WHOLEWHEAT / ATTA LADOO

I have a major sweet tooth and so does my family. So it's really fun to try out new things because it will be cherished by all including Zara. The only problem is that I am the only one who seems to be gaining the happy sweet weight around my belly. Jobin does his daily workout religiously be it Summer or Winter. Ian is very active and so is Zara. I am the couch potato in the family. I would be the happiest to curl up with a cookbook or my phone on the couch with something to munch on,especially something sweet. So the other day, after a full fledged mallu meal, Jobin asked me if there was anything sweet to eat and surprisingly, there was none!

So yesterday, I thought of making something sweet for us. I wanted to make something Indian. So as usual, I checked out some of my reliable resources on the internet for recipes. I am not sure why but even after 8 years (almost 9!) of blogging, I still have only a handful of resources (literally viralil ennavunna) online when it comes to recipes. I stopped blog hopping around the time Ian was born. I barely had the time to show my face here.

So I am still reading the ones I used to read before 2012. Some of my favourite food blogs have stopped updating,which is such a sad thing because I felt I was a part of their lives, reading about them and one fine day,there are zero updates. Manjula aunty's page is one of my most favourites and her recipes are fail proof! I am sure almost all of you know her for her simple,fuss free and tasty recipes. I have tried out so many from her site and they all have turned out the way it should.Delicious!

Sarah,one of my close hostel friends, was known for her mother's Atta Ladoos because they were incredibly yummy! We would request her to bring it for us whenever she went home to Mangalore. As I was making these laddoos,I couldn't stop thinking about the fun we had in our hostel sneaking into each other's room and tucking in homemade special food without the hostel Warden seeing us.Some of my best memories and friends are made during my hostel days in Bangalore.

WHOLEWHEAT / ATTA LADOO
Makes 16

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup superfine sugar *
1/2 cup melted ghee
1/4 tsp ground green cardamom
Pistachios
Paper cups

Method: In a heavy bottom pan, roast the flour stirring constantly on medium heat for 6-7 minutes or until it starts to smell nice and toasty. Add the ghee,mix well and cook for another 4-5 minutes,stirring all the time  or until the mixture turns light brown in colour.It will be aromatic at this point. Take it off the heat and transfer the mixture to another heatproof bowl. Let it cool a bit until it is warm to touch. Add the sugar and cardamom and mix well. Form small balls right away and dip the tops in chopped pistachios if you like. Store them in airtight containers and serve them in paper cups if you have them.

*Make sure the sugar is super fine or else it will remain as is in the final product. You can go ahead and substitute it with 200 grams of icing /confectioners /powdered sugar. If that's the case, wait until the laddoo mixture,after adding sugar and cardamom is cooled down completely before forming laddoos. It's only because they will not retain the shape well when it is still warm.

We literally inhaled these laddoos. They were incredibly tasty! I have a soft spot for Besan Ladoos and these will give a tough competition for them. Zara was super excited to give it a try and she happily ate the crumbs she got. Ian on the other hand never liked any Indian sweets we've given him so far. He is forever happy with his Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Chip Cookie. Well, that remind me of the pending order for some cookies from him. He does not like our cookie jar to be empty!

SHAHI FALOODA / ROYAL FALOODA

Finally we got our computer back and I'm hoping, really hoping to be regular from now on.Now, let's get talking about this super cool colourful favourite dessert of mine! Falooda, originally a Persian dessert,was introduced to us Indians during the Mughal rule. I've never been a fan of it until a few months back.It was Amma's forever favourite thing to eat in an Ice Cream Parlour.If not a Falooda, she would order a Fruit Salad with Ice Cream.I never understood what's so special about Falooda.

Falooda was a very commonly discussed subject in my house.The first time I remember seeing it was about 17 years ago, for my cousin sisters wedding reception. The Groom's family made it and it was for a huge crowd. Seeing all the ingredients then, I assumed it to be a very elaborate thing to make. I think I was one of the few people who didn't attempt tasting what they served that night.Little did I know what was in store for me!

17 years later...I am hooked onto this wonderful cold dessert! I've made this so so many times and I've never got enough of it. It has many layers and different textures.I'm sure, if you give this a try you would love it! This dessert can be made way ahead of time and assembled in the very last minute.

SHAHI FALOODA/ROYAL FALOODA
My own recipe

Things you'll need:
1 batch Vermicelli Kheer (recipe follows)
1 tbsp Tukmaria/Sabja seeds/Basil seeds {NOT Poppy seeds}
1 small packet jelly/jello, of your choice
Fruits of your choice,cut up
Rooh-Afza,a rose flavoured syrup
2 c cold milk
Sugar to taste
Vanilla Ice Cream

Method:
For the Vermicelli Kheer: In a pan,roast 1/2 c of vermicelli on low flame till pale golden brown.Increase the heat to medium,add 2 cups of milk and cook till the vermicelli is soft, stirring often. Add 1/4 c plus 2 tsp sugar and cook till the mixture is thickened slightly.Switch off the heat and let it cool. Chill till needed.
For the Rose Milk: To the 2 cups cold milk add Rooh-Afza and sugar to taste. Chill till needed.
For the Tukmaria: Soak the seeds in 1 c water for 10 mins. Drain and reserve.

Assembly: In a tall glass add 2 tsp of tukmaria followed by vermicelli,fruits and cut up jello. Pour some rose milk just to cover the assembly. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.

I love photographing what I cook, especially desserts as I get to eat it right after :-) Our friends had come over last night for a potluck and I served this for dessert. They loved it and so did we.I think I'm going to have another glass full of it once this post is published because these pictures are making me drool!