Diwali Recipe Collection 2016 Take 2

Earlier this week, I shared with you my Diwali Recipe Collection (take 1), but there were many recipes that still needed to be added. I wanted to avoid overcrowding one post and decided to do it in parts. 

To continue with Diwali frenzy and in my humble attempt to simplify things for everyone…I present to you my Diwali Recipe Collection (take 2). I will be putting up the entire step-by-step recipe here along with the direct link to each post at the end of each recipe. You can click that to see the step-by-step pictures in case you are interested 😊 Do read till the end and you will be deciding your menu right here!!

Let’s begin…

POORANPOLI

Yield: 15-16 Pooranpolis

Equipment: a pressure cooker, a wok, a mixing bowl, a potato masher, rolling pin, rolling board, measuring cups/ spoons, a non-stick pan, a spatula.

Ingredients:

For the Pooran:

1 cup chana dal (split gram)

2-3 cup water

a pinch of turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar (add more or less as per your preference)

1 + 1/2 tsp cardamom pwd

For the Poli:

1 1/2 cup Maida (APF)

a pinch of salt

1/4 cup refined oil

water as needed

Method:

For the Pooran:

Soak the dal for about 1 hour in 2-3 cups of water. Then pressure cook the dal with the same water that it was soaking in, turmeric & salt for 3-4 whistles. The water in the pressure cooker will evaporate considerably. Cool the cooker completely and the open the lid once the steam settles down on it’s own. Then mash the cooked dal using the masher.

Next, heat a wok. Add the mashed dal to the wok. Add the sugar now. Keep stirring it continuously, the sugar will start melting. Keep stirring to avoid the sugar from burning with the mashed dal. The consistency of the mixture will start to thicken and become very dense. Once it looks almost dry, turn off the flame. Add the cardamom pwd at this stage. Mix it well with the mixture. Taste the mixture and adjust the sugar if necessary (in case you add more sugar after tasting, then you will need to cook it again on medium heat and stir the mixture continuously until it dries up again).

The texture of the filling should look like the picture on the right.

For the Poli:

Take the maida in a mixing bowl, add salt. Add a little water at a time, start kneading a dough. It must be a soft dough. I used about 1/2 cup water approximately. Next, make indentations in the dough at drizzle the oil. Cover and set aside for 30 mins. After 30 mins, knead the dough again until it absorbs all the oil. The dough will be very soft and extremely pliable at this stage. Let it rest for another 15 mins before making the Pooranpoli.

For assembling the Pooranpoli:

Please follow the pictures for next few steps.

Divide the dough into equal parts, stuff them with the filling and cover them properly so that the filling doesn’t spill out while rolling them

Next, roll them out evenly. Heat a pan, cook them on both sides and smear some ghee or butter while cooking them. Ideally, they should puff up. But it’s ok if they don’t puff up.

Serve them piping hot with some more ghee or butter.

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Pooranpoli.

SPONGE RASGULLA (pressure cooker recipe)

️Yield: 7-8 Rasgullas

Equipment: a large plate, a pressure cooker, a ladle, extra bowls, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

1 litre milk (I used Amul Toned milk)

1/2 tsp citric acid pwd

2 cup sugar

3-4 cup water

a few strands of saffron to garnish

pistachio to garnish

Method:

Please note that the milk had already split in my case. But to split the milk specially to make these…heat the milk in a large pan, once it comes to a boil, add the citric acid pwd and stir once. The milk will split. Just strain the milk solids in a muslin cloth and wash the solids within the cloth under running water to get rid of any traces of citric acid.

Keep the milk solids in the muslin cloth under some weight for 30 mins to remove all the whey. Then transfer the cottage cheese/ paneer on a plate. Mash the paneer with the your hands until it’s soft and a little greasy in texture. Next, divide the mashed paneer in equal parts…about 7-8 and make smooth, crack free balls. Set them aside.

Now, add water and sugar in the pressure cooker. Turn the flame on and let the sugar melt. Once the sugar has melted completely & the syrup starts boiling, add the balls one by one. Close the lid and place the weight too. Let it simmer for 10 mins on high flame. Then after the first whistle, lower the flame and let it simmer for another 5-8 mins. Turn off the flame after that. Let the pressure release on its own. Then take out the cooked rasgulla and the syrup and place them in a bowl to cool down completely. You can squeeze them and see how spongy they have turned out to be! They are ready…garnish & serve them chilled!!

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Pressure Cooker Sponge Rasgulla. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE TREATS (ideal for gifting)

Yield: 7-10 pieces

Equipment: a deep saucepan, a heat proof bowl (preferably borosil/ Pyrex), measuring cups/ spoons, silicon Chocolate moulds in any shape.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped Morde White Compound

sugar sprinkles or sugar balls as needed

Method:

Heat water in the saucepan until it starts to boil, then place the heatproof bowl over the saucepan in such a way that the base of the bowl does not touch the boiling water below in the pan. Next, keep the chopped compound chocolate in the bowl and maintain the flame on it’s lowest possible level. Let the compound melt slowly and do not stir it.

