Tag Archives: Jaggery

Carrot Jaggery Halwa | Gajar ka halwa with jaggery

February 6, 2024 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

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My first blog this year and so glad I am starting on a sweet note ❤️ I have a special relation with sweets, my name Mitha meaning sweet in Hindi, my best friends call me Ladoo and most of all, I can’t resist any kind of sweets. 😍 Be it our authentic Konkani godshe, payasams from Kerala, kesari from Tamil Nadu, Mysore pak, gulab jamun and all milk based sweets too.. I can just go on and on.. 😀 Being in Qatar since more than 12 years now, Arabic sweets have a special place in my heart ( and tummy 😅) too ❤️

Since I am such an ardent fan of sweets, I have learned to make many at home over the years. Have shared most of the recipes here on the blog. One sweet dish that I make regularly specially during winters is this Carrot halwa or lovingly called as Gajar ka halwa 😍 I rarely eat this dessert from outside and I truly love the way I make my halwa ❤️

So here’s sharing this easy yet finger licking delicious recipe with all of you so that you can try at home too. Dedicating this to all sweet lovers like me ❤️ Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 4 half cup servings }

1 Cup = 240 ml

2 Cups Grated Carrot

1/2 Cup Milk

3/4 Cup Jaggery powder

3 Tbsp Ghee

About 5 to 7 Cashews

About 8 to 10 raisins

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Take carrots, cut off the ends, wash and peel them. Grate using a grater. I took two large carrots and it gave me 2 Cups of carrot gratings. Keep it aside.

2. Heat a thick bottomed pan. Add 1 Tbsp Ghee and add chopped cashews and raisins. Fry on medium flame till cashews turn light brown and raisins plump up. Remove it onto a plate.

3. Now heat the rest of the ghee (adding around 2 Tbsp more). Add the grated Carrots and fry continually for 5 to 7 minutes till the rawness of carrots goes away.

4. Add milk and cook the carrots in milk for about 10 mins till the milk gets absorbed by the carrots. Keep the flame on medium to low always, mixing every couple of minutes.

5. When the milk gets absorbed well by the carrots, it looks like this.

6. Now add jaggery powder to this.

7. Mix well and let the carrots absorb the jaggery. Cook on medium flame till the mixture turns thick.

8. After about 10 mins, the mixture looks like this. It’s perfect halwa and you can remove the pan from the flame now.

9. Add the halwa to the fried cashews and raisins. Also add cardamom powder. Mix well. Halwa is ready.

10. Serve warm halwa. Tastes delicious in this cold weather ❤️

Notes:

* I have used orange carrots as they are easily available here but you can also use the red carrots which are regularly used to make carrot halwa.

* Three most important points while making this halwa is:

1. Fry the carrots well in ghee till the rawness of the carrots goes away. This is a very important step else the carrots will have a raw flavour.

2. Secondly make sure the milk is absorbed fully by the carrots before adding jaggery. Else the jaggery can curdle the milk (depending on the brand). Also the flame should be from medium to low while the carrots are cooked in milk, else milk can stick to the bottom of the pan..

3. Thirdly, when jaggery is added, the mixture will become liquidy but keep cooking on medium flame till the mixture thickens and the jaggery is well absorbed by the carrots.

* Don’t skip cardamom powder. Gives a wonderful flavour to the carrot halwa.

* I also make refined sugar free Dates Carrot Halwa. You can try that too if you don’t want to use jaggery as well.

* Another unique sweet that I make with Carrots are Dates Carrot Puranpoli or Ubbatti. Tastes really delicious.

* I usually make sweets which takes 15 mins or less time to make. Have compiled all the recipes together in a page. You can check that :

Easy to make, 15 min sweets collection

Cakes and Bakes, Millet recipes

Jowar Chocolate sponge cake |Gluten free millet cake

December 12, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

I had always wanted to bake gluten free cakes as it had been the most requested recipe by my readers. But somehow I never got the confidence to shift from wheat flour to a millet flour completely.

