RAVA KESARI

Rava Kesari is a sweet dish prepared during festive occasions. Rava Kesari is an easy recipe and quick to make too. Kesari can be consumed by all age groups and is a popular sweet.

Rava kesari is made plain without addition of food colors. To attract children food colors can be added in the sweet dish. You can also cut into various shapes and garnish on top to make the dish distinct.

Rava Kesari is made from basic ingredients that are available in every kitchen commonly. Bombay Rava / Sooji is the basic ingredient.

Serves – 8

Ingredients:

Rava / Sooji: 1 cup

Sugar : 1.5 cup

Water : 2 cups

Milk : 1 cup

Ghee : ½ cup

Cashew nuts : 10 to 12 nos (break into halves)

Raisins : 10 to 12 nos

Saffron: 1 pinch

Cardamom / Elaichi powder: Green chilly: 1 no ( slice it into halves- lengthwise )

Warm milk: 2 to 3 tspn ( to soak saffron)

Kesar food color : 2 pinches ( optional)

Procedure for Rava Kesari:

Method:

• In a shallow kadai heat 2 tspn of ghee and roast cashew nuts and raisins. Take it into a separate plate.
• In the same kadai heat another 3 tspns of ghee and roast the rava / sooji on a low flame until it changes color and the roasted smell comes. Transfer the fried rava onto a flat plate. Ensure rava is roasted well for a soft kesari.
• Soak the saffron in the milk and keep it separately.
• Boil water and milk, add the roasted rava slowly. The flame should be kept at medium level. During addition you need to constantly stir the boiling water and rava to avoid formation of lumps.
• Once the entire rava is added and the mixture is boiling, switch off the flame.
• After approximately 8 to 10 mins, the water is completely absorbed. The rava is almost cooked.
• Now switch on the flame and add sugar and kesar color to the cooked rava. The sugar starts melting and the rava starts absorbing the sweetness.
• Add the remaining ghee gradually into the rava mix . Add elaichi powder and soaked saffron. Switch off the flame when the semi thick consistency has been reached.
• The preparation becomes thicker upon retention also, therefore you switch off the flame a little in advance.
• Transfer into katoris and reverse after some time. The other option is to transfer the rava kesari onto a plate and after it sets cut into desired shapes and sizes.
• Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.

Do not wait. Go ahead and try this easy recipe and show your family and friends your speed in cooking.

You need to watch out at two critical stages during preparation of Rava Kesari. At the time you add rava into boiling water and the stage when you add sugar.Constant stirring is required to avoid catching at the base and avoid burnt smell of rava.

DOUBLE KA MEETA

Double Ka  Meeta is also known as “Double roti ka halwa” or  “ Indian Bread Pudding “ . Double ka meeta is made from basic ingredient Bread also called double roti in Hyderabad.  Double ka meeta is a delicious and popular dessert in South India and is uniquely associated with Hyderabadi food.

Ingredients:

10 slices bread, crusts removed and bread cut into 4 pieces
1 cup vegetable oil for frying bread slices ( Ghee optional)
4 tsp ghee ( for frying dry fruits)
1 cup sugar
1 ½  cup water

Procedure for Double Ka Meetha:

• Remove the moisture in bread. Air dry it under a fan / under sun light. This ensures it absorbs less oil during frying..
• Heat vegetable oil / ghee in a large wide pan over medium heat. Fry bread slices, 3-4 at a time until golden brown It will take app 2 to 4 minutes. Remove bread and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Mix sugar, water, and cardamom together in a saucepan; cook over medium heat until syrup has reduced slightly, it will take app. 10 to 15 minutes. Dip bread slices into syrup until fully soaked and transfer to a plate.
• Boil milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Transfer soaked bread triangles to the simmering milk; cook over low heat until the milk is absorbed into the bread and the fat separates, app. 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in raisins. Add kova and mix properly. Garnish with almonds and cashews.

COCONUT HALWA

Coconut Halwa is a popular dessert in South India. It is a quickly prepared sweet.
Ingredients:

2 cups Coconut (fresh and grated)
½ cup Rice (uncooked)
½ cup Sugar
2 tsp Ghee
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)
Cashews and Raisins (for Garnishing)

 

Procedure of Coconut halwa :

• Wash and soak rice in enough water for 2 to 3 hours until it becomes soft.
• Grind the soaked rice and grated coconut into a very fine paste by adding some water. But do not make it too much watery.
• It should be like a smooth paste and keep this aside.
• In a non-stick pan pour sugar and add some water just enough to immerse the sugar (approximately ½ cup ). Boil the sugar solution till it becomes thick.
• Then immediately add the cardamom powder and coconut rice paste and keep stirring until it becomes thick and stick on the sides of the pan.
• Just before turning off the flame, add ghee and mix well.
• Great tasting coconut halwa is ready.
• Spread the halwa on a plate. Garnish the halwa with fried cashew / raisins in a spoon of ghee.
• Later cut into desired shapes when it becomes cool.

CARROT HALWA

Carrot Halwa is also known as “ Gajar Ka halwa “ . Gajar ka halwa is a popular dessert inNorth India. It is a quickly prepared sweet.

