Khobra Vadi (Coconut Squares)

Coconut Squares (खोब्रा वडी)
Khobra vadi is the traditional Maharashtrian sweet made in most of the Maharashtrian homes. Again it is one of the delicacies which are made occasionally. Coconut if offered to God during any puja and as "prasad" it is given back as well. This "prasad" by itself can also be consumed or used in food. Most people used it with some curry or to garnish but to finish the full coconut is a task as it has to be consumed as early as possible before it starts releasing a foul odour from which we assume that the fruit has gone bad. My husband and i don't like coconut in the main food and since both of us have a sweet tooth, i thought of making the coconut squares (Khobra vadi) Since it is one of my husband's favourite sweet i decided to make it. It was my first time to make it as had never done it earlier and just watched while my mother used to make it. My Mother (a great cook)always used to tell me to learn the traditional sweets which are not difficult and are easy to make at home. I never took it seriously and often used to tell her that why can't we buy instead of making it by yourself. But today i can say mom was so right. The fun to make it and eat isn't the same as you buy it and it.

So let me share this recipe with all my friends who have sweet tooth as me and can make this at home with ready ingredients which I'm sure everyone has in their pantry.

Ingredients (साहित्य ) :

2 cups shredded/grated coconut (ओल खोब्र)

1 1/2 cups fine sugar (बारीक़ साखर )

1 tablespoon mik (दूध )

1 tsp cardamom powder (वेलदोडा )

2 tablespoon ghee (तुप )

Method (कृति) :

First in deep pan take only the white part of the grated coconut (if u take the brown part the squares / vadis will turn out darker), add ghee & sugar and on medium flame stir it until the sugar melts. Make sure you use a deep pan as once the sugar melts and the mixture has a semi solid consistency it bubbles and may burn you. Add little milk if you feel the mixture is dry. Let the coconut and sugar mixture cook well. It may take about 15-20 mins till it cooks well on a medium flame. Make sure it doesn't burn the mixture else you can lower the flame and keep stirring. Always use a wooden spatula / spoon. Once when the mixture starts getting thicker and a little solid turn the flame off and add the cardamom powder. On a tray / flat dish spread a little butter and immediately spread the coconut sugar mixture and pat it flat with the back of the spatula/spoon to form about an inch thicker layer. Once the mixture is half cooled cut them into squares and after it is completely cooled separate them and enjoy it anytime.

Semolina & Fresh Coconut Balls (रवा व् ओल्या खोबर्याचे लाडू)

We usually make ladoos any time of the year. I remember, at my mom's place during Ganesh Festival these ladoo's were made reason being there used to be many coconuts left when people offered it to Ganeshji. Ladoo is the another sweet item present in the faral. I like this ladoo equally as much i like Besan ladoos, but my husband loves this ladoo and specially if they are soft and not hard that may have to run to the dentist after the festival। So making the rava ladoo was my next mission and that too a little soft. I had made all the faral items during the week and had left this Rava-coconut ladoo the last one to complete the platter ( फ़राळाचे ताट) I decided to try doing this recipe in the Microwave and it did turn out very soft & delicious. Let me share the recipe with you.

Makes 22 medium size ladoo

Ingredients (साहित्य) :

2 cups fine grained Semolina (बारीक रवा )

1 cup fresh shredded coconut (ओला नारळ)

2 tbsp ghee (सजुप तुप )

1 tsp cardomum powder (वेलदोडा पुड )

For Syrup (पाका साठी)

1 1/2 cups Sugar (साखर )

1 cup water

Method (कृति )

Mix melted ghee and Rava together in a microwave safe glass dish/plate and place in the microwave on high for about 4 ½ mins (time may vary depending on microwave) . After each min remove the plate, mix the ingredients up and down and place it back
In a separate microwave safe bowl heat the coconut on high for 1-2 mins after each 30 seconds stir it up and down. After that make sure the coconut is dry then add the coconut to the Semolina (रवा ) & ghee mixture. Also add the cardomum powder. Mix it well. Now mix the sugar and water in mivcrowave on high for about 2 mins. Stir it to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved in the water. Once again keep it on high power for 2 mins. This time the syrup will be a little sticky. If the syrup is enough sticky add the Semolina (रवा ) –coconut mixture into the syrup and mix well to avoid any lumps। Let the mixture completely cool down and then roll the balls (लाडू ). You can place cashewnut or extra raisins for decoration.

