Date Peda

After Diwali and savoring all those sweets most of us may have taken the resolution of... Uhem... no more sugar for a while.... Really.... 
And for those of us in West and North America, Halloween is around the corner and kids are all excited about sweets and trick-o-treating. How do we balance our sugar? How about indulging in some healthy treats? How about if it is made with a nutritious ingredient with its all natural sweetness. Umm thats a good idea to trick your Jihva and curb your temptation right!!!

Dates are rich in iron and fiber and are good for heart health.
Since dates are sweet by themselves I did not use any sugar in this recipe. Try and enjoy this treat just anytime or for your next festivity.

Ingredients:

400g- dates

one 14oz can unsweetened condensed milk

2 tbsp maida

2 tbsp ghee

1 tsp cardomon

Method:
Crush the dates to make the cooking easier and faster. (I did by blending them in a food processor lightly in one short run) 
In a large pan heat ghee, stir in the maida and mix well in simmer so that it doesnt brown too much. Now add the dates, condensed milk and cook on medium while stirring constantly. Cook till the mixture blends well and starts to leave the sides. Take off the flame and let cool. Stir in the cardomom powder and mix. When it is warm enough to handle take small portions of mixture into your palm and shape them into balls and pat to make small peda shaped treats. Enjoy!

Rohini from Curries ans Spices has passed me another lovely award. Thank you Rohini for sharing this with me, I am really honoured!

I would like to share this with my blogger friends

Rekha from Plantain leaf

Divya @ Divya's Recipes

Sandhya @ Sandhya's Kitchen

Sowmya @ Visit my Kitchen

Sreelekha @ Sree's Recipes

Diwali Wishes with Khova Kajjikayalu

Khova kajjikayalu is a traditional andhra delight made with Khova (thickened milk, mava) filled with grated coconut. Although the process of making these is time consuming the results is this rich heavenly sweet that is so tempting and simply melts  in the mouth.

Ingredients:

400g Khova (Mava)

100g (or less) Sugar

2 coconuts grated

2 cups Jaggery

1 tsp cardamom powdered

Method:

1. In a large pan melt the jaggery with half a cup water on medium flame mixing occasionally It will first liquify and then start to reduce after some time. this will be a slow process and can take a while. When the jaggery starts to reduce stir in the grated coconut and cook on low flame until the whole mixture comes together and is reduced and all the sweetness is infused into the coconut. Add the powdered cardmom and take off the flame and let cool. When it is cool enough make balls of this and keep aside. (These can be eaten as is and is called "kobbari Louz" in telugu). Now proceed with the step 2 to make khova kajjikayalu.

2. Mix the khoa and sugar in a large pan and heat on low flame while stirring occasionally. If you like it less sweeter adjust the amount of sugar. The mixture starts to melt and slowly thickens again. This whole process may take anywhere from 20-30 min considering the quantities we started off with. As the Khova thickens into a chapathi dough consistency take off the flame. Le the mixture cool a little bit. If it cools completely it may be hard to mould so start making the khova kajjikayalu when it is just enough heat to handle.

3. Take spoon fulls of cooked khova into the palm or onto a plastic sheet and press to make small puri shaped half cm thick circles about 3 inch diameter. Place the kobbari louz you made in step 1 in the middle and cover it with the khova and use your palm to shape them into balls or laddus. The delightful Khova kajjikayalu are ready to serve. 

These can be stored airtight for about a week.  Enjoy!

I am sending this recipe

to Sireesha's Sweet Series event.

& to Purva's Diwali Dhamaka

Wish You all....

Minapa-Sunnundalu (Roasted urad laddus)

Urad daal referred to as black gram called “minimulu” in telugu is used widely in Andhra cooking. I have posted many recipes using this protein rich ingredient starting with the breakfast dishes as idli, vada, dosa, utappam to the festive snack - Janthikalu all of which are savory dishes. Did you know you can make a sweet dish with this lentil? 

This  Andhra treat—“Minapa-Sunnundalu” is made along with urad daal; ghee and jaggery the other two awesome ingredients.

Ghee or clarified butter is rich in iron, and used extensively in ayurvedic therapies for its medicinal uses, it is devoid of hydrogenated oils and is preferred over butter for its health benefits. Due to its properties in promoting brain health and development, learning, memory, it is highly recommended in Ayurveda for growing kids.

The third ingredient is jaggery (molasses or unrefined cane sugar) which is a wonderful substitute for sugar and has an earthy flavor. This, three ingredient sweet is a healthy nutritious delectable, one can have anytime.  Amazing mix of these three ingredients simply makes them melt in your mouth.....So why not try some..... 

