Boondi Laddoo

Ingredients Needed To Prepare Laddoo 
1. Gram Flour (Besan) – 300 grams (This should be slightly coarse) 2. Milk – ½ Litre 3. Sugar – 300 grams 4. Cardamom Powder- A pinch 5. Water – 500 ml 6. Saffron – A pinch 7. Food Color – Orange (This is optional) 8. Oil For Deep Frying. 

 An important tool needed to prepare Boondi is a strainer. The fineness of the holes in the strainer gives the desired shape of the boondi. There is no specific size that it is needed. It is totally dependant how you would like it. Its size and shape doesn’t affect the taste of the Laddoo.

How To Prepare Boondi LaddooAdd sugar to the water and start boiling it for the next 3-4 minutes.The scum of the sugar will be floating on the top. Remove the layer of scum. Continue boiling till it thickens. Add the cardamom powder to it and keep it aside. Mix the gram flour with milk and make it into a smooth paste without any lumps.

Heat sufficient amount of oil in a deep frying pan and heat the oil.Pass the gram flour batter through the strainer. Tap the strainer so that the flow is even and smooth. The oil should be very hot so that the frying is done rapidly. When the color turns golden brown take it out. Complete doing this till all the batter is over. Next dip the boondis in the sugar syrup that was previously prepared. After soaking them for few minutes, spread them on a plate evenly. Sprinkle hot water over this mixture and cover it with a cloth and leave it for 10 minutes.

Moisten your palms with water and roll this mixture into small balls. The size can be rolled as per your choice but make sure that all the balls are of equal shape and size.

There is another sweet that is commonly offered to Lord Ganesh is Peda. This again has plenty of varieties like Kesar Peda, Mawa/Khoya Peda, Apple Peda, Malai Peda (Malai- Cream) and many more. The basic way of preparing it is with Mawa/Khoya. To this, various flavorings are added to create varieties.

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:      

1 cup Carnation Milk Powder

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tablespoons butter -melted

Whole milk just enough to make the dough

For the Sugar Syrup

2 cups Sugar

1 cup water

Oil for frying

How to make gulab jamun:

Make the dough by combining the milk powder, Bisquick, butter. Add just enough whole milk to make a medium-hard dough. Divide the dough into 18-20 portions. Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel.

Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium. Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The Gulab Jamuns should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. Now they must be gently and constantly agitated to ensure even browning on all sides.

If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.

The balls must be fried very slowly under medium temperatures. This will ensure complete cooking from inside and even browning.

Sugar Syrup

The syrup should be made earlier and kept warm. To make the hot sugar syrup add mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar.

Transfer this hot syrup into a serving dish. Keep warm on stove. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup. Leave gulab jamun balls in sugar syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

chum chum

Ingredients:

250 gms cottage cheese (paneer)

2 tblsp refined flour (maida)

1 cup sugar (cheeni)

1 cup water

2 - 3 drop lemon colour

100 gms condensed milk (unsweetened)

1/4 tsp green cardamom (chhoti elaichi) powder

few saffron (kesar) strands

How to make chum chum:

Melt sugar in water and heat up to make a thin syrup.

Knead the paneer with flour and shape into oval shaped fingers, mix in them to the sugar syrup and boil for eight minutes.

Take off from heat up and mix in lemon color to the syrup. Cool for a while and take off the chum-chums from the syrup.

Mix in saffron and cardamom powder to sugarless, creamy, condensed milk. spread this on each piece and serve cold.

Laddoo Recipes

Image courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images

The Diwali sweet menu is just not complete without laddoos, is it? Well, this year instead of just the usual besan and boondi laddoos, try out some new recipes. I got my mom to reveal three of her favourite Diwali laddoo recipes to sweeten your Diwali celebrations. 

Besan Laddoo Recipe

Ingredients 
500 gms besan
1 kg powdered sugar; 
250 gms ghee 
10 gms cardamoms.

Method
1) Heat ghee. Add gram flour and fry. Remove pan from fire. Cool. 
2) Add powdered sugar. Mix well. Add crushed cardamoms. 
3) Form into even-shaped balls. 
4) Sticky sugar syrup can be prepared and the fried gram flour can be added to it and then prepared into balls, if desired.

