Baked Gujiya

With Holi just around the corner, it was an easy decision to make this all time favourite festival treat-only this time I tried a baked version , which turned out just as delicious. Most traditional recipes use mawa/khoya in the filling, which I skip for a lower calorie version. The filling is a simple coconut powder and sugar mixture. I personally like the dry gujiya instead of the sugar syrup soaked one- easier to make and store as well. Try this recipe for a healthy and easy favourite

Ingredients (makes 16)

For the dough
2 cups maida
3 tablespoons ghee
pinch of salt
2/3 cup water

For the filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup dessicated coconut/coconut powder
3 tablespoons sooji
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon elaichi powder
2 tablespoons chironji seeds
1/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. For the dough, melt the ghee and add to the maida. Rub the ghee in the maida with the salt , then add the water little at a time - knead into a tight dough (like poori atta) This quantity of water sufficed, still do not add it all together - you do not want a sticky dough
3. Cover the dough and let is rest while the filling is prepared

4. For the filling, heat the ghee,sooji and coconut in a thick bottomed pan. Roast till the mixture is golden brown and then remove from the flame. Let it cool. When cool add all the remaining ingredients
5. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and make into balls. Roll out each ball into a thin chappati.
Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture on one half- leaving 1/2cm from the edge of the chappati.
To seal the gujiya, take about one tablespoon of maida and add a little water to make a thick paste - almost like fevicol. Smear this along the bottom half of the chappati, then fold the top half over the mixture and press the edges together. Keeping the folded chappati on the work surface, roll up the edges and seal completely.

6. Line the gujiyas on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave an inch between the gujiyas as they will rise during baking
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes on the middle rack till golden brown and crisp on the outside.Remove from the oven
8. When the gujiyas are still hot, brush with a little ghee. I had some of the filling mixture leftover which I brushed over the ghee - to add a sweeter taste to the crust
9. Cool and store.

Happy Holi to everyone !

Brown Rice and banana kheer

A healthier alternative to the regular kheer. The bananas add their own sweetness and reduce the quantity of sugar required. Kheer tastes best cooked in full fat milk but then this would not be a healthier version ;) Use regular or toned milk for a lighter version.

Ingredients (serves 6-8 )

1 cup brown rice
2.5 cups water
1 cup light brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed finely
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon elaichi powder
1 litre milk
almond/pistachios , to decorate

1. Soak the rice for ten minutes. Drain the water. In a cooker add the 2.5 cups water and the soaked rice. Place on high flame for on whistle. Reduce the flame to sim for 7-8 minutes. Turn off the gas,open the cooker when the steam is released
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the cooked rice, mashed bananas and let it boil for two minutes. Then reduce the flame to minimum and let the kheer cook for atleast twenty minutes, the longer the better as the milk then gets thicker like rabdi. Cook till desired consistency
3. Add the sugar, coconut and elaichi and cook for another five minutes. The kheer should be thick and creamy.
4. Serve hot or cold as desired, garnished with grated almonds or pistachios

Banana Sheera

Sometimes I buy bananas and just let them (over)ripen on the counter so I can try interesting desserts later. The safest of course is the Chocolate Banana cake (found here) This was a first for me at making and eating. Since the bananas I used were very ripe, there was a lovely distinct banana flavour The sooji should be roasted before using to avoid a sticky sheera, roasted sheera is available readymade these days. Try this for a light and sweet finish to any meal.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

2 medium overripe bananas,mashed roughly
1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups roasted sooji
1 and 1/2 cups water
Saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon elaichi powder
3 tablespoons ghee

1. In a thick bottomed kadhai, heat the ghee on a slow flame. When hot, add the sooji and roast till it is light brown in colour and you can smell the roasted sooji (about 7-8 minutes) . This should be done over a slow flame.
2. At the same time bring the water to a boil in another pan with the saffron,sugar and elaichi powder.
3. When the sooji is roasted,add the mashed bananas and roast for another two minutes. Then add the hot water (carefully as it will splutter) . Mix everything well together
4. Cover with a lid till the water is absorbed and leave for another 3-4 minutes stirring once or twice in between. The mixture will fluff up and the ghee will come on the sides when it is ready
5. Turn of the gas and serve hot, garnished with almond slivers and raisins

Microwave Mysore Pak

Diwali is just around the corner. I have been looking for quick and easy mithai recipes and came across this one from http://www.chitrasfoodbook.com/2014/08/easy-mysore-pak-recipe-3-minutes.html. I was surprised at how easy it was and how great the result was. I have slightly modified the timings and measurements. I used a regular microwave oven (non-convection) on 100 percent power mode which is the default mode of the oven, as in I did not change any setting of the oven.I tried this with a small quantity, can be increased for more quantity - try with these measurements for the first time to get a hang of the process


Ingredients (makes 9 pieces)

1/3 cup besan
1/3 cup regular crystal sugar
1/3 cup melted ghee (measure after melting) + 1 tbsp. ghee
2 tablespoons milk


1. Sieve the besan to remove any lumps into a microwave proof bowl. Add the 1 tbsp. ghee and mix in well (you might get a few lumps after adding ghee, its fine) . Microwave for one minute.
2. Remove , toss the besan around slightly with a spoon and microwave for another minute. (the original recipe roasted the besan only for a minute but I did not get any roasted aroma after the first minute so I have added in another minute )
3.Powder the sugar while the besan is roasting.
4. In another microwave bowl, mix the 1/3 cup ghee, sugar and milk into a smooth mixture. To this add the roasted besan and mix well. Mixture will look like this

