Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu| Manathakkali Kai Vattalkozhambu

It is not often that I can get my hands on Manathakkali Kai or raw black nightshade berries. So, when I spotted my vegetable vendor selling these tiny green berries recently, I had to go ahead and pick up some. They went into the making of a delicious Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu, a heritage Tamilnadu-style tamarind-based gravy with a freshly ground spice mix. Today, I’m sharing with you all our family recipe for this beauty of a dish.

Manathakali Kai or raw nightshade berries

A closer look at Manathakali Kai

Manathakali Kai refers to the raw berries of the Solanum Nigrum plant, which is also called Black Nightshade. These berries are tiny and green in colour when raw, and taste slightly bitter. When they ripen, the berries take on a purplish-black colour and turn slightly sweeter.

These berries are widely used in Tamilnadu cuisine, both in the raw and ripe form. The sun-dried version of these berries – called Manathakali Vatthal – is also commonly used in quite a few dishes. Go here to see the dish I prepared using the dried berries, some time ago.

And, oh, the leaves of this plant – Manathakali Keerai – are edible and popularly consumed too. Both the berries and the leaves possess a number of health benefits. The fruit is rich in iron, phosphorus, calcium, riboflavin and Vitamin C, among other things. They are great for treating mouth ulcers and constipation.

A word of caution, as suggested by Tabula Rasa – there are varieties of the black nightshade that are highly poisonous. In the South of India, however, the leaves and berries of this plant have been consumed since centuries – probably a very edible, harmless variety. So, if you do plan to cook with any part of this plant, do double check that it is a non-poisonous variety.

A bit about Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu

The term ‘Vattalkozhambu‘ refers to a traditional Tamilnadu recipe, a tangy-spicy gravy made using tamarind. It can be made using a variety of vegetables, or even papads, and is usually flavoured with sambar podi. ‘Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu‘ refers to a version of this dish made using a freshly ground spice mix, instead of the sambar podi.

Manathakali Kai Vattalkozhambu or Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu

The freshly ground spices work their magic on the dish, taking the taste to a whole new level. This is such a delightful gravy, you can have it on its own with rice.

#BitterButGood at Foodie Monday Blog Hop

I am sharing this recipe for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop. The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. We have a very interesting theme this Monday, #BitterButGood, wherein we are showcasing recipes using bitter-tasting ingredients. I chose to showcase this Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu prepared using the slightly bitter but brilliant Manathakali Kai.

It was Sasmita of First Timer Cook who suggested the theme this week. Her blog is an awesome repository of traditional Odia recipes as well as some unique fusion dishes. Speaking of bitter ingredients, you must absolutely check out her Nimba Kadha Pithau or Odia-style neem patties!

How to make Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu

In today’s recipe, I have showcased vattalkozhambu in the ‘arachuvitta‘ style, using raw green nightshade berries aka Manathakali Kai.

Ingredients (serves 5-6):

For spice mix:

1. 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2. 4 dry red chillies
3. 3/4 tablespoon coriander seeds
4. 1/2 tablespoon toor dal
5. 1/2 tablespoon urad dal
6. 1-1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
7. 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
8. 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
9. 1-1/2 teaspoons rice
10. 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut Other ingredients:

1. About 1/2 cup fresh Manathakali berries
2. A lemon-sized ball of tamarind
3. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
4. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
5. 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
6. 2 pinches of asafoetida
7. 1 dry red chilli
8. Salt to taste
9. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
10. 3/4 tablespoon jaggery powder or to taste

Method:

1. Wash the manathakkali berries well. Place them in a colander and let all the water drain out.

2. Soak the tamarind in a little boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Let it soften.

3. In the meantime, we will roast the ingredients required for the spice mix. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, and add in all the ingredients listed for the spice mix except the coconut. Turn the flame down to medium. Roast the ingredients on medium flame for 2-3 minutes or till they start emitting a lovely fragrance. Take care to ensure that they do not burn. Now, transfer the roasted ingredients to a plate and allow them to cool down fully.

4. When the soaked tamarind has completely cooled down, extract a thick juice from it. Add in fresh water little by little, to help with the extraction process. I got about 1 cup of extract. Keep it ready.

5. When the roasted ingredients have completely cooled down, transfer them to a small mixer jar. Add in the coconut too. Grind everything together to a slightly coarse powder, stopping at intervals to scrape down the sides of the mixer jar.

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Centre left and right: Steps 3, Bottom left: Step 4, Bottom centre and right: Step 5

6. Now, we will start making the Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in the same pan we used earlier. Add in the mustard seeds, and allow them to sputter. Now, add in the asafoetida, dry red chilli and curry leaves. Let these ingredients stay in for a couple of seconds.

