Rasgulla or Roshogolla (Bengali) or Rosogola (Oriyan) was first made in Orissa (now Odisha). Bengal, Orissa’s neighboring state also has a version of the Rasgulla, slightly different in taste, color and texture. Ras means juice and golla is ball. Typically Rasgullas are white and not flavored. They are pillowy soft and spongy melt-in-the-mouth balls of paneer (before it is set) in a light sweet syrup.
I’ve made my fair share of Rasmalais over the years (I've lost count, hundreds for sure!!:D ) which requires making Rasgullas first and then boiled in flavored milk. So making Rasgollas isn’t new to me at all, but I wanted to try a flavor twist to it. I had canned Mango puree on hand and thus Mango Rasgullas were born! You can use fresh mango pulp but I think with all the cooking the flavor will be mellowed and lost so for these Rasgullas I do highly recommend canned Mango pulp. Its stronger in flavor, color and taste. The recipe below can easily be doubled.
Mango Rasgullas Makes: 10 small Rasgullas
You will need:
2.5 cups Whole milk 2 tbsp Vinegar or Lemon juice 1/3 cup Mango pulp (fresh or canned) 1 tsp Semolina (Rava)
For the syrup: 2 cups water 1 cup Sugar 3 pods Green Cardamom Few drops Mango extract
Finely chopped unsalted Pistachios (optional)
Heat milk in a medium pan. Stir to prevent burning. Bring to a boil and then add the vinegar or lemon juice. Stir to split the milk. Turn off heat and allow to sit for a minute.
Line a colander with a cheesecloth or thin cloth. Strain the split milk and rinse the Paneer under running cold water. This removes the vinegar/lemon juice residue. Don’t skip this step or else you will end up with very sour tasting Rasgullas!!
Squeeze out as much water as you possibly can from the Paneer. It doesn’t need to fully dry but not soggy either.
Remove from the cloth into a shallow plate. Knead gently for 2-3 minutes until the mixture comes together. Add 2 tablespoons of the mango purée and the semolina. Knead to combine.
Divide into 10 equal balls. Prepare the syrup. Combine water, sugar and cardamom in a pressure cooker. Bring to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of mango pulp and few drops of the mango extract. When the water begins to boil add the Paneer balls. Close the lid and turn the heat to high. Place weight on the cooker and allow it to whistle once. Then turn down the heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.
The first blast of pressure allows the balls to double in size, and the cooking time allows it to cook slowly and soften in the process.
Turn off heat and cool before opening the lid. Remove the rosgullas to a bowl carefully since they are fragile. Add remaining mango purée to the syrup and boil for 5-6 minutes until thickened. Return the rasgullas to the syrup. Cool completely before serving. Top with chopped Pistachios if using.
Spongy Mango Rasgullas are easy to make and taste absolutely delicious! I think I might have to make another batch very soon :D These lasted only until I took pics haha!
It had been ages since I made Kulfis at home. The temperatures are soaring with rain studded days, and these kulfis took me right back to my childhood when mom made them every summer without fail.
This is the classic version of Kulfi, loaded with nuts and hints of Saffron encased in creamy frozen goodness! Yummm...!
Kesar Pista Badam Kulfi: You will need:
2 cups Whole Milk 2tbsp Corn flour (make a paste with 2 tbsp cold milk) 3 to 4 tbsp Milk powder (I used non-fat dry milk) 2 tbsp Badam Milk powder (MTR or any brand) A large pinch Saffron strands 1 tbsp finely chopped unsalted Pistachios 1 tbsp finely chopped raw Almonds 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
Pour milk into a thick bottomed pan, and set on medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from burning on the bottom. Once the milk is warm, remove a tablespoon or two and add it to the milk powder. Whisk to make a smooth paste and set aside. Add the saffron strands, sugar, Badam milk powder and the prepared milk powder paste to the hot milk and combine. Bring to a simmering boil.
