Easy Wheat Halwa
Wish you all a Happy Diwali!!!! Wheat Halwa is a popular Asian dessert made with wheat milk or wheat flour. Traditionally it is made using wheat milk obtained from wheat grains. Today I have made this halwa using wheat flour which is an easy version. I will soon be posting the recipe for the traditional Halwa. Ingredients: Wheat flour – 3 cup Javvarisi (tapioca pearls) – 1/2 cup Corn flour – 1/4 cup Sugar – 4.5 cups Ghee – 1 cup Powdered cardamom – 3/4 tbsp Nutmeg powder – 2 pinches Broken cashew nut – 1/4 cup (roasted in ghee) Slivered almonds – 2 tbsp Red food color – 1/4 tsp (mix with 2 tbsp water) Method of Preparation: Soak javvarisi (tapioca pearls) overnight. Grind it to a smooth paste. Grease a tray with ghee and keep it ready....
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Kai Murukku
Kai Murukku is a traditional South Indian snack made for festivals and special occasions. It is made with freshly ground wet rice flour and deep fried in oil. Kai means hand in Tamil. It is a tradition in Hindu Brahmin weddings to make this murukku in jumbo sizes and various shapes. For snacking we generally make murukku with two circles. For special occasions like wedding bigger murukku is made with 7 or 9 circles and we call it “Seer Murukku”. My mom is a pro in making these Seer Muruku and she always takes care of these in our family weddings. I will be posting a video of this making very soon. Preparation time: 90 minutes Yield: 15 to 20 two circle murukku Ingredients: Rice flour – 3 cups Urad flour – 2 tbsp Butter – 2 tbsp (room temperature)...
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Rava Laddu – Sooji Laddu (version 2)
Rava Laddu or Sooji Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made specially for Diwali festival and also on special occasions. It is easy to make and takes only a few minutes. There are different versions of this laddu but this is my favorite and my mom’s recipe. It has a smooth texture and it just melts in your mouth. Sooji and sugar are finely ground and mixed together and made into laddus with ghee. It is generally tough to fine grind sooji (rava) at home. So my mom gives it to the flour mill for grinding. But for people who live abroad, you can bring finely ground sooji from India or just use your dry grinder (or mixie) for grinding sooji. See recipe for details. Preparation time: 60 minutes Yield: 50 Laddus Ingredients: Rava (sooji) – 500...
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Paneer Jalebi – Chanar Jalebi
Paneer Jalebi or Chanar Jalebi is a delicious cheese dessert made with fresh cottage cheese or paneer. It will be a nice variation from the regular jalebi. It is airy, soft and juicy. My fried told me about this dish and she asked me give it a try. I am glad I did. It turned out so good and I loved it. Try this dish for any special occasions or festivals and enjoy with your family. Preparation time: 90 minutes Yield: 18 to 20 Ingredients: Fresh Paneer – 1 cup Corn flour – 1 tbsp Maida (all purpose flour) – 1 tbsp Baking powder – 1/2 tsp Milk – 2 to 3 tbsp Cardamom – 4 (powdered) Rose essence – 1 tsp Saffron – a few strands Orange food color – a pinch (dissolved in 1 tbsp of water)...
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Moti Pak
Wish you all a Happy Diwali!! Moti Pak is a delicious sweet burfi made with chickpea flour (besan) and sugar. It tastes more like laddu but it has khoya in it which makes it rich and special. You can make this at home which tastes amazing like the ones from sweet shops. Follow the step by step procedure and prepare this wonderful sweet for Diwali. Preparation time: 90 minutes Yield: 16 pieces Ingredients: Besan flour – 2 cups Sugar – 2 cups Milk – 4 tbsp Khoya – 1/4 cup Ghee – 2 tsp Rose essence – 1 tsp Saffron – a pinch Powdered cardamom – 1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder – a pinch (optional) Yellow and red food color Method of Preparation: Sift besan flour to remove any lumps. Mix the yellow and red food color in a tbsp...
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Corn flakes Mixture
This Corn flakes mixture is one of the easiest snacks which everyone will like. We can make in large quantity very easily. This sweet and spicy mixture is my all time favorite. Time of Preparation : 20 minutes Spice level : 2 Ingredients: Corn flakes / Corn poha – 14 oz pack (approximately 5 cups) Cashew nuts (broken) – 1/2 cup Raisins – 1/3 cup Peanuts – 1/3 cup Curry leaves – 4 strings Red chilli powder – 2 tsp Salt – 1/2 tsp (adjust according to taste Sugar – 1 tsp Oil – for frying Method of Preparation: Heat oil in a small kadai and fry the cashew nuts, peanuts, raisins and curry leaves one by one and transfer them to a tight storage box. Add the red chilli powder, salt and sugar. Fry the corn flakes (I...
