Latha's Ladle

Beet-Sago Delight

Dessert, Festival Dishes, North Indian Sweets, South Indian Sweets, Sweets

Beet gives the beautiful color and sago turns into round pearls with saffron nuts and cardamom is a real delight. I used nylon sago which looks like a raw rice but the other store bought sago which looks white in color can also be used.

Ingredients:

Beet (cubes, 1/2 cup)
Milk (whole, 2 cups)
Saffron (few strands)
Sago (1/3 cup)
Sugar (1/2 cup
Almond (pieces, 3 tsp)
Cardamom Powder (1/4 tsp)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 3

Method:

Soak saffron in warm milk.
In a pressure cooker add sago and water. Use a separator or a plate to cook beet.
Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
Grind the cooked beets to a fine paste.
In a thick skillet add milk and bring it to boil.
Add the ground paste and cook for 10 minutes.
Add sugar and once it dissolves add the cooked sago.
Garnish with cardamom powder, soaked saffron.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Add nuts before serving.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Use a plate or a separator to cook beet.

Garnish with cardamom powder and saffron refrigerate before adding nuts.

Notes:

Care should be taken while cooking sago. It can be cooked by adding sago in boiling water for 10 minutes or until translucent on a low flame and transfer it to a cold water container and strain it or pressure cook it.Only nylon sago can be pressure cooked.

Yam And Sweet Potato Curry

#vegan, North Indian Gravy, South Indian Curry

Yam and sweet potato curry is a very delicious, simple and easy to make recipe. I used tomatoes as a base for the gravy but legumes can also be substituted for tomatoes.

Ingredients:

Yam (cubes, 1/2 cup)
Brinjal (cubes, 1/2 cup)
Carrots (cubes, 1/2 cup)
Tomato (Puree, 1 1/2 cups)
Green Chili (chopped, fine, 1)
Sweet Potato (cubes, 1/2 cup)
Coriander Powder (2 tsp)
Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
Red Chili Powder (Kashmiri, 1 1/2 tsp)
Oil (4 tsp)
Ghee (1 tsp)
Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 3

Method:

Add oil and jeera to a pressure cooker.
Add chopped green chilies, coriander, turmeric and red chili powders.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Add tomato puree, salt and chopped cilantro and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Cook till the oil separated from the gravy and Stir occasionally to prevent from burning.
Add cubed yam, carrots, sweet potatoes and brinjal.
Add half a cup of water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
Garnish with ghee and chopped cilantro.

Step by Step Pictures of the recipe:

Add oil, jeera, and chopped green chilies.

Notes:

Finely Chopped tomatoes can be substituted for puree.
All the spice powders should be sauteed constantly. Burnt spices will spoil the taste.
Cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods can be added along with jeera.

Mango Cookies

Baked recipe, Dessert, Healthy

Whole wheat flour mango cookies are easy to make recipe with no eggs. This recipe has whole wheat flour, natural sugar and carom seeds so it’s pretty healthy too. Mangoes add flavor to the cookies.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour (1/2 cup)
Mango Puree (1/4 cup)
Baking Soda (1/2 tsp)
Milk (2 tbs)
Salt (a pinch)
Ghee (1/8 cup)
Pistachio (pieces, 2 tsp)
Baking Powder (1/2 tsp)
Ajwain [Carom Seeds] (1 tsp)
Natural Brown Sugar (1/8 cup)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 18-20 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Category: Snack

Yield: 13

Method:

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Step 2:

In a large bowl add whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and carom seeds.
Mix all the dry ingredients.
In another bowl add mango puree, ghee and sugar and with the help of a hand mixer or hand beater and beat until the mixture is increased in volume and the color is paler.
Combine the puree-ghee mixture and dry ingredients well to form a dough. Add milk if the dough is stiff.
Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick.
Cut the dough into desired shapes using a biscuit cutter.
Roll out the spare dough again and repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
Transfer the biscuits on to a baking sheet lined tray.
Garnish the biscuits with nuts.
Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180 degree celsius.
Leave on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes.
Cool on a wire rack to cool completely.

Step by Step pictures of the recipe:

Add mango puree, ghee and natural sugar in a bowl.

Beat the wet ingredients using a hand beater.

Combine both wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180 degree celsius.

Notes:

Ingredients should be at room temperature.
Spoon or Manual or electric hand mixer can be used for beating.
More sugar can be added if preferred. The cookies I baked had less sweet because we prefer less sweet.
The dough can be kept in between two parchment papers and rolled out.

