DIWALI RECIPES

Method

• Dissolve alum in 1/2 cup water. Keep aside.
• Dissolve lime in 1 litre water, strain with a clean cloth, twice if required.
• Peel pumpkin, dicard seeds, mushy centre.
• Cut into 1"x2"x1" rectangular blocks or as desired.
• Prick all over with a metal skewer or fork.
• Put pieces in lime water. Soak for 30-35 minutes.
• Drain, wash under clean running water for 2-3 minutes.
• Put in a bowl, sprinkle alum water, shake to coat all pieces evenly.
• Drain, boil pieces in a large heavy pan, till a little soft and exuding water.
• Make a syrup of sugar and water, till 2 1/2 thread consistency (refer syrup method)
• Put drained pumpkin pieces in syrup, boil till syrup becomes thick again.
• Keep covered with a mesh, overnight.
• Drain, boil syrup again till thick, add pieces, reboil for 3-4 minutes.
• Drain out excess syrup, sprinkle essence and rose water.
• Cool completely, refrigerate.

Method

• Rub and dissolve saffron in milk, keep aside.
• Dry and powder blanched almonds, saving 10 for garnishing.
• Melt ghee in a large heavy pan.
• Add flour, stirfry for 2-3 mintes.
• Add almond powder, stirfry till golden and aroma exudes.
• Take care to stir continuously.
• Add water, stir and cook.
• Add sugar, and cook further, stirring gently.
• When ghee starts to exude, add cardamom and saffron.
• Stir, and take into serving dish.
• Garnish with chopped almonds.
• One may put it in hotcase to keep hot, reheat in microwave, or in a pan.

Method

• Wash and soak rice in plenty of water.
• Change water everyday, repeating process for 3 days.
• Now, drain all water, and spread on a clean cloth for 3-4 hours.
• Grind to powder and sieve.
• Mix in sugar, press and keep aside for 2 hours.
• Sprinkle milk little by little, kneading mixture into a soft pliable dough.
• On a clean plastic sheet, sprinkle a few poppy seeds.
• Take a pingpong sized ball of dough, press onto sprinkled seeds.
• Rotate and thin out dough with the hand, forming a 4" sized round.
• Heat 3-4 tbsp. ghee in a frying pan.
• Let in one round, seeds side up.
• Shallow fry on low flame, till golden brown.
• Drain and keep aside.
• Repeat for remaining dough, add more ghee as required.
• Cool very well for 5-6 hours before storing in airtight containers.

Method

• Drain and change water from almonds.
• Peel almonds, keep aside.
• Wash once more, to remove any traces of brownishness.
• Grind to a fine paste, using as little milk as possible.
• In a heavy large skillet, mix paste and sugar.
• Cook, stirring constantly, using a large handled spoon or spatula.
• Take care of splattering in initial stages.
• Also, do not stop stirring, or the mixture burnt and stuck to bottom of skillet will spoil the taste.
• When a soft lump is form, which leaves sides of skillet easily, take off fire.
• Grease a clean work surface and a rolling pin with melted ghee.
• Put lump on it, roll quickly while still warm, to 1/5" thickness.
• Apply silver foil, and press lightly with foil paper.
• Mark out long diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
• When almost cool, remove carefully with a sharp edged wide spatula.
• Cool completely before storing in layers between sheets of butter paper.

Method

• Sieve together flour, and soda.
• Add cardamom powder.
• Rub in ghee thoroughly.
• Add curds and mix in one direction only.
• Make stiff dough, add a tbsp. of tepid water if required.
• Keep aside covered in a cool place or fridge for 1-2 hours
• Make small rounds balls about 3” in diameter.
• Press to flatten a bit, and make depression in center with thumb.
• This is the traditional balushahi shape.
• Heat ghee well in frying pan, cool a bit, then add a few patties.
• Return to slow flame. Do not invert until one side is pinkish.
• Invert carefully with knife, and fry other side similarly.
• Repeat for all dough.
• Meanwhile prepare syrup of 1 thread with sugar, water and lemon juice.
• Drain, cool a bit, tranfer to syrup, allow to soak for 5 minutes.
• Remove and keep on a perforated plate to drain excess syrup.
• Cool completely, before transferring to air tight container.

