GUR PAPDI

 GUR PAPDI

Here's wishing you and your families a Healthy, Safe, and Happy New Year. We know how things have been for the last two years ever since the Covid 19 pandemic struck the world. 

It is important that we stay safe. I would urge you to wear a mask, and be responsible in following  prescribed behavior during this medical crisis which seems to go on and on.

Even in difficult times, we have shown great spirit in cooking th best food for our families. In my blog, I share with you dishes that I have made myself which are healthy and tasty.

We start the New Year with a sweet. Here's an easy recipe for a sweet from Gujarat called Gur Papdi or Sukhdi. This is made with Gur (Jaggery), Atta and Ghee. 

Give it try and let me know how you liked it! 

May the New Year bring in better times for us. Once again, I wish you a Very Happy New Year. 

Ingredients:-

• Gur (Jaggery), 3/4 cup
• Atta, (Wheat Flour), 1 cup
• Ghee, (Clarified Butter),  1/2 cup
• Almonds, 8-10 
• Pistachios, 8-10
• Cardamom, 7-8

Method:-

Grate the jaggery 

Make slivers of the almonds and chop the pistachios

Crush the cardamom to a powder 

Grease a plate with ghee to spread the Gur Papdi and cut into desired shapes when it is ready 

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat the ghee and when it fully melts add the atta

Stir continuously on medium/low flame for about 7-8 minutes or till the atta gets well roasted, turns slightly golden in colour and gives off a good aroma

(Take care that you stir continuously on low flame otherwise the atta will get over roasted which will affect the taste of the Gur Papdi) 

Add the cardamom powder and mix well

Switch off the gas and continue to stir the mixture for a few minutes

Remove the kadhai and let the roasted atta cool a little

It should not cool too much

To this add the grated jaggery and mix thoroughly so that it gets well- blended with the atta and melts due to the heat retained

Spread the Gur Papdi evenly in the greased plate and garnish with almonds and pistachio

For better affect press the almonds and pistachios gently with the back of a spoon into the Gur Papdi

Make cuts of the desired shape in the Gur Papdi while it is still slightly warm

(It becomes difficult to cut once it cools too much) 

Wait for 15-20 minutes, then gently remove the Gur Papdi pieces from the greased plate 

Store the Gur Papdi in air tight glass containers 

INSTANT AMLA MURABBA

 INSTANT AMLA MURABBA 

Gooseberries are reputed to have many properties that make them beneficial to our health. They are considered particularly useful in boosting our immunity. This article explains the numerous benefits gooseberries have for our health.

This is the season for gooseberries in India. The Indian Gooseberry is called Amla in Hindi, Nellikai in Kannada, and Avalo in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

Traditionally, gooseberries have been valued in Indian cooking. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with gooseberries, such as:-

• Nellikai Thuviyal 
• Nellikai Rasam 
• Nellikayi Chitranna
• Nellikai Saaru

In our Indian cuisine, "murabba" is a preserve made with fruit. This can be made with either sugar or jaggery. Traditionally, like pickles, it takes several days to make murabba. Today's recipe is for the instant version of murabba made with gooseberries and jaggery, with spices to add to the flavour. 

It is advisable to select gooseberries that are unblemished and fresh. The colour of the murabba will depend on the colour of the jaggery you use. It is preferable to use the darker varieties of jaggery. 

Since this is the instant type, it is better to make smaller quantities and finish it within a week or ten days. 

We loved this and hope you will too. 

