Gajar Ka Halwa /Carrot Pudding

A popular and traditional Indian dessert made with carrot and milk.

Gajar halwa/Gajrela is a very delicious dessert /sweeet of North India especially popular in Punjab.Grated carrots are cooked in milk and sugar and then pure ghee and nuts are added to give a nice taste and crunch,addition of khoya is optional as you can make this only with milk,or can add some condensed milk.

Prep time- 10 min
cooking time 20 min
Difficulty level-easy
Cuisine-Indian
Type-dessert

INGREDIENTS-

• Carrot-1 kg
• Full fat milk-1 liter
• Sugar-250 gms
• Khoya/solidified milk-1 cup*
• Cashew pieces /Kaju-1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
• Ghee-5 tbsp
• Pistachio -to garnish

PROCEDURE-

1. Scrape the carrots and grate them .
2. Heat  2 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottom pan,add the grated carrots and saute for a minute on medium heat.
3. Now add milk and cook on medium heat till the moisture almost dries up .
4. Add sugar and cook till it thickens again.
5. Add grated mawa ,cashew pieces and cardamom powder.
6. Mix and add 2-3 tbsp of ghee and stir fry for few seconds.
7. Serve hot .

Instant khoya/Mawa Recipe:

Take 2 cups of full cream milk powder in a glass bowl, add 2 tbsp of ghee or butter in it and mix well. Add some water and make a soft dough. Cover and microwave for 1 minute or steam in a closed container for 3-4 minutes. You may now mash or grate it and use it as required.

Note-

1-Use red Indian carrots for a nice and bright red colour,I used the American orange carrots,hence it has a orange red colour..
2-In U.P we use a good amount of ghee to fry the carrots(approx. 1 cup) and that truly enhance the taste:)

Instant Badam Halwa / Instant Almond Halwa

Quick and easy Almond dessert

On Diwali or any festive occasions we make many sweets and savory items to enjoy with our family and friends. Many sweets are made fresh, while some can be planned and made ahead of time.

Badam ka halwa is a sweet which can be made and stored in the refrigerator and easily remain good for about 15 days.you can just heat it in the microwave and serve to your guests.

Traditionally, almonds are soaked overnight, peeled and then made into a paste. Then the paste is stir fried in ghee and this process takes quite a bit of time and effort. I have learnt this instant type of quick recipe from my mother who is an awesome cook.

You have to grind raw almonds to make a slightly coarse powder and then stir fry in ghee and then sugar and water is added and cooked on medium heat till it thicken .You can also use milk instead of water or use half half both.

Prep time-5 min
Cooking time-20 min
Difficulty level - easy
Cuisine-Indian
Type-dessert
Serve-5

Badam halwa

INGREDIENTS

• 100 gms /1 cup - Almonds/badam
• 1.5 tbsp - Semolina/sooji
• 5 tbsp - Ghee /Clarified butter 
• 1/2 cup - Sugar/chini
• A pinch of - Saffron/kesar
• 1/2 tsp - Cardamom powder/elaichi
• 1/2 cup - Milk
• 1/2 cup - Water

COOKING DIRECTIONS-

1. Grind dry almonds in a mixer to make a powder.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
3. Add semolina and fry it it become pink in color.
4. Now add almond powder and stir on low heat till it start giving a nice aroma.
5. Add milk and water and cook ,keep stirring to avoid lumps
6. When water start boiling add sugar and saffron.
7. Cook it started to thicken and almost dries up.
8. Now add cardamom powder and mix.
9. Serve hot.

How To Make laapsi /Sweet Daliya

Healthy and delicious dessert made with broken wheat

Laapsi is a very popular sweet dish from the state of Rajasthan.It is quick ,easy and delicious dish made with broken wheat,ghee and sugar or jaggary,This is also very popular in North Indian states specially in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. It is specially made during wedding or any big or small festive occasions and a winter special recipe.

Though making laapsi is quite easy but often the cooked grains become little chewy if you directly add the sugar in the cooked daliya ,so add sugar in little water and boil till sugar dissolves and then adding it in the daliya makes a perfect laapsi.You can add any nuts of your choice but almonds and raisins taste great ,addition of saffron also gives a wonderful flavour.

