Peanut Ladoo With Jaggery – Groundnut Laddu Recipe - Verkadalai Laddu

Peanut ladoo with jaggery

 I learnt this easy peanut ladoo with jaggery (Verkadalai vellam laddu in Tamil, Shenga laddu in Kannada) from my friend Shalini. Its just a two ingredients recipe with two step process. She told this laddu recipe is very special among her community people in Andhra (Telugu). There is also a popular snacks shop in Shevapet, Salem that sell this ladoo. My husband Sendhil loves peanut based low calorie snacks like peanut chikki / Kadalai mittai. When I was telling this to my Shalini, she suggested this healthy ladoo recipe with the same combination of peanut and jaggery just like chikki. As we all know peanut and jaggery when eaten together gives us immense health benefits. So I was double happy to learn this easy, low calorie peanut laddu recipe without ghee. I made this for my Thursday Guru Pooja neivdeyam. This laddu became a super hit recipe in my house😃. Friends, you too give a try. If you have roasted and deskinned peanuts in hand, you can make this laddu in the next 5 minutes. You can also pack it for kids and adults snacks box. This peanut laddu stays good upto one week. So you can make, store and enjoy anytime. Ok, lets see how to make this simple, easy, yummy and super healthy peanut jaggery ladoo with step by step pictures.

Check out my Peanut chutney recipes in this link.

Peanut ladoo with jaggery

Peanut ladoo with jaggery - Healthy, easy sweet recipe with peanuts.

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: 8 nos

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 10 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup -250ml Roasted & Deskinned Peanuts - 1/2 cup Grated or powdered jaggery - 1/2 cup( add 2tbsp more for extra sweetness)

METHOD

1. Dry roast the peanuts in a kadai or microwave roast the peanuts for 2 to 3 minutes in high power.
2. Rub the roasted peanuts and remove the skin.
3. In a mixie jar, grind the peanuts coarsely.
4. Add the grated jaggery and grind again to smooth powder.
5. Make balls tightly and store in an air tight jar. Serve and enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Dry roast the raw peanuts in a kadai. Roast  in medium flame till its skin crackles. Switch off the flame and let the peanuts be in the hot kadai. It will become crispy only after it cools down. So wait patiently. Alternatively you can roast the peanuts in microwave oven too. For this, spread the peanuts in a microwave plate. Roast in high power for 2 to 3 minutes. I kept in 800w power for 2 minutes 30 seconds. Switch off the microwave and let the peanuts be inside the hot oven. It will become crispy once it cool down. Now take the roasted peanuts in a small cloth bag(Manja pai) or in a plastic cover. Rub it well to remove the skin. Collect the roasted peanuts in a plate. Grind the roasted peanuts coarsely. Then add the grated jaggery and grind again to smooth powder. Check for taste. Add more jaggery and grind again if needed. Do not grind for long time continuously. Oil releases from the peanuts and becomes like a paste. So just pulse it to mix well. Remove the powder in a plate. Roll tightly and shape into ladoo. Store in an air tight jar and use it within a week. Enjoy !

Note

You can add 2 tbsp extra jaggery for more sweetness. Usually the ratio of peanuts and jaggery is 1:1.  Ghee is not needed as the oil from peanut helps to shape ladoo. You can add cardamom powder while grinding if you like.

Try this easy, yummy, healthy peanut ladoo for your kids and family. They will love it !

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Maida Halwa Recipe - How To Make Maida Halwa With Video

 

Maida halwa recipe with step by step pictures. I tried this easy, Instant maida halwa recipe from Aval Vikatan’s 30 vagai kalyana samayal supplementary book. This halwa is titled as Karandi halwa in that book. I followed the same recipe but tweaked the method slightly to make pieces like the maida halwa I tasted in sweet shops. Maida/ All purpose flour, sugar and ghee are the major ingredients. 

Basically I am a big fan of Kerala maida halwa. But Kerala halwa ingredients and method of preparation is different from this easy maida halwa. For this halwa, we don’t have to ferment the maida milk. It can be prepared instantly like Corn flour halwa / Karachi halwa but it takes 20 to 30 minutes to reach the final stage. We need to stir constantly but its worth the effort. If you want to make chewy and hard halwa, you need to cook the halwa for more time, may be one hour. I removed the halwa as soon as it started to ooze out the ghee in the corners. 

