As we usher in the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras, what better way to celebrate prosperity and sweetness than indulging in the art of crafting delectable mithais? These traditional confections not only tantalize the taste buds but also weave a tapestry of cultural richness and festive joy.
In this collection of Mithai recipes curated for Dhanteras, let's embark on a culinary journey that merges the essence of tradition with the creativity of the kitchen. From the golden hues of Ladoo to the fragrant richness of Kaju Katli, each recipe is a testament to the heritage of Indian sweets, offering a perfect blend of tradition and innovation.
1. 24 Carot Gold Besan Laddoo (By Prabhjeet Singh Lehal, Chef De Cuisine, Conrad Pune)
Ingredients:
- Ghee 250 gm
- Besan 200 gm
- Sugar 150 gm
- Cardamom powder 2 gm
- Hezulnut chopped 100 gm
- Gold leaf 5no
Method:
- Take a large kadai heat 250gm ghee and add 200gm Besan.
- Roast on low flame until the besan is well combined with ghee. Make sure to use coarse besan for grainy texture.
- Continue to roast on low flame. If the mixture turns dry, add a tbsp of more ghee.
- After 20 minutes, the besan starts to release ghee.
- Continue to roast until the besan turns golden brown and grainy cook for 30 min.
- Then transfer the mixture to a large bowl, allowing to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, dry roast and 2 tbsp Hazelnut.
- Add the roasted nuts to roasted besan ghee mixture.
- Take 150gm sugar and 2 gm cardamom in a blender to make a fine powder (boora) or can use Castor sugar.
- Once the besan is cooled (slightly warm) add in powdered sugar.
- Mix well making sure everything is well combined. Do not add sugar if the mixture is hot, as it will melt the sugar and makes mixture watery.
- Prepare a ball sized ladoo adjusting sugar as required.
- Finally, garnish the ladoo with the gold leaf.
2. Kaju Katli (By Dhanraj Koli, Sr. Sous Chef at The Park, Navi Mumbai)
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp ghee, melted, plus a little extra for rolling
- 250g unsalted cashews
- 175g white sugar
- 1 pinch of saffron threads
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
Method:
- STEP 1
Line a shallow baking tray (ours was 30cm x 20cm) with baking parchment and coat with a thin layer of ghee (using about ½ tbsp). Set aside. Put the cashews in a frying pan and gently toast for 3-4 mins, tossing regularly to avoid any burning and browning of the cashews. Once toasted, take off the heat and tip onto a plate to cool.
- STEP 2
In a high-powered food processor add the cooled roasted cashews in small batches and blitz in very short intervals about three times. It's extremely important not to grind for too long or it will become lumpy and sticky as the oils release. Once you have a light fine powder, pour into a sieve set over a bowl and gently sift. Blitz the larger bits again and sift as before until all of the cashews are ground finely enough to pass through the sieve.
- STEP 3
Put a medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat, add 80ml water and the sugar. Simmer gently, stirring as it comes to a bubble. Once the sugar has dissolved, around 2-3 mins, reduce the heat and carefully add in the cashew powder, stirring with a spatula. Mix in the powder well ensuring no lumps remain. Stir in the strands of saffron and the ground cardamom. Cook, while stirring, for a further 5 mins. Add 1 tbsp ghee and continue to stir. After 8-10 mins the mixture will begin to thicken into a thick liquid fudge consistency.
- STEP 4
To check the mixture is ready, take a small teaspoonful of the dough and allow to cool for 5 mins, then take a pinch of ghee between your thumb and forefinger along with the cooled dough and roll between your fingers. It should roll easily into a ball without sticking. If it does stick, continue heating the mixture over a gentle heat for a few more minutes. While the dough is still warm but not too hot to handle, spread out on the tray and allow to cook for around 15 mins.
- STEP 5
Rub a little ghee into your hand, then knead the dough gently (it will feel like soft fudge) for 1 min and then carefully begin to flatten it with your fingers to form a small circle. Put a few drops of ghee over the flattened dough. With a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough into a rough square to a thickness of about 1 cm.
