Patishapta (Rice crepes with coconut filling)

"Sankranti" can be coined as Indian Thanks giving day, the harvest festival specially for crops like rice, as we have more than one harvest season in our rich agriculturally varied country, so it is also the time to thank the Nature for a good harvest and bountiful of happiness that also ushers us in the new season. This recipe is a Bengali sankranti special – patishapta. Rice crepes filled with coconut and jaggery mixture.

Ingredients:
Rice flour : ½ cup
Milk : ½ cup + more if batter is too thick
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Ghee as required
Coconut (freshly grated ) : 2½ cup
Date palm jaggery / nolen gur (crumbled into pieces): 50 gm approximately

Instructions:
Make a smooth, easy flowing batter with rice flour, sugar and milk. Keep it separated.
Heat a nonstick pan and add the coconut in it. On a low flame, keep on stirring the coconut for few minutes and add the jaggery.
Keep on stirring on low flame till the jaggery melts and incorporates well into the coconut.
This may take up to 20 minutes till you get a little lumpy mixture.
Leave the mixture to cool for few minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan, and grease it with ghee.
Pour a ladle of batter in the center of the pan. Swirl the pan slightly so that the batter thins out in a circular disc.
Cook on a low flame until the bottom of the crepe turns golden.
Using a spatula, flip it over and cook the other side for few seconds.
Flip it back and add a spoonful of coconut filling in the center, fold it over from each side towards middle, overlapping one side.
Set aside and make rest of the patishapta or crepes with remaining batter and filling.
Do not forget to grease the pan with ghee in between crepes.

Notes:
There are many variations to it both in the batter and filling. Some use all purpose flour and sooji too in the batter, but traditionally it is being made with rice flour only. Go and try with the flavours that suits you best. For filling you can use dry fruits too and in place of jaggery can replace it with sugar, but the jaggery gives such a nice aroma and taste that is hard to match !!!

Narkel Nadu (coconut laddoo)

This has no recipe at all, people makes these as per their taste and preferences, some with jaggery, ask any Bong, they will vouch for their beloved “narkel er naadu” others with sugar, condensed milk to give these laddoos extra richness in taste. No matters, what you add, they always taste best. This is absolutely hassle free and you can make these in advance for Diwali or for any festival or puja.

Ingredients:
Coconut : 1 or 2 to make 15-20 balls / laddoos
Green cardamom : 2-3 shelled
Sugar : 1 cup or according to taste
Milk (not skimmed) is optional : 1 litre or 4 cups

Method :
Scrape the coconut with the help of coconut grater. The freshly grated coconut has its own rich taste and flavor, which you wont find in the canned or packed one, sometimes enhanced by the artificial sweetener.
Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan and add the grated coconut slowly in the pan after 2-3 boils.
When the coconut absorbs much of the milk, add the sugar and cardamoms. The amount of sugar needed also depends upon the sweetness of the coconut, so always check the coconut, before adding the sugar.
Stir on a low heat, till they starts collecting and forms a lump. Cool slightly, say for 5-10 minutes and then starts making the laddoos or balls.
Serve the coconut laddoo or sweet balls, warm or at room temperature.
Vegans can skip the milk part. For them, in a non stick pan just add the sugar and coconut together, stir on a low heat, till they become lumpy. It will take around 20 -30 minutes. Cool slightly before making balls out of it.
You can refrigerate these coconut laddoos up to two week, if stored in air tight container. Actually it is hard to keep these laddoos for long, as they vanish quickly…sometimes in a same day. :)
This simple and tasty coconut laddoos or the sweet balls will be showcased in this months event : Healing foods which is themed around this wonderful fruit : coconut and if you have not yet send me the recipes, then please hurry up , as two more weeks to go !!!

Mishti Doi

Mishti doi / Sweet yogurt is a Bengali dessert and it is also the quintessential dessert without which a Bengali lunch can be said as complete.

