Tag Archives: Jaggery

Breakfast time, Desserts, Millet recipes, Snacks

Ragi Ela Ada | Steamed Finger Millet snack | Vegan, Gluten free and Oil free

May 8, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest

Kids’ schools have started after Eid holidays and days have started flying again. Waking up early, preparing their snack boxes, sending them to school, morning walk, cleaning the house, relaxing till they come back and after that hearing about their day at school, teaching them, walking again in the evening while they play outside, finally preparing for their next day at school and putting them to sleep.

Days are super busy but I would not want it any other way. I have realized being busy is actually great than sitting idle and overthinking. So it’s a blessing in disguise for me. ❤️

In midst of this, is cooking which I love and which brings me happiness. I listen to bhajans and songs while cooking which makes it so peaceful. Music is truly therapeutic. ❤️

Apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner, there is one meal of the day which is most difficult for me – Snack time. Finding a quick, healthy and tasty snack which the kids also love is very hard. So when I tried this Ragi ada inspired by my Kochi memories of the regular ada and it came out so well that we all loved it, I knew I had to share it with all of you too. ❤️

I don’t know why some people think Ragi is bitter. Ragi is such a tasty millet and I use it regularly in my cooking. It is tasty and very healthy too. Have shared all the recipes that I make using Ragi in the notes section towards the end. Do try and I think if you follow the recipe well, adapt it in your cooking, in few days, you will love Ragi too, just like we do. ❤️

Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { to make about 5 adas }

1 Cup = 240 ml

Banana leaves to make the ada

To make outer covering:

1 Cup Ragi flour ( finger millet powder)

Salt to taste

Approx 1 Cup hot water

To make inner filling:

3/4 Cup Jaggery

3/4 Cup freshly grated Coconut

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Dry roast Ragi flour ( do NOT add oil while roasting) on medium flame till you get an aroma of the flour and it changes colour to a darker tone.

Note: Even if you have roasted ragi flour with you, dry roast for few minutes as it enhances the flavour a lot.

2. Transfer it to a bowl. Add salt.

3. Now add hot water, little by little. Mix as you add water.

4. As you add hot water, little by little, after mixing, the dough will look like this. Do NOT add water after this.

5. Now the dough will be warm. Using hands, mix together to form a smooth and soft dough.

6. Now make the inner filling. Take coconut and jaggery in a pan. Heat it together on medium flame till the jaggery melts and coconut will stick to jaggery. Remove from flame. Add Cardamom powder. Mix well.

7. Now cut the banana leaf into rectangle pieces as shown. Clean it with water and wipe it dry.

Also divide the ragi dough into equal sized balls. If you have taken 1 Cup (240 ml) of Ragi flour, you will get 5 balls.

8. Take a ball of ragi dough and spread it using slightly wet fingers as thin as possible.

9. Take a spoonful of the filling and place it on one half side. Spread it on the half side using spoon as shown in the image below.

10. Fold the banana leaf while closing both the halves as shown.

11. Seal the edges of the dough using fingers so that the filling does not come out.

12. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough balls. Place it on a idli steamer.

13. Steam for 20 to 25 mins on high flame till the ada cooks thoroughly. Remove from flame. Allow it to cool for 5 mins.

14. Now peel off the banana leaf, discard it and enjoy the warm Ragi ela adas. 😍

Just look at the inside of the ada. Sweet, juicy and so delicious 😍

Notes:

* As you can see from the above picture, the ada is of the right thickness and also steamed fully. This is due to spreading the dough thin over the banana leaf and also steaming for atleast 20 mins.

* Even if you have roasted ragi flour with you, dry roast for few minutes to get perfect aromatic ragi adas.

* Do use only hot water while preparing the dough. It took me around 1 Cup hot water for 1 Cup Ragi flour. Add only 1/4 Cup at a time and mix well till you get the dough as in step number 4. Then mix using hands to form a smooth dough.

* Don’t add a lot of water while making dough. It will be difficult to spread if dough is too soft.

* For 1 Cup Ragi flour, 3/4 Cup coconut and 3/4 Cup jaggery made the right filling for me. If you add a lot of filling, it will be difficult to seal the edges. So add only a spoonful to cover half of the ada.