Kavuni [Black] Rice Sweet

Dessert, South Indian, South Indian Festives, South Indian Rice, South Indian Sweets, Sweets

This sweet originates from Chettinad region in Tamilnadu. Black rice is a good source of iron and other nutrients. I used jaggery instead of sugar. This rice turns purple after it’s cooked.

Ingredients:

Kavuni [Black] Rice (1/2 cup)
Cardamom Powder (1/4 tsp)
Coconut (grated, 1/2 cup)
Cashews (halved, 10)
Jaggery (3/4 cup)
Ghee (4 tsp)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Soak time: 12 hours

Category: Lunch \ Dinner \ Snack

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 3

Method:

In a bowl wash and add water to kavuni rice and soak for 12 hours.
Transfer the soaked rice to a pressure cooker and add water if required.
Pressure cook for 15 whistles.
Add ghee to a deep skillet and add cashews.
Sautee for 5-6 minutes or until golden and set aside.
In the same skillet add grated coconut and dry roast for few minutes and set aside.
Add jaggery and water and cook till jaggery dissolves.
Add the cooked black rice and mash well.
Add the roasted cashews, coconut, and cardamom powder.
Add the remaining ghee too.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

If the rice is not soft pressure cook again for 4-5 whistles.

Notes:

Wild rice and black rice are not exactly the same. We can substitute with wild rice if it’s not available.
Add more water before pressure cook the rice if required.
Cook the rice on low flame and ensure that there is enough water to pressure cook for 15 whistles.
Mash the rice before add to jaggery water.
Dissolve the jaggery and no need to make thick syrup.
The rice should be properly cooked before adding to the jaggery water.

Avial

South Indian, South Indian Curry

Avial is a simple mixed vegetable cooked in a coconut gravy with curd and seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. My grandma used to add some chopped tomatoes and beetroot to get the pink color which was loved by all in our family. But, here I have given the authentic recipe without beetroot.

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin (white, long cut, 2 cups)
Coconut (grated, 1 1/2 cups)
Carrot (long cut, 1 cup)
Beans (long cut, 1 cup)
Coconut Oil (1 tbs)
Green Chilies (3)
Drumstick (1/2 cup)
Curd (1/2 cup)
Banana (raw, long cut, 1/2 cup)
Brinjal (long cut, 1/2 cup)
Potato (long cut, 1 cup)
Jeera [Cumin] (seeds, 1 1/2 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Curry Leaves (few)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Total time: 1 hr and 10 minutes

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 4

Method:

Add water to a skillet and add Pumpkin, potato, carrot, yam, brinjal, banana, beans, drumstick, and salt.
Cover with a lid and cook on a low flame.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked.
Grind grated coconut, green chilies and jeera to a coarse consistency.
If water is required add few teaspoons of water to adjust the consistency.
Make some space in the center of the pan and add coconut oil and in the same oil add curry leaves.
Switch off the flame and after 10 minutes add curd.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Cook the vegetables in a skillet and add some water.

Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Grind coconut, jeera and green chilies to a coarse consistency.

Add the mixture to the cooked vegetables.

Make space at the center and add coconut oil and curry leaves.

Notes:

While cooking vegetables neither it should be over cooked nor under cooked.
Whisk the curd before adding to the cooked vegetables.
Fresh curd is preferred always.

Falafel

#vegan, Healthy

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern food made with chickpeas, spices and herbs. My children fondly relish falafels with pita bread. The taste of falafel differs from country to country but the basic ingredients are chick peas, parsley and cumin powder that are same everywhere. Falafel can be baked or fried but authentic falafel is fried.

Ingredients:

Chick Peas (1/2 cup)
Cilantro (1/2 cup)
Parsley (1/2 cup)
Onion (chopped, 1/2 cup)
Cumin powder (1/2 tsp)
Pepper Powder (1/2 tsp)
Red Chili Powder (kashmiri, 1 1/2 tsp)
Sesame Seeds (2 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Oil (to fry)
Baking Soda (1/2 tsp)
Bread Crumbs (2 tsp)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Category: Breakfast \ Lunch \ Dinner

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Yield: 12

Method:

Wash and soak chickpeas for 8-10 hours.
Strain the water and set aside.

To Grind:

In a food processor add parsley, cilantro and onion and grind to a coarse consistency.
Add soaked chiskpeas, red chili, pepper, cumin powder, salt and baking soda and use the pulse setting to grind to a coarse consistency.
When it is done add bread crumbs and sesame seeds and run on pulse setting for 5-7 seconds.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix well.
Cover the mixture with a cling film or a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
Form the mixture either into balls or use any small bowl and fill in 2 teaspoons of mixture.
Flip upside down on a plate. Place the uncooked falafels on a plate before deep frying.
Heat oil in a pan and gently lower the discs or balls.
Allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip to cook on the other side.
Fry till they turn crisp or brown.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Grind parsley, cilantro and onions to a coarse consistency.

