Gulab jamoon-original recipe

Ingredients:


Whole dried milk (mawa)-1 cup
Refined flour -2 tbsp
Sugar-1-1/2 cup
Baking powder-1/4 tsp.
Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp.
Water-3 cup

Ghee as required

Method:

Mix sugar, water and cardamom powder and cook until the syrup becomes thick.
Mix mawa, refined flour, baking powder and water and make soft, smooth dough (Water should be just sufficient for kneading a smooth dough).
Make small balls of equal size. Be sure that the balls are smooth. Keep aside for 5min. Heat ghee in a kadhai / deep frying pan.
Deep fry the balls over medium heat until golden brown.
Put the balls in hot syrup and keep aside for 10-12 minutes.
Gulab Jamoons are ready. Serve warm/chilled.

Badam Kheer/Badam Milk/Almond Pudding

Ingredients –  Serves 6-8 people

2 cups blanched almonds(soak almonds in water,peel and then grind to paste along with little milk)
1/4 -1/2 cup sugar (sugar substitute works too)
1-1/2 -2 cups milk, as needed for consistency (use low fat for lower calories)
1/4 cup ghee (you can use less or none to suit your needs)
1 tsp cardamom powder
few strands of saffron
few blanched almonds for garnish (optional)


Method:
Take a non stick pan and add ghee (if using) and add the almond paste. Cook it in low heat for 20-30 minutes until it gets thick and turns lightly golden


Heat rest of the milk until hot and then slowly add it to the almond paste. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes and then add sugar. Stir well.


Add the cardamom powder and the saffron.


Cook for another few minutes until everything is well dissolved.


I prefer to serve it chilled, garnished with blanched almonds.


Note:If it becomes thickened with time, add little more warm milk to the almond mixture. 

Mango Kulfi

Ingredients:
2½ cups milk (about 500 milliliters)
¼ cup milk powder
½ cup condensed milk (I used sweetened condensed milk)
¼ cup sugar
1 cup alphonso mango pulp 

* I had regular mangoes on hand. I took the pulp of about 4 mangoes, processed them, strained them of any strings to make 1 cup of fresh mango pulp.

Method:

Combine all the ingredients except the mango pulp in a non-stick pan and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes till thickens. Cool completely.

Add the mango pulp and mix well.

You can set these in any container you want. But traditionally Kulfi icecream are served in these special moulds where the icecream is set. That shape has all the significance for me .You might finds these here in local stores.

Pour the icecream into individual kulfi moulds and freeze till set. Or you can wait till its half set and place a icecream stick in the center of it (the half frozen cream will help the stick to hold it in place). Refrigerate again till completely set.

Unmould the Kulfi. You can easily do that by placing it under running water for few seconds. Pull the stick gently and it will come out.

And Kulfi Icecream is ready..!

Carrot Halwa

Ingrediants:
1 kg juicy orange carrots
1 1/2 litre milk
400-500 gm sugar
elaichi powder (cardomom)
saffron few flakes
few drops of orange colour (optional)
1 tbsp ghee
Method:
Peel and grate carrots
Put milk and carrots in a heavy saucepan. Boil till thick, stirring occassionally. Once it starts thickening, stir
continuously. Add sugar and cook further till it thickens. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.

Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almonds/cashew or pista.

Bobbattu/Puranpoli

Mere mention of ‘Bobbattu’ , the famed Andhra ethnic sweet and an integral dish of a sumptuous meal for festive occasions, is enough to tickle the tastebuds.
But then making a ‘Bobbattu’ has almost become a vanishing art calling for a certain skill as well as time and patience. Thankfully traditional ‘Bobbattu’ made a comeback into urban households thanks to our ‘Home Food’ outlets . I just love the bobbattu prepared by my mom..here iam posting the recipe shared by her,go ahead and njoy the recipe.

Ingrediants:
300gms. channa (yellowgram) dal
300 gms. jaggery
1 tsp. cardamom powder
150 gms. plain flour
1 tbsp. ghee
warm water to knead dough
ghee to serve

Method:
Boil dal in plenty of water till soft but not broken.
Drain water.
Mash jaggery till lumps break. Gring jaggery and dal ,till a soft lump is formed ,add cardamom powder to it and Keep aside.
Mix ghee, flour, add enough water to make a soft pliable dough.
Take a small sized ball of dough, roll into a 4" round.
Place same sized ball of filling in centre, cover all round and seal.
Reroll carefully to a 6" diameter round.(Like paratha's)
Roast on warm griddle till golden brown.
Repeat other side.
Take on serving plate. Apply a tsp. of ghee all over top.