* I have not made this without banana leaves. So can’t say the alternative to it. Spreading the dough on the leaf is easy and the ada turns aromatic too. So try to get the leaves if you can.

* These adas are best eaten soon after they are steamed but tastes yummy even after few hours too. So you can carry it in tiffin box and during travel too.

* A similar recipe with coconut jaggery filling is this Kerala style Nendrapazham nirachathu or stuffed Nendran Bananas..

Nendrapazham nirachathu

* I make many dishes using Ragi flour. You can check the recipes here:

Instant Ragi Rava dosa

Ragi Set Dosas

Instant Ragi Idlis

Ragi Urad Idlis

Ragi Malpuas/ Ragi Pancakes

Ragi Jaggery Ladoos

Ragi Butter cookies

Eggless Ragi Chocolate Cake

Cakes and Bakes, Snacks

Eggless Wheat Banana Cupcakes | Healthy muffins | Easy recipe

November 19, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

I have been baking cakes and cupcakes with wheat flour, jaggery and ghee since many years now and I am happy to say that my kids too have got so much used to this flavour that they love it much more than store bought maida based cupcakes. I bake them for their school tiffin box and also as an evening snack before they go out to play. ❤️

Now that they are at home whole day (demanding for food quite often 😅), my cooking has also increased and while I was about to make these banana cupcakes, I realized I had not shared the recipe on the blog. So quickly took some pictures and here I am writing this recipe while they are enjoying the cupcakes. ❤️

Cinnamon gives a wonderful aroma and flavour to these cupcakes and that makes these cupcakes super tasty too. They come out so soft too and you can never say it does not have eggs in it.

Hope you all try these delicious, filling cupcakes too and I am sure you will love it too. Happy and healthy baking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes 6 medium sized muffins }

1 Cup = 240 ml

Dry Ingredients:

1 Cup Whole Wheat flour / Atta

1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder (or Vanilla essence)

1/4 tsp Baking soda

A pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Mashed Bananas ( I took 2 small overripe Indian bananas)

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder

1/4 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Ghee

1 tsp Vinegar (or lemon juice)

Step by step recipe:

1. Sift together using a sieve 1 Cup wheat flour, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder, 1/4 tsp Baking soda and a pinch of salt. Keep aside.

Note: If using Vanilla essence, you can mix with wet ingredients.

2. In another mixing bowl, take 1/4 Cup mashed bananas, 1/2 Cup Jaggery powder, 1/4 Cup Water, 1/4 Cup Ghee and 1 tsp Vinegar. Mix very well using a spatula.

Note: I mashed two overripe Indian bananas and got 1/4 Cup of mashed bananas. Even if you use three Indian bananas, it’s fine. Cupcakes will come out well. Just take care to mash really well.

3. Now add the dry ingredients mix to the wet ingredients mix and fold using the spatula. Do NOT overmix. Just mix so that you don’t see any dry flour specks in the mixture.

4. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 to 15 mins in the center rack of the oven. If using microwave convection oven, choose the option of turning both rods on.

5. Meanwhile line the muffin pan with liners or just grease well with ghee or butter. Add a spoonful or two of the batter into each mold.

6. Bake at 180 C for 18 to 20 mins. Mine gets done exactly at 18 mins. Keep an eye after 15 mins into baking time so that the cupcakes don’t turn brown on the surface. Allow them to cool and then enjoy!

Note: To check if done, insert a toothpick in the center most cupcake. If it comes out clear or with tiny crumbs and is not wet, then the cupcakes are well baked. If it comes out wet, bake for few minutes more.

Notes:

* These cupcakes lasts well at room temperature for a day. Just keep in a moisture free container. After a day, refrigerate it and then microwave for few seconds before consuming.

* I have used 1/4 Cup mashed Bananas to 1/2 Cup mashed Bananas in this recipe and it does not make much difference. It depends on how many overripe bananas I have. If I have two, I add two and if I have three, I add all three. Just make sure to not increase the quantity more than 1/2 Cup though.

* I recommend using Cinnamon powder for this recipe as it gives such a wonderful aroma and flavour. But if you don’t have, you can use vanilla essence or even Cardamom powder too.

* Always remember to sieve the dry ingredients to get soft muffins, specially when using whole wheat flour.