Fresh Coconut Karanji ( ओल्या नारळयाच्या करंज्या)

Fresh Coconut Karanji ( ओल्या नारळयाच्या करंज्या)

This is one of my most favourite item amongst the Diwali faral. Although loaded with calories..but Diwali celebration is the time when you eat and not think of calories and then work out hard to burn those which had be literally ignored. Karanji (करंजी) authentically is a fried delicacy but thanks to modern day inventions of appliances we have the oven in which we can bake the karanji and enjoy it as well...here we are just subtracting the fried part of course which does count a lot but the coconut and sugar still carries those extra calories. In my earlier blog you would have read about the easy ways of doing the faral. Although today's recipe doesn't have any easy way, but i have reduced the effort of hammering the dough. It took me a a little less time and effort to make the authentic karanji recipe and the result.. yummy looking fresh coconut karanji. Can't wait until Diwali day to have them. It has been a tradition at my Mom's place that you make the faral in advance but should have it after offering it to God on the first Day of Diwali (नरक चतुर्दशी )

Soon i will add the baked karanji recipe to my blog which I'm sure all of my "sakhis" are waiting to read. Let me share you this recipe

Makes 19 medium size Karanji's

Ingredients (साहित्य):

1 cup Fine Semolina (बारीक़ रवा )

1 cup All purpose flour (मैदा)

5-6 tsp oil (कड़क गरम तेल )

2 cups fresh shredded coconut

1 1/2 cup sugar ( you can add more depending on the sweetness of the sugar)

1/2 tsp cardamom पाउडर (वेलदोडा पुड )

1-2 tsp ghee (सजुप तुप )

1/2 cup warm water

Pinch of Salt

2 tbsp milk

Oil for frying

Method (कृति):

Before you start making the filling first knead the dough for that combine the Semolina, All purpose flour and salt. Once the dry ingredients are mixed add the hot the oil. Make sure the oil is hot else the Karanji's won't have the crunch. Stir the dough with a spoon and add warm water. In about 30 seconds you can knead the dough by hand and make it semi soft. Let the dough rest for a while. Now start the filling. In a non stick pan add the coconut and sugar with 1-2 tsp of ghee on a medium flame. Keep stirring else it may burn. Once the sugar starts melting higher the flame and stir continuously till the mixture thickens. Now the mixture is thick enough add the cardamom and remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture cool. Make a small ball of the kneaded dough and roll it into a circle (disc) of around 5" diameter. Put a spoonful of the coconut mixture in one half of the circle(disc). apply very little milk on the edge of the filled half, fold and seal the circle (disc). Take the zig-zag wheel headed spoon or plastic fork and seal the extra dough. Make about 5-7 first and deep fry them. Remove once you see a Golden brown color of the karanji's. Do not over fry them else the crust would taste bitter and would loose the taste of the stuffing. Let them cool and store in an air tight container. Crunchy karanji's are ready for Diwali day.

Tip: Seal the edges properly else the stuffing would spread out in the oil. Best way to seal it is after using the zig-zag cutter press it with a plastic for. If you use a metal fork there are chances of its points piercing into the dough which would also lead the way out for the stuffing while frying.

Baked Rice flour Chakali (बेक्ड चकली)

Baked Rice Flour Swirls (बकेद चकली )

Chakali one of the main item in faral. In olden days Chakali was specially made during Diwali only. But these days you go to any store and you find chakali. In Maharashtra Chakali is made from a flour specially made using various pulses called "Bhajani" ( भाजणी)

Here in the US bhajani was not easily available, so I made Chakali's out of Rice flour। After searching a couple of Grocery Stores in Dallas, I finally found Bhajani. My husband loves chakali he prefers to eat the Bhajani chakali when its hot, so i've decided to make the chakali's on Diwali day ( नरक चतुर्दशी ) but today i made chakali using Rice Flour. Lemme share the recipe with you. This is fat free recipe so all you diet conscious people try it and enjoy.

