Baked Mango Karanji

I have already posted recipe for baked Karanji. But this one is with a twist. While surfing on the net I came through the recipe of mango laddoos and instantly thought of preparing karanjis using mango flavour. Rest of the recipe is the for karanjis as poste earlier ; here is the link:

http://i-m-not-a-chef.blogspot.com/2010/11/baked-karanjis.html

For stuffing:-

2 cups of Grated coconut

1 cup Mango Pulp

 

Finely Chopped Dry Fruits of your choice

2 tsp. Cardamom Powder

 

1 tin of Condensed Milk

 

1 cup Milk Powder

 

Mix everything together except cardomom powder and cook it in the microwave till the time mixture thickens completely. Remove it from the Microwave and add cardomom powder. Mix. Let it cool down before you start making karanjis.

 

 

 

Follow the remaining procedure as mentioned in the link posted above.

 

 

 

 

Singhara Barfi

Singhara flour is an ingredient that is commonly used for making various dishes during fasts. You can prepare many mouth watering dishes with singhara flour, such as kheer, ladoo, Thalipeeth (Pancake),  burfi etc.; it can also be used  as a binding agent while making Sabudana wadas , kachoris. Singhara burfi is a sweet dish that you can enjoy with other meals that you have eat during fasting. Its very simple to make and tastes yummy; so lets take a look at ingredients:-

1/2 Cup MilkPowder/ Khoya

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Singhara flour (Water chestnut flour)
3-4 Tbsp Ghee
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Tsp Cardamom Powder 

1. Stir-fry flour in ghee in a heavy pan to a light pink color over low flame. 
2. Next stir in milk powder / khoya and roast it too for a while along with the flour. 
3. Now add the powdered sugar and milk and mix it well. Also mix in cardamom powder. Let the mixture get cooked completely. When the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan that is when it is completely cooked. The mixture will look brownish in colour.
4. Transfer the mixture into the greased tray.  Level it, decorate it with chopped cashewnuts/almonds. ( I used desicated coconut) and cool it.

5. When cool and set, cut into pieces, using a sharp knife.The Barfi is ready to serve.

तिळगुळ घ्या गोड बोला

In Maharashtra on the Makar Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguls made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Gul-polis(jaggery stuffed flat bread) are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends. So lets get started with the recipe:-

1 cup Dark Jaggery (Chikkicha Gul)...I didnt have any so I used the normal jaggery instead; it works but you cannot get the desired colour.

3/4 cup Sesame seeds ( Roasted)

1/4 cup Roasted crushed peanuts

Pinch of Cardamom powder and Nutmeg powder each

1 tsp Water

2 tsp. Ghee

1. In a microwave safe bowl add tsp.of ghee, jaggery and microwave for 2 minutes stirring after every one minute. (Microwave setting for each microwave differs, so try to cook it accordingly.)

2. Remove it and add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and a teaspoon of water in melted jaggery, stir well. Add crushed peanuts, roasted sesame seeds and mix well.

3. Now grease the tray or a plate with the remaining ghee and spread this mixture evenly by using any bowl, spatula. Make sure if you are using a bowl; grease the bowl as well to avoid sticking the mixture to the bowl.

4. Make marking using knife and let it to rest for 30 minutes.

5. Now separate tilgul vadis and serve.

Baked Karanjis

I know Diwali's come and gone, but indulge me with this post.  I had a busy week making the faral (snacks or munchis, mostly fried, like this one), cleaning the house and cooking for the  Diwali bash. So did not get time to make these karanjis. I made them earlier this week; with the twist of  baking them and not frying. Also I used the Stuffing of fresh grated coconut and Jaggery; not sugar. This is not a completely healthy or diet recipe as I have added lot of ghee while making the dough. Without ghee karanji will become dry and may get burned while baking. Just read on for the recipe:-

For Covering:-

3/4 cup Fine Sooji/Rava

1/4 cup Maida/ Refined Flour

Pinch of salt

4 tsp. Ghee (Clarified butter)

For Stuffing:-

2 cups of Grated coconut

1 cup grated Jaggery

Dry Fruits of your choice ( I used almonds and cashewnuts)

A pinch of Saffron

1 tsp. Cardamom Powder

Make the Dough:-

1. Mix in all the ingredients mentioned above for covering and with the help of milk; knead into a semi soft dough. 

2. Keep it covered with a damp cloth at least for 30 mins. 

3. Divide into equal portions and shape them into balls. Keep them covered with a damp cloth.

Make the Stuffing:-

In a microwave bowl, Mix in the ingredients listed for stuffing and microwave it about 7-8 mins. string it after every 2 mins. 