Ingredients:
Milk (full cream): 500 ml
Date jaggery (crushed) : 2-3 tbsp
Curd: 2 tsp with live culture bacteria

Method :
Heat the milk in a heavy bottom pan and reduce it to 1/2 of its original quantity.
Take off from the heat and let it cool slightly for couple of minutes.
Add the date jaggery to the milk and mix it vigorously till the jaggery completely dissolves into it..  Check for the sweetness , if requires add more . Let it cool to room temperature. Date jaggery can be replaced with caramelized sugar.
Add the curd (it should have live culture bacteria) to the lukewarm milk and whisk thoroughly. The culture should spread evenly.
If you are not sure about the curd, then first try to set a regular dahi / yogurt at home. If it works then it should work for mishti doi as well.
Pour the mixture into a terracotta or clay pot and keep in a warm place (preferably near gas stove / or in an incubator) for 10-12 hours, may be overnight to set , so that you can enjoy it next day.
Sugar or jaggery in the milk actually inhibits the setting of yogurt, so it takes long time to set. Try to make mishti doi preferabaly in summer months when the avearge temperature rises to more then 32 degree celcius.
Once set, refrigerate and serve the chilled mishti doi as a dessert.

Malpua

Ingredients:

For rabri:
1 litre milk
1 cup sugar

For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Saffron strands
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

For the malpua:
500 gms all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
400 gms sweetened condensed milk
Slivered almonds and pistachios to garnish
Ghee

Method:
Mix the milk and 1 cup of sugar in a thick-bottomed pan
Cook to reduce it to a fourth of its original volume while stirring frequently
Remove it from the fire; allow cooling and then chilling in the refrigerator
Mix equal quantity of sugar and water in a pan
Boil it until a single-thread consistency is obtained
Add cardamom powder, saffron threads, mix well
Keep it aside to use later
In a large mixing bowl, blend the condensed milk, flour and baking powder together to form a smooth batter
Meanwhile heat enough ghee in a deep frying pan to cook the malpuas
Pour the batter into the oil to form circles about 4" in diameter
Cook till golden brown
Remove from the oil and put directly into the sugar syrup
Remove after 2-3 minutes and drain on a wire rack
Now to serve, place 2 malpuas in a plate, spoon rabri over them and garnish with slivered nuts

Lachha Rabri

Lachha Rabdi is a sweet, delicious dessert made with milk, nuts, and spices.

Ingredients:
4 cups Milk
3-4 tablespoon Sugar (sweetness as per taste)
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon Saffron
2 tablespoon chopped almonds & pistachios

Method:
Take a big,wide and heavy bottom pan or kadhai.
Grease the sides and bottom of the pan with ghee.
Add milk in the pan and boil on medium flame.
When milk start boiling ,a layer of malai will start forming over the milk.
Now take the malai with help of spatula and keep collecting it on the sides of the pan.
Collect malai on all the sides and keep stirring the milk in between so that it will not stick in the bottom.
Keep repeating the process till the milk reduced to almost 1/3 .
Now add sugar and boil for 5 minutes.
Add saffron,cardamom and chopped nuts and switch off the flame.
Now scrape the malai from the sides of the pan and add in the milk.
Let it come to room temperature.
Garnish with some nuts and saffron.
Refrigerate it for 1-2 hours and serve chilled.

Kulfi (Indian Eggless Ice Cream)

Kulfi is an eggless Indian ice cream. This is a simple and delicious dessert made with milk and sugar. Kulfi is very popular with street vendors, especially in summer. This is an easy recipe to make and Kulfi is an absolute treat for both young and old.

Ingredients:
4 cup milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon agar-agar (sea weed works as a vegetarian gelatin)
1/4 teaspoon cardamoms crushed

Method:
In a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat boil the milk, heavy cream, and sugar together.
After milk comes to boil lower the heat to medium and let it boil for about 35 minutes, stir the milk occasionally and clean the sides preventing milk not to make a ring on sides. Because of cream, milk does not burn in bottom of the pan.
In a small bowl mix corn starch, agar-agar, and cardamom with 2 spoons of water really well making sure there are no lumps,
Add to the boiling milk mix it well, boil for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix the milk for about a minute.
Let it cool and pour into the molds, use Kulfi molds, Popsicle molds or small cups. I am using 3 oz plastic cups.
Freeze for about 5 hours, before Kulfi is ready to serve.

Suggestions:
You can flavor Kulfi with saffron or vanilla and add the nuts of your choice.