* Ghee can be substituted with melted butter, Jaggery can be substituted with brown sugar or regular sugar and Vinegar can be substituted with lemon juice, all of same quantity.

* Don’t overmix both the dry and wet ingredients. Just mix well once. Overmixing can lead to hard muffins.

* Preheating the oven before placing the muffin pan is a very important step. Don’t forget it. Preheat at 180 C for 10 to 15 mins.

* Bake in the center rack of OTG or with both rods on in a microwave convection oven. Keep an eyes after 15 mins into baking time but don’t keep opening oven door before that. Mine gets done exactly at 18 mins in OTG.

* To check if done, insert a toothpick in the center most cupcake. If it comes out clear or with tiny crumbs and is not wet, then the cupcakes are well baked. If it comes out wet, bake for few minutes more.

* You can give this to kids as evening snack or in their tiffin box for a filling, tasty treat.

For more Healthy cakes, cupcakes and cookies recipes, you can check my collection:

Healthy Cakes, Cupcakes and Muffins

For Baking tips for Beginners, you can check:

Baking Tips for Beginners

More recipes with Bananas like Banana pancakes, Banana Rava Cupcakes, Chocolate banana cake:

Banana recipes Collection

Desserts

Coconut Badam Ladoo | Easy Vegan ladoo recipe | Coconut Jaggery Ladoo

October 20, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

In three days, it’s Deepavali and we will all soon be busy decorating our houses, lighting lamps, making sweets and savouries, enjoying this festive time with our families. Even though Deepavali is not the same here in Qatar, being far away from our dear ones, I still make sure kids don’t miss out on the essence of the festival by telling them the story of Ramayana, lighting lamps, wearing new clothes and making sweets to celebrate the festival. ❤️

Today morning I made these Coconut Badam ladoos which are the kids’ favorite as they love coconut based sweets a lot. They have holidays for the next four days and I will be busy with them, listening to their chatter. 😍 So I decided to share this recipe today itself to wish all of you a very Happy Deepavali. ❤️

Hope this beautiful festival of lights bring peace and happiness into your lives. Happy Deepavali to you and your family. Jai Shri Ram. 🙏

Do try these easy ladoos if you find time and you are sure to relish it. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 12 small ladoos }

1 Cup = 240 ml

2 Cups Desiccated Coconut (or freshly grated coconut)

About 15 Almonds/ Badam

1/4 Cup Water (to make Almond paste)

3/4 Cup Jaggery powder (or grated jaggery)

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder, for flavour

Step by step recipe:

1. Soak Almonds one night before making the ladoos. Just immerse in little water for about 8 hours.

2. Drain the water and peel the almonds. The peels come off easily as they have been soaked well.

3. Add to a mixer along with 1/4 Cup water and grind to a fine paste.

4. In a thick bottomed pan add coconut gratings or desiccated coconut, jaggery powder or grated jaggery and the almond paste. Don’t keep it on flame yet.

5. Now mix well using a spatula.

6. Now keep the pan on medium flame and start mixing using the spatula. Jaggery will melt and the mixture will start becoming soft and blend well. Keep mixing for about 8 to 10 mins. Add cardamom powder.

7. Mix once and remove the mixture into a bowl.

8. When the mixture is warm, start making ladoos using your hands. It is very easy to make when the mixture is warm and moist. Take a small portion and open close your right hand till the mixture binds well to form a round shaped ball.

9. Make ladoos with all of the mixture. You can also decorate the ladoos with fine sliced Almonds. Done ❤️

Notes:

* I have used desiccated coconut to make these ladoos. You can use freshly grated coconut too.

* Soaking Almonds overnight makes it easier to peel and also increases the nutrition of the Almonds.

* Once you mix coconut, jaggery and almond paste before keeping on the flame, it might seem dry but when you heat it, the jaggery will melt and help combine the mixture well.

* Heat it on medium flame though, else jaggery will burn if heated on high flame.

* When the mixture is warm and moist itself, make ladoos as it is easy that time.

* Store in a dry container for a day or two and then if leftover, you can refrigerate.

* Jaggery can be substituted with sugar too in case your family does not like jaggery flavour.

* Almonds can be substituted with Cashews too.

