Coconut Laddoo

 It is festival season for the next 3 months, as much as it is enjoyable it does comes with its own share of cooking. Such huge variety of sweets and savories that need to be whipped up almost every other week.

Am I complaining? No ..

Why should I when there are so many quick and easy recipes that come handy for such demands. Coconut Laddoo with condensed milk is one such recipe.

Any recipe with coconut and I go GAGA .. something is so eternally mesmerising about coconut.

Laddoos plays a very important role in our festivals and the varieties are endless from motichoor to dry fruits laddoo to chocolate laddoo. There is something for everyone and for me it is Coconut laddoo. The fresh coconut scrapings combined with cardamom and ginger gives a very unique refreshing flavour.

This recipe is so simple with very few ingredients and the laddoo gets ready in about 30 minutes time. They taste great on the day of making but you can store the laddoos in the fridge for upto a week. just microwave for 5 seconds before serving.

For making around 16 - 20 coconut laddoos you need
Fresh coconut scrapings : 2 cups
Condensed milk : 1 and 1/3 cups
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Ginger powder : 1/2 tsp
Ghee : 2 tbsp

For rolling and decorating the coconut laddoos
Desiccated coconut : 2-3 tbsp
Powdered sugar : 1 tbsp
Almond slivers : a few

How to make coconut laddoos

1.Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium flame. Add ghee and coconut scrapings. Stir the coconut scrapings until all the ghee is incorporated and the mixture dries up a bit. This will approximately take 5 minutes.

2.Add the condensed milk, salt, cardamom and ginger powder. Mix thoroughly. Frist the mixture wil becomes a bit watery but will gradually start coming together.

3.Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts to leave the sides of the pan. Remove from flame and transfer into a bowl.

4.Let it cool a bit. Meanwhile mix the desiccated coconut and powdered sugar. Spread the mix on a plate.

5.Take a small amounts of the warm coconut mix and roll them into laddoos. Roll the laddoos in the desiccated coconut sugar mix. Decorate with almond slivers.

Notes
Buy juicy coconuts for the laddoos not the mature ones as they give a oily taste to the sweet.

U can also add khoya when making the laddoos for more volume and texture. Fro 1/2 cup of khoya add 1/2 cup of condensed milk.

For variations, try adding nuts [cashews, pistachio and chirongi] when making the laddoos.

Instead of almonds , you can use various pistachio and cashews for decorating.

Sivappu Arisi Sarkarai Pongal

Hi everyone,

"When life is sweet, say thankyou and Celebrate. When life is Bitter, say thankyou and Grow"

Not trying to be philosophical but for some reason this particular line stayed in my memory. I saw this in one of the bookshop windows a few years back. This best part about this statement is that we forget to celebrate when we feel blessed but make sure to crib/whine/get angry and frustrated when things don't go our way.

Probably this fast moving world has made us forget the small things that have a positive impact in our everyday life but we hang on to the negative things, burden ourselves mentally and emotionally and turn the whole situation bitter. Sweet pongal/payasam especially rice based are my ultimate comfort food. The process of making these sweet dishes, the flavours, textures and aroma of the finished dish in itself is so therapeutic.

This recipe calls for red raw rice and coconut milk with a mild ginger and cardamom flavour. It is a simple way to include other rice varieties [other than the usual raw rice] in our diet.

 
For the recipe
Red raw rice: 1 cup [washed]
Moong dal: 1/4 cup
Jaggery: 1 cup
Water: 1/4 cup
Coconut milk [strained first]: 1 cup
Coconut milk [strained second]: 2 cups
Coconut milk [strained third]: 2 cups
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Ginger : 1 inch piece
Edible camphor: 1 pinch
Saara paruppu [chironji or charoli in hindi]: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp

1.Bring the water to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the jaggery and stir until everything is dissolved. Remove from flame and set aside.
2.Heat a pressure cooker on medium flame. Roast the moong dal for a couple of minutes until a nice aroma emanates, Add the washed rice, ginger, cardamom powder and coconut milk [second and third strained]. Close the lid and cook for 3-4 whistles. Put off the flame.
3.Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a small pan and roast the saara paruppu. Set aside. Filter the jaggery syrup and mix the edible camphor in the syrup.
4.Once the pressure in the cooker subsides, open the lid and mash the rice dal mix slightly. Place the cooker on medium flame. Add the jaggery syrup little by little and mix well.
5. Once the jaggery syrup has been absorbed into the rice dal mix, add the roasted saara paruppu and the remaining ghee and mix well. Switch off the flame.
6.Let the pongal cool for about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk [first strained] and mix gently.