While the compound melts, place the sugar balls/ sprinkles in the chocolate moulds, just a thin layer covering the base only.

Next, check the compound chocolate that is melting, it should be almost melted by now. Remove the bowl from the top of the saucepan. Stir the melted compound chocolate just once. It must be smooth and lump free.

Next, add 1-2 tsp of the melted compound chocolate over the sprinkles placed in the moulds. Fill the moulds to the top. Do the same for all the moulds and place them on a tray. Place this tray in refrigerator or the freezer for about 10-12 mins. They will be completely set and hard by then. When you break the chocolate in half, you should hear a ‘snap’! That’s the sound of a perfect homemade chocolate.🤓🤓😬

Follow the same recipe for Dark chocolate compound or Milk chocolate compound too. 😊

They keep well for 3-4 days under refrigeration.

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Homemade White Chocolate Treats

MASALA SEV

Yield: 1 large bowl

Equipment: kitchen press, a wok, a slotted spatula, a mixing bowl, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

1 cup Besan (chickpea flour)

2 tbsp refined oil

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

1/2 tsp black pepper pwd

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp roasted cumin pwd

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp citric acid pwd (optional)

Salt to taste

oil to fry

lukewarm water as needed

Method:

Take besan in a mixing bowl, add all the spices and season with salt as well. Give it a mix. Add the oil and use lukewarm water to make a loose dough. The dough should be softer than that of roti (the dough should feel slightly sticky when u touch it, I used about 1/2 cup water). Let the dough rest for 30 mins.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok for frying.

Then, after resting it for 30 mins, fill the kitchen press with the dough and fit the plate with larger holes for thick Sev (see the pic above for reference). And slowly drop the dough into the hot oil from the press.

Fry the sev on medium flame until it turns golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain it on kitchen tissues. Repeat for the remains dough too. That’s it….it’s ready 😬 I usually serve these with some mango pickle! Tastes really yummy👌

These keep well for 10-15 days in an airtight container. Enjoy!

CLick here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Masala Sev. 

DAHI WADAS ON A SKEWER

Yield: 21 small or 12-14 large Wadas

Equipment: Appe pan / Aebelskiver pan, skewer sticks, a blender, a large mixing bowl, 2-3 bowls, spice mixer, 2-3 spoons, measuring cups/ spoons, a small saucepan, 2 glass jars

Ingredients for the Wadas:

1 cup skinless white urad dal (black lentil) soaked for 6-7 hrs
10-12 nos black peppercorns

2″ pc ginger

3 nos green chilly

1/2 tsp red chilly pwd

1 pinch hing (asafoetida)

salt to taste

oil as required (optional)

Method for the Wadas:

Grind together all the ingredients mentioned above to make a smooth paste using little water. The paste should not be runny. It’s supposed to be thick and sticky. Let this batter / paste sit for 30mins. Whisk the batter vigorously using a spoon for at least 4-5 mins. This will make the batter very light and airy and will ensure that the Wadas are soft.

Now heat the appe pan, add a drop of oil if needed in every section. Now drop about a 1.5 – 2 tbs of the batter in every section and cook for 2 mins on the first side, then using another spoon flip them over to the other side and cook for another 1-2 mins. Repeat this for the entire batch of the batter. And set aside the Wadas to cool a bit. Then dip them in some warm for 10 mins then drain the water. Squeeze out the extra water. This is done to just soften the wada a little more. Set them aside.

Ingredients for the tamarind chutney:

1 cup tamarind pulp

3 tbsp pwd jaggery (use more if you like)

1/2 tsp each of red chilly pwd & roasted cumin pwd

1/2 tsp crushed saunf Dana (fennel seeds)

1/4 tsp salt

Method for the tamarind chutney:

Heat the saucepan, add the pulp along with the jaggery pwd and stir till the jaggery dissolves completely and the concoction simmers slightly..then season with the above mentioned ingredients. Cook for another 5-7mins. The concoction will thicken slightly. Turn off the gas and let the chutney cool down completely before you store it in a clean, dry glass jar. Set that aside for now.

Ingredients for the green chutney:

1/2 cup coriander leaves washed, dried & roughly chopped

1 no raw mango peeled & cubed

salt to taste

1 tbsp tamarind chutney

1-2 nos green chillies

6-7 nos cloves of garlic

Method for the green chutney:

Put all in the ingredients mentioned above in a blender with a little water and pulse for a couple of mins. The chutney will have a smooth texture. Store the chutney in a clean & dry glass jar.

Ingredients for the saffron infused curd dip:

1 cup thick curd

2 tbsp warm water

15-20 strands of saffron

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method for the curd dip:

Dilute the saffron with the warm water for 20 mins or until it releases a rich yellow /ocher colour. Mix this yellow saffron water with the curd & the salt. Beat everything well and set aside I refrigerator to cool for 15-20 mins before using it.