Ingredients:

2 cups minappapu (Urad daal/Black gram)

2 cups jaggery

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1 tsp cardamom powder.

Method:

Dry Roast the Urad daal till it turns golden brown. Grind it to a fine powder. 

The powdered roasted urad called minapa sunni can be stored airtight for a month or more if desired to prepare the sunnundala as and when you like. Proceed with the following process when ready to make- to the minapa sunni in  a large bowl stir in grated or coarsely powdered jaggery, melted ghee and cardamom, mix thoroughly and shape into small balls or laddus of desired size, using your palms. Sunnundalu are ready to relish- enjoy!

Nutrition: A healthy sweet treat loaded with protein and Iron.

I am reposting this recipe for the festive treat event hosted by simple indian food

And to FIL –Ghee sweets hosted by Sanghi of Sanghi’s food delights

Janthikalu - a crispy Andhra snack

Wish you all a Marvelous Navarathri Dear Friends!!

(Listen to Navarathri Devi stotramalika)

Navarathri or Dussehra for those who are unaware is a big Indian festival that marks the victory of Godess Durga over the demons -lead by Mahishsura. It depicts triumph of good over evil. Indian festivals are all fun & frolic. On this occasion and other festivals approaching shortly, Shanthi from Shanthi Krishnakumar’s cookbook is hosting an event on “Dusserah Dhantera’s and Deepavali” and I am delighted to send this basket of “Janthikalu”, photo for now friends :-) and the following post for all the fellow foodies to cherish.

Food is an integral part of all Indian festivities. Each regional cuisine in India has its own traditional foods and recipes passed down the generations. I would like to share with you, a native Andhra classic “pindi vanta”. “Pindi vantalu” is a telugu word that directly translates to “flour based dishes”. These are rustic dishes that are made from freshly ground flours from new  grain harvest. Janthikalu that I am going to present here is one such dish. The procedure to make it is a elaborate, but it is every ones favorite. It is so addictive that one can’t stop eating this crispy snack. There are a variety of its versions made using different kinds of flours like besan (chick pea), rice, urad  or combinations. These are called by different names as “Chakkilalu”, “karappusa” “Murukulu” etc. in various dialects.The ones I made in this recipe are using rice and urad flour.  This recipe was passed on from my mother-in-law and is the gold standard for making janthikalu in my kitchen and hope it will interest you..

Now coming to the procedure to make janthikalu, you will need the tool called “Janthikala gottam”, also called murukku maker, or karappusa giddalu shown in the picture below. The one I used here was inherited from my M-I-L. You should be able to shop for these online as well.

My mom-in-law in her original recipe uses the freshly ground flour in a proportion of four cups (soak- dried) rice with ½ cup urad as there is accessibility to plenty of grinding mills back home. But I improvised it by use of store bought rice flour and urad flour directly and the taste and crunchiness translates pretty well. So this infact is much simplified and can be made instantly without involving grinding.
Ingredients for this recipe are:
4 cups Rice flour
½ cup urad flour
1 cup melted butter
2 tsp ajwain seeds
3 tsp sesame seeds
1-2 tsp red pepper powder (based on how hot you would like it)
Salt to taste
Enough luke warm water to knead the above (into a dough like for chapathi or pizza dough consistency)
Oil for deep frying

Procedure
Take the flour into a large bowl, add all the rest of ingredients and melted butter and Knead well into soft dough. The kneaded flour should be used immediately. If left for too long janthikalu will loose their crispness and turn out hard. So if you plan to make larger quantities (than this one) then knead and prepare in batches one after another.
Heat oil in a large deep pan for deep frying. Select the little plates of the gottam with desired shape and fix it into the janthikala gottam or muruku maker.

Divide the kneaded dough into small balls to the size enough to fit in the Janthikala gottam and place it in the outer dough holder. Now squeeze release the dough using the inner press into preheated oil for deepfrying.

Fry the janthikalu until golden yellow and remove from pan using a appropriate spatula. Drain excess oil onto paper towels. Now repeat the process until all the dough is used up.

Let the janthikalu cool off and store them packed in an airtight container. They store well for a couple of weeks or even a month when stored airtight.

 
Enjoy your crispy snack anytime. I bet you cannot stop eating it once you begin, so make sure to cook up plenty:-)

One again a Happy Dussehra and a Wonderful weekend ahead! Enjoy!

