Saib Ka Halva (Apple Halva)

Grated golden apples cooked with sugar and ghee, garnished with nuts and raisins.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 golden apples
• ½ cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 cup sugar (modify according to taste)
• Almonds slivered
• Cashew nuts chopped
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• ½ tsp Kewra essence or Rose water

Method:

• Peel off and grate the apples.
• Heat ghee in heavy based pan and add seeds of green cardamoms. Fry for a few seconds.
• Add grated apples and fry on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring all the time, until almost tender and ghee leaves the side of the pan.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder. You should stir the mixture frequently to prevent any sticking. Fry for 10-15 minutes until nearly all the water has evaporated.
• Heat 2-3 tbsp ghee in a small pan and fry nuts in it. Add this to apple halva. This gives glazing and flavor to halva.
• Remove from fire and mix in the Kewra essence or rose water.
• Garnish with almonds and cashew nuts. Serve hot.

Do You Know:
Apples contain strong antioxidants making the blood less sticky and less likely to clot helping to reduce blood pressure.
They are also believed to be a great source of flavonoids. They contain high amounts of Vitamin C, which is reported to help strengthen the immune system.Their pectin content may help lower cholesterol levels and treat diarrhea.
They feature chlorogenic acid, which may help fight against cancer.
Eating apples is said to be useful for people on weight loss programmes, as they have a lower glycemic index than other fruits.

Rava Kesari / Kesari Bhath

Rava Kesari is a South Indian sweet. Rava means sooji or semolina and kesari means saffron. It is also called as Kesari Bhath in some places. Serve it at breakfast or as evening tiffin. It is a perfect dessert for any occasion.

In South India, the Kesari Bhath is spiced with cloves and in North India the Sooji Halwa is spiced with Green Cardamoms. I make Kesari Bhath blending both the flavors.

Ingredients

• ½ cup Semolina/Sooji
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• ¼ cup ghee
• Few cashew nuts chopped
• Few raisins
• 1 tsp chironji
• 3-4 cloves
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder (optional)
• 2 pinches Saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
• Few drops yellow color (optional)
• 1 ¼ cups warm water

Method

• Heat ghee in a large heavy pan, add cloves and fry till little darker.
• Now add sooji. Stir and roast on low for 7-8 minutes or till aroma exudes and it is pink.
• Add sugar and warm water to the sooji, little at a time stirring continuously. Take care to protect hands from the spluttering.
• Cover and simmer till ghee separates. Check sooji grain between fingers and taste for sweetness.
• Adjust sweetness, and add more warm water if grain is hard.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Save a small amount of cashews and raisins for garnishing.
• Grease a katori or steel cup with ghee. Keep few cashews and raisins at the base of the katori. Press hot bhath inside it, and unmold onto a plate.
• Serve hot.

Do You Know?

Chow Chow Bhath is a famous breakfast in Bangalore. It is basically a combination of sweet and savory, served at the same time, on the same plate. One is Halwa or Kesari Bhath and the other is Upama or Khara Bhath. So in a plate you get one scoop of Kesari bhath (Sheera) and one scoop of Upma, both are made of semolina/sooji.

In Bangalore, Kesari Bhath is made of rava but in Mangalore, it is made of rice.

Laddoo Ki Kheer

Have you ever made Laddo ki kheer? If not then try out now. Boondi ke Laddoo are used to prepare this special kheer.

Ingredients:

• 2 Boondi Laddoos
• ¾ cup full cream milk
• Pinch of cardamom powder
• ¼ tsp rose water
• Crumbled khoya or burfi
• Chopped nuts

Method:

• Take Laddoo in a plate and cut each in two parts.
• Pour milk over the Laddoos.
• Microwave the plate for at least one minute or till bubbles start coming out. Remove the plate from microwave.
• Sprinkle khoya, cardamom powder, nuts and rose water over the laddos. No sugar is required.
• Refrigerate it covered for about an our till chilled. Serve as dessert.

