Sweet Pongal

'Makara Sankranti' is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India. In Tamil Nadu Sweet Pongal is prepared on this auspicious day. I learnt this delicious recipe from a dear friend of mine.

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup heaped
Moong Dal - 1/8 cup 
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Water - 3 cups(for cooking rice) + 1 and 1/4 cup(for jaggery syrup)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashews - 8 broken
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch

edible camphor (optional) a pinch







Method

1. Dissolve jaggery in boiling water, to dissolve easily. Then heat it up until for the remaining lumps to get dissolved, let it come to a rolling boil.
2. Switch off and strain to remove impurities.Then add edible camphor(a very tiny pinch not more than that) and cardamom. Keep aside
3. In a pressure cooker dry roast moong dal till golden brown.Then add rice and give a quick stir.Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for3-4 whistles until mushy.Mash it well.Then add jaggery syrup.
4. Add the jaggery syrup and cook well in medium flame for 5 mins.If it starts getting dry add milk and keep mixing till you get the pongal consistency. Roast the cashews & raisins in ghee and add to pongal.

Strawberry yogurt

'Beat the Heat'  is the mantra these days! With the mercury rising day by day, everyone will surely enjoy this cool strawberry yogurt. Replace strawberry with fruits of your choice like mango, kiwi
Ingredients (2 - 3 serving)
1/4 kg homemade curds
1 cup strawberries + extra to garnish
Sugar 1/4 cup (preferably powdered)

Method

1. Make hung curd by using a muslin cloth- Pour the curd in the muslin cloth and hang it to a tap for 4-5 hrs or overnight.
2. Wash the strawberries and remove the stalks. Blend the sugar and strawberries together. Add the hung curd and blend again.If the mixture is too dry add little milk to it to make it a smooth paste like consistency. Chill for good 2-3 hrs. Serve chilled with cut strawberry pieces.

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing

I'm currently in my homecity, Pune.I love catching up with my family and friends here. I baked these cupcakes for most of my friends here and they enjoyed it a lot! You just cant go wrong with these cupcakes..Give it a try and you will enjoy baking it for your loved ones

Ingredients

For cupcakes

200 gms plain flour

200 gms caster sugar

100 gms unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tbs cocoa powder

150 ml milk 

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

For icing

100 gms unsalted butter, softened

175 gms gms icing sugar

25 gms cocoa powder

sugar sprinklers (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add sugar, salt and butter. Mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla essence until well blended

Slowly pour in the eggs mixture to combine. Gently whisk until smooth. 

Place the paper cupcake cases into the trays. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cases, filling each only only half full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly coloured. Check with a toothpick, by inserting it in the muffin- it should come out clean.  Leave for few minutes, then transfer the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

For icing, beat together the butter, icing sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth.

Transfer the icing into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes. Decorate the cupcake with the sugar sprinklers of your choice.

One more variation to the above cupcakes which I baked for my daughter's 3rd birthday are Strawberry cupcakes with pink icing!

Strawberry cupcakes with pink icing

Use all the above ingredients for cupcake expect for the cocoa powder. Instead, use 3 tbs of strawberry crush (add to the egg mixture)

For the icing use 3-4 drops of food colour to make it pink in colour.

** These cupcakes can be stored upto 3 days in a airtight container

Amrakhanda

A mango flavored 'Amrakhanda' (mango flavoured hung curd) is a popular sweet dish in Maharashtra and prepared on the day of 'Gudi Padwa', which is the new year for Maharashtrians. It is a sweet dish which is best enjoyed on this particular day with fried puris. The mango puree is mixed with sweetened Shrikhand (hung curd). I have added small mango pieces to this Amrakhanda to give it a different twist.

Ingredients
home made Curd 1 Ltr 
1.5 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Alphanso mango pulp
saffaron 1 tsp ( mixed in 2 tbs of milk)
1 Alphanso mango cut into small pieces

Method 
Take a muslin cloth and put curd tightly in that cloth for whole night

Next morning, remove the hung curd in a large mixing bowl and add all other ingredients expect mango pieces and keep stirring for 10 mins unless it is properly mixed. Mix the saffron in this amrakhanda. Use a hand blender to make a smooth paste.

Garnish with mango pieces. Store in refrigerator and serve with hot puris.