Pista Kulfi (Pistachio Ice Cream)

Kulfi is a very popular Indian ice cream. Kulfi comes in a variety of different flavors. Traditional kulfi is flavored with cardamom; this recipe is flavored with cardamom and pistachios.

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1 slice of white bread
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar, adjust to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground cardamom (ilachi)
10 pistachios sliced

Method:
Remove the crust from all sides of the bread and cut the bread in small pieces.
Blend bread pieces, cornstarch, and a 1/2 cup of milk, making smooth paste and set aside.
Boil remaining milk (3.5 cups) in nonstick frying pan on medium high heat.
Stir milk as needed to keep milk from burning on the bottom of the frying pan. Stir the sides of the pan to avoid scalding.
After milk comes to boil, let the milk boil for another 12 minutes. The goal is to boil the milk from 3 1/2 cups to 2 1/2 cups.
Add the bread mixture to the milk in frying the pan and cook for another 4 minutes, reducing the heat to medium. Bread and cornstarch are added to reduce the water crystallizing in kulfi during freezing.
Next add sugar and pistachios and cook for 2 more minutes.
Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder.
Cool the milk to room temperature and pour into a bowl,
Take cellophane wrap and place it right over the milk covering it completely. Note: It is important that the cellophane wrap touches the milk.
Put it in freezer. It will take about 7 hours for the kulfi to be ready to serve.

Variations:
Replace pistachios with almond or coconut powder.
Replace pistachios with finally chopped fruits like mangos or strawberries. Add fruits in the end after turning off the heat.
Many people enjoy eating kulfi like a Popsicle.  Before freezing, pour the milk mixture in to a Popsicle mold.  If you don’t have Popsicle mold use small paper cups and place cellophane wrap on top of the milk and place a Popsicle stick in center of cup and freeze.

Mawa Kachori (Puffed Pastry)

Mawa Kachori is an exotic dessert. This is a delicacy from state of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is known for their rich food and culture. Pastry filled with aromatic mixture of mawa and nuts makes a very festive dessert.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1cup all-purpose flour (maida, plain flour)
2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
Approx. 1/2 cup of lukewarm water as needed

Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
1 cup milk powder
1/4 cup mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios coarsely ground)
1/4 teaspoon crushed cardamom
3 tablespoon sugar

Note: If you are using mawa use ¾ cup of mawa instead cream and powder

Oil to fry

Syrup:
1cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon crushed cardamom
Few strands of saffron

Method:

Crust:
Mix flour, and clarified butter in a bowl, making firm soft adding water slowly as needed. Knead the dough until the dough becomes soft and pliable.
Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least ten minutes.

Syrup:
Boil the sugar and water on medium heat, as sugar comes to boil add saffron, and cardamom on medium heat until syrup is about one thread or 220 degrees (Fahrenheit) on a candy thermometer. Set aside.

Filling:
Mix the cream and milk powder in a frying pan. Cook on medium heat until it becomes consistency of soft dough, this should take about 3-4 minutes. Stir continuously so the mixture does not burn on the bottom of the pan. This mixture is known mava.
Next add nuts mixture, sugar, and cardamom powder to mawa. Mix together well and cook for about 2 more minutes until mixture is consistency of soft dough. Keep aside.
After cooling, the mixture will become drier but still should be lightly moist.

Making Kachories:
Knead the dough for a minute.
Divide the dough into about 18 equal parts.
Roll each ball into about 2-inch diameter.
Take one of the rolled dough in your palm and place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the filling. Proceed to make all 30 balls.
Let the filled balls sit for 3 to 4 minutes before pressing.
In the frying pan heat the oil on medium high, frying pan should have about 1-1/2 inches of oil.
Set the filled balls on a clean and dry surface with the seam facing up. Using the base of your palm, slowly flatten them into about 3 inches circle.
To check if oil is ready put a little piece of dough in the oil. It should sizzle, and come up slowly.
Slowly drop the Kachories in the oil, do not over crowd the kachories in frying pan, fry them on medium heat.
After they are puff, slowly turn them over.
It will take about 5-6 minutes to fry. Fry until golden-brown on all sides.
If the kachories are fried on high heat, they will get soft and will not be crispy.