For the plating & garnish you will need:

1 tsp roasted cumin pwd

1tsp red chilli pwd

Few pomegranate airels

2 tsp coriander leaves chopped finely

Plating:

Put 2-4 Wadas on a single skewer stick, drizzle some of the curd dip, tamarind chutney, green chutney. Sprinkle some roasted cumin and red chilli pwd. Add a few pomegranate seeds /jewels. And a final flourish of coriander leaves! Voilà! Do the rest in a similar way & serve right away.

Or just serve in platters like we usually do! ☺️

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Dahi Wadas.

BANARASI SAMOSA 

️Yield: 12 medium samosas

Equipment: a wok, a pan, rolling pin, measuring cups/ spoons, a slotted ladle, extra spoons & plates as needed, a pressure cooker.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cup Maida (APF)

2 tbsp warm ghee

1 tsp ajwain (carrom seeds)

salt to taste

water as needed

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except the water in a bowl. Rub the ghee with the Maida for at least 10 mins as this gives very good, flaky samosa. The texture will resemble breadcrumbs. Then add little water at a time and make a semi-stiff dough. Let it sit let for a minimum of 30 mins.

For the stuffing:

3 nos. boiled and chopped potatoes

1 cup green peas

1/2 tsp hing

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp each of coriander pwd, cumin pwd (Jeera pwd), red chilly pwd, Garam masala.

1/2 tsp amchur pwd (dry mango pwd)

A pinch of turmeric pwd

salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add hing & cumin seeds. Once they splatter, then add the potatoes and green peas. Sauté for 5 mins. Then add the dry masalas and season with salt. Cook for 5 mins. Turn off the flame. Add coriander leaves & mix well. Let the stuffing cool completely before proceeding ahead.

Assembling the samosa:

Make a lemon sized ball of the dough…divide the dough similarly. Now roll each ball to a thickness of about 3mm. Not more. Cut the the rolled dough into two half circles. Make a cone of each half. Seal it carefully. Add the stuffing into the cone…about 1 tbsp in each cone or little more.

Then close the third side of the cone well. Use some water to seal the dough well. Repeat for all the dough. Keep aside for 20 mins before frying them.

Next, heat enough oil in a wok to fry the samosas. Once the oil is hot enough, reduce the flame and drop 2-3 samosas into the oil. Deep fry them at low flame to get crispy & well cooked samosas.

Once done, remove from the oil & drain on some tissues. Serve them piping hot with dips/ chutney of your choice☺️

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of SAMOSA and also BANARASI SAMOSA CHAAT 

KAJU KATLI 

Yield: 15-17 katlis

Equipment: a non stick pan, a wooden spoon, measuring cups/ spoons, a knife, a plate, a rolling pin.

Ingredients:

1 cup cashew nuts

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp water

1 tsp ghee (for greasing)

Method:

Use a blender and dry grind the cashews to a fine texture. Make sure the cashews were at room temperature before grinding.

Heat the non stick pan, add the sugar & water. Melt the sugar into the water on a low flame. Keep stirring. Once the sugar has melted, cook for another 2-3 mins on low flame. To check if the sugar syrup is ready, take some water in a bowl and add a drop of the syrup. The drop should not mix in the water. This is one thread consistency (ek taar ki chashni). My syrup was ready in 5 mins approximately.

Once the syrup is ready, add the cashew powder & keep stirring constantly & cook on low flame for 5 mins, until you achieve a dough like consistency. To check the consistency of the Katli dough, take some mixture in your hands and make a ball, if the shape holds, it’s ready. Remove this dough like mixture on a greased plate and let it cool for 5 min. Grease your palms and knead this mixture carefully until it’s smooth.

Now, roll this dough with a rolling on the back of a greased plate. The thickness should be about 6mm or a bit more. Don’t roll it too thin. Set this plate in the refrigerator for 8-10 mins. They will set really quickly, once set, you can cut them in any shape as you prefer, however I prefer the traditional diamond shape for these katlis … That’s it! They are ready 😄 you can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 day in the refrigerator.

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Kaju Katli 

KARACHI BISCUITS/ TUTTY FRUTTI COOKIES 

Yield: 24 medium cookies

Equipment: a large mixing bowl, a whisk (electric or manual), some cling wrap, a sharp knife, measuring cups/ spoons, baking tray, cooking rack.

Ingredients:

1 cup Maida/ APF

1/2 cup powdered sugar

7-8 tbsp softened butter (I used unsalted, if you are using salted butter then, increase the quantity of sugar by 1-2 tbsp)

1 tsp vanilla extract/ essence

1/2 cup of mixed tutti frutti

5 tbsp roughly chopped cashew nuts (optional)

1 tsp milk (optional, to be used only to make a smooth dough if you are unable to roll the dough)

Method:

Take butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, cream them together until they are fluffy and light. Then add the tutti frutti, cashews & vanilla extract. Mix it these well then add the flour. Mix them well with a light hand and bring them together to make a ball. Use 1 tsp of milk only if you are unable to make a round ball. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded, just bring it together. The mixture is very soft and pliable.

