Kharwas/Ginna/Pos a Sweet Cheese

Kharwas/Ginna/Pos

This week I am sharing with you a delicious sweet called Ginna in Kanadda, Kharwas in Marathi and Pos in Konkani.  

This is a sweet that is made from the bovine colostrum milk and it’s amazingly delicious. Getting the colostrums milk was easy when we were kids and the milkman used to deliver milk home we used to have this sweet often. Now I hardly see it in fact my kids do not know what I am talking and since its sweet they would rather not try it out.

The other day hubby came home with a packet of the dehydrated colostrums, it was simple to make.

The instructions were simple…

Mix ½ litre or 3 cups of raw milk with 100 grms sugar (1/2 cup) and some elicihi/green cardamom powder and the powder from the packet. Stir well till there are no lumps and the sugar dissolves.

Steam for 10-15 minutes in a vessel, keep a lid on the vessel.

Remove from the cooker/ steamer and serve chilled after you slice it in desired shapes.

Soft delicious cheese that just melts in the mouth.

 

Kharwas/Ginna/Pos

 In Goa this sweet that is called pos is flavoured with Jeera/cumin and jaiphal/nutmeg.

Linking to Varada's Blog Anniversary Event its a general photography event and Varada wants to say something about the picture.
 I have Cannon Powershot SX150IS.  The picture was taken at ISO400,Aperture was 1/15,and F8. I love Kharwas and so could not resist slicing into it, had to check if it was as soft as it seemed you see. I did then realize that the shot will look good. The reason I arranged the bowls as they are was because I thought that was the only way I will get all the bowls and somehow I like the arrangement. I think I am getting repetitive in my arrangement, needs no thought. The shot was taken in max. 5 minutes like I said no thoughts behind it!!

Linking to CCC for Dec'14 Week #1.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Rodga~ A Sweet

Rodga ~ A Sweet

My little nephew, Ayan celebrates his third birthday on the 1st Nov and this is my way of celebrating with him!!!  

Baking for little Ayan !!Happy Birthday Ayan hope you enjoy your day at the amusement park!

My colleague Prashant loves sweets. One day he told me to make Rodga.

Rodga to my knowledge is wheat flour buns and eaten with brinjals and dal I said as much. Then he told me his mom used to make this recipe and I tried it.

First time I made it with dalia and it was crumbly and not what he remembered. So this time I made it with Bombay rava.

We all loved it. In fact I have to remake it soon!!

It tastes like Goan Bath or Bathk here but unlike in Bath there are no eggs used here.

Rodga ~A sweet

Rodga

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rava 
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1 ½ cup freshly scrapped coconut
• 1 cup jaggary
• 1 ½ cup buttermilk
• A pinch salt
• ½   tsp soda

Method:

• Roast the rava with a little ghee till you get a nice aroma.  You can also microwave it.I microwave in spurts of 1 minute for 2 minutes then for 30 seconds. Stir in between every spurt.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients.
• Let it rest for 2-4 hours.
• Bake in greased mould at 150°C/302F for 40 minutes.
• When done the wooden skewer comes out clean.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Ukdiche Modak /Steamed Rice Dumplings

Ukdiche Modak 

Wish you all a very Happy Ganesh Chathurti!!

Today being Ganesh Chathurti I made these delicious Ukdiche Modak, Lord Ganesh’s favourite food!!

Actually I have not made them for ages now. Especially since my family does not eat sweets so you can imagine my surprise when my husband and daughters were gorging on them.

Actually I made some pungent also and with two with the vegetable stuffing, just to be on safe side. So next time …

Ukdiche Modak 

Ingredients:

For The Dough: 

• 2 cups rice flour
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste
• For the Filling
• 1 cup jaggery, grated
• 2 cups coconut freshly grated
• 2 tsp elichi/cardamom powder
• ¼ cup oil ( you will not need all of it)

Method: 

For the dough: 

• In a pan Add salt and 1 tsp of oil boil 2 cups of water.
• When the water boils lower the heat and add the rice flour.
• Mix and switch off the gas. Cover and let set aside to cool (20 minutes) so that you can handle it easily.

