Pineapple Laddoo

Today's recipe is Pineapple laddoo.  I love this sweet and never miss a chance to make it whenever I buy a pineapple.

Let me warn you friends,  these laddoo are so very addictive 😀 Whenever I make them they gets finished up on the same day 😁

Its a straight forward recipe and even beginners can make it perfectly.  Let's make it.  Happy Cooking ☺

Makes - 15 laddoo

Preparation Time - 5

Cooking Time - 15 min

Ingredients -

Pineapple pulp                   -     3/4 Cup

Sugar                                 -     6 tbsp
Milk powder                      -     1/2 cup
Desiccated coconut           -     1/2 cup
Cardamom powder            -     1 pinch

Method -

• In a non stick pan, take pineapple paste and cook it until it gets a bit thick. 
• Add milk powder and desiccated coconut. Mix very well. Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix again. Let the mixture cook until it starts leaving the sides of the pan. 
• Remove the mixture to a big bowl and let it cool down completely. 
• Take small portion of the mixture and roll it in between your palms and shape it into ball/laddoo.  Likewise, make laddoos with the remaining mixture. 
• Roll the prepared laddoos in desiccated coconut. Serve.
• Keep refrigerated in an airtight container and consume within 3-4 days.

Notes:

• 1. Adjust the sugar level as per your liking.
•  2. Quantity of desiccated coconut can also be adjusted as per liking but add more milk powder to adjust the consistency. 
• 3. Instead of cardamom powder you can add a few drops of pineapple essence.

Lauki Halwa / Bottle gourd fudge

Halwa is a famous Indian delicacy.  It looks royal and making it is so easy.  No fuss yet mind blowing dessert to end a nice meal.  There is a endless list of halwas in Indian menu.  You can make it with almost anything be it pulses, fruits or even vegetables.  
I love to try making different kind of halwas.  In this list, my latest addition is Lauki Halwa.  It sounds a bit not-so-interesting but trust me it tastes divine. I had heard about this halwa a lot of time but never thought to try. Last week I found one big lauki lying in my fridge. I didn’t want to make any curry, kofta or dal with it so decided to make lauki halwa. 
Instead of making it all with milk I used condensed milk. Addition of condensed milk gave it a rich texture without adding Mawa/Khoya and at the same time made it a quick cooking dessert. Although I added milk too but only 2 tbsp just to cook the lauki.  In case you don’t want to use condensed milk, you can make it with milk too. I have given the procedure in the notes at the end. Do check.  Hey, did I mention that I used only 1.5 tbsp ghee in it unlike other halwas and you wont find it any less tasty from those ghee loaded halwas :D

This halwa came out so well that I am gonna make it more often :) Its a good option for parties too. Clever idea to add veggies in kids meal.  They would love it surely. So try it and you will be glad that you did. Happy Cooking :)

Serves – 2

Ingredients:

Lauki /  Bottle gourd (finely grated)	1 cup
Ghee	1 ½ tbsp
Condensed milk	¼ cup
Milk	2 tbsp
Cardamom (crushed)	2
Raisins	15
Green food color (optional)	2-3 drops

Method:

• In a non stick pan, heat ghee. Add raisins and fry for few seconds. Remove and set aside.
• In the remaining ghee, add grated lauki and fry for 8-10 minutes or till water evaporates and raw smell goes. 
• Add condensed milk and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and mix again. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add crushed cardamom, food color and fried raisins. Mix again and cook till the halwa gets thick.
• Serve warm or cold.

                                              

 Notes:

1. Grate the bottle gourd very finely.
2. I recommend to use a non stick pan for making this halwa to avoid sticking while frying the bottle gourd/lauki.
3. You can add any dried fruit of your choice.
4. In place of cardamom you can use saffron.
5. If you do not want to use condensed milk then boil 1 cup of milk till a bit thick.  Fry lauki as given in the recipe.  Add the fried lauki to the thick milk and mix well.  Add 6 tbsp sugar (or adjust to taste) mix again.  Add crushed cardamom and dried fruits and cook till thick.

Easy Christmas fruit cake (Alcohol free)

Hello to all my readers.  This is the last day of this year and I have already started making it special.  As I had promised you to post an easy peasy Christmas fruit cake recipe, here it is for you all.

Its a very easy n no fuss cake.  Everything you would find in your very own kitchen.  No fancy ingredients but the taste is simply divine. Unlike other Christmas fruit cakes this one is completely alcohol free. 

My cake came out so soft and yummy and the aroma had just filled my entire home.  I had again experimented here but this time I was so sure about the success as the ingredients were sure shot :)  Unlike my other bakes, this cake is made with egg but I used only one (as usual) and I can bet you are not gonna smell it due to the aromatic Indian spices.  Its a must try.  I had soaked my fruit mix in orange juice, instead of Rum, for three days but if you dont have much time you can soak for 24 hrs.  Even if you dont have 24 hrs. then also you can make this cake :) Yes you are reading correct YOU CAN MAKE THIS CAKE :)  Now no excuse please :D  If you dont have time for soaking you can add your dried fruits with boiled sugar butter mix that I have used in the recipe.  This cake is gonna rock your parties or you can simply make it to treat yourself.  This is a no fail recipe trust me. So I am leaving you here with the recipe of this awesome fruit cake.  Do try. Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients:

