Eggless Dates-based Nankhatai (Indian shortbread cookies)

Inspired by the recipe here: http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/nankhatai-recipe/

Ingredients

• 1 cup Maida or all purpose Flour
• ¼ cup Besan/gram flour
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 2 tbsp Sooji/Rava/Cream of Wheat
• ⅛ tsp Nutmeg powder
• ½ tsp Cardamom powder
• ½ cup Ghee
• ½ cup Sugar
• 10 Dates
• Quarter cup Milk
• Few Almonds or Dates, chopped
• Decorative Sugar

Method

1. Grind Dates with Milk till it is a smooth mixture. Keep it aside.
2. Cream the Ghee and Sugar in a food processor.
3. Mixture should become smooth, light and creamy.
4. Sift the the following dry ingredients - maida or all purpose flour, gram flour/besan, baking powder and baking soda. keep the sifted dry ingredients aside.
5. add milk/dates ground mixture to the creamed ghee+sugar mixture. mix very well.
6. now add the sifted dry ingredients. also add the sooji/rava/cream of wheat, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder.
7. gently mix everything. do not knead. just mix and gather to a smooth dough. if the mixture is too crumbly and you cannot bring together to a dough, then add 1 to 3 tbsp of milk. mix lightly and bring the mixture to a dough.
8. pinch medium sized balls from the dough.
9. roll them evenly in your palms. slightly flatten them. press decorative sugar and/or almonds on the top lightly.
10. you can also make some criss cross designs on the nankhatais with a fork or toothpick.
11. place the cookies in a baking tray.
12. keep some space between them as they expand while baking.
13. bake the nankhatai in a pre heated oven at 350F for 25 mins till light golden.
14. remove and place them on wire racks.

Bingsu .. no cousin of Bingo!

Tried this dessert this past weekend and how I regretted not having tasted it so far. Sometime back, I had carried it out and of course, it was a disaster. Never ever carry it out - even if you do, have it soon after.

Bingsu is a Korean dessert consisting of shaved ice, condensed milk, chopped fruits and red bean paste. The wikipedia page for the same is here. I had this at Shilla's Patisserie at Centerville, VA. It is served in large portion - two or three people can easily share it depending on appetite. Do check it out! As well as the Mango Souffle Cake pic below - so light, creamy and delicious.

While we are on Korean food, sharing a pic of the Vegetable Pancake and Mushroom Tofu Soup from Lighthouse Tofu next door. I can have this seven days a week - that should tell you how much I like it!! Enjoy!!

Marbled Choco-Vanilla Bundt Cake by my darlings Shriya and Vindhya

My dear friend aka sister Poonki's 6 year old twins Shriya and Vindhya love cooking. So instead of saying "even 6 year olds can make it!", I need to say "6 year olds made this!".

They are both such a divine bunch of energy - any day I am feeling down, just talking to them for 5 mins gets me going! Thank you, girls, for all the love and affection. And for this recipe - everyone, please encourage them. I have a feeling they will soon have their own blog  (which I think they should start .. like yesterday!) - all my blessings and love for the little angels. Enjoy the video when we have them uploaded (both their mom and aunt are debating the best medium for it still!) - they truly sound like professional chefs! :)

Here is the video link (Update on 09/01/2014)

Ingredients
Set 1

1/2 tsp instant coffee powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
11/2 tbs sugar
1/4 cup hot water

Set 2

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Set 3
1 cup maida
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1) Lay out the ingredients.

2) Mix ingredients in set 1. Set aside the cocoa mixture
3) In a bowl , add butter, sugar and vanilla extract in set 2 .
4) Beat with a mixer for 10 min
5) Add eggs and beat for 2 min
6) Add set 3 ingredients
7) Add cocoa mixture to half the batter

8) Pour both the batter alternately in a cake tin and bake for upto 40 min at 170 C
9) Take out and eat!!