Now, take the dough on some cling wrap and roll it well to give it the shape of a thick log. Wrap the log well and refrigerate for a minimum of 30-40 mins.

In the meantime, preheat your oven @180’C for about 10 mins. Line your baking tray with some parchment/ butter paper. Remove the chilled log of dough from the refrigerator and cut it in about 1/2″ slices. Place them slightly apart on the lined baking tray. Bake them for 15 mins @180’C using the upper and lower rods for the first 10 mins, then just the lower rod for the last 5 mins. Remove the tray from the oven & let it cool on the rack for about 15 mins. The cookies are soft when you remove them from the oven but crisp up as they cool down. You can store these in airtight containers for almost 1 week.

*Please note that baking time may vary as every oven is different, so time the oven accordingly. The cookies turn slightly golden around the edges as they are ready, so remove them from the oven as per the colour.

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of Karachi Cookies 

FUDGE BARS

Yield: 10 bars or 20 squares (depending on how your cut them)
Equipment: a heavy bottom wok, measuring cups & spoons, a wired whisk, baking/ parchment, paper or aluminium foil sheet, a sharp knife.

Ingredients :
200 ml condensed milk
3+1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
5 tbsp castor sugar
1-2 drops vanilla extract/ essence
50 gms butter
1 tbsp APF (Maida)
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts (replace the walnuts with pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, dried cranberries or prunes, etc.)

Method:
Line the any container or a plate with the baking paper/ parchment paper/ aluminium foil.

In a wok, add all the ingredients except the vanilla extract & chopped walnuts.

Heat them on low flame and keep whisking simultaneously so that the mixture doesn’t burn or has any lumps.

Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture comes together and form a thick mass that moves with the whisk. Add the vanilla extract & walnuts at this stage and mix well.
Immediately pour the mixture on the prepared container or plate. Spread it with the help of a spatula.

Keep it in the refrigerator to set for a minimum of 2 hours. Once set, slice it into bars or squares & serve.
They last for 3-4 days under refrigeration.

Click here for a direct link to detailed recipe of FUDGE BARS 

Do try these recipes…they are easy and absolutely delicious ☺️

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and prosperous Diwali!! 🎉✨🎉🎊🎉✨🎉✨🎉🎊💥💥🎁

Love,

Shreya💗

Click here for Diwali Recipe Collection (take 1). 

Shakarpara | Khurma

I can’t imagine a Diwali without any Khurma (as we call it up North) or Shakarpara (little chunks of pastry dough flash fried and turned crisp, then cooled and dunked into a thick sugar syrup…to make these melt in the mouth sweet bites!)….I am sure your are salivating as you read the description 😜😁 each of these little bite sized yummies are super crisp and taste out of the world….pop one into your mouth and your in food heaven! 

Don’t they look so pretty…every single one of them looks like a gold nugget to me 😍!! Lol! The flavour is amazing too….it’s very hard to resist them. I remember eating them by the bowls as a kid when my Mom used to make these during Diwali or even during summer vacations as a quick snack. They’d disappear within days…hardly leaving any to be gifted to friends and family.

As these beauties are dry in texture and stay fresh for almost a week in an airtight container, they make for an ideal gifting idea. Pack them in pretty jars…add a personalised message or not…cover with a delicate doily or an overturned cupcake liner….tie a little festive raksha around them and they are ready! I suggest you add them to your Diwali Goodie Bag list for your loved ones😊

This was also a part of my Karwa Chauth Sargi….although made by me! I guess my hubby had more of them than I 😂

Anyways…I will share some tips and tricks here with you how to make perfect, crispy and delicious Shakarpara/ Khurma.

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Equipment: a rolling board, rolling pin, a knife, measuring cups/ spoons, 2 heavy bottomed wok, a slotted spatula, kitchen tissues, mixing bowl.

Ingredients:

2 cups Maida (APF)

2 tsp Bombay Rawa  (semolina)

a pinch of salt

a pinch of baking soda

5 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Water as needed

oil to fry

For the syrup:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

Method:

In a mixing bowl, seive maida (APF). Add salt, rawa, baking soda and ghee. Rub these together until the texture of the flour resembles to that of bread crumbs. This step is crucial as it ensures the crispness of the shakarpara. I rub these ingredients together for almost 20-25 mins.

Next, take very little water to knead a stiff dough. Cover the dough with a napkin and let it rest for 15 mins.

Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll them on a board to a thickeness of 6mm or so. Using a knife cut into small diamond shape pieces. Set them on a plate.

Heat oil in a wok, once it’s hot, lower  the flame to minimum and fry the pieces until golden. Keep moving the pieces around in the oil so that they get a golden colour and cook evenly. Cooking on low flame ensures that they are crisp.