5. Microwave this mixture for one minute, it will look like this after that (ghee floating)

6. Remove and stir it well
7. Again microwave for one more minute , you will see a foamy surface as seen in the picture below

8. Remove from microwave. The foam quickly settles and you will see a cratered surface like this

9. Pour into a greased thali or tray and pat with the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula.

10. Let it cool. After 10 minutes while still warm, run a knife through to get the desired pieces. Do not remove till completely cooled

11. When cooled lift each spoon with a flat knife (I used my cake icing knife)
12. Your 4 minute mithai is ready!

Churma Recipe

Churma - of Dal Bhaati Churma fame. This recipe is from Tarla Dalal's Rajasthani cookbook with very minor modifications.
It is a very light version of the actual ghee-laden churma I have eaten before. Perfect end to an Indian meal menu. As per the recipe the same can be used for making Churma ladoos, just need to add more ghee for the binding - what's the point I say?;)

Ingredients (makes one medium bowl )
1 cup atta (whole wheat)
1/2 cup sooji
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons ghee plus ghee to fry
1/4 cup powderd almonds/cashewnuts


1. Knead the atta with the melted ghee (4 tablespoons) and little water (approx 1/2 cup added in parts) to get a smooth and
tight dough. It needs to be made with minimum water so add little water at a time .
2. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll into round pedas.
3. Take each peda, place onto your palm and flatten it tightly between your palm and fingers. The dough should get your finger impressions (see pic 3 below)
4. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed kadhai. When hot, reduce the flame to minimum and add the flattened pedas to fry. Fry on minimum flame till they are medium brown in colour(see pic 2 of fried pedas) -takes about 12-15 minutes per batch.
5. Cool completely
6. Break into rough pieces and add to the grinder. Grind till you get to a coarse powder (not too fine-about the texture of regular sugar)
7. Add the powdered sugar,almonds and elaichi powder.
8. This can be stored in an airtight jar for a few days

Chocolate Fudge Ladoo

Happy Holi to everyone ! Decide to take a break from the annual Gujiya routine on Holi and try something different for a change. Very pleased with the results of the experiment which took all of 15 minutes to make :)

Ingredients (makes 18-20 small ladoos)

50 gms butter
5 tablespoons besan
1/2 can condensed milk
2 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup crushed walnuts
12 powdered digestive biscuits (or marie biscuits).
Dessicated coconut powder (to garnish,optional)

1. In a non-stick pan or heavy bottomed kadhai, melt the butter. When melted , add the besan and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Keep the flame on sim.
2. Keep stirring till the besan is nicely roasted and turns ochre brown in colour(approx 5 minutes)
3. Turn off the gas. Add the cocoa and mix well.
4. Add the condensed milk and mix.
5. Next add the biscuit powder and the walnuts and mix till it all comes together into a lump.
6. When slightly cool enough to be handled, roll into small ladoos.
7. Garnish with walnuts or roll on dessicated coconut powder for garnish and an added flavour.

Strawberry Phirni

Another one of the strawberry experiments ! My most favourite so far though..the only thing missing was the mitti ka kulhadh (earthen pot) to set the phirni in :( and yes! some rose petals for the garnish would have added so much glamour to this super easy and really worth trying dessert.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

1/2 litre milk (I use regular toned milk)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup rice
8-10 ripe medium strawberries
1/2 teaspoon rose water (or kewra essence)
1 teaspoon elaichi powder

To garnish
Saffron threads
Pista

1. Soak the rice in water for half an hour. Drain most of the water and grind the rice into a coarse paste, it should feel grainy to touch.
2. Bring the milk to boil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the rice paste and reduce the flame to sim,keep stirring so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Continue to cook till the milk becomes really thick and the rice is cooked, roughly takes 15 -20 minutes. You can taste the rice to check if it is cooked.
4. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar and the elaichi powder. Cook for another 5 minutes and turn off the gas.
5. Cool completely.
6. In another pan, chop the strawberries into small pieces and add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and keep the pan on a slow flame. Keep cooking till the strawberries turn soft and the mixture has a sauce like texture (see photo below)
7. Cool the strawberry sauce completely.
8. Mix the cooled phirni with the strawberry sauce. Add the rose essence.
9. Pour into the serving dish and garnish with saffron and pistas..for a greater effect, pour into individual pots.

The strawberry sauce

6 Katori Barfi

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi everyone !! The festival that really brings Mumbai to life ..one of my favourites too. Yes , modak is the traditional favourite but you can appease Him with anything sweet :) Hooked on to this super easy barfi recipe as easy as 1-2-3( well till 6 actually) . Learnt it from my friend's mom-in-law who calls it the 6 katori barfi as that's how easy it is to remember

Ingredients (makes about 24 squares)

1 katori milk (I use skimmed milk)
1 katori besan
1 katori ghee
1 katori dessicated coconut
2 katoris sugar

1. In a thick bottomed kadai (important), mix all the ingredients together.
2. Then place the kadai on a slow flame and start mixing the ingredients again slowly. This is all you need to do for about 20-25 minutes, with mixing required less in the beginning and more towards the end.
3. The mixture is ready when you notice the sides and the bottom of the kadhai turning brown and you need to scrape the sides more often. The mixture would have also reduced by almost half by now into a sticky mixture.
4. Pour onto a greased thali and spread out to to about 1 cm thickness. Garnish with coconut and elaichi powder
5. Cool and cut into squares.