For the filling: 

• Mix the coconut and jaggary in a deep non-stick pan and set aside for some time.  The jaggery melts and your cooking time reduces considerably.
• Heat the pan and cook the jaggery and coconut mixture on a slow flame stirring continuously.
• Cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till all the moisture evaporates and the mixture thickens. Keep aside to cool slightly.
• Divide the filling into equal portions and keep aside.

To make the Modak: 

• By now the dough must be cool enough to handle Knead the dough  using ½ tsp of oil and keep aside. Knead it to get rid of all the lumps and till you get a smooth dough.
• You can make these manually as well as using a mould. I made them both the ways

 Let’s make it manually first:

• Oil you hands then make small smooth ball out of the dough. There should be no cracks on the ball.
• Grease your palm again and dip your thumb in the oil and using the palm and thumb make a cup out of the dough. Make the cup as thin as possible.
• Then using your thumb and forefinger pinch the sides of the cup. This is the part where the dough cracks so be careful.
• Put the filling in with a teaspoon.
• Close the opening gently and set aside.
• Repeat this with the other balls.

To make them in the moulds:

• Grease a Modak mould using very little oil.
• Using the above method make the cup.
• Add the filling and close the opening then transfer it to the mould and close the mould.
• Demould the Modak from the Modak mould.
• Repeat steps to make the remaining 20 Modak. There is no need to grease the Modak mould.
• Place a steamer plate in a steamer and place a banana leaf or line with turmeric leaves on it.
• Apply a little oil to the Modak bottom.
•  Place Modak on the leaf and steam on a medium flame for 10 minutes.
• Serve warm.
• The rope like knot that you see is called Sheet Ladoo (शित लाडू ).  

Notes:

• These Modak stay fresh for a day at room temperature and for 2 days if refrigerated.
• Modak moulds are easily available in local “steel utensils and appliances” shops.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Chirotti ~Indian State Karnataka

Chirotti ~Indian State Karnataka

Today in we are Karnataka in this Blogging Marathon were we are blogging Cuisines of Indian States. 

When I looked for my inspiration for this mega marathon where we are blogging Indian states the first thought was what do I cook for Karnataka. I know I have hardly lived there but have grown up never feeling that I have left Karnataka.  I wanted something that is special about the place.

Then I remembered this food map that was shared with me ages ago and that was my guide for most of my dishes.

So for Karnataka one of the dishes that were mentioned was Chirotti, Mysore pak and Dharwad peda.

Being from Dharwad I wanted to make Dharwad peda.  For those who do not know about Dharwad Peda this peda is something of a tradition and is a family secret that is closely guarded from the 19^th century.  Needless to say I failed in my efforts and hubby who had to be at the receiving end of the pedas was at his wits end, (for he did not know about this marathon) “Dharwad peda bole ke kuch bhi khilati hai” …: D

That left either Chirotti or Mysore pak….. Its only yesterday I thought of Hayagreeva - A chickpea based dessert prepared on special occasions; popular amongst the Maadhwa community! Maybe later…

So Diwali time, yes I made it for Diwali been hoarding these pictures since then  ;) I made Chirotti!! For one sweet that my elder daughter, Apeksha eats, no dives in is this.

I make the once on which you sprinkle powdered sugar over them. Chirotti can be made and dipped in the sugar syrup too but I never made them . Sorry I cannot tell you anything about making them other than the syrup will have to be thick. The only person who will eat them will be’ little miss me’ the size I have become I would rather avoid them.

Actually Chirotti, chakali, kadboli, oondi, sankarpali etc all these we  (my sister and I with my brother helping out by supplying tea, water  etc)regularly made with my mother. It was a tradition for Diwali.