Ingredients:

750 gms Carrots
100 gm Sweetened Condensed milk
2 tbsp Ghee
Handful grated cashew nuts and almonds
2 tsp Cardamom Powder

 

Procedure of Carrot halwa / Gajar ka halwa :

• Peel, wash and grate the carrots finely.
• Transfer the grated carrots to a pressure cooker.
• Cook for about two minutes.
• Remove the lid from the cooker.
• Allow excess water to evaporate.
• Keep stirring the carrots occasionally.
• Pour milk and ghee over the cooked carrots.
• Simmer till all are well blended.
• Remove from the flame.
• Sprinkle with grated cashew nuts, almonds and cardamom powder.
• Carrot Halwa is ready to serve.

Note: Use 1 glass milk and 200 gm Sugar as an alternative for Sweetened Condensed milk.

ADA PRADHAMAN

Ada Pradhaman is a Malabar sweet dish famous for its unique aroma and mouth watering taste. This payasam is a must have dish during Onam festival in Kerala and important occasions.
Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Ada(available in ready to cook packs)
4 Green cardamoms
1/2 tbsp dry ginger ( Sonti / Chuk)
1/4 Cup pure ghee
1/2 cup Cashewnuts/Kaju
2 tbsp Raisins ( Kishmish)
¼ cup Sabudhana( white balls) soak in water and cook till they are transparent.
1 ½  Cups coconut (grated)
1 Cup jaggery (powdered into fine powder)

Procedure of Ada Pradhaman :

Heat 2 tbsp ghee and fry ada.

• Grind cardamoms and dry ginger together to a fine powder, and place aside
• Heat 2 tbsp ghee and saute the cashewnuts and raisins until light brown
• Immerse coconut in one cup lukewarm water, grind and extract thick milk.
• Repeat the process, make a second extract and set aside.
• Crush jaggery to a fine powder, keep it aside.
• To one cup of water add the second extract of coconut milk . Add ada and when it starts boiling lower the flame.
• After 10 mins check if ada has cooked.Ada should remain smooth but hold its shape.
• Add jaggery with it and continue cooking until it thickens.(Suggested to boil jaggery separately with ¼ cup of water. This will ensure the residue is filtered)
• Heat the remaining ghee and add this to the pradhaman. Add cooked sabudhana.
• Mix the first extract of coconut milk and the fried dry fruits with it, stir well and heat thoroughly.
• Sprinkle with the cardamom powder and dry ginger powder.
• Ada pradhaman /Ada payasam is ready to serve.

PHIRNI

Phirni is a popular North Indian sweet dish. This popular dessert is flavoured with cardamom and saffron. Served during festivals and occasions.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup long grained rice (like Basmati)
1 litre/ 4 cups of whole/ full cream milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 pinch of saffron
1/2 cup mix of unsalted almonds and pistachios chopped coarsely

 

Procedure of Phirni:

• Thoroughly wash and drain the rice. Put it into a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 2 hours.
• Drain all the water away and grind the rice to a very coarse paste ( grainy appearance ).
• Put the rice paste, milk, sugar, cardamom (powdered )and saffron into a deep, heavy bottomed pan and cook on medium heat till the rice is completely done (it will get soft).
• Stir frequently to prevent the milk from scorching or burning at the base of the pan.
• Keep aside 3 tsp of mixed chopped nuts ,  add the remaining mixed nuts to the Phirni and stir well. Turn off the heat.
• Allow the Phirni to cool, then chill in the refrigerator. Ready to serve.
• Garnish with the remaining chopped nuts and serve.

PURAN POLI

Puran Poli is a popular Marathi sweet dish made mostly during festivals like Holi & Diwali . It is relished in South Indiaalso.
Ingredients:

2 cups chana dal, soaked in water for 4 – 5 hours

2 cups jaggery (sweetness to be adjusted based on individual’s preferences)

1 ½ cups refined flour (Wheat atta)

½ cup maida ( All purpose flour)

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp cardamom powder

1/4th tsp nutmeg powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

6 tsp ghee and 1 cup milk ( optional during serving)

 

Procedure of Puran Poli:

• Cook Chana dal in a pressure cooker till it turns soft. Drain out excess water until the dal is absolutely becomes dry.
• Add jaggery and cook further and then mash into a soft paste.
• Add cardamom powder, turmeric powder, and freshly grated nutmeg powder and mix well.
• Form 20 balls of equal size and put it aside.
• Mix refined flour, maida and oil. Mix the flour and keep adding water carefully to make a soft, sticky dough. Knead very well. Use oil to knead. Divide into 20 equal portions.
• With greased palms, take one portion of dough and flatten it into a disc of the size of the palm. Place a ball of “chana jaggery” mix in the centre and fold the disc from all sides to cover the paste completely.
• Roll the chapathi disc gently on a well-floured board or a clean transparent plastic wrap. If you observe the chana mix coming out  use a little all purpose flour to fill the gap. Roll to the size of 6 to 8 cms.
• Roast each poli on a hot, dry girdle. Do not use oil or ghee initially. Roast both sides well.
• Smear with ghee on both sides when done. Serve warm with clarified butter or a bowl of milk.

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