Kasi Halwa Recipe - Poosanikai Halwa - Easy Diwali Sweets Recipe

 

Kasi Halwa (Vellai Poosanikai Halwa in Tamil,Ash Gourd Halwa /Winter Melon Halwa in English, Boodida Gummaikaya Halwa in Telugu, Kumbalanga Halwa in Malayalam, காசி அல்வா /  பூசணிக்காய் அல்வா / Kalyana Poosani Halwa ) is one of the most popular sweet recipes which is served in Brahmin weddings. I had tasted this only once and that too years ago in a marriage. So all I remember is its yellow color ( some make in red color), glossy & ghee dripping texture . Recently I watched this halwa preparation in Samayal Samayal with Venkatesh Bhat in Vijay TV. The way he explained fascinated me to prepare Kashi halwa at home during this Diwali. But I slightly tweaked his recipe & method of cooking.I made this halwa for my guest yesterday. It came out very well.According to me Kasi halwa aka Vellai poosanikai halwa is purely a beginners sweet. You don’t need any expertise to make this. The beauty of this ash gourd halwa is it requires less ghee and cooking time is also less when compared with Tirunelveli Godhumai Halwa & Thiruvarur Ashoka halwa.  So anyone can make it easily without fear. But I felt the pre preparatory works like slicing the skin , removing the seeds , chopping the inner part , grating & squeezing the water Huuuuhhhtook more time than preparation. Once u finish this tiresome job, your halwa will be ready in the next 15 minutes. But all this pain will vanish as soon as you see & taste this ghee dripping halwa . I clicked the pictures by removing the hot halwa directly to banana leaf. So you could find the ghee oozing out of the halwa.It looked goey when hot but its texture was perfect when it cooled down.But by the time it cooled,I just had a tsp of halwa leftover with me.So I couldn’t click it. I will surely add more pictures when I make it next time. Ok,enough of boring stories,lets see how to make this easy,yummy Kasi Halwa recipe in detail ! Bookmark this easy sweet recipe for this Diwali 2015 and enjoy with your Kith and Kin ! 

Kasi Halwa Recipe

Kasi Halwa / Poosanikai Halwa - Easy Diwali Sweets

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 2-3

Prep time: 20 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 35 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Grated Ash gourd / Vellai poosanikai - 1 cup Sugar - 1 cup Ghee - 2 tbsp ( 3-5 tbsp for more ghee) Cardamom - 2 nos Edible camphor - a pinch Cashew nuts – few Saffron threads – few

METHOD

Wash and remove a big piece of ash gourd from the whole vegetable.Remove the middle soft portion along with seeds.Then peel the skin and discard it.Grate the ash gourd and keep in a plate.  Take a muslin cloth or thin cloth and squeeze the grated ash gourd well using your hands.Collect the water in a bowl.Measure the squeezed ash gourd and take equal amount of sugar. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a kadai and roast the nuts. Take in a plate. Put the squeezed ash gourd and saute it for 3-4 minutes in medium flame.Now add the reserved ash gourd water and cook it in low flame by covering the kadai with a lid.Add 1/2 – 1 cup more water if needed. The vegetable should cook well else you will get raw smell in the halwa. So cook it properly. You can do this process in cooker too. After the veggie is cooked well and all the water is absorbed, add sugar.Mix well and add few saffron threads,a pinch of yellow food color. Mix well. The mixture will become goey.As u mix,it will thicken and start to leave the sides of the pan.When it starts to become thick and leave the sides of kadai,add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee,edible camphor and cardamom powder.Stir well and remove in a bowl. Enjoy eating hot and serve it warm as per your choice.

Note

You can add 4-5 tbsp of ghee to the maximum,keep mixing and wait for the halwa to ooze out all the ghee. It will be even more rich. But this method consumes very little ghee. The ghee u find in the pictures is the one I added before removing from the flame.I felt 2 tbsp itself is more for this halwa. You can replace yellow food color with red food color or more saffron threads to bring the natural color. 1:1 is the ratio of grated ash gourd and sugar. For more sweetness u can use 1:1.25 cups. Do not add more edible camphor. Its smell may become dominant in the sweet.

Enjoy this easy,yummy Kasi halwa for Diwali & other special occasions !

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Pumpkin Pie with Fresh Purée

Sweet pies are likely my husband's very favorite dessert, though he doesn't get to enjoy pie all that often because he would likely eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But everyone deserves a treat once in a while.