Muesli Laddoo Recipe
 
Ingredients 
2 cups muesli
3/4 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar 
150 gms peanut butter 
8 to 10 chopped dates

Method 
1) Roast the muesli lightly so that it gets warm. Also roast the wheat flour. 
2) Mix together muesli, wheat flour, powdered sugar and chopped dates. 
3) Now add the peanut butter little by little and make into laddoos. It helps to make the laddoos when the mixture is warm. Cool it and store.  
Tip: This makes a excellent mithai for people who are restricted from having high calorie ghee. (Peanut butter is a healthier substitute for ghee.)

Cheesy Laddoo Recipe

Ingredients
½ cup paneer
½ cup khoya (or fine ricotta cheese) 
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla or cardamom powder
Chopped nuts for decoration

Method
1) Knead the paneer very well so that no lumps are left. 
2) Next sieve the khoya and mix it with paneer. 
3) Add sugar, vanilla or cardamom, and mix very well. 
4) Make small laddoo and decorate with chopped nuts. Keep in refrigerator until ready to offer.

Image and Recipe Credit: Idiva.com 

Tibetan Butter Tea

Po cha, or butter tea, is a traditional drink in Tibet, known for its warming and invigorating qualities; it is especially good to drink in the winter. Tibetans make po cha with pieces of brick tea brewed in hot water and mixed in a special churn with yak butter, yak milk and salt. If you would like to make butter tea, but don't have access to yak dairy products, never fear: make a few easy substitutions, and you can enjoy po cha any time.

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan
• 6 cups water
• 2 black tea bags or 1 tbsp. loose black tea
• Strainer
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• Drink container with lid or cocktail shaker

1. Making Tibetan Butter Tea

   • 1
     Boil water in a saucepan.

     Measure 6 cups water. Pour the water in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Turn down the heat after it has come to a boil.
   • 2
     Use black tea bags or loose black tea.

     Add 2 black tea bags or 1 tbsp. loose black tea to the boiled water. Bring the water to a boil again. Let it boil for about 2 minutes or until the tea has flavored the water and is a deep amber color.
   • 3
     Strain the tea leaves from the water.

     Take the tea mixture off the stove. Remove the tea bags and dispose of them. If you have used loose tea, strain out the tea leaves with a strainer.
   • 4
     Butter gives the tea a rich flavor.

     Pour the tea and water mixture into a large container with a lid. Use a cocktail shaker or any large lidded container that is safe for hot liquids. Add 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. butter and 1/2 cup milk to the tea and water mixture.
   • 5
     Shake the tea mixture to combine the ingredients.

     Blend the tea, salt, butter and milk in the shaker for 2 to 3 minutes or until combined thoroughly. Pour the butter tea into cups; this will make six servings.

Image Credit: flickr.com 

Recipe Credti: ehow.com 

Matar Paneer

MATAR PANEER  Green peas and paneer cooked together into a delicious gravy.  Preparation Time : 15-20 minutes Cooking Time : 20-30 minutes Servings : 4

INGREDIENTS Milk 4 cups Green peas 400 grams Lemon 1 Ghee 2 tablespoons + to deep fry Onions 2 large Ginger 1 inch piece Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon Coriander powder 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon Salt to taste

METHOD Boil milk twice on high heat and add juice of one lemon. The whey will separate from paneer. Drain the whey, tie up paneer in a muslin cloth and hang it up all day to allow excess water to drain away. Place the muslin with the paneer under a heavy weight to ensure that all the moisture is squeezed out. This will flatten the paneer into a flat round cake when removed from the muslin. Cut the paneer into strips or cubes. Heat sufficient ghee in a kadai and deep-fry till light brown. Drain onto an absorbent paper. Peel, wash and chop onions and ginger finely. Heat two tablespoons ghee in a pan and add chopped onions and ginger. Sauté till lightly browned. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and peas and cook, adding a little water, till the peas are tender and a little gravy remains. Add the fried paneer, garam masala powder and boil for five minutes. Serve hot with chappatis. Image and Recipe Credit: sanjeevkapoor.com

Kuttu Ki Puri

Ingredients:

2 cup kuttu ka atta

4 potato (alu)

1/2 tsp salt (namak)

1/2 tsp black pepper powder (kali mirch)

clarified butter (ghee) for frying

How to make kuttu ki puri:

Boil and mash potato.

