HalwAs Laddoos and Cakes

[smaranam]

Namaste

Let's dedicate this thread to the category halwA , or any sweets.

t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon
c = cup

Pumpkin-Saffron Bread / Apple Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups self-raising flour (if not available use regular all-purpose flour)

1 t baking soda - only needed if using regular flour


3/4 cup sugar


1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup almond milk (or soy or regular milk)


1/4 t saffron

1 t vanilla extract - for apple cake.

For Pumpkin Bread - 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree/pulp (also avl. canned)
For Apple Cake - 1 cup or 2 medium peeled and grated sweet red apples - any kind

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, use a spatula to mix the fruit (pumpkin or apple) with saffron, vanilla, sugar and oil.

3. ** If not using self-raising flour, mix the flour and baking soda seperately first, in another container. Gradually add the flour-mixture to the bowl a little at a time while mixing, folding in with the spatula.

4. Add the almond milk, adjust amount to get a smooth soft batter. Saffron may be first combined in the milk before adding , instead of adding to fruit - an alternative way to blend the saffron.

4. For muffins/cupcakes , grease a 12 count muffin pan.

For cake - grease a 9" X 13" square pan or casserole.
Pour mixture into pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour or 45 mins (know your oven, or check after 45 mins) .
Muffins should take shorter time depending on quantity baked - check after 35 mins.

Allow cake to cool before slicing.

[wcrow]

Thanks for this, I would like to try and make this soon!
May I ask where you got this recipe - is it your own creation?
Also, is this a traditional indian kind of cake?

[smaranam]

Namaste Wilfred

I am glad to hear that :)
Both of these , mostly 9X13 cake as well as muffin , have been a frequent fare for us. So, its an experimented recipe.

No, its not Indian. I shall post ravaa laddoos and halwa next , which is traditional Indian.

This one is a mix and match recipe derived from a traditional apple cake. Cinnamon is replaced with saffron. The idea of adding saffron came from a saffron bread recipe found in a newspaper supplement more than 8 yrs ago. We have been having cake with saffron since then.

The pumpkin bread is totally a new experiment , different from the usual cinnamon-nutmeg pumpkin rolls.

Self-raising flour really helps.
2 flour : 1 sugar : 1 shortening (which i changed to 1/2 oil 1/2 almond milk - milk cakes are softer) is a good rough basic proportion for eggless cakes. If the cake is heavy one can reduce the flour by 1/4 c

[smaranam]

Namaste

I am going to post vegan versions for some Traditional Indian recipes. The original milk-ghee-butter options are also shown side by side.

The vegan versions use almond , soy and rice milks. For closeness in taste it is better to use the whole and not the light , or reduced fat milks , as they are going to be the primary source of fat.
For savoury recipes, oil is used and only when absolutely necessary - vegan butters like EarthBalance ,SmartBalance or margarines may be used in limited qty. I have not tried them - and guessing they won't work for halwas


RavA Laddoos (pronounced ravaa)

One of the easiest form of laddoos made from wheat semolina (ravaa) : farina or cream of wheat. 
We get two kinds of wheat semolina - coarse and fine. I use a combination of the two to make these laddoos. Some may prefer just one kind.

Ingredients
1 cup ravA (a combination of coarse and fine 1:1)

1/2 cup sugar
1 T oil
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 t freshly ground cardamom

1/2 t saffron

vegan : 1/2 cup almond milk ( may want to try soy milk since ravaa is cereal after all )
original : a] 1/4 cup unsalted butter OR ghee
b] 4-6 T or a dash/flash of milk (just enough to get a consistency of thick dough to roll into balls.)



METHOD
1. In a small saucepan, saute-roast raisins in 1 T oil
Put aside
2. In a high pot or saucepan on medium heat,
vegans skip this step : melt the butter/ghee.

3. Add semolina(s).
4. Roast until pinkish brown and till the roasted smell is evident.

5. Add the sugar, raisins and toss

6. Turn OFF the heat.
7. Mix the saffron and cardamom in the [almond] milk.
8. Add to the ravaa mixture - it should be just enough to make a soft mix easy enough to roll into laddoos.
9. Turn out the mix into a large dish.
Let the mix cool for 5 minutes - not longer or else it may turn hard.
10.Pick a handful of the cooled mix and press it with fingers.
Once the mix is stuck together , roll into balls with both palms.

