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Sunday 31 January 2021

Instant Suji Jalebi

 

There is no greater joy than to enjoy hot crispy Jalebis on a cold winter morning! With this instant recipe, now you can make utterly delicious, crispy and juicy Jalebis at home using suji or rava. This Semolina jalebi recipe calls for use of handful of ingredients and is yeast free and artificial color free. These suji jalebis are healthier compared to those made with maida (all purpose flour) and the recipe is instant, which means no hours of fermentation required. Enjoy hot jalebis with a glass of milk as  a winter breakfast or pair these jalebis with Kesar Rabdi for a soulful treat !

What is Jalebi ? 

Jalebi is a middle eastern sweet snack popular all over south and western Asia. It is made by deep frying the maida flour (plain or all purpose flour) batter in pretzel or circular shapes which are later soaked in sugar syrup. Jalebi is one of the most popular desserts in Indian subcontinent and makes it way to the party tables on festivals and special occasions like birthdays and weddings. 

Jalebi can be served warm or cold. It has a somewhat chewy texture with crystallized sugary exterior coating. Jalebi can eaten plain or paired with curd or rabri or soaked in warm milk.

What goes into my version of Instant Suji Jelebi? The ingredients:

Traditional jalebi is prepared from fermented plain flour / maida (all purpose flour). The fermented batter is poured into a cloth bag with a hole and squeezed into the hot ghee in spirals. The deep fried spirals are then soaked in warm sugar syrup and served hot. My version of jalebi is instant and comparatively healthy. It is made using suji / semolina instead of maida and does noit require any fermentation. Let's have a look at the ingredients of this suji jalebi.

  • Suji / Semolina : Fine semolina or suji is used in this recipe. In case you do not have fine suji, just pulse the semolina and whole wheat flour in a grinder jar and then use it in the recipe.
  • Curd: Use slighly sour curd for best results. I have used homemade curd.
  • Whole Wheat flour : Little whole wheat flour is added to semolina which gives the batter proper binding.
  • Turmeric powder: Usually yellow or orange food color is used. I have used turmeric powder instead.
  • Baking soda : A pinch of paking soda insures the jalebis are not dense.
  • Sugar: We are looking for single thread consistency of sugar syrup.
  • Saffron Strands : Saffron strands are used both for garnishing and in the sugar syrup. It lends a lovely golden color to the jalebis.
  • Cardamom: The sugar syrup of the jalebis is flavored with cardamom powder. Freshly crushed cardamom gives best results.
  • Pistachio : I have garnished the jalebis with pistachio slivers. This is absolutely optional.

  • Lemon Juice: Lemon juice prevents the sugar syrup from getting crystallized.
  • Ghee or oil for deep frying: Use ghee for best results. However, if you have any dietary restrictions you may use any neutral oil instead.

Dietary Tips:

  • Jain  / Satvik Recipe
  • Vegetarian 
  • Indian Dessert
  • Festive dish
  • Kid friendly
                     

Related Event: Warm-Desserts @ Shhhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge

This delicious suji jalebi recipe is featured in the Facebook gourmet group, Shhhhhhh Cooking secretly Challenge. here, participating members take turns to propose theme for each month. Rafeeda who blogs at TheBigSweetTooth proposed Warm desserts as the theme for the month of January. Rafeeda suggested that we cook any dessert that is best enjoyed when served hot. Rafeeda has a wonderful blog with more than 1400 recipes from around the globe. You might love to try out her Restaurant style caramel tea.

In this group all participating members are divided into pairs and both partners exchange a set of secret ingredients, using which both have to cook a dish depending upon the theme for the particular month. Once the dish is ready only the pic of the dish is shared on the group and and the other group members take turn in guessing the secret ingredients just by looking at the pic of the dish.The secret ingredients are revealed at the end of the month when the recipe is published by the secret ingredients.