I was never involved in rolling out these sheets that these pastry needs, I used a lot of flour that Amma detested so  that was Amma and Chetana’s, my sister’s job, mine only frying and sprinkling sugar on them.

Tousule for Magic Mingle #13

Tousule is a Goan delicacy made in the rainy season.

Why rains?  Well cucumbers the main ingredient of Tousule is grown in plenty in the hilly areas and is sold not only on the roads but also in the markets. Its common sight for the farmers themselves selling the freshly plucked cucumbers. Also one more ingredient the turmeric leaf that is used to give a delicious aroma to the Tousule.

Traditionally the Tousule is made out of rice suji or rava or wheat rava fine or thick kind, cashew nuts, coconut and jaggary are used to create this beautiful steamed delicacy called Tousule.

When Kalyani announced the Magic Mingle of cucumber and walnuts I was sure I will never make it. Then I saw Gayatri post of zucchini bread and something went click in my head and I thought Tousule.

Well if you are a regular visitor here you will know sweets, let me clarify some sweets, are unmentionables in my place this happens to be one of them. I made minimum quantity of 1 katori. But please let me not put you guys off the Tousule it is amazing. Do try it out.

Gulab Jamun for SNC #2

When Divya Pramil of you too can cook Indian food came up with this idea of having to teams North and South both challenging the other team I was thrilled. I signed up.

Then for various health reasons I could not sit at the computer and I had given up on this challenge. In fact I have not participated in any of the groups for which I am a member.

Then the other day I saw this beautiful Gulab Jamun post that the North posed for us here in the South. It was my hubby’s birthday the next day so I decided that this is what I will fed him!!

My idea was how difficult can it be?

But pride goes before a fall and I fell mightily learnt a lesson in humility!!J

Garam Golpapdi

Ek tha Bachpan when Amma used to make Gul Papdi.

In case you do not know what it is then it's a sweet powder make out of wheat flour and jaggery. We used to put a big spoonful in the mouth and say “Fufi” and the powder came out in puffs! Silly I know but fun, just imagine girls in STD VIII, IX &X doing this!!

  

Then I forgot all about it. When I saw this recipe that I had copied from Tarla Dalal it revived all those carefree days. How I miss them now!!

Sweet Potato Sweet Chips

Happy Holi and Happy Women’s Day to all of you!!

Sweets are something that I worship!!

When I told this to a friend who also happens to be a doctor he said no you are satiated a bit later than others!!

 Whatever I love sweets! Period!

 And I want to eat them come what may.

Okay so here is my recipe for the day. This was what Amma made quite often and can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

4 baby sweet potatoes, washed

2 tsp ghee (I used homemade)

1/4 cup sugar

2 green cardamoms, powdered

Method:

1.    Slice the sweet potatoes thin, store under water to prevent browning.

2.    Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed kadhai/wok.

3.    Add the sweet potato slices, mix and cook covered.

4.    When the slices are cooked (about 4-5 minutes) add the sugar.

5.    Mix and let the sugar melt and bubble. Do not stir at this point.

6.    When the sugar has all formed thick syrup your job is done.

7.    Stir in the green cardamom.

8.    Tastes best hot or cold.

Sending to

Priya of Now Serving where she is hosting Veggie/Fruit of the month -Sweet Potao for Priya  Mharo Rajasthan's 

Sobha Just 4 Fun Event

Nupur's  For you, ‘Mum ‘

 Amy's Mid Week Feista#18

Archana

Mocha Mousse Cake

This is one dish that I enjoyed making.

 Why? My daughters helped me, one of the few rare times when they came in willingly and helped me happily. This was my best Valentine gift from them both. Thanks Kiddos! I love you “gais” (in case you want to misunderstand I am talking about the cow)J.

This one is a Tarla Dalal recipe something that I had bookmarked long long ago. Need I say more?

Peas Payasa / Kheer

Like I said in my last post here I will try Payasa/Kheer made out of peas.

Since it was Pappa’s birthday yesterday i.e. the 29^th Jan this virtual Payasa/Kheer is for him.