Wheat Ladoos

Is your kid a fussy eater? These wheat laddos are the best option to give them as a mid day snack. Wheat is a healthy option to use in making ladoos. I have also added **'dinka', almonds powder to make it more healthier for kids. My little one loves to take these ladoos to her school or eat it as a mid day snack

Ingredients
1 cup of wheat atta
1/2 cup of desi ghee  (clarified butter)
3/4 cup of powdered sugar ( as per the sweet taste)
dinka 1 tbs
15 almonds

Method

1. Take some ghee in a kadhai,  add the wheat atta and roast till wheat changes colour to light brown or till you get that heavenly smell of the atta getting roasted.
2. Make almond powder by using a mixer grinder. Add this powder to the roasted atta. Mix well.
3. Take the remaining ghee in a small pan and fry the 'dinka' till they popup and become crispy. Cool the 'dinka' and crush well using back side of a 'katori'. Add the ghee to the roasted atta, add the 'dinka' powder, powdered sugar to the atta and mix all the ingredients well.
4. Make small ball shape ladoos. Can store the ladoos till a week.

** 'Dinka' is edible gum in English or popularly known as 'Gond ' in Hindi. It is very good source of calcium and growing bones

Gul Poli (Jaggery roti)

'Gul Poli' or Jaggery Roti is made in Maharashtra on 'Makar Sankrant' day. This is a festival of harvesting. It is called as 'Lohri' in North India, 'Pongal' in South India. Many people celebrate this festival by flying kites. 


Ingredients
For the filling
Jaggery (melted) 1 cup
Khus khus (poppy seeds) 3 tbs
Til (Sesame seeds)  2 tbs
Peanut powder (roasted) 1/4 cup
Besan 1/3 cup
Ghee 2 tbs (for roasting besan)
Cardamom powder 1 tsp or Nutmeg powder 1 tsp (any one of the powder)
pinch of salt (if the jaggery contains salt then do not put salt
Ghee or oil for roasting the rotis

For the roti (outer cover)
2 cups wheat atta (not heapful)
1/4 cup maida
salt ( a pinch)
Oil 2 tbs for mixing the atta
Water (as needed for kneading the dough)

Method

1. Put a double boiler and melt the jaggery. Measure it for a cup. Keep aside.
2. Dry roast khuskhus and make powder using a blender. 
3. Dry roast til and keep as is. (Do not make powder)
4. Roast peanuts and remove the skin and make powder.
5. Heat ghee in a small non stick pan and roast besan till it starts to leave aroma.
6. Mix all the above ingredients in step 2 to 5 in melted jaggery. Mix well. Add cardamom powder or  nutmeg powder
7.  knead the dough by mixing the wheat atta and maida and rest it for more than an hour.
8. Take a small ball of dough and take proportional filling and make paratha like rotis.
9. Roast with very little oil or ghee. 
10. Serve with ghee.
    
    Gul Poli  is always served with ghee. As Jaggery known to have lots of heat in it, it is recommended to eat this roti with ghee to balance the flavors with jaggery!

Carrot Halwa (Gajar ka Halwa)

My most favourite Indian sweet dish that I relish in winters is Carrot halwa or most popularly known as 'Gajar ka Halwa'. This is one of the most popular sweet dish in North India.

Ingredients
5 cups of grated carrot (1 kg Delhi carrots)
4 cups of boiled milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup khova (or 2 malai pedha if khova is not available)
10 almonds (blanched and cut in long pieces for garnish)
Cardamom 2-3 powdered (Optional)
pinch of salt
2 tbs of desi ghee (clarified butter)

Method

1. In a non stick pot heat the desi ghee and add the grated carrots. Cook for about 8-10 minutes. Add boiled milk and cook on low flame for about 1 hour stirring occasionally.
2.  Add sugar and mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
3.  Add the khova after milk has been absorbed. Stir well. Add blanched chopped almonds and powdered cardamom.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Almond cookies

This is the first time I tried making cookies. It was successful attempt! Hopefully will try some variations soon!!

Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Stir together flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. Stir flour and ground almond mixture into the creamed mixture. Mix with hands and make a dough. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for about 2 hours.
3. Shape dough into small balls and place them in the cookie cutter, flatten slightly with the index finger. Place them 2 inches apart; Preheat oven at 200°. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until set but not browned.

**Makes about 3 dozen almond cookies.

Choco- Walnut cake

Ingredients
1 cup walnut pieces
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tbs vanilla essence
1 cup brown sugar/ demerera sugar (powdered)

Method 

• Combine the  walnuts and 1/2 cup water in a blender or a food processor and puree to a coarse mixture
• Mix butter and powdered sugar till soft and creamy. Keep aside.
• Sieve wheat flour, add the baking powder. Keep aside.
• Beat the eggs with vanilla essence with help of your hand mixer. The eggs will become fluffy and light. Add this mixer to butter and sugar. Mix well. Add the wheat flour spoon by spoon. Finally add the walnuts. Combine well into a cake batter.
• Pre heat the oven/ microwave at 180 degree. Grease a baking dish. Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out clean.

Ukdiche Modak

'Ukdiche Modak' translated to english means steamed modaks. It is the 'prasad' done on Ganesha Chaturthi. It is Lord Ganesha's most favourite food. I'm using the plastic mould to make the modaks. Traditianally it is made with hands and giving it a shape like garlic pod.

