Besan Ladoo | Besan ka Laddu | Vinayaka Chaturthi Recipes

This besan ladoo will always remind me of my friend Prathibha who I lived with in Hyderabad. Every time we pass by a sweet shop, she would buy atleast 2 of these besan ladoos, eat one, and leave the other in the fridge for later. The ladoos were safe from me because I was never a huge fan of them, preferring milk-based sweets to these besan ladoos. I have wanted to try making them for a long time though, and what pushed me to it finally was the sudden desire to post more festival sweets recipes and a bag of besan almost threatening to go bad on me. 

Besan Ladoo / Besan ka Laddu Recipe

Makes 12-15 ladoos depending on size

Source: Simply South by Chandra Padmanabhan

Related Recipes: Vella Kozhukkattai | Maladu (which amma and I made the night before my wedding)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup ghee (I used slightly less than this, don't skimp too much though)

1 cup gram flour or besan (kadalaimavu)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar

6 almonds, chopped coarsely

6 raisins (I didn't add this)

6 cardamoms, powdered

Instructions:

1. Heat ghee in a pan over low heat. Don't bring to boil or anything, just heat it up well. Add the besan and cook for 4-5 mins stirring continuously till the raw aroma disappears and it turns a golden brown. 

2. Remove from heat and add milk, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps. I let the milk trickle in to avoid this. Once mixed well, set aside to cool a little. 

3. Then mix in the almonds, sugar, raisins, and cardamom powder. 

4. When its warm enough to handle, shape into lime-sized balls. At this stage, you can add a bit more ghee if you want. I started with a little less than 3/4 cup and added more while shaping them. 

Notes:

- These besan ladoos are very delicate (which is why you shouldn't skimp on the ghee, because it acts as a binding agent and holds it together) so handle carefully and store in an airtight container at room temperature. 

- You can add about 2-3 tbsp of rava (semolina) to the mixture if you want some added texture. I avoided this because I wanted a smooth besan ladoo. 

What's cooking in your kitchens for Vinayaka Chaturthi this year?

Vella Kozhukattai Recipe - Modakam (Mothagam) for Vinayaka Chaturthi

Modakam or Vella Kozhukattai will always have a special place in our family not just because of how important it is for Vinayaka Chaturthi, but also because of the countless evenings of making modakam and how it's usually a family project. While ammini kozhukattai is cuter and arisi upma kozhukattai is more practical for a meal, we are all huge lovers of this vella kozhukattai.

My grandmom was an expert at modakam making and did it with gusto since her grandson (my brother) loved it so much. I remember many evenings of me eating the raw outer covering with the coconut filling as the rest of womenfolk sat around shaping the mothagam for steaming.

Vella Kozhukattai Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes 12

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup of raw rice powder
1 1/4 cup of water, more or less
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of jaggery
1/2 cup of grated coconut
2 tsp of ghee
1/4 tsp of cardamom powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First we have to make the filling or the pooranam. Heat a pan with 1 tsp ghee. Add the grated coconut and the grated jaggery and mix well until it begins to roast a bit and starts to turn a bit drier.

It will take about 8-10 mins for it to reach the stage we require. Keep mixing now and then and add cardamom powder before removing from fire. Set aside and allow to cool.

2. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to boil with the 1/4 salt also added in. Once it boils, remove from fire and add the 3/4 cup rice flour in, mixing as you do so. Make sure no lumps are formed and mix well until you get a soft dough that's similar in consistency to chapati dough (it won't be stretchy though). Start with 1 cup water and keep adding a few drops as you mix until you get the desired consistency. Depending on the type of rice flour and humidity, etc, you will need different amounts of water. Let this mixture cool down a bit until you can handle it. Don't let it cool completely, or else the rice dough will become dry.

This is the toughest part of making vella kozhukkattai or modak. Depending on how this comes out, your modaks can turn hard or soft or crack while they are steamed.

3. Roll the pooranam into small balls and set aside. The coconut I used had long strands in it that's why my filling is all rough. Use normal grated coconut and you should be fine.

4. With wet hands, take a lime-sized portion of the rice dough, form a ball by greasing your hands with the ghee, and flatten on your palm like so. Make sure its not too thin. I like there to be more filling than outer covering so I use lesser dough. Adjust according to your preference.

5. Place the filling in the centre...

...and cover the filling with it as uniformly as you can. It's the same technique used for aloo paratha. Once covered, make a smooth ball (just using the fingertips of one hand and rolling-rotating).

