Shrikhand

Tomorrow is Akshay Tritiya, a holy day for Hindus. I had already explained about Akshay Tritiya in my last year's post of Dudhi Halwa. As it is said, that Akshay Tritiya is a good time to purchase gold, experts had a different view published in Economic times. Low inflation and rising interest rates are bad news for the metal, they say. The dollar prices might rise, and hence the gold prices would drop down by 10 % by the end of year. So, all my friends who are wanting to purchase gold tomorrow, just buy a token. For people like me though, purchasing kitchen items is as good as buying gold :) (All my blogger friends here would agree, won't you?) So i have treated myself to a new Mixer-grinder on this Akshay Tritiya. My old mixer started showing tantrums two days ago (Guess it knew some festival is coming!!!)

No auspicious or holy day is complete without a sweet. So, here i am posting the recipe of Shrikhand. A simple meal of homemade Shrikhand, puri and batata bhaaji (Aloo sabzi) completes a Maharashtrian festival for me. Shrikhand-puri is a match made in heaven. I have stressed on the homemade, because the store bought Shrikhands are way too sweet these days. Shrikhand has a lot of Maharashtrian charachter to it, i feel, and has mixed flavours of sweet, sour, smooth, rich and yet simple to make. My hubby almost finishes 2-3 vaatis of shrikhand at one go, so i have gone easy on the sugar addition here. 

Shrikhand is basically saffron infused yogurt. I normally make yogurt at home, but you can use thick readymade yogurt too. If you get Chakka (Yogurt cheese) readymade, then this dessert is ready within minutes. I couldn't find Chakka near my place, so i made it at home the traditional way. When we were kids, there used to be a machine(Puran Yantra) which would have to be operated manually to uniformly mix the chakka and sugar. So me and my brother would take rounds to turn the knob round and round to see the thin noodle like shrikhand coming out of the yantra. In the end our hands would pain, and mom would always end up cleaning the mess :) Nostalgia!!!

For a fruity version of Shrikhand, check my recipe of Aamrakhand - Mango Shrikhand .

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 and half litres of whole milk (You can't eat shrikhand if you are calorie conscious. This dessert will not taste good with skim milk or any kind of toned milk)

Yogurt - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1/2 cup (Adjust according to taste)

Saffron strands - 4-5 

Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg and Cardamom powder is optional. You can use both or one or omit them altogether. Traditionally, Charolya or chironji is used too, but i didn't have them handy.

Recipe:

To make yogurt: Boil the milk and let it cool to room temperature. Pour the milk in a wide bowl.

Add the yogurt to this milk and stir it along with the cream on top. Cover with a lid.

Let the yogurt set in a warm place undisturbed till firm. If the place is warm, it should set in about 6 hours or so.

You can set this yogurt the previous day and refrigerate and prepare the shrikhand the next day.

To make Yogurt Cheese/Chakka: Place a muslin cloth (pancha as we call in marathi) in a strainer (or colander) over a bowl. Make sure you take a big cloth, so you have enough space on the side to tie it later.

Pour yogurt in the cloth. Now bring the sides of the cloth together and tie a knot tightly just above the yogurt. It looks like a firm ball. The whey starts draining out of the cloth.

Now you can either put some weight on this and let it drain or tie it to a place from where it keeps dripping or draining. The whey can be used to knead doughs or make gravies.

After about 4-6 hours, the ball of yogurt would look dry. 

To make Shrikhand: Remove the chakka in a bowl. You can refrigerate the chakka in an air tight container for upto 2 days.

Now, beat the chakka well till it becomes smooth.

Grind the sugar to powder.

Warm about 2 tbsp of milk, add saffron to it.

Make a coarse powder of cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle.

While beating the chakka, add the powdered sugar little by little and keep mixing it well.

Now add the cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and saffron milk to it. Add more milk if you require a thinner consistency. The shrikhand should not be runny. It should be as thick to remain on a plate. 

Mix everything well till smooth.

Tastes best when served cold, but even at room temperature. 