Grind soaked chickpeas, chili, pepper, cumin powder, salt and baking soda to a coarse consistency.

Notes:

Use a strainer to filter the chickpeas from water. Before grinding there should not be any water.
For grinding either food processor or a mixer can be used. The batter should be coarse.
The mixture should hold together nicely and not fall apart.
Sesame is optional.
Ice cream scoop can be used to make balls.
Falafel mold is available in the market and that can be used too.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Healthy, Soups

We make many recipes out of pumpkin in India. Pumpkin curry, gravy, halwa, soup, pie etc. Pumpkin has a nutty flavor on top of it we add cream so avoiding lot of spices will help to retain the original creamy texture.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin (cubes, 1/2 cup)
Red Chili Flakes (3 tsp)
Cream (fresh, 2 tsp)
Peanuts (4 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Oil (3 tsp)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Serves: 2

Method:

Heat a shallow skillet to low and add peanuts.
Sautee for five minutes or till it changes its color.
Sautee constantly to prevent from burning.
Cool for few minutes and grind to a coarse powder and set aside.
Heat a deep skillet to medium and add oil and pumpkin cubes.
Cook for 10 minutes or till the pumpkin cubes are soft and cooked.
Add salt and red chili flakes.
Cool the ingredients and grind to a fine paste.
Add the ground paste to a skillet and add water and bring it to boil.
After it starts boiling add the ground peanuts.
Garnish with fresh cream.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Idli Milagai Podi

#vegan, South Indian, South Indian Podis

Idli \ Dosai milagai podi is a dry condiment served with idli, dosa, roti and also for bread. Ghee or sesame oil is used to make a paste and used as a dip. The consistency is dry and coarse and shelf life is for four to six months. We love this in our family to eat with bread and rice even.

Ingredients:

Urad Dal (Black Gram] (whole, 100 gm or 1/2 cup)
Til [Sesame] (seeds, white, 30 gm or 1/4 cup)
Red Chilies (Kashmiri, 3/4 cup or 25 gm)
Hing [Asafoetida] (cake, 2 pieces)
Red Chilies (3/4 cup or 25 gm)
Coconut/Any oil (2 tsp)
Salt (to taste)

Cook time: 15 minutes

Category: Lunch \ Dinner \ Breakfast

Cuisine: South Indian

Yield: 250 gm

Method:

Heat a shallow or deep skillet to medium and add urad Dal (black gram].
Dry roast for 7-9 minutes or till golden. Constant stirring is required while roasting.
Set aside and in the same skillet add til [sesame] seeds and dry roast until it splutters. Set aside when the splutter sound subsides.
In the same skillet add oil and hing [asafoetida] cakes and wait for those to double and crisp up.
Set aside and add red chilies (kashmiri) and sautee for 2-3 minutes.
Set aside the kashmiri chilies and add red chilies and sautee for 2-3 minutes.
Let the ingredients cool completely before grinding.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Dry roast urad dal till golden and set aside.

Roast both the chilies with little oil and set aside.

Grind the red chilies, hing and salt to a nice powder.

Coarse grind urad dal and sesame seeds.and mix the ground ingredients.

Notes:

While dry roasting stir constantly to prevent burning.
While roasting sesame seeds they pop up or splutter switch off the flame and transfer immediately to a bowl.
We can use either black or white sesame seeds. The black seeds are dehulled and rich in flavor and taste compared to white.
The aroma of coconut oil is preferred than other oil.

Paruppu Urundai [Lentil Dumplings] Rasam

#vegan, Healthy, Rasam, South Indian

Paruppu urundai rasam is not a very common dish like paruppu urundai mor kuzhambu or urundai kuzhambu. Paruppu urundai rasam is my husband’s favorite dish. In our family we make during the weekends and this is one of our special recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

Toor Dal [Pigeon Peas] (split, 1/2 cup)
Red Chilies (4)
Sambar Powder (1 tsp)
Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
Tomato (chopped, 3/4 cup)
Tamarind (a gooseberry size)
Jeera [Cumin Seeds] (1/2 tsp)
Green Chili (1/2)
Ghee (1 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Ginger (a small piece)
Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
Cilantro (chopped, fine, 4 tsp)
Hing [Asafoetida] (cake, a small piece)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 4

METHOD:

RECIPE FOR PARUPPU URUNDAI [LENTIL DUMPLINGS]

Wash and soak toor dal [pigeon peas] for 45 minutes. Add red chilies and hing [asafoetida] along with toor dal.
Strain the water, add salt and grind to a coarse consistency.
Save the water.
Form the mixture into balls of a small lemon size.
Grease a plate with oil and steam on a low flame for 10 minutes.

