Coconut Laddu

Coconut Laddu

 

Ingredients

• 1 can condensed milk
• 2 cups of dessicated coconut
• 1 tablespoon sugar.

Procedure

1. Mix the condensed milk and the coconut in a bowl.
2. Add the sugar and stir on a low flame for about 4 minutes.
3. Set aside till the mixture has slightly cooled down.
4. Shape into laddoos(small round balls).
5. Roll each laddoo in a little dessicated coconut.
6. Store in airtight jars.

Badusha

Badusha

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups bisquick, sour cream, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water

Procedure

1. Make one thread consistency syrup with sugar and water.
2. Make a dough with bisquick and sour cream.
3. Roll it into balls and flatten slightly.
4. Score a circle on the patty with a knife or small cap.
5. Deep fry in crisco or oil on low fire till a med brown.
6. Dip in syrup by pushing it deep down, remove and set aside.
7. Can place a walnut or pecan in the center immediately after dipping.

Ras Malai

Ras Malai

 

Ingredients

• Ricotta Cheese 2 lb.
• Half and Half 2 qts.
• Sugar 2 cups
• Cardamon pods 5
• Bay leaf 1
• Vanilla 1 tsp.
• Rose Water To taste (opt.)

Procedure

1. Mix 1.5 cups of sugar with the Ricotta cheese and bake it in a 400o F oven for about 1hr and 15 minutes in a flat dish covered with aluminum foil.
2. The cheese should have hard- ened and turned a pale brown.
3. Thicken the Half and Half by simmering over low heat for a long time.
4. This is best done in a microwave; if a microwave is not available, do it over low heat and stir frequently.
5. Thicken until the volume drops to around half of the original volume.
6. Add the remaining 0.5 cup sugar, cardamon pods, bay leaf, vanilla and rose water (and any other flavouring that you may want) to the Half and Half.
7. Heat for a few minutes.
8. After the cheese has been baked, cut it into 1 inch squares and add to the hot thickened half and half.
9. Cool for a few hours in the fridge.

Mysore Pak (South Indian Dish)

Mysore Pak (South Indian Dish)

Ingredients:

1. Besan (chick-pea flour) 1 cup
2. Sugar 1 1/2 cups
3. Ghee 2 cups
4. Water 1 3/4 cups

Procedure:

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water and heat it.
2. Keep stirring till you get a thread consistency.
3. You can check for this by feeling the syrup between your fore-finger and thumb. (If the syrup has reached the required consistency, then you will able to pull it out like a thread).
4. Remove all the lumps in the chick-pea flour and add it to the syrup, 1 table spoon at a time.
5. Reduce the heat and add 2 teaspoons of ghee.
6. Stir, till the flour and ghee has completely blended with the syrup.
7. Repeat procedure 2 till you finish all of the besan.
8. Continue to stir and keep adding ghee 1tsp. at a time till the mixture changes color and texture. At one point, you will observe that the mixture is not able to absorb any more ghee.
9. Also, the whole mixture becomes porous and starts leaving the edges of the vessel.
10. At this point, transfer the mixture into a greased plate and with a spatula press the mixture down till the excess ghee surfaces.
11. Do not remove the excess ghee.
12. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then, cut it into desired shape and wait for another 10 minutes. Carefully remove each piece and arrange on the serving tray.

Cooking time: 45 minutes.Yield: 40 medium sized pieces.

Carrot Halwa

Carrot Halwa

 

 Ingrediants:

1. 1 kg juicy orange carrots
2. 1 1/2 litre milk
3. 400-500 gm sugar
4. elaichi powder (cardomon)
5. saffron few flakes
6. few drops orange colour (optional)
7. 1 tbsp ghee.

Method:

1. Peel and grate carrots
2. Put milk and carrots in a heavy saucepan. Boil till thick, stirring occassionally. Once it starts thickening, stircontinuously.
3. Add sugar and cook further till thickens.
4. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour.
5. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or theghee oozes out.
6. Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.

Kalakand

Kalakand

 

Ingrediants: 

1. 2 litres milk
2. 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
3. chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds)
4. silver foil (optional)
5. 1/2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water.

Method:

1. Boil half the milk and add the citric solution as it comes to boil
2. Switch off gas. Once the chenna settles sieve through muslin cloth, press out excess water, take in a plate and press down.
3. Do not knead.
4. Put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to half.
5. Add the chenna and boil till the mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
6. Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring all the while till softly thickens in a lump.
7. Set in a tray, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts

Khajur Rolls

Khajur Rolls

 

Ingrediants:

1. 1 tin condensed milk
2. 1 kg khajur deseeded (dates)
3. 250 gm mixed dryfruits (badam, cashew, pista)
4. 1/2 cup dessicated dry coconut

Method:

1. Break up khajur coarsely
2. Add milkmaid and dryfruit all in a heavy, non-stick pan.
3. Cook on slow flame, stirring continuously.
4. Do not allow to stick to bottom.
5. It takes a while to cook
6. Stir gently till a soft lump forms.
7. Spread some of the coconut on a butter paper sheet.
8. Grease hands and take a chunk of the mixture and roll into a thick roll, on the sheet, all the coconut to cover it.
9. Chill the rolls in the fridge.
10. Cut into slices.
11. Or set in a tray and cut into squares.