Ingredients

For the stuffing
2 cups grated coconut
2 cups jaggery powder (If the jaggery is too sweet use little less than 2 cups)
2 tbs khus-khus (poppy seeds, roasted and powdered)


For the modaks cover
2 cups rice flour
3 cups water
1 tbs oil
pinch of salt 

Method 

1. For making the stuffing, mix grated coconut and jaggery and keep for 2-3 hours. Cook this mixture on low fire. The jaggery will start melting. Keep stirring from time to time. After sometime the jaggery and coconut will be cooked well and you will start getting amazing aroma!! The stuffing is done! Keep this aside to cool down.   

2. For the modak cover, boil 3 cups of water. Add little salt to the water. Once the water starts boiling add oil. Now add the rice flour and stir continuously. The dough will become thick. Mix well and cover the pot for 3-4 minutes. Let it steam for a while on low heat. Remove the dough and when it is half cooled, take very little water on your hands and knead the dough properly on a flat surface (preferably kitchen platform) to avoid the cover from breaking. (This is very important step. Else the cover will break while steaming.)

  3. Take little rice flour dough in your hands and make a small ball. Start flattening the ball as shown in the pic below.

4. Use your right hand to put the stuffing in this cover. 

 5. Pinch the cover as shown in the picture to give it a shape like modak!

 

6. Close the modak and put it in the mould (Grease the mould with some oil to avoid the cover from sticking to the mould) If you are using your hands keep on closing the corners one by one till you get a garlic pod like shape!

7. Close the mould and open it slowly and voila! Modaks are ready!!

8. When you are ready with all the modaks, grease a steel plate with little cooking oil. Steam the modaks in a idli steamer, cooker for 5-7 minutes. Enjoy this delicious sweet with desi ghee

Pound Cake

This is a recipe I have been using for many years now. The first time I tried my hands at baking was when I was in college. I'm a huge fan of pound cake and the perfect way to eat it is with a hot cup of chai (Tea). These days I prefer to use wheat flour for baking the pound cake! Here my recipe for the perfect pound cake...

Ingredients
400 gms wheat flour
200 gms unsalted butter (room temperature)
200 powdered sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
1 tbs baking powder
1 tbs vanilla essence
1 cup milk (if needed)
1/2 tps salt
1 lemon zest (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl sift wheat flour, baking powder and salt. Keep it aside
2. Pre heat oven/ microwave at 180°C. Butter the baking dish. Keep aside.
3. Using your spatula beat the butter and sugar till it is soft and creamy. Scrap the sides from time to time.

4. Beat the eggs with vanilla essence with help of your hand mixie. The eggs will become fluffy and light. Add this mixer to butter and mix well. The mixer will look cuddled but this is OK. 

5. Add the wheat flour and lemon zest (if using). Mix well until combined. You may feel the batter looks dry, add little milk to the batter till you get the right consistency (it should not be runny, make it into a thick paste like)  

6. Bake for about 50 to 60 mins or until the skewer inserted comes out clean. The top of your cake should be golden brown.  I baked a few in muffin stand

7. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack about 10 mins.  

8. You can store this cake in an air tight container for a week. Warm the cake a bit before serving it tastes better!!

Cold coffee

Summers have set in and so is the heat...Beat the heat with this easy to make and refreshing Cold Coffee!!


Ingrediants
1/2 litre full cream milk
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tbs instant coffee powder
1/2 tbs cocoa powder
4 tbs sugar
6-7 crushed ice cubes

Cold coffee

Method

• Dissolve instant coffee powder and sugar in boiling water and allow to cool.
• Blend the the coffee mixture, milk along with cocoa powder and crushed ice cubes in a blender for few seconds till it becomes frothy.
• Serve chilled.

Satyanarayana Prasad

Few days back there was a  "Satyanarayana Puja" at my friends place. I had the previledge to make the prasad. Many people here in Bangalore do not know how to make the Satyanarayana Prasad. Here is the recipe for you!

Ingredients:
Rava 1.5 cup
Sugar 1.5 cup
Ghee 1.5 cup
Milk 1.5 cup
Water 1.5 cup
Banana 1.5 cup

Method

1. Clean rava and fry in hot ghee till light brown on slow flame.
2. Mash the banana and add to the rava & ghee mixture. Cook the banana well.
3. Add sugar and mix well.
4. Add milk as required. Keep stirring while adding the milk. (If needed you can add more milk.)
5. Prasad is ready to be served.

*  Satyanarayana Puja - The Satyanarayana is a Hindu religious observance. It is a ritual performed by Hindus before/on any major occasion like marriage, house warming ceremony etc. It can also be performed on any day for any reason. It finds first mention in skandha puran