New Delhi: One of the biggest Indian festivals is just around the corner and we are all set to celebrate the festival of lights with great enthusiasm. People have started preparing for the puja and the Diwali shopping is going on in full swing. Diwali is not just about new beginnings, lights, crackers and worshipping Goddess Laxmi, Lord Ganesha and others, but it is also a festival of gastronomical extravaganza especially when it comes to preparing a variety of sweets and savouries.
It is true that Indian festivals bring a variety of dishes along with them and our cravings know no limit. We indulge in a plethora of flavours and our homes fill up with the aroma of spices, not to leave behind the crunch of dry fruits and the smoothness of the sugar syrup as they combine to create some of the mouth-watering sweets.
So, here are 5 such recipes for delicious sweets that you can prepare at home during Diwali.
1. Kaju Katli:
Ingredients:
- 2 cup cashews
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
- 1/4 tbsp cardamom powder
- Silver leaf for decoration
Preparation:
1. Take the cashews and pour them into a grinding jar. It is better to blend the cashews at intervals to prevent the release of oil from the cashews.
2. Then sieve the coarse cashew and reblend. The resulting grainy cashew mixture is set aside.
3. A sugar syrup is prepared in the meantime, by pouring sugar and water in a non-stick pan and cooking under medium flame until the sugar dissolves completely. It is then boiled for 2-3 minutes until one string consistency is obtained.
4. The prepared cashew powder is then added in 3-4 batches. After each batch, it is stirred under a low flame which prevents the formation of lumps.
5. When the entire mixture thickens, a tablespoon each of rose water, cardamom powder and desi ghee is added.
6. Finally, everything is mixed and stirred continuously until the Kaju barfi mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan.
7. Once this is achieved, transfer it immediately into parchment paper and let it cool.
8. After cooling, knead it for 2 to 3 mins for a soft crack-free dough.
9. It is then covered with another parchment paper and rolled into a circular or oval shape.
10. Lastly, it is decorated with silver leaf and cut into small pieces.
2. Mohanthal:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Besan (chickpea flour/gram flour/chana lot) (300 gm)
- 1 cup Ghee (250 ml)
- 1/2 cup Milk (125 ml)
- 1 cup Sugar (225 gm)
- 1/2 cup Water (125 ml)
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
- 1-2 tbsp chopped Mixed Nuts (almonds and pistachios)
Preparation:
1. To prepare Mohanthal, first, we do the dhaba process. 3 tablespoon ghee and 3 tablespoon milk are heated in a small pan for 1 to 2 minutes and this mixture is poured into the gram flour.
2. Gram flour is mixed with ghee and milk, and the bowl is covered with a plate and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to get the granulated texture in Mohanthal.
3. The mixture is sieved after 15 minutes using a large strainer. This step is necessary to get the granular texture.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the remaining ghee (1 cup less 3 tablespoons) over medium heat and add sieved besan to it once it has melted.
5. After two minutes of stirring and cooking, the flame is lowered. Now toast the besan while stirring it constantly. The mixture will initially thicken and become more difficult to stir.
6. After 6-8 minutes, the mixture will turn frothy. It is to be roasted until it turns brown.
7. The milk is added in batches along with continuous stirring until the entire milk is absorbed. The resulting mixture will no longer be frothy.
8. The flame is turned off and the mixture is stirred to cool.
9. Now prepare the sugar syrup by pouring sugar and water into a non-stick pan and cooking under medium flame until the sugar dissolves completely. It is then boiled for 2-3 minutes until one string consistency is obtained.
10. The flame is then turned off and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder is added to it and mixed well. The syrup is then cooled and added to the cool besan mixture.
11. it is stirred well and immediately transferred to a greased pan before it hardens. It is then garnished with chopped nuts.
12. After some time, it is cut into pieces ready to be served.
3. Rasmalai:
Ingredients:
- 12 to 15 Rasgullas
- 1/2 cup water
- 1-litre full-fat whole milk
- 10-12 Almonds
- Some Pistachios
- 8-10 saffron strands
- sugar
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1-2 tsp of rose water
Preparation:
1. Boil 1/2 cup water and add 10-12 pieces of almonds in it. Soak it for 30-40 minutes. Later, they are peeled and sliced.
2. 1 litre of full-fat whole milk is taken in a thick-bottomed pan and boiled on medium flame.
3. While the milk is beginning to boil, take 1-2 spoons of warm milk in a small bowl and soak some saffron strands in it (about 4-5). It is stirred and kept aside.
4. Once the milk has come to a boil, the flame is simmered. The floating cream is collected on the sides of the pan using a spoon. This process is to be continued until the milk is reduced to half.
5. While collecting the cream, the milk should be stirred continuously so that it does not scorch. Once the milk is reduced to half, add sugar according to your taste.
6. It is stirred well so that the sugar dissolves. Also, scrape the solids from the sides and add them to the simmering milk.
7. Finally, 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder, most of the sliced almonds and saffron-dissolved milk are added.
8. All the mixtures are stirred and the milk is kept on simmering.
9. Finally, it's time to assemble the Rasmalai. Take the rasgullas and press them with a spatula so that all the sugar syrup is released. Make sure that there is no sugar syrup in the rasgulla.
10. Place the squeezed rasgullas in the simmering milk. You may simmer them in the rabri for 2-3 minutes before turning off the heat. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of rose water and stir gently.
11. Let it come to room temperature, and after that keep it in a refrigerator for chilling.
12. Garnish the Rasmalai with chopped almonds and pistachios. You may add 2-3 saffron strands as well. Then they are ready to be served.
4. Besan Laddoo:
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups gram flour
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp powdered green cardamom
- A few blanched almonds and pistachios
Preparation:
1. Take a kadhai and melt ghee in it followed by adding gram flour (besan). Stir fry it under low flame until it becomes like a paste approximately after 30 minutes.
2. The heat is turned off and the mixture is left to cool completely.
3. After that, sugar and cardamom powder is added and mixed well by rubbing it with your open palm against the base of the bowl. This is continued till it is thoroughly blended.
4. It is then shaped into small balls and garnished with half cashew on top.
5. Your laddoos are ready to be served.
5. Moong dal halwa
Ingredients:
- 1 cup moong dal
- 9 tablespoon ghee
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 5 green cardamoms
- 2 tablespoon pistachios
- 2 tablespoons chopped cashews
Preparation:
1. Soak the moong dal in water for 12 to 15 hours and then grind it to make a fine paste. Don't add water, so that the paste remains thick.
2. After that, heat ghee in a pan over medium temperature. Add the dal paste after the ghee is heated enough, and roast until the dal paste has absorbed all of the ghee. It will take two to five minutes.
3. Add sugar and stir well for 2-3 minutes. Add water and mix thoroughly. Cook the dal paste for 10 to 15 minutes with the cover on.
4. After 15 minutes, remove the cover. Add the chopped dried fruits to the pan and cook for an additional two to three minutes.
5. Garnish it with some dry fruits on top. The halwa is ready to be served.