Ingredients:-

• Amla ( Gooseberries), 500 gms
• Jaggery, grated, 500 gms
• Water, 3/4 liter
• Cinnamon Sticks, 3 
• Cloves, (Laung)  6
• Cardamom Powder, 1/2 tsp 
• Dry Ginger Powder, 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice, from 1 lemon

Method:-

Wash the gooseberries and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel

Pierce them with a fork on all sides (so that they can absorb the jaggery syrup and spices better) 

Heat 3/4 liter of water in a large vessel and when it boils add the gooseberries

Lower the flame and let it cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes

Switch off the gas and remove the cooked gooseberries to another vessel, leaving the water behind

To this water, add the grated jaggery and heat this till the jaggery melts completely

Filter this jaggery water through a strainer to get rid of impurities, if any

Transfer this jaggery water back to the first vessel

Heat the jaggery water and when it boils add the cinnamon sticks, and cloves, 

Continue to heat the jaggery water for 15 minutes or till it thickens 

Now add the cooked gooseberries and cook covered on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes

Once it thickens, switch off the gas and add the cardamom powder and dry ginger powder

Mix gently and finally add the juice of a lemon 

Remove from the stove and allow the Amla Murabba to cool to room temperature 

Once it is cooled, transfer the Amla Murabba to a air tight glass jar 

GULACHA SHEERA

 GULACHA SHEERA

Today's recipe is called Gulacha Sheera and is popular in Maharashtra. Apart from loving the taste of this dessert, I like the fact that we use  jaggery to make it. Jaggery gives the dish adequate sweetness and is a more healthy option than using sugar which is normally used to make sheeras.

Over the last few years, I have consciously tried to use jaggery instead of sugar. This article in The Times of India details the benefits of jaggery over sugar in our diets. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find other dishes in which we use jaggery such as:-

• Peanut Sesame Ladoo
• Ponsa Polo, Jackfruit Dosa
• Godu Phovu
• Godu (Sweet) Appo 

I made this recently as neivedhya for Varamahalakshmi festival . Please try out this Gulacha Sheera and I am sure you will enjoy it! 

Ingredients:-

• Rava/ Semolina, 3/4 cup
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 cup, or to taste
• Warm Water, 1 and 1/2 cups 
• Ghee, 2 and 1/2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, broken into pieces, 1 tbsp
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Cardamoms 2-3, made into a powder

Method:-

Dissolve the grated jaggery in 1 and 1/2 cups of warm water. Heat if required for it to dissolve completely. Keep aside. 

Peel the cardamoms and crush them to a powder. Keep aside.

Heat a thick bottomed pan and on medium heat add 1/2 tbsp of ghee. Roast the broken cashewnuts till they turn slightly golden. Keep aside

Next add the raisins and fry till they puff up. Keep aside. 

In the same pan, add 1 tbsp of ghee and roast the rava on medium heat stirring constantly till it gives off a good aroma and turns slightly golden in colour

To this add the jaggery water and mix well taking care that there are no lumps

Cook till the rava gets done and the excess water gets absorbed, stirring constantly 

Now add 1 tbsp of ghee, roasted cashewnuts, roasted raisins and cardamom powder and mix well

Continue to stir till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball

Apply some ghee  to the insides of a bowl. Transfer the Gulacha Sheera to this bowl. 

Garnish with raisins or nuts as you wish 

METHAMBA

 METHAMBA

Children and adults alike wait eagerly for the hot summer months in India as this is the season for mangoes! There are so many different types of mangoes available and people have their own special preferences for one variety or another. 

Quite apart from the ripe mangoes, we make use of raw/green mangoes too in a wide variety of dishes.  These range from cooling drinks, different kinds of chutneys and pickles, and tarty jams and relishes. 

Besides being so tasty, raw mangoes help in the hot summer by preventing dehydration, and have numerous health benefits. 

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for dishes made with raw mango such as:- 

• Maavinakayi Chitranna or Raw Mango Rice 
• Kairichi Urad Methi 
• Raw Mango Palu 
• Instant Mango Pickle

Today's recipe is from Maharashtrian cuisine. It is a sweet, hot and tangy relish called Methamba which gets its name from two ingredients Methi (Fenugreek Seeds) and Amba ( Mango). 

The Methi gives a nice flavour to the dish and you can adjust the quantity based on your individual preference. Once you make the Methamba in a larger quantity, allow it to cool. Store this in air tight containers in the refrigerator and use as required. 

