Thursday, June 18, 2015

Gaund ra Laadoo / Goond ke laddu / Sweet Wheat flour balls with Indian edible gum

This is a recipe which brings back happy winter memories. Since I now live in a coastal town, the rainy season is about as cold as it gets here. Nonetheless, the taste of home is priceless!


A number of varieties of laddoos (and other delicacies) were made at our house over the cold winter months which lasted from November till early February.


These gond laddoos were one of the staples. My mother and my aunt would make a large batch and store in a stainless steel containers. They were ready snacks for the kids in the house. I used to love them and trade them for breakfast many times. A glass of hot milk and 1 laddoo and my breakfast was done.

Gond is an ingredient which is used in traditional foods like laddoos and panjiri given to newly lactating mothers.


It is also considered to be heat producing and hence widely used in winters.




Ingredients
Whole wheat flour- 2 katori
Goond/ Gaund- 1/4 katori
Sugar (powdered)- 1 and 3/4 katori
Cardamom (Powdered)- 5
Kali mirch/ black pepper- 1tsp (you can use whole or crushed ones)
Dry fruits- 1/2 katori , a mix of almonds, pistachios and cashews
Saffron strands -1 pinch  (optional)
Ghee- 5 and 1/2 tbsp


Method
Melt the 1 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed pan.
Add the gond crystals to the heated ghee. It will puff up into whitish balls.
Remove from pan and crush it with a rolling pin /belan
In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and let it melt.
Roast the whole wheat flour on a medium low flame. Stir it constantly till it roasts well. The house will be filled with a nice aroma to warm everyone's heart.
Add the gond and dry fruits to this mix. Remove from heat.
Let it cool enough for you to touch with hands. Now mix in the sugar, Cardamom, saffron and kaali mirch.
Mix it well and press it into the shape of lemon sized balls.
Makes about 18-20 small laddoos.


Note: If the mixture is too dry or crumbly, add some hot melted ghee spoon by spoon. Mix till u get it right.



Thursday, June 11, 2015

Rainy season and cupcakes- Egg free Apple cinnamon cupcakes

Its raining, its pouring....and we are baking cupcakes!!


Occasionally it rains sooo much that you need to bake something....anything.


Okay, that's probably my excuse for baking these cupcakes...but they are good and my little one is relishing these little beauties.

Cinnamon apple cupcakes

Ingredients (adapted from Divinetaste)
Apple (green)- peeled, cored and chopped
Sugar- 3/4 cups
Baking soda- 1tsp
Butter- 100 gm
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Whole wheat flour- 3/4 cup
White flour- 1/2 cup
Cinnamon powder- 1/2 heaped tsp
Vanilla essence- 2tsp


Method

  1. Pour 3 tsp water in a pan and add the chopped apples..cook till soft.
  2. Pre-heat the oven at 150 degree centigrade.
  3. Mix well the baking powder, cinnamon powder, wheat flour and white flour, sieve them together.
  4. Cream the butter and sugar.
  5. Blend the cooked apples and mix baking soda in it.
  6. Now add the apple puree to the butter and sugar mix.
  7. Add all the dry ingredients to this mixture. Add vanilla essence.
  8. You will get a thick batter, do not overbeat.
  9. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners.
  10. Bake for 25 min or till the skewer comes clean.
  11. Enjoy warm. You can refrigerate it and re-heat it, but it taste best when its fresh.
I have not used any icing here, but a small amount of glace icing with lemon should taste good.