Make the Karanjis:-

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180°C.

2.Take one ball of dough and using rolling pin, roll it into a puri .

3. Place stuffing on the puri proportionately and fold the puri to form a semi circle (karanji).

4. Fold and press the edges of the karanji. Make design by using fork.

5. In the similar way prepare all the karanjis.

6. Now place all karanjis on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil.

7. apply some ghee on top of karanjis. (optional; I didn't...instead I added this extra ghee into the dough earlier)

8. Bake them at 180°C for about 40 mins or till the karanjis get light golden brown colour from both sides. Do not make them too brown as it will burn the filling. The Baked Karanjis are now ready to serve.

Orange Coconut ladoo

The Clementine is a hybrid between tangerine (Citrus reticulata) and orange (Citrus sinensis). The fruits of Clementine mandarins are seedless, and sweet most of the times unlike oranges. For more info on clementine visit the following website:- 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clementine
Why am I giving you all this information?...coz.....I had a bag full of sour clementines lying in my refrigerator for a long time and I kept thinking how will i finish all of them.....  :-( :-(
and then I prepared this recipe...I don't know if I can call this as my invention; because there is nothing extra ordinary in this... :-)

Here is what you will need:-
1 cup fresh coconut.
3/4 cup of Sugar.
1/4 cup of Milk ( i used 3.5%)
cardamom powder 1 pinch
Oranges/Clementine - 2 nos.
Orange Juice - 2 tbsp (optional)
Cashewnut Powder Coarse - 1 tbsp.
Almond Powder Coarse - 1 tbsp.
Desi Ghee - 1tbsp.

1. Stew the orange/clementine peels in sugar syrup for about 5 mins. ( only if they are sour; else u can use it like that). The hitch here is after stewing; they get discoloured a bit. Drain the oranges and run cold water to prevent further discolouration.
2. Roughly chop the stewed oranges. Keep them aside3. Grind the coconut in to the blender along with the sugar, don't make it like a paste. Just blend it once or twice.
4. Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of Desi ghee, now add the chopped oranges.

 4. Add the coconut paste into this, and mix it well. keep on a low to medium flame and keep stirring constantly.
5. After 3-4 minutes add milk, cashewnut and almond powder. The mixture will be kind of liquid like consistency at this time. Keep stirring constantly. You can also add the readymade orange juice for better taste.

6. Add a pinch of cardamom powder.
7. The mixture will start getting thicker and thicker. When it reaches to a consistency where a spoon you are working with could stand in the mixture on it's own, (See the picture below) you can switch off the heat.

8. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then shape ladoos. Your Orange and coconut ladoos are ready.

 

Re-posting this for a Lovely event "Food palette series" hosted by Akheela.

गणपती बाप्पा मोरया... मंगलमुर्ती मोरया.....!!

गणपती बाप्पा मोरया... मंगलमुर्ती मोरया.....!!

Ganesh Festival is that special festival of Maharashtra which is celebrated for 10 days with great pomp all over the state. Before starting any new venture we believe in praying to Lord Ganesh or Ganapati Bappa as he lovingly called in Marathi. It is believed that Ganapati can remove any obstacles that may be a hindrance in your way to success and that is the reason why any new venture is first started by praying to Lord Ganapati.

Although 4 days late, But still I wish you all A Very Happy Ganesh Festival. Yes, the picture above is of the Ganapati idol at my maternal home this year....and we are missing all the fun here in Germany where things are definitely nowhere as exciting as they are; back in Pune :-(........

Special sweets are prepared on Ganesh Festival with the Modaks taking the place of pride but what I have prepared this time for the Prasad is flavoured Pedhas. So people...just read on for the recipe:-

Milk Powder - 2 cups

Milkmaid - 1 tin (300 ml)

Ghee - 1/2 Cup

Saffron few strands (soaked in warm milk)

Cardamom powder - 2 tsp.

