Chikoo - Nuts MilkShake

I cooked some protein based dishes to post this week in advance but at the last minute decided to put them aside. I instead opted to post some super easy and quick dishes which would be way more than welcome during this season. I posted uddina hittu yesterday which was a 5 minute yogurt based, south Indian side dish. Today's recipe is for a nutritious, yummy and rich milkshake can be whipped up in a couple of minutes. 

I had used store bought almond milk, frozen chikoo / sapodilla pieces, almonds, cashews and soft pitted dates for my milkshake. Cow's milk, coconut milk, oat milk or any other kind can be used in place of almond milk. Fresh chikoo are easily available in India where as frozen chikoo can be found in the freezer section of Indian grocery stores in US. I would recommend freezing the chikoo pieces if one is going with fresh ones to avoid adding ice cubes which dilutes the shake. I added nuts to make it protein rich drink but that can be avoided all together. I did not feel any need to add sweetener because of the dates I used. 

This creamy, rich and very tasty milkshake can be a part of a breakfast / brunch platter or a quick breakfast on it's own.

Ingredients:

2 cups chilled almond milk

1.5 to 2 cups of fresh / frozen chikoo / sapodilla pieces
1/4 cup almonds & cashew nuts

8 -10 pitted dates

Directions:

* If using fresh chikoo pieces then freeze them in advance. 

* Chill the almond milk as well if using home made almond milk.

* Blend together all ingredients to a thick puree and enjoy.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon under the theme 'Protein rich dishes'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

Comment

4 Ingredient Recipes ~ Trail Mix

Trail mix, once which was considered to be a food carried during hiking has come a long way to become a popular snack among masses. The ingredients that go into a trail mix can vary depending upon what one have on hand to what one would prefer, if preparing at home. Especially if preparing for kids, it can be easily customized to their preferences using their favorite nuts, dried fruits, seeds and such, like I did today. A trail mix makes a great birthday party snack for kids. A handful portion of trail mix would be a great evening snack even for adults to add a burst of nutrition. Only care need to be taken to not overindulge. The version I am posting today is my daughter's favorite one and sometimes she likes to see chocolate chips also in the mix.

Ingredients:
1 cup toasted and salted peanuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 sweetened, dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins

Method:
* (I used store bought salted peanuts which were already skinned.) If using raw peanuts, toast and skin them.
* Dry toast the almonds until crisp either on stove top or a microwave or in oven.
* Combine all the nuts and dried fruits in a bowl and mix. The mix can be prepared in a large quantity and can be stored in airtight container.
 
Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the Blogging marathon #69.

Comments

Umm Ali

Umm Ali is one of the cherished desserts in the Middle East, that was supposedly originated in Egypt. This delicious bread pudding uses puff pastry or phyllo pastry or some stale bread, milk, nuts and coconut. One can use / omit whatever nuts they prefer in this recipe. The creamy bread pudding, crunchy nuts and sweetened cream - milk base, make this an irresistible treat. I came across this lighter version using croissants at Nestle website and had prepared it some time back, scaling down the ingredients to serve two. 

Umm Ali literally means mother of Ali and I came across a couple of legendary stories behind the origin of this delicious dessert. One refers to a woman named, Umm Ali who happened to be the first wife of a Sultan named Aybek. His second wife Shajar al-Durr prevented him from seeing his first wife and son and the king happily obliged. However when he got ready to marry another woman, the second wife got so jealous and raving mad that she killed him and proved that he died in his sleep. The first wife who already had a dispute with Umm Ali, got her brutally killed by Shajar's own servants. And then, she celebrated her victory by preparing this pudding and distributing it among the people of the land.

The second one, a less violent version is that it was invented during the reign of Ottoman Turks. A sultan who was on a hunting trip got hungry and stopped by a small village. Umm Ali, the best cook of the village, filled a pan with the ingredients she had - dried wheat flakes (probably leftovers from some stale bread), nuts, sultanas and coconut. She covered it with milk and sugar, put in the community oven and cooked something akin to this pudding.
 