Fried Plantains (Puerto Rican)

One of my friend's mother-in-law and a very dear friend of mine was recently in town. She very sweetly remembered that I had expressed an interest in learning more about the Puerto Rican cuisine and maybe a recipe or two. We ended up meeting last Sunday and cooking together. That was one of the most memorable get-togethers that I have had. We ate, drank, laughed and cooked some. "Life is good" because of such moments that we share with near and dear ones. Thank you, Beita ... love you and always count my blessings that I have you as a friend. Amen to many more such moments to be blessed on all of us.

She taught us Puerto Rican Beans and Rice (will post later) and Fried Plantains. Both were delicious, full of flavors and the best part - easy peasy to make. The whole house smelt so good when both these dishes were being cooked.

Ingredients

Plantains - not too ripe, just perfect
Canola Oil - for frying one side at a time (not as much as one would need for deep frying)

Method

Cut the plantains as shown in the pic.

Heat the oil.
Place the plantains in a layer so that one side gets cooked.
As it slightly browns, turn over the other side.
It is meant to be slightly cooked, but we also liked a batch that was slightly overdone and crispy. Or as Beita said "If you kids like it, go for it!" :)

As we kept making these, they kept disappearing. So you can imagine! Even the kids love it..so plan the portions accordingly when preparing. We had it as a side with the Rice & Beans as well. The sweetness of the fried plantains gave a nice twist to the savory Rice & Beans. Bon appetit.

Thank you, Beita, for the wonderful recipe and the memories. A shout-out to my fellow learners in this cookout - dear A-Chau and Huey :)

Fruit Salad

Just chop into cubes the fruits - I used Papaya and Banana.

Toss the above with few tbsps of Granola, some White Chocolate Chips and a dash of Maple Syrup. 

If you are indulging, some Caramel with hot Chocolate Sauce would be great to add! :)

Peda using Ricotta Cheese dedicated to Aai

In some of my past posts, I had mentioned my Aai (Odiya word for Maternal Grandmother) and her simplistic yet uber-delicious cooking skills. She was more than an inspiration for me. I trully admire her spirit - she always had a kind word for everyone, even for people she knew did not always mean well for her! How many of us can be like that? Well, she was!

The sad news is that she recently left for heavenly abode. This post is dedicated to her - that's the very little I can do. I could not see her in my last India visit - and this will always remain a disappointment in my life. You may be thinking - why Peda for Aai? Wikipeda page for Peda is here for more information. During my school days, whenever she would visit us, she would get me "Cherry Pedas" - ooh, what a delight they were! They were Pedas in Cherry fruit shape - as my dad says, he is still trying to find where she used to get them from! Those Pedas were special - and will remain so forever for me!

A few years back, my SIL made Pedas out of Ricotta Cheese (I believe from a friend's recipe). When I remembered that, I went googling for "Peda using Ricotta Cheese" - found a number of recipes but I narrowed down on Achu's Kitchen's Peda. Thank you, Achu!

I first made them for a cookie exchange in my friend's place. I knew everyone was making cookies, so I decided to try something Indian! Nan Khatai came to mind, but later decided on the Pedas as they are sweet. The pics from that event. Later on, for my own holiday party, I made them to include in the goody bags. Have received a few compliments so far - glad my friends liked them. So yes, this is a keeper recipe! I am sure I will be making once too often in future - if you try it out, let me know how it goes!

Here is Achu's recipe with minor modification:

Ingredients:

• Ricotta cheese.................................................................... 15oz.
• Sugar ................................................................................. 1 cup
• Milk powder....................................................................... 1 cup
• Mawa (Nanak brand, grated).............................................. 1/2 cup
• Clarified Btter( Ghee )......................................................... 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder............................................................. 1 tsp
• Pistachios ( thinly chopped )................................................ 2 tsp / as required to garnish (optional)

Method:

