BOILED FRUIT CAKE - CHRISTMAS CAKE

This is a very simple and delicious cake. Made this for Christmas , If you have forgotten to soak the fruits then do not worry make this cake which is easy and absouletly fruity and moist. My family and friends loved this cake. Do try it

Ingredients 

1 Can (14 oz) Condensed milk
150 Grams Butter
200 Grams Raisins
200 Grams Sultanas
150 Grams Currants
150 Grams Glace cherries - chopped
250 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
2 Teaspoons Cake Spice powder - Homemade
1 Teaspoon  Cinnamon powder
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Orange Juice for moisting the cake 

Method

In a pan add the condensed milk, butter, glace cherries, currants, sultanas, raisins. Let butter melt and mix well. Bring it to a boil. On low flame let boil for 8 to 10 minutes, keep stirring it continuously. Set aside to cool at least for 3 to 4 hours.
Then only add the other ingredients.

In a bowl sieve the flour, baking powder, cake spice and ground cinnamon.

When the fruit mix has cooled, add the flour mix and mix it with a spatula.  Then add in the eggs and mix it again. Pour batter in a greased and lined baking tray. Bake at 150 degrees C for about 1.1/4 hour to  1 ½ hours or till done. 

When you remove it from the oven immediately, poke holes with skewer and pour orange juice over the cake to make it moist or else it will dry out. Let cool and then remove from tin wrap a ribbon around it and serve.  Wrap it with cling film, to stay fresh.

This is a delicious and beautiful fruit cake, remains soft and moist for a week and even more if it remains ... for that many days..
Labels : Christmas Cake, Fruit Cake, Cakes, Festival Sweets

GUAVA CHEESE - CHRISTMAS SWEET

Guava cheese is a sweet prepared by Christians for Christmas. It's very easy and has a long shelf life. Tastes cheesy and soft, melt in the mouth sweet this is. Do give it a try.   This sweet has no flour or eggs, completely vegetarian, vegan, gluten free.

Ingredients 

4 Cups Guava Pulp ( 1.1/2 Kg Ripe Big Guavas)
5 Cups Tea Sugar
Juice of 3 Big Lemons
2 Tablespoons Ghee
Few drops of Pink or Red color

Method

Wash the guavas and cut them in halves, place it in a container and steam them in a pressure cooker (like you steam rice) on high for one whistle then reduce the flame and keep it for 10 minutes ( taking care that no water enters the container).

Cool the guavas completely then take a spoon and scoop out the seeds and keep aside, taking care that no seeds remain in the outer covering. 

Take the seeds pulp in a fine strainer and remove the pulp as much as possible.

Take the outer cover and chop it into small pieces and grind it to a fine paste without adding any water.

Measure the pulp and the ground paste in a cup or a bowl. Take the same bowl and measure the sugar ( sugar is one cup extra than the pulp). 

Place the sugar, guava pulp and lime juice in a heavy bottom base kadai and place on fire on medium low flame stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.

While stirring take care to stay far away as it splutters. Keep stirring continuously, this take around 45 minutes to an hour. When the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides add the ghee and color, continue stirring till forms a ball in the center. Take it our into a greased tray and spread it. Cool completely and cut into squares.  Store in airtight containers.

This stays good for 3 months in a cool dry place. 

I make this sweet of 3 to 4 kgs guavas and send them for my friends and relatives abroad.

Labels :  Festival Sweets, Gluten free, Guava, Lime Juice, Sugar, Vegan, Vegetarian, Christmas Sweet, East Indian

CHANA DAL BARFI

This barfi is a lengthy process but worth the effort.  The most time taken is to cook the dal in milk or else it's a quick and easy barfi.

When boiling this dal take a wide thick bottom kadai to cook the dal, if you see the pics I, first used a big saucepan then changed it to a kadai, which quickened the process. It took me almost 2 hours to cook and dry the milk.  I just left it on low flame stirring in between after every 15 minutes,  Only in the last 10 to 15 minutes when the milk was nearly in evaporating stage I stirred it continuously.  So you can just leave it on low flame and finish all your cooking, then attend to it.  

Ingredients
1 Cup Heaped Chana Dal
1+1/4 Cup Heaped Tea Sugar
12 Skinned Almonds - sliced
1 Cup Ghee - I used Desi Ghee / Pure Ghee
1 Liter Milk
1/4 Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
A pinch Yellow food color

Method

Wash and soak the dal for 2  hours in water.