7. Add the washed and drained manathakkali berries to the pan. Turn the flame down to medium and saute the berries for about a minute.

8. Add the tamarind extract to the pan. Cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes or till the raw smell of the tamarind goes away.

9. Now, add in salt to taste and the turmeric powder.

10. Also, add in 1 cup water. Mix well.

Top left and right: Steps 6 and 7, Above bottom-most left and bottom-most left: Steps 8 and 9, Bottom right: Step 10

11. Still keeping the flame at medium, add in the jaggery powder. Mix well.

12. Add the spice mix to the pan. Mix well.

13. Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the mixture thickens up. Your Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu is ready. Serve hot or warm with steamed rice, with poriyal of your choice or fried pappadams.

Top: Step 11, Bottom left and right: Steps 12 and 13

Tips & Tricks

1. Any vegetable of your choice can be used in place of the manathakkali berries, in case you can’t find them. Pumpkin, drumsticks, beetroot, cluster beans and onion are some things that go well in a vattalkozhambu. You may also use dried nightshade berries instead.

2. I have used a mix of the spicy Salem Gundu dry red chillies and the not-so-hot Bydagi chillies in the spice mix.

3. You can skip the jaggery if you want to, but I would personally not suggest doing so. It adds a lovely flavour to the vattalkozhambu.

4. If you want a spicier vattalkozhambu, you may add in some red chilli powder. I haven’t, here.

5. Keep the tamarind extract thick and not too watery.

6. If you want a thick vattalkozhambu, use lesser water. I have used 1 cup of water here. Also, do remember that the vattalkozhambu thickens up a bit more after cooking.

7. Sesame oil goes best in this Arachuvitta Vattalkozhambu.

8. You can also add in some sambar podi, if you prefer. I have skipped it, here.

9. This is a completely vegetarian and vegan preparation, suited to those following a plant-based diet.

10. To make this gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida used in the tempering. Most brands of asafoetida available in India contain wheat flour, to a lesser or greater extent, and are best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet. However, if you can find 100% gluten-free asafoetida, you can definitely use it.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Muttaikose Poriyal| Cabbage Curry

Muttaikose Poriyal refers to a dry curry made using cabbage, South Indian style. Redolent of coconut and mildly spiced with green chillies, this poriyal is quite flavourful. This simple dish is a big favourite at our place, often finding a place on our table.

Muttaikose Poriyal or Cabbage Curry

A little more about Muttaikose Poriyal

Muttaikose Poriyal is a simple dish that can be made with the most basic of ingredients. It can be made in a matter of minutes, and yet, like I was saying, it is packed with flavour.

This is an everyday curry, making for a beautiful accompaniment to rice served with sambar or rasam. It is also an important constituent of a banana-leaf spread on various religious and festive occasions. Typically, Muttaikose Poriyal made without onion and garlic is often a much-loved part of a plantain-leaf meal on festivals like Vishu, Onam and Tamil New Year. It is also quite commonly served during meals in South Indian weddings and poojas.

What goes into this Muttaikose Poriyal?

There’s cabbage – ‘Muttaikose‘ in Tamil – of course, the star ingredient of this poriyal. The poriyal starts with a tempering of mustard seeds, green chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves. Once cooked, a garnish of fresh grated coconut and finely chopped coriander goes in. Can you imagine the heady fragrance and gorgeous taste these ingredients lend to the dish?

The making of Muttaikose Poriyal or Cabbage Curry

Here is how we go about it.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1. A small head of cabbage, roughly 3 cups when finely chopped
2. 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
3. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4. 2 pinches of asafoetida
5. 2 sprigs of fresh curry leaves
6. 3-4 green chillies
7. Salt to taste
8. 1/2 tablespoon jaggery powder or to taste (optional)
9. 1/2 cup of fresh grated coconut or as per taste
10. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander

Method:

1. Slit the green chillies length-wise. Keep the curry leaves, grated coconut and finely chopped coriander ready.

2. Chop the cabbage finely. Keep ready.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add in the mustard seeds, and allow them to sputter. Now, add in the asafoetida, curry leaves and slit green chillies. Allow these ingredients to stay in for a few seconds.

4. Now, add the chopped cabbage to the pan. Add in a little salt and about 1/2 cup of water. Mix well.

5. Now, reduce the flame to medium. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or till the cabbage is almost 80% cooked. Uncover in between to check on the cabbage, stirring it up. Add more water if required.

