I love sweets!

Wheat Halwa - also known as Thirunelveli halwa.

This method involves more labour than the pressure cooker halwa method. But since 6 cups of hot water & more ghee are added, the yield is very high as much as nearly 1.5 kgs of halwa !

If you prepare using not less than 1 kg, in a big stove on a very high flame, the colour will also be dark. Here we use a small amount & so the colour will not become brown.

Whole wheat or wheat rawa - 250 gms

Sugar - 1 kg

Ghee - 350 gms

Boiling water - 6 cups

Cashew - ½ cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Saffron colour - a pinch

Wash & soak whole wheat or rawa in plenty of water for 5-6 hrs.

Drain & grind with 1 cup of water in a mixi.

If you are using whole wheat, grinder is better.

Squeeze to get the milk.

Repeat this procedure 3-4 times more with a fresh cup of water every time & squeeze the milk thoroughly.

You will find that the squeezed wheat or rawa has practically nothing in it.

Allow the liquid to settle, undisturbed for 6-8 hrs.

Then pour out the clear liquid as far as possible, retaining only the thick milk.

Make a syrup of the sugar with 2 cups of water.

Add 2 tbsp milk, boil & remove the dirt layer.

When one-string syrup is reached, add the thick milk, stirring well.

Add saffron colour mixed in 1 tsp of water to get the required shade of colour.

Keep stirring the mixture on a low fire.

Keep water boilng ready in the next stove.

When the mixture starts thickening, add 1 cup of boiling water & cook.

Add 2 tbsp of ghee.

The mixture will again start thickening – repeat the above procedure in the same order till you have used up all the 6 cups of boiling water. ( adding ghee in between).

This way, the halwa gets thoroughly cooked to a very soft texture.

Now it will become a mass & at this time add cardamom powder & cashewnuts.

Go on stirring – the stage is reached when ghee starts gradually oozing out.

Now empty on a greased plate.

Serve hot or cool & cut into pieces.

 

Date-Malai-Biscuit Halwa - Sharing with you, my b'day breakfast sweet !

Malai ( top of milk) - 1 cup

Dates, chopped - 1 cup

Marie biscuits - 5, powdered.

Mix dates & malai & boil together.

Allow to boil for 10 mts.

When it thickens, add powdered biscuits.remove when it staarts leaving the sides of the vessel.

Cool, empty on a plate & decorate

 

Rosogullas - I tried, tried, tried again till success came my way !

Friends, this comes out very soft & nice, but, please do not compare with the commercial quality.
Milk - 1 litre ( In the absence of cow’s milk, I used toned milk with 3 % fat)
White vinegar - as given below

Maida - 1 tsp

Sugar - 2 cups

Water - 6 cups

Boil milk.

Mix ¼ cup vinegar diluted with ½ cup of water & simmer when the milk starts curdling.

If the curdling is not complete, add 1 or more tsp of vinegar.

When the clear liquid is visible, remove from fire.

Rest for 15 mts.

Strain out the whey using a clean muslin cloth..

Fold all the 4 sides of the cloth & squeeze it very gently so that the whey gets completely drained out.

Do it very gently 2, 3 times.

Make sure all the water is drained out.

Remove the chenna onto a clean plate & knead EXTREMELY GENTLY without applying pressure so that it becomes soft.

Add 1 tsp maida, mix thoroughly & roll into small balls, smoothening them well without cracks.

In a wide mouthed vessel, boil 6 cups water & 2 cups sugar, stirring well.

When the mixture starts boiling vigorously, carefully add the balls one by one.

It is very important to make sure that the mixture continues to be boiling.

The balls will start swelling gradually & will start floating on top of the liquid

Keep boiling water ready in the adjacent stove & keep sprinkling that with a teaspoon so that the mixture does not get too concentrated.

To test if it is cooked, take out one & touch – if it springs back & retain its shape when pressed, it is cooked.

Remove from fire.

Cool & tranfer to a bowl to chill well before serving.

 

Thengai Thirattupal - a must in some south Indian weddings.

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Powdered jaggery - ½ - ¾ cup

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Grate only the soft white portion of the coconut.

Give one run in the mixie for a finer texture.

Mix this with jaggery in a kadai & heat on a low flame.

Cook till the mixture just starts leaving the sides of the vessel .
Add cardamom powder & ghee & remove.

 

Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun - Try this, you will love it !

Good variety of sweet potatoes - ½ kg

Khoa - 100 gms

Cornflour - 2 level tbsp

Oil - to deep fry

Sugar - 2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Saffron - ¼ tsp ( warm & powder )

Boil sugar & water together on a medium flame, stirring intermittently till sugar dissolves completely.

Boil & switch off the flame when the syrup becomes slightly sticky.

Add powdered saffron & cardamom powder.

Boil the sweet potatoes till soft.

Peel & mash fine.

Add cornflour & grated khoa.

Knead soft, without applying pressure to get a dough.