• Heat a pan and add Ghee to it. I used Butter one time when there was less Ghee in the house.
• Once it is gets melted, add Ricotta Cheese and cook under low flame for 20 - 25 mins.
• The moisture content should evaporate fully. Stir it continuously.
• Next add Sugar to it.The mixture will become watery again.
• Once the Sugar dissolves with the Cheese mixture, add the grated Mawa and Milk powder and cook till the mixture start leaving from the sides of the pan. It will take 15 - 20 mins.
• Take a small portion of it and try rolling it into a ball. If it attains the shape without sticking to your palm, then we can access that the right consistency has attained.
• Add Cardamom powder at this stage and stir well. I grind the Cardomon using a stone pestle and mortar.
• Remove the mixture from heat and let cool.
• When warm enough to handle (does not matter if the mixture completely cools down - once I made the above mix in the night and shaped them the next morning), squeeze a small lemon size portion of the mixture between your fingers and palm to form small balls.( apply a little ghee on your palm to avoid sticking).  Give each ball a slight press between your palms to get a flat shape.
• Garnish with chopped pistachios and saffron (optional). Instead, use the cookie shapers or wood design implanters (Thanks, Maa, for getting those for me - they were a delight to use and such beautiful pattern on the Peda, just like store-bought!).

They will stay good for a week. Store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy them in this holiday season! :) Merry Christmas!

Mama's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding" :)

I have been waiting to start a series of guest posts from my friends and family who mean a lot to me. These people have definitely influenced me in a big way - each in their own way has made my life experiences rich and memorable.

This is the first in the series. It is from my sister-in-law who is my name-sake (we both have same nicknames which has led to quite a few confusion situations! ;)). When you get married via arranged marriage and move into a new family, there are some people who will make you feel at home and she was/is definitely one of them. I have always enjoyed the few moments we have spent with each other and I cherish her being "family". Thank you, Mama, for all the camaraderie! :)

Mama had made this super-delicious "Banana Pudding" when I was visiting them during Thanksgiving this year. Wow! The taste and smell still lingers! So you can imagine? I had to get the recipe and she was as gracious as ever to share it in no-time with all the detailed steps. Thank you, Mama, for sharing the recipe. Btw, Mama has her very own blog - would recommend everyone to take a look! Good luck, Mama, in all your pursuits - may the new year 2013 fulfill all your dreams and beyond! :)

Continue reading for the yumm recipe...

I can only speak for myself, but it's not often I find a recipe that is quick to make, delicious to eat, and impressive to look at. But I found these three criterions rolled into one in a glorious Paula Deen banana pudding recipe titled Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding. For full disclosure, I was drawn to the recipe because of the novelty of the name and because "Mama" is my pet name. That, and the fact that this recipe had been reviewed 5-stars by a thousand-some people.

The dramatic diva suppressed inside me would like to say that the first time I made this pudding was a happy accident where the stars aligned so that I could make this dessert. But, the reality is far less titillating: It was 3 am and I needed to prepare something with the ingredients in the kitchen for a barbecue the next afternoon. I typically have the opportunity to cook for a potluck few times a year and because I usually stay up late into the night working and studying (OK, and procrastinating), I tend to revert to a tried and tested recipe. But 3 am is an inconvenient, if not impossible, time to go grocery shopping, so I scrambled online to see what I could make with the random ingredients in our fridge, the eclectic ensemble of fruits on our counter, and the overflowing pantry filled with snacks and spices.

Long story short: Twenty minutes after finding the recipe, I was all tucked into bed with an episode of The Good Wife playing on my TV (yes, I am that nocturnal) and my dessert chilling (pun intended) in the refrigerator. The next day my impromptu attempt at making a dessert turned out to be a hit and since then, this recipe has replaced caramel walnut brownies as my go-to dish for potlucks and gatherings.

Ingredients

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 ripe bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve or at least 2-3 hours.

The only modifications I make to the recipe above is that I tend to add more bananas—it really varies by banana size and how many ripe bananas I have on hand. I find adding more fruit evens out the sweetness and the rich flavor of the pudding, but it boils down to personal preference.

Dahi Bara yet again and Random thoughts!

I have to share this click with you all! I have this plant since the last three years and it has always come back vibrantly every single year without any extra care from my end. The flowers are so pretty but I never got a chance to click them in bloom. Just the other day, I was heading out to work while I saw it has it's first bloom. Not to miss the chance, immediately took out my camera and took a shot! No instagram, no editing, this was taken in a single shot! Even today, I love looking at it - what colors! I just love it! One of my friend who is an awesome painter has even thought of converting this to painting - wow, can there be a better compliment? :)

Google Mailer... 

