Authentic Recipes from the Kitchens of Shriya, Nithu & Arthi!

Paneer Jalebi – Chanar Jalebi

Posted by on Nov 6, 2013 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes, Slideshow | 5 comments

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

Posted by on Nov 1, 2013 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes | 3 comments

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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Bread Halwa

Posted by on Oct 31, 2013 in Desserts | 1 comment

My mom used to make this bread halwa very often. It is very simple to make unlike other halwas. We can use any kind of bread (except salty one) for bread halwa. The taste and color slightly varies according to that. Time of Preparation : 45 minutes No of Servings : 15 to 20 Ingredients: Bread – 1 loaf (any kind and I have used white bread) Milk – 6 cups Sugar – 1 1/4 cup Ghee – 4 tbsp Cahews – 4 tbsp Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp Method of Preparation: Crush the bread to small pieces. Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the bread till golden brown. Add the milk and sugar and stir occasionally. Stir it in medium flame and mash it so that there is no lumps. It will soon thicken...

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Kasi Halwa – Poosanikkai Halwa

Posted by on Oct 28, 2013 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes, Slideshow | 4 comments

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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Paruppu Payasam

Posted by on Sep 12, 2013 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes, Indian Festival, Navratri Recipes, Onam and Vishu, Vinayagar Chaturthi | 5 comments

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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Aval Vellam – Poha with Jaggery

Posted by on Aug 27, 2013 in Desserts, Snacks | 6 comments

Aval Vellam is a sweet dish made with jaggery and poha. I made this dish for Krishna Jayanthi or Gokulashtami (Lord Krishna’s birthday) since poha is one of his favorite food. It takes only a few minutes to make this dish and you can serve it for evening snacks to kids. Preparation time: 30 minutes No. of servings: 4 Ingredients: Poha or aval (thick or thin) – 3/4 cup Jaggery – 1/2 cup Cashew nut – 1 tbsp Cardamom – 3 pods Shredded coconut – 2 tbsp Method of Preparation: Wash and soak poha in water for 5 minutes or until soft. If using thin poha, just wash and soak for a minute. Strain the poha through a colander. Add jaggery and a little water in a pan and bring it to a boil. When jaggery dissolves, filter the...

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Easy Kulfi IceCream

Posted by on Jul 18, 2013 in Desserts, Ice Cream | 5 comments

Kulfi is a delicious frozen Indian dessert made from dairy products. It is a perfect summer treat for both kids and adults. This recipe for making Kulfi takes only a few minutes to prepare and is perfect for party treats and quick dessert ideas. All you have to do is blend the ingredients and freeze it. You can use aluminum or plastic molds for making Kulfis. I bought mine from IKEA. If  you do not have Kulfi mold, you can either pour the contents into a big box or tray, cover it with a tight lid or aluminum foil and freeze it overnight. Scoop and serve. Preparation time: 20 minutes Freezing time: 6 to 8 hours Yield: 50 small Kulfis Ingredients: Evaporated milk – one 12 oz can Condensed milk – one 14 oz can Heavy whipping cream –...

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Pazham Nurukku

Posted by on May 13, 2013 in Slideshow, Snacks | 3 comments

Pazham Nurukku is a Kerala dish made by steaming Nendram Pazham (a popular type of banana from Kerala) and cooking with jaggery. It is a simple dish and a wonderful snack for kids and adults. Ingredients: Nendram pazham – 2 Crushed jaggery – 2 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tsp (optional) Method of Preparation: Cut the ends and slice banana into big pieces with skin. Pressure cook for 10 minutes over medium heat without the whistle on. Transfer the cooked banana to a plate. Heat jaggery with a little water and allow it boil. Add the cooked bananas and allow to cook until the jaggery syrup is absorbed the banana pieces. Remove from pan and serve with a tsp of ghee sprinkle on top....

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How to make Gulab Jamun with Khoya?

Posted by on Nov 16, 2012 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes | 3 comments

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?

Posted by on Nov 14, 2012 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes | 1 comment

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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Badam Pista Roll / Almond Pistachio Roll

Posted by on Nov 12, 2012 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes | 3 comments

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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Rasgulla (Step by Step Instructions)

Posted by on Nov 10, 2012 in Desserts, Diwali Recipes | 4 comments

Rasgulla is a very popular sweet in India made of freshly prepared cottage cheese. I love milk sweets a lot and Rasgulla is my all time favorite. Here is the step by step procedure for making this delicious sweet.. Time of Preparation : 1 1/2 hours No of Pieces : 12 Ingredients: Milk – 4 cups Lemon juice – 3 tbsp Ice cubes – 5 Sugar – 1 cup Water – 1 1/4 cup Cardamom powder – a pinch Method of Preparation: Boil milk in a thick non stick vessel. When it starts boiling, reduce the flame and add the lemon juice. Stir continuously till the milk curdles and the whey separates. Now turn off the heat and add the ice cubes. Keep it aside for 5 minutes. Now strain the curdled milk using a fine muslin cloth. Wash...

