Microwave Mango Fudge

India trip after a long time with  things piled around  I couldn’t not sit and work on my .com page. Thinking to do after I settle there.  In the mean time thought will post some recipes from my draft.

I know I am lazy but post like this proves me time and time:-) Last july I prepared this and drafted the recipe but due to certain reason it was not posted and finally time has come to post it:-)

For me summer and mango are inseperatable. Last year when the mangoes was about to get over I prepared this.  My Mom use to prepare a Mango sweet with milk and corn starch, on stove top. Though it tastes divine, lazy me thinks it is time consuming. So I tried a simplified version of a Mango Sweet using just a Microwave oven, which I call Mango Fudge. Tasty Mango fudge was ready in 15 minutes!

Check out my other mango based recipes,

Mango Ice Cream

Mango Halwa

Mango Cake

Mango Kulfi

Microwave Mango Fudge:

Preparation Time: 5 min | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 3

Recipe Category: Dessert

Ingredients:

Ripe Mangoes – 2 (To make 1 cup pulp)

Condensed milk – 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/8 tsp

Butter/Ghee – 1/2 tsp

Mixed nuts – to Garnish (I chopped walnuts, almonds and pistachios in a blender)

Method:

• Peel the mangoes and grind the mango slices to make fresh mango puree
• Grease a cake pan or hallow plate with ghee/butter
• In a microwave safe bowl, add mango pulp, condensed milk and cardamom powder. Mix well and keep in the microwave for 2 minutes

• Take the bowl out and mix once. Continue the same process and cook for 12- 15 minutes, taking it out every 3 minutes. Cook till the mixture becomes non sticky

• Add ghee and give  a good stir, and microwave for 30 seconds
• Spread on the greased plate/cake pan, sprinkle nuts and let it cool. I kept in the fridge for 1 hour to set. Take it out, cut into pieces and enjoy the mango dessert

My Notes:

• If fresh mango is not available, tinned mango pulp/mango slices can be used
• The mango  I used was sweet so I didn’t add sugar

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Paruppu Payasam

My first  lengthy post after an year:-)

Time is moving is fast. It looks like I have just started my blogging journey but its an year now:-) After taking a break from IT industry for one year I always wanted to do something during my free time but kept passing my time with food network, browsing, chatting, cooking and of course eating. Things changed after my son was born. Though I became busy with him, I missed doing something for myself and that’s when hubby suggested to do blogging. My blogging journey started when my son was 6 months old. Being a lazy person, initially when I started writing I thought it won’t continue for a longtime, but continuous support from my close ones kept me motivated:-)

I am not a great cook, nor a great photographer, nor a great writer but my lovely reader and dear blog friends taught me those are not absolutely essential.

Thank u all for visiting, reading and commenting in my space.

Its traditionallymodernfood.com from now on 🙂 changing to .com was a big discussion for quiet sometime in our home. Ever since I started blogging hubby was insisting to change it but I kept postponing. At one stage he convinced me and I discussed about this with some of my good friends but somehow I felt will do it later. Today I got a pleasant blog Anniversary SPL gift from my Hubby 🙂 . Evening my hubby pinged me my blog URL in WhatsApp I was surprised to see .com instead of .wordpress.com. Have to work on importing the contents. May be when I do my next post it should be ready 🙂

Paruppu Payasam

Paruppu payasam is one of the most common payasam prepared during many festivals. The blend of protein rich lentils with jaggery (iron) and calcium (milk) is perfect for kids and Adults.

For the past couple of days I was in a dilemma thinking what to post for my blog anniversary. When I was browsing my pictures though Muffin, cake, cookie, creame brulee, burfi and laddu, this pulled my attention, I chose Paruppu Payasam as this my special favorite even before I tried/tasted any other desserts and sweet

Checkout my other payasam,

• Arisi Thengai Payasam
• Carrot Almond Paysam
• Rice Kheer (Paal Payasam)
• Macaroni Payasam

Ingredients

Moong dal – 1/3 cup

Channa dal  – 2 tbsp

Milk – 2  cup

Water- 1 cup +3/4 cup

Jaggery – 3/4 cup

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/8 tsp

Turmeric Powder – pinch

Salt -pinch

Butter/ Ghee – 1 tsp

Cashew & Raisin –  2 tsp each

Method:

• Soak jaggery in  1 cup of luke warm water for 20 minutes (Time depends on the size of the cut jaggery). Strain to remove impurities
• Soak both the dals in luke warm water for 20 minutes
• Heat a tsp of ghee and saute cashew nuts till they are golden brown; switch off and add raisins. In the same pan dry roast both the soaked dals separately for a minute
• Pressure cook the dal with 3/4 cup of water for 2-3 whistles. Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and mix the dal once

• In  heavy bottomed pan add the jaggery syrup and cardamom powder and bring it boil. Add the cooked dal and continue cooking for 3-5minutes
• Add grated coconut and boiled milk. Cook for 2 minutes and switch off. Garnish with cashew and raisin,serve hot/ cold

My Notes:

• Turmeric powder is optional,I added to give yellow color to the Payasam
• Adjust milk according to the desired consistency
• Dal can be sauted for 2-3 minutes and cooked
• Edible camphor and saffron can be added for extra flavour

Banana Sweet Pidi Kozhukattai

Kozhukkatai is a traditional south Indian delicacy prepared in both sweet and savory versions. There was a stage when my son started preferring foods which he can hold and eat. Paniyaram was my instant saver on many days. One day I prepared Savory pidi Kozhukattai for us and he liked.

Knowing the fact he loves sweets and  to include banana into his diet, generally I prepare sweet pidi Kozhukattai with jaggery and banana.

Check out my other Kozhukattai recipes,

Cracked Wheat Kozhukattai

Sweet Kozhukattai

Aval Kozhukattai

Ammini Kozhukattai

Ingredients:

Rice Flour – 1 cup

Banana – 1 cup puree from two  banana

Jaggery – 1/4 cup

Water –   1 cup 

Cardamom powder – 1/8 tsp

Salt – pinch

Oil/ Ghee – to grease

Method:

• Soak jaggery in  luke warm water for 20 minutes (Time depends on the size of the cut jaggery). Strain to remove impurities
• In  heavy bottomed pan add the jaggery syrup and cardamom powder and bring it boil. Add the banana puree and cook for 2 minutes

• Add rice flour and salt to the jaggery syrup – banana puree and mix well to avoid lumps. Cook til the dough separates from the pan and forms a mass

•  Keep it aside till you can handle the dough. Cover it with a damp cloth

• Grease the hand with little water, take a small portion of Kozhukattai and make it into cylindrical shape
• Grease the idli mould with little oil. Steam kozhukattai in idli stand or pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes. 

My Notes:

• I used store brought rice flour, instead homemade rice flour can also be used
• The water quantity depends on the rice flour so adjust accordingly

Macaroni Payasam (Kheer)

Both my husband and I love pasta, and now a days even my little one started liking Mac & Cheese. Every time I open a pasta packet I wouldn’t finish it and have some leftover. To finish the remaining uncooked pasta, I end up buying same variety of pasta again.  Other day I felt like having payasam and searched for semiya, suddenly pasta pulled my attention and tried payasam with pasta. It was a big hit at home.

Ingredients:

Macaroni – 1/3 cup

Milk – 3 cups

Condensed milk  – 3 tbsp

Sugar –  3 tbsp (adjust according to your sweetness)

Saffron  – A pinch

Cardamom powder –  pinch

Butter/ Ghee-  1 tsp

Salt – a pinch

Method:

• Add ghee and macaroni to the pan; saute for a minute. Add 3 cups of warm milk and cook till the macaroni are fork tender

• Add saffron, condensed milk,  sugar, cardamom powder and salt, continue cooking for 4 – 6 minutes and switch off. Can  serve immediately or chill this overnight and serve it next day.

My Notes:

• Adding condensed milk gives rich creamy texture adjust the sugar accordingly
• Payasam tends to thicken more when cool down
• Usually I add cashew and raisin for payasam but other day missed to add while taking picture so I didn’t write in my recipe!
• I have used whole wheat pasta instead maida pasta can also be done
• If you are using penne, rotini, fettuccine, bow or any other pasta, cut the cooked pasta with ladle according to your taste

Crunchy Snack balls – Guest Post from Sridevi

Its day 5 and there is one more energy balls recipe, this time it is from Sridevi – Coconut Craze. During my Initial days of blogging I was checking my wordpress reader and saw Sridevi’s post notification, the word coconut intrigued me to visit her space, and from that day onwards her blog has become one of my regular blogs to visit. Her food pics speaks a lot, I adore her recipe collections some of her baked recipes are in my to do list. She is very friendly and gave me great support ever since my initials days and till date. Though she was busy when I asked for Guest post Sridevi allocated sometime and sent me this post. Crunchy snacks balls are waiting, over to Sridevi,