Recently received a mailer from Google with a coupon to use their ad service for my blog. I am less likely to use it but it was kind of a validation that my blog is being noticed. :) Being termed a "small business" was also a new one for me - never thought of it like that - so refreshing that I am all the more pepped up to keep my blog going! :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes 

We have always loved the Red Velvet Cake with Cream-cheese frosting from Costco. Recently, we found that they have also got cupcake versions of the same. How could I resist getting them? ;) It was undoubtedly delicious and equal in flavor to the cake. It's gonna be a regular in our house henceforth! :)

Dahi Bara 

For the recipe, follow this link please. Enjoy this very popular street-food of Cuttack, Orissa - my mamu ghara (maternal family) is there! :)

Kheeri aka Rice Pudding - Phew, Salvaged the post in time!

This is Maa's version of easy-peasy Kheeri aka Rice Pudding. Enjoy it with a piping-hot Rasagulla - just like the way they used to serve in Odiya weddings\picnic feasts, etc. Till Maa actually showed me how to make it, I did not believe that it would be this easy to make. Have a sweet and delicious time! :)

This simple post got into a bit of drama! :) I deleted it by mistake and learnt from frantic Google searches that Google does not help retrieving deleted posts! :( Come on! Then stumbled across this link and used Method 2 to using the Back button if you have the tab where you were editing still open! Good luck - I did still have that tab open! La Voila - found it and saved myself some trouble of having to re-write! Gosh - those were a frantic few minutes! Now, you can enjoy the dessert - so can I! ;)

Ingredients
Makes about 8-12 servings :)

Kheeri Rice - 1 cup
Milk - 8 cups
Water - 1 cup
Dry Bay Leaves - 2-3

Cinnamon stick - 2
Cardamom Powder - 1 tbsp

Jaggery - 2 small cubes (optional, gives a nice golden color and a different flavor)
White Sugar - 6 tbsp (reduce or increase as per required sweetness)

Cashews and Raisins - 1/2 cup, roasted with Ghee or Butter (optional)

Condensed Milk - 1 can (optional, this provides richness by making it creamier)


Method

Use a  heavy-bottomed utensil and heat water.
Wash the rice and add to the warm water.
Add milk.
As the mixture is warm and the Rice is half-cooked, add the dry Bay leaves, Cinnamon stick and Cardamom powder.



I usually microwave the Jaggery for 30 seconds so it is soft and easily mixes with the warm rice mixture.
Once the Jaggery is well-mixed, add the White Sugar. Add it slowly making sure to check the sweetness. Remember to adjust it, particularly if you are adding Condensed Milk later on.


In the meanwhile, roast the Cashews and Raisins in Ghee (Clarified Butter) or Butter. Keep it aside.

When the rice is fully cooked and soft to touch (takes about 20 mins), add the roasted Cashew and Raisins as well as the Condensed Milk.

If you don't have Kheeri Rice, pressure cook Rice with Water, Milk, Dry Bay Leaves, Cinnamon stick and Sugar. Wait for one whistle and let it stand in Medium heat for 5 mins. Wait for the pressure to release (don't force it open by putting it under running water, etc.). Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it well in Medium heat for a few mins.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie

This recipe goes for Foodelicious ongoing event 'Only' Cooking with Chocolate. Eagerly waiting for the roundup and feed my chocolate cravings hereon by trying the recipes from there! Hope my doctor's appointment is done by then and I have passed on my scores (A1C, LDL, HDL and what not!) with flying colors - come on, final exams as a kid were easier compared to the annual physical. :( I am diverting yet again! :)

So here goes the recipe..I am going to cheat a bit as I don't have a pic of my own cookie! I will not disappoint you on the visual treat from reading blog-posts...there is one nature-click and one related to the post but of a store-bought cookie that I almost 'mauled'! :) Read on..

