DRY GULAB JAMUN | EASY SWEET

Dry Gulab Jamun is similar to usual gulab jamun with sugar syrup. But here, after deep frying the dough balls, immediately it is rolled over powdered sugar. 

The sweetness will be mild and is easy to serve. Adding powdered sugar while kneading the dough is a must so that the inner layer tastes sweeter.

Video recipe of dry gulab jamun

INGREDIENTS:
Gulab jamun mix - 200g
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Oil - to deep fry

METHOD:
1. Powder the sugar along with cardamom.
2. Add mix to a bowl along with a tsp of powdered sugar and ghee.
3. Knead to a soft dough by adding water little by little.
4. Make small balls of desired size.
5. Deep fry in oil on low flame so that the inner portion gets cooked.
6. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl.
7. Remove balls when it turns golden brown and add to the powdered sugar immediately.
8. Roll well on sugar and arrange on a plate.
9. Tasty Dry gulab jamun is ready.

Stepwise recipe with pictures:
1. Powder the sugar along with cardamom.

2. Add mix to a bowl along with a tsp of powdered sugar and ghee.

3. Knead to a soft dough by adding water little by little.

4. Make small balls of desired size.

5. Deep fry in oil on low flame so that the inner portion gets cooked.

6. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl.
7. Remove balls when it turns golden brown and add to the powdered sugar immediately.

8. Roll well on sugar and arrange on a plate.
9. Tasty Dry gulab jamun is ready.

AVAL MIXTURE | POHA MIXTURE | EASY SNACK | POHA CHIVDA

Aval/ Poha mixture is an easy snack than can be done in minutes if all the ingredients are kept ready. It is suitable for beginners, since all the ingredients are deep fried one by one and mixed with spice and salt. The ingredients may vary according to individual preference. Use less quantity of oil for deep frying, since the oil cannot be reused. While deep frying, add aval and remove immediately from oil otherwise it might drink oil.

It is done using thick aval, ground nut, cashew nut, almonds, raisins/kismis, etc. along with turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Dry coconut bits can also be added to this mixture.

Video recipe of Aval Mixture

INGREDIENTS:

Thick Aval/Poha - 1 cup

Cashew nut - 15

Ground nut - 1/4 cup

Badam - 10

Kismis/ Raisins - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves - little

Roasted Split gram - 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Oil - to deep fry

METHOD:

• Heat oil in a tawa, add cashews and roast till golden brown.
• Transfer to a plate with a tissue on it, so that extra oil will be absorbed.
• Roast ground nut, badam, kismis and curry leaves one by one and transfer to the plate.
• Add aval little by little in batches and roast for few seconds and remove from oil.
• Transfer all to a bowl, add roasted split gram.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and mix thoroughly when warm.
• Healthy and Crispy Aval Mixture is ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures:

1. Heat oil in a tawa, add cashews and roast till golden brown.

2. Transfer to a plate with a tissue on it, so that extra oil will be absorbed.

3. Roast ground nut, badam, kismis and curry leaves one by one and transfer to the plate.

4. Add aval little by little in batches and roast for few seconds and remove from oil.

5. Transfer all to a bowl, add roasted split gram.

6. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and mix thoroughly when warm.

7. Healthy and Crispy Aval Mixture is ready.

COCONUT BURFI | EASY BURFI | BEGINNER'S RECIPE

Coconut Burfi is one of the Simplest traditional sweet done on festive occasions. It is suitable for beginners, since there may not be any complications while doing this recipe. This recipe is done using fresh coconut, sugar and milk. Even dessicated coconut can be used. But, fresh coconut tastes better even though the burfis will not be that much white in colour since little bit of brown part of the coconut sticks while grating. 

For pure white burfis, dessicated coconut can be used. Otherwise, coconut should be placed in the freezer compartment for an hour or two, so that the white part alone can be grated.

Video recipe of Coconut Burfi

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh Coconut - 3 cups

Sugar - 1 cup

Milk -1 cup

Cardamom - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 1 and 1/4 tsp

* use the same cup of measuring

METHOD:

• In a tawa, add coconut, sugar and milk.
• Place on flame and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Always keep the flame to medium till it turns watery.
• At first, the sugar gets blended together.
• After stirring for few minutes it becomes watery.
• Keep on stirring in low flame so that it doesn't get burnt.
• Add  1 tsp of ghee and cardamom powder and keep on stirring.
• After some more time, the it thickens.
• When it starts coming together, add to a tray greased with ghee.
• Level it using a spoon.
• Rest for an hour.
• Draw lines of desired shape and size.
• Tasty Coconut Burfi is ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures:

1. In a tawa, add coconut, sugar and milk.

2. Place on flame and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Always keep the flame to medium till it turns watery.

4. At first, the sugar gets blended together.

5. After stirring for few minutes it becomes watery.

6. Keep on stirring in low flame so that it doesn't get burnt.

7. Add  1 tsp of ghee and cardamom powder and keep on stirring.

8. After some more time, the it thickens.

9. When it starts coming together, add to a tray greased with ghee.

10. Level it using a spoon.

11. Rest for an hour.

12. Draw lines of desired shape and size.

13. Tasty Coconut Burfi is ready.

BOMBAY HALWA | CORN FLOUR HALWA | SOFT HALWA

Bombay Halwa/ Karachi Halwa is done using Corn flour/Corn Starch along with Sugar. Instead of adding artificial food colour, sugar has been caramelised to get a tinge of colour since corn flour is white in colour. Even Saffron can be added to get a tinge of yellow colour. There is no string consistency for sugar syrup, but this recipe needs stirring and mixing for atleast 20 to 25 minutes to get the required result. So, there should be no interruption while we are into this recipe. 

