Thandai Flavoured Mousse - Holi Special

Holi,or the Festival of Colours is here. Though I am not a big fan of this festival because of various reasons, and I like observing this from a distance, and not be a part of it, still I like the vibrant and colorful spirit of this. Our Bollywood Movies are full of Holi sequences with the most rhythmic songs and dance and I like those songs, but again from a distance. This Holi celebrations are incomplete without a glass of thandai, which is a milk based thirst-quencher, very tasty and cooling and a perfect mood setter for playing colours. 
Last year I made a traditional Thandai, the recipe of which can be found here. However, this year I made the same Thandai with a twist and it become a MOUSSE!!!

Ingredients

• Almonds - 20
• Cashewnut - 15
• Poppy Seeds - 3 tbsp
• Black Pepper corn - 1 tsp
• Orange Jelly crystals - 2 tsp
• Orange Essence - few drops
• Rose Water - few drops
• milk - 1.5 cup 
• Powdered sugar - 3 tbsp, as per taste
• Beaten whipped cream - 1 cup
• saffron strands as reqd
• Cardamom powder - a fat pinch

Soak the nuts in water for 30 minutes, then peel the almond. Mix poppy seeds, black pepper corn and grind to a fine paste. Add little water if required.

Combine Jelly crystals,, 1/2 cup water and milk in a deep pan and bring it to boil, stirring continuously. Add the sugar and the nut etc paste, mix well and cook on a medium flame for about a minute or two, stirring continuously.

 Remove from the flame and let the mixture cool and thicken. Whisk the mixture vigorously to avoid any lumps. Add the beaten whipped cream and a few drops of orange essence to the mixture. Fold in gently. I have added few drops of rose water as well.
Pour equal quantity of mixture in glasses and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or till it sets.
Sprinkle cardamom powder on the top. Garnish with saffron strands and serve chilled.

Nalen Gurer Mousse - Eggless

Winter is the time of the year when you get the flavor of Bengal, the Nolen Gur, or new Jaggery. The subtle fragrance and sweet taste of Nolen Gur is quite unlike any other ingredients used in traditional Bengali sweets. Sweets like Kachagolla or Sandesh tastes heavenly with the right kind of Gur or Jaggery and almost all sweet shop in Bengal are flooded with these kind of specialty. However, one of my friend, Amrita has gone to the top of her innovative self and used Nolen Gur to make this Eggless Mousse, which looks so divine that I have immediately decided to give it a try and it is an instant hit. A big Thank You to Amrita Gill for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients

• Paneer or cottage cheese - 1 cup
• Whipped cream - 1/2 cup 
• Grated Nolen gur/Date palm jaggery - 1/2 cup 
• Nolen gur shavings for garnishing

Whip the cream till it makes soft peaks.

Dissolve Nolen gur in 2-3 tbsp warm milk. Blend paneer in a blender till smooth. Do not add any water.
Mix paneer with the dissolved nolen gur. Gently fold in the whipped cream.

Pour in serving bowls and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set. 

Garnish with Nolen gur shavings. Serve cold.