Desserts

Mango Coconut Ladoos | Healthy version without condensed milk

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Don’t the ladoos look pretty? I loved how this picture came out. 😍 Even though I have been making these ladoos since some time now, the cashew bits idea came while presenting them for the blog and they looked so cute that I felt so happy. ❤️

I have a Microwave Mango Coconut ladoos recipe on the blog which many of my readers have tried but the recipe is with condensed milk which they wanted to avoid and I got requests for alternatives. So, I started experimenting and substituted condensed milk with cashew paste. And it worked very well. 😍

The ladoos come out very soft yet melt in the mouth delicious. I still remember the first time that I made it, I shared it with my neighbor Trinita and she showered me with so many wonderful words saying it tasted really delicious. Happiness is sharing, everything tastes much more yummier once you have shared it with your loved ones! ❤️

Wish I could share with all of you too 😍

Similar is with my daughter. She can’t colour alone and needs me (only me, mind you! Mr daddy is invisible to her 😅😁) to colour along with her. I guess sharing the colouring page and pencils make it much more pleasurable an activity. So, we both colour together listening to our favorite songs. Her current favorite is “Mere Sohneya” from Kabir Singh movie. Listening with her, I too love the song now (super cute music and lyrics ❤️) which is coming very close to “Tujhe kitna chahne lage” which has been my most favorite from the movie. How kids change our song choices too! 😍

On the note, sharing this sweet recipe made from my favorite Mango. Hope you all try and love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { About 15 small ladoos }

2 Cups Freshly grated/ Desiccated Coconut

1 Cup thick Mango Pulp (fresh/canned)

1/2 Cup Cashews

1/4 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Jaggery powder

1 Tbsp Ghee

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Grind 1/2 Cup Cashews with 1/4 Cup Milk to a smooth paste.

2. In a pan, add 2 Cups desiccated Coconut, 1 Cup Mango pulp, 1/4 Cup Jaggery powder along with cashew paste.

3. Now mix everything well into an even mixture.

4. Keep this pan on medium flame and cook till moisture evaporates and the mixture turns dry. Takes about 10 mins depending on the moisture content of the mango pulp. Now add ghee.

5. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Add cardamom powder and mix well.

6. When it cools, using your palms form ladoos. It will be very soft and you can make ladoos easily. If the mixture sticks to the palm, apply ghee on your palms while making ladoos.

7. Repeat the same with the rest of the ladoos. Garnish with bits of cashews for it to look pretty. 😍

Notes:

* If using freshly grated Coconut, dry roast in a pan first to remove the moisture and then mix in mango pulp, jaggery and cashew paste like in step 2. Do not brown the coconut though. Just light toasting will do.

* You can use both fresh or store bought mango pulp during off season. If using fresh pulp, do not grind using water. Just slice mangoes and grind the mixer without water for a thick pulp.

* During off season, I use Mother’s recipe brand of Alphonso mango pulp. It works really well for this recipe.

* You can skip jaggery if the mangoes are very sweet. You can taste the mixture slightly and then add jaggery only if needed.

* You can use grated Jaggery in place of jaggery powder as anyhow it will melt when we cook it.

* For a Vegan version, you can skip milk and grind cashews with equal amount of water. Also you can skip ghee and use any neutral flavoured oil while greasing your palms while forming ladoos.

* Cook the mixture really well such that the moisture evaporates. Else it will be difficult to form ladoos is the mixture is sticky. But don’t cook a lot that mangoes lose flavour. It took me about 10 mins on medium flame in my cooktop.

* These ladoos are not like regular ladoos and very soft but tastes delicious.

* If you have difficulty forming ladoos even after applying ghee on your palms, then refrigerate the mixture for an hour or so. You can form ladoos easily after that.

* After a day, refrigerate the ladoos in a moisture free container.

* You can also check out these recipes:

# Microwave Mango Coconut ladoos

# Coconut Burfis

# Dry fruit Coconut Ladoos

# All Mango recipes list

# Easy, healthy sweet recipes ready in 15 mins compilation

Salads

Mixed Vegetable Salad | Simple salad recipe

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This salad recipe is so simple that I thought twice before adding on the blog wondering if anyone would actually even look at this recipe. But then I thought, even if one person benefits by it, then the blog is worth it. So here is sharing the easiest salad recipe ever and definitely very healthy too since it has so many vegetables in it. ❤️

My kids are huge fan of this salad and this whole bowl that you can see above is finished mostly by them only. They enjoy it as it is and then add puffed rice or Bhel to it, calling it “Charmbure Upkari” or Bhel Puri in Konkani. Whatever they call it, I am very happy that all these vegetables go into their tummy without a fuss. ❤️