Sugar Coated Balushahis:

• Reheat remaining syrup till 2-1/2 thread consistency is obtained.
• Coat above balushahis with this, or dip on side in the syrup.
• Keep on mesh to cool, and let the sugar set to a white coat.
• Sprinkle some red rose petals and crushed cardamom over them to decorate.

Method

• Combine together the sugar and saffron colour. Keep aside.
• Dissolve the ghee in a kadhai, put the besan and cook over a low flame and keep on stirring continuously till it becomes golden brown in colour.
• Put the elaichi powder and stir well.
• Take out from the fire and pour on a thali. Cool completely.
• Combine together the gram flour mixture and sugar.
• Divide into 7 equal parts and shape into laddus.

Method

• Boil the sugar and water together. Add a tbsp. of milk to bring up the scum.
• Remove scum and boil liquid till the syrup is sticky between the fingers.
• Keep aide, but keep warm for use.
• Make batter with gram flour, which should not be too thin.
• The batter should evenly coat the back of a spoon when dipped in it.
• Heat ghee, hold perforated spoon a little above the hot ghee, pour some batter on the spoon.
• Tap very lightly at edge of spoon to allow small droplets to fall in the ghee.
• Pour back remaining batter and wipe spoon.
• Stir the boondis in the ghee gently and fry till crisp but not brown.
• Drain and put into the syrup. Keep for 3-4 minutes before draining from the syrup.
• Spread on a wide plate, add cardamom powder, almonds and mix gently.
• Cool completely and loosen the boondi with finger till each droplet separates.
• Store in airtight container.

Method

• Scrap carrots and grate them.
• Bring milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Add grated carrots.Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally without closing the lid till the mixture is fairly dry(Opp-30 to 40 mts).
• Add sugar, cardamom crushed and melon seeds,mix well till everything becomes semi solid dry.
• Then add ghee and fry well by adding the nuts cashew nuts and badam.
• Decorate with silver foil and serve after getting cold.

Method

• Sieve together plain flour and slat.
• Add in measured ghee, mix with fingers till crumbly.
• Add cold water, knead into a pliable dough.
• Cover with moist cloth, dividing into 20 parts.
• Make a cream by beating together rice flour and 3 tbsp. ghee.
• Roll each part into a wafer thin round.
• Brush with creamedflour, place another place another round on top.
• Repeat procedure for 5-6 layers.
• Roll tightly into a round cylinder.
• Cut 1" thick slices, roll lightly to a thick round.
• Repeat for all dough
• Heat ghee in heavy pan, fry rounds till golden on slow-medium heat.
• The layers of chirote should show when they open a bit on frying.
• Only then will they be and look crisp.
• Allow to cool a little, sprinkle powdered sugar over it, cool completely,
• Store in airtight container after cooling completely.,
• Serve this favourite diwali sweet, as desired.

Method

• Mix both types of coconut in a large heavy pan.
• Add 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 thread syrup. (refer 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.

Method

• Heat milk on medium flame and allow it to boil.
• Then stir constantly till it becomes semi-solid or khova is formed.
• Mix sugar. Lower the flame.
• Continue stirring till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the vessel.
• Drop a sample of the mixture on a plate, and press between finger and thumb, when cool.
• If it does not stick, remove from flame. Add cardamom powder.
• Mix well. Take small part on the palm and shape into round balls.
• Flatten a bit. Lay them on a plate smeared with ghee.
• Store in a container, when cool.

