Monday, August 21, 2017

Avocado - Wheat Flour Laddu

Happy Gowri - Ganesha Festival to all. Ganesh Chaturthi/Ganesha Festival is on 25th of this month.  

Festivals are always beautiful, colourful and keeps you full of joy. Ganesh Chaturthi/Ganesha Festival is on this friday. So try and prepare some laddu, modak, avalakki panchakajjaya , chakli and kaikadabu/kolkatte.
There are so many varieties of laddus, and it is believed that Ganesha likes laddu so much. He is always holding a laddu in his hand in many of His pictures. 
I have tried some " Avocado - Wheat Laddu". It is really yummy and delicious. 
Avocados are loaded with good healthy properties. 
These Avocados are brought from Vanaja Venkatagiri Saya. Vanajakka is Usha Suresh Cukkemane's sister and Venakatagir Saya is her Husband. I call him as Giri Anna because he is like anna to me. He served the army and he was a Major. Now he is settled near Virajapet. We visited him 3 years back and had a round trip to Igutappa Temple and NalkuNadu Palace in Kakkabe.
The other day Giri Anna - Vanajakka visited us. They brought some Avocado fruits from their garden.
I have prepared some desert using Avocado, jaggery and nuts. I have used so much nuts and little avalakki/ poha/aval  (2 Tablespoons, thin variety Avalakki). It was a healthy and yummy desert. Since I have used 3 Avocado fruits, it was so much. I kept the remaining desert in the fridge. It so happened that one of my Foodie group's theme was that to prepare some dishes with Avocado. This desert helped me so much and I made use of that remaining Avocado desert.
Avocado  - wheat flour laddus are yummy, tasty and tummy filling. You can send these laddus kids snack box. You can also take it for travelling, picnic, lady's kitty party or any other parties. Good and fits to all age group.
Ingredients :
Let us see the recipe now:
Avocado desert : 1 Bowl.
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Ghee : 1/2 cup or little more
Jaggery : 3/4 of the cup. (The same cup which you have measured wheat flour).
Water : 2 Tablespoons
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Cashews : 6 to 8
Raisins :  3 to 4 Tablespoons.



Method :

1. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
2. Melt ghee on low flame and keep it aside. Powder cardamom.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and put a tablespoon of ghee.
4. Add raisins and cut cashews. Fry till raisins turns fluffy.
5. Add wheat flour and fry nicely on low flame.

6. Fry for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and put it on a plate.
7. Add jaggery and put 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Let  it melt nicely. 
8. It starts to boil. Let the flame be medium. Let it boil for 2 minutes.

9. Add Avocado mixture and mix it well.  Let it turn to one string consistency.

10. Add fried wheat flour and mix it nicely. 

11. Put off the fire and shift the flour to a big bowl.  Add powdered cardamom. Add fresh coconut. 
12. Add the remaining ghee and mix it well. Take a handful of laddu mixture and prepared laddu.

13. Hold the laddu mixture tightly and press it then slowly give a shape of ball.


14. Shape as round and arrange in a plate.



15.  Serve or eat Healthy Avocado Wheat Laddu @ any time of the day.

Note :

Do not add any water to Avocado desert. I have mixed organic jaggery and 1/2 cup of nuts. (Cashews, almonds, figs, dates). You can powder jaggery and add it or you can melt jaggery by boiling it with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. It turns as liquid. Boil nicely and then add it.(Healthy option). Adding more ghee is optional. Adding generous nuts is optional.
Instead of using Avocado desert, you can use fresh Avocado fruit. Use little more jaggery ( nearly 1 cup).
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 20 to 25 Laddus. (|According to size).

Avocado Desert :

Avocado Fruit :  2 (Well ripe ones to be used )
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons of jaggery. (Powdered)
Figs : 6 to 8
Dates : 8 to 10.
Method :
1. Wash and remove the outer layer of Avocado and put the pulp in a big bowl.
2. Dry grind /cut all the nuts into small pieces.
3. Mix Avocado pulp, cut mixed nuts and jaggery together nicely.
4. Avocado desert is ready to serve.
5. Add almonds and cashews or almond flakes before serving.
Note : You can add honey instead of jaggery.

Jaggery mixed Avocado Fruit and Nuts Desert.
Honey Mixed Avocado Fruits - Nuts Desert

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Paneer Parata.

Paneer Parata is prepared using home made paneer and wheat flour.


Some time the milk gets spoil and curdles once it is heated. We feel sad because of it. When this happens I try and prepare paneer out of that split milk. (Immediately). The paneer is used in cooking later.
How to prepare Panner @ Home ?
Boil Milk, put some lemon extract/vinegar to the hot milk . It starts to curdle. Leave it for cooling. Take a clean towel. Drain the water through the towel. Let the thick milk content stay in towel. Squeeze out the remaining water. Place a heavy bottomed pan on the towel which has milk content. So the whole water goes off. Take the paneer content and kneed it well. Paneer is ready to use.
Paneer/Indian cottage cheese has become very popular than before and all age group love to have paneer in their dishes.
Let us see some benefits of eating  " Paneer " in our diet.
Paneer/Cottage cheese has a good source of calcium and it helps in maintaining strong teeth. Paneer contains Vitamin D so it helps to preserve the teeth to be in good conditions. Paneer is rich source of calcium and good for women, elderly and children who suffer from malnutrition. Paneer is a rich source of protein, and vitamins which are necessary for proper bone health. Vitamin B complex in Paneer is good for women, men and children. Paneer helps to absorb and distribute calcium in our body and it helps and guard against diseases. Paneer is good for gaining weight since it has good amount of proteins, fats, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Eating Paneer is good for enhancing blood formation and strengthen the liver.  
Lets see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Paneer : 1 small bowl. (1/2 liter milk)
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Jeera /Cumin Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon  
Dry Ginger Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Handful
Oil : 4 to 5 Tablespoons
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Put wheat flour, paneer, garam masala, chilly powder, jeera powder and a little turmeric powder in a bog bowl.
2. Wash and add cut coriander leaves. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and a tablespoon of ghee.

3. Add a teaspoon of dry ginger powder and add warm water. Mix it well and prepare chapati dough.

4. Divide the dough into small size balls.

5. Keep 1 cup of dry wheat flour in a small bowl.
6. Dip a small size of parata dough and roll as chapati.

7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put rolled paneer parata. Sprinkle oil on the top and cook for a minute.
8. Turn the other side and sprinkle little (1/2 teaspoon) oil around the parata on outer surface.
9. Cook on both sides and remove from the pan.

10. Repeat the same and prepare the remaining paratas.

11. Serve paneer paratas with curd and the side dish of your choice.
12. We had " Paneer Parats with a cup of curd/yogurt and mango tokku. (Chutney)

Note :

You can use more oil while preparing the dough. (Optional). Adding green chilly to the dough is optional. Adding grated onions to the dough is optional. I did not add. Adding any spice is optional.
Example : Pav bhaji masala, chat masala, channa masala etc. Adding normal water to prepare parata dough is optional. Warm water helps the dough turns parata soft and nice.  Use of any brand paneer is optional. (Nandini, Amul) .
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .(6 to 8 Paratas can be done, according to size ).                                                                                                                                                                                                

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My name is Nalini Somayaji. Teaching is my profession. Cooking is my passion. Reading, travelling, visiting new places, having fun with kids are some of the hobbies I can say. My recipes are Healthy, quick, easy and simple. Grown up being a traditional family member I love and respect Indian culture and traditions. Love classical dance and music.
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