When I was a child, my grandmother used to make a simple salad with just tomatoes, onions, green chillies and coriander leaves. After a while of making it, it would leave water due to salt in it and I used to love to slurp that water. 😍 Now my son is the same. The water left by the salad is reserved only for him and he enjoys drinking it. Like mother, like son. ❤️❤️

Today, I also want to share a glimpse of my mother’s window which is her view of the outside world. Suffering from muscular dystrophy in her legs, she’s mostly sitting on her bed and this window is her best friend which offers her beautiful views of mother nature, the gleaming sky, different varieties of birds and butterflies, also of cows grazing. This picture was clicked by Amma today. Isn’t it beautiful! ❤️

Also, here is a picture of a pigeon, one among the many who come to visit Amma. How sweet is that! 😍

During my vacations, I used to lie on this bed, chatting with Amma while looking outside at nature, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Major missing since close to two years now. But really happy that Amma has this window as her friend, which makes her feel close to nature, even from within her room. That’s so blissful! ❤️

On this note, here’s sharing the recipe with all of you. Hope you all try it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 English Cucumbers (about 2 cups chopped Cucumbers)

1 medium sized Carrot (1 Cup grated Carrot)

1/2 Cup grated Cabbage

1/4 Cup finely chopped Capsicum

3 Lettuce leaves, chopped into small pieces

1 medium sized Onion

1 medium sized Tomato

3 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves

2 Indian lemon or to taste

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

Salt to taste (I use rock salt/ kaala namak)

Step by step recipe:

1. Get all the veggies for the salad ready. I love to keep everything set at first so that I don’t forget any of the Vegetable and also love how colourful it looks. 😍

2. First chop the cucumbers into small pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Then peel and grate carrots, finely chop cabbage, capsicum, onion and tomato. Make small pieces of lettuce and add to the bowl too.

3. Now add lemon juice along with salt, cumin powder and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve.

Notes:

* If using Indian cucumbers, it will need peeling and removing the core. Since I used English Cucumbers, I do not peel it.

* You can skip any Vegetable in this if you don’t have. I add as per what I have available.

* You can also add green chillies or pepper powder. I skip both as I make for my small kids.

* This salad acts a good base to make Mixed Vegetable sandwiches. Just take little of this salad and mix either hung Curd or cream cheese along with little tomato ketchup. Mix well and spread between bread slices. Toast on a pan and delicious sandwiches are ready.

* Also you can use this salad to make Mixed Vegetable Bhel Puri. Just take a little of this salad and mix in red chilli powder to taste along with little curd, puffed rice/ Bhel and Bhujiya/ Sev. Add Date Tamarind chutney too if you have.

* These are the other Salads that I make regularly:

# Carrot Kismuri

# Moong dal Kosambari

# Cabbage Kosambari

# Khamang Kakdi

# Mixed Bean Salad

Desserts

Amrakhand | Mango Shrikhand | Easy Mango dessert

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This picture of Amrakhand or Mango Shrikhand is making me drool now and I am so sad that it’s already finished off. 😅 Had made it as it is my brother’s birthday today and I wanted to post a sweet recipe on the blog dedicated to him. As my regular readers know, Mango is my most favorite fruit among all and making mango sweets are my favorite pastime during mango season. 😍

This dessert hardly takes any effort (just mixer jar washing 😂) but looks so beautiful (all credits to my fav Mango ❤️) and tastes so delicious that whenever I make it, the kids can’t get enough of it. They call it mango ice cream. 😍

Just received a picture of my brother cutting his birthday cake. He turned 25 years today and this picture amazed me as to how much he has grown from a little baby on my lap to a handsome man. ❤️

He works for IBM, Bangalore but is at home due to the work from home situation now. Grateful to God for that as I am relieved that my parents have company and also he’s much safer in Udupi. This picture also shows my home, Amma’s dream flat amidst nature near Shri Krishna temple, Udupi and makes me miss all of them so much. ❤️

Also sharing a collage of pictures of my journey with my brother from when he was a baby, born 6.5 years after me, to our childhood memories to growing up together. ❤️

Here’s wishing you a very happy birthday dear Madan. Loads of love and blessings on this special day as you turn 25. Dedicating this sweet to you. ❤️ The big heart is me, being your Akka and the small heart is you, my little brother.😍😍

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On this note, sharing the recipe with all of you. Hope you all will try this sweet recipe and I am sure you will love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 3 Cups }

2 Cups Curd / Yogurt

1 Cup thick Mango pulp

1/4 Cup Jaggery (about 3 to 4 spoons)

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Saffron strands and mango pieces to garnish (optional)

Step by step recipe:

1. Make Hung Curd from the regular curd. It is very easy to make and I have shared all the step by step pictures in this Jaggery Shrikhand post. You can check that.

2. Once hung curd is ready, keep all the other ingredients ready too. In this picture you can see, freshly made hung curd, mango pulp, jaggery powder and cardamom powder.