- STEP 6
With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, shape the flattened dough into diamond shapes by cutting through the square in 3cm diagonals in both directions. The kaju katli now needs to be set for about 1 hr at room temperature, after which it's ready to serve. They should be set to a soft fudge-like consistency.
3. Ragi Laddoo: A Healthy Twist to Traditional Delights (By Nishant Kumar, CEO, Earthylia by Earthy Tweens)
Ragi, also known as finger millet, is a nutritional powerhouse that has been part of Indian diets for centuries. Ragi Laddoo takes this age-old grain and transforms it into a delectable treat.
Here's how to make these healthy delights:
- Heat ghee in a pan, and add the ragi flour. Roast it on low flame until it turns fragrant and slightly changes colour
- In another pan, melt the jaggery with a little water to form a syrup. Strain it to remove any impurities from the mixture
- Mix the roasted ragi flour, jaggery syrup, chopped nuts, and cardamom powder. Stir well until it forms a sticky dough
- Let the mixture cool slightly unless you can hold it in your hands
- Shape the mixture into laddoos and decorate with dry fruits, if needed
- Your Ragi Laddoos are ready to be enjoyed. They are a wholesome and guilt-free treat that you can gift to your loved ones this Diwali
4. Choco-Coconut Karanji (By Chef Ranveer Brar, Hershey India)
Ingredients
- 15-20 fresh dough sheets
- Oil for deep frying
Ingredients for Stuffing:
- Handful of raisins
- 30 gm chopped nuts like (pista, almonds, cashews)
- 2 tbsp cocoa with almond spread
- 4-5 dates cooked & pureed
- 5 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 1 tbsp milk powder
- 2 tbsp chocolate syrup
Method:
For Stuffing:
- In a pan, add ghee, raisins & nuts and fry for 30 secs.
- Add in cocoa with almond spread, desiccated coconut & chocolate syrup and cook for 2 mins. Add milk powder.
- Remove it into a bowl so that it cools faster
- Mix well and set the stuffing aside
For Outer layer:
- Take 15-20 ready-made fresh dough sheets
- Hold one of the circles in hand and place a ½ tsp of stuffing at the center and seal the ends with water to give it a karanji shape
- Use a fork to give it a unique design at the edges
- Repeat this process with the remaining dough. Make a batch of karanjis and keep them ready
For Frying:
- Heat oil for deep frying.
- Drop in the karanjis and deep fry until golden
- Rest the fried karanjis on a wire rack and allow to cool completely
- Drizzle some chocolate syrup on top
- Serve them any time of the day
5. Nuts Barfi (By Chef Ranveer Brar, Hershey India)
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 cup cashew powder
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds powder (white sesame seeds toasted and ground)
- 1/2 cup strawberry syrup
- 1½ tablespoons chopped almond
- 1½ tablespoons chopped pistachios
- 1½ tablespoons chopped cashew nuts
Equipment Needed:
- 1 heavy bottom pan
- 1 spatula
- 1 barfi dish/plate
Method:
- In a heavy bottom pan, add ghee and heat it up.
- To the ghee, add cashew powder, sesame paste and chopped nuts.
- Cook this together till the moisture evaporates. Do not brown the mixture.
- Add strawberry syrup and cook till the mixture is combined and semi-dry.
- Add the mixture to a barfi tray or any plate to set. Set it aside at room temperature for 2 - 3 hours.
Ingredients:
- Khoya (Mawa) 1 cup
- Gulkand (rose petal jam) 1/2 cup
- dried rose petals (crushed) 2 tablespoons
- powdered sugar (adjust to taste) 1/4 cup
- cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon
- Ghee for greasing hands
Method:
- Heat a non-stick pan on low heat and crumble the khoya into it. Cook it for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until it turns light golden brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the khoya from the heat and let it cool down slightly.
- Once the khoya is warm to touch, add crushed rose petals, powdered sugar, and cardamom powder. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely. It should be cool enough to handle with your hands.
- Grease your hands with a little ghee and shape the mixture into small, bite-sized laddoos & stuff them with the gulkand.
- Place the laddoos on a plate and let them set for a while. This helps them hold their shape.
- Once they have set, you can store them in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for a few days.