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October 25, 2019

Seven Cup Burfi –7 Cup Cake Recipe

seven cup cake
Seven cup burfi recipe was in my bookmarks list for years. I thought seven cup cake tastes more like mysore pak. But after trying it, I realized it tastes completely different. Unlike other burfi recipes, there is no need of sugar syrup or one string consistency. This seven cup burfi is just a mix and cook kind. It can be prepared with easily available ingredients like milk, besan flour, coconut, ghee with 1 cup each and 3 cups of sugar, totally 7 cups. I made it in a very small quantity. 

Be it big or small, use the same cup to measure all the ingredients. Tastes so good with a nice flavor of milk and coconut. If done well, this burfi melts in mouth. Its a beginners sweet. You don’t need any expertise to make it. Friends, do try this easy, yummy Seven cup burfi also known as 7 cup cake for this Diwali and share your feedback with me.
seven cup burfi

Seven cup burfi / Seven cup cake recipe


Seven cup burfi / Seven cup cake recipe

Seven cup burfi recipe with 5 ingredients



Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 10 
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 20 Minutes



INGREDIENTS
1 cup  = 250 ml
  • Besan flour - 1/4 cup
  • Boiled milk - 1/4 cup (At room temperature)
  • Finely grated coconut OR Desiccated coconut - 1/4 cup
  • Melted ghee - 1/4 cup (At room temperature)
  • Sugar - 3/4 cup
  • Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
HOW TO MAKE SEVEN CUP BURFI RECIPE
  1. Heat a kadai and dry roast the besan for 5 minutes in medium flame.
  2. Lower the flame completely. Add grated coconut, milk, sugar, ghee and cardamom powder.
  3. Mix well without lumps. Now increase the flame to medium.
  4. Keep stirring till the mixture becomes thick and starts to leave the pan.
  5. Immediately transfer to a ghee greased tray. Press and spread it with a ghee greased bowl.
  6. Draw shapes when warm, remove after cooled down.
  7. Store and enjoy up to a week.
SEVEN CUP BURFI RECIPE - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

  • Measure and keep all the ingredients ready. Take a plate and grease with ghee. Also grease a small bowl or ladle to level the burfi. 

  • Heat a kadai and take 1/4 cup of besan flour. Dry roast it for 5 minutes in medium flame till raw smell vanish. Do not brown the flour or burn it.

  • Lower the flame completely or switch it off if you are a beginner. Add grated coconut, melted ghee, boiled milk at room temperature, sugar, cardamom powder and mix without lumps. Now switch on the flame and keep it medium. Stir the mixture well. Don’t worry if there are small lumps. It breaks while cooking.

  • Stay nearby and keep mixing. Initially bubbles appear in the middle. As you mix, burfi mixture thickens and bubbles appear all over the kadai.

  • Keep mixing till frothy, thick and starts to leave the sides of pan. At one stage, burfi mixture becomes thick and starts to follow the ladle. Immediately switch off the flame and transfer to the ghee greased tray. Do not cook for more time because burfi crumbles or becomes hard. 

  • Quickly level and spread it with a ghee greased bowl or ladle. Mark pieces when warm. Remove after it cools down. Store in a box and enjoy for a week. 

Note

  • Do not over cook the mixture. Burfi crumbles. In that case, you should grind the crumbled burfi with little water or to a smooth paste and cook again till right consistency.
  • If you do not want to use 3 cups of sugar, you can use 2 cups of sugar + 1 cup of powdered cashew nuts or badam.  But authentic 7 cup recipe doesn’t use nuts.
  • I feel dried or desiccated coconut is better than fresh coconut. If you use fresh coconut, you should grate it finely or grind it once.

Try this easy, yummy seven cup cake recipe and enjoy the festival !
seven cup burfi
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October 21, 2019

Rasam Using Store Bought Rasam Powder

Usually I make rasam using homemade rasam powder or with freshly ground instant rasam podi. But recently I got a pack of rasam powder from I-Flo brand for my review. For the first time, I tried making rasam using this store bought rasam powder. I followed the recipe given in the back of pack but made some modifications by adding crushed garlic cloves and tempering in ghee. It came out so well. I never expected it to be so flavorful and tasty just like the ones made using homemade rasam powder. In my family, Raksha gives the best feedback about rasam varieties. She loved it a lot and told me to make it again. I guess many of you especially bachelors and working women use store bought rasam powder at home to ease the job during busy morning hours. I hope this method of making with store bought rasam powder helps you make tasty and perfect rasam.