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Kasi Halwa – Poosanikkai Halwa
Kasi Halwa is a traditional South Indian dessert made with ash gourd or poosanikkai. This halwa is served in weddings and special occasions. It is one of the most delicious halwa I have eaten and definitely made it to my favorites list. You need very less ghee to make this dish and the ingredients are pretty simple. Only thing is the yield is less compared to the amount of vegetable you use. Try this delicious Halwa for this Diwali and enjoy with your family and friends. Preparation time: 75 minutes No. of servings: 7 to 8 Ingredients: White pumpkin or ash gourd – 4 lb (around 2 kg) Sugar – 2 1/2 cups (500 grams) Cardamom – 4 Cashew nut – 2 tbsp Ghee or clarified butter – 3 tbsp Orange food color – a big pinch Method...
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Vegetable Bonda
Vegetable Bonda is a popular snack made with mixed vegetables which is then dipped in a gram flour (besan) batter and fried in oil. It is more like Aloo Bonda but with a lot of other vegetables in it. You can serve it as an evening snack with a cup of tea or as an appetizer. Serve it with coconut chutney. Preparation time: 75 minutes Yield: 16 Spice level: 2.5 out of 5 Ingredients: Potatoes – 2 or 3 (big) Mixed vegetables – 2 cups (peas, carrots, beetroot, beans, cauliflower) Medium size onion – 1 Green chilies – 3 Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Finely chopped ginger – 1 tbsp Chili powder – 1/2 tsp Oil – 1 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) – 1/4 cup Salt to taste Oil for frying For Batter: Besan (gram...
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Paruppu Payasam
Paruppu Payasam is a delicious Indian dessert made with lentils, coconut milk, milk and jaggery. It is made during festivals and special occasions. I usually make it just with milk but this time as per my sister’s advice I also added some coconut milk which made this a lot of more richer and delicious. Try to use the thick or the first milk extracted from the coconut. For more details about how to extract coconut milk, read “How to extract coconut milk“. Preparation time: 40 minutes No of servings: 5 Ingredients: Moong Dal – 1/2 cup Chana dal – 2 tbsp Jaggery – 1/4 cup Milk – 3/4 cup Fresh coconut milk – 1 cup Ghee or clarified butter – 1 and 1/2 tsp Cashew nut – 1 tbsp Cardamom – 2 pods A few saffron strands Method of Preparation:...
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Paal Payasam (Version 2) / Milk and Rice Kheer
Rice Kheer is an Indian dessert which will be very tasty and is generally made for special occasions. For making Rice Kheer, we have to stand and near the cooking range for a long time to reduce the milk. But for this version of Rice Kheer we need not stand and wait. Only thing is the gas consumption will be more but definitely no strain :). Time of Preparation : 5 minutes Cooking Time : 3 hours No of Servings : 4 to 5 Ingredients: Milk (Full fat or 2%) – 5 cups Basmathi rice (washed) – small handful (around 3 tbsp) Saffron – a pinch Sweetened Condensed Milk – 1/2 can (7 oz) Ghee – 1 tsp Method of Preparation: Take a pressure cooker and add a tsp of ghee. Slightly toss the Basmathi rice and add the...
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How to Make Jalebi?
Jalebi is one of the most popular Indian desserts. They are just like funnel cakes but soaked in a sugary syrup. Jalebi is an easy to make yet very tasty sweet that will satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth. If you go sweet shopping in India, you will find this in every sweet shop. It’s that popular. Jalebi is a thinner and easier version of another sweet – Jhangri. This is yet another recipe I was hoping to post for Diwali but I guess this can also be made for Christmas! Preparation Time: 60 minutes No Of servings : 9-10 No Of Jalebi’s : 30-40 Ingredients: Maida/all purpose flour : 1 cup Besan Flour : 1 tsp Warm water : 3/4 cup Oil : 1 tsp Rapid rise yeast : 1 tsp Cardamom Powder : 1 tsp Yogurt :...
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Chettinad Mutton Kuzhambhu
I’ve made this dish a day before Diwali and since then I wanted to post it, but couldn’t find time to do it. Finally I am posting this recipe today. This mutton curry is one of the most easiest and flavorful dish I’ve ever made. It’s an authentic chettinad recipe I’ve got from one of my friend. Chettinad dishes are most popular in southern part of India. You can find chettinad dishes on any restaurant in South India. The ground masala is key to this dish and makes it more delicious and it gives nice aroma. Try this recipe and let me know how it turned out for you. Preparation Time : 45 minutes No of servings : 4-5 Spice level : 3 out of 5 Ingredients: Mutton : 500 gms Onion: 1 cup Tomato : 1 cup(chopped finely)...