Lower heat. Now add the corn starch paste while stirring. The mixture will immediately thicken. Cook for a minute while stirring and then remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before adding the nuts.This keeps the nuts crunchy.
Stir in the nuts. Pour mixture into popsicle molds. If you don’t have Popsicle molds you can use disposable paper cups, or small steel tumblers if you have them at home. Once filled, set aside for few more minutes and then place a popsicle stick in each cup. Freeze for 3-4 hours.
To unmold - Run the sides of the cup or mold under warm water for a few seconds and the kulfi will pop out easily. Serve immediately.
Mysore Pak is a popular sweet in Mysuru (formerly Mysore), Karnataka where I hail from. Mysore Pak goes back to the Royal kitchens during the rule of Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV. A royal cook came up with this sweet concoction using gram flour, sugar, generous amounts of ghee and named it “Mysore Pak” for lack of a better name. “Pak” or “paaka” in kannada means the consistency of sugar, which is a critical element while making Mysore Pak.
In Mysuru, there are two types of Mysore Pak. The regular brick-kind of Mysore Pak which is widely sold in every sweet shop. The other kind is the special Mysore Pak oozing in ghee and the melt-in-the-mouth kind. There are some sweet shops that specialize exclusively in this kind of Mysore Pak. The first kind is made with a mix of ghee and oil while the second is made with pure ghee. You can achieve the bee hive kind of look using ghee too, that depends on the sugar consistency.
Using ghee elevates the sweet and is an important ingredient. I used home-made ghee to make this and the proof is in the taste..yum! Making Mysore Pak requires some arm strength and patience since the mixture needs to be stirred constantly to get the right consistency and to avoid the bottom from burning. I’ve never been a fan of Mysore Pak, but my older son is! So this attempt was for him and he was mighty pleased :)
Like I mentioned earlier, ghee plays an important role in this dish. Don’t skimp on the ghee if you want melt-in-the-mouth kind of Mysore Pak. The recipe I followed calls for 2 cups but I made do with 1.5 cups and still was able to achieve tasty Mysore Pak.
1 cup Gram flour (Besan) 2 cups Sugar 3/4 cup Water 1.5 cups Ghee, melted
Silicone Spatula A good thick-bottomed pan Metal whisk 8x8” square pan Parchment cut to fit bottom of square pan
Place parchment into square pan. Set aside.
Warm the ghee. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the gram flour and 3/4 cup of ghee.Use a whisk to make a smooth, lump-free paste. In another pan, combine the water and sugar and place on medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is melted and comes to a rolling boil. Once it begins to boil let the sugar syrup thicken and come to a one string consistency (similar syrup consistency when we make Gulab Jamoons) This takes about 5-6 minutes.
Once the consistency is achieved, pour the gram flour ghee mixture into the sugar syrup and combine with a spatula. Continue stirring on medium heat, after few minutes add 2 tbsp of ghee. Stir and cook until the ghee is absorbed. Continue with the remaining ghee 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed.
Since I had to constantly stir, I couldn’t pause to take pictures unfortunately.
The mixture will begin to thicken after about 20 minutes of stirring. Continue to cook until the mixture further thickens, 5 more minutes. Pour mixture into the parchment lined pan. Smooth the top and set aside to cool completely.
Once cooled, over turn the pan onto a cutting board or plate.Remove parchment. Cut the Mysore Pak into small rectangles using a sharp knife. Store in a an air-tight container.
Though I’ve never liked Mysore Pak, I am kinda enjoying eating this home-made version :D Hope you do too!
Note: I'm having some issues uploading pics and editing my blog, please bear with me while I try to figure it out. Ignore the extra large fonts on the blog title and side bar.
