Apple Pudding

The Navratri (nine nights) festival which is a sign of the arrival of autumn is celebrated in different ways all over India. This festival is celebrated from the first to ninth date of Ashwin Shukla Paksha of the Hindu calendar. The Navaratri festival or ‘nine day festival’ becomes ‘ten day festival’ with the addition of the last day, Vijayadashami which is its culmination.
During all these nine days, the nine forms of Goddess Durga i.e. female divinity are worshipped.
In North India, Navratri is celebrated with much enthusiasm by fasting on all nine days, worshipping the Mother Goddess in her different forms and watching the annual Ramlila performances under the post-monsoon skies full of twinkling stars.
In Western India, mainly in Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated with the famous Garba and Dandiya-Raas dance.
In south India, people set up steps and place idols on them. This is known as “Golu”.
In East India particularly in the state of West Bengal, the last four days of Sharad Navratri take on a particularly dramatic form, where they are celebrated as Durga Puja. This is the biggest festival of the year in this state. Elegantly crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her killing the demon Mahisasura are set up in temples and other places. These idols are then worshipped for five days and immersed in the river on the fifth day.

Ingredient:

4 cup Milk
4 apples, peeled and grated
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp sliced almonds
1 tbsp sliced Pistachios

Direction :

• Take milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to boil till it reduced to half of its original amount.
• Put in sugar and stir until it dissolves.
• Add grated apples and bring it to boil.
• Add cardamom powder and stir.
• Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios.
• Turn off the heat and serve hot or cold..!

Balushahi (Indian Glazed Doughnut)

It is an interesting thing to eat out, but I believe it loses its appeal if you do it more frequently.It’s best to get a different meal from time to time, and that we should cook at home more often. In connection with this, let’s try a new recipe. Balushahi is a traditional dessert of northern Indian and Nepali Cuisine, akin to a glazed doughnut. Only difference is that it has a depression in the middle (not hole) unlike glazed doughnut. You can easily discover this recipe in any North Indian wedding ceremony. Why delay! Let’s try this mouth watering recipe at home.

Ingredient:

For Doughnuts

2 cups all-purpose flour (Maida)
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cardamom powder
½ cup ghee
½ cup yogurt (dahi)

For Syrup

1 ½ cup sugar
1 cups Water

For Garnishing

1 tbsp Crushed Pistachio nuts

Direction:

• Boil water in a deep pan. Add sugar and cook till a two thread consistency. Stir constantly to avoid burning.
• Meanwhile take all-purpose flour in a bowl and mix baking soda and cardamom powder in it.
• Add 1 tbsp yogurt at a time and knead well to form very stiff dough and set aside for about 10-20 minutes.
• Divide dough into 10 to 15 balls of about 1 to 1½" size.
• Flatten each ball between your palms into a disk and depress the center slightly.
• Keep in mind it is just a deep depressions not a hole.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and deep-fry the disks until golden brown; remove and drain on a paper towels or tissue paper.
• Dunk the doughnuts in the syrup with the help of tongs and make sure all disks soak up into it.
• Sprinkle crushed pistachios over the doughnuts.
• At the time of serving, pour some extra syrup over the top to make a shiny surface.

 Note: If you want to save your time you can use any brand 'Biscuit Dough' available in Grocery stores for making Doughnuts.

Shahi Toast/Tukde (Bread Pudding)

Today is my dad’s Birth day. In view of the fact that I am far away from him, I have planned to celebrate it in my way. He is long-suffering from diabetic consequently he can not have anything sugary. However there is a practice maintain by my family (that I also follow at my home) that in any major occasion a dessert is a mandatory part of the menu. No matter that person is there with you or not, we cook rather different and enjoy the event with great ardor. Just to bring a change in our life we go out to a sushi restaurant or do something unusual. Today I am going to make Shahi Toast (Shahi tukde) and I am certain that my hubby would become fond of it.