Recipe for event -  “Dusserah Dhantera’s and Deepavali

Rice pudding with Jaggery

Feature on Vinayaka chavithi - Ganesh Festival Special

Vinayaka chavithi is celebrated on the 4th day of bright half of Bhadrapada masam by hindu calendar. People celebrate on this day the birthday of the elephant faced God - Lord Sri Vinayaka or Vighneswara (protector from obstacles) revered by many more names as Ganesha or Ganadhipathi. With all due devotion to the Lord, today’s neivedyam is in his holy name.

Shuklaambara Dharam Vishnum

Shashi Varnam Chatur Bhujam

Prasanna Vadanam Dhyaayet

Sarva Vighna Upashaanthaye

Meaning: We worship Lord Ganesha who is adorned in white (for purity), is all pervading, with magnificent dark complexion glowing with spiritual splendor, with bright countenance and is four armed, who obliterates all our obstacles.

Bellam paravannam/ Rice pudding with Jaggery

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
5 cups milk
1 cup jaggery
¼ cup cashew nuts
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup raisins
1 tsp cardamom powder
3 tsp ghee

Method:
Heat ghee in a kadai and fry the cashews, almonds and raisins and keep aside. Wash the rice, drain off excess water and keep aside. In a big bowl or pressure cooker boil the milk. When it starts to boil stir in the washed rice mix well and Cook with the lid closed. Once the rice is soft and cooked (or after 3 whistles if cooking in a pressure cooker) turn off flame. Once the pressure is all released open the cooker stir in the jaggery & cardamom powder and cook until well blended and the pudding turns golden brown. Garnish with the roasted nuts and raisins and serve.

Kobbari-badam laddu/Coconut-Almond-sweet

 

vacanaṁ madhuraṁ caritaṁ madhuraṁ

vasanaṁ madhuraṁ valitaṁ madhuraṁ

calitaṁ madhuraṁ bhramitaṁ madhuraṁ

madhur-ādhi-pater akhilaṁ madhuraṁ

Listen to Madhurashtakam

Above is part of a sanskrith verse from the Hymn "Madhurashtakam" composed by Sri Vallabhacharya in 1478 AD. In this poem of 8 verses only one word madhuram is repeated seven times in each verse. The Verse describes Lord Sri Krishna as Sweetness Personified and as "all madhuram" meaning "sweet". Todays sweet recipe in the name of Lord Sri Krishna on account of Janmashtami.

Wishing one and all a wonderful Janmastami Celebration! On this occasion I thought of making kobbari ladddu as naivedyam. I would like to share the same recipe with you all here and an image of the yummy laddus I have made. It just took me about 20 min. and hope this quick and easy sweet recipe will come handy for you too, when you like to enjoy a quick treat.

Ingredients
4 cups grated coconut (endu kobbari)
½ cup almonds toasted and powdered
400 g sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)

Method:
Mix the condensed milk and 3 ½ cups grated coconut and heat in a pan while constantly stirring on low flame. Slowly stir in the almond and elaichi powders and keep mixing for 5-6 mins until the mixture thickens. Take off the flame and make laddu shaped balls with palms greased with ghee. Roll the laddus in the rest of grated coconut. Laddus are ready to serve.
Makes about 20 laddus


Variations:
You can add any other toasted nuts such as cashews, pistachios, walnuts etc. of your choice to combine the desired flavor.

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Poornam-Boorelu

With the arrival of Sravana masam, the most auspicious
month per hindu calendar (that usually falls in the months of july and august), women prepare for “vrathas”- holy rituals especially on the Tuesdays and Fridays. On the Friday that comes before the full Moon day (“Sravana Pournima” or “Rakhi Pournima”) in this month is the celebration of “Varalakshmi vratham”, which is performed for the prosperity of the family. Godess Varalakshmi the eternal mother is the Godess of health, wealth and well being. Among the customary dishes prepared on this occasion as “nivedyam” - offerings are the “poornam-boorelu” and “Pulihora”. Poornam-boorelu is a classic sweet dish which is made with sweetened chana daal or moong daal coated with urad flour batter and fried. As you can see from the ingredients it is highly proteinaceous. The two versions of this dish are made either with sugar or jaggery. The jaggery version is very earthy and is my family's favorite. To prepare this elaborate dish with less effort look at the recipe and tips below. Try for yourself and enjoy!

