Vanilla or Mango custard powder: 4 tablespoons
- Colored vermicelli (boiled): 1/2 cup
- Mixed fruits (apples, bananas, or canned fruit cocktail): 1 cup
- Fresh dairy cream: 1/2 cup
- Multi-colored fruit jelly (set and cubed): 1 cup
Instructions:
In a saucepan, boil the milk, and add sugar as required. Add a bit of cold milk to custard powder and mix, add to the boiling milk and stir it continuously until thickened. Take from heat and cool completely to room temperature. Add the fresh cream, the coloured vermicelli cooked on the boiling water, and chopped fruits, folded in it and spread throughout. Place into a large glass serving bowl and generously smother with all the pretty jelly cubes and crushed nuts.
3. 15-Minute Shahi Tukray (Royal Bread Pudding)
It can be a tedious process to boil down milk for shahi tukray but if you have a host of guests who really prefer the classic South Asian snack, you can use a pythonic trick—condensed milk—to make it possible in a matter of minutes.
Ingredients:
- White bread slices: 4 to 6
- Ghee or clarified butter: for shallow frying
- Milk: 2 cups
- Sweetened condensed milk: 1/2 cup
- Cardamom powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions:
Take out brown crusts of bread slices, and cut bread diagonally into triangle shapes. In a pan, add ghee and shallow fry the bread triangles until crispy and light brown. In another saucepan, add the milk, cardamom powder and the sweetened condensed milk. Simmer to an instant rabri – takes about 5 minutes to cook if the time is up. Spread the fried bread on the platter and top with the warm milk mixture – spread evenly over fried bread. Once the bread has absorbed the liquid, refrigerate to completely chill the bread, ready for presentation.