Serve warm or cold.

Notes:
1.The amount of liquid required [wether using water, milk or coconut milk] is determined by the age of the rice. I had used new rice which requires less water. If you are using old rice, then increase the liquid amount by 1 cup to the already given ratio.

2. Instead of coconut milk you can use regular milk or just water. If using milk or water, add all the liquid into the pressure cooker to cook the rice dal mixture.

3.Feel free to use cashew and raisin instead of saara paruppu.

4.You can also add 2-3 tbsp of fresh scraped coconut to the rice dal mix and continue to make the pongal. 

Scribbled by Reva

Gulab Jamun

இனிய தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் .. Wishing everyone a Very Happy Deepavali .. 

I am sure everyone is busy with Deepavali preparations. I miss Coimbatore especially during festivals - hours of clothes shopping amidst the frantic crowd, matching accessories for the clothes, sweet and savoury preparations, cleaning and decorating the house, early morning oil bath on deepavali, meeting friends, visiting temple and so on..

God ! I miss the excitement.

Preparing sweets and savouries at home is an adventure [to say the least].There are a lot of things that can actually pose a challenge when it comes to home preparation - Space, time, patience,getting the right consistency, storing the eatables and above all the "health of the person" who knows it all ..

Traditionally, most of the sweets and savouries took days of preparation right from soaking the rice to grinding to making the sugar syrup to the final product. Nowadays we can find ready mixes in the super market isle right from jamun to payasam to murukku. It is an easy option out but home-made is the best.

Having said that my favourite sweet shops in Coimbatore are way too many - Sri Krishna Sweets in Ramanathapuram. Their "Mysore-Pak and Badusha" is to die for, A1 chips "Coconut milk Murukku and Oppitu [otherwise known as poli]", Adyar Aanada bhavan "Milk sweets" and Nellai Lala for their "Mixtures and Halwas".

Ever since I stared blogging I try to make sweets at home. Many a times the supposed to be sweets have turned out to be complete diasters but I am getting the hang of it now.

Gulab jamuns are the most easiest of sweets that can be made at home. There are so many variations to make gulab jamun from scratch. I have used milk powder in this recipe but you can also try with koya [milk solids] to make them. If you are one of those who have used the ready-made mix Gulab jamun mix to make these sweet dumplings, you should try making them with milk powder.

They are so soft, soaked in sugar syrup, delicately scented with rose water and cardamoms that they melt in the mouth.

For the sugar syrup
Castor sugar: 2 cups
Water: 1 and 1/2 cup
Cardamom pods: 8-10
Rose water: 2 tsp

In a heavy bottom vessel add sugar, water and cardamom pods. Let this bubble for around 8-10 mins in medium heat until you get a syrup consistency [when you touch the sugar syrup between your index finger and thumb, you will get a sticky consistency]. Be careful not to over boil the syrup to one string consistency. Remove from heat, mix the rose water in the syrup and keep the syrup warm 

For the Gulab Jamun:
Milk powder: 1 cup
Maida: 1/4 cup.
Curd: 2 tbsp
Milk: 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Bicarbonate of soda: 1 small pinch
Salt: 1 pinch
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Oil: for frying

Mix milk powder, maida, salt and bicarbonate of soda. In a small cup mix the milk and curd and set aside. Add the ghee to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly followed by the milk-curd mixture. Bring everything together to a smooth dough. Wet your palms a little with the milk and make small balls from the dough. The surface of the balls should be smooth without any cracks.

Fry the jamuns in small batches of 4-5 until they are golden  brown. Remove them from the oil and immerse them in the sugar syrup immediately. Fry all the dough balls and soak them in sugar syrup. Once done, transfer them into a seperate container and store in a cool dry place.

Notes:
Getting the syrup consistency is crucial - it should be sticky and not string consistency.
Make the jamun balls of smaller size so that they cook evenly when frying and soak up the syrup completely.
The temperature of the oil should be medium meaning a batch of 4-5 dough balls will approximately take 4-5 minutes to attain golden brown colour.
The dough should be smooth edging on sticky. If required add 1tsp of milk to the dough.