Now onto the halwa.For as long as I can remember, Sringeri halwa was made at home when there was an unexpected guest. It still is. All it needs is a couple of hours to set and its ready to eat; it’s as easy as making Jell-O. We’ve always known it as Sringeri Halwa. Sringeri is a small city in the state of Karnataka known for the historic temples.When I made this halwa a couple of weeks ago, I googled to see what I could find more on the ‘Sringeri Halwa’ and to my surprise I found out that no such halwa is made in Sringeri… :-D!! I had to ask mom what the story behind the halwa was….and more surprisingly, there was none. She didn’t know how the name came about either, but she did mention maybe someone from Sringeri was visitng and they made the halwa or something like that (So much for making this when there is a guest!) I told her I was going to put this on my blog and I didn’t want someone from Sringeri telling me “Hey, we don’t make this halwa”. So mom and I went back and forth trying to rechristen this halwa – sadly no luck there, even after suggestions like 8 ingredient halwa, cornflour halwa (yes it is!). I finally stuck to Sringeri Halwa, sounds better…made in Sringeri or not!
Cornstarch is probably the last ingredient you would expect an entire halwa to be made up of, trust me this one is sure to surprise you. The key is the proportions and it’s a breeze to make.
You will need:
1 cup Cornstarch (Corn flour) 1 ½ cups Sugar 2 cups Milk 2 cups Water 1 tsp Cardamom powder 2 tsp ghee plus more for greasing plates 1 tsp Cashew bits 1 tsp Raisins
Grease two 8 inch wide, shallow plates with ghee. Heat 2tsp ghee in a small pan, add the cashew bits and raisins, fry till cashews are light brown and raisins are bloated. Set aside.
In a heavy deep saucepan combine cornstarch, milk, water and sugar. Stir to combine and then place pan on medium heat. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes till the mixture thickens to form a paste. When you push the mixture with your spatula, it should stand on one end, for a few seconds atleast. This is the consistency required for it to set up. Add more sugar if required. Stir in the cardamom powder. Remove from heat. Divide mixture between the two plates, and smooth out evenly. Let cool for 15 minutes and then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Cut into slices using a sharp knife. Top with cashews and raisins.
The texture is smooth and on the first bite it’s hard to taste at all, with the second bite you know its sweet and the cardamom hits in.
The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart..Er...pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.
Bakewell tarts…er…puddings combine a number of dessert elements but still let you show off your area’s seasonal fruits.
Like many regional dishes there’s no “one way” to make a Bakewell Tart…er…Pudding, but most of today’s versions fall within one of two types. The first is the “pudding” where a layer of jam is covered by an almondy pastry cream and baked in puff pastry. The second is the “tart” where a rich shortcrust pastry holds jam and an almondy sponge cake-like filling.
The version we’re daring you to make is a combination of the two: a sweet almond-flavoured shortcrust pastry, frangipane and jam.
Bakewell Tart History and Lore
Flan-like desserts that combine either sweet egg custard over candied fruit or feature spiced ground almonds in a pastry shell have Mediaeval roots. The term “Bakewell pudding” was first penned in 1826 by Meg Dods; 20 years later Eliza Acton published a recipe that featured a baked rich egg custard overtop 2cm of jam and noted,
“This pudding is famous not only in Derbyshire, but in several of our northern counties where it is usually served on all holiday occasions.”
By the latter half of the 1800s, the egg custard evolved into a frangipane-like filling; since then the quantity of jam decreased while the almond filling increased.
This tart, like many of the world's great foods has its own mythic beginnings…or several mythic beginnings. Legend has it in 1820 (or was it in the 1860s?) Mrs. Greaves, landlady of The White Horse Inn in Bakewell, Derbyshire (England), asked her cook to produce a pudding for her guests. Either her instructions could have been clearer or he should have paid better attention to what she said because what he made was not what she asked for. The cook spread the jam on top of the frangipane mixture rather than the other way around. Or maybe instead of a sweet rich shortcrust pastry case to hold the jam for a strawberry tart, he made a regular pastry and mixed the eggs and sugar separately and poured that over the jam—it depends upon which legend you follow.
Regardless of what the venerable Mrs. Greaves’ cook did or didn’t do, lore has it that her guests loved it and an ensuing pastry-clad industry was born. The town of Bakewell has since played host to many a sweet tooth in hopes of tasting the tart in its natural setting.