Ingredients for 2 servings:
3 croissants (I used small size ones.)
1 cup water
1/4 cup condensed milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup whipped cream
1 tbsp. each - coconut, pistachios, almonds and raisins

Method:
* Preheat the oven to 200 deg C / 400 deg F.

* Combine croissant pieces, coconut, pistachio, almonds and raisins in a ovenproof dish. Or divide the mixture among 2 oven proof bowls if you are planning to serve two, individually. 

* Bring condensed milk, water and vanilla to a boil in a sauce pan. Pour it over the croissant mixture and set it aside for five minutes or until the croissant mixture absorbs the maximum of the liquid.

* Place whipping cream in a piping bag and pipe the cream over the mixture. (I didn't use a piping bag and just spooned the cream into the bowls.)

* Place the baking dish in the preheated oven using the grilling part of the oven and grill for 5 minutes or until the cream topping is golden in color. (I turned off the oven and forgot to remove the bowls immediately and hence the darker hue of the cream.)
* Serve it immediately.

This goes to BM #48 for under "1 Cuisine - 3 Dishes" - Arabian Cuisine theme. Check here to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking during Blogging Marath on #48.

Comments

Dates and Nut Laddu

Now these dates and nut laddus are my kind of dish. Simple, quick and easy to put together on a festival day like Diwali or Raksha bandhan. They can be prepared in less than 15 minutes. Dates add a sweet base and there is no need for other sweeteners in this dish. Use soft, pitted variety dates and add any variety of nuts you have on hand. All nuts are delicious anyway and healthy when eaten in moderation. Feel free to add or omit any of the nuts from the below given list to customize. If you are feeling lazier, omit the dates frying step as well and directly grind the dates.

Ingredients: (Makes around 10 laddus)

1 cup mixed nuts  (I used a handful of each - walnuts, almonds, pistachios and cashews.)
1 cup pitted, soft dates (about 2 dozen)
1 tsp ghee

Method:
* Toast each variety of the nuts individually in a pan until they turn crisp. Let them cool and grind coarsely.
* Finely chop the dates.
* Heat ghee in a pan and add the chopped dates. Saute them for 2 - 3 minutes, pressing down the date pieces with the back of the spoon so that the dates turn into a pulp. Add the ground nuts to the pan, mix well and turn off the stove.
* Transfer the mixture onto a plate and when it is warm, make laddus of desired size. If the mixture is sticky and hard to shape the laddus, grease your palms and try.
* For a variation, the laddus can be rolled in dessicated coconut or sesame seeds as well.

These go to BM #43 under "Festival Special Theme". Check here to learn what other dishes are being cooked during this marathon.

Comments

Dum Ke Rote

I have signed up for Srivalli's month long marathon this April, with the theme of "Indian states". It is giving me an opportunity to explore the regional, culinary heritage of India and the first one in the series is going to be my home state "Andhra Pradesh". The state can be classified geographically into three regions - Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana. I am very well acquainted with the first two regions, being connected to them through my parents and husband. Telangana is the region that I am not familiar with and I wanted to try something from this region. 

Hyderabad is a part of Telangana and is the home for another culinary heritage, the Hyderabadi cuisine that was greatly influenced by the muslim reign there. I have noticed that the hindus are less familiar with several of the recipes that are popular among the muslim community there. Dum ke rote is one such Hyderabadi recipe that I wanted to try ever since I saw them on Mona's blog. She has a wonderful collection of recipes from the region. for people who are interested. Dum ke rote are semolina based cookies, baked / cooked in dum. These cardamom flavored cookies are soft from inside and crunchy outside. They are deceptively plain looking but are very addictive.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup pistachios 
3 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 cups fine semolina (not semolina flour)
3 cups sugar
1 & 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cardamom powder
3/4 cup unsweetened khoya
1 cup warm milk
1 cup warm ghee
Almond and pistachio flakes to garnish

Note:
I used 1/3 of the ingredients and got 4 rotes. Actually could have made 5. The rotes spread while baking and the 6 inched unbaked ones yielded 8 inched rotes. And I think making small sized ones is a smart option both for storage and consumption purposes.

