Rava Coconut Laddu

Laddus: Little Bites of Pure Happiness

Laddus are more than just sweets — they’re tiny bundles of joy that instantly bring comfort, celebration, and nostalgia. Across every Indian household, these little round delights hold a special place, whether it’s for festivals, celebrations, or simply satisfying a sweet craving.

From the rich and nutty Besan laddus to the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth Motichoor laddus, and the tropical sweetness of Coconut laddus — each variety has its own charm. Different occasions call for different laddus, but the feeling they bring remains the same: warmth, happiness, and a sense of togetherness.

There’s something incredibly comforting about their simplicity. Just small, edible balls of deliciousness, yet packed with flavor, tradition, and love.

For me, Motichoor laddus have always been the ultimate favorite — the kind of sweet I turn to whenever I need a little pick-me-up. Soft, slightly grainy, soaked in just the right amount of sweetness, they have a way of instantly lifting my mood.

Some sweets come and go, but laddus? They’re timeless. One bite, and you’re reminded why they’ve been loved for generations.

Rava Coconut Laddus: A Taste of Childhood & Love

When I began my journey of self-discovery as a home-based chef, I found myself exploring not just new recipes, but also the stories and memories behind them. Food, after all, is never just about ingredients — it’s about emotion, nostalgia, and connection.

That’s exactly how these Rava Coconut Laddus came to life.

It all started when Mr. Parveez asked me to recreate a laddu he cherished from his childhood — simple, comforting, and full of flavor. Something he had grown up eating and still longed for. And like most nostalgic recipes, it wasn’t just about getting the ingredients right… it was about capturing a memory.

This version you see here is the result of my third trial — and the one that finally came closest to that familiar, childhood taste he had been craving.

The Process

I began by roasting rava in ghee until it turned aromatic and slightly golden — that nutty fragrance is what builds the base of these laddus. To help with binding and add a subtle richness, I incorporated a bit of besan into the mix.

Fresh grated coconut was roasted separately, just enough to remove moisture while keeping its natural sweetness intact. In another pan, cashews and raisins were gently fried in ghee until golden and plump — adding that perfect bite and texture.

Everything was then brought together — the roasted rava, coconut, nuts, and raisins — and sweetened with sugar. A final addition of warm ghee helped bind the mixture, making it easy to shape into soft, delicious laddus.

The Result

What came out of this process was more than just a sweet — it was a memory recreated. Soft, fragrant, lightly textured laddus that carry the warmth of home and the comfort of childhood.

They’re simple, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying.

Storage Tip

These laddus store beautifully — just keep them in an airtight container, and they’ll stay fresh for up to 10 days.

Sometimes, the best recipes aren’t the most complicated ones — they’re the ones tied to memories, love, and a little persistence. And this one? It’s all of that, rolled into every bite.

Kolhapuri Chicken Biryani

Biryani is an absolute classic that needs no introduction. India offers so much on its culinary platter but the one dish Non vegetarian Indians unanimously love indulging in is the mouth-watering biryani. With local and hyperlocal variations having evolved into distinctive styles of biryanis, one is spoilt for options when it comes to experiencing this melting pot of flavors. The delicious complex blend of spices are the reason behind the love this dish gets from people of all generations.So if you are a die-hard fan of this delicious dish, take things up a notch and tease your taste buds a little more with the story of what makes biryani so extraordinary.

Though it may appear to be a dish indigenous to  India, in reality the dish originated quite far away. Biryani is derived from the Persian word Birian, which means ‘fried before cooking’ and  Birinj, the Persian word for rice. While there are multiple theories about how biryani made its way to India, it is generally accepted that its a gift to the Indian cuisine from the Mughals. Along with extraordinary skills of architecture and artillery, they also came along with the beautiful flavors of orange blossom, screw pine water and Rose water mixed with saffron and the skill of using the beautiful spices India offered with other spices from the middle east and create so many non vegetarian dishes that would make Indian/Pakistani cuisines thank them till the end of the world.

One legend has it that the Turk-Mongol conqueror, Temur, brought the precursor to the biryani with him when he arrived at the frontiers of India in 1398. Believed to be the war campaign diet of Temur’s army, an earthen pot full of rice, spices and whatever meats were available would be buried in a hot pit, before being eventually dug up and served to the warriors.

The Nizams of Hyderabad and Nawabs of Lucknow were most famous for their appreciation of the subtle nuances of biryani. Their chefs are renowned the world over for their signature dishes. These rulers popularized their versions of the biryani, which by the way, just in Hyderabad is around 20-25 varieties along with mouth watering accompaniments like mirchi ka salan, Dahi ki chutney/ Raita, khatte baingan, Dalcha and baghare baingan. All different regions in India offer different accompaniments with the Biryani that they serve.

The perfect biryani calls for meticulously measured ingredients and a practiced technique. Other than the technique, spices also play a critical role in dishing out a good biryani – some recipes call for a very limited use of spices while others use more than 15 different spices. Meat or chicken is often the main ingredient, though in some coastal varieties, fish, prawns, and crabs are also used. Use of rose water, screw pine water / kewra water in biryani is also common, a practice prevalent since the medieval era. The pot, sealed around the edges with dough, or covered with a cloth with the lid or something heavy is placed on the lid that doesn’t allow the steam to escape and for the meat to tenderize in its own juices while flavoring the rice.

This recipe of Biryani as the name indicates is from the princely state in Southern Maharashtra, Kolhapur, also popular for its footwear. Though the original recipe also has Raisins, but I have not added them as I do not enjoy sweet with spicy in my Biryani. You can always add it if you prefer. This recipe is super spicy, since most Maharashtrian foods are spicy so this one is a little more for the daring ones. But for sure a recipe that’s a must try for any Biryani lover.


Kashmiri Murgh Akhrot Biryani

This dish is cooked with Chicken/ Murgh and Yogurt on slow fire. Dry fruits like raisins and walnuts native to the beautiful state of Kashmir, add a distinctive flavor to it.

As the month of Ramadan begins all over the world, Biryani is a feasting dish perfect for Ramadan Iftaars, the celebration that rounds up Ramadan. A biryani of some description is always a regulation dish at celebrations, and the Kashmiri version is one of the many that needs to be a part of the Muslim tradition.

This version of Biryani is often preferred as it is rich and made even more special by the use of raisins and walnuts. I believe making different versions of Biryani also has a lot to do with the status of the family, this dish is judged by both the quantity and the array of nuts and dried fruits included.

I have always loved movies based in Kashmir ki waadiyaan. The idea of romance on a row boat is very fascinating. On one side, where the Gandola rides in Venice are considered romantic, my idea of romance still goes back to the beautiful shikaara rides with flowers around. I really wish to take that ride with Mr. Parveez some day. Till then, trying to cook cuisines from my favorite places is something I enjoy doing.

The first time I tried the Kashmiri Murgh Akhrot Biryani was one of my Friday Iftaars. Though I try to stay away from experiments during Ramadan, Friday Iftaars are a different story. My tables are lavish and my dastarkhaan has food in large variety and quantity to feed the whole army. My kids love our Friday Iftaar and somewhere look forward to Ramadan, for the lavish Friday Iftaar.

This dish has a lot of influence from the Persians. Most persian dishes are made using loads of dry fruits and nuts with meat, but with the addition of spices, the flavor of the dish changes, hence makes a Kashmiri Biryani.

This Biryani seemed rich in flavor as I mentioned before. The spice level is less, since the region of Kashmir has most of their spices come in from Saffron and cinnamon than chili. Its very pleasing to the eyes since the presentation has loads of raisins and walnuts garnished. In all, a fabulous dish and very flavorful.