I have a sweet little treat as a guest post for Vidya Srinivasan of Traditionally Modern Food. Vidya, is a very enthusiastic blogger and has presented us with many wonderful recipes. I appreciate her friendliness and hard work. She has been encouraging me with suggestions and comments which helped me improve my posts considerably. I like her baked recipes that have a traditional element in it. She gives them a modern twist making them less oily and yummy. When she asked me to do a guest post for her, I was in the middle of some activities. I managed to squeeze in some time and came up with this easy recipe.

She suggested a kid friendly recipe and I thought of all things kids can hold in their hands, carry around and eat. My foremost concern was to make it nutritional. I wanted to try something without any artificial additives. It should be attractive to children, easy to make and delicious. I had a lot of things to consider. Honestly, it made me scratch my head and think a bit. Finally, I came up with this ladoo. Hope you like it!

facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coconut-craze/281334571966246

Energizer ladoos

Imagine a guilt free snack! A snack that is handy and provide energy to play for a long time!

These crunchy snack balls will provide you all of the above. They are gluten free and refined sugar free if you do not use powdered sugar to decorate. This is a convenient snack to can grab and go!

I developed this recipe inspired by a snack ball we make at home. It is from a mix called avalouse podi made using rice flour, coconut and cumin seeds, fried to a grainy texture.  Back home, it is our homemade breakfast cereal that is eaten with sugar and slices of banana. They also make it into snack balls adding melted brown sugar or honey.

I thought it was an appropriate snack and tried to add a few more ingredients to enhance it. When I took a bite, I was reminded of my aunt who makes them when we go on vacation to our grandmother’s house.

For simplicity, I took equal quantities of most ingredients. You may increase or decrease it as desired.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/4 cup oats rolled or steel cut oats
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup dry coconut
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 12-15 pitted dates
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• honey to bind

Method:

1. Soak pitted dates in water for 20 minutes.
2. Chop soaked dates into small bits.
3. Take a heavy bottom pan and roast oats, rice and quinoa each separately until golden brown.
4. Toast grated dry coconut. (If it is fresh coconut, grate it finely and toast with rice until it becomes dry.)
5. Add raw almonds and chopped dates to the roasted ingredients and pulse it in a blender in small batches.
6. Powder it to get a coarse texture.
7. Mix the powder with coconut oil.
8. Add enough honey to the mixture to make it moist enough to hold.
9. Roll them in your hand into small balls.

I made 16 balls with this mixture. They harden after they rest a while. Store them in air tight containers or in a refrigerator for weeks. You feel a satisfactory crunch when you chew it.

Sprinkle powdered sugar for an attractive coating or dust with chocolate powder if your kids like it.

This is exclusively a kid friendly snack but if you have a kid in you, go ahead and enjoy it! When I made this at home, surprisingly, it was the oldest member in the house who loved it the most. So there is no age limit to taste one and run back for more!

Thanks you for inviting me and having me post in your space, Vidya!

Oats Quinoa Balls – Guest post from Malar

Day 2 of my guest post series and today its from Malar, neither my blog nor my immediate family needs intro for her. WordPress gave us intro and initially we started talking through comments, but within no time it has changed to a stage where almost every week we started talking over the phone and most of the days during our one hour talk (may be more if my son didn’t wake up during his nap) we seldom talks about blog. As Malar mentioned below during our initial days we both decided to do guest post in each other’s space, but taking advantage of our friendship kept postponing, finally “March” has become a auspicious month for both of us to write a post for each other (oh yes, can see my post in Malar’s page in sometime). I can continue writing about Malar and her space but its time to handover to Malar:-)

Over to Malar,

Hi I am Malar , so excited to do a guest post for Vidya’s Traditionally Modern Food, a fabulous blog. My blog is Malar’s Kitchen. You can find various Indian recipes along with few other cuisine recipes. I have a lot of chettinad recipes too, if it might excite you.

Vidya and myself, we started following each other during our initials days of blogging, eventually we got along so well. From blogging she turned out to be a very good friend of mine. We chit chat a lot, just not blogging many personal stuffs too  It was long time back we decided that we should do guest post for each other and being friends, we took enough advantage of postponing 😉 Finally I am here with a guest post for her with Oats Quinoa Balls. Few details on my blog.