 I am sure I will hear complaints that it is not sufficient but then Pappa you have to come down to Goa for this or make it yourself. Here is the recipe for you!!

Cup Cakes~A Blog Hop

Blog hop this time Radhika has paired me with Priya of Now Serving!

If you know not Priya then you are missing deliciously simple recipes conceived out of a Mother’s love to nourish. Do visit her.  She is a multifaceted personality always helping others. She was one of the many who guided me when I started out from anonymous blogger to the present day avatar.

Now choosing from Priya’s place is difficult for I was like a kid in the sweet shop. But my niece had come over with her mom for just 2 days.

Nachni-che-Satv or Ragi Pudding

Staying in Goa from the time I got married 23 years to be exact has exposed me to quite a few wonderful dishes in this cuisine.

There is a preconceived notion that there are no vegetarian dishes in this cuisine. I remember when I was to be married all my neighbours and friends kept on telling me that I will have nothing but “Samudra chawlikai” that is cluster beans from the sea. Of course fish is the staple food here in Goa, but a Goan does “go veg” at least 2 times in a week and on all kinds of festivals, panchmi, chathurtis etc.

Any celebration and you have “mangane” a kind of kheer and of course “Nachni-che-satv”.

Nachini or ragi is a very nutritious. It is good for infants and old and the in-betweens also. Its calcium and iron is easily assimilated by the body. Try this wonderful grain in sweets and savoury food stuff alike.Read more about it here.

Micro wave Orange Cake~A Blog Hop

Since my husband & I have our birthdays just 4 days off one another we celebrate together. But this time I wanted to surprise him with a cake on his birthday.

Surprise has to be surprise does it not? So what better than a cake that cooks in the microwave and in 12 minutes when he is at walk, best time his evening walk?

So I baked this cake for him from Mom’s Corner by Rudra my partner for Blog Hop for this fortnight.In case you have not checked her corner till now do so now.Thanks to Radhika who is the brains behind the entire operation! You can join the gang subscriptions to the new version are open till the 15th  Dec.

Black and White Wednesday Godi Kutid Payasa~ A Blog Hop

Blog Hop one schedule that I thoroughly enjoy.

 Though I am taking care not to tax my fingers a lot this one piece is typed out in bits and pieces and over a long period. Hopefully by the end of the next month my fingers will be better.  Okay enough of this Old Woman cry baby story let’s get down to today’s post.

I was eager to try out some payasa/payasam/kheer dishes as I had performed the “Vaibhav Laxmi Varat” and the last day I was to invite some friends over and the nevidya was payasa. To add to the pleasure of cooking some sweet, that I love, was the fact that my father had come for his health check up and was given a clean chit. So this was celebration all the way!!J

Dates Ladoo ~A Blog Hop & An Award

Variety is the spice of life and Blog Hop adds to it.

As this is where you try out dishes from your partner’s blog to suit your palate the idea is Radhika’s brain child.

How does Blog Hop add to variety? Well I go through my partner’s posts in greater detail so in this sense I am coming to know newer likeminded people. All of us are connected through our love for food and serve a better variety with love.

Coconut Barfi/Khobri Vadi/Khobre Cha Vadaya

F or Diwali I made my patent Khobri Vadi or Kobre chay vadya.

Made no change in the original recipe just added the lone carrot grated.  Next time will try more.

I loved the taste.

Sending it to my event Back to Roots.

Archana

Doodhi Halwa or Bottle Gourd Halwa

I have already talked about my family lack of sweet tooth so many times that you must be all bored. But that does not stop me from trying out new recipes or reinventing the old ones now that I have found appreciative ‘Bakaras  & Bakaris’ at work!! :)

For Duserra I decided to make Doodhi Halwa or as it is known as in Goa “Konkan Doodhi Halwo”! 