Do You Know?

Laddoo is an Indian sweet that is often prepared to celebrate festivals or household events such as weddings. Til and jaggery laddoo are especially made for the festival of Sankrant.

Laddoo are always round in shape but their size may vary. Some have a soft to bite-into-consistency while others are hard to bite into.

Laddoos are usually made out of some flour like wheat, besan or gram flour, or nuts like sesame seeds, peanuts as the main ingredient and hot sugar syrup or jaggery syrup.

Some examples of ladoo are : Motichoor ladoo, Boondi Ladoo, Churma Ladoo, Rava Ladoo, Atta or Wheat ladoo.

Aloo Ka Halwa ( Potato Halwa)

This is one of the uncommon desserts normally cooked during festivals like Janamashtami or Shivratri.

You can replace ghee with vegetable oil but then it will not have the same flavor and taste as the original dish.

I prepare halwa in vegetable oil but in the last stages of its cooking I add just 1 tbsp of Desi ghee which gives good aroma and flavor to the halwa.

Ingredients:

• 2 Potatoes medium sized
• ¼ cup desi ghee (clarified butter)
• ½ cup Sugar
• Cashew Nuts chopped
• ¼ tsp Green Cardamom crushed
• ½ tsp Rose water
• Pinch of yellow color

Method:

• Boil the potatoes in a saucepan or Microwave them for 5 minutes.
• Once the potatoes cool down, mash or grate them.
• Heat ghee in a non-stick pan on medium heat and add mashed/grated potatoes gradually.
• Stir and cook this till the ghee starts separating from the potatoes mixture.
• Add sugar and yellow color; continue stirring till sugar is completely incorporated in the potato mix.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Add Rose Water and Green Cardamom Powder, mix well.
• Garnish it with dry fruits and serve warm.

Do You Know?

• Ghee increases the medicinal properties of spices when spices are sautéed in ghee.
• According to Ayurveda, ghee is more alkaline than other oils and this results in a smoother skin tone and makes one look younger.
• Ghee is said to promote all three aspects of mental functioning - learning, memory and recall.
• Ghee balances both Vata (the Ayurvedic mind/body operator that controls movement in mind and body) and Pitta (the operator that controls heat and metabolism).
• Like aloe, ghee is said to prevent blisters and scarring if applied quickly to affected skin.
• Eating ghee is also believed to enhance virility and sexual potency.

Shakarkand Ki Kheer (Sweet Potato Pudding)

Kheer is one such pudding, which is fairly easy and quick to prepare.

After barbecue, I kept white variety of sweet potatoes wrapped in aluminium foil on the leftover hot coals. In an hour they were ready to be cooked with milk and sugar.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium shakarkand (white sweet potatoes)
• 2 cups warm full cream milk
• 2 green cardamoms crushed
• ½ cup Sugar (modify the quantity according to taste)
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• ¼ tsp green cardamom (elaichi) powder
• A pinch of Saffron (kesar)
• 1 tbsp Rose water
• 1 tsp chironji
• Almonds and cashew nuts finely chopped

Method:

• Bake, boil or microwave sweet potato till soft. Peel off the skin and mash.
• Heat ghee in heavy bottom pan; add first crushed green cardamoms, when it starts changing its color, add mashed sweet potatoes and fry on medium heat till it is pink in color.
• Add warm milk and allow it to boil. Stir in chopped almonds and cashew nuts. Keep on stirring till the mixture becomes thick.
• Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder, rose water and saffron.
• Garnish with cardamom powder, nuts and saffron strings.
• Serve chilled.

Do You Know?

• Despite its name, the sweet potato is not related to the potato.
• Potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family, which also includes tomatoes, red peppers, and eggplant, while sweet potatoes belong to the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae).
• Potato is a tuber or thickened stem while the sweet potato is a storage root.