My partner for the Warm dessert theme was Renu who blogs at  and she gave me lemon juice and semolina as my secret ingredients and i made this humble suji jalebi using the ingredients. In return, i gave her chia seeds and oats and she prepared Instant Pot Eggless Mug Cake . You might love to check out her Watermelon Rind Sabji that is next on my to do list. 
                                    

Preparation Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: around 15-17 jalebis

Ingredients: Measurements used 1 cup = 240 ml

  • 1 cup fine suji / semolina
  • 3 tablespoon whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup curd
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Pinch of baking soda
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Few strands of saffron
  • Pistachio slivers for garnishing
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • Oil/ ghee for deep frying
Method:
  1. Soak a pinch of saffron strands in 1 tablespoon warm water. Keep aside until use.Take fine semolina, whole wheat flour and turmeric powder in a bowl. Add curd to it and mix well. Adding little water at a time make a lump free batter. The batter should not be watery. I have added around 1/4 cup of water. Cover the batter and allow the suji to soak for around 20 minutes.

                                 

                                

2. While our batter is resting, we will prepare the sugar syrup for that, take 1 cup sugar in a sauce pan and add 3/4 cup water to it. Place the sauce pan on stove and heat it on medium flame while stirring intermittently. Stir in saffron soaked water to it. Once the sugar dissolves and the syrup begins to boil, lower the flame and allow the syrup to cook until it reaches single thread consistency.

                     

                     

3. Now add cardamom powder and lemon juice and give a good stir. Put off the flame. Our sugar syrup is ready.

                     

4. Now, we will check our batter. The semolina must have absorbed the moisture. Give it a good stir. Only if the batter is very dry add few teaspoons of water to adjust the consistency. Make sure the batter is not very watery, as it would not yield crisp jalebis. Add baking powder and mix it well.

                       

5. Heat around 4 cm depth of ghee in a pan on medium heat. Whisk the jalebi batter once again and spoon into to piping bag. Lower the flame and squeeze neat spirals directly into the ghee, turning the jalebis over a few times until they become crisp and golden from both sides.

                       

                       

6. Fry all the jalebis in a similar manner. Remove the jalebis from the oil using a slotted spoon or a pair of tongs and drain excess ghee at the side of the pan and transfer straight into the warm sugar syrup and allow it to soak for a couple of minutes before serving.

                          

7. Remove the jalebis from the sugar syrup and garnish with saffron strands and pistachio slivers. Serve hot jalebis with Kesar Rabdi or warm milk and enjoy with your loved ones !

                  

Recipe Notes:

  • Use fine semolina / suji for best results. In case you do not have fine suji, just pulse the semolina and whole wheat flour in a grinder jar and then use it in the recipe.
  • Lemon juice prevents the sugar syrup from getting crystallized. 
  • You can flavor the sugar syrup with rose or kewda water if you wish.
  • Jalebi can be served hot or cold. We love to enjoy it hot with cold Rabdi.
  • Make sure the jaleebi batter is not very watery, as it would not yield crisp jalebis

Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this delicious suji jalebi. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with use in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

All your suggestions are more than welcome. If you like my work, and feel that it is worth following, do hit the follow button on the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. It gives me the inspiration and motivation to keep doing my work and give my best each time.

If you like my work and want to be updated with new recipes, do follow us on various social media platforms. My social media handles for your kind reference are as follows. 

Facebook Handlehttps://www.facebook.com/poonambachhavblogspot

Instagram Handlehttps://www.instagram.com/poonambachhav/

Pinterest Handlehttps://in.pinterest.com/poonambachhav/

Twitter Handlehttps://twitter.com/poonampagar_B

See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then stay safe and eat right !

Happy Cooking !

Happy Eating !

Regards 

Poonam Bachhav 


Related Posts:



Friday 29 January 2021

Eggless Orange Bundt Cake

This Orange Bundt Cake is a healthy and delicious egg-less bake made using fresh oranges. Loaded with bold citrus flavor from orange pulp and zest, this orange cake is moist and soft and makes a wonderful tea-time snack. This orange tea cake is made using whole wheat flour and is egg and butter free. I have replaced the refined sugar free with Jaggery which makes it a guilt-free affair. This refreshing Orange Bundt cake can be easily made at home with a very simple recipe and without any fancy ingredients. This cake tastes good on its own. However you may sprinkle some powdered sugar over it or top it with some glaze if you wish. If you love oranges, then this is perfect bake for you.

