Gulab Jamun with gulkand.

Happy Diwali to all of you!!

 I wanted to make something my kids liked. My daughter loves gulab Jamun. This was also one of the first desserts that I made growing up. Gulab Jamun is nothing but dumplings in rose flavored sugar syrup. There are several ways gulab Jamun is made: using milk solids ( mawa/Chenna), using paneer, using flour, using milk powder, using potato or sweet potato too... I like the one with the milk solids the best.

 Today to make it quick and to use what is readily available, I have used milk powder and pancake mix!! Yes, most households have both of these in their pantry. I have made this interesting by adding more gulkand( a paste made from rose petals) and a little pink food color into the batter. It is festive season after all!! My daughter loved it!

I am sure you will like this easy recipe too.

Servings: 6-8 ( serving size: one per person) 

Ingredients: 

For the dumpling ( Jamun): 

Pancake mix: 1 cup

Milk powder: 1 cup 

Milk: 2 tbsp 

Gulkand: 2 tbsp ( optional)

Pink food color: 1-2 drops ( optional)

Ghee or oil: for frying and greasing hand. 

For the syrup:

Sugar: 2 cups

Water: 1 cup

Lemon juice: 1/2 tsp 

Rose essence: few drops ( optional)

Cardamom : 1-2 pods, peeled and seeds crushed.

Recipe: 

Syrup: 

Add water, lemon juice and sugar to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Continue boiling until it reaches 1-string consistency. This is checked by taking a little syrup in a spoon. Now touch the pad of your index finger to the syrup. Make a pinch with the thumb. While trying to separate the thumb and index finger, you should see a string formed by the sugar syrup. Then the sugar syrup is ready. Turn off the flame. Add rose essence and cardamom powder. 

The dumpling( Jamun): 

Add the pancake mix, milk powder, gulkand and food color to a bowl. Using few drops of milk at a time, make a soft dough but enough to roll into a ball. The dough shouldn't be too soft or too hard. Do not overknead. Pinch a teaspoon of the dough and roll it between grease palms into small oval shaped ball. Do this with all the available dough. 

Heat ghee/oil in a kadai/wok until just hot. Do not make it very hot as the Jamun will burn. If the oil is cold, it will become very oily. Deep fry all the jamuns. The jamuns should puff up a little upon frying. Drain on paper towels. Immediately add it to the hot syrup. 

Let the Jamun sit in the syrup for atleast an hour. They will atleast double in size. If they don't then something was wrong with your batter.

Can be served cold or at room temperature. 

Refrigerate for later use.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Angie's Fiesta Friday #194. Her cohosts this week are Petra @ Food Eat Love and Vanitha @ Curry and Vanilla.

Cooking made easy: 

Upon frying if the Jamun is too hard, just steam it for a few minutes and add it to the hot syrup. 

Tip for healthy living: 

Deep frying in ghee/clarified butter is a healthier option than in oil as the ghee takes longer to smoke or chemically disintegrate when compared to the oil. 

Food for thought: 

The actions of men is the best interpreters of their thoughts. James Joyce 

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Date-coconut Balls ( Khajoor laddoos); Meatless Monday

Diwali is a festival where lot of sweet and savory dishes are made in people's homes and then shared with family and friends. As a rule, I don't make sweet dishes too often. On the occasion of Diwali, I wanted to make something for my kids, but something relatively healthy. I decided to make these quick date-coconut balls . Like the name suggests, these are literally  dates that have been shaped into little balls and rolled in dried coconut flakes. It has only 2 all natural ingredients, hardly takes any time to make and is a great source of iron. There is no cooking/baking involved. It is a great energy booster for 3 pm slump.The only downside is that I would not recommend it for diabetics as dates are a concentrated source of natural sugars which can spike their blood-sugar levels.But for my kids, this is perfect! I would rather them eat nutrient-dense treats and desserts than just sugar-rich ones!

Servings: 4 ( makes around 8 dime-sized balls)( serving size: 2 per person)

Ingredients:

Pitted Dates: 12 numbers
Dried coconut flakes: 1/4 cup ( may not need all)
A dab of olive oil: to grease the palms.

Method:

Chop the pitted dates and put them in a small microwave safe bowl.

Cook it in the microwave for 30 seconds so that the dates can soften. Do not do it for longer as it gets burnt very easily!! 

Let it cool down slightly, then blend it in a food processor until it is a homogeneous mass.

Take it out.Grease your palms using a dab of coconut oil. Pinch a little dough and make a nickel-sized ball. 

Do this to all the available dough.

Take the coconut flakes in a shallow bowl/plate. 

