Diwali Sweets- Churmi ladoo.

Churmi ladoo popularly called as "churmundo" at my home is everybody's favourite ladoo. I vividly remember my mamama (maternal grandmother) preparing 'dabbas' of these ladoos with home-made pure ghee & distributing it to everone in the family.

 It was particularly popular with us children. This ladoo is very nutritious &  yummy to have with a glass of warm milk. 

It is particularly good for growing children & women in post-partum. The addition of dry fruits leads to added nutrition.

Churmi ladoo/Panjiri ladoo-

Servings- makes 15 ladoos of medium size            Cooking time-  30 minutes

Ingredients-

                     1 cup/ 1 pav of whole wheat flour/ atta.

                     1/2 cup of powdered sugar.

                     4 tbsp of ghee/ clarified butter.

                     2 tsp elaichi/ cardamom powder.

                     A handful of golden raisins.

Procedure-

• Measure 1/2 a cup of sugar & along with elaichi/cardamom; powder it to a fine consistency in a dry mixer. Keep it aside.
•  Measure 1 cup of whole wheat flour/atta. Roast it on low flame; till till gives out a nutty aroma. This will take about 10 minutes.
• Then, add 4 tablespoons of ghee, mix throughly & continue roasting for another 2 minutes.
• Switch off the flame. Add golden raisins & powdered sugar with elaichi/cardamom when the mixture is hot only. Mix everything throughly.
• Make ladoos when the mixture is hot only (warm enough to handle).
• Store in an air tight container, once it cools to room temperature. Stays good for a month.
• Serve with a warm glass of milk. 

      

Diwali Namkeen- Pova Chivda.

"Chewda" as it is popularly called at my home is a perfect low calorie, healthy snack to munch on anytime. It is particularly made during Diwali/Deepavali in many households. The pova/ rice flakes can be replaced by corn flakes in this mixture to make a Cornflake mixture- the recipe of which i will be posting soon..

In spite of addition of dry coconut/copra flakes, I make it sure to add some freshly grated coconut scrapings; just before eating to enhance the taste of this mixture. It makes an excellent accompaniment with Upma/ Chow chow bhath as well. I prefer to have it with tea as an evening snack.

Pova Chivda/ Phova Chewda-

Ingredients-
                     1/2 kg of thin pova/ phova/ rice flakes.
                     1 cup/ 1 pav of peanuts/ groundnuts.
                     1/4 cup of roasted gram/ hurigadale/ pottukadale.
                     1/4 cup of dry coconut/copra flakes.
                     10-15 cashewnuts.
                     25-30 golden raisins.
                     4- 5 sticks of fresh curry leaves.
                     2 tsp of mustard seeds.
                     1 tsp of turmeric powder/haldi.
                     2 tbsp of red chilli powder.
                     2 tbsp of sugar.
                     2 tbsp of table salt.
                     4 tbsp of cooking oil.

Procedure-

• Start making chewda by measuring the required amount of ingredients & keep everything ready.
• We need to lightly dry roast the required amount of peanuts & de-skin them. You can make them into halves as well.
• The cashewnuts can be halved or quarted as well.
• Chop & keep the dry copra flakes aside.
• In a small bowl, mix turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar & salt. Keep aside.
• In a kadai, lightly roast the pova in batches using about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
• Take the roasted pova in a large bowl & immediately mix the powders when the pova is warm to touch. All the pova should be coated by the powder-mixture.
• In the same kadai, heat the remaining cooking oil & roast mustard seeds, curry leaves, copra flakes,peanuts, cashewnuts, hurigadale in the same order; one after the other. There is no need to roast them separately.
•  Add the roasted pova to the mixture & lightly turn over in the kadai.
• Once everything gets mixed well; roast the golden raisins with a little oil in a separate kadai - till they puff up & add to the above mixture.
• Mix everything throughly once again & allow it to cool down to room temperature.
• Store in an air tight container. Stays good for a month.
• Serve with freshly grated coconut scrapings.  