Happy Akshay Tritiya to all of you readers and May you be blessed with peace, happiness, success and satisfaction :)

Happy Cooking :))

Mango Kulfi

Summer Treats : My earliest memories of kulfi are, when i used to visit my cousins in Badlapur ( a city in Thane district of Maharashtra) during summer vacations, and there used to come a kulfiwala shouting "Kulfiiiii" ( He had a peculiar accent and it took time to understand that he is saying the word kulfi, the pronounciation was always smudged, hehe ). We used to wait for this kulfiwala, who used to come in afternoons. A typical kulfiwala used to wear white loose pajamas and white shirt with a white Gandhi cap. His kit used to consist of a pot surrounded by a cane basket covered with a wet red cloth which he used to carry on his head. The pot had some ice cubes and salt and aluminium kulfi moulds in it. He used to easily take out the kulfi from the mould by rubbing the sides of the mould, and insert a stick and give to all the kids surrounding him and waiting for their share. And the best part!!! We only used to get it for 50 paise!!! Though getting a 50 paise during that time was a task for us. So we always had to catch hold of our elder brother ( who used to get pocket money that time ) to treat us with the kulfi :) Those were fun days!!! And my sister just told me , that though there are very few kulfiwalas left now, we still get it...the price having being increased to INR 10/- considering the inflation in mind. This kulfi was our summer treat along with Pepsi-colas, Golas, and Limlets and poppins :) Ahhhh those old days!!! Nostalgia...

Picture taken from the Google Images :

A Kulfiwala

Well, Kulfiwalas are replaced with ice cream corners now. And we get modern day kulfi's well-packaged, with different flavours, and MRP's written on them. Yes, there are a few places where kulfi is still made the traditional way and they have that authentic taste. One that i remember back home in thane is Sri Ram Ice-cream which sells amazing pot kulfi.There is also the famous  Roller Ice cream , the one i had in Delhi at the National Street food festival and how can we forget the Tillewali kulfi . 

Kulfi is basically a frozen Indian dessert made with full cream milk. The thickening of milk is an important factor while making kulfi. A lot of people make kulfi these days with condensed milk or even milk powder to save on the time and energy of reducing the milk. But i have made this kulfi the traditional way, by reducing full cream milk to 1/3rd. Add any fruits or dry fruits or fruit pulp of your choice to make it more exciting :) The process is very simple, the time consuming factor is only the milk-reducing process. So here's how i made Mango kulfi :

Ingredients:

Full cream milk - 1 litre

Mangoes - 2

Sugar - 1/2 cup ( adjust according to taste )

Cardamom seeds - 5

Pistachios - 8-10

Almonds - 8-10

( You can add any fruits or dry fruits of your choice, and choose the amount according to taste )

Recipe:

Boil milk and reduce the milk till 1/3rd. Stir from the very bottom after every 5 minutes or so, so that the milk doesn't stick to bottom. This process takes about an hour or 1 n half hours. The milk will thicken, and change colour too. 

Now add the sugar and boil till the sugar dissolves.

Now remove from the stove top and let the milk come to room temperature.

Remove the pulp from mangoes and make a smooth paste in the blender. Keep some chopped pieces of the mangoes separately, to add in later ( about 1/4 cup )

Make powder of the cardamom seeds using a mortar and pestle.

Once the milk comes to room temperature, add in the mango pulp and mix well or you can even use a blender.

Add in cardamom powder, chopped pistachios and almonds, mango pieces and mix it all well. 

Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds or whichever mould you want to se the kulfi in. I set it in a large bowl.

Keep it in freezer for 7-8 hours.

Cut the kulfi into pieces an serve along with chopped mango pieces or garnish with some pistachios or almonds.

This summer dessert tastes is unbeatable, and am sure everyone in your home would love it.