* I make Coconut Burfis with Cashews and sugar which I learnt many years back from Konkani Saraswat Cookbook by Asha Satish Philar mai. Here is the recipe – Coconut Burfis.

* Other Ladoos with Coconut that I make –

Microwave Mango Coconut Ladoos

Mango Coconut Ladoos

Dry fruit Coconut Ladoos

* All my easy sweet recipes that can be made within 15 mins – Easy sweet recipes Compilation

Desserts, Konkani Recipes

Madgane | Konkani traditional Chana dal sweet/ payasa/kheer

October 4, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

Though I am not an expert at making traditional Konkani dishes, if there is one Konkani sweet dish I can make really well, it is Madgane. Madgane is made on Ugadi day which is new year for us, as per Hindu calendar. When I made it for Ugadi few months back, I realized I had not shared this delicious recipe on the blog.

That’s when I decided to make it again during Navaratri which is yet another important festival for us and share with all of you. Today is a final day of Navaratri, tomorrow being Vijayadashami or Dussehra. 🙏

If there is something I miss the most living in Qatar, it is going to temples specially during festivals. My dad has been going to all Devi temples across Udupi and sends me pictures of beautifully adorned Devis. 🙏 Feels so happy for him. ❤️ It is a great blessing from the divine which we don’t realize the value untill we are away from it.

Wishing all of you a blessed Navaratri and Vijayadashami. 🙏

Hope you all try Madgane and relish it like we do. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: ( makes about 6 bowls/ servings)

1/2 Cup Chana dal

1 3/4 Cups Coconut milk ( about 400 ml)

1 Cup Jaggery powder

2 Tbsp Rice flour

1 Tbsp Ghee

About 10 Cashews and few raisins

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Roast Chana dal on medium to low flame till it starts letting out an aroma and starts browning.

2. Immediately remove from flame and wash well. Add fresh water, a little above the level of Chana dal, as shown in the picture.

3. Pressure cook till soft but not mushy. Chana dal should retain shape. I cook on high till 2 whistles, then keep on medium flame for 10 mins in my electric stovetop.

4. Now add cooked Chana dal, coconut milk and Jaggery in a thick bottomed pan.

5. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 mins on high flame.

6. Take 2 Tbsp Rice flour and mix with 2 to 3 Tbsp water to form a paste free form lumps.

7. Add it to the Chana dal payasa while stirring continually so that it does not form lumps. Cook for 5 to 10 mins on medium flame till the mixture becomes thick. Remove from flame.

8. In another pan, take ghee, add cashews and raisins. Fry till raisins plump up. Add to the payasa. Also add Cardamom powder. Mix well.

9. Serve warm.

Click on the image to save the recipe on

Notes:

* I have used tinned coconut milk from Lulu hypermarket. If you are making fresh coconut milk, then take about 2 Cups of coconut gratings, grind it with little water to a fine paste in a mixer. Sieve it once to get thick coconut milk. Grind again with water, sieve to get thin coconut milk. Add thin coconut milk along with jaggery in step 4 and thick coconut milk along with rice flour paste.

* Be careful while roasting Chana dal as it burns very quickly. Roast on medium flame and remove as soon as it starts turning brown. Roasting is an important step as it gives a wonderful flavour to the payasa.

* While pressure cooking Chana dal, ensure that it retains shape and is not mushy. In Madgane, the bite of chana dal is important.

* Don’t add a lot of water while pressure cooking and even after that as that payasa will become watery.

* 1/2 Cup Chana dal to 1 Cup Jaggery works perfectly for me. You can vary as per your taste.

* Rice flour paste is added to give thickness to the Madgane. Don’t skip it as it enhances the texture so much.

* Traditionally, fresh Cashew or Bibbo is added to Madgane. I don’t get it, so I add regular Cashews roasting only slightly along with raisins.

* Don’t forget Cardamom powder as it gives a wonderful aroma to Madgane.

* Leftover Madgane can be refrigerated and had next day.

