Mango Gruel: Tradition with Health Benefits Mango gruel, traditionally prepared during Ram Navami, is a refreshing summer drink made from raw mango, Misri and aromatic spices. This age-old preparation is not just a religious offering but also a natural remedy to combat rising heat during the month of Chaitra. Rich in electrolytes, it helps prevent dehydration, fatigue, and heat stroke. The combination of sweet misri and tangy raw mango balances energy levels while supporting digestion. A light tadka of cumin seeds, clove, and cinnamon enhances its flavor while improving digestion and metabolism. Its cooling nature helps calm aggravated Pitta during seasonal transition. Simple, nourishing, and deeply rooted in tradition, mango gruel beautifully blends devotion with practical health wisdom.
Ingredients
500 gms raw Mango.
½ cup Sugar or Misri powder.
¼ cup Wheat flour.
¼ tsp. Cardamom powder.
2 tbs. Ghee
¼ tsp. Cumin seeds.
2-3 cloves.
½ inch Cinnamon stick.
Method
Wash, wipe and peel mangoes.
Cut mangoes into small dice and keep aside.
If you are using Misri then grind it into coarse powder so that it melts fast in the gruel.
Heat ½ tbsp. ghee in a thick bottom sauce pan or kadhai. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks and cloves for tadka.
Add mango pieces and saute till it becomes tender.
Transfer cooked mango pieces and again heat remaining ghee. Add wheat flour and saute till golden brown.
Now add mangoes, mix well and add 1 liter of water in it.
Stir continuously to avoid forming lumps, add sugar and cardamom powder in it.
When water starts boiling, switch off the flame and gruel is ready to serve.
Offer luke warm Mango gruel to Lord Ram with love faith and devotion.
Sweet Potato (Shakarkand / Ratalu) is a very nutritious root vegetable. It is naturally sweet, easy to digest, and rich in vitamins and minerals.Sweet potato contains beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A. Supports good eyesight. It contains dietary fiber, which helps to Improve digestion, Prevent constipation and support healthy gut bacteria. It is rich in potassium and magnesium, which helps to maintain healthy blood pressure.
Ingredients
500 gms Sweet Potatoes.
1 lit. Full fat milk.
¾ cup Sugar.
6-8 Cardamom.
10-12 Saffron strands(optional).
Method
Wash, peel and again wash Sweet Potatoes. Keep it in a colander.
Keep this colander in a pressure cooker and pressure cook till 3 whistles.
Simultaneously boil milk on a slow flame.
Grind the Cardamom with Motor and Pestle and lavigate Saffron strands in ½ sp. of milk. Add both in the boiling milk.
When pressure is released, open the lid and mash sweet potatoes.
Transfer mashed sweet potatoes and boiling milk in a nonstick pan and mix thoroughly.
Reduce milk on a fast flame. Hold the lid while stirring continuously with the other hand to avoid burning your hand due to the splashing of the bursting bubble.
When milk is reduced and halva leaves the pan surface, add sugar and again stir continuously till the water content of sugar burns.
Soak Methi powder in the milk and keep aside for at least one hour.
Dry roast Makhana.Once it becomes crispy, add 2 tbsp. ghee and then again roast for one minute and keep aside.
In the same pan add 1 tbsp. of ghee and roast Almonds on slow flame. Keep aside.
In the same pan add Oats and dry roast on a slow flame. When crisp, add 2 tbsp.ghee and again roast for one minute and then keep aside.
In the same pan add 1 tbsp. ghee and roast popped Amaranthus for one minute on a slow flame and keep aside.
In the same pan heat 1 tbsp. ghee and roast grated dry coconut for one minute and keep aside.
In the same pan heat ½ cup ghee and add Gond crystals. Fry them in a slow flame. Once all the crystals are fried and look like shiny transparent small balls
Heat 1 ½ cup ghee in a non stick pan and roast wheat flour till golden brown. At this moment ghee separates from wheat. Now in this ghee add Raisins and roast along with wheat flour. When all Raisins pop in the ghee, transfer it in another vessel and keep aside.
Again heat ½ cup ghee in the same pan and roast soaked methi powder. Soaked methi powder is in dough form so first break the dough with the hands and then roast. It will take 15 to 20 minutes on a slow flame so do not lose patience. When it changes the colour switch off the flame and keep aside.
Now in a mixture grinder, grind roasted Almonds, Oats, and Makhana into coarse powder and keep aside.
With the help of wooden press or potato masher mash all fried gond crystals into coarse powder and keep aside.
Once roasted methi powder is cooled down , grind it and keep aside.
In a big mixing bowl mix Makhana powder, Almond powder, Oats powder, popped Amaranthus, Roasted Coconut, Methi powder, Wheat flour, Fried Gond powder, Kharek powder and Batrisu katlu powder and remaining ghee. Mix well. Now add Date syrup and mix well. Methi laddu mix is ready.
Take 1 tb.spoon mixture, bind and shape it in the form of a ball. Prepare all laddu similarly. This can be stored for 15 days at room temperature.
Every day serve one laddu four times a day to the lactating mother. Serve with love and smile.
Ghee roast MakhanaGhee roast popped AmaranthGhee roast AlmondsGhee roast Wheat fl. And Date powder. Ghee roast Fenugreek powder
White til (white sesame seeds) are small in size but packed with nutrients and health benefits. 1. Rich in Nutrients High in calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron—great for bones and immunity. Contains healthy fats (omega-6 fatty acids) and plant-based protein.
2. Boosts Bone Health High calcium content supports strong bones and teeth. Beneficial for women, especially post-menopause, to maintain bone density.
3. Improves Skin and Hair Contains vitamin E, zinc, and antioxidants that help improve skin texture and hair growth. The til oil is traditionally used to massage babies and adults to strengthen muscles and improve skin tone.