We are big fans of Methamba and we simply love it! 

Ingredients:-

• Raw Mango, 1 or Chopped Raw Mango, about 1 heaped cup 
• Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, 3/4 tsp
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 cup or to taste
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, (Hing) 1/8 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp 

Method:-

Wash the raw mango, dab it dry, peel, cube and keep aside discarding the seed

Heat oil in a pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the fenugreek seeds and sauté till they become golden brown

To this add the asafoetida and turmeric powder and sauté for a few seconds

Now add the cubed mango pieces, salt, and chilli powder, mix well and fry for 1-2 minutes

Add 1/2 cup of water and cover and cook on medium heat till the mangoes get done 

Add the grated jaggery, mix well and cook on low flame for about 5 minutes till the jaggery melts fully and blends well with the mango pieces  

Switch off the gas and transfer the Methamba to serving bowl and serve as a relish 

PEANUT SESAME LADOO

 PEANUT SESAME LADOO

Most of us love to eat sweets ! We are ever ready to have one or the other of the many different types of sweets we make in India. A popular Indian sweet made in every Indian home is the Ladoo/Laddu.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different types of Ladoos such as:-

• Churmondo (Wheat Flour Ladoos) 
• Dates-Dry Fruits Ladoo
• Til ke Ladoo

Today's recipe is for a delicious ladoo made with just three ingredients: Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, and Jaggery. 

As you know, peanuts and sesame seeds have numerous health benefits. Peanuts are rich in protein , fat and fibre. Sesame Seeds are rich in nutrients vital to bone health. The third ingredient jaggery is again rich in many minerals and vitamins. It scores over refined sugar in many ways. 

Also, this recipe does not call for the use of ghee. So the good news is that these ladoos- in moderation, of course- are healthy as well being very tasty! 

I have adapted this from Peanut Sesame Ladoo or Palli Nuvvala Laddu by blogger Hari Chandana.

The quantities mentioned of the ingredients yielded me with 10-12 Ladoos. 

Ingredients:-

• Peanuts, 1 cup
• Sesame Seeds, (Til), 1/2 cup
• Jaggery, grated/powdered, 3/4 cup
• Cardamom, 2 :  Peel and powder / 

Method:-

In a thick-bottomed pan, dry roast the peanuts on medium flame for about 6-8 minutes stirring continuously till they crackle and they become brown in colour 

Remove from the pan and allow it to cool then remove the skin of the peanuts by rubbing them between your palms. Keep aside

In the same pan, dry roast the sesame seeds on medium heat stirring continuously till they turn golden in colour and start popping. Keep aside and allow it to cool.

In a mixer jar, grind together the roasted peanuts and the roasted sesame seeds, in pulse mode, to a coarse powder

To this add the grated/ powdered jaggery and pulse it again so that the jaggery gets well blended with the peanuts-sesame powder 

Transfer the contents to a plate, break up lumps if any and mix in the cardamom powder

Take small portions of this mixture and shape them into ladoos using your fingers and palms 

Store the Peanut Sesame Ladoos in air tight container

* Tips : Running the mixer in normal mode will result in the sesame seeds and peanuts releasing too much oil, hence we should use the pulse mode with frequent intervals 

NENDRA PAZHAM PRADHAMAN

 NENDRA PAZHAM PRADHAMAN

I am delighted to share with you that today, March 21, 2021 happens to be the 8th anniversary of my blog. I would like to thank you my family, friends and followers of this blog, for your continued encouragement and support for "Cooking With Shobana" since I started this in 2013.  

The blog allows me to follow my passion for cooking. To learn new dishes and share them through this medium. By God's grace, my blog has received over 3.21 million hits so far and has over 18900 followers on Facebook. 

When my husband encouraged me to start this blog in 2013, I never imagined it would reach this level of featuring in The Best Food Blogs of India from the reputed Indian Bloggers website. I am grateful to Shri Ganesha for his blessing. 

