Rava Besan Laddus

I meant to post this for Diwali, but these days, time flies even before I can think of catching it! This was our first Diwali with our dearest daughter "Ritika", so obviously, it was extra-special. Juggling between getting back to work, looking after Ritu, and managing other routine chores, we could find some time to make a few Diwali delicacies, thanks to my Mom, which otherwise would have been impossible for me to do - yes, taking care of a 3-month old is NOT an easy job!! One of the easiest Indian sweet is indeed Rava-Besan Laddus, and I particularly like the fact that they can be preserved at room temperature for about a week, and even longer if refrigerated. They require minimal preparation, taste great, and look great when decked one on top of the other and served to friends and family as you celebrate the festival together!

Ingredients
Makes about 25 medium-sized Laddus

3 cups Rava (Semolina)
1.5 cup Besan (Gram Flour)
1 + 1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1 cup Sugar (use more if you prefer sweeter)
2 cups Water
Sliced Almonds and cashews to garnish (optional)

Method
Take 1 tbsp ghee in a non-stick pan. Once the ghee is melted add rava to it and half roast it till it becomes faint light pinkish and starts giving out roasted smell. Don't overcook it. remove and keep aside.

Then take the remaining ghee in the same pan and add the besan to it and roast again for about 8-10 mins till the mixture becomes golden brown in color and starts giving out a faint smell.

Along with this, keep another pan to make the sugar syrup with all the sugar and water. Keep stirring the sugar syrup and check the consistency till it comes to single-wired texture (take a little sugar syrup between your fingers and check to see that the syrup forms a single strand as you pull your fingers apart).

Take the rava-besan mixture in a plate and allow it to cool. Once the sugar syrup is done, don't let it cool much, and add it to the rava mixture till it becomes like a thick paste. Cover and set aside (about 2 hours) to let the mixture harden a little as the flours soak in the sugar syrup.

You can see that the mixture when cooled enough, it becomes a bit thicker than before; Make laddus out of it and garnish them with sliced almonds and cashews if you like. We like our plain:)

These can be stored in an air-tight container for about 10-12 days at room temperature, and more if refrigerated.

Adadiyapak - Healthy Gujarati Sweet

Anyone who has spent at least a couple winters in Gujarat, would be familiar with the traditional Gujarati sweet called "Adadiyapak". Made with Adad(Udad) Flour, and filled with naturally healthy ingredients, its one sweet that is really good for you and your body! It's especially made in winter, due to availability of ingredients, but nowadays, you can find these at any grocery store around the year. They are filled with the goodness of health and richness of taste, but when they come packaged in a "stainless-steel dabba" all the way from India, marked with the stamp of being labeled as Mom's homemade Adadiya, its extra-special, healthy and extremely delicious. So here's sharing with you my granny's recipe for Adadiyapak, executed perfectly by none other than Mom!

Ingredients
500gm black gram flour (adad no lot)
50gm besan (chickpea flour - optional)
450gm ground sugar
400gm + 200gm ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup milk

Spices
few pieces of edible gum (gaund)
50 gm ginger powder
50 gm ganthoda powder (optional)
25 gm vasanu (optional, skip it if you can't find it)
100gm cashew nuts + almonds - (crushed coarsely into powder)

Method
Mix 100gm ghee, milk, black gram flour and besan and keep it aside for 3 hours. Once it cools down a little, pass this flour mixture through a filter (sieve), to form granular flour mixture (looks like Sooji or Semmolina), and keep it aside.

Take another 100gm ghee and fry the edible gum in a pan on high flame; then let it cool for a couple mins, and grind it in a blender to form coarse granules.

Take 400gm ghee in a pan and add black gram flour in it. Stir it continuously on low flame till flour becomes golden brown. Add ginger powder, vasanu and ganthoda powder to this, and mix well.

When it turns golden brown, and the flour looks properly roasted, and starts giving out a nice smell, about 10 mins or so, remove it from the flame. Let it cool a little (about 2 mins), then add the edible gum powder into it. Stir it well and mix properly. Then allow the entire thing to cool for about 20 mins.

Finally, add the sugar and cashew-almond powder into it and mix it well.

Take a deep steel thali (or non-stick flat pan), grease it with a little ghee, and spread the mixture into the thali evenly, levelling the surface.

Garnish it with slivered almonds or pistachios, if you like, then let it set completely for about 10 minutes. Now cut it into squares and keep them out, uncovered for about an hour.

Once cooled enough, you can store the Adadiya squares in an air-tight container, and keep it refrigerated for about 20-30 days. Just let it come to room temperature before eating; one small piece a day is a great way to keep yourself healthy, as long as the supplies last!:)

Related Recipes
Gajar Halwa (Carrot Pudding)
Pineapple Rava Kesari (Microwave recipe)
Churma na Ladoo (Wheatflour Laddus)
Homemade Kaju Katri (Burfi)

Motichoor Boondi Laddu - For Diwali

Diwali is just one week away, and I'm sure preparations are on in full swing in many Indian households! As one fo the most widely celebrated Indian Festival, Diwali is a time for homemade sweets and snacks, and these Motichoor(Boondi) Laddoos are an apt creation! This Indian sweet gets its name from the Hindi word "Boond", meaning droplets, or "Moti", meaining Pearls!! Motichoor laddus made from fine gram-flour droplets which are fried and then immersed in a thick & delicious saffron flavored sugar syrup, and finally rolled into the shape of Laddoos. It looks like a lot of work, but when you put one in your mouth, you'll know its totally worth it!