                     

Love for Oranges:  My family loves citrus fruits be it lemon, sweet lime, oranges or Kinnows. I try to include at least one seasonal citrus fruit in our daily diet, especially at breakfast time. In the last one year we ate a lot of oranges, probably the highest number in our lifetimes, all thanks to Covid 19 pandemic. Needless to mention the immunity boosting properties of this citrus fruit owing to its rich Vitamin C content. Being a rich source of vitamins, folate and calcium, Oranges are a power house of nutrition. I always prefer eating whole fruit or making juice at home over buying store-bought juices that are laden with preservatives , sugar and artificial flavors. The local markets here are flooded with fresh oranges and kinnows and this is the best time to use them to the fullest. 

Apart from enjoying the fruit on its own, oranges can be used in various culinary preparations. Orange zest and orange juices add refreshing and bold citrus flavors in cakes and cookies. I use orange zest in my Choco muffins and use orange pulp in muffins. Fresh orange juice can be used to flavor the suji halwa like in this Orange Rava Kesari or to make Poached pears in citrus juices. I use homemade orange juice to soak dry fruits in my Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake. My Kiwi Strawberry Orange Popsicles made using fresh berries and orange juice are a hit with kids and adults alike. 

    

What goes into my version of Orange Cake? The ingredients:
  • Whole Wheat flour : You may use whole wheat flour and all purpose flour in 1:1 ratio for a less denser cake. I make my bakes entirely using whole wheat flour as i prefer nutrition over looks and taste. Do doubt the bakes made using all purpose flour are light and those with whole wheat flour are a bit dense. I sometimes add 2-3 tablespoon of cornflour to the whole wheat flour which gives a better texture to my cake. 
  • Fresh orange pulp: I have used 2 whole oranges and extracted the pulp. You may use fresh orange juice or store bought juice instead. I have not used the juice but used the pulp by simply blending the orange segments in the grinder jar after deseeding them and used it without straining.
  • Orange Zest: You can easily get the aromatic zest by grating the top layer of the orange peel using a grater or a vegetable peeler. Avoid taking the inner white part which is bitter in taste.
  • Jaggery: I have used organic jaggery powder which dissolves easily in the curd and orange pulp. In case you are planning to use jaggery, grate it before use. Sugar can be used instead of jaggery.
  • Curd: I have used plain homemade curd. Make sure it is at room temperature and is not very sour. Store bought plain yogurt may also be used instead.
  • Oil: Use any non fragrant cooking oil like sunflower oil or olive oil.
  • Baking Powder / Baking Soda : Use fresh baking soda and baking powder for best results. Always check the expiry date before adding it in any bake.
  • Salt : A pinch of salt.
  • Nuts :You can keep the cake plain but i always add some chopped nuts for the bite. I have used  almonds and cashews here. 
                         

Why Bundt Cake ? 

Simply because bundt cakes look very appealing and are easy to slice and serve. You may use any shape cake pan to bake this cake, incase you do not have a bundt cake mould or pan. I have used my silicon bundt cake mould which is very easy to handle, clean and de-mold. 

Serving Suggestions:
  • This orange bundt cake tastes good on its own. Serve it as a healthy tea-time snack , pack it in the lunch box or simply enjoy it just to satisfy the sweet cravings.
  • You may sprinkle some powdered sugar or top the cake with glaze if you wish to.
Shelf life and storage : 
  • The cake remains good at room temperature for a day or two when kept in an air-tight container.
  • Upon refrigeration, the shelf life of cake can be increased by a couple of days 
  • .provided it lasts until then. Mine gets over within two days every time i bake it.