Now mix salt, atta, kali mirch and alu and knead into dough.

Make small balls of the dough and roll each into small puris.

Heat ghee in a pan.

Fry each puri in ghee.

When cooked on one side turn it and cook on the other side also until it turns light brown.

Serve them hot.

Tom Yum

This traditional Thai-style soup is my personal favorite. I love coconuts, and this soup is all about the coco. I like to use different ages of coconut meat to get varied textures. A more mature nut makes a chunky soup, while a younger one makes a creamy soup. I also like to use a variety of hot peppers: jalapeño, serrano, and even the super-spicy Thai chile, just to get a wide range of spiciness. Some peppers are hot as you eat them, others after you eat them; my favorites are hot only when you stop eating them.

1 coconut

7 leaves basil, plus additional for garnish

1 sprig oregano

5 sprigs cilantro, stemmed

1/2 Thai, jalapeño, or Serrano chile, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or nama shoyu

Open the coconut with a machete, cleaver, drill, or knife. Pour the coconut water into a blender. With a metal spoon, scoop out the coconut meat and place in the blender with the coconut water. Add the basil, oregano, cilantro, chile, and Braggs and blend until smooth. Pour the soup into individual bowls and garnish each with a few basil leaves.

Recipe Credit: www.epicurious.com

Kaddu ka Raita

Ingredients:      

1/2 cup pumpkin (kashiphal)

2 cup curd (dahi)

1/4 tsp salt (namak)

1/4 tsp rock salt (kala namak)

1/2 tsp mustard (raai) powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder (jeera)

How to make kaddu ka raita:

Grate kashiphal (kaddu) and boil in 1/4 cup water at low flame.

When water dries remove it from the gas and let it cool.

Beat curd and mix all the ingredients along with kaddu (pumpkin).

Serve it chilled.

Tequila

Spicy Grapefruit Margarita

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons tequila

1–2 habanero chiles, halved

Kosher salt

6 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice

Mix tequila and chiles in a large pitcher. Let steep 3 hours, or longer if a spicier tequila is desired. Discard chiles. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Cover; chill.

Pour enough water onto a small plate to cover. Pour enough salt onto another small plate to cover by 1/4". Dip rims of eight 12-ounce glasses into water, then into salt to lightly coat; fill with ice. Add grapefruit juice to pitcher with tequila. Fill with ice; stir until cold. Divide drink among glasses.

Cactus Fruit Cocktails

4 prickly pears, peeled

Ice

4 ounces tequila

1 1/2 ounces triple sec

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

Coarse-grained salt for rimming (optional)

Lime slices for garnish (optional)

Place the prickly pears in a blender and pulse until liquefied. Strain the juice into a small bowl (you should have about 1 cup of juice).

Fill a large cocktail shaker with ice, add the prickly pear juice, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and sugar and shake vigorously.

Pour into glasses filled with ice, rimmed with salt or sugar, if you like. Garnish with lime slices.

Variation: For a fancy party cocktail, combine some chipotle chile powder with your coarse-grained salt before rimming the glasses. The smoky, spicy salt will make a nice complement to the sweet, fruity drink.

Blackberry-Poblano Margarita

1 tablespoon fresh blackberries

1 tablespoon diced poblano peppers, or 1 1/2 tablespoons, if very mild

1 ounce silver tequila

3/4 ounce Cointreau

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the blackberries and poblano peppers. Shake with the tequila, Cointreau, and ice. Strain into a martini glass.

Note: If working with fresh blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries, to avoid pulp or seeds in your glass, strain before serving. Blackberries not in season? Use frozen berries.

Image and Recipe Credit: www.epicurious.com

Navratri

NAVRATRI VRAT RECIPE

SUKHA ALOO

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp mango powder

3 tbsp oil

salt to taste

kadi pata

5-6 boiled potatoes

2-3 green chilies

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

How to make sukha aloo :

• Put oil in a pan.
• Heat up the oil and mix in kadi pata, green chilies and red chilly powder and mix it well.
• Now mix in the boiled potatoes cut in small cubes and fry the potatoes in the pan.
• When the potatoes are half cooked mix in salt and mango powder.
• Mix well.
• When the potatoes look little crispy and golden brown turn the gas off.