Boondi laddu/ ladoo

 

This festive season, try your hands at the very popular Indian sweet "Boondi ladoo" and bring a variety in your sweet-meat list.  I am sure your guests too will love this homemade ladoos.

So, how do you go about making the ladoos? It is not wrong to say that the method is a bit tricky and requires some level of expertise in cooking.However, with a little bit of practice, you will definitely get it. After all, practice does make one perfect.

Let us get the ingredients together and then move on to the method. The ingredients listed here are measured in cups and spoons to help you alter the amount as per your preference. Take a look.

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Besan (gram flour) 
2. 2 Green cardamom (choti elaichi) , powdered 
3. 3/4 cup water for the syrup
4. 3 tbsp Cashew nuts (kaju),chopped 
5. 2 tbsp Raisins (kishmish) -
6. 1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder
7. 2cups Sugar
8. yellow food colour or turmeric powder
9. a big pinch of kesar
10. Oil for deep frying
11. 2 Tbsp of Ghee

Method

To Prepare The Boondi:

1. Put oil to heat in a frying pan, while the oil heats up prepare the batter.
2 In a deep bowl, add besan and turmeric powder, whisk together. Now pour water bit by bit and mix.
3. The batter should be of pouring consistency but not very runny. You can pour a drop in the oil and check.
4. When the batter is ready, place one perforated ladle over the oil and pour some batter through the ladle. Drops of the batter will fall in the oil and form boondis.

5. Fry just enough to cook the batter. Remove from oil and place in a separate plate.

If the boondis are too big or out of shape then take some boondis at a time and  coarsely grind in a mixer,then add this to the sugar syrup. 

 To Prepare Sugar Syrup:

1. Take sugar in a deep and heavy bottom saucepan, add 3/4th cup water and bring to a boil. Add in kesar.

2. Stir at regular intervals, when the syrup comes to a boil, lower the flame and allow to boil for another 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Take a teaspoon of syrup and allow to cool. To check the consistency, press between one finger and the thumb. When pulled apart, one thread of the syrup should form.

4. If the thread does not form, boil some more and check again. Take care that the syrup does not get too thick. Once prepared, set aside.

  To Prepare laddus:
 

• Add all the boondis to the hot sugar syrup and keep aside for an hour. In this one hour, the sugar syrup will be well absorbed by the boondi.
• Add the dry fruits, nutmeg powder,crushed cardamom and Ghee to the boondi.
• Mix all the ingredients well and begin with making balls.
• Laddus are ready to be served. Have a sweet festival time!

Note: 

• Mixture should be slightly warm to allow the formation of balls.
• Don't make the boondi crispy or golden as it becomes hard and cannot absorb the syrup well
• Give your laddus any size you wish and sit back and admire your skills!

SAGOO,COCONUT AND DATES LADDU

 

  

Sagoo pearls/Sabudana is a very popular Navratri fast especially in the Western part of the country. It is a food you can eat safely when you are fasting for religious purposes. The best part about Sabudana  is that it is very easy to digest and light on your stomach. That is what makes it a perfect recipe for Navratri fasting.

This navrathri i tried this easy and quick to make recipe of sagoo-coconut laddu using jaggery and dates, which is not only healthy but If you have a sweet tooth that gives you craving for that elusive 'something sweet' when you are on a your ritual Navratri fast then this will be your saving grace.

 

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup sagoo/sabudana/tapioca pearls
2. 1 cup grated fresh coconut
3. 1 cup Jaggery
4. 10-12 Dates,seedless
5. 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder 
6. 2tbsp Ghee

Method:

• In a nonstick pan add sagoo and dry roast on low flame till it turns to light brown colour.It will take about 10-12 minutes.
• Heat 1 tbs of ghee in another pan and add grated coconut and saute it for 5 mins on slow flame until the moisture evaporates.
• Now powder the sagoo pearls in mixer grinder to fine powder. Take it out and in the same jar coarsely powder coconut and then coarsely powder dates and keep it aside.
• In a kadai or pan add jaggery, little water and boil it,till it dissolves completely.
• Add the sagoo- coconut powder and cardamom powder to the jaggery syrup and mix well and cook it until the mixture becomes thick.
• Now switch off the flame and transfer it into a plate divide it into a small Dumplings.Apply ghee to hands and give round shape to the dumpling and make laddu.The mixture would be warm when preparing the laddus.On cooling they become firm.
• Now the yummy sagoo,coconut and dates laddus are ready to serve.