An important part of any festival is the fact that you get to do things together, with your friends and family. Being is US, I miss the charm of some Indian festivals, but in my brief India trip, we tried to capture the essence as much as possible! The credit of this recipe goes to Saroj Ben, the lady who helps us make delicious delicacies during festival time, and of course to my Mom! Its great how inspiring and spiritually healing cooking can be.

My mom and my mother-in-law, both wanted to pack as many Diwali delicacies for us as the airlines would allow us to, so I have tonnes of goodies to share with you. For now, enjoy these lovely Motichoor Ladoos!

Ingredients
(Makes about 25 Laddoos)

For Boondi
2 1/2 cups of Gram Flour (Besan)
500 ml of Whole Milk
3 cups of Clarified Butter (Ghee) - for deep frying
1/4 cup dry-fruits - finely chopped (optional)

For Sugar Syrup
2 1/2 cups of Sugar
2 tbsp of Whole Milk
1/2 tsp of Cardamom Powder
A few drops of Saffron essence (for deep frying)
3 and 1/2 cups of Water

Special Equipement
A strainer, colander or fine sieve with droplet-sized or smaller pores

Method

Making the Sugar Syrup
In a large deep vessel, put the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, add in the milk. Boil for 5 minutes or until scum forms on top. Strain with the strainer spoon and return to stove. Add in the saffron color and boil until it is sticky but no thread has formed. Add in the cardamom powder and mix well. Then set aside.

Making the Boondi
Mix the flour and milk together to form a smooth batter. Heat the clarified butter in a heavy frying pan. Hold the boondi-strainer over the frying pan with one hand. With the other hand, pour some batter all over the holes. Tap gently until all of the batter has fallen into the hot clarified butter. Be careful to stay away from the stove as the ghee might sputter a little. Stir with another strainer and remove once it is light golden in color. Set aside on a paper towel, and repeat the process for the remaining batter.

Making the Laddoos
Partly crush/smash 1/4th of the fried boondi with hand; immerse all the fried boondi in the syrup. Drain any excess syrup and spread in a large plate. Add the chopped dry fruits to this mixture. Sprinkle about 2 tsp of hot water over it. Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes so the boondi soaks up the syrup and it becomes soft.

Once it gets sticky, and cool enough to handle, take a small portion of the boondi mixture and shape into small round balls with moist palms. Do the same for all laddoos.

Arrange on a plate and keep open to dry so the laddoos solidify. One they are hard enough, you can store in an air-tight container and keep in the regrigerator for upto 2 weeks.

Enjoy these delicious Motichoor (Boondi) Laddus and share them with your friends and guest as you celebrate Diwali!

Need more Diwali Sweets? Try the Kesar Almond Burfi, Coconut Laddoos, Kesar Rasmalai or Bengalli Rasgullas and make your Diwali a memorable one!

Badam Burfi - Almond Fudge

Burfis, a traditional Indian sweet made with milk, khoya and flavoring comes in varieties of shapes and forms. From saffron to chocolate, pineapple and coconut to mangoes and almonds, Burfis have honored several festivals and gatherings. So to celebrate India's Independence Day, and also the festival of "Rakhi" this weekend, I made these delicious Kesar Badam Pista Burfis. Made with milk and flavored with saffron, you can call it an Indian version of Fudge! Mildly sweet and adorned with chopped almonds and pistachios, they look pretty on a plate and are pretty easy to make! So try this simple badam burfi recipe and spread the festive spirit around!

Ingredients
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup (4 oz) condensed milk
sugar (optional, if needed)
6 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) - melted
6-7 strands of saffron + more for garnish
2 drops yellow food color (optional)
slivered almonds & pistachios - for garnish

Method
Soak the almonds in the milk for a at least an hour. remove the skins, then using a blender or food processor, blend the almonds and milk together into a fine thick paste.

Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk and set aside to bleed.

Take a deep skillet, set it on low-medium heat, and add the almond paste and keep stirring continuously. After 3-4 minutes, add the sugar, saffron and the melted ghee slowly into the pan (in small increments) while stirring continuously, and cook till the ghee is absorbed by the almonds.

As the mixture thickens, add the condensed milk and the food coloring, then again stir for another 5-7 mins, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool just slightly. Lightly grease a square baking tray (about 1/2 inch deep). Transfer the mixture to the tray while it is still warm. Garnish with some chopped almonds and pistachios, and the remaining saffron strands.

Now allow to cool, about half an hour. Then cut into diamonds or squares. If its still soft, refrigerate for 15 mins then cut. You can store the burfi in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for upto a week. This goes to Pooja for her Independence Day theme this week, featuring Orange-Green-White colors.

Serve the Kesar Badam Burfi to your friends and family. Here's wishing every Indian a very Happy Independence Day, and I also wish every brother & sister a Happy Rakhi as they celebrate their bond of love!

Related Recipes:
Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand (Yogurt Dessert)
Coconut Burfi (Laddus)
Kesar Rasmalai

Shrikhand - Yogurt Dessert with Saffron & Nuts

Shrikhand, also known as Amarkhand or Mattha is an easy and flavorful Indian dessert which is traditionally prepared by hanging Yogurt in a muslin cloth and draining it of all its liquid content, then using the remaining whey to make the rich and creamy Shrikhand. It is generally flavored with saffron, cardamom and nuts, but over time, various Shrikhand recipes have evolved where you can flavor it with seasonal fruits and artificial flavors to suit your tastebuds. It is similar to a Yogurt Parfait, just a bit thicker in texture, and without granola or cereals. Also, it has a nice creamy flavor, but without the usual fat content. A perfect accompaniment to any Indian meal, or as a healthy dessert when entertaining, this Kesar Shrikhand (Yogurt Dessert) is sure to please you and your guests!

