Kajjikayalu/Somaas is a popular traditional sweet.It is prepared by rolling out small balls of maida dough into thin puris and filled with a mixture of dry coconut,sugar and cardamom powder and deep fried. Kajjikaya has a light, crisp exterior and as you bite into this cresent shaped sweet, its crunchy texture with the subtle sweet flavor of dried coconut and sugar laced with a tinge of cardamom, stretches into every bite, leaving you very satisfied and craving for more. The sweetness of the kajjikaya is subtle that you can easily have 2 to 3 kajjikayalu without feeling heavy. Kajjikaya is similar to the popular Maharastrian sweet ‘Karanji’ which is prepared using mawa (khoya /thickened milk).
Ingredients
For Outer Covering
Maida - 1 cup
Rava - 1 cup
Baking Soda - 1 pinch (optional)
Salt - 1 pinch
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Water to make it to a dough
For Stuffing
Grated Coconut - 2 cups
Roasted Bengal gram dhal - 1/4 cup
Roasted nuts - 1/4 cup
Cardomon powder - 1 pinch
Sugar - 1 cup (according to sweetness opted)
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil for Deep frying
For preparing the dough
1.Mix maida and Rava flour with a pinch of salt and baking soda.
2.Mix the ingredients well and then add the ghee.
3.Now slowly add in the water, and bring it to a chapathi dough consistency.
4.Close and keep it aside.
For preparing the stuffing
1.Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and add the grated coconut and roast over medium flame for a few minutes, approx 3-4 mts.Now add the sugar and keep mixing for 2-3 mins and finally mix in the nuts.Remove and keep aside.
For preparing the stuffing
1.Once you are ready to roll out, divide the dough into small equal balls. Using the rolling pin,flatten them into small circles,like the puris.
2.Scoop a spoonful of the coconut filling and place on one side of the poori. Fold over to the opposite end and enclose the filling.
3.Press the ends together firmly so that the filling doesn't come out during deep frying.
4.Heat enough oil in a wide vessel to deep fry the stuffed kajjikayalu(use medium heat).
5.Drop 3-4 kajjikayalu into the oil slowly and deep fry them till golden brown, turning them carefully to the other side so that it cooks on all sides.
Tips
1.Cool and store in air tight containers.
2.Kajjikayalu remain fresh for atleast a week and can be stored for 4-6 days.
3.You can aslo do the kajjikayalu using Mould as i have done.
4.Sugar can be replaced with Jagerry
5.Other filling ideas -
Almonds - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon
Happy Diwali !!!!!!
Pedas are an all time favorite sweet. The main ingredients are khoa, sugar and traditional flavorings, including cardamom seeds, pistachio nuts and saffron. The color varies from a creamy white to a caramel colour.
The peda originates in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, and the variety from the city of Mathura in that state is considered to be the best.From Uttar Pradesh, the peda has spread to many parts of the world. It was even taken and established in the district of Dharwad in Karnataka state in south India by Ram Ratan Singh from Lucknow, who migrated there in the 1850s.
As with laddoos, pedas are sometimes used as prasad in Hindu religious services.Pedas are an all time favorite sweet. This Peda tastes awesome and is very easy to make and was a very big party hit for me!!
Ingredients
Sweetened Condensed Milk - one small can of 14 oz or 396 gms
Dry milk powder - 2 cups
Unsalted butter - one stick around 113 gms
pistachios,cashews and dried grapes optional
Method
1.For making this, it is preferrable to use a glass microwave bowl with a little depth.
2.Heat the stick of butter in the microwave safe bowl till it melts
3.Now remove from the microwave and add the condensed milk and milk powder.Stir well to mix it up.
4.Now keep the bowl in the microwave and heat for 3 minutes.During these 3 minutes , remove from microwave and stir every minute.
5.Leave this mixture aside for 10 minutes.
6.The mixture after this would have considerably thickened.
7.Now make small peda shaped balls.
8.You can add an pistachio,cashew and dried garape in the center of every peda to add to the flavour and appearance.
Tips
1. Do taste the mixture to see if it is still raw after microovening and in that case just add another seperate 30 sec sessions
Besan Laddu is a gram flour sweet, a very popular Indian recipe. Learn how to make Besan Laddu by following this easy recipe.They taste absolutely great and you cannot tell the difference between microwave Besan laddu and those made the traditional way and to top it all it's very very easy.
Ingredients
Bengal gram flour/Besan – 1 cup
Ghee– ½ cup
Powdered sugar – ¾ cup
Cardamom/Elaichi powder – 1 pinch
Nuts roasted in ghee – a handful
Method
1.In a microwave safe bowl,add besan,ghee and mix well.
2.Microwave on high for 3 minutes,stirring after every 1 minute.
3.Mix well and microwave again for 2 minutes in 30 second intervals.
4.Remove and let the mixture cool.
5.Add the cardamom powder and sugar and mix well.
6.Add the roasted nuts and divide into equal portions.Grease your palm and shape into laddoos when they are slightly warm.
Tips
1.You can also use normal sugar.
2.Use a deep bottomed glass bowl.