Fry the entire batch and keep it on kitchen tissues to absorb any extra oil. Let them cool down completely. They will crisp up as they cool down.

Syrup:

In a wok, take water and sugar. Heat these on medium flame while stirring continuously. The sugar will start melting and also will become very thick. Keep stirring and once the sugar starts settling like a white powder around the wok, add the fried pieces of Maida (APF).

Mix everything together quickly to coat the fried pieces with the sugar. Be quick as the sugar will dry and set within 5 mins.

Let them cool completely before storing in airtight boxes.

Hope you try them soon. Also, check out Khasti Mathri recipe here. 

Love

Shreya💖

 

Instant Kesar Peda

Yes, everyone knows I love Pedas 😉 I like them all…well almost! What’s not to like, they are sweet, slightly fudgy and so delicious! Much like these golden beauties…my Instant Kesar Pedas (saffron fudge). A 15 min wonder..more like. 

My blog has many recipes for Pedas, some very quick and some slightly lengthy…but each hold their own…..they are yummy and so tempting.

I made these Pedas on the first day of Navratri last weekend…I could think of my Kaju Katli…but I will make that for Diwali 😁along with some Karachi Halwa! I am salivating just thinking about the feast in store for the days to come 😍

Anyways, coming to these Pedas….you may or may not have them during Navratri fasts depending on what rituals you follow…

Yield: 8-10 Pedas

Equipment: measuring cups/ spoons, a heavy bottom non-stick pan, a wired whisk, a plate.

Ingredients:

200 gms condensed milk

1 cup milk powder

2 tsp warm milk

9-10 strands of saffron and some extra to use for the garnish

2 tsp ghee + extra to grease your palms while shaping them

Method:

Mix warm milk with the saffron strands and let it stand for 5-8 mins until the milk is coloured beautifully.

Next, add milk powder and condensed milk to the pan. Add the saffron infused milk too. Whisk it well until it’s lump free. Place the pan with the mixture on medium flame and cook while you stir it constantly. Add 2 tsp ghee and keep stirring, I cooked it for about 10 mins to achieve a dough like consistency which leaves the sides of the pans once cooked.

Take the mixture from the pan onto a greased plate. Knead the mixture like a dough for 2 mins. Let it now cool for the next 8-10 mins. Then, grease your palms with some ghee and take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a Peda. Do the same for the rest of the dough. You can use any stamps to make some pretty designs or simply decorate them with a few strands of saffron.

Cool them in the refrigerator before you serve. They stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.

You can also try my instant Dhoodh Peda, Mathura ke Pede, Khoya Peda, Mawa Burfi among many others this Diwali 😊

Love,

Shreya💝

Moong Dal ka Halwa

I welcomed Ganpati Bappa with a simple and delicious Moong Dal ka Halwa. Yes, no Modaks at my place because I am not good at shaping them. So, I offer him goodies which I am good at making myself😊 ….maybe next year I will get a cute little Modak mould/ maker and then use that to shape them well! So much to learn 😀  

We do not actually bring a Ganesh Idol home every year but we do decorate our home with garlands of fresh marigolds and lots of roses…bright ‘diyas‘ adorn our Pooja Ghar and I do cook a special meal for my favourite Lord!

This year the menu consisted of Phalhari Kadhai Paneer, Masala Puris, Vrat ki Chutney for Dahi Wade as we don’t include onion and garlic in our meals on auspicious days…and of course, the moong dal ka halwa..:)

My hubby likes the halwa to be slightly grainy and moist..hence the quantity of ghee is obviously more…one can adjust that while making it. Also, I only prefer pistachios with this halwa, feel free to add almonds or walnuts…anything you like! As always, this is easy and turns delicious👌 Simply mouthwatering…I had to really resist hard until we had offered the bhog to the Lord before we could gorge on some😂

Let’s make some…

Yield: serves 3-4

Equipment: a heavy bottomed non-stick pan (I use non-stick, it’s easier to work with it), measuring cups/ spoons, a small pan.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup split yellow lentils (dhuli moong dal)

8-9 tbsp ghee

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/4 tsp cardamom pwd (elaichi pwd)

Slivered pistachio to garnish as needed

Method:

Rinse and soak the lentils (dal) in lukewarm water for 2-3 hours (I always use lukewarm water here as it ensured that the lentils are soaked well in less time).

Once the lentils have soaked well, strain them. Blend them in a mixer without adding any water until smooth (I leave them a bit grainy as I mentioned above too). Set it aside.

Heat ghee in the pan, once it melted, add the blended lentil paste and keep stirring on low flame for 15-20 mins. Do not cease stirring as the lentil paste will burn or colour unevenly. After 15-20 mins, the ghee will seperate from the lentils and the lentil paste will be a bit crumbly and golden in colour. Turn off the flame and set this aside.