Ingredients
3 cups fresh yogurt
1 cup caster sugar
5-6 strands of saffron (plus more for garnish)
1 tbsp warm milk
1/4 cup nuts - pistachios, almonds, cashews - chopped
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

For Garnish
some more chopped nuts
rose, marigold or any other edible flower petals

Method
Line a colander with a muslin cloth(or a very fine cloth or sieve) with the edges hanging over the colander. Pour in the yogurt. Gather the edges of the muslin cloth and tie a knot, hanging the tied edges from the kitchen sink, letting all the liquid from the yogurt drip in the sink. At the end of 5 hours, the yogurt that remains in the sieve/muslin cloth will be thick and creamy.

Take 1 tbsp warm milk, and drop the saffron strands into it. Let it rest for 15-20 mins to bleed so the saffron oozes out all its color.

Transfer the hung yogurt to a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients to it. Mix well, cover, and set in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.

Transfer to a Serving Bowl, or in individual bowls. Then garnish with some chopped nuts, saffron strands and flower petals.

Tip: To reduce hanging time, blend 4 tbsp condensed milk with 1/4 cup crumbled paneer. Make a smooth paste, then add to the curd to make a thicker Shrikhand when you don't have enough time for preparation.

I'm sending this beauty over to Grace for her Beat the Heat event.

Shrikhand is a simple and delicious dessert, high in calcium and flavor. This traditional recipe is a bit time-consuming, so if you are looking for a quicker version, try my Sour-Cream Kesar-Elaichi Shrikhand recipe, which requires no prep-time whatsoever, without compromising on the taste!

Related Recipes:
Mango Kulfi (Mango-Mascarpone Mousse)
Pear & Almond Yogurt Cake
Coconut Burfi (Coconut Laddoos)

Related Tags
fruits, desserts, indian sweets, nuts

Mango Mascarpone Mousse (Mango Kulfi)

Whenever you are in need for a quick dessert, a little cream, some fruits and a blender is good enough to satisfy your cravings and whip up a luscious dessert. And could you think of any better flavors than Mango and Mascarpone for a Mousse (except chocolate, perhaps!) I bet not, especially if you've ever enjoyed a Mango Kulfi, which is an indian version of mousse, except without eggs. Mousse is one of the easiest desserts to prepare, without compromising on the taste and indulgence factor. Mascarpone, the smooth creamy italian cheese, that's a little on the sweeter side, lends a richness to the mousse, while Mango, saffron and cardamom lend it flavor similar to a Kulfi, so you get the best of both the worlds! Try this Mango Mascarpone Mousse; its heavenly, and I'm sure you are going to get hooked to the taste.

Ingredients
1 egg - separated
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup mango puree
4-5 strands of saffron
1/4 tsp cardamom powder (optional)
1/4 cup mascarpone - at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream

To make Mango Kulfi instead, replace the egg with 1/4 cup condensed milk, and mix it with the mango puree and mascarpone cheese in Step 2 shown below.

Method
In an electric mixer bowl, whisk the egg yolk and half of the sugar until pale and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, stir the mango puree, cardamom powder and mascarpone until smooth. Fold the yolk mixture into the mango mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Add the remaining sugar, a little at a time and continue to whip until glossy. Fold the whites into the mango mixture.

Whip the cream to form soft peaks and add to the mango mixture. Or mix together in a blender on Whip setting till everything is smooth.

Now spoon it into individual moulds of your choice and freeze them overnight.

Cut into slices if you like, or just invert the mousse onto dessert plates. Garnish with some chopped pistachios and saffron strands, and serve immediately (if you wait to take photos, it'll start melting!!:)) I'm sending this over to Mike who's collecting Frozen Treats this summer, and also to Nikki for her Ice-Cream collection!

Tip: You can add the saffron strands and some chopped pistachios in the batter itself, leaving a few for garnish. This gives it a better flavor, color and aroma!

Call it a Mango Mascarpone Mousse or a Mango Kulfi; any way you make it, this is one easy and delicious treat, perfect for summer evenings or a weeknight dessert cravings!

Related Recipes:
Mango Streusel Cake
Mango & Raspberry Thickshake
Mango & Mascarpone Cheese Tart

Rasgulla - Traditional Bengali Sweet

Since childhood, I've had a weakness for Bengali sweets like Soft Rasgullas, Rasmalai and Sandesh, just because they have a juicy and rich texture made of ricotta cheese and khoya, and combined with "ras", made with either sugar syrup or milk, these delicious indian sweets never fail to impress! "Rasogullas", as they are called in West bengal, are favorites with not just the locals, people around the country love them. They have a fake reputation of being hard to make at home. But I'd seen my mom make these when I was young, so it gave me enough strength to try making them myself. After some hesitation, a bit of aprehension, and a mindset to not feel bad if they didn't turn out well, I was surprised to find that my rasgullas were actually pretty good!

I had a big batch of homemade paneer and as RCI-Bengal was around the corner, I decided to try a hand at my favourite indian sweet. The recipe is simple, its just the pressure-cooking part that makes you apprehensive. I have added some tips to keep your rasgullas soft, and hope they help you in your sweet venture too! Remember, its definitely worth the effort!

Ingredients
2 cups homemade paneer
2 tsp all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
6-7 strands of saffron (kesar)
2 tsp cardamom powder (optional)
3 cups water

Method
Make paneer at home following my recipe for homemade paneer. (sorry, I didn't want to type it all again!:))

Take the paneer at room temperature, add 2 tsp of flour and crumble this mixture in a food processor. Pulse coarsely for 30 to 40 seconds.

