Gajar ka Halwa.... (Carrot Pudding)

Yet another winter favourite desserts. Winters will be over in another 15 days, but the craze for the winter vegetables would still remain. I really relish the red carrots available in this season. I make sure that I use in all possible means in my meals. Made pickles, used it in mix vegetables, and the most popular way is halwa.
A rich and creamy desert with goodness of nuts and milk.
I have again made it in a traditional way just like moong dal halwa which was my previous posts.

Ingredients:
1 kg Carrot
1.5l milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 katori mixed dry fruits (almonds+ cashew nuts + raisins + chironji)
2 tbsp coconut shredded
1/2 kg khoya
2 tbsp ghee
6 tbsp sugar



Procedure:

• Shred all the carrots and keep aside.
• Take a wide pan or a kadahi. Pour in the milk.
• Let the milk boil add in the cardamom powder.
• When the milk starts boiling, add in the shredded carrots.
• Let this cook for 40-50. so that the milk and the carrots are cooked well.
• After this add in the khoya + mix dry fruits
• Let this cook for another 20 minutes.
• After this add in the sugar..
• Let all this cook for another 30 minutes.
• Keep stirring the halwa from time to time so that it does not stick to the base.
• After all the milk has evaporated add ghee.
• Mix well.
• Let it cook for another 15 minutes.
• Serve hot.

I make this halwa in large quantity so tat it sits in my fridge for a good 4-5 days. And whenever I have sweet cravings I just need to warm it and devour it.

Moong dal halwa (Yellow lentils Desert)

Of all the halwas, Moong dal halwa is my favouirte. I just wait for the winters to make this delectable sweet which is rich in flavours.
This halwa helps us to keep our boday warm in winters, tats what our elders tell us.
This halwa requires a lot of patience while making, as the dal is cooked in ghee on low flame. The more you roast it well the more flavoursome it becomes.

Moon Dal Halwa

I guess you will get to taste this desert in alomost all the weddings and celebrations.

Ingredients
250gms Moong Dal
300gms (Khoya) or mawa
1 cup sugar (according to taste u can differ)
4 cups of water
1/2 cup ghee
9-10 almonds (chopped in flakes)
5-6 cashew nuts (chopped)
10-12 Raisins
2 tbsp chironji

• Soak the moong dal in enough water for 4-5 hrs preferably overnight.
• Take the dal, remove the water and blend the dal in the food processor.
• Now in a kadhai, melt the ghee. Once its done add in the grinded dal in it.
• Stir the dal well so that it does not stick to the base of the kadhai.
• Keep on stirrimg the halwa on a low flame till the raw smells of the lentil disapperas.
• The fat should get separated and the lentil changes its color.
• This whole process will take around 40-45 min.
• It can be more also.
• In order to save some time, I roast my khoya in a separte pan.
• For this you need to take a pan, and dry roast the khoya.
• After 45 minutes when the lentil is cooked properly, add in the roasted khoya in it.
• Mix them well and keep on stirring till the lentil and khoya is cooked properly.
• In the meanwhile prepare a sugar syrup with 4cups of water and 1 cups of sugar.
• When the sugar and water mixture starts boiling add in the halwa mixture.
• Mix well and keep on stirring.
• Add in the dryfuits.
• Let it cook for 15-20 minutes
• When the ghee starts appearing on top, this shows that the halwa is cooked well.
• Garnish it with almond flakes.
• Serve hot.

Kalakand

Finally its the day :4 and tomorrow My Ganesha will go away. Hoping he goes happy and promise to come back next year. For today's Bhog I prepared this milky Kalakand. Its one of my favourite mithai of all time.
The slight crumbly texture and the intense cardamom taste makes it a sweet to die for.
I have used freshly homemade paneer to make this.
The recipe is inspired by one of the fellow bloggers Priyanka Sushant Verma from Cook with Priyanka.

Kalakand

Ingredients
1cup Paneer (Homemade Paneer)
200ml Condensed Milk (Milkmaid)
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
10-12 Chopped Pistachios


Procedure:

• Make the fresh paneer using the recipe in the link.
• Now in a pan, add in the paneer and the milkmaid.
• Mix well.
• Keep stirring till it starts to leave the pan.
• At this point add in the cardamom powder.
• Mix well.
• Cook till most of the moisture goes away.
• Switch off the gas.
• Take a tray, grease it with ghee.
• Pour the mixture on the tray.
• When it cools down, cut into pieces. 



