Mom's Recipies

Papaya Halwa is a simple, nutritious and yummy sweet dish .It can be made for special religious events and can be eaten for vrat / fastings also.



Ingredients :-

Medium semi ripe papaya 3 cups (chopped into cubes or grated)
Ghee -  2 tbsp
Sugar - 5 tbsp (adjust according to your taste)
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp   (Optional)
Almond powder - 2 tbsp (Optional)
Cashew Nuts - 12 halved
Raisins - few (optional)



Method:-

• First rinse and peel the papaya.
• Cut into half and remove the seeds and pith from it.Slice the papaya and chop finely.
• In a pan add the milk and let it boils. In a Kadai or pan fry the cashews and raisins in a tbsp of ghee and keep it aside. 
• For making Almond Powder I crushed 15 almonds in a mixer.

• Add a tbsp of ghee in a same kadai or pan. Then add the papaya cubes.
• Cook on a low flame for about 15 minutes.Keep stirring in between.
• The fruit will release it juices and little bit change the color. 

• Now mash the papaya well with the back of the ladle.
• Add sugar and then stir well. Continue to cook for further 5 minutes on a low flame

• Now add the boiled milk in the papaya sugar mixture and keep stirring for about 20-25 minutes on low flame until ghee will start to separate.

• Cook for 5-6 minutes more till the whole halwa has gotten together or halwa starts to leave the sides of the pan.

• Add the cardamom powder and fried cashews and raisins to the halwa.Switch off the stove.
• Now Healthy  and Lip Smacking Papaya Halwa is ready !!!

•  Serve the Papaya Halwa warm .
• Keep it in a Fridge and You can also  serve the Papaya Halwa as a yummy cold dessert.

Note :-

• You can adjust sugar according to your taste.
• If Papaya is fully ripe You need to add very little sugar. 
• Add boiled milk only if you add cold milk it will curdle.

Navratri is a festival, which is celebrated for nine days.There is an tradition in Navratri of observing fast during the navratri in some regions to please the mother goddess.In north India,Gujrat and  Maharashtra  people observe a fast during Navratri and break their fast on  Navami (the ninth day).The devotees, who have observed fast, follow a specific diet for Navratri, if they haven't observed a nirahar (waterless) fast. Most people nowadays perform partial fasting. They eat only one meal a day at sunset, the Navaratri meal has special courses and is strictly vegetarian.Onion and garlic are not allowed, due to their foul smell.One may drink beverages like tea, coffee and milk, on Navratri. Dishes made of sago , potato ,kuttu is generally consumed by the people, when they observe fast on Navratri.  All fruits and foodstuff made of fruits are eaten during the seven days.  This may also vary from region to region.
      Here are some recipes that are suitable for Navaratri celebrations and which you can prepare easily during the occasion.


* Kuttu Ki Puri

* Sabudana Khichidi

* Sabudana Thalipeeth

* Sabudana Vada

* Sabudana Kheer / Payasam

* Sabudana Ladoos

* Peanut Ladoos

* Coconut Chutney

* Potatao Curry /Aloo ki Sabzi

* Sweet Potato Halwa

* Peanuts Curd Chutney 

* Apple Halwa

* Guava /Peru Halwa

* Rajgira Ladoo

* Rajigra Puri

• 1 cup Sabudana /Sago
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup Peanuts (roasted & crushed coarsely)
• 1 Potato (boiled, peeled & mashed)
• 7-8 Green Chilies paste /crushed
• Rock Salt  or Sendha Namak to taste
• Oil to deep fry

• Soak sago by placing it in a bowl, then rinsing once with water, then adding enough water to just cover the sago in the bowl. Cover and leave overnight or 5 hours. Your sago will swell well and becoming a bit rubbery and soft. This results in perfectly fluffed sago.
• Add all ingredients to it except oil. Mix well into a paste.
• Keep the oil in a deep frying pan to heat. Moist hands and make small medium size balls and flatten slightly to form patties.
• Slide the rounds in the heated oil on medium flame. Fry till they are crisp and light brown in color.
• Drain them well using a sieve type ladle and paper towels.
• Serve with peanut chutney,Coconut chutney or chutney of your choice.

Note:- The oil shouldn't be extremely hot as it will make the outer layer dark but inner portion of the vada will stay uncooked.
If you are not preparing for fasting then you can use normal salt.

I am doing Navratri fasting for 9 days, so thought of sharing Fasting recipies which I would be preparing during these days. We can eat Sabudana ,Kottu atta,Singhara (Indian water-chestnut) ,Potato ,Sweet Potato,Groundnuts,Coconut ,Rajgira and Fruits during the fasting days.
Today I will share recipe for Sabudana thalipeeth which is very forgiving. If you use boiled and mashed potatoes, you can add a few spoons of rajgira (amaranth) flour or Sabudana flour for binding and stay within the upwas (fasts) restrictions.

Ingredients:-

2 cups Soaked Sabudana / Sago
2 large Boiled Potatoes
1 tsp of Cumin
2 tbsp Sabudana Powder
11/2 tsp Green chilly paste
Salt to taste
1/4 cup roasted Peanut groundnuts powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
Ghee to shallow fry


Method:-

1) Soak 2 cups of sago by placing it in a bowl, then rinsing once with water, then adding enough water to just cover the sago in the bowl. Cover and leave overnight or 5 hours. Your sago will swell well and becoming a bit rubbery and soft. This results in perfectly fluffed sago.Keep it aside.
2) Boil the Potatoes in microwave or in pressure cooker. Peel it then mash it.
3) In a big bowl add soaked sabudana , mashed potato,groundnut powder,salt ,sugar, green chilli paste, cumin seeds ,sabudana powder and mix well to a soft dough, except ghee.
4) On a thick plastic bag/ sheet, place a tennis ball size ball of the dough and pat it with hands into a round roti shape or flat bigger circle. See that roti should be thick and should not break.
5) Heat a non -stick pan.
6) Gently transfer it to the hot non stick pan. Put ghee around it.
7) Cook on both sides to a until nice golden colour and crispy.
Serve with Yogurt / coconut chutney of your choice.

Ingredients for Coconut Chutney:-

Coconut pieces -1/2 cup
Green chillies - 5-6
Curd - 1 tsp
Rock Salt or Sendha Namak to taste
Ghee - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Grind all the ingredients to smooth paste. Add seasoning of cumin seeds.

Note:-
If you are not preparing this for fasting then you can use normal salt.