                     

Dietary Tips:
  • Egg-less, Butter-less bake
  • Refined flour and refined sugar free
  • Kid friendly
  • Vegetarian Bake
  • Fresh fruit cake
  • Healthy Tea cake
  • Delightful snack and dessert
  • Saatvik / Jain Recipe
                             

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 1 medium size cake

Ingredients: Measurements used 1 cup = 240 ml
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2-3 tablespoon cornflour (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 large oranges for the pulp ( use 1 cup orange juice if using ready made)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup jaggery powder
  • 1/2 cup curd / yogurt
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice (optional)
Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 Degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Meanwhile grease the bundt cake pan or mold and dust with flour. Chop the nuts and coat them with flour, keep aside. Next, sift whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cornflour, if using in a bowl. Our dry ingredients are ready.


2. Using a vegetable peeler or grater carefully take out orange zest. Now peel the oranges and separate the segments, deseed them and add the segments to a mixer gar and pulse to get the pulp. Do not strain it. measure 1 cup and keep aside. Skip this step if using store bought orange juice. If you do not have oranges, to obtain zest, skip it or use vanilla extract instead.

 
3. In a mixing bowl take curd and add jaggery powder to it. Whisk it well until the jaggery powder dissolves completely in the curd. Now add the orange pulp or juice and give a good stir.



4. Add oil and blend well. Our wet ingredients are ready.


5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones in batches and fold the mixture gently using a spatula. Do not beat very hard.




6. Add orange zest and chopped nuts coated with flour to the batter. Give a good mix. Now pour this batter to the prepared cake mold up to 3/4 of its capacity. Transfer it to a preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes. Keep a watch after 30 minutes as the time varies from oven to oven.



7. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake after baking time is over to test for the doneness. If the inserted toothpick comes out clean, the cake is perfectly baked. If it is wet, bake the cake for another 5 minutes and repeat the test.

                             

8. Allow the cake to cool down completely on a wire rack before de-molding it. Slice and serve the cake as it is or sprinkle some powdered sugar over it or top it with glaze if you wish.


Recipe Notes:
  • You may use whole wheat flour and all purpose flour in 1:1 ratio for a less denser cake. Addition of cornflour is optional, but it gives a good texture to the cake.
  • I have used 2 whole oranges and extracted the pulp. You may use fresh orange juice or store bought juice instead.
  • You can easily get the aromatic zest by grating the top layer of the orange peel using a grater or a vegetable peeler. Avoid taking the inner white part which is bitter in taste. In case you do not have oranges and use ready made juice, add vanilla extract instead of zest.
  • I have used organic jaggery powder which dissolves easily in the curd and orange pulp. In case you are planning to use jaggery, grate it before use. Sugar can be used instead of jaggery.
  • This orange bundt cake tastes good on its own. However, You may sprinkle some powdered sugar or top the cake with glaze if you wish to.
Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this healthy and delicious Orage Bundt Cake while fresh oranges are in season. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with use in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

All your suggestions are more than welcome. If you like my work, and feel that it is worth following, do hit the follow button on the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. It gives me the inspiration and motivation to keep doing my work and give my best each time.

If you like my work and want to be updated with new recipes, do follow us on various social media platforms. My social media handles for your kind reference are as follows. 


See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then Stay safe and eat right !

Happy Cooking !
Happy Eating !

Regards 
Poonam Bachhav 

              

                       

Related Post:



Monday 25 January 2021

Amla Murabba with Jaggery / Indian Gooseberry Preserve


Amla Murabba is a delightful sweet relish made by cooking Indian gooseberries in a sweet syrup until tender. Here, i have cooked the whole amla fruit in jaggery syrup along with spices like cloves and green cardamom which make this traditional winter preserve both healthy and flavorful. Amla murabba also known as moravala is one of the best ways to preserve the winter berry - amla and reap its healthy benefits whole year round. This amla murabba is sweet, tangy and mildly spicy in taste, does not use any artificial flavor, color or preservative and serves as a lip-smacking meal accompaniment or dessert. This 4 ingredient Indian Gooseberry preserve is ready under 30 minutes and has a shelf life of more than 6 months upon refrigeration in an air tight container. The recipe is refined sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan.


