Gardudde Halwa ( Bottlegourd Halwa )

Ingredients :

Grated bottle gourd 2 cups

Powdered Jaggery 3/4 th to 1 cup ( as per sweetness you prefer) 

Ghee 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Fried nuts 1 tsp.


Method :

In a nonstick pan add grated bottle gourd, & cook it on medium to high flame, until water evaporates, & bottle gourd cooks well.

Add powdered jaggery &start stirring  till jaggery dissolves completely,  and it forms a huge mass.

Now add ghee, cardamom powder & fried cashew nuts & mix well.

Halwa is ready to relish !!!

Serve hot or chilled :)

Phova Panchkadayi ( Sweetened Rice Flakes )

Phova Panchkadayi is one of the simple dish, which is normally prepared  as " Naivedya  ". Its one of the konkani dish. In konkani Phovu means rice flakes, & panchkadayi means rice flakes mixed with jaggery, ghee & cardamom powder. I got this dish from my mother. So here is the recipe.


Ingredients :

Rice flakes 1 1/2 to 2 cups

Jaggery 1/2 cup

Grated fresh coconut 1/2 cup

Black sesame seeds  1/2 tsp 

Ghee  2 tsp.

Water 2 to 3 tsp ( Melt the jaggery )


Method :

Dry roast the sesame seeds  until it splutters, keep it aside.

Take wide bottom kadai, add jaggery & water and allow it to melt.

Once it melts completely & comes to boil add grated coconut mix well & heat it for further 2 mins & switch off the flame.

Now add ghee, cardamom powder, mix well & allow it to cool.

Once it cools completely add rice flakes in small amount until you get homogeneous mixture.

Phova Panchkadayi   is ready!!! 

Nanchane Duddali ( Finger Millet Halwa )

One of the traditional, yummy  & healthy dish !!! Actually this is the  first" sweet dish " I ever tried after marriage !!!! Got this recipe from my Mil :). Its her signature dish!!!! Though its a tedious job, end result is just superb :):)

Ingredients :

• Whole ragi ( Finger millet ) 1 cup
• Powdered jaggery -1/2 cup or according to sweetness u prefer
• Powdered cardamom 1 tsp
• Clarified butter/ Ghee - 2 tsp.

Method :

• Wash & clean ragi 2 to 3 time
• Grind it finely adding water in steps
• Strain the ground mixture in a strainer
• Repeat the process 3 times adding water to residue left in strainer
• Apply ghee to wide bottom kadai, pour the ragi extract, add jaggery & cardamom powder.
• Start heating it in low flame & keep stirring
• After few mins liquid starts to get thicken, continue till you get solified huge mass .
• Turn off the heat, pour it into ghee smeared plate, spread it evenly.
• Allow it to cool & cut it into desired shapes.

Tastes great when served chill !!!

Janmashtami Laddu

Janmashtami Laddu basically knows as " Ashtami Undoo "  in Konkani language, this is normally prepared in  Udupi, Mangalore regions :). So here is the recipe.Got this from my hubby's aunt !!!


Ingredients :

Layi pitto ( Popped rice) coarse powder - 2 cups
Dark jaggery ( Antu belle )- 1 cup
Groundnuts  -1/4 cup
Seasame seeds -2 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Ghee  -2 tsp


Method :

• Dry roast seasame  seeds until it starts spluttering, once its done keep it aside 

• Fry groundnuts on medium flame, once its slightly brown in colour allow it to cool once it cools down peel it & break it into two pieces.

• Now in a thick bottom kadai add jaggery & 1/4th cup of water & start  melting it on low flame , once the jaggery melts completely it will start boiling . Here care should be taken to see the right consistency of jaggery syrup, to check this add 2 drops of melted jaggery in a bowl containing water, if the jaggery forms a small ball  then that's right consistency. Once this consistency is formed add groundnuts, seasame seeds, ghee & mix well and finally add popped rice mix well & make laddu when its still hot.

   Laddu is ready !!! Store it in airtight containers:)


Note :

  Getting jaggery  syrup is little tricky if u don't get the right consistency your laddus will either turn 
  hard of they will not form laddu shape!!

 If you don't get dark jaggery you can try this with normal jaggery too