Salt - 4-5 grains

Milk - 3-4 tsp.

For more Colours and flavours I used Chocolate Sauce - 2 tsp. and Strawberry Crush - 2 tsp.

(but was very disappointed with the colour that I got after adding the Strawberry crush...but never mind...it tasted awesome)

For decoration I used chopped Almonds..

1. Take a large wide mouthed microwave safe bowl and heat the ghee just until it melts.

2. Now add both the condensed milk and milk powder and microwave on full power for 4 –5 mins stirring after every minute.

3. Now divide the dough in 3 portions and add saffron, in one part. Also add cardamom powder in all 3 parts. Mix with the dough and microwave again for another 4 to 5  more mins. 

4. Similarly mix chocolate sauce and strawberry crush in the remaining two parts and microwave again for another 4 to 5  more mins. 

5. The mixture kind of begins to thicken and also rise up. Be very careful when microwaving the hot mixture. Do not forget to stir frequently.

6. Cool the mixture  for a good 10 mins until it is warm enough for you to handle. It get's the consistency of chapati dough.

7. Now roll the pedhas. If you do this while the dough is still warm the Pedhas will roll into smooth balls.

8. If you feel that the mixture has become too dry to roll out; then add a tsp or two of milk and microwave the mixture again for a minute or two. Then let it cool down a little bit for you to handle it again. 

9. Decorate Pedhas with Almonds or any nuts of your choice....and the Pedhas are ready.

Narali Bhat (Coconut Rice) and Awards ( Re-posting for the Event)

Re-Posting this for the lovely  Festive rice event hosted by Akheel at Torview.

Let me begin this post by wishing all my readers  A VERY HAPPY RAKSHABANDHAN DAY and its Narali Purnima for we Maharashtrians. 

Coconut Day festival or Narali Purnima takes place in Maharasthra and also coincides with Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Purnima. Narali Purnima is celebrated on full moon day in the month of Shravan.

Coconut Day festival or Narali Purnima is celebrated each year with loads of fun by the people of Maharashtra namely the fishermen on the full moon day in the month of Shravan. The fishermen who have an endless love for the ocean offer coconuts to the sea-god Varuna who protects them from the wrath of the seas. The festival arrives at the fag end of the monsoons and the fisherman’s offering of the coconuts symbolizes the end of the monsoons and also the end of their troubles. It marks the beginning of the new fishing season. They please the gods before venturing out in the waters in their decorated boats. They pray to the sea-god that he may protect them from all the dangers and allow them to sail safely. 

Narali bhat is made on 'Narali Pournima' day, a 'coconut festival' and so I prepared it today. Read on for the recipe but before that I was bumped with the versatile blogger award by Rach.  

She has lovely collection of non-vegetarian recipes, though she has collection of some veg recipes as well ..but her non-veg collection is really something to watch out for…Do visit her blog and enjoy some lip smacking recipes from her space. As per the rule I need to share it with 15 blogger friends and tell 7 things about me.

so here it goes:-

1. Just as the name of my blog says...I am definitely not a chef..even though I have done Hotel Management; I didn't have much interest in cooking until recently.

2. I keep cooking and trying new recipes only because I have lot of free time right now.

3. Love to watch Movies a lot.

4. Like talking on Phone a lot...hehe.. ;-)

5. Love to swim.

6. Very much interested in doing adventure sports; hopefully I'll get a chance to do that..

7. and last but not least; like to listen music.

And I am very happy to share this award with all my lovely blogger buddies as I think its very unfair to share it with only 15 friends.... So, would like to share the awards with all my blogger friends. Please feel free to accept it.

Also, Akheela of Torview has presented this Thank You Award/Card for joining in her Cold Desserts event.

Wonderful collection of dessert recipes, she has posted in this event…! Check out her space…!
Thanks Akheela, for this Inspiring Award Certificate…!

phewwww.....  :-) and now coming to the festive recipe...

here is what you will need:-

Cooked Rice - 1 cup

Grated Jaggery  - 1/2 cup

Grated fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.

Cloves (Laung) - 4-5

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Pinch of saffron soaed in warm milk

Raisins, Almonds chopped(Optional)- 1 tbsp.