Serving:
Just before serving drizzle the kachori with about 2 tablespoons of hot syrup. Garnish them with left over filling or sliced pistachios.
Kachories can also be served without syrup.

Coconut Barfi

This recipe is made with coconut powder combined with a cardamom flavored sugar syrup. This is a scrumptious dessert or snack.

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup dry milk powder
1/2 cup coconut powder
1/2 cup grounded walnut
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:
Grease an 8-inch round or square plate and set aside.
Boil the heavy cream on medium-high heat.
After milk comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low-medium heat.
Add the sugar and Stir so sugar is dissolve.
Let it simmer six to seven minutes making sure to stir frequently. The milk syrup should heat until 230 degrees on candy thermometer or one thread.
Add the milk powder and mix well. Stir for about two to three minutes on medium heat or until the mixture should start leaving the pan.
Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder, coconut powder and ground walnut and mix well.
Spread on a greased plate about 1/2 inch thick and let it cool for about an hour. Cut the barfis in square or diamond shapes, or any desired shape.

Tips:
If sugar syrup heats to above 230 degrees, the barfee will be dry. If the syrup is not thick enough, the barfi will take longer to cook with dry milk powder, making the burfee chewy like taffy.

Peda (Indian Sweet)

Pedas are an all time favorite sweet. Pedas are like soft milk fudge. Pedas are grainy texture made with milk and sugar, flavored with cardamom. Peda can be served as a candy or as a dessert.

Ingredients:
4  cup paneer
1/3 cup milk powder
1/3 cup milk
1/2  cup sugar
3  tablespoon unsalted butter (ghee)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder (ilatchi)

For Garnish:
1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

Method:
Check the recipe for paneer and make the paneer with whole milk. For this recipe use 4 cups of milk.
Heat the frying pan on medium. Add butter and let it melt.
Next add milk, milk powder, and paneer. Mix it well.
Cook mixture on medium heat stirring continuously until mixture starts leaving the sides of the frying pan and becomes like dough. This should take about 12 minutes. Now this is known as khoya.
Transfer the khoya into a bowl and let it cool off until khoya becomes just lukewarm.
Mix the sugar and cardamom powder into the khoya and knead it for about a minute until every thing blends together and become soft dough. Note: if you mix the sugar while khoya is hot that will make pedas soft.
Divide the mix into about 20 equal parts and roll them into round balls. Lightly press it down so it looks like small patty.
Put few pieces of sliced pistachios on every peda.
Pedas should be served at room temperature.
Pedas can be kept for few days at room temperature and about a month refrigerated.

Kalakand

Very traditional and delicious dessert, made with whole milk, variation of a barfi soft and grainy in texture.

Ingredients:
8 cups or 2 quart milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (for making paneer)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds or pistachio for garnishing

Method:

Making Paneer:
Mix lemon juice in ¼ cup of hot water and put aside.
Boil the 4 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
To take out the excess water, squeeze the wrapped paneer. Do not knead the paneer.

Making Kalakand:
Boil remaining 4 cup of the milk in a heavy bottom frying pan on medium high heat until the milk reduces to about two cups.
Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.
Add the paneer in the milk and keep stirring till the mixture thickness and form a soft dough consistency.
Add the sugar and continue to cook and stirring until the mixture become soft lump and start leaving the pan from sides.
Pour it over greased plate keeping about half inch thick.
Let it cool for about one hour. Cut the kalakand in squares.

Tips:
Putting few spoons of water in pot before putting milk reduces burning the milk bottom of the pan.
If kalakand is too soft put the plate in microwave oven (plate should be microwave safe) for 2 to 3 minutes. Making sure kalakand don’t become dry.

