Weight Watching with Sabu'r Paayesh/Tapioca Pudding with Mangoes

I have a confession to make.

I have a serious problem. Seasonal ? yes, you can say that.

The season is SPRING. It’s upon me, and of course, I have to look the part. So I started this week by ceremoniously showing some sun to all my pretty, girlie, flowery and short wearable’s, which had been put away for the winter and stacked them back into my regular wardrobe. With only a step short of stepping into them and hop scotching my way into the market, with a bright tote dangling from my shoulder…I realized that the’ only step’  is the pigheaded winter weight.

It’s not that I did not try (err shedding it) before pouring it all out here. I religiously clicked on ALL the health newsletters that popped into my mailbox , with their eye catching headers ranging anything from ‘be bikini ready in 10 days’ to ‘get ready for the summer shorts’, but somehow all this reading up did nothing for my winter waistline. 

I was about to try the detox juice diet for the navratras , started and gave it up by the evening. I convinced myself that I’m a mother and need more calories than Miranda Kerr to sustain herself. Low carb makes me feel dizzy and high protein plays with my entire digestive system (how else could I delicately frame pukish).

If by now you are thinking about shaking the booty, you are right. Gym’s a great option for people my shape.  So finally ,today I  rubbed clean my dusty membership card along with chiding my willpower and  decided to run a few kilometers on the treadmill. After huffing and puffing for a few minutes I felt that my legs have started resembling toothpicks, and I needed some food. I started thinking of all the healthy post workout meals and rushed to the attached food court. There the salad looked stale and way too less for the growling stomach .

I return home (in a listless state!) to a cup full of soaked tapioca seeds and some mangoes in my refrigerator. Fully aware that my spring wardrobe is still waiting.I turn on my thinking cap.What do I do with my oh-so healthy tapioca and fruits , in a precarious self-induced fasting mode? Of course turn it to a feast.

The delicious part is that Sabu'r Paayesh or Tapioca Pudding with Mangoes is the best post workout meal one can have, high on carbs with added nutrients in the form of mango; it almost makes it feel like a plate of warm yellow gold. It’s great for kids and is a go-to meal during the fasting days. I'm so In love with this new mango infusion.

Sabu'r Paayesh/Tapioca Pudding with Mangoes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup tapioca/Sabu/sabudana
1 cup hot water
1 large fresh mangoes ( cut to bite size pieces)
1 large mango puree
3 cups milk (you can substitute with coconut, soy  or almond milk)
Sugar to taste (I substituted with 2 tbsp splenda)

Method:
Soak the tapioca/sabudana in hot water for an hour. One they are swollen and springy in texture, wash then with running cold water and set aside.

Heat the milk till its reduced to 11/2 cups, now add the tapioca, and mix well. Add sugar and cook till its of a desired consistency. Add the mango puree and let it cool. Refrigerate for a few hours and serve chilled, topped with a few slices of mangoes.

You can also serve in a glass by  adding one scoop of cooked tapioca in milk , then add a scoop of mango puree in glass and serve..

Warm Strawberry Cake and A Cool Mom Story

Before I had a baby and we were just – I mean just about beginning to think about going the family way; I used to imagine how I’ll be as a mother.

Not that I could imagine myself to be anywhere near my mom.

My mother's hair falls below her waist. Her forehead decked by a bid red bindi. A typical red and white bangle adorns her hand indicating that she is tied in the holy matrimony of marriage. She sings while she cooks and I think that’s what adds that magic touch to her food. The whole appearance boasts of an ideal Indian woman.Me, on the other hand would cut a sorry picture in my sweats, messy kitchen and out of tune singing. This unmatched comparison somewhere told me that I need to change the tracks of my dream.

 I decided to me a super cool momma. Decided that I’ll cut most barrier of the R.U.L.E.S. Things which used to put me off at say when I was six  or my thirteen year old brain hated.

Oh like if you want to wear your red shoes with yellow pants and purple sweat, go ahead do those type of mom. What so embarrassing about it, you are three and have right to behave your age.

Oh like you are twelve and want to wear a little high heel. Do it . Just don’t complain when you fall. In fact I’ll buy you one of you like, of course -with a warning that I’ll not be hearing the twisted ankle tale afterwards.

I was definitely a cool mom – unless of course till the reality struck me.

Since this is not happening, and I desperately want to keep up to my cool mom tag, let me just do this instead....warm strawberry cake with clotted cream.

Am I not cool enough?

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar + a 2 tbsp extra for dusting the berries
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk at room temprature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven 180°C. Grease your cake pan well and keep aside.

Whisk all dry ingredients together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl al the wet ones go in.  once done, add dry mixture gradually, mixing both until just smooth.

Pour into prepared cake pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter as well as in thebottom,  in a single layer .Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 40 minutes at 180 C(325 F) or until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minute. Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.

Sending this entry to Bake Fest, CooksJoy