To make the sugar syrup, pour 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup sugar(keep the other 1 cup for later) and bring this to a boil on medium heat.

Meanwhile knead the ricotta cheese mixture again for about 1 minute using your hands. Rub it against the palms to make it smooth; remember, the more you knead the softer the rasgullas will be, and the easier it would be to shape them.

Now divide the mixture into 15 equal sized portions and roll them into balls or any other desired shapes. I have made rasmalai before, hence find it easier to shape these into flatter discs as it gets cooked faster.

When the sugar syrup comes to a boil, gently drop the rasgulla balls into the syrup. Close the cooker and pressure cook for about 7-8 mins. After one whistle, wait for 5 minutes and turn off the stove.

Do not overcook, else the rasgullas will become too hard. It's generally good to wait for one whistle to go off, then turn off heat and check if the balls are cooked. They should approximately double in size and become fluffy. If you think they are not done yet, cover the lid, without the whistle, and cook for another 5 mins or so at medium heat.

Open the cooker after 10 minutes and add the cardamom powder to the syrup and stir gently. Add another 1 cup of sugar and let it boil. Take the saffron strands and place in 2 tbsp warm water. Microwave for 1 minute, when it starts bleeding, add the saffron water to the sugar syrup to evenly flavor and color the entire sugar syrup.

Allow the rasgullas to cool before transferring them to a container and refrigerate till ready to use. If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can do this is a large crockpot too. Just keep it covered to allow steam to build and cook the rasgullas.

How To Make Rasgullas Soft?
I came across this while looking for tips to make rasgullas soft. To achieve this, divide your sugar in half; add only 1 cup sugar in the syrup initially and let it boil. Put the balls in boiling syrup; as soon as they puff up in about 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cheese balls. Add the remaining one cup of sugar. Heat till all the sugar is absorbed. Do NOT stir; turn off heat when syrup gets thick. Keep these tips in mind:

1. The more you knead the cheese (chenna), the softer your rasgullas will be
2. Do not add too much flour as that will make them hard
3. Do not let the cheese balls sit long; immediately cook them in the sugar syrup to keep them soft and allow them to puff up.

When serving, layer the rasgullas, add a generous helping of the syrup and garnish with chopped pistachios or saffron strands. Serve chilled and enjoy a traditional Bengali sweet! To make Kesar Rasmalai instead, follow the exact same recipe but use milk instead of sugar syrup.

Related Recipes:
Gulkand and Khoya Burfi
Coconut Laddoos
Gajar ka Halwa

Related Tags
paneer, indian-sweets, rasmalai, diwali-recipes

Badam Halwa (Sheero) with a Toor Dal Twist - A Healthy Fusion!!

Back in India, Sooji Halwa is a simple sweet which is made in every household to cater to sweet cravings. But another favorite of mine has been the Badam Halwa, and this time I tried to add something healthier to it and cut down on the almonds and the fat they bring along with them; so I added the main ingredient of my another favorite - Puran Poli or Vedmi, and I made my own Toor dal and Badam Halwa, which tastes just as nice, with way fewer calories!

Let me warn you that this is not your traditional rich halwa that is loaded with ghee, so if you are looking for a recipe for a festive occasion, just replace the toor dal below with almonds and go for the original Badam Halwa. For the more daring ones up for a fusion challenge, follow the recipe below.

Ingredients
1 cup toor dal - soaked for at least 3 hours
1 1/4th cup whole almonds (or 1 cup almond paste)
3/4th to 1 cup of sugar (according to taste)
1/2 cup regular milk
3 tbsp of ghee
2 cups water
a pinch of saffron - soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
3 tsp cardamom powder (optional)
slivered almond slices - for garnish

Method
Boil 1 cup of water and soak the almonds for 1 hour. Peel the skin off the almonds when they are a bit cooled. They should slip right off without much hassle. Now grind the almonds in the blender with 4 tbsp milk to form a smooth paste.

Soak the toor dal for a couple hours at least, then pressure cook it with little water. Allow 3-4 whistles so that the dal is nicely cooked. Alternately, you can even cook the dal in your microwave; just adjust the water level starting with 1.5 cups and keep stirring in between. it should be cooked in about 10-12 mins. Now remove the daal and blend it in a mixer, without water, to form a smooth paste.

Melt the sugar with the 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Let this sugar syrup come to a rolling boil. The moment it starts getting a little viscous and thick, add the ground almond paste and keep stirring well to avoid any lumps. Now add the toor dal paste and the milk and mix well so that almond and dal get blended together. Add the ghee, slowly pouring over the mixture till it gets soaked up by the latter. All the while, keep stirring.

The mixture will become slightly translucent and shiny. Once it gains the consistency similar to thick pancake batter, add the soaked saffron and the cardamom powder. Switch off the heat and let the halva cool. It will emulsify after cooling, and should become more solid. Once it's cool enough, serve it warm, garnished with slivered almonds and pistachios!!

Badam Halwa is a traditional favorite for many indians, but I think this healthier version will make it more attractive for frequent indulgences!

Related Recipes:
Kesar Elaichi Sour Cream Shrikhand
Coconut Laddoos or Coconut Burfi
Soft Bengali Rasgullas

Kesar Rasmalai - Diwali Special !!