Blog link: https://malarmuthu.wordpress.com/

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Malars-Kitchen/1516965231871483

Pinterest link: https://www.pinterest.com/vijimalar/recipe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/malarskitchen

Hopping on to the recipe…..

Ingredients:

Oats – 1 cup

Quinoa – ¼ cup

Water – ¾ cup

Flax seeds – ¼ cup

Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon

Dry Fruits – 1/3 cup (I have used cranberries)

Jaggery – ½ cup (Can be replaced by sugar)

Method:

• Dry roast Oats for 3 to 4 mins, until nice aroma rises.
• Dry roast flax seeds for 2 mins.
• Now powder oats and flax seeds either together or separately.
• Clean quinoa and cook with water in high for 6 mins, simmer for 12 mins.
• Switch off when quinoa turns fluffy and soft.
• Heat jaggery with just enough water to bring it to boiling state.
• Now mix all of the together along with dry fruits and vanilla extract.
• Form a nice dough. Make small balls out of it.
• Healthy oats quinoa balls are ready. Place in an airtight container in fridge stay well up to 20 days.
• You can add any sort of dry fruits, cashews, almonds, walnuts. I wanted to use up my cranberries , so I have used only this 

Banana Pudding

I am not a big fan of Banana but I don’t want my son to be like me. Like I mentioned in Oatmeal Banana Cookie, my son is very picky when it comes to fruit. If I give him smoothie he refuses to drink so I started preparing this. To my surprise this texture worked. When he was getting his molar he refused everything I gave, luckily few worked and this banana pudding was one among them

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

Banana -1

Milk – 1 cup

Corn flour – 3 tsp

Cardamom powder – 1/8 tsp

Salt – pinch

Method:

• Put all the ingredients into a mixie jar and grind them smooth without adding water
• Transfer the mixture into the pan and cook in medium heat till the mixture thickens for about 5 -7 minutes.  Serve it warm or chil (I keep in fridge for an hour and give him)

My Notes:

• Can add sugar while cooking the pudding or honey while serving

Vella Sadam

Vella sadam is a traditional dish, preparrd during Aadi perukku. My Amma either prepares Sakkarai pongal or Vella sadam, along with Pulikaichal, Coconut rice and Aviyal.  Sonerimes after returning from school, my sweet tooth craves for eating something sweet and I remember Amma making Vella sadam in no time with leftover rice.

Ingredients:

Rice –  1/2 cup, washed and drained

Jaggery – 1/2 cup, powdered /cut into small chunks

Water  –  2 cup + 1/4 cup

Grated Coconut – 3 tbsp

Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp

Almonds – 1 tbsp

Raisins/Dried grapes –  1 tbsp

Ghee – 1 tsp

Method:

• Cook rice with 1 cup of water either in rice cooker, or in pressure cooker for 2 whistles
• Soak jaggery in 1 cup + 1/4 cup of hot water, After the jaggery completely melts in water, strain the impurities
• In a pan, add jaggery syrup and bring to boil. Add the coconut and cardamom powder; mix well and cook  for 2- 3 minutes

• Add  cooked rice to the boiling jaggery syrup and cook till the jaggery syrup is completely absorbed in the rice

• Add ghee to the pan, once the ghee becomes hot, add raisins and switch off. Add the raisins and almonds to the Jaggery rice and serve hot

Notes:

• You can use cashew instead of almonds
• Basamti rice can be used instead of regular rice
• You can cook jaggery in water instead of soaking jaggery in hot water

Karadaiyan Nombu Adai (Sweet and Savory)

Last Saturday was Karadaiyan Nombu for us (Sunday in India). Karadaiyan Nombu is a traditional festival celebrated in our community. Ever since childhood I have a big fascination when it comes to nombu because of the yellow thread.  I always ask my Mom I not married why are you tying this over my neck, my mom used to say this is a different thread. Even in school I hide this thread as I don’t want my friends to think I got married:-)

Specialty of nombu is preparing Sweet and savory Adai and tying yellow thread. Myself and sis enjoy Adai with a big chunk of room temperature butter. I can talk about how I enjoyed for the entire post, but let me get into the recipe:-)

Typically Amma soaks the rice and dries in a cloth and pulse it, but I have preapered Adai with store bought rice flour