  

After 2 hours again wash the dal and boil it in milk in a pan / kadai.  

Cook till soft, when the milk starts evaporating , at this stage stir it continuously or else it may burn (so keep an eye on it ). 

When the dal is cooked and milk evaporated then immediately blend it in a small blender by placing a towel on the jar in case it opens with it the heat.  Blend to a fine paste.

Heat  ghee in a heavy bottom pan / kadai, add dal paste stir continuously, for about 10 minutes at least on low flame or till you get a aroma and it also starts bubbling and the ghee is absorbed. 

Now add  sugar, food color and cardamon powder keep stirring again continuously on low flame. Cook till the mixture starts to leave the sides of pan and starts to  form a ball in the center, remove in a well greased tray and press it to level it ( could not take pics at this stage since I had to stir this continuously). 

Decorate with sliced almonds. Leave to set, for an hour then cut in cubes and again leave it to cool completely for about 6 to 8 hours .
   

Store it in airtight containers, for a day or two out and then in the fridge ( since it has milk and will mildew quickly).  

This barfi is really yummy taste as though its brought from the sweet shop.

These are packed for my Diwali party... you too make and enjoy.

Sending this to MLLA , hosted by Cooking with Siri which completes 100th this month

Labels : Chana Dal, Lentils, Festival Sweets, Barfi

Kalakand - Homemade

Kalakand is a very traditional and delicious sweet dessert, made with whole milk and paneer, a barfi, it's soft, mouth melting and grainy in texture. This is very  popular  in India and Pakistan.   I made this sweet double the quantity as half the quantity  went to my friends who I, visited during Ganapati festival.

Ingredients
1.1/2 + 1.1/2 Liters Milk.
2 Tablespoons Vinegar or lemon juice
150 Grams Sugar powder
2 Tablespoons Pistachios - sliced
2 Tablespoon Almonds - sliced

Method 

Vinegar or lemon juice mix it in 1/4 cup water, keep aside.

Take a deep heavy vessel to make the paneer and pour 1.1/2 liters milk in it. Keep it on medium flame till it just comes to a boil add the vinegar / lemon juice in it and let the milk curdle Once the solid separates from the milk sieve the mixture with a clean cloth and strain the excess water. After straining the water, wash the paneer in fresh water for 2 to 3 times. Keep it to drain. After the water nearly drains, grate the paneer and keep aside.

In a heavy bottom kadai bring the other 1.1/2 liter of milk to boil. Let this boil till it reduces to half the quantity. . Keep on stirring the milk with a spoon at short intervals so it doesn't stick at the bottom of the pan. The consistency of the milk will become extremely thick once it is reduced to half.

Now add the paneer to the milk and stir it continuously. Cook the mixture till it gets thick and looks like mawa. Add sugar to it and stir the mixture. Cook it till the mixture reaches the consistency of making a barfi.

Grease a tray it with little ghee. Pour the mixture into the tray and let it set. Garnish the mixture with sliced pistachios and almonds.

Your Kalakand is ready. Cut it into desired shape and size and serve ... Enjoy.   These went to my friends who I, visited during Ganapati festival.

Labels : Festival Sweets, Sweets & Desserts, Milk

LAL BHOPLYACHYA GHARGE / FRIED RED PUMPKIN PURIS #BREADBAKERS

Gharge is basically a sweet bread that has red pumpkin as one if its main ingredient.  Gharge is a very traditional recipe of Maharashtra which is made Red Pumpkin, in Marathi it's called Lal Bhopla.  For festivals and puja these puris are mostly prepared.  

These were on my to do list for a long time.  When the theme was given for this month, was very happy.  This was first thing that came to my mind... and here it is... Lal Bhoplyachya Gharge.   Red Pumpkin is cooked once a week in my house since hubby loves it.   Although  these puris  are loved by all they rarely prepared since these are  deep fried.   They have a sweet taste with an awesome flavor of fennel seeds, which are not added in the puris by us traditionally.  But I love playing with ingredients, this really worked and everyone enjoyed these puris.  Here is  my recipe ..

Ingredients

1 Cup  Lal Bhopla / Red Pumpkin -  cut into cubes
1/2 Cup Gul / Jaggery -  grated 
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamon powder

1 Teaspoon Fennels seeds - coarsely ground

1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder 

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

A Pinch Salt 
Oil as  required  to  deep fry

Method

Steam the pumpkin  without using water in a pan till done, take off flame,  when slightly cool  mash it to a smooth paste.