Method

• Prepare sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency.(Refer features for procedure of syrup)
• Take solidified ghee in a large wide bowl.
• Taking one icecube at a time rub the ghee vigourously.
• Take more icecubes as required, till ghee becomes very white.
• Add milk, flour and 1 cup water.
• Mix to make smooth batter.
• Dissolve colour in some water and add to batter.
• Add more water as required.
• Batter should be fairly thin (it should run offeasily when pour from spoon).
• Take an aluminium or steel cylindrical container (do not use lid).
• The height should be at least 12". And diameter 5-6".
• Fill half with ghee. Heat.
• When ghee is smoky hot, take a 50 ml, glassful of batter.
• Pour in centre of ghee, slowly in one continuous threadlike stream.
• Allow foam to settle. Pour one more glassful in hole formed in centre.
• When foam settles again, loosen ghevar with an iron skewer inserted in hole.
• Lift carefully, at a slant, and place on wire mesh to drain.
• Keep hot syrup in a wide flatbottomed container to fit in ghevar.
• Dip ghevar in it, and remove, keep aside on mesh to drain excess syrup .
• Alternatively. Pour some syrup evenly all over, keeping ghevar in a mesh placed over a container.
• Cool a little, top with silver foil.
• Splash a few drops of saffron milk, sprinkle some chopped dryfruit and a few pinches of cardamom powder.

Method

For cover:
• Roast khoya to a light pink by stirring continuously over low heat.
• Cool and break in fine crumbs with fingers.
• Mix flour and ghee well.
• Add enough water to make soft pliable dough.
• Keep aside.

For filling :

• Roast coconut flakes lightly. Cool.
• Mix all other ingredients.
• Check for sweetness.
• Make small (4 ") rounds, not too thin not too thick .
• Place 1 tsp. filling in one half of round .
• Fold over the other half, sealing in the mixture.
• Seal edges by twisting or pressing together .
• Make all in t he same way.
• Dry on clean cloth for 30 minutes.
• Deep fry in hot ghee on low till light brown on both sides.
• Drain and cool completely before storing.

Method

• Wash rice. Pressure cook or cook very moderately.
• Roast cloves with a little ghee and crush them.
• Mix water to sugar and heat till syrup is formed, that can be drawn into long strings.
• Then put powdered cardamom, saffron in a little milk, raising and cloves, along with the "cooked and ready" rice.
• Pour ghee. Turn over constantly, till ghee reappears on the sides of the vessel.
• Take out from flame and serve.

Method

• Mix together plain flour and 1/4 cup rice flour.
• Add salt, seeds, 2 tbsp. oil, asafoetida, turmeric, mix well.
• Add enough water to make a not too soft pliable dough.
• Take a pingpong ball sized lump, shape into ball, roll.
• While rolling use dry flour for dusting.
• Roll into a large chappati. Apply ghee on top with back of spoon.
• Sprinkle some rice flour all over.
• Starting from one end, roll into a tight swiss roll.
• Cut into 3/4" to 1" thick slices.
• Take one, roll over it lightly once or twice only.
• The pudi shoud just flatten enough to stay together.
• Do not roll to make thin again.
• Place on a clean cloth, to dry a bi.
• Keep aside. Repeat till all dough is over.
• Heat oil in a heavy frying pan.
• Let in few pudis at a time in hot oil.
• Fry on med. To low flame till very lightly golden.
• Flip sides and repeat above.
• Drain and keep aside to cool.
• Cool completely before storing.

Method

• Put the milk on a pan and let it boil for a few minutes, keeping the flame at low.
• Stir continuously when the milk becomes a little thick.
• Put sugar into the milk and stir constantly until the sugar melts.
• When the entire content is ready, put the rice in it and, stirring at intervals, let it boil for a while.
• When the rice is cooked, garnish it with the chopped cashew nuts, cardamoms and raisins.
• Serve it hot.

Method

For the Malpuas :

• Combine the cream and flour into a batter.
• Smear very little ghee on a frying pan and spread a small amount of the batter on it.
• Fry on both sides using a little ghee until it becomes golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper.