Today's recipe called Nendra Parzham Pradhaman is for a dessert made with ripe Nendra Pazham, a speciality banana of Kerala. Pradhaman is a popular dessert made for festivals in Kerala though it involves a lot of work! Usually, coconut milk (both thick and medium/thin) is first extracted to make this dish. These days this is available in Tetrapacks too! The amount of jaggery added will depend upon the sweetness of the ripe bananas used, and of course, your individual taste. The colour of the Pradhaman will vary with the amount and color of the jaggery used. I have added cardamom powder for flavour but have not added dry ginger powder. 

 I have adapted this from Nendra Pazham Pradhaman in Radhika's Tickling Palates website.

We enjoyed this very much and hope you will- too! 

Ingredients:-

• Nendra Pazham ( Ripe Bananas) , 2
• Thick Coconut Milk, (first extract), 1 cup
• Medium Coconut Milk, (next extract),  1 and 1/2 cups
• Jaggery, grated, 3/4 to 1 cup
• Ghee, 4 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, 8-10, 
• Coconut Slivers, 2 tbsp
• Cardmom Powder, 1/2  tsp

Preparatory Work:-

Wash the Nendra Pazham and snip off the ends. Cut them into 2-3 pieces depending upon the size of the bananas. Place the cut banana pieces in a steamer and steam them for about 10 minutes or till they fully done. Allow them to cool and peel off the skin. 

Grind them to a pulp in a mixer jar without adding any water. 

Cut a piece of the coconut and cut into slivers. Keep aside. 

Break the cashewnuts into halves. Keep aside. 

Extract the coconut milk, first thick and then thin and keep aside. ** Process for extracting coconut milk given below 

Heat the grated jaggery in a pan on medium flame adding 2 tbsp of water. Mix till the jaggery dissolves fully. Switch off the flame and strain the jaggery syrup through a strainer and keep aside. 

Method :- 

Heat a thick bottomed pan and add 3 tbsp of ghee. Once it melts add the cooked Nendra Pazham pulp and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring continuously on medium/low flame. 

To this add the prepared jaggery syrup, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes 

Now add the second or medium/thin coconut milk, mix and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously  till the mixture thickens- take care to see that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom 

Next add the first or thick coconut milk and mix well 

Cook the pradhaman for 2 minutes on low flame then switch off the gas

(Please note that at this stage you should not cook on high heat or for too long as the thick extract could curdle) 

In a small pan heat 1 tbsp of ghee

On medium heat add the broken cashew nuts and roast them till they turn golden in colour. Keep aside

In the same pan, add the coconut slivers and sauté till they turn golden brown. Keep aside. 

Finally, add the roasted cashewnuts and coconut slivers to the pradhaman along with the cardamom powder and mix well 

Keep the pradhaman covered for  a few minutes

The Nendra Pazham Pradhaman can be served hot immediately or served later after it is chilled as per your choice.

** Extracting The Coconut Milk: 

Take a medium-sized coconut. Break it and keep the coconut water aside. Scrape the coconut gratings and grind them well in a mixer jar with 1 cup of water. Next, filter this coconut pulp through a sieve or through a muslin cloth. This gives you the first or thick coconut milk extract.

Place back the coconut gratings pulp  in the mixer, add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and grind once again. Repeat the filtering process to get the second/medium/thin coconut milk extract. 

VELLA DOSAI

 

VELLA DOSAI

Today's recipe is for a dosai made with jaggery! Yes, that's right. It is a sweet dosa popular in Tamilnadu which can be served for breakfast or as a snack. We prefer to have this as an evening snack. 

In Tamil, jaggery is called Vellam, hence the name for this dish. Jaggery is called Bella in Kannada, Gur in Hindi and Godda in my mother tongue, Konkani.

Another advantage with today's recipe is that it can be made fast as the batter need not be fermented. 