Besan Ki Barfi (Gram Flour Fudge)

Besan ki barfi is sweet like candy and has a fudge like consistency. Made with roasted Besan, butter and sugar, it is then flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts. Besan Burfi can be served any time of the day. In an Indian household, Burfies are served as cookies or chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 cup besan, gram flour
2 tablespoons sooji, semolina
1/4 cup coarsely ground almond powder
6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or ghee
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
8 green cardamoms– shelled and seeds crushed
Approx. 1 tablespoon pistachios crushed for garnishing

Method:
Grease 8” flat plate and set aside.
In a bowl mix besan and semolina, add about 3 tablespoons of butter mix it well by rubbing with fingers. Mix will become grainy; Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Put rest of the butter in frying pan over medium heat; add besan mix and roast for about 4-5 minutes stirring continuously basen will lightly change the color.
Add almonds and roast stirring continuously until the color has change to deep golden brown and also start to smell of the roasted basen, this should take another 6-7 minutes. Turn off the heat. We add the almonds later otherwise almonds will be over roasted.
In a saucepan, boil the sugar and water together over medium heat until syrup is little less then 1 thread or 205 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Mix the syrup with flour mixture mix well and pore over greased plate.
Sprinkle the sliced pistachios evenly over the top to garnish.
Let Barfi cool it takes about 1 hours and cut into 1” squares.

Notes:
If syrup is not right consistency Barfi can become very soft or very dry, in any case it is easy to fix.
Barfi is too soft: add little more almond powder or coconut powder. May be make them in ladoo a ball shape little smaller then golf ball and roll them in almond or coconut powder.
Barfi is very dry: sprinkle hot water as needed about 2-3 tablespoons over besan and mix it.
Enjoy!

Paneer Barfi

Paneer Barfi is great to serve with tea or coffee, or as a dessert with any meal.

Ingredients:
Paneer with 1/2 gallon or 8 cups of milk
2 slices of white bread
3/4 cup sugar
6 green cardamoms coarsely grounded
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon of butter to grease the baking pan

Method:
Check the recipe for paneer and make the paneer with whole milk or 4% milk.
Pre heat the oven on 275 degrees.
Grease the 8″ by 8″ baking pan keep aside.
Remove the crust from all side of bread.
In food processor put the bread and make breadcrumb add paneer and sugar mix it well now add cardamom and half the sliced almonds and mix just for few seconds.
Mixture should be moist, if it appears to be dry add 2-3 spoons of milk.
Put the mix in baking dish spread evenly and spread rest of the almonds evenly. Cover with the foil.
Burfee should take about 30 minutes but check after about 20 minutes like you will check the cake putting the knife. Knife should come out clean. After burfee is ready leave it cover for about fifteen minutes so burfee remain moist with the steam.
After paneer burfee comes to the room temperature cut them into your desired size and shapes.

Variations:
Add 2 tablespoons of coconut powder in the mixture while mix is still in food processor.
You can flavor the burfee with saffron adding about 6 strand of saffron in the mixture.
Saffron will give nice color and add to the taste.

Chom Chom

Chom Chom is a popular Bengali (East Indian) sweet dish that is made with Paneer, (home-made cheese). It is a versatile dish that can be served in many different variations. Here I will show you 3 different ways to serve Chom Chom, either with Pistachios, or with Coconuts or with Malai (cream).

Ingredients for Chom Chom:
Paneer prepared with 4 cups or 1 liter of whole milk
2 cups of sugar
5 cups of water

Ingredients for different serving options:

1. With Pistachios
1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

2. With Coconuts
2 tablespoons finely shredded coconut/coconut powder

3. With Malai (cream)
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:
Prepare paneer according to recipe “How to Make Paneer”. To test if sufficient water has been removed out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer in your palm and rub with your fingers. You should be able to make a firm but smooth ball, after 15-20 seconds of rubbing.
Place the drained paneer on a dry, clean surface and knead it for 3 to 4 minutes until it rolls into smooth soft dough. If the paneer is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water.
Divide the paneer dough into 8 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth oval shaped ball.
For the syrup: In a wide saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add sugar and stir to dissolve completely. Use a large pan as the Chom Choms will double in volume while cooking in the syrup.
Add the paneer balls to the syrup and bring it back to a boil. Then turn down the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.
Open the pot cover, turn the chum chums over and cook for another 15 minutes.
Check to see if the chum chums appear firm but sponge-like (with little holes on the surface). Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 more minutes.
Remove the chum chums from the syrup.
Serve chill!