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Pori Urundai for Karthikai Deepam
Happy Karthikai Deepam to all our readers… Karthikai Deepam is a festival observed in India in the month of Karthikai (tamil month). Temples, houses and streets are lit with rows of oil lamps or agal vilakku and the sky is lit with fireworks. This festival is grandly celebrated in Thiruvannamalai, located in Tamilnadu. It is celebrated for 10 days and on the 10th day Mahadeepam (a huge lamp) is lit on top of the Annamalai hill which is said to be visible around a radius of 40 km. This is perhaps the oldest festival in the history of Tamilnadu. On this day, we make Pori Urundai or Puffed Rice Balls, appam, Neyyappam and share it with our family and friends. A grand feast is also prepared on this day which includes rice, sambar, rasam, kootu, kurry, vada, payasam, appalam,...
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How to make Gulab Jamun with Khoya?
Now a days making Gulab Jamuns with ready mix has become common. But we can find a huge difference in taste if we make them from the scratch. My grand mother and my aunt still make these for me if I ask for Jamuns. I got this recipe from my aunt and here goes the step by step procedure for making these delicious Khoya Jamuns. Time of Preparation : 50 minutes No of pieces : 30 Ingredients: Khoya – 1 cup (homemade or store bought) Maida / All Purpose Flour) – 1/2 cup Baking Soda – a pinch Milk – few tbsp Oil – For Frying Ghee 3 tbsp For Sugar Syrup: Sugar – 1 1/2 cup Water – 1 1/2 cup Cardamom – 4 to 5 (crushed) Method of Preparation: Sieve the maida and baking soda and mix...
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How to make Khoya?
Khoya / Khoa / Mawa is nothing but reduced dry milk. It is the key ingredient for the Gulab Jamun which makes the Gulab Jamun very rich. Believe me.. we can find a lot of difference between the ready mix Gulab Jamun and the traditional one. We have to put a little effort for preparing this Khoya but it is worth making like this. Here is the step by step method of making Khoya. In my next recipe, I will make traditional Gulab Jamuns using homemade Khoya. Time of Preparation : 1 hour 20 minutes Yield : 1 cup Ingredients: Whole fat milk – 1.5 liters Method of Preparation: Boil the milk in medium flame in a non stick pan. For first few minutes we can boil it in high but we should keep stirring continuously. When the milk...
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Badusha
Wish you all a Happy and Safe Diwali!!! Badusha or Balushahi is a popular sweet dish in India. It is known as Badusha in the south and Balushahi in the north India. All purpose flour or maida is the main ingredient. Badusha is deep fried in oil and dipped in sugar syrup and served. It is easy to make this dish but perfection comes with practice. Sugar syrup and kneading the dough is the key for making this dish. Enjoy your Diwali with this tasty dish. Ingredients: All purpose flour or maida – 2 cups Baking soda – 1/2 tsp Butter or oil – 3 tbsp Yogurt (curd) – 2 tbsp Sugar – 3/4 cup Cardamom pods – 2 Grated nutmeg (jadikkai) – 1/4 tsp Oil for frying Water Method of Preparation: Sift or mix all purpose flour and...
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Sweet Somas
If you want to get into the Diwali celebration mood there is one sweet that will get you there right away- Sweet Somas. This is one of the most favorite Diwali snack my mom used to make when I was growing up. And I still hold it dear to my heart. If you like coconut and fried snacks this is just the ultimate combination of the two. It is basically a deep fried shell with sweetened coconut and sooji filling that tastes heavenly. Wishing everyone a Happy and safe Diwali!!! Preparation Time: 60 minutes No Of Somas: 18-20 Ingredients: Maida(All Purpose Flour) : 2 cups Oil : 1 tbsp Salt : a pinch Water : To knead the dough For Filling: Rawa : 1 cup(Lightly roasted in ghee) Sugar : 1 cup ( Cardamom Powder : 2 tsp Shredded...
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Badam Pista Roll / Almond Pistachio Roll
These Almond Pistachio Rolls are my husband’s favorite. They are very simple to prepare and making the sugar syrup to the proper consistency is the key. Time of Preparation : 2 hours + 20 minutes No of pieces : around 30 Ingredients: Almonds – 1 cup Sugar – 3/4 cup Water a few tbsp Cardamom powder – a pinch Ghee – 3 tbsp For Inner Layer: Pistachios – 1/2 cup Sugar – 1/4 cup Method of Preparation: Soak the almonds and pistachios overnight or in hot water for 2 hours. Remove the skin from the both. Dry them by spreading them in a cloth. If you feel still they are wet, dry roast them in medium flame for 5 minutes. Grind the almonds to powder and grind the pistachios along with 1/4 cup of sugar. Take a nonstick vessel...
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