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Above leftmost bottom: Steps 3, Leftmost bottom: Step 4, Bottom right: Step 5

6. When the cabbage is almost 80% done, add in the jaggery powder (if using) and adjust the salt. Mix well.

7. Cover and continue to cook on medium flame till the cabbage is completely cooked, 1-2 minutes more. The water should have completely dried up by now. If not, stir-fry on high flame, uncovered, for a minute or so.

8. When the cabbage has cooked through and is completely dry, add in the grated coconut. Mix well. Switch off gas.

9. Mix in the finely chopped coriander as well. Your Muttaikose Poriyal is ready. Serve it with rice and rasam/sambar.

Top left: The cabbage, when about 80% done, Top right: Step 6, Above leftmost bottom: Step 7, Leftmost bottom: Step 8, Bottom right: Step 9

Is this recipe vegan and gluten-free?

This is a completely vegetarian and vegan preparation, suited to those following a plant-based diet.

To make it gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida used in the tempering. Most Indian brands of asafoetida contain wheat flour and are, therefore, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet. However, if you can find 100% gluten-free asafoetida, you could definitely go ahead and use it.

Tips & Tricks

1. Use coconut oil for the tempering, for best results.

2. Adjust the amount of coconut you use, as per personal taste preferences.

3. Some people add some urad dal and dry red chillies to the tempering. I prefer not to.

4. Using jaggery is optional. We add it, in our family, as we love the flavour it imparts to the Muttaikose Poriyal.

5. We do not use turmeric powder in our Muttaikose Poriyal, so as to retain its white colour. If you want to use some, you can definitely go ahead.

6. Do not overcook the cabbage. It should be cooked through, but not overly mushy.

7. Make sure all the water you have used to cook the cabbage evaporates. At the same day, don’t keep the Poriyal too dry either. It tastes best when neither too watery nor too dry.

8. Adjust the number of green chillies you use, as per personal taste preferences. The only heat in this Cabbage Curry comes from the green chillies.

9. You can also use green peas and/or onion in this Muttaikose Poriyal. We do this occasionally. However, when this poriyal is prepared for a religious occasion, we skip the onion.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Moru Curry| Moru Chaaru Without Coconut

Moru Curry, also called Moru Chaaru or Moru Kachiyathu, is a Kerala specialty. It refers to a simple dish made by tempering curd with a variety of ingredients. It might be humble, but this is one delicious dish. Today, I’m going to share with you all my family recipe for Moru Curry.

What goes into this Moru Curry?

The major ingredient in Moru Curry is curd – thick curd whisked with a little water. The curd is flavoured with a tempering of mustard and cumin, asafoetida and ginger, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves, green chillies and dry red chillies, in coconut oil. Everything is simmered together on gentle heat, and that’s it. It is that simple a dish to prepare.

Some other versions of Moru Curry use shallots and garlic cloves, while some others have a coconut-chilly paste added in. I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law, who makes it without onion, garlic and coconut. I prefer keeping it basic, her way.

I’m amazed by the sheer variety of curd-based dishes that Kerala cuisine has to offer, including Avial, Pulissery, Inji Thayir, Pachadi and Moru Curry. From what my mother-in-law tells me, Moru Curry is a humbler version of the Pulissery, which requires even fewer ingredients and no vegetables. This is more of an ‘everyday’ kind of dish, which is prepared in Kerala households when there are no vegetables or an excess amount of curd at hand. Moru Curry is sometimes part of the elaborate sadya or plantain-leaf spread that is served on the occasion of Onam, but it might have ground coconut and green chillies so as to make it richer.

How to make Moru Curry or Moru Chaaru

Here is how we go about it.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 1-1/2 cups thick curd
2. 1/2 cup water or as needed
3. Salt to taste
4. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
5. 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
6. 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
7. 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
8. 1 sprig curry leaves
9. A 1-inch piece of ginger
10. 2 pinches of asafoetida
11. A pinch of fenugreek seeds
12. 2 green chillies
13. 3-4 dry red chillies

Method:

1. Take the curd in a large mixing bowl, and add in the water. Mix well.

2. To the curd mixture, add salt to taste and turmeric powder. Whisk together well. Keep aside.

3. Peel the ginger and chop very finely. Slit the green chillies length-wise. Keep the curry leaves ready.

4. Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add in the mustard, and let it sputter. Now, add in the asafoetida, curry leaves, slit green chillies, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, chopped ginger and dry red chillies. Let these ingredients stay in the hot oil for a couple of seconds, keeping the flame low.

5. Now, switch off gas and allow the tempering to cool down. Add in the whisked curd at this stage. Set the pan on low heat and allow it to get heated up gently, so as to prevent the curd from splitting. Stir well.

6. Let the curd mixture cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir intermittently. That’s it – your Moru Curry or Moru Chaaru is ready. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with steamed rice.