Roll each of the date laddoo in it.  

Your khajoor laddoos ( Date-coconut balls) are ready!

Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.Can be stored for months in this fashion.

I am linking this to Throwback Thursday, Angie's Fiesta Friday#94 & Saucy Saturday. Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Stef @ The Kiwi Fruit are co-hosting the Fiesta Friday this week!

Cooking made easy:

If you have no nut allergies, you can add powdered roasted nuts to these laddoos and make it even more protein-rich and nutritious. Check the recipe here.

Tip for health living:

Dates are a concentrated source of energy and much-needed minerals. They are usually found growing on palm trees in the deserts,  where nothing much grows. They form an instantaneous source of energy with 100 grams of Mejdool dates providing around 277 calories. This is the reason Muslims eat it after breaking the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Dates are rich in dietary fibers which prevent constipation. They are also rich in tannins which are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties. They also have other antioxidants like beta-carotene, Laurence and Zea-xanthin that protect the cells in the body thereby preventing cancer. Dates are a moderate source of vitamin A and B-complex.Dates are an excellent source of iron  and potassium, carrying 0.9 mg iron and 696 mg potassium /100 g of fruit. It is also rich in other minerals like calcium, manganese, copper and magnesium.

Food for thought:

We are no longer happy so soon as we wish to be happier. Walter Savage  Landor.

Happy Diwali ( Deepavali)!

Diwali is a very popular Indian festival that is celebrated by Hindu's worldwide. It is akin to Christmas and Eid. Diwali is known as the " Festival of Lights", as one of the salient features of this festival is lighting oil lamps in front of your homes. It also celebrated with lots of food , new clothing and very importantly, lots and lots of fireworks!! This is the only time in India when anybody and everybody can legally light up fireworks.

This is usually a 5-day affair. Again, the North Indians celebrate differently than the South Indians. There are also regional differences in the customs and traditions. That is the beauty of India: harmony in diversity. I am a South Indian, a Mangalorean Gowda Saraswath Brahmin to be specific and we celebrate it for 4 days only. This is how we celebrate Diwali:This year  Diwali begins for us on Monday, 9 th November and continues until 12th November,2015. Wednesday, 11th November, is considered the main day or Deepavali, when a series of oil lamps are lit in front of our homes.

Monday, November 9th evening,the first day of Diwali, water is worshiped.There is a ceremonious application oil to the head and body and then a bath for all the kids. The bath is followed by a dinner in which fish is the main ingredient. This is the only auspicious event during which we are allowed to eat fish!!

Tuesday, November 10th( Naraka Chaturdashi), the second day of Diwali, adults participate in the process of oil massage and a ceremonious bath. Dhayan Phovu ( beaten rice mixed with yogurt and sugar)  or Godu Phovu ( beaten rice mixed with jaggery & coconut )is eaten after the bath.

Wednesday, November 11th is the main day of  Diwali, Lakshmi Puja is conducted ,wherein Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped. Gifts and goodies ( read food) are exchanges amidst family and friends.

Thursday, November 12th, the fourth day of Diwali is Balipadyam when Lord Balindra and Goddess of food is worshiped  and is also the day store owners celebrate it by praying to God for prosperity.

Sounds weird?? I think it is rather unique and our ancestors had good reason for all these days of celebration . It gives us reason to appreciate, celebrate and be thankful for all the good things and good people we have in our lives.

Food , especially sweets / desserts form the main part of any celebration. My blog however does not have too many of them. I have however put together a compilation of some of the desserts that are appropriate for this occasion. Just click on the title and it will take you to the detailed recipe.

I wish all of you readers a Happy and prosperous Diwali!


I am linking this to Throwback Thursday, Angie's Fiesta Friday#94 & Saucy Saturday.
Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Stef @ The Kiwi Fruit are co-hosting the Fiesta Friday this week!

Layi Pitte Undo

Dry Fruit Balls

Charmuri Undo

Tille Undo ( Sesame seed balls)

Godu Phovu

Date-coconut balls.

Diwali Special: Laayi pitte undo ( Popped paddy sweet balls)

Diwali or Deepavali means row of lights. It is also known as the "festival of lights worldwide. It is celebrated on the New Moon day of the month of Kartik. Deepavali is spread over 4 days starting with the 13th day of Krishna Paksha or second or dark fortnight of the month. It is associated with many episodes from the Hindu holy books like Ramayana and Mahabharata.All four days are celebrated by making a variety to sweets and savories, exchanging it with friends and family, lighting rows of oil and wick lamps and bursting firecrackers.