Method:
* Soak almonds and pistachios in water overnight. Drain and peel off the skins in the morning.
* Grind almonds, pistachios and khoya to a fine paste adding warm milk.
* Combine all purpose flour, semolina, sugar, baking powder and cardamom powder in a mixing bowl.
* Add the nut-khoya paste to the flour mixture and mix well to form a firm dough. Add extra milk if needed to form the dough. The dough was a little on the sticky side. Knead the dough and allow to rest it for about an hour. Remove, knead the dough again and put it back to rest once again for another hour.

* Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
* Divide the dough into 13 - 15 portions.
* Cover baking sheets with aluminium foil and grease them. Gently pat each portion into a thin circle of about 6 inches in diameter.

* Bake for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the edges and the bottom side starts to brown. Broil on low for 2 to 5 minutes until they turn golden brown uniformly. Keep an eye through the broiling part and don't let them burn. Remove, cool and store them in an airtight container.



Comments

An InLinkz Link-up

Doodh Paak ~ Gujarati Kheer

I was looking for a Gujarati dessert that had no loads of ghee in it and came across this yummy kheer. Kheer undoubtedly happens to be one of the basic sweet dishes cooked through out India on festivities and auspicious occasions. Regardless of the name it goes by regionally or the local variations in the preparation, this is a yummy, rice and milk based dessert. I have noticed that it is also one of the most popular choice of desserts in the Indian restaurants' buffet menus here in US. It may be because it is rich and delicious and simpler to prepare.
The dish is called kheer and payasam respectively in northern and southern parts of India while Gujaratis call it as doodh pak. The basic recipe everywhere remains the same. A small quantity of rice is allowed to cook leisurely in simmering milk and then sweetened with sugar / jaggery. It is finished with a cardamom flavoring and generous garnishing of nuts for the delicious and crunchy bite they offer to the dish. It can be served warm or chilled.
Check the north Indian version kheer recipe here.

Ingredients: (2 servings)
2 cups / 1/2 litre full fat milk
1 tbsp rice (I used extra long grain rice.)
1 tbsp ghee
6 - 8 tbsp white colored rock sugar (Or adjust the quantity as needed. In absence of rock sugar, substitute with regular sugar.)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp crushed saffron (or soak a pinch of saffron strands in warm milk and use.)
1/2 cup slivered almonds / pistachios

Method:
* Mix the rice and ghee in a small bowl and keep aside.
* Heat milk preferably in a non stick sauce pan. When the milk is hot, lower the heat and simmer the milk for about 10 - 12 minutes.
Don't forget to stir the milk now and then, through out the process to avoid scorching.
* Add the rice to the milk and continue to simmer until rice is softly cooked.
* Then add the sugar, cardamom, crushed saffron and the nuts. Continue to cook for about 5 - 7  minutes.
* By the time, the saffron will add a beautiful yellowish hue to the dish and the nuts turn a little bit softer, giving a bite to it while consuming the kheer.
* Serve warm / chilled.

This is going to be a part of BM #35 under the theme of "Regional Cooking - Specific Course". Check what other marathoners are cooking here.

Comments

Lemony Zucchini - Almond Pizza

I had noted down this recipe from a cook book that I had borrowed from my local library some time ago since the ingredients that went into making this pizza sounded interesting. This blogging marathon seemed like a perfect opportunity to try it and today I did. A different version than the regular tomato based one and it was like eating a cheese pizza with potent lemony flavor.  

Ingredients:
1 pound pizza dough (Check recipe here.)
1 zucchini, shredded
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon / lime zest
1/2 cup / 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp sliced almonds 

Method:
* Toss the zucchini with the salt in a colander and drain for about 30 minutes. Squeeze the shredded zucchini to remove as much as liquid as possible. Add the lemon / lime zest to it and mix well. 
* Preheat the oven to 450 deg F. Grease the pizza tray or baking sheet that is going to be used.
* Place the dough at the center of the tray. Form the dough into a flat thick circle by dimpling with fingertips. Then shape it into a 14 inch circle / 12x7 inch rectangle. (I used half pound dough and made a small sized one.)