Now, heat water and sugar in a small pan. Melt the sugar in the water, add cardamom powder and stir well. Turn off the flame. (We are not making a sugar syrup with a thread consistency, we are just melting the sugar here, that should take 3-5 mins)

Now, add the sugar syrup to the cooked lentils and turn on the flame, keep it on low. Keep stirring it and let it come to a gentle boil. Cover with a lid and let the sugar syrup reduce and cook for 5-7 mins with the lentils. Open the lid, check the consistency and cook further if it’s still watery, else, add 1 tbsp of ghee and turn off the flame.

Garnish with nuts of your choice or just pistachios like I have done here, best served warm. Or create a fusion by add a scoop of ice cream to the bowl!

Happiness doesn’t come without calories 😉

Love,

Shreya💖

Ghee Mysore Pak

I am a huge fan of Shri Krishna Sweet’s Mysore Pak, are you one too? Then I can assure you that this is the only recipe you need to nail it. It’s super moist and the aroma transports you to another time…🤗 

I took one bite and it melted in my mouth...just like the ones from Shri Krishna Sweets!.. ..Yay! I nailed it in my first attempt 💃🏻💃🏻 My hubby’s reaction was also on the same lines…he almost didn’t want me to have any more, yeah, right! Like I’d listen to that!!

I was wanting to try this for a long time and I finally did it the other day. If you like Indian sweets, then try anjeer burfi, mava burfi, dhoodh Peda, khoya peda, besan ke laddoo, kaju katli, mathura ke Pede, Karachi halwa.

Although making Mysore Pak takes some skill, but it’s pretty easy if you ask me….I will say that you need to be a little cautious while cooking the besan (chickpea flour) with the sugar, because if you leave it unattended even for a second, it will burn very easily. That is pretty much it, get that right and you are going to get a perfect Mysore Pak, I did refer to this before finalising how to go about it…

Let’s learn how,

Yield: 10-12 pieces (depends on how large/ small you slice them. I cut fairly large pieces)

Equipment: a heavy bottom pan, a wooden spatula, a tray, a knife, a seive, a mixing bowl, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

1 cup besan (chickpea flour)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup ghee + extra to grease the tray

4-5 tbsp water

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

Add a tsp of ghee in the pan and roast the besan for 3-4 mins, just until the rawness goes away and the besan relevates a nutty aroma. Turn off the flame.

Seive the roasted besan into the mixing bowl. Add the ghee into it and mix it with the besan to make a smooth paste. Keep that aside.

Take water and sugar in the pan, set it on low flame and let the sugar melt completely. Keep stirring while the sugar melts.

Alongside, grease the tray well with ghee. Set it aside. By this time the sugar syrup will be boiling away. The syrup will be very thick.

Now add the besan and ghee paste into the melted sugar. Keep stirring continuously now onwards, keep the flame at the lowest setting. Also, add cardamom pwd & a couple of tsps of ghee into the boiling mixture.

When the mixture begins to froth on the sides and becomes thick, turn off the flame and quickly pour the mixture into the prepped tray. (No pic of that step, the mixture very hot and setting too fast)

Once the mixture begins setting (it will set within 10 mins), cut the Mysore Pak in desired shapes and serve. Keeps well without refrigeration in an airtight box for upto 2 weeks as it contains good amount of ghee.

Try these for the upcoming festive season!

Love,

Shreya💖

Mathura ke Pede

The famous Mathura ke Pede recreated in my kitchen! They are much easier to make than it looks😁 Just a little bit of elbow grease and you’re almost there…almost!! 😜

I say almost, because I was tired and then stopped the ‘bhunoing‘ process (sautéing the ingredients) as my arm hurt so bad after stirring the Khova/ Mawa (milk solids) for almost 30 mins! Yes ….that doesn’t sound like much but you got to do it to know how much I wanted to throw the spatula and run out of the kitchen!! 😂😂 Who ever said I was known for my patience!?! Haven’t you seen my recipes….I usually share ridiculously easy ones!

As always, my hubby wanted something sweet but Indian! I said ok…let me make some Khoya Pedas, and he said no! Something else…I ventured….instant Doodh Pedas!!? LOL! He was like…”lady, something different…Pedas will do but a different variety!!”  😳🤔🤔🤔🤔 then I thought of Mathura Ke Pede…sounds exotic and makes it look a whole lot different from any other Peda that I usually make at home!

The hubby doesn’t need to know that it’s basically the same thing, just the cooking process differs! 🤗😜😜 And obviously, the flavour is more intense and really delicious! A little patience in ensuring how well the Khoya cooks out is very important…my Mom was worried that I’d either burn the Khoya or under cook it and ruin her recipe…..but I managed to get the colour almost right!!! Yay!

Yield: 10-12 medium sized Pedas

Equipment: a heavy bottomed wok, measuring cups/ spoons, a couple of plates, a spatula.

Ingredients:

200 gms Khoya (I used store bought)

1 cup castor sugar + extra to coat the Pedas (adjust the sugar as per your taste)

1/4 tsp cardamom pwd (optional)

milk & ghee as needed

Method:

Take grated Khoya in the wok and cook on low flame. Keep stirring it continuously until the khoya begins to melt.