All purpose flour	1 cup
Brown sugar	½ cup
Salted Butter	Little less than ¼ cup
Oil	1 tbsp
Baking soda	Little less than ¾ tsp
Egg	1
Cinnamon powder	Little less than ½ tsp
Nutmeg powder	Little less than ¼ tsp
Clove (powdered)	3 or ¼ tsp
Ginger grated or powdered	¼ tsp
Vanilla essence	¼ tsp
Cashews (chopped)	15
Glazed cherries (optional)	3 (chopped)
Dried fruit mix (raisins, black currant, golden raisins,orange peels)	1 cup
Orange juice (I used store bought orange juice)	1 ½ cups (To soak the dried fruit mix )
water	1/2 cup + 1/8 cup

Method:

• In a mixing bowl, sieve together all purpose flour and baking soda.  Keep aside.
• If you have time, soak dried fruit mix in orange juice atleast for 24 hrs. 
• Take a sauce pan, add sugar, butter, water, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, powdered clove and ginger powder and mix well.  Put on the stove and let it boil till sugar dissolves.  Once its boiled and sugar is dissolved, remove from stove and let it lukewarm.  Beat the egg lightly and add into the prepared sugar butter mix. Also add vanilla essence and mix.  At this stage, separate the soaked dried fruit mix from orange juice and add it to the lukewarm sugar butter mix and give a quick stir.  Discard the orange juice.  ( If you dont get the time to soak the dried fruits you can directly add them to the sugar water mix before boiling).
• Set the oven at 180 degree.  Grease your cake pan with oil or non stick spray and dust the same with flour. Keep it aside.
• In the sugar butter mix, add all purpose flour little by little to avoid the formation of lumps.  Mix well to make it a smooth batter.  Add oil, cashews and chopped glazed cherries.  Mix well.
• Pour the cake batter to the greased cake pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. 
• Keep checking the cake after 40 minutes by inserting a knife in the center of the cake.  If the knife comes out clean, cake is baked, if not keep increasing the baking time by another 10 minutes.
• Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool down at least for 10 minutes.
• Carefully shift the cake to the serving plate and enjoy.

Notes:

1. You can use white sugar in place of brown sugar.  Brown sugar gives the deep brown color to the cake.
2. I have used 1 cup of dried fruit mix, you can use more.  You can use tutty fruitty as well. You can add almonds instead of cashews or both.  You can use your choice of dried fruits in this cake but do not overload the cake with them.
3. Spice level can be increased or decreased as per your choice.
4. If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp of salt in the batter.
5. My cake took exact 60 minutes to bake but baking time differs according to the oven so keep checking your cake after 40 minutes. Do not over bake the cake.
6. You can soak your dried fruits in rum also.
7. Do not skip egg as it would help in raising the cake and making it fluffy.  You would not get the eggy smell due to the use of spices.
8. You can make the icing for the cake or have it with simple chocolate sauce or vanilla icecream.

Sweet Corn Kheer / Sweet Corn Payasam

I like sweet corns in any form. So whenever I see fresh sweet corns in the market I just grab it.  Its not always that I find fresh sweet corns in the market so I always keep a packet of frozen sweet corns in stock. Yesterday the vegetable seller came with fresh sweet corns and I bought it with no second thought.  As I can't keep it in stock for long I decided to finish it up as soon as possible.  But this time I wanted to make something sweet with it.  Then came this sweet corn kheer or sweet corn payasam in picture.  I must say its a very easy and simple recipe that you can make for any occassion. I recommend to use fresh sweet corns but if you dont have the same you can use frozen ones.  You will surely love this creamy and delicious dessert.  It is good for babies also and kids will love it for sure.  This recipe is a keeper.  So whenever you want to make something sweet for your loved ones you can always rely on this sweet corn payasam.  Do try and enjoy.  Happy Cooking :)

Ingredients:

Fresh sweet corns	2 (medium )
Sugar	¼ cup
Milk	350 ml
Ghee/clarified butter	1 tsp
Cashews	1 tbsp (chopped)
Raisins	1 tbsp
Cardamom	2 (crushed)

Method:

• Take the sweet corns and wash them well.  Coarsely grate and keep aside.

grated sweet corn pulp

• Take ghee in a non stick pan and let it melt.  Add grated sweet corn pulp in it.  Fry till raw smell of corn goes. Keep the flame medium to avoid burning.  After 3 - 4 minutes, color will start to change.  At this stage, remove it from the stove and keep aside.
• In another pan, take milk and let it boil.  Once boiled, add fried sweet corn paste and mix well.  Keep stirring, on medium flame, till the milk reduces and kheer starts thickening.  Add cardamom powder and chopped cashews.  Cook for 1 minute.
• Add sugar and mix well.  Cook till the sugar dissolves.  Add raisins and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Remove from stove and let it warm.  Shift to a serving dish and keep in the fridge for atleast 1 hour.
• Garnish with cashews and serve chilled.

Notes:

1. You can take frozen sweet corns also but there would be a slight difference in the taste.
2. Sugar level is dependent on the sweetness of your sweet corns so first add less sugar and check the sweetness.
3. Cook the kheer on medium flame else it could get burnt.
4. Addition of dried fruits is all on your choice. You can omit it or increase or decrease the quantity.
5. If making it for babies do not add hard nuts. Raisins are okay to add.