Ingredients:

4 bread slices
5 tbsp sugar
50 gm condensed milk
50 gm khoya ( Optional)
1 cup milk
½ tsp cardamom powder
Few threads of saffron
½ tsp Rose water
1 tbsp Ghee to fry

For Garnishing

Almond and Pistachio

Direction:

• Take away the crust of bread slices and slice diagonally.
• Heat oil/ghee in a deep pan and fry the slices until golden brown. Keep aside on a tissue paper to eradicate excess oil.
• In the mean time boil milk and add sugar to it.
• Boil to get a thick consistency and add condensed milk, cardamom powder, khoya, a few drops of rose water and saffron strand to it.
• Boil on low flame to a very thick consistency. Once it is done, refrigerate it.
• To serve, arrange two fried bread slices on plate, and pour 2 tbsp refrigerated mixture on top. Sprinkle nuts and silver leaves.

Fruitkhand

Other variations of Shrikhand can be made with pieces of apple, cheeku, pineapple ,cherry,strawberry or other fruits.

Amrakhand

A popular variation is of Shrikhand is Amrakhand. For this just add mango pulp in strained curd along with other ingredients of shrikhand and made uniform with mixer.

Shrikhand (Curd Pudding)

Shrikhand is very popular in western India as part of wedding banquet. In Maharashtrian and Gujarati cuisine it is one of the major desserts. It is made of strained yogurt. In Gujarati cuisine, can be eaten as a side-dish or as a desert.

Ingredients:

3 cup thick curd

½ cup warm milk

3 tbsp powdered sugar

2 tsp cardamom powder (elaichi)

a few strands saffron

For garnishing
 

almonds and pistachios

Direction:

• Tie and hang the curd in a muslin cloth for around 2 to 3 hours until all the water (whey) has drained off
• In the meantime boil the milk and rub the saffron into it until dissolve.
• Now take the strained thick and creamy yogurt in a deep bowl and add sugar, saffron mixture and cardamom powder in it.
• Mix thoroughly by using a hand blender.
• Garnished with pistachios and almonds.
• Place in the refrigerator and serve chilled to provide a refreshing counterpoint to hot and spicy curries.

Note: Other dry fruits can also be added to boost its flavor.

Rasmalai

This is my favorites sweet. In fact I make it every month. Try this easy recipe and you would love it. 

Ingredients:

7 cup milk
2 ½ cup sugar
3 cups of water
Cardamom powder
lemon juice
pistachio, almonds, saffron for garnishing

Direction:

• Bring 3 cups of milk to boil on a medium flame until it remains nearly 1.5 cup.
  On the other side boil 4 cups of milk. Add lemon juice to sour the milk.
• Stir constantly to avoid sticking.
• Drain chenna in a thin muslin cloth or handkerchief.
• Drain the extra water by pressing the cloth. Make sure that there is no water left with chenna.
• Take 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar in a pressure cooker.
• Take the chenna out of the cloth in a bowl, squash it and make around 12 to 15 small size of balls out of it.
• Put those balls in the pressure cooker and bring two whistles.
• Meanwhile add the rest sugar, cardamom powder in the boiling milk. Set it aside.
• If the chenna is done, open the cooker take out the flat balls of chenna with the spoon in a dish and let the water drain by pressing it a little.
• When the milk is cool add chenna balls to it.
• Garnish it with Pistachio and saffron.
• Let it cool and serve.

Sooji Ka halwa (Semolina Pudding)

Ingredients:

1 cup of Sooji (Semolina)
4 cardamoms
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
2 tbsp Ghee
Cashew nuts, almonds
Grated coconut (gari) to garnish

Direction:
 

• Heat Ghee in the pan.Add the sooji and roast on a very low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes until it turns light brown and gives a nice fragrance.Stir constantly.
• Add water and stir gently to avoid lump.
• Add sugar and mix smoothly for 5-7 minutes.
• Lastly, add nuts and turn off the heat.
• Garnish with grated coconut and serve hot.

Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Ingredients: 

¼ cup rice
1 liter milk
1 cup sugar
2 cardamoms

1 tbsp grated coconut (gari)
Raisins, nuts to garnish

Direction:

• Wash the rice and place into the pan.
• Meanwhile boil half of the milk in a deep pan.
• Add cardamom and rice and stir to avoid sticking.
• Cover and cook for 15-20 min until cooked.
• Add sugar and bring it to boil for about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir continously and add raisin and grated coconut.
• Remove from the heat and pour into serving dishes.Garnish with nuts.

Note: If the kheer is very thick, add a little extra milk. It can be served hot or cold.

Gajar Halwa (Carrot Pudding)

While we speak about Indian desserts, the recipe that certainly comes into our mind is the traditional "Gajar ka halwa". In wintry weather "Gajar ka Halwa" is an obligatory part of the menu however it requires a little more time and tolerance than any other dessert. It’s not only mouth-watering but nutritious also. After my marriage it is the first recipe I attempted at my in-laws place and to my sheer surprise that halwa is until in demand. I pursue my own approach for cooking this delicious dessert and here is the recipe for you…

Ingredients:


1 kg Carrot grated
200 grams Whole dried milk (khowa)
1 liter Milk
2 cups Sugar
½ tsp Cardamom powder
½ cup Dry fruits (sliced almond ,pistachio, cashew nuts and raisins )
2 tbsp Ghee

Direction:

• Heat ghee in a heavy base pan / deep saucepan and add cardamom powder and grated carrots.
• Cook till it turns golden and keep on stirring to prevent any sticking.
• Add milk and bring it to boil. Cook over medium heat until all the milk gets dried up.
• Add sugar and half of dry fruits. Stir continuously for as a minimum 5 minutes.
• Add khowa and ghee as per taste. Mix well and fry on low heat until ghee starts separating.
• Decorate with left over dry fruits and serve hot.

Note:

1. As a substitute of khowa, extra milk can be used.
2. Few people prefer to add paneer and lemon juice in it.
3. While serving, you can also adorn it with silver leaf just to give it more attractive look.

Try it and share your recipe by email, if you have any...

Badam Halwa (Almond Pudding)

Indian desserts have always been a vital part of Indian food. It has gained popularity all over world. Each celebration in Indian subcontinent is incomplete without sweets and desserts. Preparing dessert with milk is well thought-out to be among the principal feature of Indian sweets. Sweets are eaten generally after heavy meal.

Ingredients:

2 cups Badam
1 cup Milk
2½ cups Sugar
4 tsp Ghee
2 drops Kesar (Saffron)

Direction:

• Soak the almonds in hot water for 1 hour.
• Remove the external skin and grind to a paste with little milk.
• In the meantime make sugar syrup to 1 cup milk and boil till it reaches a one-string consistency.
• Put in the almond paste and boil till it thickens.
• Add the saffron.
• Add ghee gradually and stir continuously on low heat.
• Serve hot

Rasogulla

The rasgulla is a widespread cheese based, syrupy sweet dish that stem from Orissa. The recipe for making rasgulla eventually made its way from Orissa to neighboring West Bengal. In the long run the popularity of rasgulla spread to all other parts of India.

Ingredients:
 

1/2 liter Milk
2 tsp Flattened Flour (maida)
1/4 tsp Lemon Juice
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
4-5 drops Rosewater Essence

Direction:

• Heat milk in a pan and bring it to boil. Take away from heat.
• Add lemon juice. Stir gradually and smoothly until white curd forms on the surface and separates from whey.
• On straining this milk, the stuff that is obtained is called "chenna" fresh curd cheese.
• Wash chenna well under cold running water and twist the cloth that was used for straining to extract water.
• Knead chenna to make smooth dough. Add flour and knead again.
• Roll them into small balls of equal size of the dough and keep aside. Bear in Mind that it will swell up when drop into syrup.
• Meanwhile make sugar syrup. Mix sugar and water in a pan and bring it to boil.
• Boil balls in the sugar syrup for about 15 minutes with lid partially uncovered. until the syrup permeates the balls.
• Chenna dumpling will puff up.
• On cooling, add rose water essence.