3. Now add all these ingredients in the mixer jar and blend till the mixture turns smooth and creamy.

4. You are done. Now pour into bowls, garnish with saffron and mango pieces. Serve chilled.

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Notes:

* This sweet tastes best with Alphonso mango pulp due to the natural sweetness of the mango.

* You can use fresh or canned mango pulp. When making the mango pulp at home, just blend the mangoes to a thick pulp without adding water. Else the Amrakhand turns watery.

* You can skip jaggery too if the mangoes are very sweet.

* The thicker the yogurt, the quicker you will get hung curd. I hung the curd in a bowl only for two hours and it came out to be a thick hung curd. That’s because the curd or yogurt that we get here is very thick.

* For making hung curd using regular curd, check my Jaggery Shrikhand post.

* You can also add dry fruits to it. I skipped as my kids like it only with mango pieces.

* I have added a lot of mango sweet recipes on the blog. You can check them here – Mango Recipes.

Dosa corner

Horsegram dosa | Kulitha polo | Crispy dosas with Muthira/ Huruli kaalu

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Dosas are our “most made” breakfast as my regular readers already know. For those who are new, here is a glimpse into more than 30 dosa recipes on my Dosa corner page. We just can’t get enough of them and my kids’ too either love dosas or idlis for breakfast. ❤️❤️

And what’s not to love about dosas? They are healthy, filling and so delicious when dipped into its companion, the quintessential chutney 😍. Also, I love how once we finish our breakfast, there are no mid meal hunger pangs which keeps us away from junk food binging. That is why I believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. ❤️

My grandmother always made Horsegram idlis but I started making these dosas after seeing many people make it in Konkani households. Came out so crispy and importantly my kids loved it. So during winter months, when I include Horsegram in our diet (as it is warm to the body), I make these dosas as well.

Hope you all try these dosas for a change too. I am sure you will love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

Want to share a quote with all of you which my Amma shared with me last week and I loved it a lot. ❤️

I am someone who loves with all my heart and get attached with all depths. The problem with that is sometimes that leads to a lot of hurt. Not judging people whom I love, can never do that, but all the experiences I have faced in life has taught me exactly what is written in the quote above. Don’t expect anything in return. You love someone without any reason, so don’t expect anything back, not even love. Just keep expectations away and pray for the well being of that person. That’s what love is all about and no one apart from you needs to understand your love. ❤️

Amma, this quote is so beautiful and I am going to remember it forever. Thanks for sharing this Amma. ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 13 dosas }

1 Cup Raw white rice ( I use any variety available here )

1/2 Cup Horsegram/ Muthira/ Kulithu/ Huruli kaalu

1/2 Cup Urad dal ( I use split ones )

Salt to taste

Ghee or oil while cooking the dosas

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash well and soak rice, Horsegram and Urad dal together for 4 to 5 hours. Now drain water completely. Add along with about a cup of water to a mixer.

2. Grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a large steel bowl. Add salt and mix well.

3. Keep covered at room temperature overnight or for 6 to 8 hours.

4. Heat a dosa pan and pour a ladle full of dosa batter. Spread like regular dosas using the back of the ladle. Add little ghee and cook till the dosas turn crisp.

5. Remove and repeat the same with the rest of the batter. Serve with a chutney of your choice. I serve this with hing chutney.

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Notes:

* Do pick stones from Horsegram before soaking as Horsegram usually contains stones in it.

* I also make Horsegram idlis. You can check that recipe here – Horsegram idlis.

* Fermenting this batter too long can make the dosa batter turn sour as it contains Horsegram in it. So don’t ferment more than 8 hours in summers.

* For hing chutney, grind about 1 Cup coconut with 3 to 4 red chillies, 1/4 tsp Hing powder, salt and little water. Season in coconut oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

* You can check all my Dosa recipes here – Dosa Corner

* For my ” no rice ” dosa recipes collection – ” no rice” Dosa recipes Compilation

Curry house, Konkani Recipes, Salads

Banana stem salad | Banana stem Kosambari | Banana stem Upkari | Gabbo recipes Konkani

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There was a time when I used to make only one or two curries for our matta rice meals. Since I cook the matta rice very soft like a gruel, a side dish would be sufficient to enjoy a simple dinner. Don’t know when I started cooking more, maybe lockdown effect 😄 or to deviate my mind 😅 or listen to more music 😍, I now make atleast 3 to 4 varieties of curries daily. It makes me very happy to see the thali with different colours and nutrients too.❤️

My son is also a huge fan of his plate filled with curries and says, “Amma, Wow 😍” when I bring his meal to feed him. I am glad that this boy needs no extra efforts to make him eat veggies. He already loves vegetables (even traditional ones) so much that I am sure he was a farmer in his past life and a Konkani for sure. 😅