Diwali is one of the most popular Indian festival and would always remain to be so. Each region in India has a special way of celebrating it; the day after Diwali also heralds the beginning of a New financial year for some of the Hindus. So here's a beautiful and rich-looking Indian bengali sweet recipe that I am sure many of you must have tasted in Indian restaurants - the Kesar Rasmalai!

Rasmalai is by far the most cherished indian sweet in the whole country, superceeded only by tough competitiors like "Gulab Jamun" and "Rasgulla". People also think that its hard to make rasmalai at home, which I don't think is true. Yes, the end result does depend on the "channa" (recipe below) that you use, so you should either make it at home, or buy from a good sweet-shop. So go ahead and try my Kesar Rasmalai and see how you can woo your friends and family with this winning recipe!

Ingredients
4 cups whole milk for channa
1 cup sugar
3 cups of water
6-7 strands of saffron mixed in 3 tbsp warm milk
Cardamom, pistachio, almonds - slivered
lemon juice
3 cups whole milk (for the ras)
4-5 tbsp sugar (for the ras)

Method
First keep the 3 cups of milk for ras to boil until it thickens. Take a small cup, fill it with 3 tbsp milk; warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds, then add 6-7 strands of saffron to it and rub them etween your fingers to extract orange-yellow color and saffron flavor. Then add this to the boiling milk. Also add the sugar for the ras to it and add cardamom, pista and almond to it.Once the milk is reduced to about half it's size, remove from flame and set aside to cool in another container filled with cold water or ice cubes.

Next, bring the 4 cups of milk to boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame, and add the lemon juice to it while stirring continuously to curdle the milk. Stir with a spoon, then slowly remove just the solid part, called the "chhanna" and tie it in a muslin or thin cloth. Keep it covered for at least a couple of hours. Hang the "potli" under the sink or put the cloth-covered chhana in a bigger bowl which will collect the water dripping from the mixture. The intention here is to separate just the solid curdled milk residue from the water or liquid part.

After 2 hours, remove the channa from the cloth. Take it in a bowl and mash well with your hands to form a smooth mixture. This will look like "Paneer" or cottage cheese, and you have to rub it between your palms a lot to make the mixture really smooth. Then make around 15 small-sized of balls or discs out of it. Again, make sure you keep the edges as smooth as possible. Now take a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Mix well to form the sugar syrup. Add the balls in the pressure cooker and let it cook for two whistles.

Once the cooker has cooled down, remove the cooked balls. Press them gently between your palms to remove excess water, then arrange them in a serving dish. Pour half of the ras/milk mixture over them and let them soak into it for at least an hour. Refrigerate the remaining milk.

When ready to serve, pour the cold milk over the balls. Garnish with more chopped or slivered pistachios and almonds and dazzle your family and friends with this invigorating and delicious dessert! I am sure that Kesar Rasmalai will surely delight your guests! Happy Diwali to one and all!!

More Indian Sweet Recipes:
Dry-Fruit Basundi
Malpua with Rabdi

Gulkand and Khoya Burfi

"Diwali", the most famous Indian festival is around the corner, and it's time to make some nice sweets and snacks at home. Actually, navratri season is still on as "Dassehra" just got over 2 days ago, and people are eagerly waiting for Diwali, which is rightly known as the festival of lights, food and prosperity. It's a known legend that "Lakshmi", the goddess of wealth and "Ganpati", the god of health and prosperity, can be wooed to bless your home and family by offering them with luscious sweets, so how was I going to stay behind?? After all, we all need God's blessings, right? So here's something that you can make too to sweeten your festive season, a Gulkand and Mava Burfi which is simple to make and tastes awesome! "Gulkand" is basically rose syrup that has a unique flavor, and an ever more scintillating aroma, thanks to the rose extract. In Ayurveda, is is considered highly cooling for the body and has several other medicinal properties. It will not only make your dessert flavorful, but also give it a beautiful rosy-red color.

Ingredients
1/2 kg soft khoya or mawa
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp gulkand (a mixture with rose extract) (available in Indian stores)
6-8 almonds - slivered
Small silver lining (varakh) for decoration (optional)

Method
Place a heavy pan on low flame and put gulkand into it. You can even add 4-5 fresh red-rose petals to it. Stir gently for a while and when you see soft lumps form, remove from the flame and leave it aside to cool.

Now mash the khoya with your hand. Apply some ghee to grease your palms and mash the khoya well so it becomes soft and smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix it well. Put the mixture in a large non-stick pan, add 2 tbsp ghee and heat it on high flame for 2-3 minutes. Now heat it on low flame, stirring continuously. Once you see it take a light-brown color and the ghee starts separating at the edges of the pan, remove from flame. The sugar will leave water, so the mava consistency should be thick yet granular and soft. If you think it is too dry, add 2 more tbsp ghee to it.

Now add cardamom powder and mix well. Take a small portion of the mixture, around 1/4th, in another pan, add the gulkand to it and stir to make a red-colored mawa mixture. Now keep the 2 mixtures separate and allow it to cool till you can manage it with your hands without scalding your skin.

Take half of the white mixture and spread it on a greased plate with edges. Then spread the red gulkand mixture on top of it, and put a third layer of the white mixture right on the top. Garnish with slivered almonds or pistachios and silver varakh. Once the mithai sets a little, make small bite-sized squares using a blunt knife, then set it into the refrigerator for about 10 mins. Remove from the fridge, cut the sqaures and remove them from the plate and store them in an air-tight container.

You can preserve this sweet for 4-5 days in the fridge. Serve this beautiful gulkand burfi to your guests and spread the spirit of friendship and love!