Note : If you want to make this recipe quick, then you can boil 1 cup milk with 500 gms khoya, rest of the procedure is same. And if you want to use condensed milk to add thickness to the kulfi, use 3 cups milk and 1 cup condensed milk ( Since you are adding condensed milk, which is already sweet in taste, check before adding sugar and adjust according to taste )

Happy Cooking :)

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Mango Shrikhand

Its the season of mangoes and we can't let it go without making 'Aam-rakhand". Aamrakhand is basically shrikhand with aam ( Mangoes ). Shrikhand is one classic Maharashtrian sweet dish made from strained curd. On some auspicious occasions or during a special function, nothing beats the menu of Shrikhand, Batata bhaaji ( potato sabzi ) and puris. It is also offered as "prasad" ( offering ) to the Lord during pooja or festivals. It is semi-soft and you can literally lick it with your finger, rather than having it with spoon ( i still feel it tastes better this way, hehehe )

Making shrikhand takes some time as the curd has to be hung in a cotton cloth and drained of all the water inside. We also get ready made Chakka ( hung curd ) in market, but finding it here in Delhi is a task. So i preferred setting up the curd overnight with full cream milk and then making the chakka myself at home. Yes it does take some time, but the effort is all worth it... especially since it's my hubby's favourite :)

Shrikhand can be eaten as it is with dry fruits, or addition of mango pulp makes it aamrakhand which is very popular in Maharashtra. You can add any fruit pulp or even chunks of fruit and make shrikhand, the taste just gets better :) In thane, there is a shop which sells fresh fruit shrikhand, and they put pieces of grapes and apples..the taste is so unbelievably flavourful, that you would want a second helping for sure.When i make a visit to Mumbai, next week, i will go to that shop and click a picture for you guys :)

Ingredients :

Curd - 1 n half cup ( I made homemade curd in my regular curd bowl, so it should be about 1 n half cup. 

Mango - 1

Sugar - 1/2 cup ( adjust to taste )

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Pistachios - 5-6

Almonds - 5-6 ( You can also put raisins or cashews or even anjeer if you like )

Cotton cloth/muslin cloth 

Recipe : 

Take out all the curd in the muslin cloth and tie it tightly. Hang the cloth for around 3 hours so that all water drips down. Tie it over the sink or keep some vessel below it, so the water doesn't drip making a mess. If you don't have a place to hang, just put it in a big vessel on the side, tilt it, and cover the vessel with a lid tightly. Squeeze out all the extra water from it after 3 hours.

Remove it in a clean bowl.

Remove all the pulp from the mango and put it in a blender to make a smooth pulp. Add sugar and blend again.

Now add this pulp to the curd. Mix in cardamom powder.

Add in chopped almonds and pistachios. Mix it all well and garnish with some pistachios or almonds when serving in a bowl.

I like the shrikhand/aamrakhand cold. So normally i let it be in the refrigerator for around an hour before eating.  

Note : My Mom's tip : If you find it too thick, add some full cream milk or some cream. It adds to the taste of Shrikhand :)

Now make some hot puris and you are ready to have a scrumptious meal :))

Happy Cooking :)

 

Sheera : Angaarki Chaturthi special

Angaarki Chaturthi : Yesterday was Angaarki Sankashti Chaturthi. Sankashti Chaturthi is celebrated in every Lunar Month or Hindu Calender Month on the fourth day of the waning phase. ( i.e it comes on every 4th day after Full Moon of Hindu Lunar Calender Month ). This day is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and if this chaturthi falls on a Tuesday, it is called Angaarki Chaturthi. It is considered an auspicious day and people observe fast to pray to Lord Ganesha to remove all their problems ( Sankat Hara Chaturthi ) in life, as HE is known to be!!!
People break their strict fast only after the sight of the moon followed by prayers to Lord Ganesha. Normally "Sheera" is made as an offering to the Lord as "Prasad".

The Story our Granny told us : According to Hindu Mythology, Angarak, the son of Mother Earth and Bhardwaj Rishi, was a great devotee of Lord Ganesha. And on one such Tuesday which was Sankashti Chaturthi, Lord Ganesha blessed him and asked him for a wish. Angarak expressed his wish to be associated with Lord Ganesha forever. Hence Lord Ganesha granted his wish and proclaimed that whoever worships Lord Ganesha during Angaarki Chaturthi will be granted the prayers. That's how Angaarki Chaturthi came to be known as.

