SEVIYA KHEER

SEVIYA KHEER

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Badam
• 1cup Seviya (Vermicelli) broken into 4 cm bits
• 5 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup almonds (sliced)
• 1/4 cup unsalted blanched pistachio, silvered
• 1/2 tbsp rose water
• Silver or gold papper (varak)

   METHOD

1. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed non-stick pan over medium heat and add seviya and fry till golden brown, stirring constantly.
2. Pour the milk, sugar, almonds, pistachio and stirring constantly bring to boil.
3. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the milk is slightly thickened.
4. Cool to room temperature, add rose water and chill thoroughly.
5. Stir well and serve the vermicelli pudding in individual bowls with a piece of silver or gold paper (varak).

RABRI

RABRI

INGREDIENTS

• 10 cups milk
• 4 tblsp sugar or as needed
• 4 green cardamom seeds
• 4 drops of kewra essence
• A pinch of green cardamom powder
• A pinch of pistachio powder

   METHOD

1. Bring the milk to boil in a deep heavy pan.
2. Add the sugar and cardamom seeds and leave to simmer over a low heat for 2 hours until the milk is reduced to one quarter.
3. Remove from the heat and add the kewra esscence.
4. Sprinkle with the cardamom and pistachio powders and serve hot or cold with faluda.

MALPUA

MALPUA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 litre Milk
• 1/4 cup Maida 
• 1/4 cup Suji
• Ghee 
• Water

   METHOD

1. Boil the milk till it reduces to 1/2 its quantity.
2. Roast the rava till light brown. Add to the milk along with maida. There should be no lumps.
3. It should be a smooth pouring consistency. Heat the ghee. Take the batter in a glass.
4. Pour in circular movements into the ghee to form a small pan cake. Turn over. Take care that it does not become crisp and har
5. Make a sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency. Dip the malpura in the syrup and lay out on a plate.

KULFI

 KULFI

Kulfi brings an instant relief during the Indian summers. And this is an innovative way of making your kids eat nuts, by adding them in the delicious kulfi. Kulfi is a frozen indian dessert made from full cream milk thinkened with khoya and chopped badam and pista.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 litre full cream milk
• 1 tblsp Cornflour
• 2 tblsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Elaichi powder
• 1 -2 tblsp khoya/mawa
• 1/2 tblsp skinned pista (pistachios), thinly sliced
• 1/2 tblsp skinned badam (almonds), finely sliced

   METHOD

1. Put the milk into a wide, heavy pan and bring to boil over high heat, stiring constantly. Use full cream milk otherwise the kulfi will be less cream and will form ice crystals in it.
2. Now lower the heat and cook the milk, stirring constantly, until it has thickened. (This will take about 10-15 minutes). Stir the sides of the pan constantly to avoid scalding.
3. In 1/4 cup cold water mix cornflour and make sure no lumps are formed. Add this to the milk. Stir constantly otherwise it will start sticking on the base of the pan and you will get burnt taste.
4. Now add the sugar, nuts and cardamom powder and grated khoya. Stir well till the khoya gets evenly dissolved. Switch off the fire and allow it to cool.
5. Once at room temperature, pour the mixture into kulfi moulds and let it freeze until set, about 6 hours.
6. To serve, remove the kulfi from the moulds by running a sharp knife around the edges of the pista-badam kulfi. Slip each kulfi on to a dessert plate, cut across into 3-4 slices, garnish with chopped pista and badam and serve.

• Note: 
• 1. If you want you can use popsicle moulds or you can use small earthen matkis to make matka kulfi.
  2. To take out kulfi with ease hold the mould under running water for half a minute. It will come out quickly.
  3. If you want you can soak the almonds over night and them grind them into a fine paste before adding to the mixture.