Rasam using store bought rasam powder


Rasam using store bought rasam powder

Rasam using store bought rasam powder



Cuisine: South Indian
Category: Rasam Recipes
Serves: Serves 2
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes



INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 250ml
  • Ripe tomato - 1
  • Tamarind - Small gooseberry size (Take 1 cup extract)
  • Rasam powder – 1 tbsp
  • Salt & water - as needed
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Garlic cloves - 5 cloves (crushed with skin)
  • Coriander leaves - to garnish
  • Sugar – 1/4 tsp
  • Ghee – 2 tsp ( to drizzle )
To Temper
  • Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Red chilli - 1 no
  • Curry leaves - Few
  • Hing / Asafetida – a pinch
HOW TO MAKE RASAM WITH STORE BOUGHT RASAM POWDER
  1. Wash and chop tomato. Soak tamarind and take the extract in 1 cup of water.
  2. In a kadai or bowl, temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilli.
  3. Saute till tomato turns mushy. Add rasam powder and saute quickly.
  4. Add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and hing.
  5. Boil in medium flame till raw smell emanates.
  6. Add crushed garlic and add 1/2 cup water.
  7. Boil till frothy and switch off the flame.
  8. Garnish with coriander leaves and 2 tsp of ghee. 
  9. Cover and rest for 30 minutes for best taste.
  10. Serve with plain rice and potato curry - the best side dish for rasam !
RASAM USING STORE BOUGHT RASAM POWDER - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • In a bowl or kadai, heat cooking oil. Splutter ingredients given under “to temper”.

  • Add chopped tomato and saute till mushy. Add rasam powder and saute for a minute. 
  • Add 1 cup of tamarind extract, salt, turmeric powder and sugar.

  • Boil till raw smell of tamarind emanates and nice smell wafts through. 
  • Add 1/2 cup more water and crushed garlic cloves. Boil in medium flame till frothy.

  • Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

  • Transfer to a bowl, add 2 tsp of ghee. Cover with a lid. 

  • Serve after 30 minutes for best taste. Serve with plain rice and enjoy !

Note

  • Addition of garlic cloves is optional. But it adds a nice flavor to the rasam.
  • You can also temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds and red chilli in ghee at the end.
Do try this easy, yummy rasam recipe using store bought rasam powder and enjoy !



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October 16, 2019

Mini Besan Murukku Recipe – Kadalai Maavu Murukku - Small Murukku Recipe

Besan murukku / Kadalai maavu murukku recipe was in my try list since Gokulashtami/ Krishna jayanthi. So I tried this murukku as my first Diwali snacks recipe. I always have a love towards mini murukku/ small murukku since childhood. We call it as chinna murukku or kutty murukku in Tamil. When I was young, we used to buy mini kai murukku from a nearby snacks shop. Iam not so good in shaping mini kai murukku. So I tried this besan murukku in small size using star mould just like Udupi brand murukku. Basically my daughter Raksha doesn’t like big sized mullu murukku as it pricks the jaws while eating. When I made this mullu murukku in small size, she had it happily without any complaints. 

This bite sized murukku is so easy to eat and also appealing to our eyes. She took few for her school snacks box today to share with her friends. This shows the hit of this small besan murukku right??😊. One more thing I would like to share. This murukku doesn't have a melt in mouth texture. It's slightly hard to bite hard but definitely crunchy. Friends, do try this mini murukku for your kids and family during this Diwali and let me know how they liked it. Lets see how to make besan flour murukku / kadalai maavu murukku with step by step pictures.

Check out my other MURUKKU VARIETIES !

Mini besan murukku recipe / Kadalai maavu murukku


Mini besan murukku recipe / Kadalai maavu murukku

Besan murukku / kadalai maavu murukku in small size / mini murukku recipe



Cuisine: Indian
Category: Snacks
Yields: 40 small murukku
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes



INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 250ml
  • Store bought rice flour - 1 cup
  • Besan flour - 1/2 cup
  • Soft butter - 1 tbsp
  • Hot oil - 1/2 tbsp (I used refined oil)
  • Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp (Adjust based on your taste)
  • Ajwain / Omam - 1/2 tsp
  • Black sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Hing / Asafetida - 1/4 tsp
  • Salt & water - as needed
  • Cooking oil – to deep fry murukku
HOW TO MAKE BESAN MURUKKU
  1. In a bowl sieve and mix besan flour, rice flour.
  2. Add ajwain, red chilli powder, sesame seeds, hing, butter, hot oil and salt.
  3. Mix well. Then add water gradually and make a smooth, pliable, slightly sticky dough.
  4. In the murukku press, keep the star mould and fill the dough.
  5. Heat oil and check the temperature. Press the small murukku in a sheet.
  6. Drop in hot oil and fry both the sides till bubbles cease. Remove in a tissue paper.
  7. Store in a box after murukku comes to room temperature. Stays good for 15 days. Enjoy !
BESAN FLOUR MURUKKU - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

  • In a wide bowl, place a sieve. Add rice flour and besan flour to it. Sieve them well.