Have a very happy deepavali everyone ..

Happy cooking

Enjoy

Paal Payasam .. For a new beginning

Hello everyone,

Its been a long gap but here I am back to my favourite hobby "blogging". Everytime I look at the lovely food photos uploaded by blogger friends, I yearn to put on my food blogger cap and start cooking out dishes until I drop dead.

Not everything goes as planned, does it !! especially in life.

So much has happened in the past two years - good, bad, super-good twists and turns which constantly reminds that life is a roller coaster ride.

Spent the past two years in India, now again back in the UK, having a second child, shifting houses, school admissions, juggling work amidst looking after 2 young kids ... hhhmmm, I need a break.

Taking a turn in a new direction to step onto a new platform, I am launching my own preschool chain "LotusLeaf Preschool"  in India today.

As today is Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam's birthday which has been declared as "World Student Day", I could not have asked for a more perfect day for the launch.

Every celebration calls for a sweet dish. As Navarathiri celebrations have begun, I made my favourite paal payasam. I am sure most of you are familiar with this dish.

Paal payasam is a liquidy sweet dish made of rice, jaggery and milk flavoured with cardamoms, cashews, raisins and sometimes saffron. This dish has various regional names and prepared mainly during festivals and temple offerings [prasadham].

General tip for making a good payasam , use good quality rice and full fat milk.

Ingredients
Raw rice : 1 cup.
Powdered jaggery : 1 cup.
Milk [full fat milk]: 6 cups.
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Cashews : a few.
Raisins : a few.
Ghee: 4 tbsp.

1. Fry the rice in 2  tbsp ghee until just warm. Pulse the rice once just to break it up. Do not grind the rice.
2.In a pressure cooker add the broken rice and milk.Cover with lid. Once the steam starts coming from the steam opening on the lid, put the whistle on.
3.Keep in low flame and cook for 20 mins or until you get the first whistle. Switch off the flame and let the steam settle.
4.Meanwhile roast the cashews and raisins in the remaining ghee and set aside.
5.Open the lid and mix the cooked contents well. Simmer in low flame.
6.Add the jaggery and cardamom powder and mix well until everything is well blended.
7. Simmer until thick. Switch off the flame and add the roasted cashews and raisins.

Serve hot or cold.

Notes:
1.The measurement for jaggery varies depending on your liking for sweetness. The sweetness for the measurement given here will give you a tasty "just" sweet payasam. If you like more sweet flavour add a bit more according to our preference.
2.If you are using sugar instead of jaggery, for a perfect sweet payasam add 3/4 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup.
3.If you are using jaggery cubes instead of jaggery powder, use around 350 gms. Immerse the cubes in boiling hot water [1 cup] for 15 mins. Filter the jaggery syrup and use accordingly.

Happy cooking..

Enjoy..

Revathi

Foxtail Millet with Honey - Thaenum Thinai Maavum

I hope Vinayaka Chathurthi was a very enjoyable celebration to all. I could not take my eyes off all the lovely posts and pics from my fellow bloggers right from sweet kozhukattais to sundal to payasam to pidi kozhukattais...

Just by looking at all the recipes I literally felt like I have tasted all of them ... Thanks to all bloggers, it was a wonderful visual feast for the past 2 weeks..:)

Now, we have showered the elder brother Lord Vinayagar with all the love, flowers, prasadhams, slogams etc. Now it is time to turn our attention to the younger brother , Lord Murugan.

When we look at the family chemistry  of Lord Sivan and Parvathi, it is a typical household of working parents and two kids where the first born is always the patient sharing type and the second born is much more playful and naughty. I am the first born in my family with two younger sisters and there comes a stage where parents and other elders tell the first born to be nice, to always share and to take care of the younger siblings.

This is something that is not always possible and cannot be done with a smile or wholeheartedly all the time as the first born is will also be a child of a different age when the second one arrives but looking at the bigger picture, your life has a new meaning with the arrival of a new sibling.

The same is with Vinayagar and Murugar ... Vinayagar was the more stable one with so much love and patience whereas Murugar was playful, sharp tongued and short tempered. He even had a fight with his own father and off he went to stay on a hill top [Palani Hills].