As for me, due to him, I too have learned to like these vegetables which I did not like as a kid (Amma, true na? 😂). So, as a mother, at 31 year old, I am learning healthy eating habits from my 2.5 year old son ( how cool is that 😄). But honestly, not only this, if I have learned to be happy at the simplest things, it is through my kids, if I have learned to enjoy life with whatever we have, it is through them. Even if I scold them, they still come back to me with the same amount of love and hug me saying, “Love you, Amma”. That forgiving, non judging, free thinking, trusting nature of kids and the innocence, which gets lost as we grow up, have to be learned from kids. Maybe that’s what is a part of the circle of life. ❤️

So, on this thoughtful note, sharing the recipes with Banana stem. Hope you all like it. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Banana stem (inner pith)/ Gabbo as available {mine was 35 cm in length}

For Kosambari:

1/4 Cup Moong dal

1 Cup finely chopped Banana stem

3 Green chillies

2 Tbsp Coriander leaves

2 Tbsp grated Coconut

A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida

1 tsp Oil, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, A sprig of Curry leaves – for seasoning

Lemon juice from 1 Indian lemon for garnish

Salt to taste

For Salad:

1 Cup finely chopped Banana stem

1 Cup Curd / Yogurt

2 Green chillies

Salt to taste

1 tsp Oil or ghee, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, A sprig of Curry leaves – for seasoning

Step by step recipe:

1. First wash well and soak the moong dal in enough water and keep aside till use. This is for the kosambari.

2. Next, wash the Banana pith well. I get the outer parts of the stem already removed. So I don’t have pictures of how to remove that. Please check YouTube videos on how to use banana stem if using for the first time. Cut into roundels while removing any fibres which may come out. Immediately put in a vessel filled with water as shown.

3. Now finely chop these roundels and add little to a bowl for the salad. Also add finely chopped green chillies.

4. Now add curd and salt. Mix well.

5. Season oil or ghee by spluttering mustard seeds and adding cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour this seasoning over the salad. Mix well. Salad is ready.

6. For the Kosambari, now again finely chop the banana stem and add to the soaked, drained moong dal along with green chillies and coriander leaves.

7. Now add coconut along with the seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil.

8. Add lemon juice and salt. Mix well. Kosambari is ready.

9. For the Gabbe Upkari, cut the rest of the Banana stem into long pieces. Heat about 2 tsp Oil in a pan. Add a pinch of Hing along with 3 to 4 broken red chillies and the chopped Banana stem pieces with salt and little water. Cover and cook till the stem pieces turn soft. Garnish with grated Coconut and mix well.

10. Serve the Banana stem salad, Banana stem Kosambari and Upkari with rice meals.

Notes:

* I also make a simple sambar along with these three dishes as it makes a great combination and a very wholesome meal.

* Remember to remove the outer parts of the Banana stem if you have the stem with outer parts intact. Check YouTube videos on how to use Banana stem. I get it with the innermost pith in my nearest supermarket.

* While chopping the pith, you will get some fibres come out. Discard it.

* Keep the chopped pieces in plain water or tumeric water till use, else the pieces turn black very quickly.

* Don’t worry about using banana stem without cooking it in salad and Kosambari. It can be had raw and tastes really good too. Just chop it very finely.

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Cakes and Bakes

Eggless Banana Rava Cupcakes | Easy one bowl Banana semolina muffins

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Bananas are the most brought fruit in our grocery shopping as my darling daughter loves it. 😍 She eats one daily after breakfast and also when she’s hungry in the evenings. But even then, due to the onset of summers here in Qatar, the bananas turn black and overripe very quickly. Though it is still tasty on the inside, they are slightly sticky to hold and I don’t feel like giving her to eat as it is (don’t want her love for bananas to diminish away 😍). But what to do with those bananas now? 😄

That’s when this mommy puts on her thinking caps (my brains work overtime now 🤣) as to how to use the leftover bananas who stare at me, pleading to be used up whenever I pass through them (dramatic much?? 😅 That’s me 😂). So one week it’s Jaggery Sheera with the bananas and the next week it’s banana chocolate cupcakes or Vastad rottis or the easiest wheat banana pancakes with them. Finally, when all these options got exhausted, I found out a new way of using the bananas.