* Spread the zucchini - lime mixture evenly over the prepared crust, leaving an 1/2 inch border at its edge.
* Top with the cheese and sliced almonds.
* Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 16 - 18 minutes.

Notes:
1. I had some leftover pizza dough when I baked the cheese pizza and I made use of it for this pizza. The original recipe uses a semolina based dough for the crust. I haven't tried it but here is the recipe for anyone who is interested. 
List of ingredients:
3/4 cup luke warm water
1.5 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp for greasing the bowl.
Preparation of pizza dough:
* Combine water, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir just until everything is dissolved. Cover and set aside the mixture for about 5 minutes at room temperature. The mixture would usually bubble and foam by the time.
* Stir in both flours and the oil. Transfer the mixture to a floured work space and work dough back and forth with the heels of your hands. Knead until smooth and elastic for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is dry while kneading, add extra water in 1 Tbsp increments. I find that this recipe needs an extra tbsp of water.
* Grease a bowl and place the dough in the prepared bowl. Turn the dough so that all sides are coated with oil. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

2. The original recipe uses a lemon that is cooked in water for about 25 minutes and drained. Then the inside pulp is removed, the rind is shredded and used in the recipe. I followed this method and found the flavor to be very potent. I like the lemon flavor to be subtle in any recipe and so I think lemon zest suits better here.

This is my Day 2 post under "Pizza" theme and check this page for other marathoners who are doing BM #35.

Comments

Q ~ Quinoa Pilaf with Cranberries and Almonds

 

Event: Blogging Marathon
Theme: International / Fusion Theme

Pilaf / Pulav is a dish traditionally popular in the Middle east , South - Central Asia, Eastern Europe and South America where rice is cooked in a seasoned broth. Depending upon the region where it is cooked - meat, fish, vegetables, nuts are added to pilaf. Bulgur wheat / quinoa can replace rice for healthy versions. This nutrient, quick quinoa pilaf that I found at wholefoods website is the western version of it. If you find it bland, serve it with a spicy accompaniment.

Ingredients: (2 servings)

2 tsp olive oil  

1 small red onion, minced 

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained 

1 cup water / vegetable broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Method:

* Heat oil in a medium pot / pan and add onions to it. Cook on low flame, stirring often, until softened. 
* Rinse quinoa well to remove the coating and drain. Add quinoa and toast for few seconds. Stir in water / broth and salt and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cranberries, cover again and continue to cook until liquid is completely absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes more. Toss with almonds and serve.
For a quicker option, quinoa can be cooked in a pressure cooker and then added to the sauteed onion.



Logo courtesy : Preeti

Comments

N ~ Nazook

The letter "N" proved to be the toughest one for me in this marathon so far. I was looking for an easy, vegetarian International recipe that my family would love besides not demanding me a trip to local grocery store. I went from cooking naan pizza to nacho supreme in my head until I remembered an Armenian pastry that I had seen in Aparna's blog sometime ago, which in turn was inspired from here as a part of Daring Baker's Challenge.
 
Trust me when I say that this delicacy doesn't demand much time or efforts. I didn't have to use my head even a teeny tiny bit since it seems to be a fool-proof recipe. I blindly followed the original recipe and was rewarded with no yeast smelling, flaky pastry with subtly sweet yet delicious filling. They were so good that I gobbled up four nazook as soon as they came out of the oven and had to force myself to stop, which was very unlike me.
Apart from the waiting period for chilling the dough and the baking parts, these nazook didn't take much of my time. It took around 10 minutes for my dough and filling preparation and another ten minutes for rolling and cutting the dough. It was a lot easier compared to what I cook everyday in my kitchen.