Serving Options:
1. With Pistachios
Cover every Chom Chom with a few pieces of sliced pistachios

2. With Coconut Powder
Roll the chom choms in dry coconut

3. With Malai (cream)
Boil the milk over medium heat until it reduces to ½ its volume. Stir the milk continuously so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.
Add sugar, and cardamom powder. Stir for 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat.
While milk is still warm pour 1 tablespoon over every Chom Chom and top with a few pieces of pistachios.

Enjoy this soft, spongy, flavorful sweet Chom Chom!

Besan Ladoo

Besan ladoos are rich, sweet dessert-snack made from gently roasted gram flour (besan). Ladoos can be served any time of the day. Traditionally in Indian households ladoos and burfis are served as cookies and chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups gram flour (besan)
2 tablespoons semolina flour (fine sooji)
1/2 cup unsalted melted butter (ghee)
3/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons sliced almonds (badam)
1/4 teaspoons coarsely grounded cardamom seeds (ilaichi)

For Garnish:
1 tablespoon melted butter or ghee
1 tablespoons sliced pistachios (pista)

Method:
Put the besan (gram flour), sooji, and melted butter in a large frying pan and mix.
Turn the stove on to medium heat and begin to roast the basen mixture until basen becomes light golden brown in color.  Stir the mixture continuously with a spatula to prevent burning. Cooking on high heat will not allow the mixture to fully cook.
When the color has changed you will also start to smell the sweetness of roasted besan. This should take about 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the basen cool to a warm temperature. don’t let it become to room temperature.
While the mixture is warm add and mix cardamom seeds, almonds, and sugar.
To make the ladoos, take about 2 tablespoons of warm basen mixture into your palm. Gently press the mixture between your palms to form a smooth, round ball. The ladoos are usually about the size of a ping-pong ball, but you can adjust the as you prefer.
When you have finished making all of the ladoos, take one ladoo at a time and dip the ladoo a quarter inch into melted butter or ghee. Then lightly touch the part of the ladoo with the butter into the sliced pistachios just enough so some pistachios stick to the ladoo.
Put ladoos back on the plate with the pistachio side facing the top.
Leave the ladoos on a plate to cool to room temperature before putting into a covered container. The ladoos can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks.

Boondi (bundi) Ladoo

Boondi Ladoo is a great, mouth watering snack-time dessert and is a must have at all special occasions all over India. Boondis are very small, round deep fried balls that have been soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. After soaking, the syrup is drained and the syrup infused boondi are formed into balls (ladoos).

Ingredients:
1 cup gram flour (besan)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water adjusted as needed
1 1/2  cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
6 green cardamom pods (ilaichi)
Oil to deep fry

Utensils:
Perforated Spoon, Skimmer, or Ladle:
The critical part of boondi making is to use the right kind of utensil for the batter to drop through the holes into the hot oil to form the little pearl shaped fried balls.  To accomplish this you need to use a flat skimmer, strainer or perforated ladle that has several round holes on the surface, each about the size of a whole black peppercorn.
Candy Thermometer: Use this to measure the temperature of the sugar syrup at the “half thread” stage of boiling.

Method:
Crack open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Crush the seeds and keep aside.
Put the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. When the syrup comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let it simmer until the syrup is about half thread consistency or 220 degrees on the candy thermometer.
Mix the gram flour with water to make a smooth pancake-like batter or slightly thicker than dosa batter.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inches of oil. Tip: To test if the oil is the right temperature, drop a pinch of batter into the oil; if it rises immediately without changing color then the oil is ready to start frying the
Hold the skimmer about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the oil over the center of the frying pan with one hand. With your other hand pour some of the batter onto the skimmer to cover all of the holes without spilling over the edge of the skimmer. Tip: if you hold the skimmer higher than 11/2 inches above the oil boondi will not be round.
The batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil. If the batter doesn’t drop right away through the holes, pour the batter on the skimmer back into the batter bowl, mix a little more water to the batter and start again. Drop enough boondi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer
Fry them until the sound of sizzling stops and boondis are light gold in color but not crispy! Lift the boondi out of the oil with a slotted spoon (this allows excess oil to drip back into the frying pan) and put them directly into the warm syrup and mix.*
Before making the next batch of boondi, wipe clean the skimmer. This helps to keep the boondi round.
Repeat the process of making boondi and adding to the syrup with rest of the batter. You may have to adjust the heat in between making boondis.
When finished frying the boondi, let them soak in the syrup for few minutes.
Add the crushed cardamom seeds and sliced almonds to the syrup.
Now drain off the excess syrup.
If the boondis are still hot, let them sit only until they are warm enough to handle – don’t let them to cool off. If the boondis become cold you will not be able to form them into ladoos.
To make the ladoos, scoop up some of the boondi mixture into your palm with a spoon. Gently squeeze the mixture between both palms to shape into a round ball about the size of a golf ball. As you are squeezing some of the syrup will come out.  You can make the ladoo larger or smaller if you have a preference.
As you finish making each ladoo, put it on a plate and continue on to make the next ladoo.
As the Ladoos cool to room temperature they will become firm but they should still be moist.
Ladoos will keep at room temperature in a covered container for up to 10 days and for one month in the refrigerator.