Since few months, Jowar flour had become my best friend as I regularly make dosas, idlis and ladoos with it. So when I saw that people have been using it for baking too, I just could not resist trying it out.

Even the first time I tried this cake, it came out so well that I could not believe my eyes. I cut it in squares and asked my family to taste it. As they ate it, they asked for more and more and finally finished off the cake within a day. It was really that tasty. My son even gave me a million marks for it and always asks me to bake it whenever he has craving for cake.

This morning the weather is so beautiful and foggy here in Qatar that I felt like baking. Baking is truly a therapy for me ❤️ and what better cake than this Jowar chocolate cake, which I had to share with all of you too. So I took the pictures and dedicated it to the beautiful weather 😍

Hope you all try and love this healthy and tasty cake too. Do let me know if any doubts and it will be a pleasure to help. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

My 1 Cup = 240 ml and even though I usually measure using cups, this time I also measured using my measuring scale for those readers who want accurate measurements.

Dry Ingredients:

1 Cup Jowar flour (Sorghum flour) {106 grams}

2 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder {10 grams}

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Salt

Wet ingredient mix:

1/4 Cup thick Curd or Yogurt {60 ml}

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder {66 grams}

1/2 Cup Milk {100 ml}

1/4 Cup Ghee {54 ml}

Step by step recipe:

1. Take yogurt and baking soda in a bowl. Mix well. Keep aside. Also preheat the oven in the center rack at 180 C for 10 minutes.

2. Now sieve together all the dry ingredients – Jowar flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

3. Keep the dry ingredient mix aside. Now to the yogurt- baking soda mix, add jaggery powder, milk and ghee. Mix well.

4. Now add the dry ingredient mix to the wet ingredients and mix using spatula. Don’t over mix and just fold until you can’t see any dry flour specks.

5. Now add the batter to the cake pan. I used a loaf pan of length 20 cm and width 7 cm. You can also use a square or round pan. Either grease with butter or ghee or use parchment/ baking paper. Spread the batter as evenly as possible.

6. Now add the pan to a preheated oven (read step 1) and bake at 180 C for 15 to 18 mins. In my square cake pan, it takes 15 mins as cake height is less but in my loaf pan it takes 18 mins since the cake has more height. So keep an eye after 15 mins.

Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. If comes out clear or with crumbs, cake is done. If it comes out wet, bake again for two mins or till done.

7. Allow it to cool. Once cooled, invert onto a plate.

8. Cut into squares and serve. Store in a moisture free container.

Notes:

* Lasts well at room temperature for a day. After that, I refrigerate since it has milk in it, it may spoil. While serving, I microwave for few seconds and it becomes soft again.

* I use Datar or Amlark brand of Jowar flour as it’s readily available in Lulu and other supermarkets here in Qatar.

* I had got many requests for measurements using scale, so I got one and measured the ingredients using the scale for this recipe. But I feel using Cup is so much easier and I recommend using Cups for just the ease of baking. Just make sure you have 1 Cup = 240 ml measuring cup set and you can use that for all my baking recipes without the need of measuring scale.

* This cake batter is a little thicker but the cake comes out very soft and spongy.

* I use both square and loaf pan for this cake and it bakes quicker in square pan at 15 mins. Loaf pan takes few minutes more as the cake height is more.

* Please remember to preheat the oven at 180 C for atleast 10 mins and don’t open over door for atleast 15 mins into the baking time. These are small but important tips while baking. If you are new to baking, I have written an article on the basics of baking. You can read it here: Baking basics for Beginners

* For more healthy cake and cookies recipes, you can check my page : Healthy cakes and cookies collection of recipes

* More recipes with Jowar flour:

Urad Jowar Dosa

Jowar Idli

Jowar Vegetable Bhakri

Instant Jowar dosa

Jowar flour ladoos

Desserts, Millet recipes

Easy Jowar flour Ladoos with Jaggery |Sorghum millet ladoos | Gluten free

November 9, 2023 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

Please click on the picture to save the recipe on Pinterest

I always make few sweets for Deepavali as we have our friends come over to wish us and they bring homemade goodies with them. It feels so happy to share our sweets and joy during festivals, specially during Deepavali where our houses are lit with lamps and lights.

