Pumpkin Thawseli ~ A Konkani Delicacy!!!

Other names - Dudhi Thawseli

Prep Time: 15 min
Soaking Time: 3 hrs
Cooking Time: 25 min
Serves: 5

Ingredients

1. Raw rice - 1 cup
2. Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
3. Pumpkin (yellow or red colored) - 1.5 cups
4. Thick jaggery extract - 1 cup to 1.25 cups
5. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tbsp
6. Dry ginger powder - 1/2 tbsp
7. Bay leaves - 4
8. Ghee/Butter - 2 tsp
9. Water - 1/4 cup

Method

1. Wash raw rice well in water and soak for 3 hrs; drain & set aside.
2. Grind rice & fresh grated coconut to a smooth paste adding quarter cup water in a mixie.
3. Transfer contents to a mixing bowl; combine jaggery extract, grated pumpkin, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder & mix well.
4. Grease a thali plate with ghee, pour batter & arrange bay leaves on top.
5. Steam cook in a pressure cooker for about 25 min.
6. Give a standing time to the pressure cooker before opening the lid.
7. Cut into desired shapes and size.
8. Serve either warm or chilled.

Okkarai

Prep Time: 1 hr
Soaking Time: 3 hrs
Cooking Time: 3 to 5 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1. Channa dhal - 1/2 cup
2. Split yellow moong dhal - 1/2 cup
3. Fresh grated coconut (optional) - 3/4 cup
4. Jaggery (powdered) - 1/2 cup
5. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Dry ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Cashew nuts - 3 tbsp
8. Raisins - 3 tbsp
9. Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Dry roast dhals until light brown; wash and soak in water for about 3 hours.
2. Drain water and leave it undisturbed in colander for at least 30 min.
3. Grind in dry grinding small mixie jar without adding water.
4. The mixture should be coarse yet not too grainy.
5. Steam cook the mixture either in idly cooker or in pressure cooker for about 12-15 min; allow to cool.
6. Grind once again in mixie to obtain even, coarse granules.
7. Heat a tsp of ghee in a kadai, fry cashew nuts until golden brown; set aside.
8. In the same kadai, add another tsp of ghee, fry raisins & set aside.
9. Roast fresh grated coconut until golden brown adding another tsp of ghee; set aside.
10. Heat 1/2 cup of water in a kadai along with powdered jaggery, stir until jaggery has completely dissolved; strain for impurities.
11. Boil jaggery syrup until it reaches soft ball consistency.
12. In order to test syrup consistency, add 1/4 tsp of the syrup in few tbsp of water, you should be able to roll it in to a soft ball .
13. At this stage, add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, roasted coconut and the coarsely ground dhal granules.
14. Combine well for around 3 min adding ghee at regular intervals.
15. Garnish with fried cashew nuts & raisins.
16. Sweet, tasty Okkarai is now ready to serve.

NOTE

• I have used split yellow moong dhal just for a different taste; can also use a whole cup of channa dhal for the recipe.

Coconut Burfi

Other names - Thenga Burfi / Thenga burbi

Prep Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Yields: approx 15 to 20 pieces

Ingredients

1. Fresh grated coconut - 2 cups2 cups grated coconut
2. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Sugar - 1.5 cups
4. Water - 1/2 cup
5. Melted ghee - 4 to 5 tbsp + to grease plate + to grease spatula

Method

1. Grease a small sized thaali/plate with melted ghee & keep aside.
2. Heat a kadai on medium flame, add sugar and water; stir well until all the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Bring to boil & cook sugar syrup to 2 string consistency.
4. Take a drop of the syrup on a plate, allow to cool, touch with your index finger & stretch it in between your index finger and the thumb.
5. The syrup should form at least 2 to 3 thin thread like strings; this whole process takes about 15 min.
6. At this stage, immediately add the grated coconut, ghee and cardamom powder and fold well.
7. Stir & fold continuously at regular intervals for about 15 min until the mixture appears thick and starts leaving the sides of the kadai.
8. Switch off gas & transfer contents immediately on to a greased thali and spread out evenly with a greased spatula.
9. Let it become warm; cut them using a sharp knife as per desired shapes & sizes.
10. Allow to cool; store in a dry, air tight container.
11. Stays fresh for a week when stored at room temperature.

