Gulab Jamuns

If you are searching for a Gulab Jamun recipe that tastes just like you got it from a Mithiawala ( Indian sweet shop ) than stop right here, as this recipe is THE ONE.

This is one of the best tasting, made-from-scratch Gulab Jamun recipe ever. The combination of the milk powder to all purpose flour is just right to make soft, firm, super soaked, melt-in-your mouth Gulab Jamuns.

Just make sure to serve it warm and your guest will never believe you made these and that they are super easy to make.

Singhada cha Sheera ( Singoda Sheera )

Enjoy a nice, warm bowl of this wholesome sheera to drive away your hunger pangs during fasting.

It is the season of fasting in India and I thought I would post one of my favorite fasting foods. This sweet dish made with shudh ghee, sugar and singhada peeth  
( also known as Indian water Chestnut ). A little of this sheera and you will be satisfied for hours.

This delicious sheera was enjoyed by everyone at our home. It is the first time my in-laws and my hubby tasted this and they loved it too.

Puran Poli

Puran Poli is poli (tortilla-like flatbread ) stuffed with puran ( channa dal and jaggery mixture).This is made during festivals and is a favorite amongst many. It is also called Holige or Obbattu in Karnataka. My mom makes these at home and that is where I learnt how to make these polis.

The other day it was Varalakshmi Vratham, so while my mother-in-law took care of all the puja, I took care of all the cooking. One of the dishes to be made was puran poli. Honestly, I could not wait to make this, but the process of resting the dough and pressure cooking the dal ensured that it was the last dish to be made. The puran polis came out great, soft, moist and filled with a lot of puran. I am not very fond of the ultra thin and dry polis that requires you to have a glass of water nearby whenever you are eating one. I love my polis to be plump with puran, soft, moist and fragrant with the smell of cardamom and nutmeg and this recipe produces such a poli.

They are actually quite easy to make the trick is to have a very soft dough. If you make the regular roti / paratha dough, it will be very difficult to roll, your puran poli will end up as a disaster during rolling. Also ensure that you thicken the channa dal and jaggery / gur mixture by evaporating as much water as possible without burning it. Remember that the puran will thicken as it cools down, thick enough to roll out in soft round balls.

I do apologise for the lack of photos of the finished product, you see my hungry hubby was glaring at me for cooling all the hot rotis while I snapped photos.


Puran Poli

Doodh Peda

I fell in love with these silky, soft, melt-in-your-mouth delicacies when visiting India, as a kid, to attend marriages. Toffee-styled wrapped pedas were distributed to all guests attending the marriage ceremony along with a small packet of colored rice. The rice was to be showered upon the bridegroom and bride when the marriage mantras were over. This used to be our favorite part as this was the time to aim and throw rice at all adults around us, when else would we get to throw something at an adult and get away with it...

Anyway getting back to the peda, after eating the one we were given and begging for the ones that our parents had.... we would walk through the entrance again and again just to collect some more. I miss those times.

In India the milk is boiled down to leave a semi-solid mass behind and this is called Khoya / Mawa. Nowadays I make these on special occasion or festival day. I just run out to my local Indian Grocer and buy these pounds of Khoya slabs from his freezer section. I get the Nanak brand which I like, and I am ready to go.....

 
If you live in an area where Khoya / Mawa is not available, you can make your own at home. Heat some store bought Ricotta Cheese in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium low heat stirring occasionally, it is ready when it looses its water content and becomes dry and creamish in color.


Doodh Peda
 

yield - 8-10 pedas

Ingredients

1 pkt (341gms) Khoya - ready made
1 1/2 - 2 cups fine granulated sugar ( depending on how sweet you want it)
1/4 tsp cardamom / elaichi powder
Cashew or Pistachio pieces for garnish


Method

1. Grate Khoya and mix it with the sugar. Set aside.

2. Heat a non stick pan and put this khoya mixture in it.

3. Keep the heat at medium and keep stirring occasionally.

4. As soon as the khoya and sugar melts and forms one big mass, take it off the heat. This should take approximately 5-10 minutes.

5. The mixture at this point will be very hot and soft. Let it cool thoroughly.

6. When cooled scoop up a small portion and roll it into a ball between the palms of you hand. Flatten the ball a bit and place on a serving dish. Makes about 8-10 pedas depending on the size of the ball.

7. Sprinkle the top with a little cardamom powder and garnish with a sliver of cashew nut or pistachio. It is now ready to serve. Enjoy.

I am also sending this entry to Kalyani's Indian Mithai Mela food event. Thank you Kalyani for hosting this