INDIAN SWEETS (7)

lets have some sweets....what do you say?

GAJAR KA HALWA:
(carrot halwa)
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg juicy orange carrots
• 1 1/2 litre milk
• 400-500 gms sugar
• elaichi powder (cardomom)
• few saffron
• 1 tbsp ghee

METHOD:

• Peel and grate carrots.
• Put milk and carrots in a heavy saucepan.
• Boil till thick, stirring occasionally.
• Once it starts thickening add sugar and cook further till it thickens.
• Stir continuously.
• Add ghee, elaichi, saffron.
• Stir on the low heat till the mixture collects in the soft ball or the ghee oozes out.
• Serve hot.
• Decorate with chopped almonds or pista.
  

ROSSOGOLLA:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 litre milk
• 1/2 tsp citric acid
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• 2-3 drops rose essence

METHOD:

• Heat the milk and bring to boil.
• Cool the milk for couple of hours.
• remove the creamy layer.
• Reheat the milk and bring to boil.
• Add the citric acid disssolved in some water.
• Stir slowly till the milk is fully curdled.
• Keep as it is for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile heat the sugar and water in a wide saucepan.
• Bring to boil.
• Strain the milk through the muslin cloth.
• Wash the chenna in the cloth under cold running water.
• Press out the excess water and remove in a wide plate
• Gently knead into a soft dough by passing between fingers.
• Make 12 equal sized balls of the dough
• Let them into the boiling water.
• Cover with a perforated lid.
• Boil for 13-15 minutes.
• Take out from heat and cool them to room temperature.
• Add essence and chill it for at least 4-5 hours.
  

COCONUT BARFI :


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups coconut scrapped
• 1 cup coconut coarsely shredded
• 1 -1/2 cups
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder

METHOD:

• Mix both types of coconut in a large heavy pan.
• Add milk and cook till bubbes appear.
• Continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 10-12 minutes.
• Simultaneously, boil sugar in 1/2 cup water to make 2-1/2 sugar syrup.
• Pour into coconut, stirring gently and continuously.
• Add butter, and continue stirring, till a soft lump is formed.
• Empty into greased large plate, pat even very lightly.
• Cool and cut into squares.
• Cool and set completely before transferring to container.
• Store in airtight containers.

Note: Never use the brown skin of the coconut while grating, or scrapping. Use
the whitest possible. Otherwise the burfi will get discoloured, though taste will not
differ much.

BADAM KHEER:

INGREDIENTS:

• 25-30 almonds (badam)

1 litre milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. cardamom powder

10-15 strands saffron, crushed, soaked in 1 tsp. warm milk

1 tsp rose water

5 pistachios crushed coarsely

METHOD:

• Soak almonds for 30 mins in hot water
• Peel the skin of almonds
• Grind the almonds into paste with 1/2 cup water
• Bring the milk to boil in heavy pan
• Add almond paste
• Keep stirring occasionally till semi-solid
• Add sugar, cardamom powder, rose water and saffron
• Cook for 2 minutes
• Garnish with pistachios
• Serve chilled or hot

PAL PAYASAM:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 litre milk
• 1 cup brown broken rice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 15-20 raisins

METHOD:

• Cook the rice.
• Add milk, condensed milk and sugar to rice.
• Mix well.
• let it boil till payasam thickens.
• Add cardamom powder and raisins.
• Stir the payasam.
• Serve hot or cold.
  

SHRIKHAND:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 kg. curds
• 300 gms. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• few strands saffron
• 1/2 tbsp. pista & almond crushed

METHOD:

• Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth overnight. (6-7 hours)
• Take into a bowl, add sugar and mix.
• keep aside for 25-30 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.
• Rub saffron into 1 tbsp. milk till well broken and dissolved. Keep aside.
• Beat well till sugar has fully dissolved into curd.
• Pass through a big holed strong strainer, pressing with hand or spatula.
• Mix in cardamom powder and dissolved saffron and half nuts.
• Empty into a glass serving bowl, top with remaining nut crush.
• chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

BADAM HALWA:

INGREDIENTS:

• 100 gms almonds
• 10 almonds , sliced, for garnishing
• 100 gms pure ghee
• 75 gms sugar
• 1 tsp saffron
• 1/2 cup milk

METHOD:

• Soak almonds overnight.
• Peel and dry grind.
• Heat ghee in a pan.
• Stir in the almond powder.
• Mix saffron with milk and add to the ghee-almond mixture.
• Let it cook over a low flame till the ghee starts leaving the sides.
• Add sugar and stir continously for 10 mins or till the mixture starts smelling nice and turns a very light brown in colour.
• Garnish with sliced almonds and serve hot.