Today is the last weekday here being Thursday and the next two days, my kids are at home. When they are home, my whole day gets busy cooking, with their studies and listening to them (Amma life 😀). So I decided to make the ladoos this afternoon, when the house was silent 😁 and took step by step pictures to share it with all of you. I was amazed to see how many of you liked the Instant Jowar flour Dosa recipe even though it was very simple. Hence I felt this simple recipe will be very useful to you too, during this festive season.

Jowar flour is a very tasty flour and is healthy too. I am trying to include it more in our diet and I am glad that my kids love it too. Hope you all try and love it as well. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️ Wishing all of you a very happy Deepavali. May this festival of lights bring loads of love and happiness in your lives. 🪔

RECIPE:

1 Cup = 240 ml

Ingredients: { Makes around 20 medium sized ladoos }

2 Cups Jowar flour / Sorghum millet flour

1 and 1/2 Cups Jaggery powder

1/4 Cup Ghee (plus 1/2 Tbsp to fry raisins and cashews)

10 to 12 Cashews

10 to 12 small golden raisins

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat 1/2 (half) Tbsp ghee in a pan and add finely chopped cashews and small raisins. Fry on low flame till raisins swell up and cashew bits turn golden. Remove in a bowl.

2. Now heat 1/4 Cup Ghee and add 2 Cups Jowar flour to it. Make sure the flame is medium to low, else the flour can burn. Saute the flour for about 5 to 8 mins till a nice aroma starts coming. Break the lumps using spatula while sauteing.

3. Once the aroma starts coming, saute for few more minutes (about 2 to 3 mins) till the mixture looks like in the below picture. That is when you press using spatula, it should hold shape.

4. Remove from flame and when it’s still warm, add jaggery powder and the fried cashews/raisins.

5. Now mix well till the jaggery powder blends with the jowar flour into a uniform mixture.

6. Start forming ladoos using your hands by taking a small size mixture in your palm as shown.

7. Open and close your fingers while shaping the ladoos in your palm. It is actually very easy to shape these ladoos and they hold shape quickly but if you find it difficult, you can add a little more ghee to shape the ladoos.

8. Repeat the same with all the mixture and the ladoos are ready to be enjoyed ❤️

Notes:

* Store it in a moisture free container. I usually store in a steel box.

* The ratio of ghee to jowar flour to jaggery works perfect for me. You can reduce jaggery powder if needed but I feel this much sweetness is necessary for these ladoos.

* You can skip cashews and raisins if you don’t like it or add more chopped nuts if you like.

* Important step is sauteing of the flour. Make sure the flame is medium to low and saute till the flour turns aromatic and starts holding shape. Don’t keep on high flame as it may burn the flour.

* If you find it difficult to bind the ladoos, you can add more ghee into the mixture or grease your hands with ghee. I do not do both as it was quite easy to bind the ladoos.

* You can also check the other ladoos I make:

* Wheat flour Jaggery Ladoos ( Churmundo)

* Ragi Jaggery ladoos

* Dry fruit Coconut ladoos

* Peanut Jaggery Ladoos

* Mango Coconut Ladoos

* Coconut Badam Ladoos

* I have compiled some of my easiest sweet recipes. They are all sweets that can be made within 15 mins. Hope it will be helpful for you.

Easy Sweets Collection

* Other dishes with Jowar flour that I make regularly:

* Jowar flour Idli

* Jowar flour Dosa

* Instant Jowar flour Dosa

* Jowar Vegetable Bhakri

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

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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 1 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 7 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 5 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.