                     

Tasted & Tried- Sweet Tukdi/ Shakkar pare.

Sweet tukdi/ Shakkar pare- 

Servings-  2 cups/200 gms                   Cooking time- 1 & 1/2 hrs.

Ingredients-

• 1 cup / 1 pav of all purpose flour/ maida
• 1 tbsp of hot ghee/oil
• 1/4 tsp of table salt
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp of elaichi/cardamom powder
• oil for deep frying

 Procedure- 

• Measure 1/2 a cup of sugar & along with elaichi/cardamom; powder it to a fine consistency in a dry mixer. Keep it aside.
• In a large bowl, mix maida & table salt. Add a table spoon of hot oil & mix well with fingers. 
• Add water in parts to the above mixture & knead into a firm dough.
• You can keep it aside for 30 minutes & continue or start immediately rolling the dough to make chapatis.
• Using a rolling pin & flat board; roll the dough into thin chapatis. Make it as thin as possible.
• Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter; cut it into small squares or diamond shaped pieces.
• Collect the pieces on a plate.
• Heat oil in a kadai to smoking point & deep fry the tukdis in hot oil on medium flame.
• Spread it out on a paper towel to absorb extra oil.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar & allow it to coat the hot tukdis.
• Store in air tight container, after it cools down to room temperature.
• Stays good for a month.
• Enjoy with a cup of tea as a snack.

 

Navarathri special- Rava/Sooji Ladoo.

"Rave unde" as it is popularly called is a very simple ingredient, easy to make & delicious to eat sweet from Karnataka, my state..

I vividly remember tasting these ladoos in train travels from my childhood days. It was never prepared at home coz of lack of knowledge regarding the recipe. Both my paternal & maternal grandmothers were experts in various other ladoos but, not this one here.My mother-in-law makes these ladoos & my husband likes them quite a lot. I tried making these & got them right, the second time. It's currently my daughter's favourite ladoo.. 

These laddos are yummy to have with a glass of warm milk. They can be had for breakfast as well.

Rava Ladoo/ Sooji Ke Ladoo-

Servings- Makes around 15 medium sized ladoos.               Cooking time- 30 minutes.

Ingredients-

                    1 cup/1 pav chiroti rava

                    1/2 cup powdered sugar

                    1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut or 1/4 cup of dry copra scrapings

                    1/4 cup of previously boiled & cooled milk

                    2 tbsp of ghee/clarified butter

                    2 elaichi/cardamom pods

                    8-10 cloves

                    8-10 cashewnuts

                    15-20 golden raisins

Procedure-

• Powder half a cup of sugar along with the cardamom & cloves in a dry mixer. Keep aside.
• Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a kadai & roast the chiroti rava for 6-8 minutes. It need not change color, just let it become fragrant, loose & crumbly.
• Take the roasted rava mixture into a large bowl.
• In the same kadai, heat the remaining ghee & roast the cashews to a golden brown color. Add the freshly grated coconut or dry copra scrapings & roast for a while. It need not change color. Let it become fragrant.
• Add the powdered sugar & spice mix. Mix throughly. The sugar combines with the coconut & the mixture becomes moist. Add the golden raisins. Mix & switch off the stove.
• Add the mixture to the rava & mix throughly.
• Make ladoos when the mixture is hot only. Pour a few drops of milk at a time for help in binding the ladoos.
• Store it in an air tight container once cooled to room temperature.
• Serve with a glass of warm milk.

Note-

• Use only chiroti rava otherwise you may have to pulse & break the roasted rav in a dry mixer.
• Cloves make the laddos, very fragrant. Don't miss adding them.
• Freshly grated coconut gives a better taste to the ladoos than dry copra but, reduces the shelf-life.
• Milk reduces the shelf-life as well.
• It is better to make these ladoos in small quantities & refrigerate after 3-4 days.

                     

                    

Navarathri special- Benne muruku.

Breakfast Delight- Chow chow bhath with yummy pineapple pieces.

Methi Matar Pulao- Simple & Tasty recipe.