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Suzhiyan (Suzhiyam) / Maida Sweet Balls

Posted by on Nov 7, 2012 in Diwali Recipes, Indian Festival | 3 comments

Suzhiyan is a traditional dish which we make during Diwali. It is a very simple dish in which sweet puran in is either dipped in maida or urad dal batter and deep fried. In Tamil Nadu, we generally make with Maida flour. Here is the recipe for this simple dish. Time of Preparation : 90 minutes No of Servings : 10 Ingredients: Channa Dal – 1 cup Jaggery – 1 1/4 cup Coconut (grated) – 1/2 cup Cardamom powder – a pinch For Outer Cover: Maida / All purpose flour – 1/4 cup Water – as required Salt – a pinch Method of Preparation: Soak the channa dal for 1 hour and grind it coarsely. Dry roast the grated coconut and keep it aside. Boil around 1/4 cup of water and add the crushed jaggery. When the jaggery melts...

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Mixed Nut Brittle – Mixed Nut Chikki

Posted by on Oct 29, 2012 in Snacks | 4 comments

Mixed Nut Brittle is an easy to make snack which can be prepared with all the ingredients from your pantry. My mom always makes brittle or balls with peanuts and jaggery which we all adore. But I always liked brittle made with sugar. Also when you add more nuts, it is less guilt when you eat your sweet treat. The crunchy caramelized sugar with all the nuts makes my mouth water. It’s kid friendly and you can make it for the Halloween. Ingredients: Almonds – 3/4 cup Cashew nut – 1/4 cup Blanched peanuts (without skin) – 1/2 cup Sugar – 1 and 1/2 cups Ghee – 1 and 1/2 tbsp A pinch of baking soda Method of Preparation: Heat a pan and fry the nuts separately till it is slightly roasted. Do not let it change color. Or preheat oven...

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Happy Vinayagar Chaturthi and Ellu Urundai(Sesame Ladoos)

Posted by on Sep 19, 2012 in Slideshow, Snacks, Vinayagar Chaturthi | 3 comments

Happy Vinayagar Chaturthi 2012 !!! Ganesha Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival. It is the birthday of Lord Ganesha who is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 20 August and 15 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period). While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Outside India, it is celebrated...

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Kara Kozhukkattai for Ganesh Chaturthi

Posted by on Sep 18, 2012 in Appetizers, Indian Festival, Slideshow, Snacks, Vinayagar Chaturthi | 1 comment

Kara Kozhukkattai also known as Uppu Kozhukkattai or Ulundhu Kozhukkatai is another version of Indian rice dumpling filled with spicy puran. The filling consists of steamed and spiced urad dal along with coconut. I know!! it does sound a little different but belive me it tastes wonderful. For a long time being a sweet addict I have never touched the spicy version (kara kozhukkattai) inspite of my mom forcing me to eat. But after I started making these, I liked it so much (not as much as the sweet though…!) What a selfish act!!! Sorry mom.. Okay! Coming back to the dish… this is one of those dishes offered to Lord Ganesh on Ganesh Chaturthi or any regular day. The spicy filling is very easy to make. You can refer my Sweet Puran Kozhukkatai for making the dough. I have...

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Gajar Ka halwa (Carrot Pudding)

Posted by on Dec 10, 2011 in Desserts | 9 comments

If there is a way to make a vegetable taste heavenly this has to be it. It’s been  long overdue to publish this recipe. Everytime I make it somehow Ialways missed to take pics of it. This time my MIL made it and I finally took the pics. It was really delicious. Gajar (Carrot) Halwa is a traditional Punjabi dish made with carrots and milk.  The perfect way to eat this halwa is with some of your favorite ice cream. It taste absolutely delicious. I am already drooling here. Try this recipe and let me know how it came out for you.   Preparation Time : 45 minutes No Of servings : 4-5 Ingredients: Carrots : 2 cups ( grated and shredded) Milk : 2 cups Butter(unsalted) or Ghee : 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar : 1/4 cup Cardamom Powder...

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Chocolate Truffles (Version 2)

Posted by on Nov 16, 2011 in Cookies and Cakes, Desserts, Thanksgiving Recipes | 9 comments

For this Thanksgiving we are planning to visit my sister-in-law. I want to try lots of cookies and chocolates for the two sweet little kids. Today I tried making simple chocolate truffles. It took just 5 minutes for the preparation and they are really yummy. Time of Preparation : 5 minutes and 2 hours for refrigeration No of truffles : 24 Ingredients: Semi sweet chocolate chips – 1 1/2 cups Sweetened condensed milk – 1/2 can Vanilla extract – 2 tsp For coating – color sprinkles, cocoa powder, chopped nuts Method of Preparation: Take a wide pan and melt the chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat, add the vanilla extract and stir it. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until they become firm. Take it out and roll them to 24 equal sized balls. Roll...

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