Crunchy Coconut Balls

Its a very simple recipe. It makes great nutritious snack for the kids and everyone would love it.

INGREDIENTS:

•  English Marie / Arrowroot Biscuits:            1 Packet
• Condensed Milk:                                        1 Can
• Cocoa Powder:                                          1/4 Cup
• Dessicated Coconut:                                   3/4 Cup

RECIPE:

• Crumble the biscuits, using Food processor or if you want your rolls to be slightly chunky, use just your hands.
• Mix rest of the ingredients with crumbled biscuits.
• Make a nice dough of the mix.
• Make small and smooth balls of the mix.
• Roll the balls on some extra dessicated coconut.

Ready to serve. These taste really nice at room temperature or right out of Refrigerator.

Gulab Jamun

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This is one of the most popular sweet - dish in India. You can have it Hot in Winters or make it dry for summers. It's really easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

• Milk Powder:                                                                 1 1/2 cup
• Self Raising flour ( or MAIDA + 1/2 tsp baking soda):    1/2 cup             
• Thickened Cream:   Just enough to make soft rubbery dough
• Oil:                                                                                     For frying

     For the Sugar Syrup

• Sugar:                                                                                3 Cups
• Water:                                                                               1 1/2 Sups
• Cardamon Seeds (Finely grounded):                                  1/4 tspoon

METHOD:

   To Make Sugar Syrup

• Mix Sugar and Water and add Cardamon powder.
• Heat the mix at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water and it thickens a bit. Do not overcook as it leads to caramalization.
• Keep the Sugar Syrup warm.

     To Make Balls

• Make the dough by combining the milk powder, Flour and Cream,just enough to make a medium-hard dough. Divide the dough into small parts, around 30-35 . Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a moist towel.
• Heat the oil on Medium high and when it is fairly hot, lower the flame to medium . Put the balls in the oil, one by one. Then very gently and carefully shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 2 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. Now gently and constantly agitate them to ensure even browning on all sides.

         After frying, add the balls to sugar syrup and leave overnight for best absorption.

Important TIPS:

• If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So maintain the temperature at medium high to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly as it will leave core uncooked.
• Make Sure the dough isn't too wet as it would become sticky and making balls would be very hard.
• Sugar syrup's consistency is very important as over-heated sugar syrup would before bit hard on cooling and if its not cooked properly then Gulab jamun's would taste watery.

ENJOY COOKING !!

Vegetable Biryani

We all know, Biryani tastes best with meat but what if you don't eat meat. Well, here's a vegetarian version of Biryani that tastes amazing and is quite easy to cook. So let's start cooking:

INGREDIENTS:

• Red onion, sliced very fine in long thin flakes                 1 Large
• Basmati rice                                                                 2 cups
• Vegetable oil                                                                1 tablespoon
• Garlic cloves (finely crushed)                                         2 large
• Cinnamon stick                                                             1
• Red chilli powder                                                          1/4 Tspoon
• Cardamom                                                                    5-6 
• Cumin                                                                           1 1/2 teaspoons
• Vegetable stock / Water                                                3 Cups
• Cauliflower ( small pieces)                                             1/2 Cup
• Green beans                                                                  1 Cup
• Button mushrooms (cut into quarters)                             1/2 Cup
• Toasted Almonds (cut into flakes)                                  2 Table spoons
• Yoghurt                                                                         1/4 Cup
• Corriander leaves for dressing
• Salt as per taste

RECIPE:

• Heat oil in a large, saucepan over medium heat.
• Cook onion about 2 minutes.
• Now add garlic and cook further for 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft.
• Add the Spices - cinnamon, cardamon, cumin and chilli.
• Cook for about 45-60 seconds i.e until you smell aroma of spices.
• Add rice.
• Fry it slowly for a few minutes and let it absorb the spices.
• Add the veggies - Beans, Mushroom and Cauliflower.
• Add the Stock / Water.
• Bring it to boil.
• Now, reduce the heat to medium low.
• Add Salt.
• Cover the Pan and let it simmer for about 12 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed.
• Remove from heat.
• Leave it covered for about 10-12 minutes or until the rice is tender and soft.
• Remove the Cinnamon stick.
• Dress it up with Fresh Corriander leaves and flaked Almonds.
• Serve with Yoghurt or may be with any curry of your choice.

 Important TIPS:

• Never let the flame get to high while cooking rice as it would make the water evaporate leaving the rice uncooked.
• Keep on checking it while its cooking to make sure, rice are not sticking to bottom.
• If you serve it with curry, don't add almond flakes.

ENJOY !!