Labang Lathika/Lavang Lathika

Lavang Lathika

Happy RamNavami to all my Dear Friends and Readers !

Labang Lathika

Lobang Latika/Lavang Lathika is a traditional recipe of Bengalis prepared especially during festivals.This sweet packets are stuffed with mawa/khova and dry fruits and coated with sugar syrup and tucked with a clove on top!
So, Enjoy Ram Navami festival with this easy to make sweet and share it with friends, family and relatives too.

Lavang Lathika

Ingredients:

1. Refined flour (maida) 1/2 cup

2. Whole Wheat flour/Atta-1/2 cup
3. 12-Cloves
4. Ghee 3 tablespoons 
5. Ghee or oil to fry

For the Filling:

1. Khoya/mawa 3 tablespoons

2. Nuts cashew nuts and almonds 2 tablespoons

3. Powdered sugar 1 tablespoon

4.  1/4 teaspoon

5. 1/4 tsp Green cardamom powder

For the syrup:

1. Sugar 1 cup

2. Milk 2 teaspoons

3. A big pinch of Green cardamom powder

4. Few saffron strands threads

Method:

• For the dough, place both the flour in a bowl and rub in the ghee/clarified butter with your fingertips. Add sufficient water and knead into stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest the dough for a while.
• For the filling, mix together the mava/khoya, nuts, powdered sugar and cardamom powder . Divide the mixture into twelve equal portions.
• Divide the dough into twelve equal portions. Roll out each portion into a five-inch round puri.
• Place one portion of the filling in the centre of the puri, fold in the sides to overlap each other and seal the ends with a little water. Secure with a clove.
• Meanwhile prepare the sugar syprup. Take the sugar with half a cup of water in a non-stick pan, stirring continuously till the sugar dissolves. Add the milk; collect the scum which rises to the surface with a ladle, and discard. Cook the syrup till it attains a one-string consistency. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Heat sufficient ghee in a non-stick kadai and deep-fry the lavang latika till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
• Soak the latika in the warm sugar syrup for three to four minutes.
• Drain and serve warm.

Mysore style mutton saru/curry

Dussehra or VijayDashami marks as the Tenth Day (According to the Hindu Lunar Calender) of month Ashwin and Kartik. The first nine days of this month is celebrated as Navaratri and on the tenth day the “Dussehra” is celebrated. Dussehra festival is sign of (Triumph of) Good over Evil.

 Hindu’s observe the 10 Day fast of Navaratri and on 10th day ie On Vijaydashami day, at the culmination of a colourful 10-day celebration, the goddess Chamundeshwari is worshiped and then borne in a grand procession on a Golden Ambari or elephant-mounted throne through the city of Mysore, from the historical Mysore Palace to the Banni Mantapa. Banni is the Kannada word for the Sanskrit Shami, and Mantapa means "Pavilion". On this day in some cummunity Meat is heavily consumed after the sacrifice taken as the gift of god.

"Mamsa Mudde" is a much loved dish of Gowda community in mysore. This mysore style mutton curry is a complete bliss. In kannada, 'mamsa' means meat and mudde means soft cooked ragi balls

Ingredients :

1. 1kg Mutton,cut into medium size pieces
2. 1tsp Turmeric powder
3. 1tsp Red chilly powder
4. 1 Onion,sliced
5. 3 Tomato chopped
6. 2 Cinnamon
7. 5-6 Cloves
8. salt to taste

For the masala paste:

1. 1/2 Coconut,grated
2. 2 tsp Daniya powder
3. 1tsp Jeera powder
4. 6-7 Garlic cloves
5. 1 inch Ginger
6. 2 Cinnamon
7. 6-7 Cloves
8. 7-8 Spicy red chillies/guntur red chillies

For the main dish:

1. 1tbsp Ghee or oil
2. 1 onion,chopped
3. Salt to taste

cooking directions:

• Wash and clean the mutton.
• Pressure cook mutton pieces with turmeric,chilly powder,Sliced onion,chopped tomato,cloves cinnamon and salt.Add 2 cups of water and cook for 20-25 minutes or take 3-4 whistle depending on the tenderness of the meat.
• In the meantime grind masala with coconut,red chilly,cinnamon, cloves,ginger,garlic,coriander powder and jeera powder to smooth paste using 2-3 cups of water.
• Heat Ghee or oil in a big pan,add onion and fry until light brown.Add ground masala and saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Now add the cooked mutton and little salt (as we have added salt while cooking the mutton).The gravay should be medium consistency,if you want more water add about a cup of warm watre, Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
• When done remove from the fire and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or ragi balls/mudde or plain basmati rice.

