Protein rich laddu

This is my own version of a homemade protein bar (say protein ball) / சத்து மாவு உருண்டை , which I prepare whenever we need to buy a snack bar. Hope my readers like it too.

Happy Valentines's day !

Snack balls.

keep it covered to prevent drying.

Ingredients:

Almond - 10

green gram - 1 cup

puffed channa dal - 1/4 cup

peanut  - 1/2 cup

brown sugar - 3/4 cup

ghee / coconut oil - 2 tsp

coconut - 1 tbsp

salt - 1/4 tsp

cardamom powder  - 1/4 tsp

dry ginger powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Dry roast the almond in a frying pan (or microwave 1 minute) and let it cool.

Dry roast the green gram in a frying pan in low heat till it smells good (takes nearly 5 minutes).

Then take it out and let cool.

In the same pan, dry roast the shredded coconut, peanut separately.

Let everything cool.

Grind together everything to a fine powder except sugar and butter.

In the same pan add the brown sugar, heat at low with 2 tbsp water and dissolve. Switch off.

Add the powder , cardamom powder, ginger powder and mix with a spatula. If needed add few drops of coconut oil and mix well. Let cool.

Make lime size balls. Apply little ghee or oil in palm to get a smooth ball.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as snack or dessert.

We can use honey instead of brown sugar too.

It can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days and after that keep refrigerated up to a month or more.

Makes nearly 20 balls.

Aloha bread

It has been my long time wish to bake some soft buns like the sweet buns of India. Then I got this interesting recipe that uses pineapple juice. I think the pineapple is the reason behind the name Aloha bread.  Recipe coutesy: Lovefoodies.com. My sincere thanks to the author. Now I have learned 'how to make a soft bun that melts in mouth'.
I have modified the original recipe a little bit.
While making these buns, I took out some of the dough and stuffed it with coconut +sugar +cardamon and some dry fruits, so that it tastes like coconut bun (thengai bun) for snack.
 Here goes the recipe

Aloha bread

I suggest using this yeast for soft breads.

Proof the yeast.

Butter (melted), milk, pineapple juice, eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla

Add the flours , yeast solution, milk mixture to mixer

Mix at speed 2-3 with dough hook for 5 minutes

keep it covered with cling wrap and let the dough rise in  mild warm place

The dough is risen after 1 hour

Divide it into small balls and place on baking tray

Cover with a wet clean towel coated with AP flour

For our pleasure, I baked a coconut bun using 2 dough balls

coconut stuffed Aloha bun

After 30 minutes, the buns would double in size (second rising)

Bake at 350 for 20- 25 min

Aloha bread is ready

Coconut stuffed Aloha bread is also ready !

hubby dear clicked this photo for me...this is the best picture ever...love the way he care for my simple joys too ☺ 

So the first piece goes to ....my hubby dear ☺

This is Xav's most favorite ☺

Coconut Aloha bread

Aloha bread 

Ingredients:
Bread flour / All purpose flour - 4 cups + 2 tbsp
Wheat gluten (optional) - 1 tbsp
pineapple juice - 1/2 cup
vanilla essence - 1 tsp
milk - 1/2 cup
egg - 2
Sugar - 1/3 cup
butter - 1/4 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp

for yeast proofing:
yeast - 1 sachet (1.5 tbsp)
sugar - 2 tbsp
water - 1/4 cup
Bring water to lukewarm temperature. Add sugar, salt, yeast mix well. Let it rise for 5 minutes. If it didn't rise in 5 minutes, then discard that solution and start again. Care should be taken in lukewarm temperature and freshness of yeast. That is the secret behind soft breads.


Method:
If using fresh pineapple (which I did), then crush it and make juice in a blender. I used 1/2 cup of pineapple pieces.
Add the yeast mixture, pineapple juice, egg, molten butter, milk, vanilla, salt, sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Beat everything together (using a fork manually or beater).
Fix the dough hook to the mixer.
Add flour, gluten and knead at medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes. If needed add little flour or juice and knead again till the dough gets soft , little sticky at bottom. Add little butter and knead everything together to a ball.  Switch off.
Cover the bowl using a cling wrap. Keep for 1 hour in warm place to double in volume.
Divide into small balls (20). Place on baking pan. Cover with damp clean towel. (Keep some towels for baking alone)
Let it rise for 30 min.
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Place the baking trays. Spray the oven with some water.
Bake for 15 - 25 min.
Check after 15 min and if needed bake for 5 more min.
Brush with butter and keep for 5 min to get a gorgeous top.
Sweet Aloha bread is ready !

Serving suggestions:
Makes 24 buns.
We used it just like pav buns and it tastes delicious with pav bhaji.
Or serve as breakfast along with butter.