GULGULES OR SWEET FRIED PUMPKIN DUMPLINGS

GULGULES OR SWEET FRIED PUMPKIN DUMPLINGS

 

Since the climate in Pune got a little cloudy yesterday and I was secretly hoping that it would rain.

I decided to make the perfect accompaniment to match with my evening cup of tea and the rainy climate.

Gulgules – yes!! I know it’s a funny name, I laughed my heart out when I had heared my granny say that word.But these little sweet dumplings always win my heart over.

Apart from the deep frying, I think this is a fairly healthy dish as it contains whole wheat flour and jaggery.

Do try these little wonderful balls for teatime.If you do not like pumpkin then you can substitute it with mashed bananas.

Tastes even yummier!!

INGREDIENTS: (makes golf sized 30 balls)

250 grams grated pumpkin

1 cup whole wheat flour / atta

200 gram grated jaggery

100 grams poppy seeds / khus khus

½ cup grated dry coconut

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp fennel / saunf powder

1 tsp green cardamom powder

½ tsp salt

Water as required

Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

In a bowl, place grated jaggery and pour warm water over it enough to cover the jaggery.

Keep aside for 5 mins.

Once it has softened,Stir well to dissolve the jaggery in water.

In another bowl,add the pumpkin,whole wheat flour, baking soda, dry coconut and the jaggery water (make sure the jagger water is not hot).

 Mix everything well till batter is smooth, add more water(room temperature) if needed.

The batter will be thick.

Then add the poppy seeds, salt, fennel powder and green cardamom powder to the batter.

Stir the batter well.

Keep aside for 5 mins.

Meanwhile, heat oil for frying in a kadhai.

Dip your hand in water and take a little of the batter and slowly drop it in the hot oil from the side of the kadhai.

If your not able to do this,then take 2 tablespoons and dip them in water,take a spoonful of the batter and slowly drop it in the hot oil.

Fry the dumplings till browned on all sides and cooked thoroughly in the middle.

Remove on tissue paper to absorb excess of oil.

Serve hot with tea.

P.S:

1. Remember to make all the gulgules of the same size otherwise some may still be raw or overcooked due to its different cooking times.

2. If the batter becomes thin then you can mix in more flour till the batter is of the right consistency.

This recipe has been especially created for My Culinary Creations 

 for the snacks event.

DRY SEVIYAAN/SWEET VERMICELLI

DRY SEVIYAAN/SWEET VERMICELLI

I’m not a big fan of Indian desserts as they tend to be too sweet for my liking but I love eating seviyaan whenever my mom makes it.I think it’s a really good alternate to the sheerkurma which is usually made on eid.

 

INGREDIENTS-

2 tbsp ghee or oil

2 cloves

2 green cardamom

2  cinnamom sticks

200 grams roasted vermicelli

1 ½ cup hot water

½ cup sugar

¼ cup pistachios

¼ cup almonds

¼ cup cashews

¼ cup golden raisins

1/8 tsp cardamom powder

METHOD-

In a pan,heat the ghee and add the whole spices.

Then add crushed vermicelli ,chopped dry fruits and the cardamom powder.

Fry till golden brown.

Add the sugar and hot water immediately as otherwise the vermicelli can get burnt.

Turn the heat down(on dum) and cook for more 15 minutes or till all the water has evaporated and vermicelli is soft.

ROSE AND SAFFRON CAKE

ROSE AND SAFFRON CAKE
   
 I really enjoy taking out some time from my schedule to bake a deep dark chocolate cake but ones in a while I like to try something different and so I came across this beautiful recipe of a Persian love cake.This cake instigates a perfect idea of romance having warm flavours of cardamom,saffron,roasted pistachios and roses.


INGREDIENTS:-

For the Cake-
1 cup cake flour
¾ cup castor sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 eggs(sepreated)  
6 tbsp water
¼ cup oil  
1 tsp lemon peel
¼ cardamom powder

For the frosting-
2 ½ cups whip cream
Pinch of saffron
Rose syrup(to taste)
10-15 roasted crushed pistachios

Method-
For the cake-
Preheat the oven to 325F.Butter an 8 inch diameter cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
Sift all the dry ingredients in a bowl i.e flour,baking powder,cardamom powder,salt and half the castor sugar.
Whisk all the the wet ingredients i.e the yolks,water,oil,lemon peel(grated).
Mix well the wet ingredients in the dry ingredient bowl.
In another bowl,whisk the egg whites with the remaining half of sugar until fluffy.
Fold in the egg whites in cake batter.
Pour in the batter in the prepared dish and bake it for 25 mins or until the skewer when inserted comes clean.
For the frosting-
Whip the cream till it forms peaks.
While whipping the cream add some of the rose syrup till the cream turns a little baby pink in color and tastes of roses.
Assembling-
When the cake is cooled,frost the cake with whipped cream.

Garnish with saffron strands,roasted chopped pistachios,rose petals(optional),I had silver balls in hand so I added them too.