There is also a mythical story of Ganesha helping out his younger brother in his love quest with Valli [who is one of the wives of Lord Murugar]...;)

Ofcourse, there comes the prasadhams - Panchamirtham and Thaenum Thinai Maavum. Panchamirtham - means "Food for the God made out of five items mixed together" and Thaenum Thinai Maavum - means "Foxtail Millet with Honey".

The first one is made with specific ingredients especially available from the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu and is something like a fruit jam.

The second one is a simple mix of millet flour and honey. Foxtail millet as we all know is one of the most healthiest grains but sadly disappearing from our lives. When mixed with honey, ghee with or without dried fruit and nuts makes a lovely healthy sweet treat.

When certain items are offered as prasadhams to God, it is an indirect way designed by our ancestors to tell us the value of the ingredients offered.

Coming to the recipe, this mix of millet and honey can be consumed in the powder form or made into tiny laddoos. The laddoos resemble Rava Laddoos. This is offered as prasadham in Palani Murugar Temple.

For the recipe:
Thinai : 100 gms.
Clear runny honey: 5-6 tbsp.
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp.
Cashews [chopped]: 5-6.
Raisins [chopped]: 2 tbsp.
Ghee: 2 tbsp.

1.Place a non stick pan on medium flame. Roast the grains along with the ghee for a good 6-8 minutes. Initially the ghee would make grains stick together but after 5 minutes the grains will seperate and a wonderful aroma arises.
2.Transfer the grains onto a plate and let it cool. After the grains cooled completely, grind it to a powder.
3.Take this powder in a bowl. Add the honey, cardamom powder, chopped cashews and raisins.
4.Mix well and make them into small laddoos.

Store in air tight containers and keep in a cool dry place. You can also serve the sweet powder mix as it is without making them into laddoos.

Note: If you prefer a smooth powder, sieve the ground grains and grind the grainy part again. I have made the laddoos with a grainy powder which gives the feel of rava laddoo.The amount of sweetness in just enough to cover the earthy slightly bitter taste of the grains.

You can increase the amount of honey as per your preference [about 2 tbsp more than the given amount] but be careful not to add to much of honey as you would end with a sticky mass.

Some don't prefer the taste of honey. Please feel free to substitute powdered palm sugar [panang-kalkandu] or even powdered rocky candy. If you don't have any of the above sweetening agents, use powdered sugar to sweeten the mix.

All you need to do is add 2-3 tbsp of ghee to make laddoos [if you want to make laddoos] or else just mix the grain powder and sugar along with the chopped cashews and raisins and serve in the powder form.

Thinai is said to increase the body temperature, so be aware of the amount of grains consumed. Moderation is advised or if in doubt please get the nutritional advise from your doctor.

Sending this to Jagruthi's Know Your Sweetness - Honey guest hosted by Shama Nagarajan

Enjoy ....

Scribbled by Reva.

Murukku - Vinayagar Chathurthi Special..

Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi to everyone ... I know it is too early to wish but this is my favourite of celebration days. I don't know why but I do have a special attaachment  towards Lord Vinayagar. Something about his appearance makes it so easy to like him. I feel he is more of a friendly natured diety when compared to others in Hindu mythology.

The fun part of Indian festival celebration is that you get prepare and taste so many dishes. Snacks .... Hhhhmmm, there is no other way to put this... "I love snacks"..:)) I don't mean factory manufactured packets which are lined up in the super market shelves filled with artificial flavours and colours.

I mean the real stuff... the yummy crunchy snacks which are home made with tender loving care especially during festival times and auspicious days which fill our homes with delicious aromas and make our tummies happy..:)

I am a real amateur when it comes to making authentic sweets and savouries. Whenever I try the savoury items something goes wrong, either the batter is not right - murukkus start bursting once it goes in the oil or the batter disperses in the oil..:( or the flavor of the murukku is not right.

So I asked the help of an expert ... My MIL's sister. She is a wonderful cook and makes everything from mutton thala kari to murukku to maravalli kizhangu chips to maaladu with much ease. When I do question her about how she learnt all these dishes her reply would be "Ahh, its nothing, I just learnt it by making them".