Soan Papdi

Soan Papdi

Ingredients

1. 1 1/4 cup gramflour
2. 1 1/4 cup plain flour (maida)
3. 250 gms. ghee
4. 2 1/2 cups sugar
5. 1 1/2 cup water
6. 2 tbsp. milk
7. 1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds crushed coarsely
8. 2 tsp. charmagaz (combination of 4 types of seeds) refer glossary
9. 4" squares cut from a thin polythene sheet

Method

1. Sift both flours together.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan.
3. Add flour mixture and roast on low till light golden.
4. Keep aside to cool a little, stirring occasionally.
5. Prepare syrup simultaneously.
6. Make syrup out of sugar, water and milk as shown in introduction.
7. Bring syrup to 2 1/2 thread consistency.
8. Pour at once into the flour mixture.
9. Beat well with a large fork till the mixture forms threadlike flakes.
10. Pour onto a greased surface or thali and roll to 1" thickness lightly.
11. Sprinkle the charmagaz seeds and elaichi and gently press down with palm.
12. Cool, cut into 1" squares, wrap individually into square pieces of thin plastic sheet.
13. Store in airtight container.

Making time: 45 minutesMakes: 20 pieces (approx.)Shelflife: 2 weeks

Sweet Pongal

Sweet Pongal

 

Ingredients (for two people) :-

1. Moong dhal - 1/2 cup.
2. Rice - 1/2 cup.
3. Milk
4. Coconut
5. cashew
6. jaggery
7. raisins (khish-mish - dry grapes)
8. cardamom
9. ghee.

Method:

1. Fry the moong dhal (before washing) till it becomes little light brown (itwill start smelling).
2. Then soak rice and dhal separately for 10 minutes.
3. Thoroghly wash and keep it in cooker with the right water (lesser is o.k)and
4. cook it seperately (in two different containers).
5. Meanwhile cut coconut in very small pieces and fry in ghee. Fry cashew and raisins also separately.
6. Break the jagerry and put in water (very little) and make a syrup.
7. This is done because sometimes jagerry has mud and stones.
8. After we make the syrup strain it through tea strainer.
9. Put the rice and dhal in a big vessel.
10. add milk (may be one cup) and cook it till all the milk gets absorbed.
11. Add jaggery syrup and again cook till even it gets absorbed.
12. Add three big tablespoons of ghee, powdered cardamon and cook again for a while.
13. Add fried coconut, cashews and raisins.
14. Serve hot in two cups with a spoon of ghee.

Rossogolla

Rossogolla

 

Ingredients:

1. 1 litre milk
2. 1/2 tsp. citric acid
3. 1 1/2 cups sugar
4. 4 cups water
5. 2-3 drops rose essence

Procedure:

1. Heat the milk and bring to boil.
2. Cool the milk for a couple of hours.
3. Remove the cream layer.
4. Reheat the milk and bring to a boil.
5. Add the citric acid dissolved in some water.
6. Stir slowly till the milk is fully curdled.
7. Keep as it is for 5 minutes.
8. Meanwhile heat the sugar and water in a wide sauce pan.
9. Bring to a boil.
10. Strain the milk through a muslin cloth.
11. Wash the chenna in the cloth under cold running water.
12. Press out the excess water and remove in a wide plate.
13. Gently knead into a soft dough by passing between fingers.
14. Make twelve equal sized balls of the dough.
15. Let them into the boiling water.
16. Cover with a perforated lid. Boil for 13 to 15 minutes.
17. Take off from heat and cool them to room temperature.
18. Add essence and chill for at least 4 to 5 hours.

Rava Ladoo

Rava Ladoo

 

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup rava
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 2 tbsp. ghee
4. 1/4 cup milk

Procedure:

1. Take ghee in a deep saucepan and heat.
2. Add rava and cook on low heat.
3. Stir continuously.
4. When the rava turns light brown add the sugar.
5. Stir for 3-4 minutes.
6. Keep aside cool for some time.
7. Add cardomom powder, coconut flakes and saffron.
8. Add half the milk.
9. Mix well.
10. Wet hand with milk and shape the mixture in ladoos.