Tips:
If the syrup is not of the right temperature, you will not be able to form the ladoos.
If the boondis cool down to room temperature before being shaped into balls, the sugar will crystallize.
If you are not able to make ladoos, don’t worry. You can still enjoy them as “meethi boondi” or sweet boondi.
*If you like the boondi for raita or making some other salty snack don’t add to the syrup.

Jalebi

Jalebis can best be described as funnel cakes. Jalebis can be made thin and crispy or thick and juicy. Jalebis taste best when served hot.

Ingredients:

Batter:
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon besan (gram flour)
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
About 1/3 cup of lukewarm water (as needed)

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of cardamom powder
Few strands of saffron
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Also needed:
Oil to fry

Method:

Batter:
Dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for about five minutes.
Mix the flour, besan (gram flour), oil, and sugar together.
Add the yeast solution and mix well, making sure that there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
Set the batter aside and let it sit in a warm place for one hour.
Make sure the batter is fermented, but do not over ferment. After fermenting batter will be little lacy.

Syrup:
Boil the sugar and water together. Add the lemon juice and saffron and close the heat.

Making Jalebis:
Heat the oil in a flat frying pan about 1 1/2″ deep.  To check if the oil is ready, put ont drop of batter in the oil, the batter should sizzle and come up without changing in color right away.
Fill the Jalebi batter into a piping bag with a number 3 nozzle. You can also use an empty bottle (i.e. empty ketchup or mustard bottle).
Squeeze the Jalebi batter out in the hot oil in a pretzel shape to about 2 inches in diameter.
Fry the Jalebis until golden-brown on both sides.
Transfer into the warm syrup.
Let jalebi soak in the hot syrup for a few seconds and take out.
Serve hot.

Variations:
Try sprinkling cinnamon powder or drizzle melted chocolate over the Jalebis for a creative touch.

Gulgula (Mini Donut)

Gulgulas are like lightly sweetened mini donuts. In India these are made for special occasions. This is a quick and easy to make recipe. They make good finger food even for the kids on the go. This is an easy recipe to make when you are craving for something sweet.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon oil
2 tablespoon yogurt
Approx. 3 tablespoons water
Oil to fry

Method:
Mix whole-wheat flour, yogurt, sugar, fennel seeds, and oil, add water slowly as needed to make the thick consistency batter.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat.
The frying pan should have about 1inch of oil. (To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in oil. The batter should come up but not change color right away).
Slowly drop 1 teaspoon of batter at a time in to the oil. Don’t over crowd the frying pan.
Fry the Gulgulas golden brown all sides, turning them occasionally. It will take 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the gulgulas and place over a paper towel so the excess oil is absorbed.

Tips:
If oil is not hot enough gulgulas will stick to the bottom of the frying pan.

Gujia

Gujia is a fried pastry filled with an aromatic nuts mixture. In India, Gujia is traditionally made for the holidays like Diwali and Holi and is a must have treat.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
1 tablespoon sooji (semolina flour)
2 tablespoons oil
1/3 cup lukewarm water or as needed

Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
1 cup milk powder
1/4 cup coconut powder
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon melon seeds (optional)

Garnish:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 Water
2 tablespoons sliced almonds and pistachios

Also needed:
1 tablespoon all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
2 tablespoon water
Oil to fry

Method:

Crust:
Mix flour, sooji, and oil in a bowl, make a soft dough adding water slowley as needed. Knead the dough until the dough becomes soft and pliable.
Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least ten minutes.