Now what are nazooks, you ask. Nazook / Nazuk are baked, layered yeast dough pastry with a sweet filling. They are popular in Armenia and are traditionally served during Easter time. A little wiki search tells that it is popular in some other European nations as well. These slightly crunchy yet soft pastries are made by rolling out the dough, spreading the sweet flour paste on the surface and rolling the dough again into a log like in jelly roll style and cutting them into smaller pieces before baking them. The traditional vanilla flavored filling seems to be the most common one used but since there are variations, any filling of your choice, that is not overtly sweet can be used. You can also go with nuts or mahleb - made with pits of dark cherries. I went with a filling Aparna suggested and after eating the flaky pastry, I am thinking of a coconut filling like in dilpasand one for my next trial. Yes, there are going to be future trials. :)

Ingredients for the pastry dough:
1 & 1/2 all purpose flour * (See the note)
1 & 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
100 grams / 7 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream (I used fat free yogurt)

Method:
I used a food processor to make the dough but feel free to use your hands if you wish. Add 1.5 cups all purpose flour and yeast to a food processor and pulse to mix. Next add butter, sour cream / thick yogurt and run the processor until the mixture is combined. Remove and work with the dough until you get a smooth and elastic dough. Cover the dough and keep refrigerated for at least 3 - 5 hours. I kept it overnight.

Note:
* Work with 1 & 1/2 cups flour initially and add extra flour if needed until you reach a workable dough, almost but not sticky consistency. I added 1.5 cups + 2 Tbsp flour
* I watched the video later (Check the link above.) and realized that 1.5 cups flour yields the perfect texture as shown. The extra 2 tbsp flour I added didn't make a difference and I had a dough with perfect consistency to work with. I just needed a dusting of flour to roll out the dough.

Ingredients for filling:
1/4 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup coarsely ground almonds
1/4 cup semolina / rava
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
5 - 6 Tbsp / 75 grams butter at room temperature
Other Ingredients:
1 - 2 tbsp milk / yogurt for brushing
1 - 2 Tbsp white sesame seeds (optional)

How to prepare the filling:
Combine everything until the mixture resembles a coarse powder. I had run all the dry ingredients in a food processor to combine them well and without thinking, added butter as well at the end. And so I have a little mushy filling instead of a coarser one. It didn't ruin the recipe though.

How to prepare nazook:
When you are ready to prepare nazook, bring out the chilled dough and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 - 20 minutes. Prepare the filling as mentioned above in the mean time. Divide the dough and filling into two equal portions. Take one portion of the dough, lightly knead it and roll it into ball. Work on a floured surface and roll it out into a thin but not transparent rectangle.

* Sprinkle one portion of the filling over the surface of the rectangle rolled out. The filling should be spread in such a way that it is even through out and as close as possible to the edges on the shorter side. Leave some of the dough uncovered along the lengthy sides of the rectangle. Starting from one end of the lengthy side, start rolling it tightly into a log. When you are done with the rolling, pat the log along with your fingers so that the surface flattens a little bit.

* Brush the tops and sides with yogurt / milk and sprinkle on sesame seeds if using. 

* Cut the log into 10 - 12 pieces of equal length using a knife. Repeat the procedure with the other portion of the remaining dough and the filling.

* Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them for about 30 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Remove and place them on a wire rack to cool. Store them in airtight container once cool.

Nazook will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of weeks or can be frozen in an air-tight freezer bag for up to 3 months.


Logo courtesy : Preeti

Comments

Almond - Sago Kheer / Badam - Saggubiyyam Payasam

Sago kheer is one of the preferred kheers during summer at our home since it is considered a coolant. Recently I saw an yummier version on a TV show, combining it with almonds. Actually I should say it was like bringing together two delectable kheers - the almond kheer and the sago one, to come up with a healthy, nutritious treat. I tried it immediately and was very much impressed with the outcome and so it makes an appearance here. Also the tiny sago I used were cooked in about 5 minutes and so this kheer was a breeze to prepare. It can be a part of a festive meal or prepared to impress your guests.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup sago / saggubiyyam
2.5 - 3 cups milk (Boiled and cooled)
6 - 8 tbsp sugar (or adjust accordingly)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 - 2 Tbsp slivered almonds to garnish (optional)

Method:
* Grind almonds into a paste adding water. 
* Heat ghee in a non stick sauce pan. Add almond paste, milk and sugar. Bring it to a boil and add sago. Cook until sago is done. My sago was done in about 5 minutes. Add cardamom powder and turn off the stove.
* This can be served chilled during summers or hot during cold weather.
* Garnish with slivered almonds.

