Korua (milk solids ) Ladoo

I usually make ghee at home every month. After cooking the butter and draining off the golden colored liquid ( ghee ), one is left with these brown colored nutty flavored sediments/residue. They are quite nutritious and i almost always end up incorporating them in my meals/snacks/desserts. This time Ganesh Chaturthi being around the corner, i incorporated them into laddoos ( Ganeshji's favorite snack ). This is an easy breezy recipe. Read on:

Preparation Time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients - Milk solids ( 2 cups ), whole wheat flour ( 3/4 - 1 cup ), powdered jaggery ( to taste ).

Preparation - If the milk solids are a little lumpy, freeze them. Take into a grinder cup, buzz for 20-30 seconds and turn into coarse powder.

Cooking - Heat a non-stick vessel on low flame ( i had reused the vessel in which i made the ghee ). Add the milk solids. Fry for 1 minute.

Sprinkle the flour, a little at a time and mix well. The contents of the vessel should look like one whole mass/lump and not powdery ( else the laddoo will not have binding ).

Fry for 5-6 minutes till the flour is roasted.

Add the powdered jaggery, mix thoroughly and cook for 2 minutes.

Remove from flame and allow to cool down till it is bearable to touch.

Take small amounts of the mixture into your palm and shape into balls/laddoos. If they are not binding or too powdery, add 1-2 tsp of melted warm ghee to the mixture.

These laddoos can be stored in the refrigerator for a month.

Suji Nadia Ladoo ( Semolina coconut ladoos )

Preparation time: 30 mins

Ingredients: 1 medium sized coconut ( grated ), 1 1/2 cups bombay rawa/suji, ghee ( 2-3 tbs ), sugar ( 1 1/4 cup ), water ( 1 cup ), cardamom powder ( 1/5 tsp ), dry fruits ( 1/3 cup, optional ).

Cooking: Heat 1 tbs ghee on a pan. Add the suji and roast for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan when it reaches a light brown colour ( khova colour ).
Add another tbs of ghee to the pan. Now add the grated coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to boil in a wok. Let it boil till the sugar reaches a stringy consistency. ( Test this by taking a little of the liquid, cool it to a tolerable temperature and keep a drop of it between the thumb and forefinger. When you try to separate the fingers, a fine thread of the liquid appears )

Add the cardamom powder and coconut to the sugar syrup. Reduce the flame and mix it for 2 mins. Now add the suji in small batches and stir rigourously to mix all the ingredients. Remove from the flame once the mixture thickens enough to form balls/laddoos ( ideally its better to do it a little before it becomes this thick so the mixture further solidifies on cooling ) .

Keep aside till the temperature drops a few notches and it becomes tolerable to work with your fingers.

Spread a nice amount of ghee on your palm and fingers. Take a little amount of the mixture and gently shape into laddoo.

Spread a little ghee on your hands after every 2-3 laddoos as it prevents the mixture from sticking to your fingers. Makes 20 medium sized laddoos.

Store in a airtight container when completely cool. Keeps fresh for 1 week.

Note: Adding more ghee while roasting the semolina adds to the flavour.

Manda Pitha ( also known as Modak in Maharashtra)

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 Rupees


Ingredients: Broken Basmati rice ( 1 1/2 cups ), milk ( 2 cups ), water ( 2 cups ), pepper powder ( 1/5 tsp ), cardamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), salt ( 1/4 tsp or to taste).

For the pura : Coconut ( finely grated, 1 no ), small lumps of jaggery ( 6-7 tsp ), raisins ( 1/2 cup ), ghee ( 1 tbsp ).

Preparation: Soak the rice for 10-15 mins. Wash and drain all the water ( Use a colander, do not dry under the fan or the sun ). Put in a grinder and grind into a fine powder.











































Grate the coconut or grind the pieces in a mixer-grinder.

Cooking: Bring the milk and water to boil. Add salt, cardamon and pepper powder. Add the rice flour in small batches and mix continuously so that no lumps are formed.

Stir the mixture on a low flame for about 15 minutes till it takes on a softer consistency than the dough used for making rotis . Switch off the flame at this stage.

Allow the dough to cool down a few degrees till it is tolerable. Rub ghee all over your hands and knead the dough for 5 mins to make it smoother.





























Heat a pan. Add ghee followed by the raisins and stir fry for 1 minute. Add grated coconut and jaggery at this stage. Fry for 5-6 minutes and remove from the stove.















Rub some more oil over your hands. Break small balls out of the dough. Flatten out and put some of the coconut stuffing on it. Close and mould into balls.



























Boil water in a idli maker. Spread some banana leaves over the idli plates. Put the balls over it. Close the lid and steam 20 mins. Allow to stand with lid covered for 5 mins.





























Take out of the idli vessel and serve hot.

Note: When adding the rice flour to milk and water, pass it through a seive to avoid any lumps.

Also try to make the balls when the dough is hot else it loses its elasticity.

Chuda Ghasa

Some people are born privileged while others take it as a privilege to be able to stay alive ! And somewhere between these two extremities, lies a mass of humanity that takes refuge in religion.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Ratha Jatra / Bahuda celebrations that take place every year in Odisha. It is a riot of colors, cacophony of sounds, medley of emotions and melting pot of humanity as the Lord undertakes his annual journey. The mood of the crowd can only be described as sheer madness. Nothing else even comes close.

These clicks are an attempt to capture the mood of the Bahuda celebrations during which Chuda Ghasa is used as an offering. While it must be quite apparent to most of you that I am not a big fan of mood photography, I do want to learn it. More like adding a skill to the resume just because it helps you stay on your toes.

Coming back to the photos, the flowers and the leaves reflect the colors of the Nandighosa, Taladhwaja and Devadalana. The coconut is symbolic of the devotees breaking coconuts to fulfill their wishes. And the smoke depicts the aalati and dhoopa that adds a mysterious appeal to the whole atmosphere. I did miss the sound element which is also an important part of this festival, Maybe will get to work on it another day.

Read on -

Preparation Time : 20 mins


Ingredients:

• 2 cups beaten Chuda / Beaten rice / Chivda
• 1 cup finely grated coconut
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 4-5 tsp sugar
• a tiny bit of food-grade camphor
• a pinch of green cardamom powder
• a few slices of coconut

Preparation: Grind the chuda in a mixer-grinder to a coarse consistency. Transfer to a plate/ flat surface. Add the sugar and ghee.

Now comes the tough part. Rub the mixture between the fingers so that it forms a texture that resembles breadcrumbs. The ghee and sugar should get mixed evenly .



















Add the grated coconut, cardamom powder and the powdered camphor. . Sprinkle a few drops of water. Mix thoroughly .

It should not feel too dry. One can add more ghee if that is the case. Or some chopped cucumber/banana slices will also do the trick.

Consume within a day or two as the moisture content of the grated coconut makes it soggy.

Note:- Chuda ghasa is a an important part of the prasad prepared during Ganesh Puja / Saraswati puja.

Chuda ghasa is also served as a breakfast/snack item. Chuda ghasa - Buta Dalma is very popular in Puri district of Orissa.

Usually the camhor is added when it is to be used for prasad. Else one can add powdered cardamon/black pepper ( golmaricha) instead of camphor.