Coconut Laddoos (Koprapaak Burfi)

Coconut Burfi is an all-time favorite in India, and there's a reason behind it! It is really easy to make, and it tastes heavenly! What's more, people say that its an excellent offering to Gods, serving as perfect ambrosia. Isn't that enough reason to enjoy this treat?! It can be shapes as squares, called Burfi, or roll it up into balls called Laddus; anyway you serve it, your guests are bound to enjoy it! Also known as Koprapaak, this has been my favorite since childhood. So try this coconut burfi recipe yourself, and you'll know why its on everyone's crave-list!

Ingredients
1 can condensed milk
2 cups dessicated coconut
2 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup nuts - chopped (pistachios, almonds, cashews)
A few strands of saffron - to decorate

Method
Keep a little coconut and a few pistachios aside for garnishing. Mix the condensed milk and the remaining coconut in a bowl. Add the sugar and elaichi powder and stir on a low flame for about 4-5 mins. The milk is already thick, so don't over-heat else it may get burnt. Remove from flame, then add the chopped nuts and set aside till the mixture has cooled down enough to handle with your hands.

Shape into small laddoos(round balls). Roll each laddoo in a little dessicated coconut. Garnish each with a slit of pistachio and saffron. Alternately, you can spread the mixture after removing from flame into a slightly greased plate or thali which has edges. Then use a knife to cut into squares or diamonds if you want to make Coconut Burfi instead of laddoos.

Garnish with chopped nuts and saffron.

Tip: You can dissolve saffron (kesar) in 1 tsp warm water and add it to the mixture while heating to make yellow-colored Kesar Koprapaak.

Almond Cookies (Eggless Nankhatai)

Cookies are a top-rated snack food, and every household, especially with kids, is bound to have a jar filled with cookies. One such type of cookie famous in India is called "Nankhatai". It can be made salty and spicy, or sweet and soft. It is best enjoyed with tea, but beleive me, these tiny tots are so tasty and mouth-watering your hand would reach out for them any time of the day! Here's a recipe for Almond Cookies or Eggless Nankhatai which I adapted from my sister-in-law's version. It does not use eggs, yet is soft and chewy. Her kids love these cookies, so I'm sure it'll be a hit with your kids too!!

Ingredients
2 cups All-purpose flour (Maida)
1 cup powdered sugar (or adjust to taste)
1/2 cup butter or ghee (at room temp, or melted)
2 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk powder
12-15 pieces of almonds - slit in halves, skin removed (you can even use peanuts)
4 tsp almond essence (you can use vanilla if almond is not available)
Cookie cutter (optional)

Method
Heat the oven to 350° F. Lightly coat a large baking tray with butter and dust with all-purpose flour and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and milk powder in a mixing bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a separate bowl till it is light and fluffy. Fold in the flour mixture into this and whisk again, in the same direction until it is smooth. Finally add the almond or vanilla essence. Remember, this will not be as liquid as your cake dough. Cookie dough is supposed to be firmer so that it can easily form shapes.

Now take some oil and grease your plams. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, then flatten the dough and form a circular shape with your palms. Keep pressing the edges to form a smooth cookie. Alternately, you can use a cookie cutter or mould if you are more comfortable with it. Pinch a small almond in the center of the cookie, and add the almond or peanut into it. Make all the nankhatais in this way and arrange on the baking tray, at least 1-2 inches apart. Bake them for 10-15 mins, or until done. Do not overbake as that would make them hard and burnt!

Remove from the oven, let them cool down to room temperature, then store them in an air-tight container. You can even refrigerate them for a longer period. Just warm them in the microwave for 10 secs before serving. Savour these simple and delicious almond cookies or nankhatai as it melts in your mouth!!

More Cookie Recipes:
Peppermint and Vanilla Butter Cookies
Fat and Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Sukhdi or Golpapadi (Wheatflour dessert)

Sukhdi or GolPapadi is a famous gujarati sweet made of wheat flour and jaggery. Even today, if you visit a traditional gujarati household, 8 times out of 10 you will find their pantry stuffed with tins full of "spicy naastas" and sweet delights like matthri, shakkarpara, sukhdi, mohanthaal and more! My mom used to make them so well, and I still remember coming back from school or classes and hogging down 2-3 pieces at a time. "Sukhdi" is an easy recipe, and what makes it more inviting is the fact that it can be stored for a fortnight or so without any problems. It is not too sweet, and combines the goodness of wheat, jaggery and ghee. So here's my mom's recipe straight out of my kitchen!

Ingrdients
2 cups whole wheat flour
31/2 cups ghee
1 1/2 cup jaggery - sliced thinly
4 tbsp milk

Method
Take a pan, add half of the ghee to it and add the wheat flour. saute the flour on medium heat while constantly stirring. As the flour tends to cook and change color, it will soak up all the ghee. keep adding the remaining ghee to the mixture a little at a time and keep stirring. Do this till fat separates from the sides (you can see a little ghee separated on the edges of the pan) and the color of the flour changes from white to light pinkish brown and finally to a light golden brown.Finally add the milk, stir it in and lower the flame to lowest.

While this is being done, take a baking dish with edges or a cake pan, apply a thin layer of ghee to it and dust it lightly with flour. Shave the jaggery or slice it thinly to form even mixture without any lumps. Remove the pan from the heat, add the jaggery to the flour and mix well. Taste and adjust to add more jaggery if you wish.

Pour the batter into the greased dish and pat ligtly with your hand. Use a flat-bottomed cup (katori) to spread the mixture evenly in the dish. Let it cool for 3-5 mins. Now cut into small squares or diamonds with a knife and keep in the same dish until it is entirely cool. Only then remove the pieces and store in an air-tight container. You can store this at room temperature for 15-20 days easily. Use as a sweet snack any time of the day!! This goes to Mythilli's RCI-Gujarat event!