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Centre left and right: Steps 3 and 4, Bottom left and right: Steps 5 and 6

#MilkyWay at Foodie Monday Blog Hop

I’m sharing this recipe in association with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. The theme this Monday is #MilkyWay, wherein we are showcasing recipes that use milk and its derivatives like curd, cheese, paneer and the likes. With Onam just around the corner, I chose to share this Moru Curry from the state of Kerala, for the theme.

It was Swaty of Food Trails who suggested the theme for this week. She has a wealth of Indian regional delicacies, gems from global cuisine and several wonderful bakes on her blog. I’m in love with her Mango Falooda, and can’t wait to try it out!

A word of caution

As humble as the Moru Curry is, it requires a bit of practice to get it right. There are chances of the curd splitting while cooking, which alters the taste of the dish completely. I have had my fair share of heartache with this dish, after which I finally perfected it.

Please read through the ‘Tips & Tricks’ section of this post before attempting this recipe – I have shared helpful suggestions on how to stop the curd from splitting.

Is this Moru Curry vegan and gluten-free?

Thanks to the use of curd, this is NOT a vegan or plant-based dish. It is completely vegetarian, though.

It can be made gluten-free by simply avoiding the asafoetida used in the tempering. Most Indian brands of asafoetida do contain wheat flour to a lesser or greater extent and are, therefore, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet.

Tips & Tricks

1. For best results, use curd that is nice and sour, but not overly so.

2. Adjust the quantity of water you use, depending upon the consistency of the Moru Curry you require. I prefer keeping it slightly thick and not very watery.

3. You can use either store-bought or home-made thick curd. Here, I have used home-made curd.

4. Adjust the number of green chillies you use, depending upon personal taste preferences.

5. Make sure you add the whisked curd to the tempering in the pan only after it has cooled down. Also, it is imperative that the curry is cooked on low heat. This will ensure that the curd does not split, the occurrence of which will alter the taste of the Moru Curry.

6. I prefer the ginger to be chopped really fine, in this Moru Chaaru or Moru Curry.

7. Using good-quality coconut oil in the tempering is a must, for an authentic Moru Curry.

8. Like I was saying earlier, there are a few variations to this Moru Curry. Some people add in garlic cloves and shallots (small onions) along with the ginger. Some add in a paste of grated coconut and green chillies. This is my family recipe, which is simple and basic, no-onion and no-garlic.

9. Do not cook the curd mixture for too long. Just 3-4 minutes on gentle heat is good enough. This also helps stop the curd from splitting.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Fruit & Nut Chocolate Modak

Looking for an easy modak recipe to make for Ganesh Chaturthi tomorrow? Try out these Fruit & Nut Chocolate Modak!

Fruit & Nut Chocolate Modak. In the background is the clay Ganesha that the bub made in her school sessions.

A bit more about these modaks

These Chocolate Fruit & Nut Modak are no-cook, except for a little roasting. They are super easy to make, if you have all the ingredients at hand, and can be put together in a matter of minutes…. And they are very, very delicious!

I have used cashewnuts and almonds to make these, along with some raisins and dry coconut powder. The Indian Natives’ Absolute Dark cocoa powder that I had written about here is what gives these modaks a gorgeous taste and that deep brown colour.

How to make Fruit & Nut Chocolate Modak

Here is the detailed recipe.

Ingredients (makes about 20 small pieces):

1. 1/4 cup raisins
2. 1/4 cup dry coconut powder
3. 1/4 cup almonds
4. 1/4 cup cashewnuts
5. 3 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
6. 2 tablespoons powdered sugar or to taste
7. 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk or as needed

Method:

1. Roast the cashewnuts and almonds on medium flame till they get crisp. Ensure that they do not burn. Transfer the roasted nuts to a plate and allow them to cool down fully.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the raisins, dry coconut powder, cocoa powder and the powdered sugar.
3. When the roasted nuts have completely cooled down, grind them a little coarsely, in a small mixer jar. Add this to the mixing bowl too.
4. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl well. Adding condensed milk little by little, make a dough that has a malleable consistency. I needed about 2 tablespoons of condensed milk.
5. Shape modaks out of the dough, as big or small as you need. I made about 20 small modaks. They can be served immediately.

Can these Fruit & Nut Chocolate Modaks be made vegan?

The above recipe is completely vegetarian and gluten-free. However, it is not vegan because of the use of condensed milk. To make these modaks vegan, swap the condensed milk with plant-based milk. You might have to increase the quantity of sugar you use, in that case.