Zoe's Kitchen, Fairfax, VA - love their jumbo chocolate chip cookie - how guilty I felt after finishing it ALL off! :)

Ingredients
Makes 15 cookies

1/2 cup Butter (that is, 1 stick butter)

1/2 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 teaspoons Baking powder

1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecan nuts chopped

Tip - As with all baking, keep the dry and wet ingredients separate from each other till ready to give the final toss.
 
Method

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and keep aside.
• Combine the butter, sugar, and brown sugar and beat the mixture until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg.
• Add the vanilla essence. I usually hand-mix but you can use a mixer for the same as well which is much more convenient.
• Add the flour mixture little at a time and just fold till the mixture is uniform.
• Add the chocolate chips and chopped pecan nuts towards the end and fold.
• Chill the dough.
• Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets with adequate distance between the cookies since the biscuit spreads out.
• Bake for 20 minutes until the cookies are golden brown and chewy.
• Cool and store in an airtight-container or ziploc bag.

This is always a hit with kids who can never have enough of chocolate chip cookies! Further the house smells divine when you bake it - the warm whiff of chocolatey air..sniff sniff! :)

If you have a recipe that never fails with pleasing the kids, please let me know - would love to hear more about it.

Beautiful sunset - drive back home. The sun just dipped as I scrambled for the camera!

Fruity Custard

Custard used to a regular dessert item in my mother's kitchen. This also must have been the first dessert I ever made also. You can understand the sweet tooth that we Odiya's have from our dinner menu. Baba (my dad) is very health-conscious and likes to eat healthy and light for dinner. However, there has to be a sweet-dish on the side - every night. No exception to that.


Also as a kid, when I would hang out with friends, most of my friend's moms would make custard for us. This may be one of the safest item to make for kids - everyone likes it and you get to make them eat the fruits! ;)


When I went for my undergrad studies, we used to get custard often in our "mess" menu and special meals. It still intrigues me why dormitory kitchens and serving area are called "mess" - they could have been subtle enough and used a more "kinder" word for the ambience these dining areas provide :p Ok, let's get the mess picture out our head now and concentrate on the dish-in-hand! :)

Ingredients:

Milk - 5 cups
Custard Powder - 6-8 tbsp (I like mine thick - adjust as per your preference)
Ground Cardamom Powder - 1 tbsp
Condensed milk - 1/2 can
Sugar - 4 tbsp (adjust as per your sweetness preference)

Raisins - 1/2 cup
Cashewnuts (not salted) - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1-2 tbsp

Chopped fruits (apple, banana, orange, grapes)
Rasagolla - a few (I use Haldiram canned ones)

Method:

Heat the milk.
As the milk warms up, add the ground Cardamom Powder, Condensed Milk and Sugar.
Take a few spoons of the warm milk from above and add to the custard powder in a separate container. Alternatively, you can use some warm water instead of the milk. Mix it well. This will ensure that the custard powder does not remain in lump form when you add it to the milk. Removing the lumps is quite an exercise by itself! :)
Add this mixture to the warm milk.

In a separate container, warm the butter and roast the raisins and cashewnuts. When done, add to the above custard mixture. Cool it down. I place it under the fan for 10-15 mins and then dunk it in the fridge for 30 mins or so.

Chop the fruits and the Rasagolla into tiny pieces a few mins before serving.
Serve a few spoons of the chopped fruits. Add the custard on top of it.

This is a trick I learnt from Maa - if you add the fruits to the custard earlier on, it will not last long and the fruits get mushy. This way, the fruits are crunchy when you eat. Prior to learning this, I used to add the fruits to the custard before putting it in the fridge - this is good only if you are finishing it off the same day.

Enjoy the dessert!

As I was playing around with my iPhone, clicked this pic which turned out quite good in "lighting". Yes, I know it is a lamp and it provides light ... was referring to the lighting for the photograph. :p Have a great day, everyone! :)

Almond Halwa (Almond Kheer depending on consistency)

I organized the Indian-style house-warming aka Grihapravesh Satyanarayan puja. Organizing this puja was quite a experience - particularly in terms of cooking. This was one event when every single thing was taken care of by me. I won't deny that it was quite stressful, however, all's well that end's well. Now when I look back, I did have lots of fun and made some lovely memories for the lifetime to cherish and treasure.