Sheera is a very popular sweet dish. It is normally prepared during pooja or any auspicious occasions and is offered as a sweet to the Lord and then distributed amongst all. Sheera is also eaten for breakfast in some parts of Maharashtra. A very easy-to-make dish and very healthy too.

Ingredients :

Rava/Sooji - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup ( or adjust according to taste )

Milk - 2 n half cup

Assorted Nuts ( Almonds, Cashews, Raisins etc)

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp( You can't skip this ingredient... it adds all the taste to the sheera )

I Added a few saffron strands dipped in milk for the "Pajama Twist"

   

Recipe :

Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp ghee. Add all the nuts and roast for about a minute or two. Remove and keep aside.

In the same pan, add the 1/4 cup ghee. Once it melts, add the rava and roast on low flame till it starts leaving fragrance and turns golden brown in colour. Don't roast it on high flame or else it will burn and become black. Keep stirring in between and roast for around 10-15 minutes.

Now add warm or room temperature milk to the rawa. Keep stirring, so no lumps are formed.

Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes till the rava becomes soft and milk starts thickening.

Now add the sugar. Mix well and add the nuts. Cook covered till it becomes like a soft thick ball. ( takes about 3-4 minutes )

For prasad, People add a Tulsi leaf on top while offering to The Lord. Some even add banana on top or a mashed banana while cooking.

Happy Cooking :)

Shahi Tukda : Valentine Special

Shahi Treatment for The Prince Charming : Shahi means Royal, and what better way to make your husband feel royal on Valentine's day than to cook his favourite meal and top it all with a royal dessert :) As it was a working day, i decided to arrange a surprise for him...Yes, the usual surprise cards, aromatic candles, love messages in tiffin box, a photo collage, a bottle of wine, some homemade choclate muffins.... All this was definately making him smile. But i guess the way to a man's heart is definately through his stomach...when i cooked his favourite chicken dish for main course, that got him showing me all his teeth :)) And i topped it all off with this dessert....A super fun filled valentine's :) 
Basundi ( Recipe uploaded earlier ) (  http://cookininpajamas.blogspot.in/2014/01/basundi-sweetened-milk.html ) is one of his favourite desserts.. so i normally make it once a month...So, to make something special for Valentine's , i decided to make Rabdi ( More thickened milk ) and top it on the shahi tukda. 

I had never tried this dish before, had only eaten at several restaurants. But making it was super easy and super fun ! Makes for a good sweet craving, and  a dessert everyone will enjoy at your home :)

Ingredients :

Milk - 1 Litre

Sugar - 1/3 rd cup

Water - A little

Ghee - To fry the bread slices

Saffron - a few strands 

Milkmaid ( Sweetened condensed milk ) - 2 tbsp ( This is optional, you can totally skip this or if you want, can add 1-2 tbsp of sugar instead )

Chopped nuts - almonds, Pistachios, Cashews, raisins ( Any of your choice for garnishing )

Bread slices - 4

Recipe :

Soak saffron in about 2-3 tbsp of milk.

Bring milk to boil in a non stick or a heavy bottomed pan. Reduce the heat to sim, and bring the milk to 1/2 of it's original...Keep stirring in between. It will start becoming thick and changing colour.

Now add the condensed milk ( or sugar ). If not, just add the saffron-milk mixture. Keep stirring again and reduce the milk to 1/2 of it's consistency ( comes to about 1/4th of it's original consistency ). It has to be of pouring consistency and not too thick. 

Let it come to room tempertaure. And then keep it in the fridge to cool. This is called Rabdi.

Meanwhile, take sugar in a saucepan and fill it with water just enough to cover the sugar. Let it come to a boil, and then simmer it for around 3-4 minutes more..( Remove a drop and see if it sticks to your finger, and forms a thread... That's when you know it's done)

Now Take the bread slices and cut it's edges. Now cut them diagonally into triangle shapes ( You can cut each slice into 2 or 4 parts, i prefer cutting them into 4 ). Heat ghee in a pan. Now fry the bread slices in ghee on medium/low flame till they become crisp and brown. Its important that the slices be crisp.