Substituted mango pulp with mashed bananas in my Mango Rava Cupcake recipe and it came out so well that it has become a regular at my place (as of now 😅). So much that the bananas are purposely left to turn black 😅 to make these delicious cupcakes. 😍

By the way, did you notice the toy bananas in my picture? It is from my daughter’s food toy collection, which her brother too loves a lot and they both play in this set up which I have made for them. 😍 Though the places for the toys keeps changing throughout the day, before sleeping, I set it up like this so that our mornings are welcomed by this beautiful, cute scene. ❤️

You can also see my son’s vehicle collection which me and him arrange in various ways. We spend hours sitting there and I don’t realize how time passes with this little boy. ❤️

Anyhow, hope you all try these cupcakes and I am sure you will like it. Do let me know if any doubts and it will be a pleasure to help. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE: { 1 Cup = 250 ml }

Ingredients: { Makes 7 cupcakes }

1 Cup mashed Bananas { I took 5 overripe small variety Indian Bananas }

1 Cup Semolina/ Rava / Sooji { regular variety }

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder

1/4 Cup Ghee

1 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.

2. Take 1 Cup rava in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 Cup jaggery powder to it. Keep mashed bananas and other ingredients ready as well.

3. Now add the 1 Cup mashed bananas along with 1/4 Cup ghee, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/4 tsp each of salt and cardamom powder.

4. Mix well into a even mixture using a spatula.

5. Now take a muffin pan ready and line with cupcake liners. If you don’t have liners, just grease well with ghee. Fill three fourth of the mould with the batter.

6. Bake in the preheated oven (which has been heated at 180 C for 10 mins) in the center rack of the oven at 180 C for 25 to 30 mins. Mine gets done at 25 mins exactly. Insert a toothpick in the center of the center most cupcake to see if done. If the toothpick comes out clear, it’s done. Else bake for couple of mins more or till done.

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7. Allow it to cool slightly. Then serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

* I keep in an airtight container for a day and it lasts well at room temperature for a day. Refrigerate after that and microwave slightly before consuming.

* I use the small variety Indian bananas which have turned overripe. You can use any variety of bananas but just make sure they are really ripe and mashed well.

* I used the rava that I use for making upma. It is not very fine but regular semolina size. Just don’t use very coarse semolina. If you only have coarse variety, powder it in a mixer first and then use.

* Grate jaggery finely and use if you don’t have jaggery powder.

* Ghee and cardamom powder gives the cupcakes a wonderful flavour. So don’t skip or replace it.

* 25 mins got my cupcakes to bake perfectly and 30 mins made the top part slightly crisp. So please check at 25 mins and if done in the center, remove from the oven.

* I got this idea of using mashed bananas from my Mango Rava Cupcakes where I use mango pulp instead.

* I also make these three recipes with leftover overripe bananas:

# Jaggery Sheera – I add mashed bananas towards and end along with jaggery water, mix well. Tastes very delicious. This tastes like Sapath which is made for Satyanarayana vrath prasad in many households.

In fact these Banana Rava cupcakes are a cake version of the Sapath prasad. The taste is quite similar to it.

# Vastad rotti – Tawa fried version of Mangalore Buns

# Eggless, whole wheat, Chocolate Banana Cake – Can be made as cupcakes too

# Wheat Banana Pancakes – Instant snack for the kids with bananas and wheat flour.

* If you are new to baking, you can check this post which I wrote to help my readers – Baking basics for Beginners

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Curry house, Konkani Recipes

Amma’s Carrot Upkari | with ground masala

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This recipe of carrot upkari is simple but the blog is very special as I am posting it on my Amma‘s birthday today. Since I am not with her, this post is my gift for her, my little way of showing my love to make her feel special (the least I can do ❤️). Hope you like it Amma. 😍

Amma and Aanu (my dad) got married in March 1989 and I was born in December the same year. So Amma always says that I am the greatest gift from God as I came into her life so quickly. As for me, her love made me so close and attached to her that even today, she’s the one I am closest to, in my life. ❤️

Amma was a working woman and I am amazed at how well she used to manage both work and home together. She used to cook very lovingly for me and my brother, which made the food taste so delicious that I still remember the flavours and aroma of her dishes (Maa ke haath ka jadoo ❤️).

These are some of my favorites from what she used to make and each of these dishes carry a special memory of Amma in it. ❤️

The moong curry with chapatis which I used to take in my college lunch box, a favorite among my friends too.. ❤️

The eggless Tomato omelette which Amma used to make with the most pieces of tomato in my omelette (out of extra love for me 😍).. ❤️

The panpolos with tomato chutney which Amma made during my pregnancy craving, not one or two but more than 15 at a time, while using her walker for support.. Can never forget that ever in my life.. ❤️

The piping hot, delicious Alu parathas and carrot pulao which were made during weekends by Amma after we were bored of regular meals.. Her love made it extra tasty for sure. ❤️

Same is with today’s recipe of Carrot Upkari.. Though it’s a very simple dish, Amma made it so well that I used to ask her to make it always.. ❤️

