Besan Ladoo

Besan Ladoo is an all time favorite sweet ladoo made from chickpea flour, for festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi , Dussehra, etc.  This is my hubby's favorite and its made regularly in my house. Whenever he feels like having something sweet, he will pick a besan ladoo and enjoy. Today am, going to share a simple besan ladoo recipe, I prepare these in different ways - even with dry fruit powder. This is an easy recipe with simple ingredients that are easily available.

I, roast the flour partly in the microwave and then in the end fry the flour on the stove. Roasting the flour in the microwave gets done quickly, using less energy, ghee and time.

So let's go to the recipe.

Makes 14

Ingredients

2 Cups Heaped Besan / Chickpea Flour
1/2 Cup Desi Ghee
2/3 Cup Level Powdered Sugar
2 Teaspoons Milk
1/4 Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
Raisins for garnishing

Method 
In a microwave proof plate spread a cup of flour at a time and microwave  on high for a minute, then stir it well and again microwave for a minute do this process three to four times, but after every minute stir it well, then keep it again microwave.

After completing this process 4 times, add a tablespoon of desi ghee and mix well, remove any lumps and again microwave on high - 3 -4 times - for a minute each , after every minute remove and stir well. Do the same process for the next batch of flour and keep aside.

In a heavy bottom pan, on low flame, heat the remaining desi ghee, add the roasted flour and keep frying till it changes color and releases a fragrant aroma of fried besan. Then add the milk and continue stirring till it is lump free, smooth and you will find a luster on the besan. Switch off the flame and continue stirring till the pan cools.

Remove it in a  bowl and keep it to cool completely.  When cold say after an hour or two, add the cardamon powder and sugar, mix well by taking the flour into hands and rubbing it so the the sugar is well incorporated.  

Make medium size ladoo and garnish each ladoo with a raisin. Store in an airtight container. This remains good for a month.  Enjoy....  Happy Diwali..

My Notes 

Adding milk makes the ladoos light and it does not stick to the palate while eating.

Labels : Besan, Festival Sweets, Sugar, Diwali Faral, Maharashtra

Akki Roti - Karnataka

Akki  means rice in  Kannada and Roti is a pancake or flat bread .  This is usually served for breakfast or dinner in Karnataka.  We loved having this and Ragi Roti another famous and  popular dish of Karnataka, during our stay in Bangalore.  We use to go to the famous kaugalli at V  V Puram and partically taste every dish freshly  prepared.  

Akki Roti is served hot and is eaten along with chutney. Akki Roti is also served with dash of white butter or pure ghee. Another way of making Akki Roti is to spread the dough over a plantain leaf and then cook it over the griddle with the plantain leaf on the top.   We have tasted different types of akki roti in Bangalore.  

My daughter who studied in Bangalore really missed the tasty and variety of food she enjoyed having there. When I made these at home she was thrilled. These are so milky white and soft with a splutter of green here and there, beautiful light pink spots.  These were
 so very appetizing, mouth melting, as you dip a small piece into spicy red chutney. So let's go to the recipe.

Sending this to this month's BM week 4 - Flat Bread / Pancake.

Makes 8 rotis
Ingredients 

4 Cups Rice Flour
1 Large Onion - finely chopped
3 Green chillies - finely chopped
2 Sprigs Curry leaves - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
Salt- to taste
Warm Water- as required
Oil for frying
Spicy Red Chutney for serving

Method 
Mix finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies and cumin seeds in a bowl. Add these, to the rice flour with salt and mix with warm water to make a dough ( Oil your hands to avoid the dough sticking) knead into a soft dough and keep aside for 5  to 10 minutes. 

 Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. 

Apply oil on a polythene paper or take a piece of cloth or plantain leaf . Take a ball of the dough , spread one on the paper with your hand in the shape of rotis.   

This roti should be 1/4 inch thick or else it will crack while placing it on the girdle. Make small holes on the roti (see pic).

Heat a girdle/pan and lightly brush it with oil.  

Place the roti in it, pour little oil on to the holes and sides, cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, open, flip and cook this side till light pink spots appear.  

Repeat the procedure for the remaining dough. Serve hot with Spicy Red Chutney. Enjoy...  as we  did  for dinner. 

Labels :  Karnataka, Breakfast, Flatbread, Pancakes, Roti, Blogging Marathon

Whole Wheat Pancakes - Eggless

Making pancakes for breakfast is easy and quick. These are healthy, fluffy, soft and delicious. Prefect for breakfast. You can add topping of fresh fruits, almonds, cherries or chocolate chips  or with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey as per your taste. We had it with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and enjoyed it with a cup of hot coffee.

Sending this to this month's BM week 4 - Flat Bread / Pancake.