Poornam-Boorelu



Ingredients:
1 cup urad flour
2 cups rice flour
3 cups water
2 cups chana daal
2 cups jaggery
1 cup grated coconut
1 tsp cardamom seeds- ground

Method:
Batter preparation: Mix the flours and water into smooth batter. Let it soak 8hr. to over night in a warm place for fermentation.
Poornam (Stuffng): Cook chana daal in a pressure cooker. Add jaggery, coconut, cardamom and mash well or blend in a food processor.
Make small balls with the chana daal-mix. Preheat oil in a frying pan while making the balls. Dip the balls in the urad-rice batter to coat fully. Drop them in oil and deep fry till they turn red. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Serve hot or cooled with ghee added in the poornam.

Variations: This is a modified quick version. The batter can also be made according the original procedure by soaking 1:2 urad daal:Rice in water –grinding to smooth batter like dosa consistency and allowing to ferment. You can achieve the same taste with this shortcut procedure with less effort. However make sure the batter ferments well by keeping in a warm place before making poornam-boorelu.

Mendu Vada

Ingredients

1 cup of black gram (urad daal without the coat)

Salt to taste

8-10 curry leaves

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1 tsp of crushed black pepper

Method:
Soak urad daal for six hours to overnight. Grind to a fine paste. Add salt, curry leaves, cumin seeds and crushed black pepper to the batter and mix well.Preheat oil in a pan. Wet your palms and take batter into the palms. Shape into balls and press onto palm or onto a plastic sheet, make a hole with the thumb in the centre to shape like a doughnut. Deep-fry in medium hot oil until they turn golden brown.Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambhar.

Variations:
Replace the black pepper with cut onions or mint leaves for a different taste

Pulihora/ Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:
3 cups of rice
1 cup chick peas
Tamarind (3 lemon sized balls)—juice extracted by soaking in hot water
1 Sq inch ginger grated
3-4 fresh green pepper thinly sliced
10-12 of curry leaves Salt to taste
Seasoning:
3-tblspns of oil
3- tblspns cahew nuts
1 tsp turmeric
1 tblspn of split gram (chana dal)
1 tblspn of split black gram (urad dal)
1 tspn of cumin seeds
1 tspn of mustard seeds (optional)
A pinch of Hing

Method:
Precook rice in a pressure cooker. Cook the chickpeas separately in a cooker or in boiling water until little tender. Season - Heat oil in a pan. Add all seasoning ingredients. When mustard seeds start to splutter add cashew nuts, and curry leaves. Let fry for 1-2 min. When the nuts start to turn golden brown add boiled chick peas. Add grated ginger and green pepper. Add the tamarind juice and salt and cook until it thickens and starts to leave the edges. Add to the rice -turmeric, tamarind mix, and mix well. Adjust the salt if necessary
Serve with plain yoghurt or papad.
Serves 6

Bambino Payasam/Vermicelli Pudding with Cashew Nuts

Ingrediends:
1 cup bambino vermicelli
4 cups milk
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp cashews nuts
3 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cardamom powder

Method:
In a large bowl heat the ghee. Put the cashews nuts & raisins and fry till golden. Now add the bambino & fry till lightly brown. Add the milk. When the bambino gets soft and milk starts to boil add the sugar. Cook until the milk thickens to a creamy consistency. Stop cooking. Garnish with cardamom powder.

Enjoy the yummy desert either hot or chilled as desired

This Dessert is Tastes great with those Cashews and Yummy raisins giving it extra flair.

Serves 6

Ravva Kesari

Ingrediends:
2 cup Bombay Rava
4 cups Water
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp cashews nuts
3 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp roasted crushed almonds or pistachios
optional: A pinch of food color if desired or safron

Method
In a large bowl heat the ghee. Put the cashews nuts & raisins and fry till golden. Now add Water. When water starts to boil add the sugar and boil till it melts add the food color dissolved in water and cardamom. When it starts to boil again add the ravva while mixing it and folding quickly to avoid any lumps. Reduce the flame and stir while the rava is cooking on simmer. When it is cooked enough the ravva starts to leave the edges. Turn off the flame and garnish with almonds and pistachios.
Enjoy hot or cold

Serves: 6-8

Annam Paravannam (Rice pudding)

Ingrediends:
2 cups rice
4 cups milk
2 cups sugar
1 cup grated coconut
3 tbsp cashews nuts
3 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp roasted crushed almonds or pistachios

Method:
Preheat ghee in a pan andfry the cashews nuts & raisins till golden. Keep aside.
Now boil milk in another large bowl. When milk starts to boil add the Rice and cook until it becomes soft while mixing occasionally. Add the grated coconut sugar and cook while stirring until it thickens to a creamy consistency.

Add the fried nuts and raisins in ghee to this. Take it off the flame and garnish with cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios.

Enjoy the yummy desert either hot or chilled as desired