Sweets

Appi Payasa

Bored of the regular semiya kheer, I wanted to try something different this time during the festival. Appi payasa in kannada, known as Appeech kheer in Marathi is one of the famous delicacies during the festivities. It sure takes more time when compared to making of other sweet puddings, but this is certainly not a reason not to satiate your sweet tooth!

Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
• Chirotee rava - 1/4 cup
• Water - to knead the dough
• Almonds, Cashews - for garnish
• Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
• Sugar - 1/4 a cup
• Milk - 500 ml
• Ghee - for frying
• Saffron - few strands, soaked in warm milk

Preparation method

1. Mix the whole wheat flour and the chirotee rava well. Add water, little at a time and knead into a pliable dough.
The consistency should be as that of poori dough.
2. Let the dough rest for atleast 2 hours.
3. Boil milk and divide it into two halves.
4. Roll out the dough into thin sheets and cut into equal squares or any shape of your choice. Fry them until crisp.
Alternatively, roll out thin sheets and fry them directly. Later crush them and soak them in the milk.
5. Add these crisps into one half of the milk and boil.
6. Add the remaining half of the milk and boil until the fried crisps are tender.
7. Add the saffron milk and stir well.
8. Rest for 10-15 minutes.
9. Fry the almonds and cashews in ghee and garnish before serving.

Preparation time - 1 hour

Badam/Almonds kheer

Bored of the regular semiya kheer, I wanted to try something different this time during the festival.

Almonds known for its richness in Omega-6 fatty acids, Vitamin E, Folate, and minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous makes a very rich and delicious desert. The natural goodness of almonds when added to milk makes it nutrition packed!

Here goes the recipe of this delicious desert...

Ingredients

• Almonds - 1 cup, soaked in warm water for about 20-25 mins
• Cardamom - 1 pod, crushed to powder
• Sugar/Jaggery - 1/2 a cup
• Milk - 350 ml
• Saffron - few strands

Preparation method

1. Boil milk in a vessel and continue boiling until the milk reduces to half its original quantity.

Grind the almonds and cardamom to a smooth paste.

Almonds can be used with or without peel. To retain the crunch, do not blend the almonds to a smooth paste.
2. Add the ground almond paste to the milk and mix well, until you get a smooth consistency.
3. Stir constantly until the mixture slightly thickens.
4. Add sugar and stir once again. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat.
5. Add few strands of saffron before you serve. Serve warm or chilled.

Delicious almond kheer is ready!

Preparation time - 40 mins

Peanut-Flax seeds laddoo

Peanut and flax seeds - both popular oil seeds rich in energy, antioxidants and vitamins essential for optimum health. While peanuts are a good source of amino acids that aid in the development and growth, flax seeds have the highest sources of omega 3 - fatty acids.

Besides these, both the seeds are abundant in Vitamin-E, B-Complex and other minerals such as copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

Jaggery is rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins and is also a potent source of Iron and has a higher Iron and Copper contents than white sugar.

With all the health benefits mentioned above, here goes the recipe for the simple yet rich snack...

Ingredients

• Peanuts - 1 cup, evenly roasted
• Flax seeds - 1/2 a cup
• Jaggery - 1/2 a cup
• Cardamom/Elaichi - 4-5 pods
• Ghee - 1/4 tsp

Preparation method

1. Heat a pan and dry roast the peanuts, flax seeds one at a time and keep it aside.

Roast the flax seeds just until it splutter, do not over do it.

2. Break or grate jaggery cubes and keep it aside.
3. Once the roasted ingredients are cooled, mix jaggery to it.
4. Add the cardamom to this mixture and grind it to a desired consistency.
5. Add ghee and bind it together.
6. Take equal portions of the mixture and shape them into laddoos.

Yummy laddoos are ready to serve!

Preparation time - 30 mins

I wish you a very happy, healthy, safe and a prosperous new year 2013!!!

Badusha

Badusha is made on special occasions in South India and is a simple yet delicious sweet.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour (maida) - 250 grams
• Baking soda - 1 pinch
• Baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Yoghurt - 50 grams (to knead the dough)
• Ghee - 50 grams
• Sugar - 250 grams
• Water (to dissolve the sugar) - 75 ml
• Oil to fry

For sugar syrup

Add sugar in a vessel along with the water (the water should be just enough to soak the sugar). Heat it until the sugar is dissolved and you get a thin syrup. Keep the syrup aside for cooling.

Preparation method

1. Take a large vessel to mix the dough. Add all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and mix well. Sift if necessary for even consistency.
2. Add ghee and mix well.
3. Add yoghurt and just mix the dough (do not knead the dough).
4. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough until it is mixed well; do not add any water or yoghurt.
6. Make lemon sized balls (or even bigger). You will be able to see the layers (since the dough is not kneaded completely). Press the centre slightly with the thumb and fore finger to get a depression in the centre.
7. Heat oil in a pan and fry these until brown.
8. Drain the excess oil on a tissue paper.
9. Soak them in the sugar syrup for a minute and remove them immediately.

I tried making Badusha for the first time and they turned out good. Here's a picture :)

Preparation time - 1 hr

Wish you all a very happy Pongal/Sankranti/Sankramana!

Chakara Pongal

Ingredients

• Hesaru bele/Pesara pappu - 1/4 cup
• Rice - 1 cup
• Elaichi powder - pinch
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Dry fruits (cashews, raisins), dry coconut (sliced in thin, long pieces)
• Jaggery - 150 - 200 grams
• Water (just to dissolve the jaggery)

Preparation method

1. Pressure cook the rice and dal together.
2. Add the jaggery with little water and melt it until a single thread consistency syrup is formed. Add powdered elaichi to this syrup.
3. Add the cooked rice and dal to this and stir well.
4. Melt ghee in a pan and add the dry fruits and coconut and roast it until it is golden brown.
5. Add this to the rice mixture and stir well. Add more ghee, if necessary.

Preparation time - 40 minutes