Desserts, Snacks

Nendrapazham Nirachathu | Stuffed Nendran Banana

October 1, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 2 Comments

It’s a special weekend day today as my daughter Ashritha’s half yearly exams are finally over and it really feels like my exams are over too. 😅 Teaching her for her second standard exams was not less than my engineering semester exams for me. 😁

Planning her lessons, teaching her, preparing notes, asking her questions while I do my work, then finally heaving a sigh of relief when she says the exams were easy… All of these were my last two weeks in short. 😄 So since yesterday, I have been making her favorite dishes to celebrate “freedom from exams” and today was the day to give freedom to these fast ripening Nendran Bananas too. 😍

Nendran Bananas are her favorite and apart from slicing round, frying in ghee, I also make this Nendran Banana Halwa when the bananas turn overripe. I also learned to make this Nendrapazham nirachathu last month which she loved a lot. So I decided to make it today with these bananas and took some pictures to add on the blog too.

This is very easy to make and tastes so delicious for words, specially if you love Nendran Bananas. Hope you all try it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { For two stuffed bananas }

Two Ripe Nendran Bananas (should not be very soft or over ripe)

4 Tbsp Freshly grated Coconut

2 to 3 Tbsp Jaggery powder

1 tsp Ghee + 1 Tbsp Ghee

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat 1 tsp Ghee in a small pan and add freshly grated coconut and jaggery powder.

2. On medium to low flame, fry the coconut- jaggery well in ghee for a minute.

3. Remove from flame. Add Cardamom powder. Mix well.

4. Take the ripe Nendran Bananas. If they are very soft, we can’t use it as it will break when we fill and fry it. Just see that they are ripe yet firm.

5. Peel the bananas. Make a small slit with knife in the center leaving the ends as shown. Don’t make a very deep cut too. Just slit until 3/4th depth of the banana.

6. Now stuff the bananas with the coconut jaggery mixture using hands. Divide the mixture between the two bananas.

7. Now heat 1 Tbsp Ghee in a pan and roast all three sides of the bananas till they turn slight brown. Do it on medium to low flame, else they can burn.

8. Done. Slice into three to four pieces and serve. Enjoy! ❤️

Notes:

* If you have very soft or over ripe bananas, you can make this Quick Nendran Banana Halwa that I make regularly.

* This recipe requires the bananas to be ripe yet firm to hold.

* While frying the bananas, be careful while turning and see that you do so on medium to low flame, else the stuffing can burn as it has jaggery in it.

Cakes and Bakes, Cookies

Cashew Butter Cookies | Using wheat flour and Jaggery

April 26, 2022 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 6 Comments

Hello dear readers, I am back after a very long break. I know I have been taking many breaks now and then but I also know you all will understand me. I had travelled to India, to my hometown Udupi in Karnataka, last month which was after a period of 2.5 years and had a wonderful time with my Amma along with my dearest family members. ❤️

After coming back to Qatar, my kids started school, with my son joining kindergarten too. I miss the kids specially my son a lot as he was always stuck to me (fevicol ka jod 😄) but as they say, we have to accept whatever life brings and I have got accostomed to his absence in the mornings too (though I get teary eyed each time he leaves 😁 #motherhood).

When he comes back though, I get smothered with hugs and kisses from him which compensates for everything 😍😍. My daughter comes a little later and then an hour goes by with her narrating what happened at school. Her stories remind me of my younger self who used to tell each and everything to my mother after she came back from work. ❤️

When they are at school, I cook or bake something special just to see their excitement and the way they enjoy it. 😍 That’s how I baked these Cashew Butter Cookies which both the kids loved a lot.

These cookies are healthier as compared to store bought ones and very tasty too. Once you get the trick on how to make it well, it’s very easy and hardly takes 30 mins to bake a batch of cookies.

Hope you all try and love these cookies. Do let me know if any doubts and it will be a pleasure to help. Happy and healthy baking! ❤️

RECIPE: { My 1 Cup = 250 ml }

Ingredients: { Makes about 15 cookies }

100 grams Salted Butter ( 1/4 Cup + 3 Tbsp) (Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter)

3/4 Cup Whole wheat flour or Atta

1/2 Cup finely powdered Cashews ( + 2 to 3 Tbsp if needed)

1/4 Cup Jaggery powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Soften butter by keeping it at room temperature for little time. (Do NOT melt it in microwave or so.) Just place it at room temperature till it turns soft. Now add jaggery powder.