Churma Laddoos (Wheat Flour Ladoos)

Lord Ganesha, the elephant-faced Indian God is famous in Indian and non-Indian households alike! Even my Chinese and American colleagues believe in his divine power. The symbol of prosperity, happiness, and success, legend says that praying to Ganpati with a true heart can solve all your troubles or problems. Stories about miracles created by this iconzed idol have been experienced in many households, and on this auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, millions of people in India would be following a tradition of ganesh puja for

10 days. Appealing to Lord Ganesha on this day, keeps your house and family protected and prosperous for the rest of the year! So here's what I offered to Shri Ganesh, churma laddoos (Wheat Flour Ladoos). This is his favourite dish, so I'm vouching on peace and prosperity in our house after serving him these!! But the credit of the result goes to my mom, for without her supervision and guidance, I don't think my laddoos would have come out so great! So here's sharing with you the traditional gujarati recipe of Churma na Ladoo:)


Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
2 cups ghee
2 cups jaggery - shredded or thinly sliced/slivered
3 cups ghee (clarified butter)
3/4 cup milk and water mixture
2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khuskhus) - optional

Method
Take the flour and use the water/milk mixture to knead a very hard dough. Then use your palms to form fist-sized koftas/rolls from the dough. These should be very hard; if you drop them they should not break or crumble. Now take a little ghee and fry these balls till they turn a little more than light brown in color. Set them aside to cool.

Once the fried rolls come down to room temperature, crush them in a dry grinder to form a coarse powder. Do not grind it too smooth; it should be about the size of Rava or coarse semolina. Now take this powder in a large saucepan or a dish with an edge. Add the cardamom powder to the mixture. Warm the ghee to make it liquid, and slowly add it to the powder. Keep mixing it evenly with the flour powder by rubbing the mixture between your hands. Make sure the ghee temperature is manageable and you do not scald your fingers and palms. Keep adding the ghee, then add the slivered jaggery to it and mix evenly. Once you feel the mixture is reasonably soft, grease your hands, take a small portion and roll it into a medium-sized ball, or laddoo. Choose a size you are comfortable with. Remove the poppy seeds in a dish and roll each laddoo in this.

You can refrigerate and store these for 10-12 days. Just microwave for 4-5 seconds before serving to enhance the softness, taste and texture!

Sending this to Latha's Ganesh Chaturthi event....

Malpua with Rose-flavoured Rabdi (Indian Pancakes)

Everyone is familiar with pancakes and syrup, and its a dish savoured by a large number of people in and out of USA. But have you heard about the Indian pancakes?? Yes, we have a traditional dessert called "Malpua" (like a pancake) which is served with "Rabdi" (which acts like syrup). This is a popular indian sweet in many parts of India (especially during Karva Chauth festival) and you can still see road-side vendors prepare fresh hot malpuas (while you watch and salivate:)) and serve it with the milk-based syrup topping. I enjoyed eating it a lot! A perfect balance of sweet and cream, it is an ideal dessert for any festival, Indian or not!!

Ingredients

For the Malpuas and Sugar Syrup
1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 gallon (about 1 litre) milk
1 1/2 cups water
A few strands of saffron
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 cup sugar
Ghee(clarified butter)or oil for frying

For the Rabdi (recipe described below)
3 cups whole milk
2 large tbsp un-sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp rose essence
1 tbsp pistachio nuts- chopped for garnish
1 cup Rabri

Method

Make the Sugar Syrup
Now Boil the sugar and water together to make the sugar syrup. Keep stirring continuously in one direction only to form a thread-like consistency. To test that it's done, when it gets a little viscous, take a drop of syrup between your thumb and index finger and move them vertically apart to see if a thread forms. If it breaks, the syrup needs to be thickened, and if you are able to make 2 threads, you need to add a little more water to the syrup. When done, add saffron and cardamom powder to the syrup and keep it warm on very low heat.

Make the Malpuas
Mix the flour and baking powder. Now boil the milk in a thick-bottomed vessel till it reduces to half. Slowly add the thickened milk to the flour to make into a smooth thin batter, same as the pancake batter. Set aside for 5-10 mins.

Now heat a frying pan, add 1 tsp oil or ghee, take a ladle-full of the batter and make small pancakes out of it. Cook on both sides till golden brown.

Immerse them in the sugar syrup for about 2-3 mins, then place on a dish to get rid of excess syrup. You can just dip it in the syrup and remove instantly if you don't like it too sweet. Just let it coat a little.

Rabdi
Pour the milk in a saucepan and leave it on medium heat till it reduces to one fourth its original content. Add the condensed milk and keep stirring fequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Add sugar according to your taste. Then add the rose essence and remove from flame. let it cool completely. Garnish with chopped pistachios and keep it referigerated.

Serve the hot Malpuas with the Rabdi on the side (photo courtesy of indobase.com). You can either pour the rabdi over the malpuas or dip the latter in the rabri. Whatever way you choose to eat them, they will taste delicious, rich and creamy!! I bet this will put you in the seventh heaven!!

Dry Fruit Basundi

Rakshabandhan or "Rakhi" is a festival for brothers and sisters throughout India, though it is mainly celebrated in Western India, which signifies an eternal bond between the siblings. My brother and bhabhi (brother's wife) had invited us for lunch this sunday and luckily for us, my parents and my in-laws, both visiting us from India- were also present on this auspicious day and we had lots of food, fun and laughter!! My Bhabhi had made "Dry Fruit Basundi" for us and it was so good that I could hardly keep my eyes open after I gulped down 2 bowls full of this wonderful Indian sweet made from milk.