  
Mix the jaggery with the pumpkin well.  Leave aside for 10 to 15 minutes for the jaggery to dissolve. Do not add water.

When the jaggery has dissolved completely, add to it a pinch of salt and a tablespoon oil, fennel and cardamon powder,  mix well, then add baking powder and  wheat flour a little at a time, add in only as much as required to  make a slightly stiff dough. Let this dough rest covered for at least  half an hour.

Take a big ball of dough.  Oil the rolling board and roll it into a 1/4 inch thick chappati, ( do not use dry flour for rolling).  Take a round cookie cutter and cut into puris. Arrange them in a single layer. Like wise make all the  puris. 

Heat oil in a deep frying pan and deep fry each puri, till golden brown on both sides on medium high flame. 

Have these with a cup of tea for breakfast or as tiffin to your kids.   Enjoy  these soft, sweet and puffy puris.... 

Labels : Breads, Red Pumpkin, Festival Sweets, Bread Bakers, Kids delight, Vegan

Sending these to Bread Bakers September event wherein we had to use pumpkin or pumpkin spices in the bread. Host is: Kylee , thank you for hosting this event.

Bread Bakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

See here what are  fellow bakers have baked this month.

Breads with Pumpkin/Pumpkin Spice

• Almost Vegan Chocolate and Pumpkin Loaf Cake by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Brown Butter & Pumpkin Seed Scones by Food Above Gold
• Cinnamon Pumpkin Quick Bread by Food Lust People Love
• Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts and a Trio of Frosting by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Hearty Whole Wheat Bread with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Italian Pumpkin Bread by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Lal Bhoplyachya Gharge by Sneha's Recipe
• Nutella Swirl Pumpkin Bread by Plated Cravings
• Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl by A Baker's House
• Pumpkin Cardamom Buns by Sara's Tasty Buds
• Pumpkin Chocolate Babka by House of Nash Eats
• Pumpkin Cornbread by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling by Cook's Hideout
• Pumpkin Pepita Muffin Tops by A Salad For All Seasons
• Pumpkin Pie Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls by Kylee Cooks
• Pumpkin Raisin Scones by Palatable Pastime
• Pumpkin Ricotta Pull Apart Buns by Food Smart Mom
• Pumpkin Sour Cherry Sourdough Bread by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Pumpkin Spice Ale Soft Pretzels by Baking Sense
• Pumpkin Spice Raisin Bread with Kinako by What Smells So Good?
• Pumpkin Spice Swirl Quickbread by Baking in Pyjamas
• Multigrain Pumpkin Bread by Herbivore Cucina
• Two Tone Pumpkin Bread by Passion Kneaded
• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Sandwich Loaf by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Yeasted Pumpkin Bread by Veena’s Vegnation

Narali Bhaat / Jaggery Coconut Rice

Narali Poornima marks the end of monsoon season in Maharashtra. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Shravan. People offer coconuts to the sea. This festival marks the beginning of the new fishing season. Fishermen and fishing community (koli) in Maharashtra, worship the sea-god before sailing out over the mighty sea, for a safe fishing by offering coconuts . Hence, this special Narali Bhaat/ Jaggery Coconut Rice which is a traditional, age old dish is made on this day and is prepared mostly in Maharashtrian homes on this day.

Serves: 4 
Ingredients
1 Cup Rice
1.3/4 Cups water
3/4 Cup Packed Jaggery - grated
3/4 Cups Fresh Coconut - grated
1/4 Cup Desi Ghee
3 Cloves
2 Green Cardamoms
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
12 Cashewnuts - halved
A Pinch Salt

Method

Wash the rice well and keep it to drain in a strainer.

Keep the the water to boil in a pan.

In the meantime heat a heavy bottom pan / kadai with ghee, fry the cashewnuts in the ghee when browned remove and keep aside.

In the same kadai , add the cloves and green cardamoms. Saute for a few seconds. Add the drained rice and 2 tablepsoon coconut fry till rice is light pink. Add boiling water and bring it to a rolling boil, cover with a lid pour water on lid and reduce the flame to low. Keep it to cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Open when you see the rice is cooked and still moist, add a pinch of salt and lightly fluffy it, add the jaggery in a single layer, on top, then the coconut and sprinkle little hot water from the lid. Cover again with the lid with water on it, on low flame let it cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes open the lid and lightly stir in the rice so that the jaggery and coconut get well incorporated, again cover and cook it jaggery melts and rice is done, sprinkle the cardamon powder. If you feel it rice is still not done sprinkle little hot water from the lid and again cook it till done on low flame. 