This is a collage of pictures of Amma with me in the first two photos and with my kids in the photos below it. The left side picture is of Amma with my daughter, when she had come here to Qatar and we had taken her to Villagio mall. I captured this moment between the loving grandmother in Amma and her first grandchild, to be treasured forever. ❤️ The right side picture is with my son, her second grandchild but not loved any less. This is when he had worn the Krishna costume on Janmashtami. Such a beautiful moment this was, my Shankar Krishna immersed in grandma love. ❤️

As loving a mother Amma is, she is equally my kids’ most loving grandmother too, their moga mamama, as they call her. 😍

I searched for many quotes to describe her, to make a card and found this one apt for her. ❤️

Her beautiful smile is always reassurance for me, that I have her with me, to share my feelings and thoughts, to listen to my woes, to feel happy for my happiness and to pray for me always. ❤️

Amma suffers from muscular dystrophy in her legs since many years and needs wheelchair for movement. But the way she lives her life, happily, filled with devotion to God, music, even doing many household chores while sitting on the wheelchair, without complaining, is commendable and very inspiring for me. Hats off to you, Amma. So proud of you! ❤️

A mother’s love is always exceptional and unconditional. I believe that we can’t be loved by anyone more than our mother can love us. Even if we are far from her, she only wants us to be happy and will always pray for us. Her love is not based on conditions that I should be with her, I should talk to her or even does not expect me to love her as much as she loves me. She just loves truly with all her heart, irrespective of any conditions. ❤️

On this note, here’s wishing you a very Happy Birthday, Amma. May you always be healthy and happy. Love you so much. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

For my readers, excuse me for such a long write-up. But I know you all will also agree that no matter how much we write for our mothers, it’s very less for their love. Anyhow, hope you all will try this recipe and remember my Amma when you do. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 Cups peeled and chopped Carrots

1 medium sized Onion

3 to 4 Red chillies (depends on the variety)

6 to 8 Curry leaves

Salt to taste

2 tsp Coconut oil

2 Tbsp grated Coconut for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Take chopped onion, red chillies and curry leaves in a mixer.

2. Now add little water and grind to a smooth paste.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add the ground paste. Fry for couple of minutes till the raw smell of onion goes away.

4. Now add chopped carrots and salt. Mix well. Add little water, cover and cook till the carrots turn soft.

5. The mixture turns dry on cooking as all the water is absorbed. Remove from flame. Garnish with grated Coconut. Serve with rice meals.

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Notes:

* The number of red chillies depends on the variety of chillies you have. Since carrots are sweet, the masala needs to be spicy to make the curry spicy too.

* Remember to fry the ground paste well in oil. Else there will a raw smell of onions in the curry.

* Curry leaves adds a wonderful aroma and flavour. So don’t skip it.

* Here are the other recipes by Amma which I have added on the blog:

# Amma’s Moong curry with freshly ground masala

# Amma’s Carrot Pulao

# Amma’s Tomato Chutney and Panpolos

# Amma’s Alu Paratha

# Amma’s Eggless Tomato Omelette

Konkani Recipes, Salads

Cabbage Kosambari | Easy Cabbage salad

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As my kids are finally asleep, I can sit to write a new recipe now. A recipe I had been wanting to add to the blog since long but could not find time. With Eid holidays going on here, kids sleep till late in the morning and thus, my son skips his evening nap. Him skipping his nap = I don’t get time to sit for long in a place = I can’t blog. So night time is blog time as of now. 😄

Is night time also a time for deep thoughts for any of you? (or is it just me 😅) I find the silence of night so peaceful and comforting that I get time to talk to the divine, to understand myself, to over think (😄), to listen to my favorite music and to relax too. After all this, when I finally sleep, I dream a lot, also remembering my dreams completely when I wake up. I see myself going back to my school days, my college days, the tension of exams, the fun of enjoying with my friends, chatting with Amma along with seeing people close to my heart, in my favorite places like the mountains and beaches, every night in my dreams. ❤️ I feel very happy when I wake up that, so what if I can’t see them for real, atleast they visit me in my dreams. 😍 So, thank you my dream companions for coming in this crazy girl’s dream world. 😄❤️

So that was about night time which is my own “me” time. And what about my day time? Here is a glimpse into it:

My son making towers, cars, trucks, ships, tents, caves, houses, see saw, slides and what not with our sofa cushions. 😂😂 These cushions are his inhouse park and me being a child with them, don’t stop him too 😅 (I just see that he does not go overboard and is safe.) He has taught his elder sister as well and both of them enjoy making their own creations with these cushions. 😍

By the way, did any of you notice his dress? Yes, he loves wearing his Akka’s frock, specially this red one. Reminds me of how my brother used to love wearing my dresses too as a kid. Such wonderful memories. ❤️ His sister also adorns him with necklaces and accessories to doll him up. One of their favorite games. Look at him admiring his bangle. 😍