PARUPPU URUNDAI RASAM RECIPE:

Soak tamarind in water for 30 minutes and extract the juice.
In a pan add one cup of tamarind juice and one cup of plain water and bring it to boil.
Add chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric powder, green chili, salt and cilantro.
Cook until the raw smell of sambar powder is substituted with good aroma.
Add the saved water.
Add the steamed paruppu urundai [dumplings] one at a time and cook till the urundais start floating.

FOR TEMPERING:

Heat a shallow skillet and add ghee and mustard seeds.
Wait for the seeds to splutter and then add jeera.
Switch off the flame and add the hot mixture to rasam.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Wash and soak lentils, red chilies and hing for 45 minutes.

Strain the water and add the ingredients to a grinder bowl and add salt.

Grind to a coarse consistency. Grease a plate with little oil.

Add tamarind water, chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt and chopped cilantro.

Cook for 10 minutes then add the saved water and dumplings to the rasam. Cook until the dumplings float.

Add ghee and mustard seeds to a skillet. Wait for the seeds to splutter and add jeera.

Add the hot mixture to the rasam and garnish with chopped cilantro.

NOTES:

Tamarind pulp can be diluted and added.
Hing powder can be substituted for hing cake.
Dumplings can be dusted with rice flour and added to rasam instead of steaming but this method requires lot of practice and skill. When dumplings are steamed they won’t break.
While steaming open and check if it is soft as also cooked.
Dumplings can be added in two batches. Wait for the first batch of the dumplings to float. After they started floating check there is enough water and then add the second batch.
Beginners strain the lentils using a strainer instead of directly adding it to the grinder bowl. If the lentils are grinded with water it becomes soft and chances of breaking is more.
As soon as you add jeera stop the flame. jeera gets burnt fast and spoils the smell of rasam.
For sambar powder recipe please check my channel and I have given the link in the description of the video.

Marie Biscuit Chocolate Log

Dessert, Pudding, Sweets

Marie biscuit log is easy to make and looks very classy. It is my daughter’s one of her favorite desserts recipe. After she left home for studies, job etc I completely forgot this delight. When I made this after so many years, it brought me back all the sweet memories.

INGREDIENTS:

Marie Biscuits (16)
Butter (unsalted, 3 tbs)
Custard Powder (1 1/2 tsp)
Cocoa Powder (4 tsp)
Coffee Decoction \ Instant Coffee powder (1/2 cup)
Milk (1/2 cup)
Sugar (powdered, 5 tsp)

Cook time: 20 minutes

Category: Dessert

Serves: 4

METHOD:

Recipe for filling:

Add milk, custard powder and powdered sugar.
Mix all the ingredients and switch on the flame.
Stir constantly on a low heat to avoid lumps.
Cook until the texture is smooth and glossy.
The custard cream should be thick.
Cool down to room temperature.

Recipe for frosting:

Heat a saucepan and add butter.
Melt the butter and add powdered sugar.
Switch off the flame.
Add cocoa and stir constantly.
Mix all the ingredients to combine.
If the mixture is thick add some milk to adjust the consistency.

Marie Biscuit Chocolate Log Recipe:

Place a parchment paper and place the biscuits, custard cream and coffee decoction bowls.
Dip the biscuits in coffee one at a time.
As soon as you dip the first biscuit remove and keep it on a tray and spread the custard cream on top of the first biscuit.
Now dip the second biscuit and keep it on top of the cream and give a slight press so that the cream comes till the edges.
Do not break the biscuits.
Stack the biscuits one after another.
Spread the chocolate frosting on all the sides.
Ensure to cover the log with chocolate frosting before refrigerate.
Refrigerate at least for an hour.
Cut either straight or diagonally to get the logs.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Add milk, custard powder, and powdered sugar in a saucepan.

The consistency should be thick, and glossy.

Melt the butter and add powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

Dip the biscuits in coffee one at a time and
sandwich the biscuits together with the custard cream.

Smear the biscuit log with cocoa frosting on all the sides.

Notes:

Regular marie biscuits are preferred than the thin biscuits.
While dipping biscuits in cofee just dip it once and keep it on the tray.
Do not keep for long because there are chances of breaking .
I used filter coffee decoction. This can be substituted with either instant coffee mixed with water or any other brewed coffee.
The custard cream consistency should neither be too thin nor too thick.