Let it remain covered for 10 minutes without opening the lid. After 10 minutes lightly fluffy the rice with a fork. Serve this rice when warm . Enjoy this delicious grainy sweet rice.

My Notes:

If you want the rice more sweet then increase the jaggery to a cup.  But the quantity used had the just right sweetness.

Labels : Rice, Festival Sweets, Jaggery, Coconut

Tilache Ladoo

A Makar Sankranti special and popular Maharashtrian recipe Tilache Ladoo also known as Tilgul.    For this you have to use the chikki jaggery.  For jaggery in Marathi we say Gul and sesame seeds Til.  These are crisp and delicious, you will not be able to stop eating at one, that's for sure.......  so here I say  "Til gul ghya ani god god bola ".

Ingredients
250 Grams Jaggery  - Chikki Jaggery
250 Grams  Sesame Seeds (Til)
1 Tablespoon Desi Ghee
4 Tablespoons  Groundnuts - roasted , skinned and crushed
8 - 10 Cashew nuts - chopped
15  Raisins
1/2 Cup  Dry Coconut -  grated and roasted 
1 Teaspoon  Cardamom powder

Method

Take a bowl, add til (sesame seeds), crushed groundnut, chopped cashews, raisins & grated coconut. Mix all the ingredients, keep aside.

Heat a kadai, add jaggery and ghee let it melt completely.   Keep stirring the mixture till the jaggery  melts completely.  Will start to  change colour, ( to check whether it's ready take a bowl of water, add  a drop of jaggery, if it forms a ball ) remove it from the flame.  Add elaichi powder and mix well.  Add the til mixture and mix well. Apply some ghee  to your hand and immediatley start making ladoos.  Serve these to your family and friends......  "Til gul ghya ani god god bola "

Labels : Festival Sweets, Ladoo, Sesame seeds, Jaggery, Maharashtra

Rose Cookies with Eggs

Rose cookies is prepared in my house for Christmas . These are called by different names like Achu Murukku, Achappam in the South of India. These are deep fried cookies which are easy to make, yet delicious. To make these you require a mold, which is heated in oil and then dipped into the batter , there various shapes and sizes of mold in every household. I have made a flower mold. 

According to wiki these Rose cookies  are typical Anglo Indian cookie, why they are called so, I do not know. What I remember from my childhood days that my mother use to make these for Christmas. When I started working, have seen my non - christian friends from the South of India also make eggless rose cookies for Diwali.   Making these are time consuming but worth the effort.  It gives me great happiness when all are done to perfection.  My friends and relatives just wait for these cookies of mine.

Sending these to Mena's Cooking Club, this month theme is Cookies.

Ingredients

2 Cups All Purpose Flour 

3/4 Cup Rice Flour 
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar 

1 Cup Thick Coconut Milk - I used homemade
A pinch of Salt
1 Tablespoon  Black Sesame Seeds - optional

Water or Milk as required to make batter
Oil for Deep frying

Method

Sieve the rice and all purpose flour together thrice.

Beat the eggs  in a bowl,  add the flour,  sugar, salt, seeds and keep mixing using the coconut milk little at a time to make a smooth batter ( lump free).  Add  more water and make a thick and smooth batter ( lump free),  keep aside to rest for 15 minutes.  Just before making the cookies add more water to  make  a batter like for pancakes.   

To make the Rose Cookies

Take a wok or kadai pour enough oil  for deep frying,  place on heat and now place the mold into the oil.  Keep it immersed in oil till the  mold is very hot, remove from the oil and lightly dip 3/4th way only into the batter ( the batter should thick enough to coat the mold) -  then  dip it back into the oil - wait for a minute and start shaking the mold, the Cookie will leave the mold - fry the cookie on both sides till golden  remove and place on a absorbent paper to drain  excess oil.   Again place the mold in oil till hot then into the batter, continue making the cookies with the remaining batter in the same sequence.

Let  these cookies cooled completely , place in air tight containers. These remain good for  month, since we make them for Christmas , half go distribution and  remaining we have for tea.  These make a good snack and are crisp. 

Labels : Rose Cookies, Festival Sweets, Mena Cooking Club

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