6. Place on your steamer plate (greased with some ghee if you like, I didn't do it)...

...and steam for about 10-15 mins until the covering glistens. It will still be sticky to touch but don't steam for more than 15 minutes or they will harden.

Let cool and use the sweet modaks to please Lord Ganesha into giving you whatever you wish for ;)

Notes:

- instead of jaggery, you can also use brown sugar. The flavour will definitely be compromised a bit but the taste will be just fine. The reason why my filling looks extra dark is because the jaggery we get in Kerala is super unrefined (and unsalted) and very dark in colour and I always bring back jaggery when I go home. Use whatever jaggery is available where you live.

- The filling or pooranam for vella kozhukkattai can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a day.

- When working with the rice dough, make sure you work quickly before the heat leaves the dough. Even if you can't steam all modaks together, make the balls and keep ready for steaming in the next batch. Don't let the dough sit as is for too long or else it will dry out.

- Aatha, my grandmom, used to make her own rice powder. If you'd like to try the same, soak 1 cup raw rice in water for 5-6 hours. Drain and let it dry spread out on a tea towel. Once dry, grind to a fine powder. She used to get it done in the mill, in bulk, but using your mixie should work too. I haven't tried it this way.

- The rice layer can turn hard and rubbery if you keep this for over a day. Re-heating or re-steaming will make it soft again but only for a short while so serve fresh and finish it off as soon as you can! Also, the rice layer consistency can vary depending on the type of rice or rice flour you are using. Experiment a bit to see which brand or method works best for you.

For Modak recipe in Hindi, Vella Kozhukattai recipe in Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, please use the Google Translate tool on the right sidebar of the website.

Eggless No-Bake Biscuit Brownie Recipe - Step by Step

I love biscuit based sweets and desserts. That must be one reason why I love Twix bars! I love biscuit puddings and make the marie biscuit chocolate logs pretty often to satisfy my biscuit dessert cravings.

This is yet another wonderful addition to my list of quick and easy dessert recipes with biscuits as a base. It's eggless and no-bake which definitely adds to the charm.

I often get asked for quick and easy bars and desserts that can be made without an oven or in the microwave. Since I enjoy baking, I hardly ever go actively looking for such recipes but when my cousin posted this in her blog couple of weeks back, I knew I had to try it as soon as possible.

I got Marie Biscuits during my next trip to the supermarket and made it that same weekend.

Eggless No-Bake Biscuit Brownie Recipe
Makes about 12 squares
Adapted from: DV

Also check out: 5 Min Chocolate Mug Cake | Marie Biscuit Chocolate Logs | Twix Bar Brownies

Ingredients:
20-25 Marie biscuits
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup roasted nut of choice (I used hazelnuts)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 of a 400gm tin condensed milk (I used low fat Milkmaid)

How to make Eggless Biscuit Brownies:

1. Break the biscuits into fours and powder coarsely. I left small bits of biscuits in this mixture to give the brownies some extra texture.

3. Add the cocoa powder to this and mix well.

4. Add the sugar to this mixture and mix again. If you prefer mildly sweet brownies, you can omit this but I found the sweetness level perfect with 2 tsp sugar.

5. Dry-roast any nut of choice and let it cool. I had some roasted hazelnuts handy so used that. Roughly 1/4 cup should do.

6. Chop it up coarsely and add to the mixture. Mix well.

7. Add half a tin of condensed milk to this mixture. Feel free to lick up the remaining condensed milk sticking to the tin!

8. Mix well with a sturdy spoon. I would advice against using a whisk at this stage because the mixture will be very very thick and refuse to cooperate. Show it who's boss! Mix well until all the powdery bits are combined with the wet ingredients.

9. Line a plate, pie dish, or baking tray with butter paper (or just great with some butter) and transfer the mixture to it. Press firmly with wet fingertips until the mixture is uniformly spread.

The colours all look different because of the difference in lighting. Bear with me. Whatever colour the brownies are, they will be delicious, I promise.

10. Refrigerate atleast for 4 hours or overnight if possible. This picture was taken after 2 hours of refrigeration because I was impatient. If you are like me, you will get more fudgy brownies that won't hold its shape when you cut it.

If you refrigerate longer, then they can be cut into perfect squares and taste delicious. This was taken the day after I made them.

What's your favourite biscuit-based dessert recipe?