Please note that the amount of jaggery used will depend on your individual taste. Some like things very sweet, others less so. However, too much of jaggery can result in the dosa getting burnt or getting stuck to the tawa.

Also the colour of the dosa will depend on the colour of the jaggery used. As you know, the older jaggery tends to give off a darker colour. 

You may notice that this dosai takes longer to cook than the regular dosai. It is advisable to make the dosai using medium/low flame. 

The Vella Dosai can be eaten as it is without any accompaniment. If you wish you can serve it with some ghee or butter. They are best served hot off the tawa. 

Ingredients:- 

• Vellam ( Jaggery), grated,  a little more than 1/2 cup
• Rice Flour, 1/2 cup
• Wheat Flour, 1/2 cup
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Cardamom Powder,  1/4 tsp
• Salt, a pinch
• Ghee, as required to make the dosais 

Method:- 

In a vessel mix the grated jaggery with 1/2 cup of water and heat till the jaggery melts

Remove from flame and allow it to cool

Filter the jaggery solution to get rid of impurities if any

In a large bowl, mix together the rice flour, wheat flour, coconut gratings and cardamom powder with the jaggery solution and a pinch of salt

Make sure the ingredients are well mixed and no lumps are formed 

Now add the required amount of water to make a dosa batter which is not too thick or too thin 

Rest the batter for 10-15 minutes

Heat a tawa and lightly grease it with ghee 

Lower the flame and pour a ladleful of the batter 

Spread the batter lightly in a circular motion to make a dosai 

Drizzle ghee around the dosai and roast till the edges get done 

Next flip the dosai and roast the other side by adding more ghee as required

Serve hot 

RAW MANGO PALU

RAW MANGO PALU

All good things, as the old saying goes, have to end. One such is the season for mangoes. We wait for them with renewed interest next year! Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Raw Mango Thokku, Instant Mango Pickle, and Green Mango Chutney.

The recipe for Raw Mango Pulu was shared by my friend Vinanti Gouri and many of us who tried it out swore that it was wonderful. Please do try this out before the mango season ends.  I am told that this dish is originally from North Karnataka.

I am sharing the recipe that I used to make this delicious hot and sweet pickle. I have used Everest Tikhalal Hot Chilli Powder as it gives a nice colour and is hot too but you can use any chilli powder of your choice.

It goes well with rotis as also with rice. Ideally raw mangoes should be used but it doesn't matter if the mangoes are slightly ripe.

Ingredients:

• Medium-sized Raw Mangoes, 2 ( approx 600 gms)
• Methi Seeds, 3 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 5 tsp + 1 tsp for seasoning
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
• Hing (Asafoetida)  Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Haldi,(Turmeric Powder)  a pinch
• Everest Tikhalal Chilli Powder, 3 -4 tsp or to taste
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 cup or to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Wash the raw mangoes, de-seed them and cut them into cubes

Dry roast the methi seeds and the mustard seeds separately and allow them to cool 

In a small mixer jar. grind together the roasted methi seeds and the roasted mustard seeds to a fine powder. Keep aside..

Heat oil in a pan and when it gets hot add 1 tsp of mustard seeds

When the mustard splutters add the curry leaves followed by hing powder and haldi. Stir for a few seconds.

Add the raw mango cubes and 1 cup of water. Add salt and mix well.

Cook till the raw mangoes become slightly soft but see that they don't get over cooked

Add red chilli powder and the roasted methi-mustard powder prepared earlier. Mix well

Next add grated jaggery, mix well and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes
Remove from flame and allow it to cool
Transfer to dry bottle or jar. Remember to use a dry spoon whenever you serve this palu.

CHANADAAL PANCHAKADAYEE : GUEST POST BY VIDYA NAYAK SHENOY

 CHANADAAL PANCHAKADAYEE: GUEST POST BY VIDYA NAYAK SHENOY

Today's guest post is from my friend, Vidya Nayak Shenoy. Her dish is a sweet made of Bengal gram and jaggery which we usually make for pujas and festive occasions. I am sure you will love this as much as I did.