We Mangalorean konkanis ( GSB) celebrate it for 4 days:

Day 1- 21 st October 2014: Dhana-trayodahsi, Jala pooje( water pooja), thaila bhanga:
Homes are cleaned, with special emphasis on the bathrooms where the "bhana" ( the huge copper pot in which bathing water is heated) is cleaned, decorated with rangoli designs and flowers. Little boys ( male kids)are given oil massage and bath and interestingly fish dishes ( both fried and curried) are cooked for dinner.

Day 2 -22 nd October,2014: Naraka Chaturdashi : This is the day prior to Deepavali is called Naraka chaturdashi.This is in commemoration of Lord Krishna along with Satyabhama killing a wicked Asura by name Narakasura on the eve of Diwali.On this day grown men are given oil massage and bath and the traditional offering to God, godu phovu is made.

Day 3- 23rd October,2014: Diwali and Dhanalakshmi Pooja:
The Deepawali Day is celebrated with Dhanalakshmi Puja. People who own gold shops perform puja in the shops.
The Deepawali Day is believed to be the day on which Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya from Lanka. Being dark night (Amavasya or No moon day), the night before new moon day) they were greeted by lighting hundreds of clay lamps. This gives the festival the name of Deepawali. 

Laxmi Puja is also celebrated on this and reflects the fact that this is a time of harvest. Traditionally, the time of harvest is a time of prosperity. According to myth, Laxmi Puja is performed on the day when Goddess Laxmi emerged from Kshira Sagara while the churning of Amrutha Madhanam.

Day 4- 24th October, 2014: Govardhan Puja / Angadi Pooja/ Balindra puja.

The day after Deepawali is celebrated as Govardhana Puja and Angadi Pooja. The shopkeepers celebrate this with a puja in their shop, inviting people over and giving out goodies.

The day after Deepawali is also celebrated as Govardhana Puja. The sacred hill of Govardhan, near Mathura and Kamadhenu (the cosmic cow) which are connected with Lord Krishna are worshipped. Krishna lifted up the Govardhan mountain and held it like an umbrella, under which people and animals took shelter from the relentless rain. Once the rain subdued, the people gathered around the hill and had a great feast. This festival is especially popular among the devotees of Bala Krishna.

One of my favorite laddoos made during festivals is the laayi undo. This is made using popped paddy powder.

 Just like you have popped corn, you have popped paddy. The powdered version of this is used to make this laddoo. It is very tasty, light and versatile enough to be modified to individual tastes; for egg: you could add crunch and protein be adding bits of nuts like peanuts and cashewnuts. You can even add shev( fried crispy noodle pieces). It is simple and easy to make and tasty to eat! I am bringing this to Angie's Fiesta Friday! It is her birthday and you cannot go to someone's birthday party empty-handed!

Servings: makes 10- 15 medium-sized laddoos ( balls).

Ingredients:

Sticky Jaggery( anta god): 1 cup
Laayi pitto ( popped paddy powder): 2 cups
Peanut halves: 2 tbsp,
Cashewnut pieces: 1 tbsp,
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Water:  4 tbsp
Ghee/ butter: for greasing the palms

Method:

Heat jaggery and water in a pot until the jaggery is completely melted and liquid. Now turn off the heat, let it settle for  5 mins. Gently pour the molten jaggery into a thick-bottomed  pot, leaving behind any sandy residue.

Dry roast the cashew nut pieces and peanuts and keep aside.

Heat the molten jaggery on medium flame until it thickens and is sticky when attempting to pick to pour from a spoon. We call it the "string" consistency, which means if you take a drop between your index finger and thumb, you should be able to see a string of jaggery when you pull your fingers away from each other.

Now mix in the laayi pitto ( popped paddy powder), the nuts and cardamom powder. Mix well .

Grease your palms with butter/ghee. Take  a tablespoonful of the hot jaggery-popped paddy mixture and shape it into balls of desired size.

If the mixture cools down, you will not be able to shape it into balls. Do not squeeze the balls hard as they will get even harder upon cooling down, making it difficult to eat!

Store in an air-tight container.
Stays fresh at room-temperature for up to a month.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Most often jaggery has sand/ dirt residues in it. Melting it, letting it settle down and then transferring the jaggery to another pot helps get rid of this sand.

Ensure that the jaggery is cooked on a thick-bottomed vessel on a low flame as it is very easy to burn the jaggery!

Tip for healthy living:

Having a oil massage on the head not only helps rejuvenate hair and help it grow, it is also a great stress-buster and calms the body.

Food for thought:

Happy are those who dare courageously to defend what they love. Ovid