Prep time- 5 min
Cooking time-15 min
Difficultylevel -easy
Spice level-sweet
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-dessert
Serve-5

INGREDIENTS-

• Broken wheat/ daliya/fada- 1 cup
• Clarified butter/ghee- 1/2 cup *
• Cloves/lavang- 3
• Green cardamom /elaichi -4
• Cinnamon stick/daalchini -1/3 inch
• Sugar/chini -1 cup
• Saffron /kesar - few strands
• Milk /dudh- 2 tsp
• Water/paani -3.5 cups
• Almonds /badam -12
• Raisins /kishmish- 3 tbsp
• Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Add cloves ,cardamom(crush lightly to open it up) and cinnamon 
3. Add daliya and roast on low heat till it become pink and start giving a nice aroma.
4. Now add raisins and chopped almonds and just give a stir.
5. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles or cook till done.
6. In a separate pan add sugar and water and cook till sugar melts.(A)
7. Soak saffron in 2 tsp of milk and crush in a mortar and pestle.
8. When cooker cool down completely then open it.
9. Add sugar water(A) and mix it.
10. Now give it a boil and then simmer on low heat,till it almost drys up.
11. Now add cardamom powder and saffron and mix.
12. Serve hot garnished with pista and almond slices.

My Notes-

1. Use thick grain/coarse daliya to make laapsi ,don't use the fine variety otherwise it may become mushy.
2. The amount of water and pressure cooking time also depends on the quality of wheat used so adjust accordingly.
3. Traditionally a good amount of ghee is used in making laapsi but you can easily reduce the quantity of ghee if you want 
4. You can also use jaggary /gur instead of sugar.
5. It will become dry after some times,so its fine to have some moisture after finishing it.

Aloo Ka Halwa / Potato Pudding

Simple and delicious potato pudding

Aloo ka halwa is a popular and delicious dessert from North India specially in Uttar Pradesh. It is the easiest and quickest halwa I have ever made. It can be eaten during fasting or as vrat ka khana/falahaar. My mom used to make this halwa especially during ekadashi and other fasting day as it is quick and filling and I learnt to make this from her. I have seen that many prefer to make this halwa from raw grated potatoes but personally I like to use boiled and mashed (not grated) potatoes to make this. Do not use oil to make this halwa, use desi ghee to get that wonderful taste and aroma.

Preparation time-5 min
Cooking time-20 min
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-Dessert
Serve-4

INGREDIENTS-

• Potatoes, boiled-400 gms(3 medium)*
• Sugar-3/4 cup to 1 cup**
• Pure ghee-4-5 tbsp
• Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
• Water-1 tbsp
• Almonds-10
• Pistachios-10

PROCEDURE-

1. Peel and mash the boiled potatoes.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan or use a non stick pan.
3. Now add the mashed potato and saute on medium heat.
4. Keep stirring the halwa else it will start charring and sticking at the bottom.
5. After approximately 10 minutes it will change colour and turn light golden and start giving out a nice aroma.
6. Add sugar and water and keep stirring till it starts leaving the sides of the pan .
7. Now add cardamom powder and chopped almonds and pitachios.
8. Mix well and serve hot.

Note-
1-*you can also make this halwa with boiled sweet potato/shakarkand,then you have to use little less quantity of sugar.
2-* *You can adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.

Stuffed Mawa Modak

Stuffed Mawa Modak

Stuffed sweet dumpling made with milk and dry fruits

Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi is a very popular festival in India. Different varieties of sweets and Naivaidhyams are made during Ganapati utsav. Sweet Modaks of different varieties are made and offered to Lord Ganesh. There are many versions, flavours and variety of making modaks.

Most popular and authentic modaks are made with flour stuffed with coconut and jaggery and then deep fried and  the other very popular modaks are made with rice flour dough ,stuffed with coconut and jaggary filling and then steamed.

I have already posted an easy recipe for making Coconut rose modak ,which are made with coconut and condensed milk. Today I am sharing an easy, healthy, and delicious Modak recipe to offer to lord Ganesha.The outer covering is made with milk powder and condensed milk and cooked in microwave. If you don't want to make it in microwave then you can cook it in a non stick pan till the dough start separating from the pan.
 
The filling is made with crushed nuts and dates and then stuffed inside the modak. A special type of mould is used to make these modaks, which is very easily available all over India, but may not be that easily available outside. In case you don't have access to a mould, you can easily shape it without it - just make a stuffed ball and then gently pull the top with greased fingers to make a dome.