For the Saffron Syrup :

• Melt the sugar in 1 cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes to make a syrup of 1 string consistency.
• Warm the milk in a small bowl, put the saffron and rub until the saffron dissolves.
• Add to the syrup.
• Put the rose water and keep the syrup warm.

How to Proceed :

• Soak the malpuas in the warm saffron syrup for 2 to 3 minutes and drain.
• Garnish with dry fruits.
• Ready to serve.

Method

• Crush almonds and pistachios coarsely.
• Mix together flour, sugar and cardamom.
• Add melted ghee, and mix to hold together.
• Add very little milk if required.
• Take a 5"-6" nonstick pan.
• Sprinkle and press down sliced dryfruit gently.
• Pat and shape into flat 1/2" thick round.
• Cook on very slow flame.
• Rotate a little occasionally, very gently and carefully.
• Cook till light golden from bottom and edges.
• Cut into 4,6 or 8 triangles, as desired.
• Serve warm or cooled.
• Apply silver foil while warm, if desired.

Method

• Mix together plain flour and 1/4 cup rice flour.
• Add salt, seeds, 2 tbsp. oil, asafoetida, turmeric, mix well.
• Add enough water to make a not too soft pliable dough.
• Take a pingpong ball sized lump, shape into ball, roll.
• While rolling use dry flour for dusting.
• Roll into a large chappati. Apply ghee on top with back of spoon.
• Sprinkle some rice flour all over.
• Starting from one end, roll into a tight swiss roll.
• Cut into 3/4" to 1" thick slices.
• Take one, roll over it lightly once or twice only.
• The pudi shoud just flatten enough to stay together.
• Do not roll to make thin again.
• Place on a clean cloth, to dry a bi.
• Keep aside. Repeat till all dough is over.
• Heat oil in a heavy frying pan.
• Let in few pudis at a time in hot oil.
• Fry on med. To low flame till very lightly golden.
• Flip sides and repeat above.
• Drain and keep aside to cool.
• Cool completely before storing.

Method

• Mix gram flour and water to a smooth thick batter.
• Put water in a large bowl and keep it handy.
• Heat oil in a kadai and line it with a strainer that fits in neatly.
• Using a slotted spoon, gently tap the gram flour batter through the holes into the oil.
• When done, lift out the strainer with the fried boondi and drop on paper towels to drain out the excess oil.
• Quickly dip the boondis in the bowl full of water kept ready and remove.
• Wipe dry the strainer before tapping the next batch.
• When all the boondis are ready, bring water and sugar to a boil to obtain syrup of soft ball consistency.
• Take 3 tbsp of the syrup, heat it in a thick bottomed pan till frothy.
• Add the boondis and stir the mixture till it begins to leave the sides of the pan.
• While still warm, shape a little of the mixture into a laddu.
• Coat the hands with rice flour or cornflour for easier handling.
• Makes about 20 laddus.
• Store in an airtight jar.

Method

• Crush together almonds, pistas, in mixie.
• Peel parwals carefully.
• Make lengthwise slit from top to bottom.
• Put in boiling water, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Drain, remove, carefully squeeze out all water. Keep aside.
• Roast khoya stirring continuously, till light pink and crumbly.
• Take off fire, cool a little, add milk powder, crushed nuts,cardamom, saffron.
• Stuff into each parwal.
• Tie each with some clean thread, if required.
• Make sugar syrup with 1 cup water.
• When syrup is just 1 thread consistency, drop in parwals,
• Simmer for 2 minutes, remove carefully,and place on a mesh.
• Cool, remove strings, cover with silver foil if desired.
• Serve chiilled.

Method

• Warm the water, sugar and ghee together till sugar dissolves.
• Add maida and knead into a soft pliable dough.
• Divide dough into 4 parts.
• Roll into chappatis 1/3" thick.
• Cut with a cookie cutter or knife into small diamond shapes.
• Lift with spatula and loosen. Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1 hour.
• Deep fry in hot ghee over slow flame till light golden brown.
• Drain well and keep aside till cool.
• Store in clean, dry containers.

Method