Beginners can easily try this recipe as there are less chances of going wrong. I have also taken a video for clear understanding. Please watch it below.  Friends, do try this easy maida flour halwa during this summer vacation. You don’t have to wait for Diwali. You will love its taste. For variations, you can use jaggery instead of sugar but taste and texture would be completely different.

If you feel this halwa is unhealthy, just think about eating parotta, jalebi or samosa made of maida. You won’t feel guilty. After all, we are making it once or twice in a year. So Its not a sin. Eat this halwa and do some workouts.  If you still feel bad,  you can try my Instant wheat flour halwa.

Lets see how to make this easy, yummy, maida flour ka halwa with step by step pictures and video.

Check out my easy Tirunelveli halwa using wheat flour.

Maida Halwa Recipe

Maida halwa recipe - Easy, Instant halwa with maida, sugar and ghee

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweets

Serves: 10

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 240ml Maida / All Purpose flour – 1/2 cup Water – 1.5 cups Yellow Food color – a pinch Sugar - 1 cup Melted Ghee – 1/2 cup Cooking oil – 3 tbsp (Use flavorless oil) Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp Chopped nuts – 2 tbsp (Use cashews, melon seeds)

METHOD

1. Mix maida, water and food color without lumps. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a non-stick kadai. Roast cashews till golden.
3. Add maida water and mix in low flame till thick.
4. Add sugar, mix till it dissolves.
5. Add 1 tbsp of ghee + oil at regular intervals. Mix well.
6. At one stage, halwa starts to ooze out ghee in the corners.
7. Add cardamom powder, nuts. Mix well and transfer to a pan.
8. Cut into pieces when warm. Serve & enjoy !
9. For chewy halwa, cook for more time in high flame.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

In a wide bowl, take maida, water and food color. Whisk without lumps. Set aside. Mix melted ghee + oil in a bowl and keep it ready. In a good non-stick kadai, heat 1 tbsp ghee+oil and roast the cashews till golden. Add maida water and mix well without lumps. Mix till thick in low flame. Add sugar and mix in medium flame till sugar dissolves completely. Add 1 tbsp ghee+oil and mix till it gets absorbed by the halwa. As soon as you add the ghee, it becomes easier to stir the halwa. But when the ghee is absorbed by the halwa, it thickens and you feel difficult to mix it. So add 1 tbsp of ghee+oil mixture again. Repeat the same process till all the ghee+oil is added to the halwa. By now halwa leaves the sides of pan, rotates with the ladle. It would become non-sticky and shiny. Increase the flame to high. Keep mixing till halwa starts to ooze out ghee in the sides of pan. Touch the halwa to see its completely non-sticky. It takes 20 to 25 minutes to reach this stage. If not, add little more ghee or oil and stir for few more minutes. Do not remove the halwa till it starts to ooze the ghee. I have marked with arrows in the below picture. Patience is important here. Please watch the video for better understanding. At this stage, reduce the flame to low. Add cardamom powder and melon seeds. Stir till all the nuts spreads well. Switch off the flame. Transfer the halwa into a ghee greased bowl. I used my square shaped cake pan. Press it well with a ladle. Let the halwa set for an hour and becomes warm. Invert in a plate. Now mark shapes with a ghee greased knife. Make pieces and serve. This halwa stays good for a week without refrigeration. Enjoy ! NOTE : If you want to make chewy halwa, Cook for more time in high flame  till all the ghee comes out from the halwa. Set for one day. It tastes chewy and hard the next day.

Note

Do not reduce the quantity of sugar. Halwa tastes like porridge and you won’t get the proper consistency. If you are sweet toothed, you can increase the quantity of 2.25 cups. Similarly do not reduce the quantity of ghee because halwa sticks to your tongue while you eat. Addition of cooking oil helps the halwa to ooze out ghee quickly. So do not skip it. You can use coconut oil instead of cooking oil if you like. If you don’t want to make pieces, you can just scoop the halwa with a ladle and serve it. This is called as Karandi halwa in Tamil.

Try this easy, yummy maida halwa at home and enjoy your special occasions !

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Kala Jamun With Instant Gulab Jamun Mix - Kala Jamun Using Readymix

Kala jamun (Black gulab jamun) recipe was in my try list for years. To make it simple, I tried making Kala jamun in an easy way using store bought, readymade, instant gulab jamun mix. I have tried it twice so far using Aachi gulab jamun mix and MTR gulab jamun ready mix. Both worked well. When I read the difference between Kala jamun and Gulab jamun in Wikipedia, I found sugar and khoya (milk solid) is used to make the traditional Kala jamun dough. 