Getting back to cooking, one excruciating factor was that the cooking had to be without onion and garlic. Vegeterian food by itself is quite a challenge in my culinary pallate. Googling for "Puja menu" (try it) was not helping too..for one time, Google was not my best friend! :( Try this search and you will understand what I mean! :) Who else but my mom came to my rescue. She came up with a menu that was not just delicious but easy to make and manage with a morning puja before lunch. Sharing the menu so that it will benefit people in similar dilemma.

Sweet dishes to put for pooja:
Kheer Sagar (recipe here)
Almond Kheer (recipe immediately below)
Kalakand (recipe here)
Besan Laddoo (recipe here)

Fruits for pooja:
Mango
Apple
Banana
Grapes
Pears

Main course:
Poori
Jeera Rice

Aloo curry (recipe here)
Gobi Mattar (recipe coming soon)
Kaju Paneer (my mom's recipe coming soon - my favorite Paneer recipe now!)
Palak Dal (recipe here)
Dahi Baingan (recipe coming soon)

Ingredients

2 cups almonds
1 cup milk
1 cup (8 oz) condensed milk
10 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) - melted
6-7 strands of saffron + more for garnish
3/4 cup sugar (optional, if needed)
2 drops yellow food color (optional)
slivered almonds & pistachios - for garnish

Method

Soak the almonds in the milk for an hour or more till the almonds become soft to touch.

Using a blender or food processor, blend the almonds and milk together into a fine thick paste.

Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk and set aside to bleed.

Take a deep skillet, set it on low-medium heat, and add the almond paste and keep stirring continuously.

After 10 minutes, add the saffron and the melted ghee slowly into the pan (in small increments) while stirring continuously, and cook till the ghee is absorbed by the almonds.

As the mixture thickens, add the condensed milk and the food coloring, then again stir for another 10-15 mins, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. Keep stirring for some more time if the consistency appears too liquid-ish!

Remove from the heat and allow to cool just slightly. Lightly grease a square baking tray (about 1/2 inch deep). Transfer the mixture to the tray while it is still warm.

Garnish with some chopped almonds and pistachios, and the remaining saffron strands.Now allow to cool, about half an hour. Then cut into diamonds or squares.

If its still soft, refrigerate for 15 mins then cut. You can store the burfi in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for upto a week.

Mine came out with an consistency that could not cut as burfi. So I served it like a halwa as shown in the pic! :)

Aai's Nadiya Laddoo (Nariyal ke laddoo)

Hey All,

Sorry for missing from action for so long. Life just took over and whatever little time was left, I just could not get myself to blog. Though have been cooking and feeding relentlessly (hubby may differ on this coz regular lunch-dinners have not been that regular) and trying out different and new stuff.

I cleared my Ph.D. qualification process exams with flying colors. Now when I look back, it was a stressful and eventful seven months with several exams and presentations with plenty of grilling (not bbq, my dear foodie blogger friends ;)) sessions. Every successful completion of an exam had me jumping and rejoicing. During the exam, we liked a house we saw and went swooning for it. Yes, we bought a new house - a house of my dreams near a lake and park with plenty of open space. And a huge kitchen to keep me on my toes and keep my culinary journey kicking! I love my new house. Moving has been stressful, no doubt. But setting it up more than makes up for it...won't exchange it for anything in this world! :)

Almost three months after moving into the house, I organized the Satyanarayan pooja and Ganesh puja. Had planned to do it the day we moved in, however it just did not work out. Better late than never..I had a gala time prepping for the pooja and organizing it. Will post some other day the details of the menu. It will need a separate post as I did not find even a single good link to pooja menu without onion-garlic. Will share my menu just in case someone else needs it. Will also share the prepping schedule soon to help you plan and timely prepare stuff.