Note:
1. There is no need to skin the almonds for this recipe. However if one prefers so, the almonds need to be soaked in water and peeled. For a quicker option, they can be nuked in a microwave with little water for a couple of minutes. The skins come off easily.
2. I added the tiny, quick cooking sago and so the kheer was done in no time.

Check what other marathoners are cooking during this month long marathon.

Comments 

Trail Mix

 

Trail mix, an assortment of dried fruits, nuts, seeds, grain and (some times) chocolate developed as a snack food to be taken along on outdoor hiking trips. It is claimed that trail mix was first invented in 1968 by two California surfers who blended peanuts and raisins together for an energy snack. It is considered an ideal snack food for hikes since it is tasty and nutritious besides being lightweight and easy to store. This high energy “mix” gives the required stamina to hit the “trail” during hiking or any other similar activities demanding strength and endurance. August 31 is celebrated as National Trail Mix Day in USA.  (Info source: wiki).

This outdoor tradition tastes good on or off the trail and I usually keep a stock of it as my daughter loves to snack on it. We can mix and match with the ingredients we have on hand and can create our own mix. I have gone with salted cashews & almonds, dry roasted peanuts, dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, white chocolate chips, M&M' s. Mix everything together and store them in air tight container.

 

By keeping trail mix handy, one can have a nutritious snack ready for kids anytime. Also this could be a great substitute for many calorie laden treats, when serving kids during gatherings. Other additions could be granola, pretzels, marshmallows, toasted coconut, dried fruits or whatever one prefers.

Check what other marathoners are cooking during this month long marathon.

Comments

Basundi

I was not well when Valli announced this edition of blogging marathon's themes and I guess I was delirious when I made the choices. I did not realise until later that baking and festive sweet themes would result in loads of sweet stuff. Half of my family don't touch sweets and so I froze whatever I could last week. And this week I prepared sweets in small portions and completely avoided frying stuff. With lots of sweets already posted at my blog, not repeating the same set of sweets as per the marathon condition (Example - we couldn't post more than one halwa / laddu / burfi), eliminating frying stuff and some ingredients missing in my pantry - I was left with racking my brain this week for ideas. I didn't know what I was going to cook until the moment came. However I could whip up some easy and quick stuff even without planning. :)

Here is a recap of what I cooked this week -
Vermicelli Halwa
Kalakand (Microwave) 
Sago - Carrot Kheer
Dates - Almond Laddu
Kobbari Paala Thalikalu
Nuvvula Kudumulu

And here is yummy basundi for the final post. I should say that it is an opt one for sultry summer days. It is a little time consuming dessert but the process is a simple one even for novice cooks. The only skill needed is stirring milk with out scorching. The milk is simmered slowly until thickened, sweetened, then flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts & saffron to make it more flavorful and colorful.

Ingredients for 2 servings:
3 cups whole milk
2 - 3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp saffron strands soaked in about a tsp of warm milk
Nuts to garnish (Pistachios, almonds and/or charoli can be used.)

Method:
* Heat the milk preferably in a non stick saucepan on low flame to avoid milk from scorching. Keep stirring in between and simmer the milk until it reduces to half of the original quantity.

* Then add the sugar and let it dissolve. Next add the cardamom powder, saffron strands and the slivered nuts. Turn of the stove.

* Refrigerate the basundi and serve chilled. Garnish with extra nuts while serving, if desired.



Check out the blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#

Comments

Dates - Almond Laddu

These are absolutely my favorite and I can't stop popping them if they are around me. Apart for neivedyam, I prepare them for quick snacking. I should say these are my kind of laddus - quick and simple. It is "no cook" version and done under a couple of minutes. Also there is no particular recipe to follow. Dates and almonds can be used in whatever proportion one prefers. If preferred, jaggery and cardamom can be added as well.

Ingredients: (Makes about 8)
1 cup pitted dates (about 20)
3/4 cup almond meal (or grind almonds)
1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Method:
Pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor until a coarse mixture is formed. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape them into laddus.

Check out the blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#

Comments