1. Wash rice, keep it soaked for half an hour in water and cook it. (When you cook rice; make sure that it does not become soggy, it should exactly be like the one we use it for Fried Rice or Pulao preparation.....basically the grain should be separated)

2. Mix grated coconut and jaggery. Heat Ghee and fry the nuts if you are using. Remove and keep them aside.

3. Now into the Ghee add the Cloves and saute for few seconds. Then Add the coconut mixture and rice to it.

4. Mix well and let the jaggery melt completely. At this time also add the soaked saffron and mix.

5. Add the nuts (Optional), cardamom powder to it Mix well and its ready. Serve hot.

Note:- You can also use sugar instead of Jaggery.

This festive dish goes to the lovely event Color Your Palate-"A Visual Treat"...... hosted by Sanyukta from Creative Sanyukta.  Do visit her space for some wonderful collection of recipe and even more beautiful and wonderful presentations.

Strawberry Barfi

Love Strawberries? The Strawberry Ice-cream?  The taste? Well then read up........One more recipe containing strawberries........ You will love it.....Strawberry Barfi...

This is the list of Ingredients that you need:- 

Grated Strawberries (fresh) - 1/2 Cup

Ghee  1/2 tbsp.

Milkmaid- 100 ml

Sugar If required 

Milk - ½ Cup

Cashews – Finely sliced for Decoration

Cashew Powder-1 ½ tbsp.

Salt a pinch

  

Heat Ghee. Add grated strawberries and fry well for 5-6 mins.

Now add the cashew powder and fry again for a min. Then add the condensed milk 

(milkmaid) and milk and fry till the strawberries are cooked completely. Sugar can also be added if required at this stage.

Now add a pinch of salt ( just a few grains) and mix it well. Remove from fire when it becomes a thick mixture.

Apply ghee on a plate and spread the mixture on it evenly. Sprikle sliced cashews on top.

Leave it to set for some time. When set firmly, cut the burfi into pieces of desired shape. Store it in the refrigerator.

Apple Barfi

An Apple a day keeps the Doctor away…..and if the doctor is handsome….keep the apple away….  :p

Few days back I saw a video of Making Apple Barfi using Khoya. I have just modified the recipe a bit , as I added milkmaid instead of Khoya and some dry fruits. (:-( you know….our so called Indian shop here…does not sell Khoya)

And it came out really good, than I expected it would be :) !!

So this is the list of Ingredients that you need:-  

Grated Apple  2 nos. (small)

Ghee 1 tbsp.

Milkmaid 100 ml

Sugar If required  

Milk  ½ Cup

Cinnamon Powder 1 tsp.

Almonds Finely sliced for Decoration

Almond Powder 1 ½ tbsp.

Salt a pinch

   
1. Heat Ghee. Add grated apple and fry well for 5-6 mins.

2. Now add the almond powder and fry again for a min. Then add milkmaid and milk and fry till the apple is completely cooked.Sugar can also be added if required at this stage.

3. Now add the cinnamon powder, a pinch of salt ( just a few grains) and mix it well. Remove from fire when it becomes a thick mixture.

4. Apply ghee on a plate and spread the mixture on it evenly. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top. 

5. Leave it to set for some time. When set firmly, cut the burfi into pieces of desired shape.

Choco Coconut Delights

The name itself makes my mouth water… I am one of those numerous people in this world who go weak in their knees at the first mention of the word ‘chocolate’.

 … well its so easy and quick to make these ladoos,  I bet every kid wouldn’t mind doing it on their own!

For this you Need:-

Chocolate, grated 1 cup

Condensed milk 2-3 tablespoons

Cashewnuts, crushed 1/4 cup

Desiccated coconut 2 1/2 cups

Almonds, coarsely ground 1/2 cup

This is how you do it:-

 

1. Melt grated chocolate in a Microwave oven  for one minute.

2. Take two cups of desiccated coconut in a bowl and keep the remaining in plate.

3.  Add almond powder and cashewnut  powder and mix.

4.  Take chocolate out of the microwave oven and whisk with a spoon till smooth.

5.  Add it to the desiccated coconut mixture. Add two tablespoons of condensed milk and mix well. 

6.  If required add one more tablespoon of condensed milk and mix. Shape into small laddoos. 

7.  Roll them in the remaining desiccated coconut and arrange on a plate.