Share the joy of Navarathri with special sweetmeats on the occasion
It is a time to celebrate and what better way than spreading the sweetness around…
Doodh peda
A perennial Indian favourite
Ingredients
Sugar – three-fourth cup
Water – 3 tbsp
Butter (unsalted) – 75 gm
Milk powder – 1 cup
Cardamom – 3 pods
Method
In a heavy-bottomed pan, stir in sugar into three tbsp water till the sugar melts completely. The syrup must reach the one-thread stage, which you can verify by taking a drop from the ladle and pressing between your thumb and index finger. There should be a dry strand visible as you lift the fingers away from one another a couple of times. The sugar syrup attains a glossy sheen at this stage and starts to bubble.
Add unsalted butter to the mixture. Stir till the butter melts. In a bowl, take one cup of milk powder.
Mix the crushed cardamom into the milk powder. Once the butter has fully melted, add the milk powder and stir to blend well. As the mixture comes away from the sides on stirring, immediately turn off the heat.
Using a teaspoon, pour the contents into a greased mould, thaali or your regular ice tray, and level the top surface with a knife if required. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Carefully de-mould. Preserve in airtight containers.
Note: Doodh pedas can be refrigerated.
Puffed Dal Balls
A time-saver – Instant recipe
Ingredients
Puffed dal(PottuKadala) - 1 cup
Sugar – 1 cup
Ghee – 1tsp
Milk – one or two tbsp
Method
Place the puffed dal and sugar and pulse it in short spurts in the mixer. Combine the fine powder with ghee and knead with the fingertips. Sprinkle milk, gather into smooth, firm balls. Garnish with a cashew, almond or pistachio. Serve fresh.
Sukhiyan
A traditional teatime snack with Green gram, an instant version
Ingredients
Jaggery syrup– 1 cup
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Cardamom powder – half tsp
Greengram / Red gram (Vanpayar) – 2 cups, pre-cooked, mashed
Maida – 1 cup
Salt – A pinch
Water – As required
Method
Cook jaggery syrup, grated coconut and pre-cooked, lightly mashed green gram or red gram in a vessel for 5 to 10 minutes till the mixture is dry. Stir in a little cardamom powder. Let this cool.
Mix some salt, water with flour to make a paste of thick but pouring consistency. Roll the green or red gram mixture into balls with oiled hands. Coat the green or red gram balls with the batter and arrange on a plate. In a wok, heat refined oil. Deep fry turning all sides till the green or red gram balls are golden. Drain in a colander.
Serve hot with tea or coffee!
Tips
Use a whisk to blend the batter.
Using a tong, place the batter-coated green or red gram balls in the oil carefully while deep frying.
Use jaggery syrup, grated coconut and pre-cooked green gram to save time. Green gram can be substituted with cooked and mashed red gram for a very tasty version.
Kesari
A traditional sweet dish
Ingredients
Roasted rava – 1 cup
Sugar – One and a half cups
Ghee – 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts, kismis – 50 gm
Water – Two and a half cups
Milk – 1 cup
Kesari ,elaichi, edible camphor, kesar ( saffron) – A pinch
Method
In a heavy-bottomed vessel, heat ghee/butter. Sauté broken cashews, kismis. Keep aside. Pour in the milk and water into the ghee and cook for two minutes.
Add a pinch each of kesari /saffron colour, elaichi powder and a tiny pinch of edible camphor.
Add pre-roasted rava . Simmer, stirring till the rava is well-cooked. Add sugar and stir well to blend all the ingredients.
As the mixture thickens, add two to three tablespoons of ghee. Add a pinch of saffron and stir well.
When the mixture has thickened to a semi-solid mass, add the roasted cashew nuts and raisins.
Turn off the flame. Cover the dish and set aside for 10 minutes.
Transfer into a serving dish or onto a greased thaali. Cool, slice or spoon into bowls and serve warm. Serves 4. Pineapple Kesari is equally delectable. Substitute the milk with pineapple juice, add a few drops of pineapple essence, pineapple cubes before adding the rava. Finally, garnish with ripe slices of pineapple.
Note:
Ghee can be substituted with unsalted butter. If lumps form on adding sugar, let the mixture cool for 2 -3 minutes and turn it once in the mixie before adding any nuts .
Ellunda
A tasty sweet snack
Ingredients
Sesame seeds (white) – half cup
Jaggery – half a ball
Water – 5 tbsp
Elaichi – half tsp, powdered
Method
Roast white sesame seeds till it is light golden and emits a fragrance. Melt jaggery in water and cook to one thread stage consistency.
(To check - press between the fingertips till a dry strand is visible)
Turn off the flame. Stir in the roasted sesame and powdered elaichi. Let this cool for a minute. Shape into 12 balls. You can also pour the mixture into a small greased thali and cut into diamond shaped pieces.
-Parvathy Menon
Post a Comment