Corn flour has the tendency to get thicker in quick time, so it has to be continuously stirred. Lemon juice is added to prevent crystallization. The recipe is really soft and melts in mouth. Almonds and nuts of desired choice can be used for garnishing. Here, Cashews have been used. See blog for

• Papaya Halwa
• Wheat Halwa

Video recipe of Corn Halwa/ Bombay Halwa

INGREDIENTS:

Corn flour - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Water - 1 cup for dissolving sugar

Ghee - 3 tsp

Lemon Juice - 1/4 tsp

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

* Water - 3/4 cup for dissolving Corn flour

* Sugar - 1 tsp for Caramelisation

METHOD:

• In a bowl, add corn flour and water, mix well without lumps.
• In a tawa, add a tsp of sugar.
• Saute well for 2 to 3 minutes for it to caramelise.
• Light brown starts to appear.
• Add 3/4 cup sugar and 1 cup of water to the same tawa and allow to boil.
• The caramelised sugar will get blended together while boiling.
• When it starts boiling, mix the corn flour mixture and add to the syrup.
• Keep on stirring to avoid lumps.
• Add lemon juice and keep on stirring.
• The mixture will start to thicken.
• Add a tsp of ghee and keep on mixing.
• The mixture will become transparent, add ghee and mix again.
• Add ghee at regular intervals till it turns glossy.
• It will take 20 minutes approximately to reach the consistency.
• Add cardamom powder and mix again.
• Add chopped cashews and mix well.
• After some more minutes, the halwa starts to come together and ghee releases.
• Transfer to a grease tray/plate and level it.
• Garnish with chopped Cashews and level with a spoon.
• Cool for an hour and cut as desired.
• Soft and melting Bombay Halwa/ Corn flour Halwa is ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures:

1. In a bowl, add corn flour and water, mix well without lumps.

2. In a tawa, add a tsp of sugar.

3. Saute well for 2 to 3 minutes for it to caramelise.

4. Light brown starts to appear.

5. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 1 cup of water to the same tawa and allow to boil.

6. The caramelised sugar will get blended together while boiling.

7. When it starts boiling, mix the corn flour mixture and add to the syrup.

8. Keep on stirring to avoid lumps.

9. Add lemon juice and keep on stirring.

10. The mixture will start to thicken.

11. Add a tsp of ghee and keep on mixing.

12. The mixture will become transparent, add ghee and mix again.

13. Add ghee at regular intervals till it turns glossy.

14. It will take 20 minutes approximately to reach the consistency.

15. Add cardamom powder and mix again.

16. Add chopped cashews and mix well.

17. After some more minutes, the halwa starts to come together and ghee releases.

18. Transfer to a grease tray/plate and level it.

19. Garnish with chopped Cashews and level with a spoon.

20. Cool for an hour and cut as desired.

21. Soft and melting Bombay Halwa/ Corn flour Halwa is ready.

RIBBON PAKODA | NADA MURUKKU | RIBBON MURUKKU

Ribbon pakoda is a popular South Indian Snack done during festive seasons. It is done using besan flour, rice flour sprinkled with hot oil and knead to dough by adding water, along with other spices. The ratio of besan flour and rice flour may vary according to individual preference. The addition of spices may also vary. Here, the amount of besan flour is more than rice flour, to give a touch of softness and crispiness. 

The dough should not be like chappathi dough. It needs to be sticky, so that it gives a nice texture. Adding hot oil while kneading is a must, to give crispiness to the recipe. If the oil is not hot while deep frying, the ribbon pakodas will absorb too much of oil. 

Video recipe of Ribbon Pakoda:

INGREDIENTS:

Besan flour - 1 & 1/4 cup

Rice flour - 3/4 cup

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

• In a bowl, add besan flour and rice flour.
• Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin, pepper powder, salt and asafoetida.
• Mix well and add 2 tsp of hot oil.
• Mix thoroughly with hands, so that the oil gets blended.
• Add water little by little and knead to slightly sticky dough.
• Take a murukku maker and add the nozzle used for ribbon pakoda.
• Grease with little oil and add a portion of dough and close it.
• Heat oil, keep the flame in high, squeeze directly in the oil.
• See to that it is not over crowded.
• After a minute, gently turn to the other side with a ladle and lower the flame.
• Fry till golden brown and sizzling of the oil stops.
• Remove the pakodas from oil.
• Crispy and tasty Ribbon Pakoda is ready.

Step wise pictures of the recipe:

1. In a bowl, add besan flour and rice flour.

2. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin, pepper powder, salt and asafoetida.

3. Mix well and add 2 tsp of hot oil.

4. Mix thoroughly with hands, so that the oil gets blended.

5. Add water little by little and knead to slightly sticky dough.

6.Take a murukku maker and add the nozzle used for ribbon pakoda.

7. Grease with little oil and add a portion of dough and close it.

8. Heat oil, keep the flame in high, squeeze directly in the oil.

9. See to that it is not over crowded.

10. After a minute, gently turn to the other side with a ladle and lower the flame.

11. Fry till golden brown and sizzling of the oil stops.

12. Remove the pakodas from oil.

13. Crispy and tasty Ribbon Pakoda is ready.