Indeed she also enlightened me with some interesting stories regarding savory snack making.

a. When the murukku is put in the oil it floats to the surface with a big sizzle which is named as "Salangai Satham". Salangai means the sound from a series of small bells attached to a piece of heavy cloth which is tied on each feet when dancing Bharathanatyam /Kathak etc.

b.When the murukkus are done and the sizzle settles, the sound resembles "Kili Satham" meaning sound made by parrots. I don't know if the sizzles do resemble salangai or parrots but it was interesting just to listen to these small entertaining talks.

Recipe Source. Mrs. Nirmala Cinnaswamy.

Raw rice: 4 cups.
Urad dhal: 1/2 cups.
Butter [melted]: 50 gms.
Cumin seeds: 1 and 1/2 tbsp.
Omam:1 tsp.
Salt: 1 and 1/2 tbsp.
Asafoetida powder: 1 tbsp.
Coconut oil: 3 tbsp.
Oil for frying : as required.[Amount of oil used here is around a litre and half of which cooking oil and coconut oil are of equal quantities]

1. Wash the rice twice and drain the water completely. Dry the rice on a clean cloth in shade. When you hold some rice tightly in your hand the rice should hold the shape. When you loosen your hold, the rice should fall apart. This is the right moisture content state [patham].
2.Dry roast the urad dhal on medium flame until it turns slightly red in colour. Remove from flame and cool.
3.Grind both the rice and dhal seperately to a fine powder. Place the powdered rice and dhal in large plates for it to cool completely.
4.Sieve the powders twice and reserve seperately.

5. Mix the powders along with coconut oil, butter, omam, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder and salt thoroughly.
6.Now add water little by little and bring the whole flour mix together to form a soft dough. Meantime heat the required oil on medium flame.
7.Apply some in the murukku maker container and on your hands. Take a small portion of the dough and fill the murukku maker which is fitted with a plate which has 3 tiny holes and keep the rest of the dough aside covered with a wet cloth.
8.Press the dough with the second attachment of the maker [which is also oiled] so that the dough falls in strings. You need to go in circles 3 or 4 times. Make the murukku on a large ladle [jali karandi] and then plunge the ladle into the oil.[see notes]

9.The raw dough murukku will automatically detach itself from the ladle and float in the oil [see notes].
10.Fry upto 3 murukkus at a time as too many  at one time will bring down the temperature of the oil.
11.Remove the murukkus once they are slightly yellowish brown in colour and the sizzling settles.[see notes]
12.Drain on paper towels and store in air tight container when they are completely cool.

Notes:
Using coconut oil gives a lovely flavour to the murukku but you can use ordinary cooking oil to make them.

I would strongly suggest to use an extra large ladle to squeeze the murukku first and then plunge the ladle into the oil. If you are confident, you can squeeze the murukku directly into the oil.

The oil should be in the right temperature meaning once the murukku goes into the oil it should float to the top with a big sizzle. It the murukku sinks to the bottom of the vessel then the oil is a bit cold. If the murukku becomes reddish to dark reddish in colour before the sizzle settles, then the oil is too hot.

It is best to test the oil temperature by dropping a small piece of the dough into the oil before making the murukku.

It is essential to use fresh ingredients as savoury items made with old stuff does not have good flavour nor aroma and goes bad very soon.

I have used murukku attachment plate which has 3 tiny holes. You can use other attachments which have one large opening or 3 medium openings according to your preference. The only thing to take into account is the cooking time of the murukku - the thicker it is the more time it will take to cook.

You can use store brought ready made rice flour and urad dhal flour. Dry roast the flours seperately and cool the flours completely and proceed as per the recipe.


Enjoy...


Scribbled by Reva

Mysore Pak - Virtual Welcome Party to Dear Kavin...:))

 Today is a special exciting  day ... Want to know why....?? Yes, I will tell you but before that have you felt unconditional love ..?? A sense of belonging, happiness that knows no bounds, sense of protection .... where even sleepless nights and constant work feels like heaven..

Have you seen innocence looking at you with bright sparkly eyes, a smile that showers a million stars in our heart, a tender kiss that makes you melt, a tender word "Ammaa" that makes your eyes fill with tears...