2. Combine both well with a spatula till jaggery powder blends with the butter.

3. Add cashew powder and mix well using the spatula.

4. Now add wheat flour.

5. Combine well to form a non sticky dough. At this step, if needed add extra cashew powder or wheat flour if the dough is very sticky. The dough should not be very hard but should not be sticky too. It sometimes takes me extra 2 Tbsp of cashew powder to get non sticky dough. Depends on your wheat flour/ butter brand.

6. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 10 to 15 mins so that the dough becomes firm. After that Preheat the oven for 180 C for 10 minutes in the center rack of the oven.

7. Now make roundels using your palm and place on a greased (with butter or ghee) oven proof plate. Grease your palm too if needed.

8. After the oven finishes pre heating, place this plate in the center rack of the oven and bake at 180 C for 12 to 15 mins. My cookies get done at 14 mins.

9. When done, the cookies turn slightly brown at the edges and are hard to touch in the center. If the cookies look underdone, bake for couple of mins more.

10. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool completely. As they cool down, they start getting firmer but these cookies are more on the soft side and not the crispy kind of cookies. Enjoy soft, melt in the mouth homemade cookies! ❤️

Notes:

* Store the cookies in a dry, air tight container and it lasts well for two to three days. Mine gets finished off by my family before that. Will last longer if handled well, free from moisture.

* They are very soft and break upon touching on warm. As they cool down, they will harden but still not very hard like store bought ones as we have used only butter. The texture is melt in the mouth softer version of cookies.

* These cookies do not need baking soda nor baking powder. They still grow in width during baking process. I too was amazed the first time I tried it as I always thought cookies needed either baking soda or powder.

* Baking time depends on your oven. In some ovens, it can be done at 10 mins while in my OTG, it takes 14 mins. So keep an eye but don’t open the oven door before atleast 10 mins into the baking time. Else it will lead to uneven baking.

* Do refrigerate the dough for atleast 10 to 15 mins as it helps combine the ingredients well and also helps us form cookies well without sticking in our hands.

* Place the cookies in the center rack of your OTG or with both rods on if using microwave with conventional mode oven.

* I have not replaced butter with ghee or oil in this recipe. So can’t say about the outcome.

* I use Pillsbury brand of wheat flour for my bakes and it works very well for me.

* For making powdered Cashews, just put the cashews in a mixer and pulse it in regular intervals till it turns into fine powder. Keep checking in between so that it does not leave oil and become a paste.

* Leave space between cookie dough while keeping on the tray as they increase in width as they bake.

* When they fully bake, you can see the surface is free of raw dough and edges are slightly golden in colour. It is enough. You can remove the cookies out of the oven.

* Cashews can be replaced with Almonds like in these Almond Butter Cookies.

* You can check my Healthy Cakes and Cookies compilation for more cookies and cake recipes.

* For beginners in baking, you can check my Baking Basics for beginners post.

I have tried to note down as much points as possible so that it’s easy for you all to follow but if you still have any doubts, either comment here or message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mitha or on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help.

Breakfast time, Konkani Recipes, Snacks

Instant Sweet Appo | Wheat Jaggery appe | Easy Sweet Paniyaram | Godu Appo

December 16, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

The bowl of sweet appes that you can see above has been finished off by my sweet 3 year old son as I write this. After I made it and gave him one, he took a bite and asked me innocently, “mmm yummy Amma, ye hotel?” 😄. I felt very happy and like a chef that my son found the appes so good that he thought they were from hotel. 😍

He wanted more and finally ate the whole bowl of it. My heart filled up as a mother by seeing him eat happily and I wanted to share my happiness with all of you too as soon as possible. So, sat to write down this blog now itself. ❤️

These appes were one among the first I learnt to make when I got the Appe pan as we have grown up eating them. My kids love it a lot and I make it regularly for them as a tasty snack. It’s so quick to make yet fills up their tummies in a healthy way. ❤️

I also want to share a glimpse of my kitchen counter with all of you today seeing which makes me very happy each day. I love arranging it and love to keep the house clean. Took this picture to send my Amma and felt like sharing with you all too. A peek into my kitchen and my favorite place in the house. 😍