Remove and soak on a tissue paper. Now dip them into the sugar syrup for about 10 seconds and arrange them on the plate. Add the cool rabdi on top and garnish with chopped nuts.

Enjoy in the royal dessert... Tastes Heavenly delicious....:))

You can add the sugar syrup to the rabdi and even eat rabdi as a dessert in itself. Adjust the sugar content according to taste.

Alternatively, you can make shahi tukdas and store it in fridge. It stays for about 3-4 days.

Happy Cooking :)

Basundi : Sweetened Milk

Anytime Dessert : Usually Basundi is made during festive time, but since hubby dearest is a big fan of this dessert, this has become an "Anytime Dessert" for us. We usually make it once a month ! It is made by reducing the milk to half. Basundi is a typical Maharashtrian dessert, and also made in some parts of Gujrat. In North India, the milk is further reduced and thickened and is served as Rabdi. Both Basundi and Rabdi taste delicious, the only difference being Basundi is a drink-based dessert and Rabdi has to be eaten with a spoon. 

The best taste of Basundi comes out when you make it with Full cream milk. Skimmed milk won't give you that better a taste, but if you have no option but to use skim milk, then add a little bit of cream ( Saay - the thick layer of cream on top of milk ) on top. 

This dessert does require a lot of time and patience to make, as the process is really slow. You have to reduce the milk to half on low flame. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour. And make sure you stir the milk in between, so it doesn't stick to the bottom or sides. 

Ingredients :

Full cream/ Whole Milk - 2 Litres

Sugar - Add according to taste, add little by little, taste and add more if required. We use around 1/2- 3/4 cup

Milkmaid - ( Optional )... you can put around 50 gms of Milkmaid to thicken it more and add sweetness. If adding Milkmaid, put only 1/2 cup sugar

Sliced almonds - For garnishing ( You can also add sliced pistachios )

Charoli - a few ( These are added traditionally, but if you don't have them, add any dry fruits or fruits of your choice - grapes,custard apple etc )

Kesar ( Saffron ) - a few strands ( This is also optional to get the colour )

Cardamom Powder - a pinch ( Optional )

Recipe :

Bring milk to boil in a non stick pan. Now reduce the heat to sim, and keep stirring it in between and reduce the milk to half. It will start thickening, and changing colour.

Now add the sugar. Keep stirring till the sugar dissolves in the milk.

Now add the saffron ( keep the strands soaked in warm milk beforehand )

If adding Milkmaid, add now and stir well and boil for some more time. If not, add the charoli and cardamom powder ( if adding ).

Basundi can be served warm or cold. Garnish with sliced almonds or Pitachios or both.

Easy to make, but require lot of time for the milk thickening. Slurp it up :))

Happy Cooking :)

Gajar ka Halwa : Bollywood special

I'm sure every Bollywood movie fan would know this dish!!!! For those, not aware, "Gajar ka Halwa" was a popular dish made by all Bollywood mothers for their sons and apparently, all the Heroes' favourite dish was the same :)))) "Maa ke haath ka Gajar halwa" ( the carrot pudding made by mother ) or "Beta, maine gajar ka halwa banaya hai.. tujhe pasand hai na?" ( Son, i have made your favourite dish of carrot pudding ) were some of the very common dialogues in Bollywood Films in 70's or 80's. 

Gradually , with time, "Maa" became "Mom" and there is no more "Gajar ka halwa" that i remember seeing in any film recently. Nevertheless, Gajar ka halwa is a dessert relished by us all at any given point of time !

Gajar Halwa basically got introduced during the Mughal period and is associated with state of Punjab in India and Pakistan and is also known as "Punjabi Gajrela" or "Gajar ka Gajrela" in the northern parts of India. In earlier days, it was made by using carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, zucchini and snake squash. This halwa is especially cooked and served hot in winter days, as carrots are cheaper during that time and of good quality too. Cooked on festivals like Diwali, Holi or any special occassion, this dish tastes good even when served chilled. It usually lasts for a long period when kept in refrigerator or at room temperature in winters.

