Dry Fruits and Dates Laddu | Easy Laddu Recipes

     Dry fruits are rich in nutrients. Instead of taking different dry fruits one by one, dry fruits laddu brings all of them together, making it easy to have. This can be a good and healthy sweet for festivals like Diwali.

Related Posts:

1. Peanut Laddu

2. Green Gram Laddu

3. Coconut Laddu 

4. Rice Flakes Laddu

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Sweets

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 5 mins | Yields:  15 Laddus

Ingredients:

Seedless Dates	1 cup
Dry Grapes	½ cup
Badam	½  cup
Pista	¼ cup
Cashew nuts	¼ cup
Walnut	¼ cup
Poppy Seeds (optional)	2 tbsp
Ghee	2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Dry roast the badam, pista, cashew nuts and poppy seeds till nice aroma comes out. Allow them into cool down.  

2. Using the dry mixie jar, add roasted badam, pista, cashews and walnuts. Grind them into a coarse or fine powder.

3. Remove the seeds from the dates and chop them into small pieces.

4. Chop the dry grapes into small pieces.

5. Grind the chopped dates (from 3) and dry grapes (from 4) into a coarse paste using little water.

6. Heat the ghee in a pan, add the ground paste (from 5) and sauté till they become thick.

6. Now add the ground powder (from 2) and mix them well. Then switch off the flame immediately.

7. Then allow it to cool down and make small lemon size balls from the mixture.

8. Roll the balls over the roasted poppy seeds (if used).

     Then store it in a air tight container. Healthy and easy laddu is ready.

Note:

1. Mixed nuts is your choice.

2. You can keep this laddu at room temperature for 3-4 days. But refrigerate for a week.

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Roasted Gram Ribbon Pakoda / Ola Pakoda

     Ola Pakoda is mostly prepared using Besan and Rice flour.  In my family circles we use roasted gram (pottuk kadalai)  flour instead of besan (kadalai maavu) flour. This gives slightly different taste and would be liked by all.

Related Post:
1. Besan Ola Pakoda

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 15 mins 

Ingredients:

Rice Flour	1 cup
Besan Flour	½ cup
Roasted Gram Flour	½ cup
Melted Butter	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Asafoedita	½ tsp
Salt	As Required
Oil	For Deep fry

* Click here for Homemade Red Chilli powder Recipe.

* Click here for Homemade Rice Flour Recipe.

 * powder the roasted gram into fine powder using dry mixie jar and then use.

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, add rice flour, besan flour, roasted gram flour, butter, red chilli powder, asafoedita and salt.

2. Mix them well with your fingers.

3. Add water little by little and make soft dough. Keep it aside for 5 mins.

4. Take the murukku press and choose the design ribbon/ola pakkoda achu (design).

5. Grease the murukku press with oil and fill the murukku press with dough till the ¾ of the press.

6. Then heat the oil (for deep fry) in a frying pan till it becomes hot or put a pinch of dough into the oil. If the dough comes up immediately, then this is the correct stage of oil heating.

7. Press the dough in the oil like circular layer to fill the oil. Should not add more than one layer.

8. If it is cooked one side and turn over into other side using the ladle. Cook until the bubbles sound stops completely.

10. Take it out from the oil and drain it using the tissue paper. Repeat this for remaining dough also. Allow it to cool down completely and store it in an air tight container for later use.

           Tasty and crispy ribbon / ola pakoda is ready.

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Little Millet / Saamai Murukku | Millet Snacks

     As festivals are about to start, most of us will be preparing murukku. Why not try a millet based murukku in this season? The saamai murukku recipe I tried came out well and is comparable to Rice Murukku. Just give it a shot!

Related Links:

1. Pulangal Arisi Murukku

2. Besan Murukku

3. Ragi Murukku

4. Foxtail Millet Murukku

5. Palak Murukku

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Yields: 13 nos.

Ingredients:

Little Millet / Saamai Flour	1 cup
Besan Flour / Kadalai Maavu	½ cup
Butter	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	¾ tsp
Ajwain	½ tsp
Salt	As required
Oil	For deep fry

Procedure:

1. In a wide bowl, add little millet flour, besan flour, red chilli powder, ajwain, butter and salt.

2. Mix them well with your fingers.

3. Add water little by little and make soft and pliable dough.

4. Close the bowl with its lid and keep it aside for 5 mins.

5. Meanwhile, take the murukku press and choose the design as per your choice. I used 3 hole design.

6. Grease the murukku press with oil and fill the murukku press with dough till the ¾ of the press.

7. Press round shape on the back side of the ladle. I used 3 ladles for quick process.

8. Then heat the oil (for deep fry) in a frying pan till it becomes hot or put a pinch of dough into the oil. If the dough comes up immediately, then this is the correct stage of oil heating.

9. Now flip the ladle over the oil. After a min, flip the murukku  and cook till the sizzling sound reduces completely.

10. Take them out from the oil and drain them using the tissue paper. Repeat this for remaining dough also. Allow it to cool down completely and store it in an air tight container for later use.

           Tasty and yummy millet murukku is ready.