The popsicle molds are my recent purchase and I am loving making new varieties of fruit popsicles each day for the kids. Their excitement while enjoying them is one of a kind. 😍 Will share the recipes when I find time. ❤️

Hope you all loved reading this blog. Do try these appes and I am sure you will love them. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 24 small sized appos }

1 Cup Wheat flour (Chapati Atta)

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder or to taste

2 to 3 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut

A pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

1/2 Cup Milk

1/2 to 3/4 Cup water (to make the batter)

1 small Indian Banana (1/4 Cup mashed banana)

Ghee to cook the appos

Step by step recipe:

1. Take 1 Cup wheat flour, 1/2 Cup Jaggery powder, about 2 Tbsp freshly grated coconut, salt and Cardamom powder in a mixing bowl.

2. Add 1/2 Cup Milk and water (1/4 Cup each time) to make a slightly thick lump free batter. It takes about 1/2 Cup to 3/4 Cup water to make this batter depending on the brand of wheat flour and how much water it absorbs. The consistency should be neither very thin nor very thick. It should be thicker than dosa batter.

3. Now add the mashed banana to the batter. Mix well. I add 1 small Indian Banana which is 1/4 Cup when mashed.

4. Now heat the Appe pan and when it becomes hot, reduce the flame to medium. Now add a drop of ghee in each of the holes of the pan. Add one spoonful of batter in each of them. Don’t keep the flame on high as the appes may turn black in colour. Always keep the flame on medium to get golden coloured appes.

5. Cover and cook for a minute or till the surface looks slightly cooked.

6. Flip and cook for a minute again.

7. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Tastes so yum! 😍

Notes:

* You can skip banana if you don’t have but trust me, these appes taste really heavenly with the banana flavour and the slight bite of bananas in them.

* If you are not adding bananas, you will need to add a pinch of baking soda to help the appos fluff up. I don’t like to use soda and hence I add bananas everytime while making appos.

* This is how I make Wheat banana pancakes too. So you can use appe batter to make pancakes.

* The measurements I have shared above works very well for me. You can add or reduce jaggery, coconut and milk as per your taste.

* Always cook the appes in medium flame for perfect golden coloured appes.

* I also make Mixed dal Appes which comes out delicious. You can check the recipe here.

Cakes and Bakes

Dry fruit Cake | Eggless, whole wheat | Kids’ healthy snack box idea

December 12, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 10 Comments

It has been so long that I have posted a cake recipe, in fact the last one was in February which was this delicious Chocolate Sponge cake. The cake is so amazing that I have been making it regularly, mostly as cupcakes for my kids. It is also a great snack box option for my daughter who’s school has started regularly now (after months of online classes, my butterfly is happy to be flying again 😄).

Apart from chocolate cake and other cakes, I have also learned to make this healthy Dry fruit Cake which she takes to school and my 3 year old son too enjoys it as his morning snack. In fact I made it again today on their request and decided to take step by step pictures to share the recipe with all of you too. 😍

My son could not wait for me to complete taking pictures and he came to take a slice. I captured the moment and it came out so cute. Those tiny hands. 😍

He gobbled up two slices of the cake and the rest of them are waiting for my daughter to come back from school. It’s her favorite and I am sure she will be very happy to see it. ❤️

Hope you all try and love this cake too. They are a great way to add the healthy dry fruits in the kids’ diet and since it has wheat flour and ghee along with the nuts, they are filling too. Specially great for the winters now. I have also been making these easy Sesame seeds Burfi and Dry fruits ladoo for them which you can try as well. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Makes a single loaf cake in a loaf pan of length 20 cm and width 7 cm

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients: { 1 Cup = 240 ml }

1 Cup Whole wheat flour (Regular Chapati atta)

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 Cup Mixed nuts, raisins and dates (I take about 10 cashews, 10 Almonds, some raisins and 5 seedless dates which make a total of 1 Cup)

1 Cup Orange Juice (I use freshly squeezed)

1/4 Cup Jaggery powder

1/4 Cup Ghee

Step by step recipe:

1. Sieve together 1 Cup wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt into a mixing bowl.

2. Take mixed nuts and raisins in a mixer. Deseed dates and halve them (Fine chop them if they are not very soft. It helps when you pulse later in the mixer). Keep aside.