NOTE

• If you do not have a spatula, can use the plastic knife provided by the retail showrooms along with Mixie & Wet grinder packages.
  

Boondi Ladoo

Wanna prepare some traditional sweet for pongal. Actually i was planning to make boondi ladoos for a very long time & thought would give it a try!

Here's the recipe! Try it out & enjoy!

Other names - Bhundhi Ladoo / Boondhi Ladoo / Mothi Ladoo

Prep Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Serves: 2 to 3
Yields: 12 to 15 small sized ladoos

Ingredients

1. Besan / Gram flour - 1 cup
2. Water - 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp
3. Sugar - 1.5 cups
4. Water - 1 cup
5. Almonds (sliced) - 2 tbsp
6. Cashew nuts (broken) - 2 tbsp
7. Raisins - 2 tbsp
8. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Clove powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Oil - to deep fry

All you need

1. Slotted ladle / Perforated ladle / Skimmer (to drop boondi batter) - 1
2. Slotted ladle / Perforated ladle / Skimmer (to remove deep fried boondis) - 1
3. Kadai / Wok (to deep fry) - 1 small sized
4. Kadai / Wok (to prepare sugar syrup) - 1 large sized
5. Small scooping ladle (to scoop up the batter) - 1

Method

1. Peel cardamom pods, crush seeds and keep aside.
2. Crush cloves to a coarse powder; keep aside.
3. Boil water and sugar in a large wok, bring to boil on medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar; simmer until the syrup reaches half thread consistency.
4. Add half cup water to the gram flour & a few tbsp if required; mix well to make a smooth flowing batter.
5. Heat oil in a small wok on medium heat.
6. Hold the skimmer about one and a half inches above the oil with one hand; with the other hand pour a small scooping ladle of the batter exactly on to the center of the skimmer so that the batter would start dropping through the holes into the oil.
7. Use only a small scooping ladle so that the boondis just cover the surface of the oil in a single layer.
8. Fry until the sizzling sound stops and boondis are light golden in color but not crispy.
9. Remove deep fried bhoondis out of the oil with another skimmer and transfer directly into the warm syrup and combine well.
10. Before making the next batch of boondi, wash & wipe clean the skimmer before making the next batch of boondis as this helps to hold the round shape of the boondis.
11. Repeat the process of making boondi with the rest of the batter; add them simultaneously to the warm sugar syrup combining well each & every time.
12. Once the whole process is done, let the deep fried boondis soak in the sugar syrup for few min.
13. Drain syrup & transfer contents to another clean bowl, add cardamom powder, clove powder, the nuts & combine well.
14. For the shaping process, allow boondis to become warm enough to handle; do not t let them cool off.
15. To shape the ladoos, scoop up some of the boondi mixture with the palm; squeeze firmly & shape into round shaped ladoos of desired size.
16. The syrup squeezes out while shaping the ladoos which is a normal process.
17. Arrange the finished ladoos on to a wide plate one by one.
18. As the ladoos reach the room temperature they become firm; yet remaining damp.
19. Store in a dry, air tight container; stays fresh up to a week.
20. Stays fresh up to a month when refrigerated.

NOTE

• The frying pan should have at least one & a half inches of oil.
• To test the right temperature of the oil, drop a pinch of batter into the oil; if it rises immediately without change in color then its ready.
• Holding the skimmer exactly at one and a half inches above the oil for exact round shaped boondis; adjust heat in between while making boondis.
• If the boondis become cold, shaping process becomes difficult; yet you can reheat the drained boondi vessel for few sec over medium flame & then continue.
  
• The method is the same for preparing boondis for raita & to use in other snacks; can add a tbsp of sooji for crispy & crunchy taste.