Kalakand

• Serve. 

Besan Ladoo

There is lot of Activity going on in the house these days. Ganpati at home so busy in making him happy. Preparing meals for him all day. Its the day : 3 and I prepared Besan Ladoos. I had made sure that everyday will make a new sweet for his Bhog. I am enjoying each and every day of Ganpati celebration at home, with loads of cooking going on.
This recipe is adapted from the Raks Kitchen.

Besan Ladoo

Makes 15 Ladoos

Ingredients:
1 CUP Besan Flour (Gram Flour)
1/2Cup Ghee
1Cup Powdered Sugar (You can also use Boora Sugar for preparing Beasan Ladoos )
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
8-10 Chopped almonds (keep few for garnishing)

Procedure:

• There is on traditional way of preparing Ladoos. Put ghee in a wok and roast besan in it.
• I have used a different method all together.
• Dry roast the besan in a kadhai till the raw smell of besan goes away.
• Make sure it does not start Browning from bottom so keep stirring.
• This whole process will take around 20-25 minutes.
• Now remove the flour from the stove.
• Sieve it.
• After sieving put it on the flame, add in the powdered sugar. mix well.
• Melt the ghee.
• Put it gradually seeing that it does not become too wet, as shaping them would be difficult. mix well
• Switch off the gas.
• Add in the cardamom powder and chopped almonds.
• Make them into ladoos once they become easy to handle.
• Garnish them with chopped almonds.
  

Indian Desert: Falooda Recipe

I remember having this awesome delight during my stay in Mumbai when I was here for the first time. We were staying in Holiday Inn, so one night after dinner, we were craving for some Indian desert. Pondering over the menu I came across Falooda read the description and found it quiet interesting, without second thought I ordered it. And so I discovered this awesome desert which is just superb with loads of flavours.
Then I came to know that it is the famous street food of Mumbai, Again I ate this in Chowpatty. So I  just wanted to try this at home.
Its quiet a simple dish to prepare and all the ingredients are readily available.You need to make little effort in finding the sabja seeds, I odered  it online from Big basket.com. Will review it in one of my posts later.

Falooda 

Yield:
Makes one Glass

Ingredients:
1glass of Milk (Full Cream)
50gms Falooda Sev or Vermicelli
2tbsp Rose Syrup
2scoops of Kesar Pista Kulfi (you can use any variant)
1tbsp Sabja Seeds (Sweet Basil)

Procedure:

• Soak Sabja seeds for at least one hour before making the desert.
• Boil the Falloda sev or vermicelli in water till its done.
• Remove the water once it is cooked, add the cooked noodles in milk.
• Add in sugar 1tsp and rose 1tbsp rose syrup.
• Cook this for five minutes.
• Remove it from gas. Allow it to cool.
• Keep it the freezer or refrigerator untill it is chilled.

For Serving:

• Take a tall glass, add in 1tbsp of Rose syrup at the bottom of the glass.
• Now add in sabja seeds.
• Pour the milk over it.
• Add in kesar pista kulfi.
• Serve chilled.

Falooda

Sooji Ka Halwa (Semolina Halwa)

I am blogging like after 3 months. Lot of happenings. Left Chennai shifted to Mumbai and now finally settled here.

Its the onset of winters. u dont have much of a winter here in Mumbai but I guess the feeling of it does not go, So I made this Sooji ka Halwa quiet common in all the households.... The best part of having this halwa is straight from the pan, when it done and its burning hottt....!!

Sooji ka Halwa

Ingredients:
1 cup Sooji (Semolina)
1/2 cup Ghee
1 cup Sugar
4 cups of Water
1tsp Cardamom powder
Raisins and almonds and Cashewnuts



Procedure:

• Heat ghee in a pan, add in sooji.
• Roast it on medium flame stirring continuously till it turns golden in colour.
• In the meanwhile, in another vessel make a sugar syrup with sugar + water + cardamom powder.
• The sugar syrup needs to be of one thread consistency.
• When the sooji is roasted well, add in the sugar syrup, stirring continuously
• Add in the nuts
• Serve hot

Coconut Ladoo

Living in the state which is surrounded by coconuts everywhere, made me try out this awesome little ladoos made with coconut and Milkmaid.
Its simple and really easy to make.

