//Dil Se Desi// DIWALI RECIPES

 

JALEBI      Ingredients : White gram dal - 500gm Water - 1litre Sugar - 1kg Coconut oil or refined oil - 1kg Jalebi colour (orange) - 5 drops Salt - to taste  Preparation : Finely grind the white gram dal with little water. Mix salt in it and make a smooth batter of semi-thick consistency. Heat sugar in a pan and add water into it. Add the jalebi colour and remove from the fire when it thickens. Heat oil in a thick bottom vessel. Squeeze the prepared batter into the oil through a thin layered cloth. While squeezing the batter, first make three rounds and a flower shape on top. When it is done (don't fry), remove from oil. Allow oil to drain. Put the jalebis into the warm sugar syrup. Take out after they soak in the syrup for about 15 minutes. Make jalebi's with the whole batter.     BESAN LADDU      Ingredients : 500 gm besan, sifted 500 gm ground sugar 200 gm ghee 1 tsp green cardamom or elaichi , powdered  Preparation : Heat the ghee until it smokes, then lower the heat. Add the besan and fry on a medium heat until it is a golden colour. Take it off the fire for two or three minutes and add the sugar. When it is cooled to a comfortable temperature, grease your palms with ghee and form the mixture into balls. Set aside to cool and harden. Store in air-tight containers.       KAAJU BURFI OR KAJU KATLI   Ingredients : 2 cups of finely grounded Cashew powder 1/4 cup Milk 3/4 cup Sugar Few silver vark for decoration   Preparation : Heat milk in a large pot and add sugar. When it starts bubbling remove from stove and add cashew powder little at a time. Mix well making a thick form. You may add more powder if needed for making thick. Pour the mix on a wax paper or thali. Press and spread with your palms for making thin burfi. Put silver vark on top if you wish. Let it cool completely before cutting in burfi shape. Put in a airtight container and keep in a cool place.     CABBAGE 'N CARROT BHUJIA   Ingredients : 4 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon whole black mustard seeds 1 dried red chilli 1 cabbage, finely sliced 350 grams carrots, coarsely grated 1 green chilli, cut into thin strips and seeds removed 1/2 teaspoon sugar 4 tablespoons chopped, fresh coriander 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice   Preparation : Heat oil in a frying pan, saute mustard seeds and dried red chilli for 1 minute. Add cabbage, carrots and green chilli. Reduce heat to low, stir-fry the vegetables for about 30 seconds. Add sugar and coriander, stir fry for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add lemon juice. Remove red chilli before serving.       MOTI CHUR LADDU   Ingredients : 2 cups besan 1 & 1/2 cup sugar 10 pods cardamom 1/2 cup raisins Ghee or oil for deep frying  Preparation : Mix besan with 1 &1/2 cup water to make a smooth batter free from lumps. Powder cardamom and keep aside. Fry raisins in a little ghee and keep ready. Make sugar syrup with sugar and 1 cup of water. Keep the syrup till its consistency reaches a long string stage. Hold a perforated ladle over oil. Pour some prepared besan batter on the ladle and the drops will fall through the holes of the ladle on to the hot oil. Cook on low flame, stirring continuously. Continue till the batter is cooked. Now mix boondi, sugar syrup cardamom powder, raisins and stir well. When the mixture is cool, shape into laddus of desired size.     BADAM (ALMOND) KATLI      Ingredients (Makes 35 Katlis approx) 250 gm: Almonds (soaked overnight) 200 gm: Sugar powdered Few tbsp: Milk Silver foil (optional) Preparation: 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 because 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.       ALMOND SEERA   Ingredients (Serves 5) 1-1/2 cup: Blanched Almonds (see Notes) 1 cup: Coarse Wheat Flour 1 tsp: Cardamom Powder 1/4 tsp: Saffron Strands - crushed 8-10 no: Blanched almonds chopped into slivers or halved 1 tbsp: Warm Milk 1-1/4 cup: Ghee 1 cup: Sugar 3 cup: Water   Preparation: 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. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add almond powder. Stir-fry 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. Place into serving dish. Garnish with chopped almonds. One may put the dish in hot case to keep it warm. Reheat in microwave or in a pan. Note: To Blanche almonds soak in water for 5-6 hours. Peel skin, dab and air on clean towel till dry. Powder or use as required.     SITAPHAL RABDI   Ingredients (Serves 7-8) 1 cup: Sitaphal (Pumpkin) Pulp 2 litre: Whole milk 4 no: Green pistachios, unsalted 4 no: Almonds 1 tsp: Chopped fragrant red rose petals 1/4 tsp: Saffron strands 1/4 tsp: Cardamom powder 3/4 cup: Sugar   Preparation: Crush almonds and pasta coarsely or cut into thin slivers. Boil milk in a clean heavy pan. Simmer for ten minutes after it starts boiling. Stir occasionally while boiling. Add sugar. Stir till dissolves. Take the pan off fire. Add saffron, cardamom, almonds and pistas. Cool to room temperature. Add sitaphal pulp. Chill for 3-4 hours till very cold. Put in individual serving bowls sprinkle a few chopped rose petals to garnish. Serve chilled.     CHICK PEAS AND POTATOES CURRY   Ingredients (Serve 4-6) 1 can chick peas 3 lbs potatoes 1large onion 3 cloves of garlic 1 chilly pepper 3 tsp curry powder 1 cup of water 2 tsp vegetable oil 3 leaves shadow benny (optional) 1/2 tsp cumin powder   Preparation : Peel potatoes and cut in quarters. Peel onions and chop finely. In a medium size pan add vegetable oil and heat well. Add chopped onions and chilly pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until onions sweat. Add curry powder and stir constantly. Now, add about quarter of a cup water and stir occasionally until curry powder, onion, pepper and garlic becomes a paste. Cook for about 5 mins. Add potatoes, shadow benny leaves (if available) and chickpeas. Stir up and let cook for about another 10 mins. Add remaining water and let cook until potatoes and chick peas is tender. When the sauce consistency is slightly thick add cumin powder, stir up and remove from heat. This chickpeas and potatoes curry tastes great with cooked white rice.     Ha ve a Super Di wali ! ! !         --