  • Add salt, hing, ajwain, sesame seeds, red chilli powder , hot oil and butter. Mix well without water to spread the butter evenly with the flour.

  • Now add water gradually and make a smooth, pliable dough. Dough can be slightly sticky. If you add less water, murukku gets cut while pressing. So add right amount of water. Cover the dough with a plate till use. Do not dry the dough.
  •  

  • Take the murukku press and place the star mould or round mould with a single hole. Fill the murukku dough.  In a butter paper or polythene sheet, press the murukku. Make small sized murukku with one rotation as I did.

  • Heat oil in a kadai. Drop a pinch of dough and see if it comes to top immediately without changing in color. It indicates correct oil temperature.

  • Now drop kutty murukku one by one in oil. Beginners, slide the murukku in the corner of kadai to avoid splashing of oil. Cook 10 to 15 in one batch based on the quantity of oil. Cook in medium flame. Toss in regular intervals and cook both the sides till bubbles cease. Do not burn it. Cook patiently in correct flame. Remove & drain the oil in a tissue paper.

  • Store the murukku in a box after it cools down. Stays good for 15 days, enjoy !

Note

  • Adjust the quantity of red chilli powder as per your taste. Color of murukku depends on chilli powder. Skip if you don’t like to use it.
  • Do not over fry, it turns black. Cook in medium flame by tossing in regular intervals.
  • Do not add more butter. Oil may bubble. 

Try this small sized besan murukku and enjoy !
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October 14, 2019

Dates and Nuts Ladoo Recipe – Dates Laddu Recipe - Sugar Free Sweets Recipes

dates nuts laddu
To start with this year’s Diwali recipes, here is an easy and simple, sugar-free Dates nuts laddu recipe. This recipe is similar to Dates and nuts roll I posted few years back. But its procedure is much easier than dates roll. I tried this with the leftover pack of dates. It tastes so good and flavorful too. With a nice flavor of ghee and crunchy taste of nuts, this dates ladoo is sure a healthy choice for kids and adults with good calories. Use soft dates (Medjool dates) if you like soft ladoo or use regular, hard dates like Lion dates for slightly, chewy and hard ladoo. Its your choice finally. Chopping the nuts is little time consuming otherwise this ladoo can be prepared in few minutes. If you want to ease this chopping job, you can grind coarsely and then roast it. Friends, do try this healthy, sugarless sweet for this Diwali and enjoy ! Lets see how to make dates and nuts ladoo with step by step pictures.

Check out my Dates and Nuts Roll Recipe.

dates nuts laddu

Dates Nuts Ladoo Recipe


Dates Nuts Ladoo Recipe

Sugar free dates and nuts laddu recipe



Cuisine: Indian
Category: Sweet
Serves: 12
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 20 Minutes



INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Dates - 1 cup / 15 nos ( I used Lion Seedless Dates)
  • Chopped Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
  • Chopped Almond - 1/4 cup
  • Melon seeds - 2 tbsp
  • Chopped pista - 1 tbsp (optional)
  • Poppy seeds / Khus khus - 1 tbsp
  • Desiccated coconut - 1 tbsp (optional)
  • Ghee - 1 tbsp + for greasing hands
HOW TO MAKE DATES LADDU
  1. Wash and chop dates roughly. Grind to a coarse paste. Set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai and roast the nuts.
  3. Once golden, add poppy seeds and coconut.
  4. Roast for a minute. Lastly add ground dates.
  5. Mix well till it becomes a whole mass.
  6. Remove and cool down. Grease hands with ghee.
  7. Make balls and arrange the ladoo in a plate.
DATES AND NUTS LADOO - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • Wash the dates and chop roughly. Grind to a coarse paste and set aside.
  • dates nuts laddu
  • Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai. Roast the cashew nuts, almonds and melon seeds in low to medium flame. When they start to turn golden, add poppy seeds and desiccated coconut. Roast for a minute. Do not burn anything.
  • dates nuts laddu
  • To this add the ground dates paste. Mix in medium flame till everything comes together as a whole mass. Initially you will find it difficult to mix the dates and nuts. But when the dates paste gets heated, it become easy to mix.
  • dates nuts laddu
  • Once everything comes together as a mass, switch off the flame.  Let it become warm. Grease your hands with ghee. Make balls / shape ladoo. Arrange in a plate.
  • dates nuts laddu
  • Once the ladoo comes to room temperature, store in an air tight box. Use within a week for best taste. Enjoy !

