Chocolate kozhukattai (Chocolate Dumplings)

I am back after a long vacation! It took me sometime to get back to routine and that is the reason for this delayed post in MyCheerfulKitchen. Wishing you all a very happy Vinayaka Chaturti! This time, I made chocolate kozhukattai for my dear modern Ganesha :) I am very happy to share the recipe with you all.

INGREDIENTS:

For the kozhukattai/dumpling:

• Rice flour - 1/2 cup
• Water - 3/4 cup
• Milk - 4 teaspoons
• Salt - a pinch
• Oil - 1 tablespoon

For the filling:

• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 1 teaspoon
• Grated chocolate - 1/4 cup

METHOD:

1. Take a heavy bottomed pan and mix all the ingredients required for the kozhukattai/dumpling
2. On a low flame, keep stirring continuously. You will notice that the mixture will thicken
3. Once it starts to leave the sides of the pan and forms a soft dough consistency, switch off the flame. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes
4. Grease your hands with little oil and knead the dough to remove any lumps. Keep aside, closed
5. Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a pan and add coconut to it. Fry for a few minutes till a nice aroma spreads and the coconut changes color
6. Remove from fire and add in the grated chocolate. Mix well. Keep aside
7. Grease you hands with little oil and make small balls (pebble sized) of the dough
8. You can use a modak mould or shape them like you do for usual kozhukattai. Fill it with a spoon of the chocolate filling and and seal the edges
9. Grease an idly tray with oil and place these sealed kozhukattais in it
10. Steam the dumplings for 3 minutes and they are ready to be munched!!!!!!

Note: I used chocolate ganache instead of grated chocolate and hence the filling was a bit gooey but still tasted great! You can use grated chocolate/ chocolate syrup / melted chocolate according to your preference 

Apple Kheer

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all my dear brothers! Here is my sweet treat for this special occasion. 

About two years ago, I had come across this recipe in tarladalal.com and I did it for mothers day with just 2 teaspoons of sugar as my mom is diabetic. Now I have altered it with a little extra sugar for taste and added in more nuts, for the richness!

INGREDIENTS:

• Milk - 1 litre
• Apples - 3 medium
• Sugar - 1/2 cup or more according to your taste
• Almonds - 10
• Pistachios - 10
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Saffron strands - 3 - 5

METHOD:

1. Soak almonds in warm water for 15 minutes, remove the skin and finely chop them. Finely chop the pistachios and keep the nuts aside
2. In a heavy bottomed wide pan, boil milk in medium to high flame. This takes about 10 minutes
3. Take two to three tablespoons of warm milk and soak the saffron strands in them. Keep aside
4. Reduce the flame to low-medium and keep stirring the milk. Scrape the sides of the pan in between and stir in the contents
5. Continue this till the milk reduces to half. This takes about 20 minutes
6. In the meanwhile, core and peel the apples. You can either finely chop them or grate them
7. Cook the apples with a cup of water on a medium flame, till the apples get soft (about 10 minutes)
8. Add sugar to the milk that is reduced to half, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes
9. Drain water from the cooked apples and add the apples to the milk-sugar mixture
10. Finally add the chopped nuts, saffron strands soaked in milk and mix well. Switch off the flame
11. You can either serve this kheer warm or chilled

NOTES:

• You can add a quarter cup of condensed milk to the boiled milk and this will thicken the milk faster. But make sure to reduce the sugar accordingly

Mint Fried Rice

Any mint lovers out there? I love that flavor and this is one recipe that brings out the best in mint! I learnt this recipe from my mom and this is a very easy one-pot meal that tastes best when served hot or even a perfect recipe for lunch box.

INGREDIENTS:

• Cooked Rice - 1 cup (Preferably long-rain/basmathi)
• Mint leaves - 1 bunch
• Green chilli - 1 to 2
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped lengthwise
• Boiled potatoes and peas - 1/2 cup (optional)
• Salt - as needed
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch piece
• Cloves - 2

METHOD:

1. Wash and pat dry the mint leaves
2. In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and fry the mint leaves for a minute
3. Once they reduce in size, allow it to cool and grind it into a smooth paste along with green chilli. You can add a tablespoon of water while grinding
4. Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and fry for half a minute. Add the chopped onions and fry till the onion becomes translucent
5. Now add in the mint-chilli paste, potatoes and peas(if adding) and cook for 2 minutes in medium flame
6. Add salt and cooked rice. Mix well, but gently and fry for a minute
7. To enhance the flavor, you can add some lemon juice in the end and give it a mix
8. Serve hot or pack it for lunch along with any raita or pappad!