Green Thai Curry, Coriander Rice and Chocolate Cherry Trifle for Parshad By Vibha

That's Vibha.. She's this really cool mom[of 2, Karan and Tarini] who has an awesome career as a lawyer along with being one of the most amazing people I know. She and Vivekji[her husband] give me some hope that being married may make sense and add value to my life ;)
Had done a birthday cake for her earlier 'Haroun n the Sea of Stories Inspires Vibha's Hoopoe Lemon Cake'.

It was Vibha's turn to make parshad as courts are closed for holidays. Making parshad yourself instead of ordering from a shop calls for a lot of determination and coming together of the whole family as a unit and some times friends aswell depending on the complexity of the dishes selected.


Gunjan had a total field day... There were her 2 favourites 'chips' and 'chocolate' looking dessert.... She was freaking out with the parshad, playing with Poonam aunty's Seahorse keychain and I was freaking out clicking her and the antics she would do after eating chocolate... :)
Vibha's Thai Curry
(The quantities in all recipes aren't water tight as this was done for 300 people. Pl use your discretion where-ever quantities are not mentioned)
Ingredients:
Readymade Green Thai Curry Paste [can make it yourself too but advisable to purchase when cooking for 300 helpings from a home kitchen]

Vegetable of your choice chopped:
Aubergines
Broccoli
Mushrooms,
Carrots
Zucchini

Currry Paste:
Groudnut oil
Onion
Galagal
Cocunut cream

Flavours:
Red full chillies
Green chillies
Basil leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Dice white small aubergines, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots zucchini n othher vegetables.
Make a paste of onion n galagal n roast it in 2 teasps of groudnut oil.
Add the vegetables, carrots. [Slow softening ones first and the rest n stir fry till crisp but soft].
Add one large spoon of readymade green thai curry paste.
Add red full chillies, green chillies, basil leaves n salt t taste.
Finally add coconut cream or milk and water to desired consistency. [I like it medium thick.]
Simmer fr 5-7 mins.

Vibha's Coriander Rice:
Boil rice.
In a wok heat Peanut Oil.
Add finely chopped garlic n galagal.
Add a little garlic n chilli paste.
Stir fry the rice with lots of finely chopped green coriander.


Vibha's Trifle:
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake - [Store bought as 300 cups were to be made in 2 days.]

Cherry Jam/Preserve -
2 cups of Cherries
half cup sugar
half cup rum

Chocolate Fudge -
2 cups of Dark Cooking Chocolate
1 cup of Milk
1 cup Sugar
half cup Butter
half cup Sugar

For the Cream layer -
half cup of Milk
half cup of Sugar
A pod of Vanilla or half tsp of vanilla extract
500ml of fresh but well refrigerated Heavy Cream
100 ml of cherry jam/preserve[Prepared in this recipe]
2 teaspoons of Gelatin

Method:
Cherry Jam/Preserve -
Split cherries in half, pit them and soak em overnite with sugar n dark rum.
After 24 hours,cook it in the juices till it starts becoming a sticky cherry jam/preserve.
Cool to room temperature.

For chocolate fudge -
Take dark chocolate, milk, butter n sugar in a pan. Bring all ingredients to boil and cook on medium fire till it becomes homogeneous.
Cool to room temperature.

For the Cream layer -
In a pan take milk n sugar, and heat it with vanilla till a single boil. Cool the mixture.
Mix cherry jam/preserve, heavy cream and add the cooled milk mix in it.
Soften gelatin by letting it stand mixed for 5 - 10min in a small bowl of water.
Whip the cream alone with an electric mixer, n then whip the whole mix.
After whipping make sure there are no big bubbles are formed while whiping.
Add gelatin and Mix well.

Assembly:
Line the bottom of your setting bowls with a thick slice of dark chocolate cake.
Layer it with the pitted cherries.
Refrigerating for at least 30 mins.
Pour cream mix n top with chocolate fudge n cherries.
Then refrigerate at least fr 4 hrs.
Serve cool.


Gunjan and Jayanti had a blast with the Trifle pudding and left the rice and curry for the mummies.... But mummies being mummies... They ensure the kids eat the rice and veggies too :)

Verdict:
The rice and curry was flavoured just right... served in amazing quantities for about 300 people. That's a lot of hard work.
The Trifle was presented very well and held it's own right till late in the evening despite the extremely hot weather conditions.
Amazing packaging. Total Thumbs up :)

A BIG thanks to Vibha, Vivekji, Tarini, Amani and Karan for the yummiest parshad.