Now Doodhi or bottle gourd has a lot of health benefits (check here) as     Ramdev Baba has kept telling us so hubby dear has stopped grumbling when I buy it. Thanks a lot Baba because of you I have tried many ways of including this veggie in our diet masking it many a times.

Believe me I have used it in Thalipeeth, Pav bhaji, Kofta, Paratha, even tried chutney!! Now the girls have stopped guessing what I am upto.

 I have it the day Apeksha will decide that she wants to learn cooking the cat will be out of the bag and I will tumble like nine pins! Guess each dog has its own day and I have had mine.

Kheer/Payasa with Dodhi/Bottle Gourd & Sago

I have brought a bottle gourd. It was the smallest and the tenderest one the bhajiwala had but was still big enough to fill to big Tupperware boxes when cubed. I made bhaji once but then since I wanted a change I decided to make kheer/payasa.

This could also be because the boys in the opposite cubicle at work were discussing how make kheer out of bottle gourd. They, very authoritatively told me 2 methods one the regular with milk and another with coconut milk. They were insiatant that I use sago or sabudana which I never use.  I am sure both don’t even know where the kitchens at home are but their passionate cooking without flame here in office made me make this kheer,  With milk will try the coconut milk one later. I was supposed to carry it to work but I plain forgot. It’s still in the fridge. 

The ingredients used are approximate.

Ingredients:

1 cup bottle gourd, peeled and cubed to fine pieces

1 tblspn ghee

Few cashew nuts

2 tblspn sago or sabudana, soaked in ¼ cup water

½ cup sugar

¾ litre milk

4 elichi/ cardamom

Few strands of saffron (optional)

Method:

1.       Heat a steel bowl on the gas. When it is hot switch off the gas and drop the saffron strands in it. The strands shrivel add a tblspn or two of milk and keep aside.

2.      Heat the ghee and fry the cashew nuts till golden. Drain and keep aside.

3.       In the same ghee add the bottle gourd and stir fry till the cubes are translucent.

4.       Add the milk, soaked sabudana with the water and bring to boil. Boil till the bottle gourd is well cooked.

5.      Add sugar and continue boiling for a few minutes.

6.      Add the cardamom powder, saffron strands, cashew nuts mix well and switch off the gas.

7.      Serve hot or chilled. Plain or with chapatti or poori.

Sending this to  Radhika's Let’s Cook ~ Scrumptious Breakfasts

Mom Chef's event (Vrat ka Khaana) 

MAledi--Chapatti Ladoo

I      love sweets and it was my staple diet till my marriage. Then since my family does not like them much I have started cutting down on them because it is lonely to eat sweets alone. But now I have found a perfect solution. Make them and carry them to work. Satisfying and my colleagues also eat some too!

  

Yesterday I remembered one sweet that Amma used to make and call MAledi. It used to be for our short break but before leaving for school we made it a point to eat some along with milk.

It can be made out of leftover chapatti but here I have made it out of fresh ones.

You will need

 4 Chapattis, broken into fine pieces

1 tsp khus khus or poppy seeds

2 tblspn dry coconut, grated (I used only 1)

1 tblspn puthane

1 tblspn ghee

½ cup jaggery, grated (adjust as per taste)

3 cardamoms, peeled and powdered

Method:

1.   Dry roast the coconut till a bit reddish. Transfer to a plate.

2.   Dry roast the khus khus till bit reddish on low flame. Take care that it does not burn. Transfer to the plate of dry coconut.

3.   Mix the puthane, cardamom powder, roasted khus khus and coconut.

4.   In a kadhai/wok heat the ghee. On low flame add the grated jaggery. Stir gently.

5.   When the jaggery bubbles on the sides of the kadhai/wok switch off the gas and mix all the ingredients.

6.   Stir well till all the chapatti pieces are coated with the mix.

7.    Apply a little water to your hands and make small laddoos of the mixture.

8.   You can roll them in the some more coconut if you feel like it. As I had run out of it I have not.

I got 4  & ½ ladoos out of 4 chapattis well appreciated by my colleagues.

Archana