Filling:
Mix the cream and milk powder in a frying pan.
Cook on medium heat until mixture starts leaving the sides of the frying pan and becomes soft runny dough. Stir continuously so the mixture does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
Turn off the heat and add coconut, almonds, melon seeds, sugar, and cardamom powder. Mix together well.
After cooling, the mixture will be lightly moist. Keep aside.

Making the Gujias:
Mix 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of flour to make a paste. Set aside.
Knead the dough again for a minute.
Divide the dough into about 20 equal parts and roll into balls with the palms of your hands.
Roll each ball into about 4-inch diameter  (like a roti or chappati).
Dip your finger in the flour paste and spread it around the rim of the rolled dough, but just on the half the circle.
Take the rolled dough in your palm and put about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the filling mixture in the center and fold it into a semi-circle. Now press the edges together with your fingers. Make sure the edges are completely sealed otherwise they will open while frying and oil will get in and filling will come out.
Continue filling the rest of the gujia in the same manner.
Heat about 1-1/2 inches of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should sizzle right away but come to the surface slowly.
Place the gujia in the frying pan few at a time.
After gujhias are floating on top of the oil, turn them slowly. Fry the gujias until they turn light golden-brown color on all sides. Don’t fry on high heat; the gujia crust will be too soft and not crispy.
When they are done cooking, lift them out of the oil with a slotted spoon.

Garnishing:
Boil the sugar and water on medium heat until syrup is about one thread or 230 degrees (Fahrenheit) on a candy thermometer.
Dip the gujias into the syrup making sure they are coated with syrup all around.
Place the gujias on a wire rack to allow the extra syrup drain.
Garnish the gujias with sliced almonds and pistachios while the gujhias are still moist with syrup.
Gujias will be dry in an hour.
Gujia can be stored in airtight container up to a month.

Balushahi (Indian Buttermilk Donut)

Balushahi! This is a North Indian delicacy- a classic dessert which can be found in every street corner sweet shop. Balushahi is flakey from the outside and soft from inside. They literally just melt in your mouth. This is a perfect sweet for any festive occasion!

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour (maida or plain flour)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter cold cut into small pieces or cold clarified butter ghee
1/4 cup yogurt cold(curd, dahi)
Syrup:
1 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
4 cardamom pods crushed
For Garnish:
About 1 tablespoons sliced pistachios

Method:

Syrup:
In a sauce pan add water, sugar, and cardamom over medium heat, bring it to a boil. Let it simmer until syrup is almost to one thread on candy thermometer it should be 215 degree. Set aside.

Balushahi:
In a bowl mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Add butter mix with your fingers, mixture should be crumby.
Add the yogurt slowly as needed making into soft dough. Do not knead the dough.
Cover the dough and let it sit for about half an hour.
Take the dough and knead just enough to hold it together.
Divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
Make the dough balls, Balls will not be very smooth and will have cracks all around; make a deep dent in the center of the balls.
Heat the oil in a flat frying pan over low heat.
The frying pan should have about 1 ½ inch of oil. To check if oil is ready put a little piece of dough in the oil. It should make oil lightly sizzle, if dough float oil is too hot.
Place the Balushahi in the frying pan don’t overcrowd as Balushahi will expend to about 1-1/2 time and they should not overlap.
It should take about 2 minutes before Balushahi will come up. Wait another 3-4 minutes before turning over Balushahi should be light brown from bottom. Fry the Balushahi until they are golden brown from both sides; do not turn more then three times. This should take about 10 minutes. Balushahi will look very flakey If the Balushahi are fried on high heat, they will not be cooked inside.
Take them out over layered of paper towel so it can absorb the extra oil.
Dip Balushahi in the syrup all around and remove them. Don’t leave them in syrup.
Mouthwatering flaky Balushahis are ready and looking great read. Garnish them with pistachios.