Badam Puri

It's been quite a while since I posted a recipe. Not that the kitchen was closed for so long, but I was in the 'receiving end' of enjoying my mom's cooking for all this time. Now that I'm on a break, I've resumed 'some' cooking.

Badam Puri was the choice in menu for our daughter's Namakaranam (naming ceremony). That reminded me of the days mom used to make them at home. Sree loved it, so we decided to make them at home, again, on demand.

Ingredients:
1 cup sooji
1 cup maida
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp rice flour
2 tbsp grated dry coconut
2 cups oil for frying
1/4 tsp eliachi/cardamom powder
1/4 tsp kesari/saffron powder

Pre-preparation:
1. Maida & Sooji mix
In a bowl, add 1 cup (measure) maida, 1 cup sooji, 2 tbsp ghee, a pinch of salt and little water if needed. Mix it well to make dough. Let is set for 1-2 hours.

2. Sugar Syrup:
Add 1 cup water & 1 cup sugar, bring it to boil. Mix eliachi & saffron powder to the syrup and set aside.

3. Add 1 tsp of ghee to 1 - 2 tsp of rice flour. Kneed it to make a thicker, grainy mix.

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a pan, for frying
• Make small balls out of the maida-sooji mix
• Roll it, spread a pinch of rice-ghee mix (makes it crispier) & fold it to small triangles
  
• Roll it again to flatten
• Deep fry in oil, do not wait till it is golden brown. Fry till it starts to become brown
  
• Remove from oil & dip it in sugar syrup. Do not soak in syrup
  
• Dip & remove to a plate, sprinkle some dry coconut

Enjoy some when hot, can also store for 2-3 days. Makes a great snack or dessert or even a small meal for the sweet lovers.

Fruits and Nuts

Simple yet rich. A quick n easy way to enjoy dessert everyday or even makes a nice replacement for a staple diet. You can prepare it instantly with any fruits you have at home.

Ingredients:
2 bananas
2 apples
1 small honey dew
3 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp cashew nuts & almonds
3-4 tbsp honey

Preparation:

• Cut all fruits & mix them.
• Add nuts & raisins.
  
• Pour honey over a bowl of the fruit & nut mix while serving.
  
  
  

Appam

Appam in Tamil and known as Yeriappa in Kannada. Usually Appam is made during Navratri; there are lots of dishes prepared in those nine days of celebrations.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice - soak for 2-3 hours
1/2 to 3/4 cup jaggery/gur (add as per the sweetness required)
1/4 tsp cardamom/elaichi powder
1 banana
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups cooking oil - for frying

Preparation:

• Soak a cup of rice for 2-3 hours prior to preparation.
• Grind soaked rice and coconut (adding as little water possible).
• Add banana & jaggery to rice, coconut & grind to a thick paste.
  
• Add elaichi powder to the paste & mix well.
  
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Drop spoonful of paste in oil and deep fry them turning sides until brown.

Serve them as snack or as dessert.

Rava Ladoos - Krishna Janmashtami special

I wasn't used to celebrating festivals alone. Mom or mom-in-law would do the needful and I used to be there as helping hand n participation. This year has been the do-it-yourself time. I sure didn't want to miss out on these occasions. After all, life is full of celebrations and these occasions are more colorful.

So, for Krishna Janmashtami, decided to make some Rava ladoos, Nippattu and of course Poha.

Ingredients:
1 cup Sooji Rava/Semolina
1 cup fine sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup cashew nuts and raisins
2-3 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder/elaichi

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Preparation:

• Heat ghee in a small pan/kadhai.
• Saute raisins & cashew nuts, set them aside.
• Saute shredded coconut, set it aside.
• Roast rava in ghee till you get the aroma (you will know the raw smell of rava settling & the aroma).
• Mix all of it - roasted rava, coconut, cashew nuts, raisin, elaichi in a container.
• Add warm milk little by little while you mix till you are able to gather it up as balls.