Rasmalai

Paneer (cottage cheese) Patties are soaked in sweetened, thickened milk and flavored with cardamom and rose water.

Serve it chilled and garnished with slivers of dried fruit.

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon full cream milk / whole milk
• ¼ cup sugar (modify according to your choice)
• 1 tbsp cardamom powder
• Few strands of Saffron
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 2 tbsp chopped nuts
• 1 can (2.2 lb) of Rasmalai Patties (available in Indian Grocery Stores)

Method:

• Bring the milk to a boil in High heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer. Keep stirring it every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the sides and burning.
• After half an hour, add the sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well.
• Now add the Rasmalai tikia. Before dropping the Rasmalai tikia in the milk, squeeze it to remove the sugar syrup that comes in the can.
• Let it simmer for some more time till the milk becomes thick. Its consistency should be more or less like evaporated milk.
• Remove from heat. Add saffron strands and rose water and refrigerate it.
• Garnish with chopped nuts, few strands of Saffron and pinch of cardamom powder.
• Serve cold as dessert.

Do You Know?

Sweets have an important place in Indian traditions. Every state and region in India has its very own sweet specialties. In North India, Gajar Halwa, Kulfi and Gulab Jamun are common; in East, Rasagulla and Sandesh are traditionally made; in West, Puranpoli and Bebinca are commonly made while Mysore Pak and Payasam are traditionally served in the South.

Kheersagar

Paneer (cottage cheese) dumplings are soaked in sweetened, thickened milk and flavored with cardamom and rose water.

It is a popular Oriya sweet dish that literally translates to Oceans of Milk in the Oriya language. This dish is very similar to Rasmalai, however, the milk base in kheersagar is thicker, acquiring the consistency of Rabri.

Serve it chilled, garnished with chopped nuts.

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon full cream milk / whole milk
• ½ cup sugar (modify according to your choice)
• 1 tbsp cardamom powder
• Few strands of Saffron
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 2 tbsp chopped nuts
• 1 can (2.2 lb) of Bikaji Rossogolla (any other brand will do)

Method:

• Bring the milk to a boil in High heat. Reduce the heat to Medium-Low heat and let it simmer. Keep stirring it every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the sides and burning.
• After an hour, add the sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well.
• Now add the Rossogollas. Before dropping the rossogolla in the milk, squeeze it to remove the sugar syrup that comes in the can.
• Let it simmer for some more time till the milk becomes thick. Its consistency should be thick like Rabri (more than evaporated milk but less than condensed milk).
• Remove from heat. Add saffron strands and rose water and refrigerate it.
• After refrigeration milk thickens more so before serving Kheer Sagar, check the consistency of milk (rabri). Add little more boiled and cooled milk if you find it thicker than required.
• Garnish with chopped nuts, few strands of Saffron and pinch of cardamom powder.
• Serve cold as dessert.

Do You Know?

Chhena (Oriya) or Chhana ( Bengali) is fresh, crumbly, unripened curd cheese eaten in India and neighboring Bangladesh. It is used to make desserts such as rasgulla.

It is created in a similar process to paneer except it is not pressed for as long. It is most popular in Orissa and Bengal and is made from water buffalo milk.

Rabri (Thick Sweet Milk Cream)

Rabri is a sweet dish made by boiling the milk on low heat for a long time until it becomes dense and changes its color to pinkish. Sugar, Kewra essence and nuts are added to flavor it. Chill it before serving it as dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon full cream milk / whole milk
• ¼ cup sugar (modify according to your choice)
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• Few strands of Saffron
• 3-4 drops of Kewra essence
• 2 tbsp cashew nuts chopped fine
• 1 tbsp pistachio chopped fine to garnish

Method:

• Bring the milk to boil in a wok or kadhai on high heat.
• After a boil reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about an hour. Keep stirring it every 4-5 minutes to prevent it from burning. As the milk simmers a layer of malai (cream) will form on the surface. Push this malai or cream to the side till more than half of the milk is converted into cream.
• Scrape the sides of the wok or kadhai and mix the scraping in the thickened milk.
• After an hour, add the sugar and saffron. Mix well. Simmer it again, stirring it continuously on low heat, until the milk is reduced to one quarter.
• Remove from the heat and add chopped cashew nut, cardamom powder and the kewra essence.
• Garnish with the cardamom and chopped pistachio and serve cold with hot Gulab Jamun or hot Jalebi.