Vermicelli Ladoo

Other names - Semiya ladoo / Semya Ladoo

Prep Time: 20 min
Yields: 8 ladoos

Ingredients

1. Vermicelli - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1/4 cup
3. Cardamom pods - 4
4. Cashew nuts - 8
5. Almonds - 8
6. Ghee - 2 tsp

Method

1. Peel cardamom pods and crush seeds using pestle & mortar.
2. Grind sugar into fine powder using the small dry grinding jar of mixie.
3. Grind cashew nuts, almonds, ground cardamom pods to a fine powder in a mixie.
4. Warm up the ghee and keep aside.
5. Heat half a tsp of ghee in a pan on low heat, add vermicelli and saute until golden brown; allow to cool.
6. Grind roasted & cooled vermicelli to a fine powder using a mixie.
7. Sieve the ground vermicelli in order to separate the coarse particles; grind again into fine powder.
8. Repeat until the final smooth mixture is obtained; transfer contents to a mixing bowl.
9. Now add ground sugar, nuts & cardamom powder; mix well.
10. Pour warm ghee and shape them in to ladoos.
11. Store in a dry, air tight container; stays fresh for a week or two.

NOTE

• Can also add raisins to the ladoos.
• Can also add roasted grated coconut to make vermicelli coconut ladoos.
  

Rava ~ Coconut Ladoo

Other names - Sooji coconut ladoo / Coconut rava ladoo / Rava thenga ladoo / Thenga rava ladoo / Semolina coconut Ladoo

Prep Time: 20 min
Yields: 15 Ladoos

Ingredients

1. Sooji - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1 cup
3. Ghee - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
4. Cashew nuts (broken) - 3 tbsp
5. Raisins - 3 tbsp
6. Fresh grated coconut - 1cup
7. Cardamom pods (crushed) - 8
8. Water - 1/2 cup

Method

1. Peel cardamom pods and crush seeds using pestle & mortar.
2. Heat a tbsp of ghee on medium heat in a wok, add sooji, saute until golden brown; set aside.
3. Heat another tbsp of ghee on medium heat, add fresh grated coconut, saute until golden brown; set aside.
4. Heat a tsp of ghee, saute broken cashew nuts & raisins; keep aside.
5. Combine all the above roasted ingredients in a mixing bowl along with cardamom powder.
6. Add sugar in a wok along with half cup water.
7. Bring to boil and stir well until all the sugar has completely dissolved.
8. Once done, immediately add the sooji mixture, switch off gas, stir continuously and cook for a min or two.
9. Allow mixture to become warm enough to handle & start shaping them in to ladoos.
10. Wash hand in water before shaping each and every ladoo so that the sooji mixture does not stick to the hand.
11. Store in a dry,air tight container; stays fresh for a couple of weeks.

Notes

• Do not cook the sugar solution until single thread consistency.
• Do not overcook once the sooji mixture is added to the the sugar syrup.
• If the sooji and sugar mixture has cooled down, can reheat again for a min and then shape in to ladoos.

Vella Aval

Other names - Sweet Poha / Sweet Aval / Thidipu Aval

Prep Time: 10 min (excluding soaking time)
Serves: 3

Ingredients

1. Poha (Thick rice flakes) - 1 cup
2. Thick jaggery syrup - 5 to 6 tbsp
3. Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Ripe elakki bananas (sliced) - 4 to 5
5. Dry ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Ghee (optional) - 1 tbsp
8. Water - 1/4 cup
9. Salt - pinch

For Garnishing

1. Sliced bananas - few
2. Strawberry jam - few dollops
3. Pineapple jam - few dollops
   

Method

1. Wash rice flakes in water for about two to three times.
2. Soak in quarter cup water; set aside for about half an hour to forty min.
3. Add rest of the ingredients & mix well.
4. Garnish and serve.
   

NOTE

• Can use any ripe bananas of your choice.
• Can also use sugar instead of jaggery.