Bakewell tarts are a classic English dessert, abounding in supermarket baking sections and in ready-made, mass-produced forms, some sporting a thick sugary icing and glazed cherry on top for decorative effect.
Enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee or just eat it sneaky slice by sneaky slice until, to your chagrin, you realise the whole tart has somehow disappeared despite you never having pulled out a plate, fork or napkin with which to eat it.
We were allowed to make either one large, medium or several small tarts. After looking high and low for small tart pans, which I didn’t find, I decided on making the large one.
Bakewell Tart…er…pudding
Makes one 23cm (9” tart) Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin
One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds
Assembling the tart Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.
The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.
When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.
225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional) (or vanilla)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.
Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.
The Tart was very good, we loved the frangipane. All the elements were perfectly balanced and came together well. I didn't quite wait for it to cool completely before I cut into it, hence the runny frangipane and jam. It tasted heavenly.I had the left-over sweet pastry dough, which I rolled out and cut into various shapes using cookie cutters. I sprinkled them with a little sugar and baked them for 10 mins at 350F.
The cookies are not too sweet and make for a good tea-time snack.
Another challenge completed. Thank you Jasmine and Annemarie for a great tasting challenge!
I have been away vacationing in Vegas and sunny California, got back on Monday. But since we were gone for almost a week, it took me just about a week to get into the rigmarole of life. My customers were waiting eagerly for my return, so it was back to work for me right away. The trip was very refreshing and I will surely write more on that later.
If there is one fresh fruit that I missed incessantly here is Jackfruit…up until a few days back when I discovered (yeah, with a triumph!) that fresh jackfruit is very much available here as well. Back home, eating fresh jackfruit was almost a daily ritual when the fruit was in season. Dad would often buy the peeled, ready to eat fruit; on his way back home from morning work. We always wolved it down like there was no tomorrow!
Our local Farmers Market was selling fresh jackfruit, whole as well as halved. I bought a halved chunk, wondering all the way to the cashier, if I would be able to peel it and lay my hands on the juicy fruit within. In the end I finally decided to risk the peeling part and bought it. I must say it is a task best left to the roadside vendors who do it so effortlessly (or so it seems). After a sticky ordeal which seemed eternal, I was able to beam at my prized pieces of fresh, juicy fruit. These pieces were so sweet I can’t even begin to tell you how good they tasted.
Hubby is not a big stickler for fruit so I had almost all of it to myself…having gorged on half the pieces; I remembered Ajji (grandma) used to make a halwa out of jackfruit. It’s a simple aromatic sweet dish.
Jackfruit Halwa:
You will need:
1 tbsp Ghee 1 tsp Cashew bits 1 tsp Raisins 1 cup fresh jackfruit, cut into small bits 2 tbsp fresh grated Coconut ½ tsp Cardamom powder 1 tbsp Sugar (only if fruit is not naturally sweet)
Heat ghee in a pan and add the cashew and raisins. Fry till light brown. To this add the chopped jackfruit. Fry for 3 minutes, till jackfruit loses its colour slightly and becomes a little mushy. At this point stir in the sugar only if needed. The fruit I had on hand was very sweet on its own, so I didn’t use any sugar. Add the coconut and cardamom, fry till fragrant, another minute. This can be served hot, chilled or at room temperature.
I spoke to Ajji right before I made the halwa to make sure this is how she made it and she gave me a whole list of other dishes that could be made using Jackfruit. I am yet to try them – provided this batch of jackfruit lasts long enough.
Cookies and no baking? Does sound intriguing right? Not so much when you make these Bachelor’s Buttons. This is one of the very first things I learned from mom, for the very simple reason that I loved them. As a kid,I often watched mom make it during her cooking classes and waited eagerly to get hold of these after the class. Definitely worth the wait!
