SWEETS FROM INDIA

India, a land of mythology and celebration, of legend, religion and tradition has evolved over centuries as a mystic land of festivals. Every occasion you can dream of is celebrated here. 
Some festivals welcome the seasons of the year, the harvest, the rains, or the full moon, others celebrate religious occasions, the birthdays of divine beings, Saints, and gurus or the advent of the new year.A number of these festivals are common to most parts of India, however, they may be called by different names in the various parts of the country or may be celebrated in a different fashion.

Kaju Katli  

What we need 
:- cashew nuts 3/4 cup
:- sugar 3/4 cup
:- Milk 2 tbsp
:- Ghee 2 tsp
:- water 1 cup (boiling)
:- silver leaf 2 sheets 
Method: 
Soak the cashew nuts in boiling water for 1 hour.\Combine the sugar, milk and cashew nut(drained) in a food processor to create a smooth paste.
Heat the ghee in a large pan, add the cashew nut paste and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick.
Put this mixture in a greased tray and spread it evenly and press the silver leaf on the top.
Let it cool. After it is cooled, cut into diamond shaped pieces.Kaju Katli is ready, serve with pride :)
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Sooji ka Halwa

 

Ingredients:
:- ghee 4 tbsp
:- sooji 4 tbsp
:- cardamom powder 1 tsp
:- almonds sliced fine 1 tbsp]
:- Sugar 6 tbsp
Method:
Melt the ghee in a non stick pan.
Add the rawa and fry until the rawa turns golden brown.
Put water to boil on another burner.
Add the bolied water to the fried rava slowly and the add the cardmom powder and stir well.
Cook until dry and the ghee separates from the rawa.
Add sugar
Remove from heat and garnish with almonds.
This is the most commnoly prepared dish in Navratri and also when a newly wed bride enters the kitchen for the first time. Serve this with Papad makes a good breakfast too.

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Gajar Ka Halwa

 

We require :
:- carrots 6 (grated finely)
:- milk 3 cups
:- sugar 1 cup
:- mawa 1/2 cup (powdered milk)
:- khoya 3 tsp
:- almonds 1/8 cup (chopped)
:- cardamoms 5 (skinned and crushed fine)
:- pistachios 2-3 (powdered)
:- ghee 1/4 cup
:- raisins 1 tsp
Method:
Cook the carrots in the milk in an open pan on a low flame with constant stirring.
When the carrots are done, take them out and drain any excess milk.
Add the milk powder(mava) and the sugar to the carrots.
Heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the carrot mixture and keep on high flame until the carrot paste becomes golden brown and the sugar is totally dissolved.
Add the raisins, cardamoms, powdered pistas and the almonds.
Heat through and serve either hot or cold with cream on the side.

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Sevai Ki Kheer

 Ingredients :
:- vermicelli 200 gms
:- ghee 1/2 cup
:- milk 1 1/2 liters
:- sugar 100 gms
:- raisins 1 tsp
:- cardamom powder 1/4 spoon
Method:
Heat the ghee and fry the vermicelli until a golden brown.
Add milk and boil for 5 minutes.
Mix in the sugar and stir till the sugar is dissolved.
Stir in the cardamom powder and serve hot or warm.
Believe me it's one of the best and easily prepared sweet dishes Yummy------------_______________________________________________________________

Moongfali Ke Ladoo

 We Need :

:- 1 generous cup - peanuts
:- 1/2 cup - jaggery
:- cardomom powder

Method:
Mix little water and jaggery and heat it till jaggery is all melted without any lumps.
Heat it till it comes to a boil.
Drop some spoon of boiling jaggery in water.
Leave it for 5 seconds and then take it and try to roll into a ball.
If you can and it becomes hard, then its ready.
Alternatively dry roast the peanuts till evenly brown and then add it to the jaggery syrup, incorporate well.
Let it cool a bit and then start making it into round shapes.
Care should be taken to not let it cool a lot cos then it would be hard to shape them.
The fingers should feel relatively hot.

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Basundi:- 

1 litre milk

:- 150g sugar
:- 25g cashew nuts
:- 100g pistachios
:- 6 cardamoms
Method:
Heat milk in a thick-bottomed pan on low heat until a thick layer forms on the top. Remove the thick layer and keep in separate bowl.
Repeat this procedure until the milk gets brown color.
When the milk gets brown color, remove from heat, add sugar, cardamom powder, cashew nuts, pistachios, removed cream and mix well.
Place the bowl in refrigerator and let it chill for 1 hour.

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Coconut Burfi 

Ingredients:
:- 1 fresh coconut, grated
:- 1 litre milk
:- 350g sugar
:- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
:- 1 tsp chopped pista
Method:
Mix together the milk, coconut and sugar in a thick-bottomed pan and cook on a high flame, stirring occasionally.
When the mixture thickens, reduce the flame to medium.
When the mixture becomes semi-solid, remove from fire.
Spread on a greased tray, decorate with pista and cardamoms. Cut into desired shapes.
Alternatively you can also use Coconut powder. It's a yummy and nutritious too.