JALEBI

JALEBI

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups All purpose flour (maida)
• 11/2 tbsp fine grained semolina or rice flour
• 1/4th tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp curd (plain yogurt)
• 11/4th cups warm water
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads, slowly dry-roasted and powdered
• 3 cups sugar
• 22/3rd cups water
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom seeds powder
• 11/2 tbsp kewra water or rose water
• Ghee or vegetable oil for frying

   METHOD

1. Mix the flour, semolina or rice flour, baking powder, curd and 3/4th cup of the water in a bowl (preferably a ceramic bowl). Mix well with a whisk.
2. Mix well and then add remaining water and 1/8th tsp. of saffron powder, and whisk until smooth.
3. Set aside for about 2 hours to ferment.
4. Whisk thoroughly before use.
5. Prepare one string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water. Just before the syrup is ready add saffron and cardamom powder.
6. Heat oil in a kadhai. Pour the batter in a steady stream ( or coconut shell with a hole) into the kadhai to form coils. Make a few at a time.
7. Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not brown.
8. Remove from the kadhai and drain on kitchen paper and immerse in the syrup.
9. Leave for at least 4-5 minutes so that they soak the syrup.
10. Take the jalebi out of syrup and serve hot.

BADAM KHEER

BADAM KHEER

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Badam
• 2 1/2 cups Sugar
• 2 drops Kesar Colour
• 1 cup Ghee
• 1 cup Milk

METHOD

1. Leave the almonds in hot water for 1 hour.
2. Remove the outer skin and grind to a paste with the milk.
3. Make sugar syrup and boil till it reaches a one string consistency.
4. Add the badam paste and cook till it thickens.
5. Add the kesar colour.
6. Add ghee little by little stirring continuously on low heat.

GULAB JAMUN

GULAB JAMUN

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Milk Powder
• 2 tsp all purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp suji
• 2 tblsp ghee 

          Whole milk just enough to make the dough 

      For the Sugar Syrup 

• 2 cup Sugar
• 2 cup water 
• 4 - 5 Cardamom
• few drops of lemon
• Few strands of kesar
• Oil for frying

    METHOD

How to make gulab jamun:

1. Soak the suji in a 1/2 cup of water so as to make it soft.
2. In a bowl mix milk powder, ghee, baking powder and flour. Drain out all the excess water from the soaked suji and add it to the bowl. Now mix together by rubbing the mixture between your palms to ensure everything gets mixed properly. Do not knead it.
3. Add just enough of whole milk to make a medium-hard mixture. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel and keep aside for 20 - 25 mins.
4. Later divide the mixture into 18-20 portions. Make small balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate.
5. Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium. Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The balls should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. Now take a slotted spoon and move it in circular motion in the oil, making sure not to touch the balls. This will shake the balls and even ensure even browing of all the balls.
6. If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.
7. The balls must be fried very slowly under medium temperatures.This will ensure complete cooking from inside and even browning.

Sugar Syrup

1. The syrup should be made earlier and kept warm. To make the hot sugar syrup add mix the 2 cups of sugar to 2 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar. Add few drops of lemon this will ensure that once syrup cools down it does not solidify.
2. Transfer this hot syrup into a serving dish. Keep it warm on stove. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup. Leave gulab jamun balls in sugar syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

GAJAR KA HALWA

GAJAR KA HALWA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg Carrots 
• 1 litre Milk 
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds 
• 3/4 cup Water 
• 3 tablespoons Ghee 
• 2 tablespoons Raisins 
• 2 tablespoons Almonds 
• 2 tablespoons Pistachios
• 450 grams Sugar

   METHOD

1. Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and shred the nuts.
2. Put the water to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
4. Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins. Mix well.
5. Remove the gajjar halwa from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.

FRUIT KHEER

FRUIT KHEER

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large Bananas (peeled and thinly sliced)
• 2 large santras (peeled into segments with pipe removed)
• 1/2 tsp saffron strands
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2(140 ml) cartons curd (plain yogurt)

METHOD

1. Mix the sugar, pepper, chili powder, salt and curd together.
2. Add the bananas and santras and mix together for 2 minutes.
3. Dissolve the saffron in a tsp of water and sprinkle it over the dish before serving.

BESAN LADOO

BESAN LADOO

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups gram flour (besan)
• 11/2 cup sugar (grinded)
• 1 cup ghee
• 1 tsp each almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts (chopped)

   METHOD

1. In a kadhai mix gram flour and ghee over a low heat.
2. Keep constantly stirring to avoid lumps.
3. When it releases an appetizing smell, it is ready.
4. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
5. Add sugar and nuts to the gram flour and mix thoroughly.
6. Now form ping-pong size balls of the mixture.
7. Besan Laddoo are ready to be served.