Years later, and I still love it as much as I did then. Anytime I need to take a walk down memory lane, I know just the thing to make -- Bachelor's Buttons
Bachelor's Buttons are perfect for any occasion. They are light and can be made in a snap! A few simple ingredients, but the outcome will make it look like you slogged for hours!
You will need:
30 Marie biscuits, quartered
½ Cup Sweetened Condensed milk
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tbsp Butter, softened
1-2 tsp Milk, if required
For the Topping:
½ Cup Desiccated coconut
Dried cherries or Hershey’s Mini Kisses
Place quartered biscuits in a food processor and pulse to make a fine powder. Sieve and keep aside.
Cream butter in a medium bowl. Add the fine biscuit powder, the cocoa powder and the condensed milk. Mix to make a dough, if its not coming together, add a tsp of milk. Knead gently into a smooth dough. Make small balls. Roll in desiccated coconut and press the dried cherry or mini kisses in the centre.
These will store for upto a week in an air tight container. These beauties are not too sweet either.
I'm back after a fabulous vacation with family and friends back in India. It was a sad feeling to come back, but after a few nights' sleep I feel at home again. From the time hubby dearest landed, it was one hectic time shuttling between Mysore and Bangalore and a lot of other places in between. I have travelled more in the past two months than I could have ever in the past two years..phew! But it was fun all the same and pleasant memories to last me ...well, till my next trip home. :)
Sabudana/Sago kheer is a family favourite and is made very often at home. Especially when all of us go through a bout of excess body heat (which runs in the family :D), sabudana kheer helps combat the effects. It’s simple to make and takes no time.
You will need:
½ Cup Sabudana/Sago ½ Cup Sugar 2 Cups Milk 1 tbsp Cashew bits 1 tbsp Raisins ¼ tsp Saffron ¼ tsp Cardamom powder Water ½ tbsp Ghee
Bring a cup of water to boil and add washed sabudana. Bring to a boil and cook till sabudana is half done. Add boiling milk and let sabudana cook completely. Add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron. Bring to a boil, add more milk if required. Heat ghee in a small pan, add the cashews and raisins. Saute till golden brown. Add this to the kheer and mix well. Serve hot or cold.
I am sending this over to Srilekha's event "EFM Theme- Sweets" over at Me and My Kitchen.
Will be catching up with each of your blogs soon. Have a fabulous weekend!
Mango Kulfi brings back sweet childhood memories of summers spent in my granny’s house in Bangalore with my cousins. Summers brings a bounty of mangoes in all shapes, sizes and of course shades of yellow and green. Mom always had her ice cream classes during the summer, and that meant different flavours of ice cream for us to dig into throughout the blazing season. She even taught Kulfis and Ice candies, we waited for these classes more eagerly than the students taking them!! :-D
Mom used to make the Malai Kulfis as well as the Mango ones. And the Kesar Mango Kulfi was everyone’s favourite.
You will need:
2 Cups Mango Pulp ½ Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk (adjust acc to taste) 3 tbsp Chopped Pistachios 3 tbsp Chopped Cashews ½ tsp Saffron Strands 1 Tsp Gelatin powder or Agar Agar cut into small bits 2 tbsp Water
Dissolve gelatin or agar agar in hot water. Let cool and combine with the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Check for sweetness and add more condensed milk if required.
Pour into moulds or small containers and freeze for 4-6 hours. Let sit on the counter for 5 minutes before unmoulding and serving.
We had a wonderful weekend getaway at Savannah and TybeeIsland. We even snuck away to Hilton Head while we were down South. It definitely was a much awaited break away from work and the rhetorical everyday grind. I’m back relaxed and ready to cook again..hehe!
Back to the Rasgollas, I had made some last week but didn’t have time to write about it. Ever since I learned the easy way to work with soft paneer to make Bengali sweets, I can’t stop myself from making them more often than not.
The procedure is the same as for Rasmalais, only difference being you need to go a step further while making Rasmalais..you need to make the ‘Ras’. I am giving the recipe and procedure here again for the Rasgollas with a few pics as many had doubts regarding the kneading process.