Makes 5 -6 Pancakes
Ingredients
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup Hung curd
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
A pinch of  Salt
2 Teaspoons Oil
2 Teaspoons Sugar or according to taste
A pinch of Cinnamon powder

For the topping
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried chopped cherries or fresh fruits
Maple syrup or Honey to drizzle - I used chocolate sauce

Method

Mix all the wet ingredients together. Sift the dry ingredients together and combine with the wet until just combined and smooth batter. Cover and leave it for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat a non stick pan on medium flame. Grease the pan with little oil. Using a large ladle pour the pancake batter on the pan, cover and cook for 2 minutes then open.  Once the top seems dry, flip it over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Drizzle a serving plate with chocolate sauce and place the pancake on it. Drizzle some more chocolate sauce. Make all the pancakes and stack them on top of each other, drizzle some chocolate sauce on them. Serve them hot with a cup of coffee.   Enjoy these delicious pancakes.

My Notes :
Do not overmix your pancake batter. Overmixing your pancake batter will result in dense, heavy pancakes.

Brush the pan with oil or butter between each pancake. 

If you add cherries  or sliced almonds on the pan cake then sprinkle them immediately after you pour the batter in the pan.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 57

Labels : Pancakes, Eggless, Whole Wheat, Healthy, Breakfast, Blogging Marathon

Tawa Kulcha

Whenever I, visit a restuarant for a meal, ordering a kulcha or naan is a must. lt was on my to do list, but, somehow making these in my kitchen too a long time. Since I, was making a traditional Pakistani breakfast for the Mega BM decided to make these kulchas. They turned out super soft, delicious and was prefect with the prepared dishes. Do try  these Tawa Kulchas which are super easy to make.

Sending this to this month's BM week 4 - Flatbread / Pancake.
Ingredients
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Yogurt
2 Teaspoons Ghee
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Teaspoons Oil
Water as required for kneading the dough
Butter for brushing the Kulchas

Method 

Melt the ghee, add the curds, sugar, salt and mix well till incorporated.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda and keep aside. 

In a bowl add flour, and the ghee mix rub it into the flour well till it represents bread crumbs. Then add the milk and knead it into a dough, if the milk is not enough make a soft, dough add water as required. Knead it into a smooth dough. Oil yours and keep knead the dough till the soft and smooth. 

Grease a bowl with oil, place the dough in this bowl and keep covered for 2 to 3 hours or till the dough doubles in volume.

After the dough doubles in volume, punch the dough and divided into 6 equal parts.  

Dust the work surface with flour and take a ball of dough roll it into a round disc, about a 1/4 inch. Keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes to rest. Repeat the same process with rest of the dough balls. 

Heat a tawa on medium flame and place a kulch and let it cook for 3 minutes, then flip and let the other side cook till brown spots appear.  

Then flip and again cook this side till brown spot appear. When done then brush it butter. Repeat the process with the remaing Kuclhas. Serve hot with Khagina and Andha Bhurji. Enjoy these with the Pakistani Breakfast. 

Labels : Tawa Kulcha, Pakistan, Flatbread, Breads, Blogging Marathon  

Di San Xian - Vegetarian

Di San Xian (or more accurately read as 'dee sun sen') is a delicious vegetarian dish from Dongbei (north east China). The name Di San Xian is translated as 'earth three fresh'.


When I, was looking to the dishes list in wiki list, found this name, looked through the recipe was happy to read through this easy Chinese dish.The only thing I added more was chilly flakes to make it lightly spicy otherwise made it exactly as given. Also did not add light soy sauce since its not available here. Instead I added 3 teaspoon dark soy sauce.

Recipe Source here

Ingredients
1 Large Aubergine / Brinjal
2 - 3 Medium potato
1 Large Green Capsicum
1 Cup Oil for frying
2 large Clove Garlic
4 Stalks of Spring onion (scallion), use only the white part
2 Teaspoon Light Soy sauce - I did not add
2 Teaspoon Dark Soy sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1 Cube of Vegetarian Soup cube
1 Teaspoon Cornflour -mix with 2 tablespoons water

Method

Cut potatoes into thin wedges. 

Cut aubergine into thick wedges, remember it will shrink after cooking. Cut just before cooking to prevent browning or straight after frying the potatoes. Do not rinse or salt the aubergine.  

Cut capsicum  into thick wedges. 

Chop garlic and spring onion. 

Heat oil in work till hot then put in potatoes and fry till light golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Fry the aubergine in the same oil at high heat. The aubergine will absorb a lot of the oil at first. When the pieces become golden brown, most of the absorbed oil is released. Fry till golden and soft. Remove and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Fry the capsicum briefly for about 1 - 2 minutes on high heat. Remove and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Remove all the oil,  reserve only a tablespoon  of oil in wok, add in the garlic and spring onion, fry at medium heat till light golden.
Add in  water and cubes when the cube dissolves, add the both soy sauces and, chilly flakes and sugar.
When the liquid is boiling, add in all the vegetables. Stir briefly then thicken with  cornflour paste on high heat and reduce the sauce to almost dry and vegetables are evenly coated with the sauce.  Take off flame and  serve.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 57

Labels : Brinjal, Chinese, Asian Cuisine, Potato, Capsicum, Blogging Marathon, Vegetarian, Vegetables