We all know including different varieties of fruits is crucial to a balanced diet. Fruits have their own unique flavours, and textures and are almost always delicious to eat. But there are times when eating them as they are feels boring and giving them an interesting spin certainly helps in making them more appetizing. This is especially true when you have more fruit than you planned or simply because the fruit is in season!
Then there are times when you have guests arriving home, and you want to serve them something upscale and chic! What better than some unique fruit recipes that include healthy fruits, dried fruits and even seasonal fruits.
Have a look at some fancy-looking but easy-to-prepare recipes made especially out of fruits. You can swap fruits or nuts according to the choice of produce in your family. These recipes are easy to make and taste divine!
Nutty Apple Tartlets with Blue Cheese
This gourmet-style recipe has an unparalleled flavour profile. An appealing flavour combination of apples and blue cheese along with the crunch from the tartlets and nuts is unmatched.
This recipe serves as a fancy appetizer. It is low in calories, packed with nutrients and surprisingly easy to make. Here is how you can make them.
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: 12 pcs
Ingredients:
- 12 pieces dry baked canapés
- 1 bowl of finely chopped fresh apples
- ½ bowl onions finely chopped
- 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
- ½ cup toasted walnuts roughly chopped
- 2 tsp butter
- Salt- to taste
Method:
- Take a skillet and place it on medium flame. Add the butter to it and allow it to melt. Once the butter melts quickly add the onions and sauté them till they turn translucent. Add a pinch of salt to it.
- Now lower the flame add the chopped apples and stir it quickly. Add in the crumbled blue cheese and fold it in. Remove from flame and allow it to cool.
- Now add a spoonful of this mixture to each dry canapé. Top each canapé with walnuts. Now in a preheated oven, add the tartlets and bake for 5-7 minutes. Serve warm.
Chilli Lime Grilled Pineapples
Most of us would have tried and loved the grilled pineapples that are a common feature in barbeque buffets. Surprisingly you can now make some delicious and mouth-watering chilli lime pineapples at home! The best part is that this recipe is ready in no time, requires very few ingredients and is very healthy too!
This can be a fun and healthy dessert a snack or even as a side dish with some meat. It is impossible to make it just once!
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-5 people
Ingredients:
- Sliced fresh pineapple
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tsp juice of fresh lemon
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder
- Salt: 1 pinch
Method:
- Take a bowl and mix the brown sugar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, red chilli powder and 1 pinch salt and mix it all well. Take one pineapple slice at a time, brush each slice generously on both sides.
- Use a ridged grill pan if you have or even a regular iron griddle will do. Place it on medium to low flame depending on the thickness of the griddle. Place the pineapple slices neatly and grill on both sides. Allow the pineapples to char slightly for an additional smoky taste.
- Serve hot.
Chikoo Halwa
Chikoo is a tropical fruit very commonly found in most parts of India. This fruit is naturally very sweet and has a unique soft yet grainy texture. Chikoo is a great fruit to consume for adults and even for children as it is naturally anti-inflammatory and eases digestive difficulties.
However, often people detest eating chikoo for various reasons. So turning the humble chikoo into a delicious halwa is the best way to serve it to your family. This recipe is a sure hit!
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-5 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 kg fresh and ripe chikoo
- 1/3 bowl cashews
- 200 gm fresh mawa/khoya
- 1 bowl sugar
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- ¼ bowl sliced mix of dry fruits
Method:
- Wash and peel the chikoo and deseed them. Once ready, chop them into smaller pieces. Add the pieces of chikoo to a blender and churn it into a smooth paste. Remove from blender and set aside.
- Now take a kadhai and put it on low flame. Add 1 tablespoon of the ghee and allow it to melt. Add the mawa/khoya to the melted ghee and roast it slowly until it turns light golden brown. Remember to keep stirring the kadhai to prevent the mawa from sticking to the bottom of the kadhai.
- Once it is golden, remove it from the flame and set aside. Now add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee to the kadhai and add the pureed chikoo to it. Cook while stirring continuously till it turns darker and forms a sticky paste. Now add the sugar and allow it to completely melt into the chikoo paste.
- Once this mixture thickens, to it, add the roasted mawa, cashews and cardamom powder and mix till you get a homogenous mixture.
- Once the mixture is nice and thick, remove it from the flame and add it to a serving bowl. Garnish it with the mixed sliced nuts and serve.
Sitaphal Basundi
When you have access to custard apple (Sitaphal) make sure you have at least one session of sitaphal basundi! This dessert is a milk-based one that is mildly sweet and is a perfect way to enjoy the delicious flavour of Sitaphal without the hassle of its seeds. It is cool and comforting and worth the effort.
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4-5 servings
Ingredients
- 1-litre full-fat milk
- ¾ bowl pulp of custard apple
- ¼ bowl sugar
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
Method:
- Make the pulp of the custard apple by breaking the pod and adding the fruit into a vegetable chopper, swiftly blitz the custard apple, most of the seeds will release the fruit. Extract the seeds discard them and set the pulp of the fruit aside.
- Add the full-fat milk to a non-stick kadhai and heat it, Keep stirring constantly to prevent milk solids (malai) from forming, and to prevent the milk from burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the milk till it is almost half in quantity and the milk thickens substantially. Once the milk is thick enough, add ¼ cup of sugar and stir. Add the cardamom powder boil for a minute and remove from the flame.
- Cover the basundi with a lid to prevent malai formation. Once the basundi is perfectly cooled, add the pulp of custard and stir it well.
- Refrigerate this for a couple of hours until it is nice and chilled. Serve chilled as a dessert.