Note:

1. Leave some time gap between the batches.

2. I grounded the little millet flour from the little millet rice without soaking in water with our neighborhood flour mill.

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Eggless Butterless Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

     Everyone, including kids love muffins. In this recipe I am spicing up with carrot and cinnamon powder. Additional attractive is that it is eggless, butterless and whole wheat.

Recipe Cuisine : International | Recipe Category: Baking

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Yields: 10 Muffins

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour	1 ¼ cup
Corn Flour	¼ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Curd	1 cup
Oil	½ cup
Grated Carrot	1 cup
Baking Powder	1 tsp
Baking Soda	½ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Vanilla Essence	1 tsp
Cinnamon Powder (optional)	½ tsp

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven for 200 degree Celsius.

2. Sieve the wheat flour, corn flour, baking soda and baking powder 3 times.

3. Powder the sugar using the dry mixie jar.

4. Add curd and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix them well with whisk.

5. Then add vanilla essence and cinnamon powder (if used). Mix them well.

6. Add the oil and mix them well with whisk.

7. Now add the cake flour (from 2) little by little and mix them with whisk.

8. Finally add the grated carrot and mix well.

9. Now line the muffin tray with muffin paper cups. Then pour the batter (from 8) till ¾ of the cups.

10. Bake the muffins at 180 degree Celsius for 20 mins or until the inserted the tooth pick comes out clean.

11. Remove the tray from the oven and allow it to cool down completely. Then take it out from the tray and serve it with tea.

       Healthy and yummy carrot muffins are ready!!!

Note:

1. Use maida instead of wheat flour.

Click here to view more Muffin Recipes.

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Brinjal Potato Kothsu | Side dish for Idli and Dosai

     Kothsu recipes generally use tomato and brinjal. In this recipe, I am adding potato in addition. You get a nutritious vegetable and a improvement in taste as well.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Chutney

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients:

Finely Chopped Brinjal	½ cup
Finely Chopped Tomato	1 cup
Finely Chopped Potato with skin	1 cup
Finely Chopped Onion	1 cup
Green Chilli	2
Sambar Powder	1 - 2 tsp
Salt	As required
To Temper:
Sesame Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds	½ tsp
Cumin Seeds	2 tsp
Curry Leaves	1 spring
Asafoedita / Hing	½ tsp
To Garnish:
Chopped coriander Leaves	1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash the brinjal and tomato and cut them into small pieces.

2. Wash the potato thoroughly without soil and cut it into small pieces with skin.

3. Remove the skin of the onion and chop it into small pieces.

4. Wash and cut then green chilli into small round pieces.

5. In a pressure cooker add chopped brinjal, tomato, potato, green chillies, sambar powder, salt and enough water.

6. Pressure cook them for 5 whistles in a medium flame. Then switch off the flame and allow it to cool down completely.

7. After pressure has gone, mash the mixture with hand blender (paruppu mathu) or electric blender.

8. Now heat the oil in pan, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Wait for popping.

9. Then add the curry leaves and hing. Sauté till the curry leaves become crisp.

10. Pout this temper into the mixture in a cooker (from 7). Mix them well and cook for 2 mins.

11. Then garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with Idli and Dosai.

   Yummy and mouthwatering side is ready!!!

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Kollu / Horse Gram Sundal

     Kollu / Horse gram is a nutrition rich gram and called Horse Gram because of that. In Kongu (Coimbatore) region, kollu paruppu masiyal, kollu rasam and kollu thuvaiyal are very famous. These are surprisingly not famous in Chennai region. To get started on kollu, kollu sundal is a good recipe. Try this for this navratri festival season and then slowly introduce into your family’s diet.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks

Preparation Time: 5 mins  | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Yields: ¾ cup

Ingredients:

Horse Gram / Kollu	½ cup
Salt	To taste
To Temper:
Oil	½ tsp
Mustard Seeds	¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds	½ tsp
Curry Leaves	Few pieces
Red Chilli	1
Asafoedita / Hing	¼ tsp
Finely Chopped Onion (optional)	2 tbsp
To Garnish:
Grated Coconut	2 tnsp

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the horse gram for 6-7 hours or overnight.

2. Pressure cook the horse gram with enough water for 3 whistles in medium flame or until it become tender.

3. After pressure has gone, strain the water completely and keep it aside.

4. Heat the oil in a pan then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Wait for popping.

5. Then add the curry leaves and broken red chilli. Fry for few seconds.

6. Now add the hing and fry for few more seconds.

7. Add the chopped onion and sauté till they become translucent. (if used)

8. Add the cooked horse gram and salt. Mix them well and close the lid of the pan. Cook in a low flame for 2 mins.

9. Finally add the grated coconut and mix them gently. Transfer it into a serving bowl and serve it hot.

          Healthy and tasty kollu sundal or horse gram sundal is ready.

Note:

1. Used the horse gram cooked water for making horse gram rasam or soup. 

Related Posts:
1. Peanut Sundal
2. Channa Sundal 
3. Sweet Corn Sundal
4. Red Butter Beans Sundal
5. Bengal Gram Sundal

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