You wil need:
4 Cups Milk
1/3 cup Lime/Lemon juice or Vinegar
4 Cups Water
1 ½ Cups Sugar
Bring milk to a boil on medium heat. When it comes to a boil, stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. Stir till the milk curdles and the whey is separated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and drain. Immediately rinse under cold water to remove the citric residue.
Squeeze out as much water as possible, tie in a knot and let sit in the colander for 20-30 minutes. The less water the better.
Once the water has been drained completely, remove the soft paneer from the cloth onto a smooth clean kneading surface. At this stage the paneer will be crumbly and will not hold shape.
Begin to knead gently, and continue to do so until the entire mass comes together into a ball. At this stage, as you knead, your palms should become greasy. Knead for around 8-10 minutes. More than the time, the grease on your hand is a better indication. Also, pinch off a small piece and roll into a ball. If the ball holds shape then your paneer is ready to be used in the next stage.
Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil in a clean pressure cooker. Divide the paneer into 10-12 pieces and roll into a smooth ball. If the balls are falling apart even slightly, knead the whole mixture again and then roll into a ball.
This is a critical stage, if you don't knead well, the chances are the balls will not hold when pressure cooked. So make sure you take your time and get it right.
Drop these balls into the boiling sugar syrup one at a time. These balls will double in size when done, so make sure there is enough room in your pressure cooker. Do them in two batches to avoid crowding. Close lid and turn heat to high. Place weight on lid and after one whistle, turn heat to low and cook for 7 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool completely before you handle the Rasgollas. Refrigerate before serving.
There are several methods to make Rasgollas at home, but this one is the simplest with few ingredients. As long as I get to eat juicy soft Rasgollas at the end of the day, the method is the least of my worries! :)
It was a wonderful start to the New Year yesterday with more catering orders, hence a hectic day!!! Inspite of all the other cooking, I could slip in a few traditional dishes to celebrate Ugadi. Hope all of you had a wonderful one too!
As promised, here is the recipe for Kargadabu.
You will need:
For the Filling:
3/4 cup Tuar dal 3/4 cup fresh coconut gratings 1/2 Cup Jaggery powdered 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Outside Layer:
1/2 cup Fine Sooji (Chiroti Rava) A pinch of salt 2 tsps oil Water as required
Mix the above three into a bread crumb like consistency. Then add water and mix into a soft dough. Let sit for an hour.
Meanwhile cook Tuar dal with 2 Cups water (or as required)on stove top, till Tuar dal splits on the edges and is soft to the touch. Do not overcook as this will hamper the texture of the filling. Drain Tuar Dal. Grind this with coconut and jaggery to a smooth paste in a blender. Use as less water as possible. Transfer to a non stick pan and saute for a couple of minutes till the mixture tightens and becomes thick. Add cardamom powder and fry till fragrant. The mixture should be thick enough to be shaped into balls. If it is not, continue to fry on medium heat, stirring continuously till you achieve the desired consistency.
To make the Kadabus:
Tuar Dal filling (prepared as above) Sooji dough Oil for frying Kadabu mould (if available)
Divide sooji dough into balls, the size of a whole Hazelnut. Roll out using a rolling pin. Dust with flour if required. Place this on the inside of a Kadabu mould. Place about a tablespoon of filling on one side. Moisten all around the dough using water. Close the mould shut and press. This should seal the Kadabu, remove excess. Repeat with all the dough.
If you don't have a Kadabu mould on hand, all you have to do is shape the dough into balls, roll into small flats. Place the filling on one half of the circle, close shut using water and pressing the sides to form a crescent. Using a mould helps make all the Kargadabus one size, but its ok to do it without a mould too.
Heat oil in a deep pan.Add kadabus one at a time and fry on both sides till light brown.
Serve immediately. These need to be refrigerated if not consumed on the same day, since the filling has coconut in it, it is perishable.
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