General steps:

• Dry roast 2 cups of rice flour for 2-3 minutes and keep aside

• Dry roast the black karamani for 2-3 minutes and soak in warm water for 2 – 3 hours, strain it and add twice the water and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Avoid mushing the karamani

Having a sweet tooth, I always prefer Sweet Adai over savory, and hence the post:-)

Sweet Adai

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 1 cup, sieved

Grated Coconut (Fresh/Frozen) – 1/4 cup

Jaggery –  1 cup

Karamani – 3 tbsp

Warm Water – 1 cup + 3/4 cup (keep 1/4 cup warm water separately)

Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp

Salt – a pinch

Sesame oil – to grease

Method:

• Soak jaggery in 1 cup + 3/4 cup of hot water. Since I had big chunks of jaggery it took a while, but to speed up the procees, jaggery can be cut into small pieces or cooked with water

• After the  jaggery completely melts in water, strain the impurities.
• In a pan, add jaggery syrup and bring to boil. Add the coconut, black eyed beans and cardamom powder; mix well. Add the rice flour

• Cook till it comes to non sticky dough consistency. Cover the dough with a damp cloth, as it tends to dry soon

• When the dough is cool enough to handle, make small spheres, flatten it and gently make a small dent in center. Since rice flour is gluten free, they tend to be sticky, so greasing hand with sesame oil helps to make Adai

• Steam it in a greased idli plate for 10-12 mins.

My Notes:

• If the dough becomes dry add extra water. For the flour that I used, the extra 1/4 cup water was not needed. If you feel dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of water else no need to add. Water added should be boiling hot water, so its better to keep 1/4 cup hot water separately
• Color of the Adai depends on the jaggery color

Savory Adai

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 1 cup, sieved

Grated Coconut (Fresh/frozen) – 1/4 cup

Karamani – 3 tbsp

Salt  – as needed

Water – 2 cups ( keep 1/4 cup warm water separately)

Sesame oil – to grease

For tempering

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green Chilli – 1, chopped (Adjust according to your taste)

Channa Dal – 1/2 tsp

Ginger -1 tsp, peeled and finely chopped

Curry leaves – 1 sprig, chopped

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Method:

• Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, temper with mustard seeds, channa dal, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. After it splutters, add 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling add coconut, karamani and rice flour

• Cook till it comes to non sticky dough consistency. Cover the dough with a damp cloth, as it tends to dry soon
• When it is warm make small balls and flatten it into patties and make small holes in the middle as we do for pinwheels.

• When the dough is cool enough to handle, make small spheres, flatten it and gently make a small dent in center. Since rice flour is gluten free, they tend to be sticky, so greasing hand with sesame oil helps to make Adai

• Steam it in greased idli plate for 10-12 mins.

My Notes:

• In the dough becomes dry add extra water.For the flour that I used, the extra 1/4 cup water was not needed. If you feel dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of water else no need to add. Water added should be boiling hot water, so its better to keep 1/4 cup hot water separately

Apple Rice Pudding

Happy Women’s day to all my lovely readers!!!

This is the pudding I make for my son. If I give him cut apples he refuses to eat, but if I trick him in the form of pudding its difficult for him to identify. This easy rice pudding is not only my son’s favorite, but even I like it.

Chekout my other Toddler friendly recipes

Apple Rice Pudding

Rice – 1/4 cup

Water –  1 cup

Apple – 2, peeled and roughly chopped

Milk – 3 tbsp

Sugar – 1 tbsp (Adjust according to your preference)

Cinnamon powder – 1/2 tsp

Cardamom powder – pinch

Salt – a  pinch

Method:

• Pulse the rice coarsely in a blender.  Add apple to the blender, and without adding water,  blend till the apple is pureed well
• Transfer the contents into a saucepan. Add water, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder and sugar to the apple – rice mixture and cook over medium-low heat  until rice is cooked. Sprinkle some water if required

• Add milk and salt; cook for 3-4 minutes. Switch off and serve warm/chil

My Notes:

• Adjust the water/milk according to the desire consistency
• Instead of pulsing the rice can also use them whole
• My son is having sweet tooth like mom so I add sugar. Instead can avoid sugar and prepare the pudding
• Avoid replacing milk for water as it will cuddle. If you want to cook the rice with milk, add apple puree after the rice is cooked
• Can add raisin, nuts like cashew, almonds, pecan etc. to make it rich