As part of the pooja, we had a few coconuts offered. Used part of them to make coconut chutney for uttapam, idli and dosa. Still had quite a few remaining. Got reminded of nariyal laddoos that my nani (I call her "Aai", as most Oriya's call their maternal grandmom's) used to make for me as a kid. Anytime she used to visit us, she will get my favorite nariyal laddoo and Cuttack Peda. Used to finish a good number of them in no time...ah, I so miss those good-metabolism days :) :) I have always mentioned about learning cooking from MIL-SIL and dearest of all mom..guilty of having missed mentioning my sweet ever-loving Aai. Aai has been and will always be a big influence on the way I am. She was one of my best pal in my growing days. I still fondly remember that when I was leaving for hostel for undergraduate study, she had so many beautiful words of advice which even apply in my day-to-day life today. I love you, Aai, for everything that you have ever done and for just being there in your lovely simple ways! As a toddler, being as enthusiastic for setting sail paper boats as me. As a teenager, getting me all those goodies and teaching me card games that kept a number of summer afternoon everyone engaged and having a great time. And as a housewife today, everything that I can think of....

This Nariyal laddoo recipe is dedicated to her. She presently suffers from Alzheimers...due to this, I will not be able to get her recipe. :( Whoever is reading this, please just take a moment and wish her recovery and best wishes. That will mean a lot to me! Thank you!



Ingredients

Grated coconut - 1.5 cups to 2 cups
White sugar - 6 tbsps
Condensed milk - Less than 1/2 can
Ground cardamom powder - 1 tbsp

Take a heavy container. Add all the ingredients one after the other. Heat and stir regularly till the mixture thickens and coconut is cooked. The coconut will become grayish. Cool the mixture slightly and make round balls of the mixture while it is slightly warm. Enjoy it as-is. Or refrigerate and enjoy cold.

Some lovely quotes about grandma's that I would like to share here from http://www.quotegarden.com/grandparents.html

• Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting. ~Author Unknown
• Grandmothers are just antique little girls. ~Author Unknown
• Being grandparents sufficiently removes us from the responsibilities so that we can be friends. ~Allan Frome

Lata's Eggless Mango Cake

After Shilpa's Eggless Date Cake became a favorite in my family, the Eggless Mango Cake recipe by Lata definitely caught my attention as a must-try. On my day off from work, I set off on my attempt...and I was not disappointed. A day-off put to good use :) Here is the recipe with minor modifications from Lata's version. Thanks, Lata, for sharing this recipe!

Ingredients Makes 2 medium-sized cakes

Note - For convenience, ingredients are shown in the order in which you would like to measure if you want to get done with one measuring cup. Instead of having to repeatedly clean and wipe dry the measuring cup.

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Skim milk powder - 1/2 cup (I use Sanalac brand)
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp

White sugar - 1 cup
Mango pulp - 1.5 cup + few tbsps for garnishing, as per taste
Hot water - 1/4 cup
Fat-free Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Canola oil - 1/2 cup

Crushed pista or cashewnuts - 1/2 cup + few tbsps for garnishing, as per taste

• Sift together the wheat flour, milk powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Add crushed Pista or cashewnuts.
• Blend together mango pulp, water, sugar, yogurt, and canola oil. Pour this into flour mixture and fold slowly to get a uniform mixture. Do not mix much as it will affect the softness of the cake.
• Grease the baking pan with cooking spray or ghee or butter. Pour the above mixture into this greased pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahreinheit for about 45 mins. Poke a knife into the cake and pull it out. If the cake is done, the knife will come out clean.

Use some mango pulp and pista\cashewnut as garnishing. Even whipping cream will do as garnish! We loved it as-is :)

Kingly Kalakand

When I first had milk-cake (cake version of kalakand) as a ten-year old, my first question was "why is it called that? neither does it have frosting, nor is it milk!". Ten-year olds are so dumb! No offense to any other ten-year old before my nieces and nephews start complaining :)

When I read Sandeepa from Bong Mom's Cookbook had a microwave version of the Kalakand, I just had to try it. R's sweet-tooth has always been a major encouraging factor for me to learn new Indian desserts. Just like his niece who has been born and raised here does not treat Indian desserts as desserts, R does not like western desserts like cakes and ice-cream. It has to be an Indian dessert to pass off and be accepted by his enormous sweet appetite..how selective :( His dislike for cakes and ice-cream is A blessing for me in disguise, to be frank! Else by now, I could have easily passed off as a master Sumo wrestler, I am pretty sure of that..