3. Coarsely powder the nuts and raisins together using Pulse mode of the mixer. Don’t grind at one go or you will get a paste. Just pulse few times till the nuts turn into coarse powder. Now add the deseeded dates to it.

4. Pulse again till the dates blend together and it forms a coarse mixture as shown. (Small pieces of dates left in the mixture is fine. Gives a great bite in the cake.) Note that this mixture is in powder form and not paste. Pulse the mixer few times to get this. Don’t grind all at once as the nuts leave oil and the mixture becomes a paste.

5. Now preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.

6. Meanwhile take this dry fruit mixture in a mixing bowl, along with jaggery powder and ghee. Keep orange juice ready too.

7. Add orange juice and mix well. Remember to sieve the orange juice if using fresh ones so that it does not have the pulp.

8. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet Ingredients. Mix well using light hands till you don’t see any dry flour specks. Don’t overmix or you will get a dense cake. Just few mixes till you don’t see dry flour is enough.

9. Add to a greased cake pan. I grease my pan with ghee. The size of my loaf pan is 20 cm length and 7 cm width. Using a spatula, flatten the surface.

10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 30 mins. Might take between 25 to 35 mins depending on your oven type. Keep an eye after 25 mins. Don’t keep opening the oven door before that. Using a skewer or toothpick, insert in the center of the cake. If it comes out clear or with dry crumbs, it is done. If it comes out wet, keep again for 5 mins and check again.

11. Allow it to cool for sometime. Once cooled, loosen the edges of the cake using a knife and invert onto a plate.

12. Slice and serve. Store in a moisture free container.

Notes:

* This cake lasts well at room temperature for a day. Mine gets over within that time but if yours lasts, you can refrigerate it. Microwave for few seconds before serving if needed.

* I always use Pillsbury wheat flour and it works well for all my bakes. Recently though I started baking with Lulu brand of wheat flour and they come out great as well. This particular bake was with Lulu wheat flour and I was happy to see the cake come out soft and tasty.

* I have used freshly squeezed and sieved orange juice for this cake. It enhances the flavour of the cake so much. You can use store bought ones too.

* Regarding the mixed nuts, raisins and dates, as I have mentioned above, I have used about 10 cashews, 10 Almonds, few raisins and 5 dates. This made 1 Cup. You can use other nuts too if you like but I prefer this combination. Don’t skip dates though as it adds to the sweetness of the cake.

* You can also finely chop all the nuts and dates but I prefer coarsely powdering it as my kids don’t like the bite of nuts in their cakes.

* I have used 1/4 Cup Jaggery powder. It makes the cake sweet like bakery ones. You can skip if you want to make it completely sugar free and also substitute with brown sugar if you want.

* I always use ghee or butter in my bakes as I make it mainly for my kids. So, not sure about the texture and flavour if oil is used instead.

* Don’t overmix the dry and wet Ingredients. Mix slowly with light hands till the mixture is free from dry flour specks.

* My cake gets done exactly at 30 mins. Since each oven type is different, please keep an eye on the cake after 35 mins. Mine is an OTG. In microwave convection oven, the time required to bake will be less. So keep an eye after 20 mins into the baking time.

* This cake is very soft and slightly moist due to the orange juice and dates. So be careful while slicing it and start slicing only after it cools completely. Else it can break apart as it’s very soft in texture.

* If you are new to baking, I have written an article combining all notes and pointers that I learnt in my decade long baking journey. You can check that if needed – Baking Basics for Beginners

* For all my healthy bake recipes – Healthy Cakes, Cookies and Breads

* This cake was an inspiration from my Sugar free Dates Carrot Cake which uses milk instead of orange juice and grated carrots instead of nuts.

* Dates in cakes taste so heavenly and my Dates Chocolate Brownie and Dates Oats Cake recipes are examples to that.

I have tried to note down as much points as possible so that it’s easy for you all to follow but if you still have any doubts, either comment here or message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mitha or on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help. Happy baking!

Desserts

Mango Coconut Ladoos | Healthy version without condensed milk

June 13, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 2 Comments

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

Idli Stand, Konkani Recipes

Instant Pumpkin idlis | Dudhi idli | Dudhe Kadamb

May 10, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 5 Comments

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.

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.