What is Murabba ?

Murabba is a sweet fruit preserve generally prepared with fruits, sugar and spices. Basically, murabba was any Unani and Ayurvedic medicinal preparation , which now common people have started using as a healthy recipe due to its immunity boosting properties and health benefits. Murabba can be made with variety of fruits. Aam ka Murabba or the raw mango preserve being the most popular one in India.

Difference between Preserve and Jam: 

The major difference between a jam and a fruit preserve is the jam has a less fruit content as compared to preserve. Jam has more sugar content than the fruit. on the other hand a preserve contains more fruit with a few additives like sugar syrup,honey, molasses or maple syrup. Other difference is that a jam is used as a food accompaniment to bread or toast, whereas a preserve can serve as a dessert and as a food accompaniment.

If you are looking for more jam and fruit preserve recipes, do check out the following from this blog

What goes into my Amla Murabba ? The ingredients:

This amla murabba is a healthy sweet relish made using just 4 ingredients. Yes, you heard me right. Just 4 ingredients without any artificial flavor, color or preservative. Let;s look at the ingredients one by one.
  • Amla / Indian Gooseberry : Use large, fresh, unblemished ripe Indian gooseberries for best results. If you use small green berries, you may have to increase the amount of jaggery. Here, the Indian gooseberries are just washed and pricked with fork and added to the jaggery syrup and spices. Some recipes call for steaming or boiling the amla first, but in that process some nutrition of amla is lost. 
  • Jaggery: Use good quality jaggery, preferably organic one without any impurities. In case you are using the jaggery that has impurities, you will have to strain the jaggery syrup before adding gooseberries to it. The color of the preserve also depends upon the color of the jaggery. If you use brown jaggery the murabba also will be brown in color.
  • Clove: Whole cloves add a lovely flavor and aroma to the preserve along with the added health benefits.
  • Green Cardamom: I have used whole green cardamoms while the amla cooked in the jaggery syrup. You may add powdered green cardamom at the end of making the preserve if you wish to.
Amlas are washed, dried and then pricked all over using a fork. This step is very important as we are not steaming the amla before adding it to the jaggery syrup. A syrup is made by adding very little water to the finely chopped or grated jaggery. The pricked gooseberries are then tipped in the syrup along with a couple of green cardamom and cloves and then simmered and cook until tender. The jaggery syrup also has to reach the single thread consistency before turning off the flame. This ensures the preserves stays good for a couple of months without any preservative. However, do not cook the murabba to this point or else the syrup will become too thick. On cooking properly the amla change the colour to light brown and become soft and tender and are drenched fully with the syrup.

                      

Health benefits of including Amla Murabba in your daily diet.

We all know that amla or Indian gooseberry is a power house of nutrients. Let us have a look at the health benefits of this sweet relish - Amla murabba source
  • Digestive benefits : Amla murabba is high in fiber and hence recommended by doctors for digestive and gastric problems including gastritis. Amla murabba is known to give relief from constipation provided it is taken after a glass full of milk.
  • Rich source of minerals: Indian gooseberry is rich in minerals such as chromium, zinc, copper and iron which helps in boosting the overall immunity of the body.
  • Keeps a check on high cholesterol levels: The high levels of chromium in the amla murabba has the ability to maintain cholesterol levels of the blood and bring down the danger of heart ailments.
  • Good for anemic individuals: amla being a rich source of iron is beneficial to individuals suffering from anemia as it helps to improve the hemoglobin levels in the body.
  • Boosts Immunity: Being rich in Vitamin C and containing the anti-oxidant properties, amla murabba improves immunity. It is safe and natural remedy for recurring cold and cough.
  • Has anti-ageing properties: Amla is a rich source of Vitamin C, A and E thus helps in anti-ageing. The best utilisation of amla murabba is when it is taken on an empty stomach.