My daughter also loves to draw and colour, which can be clearly seen from the first picture above. Almost all of our walls are stuck with her paintings. She also likes to create various dress designs and here is one among them. I admire her for her creative ideas in art and craft, which I lack completely. 😂

So these two bundles of joy (sometimes also the reason for my 1 minute angers 😂😂) make my mornings worth waking up and are huge entertainment in my daytime. I don’t realize how my day passes with them. Also, I am so glad they have each other for company in these home bound times. ❤️❤️

Finally after my long chatter, here’s sharing the recipe of this simple yet very delicious Cabbage Kosambari which I learnt recently from my dear friend, Ambratha Shenoy. This is too tasty for words and definitely a must try recipe. Hope you all like it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

Thank you Ambratha for sharing this recipe! ❤️🙏

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 Cups grated Cabbage

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

3 Green chillies

1/4 Cup finely chopped Coriander leaves

3 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut

Juice from 1 Indian lemon or to taste

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Take the grated Cabbage in a mixing bowl. { I grated the cabbage as much as possible and finely chopped the end pieces}

2. Now add finely chopped onion, green chillies, coriander leaves, coconut and salt.

3. Add lemon juice and mix well.

4. Mix well and serve as an accompaniment to meals.

Notes:

* Try to serve freshly made as much as possible as onions may start to leave water if kept for long as it has salt in it. Else you could salt just before serving.

* You could increase or decrease lemon juice and coconut as per your taste.

* Instead of grating cabbage, you could also very finely chop it. I combine both ways. Grate as much as I can and then finely chop the end pieces.

* Tastes very good as an accompaniment to rice meals.

* You could also try these three South Indian style salads that I make regularly:

1. Moong dal Kosambari with Cucumber and carrots

2. Carrot Kismuri

3. Khamang Kakdi

Idli Stand, Konkani Recipes

Instant Pumpkin idlis | Dudhi idli | Dudhe Kadamb

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With online classes becoming the new way of life, my mornings are busy juggling between my daughter (who wants me to be with her during the class), my son (who needs me to be close to him as he always spends the first hour after waking up in my arms and nowhere else 😍) while preparing breakfast which we have to eat right after the class which gets over by 10 15 am. So, since I can’t spend time in kitchen making dosas, idlis are my best friend these days!! ❤️

I have shared many varieties of idlis which you can check in my Idli recipes collection. They have been very helpful for me nowadays as I can just put them to steam while sitting with both my kids and the idlis get ready by themselves. 😅

My daughter’s first term exam is soon coming (she’s only in 1st std 😄) but I take studies very seriously (aadat se majboor since my school days 😁). So made a little planner last night which I want to share with all of you. I started making such planners for each of her term exams since last year (when she was only in KG 2 😆) but it has been very helpful for both of us. I get to know when her exams are and what to teach her as this is always in front of my eyes. She also reads the spellings daily which makes her learn it very quickly. Sharing in case it is useful for any of you. Teaching small kids is not easy but this way has helped me a lot.

I have stuck it in front of our dining table or our makeshift study table or mainly our artist’s table 😄 as both my kids love to draw, colour and paint sitting on it. Here is a glimpse of it with my son wondering what Amma is upto 😅 while my daughter is busy writing.

Life changes a lot post kids and all our attention goes into their studies plus playing plus activities plus cooking for them, but I am grateful that they keep me very busy which is essential to not overthink, for the very sensitive me. Whenever I feel I am getting overwhelmed by thoughts, I make myself super busy with them so that I forget everything else. They are my blessings. ❤️❤️🙏🙏

On this note, sharing the recipe of these delicious idlis with all of you. This is a traditional Konkani recipe and makes me so happy to add this on my blog. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 22 idlis }

2 Cups Idli Rava/ Rice Rava

2 Cups peeled and grated Pumpkin

1/2 Cup fresh or desiccated Coconut

1/2 Cup powdered or grated Jaggery

Salt to taste

1/8 tsp Cardamom powder

Note: Skip jaggery to make plain pumpkin idlis.

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash the Idli rava well two to three times. Then drain the water completely. Add grated pumpkin.

2. Now add coconut, salt, cardamom powder and about 2 cups water to make a slightly thick batter.

3. Grease idli moulds with oil/ghee and add the batter into each moulds. Let there be little water in each mould as shown.

Note: I filled half of the moulds with plain idli batter and added jaggery to the rest of the batter. Then filled the rest of the moulds with sweet idli batter.

4. Steam for 20 mins or till done.

Serve hot with a simple coconut chutney or sambar. Sweet ones can be relished with ghee.

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Notes:

* If you are not much of a pumpkin or sweet lover, you can make a spicy chutney with these idlis. It masks the pumpkin flavour and balances the sweetness of the idlis well.

* You can skip jaggery completely if making plain ones.