Ingredients:

• Chana Daal (Bengal Gram), 1 cup
• Jaggery, 250 gms
• Fresh coconut , 1
• Cardamom powder, from out of 4-5 pods
• White til, 50 gms
• Cashewnuts 8-10

Method:
Dry roast the chana daal on low flame till you get a nice aroma. It should take about 15-20 minutes.
Cool it and powder to a rawa consistency in a mixer. Keep aside this coarse powder.
Dry roast the cashewnuts  and keep aside. In the same kadhai, dry roast the white til and keep aside.
Heat the jaggery and make a syrup
To this, add the coconut gratings and let it simmer for some time
Do not make it too dry
Add the channa daal powder to the jaggery mixture and stir 
The channa daal powder absorbs the jaggery syrup
Add cardamom powder to the jaggery mixture and let it cool
Finally, add the roasted cashewnuts and roasted white til and stir well.

Thanks, Vidya for your recipe and the lovely picture.

SWEET PONGAL

SWEET PONGAL

Yesterday was the day of the Makarasankranti festival also celebrated as Pongal in Tamil Nadu. usually we Konkanis make Sweet Moong Dal Khichdi . I decided to try out Chakara Pongal, Chakkarai Pongal or Sakkarai Pongal: they all mean the same thing. This is the sweet version of Pongal, a dish cooked during this festival which is made of jaggery, rice and moong dal. The colour of the dish is determined by the type of jaggery that you use. I have used the dark type of jaggery which has given the pongal its distinctive colour.

This is adapted from the recipe for Sakkarai Pongal given in the popular blog, Rak's Kitchen.
I have however not used nutmeg powder and edible camphor.

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice, 1/2 cup
• Moong Dal, 2-3 tbsp
• Dark Jaggery, powdered, 1 cup
• Water, 2 and 1/2 cups
• Ghee, 3 tbsp
• Salt, a pinch
• Cashewnuts, 5- 6
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Cardamom ( Elaichi), powdered, 1 
• Clove, 1

Method:

Wash the raw rice and keep aside
Add 1/4 tsp of ghee and roast the moong dal in a pan,
Transfer the roasted moong dal to a pressure cooker, add 2 and 1/2 cups of water, washed raw rice and salt
Pressure cook this for 4 whistles
Once the cooker cools, mash the cooked rice and dal using the back of a ladle.
In a pan, add the powdered jaggery, add enough water to immerse it and bring it to a boil
Make sure the jaggery is totally dissolved
Filter the jaggery syrup and add it to the mashed dal and rice mixture (pongal)
In another pan, heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast the cashewnuts till they are golden
Add the raisins and roast till they puff up. Keep the roasted cashewnuts and raisins aside
Add clove and when it swells, switch off the gas
Now add the powdered elaichi, and clove to the pongal
Mix well, add the roasted cashewnuts and raisins
Cook the pongal on medium flame for 5 minutes adding ghee little by little
If it gets too dry add 1/4 cup of water while it is being cooked

KURUKKU PAYASAM: GUEST POST BY PRIYA.R. SHENOY

KURUKKU PAYASAM: GUEST POST BY PRIYA.R. SHENOY

I have always loved dishes from the State of Kerala. I was delighted to get my friend, Priya R. Shenoy, to contribute a recipe for a delicious payasam called, "Kurukku Payasam" which follows.  It is rich, it is mouth watering and Priya has sent in a beautiful picture too.

This is ideally prepared using "Chamba pachari" or payasam rice, but she says you can prepare this with the normal raw rice as well if you can't get this special type of rice.