It seems to be a tradition for me to make at least one pumpkin pie each year. This is a version of the one I made last year that didn't make it to the blog as I hadn't quite perfected it, even though it was delicious. It worked out even better this year. The filling was rich and creamy, with the distinctive aromatic spicing that we all associate with pumpkin pie. The filling didn't crack in the oven and only separated ever so slightly from the crust which is quite usual for pumpkin pie. I made my perfected flaky butter pastry as a base, but use your own tried and tested pastry recipe if desired. A favorite for Thanksgiving dinner, one doesn't need an excuse to make a pumpkin pie for a special treat. And if you have roasted your own pumpkin, using fresh purée makes it even better.

And you can do so anytime of year for that matter, and you don't even need to use canned purée. If you have freezer space, it's easy to roast up a few pie pumpkins, mash the flesh, and bag the purée in 1 cup portions for future use. Defrost before using and include in your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkin Pie with Fresh Purée

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on October 30, 2015 Simple, perfect pumpkin pie with a flaky butter crust and a rich, smooth and creamy spiced filling of fresh roasted pumpkin Print this recipe Crust: 1 cup all-purpose or pastry flour 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 8 pieces 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water vodka (optional and as needed) Filling: 1 1/2 cups unsweetened pumpkin purée 2 large eggs 2/3 cup coconut or brown sugar 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon vanilla Instructions: To make the crust, combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut the butter in with a pastry cutter until the mixture is reduced to small crumbs. Gradually stir in the water with a fork until the dough starts to hold together. Add a bit of vodka and shape into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. For the filling, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. Pour in the cream, salt, spices and vanilla. Whisk until combined, but take care not to overmix. Preheat an oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out into a flat circle shape with a floured rolling pin. Fold the dough in half and gently transfer the dough to a 10-inch pie plate. Unfold to cover the plate. Trim the dough to the shape of the plate, leaving a bit of overhang, and fold to make the crust edge. Crimp the edges. Pour in the filling evenly. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 375° and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is jiggly. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave to sit for another 10 minutes. This will help prevent the filling from cracking. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. Makes 1 10-inch pie

Other pies to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Concord Grape Pie
Blueberry Goat Cheese Pie
Apple Pie Tart

Pumpkin Hummus

It might be soup season, but it's also pumpkin season. Pumpkin is fantastic in soups but I see no reason not to incorporate it into other dishes. In this case, hummus. This creamy dip is enjoyed year round in my kitchen, and I've worked with plenty of variations on the theme. Pumpkin seemed like a good choice to include with buttery soft chickpeas with a bit of spice. Served up with fresh vegetables and toasted pita crisps, this makes for a lovely lunch or dinner.

Pumpkin Hummus

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Middle Eastern Published on October 27, 2015 Creamy chickpea and pumpkin hummus with a hint of spice — an attractive and delicious feature on your fall table Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 2 large cloves garlic, chopped 1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped 2 1/2 tablespoons tahini 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cups unsweetened pumpkin purée 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon berbere (optional) roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional) Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chickpeas are tender — 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain and set aside. In a food processor, pulse together the lemon juice, garlic, chili, tahini and salt. Add the cooked chickpeas and olive oil and pulse again until smooth. Add the pumpkin, cumin, paprika, cayenne and berbere is using. Process until well blended, adding more olive oil or a bit of water to achieve your desired consistency. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds if desired and serve with chopped vegetables and toasted pita crisps. Makes 3 cups

I'm sharing this with Jac's weekly Meat Free Mondays event.

Other pumpkin recipes from Lisa's Kitchen you may enjoy:
Chickpea Pumpkin Burgers
Curry-Laced Pumpkin and Potato Soup
Essentially Raw Pumpkin Bites
Refried Beans with Pumpkin

Manapparai Murukku Recipe - Arisi Murukku - Diwali Snacks Recipe

Manapparai Arisi murukkku/ Rice murukku is one of the most famous snacks recipes of Tamil nadu.Recently I had a trip to Kumbakonam temples Via Trichy. While we were returning to Bangalore, I saw some people selling Manapparai Murukku near Trichy toll booth.They were sold from a small cottage industry in Manapparai. It was super crunchy in taste and looked white in color. I shared a picture of it in my Instagram and facebook pages while eating. I won’t say that the murukku had a melt in mouth texture with lots of butter. It sure tested the strength of our teeth but quiet addictive to eat . After tasting that murukku,I got tempted to try my hands on it and I reserved a pack of murukku for comparison.I also referred Hindu Food safari section and came to know the history of this murukku.Luckily my MIL showed me its original recipe in Thozhi Tamil magazine. My FIL clicked those pages and mailed me as well. When I saw the ingredients I was surprised that manapparai murukku is made of only rice flour/Arisi maavu and there was no urad dal flour or gram dal flour used in it. I followed the same recipe.The result was awesome. It came out 90% closed to the ones I tasted.That 10% difference is due to the oil I used & my murukku mould. My murukku was thicker than the store bought ones as my mould was big. I should have used groundnut oil / Kadalai ennai to get the same taste but I had used refined oil.Moreover the actual recipe called for deep frying twice.But I din’t do that.I am planning to make it again for Diwali using my small mould and ground nut oil for frying. I will try to update the pictures too. Now lets see how to make the most popular Manapparai murukku recipe.

