Boondi Ladoos

Boondi Ladoos

One of my favourite Indian dessert is Boondi Ladoos. So I decided to make it in my kitchen. Here is a simple recipe from Internet with some tips from my maid who makes it regularly on festivals.

Ingredients 

For Boondi

1.5 cups besan/gram flour

1 cup + 1 tbsp water or add as required (the amount of water to be added depends on the quality of besan/gram flour)

2 pinch of saffron powder

½ tsp cardamom powder

1 tbsp melon seeds

2 black cardamoms seeds 

a pinch of edible camphor (optional)

¾ tbsp ghee to be added or ghee for applying on your palms for shaping the ladoos

oil for deep frying the boondis

For Sugar Syrup

1.5 cups sugar

¾ cup water

Method

For Boondies

Take besan & saffron powder in a bowl & add water to make a smooth batter. The consistency of the batter is important, check it by frying a few boondis. The boondis should have a round shape. (Check Tips).

Take a dry perforated ladle and place it above the hot oil. Add some batter on the perforated spoon ladle & spread the batter lightly with a spoon. 

Fry the boondis till they are cooked. Don't make them crisp, when the oil stops sizzling, remove the boondis.

Strain them well with a slotted spoon and add them directly to the hot sugar syrup.

Fry all Boondies in same manner & add them to sugar syrup.

Finally add melon seeds, cardamom powder, black cardamon seeds,  I tbsp ghee & a pinch of edible camphor (optional).

Mix well & shape the boondi mixture into ladoos. Place in small muffin liners.

Let it dry in open for sometime & then store them in airtight box in refrigerator.

For Sugar Syrup

Mix sugar & water in a pan on a low heat.

cook it & switch off the flame just before getting a one thread consistency. Keep it aside.

The sugar syrup should be hot when you add the boondis. so you can keep the pan with sugar solution on a plate or tray filled with hot water. 

You can fry the boondis & prepare the sugar solution side by side.

Tips

* If boondi become flat, on frying, the batter is thin & if they get tail ends, the batter is thick. 

* If thin, then add a bit of gram flour & check by frying a few boondis. if thick, then add a bit of water & then do the same test. 

* When frying Boondies, don't keep ladle at much height, as the batter droplets, when falling from a height, do not give a round shape.

* Don't fry crisp Boondies, if boondis becomes crisp then the boondi ladoos won’t be soft and they won’t be able to absorb the sugar syrup.

* Remember that after each batch, wipe the perforated ladle with a clean piece of kitchen towel from both sides. It will help in making round Boondies.

* Adding ghee to Boondi & sugar syrup mixture, helps in binding the boondi ladoos.

* Don't wait for mixture to cool down as it will be difficult to bind Ladoos if it's not warm.

* Do let Ladoos dry before storing.

Couscous And Aragula Salad

Couscous And Aragula Salad

Couscous is a tiny pasta made of wheat, barley or rice; wheat couscous is the most widely available version and most of it is "instant" or quick-cooking. Although couscous was traditionally hand-rolled, these days it is made by machine: Coarsely ground wheat (semolina) is moistened and tossed with fine wheat flour until it forms little round balls.

You will be amazed at how versatile it can be. Couscous is more than just an accompaniment to stew. You can use it as a filler in patties (soak it in water for five minutes and use instead of breadcrumbs, add leftover cooked couscous to a salad; or use it in a bread, muffin, or pancake recipe (soak in an equal volume of warm water for five minutes or more before adding it—¼ cup couscous to ¾ cup wheat flour).

You'll find it especially useful if you are cooking for vegetarians or vegans (for whom you can omit the cheese and butter).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 1/2 cups water (boiling)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp mustard

1/4 cup olive oil (I used just a tbsp)

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup dried currants

1 cucumber, seeded & diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 cup arugula or wild rocket leaves

Method

Add boiling water to couscous & cover it for 5 mins. 

Couscous will puff up & will be cooked through to the center. 

If there is extra water than drain & allow to cool. 

Prepare dressing by whisking together the lemon juice & mustard while drizzling in the olive oil. 

Once slightly emulsified, stir in pepper flakes & season with salt & cracked black pepper.

Toss the tomato, currants, cucumber, red bell pepper, onion & arugula with the couscous. 

Pour the dressing over top. 

Season with salt & pepper to taste & toss to the combine.

Serve either chilled or as it is.

Tips 

* Add same or little less amount of water to couscous so you don't have to drain it laters. 

* You can add any green leaves to this salad or mix of different leaves too.

* I added dried blueberries instead of black currents. Can also add caramelised nuts.

* You can add chopped apple or pear to get a different taste.

* You can make same salad with wheat or bajra dalia (broken wheat or bajra) if u don't have couscous. Just boil it and use.

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Home-Made Condensed Milk

                                  

                                                   

Condensed milk is milk from which water has been removed. It is most often found in the form of sweetened condensed milk (SCM), with sugar added, and the two terms "condensed milk" and "sweetened condensed milk" are often used synonymously today. Sweetened condensed milk is very thick, which when canned can last for years without refrigeration if unopened. Unsweetened condensed milk products spoil more easily. Condensed milk is used in numerous dessert dishes in many countries.

  

We get condensed milk very easily & never actually need to make it at home. But few days back when I had extra milk (even after making paneer & curds) I thought to try this & It actually was like canned one. So here I'm with the recipe I tried.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup full fat milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

1 tsp unsalted butter (optional)

Method

Take milk in a thick bottom pan.

Add sugar & heat on medium flame.

Once it boils, reduce the heat & keep stirring to keep it from burning.

Reduce milk & sugar mix to less then half & put the flame off.

Add butter & vanilla. Let it cool.

The mixture might have some lumps, which can be removed by blending once it cools down.

Mixture will thicken more after cooling, so don't worry if it looks thin in the beginning.

Your condensed milk is ready to be used.

Tips

* Always put a tablespoon of water in the pan before pouring milk, it prevents milk from burning.

* I didn't add butter & vanilla, but if you don't mind lil more calories than go ahead :).

* I read somewhere that to increase the shelf life of this condensed milk you can add pinch of baking soda to it, but I omitted that & used it within 2 days.

* This can be kept refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Kadi Patta Chatney

                                              

    

The curry tree is a tropical to sub-tropical tree which is native to India & Sri-Lanka. Its leaves (also known as Kadi Patta in Hindi) are used in many dishes in India & neighbouring countries. Here are few health benefits of kadi patta.

~Helps keep anaemia at bay

~Fights diabetes

~Good for Eyesight

~Improves digestion

~Lowers cholesterol

~Prevents greying of hair

Ingredients 

2 to 3 tbsp Chana dal

1 cup loosely measured fresh curry leaves

1 small piece of ginger

¼ tsp roasted cumin powder

2 to 3 Red chills or green chilies

Juice of half a lemon

Salt as needed

1 tsp oil

1 tbsp green coriander (optional)

Method

Wash curry leaves & drain them in a colander.

Dry roast chana dal & red chilies. Set these aside to cool.

Add oil & fry curry leaves till crispy. Cool them.

Add salt & lemon juice along with dal, curry leaves, coriander & chillies, in a blender.

Blend everything together with enough water.

Serve this with Idli & Dosas or with anything that you fancy :)

Tips

* Curry leaves should be fresh.

* Don't deep fry curry leaves or they will loose the colour & become blackish.

* You can add little coconut for a different taste.

* Consistency of Chatney depends on your taste.