These coconut ladoos are easy to make and an all-time favourite — especially during winter when the craving for sweets goes up. With ingredients easily available, you can prepare these ladoos for family and friends.

Ingredients:

2 cups of desiccated coconut

1 litre full cream milk

4-5 tbsps of sugar as per taste

Half tsp of elaichi – cardamom powder

1 cup of condensed milk

Nuts almonds cut into small pieces – optional

2 tbps of ghee

2 tsps of ghee or white oil to grease your palms

Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed pan. On low heat reduce the milk to less than half its quantity, stirring from time to time. Mix in the sugar and the elaichi powder. Now mix in one and a half cups of the coconut (leaving half cup for rolling the ladoos , keep this on a plate). Mix the desiccated coconut gently into the milk and continue to stir and cook on low fire till the mixture begins to thicken. Mix in the condensed milk and cook further – stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Mix in the ghee and cook for another minute. Put off the heat and mix in the nuts and cool slightly. Grease your palms. Shape the mixture into round ladoos and roll in the kept aside desiccated coconut by rolling the ladoos with the coconut on a plate. Allow to cool and serve. These stay good outside for 3-4 days and much longer if kept in the fridge.

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Warm salad

Ingredients:

One small bunch of spring onions – green and white portions

1 medium sized apple cored but not peeled

100 gms of button mushrooms

2 tomatoes – cut into quarters and seeds removed

1 medium sized carrot – cut into thick strips

For the dressing

2 tbsps of olive oil

1 tsp of lemon juice

1 tsp of jaggery powder

Salt and pepper to taste

200 gms of shelled walnuts

Wash and prick the mushrooms and keep aside. Cut the spring onions into one-inch pieces.  Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and add the mushrooms. Fry on medium heat till all the water evaporates. Now, mix in the jaggery powder and the spring onions and stir fry for a minute. Add the carrots, stir fry for a further one minute. Mix in the salt and pepper to taste. Put off the heat and then mix the lemon juice. Serve garnished with walnuts and serve warm with cutlets or pakoras.