All set for the Easter feast

I love everything about food. Cooking, preparing, experimenting, recreating — you name it and I would have already tried it. But it wasn’t always like this. I never enjoyed cooking so much till I moved to India and had a lot of free time to myself.

My family is from Philadelphi and we owned a restaurant there. So I did grow up around food and the experiences around it, but I never thought I would find so much joy in creating something on my own.

When I relocated here, I took to experimenting as I wanted to eat something tasty. I started browsing the internet, reading books and observing what everyone around me was making. I am also very good at watching people and learning from them. My husband’s family is from Kerala, so Kerala cuisine is something I take interest in. I often watch my mother-in-law prepare something and try to make it the next time.

Apart from this, I experiment with all other cuisines too, but I would say that Asian dishes are something I recreate a lot. Thankfully, my husband also helps me a lot in the kitchen. He creates his own recipes too!

Not that it works out well every time, but he does make some delicious dishes for my son and me to relish. And the one thing I have noticed with my family is that they are very honest in their opinions.

There is no way that a three-year-old can lie! My son always lets me know if something is bad and that’s when I know that I have to rework on it and make it better the next time.

They are truly the ones who encouraged me to start blogging my recipes on ‘Ellen’s Apple’. Easter has always been a feast while growing up. We used to have a Thanksgiving sort of meal with possibly everything you can imagine on the table.

My favourites were the dyed eggs, turkey or ham and mashed potatoes. Going to church has also been a ritual. Here, I do the same along with my husband’s family.

We go to church in the morning and come back home to a delicious meal prepared by my mother-in-law. I also help out with my special dyed eggs and make some dessert to celebrate the day. So when I saw the recipe of the ‘Broken Glass Jell-O Bundt’, I knew I had to make it. It looked so simple and it really is! It is just perfect for the day as the kids will love the colourful play in the dessert and the adults can satisfy their sweet tooth craving

Ellen Buckler Jose
(As told to Anila Kurian)

Broken Glass Jell-O Bundt
Recipe

Ingredients
Jell-O mix, 4 to 5 boxes of your favourite flavour
No flavour gelatin, 2 tbsp
Water
Vanilla essence, 1 tsp
Condensed milk, 1 can
Bundt pan, lightly oiled

Method
In separate bowls, pour each packet of Jell-O with one cup of boiling water and whisk until fully dissolved. The box instructions may ask for two cups, but use only one cup for a firmer texture.
Place the bowls in the fridge to firm. A few hours or overnight for best results.
In a bowl pour, two cups of hot water, add the gelatin and whisk until dissolved.
Pour in condensed milk. Whisk until combined and set aside to cool.
Once your jello has set, cut into small cubes and place in the bundt pan. Mix in all colours.
Pour the cooled milk mixture over the Jell-O.
Place in fridge covered to chill overnight.
Carefully loosen the edges around the pan.
Place a plate on top and flip the pan over.
Enjoy the creamy and colourful Jell-O for Easter.