Watercress & Yellow Moong Dal Recipe

These pictures have been lying in my drafts for ages. In fact, TH's amma made this one day along with the chow chow kootu which I managed to post much earlier. I have made this dal twice after this first time she tried it.

Watercress is not something that makes it into my regular shopping list. In fact, before amma came and tried this, I'd never even tasted it. It definitely has a strong flavour which I thought went beautifully with dal.

Watercress Yellow Dal Recipe
Serves 4
Recipe source: TH's amma
Some other recipes from her: chow chow koottu | kadala kozhambu | tomato juice rasam

Ingredients:
1 bunch watercress
1/2 cup toor dal or moong dal, washed and soaked for 30 mins
1 large onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder

For tempering:
1 tsp ghee or oil
1/4 tsp fennel seeds / perum jeerakam
1/4 tsp cumin powder or seeds / jeera
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilli
A generous pinch of hing

How It's Made:

1. Wash and chop the watercresses leaves fine. Add to the soaked dal along with the rest of the ingredients (apart form the tempering ones) into a pressure cooker with enough water to cover it by an inch.

2. Cook for 3-4 whistles or until the dal has cooked soft and mashed well with the leaves and other ingredients. Let the steam vent and keep the dal mixture ready to temper.

3. For tempering, heat ghee (or oil) in a pan and add the rest of the ingredients in the order given. When the mustard seeds start to pop and the cumin and fennel turn aromatic, dunk into the dal and keep partially closed for a while while the flavours blend. Add salt.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

I think I have posted every day this week. Its not some personal challenge or anything. I have a ton of great recipes like these waiting to be posted and the backlog is huge. Sorry if I am spamming your readers :)

Cookbook Find: Baking (One Step at a Time) by Marianne Moreno

Eons ago, I posted in my Facebook Page that I came across this very different yet interesting baking book in the library but had to keep it back because my loan allowance was exhausted. When I went back the next week, I had forgotten what the name of the book was!

It drove me nuts and for the next 2-3 weeks, every weekend, I would go through pretty much every book on the baking shelf hunting for this.

And finally, one weekend I was rewarded with it, again! See, persistence pays off. This is not a cookbook review but more of me sharing a cookbook find with you. This book is gorgeous, to say the least!

What I absolutely love about the book is the pictures. The recipe itself is neatly printed along the bottom 10% of the page but almost the entire page is taken up by large images of the ingredients and sometimes the preparation method beautifully captured.

Admittedly, I have never baked anything from book. I just borrow it from the library, gawk at all the beautiful images, and then return it. I will surely try something soon though, and when I do, will update the recipe and review here :)

The recipes are mostly simple and the step by step pictures definitely help. I'd highly recommend this to baking enthusiasts, especially beginner folks.

*This is not a paid review or any kind of promotional post. 

Eggless Condensed Milk & China Grass / Agar Agar Pudding

Eggless condensed milk pudding with agar agar or China grass is one of those desserts I wish I'd made ages ago and shared the recipe with you all. Its easy, its eggless and its delicious. This pudding forms the base for many desserts in Kerala and I have had this in many forms during my childhood.

China Grass or Agar Agar

My sister first mentioned this pudding to me saying that my niece made it for her Jain friend because the girl can't take eggs. The thickener of choice in this pudding is china grass or agar agar. Its a plant-based thickener derived from some form of algae (I wouldn't investigate too much into this if i were you) and is a vegetarian substitute for gelatin used mostly in desserts.

Because of where agar agar is derived from, this pudding is also called mousse pudding or moss pudding in Kerala! Interesting trivia.

The pudding is best served with some topping and praline is the best fit, although some chocolate sauce or ganache would taste fab too. You can make it as sweet or subtle as you want, its completely up to you. Also check out this fabulous panna cotta recipe, an easy eggless mango ice-cream recipe, my popular Oreo cheesecake, and this no-bake brownie recipe.

Adapted from a recipe verbally passed on to me, measurements are my own.

Eggless Condensed Milk China Grass / Agar Agar Pudding
Serves 4-6

Ingredients (can easily be doubled):
1/2 tin condensed milk (I used low fat Milkmaid)
1 tin milk (I used low fat milk measured in the condensed milk tin itself)
5 gm china grass / agar agar
Roughly 3/4 cup water
2 tbsp sugar, adjust to taste
2-3 drops of vanilla extract


Instructions:

1. Soak the china grass in the 3/4 cup water for atleast 30 mins. Then place on stove on low heat and bring to boil.

2. Meanwhile, mix the condensed milk, sugar, and milk in a pan and heat on low heat stirring continuously.

3. When the china grass mixture starts boiling and the strands have dissolved almost completely, pour into the milk mixture. Bring this to boil, let it simmer for 2 more mins, and remove from fire.

4. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Pour into any mould of choice or even a wide bowl. Let it cool completely and refrigerate overnight (or atleast 6 hours) for the pudding to set.

5. Serve with praline or any sauce of choice.

Do note, if you try to un mould the pudding before giving it time to sit, it will look all haphazard like this but its still delicious!

Use this recipe as the base and customize as you like. You can layer it up with praline, jam, chocolate sauce, etc. You can also half the final mixture, add cocoa powder to one half and set it in alternating layers too. Thanks to my sister for the tip :)

Samosa stuffed with Potatoes & Onion mixture

Ingredients for Dough:

• 2 cups : Plain flour


• 4 tbsp: Cooking oil


• 1 tsp : Salt


• 1 tsp : Cumin seeds


• half tsp : Baking powder

Directions (Dough):

Mix all the ingredients and kneed them. Leave the dough for 15 minutes and kneed it again. Then put it into the fridge for at least one hour. After that make small balls of dough. Roll each ball into a flat, thin and round chappati. Heat the non-stick pan and cook the chappati from each side for a second. Put all the chappaties on each other and cut them from the centre. Wrap each piece in a triangular shape i.e. take each piece of cooked chappati and join both ends in the middle - stick these ends with plain flour paste or glu. To make glu, take little bit of plain flour and mix it with water enough to make a thick paste. (See pictures for detail of making samosa shape).

Ingredients for mixture:

• 5 large : Potatoes


• 2 big : Onions


• 2 tsp : Crushed chillies


• 1 tsp : Cumin seeds


• 1 tbsp : Whole coriander seeds


• 4 large : Green chillies


• 5 tbsp : Fresh green coriander


• 1 tsp : Pomegranate powder


• 1 tbsp : Lemon juice


• 1 tbsp : Oil

Directions (mixture):

Heat oil, then add potatoes, onion, green chillies and all the ingredients except fresh green coriander in to it. Let it cook until potatoes become tender but should not be crushed. Add fresh green coriander in to it and close the stove.




Method of filling Samosas:

Fill the samosa with the mixture. Glu the open ends of the samosa with the paste (glu method mentioned earlier) and then close it by pressing it with the fingers. Heat the oil and shallow fry them.

Serve with Chutnies:

Samosas are best served with chutnies, which can be tamarind chutney, mint chutney and yoghurt mix with chat masala and onion. Put the samosa in to the plate and slightly crush it and pour these chutnies on it and serve it, as shown in the picture.

What is Praline? Easy Praline Recipe!

According to wikipedia, praline or pralin seems to mean different things in different places but to me, this is part of a lot of my childhood memories. Most birthday parties involved ice cream and usually had praline and chocolate sauce to top it off.

When I visited the sister last, she had a small bottle of praline stored in her fridge to top off puddings. Amma and I snacked on it and it was all gone by end of the day!

Long story short, praline is candy made with caramelized sugar and nuts of some sort. My preferred choice is cashew nuts. If you like those small nuggets Cadburys Crackle, then you will love this because its pretty much the same thing!

You can make this and store it in the fridge. Makes a yummy addition to ice cream sundaes and puddings.

Praline Recipe
Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients:
3 tbsp white sugar
10 whole, plain cashew nuts
1/2 tsp unsalted butter (added for flavour, but its optional)

How I Made It:

1. Heat a dry non-stick wide pan. When hot, sprinkle the sugar over the pan. Reduce flame to lowest possible heat and wait while the sugar starts to melt and turns a light golden brown.

2. Quickly add the cashewnuts and butter and stir until the mixture turns a dark golden brown. Take care not to burn it, sugar is very easy to burn.

3. Remove from fire as soon as the colour changes to dark golden brown and the cashew nuts look roasted, tip immediately into a plate lined with parchment or butter paper and let it cool completely.

4. Once cool, it will be brittle. Break into smaller pieces and pulse in your mixer until you get the coarse praline.

Serve with ice cream, puddings, or even inside sweet crepes, mix with chocolate when you make home made chocolate, the application is up to your imagination!