Badam Kheer

Badam Kheer

 

Ingredients

• Almonds (Badam) 1 cup
• Milk 4-6 cups
• Sugar same amount as almond paste (about 1 cup)
• Saffron 1/2 t.spoon
• Kesari powder (color) a small pinch (optional)

Procedure

1. Soak saffron in little cold milk, and keep it aside.
2. Soak almonds in hot water for 1 hour.
3. Peel skin and grind the almond into a fine paste with 1 cup of milk instead of water.
4. Measure the amount of almond paste, and keep the same amount of sugar aside.
5. Cook the almond paste for 5-10 minutes while stirring it constantly, till the flavour comes out.
6. Now add sugar and keep stirring.
7. Add the remaining milk, and boil for 10-15 minutes.
8. Add the soaked saffron and serve it cold.

Jilebi

Jilebi

 

Ingredients

• Refined flour (Maida)300 gms.
• Green cardamom powder ½ tsp.
• Curd (yogurt) optional
• Sugar 500 gms.
• Color (optional) a few drops
• Soda bi-carb 1 tsp.
• Ghee or refined oil for deep frying.

Procedure

1. Mix flour, soda and Yogurt. Add some water and make a batter.
2. Leave it overnight to ferment.
3. Mix it, add a little water if required and make it into a pouring consistency.
4. Prepare sugar syrup with equal quantity of sugar and water.
5. Add green cardamom powder and cook it for 20-25 minutes.
6. Heat Ghee in a Kadai. Pour batter into a jilebi cloth and then pour it into medium hot Ghee giving jilebi shapes.
7. Cook it from both sides. Remove and keep it in sugar syrup for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

For jilebi cloth, take some stiff cloth and make a 3 mm hole in the center.

Cashewnut Barfi

Cashewnut Barfi

 

Ingredients

• Cashewnuts - 300 gms. (finely ground)
• Milk - 500 ml.
• Sugar - 1 cups
• Khoya - 250 gms.
• Coconut - 1 (grated)
• Almonds (Badam) and pistachios- 10 gms. each (chopped)
• Ghee or oil - 1 cup
• Cardamoms - 2 (ground)
• Few strands of saffron
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Silver varak (paper).

Procedure

1. Pass the cashewnut powder through a fine sieve, then fry in oil for a couple of mins. and keep aside.
2. Add khoya to cold milk. Separately, add the nutmeg with a little milk and keep aside.
3. Fry the coconut in oil till it turns a light brown.
4. In a heavy bottomed vessel, boil the milk and add the sugar.
5. Stir till it dissolves, then add cardamom, saffron and nutmeg. Add the khoya, cashewnut pwd, grated coconut to the milk mixture and stir thoroughly.
6. Continue cooking on a low flame, stirring constantly.
7. When the mixture leaves the side of the vessel, remove and spoon contents into a greased thali.
8. Smoothen with the back of a flat spoon. Garnish with varak, almonds and pistachios.
9. Cut into diamond shaped pieces and serve.

Tips-When this mixture is hot immedeately cut in to the pieces.

Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun

 

Ingredients:

1. 500 gms. khoya
2. 125 gms. plain flour
3. 1/4 tsp. baking soda
4. 1/4 cup milk
5. 1/4 tsp. cardomom powder
6. 1 pinch saffron strands
7. 250 gms. sugar
8. ghee to deep fry

Method:

1. Crumble the khoya. Sieve in the flour and soda together.
2. Mix in the cardomom powder and crushed saffron.
3. Mix well to form a soft dough. Use as much milk as required for kneading.
4. Make balls of even size. Makes about 25-30.
5. Heat the ghee very well. Take off fire and cool a little. Let in some of the jamoons.
6. When they rise up put back on fire and fry till medium brown.
7. Remove from ghee and put in the syrup. Soak for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a glass bowl.
8. Repeat for all the balls. When done pour the remaining syrup over the jamoons.
9. Microwave lightly or warn over boiling water before serving.

To make the syrup:

1. Take the sugar in a heavy pan and add water to just cover the sugar.
2. Boil and add a tbsp. of milk to separate the dirt. Strain and boil again.
3. The syrup is done when , while dropping from a spoon it falls in a thin single thread.

Serves: 25-30 helpings    Time required: 1 hr.     Shelf life :2-3 days, (1 week refrigerated)

Almond Halwa

Almond Halwa

   

Ingredients

• 200 gms almonds blanched
• 400-450 gms sugar
• 150-200 gms ghee / clarified butter
• a few strands of saffron
• two tsps milk to soak saffron
• a cup of water

Procedure

1. Soak almonds overnight in cold water. (Soaking in hot water may hasten the process but the almonds turn yellow.)
2. Peel the almonds to blanch them and blend with a few teaspoons of water into a fine thick paste. For one measure of this paste, two measures of sugar have to be added.
3. Cook this mix in a thick bottom vessel / wok on a medium flame and reduce the flame when the mix is reasonably hot.
4. Stir continuously adding the soaked saffron for flavor and color.
5. After 5 minutes, continue to stir adding one to two teaspoons of clarified butter at a time.
6. After about 15 minutes approximately, when the mix leaves the sides of the pan, the halwa is ready.
7. Transfer it to a greased plate or into a container and store when cool.