TIP:

• To ensure that halwa doesn't stick to the pan, add a piece of beetle leaf to the mixture while cooking.
• Just like badam halwa you can even make halwa with cashewnuts and walnuts using the same recipe

LETS PREPARE SOMETHING EASY :)

OMLETTE FRIED RICE:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups rice
  
• 1 cube - maggi chicken
  
• 1/2 - onion, chopped
  
• 2 tsp - ginger, garlic
• green chilli paste
  
• 1 - carrot, diced small
  
• 10 - french beans, thoroughly chopped
  
• 1/3 cup - frozen
  
• 1/4 - capsicum, chopped
  
• 1 tsp - soy sauce oil as required
  
• salt to taste
  

METHOD:

• Boil rice in 1 3/4 cup water along with the chicken cube and salt.
  
• In a hot skillet, pour oil and make 2 thin omlettes seasoned with salt and pepper.
  
• After removing the omlettes add more oil and saute onions.
  
• Add ginger,garlic,green chilli paste and cook till raw smell leaves.
  
• Add the chopped vegetables and fry till they are done.
  
• Mix in the frozen peas and season the vegetables with salt.
  
• Switch off the flame and give a dash of soy sauce.
  
• Cut omlette into thin strips and blend with the veggie mix.
  
• Combine rice and vegetables.
  
• serve hot.

IDLI:

INGREDIENTS:

• urad powder 1 cup


• rice flour 1 cup


• idli rava 1 cup


• salt to taste


• pinch of rapid rise yeast


• water to mix

METHOD:

• Mix all the above ingredients without lumps to a thick pouring consistency. Let sit overnight.


• Next morning use the batter in exactly the same way regular idli batter is used.


• If the batter is too thick add a little water to bring it a thick pouring consistency.


• Grease the idli moulds and spoon the batter into them.


• Heat water in the idli cooker.


• Steam cook for about 12-15 mins on high.


• Take out from the fire and let it cool for a while and then remove the idlis from the moulds.


• Serve hot with chutney, sambar or both.


• This makes about 12 idlis. It is a fantastic method as it involves no soaking and no grinding.


• The fermented batter may smell of yeast but once cooked there is no smell at all.

GET COOL WITH TASTY ICED TEA

Iced tea is a cool and refreshing drink prepared specially During this season. Iced tea is not just a coolant but also good for health. It contains tea rich in anti-oxidants and lemons which has lots of enzymes, thus its very good digestive too. Serving iced tea is good for parties too like this two:


FIZZY MINTY ICED TEA:



INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cubes of ice
  
• 2 tea bags
  
• a cup of water
  
• 10 ml lemon juice
  
• 20 ml sugar syrup
  
• 10 ml mint
  
• 50 ml of soda

METHOD:

• Take a cup of hot water and dip tea bags in it for five minutes.
  
• In a cocktail glass( choice is yours) take eight cubes of ice and add the tea to it.
  
• Add lemon juice, mint and sugar syrup to it and stir.
  
• Add soda to the tea and granish it with mint leaves and lemon slice.
  
• Serve it chilled.

FLAVOURED ICED TEA:

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cubes of ice
  
• 2 tea bags
  
• a cup of water
  
• 10 ml lemon juice
  
• 20 ml sugar syrup
  
• 10 ml of green apple syrup
  

METHOD:

• Take a cup of hot water and dip tea bags to it for five minutes.
• In a cocktail glass take the ice cubes and add tea to it.
• Add lemon juice, green apple and sugar syrup to it and stir.
• Garnish it with a slice of green apple and serve.

EAT RIGHT, EAT LIGHT

Light meals are the answer to fight the summer sun. A heavy lunch will only zap your energy and leave you feeling too full and lazy. Eat right for the season by adding these essentials in your diet. sanjeev kapoor tells us which foods are must on the summer list.

MANGOES:

Dont we love the juicy king of fruits? Mangoes are enriched with vitamin A that is good for eye sight and also improves formation of healthy epithelium to keep away common infectons. the unripe mango also protects from the adverse effects of hot scorching winds.

MILK:

With every mango you eat, drink a glassful of milk. Mango has sugars but no protein. Milk has the latter but not the former. So why not combine them? A mango milk shake is the best because it will give your body the best nourishment for the summer.

CUMIN:

You need not use just the roasted cumin powder for your panna, raitas and buttermilk. You can also use cumin seeds in the tempering of summer veggies.