Makes 15 chakali's

Ingredients (साहित्य) :

1 cup Rice flour

2 tsp oil (hot)

2 tbsp low fat योगुर्ट (दही)

1/2 tsp asafoetida (हिंग )

Salt to taste

1 tsp Oil for greasing

Method (कृति):

Combine the rice flour, hot oil, asafoetida ( हिंग) & salt in a bowl & mix well. Add curd and little water to make a soft dough. Place this mixture in the chakli mould and form chaklis’s about 2” diameter on a baking sheet. I used the parchment paper to line the baking sheet. Spread a little oil or you can use the cooking oil spray. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the chaklis for 20-30 mins. When you see the top of the chakli turning into slight brown flip it and continue baking. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and let the chakali's cool. Enjoy the low fat chakali this Diwali

Diwali Special- Besan Ladoo (Microwave Recipe)

Besan Ladoo Microwave Recipe (बेसन लाडू) माइक्रोवेव रेसिपी

One of the round sweet balls made during Diwali. I love the besan ladoos my mom makes & always wondered if i could make that any day..specially seeing my Grandma (आजी ) & Mom standing in front of the gas and stirring the bubbling besan and ghee..gosh that was really a task...and decided, that will never make them instead will buy it from stores. Coming to US changed me and the dozed cook within me woke up..since then i tried and tested my culinary skills on hubby..and truly as it's said..to the ladder to a Man's heart is through his stomach...one can enjoy cokking different delicacies if the other loves to eat..came true for me as me and my husband both are foodie. So buying faral for Diwali was a total no no for me instead decided to make it myself this Diwali.

I'd never thought it would be so easy and quick making the ladoos omitting the gas process and instead using the modern day appliances the microwave, until last Diwali made them and they turned out good not just good but everyone loved it. Although not the way my Mom used to make but somewhere close. This Diwali I'm sharing this recipe with my other friends who somewhere had thought of not cooking looking at the process of it, but trust me this one is way easy. All you need to make yummy Ladoos is:

Makes Medium sized 19 Ladoos

Ingredients (साहित्य):

1 cup Besan (chickpea Flour) (बेसन)

3/4 cup Sugar (साखर) regular which you get in US

5-6 tbsp Ghee (तुप)

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder (एलैची/वेलदोडा)

Almonds / Raisins for decoration (बदाम/मनुका)

Microwave safe Bowl

Method (कृति ):

Mix the besan & ghee in a microwave safe bowl। Heat on high for 5 minutes (time may vary slightly for different microwave ovens). Stir after a minute and continue heating. Keep checking & stirring after a minute। At the end of 5 minutes, the mixture will be a nice reddish brown and will have a nice aroma to it. The mixture should not look too dry, otherwise the ladoos will not hold up their shape. Let it cool completely। Once cooled, add the sugar, cardamom powder & almonds / raisins. Mix well & then make small round ladoos out of it. If you realize that the ghee is not sufficient once you start making the ladoos, just heat some ghee & add to the mixture. Enjoy yummy ladoos.

माइक्रोवेव पेढा (Microwave Pedha)

Microwave Pedha:

Ingredients:

1 can (14 Oz / 396 gms) Sweet Condensed Milk

2 cups Dry Milk Powder

1 stick (113 gms) Unsalted butter

1 tspn Elaichi powder

Saffron / Yellow color (optional)

Almonds for decoration (optional)

Method:

For making this, it is preferrable to use a glass microwave bowl with a little depth.This is because the mixture will keep bubbling and a little depth will prevent it from spilling out
Heat the stick of butter in the microwave safe bowl till it melts. Keep an eye. Don’t allow it to boil. Now remove the bowl from the microwave and add the condensed milk, milk powder , yellow color and elaichi powder if present .Stir well to mix it up.
Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 3 minutes. During these 3 minutes , take the mixture out of the microwave and stir it thoroughly after each minute
After 3 minutes place the mixture in the microwave and heat for smaller durations like 30 secs. This is because the mixture will now start bubbling and you will have to switch off the heat and remove and stir it every 30 seconds. Do this for about 2-3 minutes.
The mixture after this would have considerably thickened. Let the mixture cool down for 15 mins and then make small peda shaped balls.
You can add an almond or pistachio in the center of every peda.

Crunchy Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup All Purpose flour (Maida)

1/3 cup Semolina (Rawa)

1/2 cup Gram Flour (Besan)

1 stick Butter (1/2 cup) (room temp)

2/3 cup Sugar

A Pinch Baking Soda

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Almonds to garnish

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 375 F (200 C). In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients (Maida, Rawa, Besan, Baking soda & cardamom powder) In another bowl mix the butter and sugar and beat for a bout 2mins either with a whisker or fork or on low speed for 2 mins by a hand blender.

Once the butter and sugar mix comes to a smooth consistency add the dry ingredients to form a smooth dough. Roll out pedas (small flat balls) and place them on a cookie sheet greased with some cooking spray. Bake the cookies for about 12-15mins or until turned light brown. Once cooled can be served with tea/coffee.