KOVAKAJJIKAYAYALU

One of the sweets which reminds me of my childhood days. One of my aunt in vijayawada used to make these mouthwatering yummy double layer delights very often. Filled with coconut and jaggery laddoo, covered with kova the procedure for the recipe is elaborate in those good old days. But no one want to spend hours before the hot stove. Now a days you get the ready made kova and you can make these kovakajjokayalu in less than an hour. Give then a sure try.

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE OUTER LAYER

1. Kova                           250 Grams(unsweetened)
2. Sugar                          150 Grams
3. Cardamom powder     1tsp

FOR THE COCONUT LADDU

1. Grated coconut             2cups
2. Jaggery                         1+1/2 cups
3. Cardamom powder       1tsp
4. Ghee                             2 Tsp

PROCEDURE

• Heat a pan and add the grated kova, sugar. When the mixture loosens add the ghee and cardamom powder. If the kova is too thick try adding a couple of spoons of milk. Mix well till the kova forms a lump.
• Keep the kova aside.
• For the coconut filling, add the fresh grated coconut, jaggery, cardamom powder, ghee in a thick bottom pan. Keeping the flame low keep stirring till the mixture becomes thick and you are able to make balls.
• Now make balls with the coconut mixture.
• Make kova balls double the size of the coconut balls.
• Flatten the kova ball and keep the coconut mixture inside it, close it again and make a smooth round. 
• Serve with coffee and snacks.

BADUSHA

Badusha is one such recipes which needs perfection. No matter you are cooking for years together and you can do any dish, I am sure you don't get this sweet perfect when you make it for the first time. If you get it perfect sure you are a chef. I have tried it for many times with many different combinations till I achieved soft, light, mouth melting and juicy badushas. Now I am sure I can make them at any time and get the same perfect badushas. Go through my recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• Maida                     3cups
• Ghee                      4Tsp
• Sugar                     1Tsp
• Baking soda           1/4tsp
• Baking powder      1/4 tsp
• Curd                      1 cup
• Sugar                     2 cups
• Water                     1/2cup
• Cardamom             1 tsp(powder)
• Lemon juice           1 tsp
• Oil                         for deep frying

PROCEDURE

In a large bowl add the curd (curd used must be sour), 1 Tsp of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ghee.

Mix well till a smooth mixture is formed.

Add the maida little by little and mix till you get a crumbling mixture.

Do not knead the dough as you don't want the gluten to be formed.

Make a lump and set side for 30 minutes.

(Add a liitle bit of water if the mixture doesn't form a lump.)

Mean while make the sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency.

Add the cardamom and lemon juice and switch off the flame.

Lemon juice will not solidify the sugar syrup.

Take a lemon size ball of the maida and make into a perfect round.

Flatten the ball a little bit and make a  dent in the middle.

Make all the Badushas.

Heat oil and once the oil is heated completely keep the flame low.

Now drop the badushas into the oil.

Fry for 12 to 15 minutes on very low flame.(Keep the flame low all through frying or else the badushas will remain raw inside.)

When the badushas are fried completely and turn golden brown add them to the sugar syrup.

Soak the badushas for 15 minutes.

Remove onto a plate and let dry.

MILK-CHOCOLATE BARFI

Want to have some thing sweet with milk powder, try this recipe. Milk powder, a couple of spoons of ghee, cocoa powder, some sugar and thats it. Enjoy treating yourself with something sweet now and then. Preparation is easy and  hardly takes 10minutes, but  have to wait for a couple of hours for it to set.

INGREDIENTS

• Milk powder               2cups
• Sugar                          1/2 cup
• Butter                         3 Tsp
• Milk                           1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder    1/2 tsp

for the chocolate layer

• Milk powder                2cups
• Cocoa powder             2 Tsp
• Sugar                           1/2 cup
• Butter                          3 Tsp
• Milk                            1/4 cup

PROCEDURE

FOR THE WHITE LAYER

Grease a plate with butter and set aside.

In a non stick pan add butter, sugar, milk mix and then heat the pan.

When the milk boils,  sugar and butter melts add the milk powder.

Add the cardamom powder too.

Mix well on a very low flame till the mixture forms a thick lump and leaves the sides of the pan.

Transfer the mixture onto the greased plate.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYER

Sieve the milk powder and cocoa powder.

In a non stick pan add butter, sugar, milk mix and then heat the pan.

When the milk boils, sugar and butter melts add the milk powder + cocoa powder.

Mix well on a very low flame till the mixture forms a thick lump and leaves the sides of the pan.

Top the chocolate mixture on the white layer.