Do You Know?

A karahi or Kadhai is a type of thick, circular, and deep vessel (similar in shape to a wok) used in Indian and Pakistani cooking. It is useful for shallow or deep frying of meat, potatoes, sweets, and snacks and for simmering of stews.

Karahi are traditionally made out of cast iron, although other materials like stainless steel , copper and non-stick varieties do exist.

Pearl Sago Pudding (Sabudana Kheer)

Creamy Sabudane ki kheer is usually made during fasts. Makhana (Lotus seeds) give it creamy consistency; rose water and cardamoms give it flavor; and nuts provide richness.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sabudana (Pearl sago)
• 1 cup white Makhana (puffed Lotus Seeds)
• 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 6 cups full cream milk
• ½ cup sugar ( or as desired)
• 1 tsp chironji
• 2 tbsp chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds, cashew nuts)
• 1 tsp crushed green cardamom seeds
• 1 tbsp rose water or drops of Kewra essence
• Pinch of saffron

Method:

• Soak sago in water 15 minutes. Sago pearls will absorb moisture and swell.
• Heat ghee in frying pan and fry makhana over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until they are light pink in color. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool. Grind them to coarse powder in a dry grinder when cool.
• Boil milk in another vessel.Add soaked sabudana after draining out the water. Boil until the sabudana becomes swollen and translucent.
• Now add crushed makhana and sugar to milk; simmer for 5-6 minutes. During this period, stir continuously so that milk does not stick to the bottom of pan.
• Stir in chopped nuts (keep aside some for garnishing), saffron, rose water and crushed cardamoms.
• Check the consistency of kheer. It should have creamy consistency. Add some warm milk at this stage if kheer is too thick (remember that kheer becomes more thick when it is cooled).Remove from fire.
• Garnish with nuts and crushed cardamom.
• Serve the kheer cold.

Do You Know?

As a perfume, saffron was strewn in Greek and Roman halls, courts, theaters and balls; it became especially associated with the hetaerae, a professional class of Greek courtesans. The streets of Rome were sprinkled with saffron when Nero made his entry into the city.

Gaajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa) II

Grated carrots cooked in thickened milk, garnished with nuts and raisins.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds grated carrots
• 1 liter full cream milk
• 4 tbsp ghee ( clarified butter)
• 1 cup sugar (modify according to taste)
• 1 can of condensed milk
• Almonds slivered
• Cashew nuts chopped
• 1 tsp green cardamoms powder
• 1 tsp Rose water

Method:

• Heat ghee in a heavy base kadhai / wok.

• Add cardamom powder

• Add grated carrot.

• Stir for 2-3 minutes.

• Add milk

• Bring it to boil.

• Cook over medium heat until all the milk is dried up.

• You should stir the mixture occasionally to prevent any sticking.

• Add condensed milk

• and sugar to it.

• Stir well and fry on medium-low heat until ghee starts separating. At this stage they should turn a rich, reddish color.

• Heat 3-4 tbsp ghee in a small pan and fry nuts in it.

• Add this ghee with nuts to carrot halwa and stir well.

• This gives glaze and flavor to halwa.

• Remove from fire and mix in the rose water.
• Garnish with almonds and cashew nuts.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do You Know?

Consuming carrots is also reported to increase the skins resistance to ultraviolet light, so it helps in protecting against skin cancer along with premature ageing. Carrots are rich in fibreand may help reduce blood cholesterol and are said to combat constipation.