Broken wheat /gova kanya/ payasam

I wish all my readers "Shubh Navrathri"

Today i am here with simplest and one my favourite payasam prepared by in Mangalore.We call it "Gova kanya godshe" as in konkoni .Gova kano means broken wheat Godshe means Payasam or sweet prepared with jaggery and coconut milk.

Broken wheat is a wheat product made from whole raw wheat kernels which are crushed or cut into smaller pieces. There are a large number of uses for cracked wheat, and the food makes a popular dietary supplement in many cultures. It is made by milling wheat grains coarsely. Wheat is cleaned and husked and then processed to the required size. It is highly nutritious as it does not undergo refining.

When the broken wheat is cooked, it has a very hearty, warm aroma and a grainy, delightful taste. It is slightly nutty and chewy. Broken wheat may be ground into coarse, medium and fine kernels.It is also calles as Cracked wheat, Dalia, Bulgar, Burghul, Fada, Lapsi, Bulgar Wheat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Broken wheat
• 300 grms Jaggery or to taste
• 3cups Water
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 2 cups thick coconut milk
• 2 cups thin coconut milk

Cooking Directions

1. Wash the cracked wheat in water thoroughly and cook in 2 cups of water in an open pan until it gets soft, make sure it does not get mashed up. Alternately you can use a pressure cooker to cook the same, but make sure to cook for a whistle and turn off the stove. Let it cool and the rest of the cooking can be done in an open pan for 5-10 minutes or until the wheat gets soft. If it starts to stick to the bottom add little bit of water and then continue to cook.
2. Meanwhile in another pan mix jaggery with 1 cup of water and dissolve it completely. Just before it starts to boil remove from fire and filter the jaggery syrup, Add the syrup to the cooked grain. Stir well until the jaggery gets fully blend into the cooked wheat. Stir continuously. Mix well and add thin coconut milk. Stir until it starts to boil. Next add the thick coconut milk and cardamom powder. Give a final mix and remove from the fire. Garnish with ghee roasted cashew nuts and raisins and serve.

How to prepare coconut milk:

Grate coconut and grind it with 2 cups of water to smooth paste.Once it is ground,pour it to strainer squeeze it well to get the 1st extract milk or thick coconut milk.

Transfer the squeezed coconut again to a blender and add 2 cups of water and grind it again.Strain this again and extract the milk,now you'll get thin coconut milk.

Note:

• If you are using good quality jaggery avoid this step and add jaggery directly to the cooked wheat and proceed.

Quick Sweet Beaten rice "Pachakajjaya"

Panchakajjaya is a must for every south indian puja.It is offered to god and then distributed among devotees.This beaten rice and popped rice panchakajjaya is splecialy prepared during Gana homa and during karthik masa in every temples.My amma(mother) used to prepare this on tulsipuja . If you are someone with an isstiable craving for sweets you definitely won't need a reason to cram down those calorie-rich sweet dishes.Your fitness regimen and low cal diet notwithstanding! As a teenager,i often embarked on culinary expeditions, whipping up those sweet items that required micro efforts,but gave macro gastronomical pleasure.So here is my all time favourite sweet dish kallailo povu ..sweet beaten rice.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 0
Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups Beaten rice/avalakki/poha ( thin)
• 1 cup Popped rice/layi/aralu
• 1 cup Jaggery
• 1 1/2 cup Grated coconut
• 1/2tsp Black sesame seeds/thil
• 1/2tsp Cardamom powder
• 2tsp Ghee ( optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Roast black thil over low flame till you get nice aroma.
2. Take a vessel add jaggery ,ghee and coconut,blend it well with your hand until jaggery melts completely and mixture becomes sticky add in all the remaining ingredients and serve.

Mosaru vade/ tayyir vade

South indian style dahi vada/mosaru vade/tayyir vade

Medu vada is a traditional favourite of south indians.It is almost like dahi balle but we do not add any chat masala or any kind of chutney ,it is indispensable part of the menu on festivals and puja days. Now it is  served along with lunch in any functions and marriages.I love the combination of this cool dahi vada which complements well with a full fledged spicy meal and it can be even served as an appetizer .When I generally make vada's for breakfast I prepare one extra batch to make dahi vada's which are generally savored without dahi,plain with ginger chutney.This will be a wonderful food in summer's as we do not like eating hot and spicy food in that hot weather.Even though it is deep fried,as it is soaked in dahi it will be a perfect soothing snack on those hot days.