Grease a spoon with butter and spread the chocolate layer evenly.

Let cool completely for  2 hours.

Cut to desired shape and serve with tea.

GODHUMARAVVA PAYASAM

A sweet - perfect for any occasion. Made with broken wheat and jaggery this is perfect on fasting days. More over  this is even more healthy than the traditional paravannam. Give it a sure try in these festival days.

INGREDIENTS

• Broken wheat              1 cup
• Water                           2+1/2 cups
• Milk                            1/2 cup
• Ghee                           2 Tsp
• Cashews                     10
• Raisins                        10
• Cardamom                   1tsp(powder)

PROCEDURE

Cook the wheat with water and when it is completely cooked add the milk.

When the payasam becomes thick add the cardamom and switch off the flame.

Adjust milk according to the payasam consistency you desire.

Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and add to the Payasam.

Serve hot.

MAHARASTRIAN NARIYAL BATH

Have you ever tried some thing sweet with garam masala……..I have heard about the recipe through my friend, but I never tasted it. I wondered how any one could combine masala and jaggery, I was sure that it will not at all please my sweet palettes. But today when I tried this, I was awestruck by the taste.

You will have to try this once for sure. I have made a small variation to the traditional recipe by skipping the grated coconut and by adding coconut milk.

INGREDIENTS

• Rice                   1cup
• Water                 2cups
• Coconut milk     1/2 cup
• Jaggery              3/4 cup
• Ghee                  3 Tsp
• Cashews            12-15
• Raisins               10
• Cardamom         3
• Bay leaf             1
• Cinnamon          1 inch stick
• Cloves               4   

PROCEDURE

Cook the rice with 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup coconut milk.

Heat ghee and fry the cashews, raisins and set aside.

In the same ghee add the cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves.

Add the cooked rice and jaggery.

Jaggery melts and the mixture loosens a bit.

Keep stirring till the rice becomes thick just like the chakrapongali.

Switch off the flame and add the fried nuts and serve hot.

CARROT-DATES-NUT HALWA

Finally I tried a healthy version of carrot halwa with nuts and dates. No much ghee or sugar or Milk( In fact zero milk and sugar). I just used a couple of spoons of fat free milk powder so that I need not sacrifice the taste of carrot halwa.

INGREDIENTS

• Grated carrots                     2 cups
• Dates                                  1 cup (paste)
• Nuts                                    1/2 cup(cashews, almonds, pista)
• Fat free milk powder          4 Tsp
• Ghee                                  2 Tsp
• Olive oil                             2 Tsp
• Cardamom powder            1 tsp

PROCEDURE

Grind the dates into a paste.

Dry roast the Nuts for 10-15 minutes on a very low flame. Let cool and grind to a fine powder.

Heat ghee and oil. Fry the grated carrots. 

Fry on a slow flame till the raw flavor is gone.

Add the dates paste, nut powder, milk powder.

Cover and slow cook for 15 minutes by mixing intermittently. 

Add the cardamom powder.

Cook for few more minutes till the halwa is thick and smells awesome.

Serve hot.

CHIROTI

 A simple sweet, but you need a lot of practice. If you have ever tried the kajalu recipe then I am sure you can make them in the first attempt itself. When made with perfection and love these just melts away in your mouth. 

INGREDIENTS

• Maida                            3 cups
• Sugar                            2 cups
• Ghee                             3+2 Tsp
• Rice flour                     3 Tsp
• Water                           as required
• Oil                               for deep frying
• Cardamom                  1 Tsp(powder)

PROCEDURE

In a bowl,  mix in the maida and 3 tablespoons of ghee. Mix well till a crumbling mixture is formed.

Now add water little by little and make a thick dough just like the puri dough.

Cover and let rest for an hour.

Mix in the rice flour and the remaining ghee and make a thick paste.

Take a big golf ball size dough and roll it into very thin and large chapati.

Roll one more chapati of the same size.

Smear the rice flour paste on one chapati and place the second on it.

Smear some more paste on the top layer and now roll the two chapatis like a mat.

Cut into half inch pieces.

Now roll each piece into round discs.

Deep fry the discs on a medium flame.

Take a very large open pan and add the sugar and water. We will add the fried chiroti and mix them in the same pan so use a large pan.

Make a thick sugar syrup with 2 cups of sugar. Add water just enough to cover the sugar and boil the syrup till you get the ball consistency. 

Add the cardamom powder and switch off the flame

Gently drop the fried chiroti into the sugar syrup. Keep stirring gently till the sugar is well coated and the sugar  begins to solidify.

Remove onto a large plate and let cool.

Serve with a hot cup of coffee. 