So I too used sugar and milk to the instant  readymix to make the jamun dough. Sugar added in the dough slowly caramelizes while deep frying and helps to give dark color to the kala jamoon. Milk helps to make soft gulab jamun. Some recipes called for deep frying the gulab jamun twice to bring the black color. But I felt deep frying in low flame patiently for long time helps to get a nice black color to kala jamun. Please go through my post to read more tips and tricks to make a perfect kala jamun using instant gulab jamun mix in detail.  Try it. You will love its results for sure. Friends, lets see how to make Kala jamun using jamun mix with step by step pictures.

Check out my Dry jamun recipe using Instant mix, Gulab Jamun using MTR gulab jamun mix, Gulab jamun kofta curry and eggless vanilla cake using Jamun mix.

KALA JAMUN USING INSTANT GULAB JAMUN MIX

Learn how to make Kala jamun using instant gulab jamun mix

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Dessert Recipes

Serves: 8 

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 240ml Gulab Jamun mix - 1 cup  Boiled milk at room temperature - As needed Sugar – 1.5 tsp Cooking oil or ghee - to deep fry For Sugar syrup Sugar – 1 cup Water – 1 cup Rose water – 1/2 tsp Saffron threads - Few To stuff kala jamun Gulab jamun dough - a small ball Chopped nuts - 2 tbsp (Cashews and Almond) Saffron threads – Few Food color - a pinch Sugar – 1/2 tsp Warm milk – 2 tsp HOW TO MAKE KALA JAMUN USING INSTANT JAMUN MIX Take the gulab jamun mix in a bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Add milk gradually and make a slightly sticky dough. Cover and Rest for 5 minutes. To make sugar syrup, take sugar and water.Mix well and boil for 5 to 7 minutes till it becomes slightly sticky. Take a small portion of gulab jamun dough and mix saffron milk, food color, sugar & nuts. Make small balls out of it for stuffing the jamun. Now roll smooth, crack free balls in the remaining dough using ghee greased hands. Stuff the nuts ball inside the jamun & roll it. Arrange the balls in a plate. Heat oil and fry the jamun in low flame till black in color. Soak in sugar syrup for one hour. Jamun increase in size and becomes soft. Serve with ice cream !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

In a wide bowl, take the measured gulab jamun mix. Add sugar and mix well. Add milk gradually and make a slightly sticky dough. Cover the jamun dough for 10 minutes. In the mean time, you can make sugar syrup. Heat sugar + water in a bowl and boil the syrup for 5 to 7 minutes in medium flame till the syrup becomes sticky. Add saffron thread and cardamom powder/rose water. Mix well. Switch off the flame and set aside. Take the gulab jamun dough and remove a small ball for the stuffing. To this ball, add chopped nuts, saffron thread soaked in 1 tsp milk, a pinch of food color and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Mix well to make a soft dough. Roll the jamun into equal balls. If it cracks more while rolling, add little milk to dough. Mix well and make balls again. Make equal number of jamun balls and nuts ball. Make sure the size of nuts stuffed ball is lesser than gulab jamun ball. Grease your hands with little ghee. Take one gulab jamun ball and press it to make a small circle. Keep the nuts stuffed ball in the middle and roll it nicely to make a crack free kala jamun ball. You can make round shapes or bullet shaped elongated ones as shown in the picture. Heat oil in a kadai and drop a pinch of dough. If it rises to the top slowly, oil temperature is right. Now keep the flame medium and stir the oil  in the corner of kadai with a wooden ladle. Drop 3 to 4 gulab jamun in each batch. Keep stirring the oil in the corners without touching the gulab jamun. It helps for even coloring of jamun. Keep the flame low and stir it. Cook till jamuns become golden brown. Keep the flame low and keep cooking till it becomes black in color. Make sure you don’t burn the jamuns. You can identify it with the smell if it burns. So always keep the flame low and cook patiently. As we have added sugar to the dough, it helps to change the color of jamun quickly. Remove the jamun using a slotted ladle and drain in a tissue paper. If the sugar syrup becomes cold, heat for a minute and make it warm. Add the cooked kala jamun to the sugar syrup and mix well. Cover and soak it for 30 minutes to one hour OR till the jamun increase in size after soaking. Serve warm or cold as you like with or without ice cream. Enjoy !

NOTE

Addition of sugar helps the jamun to change dark black in color. So do not skip it. Remember to cook the jamun in low flame patiently. If you cook in high flame, jamun may burn. Alternatively you can also fry the jamun twice to get black color.