Manapparai Murukku Recipe

How to make manapparai special rice murukku

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Snacks

Serves: 12 nos

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200 ml Rice flour - 1 cup(Homemade or store bought) Melted Butter at room temperature - 1 tbsp ( butter should not be hot,unmelted soft butter at room temp also works) Ajwain/Omam - 1/4 tsp Black sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp Asafetida / Hing - 1/4 tsp Salt & water - as needed Cooking oil – to deep fry

METHOD

Take the rice flour in a wide bowl.I have tried it both homemade & store bought rice flours.Both worked out well.To the rice flour add sesame seeds,butter,ajwain and salt. Make a crumbly mixture. Add the required water and make a smooth dough.Keep it covered till use. Take the star murukku mould and fill it with the dough.Make shapes in the back of ladle or a polythene sheet or cotton cloth. I kept the original murukku nearby and tried to bring the same shape for the first batch.But I din’t like its swirls.So I pressed like usual round mullu murukku for the remaining batches. Heat oil in a kadai and check its temperature by dropping a pinch of dough. If it rises to the top immediately , oil temperature is just right.Oil should not be smoking hot.Reduce the flame to low and put 3-4 murukku. Cook both the sides till all the bubbles cease.Make sure the heat of the flame is low to medium.This murukku takes more time to cook.So deep fry them patiently to achieve the white color.Else murukku will turn golden brown.At the same time,if the oil temperature is not sufficient,murukku will absorb more oil.So adjust the heat and make the murukku in batches.( If you wish,u can deep fry the murukku for the second time after 2-3 minutes of resting time.It makes the murukku even more crunchy) Store in an air tight box after it cools down completely.The actual taste of this murukku can be found the next day.It stays good for weeks if stored properly. Enjoy !

Note

If you wish u can add a tbsp of urad dal flour or gram dal flour for 1 cup of rice flour. But it changes the flavor of actual manapparai murukku. You can replace butter with vanaspati , ghee or hot oil. This murukku tends to be crunchy but not melt in mouth texture.

Enjoy making this crunchy murukku at home for this Diwali ! நல்லா நொறுக்குங்க

 

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Very good recipes Tags: Manapparai murukku recipe, Arisi murukku, Rice murukku, Manapparai arisi murukku, arisi murukku seivathu eppadi, how to make rice flour murukku, diwali snacks recipe, snacks recipes, murukku recipes

Easy Atta Ladoo Recipe - Wheat Flour Laddu

Atta laddu/Whole Wheat flour ladoo is one of the easy to make Indian dessert recipes just like Rava laddu , Moong dal ladoo , coconut laddu and Poha ladoo. Whenever I plan for Diwali sweets menu, I usually include few ladoo varieties too. Last year I tried Malai Laddu/Paneer laddu & coconut ladoo and shared here. For Diwali 2015,I wanted to try motichoor & this atta laddu. I will share the recipe for motichoo laddu next week.Atta ladoo/ Wheat flour laddu can be prepared in many ways.Some recipes call for cooking atta in ghee.Some recipe uses jaggery instead of sugar.In North India especially in Gujarat & Rajasthan people make wheat flour ladoo adding jaggery which is popularly known as Churma Laddu. Today I have made this laddu in a very simple way adding powdered sugar. It was very tasty and all the laddus vanished within no time.If you are looking for an easy & healthy laddu recipe,bookmark this ladoo in your try list for this Diwali.I am sure everybody would enjoy this sweet !