Note

  • Adjust the quantity of nuts as per your taste. I used 1/4 cup, you can use 1/2 cup too.
  • Do not add sugar or honey. Its not necessary.
  • You can use soft dates or regular dates. But taste and texture of ladoo differs.
  • Do not over cook the mixture after adding dates paste. Ladoo may become hard and chewy after cooling down. Just cook till it comes together as a mass.
  • Greasing your hands with ghee helps to give a shine to ladoo and also adds nice flavor.
Try this easy, yummy dates and nuts ladoo recipe and enjoy !
dates nuts laddu recipe
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October 10, 2019

Pavakkai Chips / Crispy Bitter gourd Chips with wheat flour – Karela Chips Recipe

Bitter gourd chips

 I learnt this crispy bitter gourd chips recipe from my MIL. During my recent visit to Salem, my MIL gave me some fresh, home grown bitter gourd (Pavakkai in Tamil, Karela in Hindi, Kākarakāya in Telugu, Hagalakayi in Kannada, Pāvaykka in Malayalam). She also suggested me to try this crispy pavakkai chips for Sendhil and Raksha. 

Usually pavakkai chips is made using besan flour, rice flour or Maida and corn flour. But I used wheat flour and rice flour as suggested by my MIL. It came out super crispy and tasty. We all loved it. It tastes less bitter as we are slicing the bitter gourd thinly and deep frying it. Also it stayed crispy for more than an hour. It is prepared without curd, maida or besan flour. If you want to avoid deep frying, you can bake them in an oven but taste varies. Friends, do try this crispy pavakkai chips and enjoy with sambar rice or as teatime snack !

Check out my white colored potato chips recipe, Raw banana chips and French fries too !

pavakkai chips



Pavakkai chips / Bitter gourd chips recipe


Pavakkai chips / Bittergourd chips recipe

Pavakkai chips recipe / Crispy bittergourd chips recipe



Cuisine: Indian
Category: Snacks recipes
Serves: 3
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes



INGREDIENTS

  • Bitter gourd - 2
  • Wheat flour / Atta - 1/2 cup OR Wheat flour + rice flour - 1/4 cup each
  • Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
  • Coriander seeds powder / Dhania powder - 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Fennel seeds powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Salt - as needed
  • Water - to sprinkle
  • Cooking oil - to deep fry
HOW TO MAKE BITTERGOURD CHIPS
  1. Wash and slice bitter gourd thinly and take in a bowl.
  2. In that bowl mix wheat flour, rice flour, gg paste, spice powders, salt along with bitter gourd.
  3. Mix without water. Then sprinkle water slightly, coat the flour and bitter gourd.
  4. Rest for 10 minutes. Then add remaining rice flour, give a good mix. Set aside.
  5. Heat oil to deep fry. Drop each pieces separately and fry in medium flame till golden in color.
  6. Flip and cook the other side till crispy. Remove and drain in a tissue paper.
  7. Serve hot with sambar rice or as teatime snack.
BITTER GOURD CHIPS RECIPE - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • Wash and chop bitter gourd very thinly. Slicing thinly helps to remove bitter taste.
  • bitter gourd chips
  • In a bowl, take the sliced bitter gourd. Add wheat flour, rice flour, salt, red chilli powder, dhania powder, garam masala powder, fennel powder, ginger garlic paste. Mix well.
  • bitter gourd chips
  • Sprinkle little water to coat the bitter gourd and powders. Rest for 5 minutes. Mix well and its ready to deep fry. If needed sprinkle little rice flour n water.
  • bitter gourd chips
  • Heat oil to deep fry. Drop a pinch of bitter gourd and check if it rises to the top immediately. Now sprinkle the bitter gourd pieces one by one in oil. Do not clutter them. Cook in batches of 10 to 15 nos. based on the quantity of oil in the kadai.  
  • bitter gourd chips
  • Cook in medium to high flame till it becomes golden in color on one side. Keep tossing in oil. Flip and cook the other side till there are few bubbles in oil. Cook till crispy and golden in color. It takes more time to cook. Do not wait for all the bubbles to cease completely. Chips may burn. Rmove at the right stage. Check for crispy taste. Add more wheat flour or rice flour if necessary. Mix and make chips. 

