Key Lime Nut Pudding

Key Lime nut pudding is one of the original creation of Spicecrafts. 
This is one of the agar-agar pudding you can make for Iftar or any occassion. Agar-agar puddings are one of those must served dish during Iftar in my place. Their refreshing taste and the coolness you enjoy eating it is believed to help with your digestive system after fasting. There is another local reason which I would like to write about in a later post.
But scientifically agar is said to help with digestion and detoxification while acting as a mild laxative. It absorbs bile and is believed to help the body dissolve more cholesterol. It passes through the digestive system quickly and inhibits the body from storing excess fat. Also they help with inflammation reduction and improved respiration.
   Back to the story, I was planning to make agar pudding and wanted to try out something different. I had some left over lemon curd filling prepared for the key lime pie I made earlier. So thought of using up that pie filling. It turned out really good and very refreshing with the strong flavor and that sourness of those limes. I used sunflower seeds, toasted almonds and pistachios and also some dried cranberries for that surprise bite. This pudding is one of those must try.
If you are a pudding fan and if you like agar-agar you will definitely love this pudding.

INGREDIENTS :

8 gms Agar-agar strands
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup key lime pie filling (recipe below)
1/2 Cup half and half
2 Tblsp sugar
1 Cup milk
1/2 Cup chopped dried nuts
1 Tblsp dried cranberries

For Pie Filling:

1 Cup condensed milk
2 Tblsp sour cream
4 Tblsp key lime juice
1 Tsp grated lime zest
   Whisk everything together in a mixing bowl until completely mixed. Stores well in the fridge for a week.

METHOD:
Clean a 8"*4" glass or metal tray and keep ready to set the pudding.
Cut the agar-agar strands into small bits. In a small sauce pan soak these cut agar-agar strands in one cup water for about 20 to 30 minutes. Once soaked heat them over medium heat until the strands are completely dissolved. You can skip the soaking part but it might take a bit longer to cook the strands and also might end up with bits of undissolved strands.
Simultaneously in another pan whisk together milk, the key-lime curd and sugar and heat them over medium heat. Once bubbles start appearing on the sides add half and half and just let it heat through.
Now add the dissolved agar-agar to this milk mix and add the chopped nuts and dried cranberry.
Whisk them together and pour in the tray already kept ready. Let it cool completely and set.
Once cool enough refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes:
You can serve at room temperature too and stays well for a day.
If kept in refrigerator stays fresh for 3 days.
Agar is available in three forms as powder, flakes or bars. Basically, one tablespoon of agar flakes is equal to one teaspoon of agar powder. Whenever a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of gelatin you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of agar powder or 1 tablespoon of agar flakes.