Coconut Ladoos

Ingredients:
1 tin Milkmaid
100g Milk Powder (Dairy Whitener)
5 cups Fresh Coconut (Grated)
1cup Dry coconut (Desiccated Coconut)
1tsp Cardamom Powder
Few Muffin Cups

Procedure:

Coconut Ladoos

• Take a thick bottomed kadahi or pan, add in grated fresh coconut + condensed milk + Milk powder.
• Add in cardamom powder.
• Heat the mixture, stirring continuously, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Lower the flame, and cook till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan.
• Remove from fire, and let it cool down.
• When it is cooled, roll into ladoo.
• Roll it in the dry coconut.
• Place it individually into the muffin liners.
• Store in a air tight container.

Shelf life: 3-4 days

Makes around 20 ladoos

Rice Kheer

Rang Barse Bheege chunarwali Rang Barse..... Holi Hain... The Festival of colors.. I just like humming this song a lot on the day of Holi. I guess its the best song ever for this festival. I think most of my readers wud agree with this.
And this festival without any sweets is incomplete. So I am posting a very simple recipe of Kheer.

Rice Kheer

Ingredients:
100gms Basmati Rice (or any Long-grained Rice)
1tsp Cardamom Powder
1kg Milk
100gms Sugar
Mixed dry fruits (Almonds + Raisins)

Procedure:

• Soak rice for 1 hour before making the kheer.
• Take a Handi or a tambe ka lagan boil milk in it.
• After one boil lower the flame.
• Add in cardamom powder. Let it simmer on low flame for about 20 minutes till it reduces in quantity.
• Now add in the soaked rice.
• Let the rice cook in milk for about 15 minutes.
• If it starts to thicken you can add more milk.
• Add in sugar and dry fruits. Mix well.
• After 5 minutes switch off the gas.
• Serve it hot or cold.
• Garnish with almonds flakes.  

Shahi Tukda

Shahi Tukdas are my all time favourite Indian Sweet dish. It is both sweet and crunchy at the same time. I always try making it in different ways so that every time I eat it has something new to offer. I came across this recipe on Facebook on Nestle Milkmaid Sweet Moments Page, so I couldn't resist to make it.

Shahi Tukda

Ingredients:
1/2 tin Milkmaid (Condensed Milk)
1cup Milk
1tbsp Cornflour
2-3tbsp Milk (Separate)
1tsp Cardamom Powder
8 Slices Bread
Mixed Nuts ( Almonds+ Pistachios + Cashews)
Oil/ghee to Fry
Silver Vrak

For the Sugar Syrup:
1cup Sugar
1cup Water

Procedure:
For the Milk Mixture:

• Make a paste of cornflour with 2-3tbsp of milk. Mix well so that no lumps are made.
• Take a Pan, add in milk in it. Bring it to a boil.
• Add in cornflour paste. Stirring continuously so that no lumps are made.
• Lower the flame, add in Condensed milk + Cardamom powder. Mix well.
• Cook until the mixture becomes slightly thick.
• Remove from Flame. Keep it aside.

Preparation of the Bread:

• Cut the Bread slices in triangular shapes. Keep it aside.
• Heat Oil/Ghee in a Kadahi to fry the bread slices.
• Fry the bread slices. Keep it on a tissue paper to remove the excess oil.
• Now prepare sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water together. Add in 1/2 tsp of Cardamom powder in it.
• Boil it till it becomes one string consistency.
• Now dip each fried bread slice in the sugar syrup. 
• Just for a fraction of a minute so that it remains crisp.

Plating of the dish:

• Take a serving plate, place the sugared bread slices horizontally one over the other like a stair-case.
• Pour the thickened milk mixture over these bread slices.
• Garnish it with chopped nuts and silver vrak
• Serve hot or cold.

Ras Malai

My liking for sweets makes me try for a new recipe everyday. I cant live without eating deserts and sweets be it Indian or International. My tongue craves for it like anything. So here I am posting a very simple tried and tested recipe for these sumptuous desert, First we should know as to what is Ras Malai. It is a dish made with home-made cottage cheese, made into sweet dumplings and served with thickened milk with a tinge of saffron and mixed nuts like almonds and pistachios.