Add 1 teaspoon of ghee at this stage and some milk, about 2 teaspoons. Keep stirring continuously so that the Khoya gets an even colour and doesn’t burn at the bottom.

It took me almost 25-30 mins to reach this stage (pic below). I added another two teaspoons of milk because the Khoya looked dry. Add milk as per the texture. Always cook on low flame else the Khoya will colour unevenly.

Turn off the flame (I didn’t cook it any further to make it a little more brown, my arms were hurting too much after stirring constantly). Add cardamom pwd and mix well. Let this mixture cool down for just 5-6 mins and add the castor sugar. And mix with your hands to incorporate the sugar.

(TIP: Don’t let the mixture cool off too much before adding the sugar as the sugar won’t melt properly. But in case the khoya has become too cold and the sugar isn’t melting properly, you can cook the khoya & sugar mixture for 3-4 mins on low flame and immediately take it out of the pan and mix well).

Once the mixture is ready, grease your palms with some ghee and make Pedas of any shape (I kept them rustic) and roll them in some castor sugar. And set them aside. These can be stored for more than a week even without refrigeration as they have been cooked so well. That’s it!

Don’t they look yum! I insist….you must make these, too easy and super delish!

Love,

Shreya💖

Slightly adapted from here.

Khoya Peda

I have always loved Peda. They are soft, slightly fudge and absolutely melt in the mouth! 😋 

Ever since I was a kid, I would wait for a trip to Mahalaxmi Temple in Mumbai to lay my hands on some of the small, yellow Pedas that we would offer as ‘Prashad‘ to the Goddess. Those were the yummiest Pedas I have ever eaten!

Khoya Peda or Mawa Peda is really easy to make and one of the most common homemade sweets during festivals like Diwali or Dushhera.

In the past I have shared the recipe for Khoya Burfi. Today I am sharing the recipe for this easy Peda…

Yield: 7-8 Pedas

Equipment: non-stick pan, a wooden spatula, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

200 gms unsweetened khoya

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp elaichi pwd

a few chironjee or pistachio flakes to garnish

some ghee to grease your palms

Method:

Grate the khoya in a bowl. Add the powdered sugar to the grated khoya. Mix the two well. Then heat a pan, add the khoya-sugar mixture to the pan. Cook it on low flame and stir continuously. The khoya and the sugar will first melt and then slowly start to thicken in about 15-20 mins.

Add the cardamom pwd and mix again. Turn off the flame. Let the mixture cool down completely. (I let the mixture in the refrigerator for about 45 mins as the climate is very hot and humid and making the Pedas would be difficult.)

Once the mixture has cooled down and solidified a bit, pinch lemon sized balls of the dough and roll them between greased palms and make smooth Pedas. You can even decorate them with some chironjee or pistachio flakes. That’s it! These keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days easily.

Enjoy these Pedas…you won’t be able stop at one.

Love,

Shreya ❤️

Adapted from here.

Kesar Pista Kulfi | Indian Ice Cream

An Indian dessert that makes everyone go weak in the knees….yes Kulfi! Super creamy, deliciously sweet and chilled. Such a treat during summers!! 👌🏼 Flavour it with whatever takes your fancy! 

Look how it melts…all that thick cream…sluurrrrpppp!! But then that’s what’s the best part about Kulfi. The rich creaminess that we get after reducing milk and cooking it with saffron (kesar) & pistachios (pista)…is just out if the world! 😋

I wanted to make Kulfi a few summers ago and found an absolutely easy peasy recipe sitting right under my nose…quite literally!😁

Yes…I have kept this little empty package since then and this recipe never fails me! Perfect Kulfi every time!💃🏻I have altered the flavour a bit to suit our preference.

Common, let’s make Kulfi!

Yield: 3-4 kulfis

Equipment: a heavy bottomed pan, measuring cups/ spoons, kulfi/ Popsicle moulds, ice cream sticks.

Ingredients:

500 ml milk (I use Amul toned milk – 2%fat)

1/4 cup warm milk

2+1/2 tbsp cornflour

1+1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cream (I used Amul fresh cream)

1/2 tsp cardamom pwd

chopped pistachio & almonds as per preference (I add 2 tbsp of each)

few strands of saffron (kesar)

Method:

Heat 500 ml milk in the pan, let it boil until the milk reduces a little and becomes thick. Keep stirring so that the milk does not stick at the bottom and burn.

Mix cornflour with 1/4 cup warm milk until it’s lump free. Add this mixture to the reduced milk and keep stirring until the cornflour blends properly with the milk. Add sugar, saffron & nuts. Cook for two mins more. Keep it aside to cool for a few mins.

Next, lightly beat the cream. Add the cooled milk and nuts mixture to the beaten cream. Beat again for a few mins (I used a electric beater). Fill this mixture into moulds and keep it in freezer to set for about 7-8 hours or even overnight. Once the Kulfi has set for 3-4 hours, put an ice cream stick in the centre of each mould.