Tips & Tricks

1. Adjust the quantity of sugar as per personal taste preferences.

2. Use as much condensed milk as needed to get the mixture to a malleable consistency.

3. I have used dark cocoa powder which has a strong chocolate-ey aroma and flavour. You can use any cocoa powder of your preference.

4. Increase or decrease the amount of cocoa powder you use, as per personal taste preferences.

5. Ghee or warm milk can be used in place of the condensed milk (not vegan).

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo| Fried Gram Laddoos

Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo or laddoos made from fried gram are a big favourite at our place. All of us love them to bits, melt-in-the-mouth delicious as they are. Today, I’m going to share with you all the recipe for these beautiful laddoos.

Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo or Pottukadalai Urundai

A little story about these Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo

The bub’s Montessori has been doing small activities in their online sessions every day, in preparation of Ganesh Chaturthi, which is just around the corner. One day, they made a flower garland, the other day they were taught how to light an earthen diya. Yesterday, they made a Ganesha out of clay, and today’s activity was the making of these fried gram laddoos.

The pottukadalai or fried gram used in these laddoos

Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo makes a frequent appearance on our dining table, but I have never really had a chance to photograph them or note down the recipe here. Today’s school activity gave me the perfect foil to do so, and I’m very glad for that. I’m super happy the bub now knows how to make these. So, here we are!

What goes into these laddoos?

These laddoos are made using fried gram or roasted gram, aka ‘Pottukadalai‘ in Tamil. Pottukadalai is made from chickpeas (chana), and is a wholesome ingredient known to possess a good amount of protein, fibre and essential vitamins, as well as many health benefits. The fried gram are roasted and ground to a powder, to a flour-like texture (‘maavu‘ or ‘maa‘ in Tamil), which is where these laddoos get their name from.

Here, I have used refined sugar so as to keep the colour of the laddoos a pale cream. You can definitely substitute the sugar with jaggery powder, if you so prefer.

Ghee is used to bind these laddoos, here. If you would prefer a vegan version, substitute the ghee with coconut oil – I haven’t really tried this out, but I’m guessing it should work.

These Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo are completely vegetarian and gluten-free. They aren’t vegan because of the addition of ghee but, like I was saying earlier, they can easily be adapted for those following a plant-based lifestyle.

How to make Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo

It is a breeze to make these Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo, almost child’s play. If the bub could make them so easily, anyone can. They need minimal ingredients and can be put together in a matter of minutes. For the little effort they require, these laddoos do taste incredibly delicious!

Here is how we go about making them.

Ingredients (makes 12-15 laddoos):

1. 1 cup split fried gram (pottukadalai)
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 1/2 cup ghee or as needed
4. 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

1. Get a heavy-bottomed pan nice and hot, then add the fried gram in. Now, reduce the flame to medium. Dry roast on medium heat for about 2 minutes, or till they begin to brown. Take care to ensure that they do not burn. Transfer to a plate and allow the roasted fried gram to cool down fully.

2. In the meantime, grind the sugar to a fine powder. Keep ready.

3. Also heat the ghee lightly. Keep it warm.

4. When the roasted fried gram has completely cooled down, grind it to a fine powder. Transfer this to a large mixing bowl.

5. Add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the mixing bowl too. Mix well, ensuring that the ingredients are well incorporated together.

6. Now, add the warm ghee little by little to the bowl, mixing gently. Add just as much ghee as needed for the mixture to attain a consistency like wet sand. You should be able to form balls out of the mixture – balls that hold their shape. Stop adding in ghee at this stage.

7. Form small, firm balls out of the mixture. Your Pottukadalai Maa Laddoo are done – store them in a clean, dry, air-tight box and use as needed.

Tips & Tricks

1. Make sure the fried gram does not burn while roasting. It just has to lightly brown, for its fragrance to come through. Do not over-roast it. A heavy-bottomed pan works best for the roasting.

2. Ensure that the roasted fried gram has completely cooled down, before you grind it.

3. The sugar should be ground to a fine powder. Use more or less, as per personal taste preferences. The above quantities work perfectly for us.

4. Use slightly melted, warm ghee for best results.

5. Fried raisins, cashewnuts and almonds can be added to the laddoos too, to make them richer. Here, I haven’t, and have kept them really simple and basic.

6. Like I was saying earlier, you can use jaggery powder or a healthier alternative to sugar too. Coconut oil can be used as a vegan alternative to ghee, too, though I have never tried that out.

7. These laddoos stay well for about 10 days when stored at room temperature in a clean, dry, air-tight box.

8. Use just as much ghee as needed to be able to form smooth laddoos, free of cracks, from the mixture. I needed a wee bit less than 1/2 cup for the above preparation.

Did you like the recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!