  • Remove the chips in a tissue paper and serve hot for crispy taste. You can serve with sambar / rasam rice or as tea time snack. This bitter gourd chips stays crispy for an hour if fried properly.

  • Enjoy !

Note

  • You can use besan flour instead of wheat flour but taste varies.
  • Deep fry the bitter gourd pieces by tossing it whenever needed and by adjusting the flame. It takes slightly more time to cook than other chips recipes.
  • You can fry in high flame too but keep tossing and stay nearby else  it will burn.
  • Color of this chips will be on the dark golden brown shade as we are using wheat flour.
  • Adjust the quantity of wheat flour and rice flour as per the size of bitter gourd.

Try this crispy pavakkai chips and enjoy !

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September 28, 2019

Kondakadalai Masala Sundal Recipe – Black Chana Sundal Recipe

I learnt this kondakadalai masala sundal recipe from my neighbor. Last year during Ganesh Chaturthi I got this black chana sundal from her as prasadam. It was so flavorful and tasted yummy. Raksha loved it a lot. I asked the recipe from her and started making it regularly at home for Raksha’s sake. Generally, for offering God we need to make no onion no garlic sundal during Navaratri.

For every occasion, I make a portion of sundal without onion garlic, reserve it for pooja and make the remaining sundal by adding masala. For making this masala sundal, we are using onion and kurma powder / garam masala powder which enhances the taste and flavor. We can make this sundal using white kabuli chana / chickpeas or black ones based on our wish. Both tastes great. Friends, do try this masala sundal by reserving some soaked legumes. You will love it. Lets see how to make karuppu kondakadalai sundal / black chana sundal adding masala with step by step pictures.

Check out my other Sundal recipes too.


Black chana sundal recipe / Kondakadalai Masala sundal


Black chana sundal recipe / Kondakadalai sundal

Black chana sundal / Karuppu kondakadalai sundal with masala flavor



Cuisine: South Indian
Category: Sundal recipes
Serves: Serves 4
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes



INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 250ml
  • Brown chana/ chickpeas - 1 cup
  • Big onion - 1 (finely chopped)
  • Garam masala powder / Kurma powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp
  • Green chilli – 1(slit into 2)
  • Salt - as needed
  • Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
  • Coriander leaves - to garnish
To Temper
  • Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
  • Asafetida / Hing - 1/8 tsp
  • Curry leaves - Few
HOW TO MAKE BLACK CHANA SUNDAL
  1. Wash and soak brown/ black chana in required water over night or 8 hours.
  2. Drain the soaked water and pressure cook in low flame for one whistle.
  3. In a kadai, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds , hing and curry leaves.
  4. When it splutters, add onion and green chilli. Saute till transparent.
  5. Add garam masala powder, salt Mix well. for a minute in low flame.
  6. Add cooked chana, mix well. Cook for minute.
  7. Lastly add grated coconut. Switch off the flame.
  8. Garnish with coriander leaves.
CHANA SUNDAL RECIPE - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • Wash and soak chana / chickpeas in a bowl adding enough water. Soak it for 12 hours or overnight for best result. The next day, drain the water and add the soaked chana in a pressure cooker.

  • Add enough water to cover the chana. Pressure cook it for 2 to 3 whistles in low flame. Remove after the steam is released completely. Press to check it soft and well cooked. Drain the excess water if any and set aside.

  • Heat oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds. Add hing, curry leaves. Saute finely chopped onion and a  slit green chilli.

  • Lower the flame completely and add the garam masala powder in oil. Saute quickly. Add the cooked chana, required salt and mix well. If necessary, add little water too.
  • Let it boil in low flame for few minutes. Lastly add grated coconut, mix well and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. If you wish, you can add some lemon juice too. Serve warm or hot ! Enjoy.  

Note

  • You can use white or brown chana.
  • White tastes the best but we use brown chana for festivals.
  • To make the chana soft, you can add a pinch of baking soda while soaking in the water. Drain the soaked water completely, wash it twice and then pressure cook.
  • For variations, you can add chilli powder in oil instead of green chilli.

Friends, do try this masala chana sundal for a variation and enjoy !



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