Thaw the frozen Kulfi for a few mins, rub the moulds between your palms, tug on the ice cream stick and unmould it gently. That’s it! Your creamy Kulfi is ready☺️

Love,

Shreya💗

Besan ke Laddoo / Besan Laddoo

As a child, I never really liked Besan ke Laddoo. I found it too heavy for my palate. And, back in those days, I wasn’t a fan of Indian sweets. Chocolates were my only choice of ‘mithaai‘. I was a child after all! 

Remember my love for Cadbury Nutties! You should have a look at these Brownies I made using Nutties 😉 They were better than what I had expected them to be, given I was experimenting!

I developed a taste for Indian sweets at a much later stage in life…& Besan ke Laddoo were first in the list! I love their slightly coarse texture, melting in my mouth just as I bit into one…wow! The nuttiness of the roasted besan/ gram flour is so rustic. Once I fell for it, I was irrevocably in love with these Laddoos! And as always mom would make them during festivals…and I’d wait for them ☺️ but never learnt how to make these. I always knew it was a tedious task 😯

The first time I tried making these one afternoon after I got married, I was near tears!! I had made a blunder. A big lump of ghee, sugar & partially cooked besan sat in the wok in front of me…looking like everything except what I had envisioned 😒 I trashed everything! Once my hubby got home, I told about the disaster, he asked what were the proportions I had used?! I was like, ‘Mmmm…I am not sure I followed what mom told me’. He being an IHM grad, instantly got where I might have gone wrong & told me not to worry as proportions matter a lot alongside the cooking time and some such more things. I was quiet. Mentally making a note to self to give it another shot next week! And I did, results were slightly better but cooking the ghee along with the besan was making me nervous & edgy. I wanted to be calm but I simply couldn’t stop panicking all the time. I knew I had added too much ghee! Common, there had to be another way to do this!!? 😐😐

The next time I tried after a couple of months, I had a strategy in my mind! I had asked my mom about it and she approved & encouraged me to do it as I was comfortable doing it. I had decided to roast the besan separately and then add warm ghee slowly into it …mix & then add the nuts, sugar, etc. and that’s exactly what I did about two years ago! Those were so much better than my first two trials and the microwave Laddoos that I had tried seeing someone post a recipe in some food group. I was happy! My hubby approved it! 💃👏 woohoo! And to this day I have stuck to my method, which I am sure many must be following, but for me it was a discovery of sorts 😛 and look at my Besan ke Laddoo now….I am proud!

The ones you see in the pictures were made a few nights ago, and packed for an Independence Day potluck lunch at hubby’s work! I shot these before packing them the next morning for him to take them to work 😇 Yes! They are good enough to flaunt…LoL! But, proportions matter…they do. That’s exactly what this recipe is about.

️Yield: 35 small/ 25 medium/ 20 large Laddoos

Equipment: a large wok, a mixing bowl, a blender, 1-2 plates, measuring cups/ spoons, a spatula.

Ingredients:

3 cups besan/ gram flour (I used a coarse variety, use any variety you get)

1/2 cup semolina (barik sooji/ rava)

1 cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar (adjust the sweetness as per your taste)

1 cup melted ghee (approximately, may need less or more)

1/2 tsp cardamom pwd

5 tbsp crushed almonds

Method:

Heat the wok, dry roast the besan until it gives a rich nutty aroma & turns slightly dark brown in colour on medium flame only. Keep stirring continuously to avoid burning (took me 30 mins on medium to low flame). Once done, remove it & spread the dry roasted besan on a plate to cool. In the same wok which is still warm, dry roast the crushed almonds and semolina for 5-6 mins on low flame. Remove from the wok & add the semolina, almonds & powdered sugar to the cooling besan and mix well with your fingers. Mix in the cardamom pwd as well. That’s the tough part done.

Pls ensure you follow the next couple of steps correctly to get prefect Laddoos ☺️ Now, ensure that the melted ghee is at room temperature. Adding very hot ghee to the dry mixture which ruin the texture. Slowly, add tablespoon fulls of melted ghee into the dry mixture of besan, sugar, semolina, cardamom pwd & nuts and keeping mixing with your hands (Add the ghee slowly, don’t add all in one go, as we may not need all the ghee in a cup). As you feel the mixture is coming together to form a Laddoo, stop adding ghee & take some mixture in your palms and make a Laddoo, if the Laddoo is holding a tight shape, your mixture is ready. Just add 1 tsp of ghee to it finally & start making the Laddoos one by one. Ensure you press each Laddoo tightly so that they do not fall apart. Trust me, they won’t!! (I used approximately 3/4 cup ghee, isn’t that healthy?!) Arrange them in a on airtight box, they will last upto 5-6 days without refrigeration.

Your melt in the mouth kinda Besan ke Laddoos are ready!

Love,

Shreya💗