OR
Shallow fry on griddle like a paratha for a better flavour.
But this method will consume more ghee and therefore calories.

Kaju Barfi

Ingrediants:
150 gm cashewnuts
400 gm sugar
elaichi powdered
silver foil (optional)
500 gm khoya

Method:
Dry grind the cashew
Mix khoya (grated) and sugar
Heat in a heavy pan, stirring continuously.
Once the sugar dissolves, add the cashew (powdered) and elaichi
constantly stir till soft lump is formed and does not stick to sides
Roll on a flat surface to desired thickness and apply silver foil.
serve chilled.

Badam Kheer

Ingredients:
Almonds (Badam) 1 cupMilk 4-6 cupsSugar same amount as almond paste (about 1 cup)Saffron 1/2 t.spoonKesari powder (color) a small pinch (optional).
Method:
Soak saffron in little cold milk, and keep it aside.Soak almonds in hot water for 1 hour. Peel skin and grind the almond into a fine paste with 1 cup of milk instead of water.Measure the amount of almond paste, and keep the same amount of sugar aside.Cook the almond paste for 5-10 while stirring it constantly, till the flavour comes out. Now add sugar and keep stirring. Add the remaining milk, and boil for 10-15 minutes. Add the soaked saffron and serve it cold.

Badam/Almond Halva

Ingredients:
1 cup whole almonds
1.5 cups of sugar approx
2 tbsp of milk
3 tbsp of ghee (or more if you want a richer halva)
2 cups + 1/2 cup of water
a few drops of orange food coloring (optional)
cardamom powder (optional)

Method:
Boil 2 cups of water and soak the almonds for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can heat the almonds and water till the water comes to a boil and then let it cool.
Peel the skin off the almonds. They should just slip right out the skins when you press on them with your thumb and forefinger.
Finely grind the almonds added very little milk (about 2 tbsp). You can add a little bit more, if the blender blades absolutely refuse to move.
Measure this almond paste. For 1 cup of paste, add 1.5 cups of sugar (you can reduce the amount of sugar if you'd like a less sweeter dish)
Melt the sugar with the 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan.
Let this sugar syrup come to a rolling boil.
Add the ground almond paste and stir well to avoid any lumps.
Keep stirring this mixture so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add a few tsps of the ghee at regular intervals. The ghee will immediately get incorporated in the mixture.
Keep stirring and cooking till the mixture gets slightly thick.
Add the food coloring (if using)
The mixture will become slightly translucent and shiny. You are looking for a jam like consistency here. The consistency is somewhat like thick idli/pancake batter.
Add the cardamom powder if you wish. My family prefers the taste of the halva without it, so I leave it out.
Switch of the heat and let the halva cool. The halva will solidify a lot after cooling. If you live in a really warm place, the mixture may not solidify enough. In that case, simply pop it in the fridge for a few minutes to set.
Roll into small balls (the heat from your hands as you roll it, will give a glossy look to the halva) or serve in a cup.

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:
cup each: sugar, milk, whipping cream, unsweetened grated coconut (I used frozen grated coconut that I thawed in the microwave)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom,2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Method:
Heat sugar, milk, cream and coconut to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Reduce heat to simmer.
Cook until mixture becomes very thick and starts to leave the side of the pan, about 50 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a buttered 8-inch square baking dish/tray.
Sprinkle with cardamom powder and nuts.
Cut into 1 inch diamonds or squares
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours and serve fresh

Khubani ka meetha

Ingredients:
Dried apricots-1cup (available in local grocery stores)
Sugar-1/4cup approximately
Water-to soak apricots

Method:
Wash and soak the apricots in water for 5-6hrs or overnight. De-seed the apricots and crush them with fingers or hand blender in the water. Put it in a pan & add sugar according to taste, as apricots are already sweet. Cook over medium heat till the apricots r fully cooked .the color changes from light brown to bark brown. (When u break the seeds u get a small nut that can be chopped & garnished over the dessert before serving.).Serve with your favourite icecream.