Have you guessed what it is... yes, it is "Motherhood". So many relationships happen in life but a bond between a mother and her baby is something that cannot be defined by simple words. It is something to be felt..:)

You are born with some relationships and some happen along the way ... This is one bond that you create and it stays with you all your life. This bond is the most powerful of all, which changes your life 360 degrees, makes you feel all sorts of emotions and even surprises you with the unconditional unlimited love that flows from within your heart... :)

Oh no, I am not so good with sentiments or expressing emotions but you can get the message... Kirthi of Kirthi's Kitchen has recently been blessed with a lovely baby boy Kavin .... Obviously this calls for celebration. What better way to celebrate other than with your friends and sweet treats.

That is exactly what we have done ... a group of bloggers have come together to throw a virtual party to extend a very warm welcome for the new arrival ...

"Welcome Dear Kavin and May God bless you with all the joy and happiness..." Congrats Kirthi ... enjoy your time with your bundle of joy along with your beloved and family members..:))

It also feels to come back to blogging after a break ... surely I missed my virtual world.Now coming to the recipe... Mysore pak is a traditional sweet which is a blend of besan flour, sugar and ghee and has been there for a very long time. Krishna Sweets in Coimbatore unquestionably gave a new lease of life to this humble sweet. Until then mysore pak was quite hard and crumbly.

Krishna sweets gave the sweet a new flavour, texture and feel that its fame spread far and wide and still unbeaten by its competitors. Anybody who visit Coimbatore please make sure you taste mysore pak from Krishna Sweets ... you will not forget the taste ever..:)) 

Their recipe is an absolute secret ... ssshhhh..!!!

This recipe is not Krishna Sweets mysore pak recipe but does comes close to its taste and texture.

For the recipe: Makes 20 -25.

Kadalai Maavu [besan flour]: 2 cups.
Sugar: 2 cups.
Ghee: 3 cups +3 tbsp + extra for greasing
Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp.
Milk powder: 3 tbsp.
Water: 3/4 cup.

1.Grease a square cake tin or a round deep plate with a little amount of ghee and set aside. Sift the kadalai maavu twice.
2.Place a wide mouthed non stick pan on medium flame and add the sifted flour along with 3 tbsp of ghee.
3.Gently heat through stirring constantly until a nice aroma emanates which will take around 3-4 minutes.
4.Transfer onto a plate and set aside.

 5.Place a deep heavy bottomed non stick vessel on medium flame and add the sugar, cardamom powder and water.
6.Stir until all the sugar is dissolved and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the syrup forms one string consistency [see notes].
7.Meanwhile place another vessel on medium flame and heat the 3 cups of ghee.
8.Add the roasted flour and milk powder to the syrup and stir continuously until well combined.
9.Add a ladle of hot ghee on the flour sugar mixture. You would see sizzling on the surface of the mixture because of the hot ghee.

 10. Stir carefully until all the ghee is absorbed. Add another ladle and repeat the process until all the ghee is used up.
11.The whole process would takes a good 20-25 minutes. The mixture will start to come together without sticking to the sides of the pan and check consistency [see notes].
12.Transfer the contents onto the greased plate and smoothen the surface. Let the mixture cool for a bit and make horizontal and vertical cuts with the help of a sharp knife.

Once cooled seperate the pieces and store in an air tight container. This can be kept at room temperature for upto 3 days and 1 week in the refrigerator. 

 Check out my other lovely friends posts who are with me in this welcome party.... Priya Suresh , Priya Sreeram , Priya Mahadevan , Vardhini , PJ , Shama , Nupur Mehra , Dhyuthi, Radhika , Anu , Denise . 


Thankyou friends for coming together and putting in your best dish for this virtual party... I am sure Kirthi and her family will enjoy your treats...:) 

 Notes: Please make sure that all the ingredients are fresh and of good quality to get the best results. You will need atleast 1 large pan, 2 smaller pans, 1 ladle and 1 strong wooden spoon. Most of all you will need patience and an extra person to help with the stirring.


Be very careful when adding hot ghee and stirring as it might splash on you.

To check the consistency of the mysore pak - take a small amount of the mix and try to form a ball. You should be able to form a soft ball which can hold its shape but easily squashable. Beware the mixture is very hot and you might burn your fingers.

It is also very important to take the mixture from the flame at the right consistency as it will harden within seconds and you would end up with a hard sweet.

One string consistency: pres a bit of syrup in between your thumb and index finger - a single string should form in between your finger tips. This is the right consistency.  

Enjoy...

Scribbled by Reva