RAVVA LADDU 2

A simple ravva laddu  recipe with additional taste enhancers- Cashew powder and Milk powder. Give it a  try and sure your kids will love it.

INGREDIENTS

• Suji                      1cup
• Sugar                   1/2 cup
• Ghee                   3 Tsp
• Cardamom           1/2tsp
• Cashew powder   2 Tsp
• Milk powder        2 Tsp
• Nuts                    2 Tsp
• Milk                     2-3 Tsp

PROCEDURE

Heat the ghee and fry the nuts and set aside.

In the same ghee fry the suji on a very low flame for about 10 to 12 minutes till the raw flavor is gone.

Add the cashew powder  and fry for two more minutes.

Powder the sugar.

Mix in the sugar and milk powder.

When the suji cools a little bit add the sugar and milk powder, fried nuts.

Add a little bit of milk and make the balls.

Don't add too much milk  because the mixture may turn too runny very easily.

SWEET POTATO HALWA

To overcome your sweet craving without any guilt go for this simple halwa. Sweet potato has a natural sweetness so you can hardly use sugar in this recipe. As this requires very little sugar and little ghee you can have a couple of more spoons than the other halwas. Give it a sure try.

INGREDIENTS

• Cooked sweet potatoes                 3 (1 cup mashed)
• Milk                                              1 cup(use whole milk)
• Sugar                                            3 Tsp
• Ghee                                             3 Tsp
• Nuts                                              2 Tsp
• Cardamom                                    1/4 tsp
• Saffron strands                              a few                                                   

PROCEDURE

Mash the cooked sweet potatoes and keep aside. You can also use a grater and grate them.

Fry the nuts in ghee and keep aside.

Soak the saffron in the whole milk.

In the same ghee fry the sweet potato paste.

Fry for 4 to 5 minutes or till the mixtures changes color.

Now add the saffron milk and sugar. Cook till the halwa forms a lump.

You can cover while cooking the halwa. 

When the halwa gets a creamier and thick consistency add the cardamom and fried nuts.

Serve hot or refrigerate to serve cold.

PALAK BALLS PULAO( KIDS FAVORITE)

MY 300TH POST

One of the favorite and healthy recipe of my toddler son. Lots and lots of palak and a little bit of masala makes this a healthy recipe for your fussy kids at dining table. I deep fry the palak balls, you can also steam or bake the palak balls so that you can reduce the calories. But I say……..once a while enjoy that extra taste of deep fried foods.

INGREDIENTS

• Shredded palak                           2 cups
• Cooked Rice                               2 cups
• Cashews                                     10
• Whole garam masala                  bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, shahi jeera
• Pepper powder                           1tsp
• Ghee                                          2 Tsp
• Besan                                         2 Tsp
• Rice flour                                   2 tsp
• Ginger                                        1 tsp(chopped/paste)
• Garlic                                         1 tsp(chopped/paste)
• Cooked potato                           1
• Salt                                             to taste
• Coriander                                   2-3 sprigs(chopped)
• Oil                                              for deep frying

PROCEDURE

Microwave the finely chopped spinach for 1 minute. You can also blanch chopped palak for a minute in hot water.

Squeeze out excess water if any from palak and add the mashed potato, ginger, garlic, salt,coriander, besan, rice flour. You can add add ginger garlic paste or even chopped ginger and garlic.

Adjust the flours so that you can make a dough. 

Make small balls and deep-fry them in hot oil.

Keep them aside.

Heat ghee in a large pan and add the garam masala, cashews.

Let fry for a minute and then add the cooked rice, palak balls, pepper powder.

Toss and serve hot with raita.

VEGGIE-OATS CUTLET

A healthy cutlet for those foodie lovers like me and who are on a strict diet. Not to tell you these are good for any one. As oats contain high fiber and is an energy booster, these are good for your kids too.

INGREDIENTS

• Oats powder                        1 cup
• Potato                                  1(boiled, mashed)
• Green peas                          1/4 cup(boiled, mashed)
• Onion                                  1/2 cup(finely chopped)
• Chopped chilies                  2
• Chopped coriander             2 Spoons
• Chopped ginger                  1 tsp
• Salt                                     to taste
• Jeera powder                     1 tsp
• Oil                                     to shallow fry 

PROCEDURE

Dry roast the oats powder on a very slow flame for 2-3 minutes.

Let cool and then add the remaining ingredients except the oil.

Mix well so that you can make small patties.

Shallow fry with oil on a hot tawa on a slow flame on both sides.

Serve hot with sauce.

Can use bread crumbs to enhance taste or if you are not able to make the patties.