Soft-centered Mocha Pudding — a wicked treat worthy of special occasions

In a few days it will be Eid. Yes.

Muslims around the world will be celebrating Eid al-Adha, feast of the sacrifice, on the tenth day of the lunar month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, marking the culmination of the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. It’s a holiday everyone comes to appreciate in the GCC States, just like the seasonality of the Christmas in the west.

During Eid, it is customary to finish off the meals with a sweet treat, and share sweet dishes with friends and relatives.

Festivals call for special treat, don't you think? Now if you are looking for a last minute indulgence, I have something very special. It's tasty, it's chocolaty too. An emergency homemade treat for giving, or sharing at your dining table—a wicked treat to celebrate Eid.

Quick Mango Passionfruit Pudding — sensational summer flavors

Passion fruit, ahh! Passion fruit brings back happy memories of holidays spent at my father’s place in the countryside. Swinging in the warm summer breeze. Chasing butterflies dancing from flower to flower. Playing on pyramids of hay. Drenching in the monsoon rain and splashing puddles. Swimming in the pond. Enjoying fresh fruits from my grandparent’s home garden — mango, cashew fruit, guava, passion fruit, rose apple, jackfruit. And, plenty more.

I have very vague memories of enjoying this beautifully sweet and tangy, aromatic fruit during my visits there as a young girl. It's a shame that we don't get to enjoy this fruit often anymore. You see, passion fruit is a delicacy in Qatar, and it's a rare chance to come across this fruit in the local stores here. 

So when I saw a stack of boxes in a supermarket last week, I was overly delighted. There was no chance I was going to miss this gorgeous fruit just because of a heft price tag, I thought. Bonus? I was even more delighted to see my kids experience this new fruit when I made a simple, creamy, dreamy pud using passion fruit and Alphonso mangoes – a quite sensational pairing. 

Vermicelli pudding — Seviyan kheer — Semiya payasam

What’s with winter and puddings? I wonder. This is the second pudding I’ve made in a week. First with rice and then, vermicelli. Now I can’t wait to make it with dal (split lentil).

Each time I made pudding, we could not stop eating. With every serving, we would dig deeper in the glass and scrape every bit with the spoon, cleaning it thoroughly. And then, each time I opened the fridge, I had to take one spoonful from the leftover. Then, of course, a second spoonful to satisfy my craving. Ah!

Strawberry Rice Pudding — ultimate comfort food

A few weeks into the New Year, with winter still lingering, who can resist rice pudding? Not me! 

Frankly, rice pudding (kheer, firni or payasam) ranks high on my list of comfort food. Its delicious creamy texture is a total seller—be it winter, spring or summer. There’s no special time to eat too.

Apple Jelly Pudding With Caramelized Cashew Nuts

January 5. Yesterday. It was my baby’s birthday. He’s such a bundle of joy and we are so blessed. It’s hard to believe my boy is so grown up, he’s going to tower over me soon!

I’m going to round off this eventful week with a sweet sensation. I tasted this dish at one of our regular potluck get-together with friends. One of my friend had cooked apple pudding topped with caramelized cashews for dessert. The pudding tasted like a vanilla flavored gelatin and the crunchiness of the caramelized cashews gave body to the dessert. It was light and tasty, and I liked it. In fact, everyone liked it a lot. So I got the recipe and made it at home. Twice. It tasted just as good.