* Cardamom powder is also optional for plain ones but gives a great aroma and flavour.

* You can also make extra sweet ones adding 1/4 Cup more of jaggery with raisins and cashews. Steam them in a vessel and cut into pieces. It is called Dudde Sannan if made that way.

* The 2 cups water is perfect for my idli rava. You can reduce or increase if needed. Don’t make the batter very thick nor very thin. There should be little water in each mould of the idli container. That’s what makes soft idlis.

* They are authentically steamed in Banana leaves but I make them in idli moulds. Still tastes delicious. Add little less water to the batter if steaming in banana leaves.

* I make a similar idli with Cucumber called Thoushe idli or Instant Cucumber idlis.

* One more instant idli with idli rava – Instant Poha Idlis

* You can check all my Idli recipes here – Idli recipes collection.

Recipe collections

Oats recipes Compilation | Dosas, idli, cake, paratha and pizza with oats

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As I write this, I am sitting on our sofa with my son sleeping soundly in my arms, completing his evening nap. I have had many people tell me that it’s not a good habit and I should practice him by putting him down on the bed during nap time so that I can be free then. I usually say “okay, I will try” to them as I know they won’t understand that the peace I get when my son sleeps in my arms 😍 is incomparable to any free time I may get after putting him on the bed. Also, he too naps much better, very peacefully when he sleeps in my arms. ❤️

What I do is, finish all my chores before his nap time and while he sleeps on me, I either chat with Amma or listen to my favorite songs or like I am doing now, blog a new recipe. I feel relaxed then and his nap turns into my rest time too. ❤️

Also, I know this won’t last long as I used to do the same with my daughter too. Now at 6 years, she no longer sleeps next to me while my son who is 2.5 years needs all the cuddles in the world at night too. So I just tell myself to enjoy this bliss of motherhood, the love, the attachment, the “mogu mogu“, his hugs, his caressing, his kisses, his tight embraces while it lasts. ❤️

I just hope that even if he grows, he will still love me the same, if not show it physically but still the affection remain the same. That’s all a mother wants and this motherhood journey has taught that to me. ❤️

Here’s sharing the Oats recipes which I make always to include the super food in our diet. Hope you all try and like it. Happy and healthy cooking!

1. Instant Oats Idlis : This was one of the first recipes that I learned with oats many years back and has been my regular specially when I have not planned ahead or don’t know what to make for breakfast.

Recipe here: Instant Oats Idlis

Click on the image for the recipe

2. Instant Oats Poha dosa: An instant dosa with oats and poha which goes really well with sambar. My kids love this dosa very much.

Recipe here : Instant Oats Poha dosa

Click on the image for the recipe

3. Oats and Mixed dal dosas : These dosas come out as delicious as beautiful they are to see. Great way to include protein and nutrients in your dosa.

Recipe here : Oats and Mixed dal dosas

Click on the image for the recipe

4. Moong sprouts Oats dosa : Yet another healthy dosa combining sprouts and Oats which comes out very tasty. I make this to include sprouts in my kids’ diet who don’t eat sprout as it is.

Recipe here : Moong sprouts Oats dosa

Click on the image for the recipe

5. Instant Oats Vegetable Bhakri : This is hands down my favorite breakfast with oats. Combining so many veggies and oats, this Bhakri or thick dosa does not even need an accompaniment. Tastes so delicious with butter. Hardly takes time to make the batter and is so filling that it can be a meal in itself too.

Recipe here : Instant Oats Vegetable Bhakri

Click on the image for the recipe

6. Masala Oats Paratha : This unique and super delicious parathas are a must try. Learnt it from a friend many years back and I make it for a change from regular chapatis. My kids love it a lot and eat more than usual when I make it, making me a happy mommy. 😍

Recipe here : Masala Oats Paratha

Click on the image for the recipe

7. Dates and Oats Cake : A healthy and yummy cake combining the goodness of dates and Oats. You can never say it has oats in it and trust me, comes out very delicious. One among the most tried cake recipes from my blog after Sugar free Dates Carrot Cake.

Recipe here : Dates and Oats Cake

Click on the image for the recipe

8. Gluten free Oats Pizza : I usually make whole wheat Vegetable Pizza at home as evening snack for my kids. Apart from that, I have learned to make this Oats pizza which only has oats in the base. Comes out very soft and super tasty too. A must try pizza specially for those looking to bake gluten free pizza at home.

Recipe here – Gluten free Oats Pizza

Click on the image for the recipe

You can also check my other compilations:

* “No rice” Dosa recipes Compilation

* Easy to make, ready in 15 mins Healthy sweet recipes compilation

* Healthy cakes and cookies compilation

* Baking basics guide for beginners

Join me in my journey with a foodie husband and hungry kiddos while I make them eat healthy!