Besan Ka Halwa (Chickpea Flour pudding)

The Halwa is one of the most popular Indian desserts that have spread in every corner of the World.

Chickpea Flour Halwa, great to taste, hardly takes few minutes to be prepared.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• ½ cup ghee
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup warm water
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• Fried or roasted chopped almonds, cashew nuts and pistachio

Method:

• Heat ghee in a wok on medium heat, add besan and fry till it becomes light brown.
• Add warm water and sugar together. Stir continuously. When it thickens remove from heat.(Add little water at a time, and stop adding water when you get right consistency of halwa).
• Mix in cardamom powder and nuts.
• Serve hot.

Moong Dal Payasam

Moong dal is cooked in thick sweetened and thickened milk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Moong dal (split skinned green gram)
• 1 cup jaggery
• 3/4 cup coconut milk(can use tinned)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• Cashew nuts and raisins
• 1 tsp rose water

Method:

• Cook the Moong dal in a pan with 4 cups of water till soft (avoid cooking in pressure cooker).
• Add the jaggery to the dal and let it boil for 5 minutes; add the coconut milk and boil for some more time.
• In the mean time fry the cashew nuts and raisins separately in ghee till golden brown.
• Add the cashew nuts and raisins with the ghee to the dal. Add the cardamom powder.
• Add milk just before serving. Tastes good when served hot.

Do you Know?

Payasam (as it is called in southern India) or Kheer (as it is called in Northern India) has been an important cultural dish throughout the history of India. It is usually found at ceremonies, feasts and celebrations. There are so many different varieties of Payasams.

In South Indian meal, payasam is served after rasam, rice, while curd rice forms the last item of the meal. In traditional lunches, payasam is served on the flat banana leaf instead of cup.

Kalakand

Delicately flavored with saffron, cardamom and rose water; kalakand makes a great dessert for anytime of the year.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups milk
• ½ cup yogurt
• ¼ cup sugar (modify according to your taste)
• 2-3 tbsp khoya powder (available at Indian Grocery Stores)
• 2 tbsp Chopped nuts
• ¼ tsp green cardamom powder
• Pinch of saffron
• ½ tsp rose water

Method:

• Boil 4 cups of milk.
• Add yogurt as milk comes to boil.
• Once the chhena settles, drain excess water (whey) and keep it in a plate.
• Now put the remaining milk to boil in a thick bottomed pan.
• Add chhena and boil till it turns thick.
• Now sprinkle sugar and khoya powder; cook till the mixture turns lumpy.
• Cool it; mix cardamom powder and rose water.
• Garnish with saffron, cardamom powder, and chopped nuts.
• Serve chilled.

Do you know?

Chhena is a crumbly and moist form of paneer, used to make desserts. It is created in a similar process to paneer except it is not pressed for as long.

It is most popular in Orissa and Bengal (States of India) and is made from Domestic Asian Water Buffalo milk. The milk of these animals have higher fat content. Rasgulla, Rasaballi, Chhena Kheeri and Chhena poda are among the most popular desserts made from chhena.

Chhena is a good milk substitute for lactose intolerant people.

Moong Dal Halwa II

This rich, delicious halwa is served warm and preferred to be eaten as a dessert at the end of the meal, in India.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong dal (split skinned green gram) powder
• ½ cup ghee ( clarified butter)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 ½ cup sugar ( modify according to taste)
• 1 tsp powdered cardamoms
• 2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts (fried in ghee)
• 1 tbsp Rose water
• Few strings of Saffron (optional)

Method:

• Heat ghee in a wok on medium heat, add moong dal powder and fry till it becomes light brown.
• Add warm water and stir continuously. When it thickens, add sugar. Keep on stirring until it thickens again. Remove from heat.
• Mix in Cardamom powder, Saffron, Rose water and nuts.
• Garnish with nuts and serve hot.