Make small balls.

Heat oil till medium hot.

Add one batch of balls & deep fry on a low fire till they become nicely brown.

Keep on a tissue paper for a mte & immerse in warm syrup.

Tips:

Always test fry one ball.

If it breaks, a little cornflour has to be added.

If it does not grow big & turns out hard, a little more khoa has to be added.

 

Lapsi Halwa - Let us celebrate Indusgirl's arrival with a sweet !

Lapsi ( upma variety) - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 cups

Unsweetened khoa - 100 gms

Ghee - ½ cup

Water - 3 cups

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Chopped nuts - 2 tbsp

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pressure pan.

Add lapsi & roast on a low fire well.

In the meanwhile keep 2 ½ cups boiling water ready.

When the lapsi gives an aroma, lower the stove &add the water carefully since it is likely ro splash.

Close the cooker, keep the weight & lower the flame without waiting for the whistle.

Cook for 10 mts.

Heat the remaining ½ cup of water on a low fire, adding sugar & grated khoa to a mixture.

When the pressure has dropped, open & add this mixture to the cooked lapsi.

Stir on a low fire, adding the ghee gradually till the mixture thickens & the mass starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Add cardamom powder & switch off.

Garnish with chopped nuts & serve hot.

 

Rava Kesari - Fruit Kesari is its Extension !

For SBS photos, please go to
Rava Kesari-1
MW & Fruit Kesari-2

Rava Kesari:
Bombay Rawa - 1 cup

Ghee 5 tbsp

Sugar 2 cups

Water 2 ½ - 3 cups (depends on how soft you want it )

Chopped cashew 2 tbsp

Raisins 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder 1 tsp

In a kadai, heat the ghee.

Add rava with cashew & fry on a low fire till cashew turns light brown.

By that time rava would have been roasted well.

Keep the water boiling in another stove ready.

Add the boiling water LOWERING THE GAS ON WHICH KADAI IS KEPT .

The water will be absorbed & immediately add the sugar whisking well.

Stir till all ingredients blend well.

Add cardamom powder & raisins fried in 2 tsp ghee.



Fruit Kesari:

In the above recipe decrease the sugar to 1 ½ cups.

After you finish the entire cooking you can add upto 2 cups of chopped fruits , cover for 10 mts & then use.

Do not cook after adding fruits.

Fruits like pineapple , pomegranate , apple & seedless sweet grapes are suitable.

Bananas can be added , but it will make the kesari slightly mushy.

 

Carrot Halwa - Very easy, very tasty.

For SBS photos,please go to http://www.indusladies.com/forums/968456-post63.html

Fresh carrots, finely grated - ½ kg

Ghee 4 tbsp + 1 tbsp

Sugar 3/4 cup sugar

Sweetened khoa 200 gm

Chopped cashew 2 tbsp

Cardamom pdr 1 tsp
In a saucepan, heat ghee.

Add grated carrots & cover.

Cook first on a medium & then on a low fire till soft.
Open, add grated khoa & sugar.

Mix well & cook till moisture evaporates.

Add cardamom powder & cashewnuts fried in 1 tbsp ghee.

 

Kandarappam - a Traditional Sweet from Chettinad.

This is similar to athirasam, but with a slightly different taste.

Raw rice - ½ cup

Boiled rice - ½ cup

Urad dhal - as given below ( about 2 tsp)

Powdered jaggery - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 2-3 tbsp

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Dry ginger powder - ½ tsp

Oil - to deep fry

Take both rices mixed together in a cup, flat.

Lightly heap with just enough urad dhal.

Wash rices & dhal & soak in water for 2 hrs.

Drain completely.

Grind, adding coconut without adding water.

Now grind fine, adding the powdered jaggery little by little.

The paste must be fine.

Add cardamom powder & dry ginger powder.

Rest the dough for 5-6 hrs.

Heat oil, preferably in a non-stick kaai.

The batter should be loose enough to be poured in a ladle.

Pour one small ladleful in hot oil.

Adjust the flame to low in a few secs, so that the colour does not become very deep.

Splash oil over it from around so that it puffs up.

Cook on a low fire, turn over & cook for a few more secs.

Remove to an absorbent tissue.

This can be preserved for 3, 4 days. Just microwave for 10 – 20 secs, before serving, to make it very soft.

 

Sukhdi - a Traditional Gujarathi sweet.

Buy clean good quality jaggery, free from dirt & sand, because it is directly added.Powder it & add.

Atta – 1 cup

Powdered jaggery - 1 cup

Ghee - ¾ cup

Cardamom & dry ginger powder - Each 1 tsp

Heat ghee in a kadai & fry atta well on low fire.

When well roasted, remove from fire, add powdered jaggery & spice powder.

On mixing, jaggery will melt & blend with the roasted atta.

Immediately empty on a greased plate.

Sprinkle roasted nuts on top.

Cool & cut.

This can also be served warm without cutting into pieces, but as portions.
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