4. Supports Digestion High fiber content promotes smooth bowel movements and gut health. Helps relieve constipation naturally.
5. Balances Hormones Lignans in sesame seeds helps to balance hormones.
6. Regulates Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Magnesium and healthy fats help reduce high blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
7. Good for Vata Disorders In Ayurveda, white til is considered warm and nourishing—ideal for pacifying Vata and Vata-related issues like joint pain, dryness, and weakness.
8. Boosts Energy and Stamina Traditional winter food in India—often used in til laddoos or chikkis to provide warmth and strength.
Ingredients
1 cup Til( white sesame seeds)
¾ cup Sugar
½ tsp Ghee to grease plate, wooden press, rolling pin and knife.
Method
Dry roast til in a nonstick pan on a slow flame.
When it turns aromatic, switch off the flame and keep aside.
Grease plate, rolling pin and knife. Keep aside.
In a same nonstick pan add sugar . Melt it on a slow flame. Stir continuously . It will take approximately 3 minutes and 45 seconds.
As soon as sugar melts, switch off the flame and add roasted til in it. Mix vigorously and transfer the content on a greased plate.
Quickly spread it with wooden press and roll it into thin roti or papad like shape and quickly cut this til papdi in to square or diamond shape.
When it cool down, lift it with knife and store in air tight container.
Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa) is not just a delicious dessert—it also offers several health benefits, especially when made with minimal sugar and healthy fats. Here are some of its key benefits: 1. Rich in Vitamin A Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A. This supports good vision, skin health, and immune function. 2. Good Source of Antioxidants Carrots contain antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress, which may lower the risk of chronic diseases. 3. Energy-Boosting
Gajar halwa provides instant energy due to its combination of natural sugars, ghee, and milk. 4. Supports Bone Health When made with milk or khoya, it’s a good source of calcium, which helps maintain strong bones and teeth. 5. Aids Digestion (in moderation) Ghee used in halwa can help lubricate the digestive tract and enhance absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. 6. Iron Content Carrots and nuts (like almonds) used in halwa contain iron, supporting hemoglobin levels and reducing fatigue. 7. Mood Enhancer The comforting taste, warm spices, and mild sweetness make it a great mood-lifting dessert, especially in winter.
Ingredients
1 kg. Carrot
1 cup + 2 tbsp. Sugar ( approx.300 gms.).
1½ lit. Full fat Milk
1 tbsp. Cow ghee. (Optional)
2 tbsp. Chopped Almonds (optional)
Method
Wash, peel and again wash all Carrots.
Grate all Carrots with the help of medium size grater.
Wash thick bottom pan with water and add 2 tbsp. of potable water and then pour milk in it. So that milk won’t stick to the bottom of the pan while heating. Switch on the flame.
Heat ghee in another nonstick pan and add grated carrot in it. I don’t like ghee in Gajar Halva and I am using full fat milk. So I used to cook grated carrot without ghee .
Stir continuously both the pan, milk as well as carrot pan.
After 2 minutes of roasting, carrot becomes tender.
At this moment add half of the grated carrot in the milk pan and half of the milk in carrot pan.
Stir continuously both the pan. When water content of the milk reduces and you feel difficult to stir with both the hands, at this moment mix both the content in the one pan.
Stir continuously till all the water content in the milk evaporates. At this moment add Sugar and stir continuously. When the water content of the melted sugar evaporates and the halwa leaves the pan switch off the flame. Gajar halwa is ready. Garnish with finely chopped Almonds (optional)
Serve hot or chilled as you wish but serve with love and smile.
Dry roast Almonds and Cashews. Keep aside to cool down.
Heat ½ cup of Ghee in thick bottom kadhai.
Deep fry Gond crystals on a slow flame and switch off the flame.
Add raisins in a hot ghee kadhai and deep fry it. Keep aside.
Crushed fried gond crystals with the help of either base of the steel bowl or masher. Keep aside.
Grind roasted dry fruits in a pulse mode and transfer in a mixing bowl.
Mix Cardamom powder, crushed Gond powder and Poppy seeds with dry fruits powder and keep aside.
Finely chop 3 cups of Jaggery and keep aside.
Add remaining ghee ¾ cup in the kadai and switch on the flame.
On a slow flame roast wheat flour till it turns golden brown colour.
Add all dry ingredients, mix well and switch off the flame.
Add Sugar powder and chopped jaggery and mix well.
Make laddu out of this and serve these laddu in the winter season or to the mother of the new born child in the breakfast to increase the immunity and energy.
Prepare the batter following the instruction given on the pancake mix box.
Pour the batter on dosa tawa either in stencil or round shape.
Roast in butter or ghee .
Serve hot with different toppings like nutella spread, honey, maple syrup, athana no sambhar for salty ,hot and tangy taste , golkeri for sweet and tangy taste or as your desire.
Pouring consistency of batterMaking of heart shaped pancake.Pancakes with different spreadsAchari pancake
In big nonstick kadhai mix smashed sweet potatoes and milk.
Turn on flame and reduce milk. Stir continuously upto lump formation.
when lump of sweet potatoes form turn the stove on slow flame and add sugar.
Mix sugar thoroughly and again reduce the quantity to its half.
Sweet potatoes shiro is ready.
Garnish (optional) with chopped almonds and cardamom powder.
Serve either hot or chilled as you wish but with love and smile.
Peel skin of sweet potatoes and cook in pressure cooker.Smash boiled sweet potatoesAdding milk into smashed sweet potatoesMilk is mixed with smashed potatoes.Milk reduced to ½ quantity.Shakkariya no Sheero
Rajeshree Gandhi's Kitchen blog 