Rasmalai

Ingredients:

For making the chena for the Ras malai:

1lt milk

2tbsp Lemon Juice

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

For the Rassa:

1lt milk
3tbsp Sugar

1tsp Cardamom Powder

1/2tsp Saffron

2tbsp mixed nuts (Almonds + Pistachios)

Procedure:

• Boil milk in pan. When it starts to boil add in lime juice.
• Stir gently.
• Then take a muslin cloth, separate paneer from water. Press well.
• Hang the cloth on the tap to remove excess water for 30 minutes.

In the meanwhile for the rassa:

• Boil the remaining 1lt milk in a pan, when it starts to boil, lower the flame.
• Add in cardomom powder, and saffron.
• Mix well.
• Let it simmer on low flame, till milk is reduced to half of what it was.

After 30 minutes:

• Take the chena, make sure that there is no water in the paneer.
• If required, grind it the mixer.
• Knead it into a smooth dough.
• Now divide this into small flat balls.(Make sure that there is no crack in the ball) 
• Now take a pressure cooker, add water and sugar.
• When it starts to boil, slowly put the paneer discs into it.
• Close the lid.  
• After one whistle, switch off the gas. 
• Take out the Paneer discs from the cooker, after 5 minutes.
• Squeeze each disc slighlty to remove the excess water.
• The Rasa would be thickened by now. 
• Add in mixed nuts in it.
• Now add the chena discs into it.
• Serve chilled.

Apple and Walnut Phirni

Festivals are incomplete without sweets and deserts. Diwali festival of lights is on its way and you need to impress your family, relatives and guests with amazing recipes. This is the one which will make everyone really happy.

Apple and Walnut Phirni

Ingredients:
For the Phirni:
1.5l Milk
100gms Rice
1stick Cinnamon
250gms sugar

For the apple and walnut sauce:
1 Apple (finely chopped)
100gms Walnut (Finely chopped)
100gms Sugar
1tsp Cinnamon Powder

Procedure:
To make the Phirni:

• Soak rice for one hour. Then grind it into a smooth paste.
• Boil milk in a vessel. After one boil, lower the flame. 
• Now add in the rice paste gradually stirring continuously so that no lumps are made.
• When the rice is cooked it will take around 20 minutes, add in sugar.
• Mix properly let it simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.
• Remove from flame. Keep it aside so that it cools down.

For the apple and walnut sauce:

• Take a pan, add in the finely chopped walnuts in them. 

• Roast them well, now add in the finely chopped apples. Stir continuously.

• Add in sugar.
• Cook till the apple gets tender. 
• Remove from flame.

For setting of the phirni:

• You need mitti ke doane or even glass bowls or small glasses.
• First pour in 1tsp of apple sauce beneath.
• Top it with the phirni.
• Place a slice walnut over it. do the same with the remaining bowls.
• Keep it in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled.

Chilly Potato

I need to make some new recipes for snacks everyday. So I just Try out different things to break the monotony.

Chilly Potato

We people enjoy Paneer Chilly a lot, so here is the same chilly effect with Potatoes in it. You can also make this on Diwali, and serve your guests with Drinks as starters.

Ingredients:
8-10 Baby Potatoes
2tbsp Cornflour
1tbsp Soya Sauce
Salt to Taste
1tsp Black Pepper Powder
Oil to fry

For the Gravy:
2tbsp oil
8-9 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
3 Green chilies (Slit Open)
2 medium sized Onion (Cubed)
1/2cup Capsicum (Cubed)
1/2cup Red and Yellow Bell Peppers (cubed) (Optional)
Salt to Taste
1tsbp Soya sauce
1tbsp Red chilly Sauce
1tbsp Vinegar
1tbsp Oregano
1tsp Chilly Flakes
1cup Vegetable Stock

Procedure:

• Pressure cook the potatoes till they are tender.
• Make a paste of cornflour with 3tbsp water+ salt + pepper + soya sauce. Mix well. 
• Heat oil in a kadahi.
• Peel the potatoes, dip each one of them in the cornflour paste and fry it.
• Take out on a tissue paper to remove the excess oil.
• Now heat oil in a wok, add in garlic. When it is done add in the green chilies and onions. Mix well.
• Let this cook for a while, till the onion turns pink in color.
• Now add in capsicum. mix well.
• Add in all the seasonings (salt + chilly flakes+ oregano + soya sauce + red chilly sauce)
• Add in 1 cup of vegetable stock.
• Mix all this well.
• After one boil. lower the flame. Add in the fried potatoes.
• Cover the lid. Let it cook on low flame.
• Remove from flame after 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Rabri E Khaas (Shahi Tukda with a Twist)

Rabri E khas is my version of shahi tukda. Bread dipped in sugar syrup coated with homemade Rabri, almonds, and silver vrak tastes awesome. Its a must try for all those sweet lovers.

Ingredients:
8-10 Bread slices

For sugar syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp Cardamom Powder

Few drops of Kewra Essence

For Rabri

Refer my recipe on Kesariyan Rabri

For Garnishing:

7-8 Almonds Flakes

3-4 Silver Vrak

Procedure:

• Cut the Bread slices into Round shapes using a Round shape Cutter.
• Heat oil in kadhai, to deep fry the bread slices. Keep it aside.
• On the other side, heat a pan, to make the sugar syrup. (Sugar + Water + Cardamom powder+ Kewra Essence)
• Now when the bread slices are fried, dip each one of them in sugar syrup.
• Place it on a serving plate.
• Now on each bread slice spread 1 tbsp of Rabri, sprinkle some almond flakes over it.
• Apply silver vrak. repeat the same with all the remaining bread slices.
• Serve Cold or hot as you like.

Kesariyan Rabri

Rabri reminds me of my childhood days when we used to visit Ayodhya, Faizabad. There was this small sweet shop Ram Asray where he used to give this kulhar (Terracotta Cup) bhar ke rabri. Oh! it was just splendid. Me and my father used to hog on this whenever we used to visit Ayodhya.
I always go back to those good old days whenever I make this at home.

Ingredients:
1l Milk
7-8 Strands of Saffron (Kesar)
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
2-3  tbsp Condensed Milk (or Sugar)

Procedure:

• Soak the saffron stands in 2 tbsp milk. Keep it aside. 
• Take a nonstick pan add the milk in it. Bring to a boil.
• Let it simmer on low heat. 
• Add cardamom Powder and saffron in it.
• Mix it well.
• Let it cook for 30 minutes till the milk is reduced and thickened.
• Then add sugar or condensed milk.
• Let it simmer on low heat for another 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot OR cold whatever one prefers.

You can use Rabri in making Shahi Tukdas. 

Rabri tastes amazing when accompanied by Jalebi or Imarti.

Mango Phirni..."The Mango Pleasure"

Its that time of the year when the markets are raining with mangoes. Every mango season i kinda like making stuff with this king of fruits.  Raw mangoes are used for pickles, chutneys, Aam Panna.. Ripe mangoes for various deserts, smoothies, shakes and so on.
Although rich in calories, you cant avoid this delectable fruit.
I used mangoes in my phirni. Rice pudding with mild flavour of mangoes will totally increase the richness of the desert.
I have used Condensed Milk (Milkmaid ) instead of sugar in my recipe to give that extra flavour.

Ingredients:
1.5 kg milk
4 tbsp rice
1/2 tin Condensed Milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 ripe mango
Almonds (Chopped)
Pistachios (Chopped)

Procedure:

• Soak rice 3-4 hrs one hour before making the phirni.
• After its soaked well, remove from water, so that it dries out.
• After it is dried make into a smooth paste. keep aside
• Now take a vessel, pour the milk, bring a boil and lower the flame.
• Then add in the cardamom powder.
• Let the milk cook for around 20 minutes,.
• In the meanwhile, peel the mango blend it to make a smooth pulp out of it.
• Keep aside 2tbsp of mango pulp for garnishing.
• Now when the milk is cooked add in the rice.
• Let this cook for another 10 minutes.
• Add in the condensed milk.
• After 10 minutes add in the mango pulp stirring continuously..
• You adjust the sweetness according to your taste buds. as mangoes will aslo be sweet.
• Add in almonds + pistachios.
• Remove from flame.
• Take earthern pots. 
• Spoon in the phirni in all of them.
• Garnish it with 1tsp of mango pulp and chopped nuts.
• Serve Chilled