Try this easy, yummy Kala Jamun using Instant gulab jamun mix. Enjoy !!

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Moong Dal Halwa – Quick Moong Dal Sheera Recipe

This is an easy and quick version of moong dal halwa / moong dal sheera. I followed this recipe from Tarla Dalal’s website. Usually moong dal halwa takes more time to cook. But this is a quick recipe that can be prepared under 30 minutes. As it is prepared without khoya, I tried it immediately. It came out very well. 

I have tasted moong dal halwa in many North Indian Lunch buffet. I love its coarse texture and softness. When I prepared this recipe, I was very happy that I could make a similar one at home easily. Friends, do try this quick moong dal halwa recipe without khoya. You will love it for sure.  I took a video for this recipe. I will try to add it tomorrow. Now lets check out the recipe with step by step pictures.

Do check out my easy atta halwa / wheat flour halwa, Corn flour halwa/ Karachi halwa,  Badam halwa, easy beetroot halwa !

I have a happy news to share with you all. Chitra’s Food Book has been selected under Top 100 Vegetarian Blogs in feedspot.  Thank you Anuj !

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Moong dal halwa at room temperature

Moong Dal Halwa - How To Make Quick Moong Dal Halwa Recipe

Quick and easy moong dal halwa recipe without khoya

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 3-4

Prep time: 120 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 140 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 250ml Yellow moong dal - 1/2 cup Boiled milk - 1/2 cup Water - 1/2 cup Sugar - 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp ( actual recipe used 1/2 cup)  Melted ghee - 1/2 cup Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Kesar / saffron thread - 1/2 tsp (soak in 1 tbsp water) Cashews, badam - 2 tbsp ( chopped)

METHOD

1. Wash and soak moong dal in hot water for 2 hours.
2. Drain the water completely and dry grind the dal to a paste without adding water.
3. Strain the ground paste through a thin cloth. Squeeze the water content.
4. Heat ghee in a kadai. Add ground paste and saute in medium flame till it becomes golden brown.
5. Add milk + Water and cook till thick. Add sugar, mix well.
6. Cover and Cook for 5 minutes in low flame. Mix well.Add cardamom powder, saffron.
7. When the halwa starts to leave the sides of pan, remove and garnish with nuts. Serve warm.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and soak moong dal in hot water for 2 to 3 hours.Drain the water completely. Grind to a slightly coarse paste without adding water.Set aside. Chop the nuts finely. Soak saffron in 1 tbsp warm water.Keep aside. Take a thin cloth and put the ground paste.Squeeze it well and remove the water content. Now the paste looks dry without moisture. Heat ghee in a kadai. Keep the flame low and add the paste. Mix well till it spreads well with ghee. Cook in medium flame for 12 to 15 minutes till it becomes golden brown and crumbly. Add milk and water. Mix well till 3/4 th of the milk + water is absorbed by the moong dal paste. After it becomes slightly thick, add sugar and mix well. Mixture becomes a semi liquid. Cover and cook in very low flame for 5 minutes. Open and  mix well. When it starts to leave the sides of pan, add cardamom powder. saffron thread soaked in little water ( soak 1/2 tsp saffron in 1 tbsp water).Mix well. Halwa becomes thick and starts to leave the sides of kadai with traces of ghee, switch off the flame. No need to wait for the ghee to release. If you stir more, halwa becomes hard after cool down. Remove the halwa in a bowl and garnish with chopped nuts.  When the halwa becomes warm, it becomes non-sticky and well set. Enjoy when warm for best taste.  You can store this halwa upto 3 days in refrigerator. You can reheat it in a kadai , microwave or dosa tawa adding 1 tsp ghee to serve it fresh everytime.

Note

You can skip milk and use water completely. Do not reduce the quantity of ghee. Halwa becomes hard. Do not cook the halwa for more time after adding sugar. Sugar caramelizes and hardens the halwa. Remove the halwa as soon as it starts to leave the sides of pan. Straining the ground moong dal paste in cloth helps to remove the water content. Hence it cooks quickly.

Try this easy, yummy Moong dal halwa and enjoy !

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Carrot Halwa With Khoya In Pressure Cooker–Gajar Ka Halwa With Khoya

Yesterday I prepared carrot halwa with khoya in pressure cooker (Gajar Ka Halwa With Khoya) without using milk/condensed milk for the first time. I made it for my Thursday Guru Pooja prasad. It came out very well. As I made in pressure cooker, I made it very quickly and easily. Carrot halwa is my favorite dessert in restaurant. 