Ingredients Makes 20 pieces

Sweet Condensed Milk - 1 can
Ricotta Cheese - approx. 2 lb
Cardamom Powder - 2 tbsp
Sliced nuts for garnishing

• Lightly grease a microwaveable bowl with ghee.


• Mix the condensed milk with Ricotta cheese, both of which are 1:1 by volume. Make sure to press the ricotta cheese into the condensed milk can. Otherwise, you will have more liquid in your mixture and it just takes forever to make..trust me, it feels like FOREVER! Add the ground cardamom powder to this mixture and start the microwave ride..


• Microwave for 5 minutes. Take caution such that the above mixture does not boil over in the process.


• Stir the mixture well and microwave again for 5 minutes. If the mixture starts rising to spill over, stop and stir before commencing again.


• Microwave for another 5 to 10 minutes, as required. Usually done between 15 to 20 minutes.


• Keep aside to cool so that it can solidify a little to be able to cut into managable pieces.


• Garnish with saffron and\or nuts, as per taste.
  

Sooji Halwa and "Nice Matters" Award :)

Sooji Halwa is one of the easiest desserts to make. Anytime I am lazy to make an elaborate dessert for the two of us, I think I will go with this -- Lazy Pragyan's dessert. :) This is another sweet dish that I have learned from Maa during her stay with me. Back in India, we used to have this aplenty in the dorm cafeteria during dinner. This is also served as prasad in temples of Chennai, India.

Ingredients (makes 15 pieces)

Sooji/Semolina - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 6 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup

Heat ghee. Add sooji and salt. Once the sooji is cooked, add sugar. Once the sooji looks mildly roasted, add milk (cold milk is ok). Add cardamom powder. Keep stirring till the halwa leaves the side of the container.

Spread it out flatly on a thin plate. Let it cool for 10-15 mins and then cut them into diamond shapes.

Note - You can add a few strands of saffron to the milk to get a lovely orange color.

I received my second blogging award yesterday. A sweet little "Nice Matters" award from our dear Saswati that just made my day. Her kind words were very endearing making me end up feeling very nostalgic. Thank you, Saswati. Not to show off, but just to remind myself to live up to the thoughtful words and expectation of a fellow blogger, let me quote Saswati here "Pragyan@ Pragyan's Cooking has amazing oriya recipes which take me back to my motherland and her humble approach towards life in her writings makes me a great fan of hers.". Keep rocking, Saswati! :)

Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.

I would like to pass this on to the following fellow bloggers who have always inspired me with their kind and inspiring words. Please ignore if you have already received this.

• Sandeepa from Bong Mom's Cookbook - She has an absolutely enrapturing style of writing. The sweet little comments left by her has always inspired me to strive to try new recipes and keep experimenting. Thanks, Sandeepa and we hope to read lots more from you.
• Asha of Foodie's Hope - She is a dear friend who has always got a nice little word for you. No one can deny that and we all love her for that spirit which has rubbed off on quite a few of us. Always love hearing from you, Asha! I can never forget how enthusiastic and helpful you were when hosting RCI-Karnataka.
• Sunita of Sunita's World - She is one of those bloggers who can make you drool over her food pics. I feel like wailing like a kid when I can't reach out and actually grab a bite! :) Her homely style of writing is very comforting to read.
• Kribha of En Samayal Pakkam - She has a very lively style of writing. One who has always got a kind word for every post. Whenever she can, she provides her input which improves the recipe in the tastier direction.
• Cynthia of Tastes Like Home - She has the knack of leaving comments that enthrall you. Always look forward to hear more from her. Her posts are very unique and make interesting read!