Ingredients

• 2cups urad dal
• 1/2 litre Curd
• 1 + 1 tsp Chopped ginger
• 2+1 springs curry leaves
• 1/2tsp Asafoetida /Hing
• 3+3 Green chillies chopped
• 2-3 tsp chopped coconut pieces
• 4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Cooking Directions

1. Wash and soak black gram seeds and rice in water for 3-4 hours.
2. Grind them smooth paste by just using 1/2 -3/4 cups of water( do not use too much of water,otherwise the vadas will become soggy and oily )
3. Now add chopped green chillies, coconut pieces, 2 spring roughly chopped curry leaves,asafoetida and salt to taste.Mix it well and keep it aside.
4. Meanwhile prepare curd masala.lightly crush green chillies and ginger using a tbsp of water and strain it and discard the residue
5. Beat yogurt and add sugar, ginger - chilli water and salt to it.
6. Now prepare tadka with oil, mustard seeds and remaining curry leaves and pour it over the curd.If the curd is too thick add some water,this helps in softening vada and helping it to absorb curd masala.
7. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai on medium heat and mean while grease your left palm(or wet your hands) and place little vada mixture and flatten it and make a hole in it and slowly transfer to the right hand and slip it to the hot oil carefully.(You can do this with right hand if you are expertized in it or you can even try patting it on a greased banana leaf or greased plastic sheet).
8. Repeat the same process for the remaining mixture.Drop 4-5 at a time,do not drop in more or else they will stick to each other.
9. Let them fry on medium flame until crisp and golden brown in color on both sides and drop them into the curd mixture and let it soak in it for 10 -15 mins .

Raw plantain cutlets

Plantains are available all year round.I love trying different dishes of these lovely plantains.On the occasion of Navratri i am here with one interesting plantain dish specially for those who avoid onion and garlic,specially during 9 days of durga puja Actually i prepared this with my leftover filling of stuffed capscicum which is one more special dish without onion and garlic.These cutlets turned out to be so delicious.

Prep time: 20-25 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 40-45 Mins
Yield: 15
Ingredients

• 4 Raw plantain /banana
• 1tbsp Corn flour
• 2tsp Maida/all
• 1tsp finely chopped ginger
• 2 finely chopped green chillies
• 1tsp chilly powder
• 1/2tsp Roasted cumin /jeera seeds
• 1tsp Curry or garam masala powder
• 1tbsp Chopped coriander leaves
• 1tbsp Roasted and crushed ground nuts
• 1/4tsp Asafoetida powder

Cooking Directions

1. Cook the plantains in boiling water for 20 mins on medium flame or till it is soft but not mushy.
2. Peel them and mash them into a smooth mixture while they are still warm.
3. In a pan, heat some oil. Then add cumin seeds, asafoetida/hing and chopped ginger and green chilly ,stir it well.
4. Add some chilly powder and curry powder,mix it well.
5. Now add the mashed plantain,salt and coriander leaves and mix it well in the masala.Cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Turn off the stove and add Roasted and crushed ground nuts and coriander leaves and mix well.
7. Let the mixture cool and shape them into desired shape. Roll the cutlets in corn flour-maida mixture and shallow fry them on a skillet. Fry both sides till they turn golden brown in color.
8. Serve hot with chutney or sauce

Thrimadhuram...

Thrimadhuram ... a special prasadam offered to goddess laxmi

As far as I know, "thrimadhuram" is a "prasada"offering made to God and then distributed to devotees in some temples in south india.Today one of my friend told me exactly what all goes into this.In Thrimadura banana is used as the base and the other 3 ingredients are honey,cardamom and ghee combination that i have prepared today for nivedhya.But,there are other combination also like honey,milk and raisins or jaggery,milk and ghee.

Thrimadhuram is usually a dryish mixture of banana pieces ( of the "Kadali" variety), honey and ghee .Thrimadhuram signifies three from "thri" and sweet from "madhuram". 

Prep time: 5-6 mins

Cook time: 0
Total time: 5-6 mins
Ingredients

• 2 Banana ( kadali/elakki bale hannu)
• 2-3 tsp Honey
• 1tsp Ghee
• 1/4tsp of cardamom powder (optional )

Cooking Directions

1. Slice 2 kadali ( small yellow variety)
2. Take one bowl and combine all the ingredients and serve 

This was my 1st day nivedhyam to goddess durga..thanks to my friend Nisha Baliga for this divine easy to make traditional prasadam.