The laddoos should be 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter

Makes a dozen.

**OPTIONAL : 1/4 cup grated coconut is also used in traditional ravaa laddoos. Not sure how well it will go with saffron.
While saffron is very much a part of Indian dishes, i haven't seen it with coconut.

Besan Laddoo
Exactly the same as ravA laddoos, just use chick-pea flour (besan) instead of ravA, without the optional coconut
Warning: chick-pea flour , besan, roasts quickly, so heat has to be low so the flour does not burn.

ravA-Besan Laddoo

Use Rava:Besan 1:1 (May want to add the semolina(s) first as chick-pea flour will take a shorter time to roast ).

Banana Sheera (Semolina banana HalwA )

Same ingredients as ravaa laddoo above
plus : a] 2 cups almond milk (or milk) instead of a 'dash' - this is for 1 cup ravaa
b] 1 medium banana, sliced and cut

Method

Start off just as ravaa laddoo upto step 5. Then instead of turning off heat....
6. In another pot heat [almond] milk almost to a boil
7. Sprinkle saffron and cardamom in milk and stir to let it blend uniformly
8. Add the [almond] milk to the ravA mix
9. Add the cut banana ,stir , then cover, steam for 2 minutes to let liquid get absorbed.
10. Turn off heat.

***This banana sheera ( originally with ghee and milk ) is traditional prasAd , offered to Lord SatyanArayaNa , topped with tulsi leaves.***

[kd gupta]

Ymmmm. Fine to think but tough to achieve similarly as moksha to me .

[wcrow]

Mmm, these do look exellent. Thankyou so much, especially for providing a vegan alternative to the dairy.

[smaranam]

[Rose] GAjar HalwA (Carrot halwA [optianally with rose essence] )

Ingredients
4 cups carrots - peeled and grated
1 t freshly ground cardamom powder (elaichi)
1/2 cup broken cashews
6-8 T sugar (vegans : 5T flat)

vegan:
1 cup almond milk , 1/2 cup rice milk , 1T oil , 2 drops only of rose essence

original:
1/4 cup ghee or unsalted butter , 2 cups milk

Method
On medium heat, in a tall pot/wide pan,
vegans skip this : melt ghee/unsalted butter
Add cardamom, grated carrots, sugar
Add the milk(s)
While milks evaporate, carrots cook, saute cashews in 1T oil, put aside.
Stirring the carrots occasionally, let all liquid evaporate
Add the sauted cashews

OPTIONAL: add 2 drops rose essence
Toss and press.
Serve warm or cold



[Rose] Dudhi HalwA (Bottle Gourd HalwA . Bottle Gourd is long , green outside and white inside)

Wash the dudhi (bottle gourd) - A large 1 foot dudhi may yield 4 cups
Cut the hard green outer covering thinly, leaving maximum white fruit intact.
Grate dudhi.

Follow the ingredients, measures and recipe for gAjar halwA,

Just let the dudhi (bottle gourd) steam to half cooked with its own water, before adding the milks.
Dudhi takes londer to cook, and it has to be well cooked, whereas carrots have ample time in the milk.

Also, if dudhi halwA is not very firm after cooked, a little liquidy, that's fine too - makes a very healthy nutritious dish.

Traditionally, to make the halwA fudgy, sometimes the gourd/carrots are steamed in little water, and khavA/mAvA - coarse condensed milk-fudge, is added to it instead of cooking in milk . The above recipe(s) are more healthful.

Rose Essence - GulAb pAni is not traditionally part of these halwas, although its very much part of the Indian Cuisine. Just to let you know , i made that up - so take it with a grain of salt. One has to be very careful as more than 2 drops may turn the dish into a disaster - gives a strong bitter taste.

[wcrow]

Thanks also for this new recipe. Carrot halva is something I have wanted to make for a while.
BTW, I made the Besan Ladoo with your recipe. Unfortunatly I did not cook the Besan for long enough so they ended up a bit raw :(.
However, this is my first go - I will make them again with hopefully better results.

[smaranam]

You are welcome. I am glad its helpful.

Yes, besan can be tricky, and also a bit heavy. I am not a big fan of besan only laddoos - too heavy. RavA only, or ravA-besan is better.

The smell is the key for the semolina, but besan, while it can get burned quickly if not careful, it has to turn pinkish, and very light brown, with a distinct roasted smell.

All the best :)

Please let me know if there is anything else i can help with.