Recently a friend asked me to post recipe of homemade Gajar Halwa with some twist. Normally, this halwa is made with milk, sugar, carrots, nuts and dry fruits. I really scratched my brains, to make this recipe into something exciting and new. Did some R n D, cooked with a few changes here and there and here is the result :

I love replacing sugar with jaggery. Not many would like the taste and would prefer the traditional taste of adding sugar to the halwa but trying this in small quantity is no harm. Also, i used rich whole milk instead of skimmed milk. I used the traditional khoya, but you can also use condensed milk. The twist was : a few saffron strands dipped in rose water!!!! Not only does it add taste to the recipe, but also the aroma is breathtaking :)) And yes, don't think of calories while making or eating this recipe. Use Ghee as much is needed. There is no "short-cut" or " fat-cutting" there ! The halwa tastes yummy only when the carrots are saute'd well in ghee. 

Another twist was to add " Rabdi ice cream" on top!!! It just couldn't get better. We get ready  made Rabdi ice cream here. You can make Rabdi at home or buy ready made and top it on halwa. Or you can even freeze the Rabdi in kulfi or ice cream moulds and use it for topping.

Ingredients :

Carrots : 2 cups (Wash, peel and grate them )

Jaggery - 3/4 cup ( if using powdered sugar, use the same amount or according to taste)

Desi ghee - 4-5 tsp

Full cream milk - 3 cups

Khoya - 3/4 cup ( Use 1/2 cup or even less if using condensed milk or 3 tbsp of powdered milk. Some even add paneer instead of khoya for a different taste)

Saffron strands - a few

Rose water - just to dip the saffron strands in

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Raisins - a few ( You can even add cashews or any other mixed nuts of your choice. You can even add dates)

Recipe :

Always use a wide flat pan or kadhai to make carrot halwa as it promises even cooking. 

You can also make this in a pressure cooker vessel. 

Dip the saffron strands in rose water and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan and add grated carrots and saute for 8-10 mins. Keep stirring it in between. This prevents burning of the carrots.

Add the milk, raisins and cardamom powder and cook till all the milk is absorbed by the carrots and the mixture turns into thick consistency. This is when the carrots are cooked. It will take about 20-25 minutes. Cook on low flame and let it take its own time.

Add the jaggery or powdered sugar and cook for another 5 mins.

Remove from heat.

Lastly, add the khoya and saffron with rose water and mix well.

If the mixture is watery, cook for another 5-10 minutes till it becomes dry.

Serve with a scoop of Rabdi ice cream or Rabdi.

Happy Cooking :)

Peanut Ladoo : From Guddu :)

The word "Ladoo" reminds me of one of my Rakhi brothers who calls me "Guddu". I think he named me that from the word "Gudiya". So here's a sweet recipe for my sweet brother Prashant Batar :)

Ladoos or Laddus are all-time sweet that you can make and store in your kitchen. You dont need a special reason ( a festival or an occassion )to make one. Normally, all ladoos have ghee as an ingredient, so storing them for a minimum of 1 week is not an issue too. We have already made Coconut ladoos... Today we will make these melt-in-the-mouth Peanut ladoos. We maharashtrians call it "Shengdanyache ladoo" ( Sheng-dana is peanut in marathi language). They are also called "Shing na ladoo" in gujrathi. I normally make them and store them in an air tight container ( need not refrigerate) and is a part of my husband's snack-box every alternate day !! An easy-healthy recipe for his sweet tooth!!! 

Peanuts offer a variety of health benefits. They are a very good source of monosaturated fats, which is good for a healthy heart. They also contain Vitamin E, proteins and recently i read, that Peanuts not only contain oleic acid, a healthy fat found in Olive oil, but they are also rich in antioxidants. 
I love making recipes with Peanuts and they are an essential bit in my monthly grocery list. They can be eaten as whole, crushed, powdered, boiled, roasted...In any form they taste great!!