Dry Fruit Basundi

Ingredients
1/2 gallon whole milk
1 cup condensed milk (if using sweetened, add sugar accordingly)
1 cup crushed dry fruits (almonds, cashews, pistachios)
1 tbsp saffron (kesar)
2 tbsp warm milk (for diluting saffron)
2 tbsp cardamom powder
2 cups powdered sugar (more if you like it sweet like me!)
Chopped nuts for garnish

Method
Pour the whole milk in a large non-stick saucepan and put to boil on medium flame. Keep stirring almost continuously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Slowly add the condensed milk and stir to mix well.

Now add the sugar and the dry fruit powder to this and let it simmer for 30-40 mins. If cream forms on the top of milk or on the sides of the saucepan, remove this and add it to the milk. The more the milk boils, the thicker it gets and keep doing this till it turns into a light-brown color.

Meanwhile, take 2 tbsp milk, warm it in the microwave or on stove, and dissolve the saffron strands in this by rubbing with your fingers. The more you rub, the more yellowish-orange color it will give and of course, more flavour!

Now mix this into the basundi and stir to spread the color to the entire pan. Also add the cardamom powder and lower the flame and let it cook.

Once it becomes thick, remove from flame and let it cool for some time. Then referigerate it until it's time to serve.

Garnish with remaining chopped nuts and serve with puri-bhaji!!

Basundi is a traditional dessert cherished in many Indian households, and as it's easy to make, you just can't go wrong with it!!

Kesar-Elaichi Shrikhand

This is 21st century, which means no one is "allowed" to spend more time on anything than absolutely necessary. So how can we not implement this principle in cooking? And the new alternatives available for traditional cooking make it even more easy to make something great in a jiffy! So, "Ring out the old, ring in the new, when you run out of yoghurt, sour cream comes to your rescue"(yup, I'm an established poet too:)!!!)

Shrikhand(photo courtesy gujaratplus.com) is a well-known and highly-loved dessert in India that is simple to make and tastes very nice. You don't need to be an Indian to enjoy it. And saffron(kesar) and cardamom(elaichi) are the best friends of anything sweet! Traditionally, Shrikhand is made from hung curd, which used to be a lot of pain as it took hours. But this recipe of mine uses Sour Cream instead of yoghurt, which gives it a better texture and flavour, and you can make a perfect dessert in a very short time! The idea sparked when we had a pot-luck party during my grad school days, and I was informed about it only when I returned half an hour before the party, tired and depressed from my Engineering class. My fiance had promised everyone we'd get dessert, and by some stroke of good luck, I was struck by the inspiration to use sour cream and make Shrikhand out of it! Now when we reflect back, we are really greatful for this as this recipe has become an absolute favourite of my family and my friends.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh sour cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp saffron strands
1 tsp cardamom powder
1/3 cup sliced pistachios/almonds mix to garnish
2 tbsp plain yoghurt (optional)
1 tbsp milk

Method
Take the milk in a cup and microwave it for 15 seconds. Mix the saffron strands in this and rub with your fingers to extract the orangish/yellow colour and saffron flavour. The more you rub, the more colour you'll get. Keep this aside. Mix the sour cream, yoghurt, cardamom powder and sugar in a large bowl. Slowly mix the saffron milk to this mixture and keep stirring to spread the colour throughout the sour cream. Transfer the shrikhand to a serving bowl and keep to referigerate. Garnish with the dry-fruit mix before serving. There, a delicious and healthy dessert is ready to dazzle your family or friends!

Tip: You can add your favourite fruits like Mango to turn it into Fruit Shrikhand

Puran Poli

Every region of India has a variety of cuisine, and no matter what region you come frm, everyone has a sweet tooth. Puran Poli is something like a sweet chapati (flat wheat bread)which is quite common in Gujaratis and Maharashtrians. The version I describe below is from Gujarat. This is my brother's absolute favourite, and I still remember the 2 of us fighting for an extra piece as our mom sat watching, horrified yet smiling!! Hope you enjoy it as well.

Ingredients
3 cups Wheat Flour
Water for kneading
1 pinch Salt
2 tsp Ghee
1 1/2 cup Jaggery or Sugar
1 1/4 cup Toor Dal
1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder
1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder(jaifal)

Method
Put the dal in the cooker to pressure-cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain the excess water and let it cool a little. Then grind it slightly, not dding any water to it. Put a huge saucepan to heat, add the dal mix, add jaggery/sugar and the nutmeg and cardamom powder. Keep stirring constantly so that no lumps are formed in the mixture. This mixture tends to bubble and splutter, so stay away from the stove while stirring. Once it's cooked, remove from flame and let it cool.
Meanwhile, knead the dough using wheat flour, 1tbsp ghee and water to maka soft pliable dough that can be easily rolled. Leave aside covered for 20-30 mins. Make small balls out of the filling. Divide the main dough into small balls too and flatten them using a rolling pin (belan) Place a small ball of filling on the dough, roll over the other sides to cover the filling and make a complete ball again. Then carefully roll out the dough into thick medium-sized puris making sure the filling does not come out. Apply gentle pressure so as not to break the puris. Heat a griddle pouring ghee around it. Cook the chapati/puri on both sides. Drizzle with more ghee and serve hot with any curry of your choice, or better yet, just eat the delicious Puran poli by itself!!