Dietary Tips:
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Saatvik / Jain Recipe
  • Gluten-free
  • Kid-friendly
  • Diabetic friendly
  • Sugar-free
  • Preservative-free fruit preserve
  • Healthy and flavorful side-dish

Related Event: 

Best of berries is the theme for the 282nd week on our Facebook gourmet group, Foodie Monday Blog Hop where a bunch of passionate food bloggers share their culinary creations every Monday depending upon a pre-determined theme. Yours truly was the hostess for this week and among the 2 themes i proposed, Berries won with maximum votes. I suggested that we all share our best recipes making use of season's fresh berries. Stay tuned as i will share the collage of all the dishes shared by my fellow bloggers along with their recipes on Facebook.           
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3 cups preserve

Ingredients: Measurements used 1 cup = 250ml
  • 500 grams Indian Gooseberries / Amla (around 12 large ones)
  • 500 grams Jaggery (crushed or grated)
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2-3 green cardamoms       

Method:
  1. Wash the Indian gooseberries thoroughly and pat dry using a clean and dry kitchen towel. Prick each berry all over using a fork. Make sure you insert the fork deep inside as it helps the syrup to penetrate well and the berry cooks well. This step may sound a bit laborious but do it patiently.

2. Take a heavy bottom wok and add all the crushed jaggery along with 2-3 tablespoon of water, just enough for the jaggery to melt without catching the bottom of the pan.


3. Keep stirring as the jaggery melts completely. The flame should be low to medium.


4. Once all the jaggery has melted and you get a smooth syrup, tip in all the pricked gooseberries along with the green cardamom and cloves.


5. Allow the jaggery syrup to boil on medium flame. We will see the syrup first increases in volume as the gooseberries also release water. But as we cook further the syrup begins to bubble and thicken.



6. Keep stirring and cooking the gooseberries until they turn soft and tender. You can remove one gooseberry and check for the done-ness . We have to cook the syrup further until it reaches one string consistency. To check that, just take a drop of syrup between your index finger and thumb and try to pull it, if you get a single string , the syrup is perfectly cooked. Put off the flame and do not cook further.


7. Our healthy and delicious Amla Murabba is ready ! Serve it as a meal accompaniment or a dessert or have it on an empty stomach in the morning for best results. Transfer the amla murabba to a clean and dry glass jar with a tight fitting lid on cooling completely. Refrigerate the jar and use as required.

                          

Recipe Notes:
  • The preserve thickens further on cooling . Do not cook it once the syrup reaches single string consistency.
  • Use fresh, unblemished large size Indian gooseberries for the best results.
  • Use good quality jaggery for best results. The color of the murabba depends upon the color of the jaggery. If your jaggery has impurities, filter the syrup once the jaggery melts using a steel sieve and then return back to cooking further.
  • If using cardamom powder add it towards the end .
  • Store the murabba in a clean and dry glass jar with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate the bottle. Always use a clean dry spoon to sample the murabba. If handled with all precautions the preserve stays good up to 6 months provided it lasts until then.
  • Do not reduce the amount of jaggery if you intend to store it for a long time as jaggery syrup act as as a preservative in this murabba.
  • Make sure you cook the murabba until the jaggery syrup reaches single string consistency. If the syrup remains uncooked chances are the murabba may spoil soon.
Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this healthy and delicious Amla Murabba while the Indian gooseberries are in the season. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with use in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

All your suggestions are more than welcome. If you like my work, and feel that it is worth following, do hit the follow button on the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. It gives me the inspiration and motivation to keep doing my work and give my best each time.

If you like my work and want to be updated with new recipes, do follow us on various social media platforms. My social media handles for your kind reference are as follows. 


See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then stay safe and eat right !

Happy Cooking !
Happy Eating !

Regards 
Poonam Bachhav 

For more recipes using Indian Gooseberry / Amla, check out the following from this blog


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