Peanuts can be made into chutneys, a sandwich filling in the form of Peanut Butter, or even into daal. Yes, my mother makes this yummyliscious Peanut daal that one has during Fasting. Peanut is one of the ingredients that is allowed to eat when one fasts, along with fruits, milk, sweet potatoes etc etc. We kids never fasted but used to love eating all the "fast-food " ( food allowed during fasting ) that was cooked at home. I am surely going to take the recipe of Peanut Daal from my mother and post it soon. Crushed peanuts are also made into chikkis and cookies. Ground peanut powder is used in various dishes like sabudana khichdi, some vadas or even curries or sabzis to get thicker consistency and a different taste. I even like to add roasted peanuts to breakfast recipes like upma and poha ! And how can we forget the peanut chaat with lemon juice and our favourite "Pepper"!!!! Yummm...

Peanut Ladoos can be made in different ways. You can add jaggery or powdered sugar. I always add and prefer jaggery over sugar, for the health benefits and also for the taste. You can add nuts or dry fruits according to your choice, either sliced or even powdered. You can even add cardamom powder or dry ginger powder or keep them plain and simple without much additions. They taste delicious either ways.

Ingredients :

Peanut powder - 1 cup. (Dry roast peanuts till light brown, remove their skin and then grind it to a powder in mixer. Make sure you grind it slowly and check in between, otherwise it starts oozing oil and powder turns sticky. You can make ladoos even with the sticky mixture, but a coarse powder tastes better than the sticky one )

Jaggery - 3/4 cup. (If you are adding powdered sugar, add 1/2 cup or according to taste. The powdered sugar has to be little coarse and not too smooth.)

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Almonds - 4-5 sliced into thin strips ( you can even add cashews or nuts of your choice)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp ( optional)

Recipe :

Mix Peanut powder with jaggery or powdered sugar well.

Add sliced almonds. Keep some aside for garnishing ladoos on top.

Add the cardamom powder and 1 tbsp ghee.

Mix the mixture well and then add the other 1 tbsp ghee. The mixture is ready.

Roll into small round balls ( apply little ghee on hand or palm if needed ) and garnish with almond on top.

Happy Cooking :)

Coconut ladoos

"The best thing about having a sister is having a best friend forever". I love this quote and by God's grace, i have been blessed by some of the very sweet sisters as cousins. They have been there with me through thick and thin and they always lend a silent support in everything i do. Just when i started this food blog, i really got some encouraging statements by one of my little sister and another sent me a list of recipes to try out ! One such sister is Mrinalini Kulkarni ( we call her Mona tai - Tai in Marathi language means elder sister).

Monatai and me have grown up together. We used to eat in one plate, wore each other's clothes, shared all the deepest secrets and yet, given each other the space we needed individually. She is married to a loving husband and has 2 beautiful children now. Just a few days back, i had mentioned her about me having 1/2 a tin of condensed milk ( the other 1/2 i had used in making kheer) and what do i do with it, when she gave me this easy quick recipe of coconut ladoos. So this one's dedicated to Monatai.

Coconut ladoos is a melt in your mouth recipe that you can make for special occassions like Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri or any festival. Now that Diwali is coming, i thought to post this recipe. Its a good substitute to the besan and rava ladoos that are normally made in every home ( though they taste yummy too!!! ). Try this 4-ingredient recipe and your ladoos are ready in no time !!! :)

Ingredients :

Condensed milk ( Milkmaid ) - 1/2 tin

Dessicated coconut - 2 cups ( you get readymade packets in market)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp ( optional )

Pistachios - Chopped lengthwise ( to garnish )

Recipe :

Heat a pan and mix condensed milk with 1 n 1/2 cup of dessicated coconut ( keep the half cup aside ) and keep stirring it on low flame. The mixture will start leaving the sides of pan.

Add cardamom powder. 

Remove from heat and let it cool.

Take the remaining dessicated coconut in a plate. Roll small ladoos of the mixture into this coconut. If the mixture is sticking to your hand, apply little oil on palm.

Garnish with pistachios.

Happy cooking :)