Note:

• I prefer grinding moong dal at home in dry grinder.
• Before grinding dal to fine powder, rub the moong dal between two folds of kitchen towel to clean it from outside.

Do You Know?

Sweeteners are sugar substitutes added to foods for flavoring. Sweeteners other than sugar are added to keep the food energy (calories) low, or because they have beneficial effects for diabetes mellitus and tooth decay and diarrhea.

Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic. In the United States, five intensely-sweet sugar substitutes have been approved for use. They are saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, and acesulfame potassium.

Meethi Seviyan (Sweet Vermicelli)

Stir-fried Vermicelli is cooked in flavored sugar syrup.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Vermicelli (Bambino)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar granulated
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 whole green cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 tsp crushed green cardamom
• Fried nuts
• Pinch of saffron
• Pinch of yellow food color
• ½ tsp rose water

Method:

• In a saucepan take 2 cups of water. Add 1 cup of sugar, stir and boil for 2 minutes. Now add pinch of yellow color, saffron and cardamom powder. Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, add clove and green cardamom; fry for a minute until fragrant. Add vermicelli and fry, stirring continuously, until golden brown in color uniformly.
• Pour the sugar syrup over the fried vermicelli in pan and cook covered on low heat till it is done. Add rose water and switch off the gas. Cool to room temperature.
• Fluff it up with a fork. Garnish with fried nuts and serve.

Note:

• You can add 2 tbsp khoya powder to make it richer.
• I used Bambino vermicelli in this recipe which is available in Indian Grocery Stores. Remember that amount of water required to cook vermicelli depends on the type of vermicelli used.

Do You Know?

Glycemic index is a useful meal-planning tool, especially when individuals monitor their own individual responses to foods.

Low glycemic food is especially helpful in assisting those who want to lose weight.Low glycemic index foods will increase the sugar levels in the body to sustain energy levels for longer periods of time. This means an individual, who wants to lose weight, will feel less inclined to eat because energy is being slowly released into their bloodstream. Health experts encourage using the glycemic index in conjunction with other meal programs to assist in managing diabetes and/or controlling weight.

The examples of low glycemic index foods are: few fruits and vegetables, grainy breads, pasta, legumes, milk, fish, brown rice etc.

Fruity Shrikhand ( Fruity Sweetened Yogurt)

My mother used to make Shrikhand very often; this was one of her favorite desserts. She used to enjoy it more with mangoes, either in the form of ‘Aamrus’ (mango puree) or chunks. I have loved it ever since.

Ideally Shrikhand should be made with whole or full cream milk yogurt but you can also make it with low-fat or diet yogurt. The nuts are optional. You can add pineapple, mango or oranges, whatever you like to give it a different flavor.

In this recipe, I added fresh fruits which are not common in Indian fruit markets. You can call it as ‘hybrid’ of traditional recipe of Shrikhand.

Ingredients:

• 2 pound fresh yogurt- whole milk or full cream unsweetened
• 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar (modify according to your taste)
• 2-3 tbsp Orange flavored Fruitrition
• Fresh Blue Berries
• Fresh Strawberries diced into small chunks
• Dollop of Orange Sherbet (optional)

Method:

• Hang the yogurt in a clean muslin or cheesecloth for 2-3 hours to completely drain all the whey from it.
• Churn the drained yogurt well along with powdered sugar and Fruitrition in a bowl with the help of round part of the big serving spoon till it is smooth and creamy (for about 1-2 minutes).
• Now mix half of the fruits in it and chill it for an hour.
• Serve chilled with more fresh fruits and dollop of Orange Sherbet.

Note: If you do not have muslin or cheesecloth, add fruits directly to fresh thick yogurt and call it fruity yogurt.

Do You Know?

Berries and Oranges are rich in Vitamin C.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water soluble antioxidant that performs a variety of roles in the body. It helps to promote healthy gums and teeth, aids in mineral absorption, and helps heal wounds.