MINT:

Mint or pudina definitely adds a new dimension to chutneys. and pudina chutney adds a perk to your sandwiches and snacks. A few leaves of pudina crushed and added to buttermilk leave a lingering tasty coolness on the plate.

CUCUMBERS:

Having a cucumber is like sipping a glass of chilled water. It is refreshing and cooling. Rich in potassium and sodium, cucumbers are boon when the weather gets dehydrating.

CURD:

Make a fresh bowful everyday at home. Drink it in the form of lassi or buttermilk. Have it as raita or have it plain. Your grandma's right when she says its good for you. Eat it the way you like it.

LEMON:

Lemons are precious commodity in the summer. They are treasure troves of vitamin C and a must in evry home. Either have lemonade or use the juice in your dal and veggies. But lemons are something that take the burnt of the summer heat.

WATER MELON:

These sometimes take the back seat as the mangoes dominate the fruit basket. But if you make it a point to bring home the melons, rest assured, they will get polished off in no time. Water melons are moisture rich fruits that are a boon in the summer when someone wants to keep the diet light. A good addition to salads both sweet and savoury and also as juice and of course, just plain fruit instead of dessert.

A word of advice to wind up: Meat and heat dont go well together. Go for slow on the rich gravies and red meat. Have chicken and fish either grilled or in soups. Deep fried stuff like samosas, kachoris and bhajias are the best left for the monsoon and cold winter. All that grease will do your stomach (and your skin) no good.

WHATS COOKING

CAULIFLOWER KEEMA

INGREDIENTS:

1 cauliflower

1 cup peas

4 eggs

a pinch of tumeric

2 tbsps oil

for the paste:

2 large onions

1 large tomato

1 inch ginger

6 flakes of garlic

5-7 red chillies

1 inch cinnamon

5 cloves

a pinch of aniseed

a pinch of poppy seed

salt to taste

METHOD:

• Finely chop the cauliflower.


• Make a paste of the mentioned ingredients.


• Heat the oil and saute the paste thoroughly.


• Now add peas, cauliflower, tumeric powder and mix well.


• Add a little water and cover the pan.


• Cook till the water is absorbed.


• Beat the eggs lightly and pour it over the cauliflower.


• Fry well and granish with chopped coriander.

CHILL OUT

Imagine a tall glass of lassi in your hands and its lassi with malai maar ke WOW!!! I mean its deliciously cooool and my mouth is watering now :-) so im going to prepare it now for me and my family and i will tell what you have to do... Yes you are also going to prepare it now and relish it. isnt it a good idea? Yeah it is!!!!

LASSI MALAI MAAR KE

INGREDIENTS:

• 150 ml set curd



• 90 ml sugar syrup



• 1 tsp malai



• a few cubes of ice
  

METHOD:

• Pour the curd and sugar syrup into a blender and whizz for 15-20 seconds with a few cubes of ice.



• Dont blend for too long; the curd and water will separate if it gets churned.



• Pour out into a tall glass or tumbler and top it up with a spoonful of malai.

• You could also make fruit flavoured lassi using peash, mango, lychee or kiwi. just blend a slices of fruit and forget the malai.

CELEBRATE A TRADITIONAL UGADI

ugadi, the begining of the telugu new year, is an auspicious reason to celebrate the goodness of life. so lets have a look at traditional drink, yeah you got it right, its a drink.

UGADI PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:

• 50 gms fresh tamarind


• 250 gms jaggery


• 1/4 cup neem flowers


• 50 gms fresh coconut (grated)


• 2 litres of water


• a pinch of salt


• 1tsp poppy seeds

METHOD:

• Soak tamarind for three hours and peel it.


• Finely mash it and take the tamarind juice in a new earthen pot.


• Add jaggery, salt and water to the tamarind juice and stir it well.


• Now mix the neem flowers and poppy seeds and keep it for two hours.

Its ready to serve!!!!

HERE'S ANOTHER DRINK SIMILAR TO THE ABOVE ONE BUT DIFFERENT :-)

IMAL VANA

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 gms tamarind
• 300 gms jaggery
• black pepper and rock salt (as per taste)

METHOD:

• Soak tamarind for two hours and peel it.
• Finely mash it and sieve well to get a pulp of tamarind.
• Add a glass of water in pulp and with it add small pieces of jaggery.
• Stir it well with a spoon till jaggery dissolves in the tamarind pulp.
• Add black pepper and salt as requires.
• Keep it in the fridge for an hour and granish with coriander leaves.
• Serve chilled.