Prep time - 10 min
Cooking time - 4 min
Difficulty level - medium
Spice level sweet
Cuisine -Indian
Type -sweet,dessert

INGREDIENTS-

• Milk powder- 2 cup
• Condensed milk-1 can
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Butter- 3 tsp
• Saffron /kesar - 1/4 tsp
• Milk- 1.5 tsp

Stuffing-

• Almonds /badam - 15
• Pistachio /pista ,chopped- 2 tbsp
• Cashews nuts /kaju - 12
• Dates /khajoor - 10
• Condensed milk- 3 tsp
• Cardamom powder/elaichi powder - 1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Chop or crush the nuts and make a coarse mixture.
2. De-seed, chop and mash the dates in the grinder.
3. Take a bowl add nuts, dates, cardamom powder and 3 tsp of condensed milk.
4. Mix and mash every thing to make a dough.
5. Can add some more condensed milk if it is too dry
6. Now make small size balls from this nut mixture and keep aside.
7. Soak crushed saffron in 1.5 tsp of warm milk and keep aside
8. In a big microwave proof glass bowl add butter and micro for about 40 seconds .
9. When butter melts then take out the bowl from the microwave.
10. Add milk powder and condensed milk and whisk well.
11. Now put the bowl in the microwave and cook for 1 minute on micro high.
12. Take out the bowl and stir and mix well.
13. Now again micro for 1 minute.
14. Take out the bowl and mix it again.
15. Now add saffron and cardamom powder and mix well.
16. Again micro for 1 minute.
17. Take out and mix well and then repeat the process for 1 more time.(total 4 times )
18. Let the mixture cool down a bit,keep stirring in between to avoid any lumps.
19. When it cool down then take a small portion of the dough and stuff it in the greased mould from the opening in the bottom
20. Press the dough all around with the help of your thumb and make a cavity in the center.
21. Take a nut mixture ball and stuff it in the center of the modak.
22. Take a small portion of the milk dough and seal the bottom.
23. Now open the mould carefully and take out the modak from the mould.
24. Garnish modak with a paste of saffron and milk.

Coconut Rose Modak

Coconut Rose ModakStuffed sweet Dumplings made with coconut and condensed milk

Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi is a very popular festival in India. Different varieties of sweets and Naivaidhyams are made during Ganapati Pooja. Sweet Modaks of different varieties are made and offered to Lord Ganesh. There are many versions, flavours and variety of making modaks - the one I am sharing today is an easy and quick method of making coconut modak. The dough is made of desiccated coconut and condensed milk and stuffed with Gulkand/rose petal preserve and nuts. I have used a modak mould, but you can shape them as a ball and make laddoo and roll them in some desiccated coconut.
I have also posted the recipe of- Paneer and Coconut ladoo , Besan ladoo ,Till ke ladoo and Pineapple sandesh , Kaju Gulkand Ladoo, which you can offer as Naivaidhya to Ganeshji

Prep time-20 min
Cuisine - Indian
Type - Dessert
Yield - 10 modaks

INGREDIENTS-

• Desiccated coconut/Nariyal ka boora or burada- 3 cup
• Condensed milk- 1 tin
• Milk powder- 2 tbsp
• Saffron- 1/3 tsp

Filling-

• Gulkand / rose petal preserve- 3.5 tbsp
• Desiccated coconut- 3 tbsp
• Almonds,chopped- 12
• Cardamom powder- 1/3 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. In a big bowl add desiccated coconut, condensed milk, milk powder and mix and mash well.
2. In a separate bowl add all the ingredients of filling and mix and mash wall.
3. Mix saffron with little water and crush to make a paste.
4. Now grease a modak mould and stuff the mixture and press it on all the sides of the mould.
5. Make a small ball from the stuffing mixture and stuff it in the centre of the modak.
6. Apply some mixture from the condensed milk mixture at the bottom of the modak and press tightly.
7. Now carefully remove the modak from the mould.
8. Apply some saffron mixture on the top of modaks.
9. Now offer these easy and delicious modaks to lord Ganesha!

NOTE-
1-You may need around-3 to 3.5 cup of desiccated coconut,remember that the mixture should not be sticky, it should be like a dough.
2-Milk powder is added to give some body to the dough and reduce stickiness.
3-If want to avoid stuffing then you can add the gulkand to the dough itself and shape in modak or laddoo.