My Lunch buffet in restaurants would be incomplete without tasting hot carrot halwa with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. Its a divine combo. Long back I had shared carrot halwa (Gajar halwa in Hindi) recipe without khoya in pressure cooker. In that recipe, I used milk to cook carrot. But here I made it without milk as we are adding khoya in it. I used water instead of milk. So the color of my halwa came out bright in color.It tasted like the one we get in sweet shops and hotels. I was very happy with the results. You too give this recipe a try and share your feedback with me. 

I have also shared some tips and variations in the method with step by step pictures section for better understanding. Hope beginners would try this carrot halwa recipe and make it easily. So, lets see how to make Carrot halwa/Gajar ka halwa with khoya in a pressure cooker.

 

Also check out my easy beetroot halwa in a pressure cooker which is a super hit recipe in this website. If you want make carrot halwa in a kadai instead of cooker, you can looks at THIS RECIPE.

Carrot halwa with khoya in pressure cooker - Gajar Ka Halwa Recipe

How to make carrot halwa with khoya / Gajar halwa with khoya in pressure cooker

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 250ml Grated carrot - 2 cups ( I used 4 medium sized carrots) Sugar - 1/3 cup (Granulated crystal sugar) Grated or crumbled khoya - 1/3 cup  ( I used milky mist brand) Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Water - 5 tbsp ( You can also use boiled milk) Ghee - 2 tbsp Cashews - Few

HOW TO MAKE CARROT HALWA WITH KHOYA

1. Crumble or grate khoya, set aside. 
2. Wash,peel skin and grate carrot in big holed grater.
3. Heat ghee in pressure cooker base and roast cashews. Saute carrot till raw smell goes off.
4. Add water and cook in high flame for 2 whistles. Carrot cook well and becomes soft.
5. Add sugar and mix till halwa starts to leaves the sides. Add khoya,cardamom powder. Switch off the flame immediately.
6. Mix well till Khoya combines with carrot. Remove and let it cool down.
7. Halwa becomes non-sticky when it becomes warm. Serve warm & enjoy with ice cream. 

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Grate or crumble khoya. Set aside. Wash and peel the skin of carrot. Grate it using a big holed grater. Keep it aside. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker base.Roast cashews till golden. Add grated carrot and saute well for 5 to 7 minutes in medium flame till raw smell vanishes completely. Carrot turns pale orange in color. If you don’t saute properly, halwa smells raw. Add water(If you want dark colored halwa) Or milk and pressure cook in high flame for 2 whistles. Remove the lid after steam is released completely. Carrot becomes soft and cook well. If you find any moisture content or water in the cooked carrot, saute well in high flame till it becomes dry. Add sugar and mix in medium flame.Sugar melts and halwa becomes watery. Keep mixing in medium flame till halwa starts to become slightly thick and leave the sides of cooker. Do not wait for it to become too thick. Lower the flame completely. Add cardamom powder, crumbled khoya. Mix well and Switch off the flame immediately. Mix till khoya spreads with carrot in off fire. Heat of the carrot is sufficient to partially melt & mix the khoya. No need to mix till khoya melts completely. Khoya should be visible here and there just like the ones served in hotels & sweet shops. Halwa may look sticky when its hot. But when it turns warm, it becomes non-sticky and comes to right texture. You can reheat in microwave oven for 1 minute in high power and serve hot if you like OR enjoy it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This halwa stays good for one day without refrigeration and up to 3 days with refrigeration. If you refrigerate the halwa, you can reheat it at the time of serving. Enjoy !

Note

If you want carrot to be visible in the halwa,you must use a grater with big sized holes. Carrot halwa smells raw if you don’t saute it well. By the time you saute, carrot gets half cooked. Pressure cooking helps carrot to cook quickly. I added little water to cook carrot as I wanted bright colored halwa. Adding milk makes the halwa pale orange in color. As we are adding khoya,there is no need to add milk for cooking carrot. But cooking in milk makes the halwa more rich. Do not add more khoya than the mentioned quantity. It makes the halwa sticky.   Do not add less sugar. It makes the halwa smell raw. Do not stir the halwa for long time after adding sugar. Sugar caramelizes and halwa becomes chewy.

Try this easy, yummy Carrot halwa with khoya and enjoy with ice cream!

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