Ingredients

• Chamba pachari or payasam Rice- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, 
• Coconut - 1/2 of a big one 
• Water- 8 - 10 cups ,
• Cardamom powder - 1tsp, 
• Jaggery - 1/2 kg , 
• Ghee- 1- 1/2 tsp or as needed 
• Dry fruits- 25 gm

 Method

•  Soak rice in water for 3 hours and strain

  Add coconut gratings to the rice and grind to a very smooth paste

  Add 8-10 cups of water or more...the consistency should be very loose...keep aside

  Next mix grated jaggery with 1/4 cup of water, heat on a low medium flame until it begins to melt

  Stir well until jaggery fully melts. Strain it to remove any impurities and keep aside.

  Heat a thick bottomed pan and add the ground paste of rice and coconut gratings.

  Heat on low flame stirring continuously till it thickens, then add the jaggery syrup and some water

  Stir continuously till it thickens then add cardamom powder

  Turn off the gas

  Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cashew nuts and raisins

  When the nuts turn golden brown and the raisins have puffed up, add them to the payasam

  Mix well and serve

  

   

GODU (SWEET) PHOVU

GODU (SWEET) PHOVU

We are now in the festive season during which it is customary to offer naivedhya for puja. Recently I had made Panchakadai, which recipe I have shared. Today I shall share my recipe for Godu (sweet in Konkani) Phovu, which is another commonly made sweet offered as naivedhya, especially for Gowri Puja.

This is made of  jaggery, beaten rice and coconut. It is advisable that you use the thin variety of beaten rice, which we in Bangalore call 'paper avalakki.'

Ingredients:

• Thin Beaten Rice, (poha/avalakki), 3 cups
• Grated jaggery, 3/4 cup tightly packed, or as per taste
• Fresh Coconut gratings, 3/4 cup
• Cardamom powder, 1/2 tsp
• Ghee, 1-2 tsp

Method:

Mix together  the coconut gratings and beaten rice by hand until they are well combined and the beaten rice becomes soft

Add cardamom powder, and mix well. Keep aside 

Next, add some water, about 1/4 cup, to the grated jaggery and heat in a kadai till the jaggery melts

Keep stirring the jaggery until you get a syrup of one string consistency 

(When you take the syrup between your thumb and fore finger and move them apart, the syrup should form a single string) 

Remove from flame and add the mixture of beaten rice and coconut gratings to this syrup and mix well

Finally, add 1-2 tsp of fresh ghee 

MADGANE : TRADITIONAL KONKANI SWEET DISH

MADGANE : TRADITIONAL KONKANI SWEET DISH

"Madgane" (actually pronounced "mud-ga-ne.") is a well-known Konkani sweet dish made of chana dal (Bengal gram dal) and jaggery with the richness of coconut milk.

This is traditionally cooked during our festive occasions and can best be described as a "payasa" of sorts. This reminds me of the elaborate meal served on the banana leaf on such occasions where the last item to be served is the madgane, which is then quickly slurped off the leaf !!

 Ingredients:

• Chana Dal (Bengal Gram dal ), 1/2 cup
• Rice Flour, 2 tbsp
• Coconut Gratings, 2 cups
• Jaggery, grated, 1 cup, or as per taste
• Tender Cashew Nuts, 10-15
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Cardamom Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Ghee, a little for roasting raisins

 Method:

Soak tender cashew nuts for a couple of hours. Peel and break into halves. Cook them and keep aside.
In a kadai, dry roast the chana dal over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until it gives off a good aroma.
Wash the roasted chana dal, add 2 cups of water and cook it in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles or till it is soft, but not mushy. Allow the cooker to cool, remove the cooked dal and keep aside.
In a mixer, grind the coconut gratings and extract the thick milk. Keep aside.
Grind the coconut gratings once again, adding a little water, to extract the thin milk.
Next, add the rice flour to the thin coconut milk and mix it evenly
Add grated jaggery to the cooked chana dal and cashew nuts
Combine this with the mixture of rice flour and thin coconut milk
Boil this stirring continuously
Finally, add the thick coconut milk, and boil for a minute more
Now add the cardamom powder and garnish with raisins roasted in ghee
Serve hot or cold, as per your preference.