Wheat flour ladoo / atta laddu recipe

Wheat flour ladoo / atta laddu recipe - Easy diwali sweets recipe

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweets

Serves: 8-10 nos

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200 ml Atta / Wheat flour - 1 cup Sugar - 1/2 cup Cardamom - 2 nos Melted ghee - 1/3 cup Salt – a small pinch Cashews & nuts - as needed

METHOD

Dry roast wheat flour in a wide kadai till it changes to light golden brown in color.Stay nearby & do it in low to medium flame. It takes 4-5 minutes.Take care the flour should not be burnt.Remove in a bowl and let it become warm. In the mean time,powder the sugar adding cardamom seeds.You will 1-2 tbsp more sugar than 1/2 cup .But its fine.Add it as such. Add the powdered sugar , melted ghee,roasted chopped nuts ( If using) and a pinch of salt to the wheat flour.Mix well and make a crumbly mixture. Do not add all the ghee. Add it little by little and mix well.Stop adding ghee if you are able to shape the ladoo. Make balls and arrange in a plate.I roasted few dry grapes in ghee and studded over the ladoo. You can stud roasted cashews or dip a small portion of ladoo in ghee & coat with nuts powder. Decorate it as per your wish. Store them in an air tight box and use it for a week. Enjoy !

Note

You should roast the flour well else laddu will have a raw smell. Do not burn the flour.Roast in low to medium flame only. You can add finely chopped nuts to the laddu mixture before shaping them.I din’t add it. The quantity of ghee may vary from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup.

Try this easy,healthy ladoo during this Diwali & enjoy with your family !

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Khara Bread (Indian Spiced Bakery-Style Bread)

There is nothing quite like the irresistible aroma of fresh baked bread, especially during the colder months because the kitchen gets all warm and toasty too. For hours, my entire space was filled with the heavenly scent from this spiced bread. I could hardly wait for it to cool down before I was able to slice it and enjoy. If you are looking for an appetite stimulant, you can't do much better than homemade bread.

I don't usually make yeast breads. Generally I prefer to make quick breads that require little kneading. At the same time, I have fond memories of my mother's homemade white bread that rose to enormous heights. It was a special childhood treat. Armed with that memory, and inspired by a traditional bakery bread from Bangalore, I was curious and bold enough to try my own version. There are a plethora of recipes for this spiced and herbed bread and it took some time for me to draft a recipe. Never having been to India, or fortunate enough to know someone who makes this bread, I could only imagine the flavors based on my experience with Indian cuisine. Usually I am more a cook than a baker, but I do enjoy baking and I was up to the challenge of patience because yeast breads generally require a lot of kneading and resting time.

Considering this bread was virtually devoured in little time at all by my husband and best friend Basil, I would say it was a pretty successful effort. With the exception of a few air bubbles near the top of the loaf, the texture was soft and chewy with a delightful browned crust. The spices and herbs added a whole new depth to my experience with yeast breads. It's delicious served warm with a pat of butter, but keeps well for a day or two. With just a hint of heat, the cumin, onion and chilies are nicely balanced by the herbs.

Khara Bread (Indian Spiced Bakery-Style Bread)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on October 23, 2015 Soft warm bakery-style homemade white bread seasoned with herbs and Indian spices Print this recipe Masala (spice blend): 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 to 2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 2/3 cup packed cilantro, finely chopped 1 cup fresh dill, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Dough: 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour   1 teaspoon milk for brushing the top of the bread 1 teaspoon nigella (kalonji or black onion) seeds for sprinkling on top of the bread (optional) Instructions: To make the masala blend, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and stir until they darken a few shades. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chilies and sauté for another minute. Stir in the fresh herbs and salt and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool. For the dough, heat the milk and water together in a small saucepan over low heat until lukewarm. Pour into a large bowl and mix in the yeast and sugar until dissolved. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes until frothy. Then stir in the oil and salt. Gradually stir in the flour and herbs until a dough is formed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 15 to 17 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth and not sticky. Add more flour during the kneading process as needed. Shape the dough into a round and transfer to a greased bowl, turning the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let sit in a warm space until doubled in volume. This should take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how warm it is in the kitchen. Punch the dough down to deflate. Transfer the dough again to a lightly floured bowl and gently knead for another 7 minutes to help work out any air bubbles that have formed. Shape the dough into a loaf and transfer to a greased 9 × 5 inch loaf pan. Cover the pan with the kitchen towel and let sit to rise in a warm place for another hour. Preheat an oven to 375°. Brush the top of the loaf with milk and sprinkle with some nigella seeds if desired. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the bread is golden on top and it sounds hollow when tapped. Let the loaf sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently run a knife along the edges of the bread and carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Makes 1 standard size loaf

Other breads you may enjoy from my kitchen:
Kalamata Olive Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Irish Soda Bread
Chocolate Quinoa Ricotta Bread
Jalapeño Spoon Bread

On the top of the reading stack: The Chickpea Flour Cookbook: Healthy Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Recipes to Power Every Meal of the Day