Recipes
Sesame, Gud ki Gajak or Chikki is eaten at the time of winter or more specifically at the time of Makar-Sankranti/Lohiri in North India.This dessert is very simple and rustic and you can eat it as snack at any time of the day.This is very healthy snack as sesame seeds keep the body warm at the time of winter and Jaggery is very good for digestion.Dry fruits can be added to enhance the crunchy texture of the dish.I have added Rose water to enhance the flavor and profile of the dish.
KANJI VADA
Kanji is fermented drink usually prepared during Holi festival in Northern part of India. It is probiotic drink which is digestive, healthy and very tasty. So the basic idea to make it on festivals is that; so many different Pakwan(Dishes) are prepared to celebrate any festive occasion, and it is not easy to digest them. Here Kanji comes for the rescue.It is digestive and can solve many problems. It makes the digestion easy, works like Panacea in Acidity and Gas and relieved one from all these gastric problems. It is made in different ways like Carrot kanji, Beetroot kanji, Kanji-Vada etc. Kanji-Vada is just kanji but served with Moong dal or Urad dal Vadas. Hence, it is called Kanji-Vada. Recipe is slightly different. Turmeric is used to make the drink Yellow. It gets ready in three days then Vadas are made. Making Vada is really easy. I use half n half (Moong and Urad Dal in equal part) ratio. Soak it for at least 4 hrs. and grind it in smooth paste. Then make small Key-Lime size Vada. Soak them in Water and at the time of serving Vada(Pakoda) are added to the Kanji.
Ghujia is an essential sweet delicay at the time of Holi festival in Rajasthan. This half moon sweet wonder is quite popular in all over India, while names are different region to region. Ghugra,Karanji are few more name as well. Stuffing can be made with some very easily available ingredients in the pantry. It is stuffed with sweet Mawa/Sooji filling with some dry fruits. Stuffing can be just Semolina or Mawa based or the combination of both. To make it aromatic you can add Green Cardamon and then you can cover it with Sugar syrup flavored with either Saffron or Rose water. Sugar syrup enhance the glaze of the dessert and it looks more festive. Since it is deep fried it gives two texture. Outer shell is crunchy, at the same time deliciously soft filling inside. Every household has different recipe. However, you can always tweak the recipe as per your palate. I add desiccated Coconut to enhance the flavor profile of this pillowee dish.So this delicacy is the fusion of many flavors. Nutty flavor and crunchy texture from chopped Pista, Almond and Raisin, soft and sweet from Mawa and Coconut, and aromatic with Saffron and Cardamon.
Balushahi is North Indian delicacy and is deep fried in Desi Ghee. It is quite popular in all the North-Indian celebrations. Balushahi is much like "Fried Baati". It is different in texture, and ingredients than Baati. Its flaky and crunchy outside and soft inside.It is fried on slow heat so that the balls can be cooked inside-out properly and should be flaky and crumbly when you eat them.Later on Balushahi is dipped in Sugar syrup whereas Baati is dipped in Desi Ghee. Bati is savory whereas Balushahi is sweet. Lot of dissimilarity at the same time few similarity.
Gulab ki Kheer is an Awadhi sweet dish which is prepared with Gulab(Rose).Every spoon full of this dish reminds you the rich culture of Awadhi cuisine. It is Very royal and aristocratic and loaded with Rose and Rose only. Fresh and dry Rose Petals are cooked in thick Whole milk and Heavy Cream and later on dry fruits and Rose water is added to the dish.
PUA OR GULGULE
Pua or Gugule is a super easy sweets dish and mostly prepared in festivals like Dusherra, Ahoi-Ashtami and Deepawali. This dish is mostly prepared in Rajasthani/Hariyani/Bihari household. Pua/Gulgule are deep fried sweet Pakaodas and are prepared with slurry of whole wheat flour. Traditionally, it is prepared with Jaggery but you can use Sugar as well. I add Saunf and Green Cardamon for the flavoring.In my house Pua signifies the Dushera Puja as this is the Prasad of the celebration.
Teej is North -Indian(Specifically Rajasthani) festival which is celebrated in the Savan or Shravan month. This day married woman perform puja. Goddess Parvati is worshipped on Teej and lots of tasty dishes are prepared and offered to the goddess.GHEVAR is one of the special delicacy which is prepared at this time. If you think of Teej then automatically Ghevar comes in mind or vice-versa
Ghevar is very famous traditional Rajasthani sweet dish which is eaten at the time of "Teej festival" and "Raksha-Bandhan".It is round in shape and has a hole in the center, Pretty much like Donut but hard and has honey-comb/net like texture. It is prepared with Maida(all purpose flour) and later on poured in sugar syrup. Malai Ghevar ,Mawa Ghevar are some varieties of Ghevar. Making Ghevar isn't an easy task. It really requires a lot of practice and patience at the same time. My first attempt was half successful in which I used Pure Ghee for frying. This time I used refined oil instead of Ghee, which I guess a good alternative of fat. After eating the Ghevar you don't feel the guilt of having heavy dessert of Pure Ghee.Later on you can add more richness by adding Rabdi and Mawa on the top of Ghevar.
It is crunchy when eaten just like that but when you add Rabdi on top, its soft as well as crunchy at the same time.
India is a Country of festivals. Holi is one of them and one of the biggest festival of India. It is full of vivid colors and is celebrated with lots of colors, scrumptious food and sweets. Holi's significance is the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated for two days and falls on Full Moon Night. First day is known as "Holika Dahan". On this day lots of dry sticks of wood are collected(kind of bonfire) at the Round-About or any of the central point the of society, and on special "MUHURAT" people gathered around it and then light fire in the dry sticks. This fire signifies that all the evil are burnt in this fire. The next day is known as "Rangwali" or "Dhulendi"Holi. On this day people applies colors to each other, go to each other's home and exchange best wishes. Of course, food is the most important part of the celebration. Thandai,Kanji,Ghunjia,Gulab-Jamun,Barfi ,Dahi-Bhalle are name of some delicacies which are served on the occasion of Hoil. Sharing few of them.
Ghujia is an essential sweet delicay at the time of Holi festival in Rajasthan. This half moon sweet wonder is quite popular in all over India, while names are different region to region. Ghugra,Karanji are few more name as well. Stuffing can be made with some very easily available ingredients in the pantry. It is stuffed with sweet Mawa/Sooji filling with some dry fruits. Stuffing can be just Semolina or Mawa based or the combination of both. To make it aromatic you can add Green Cardamon and then you can cover it with Sugar syrup flavored with either Saffron or Rose water. Sugar syrup enhance the glaze of the dessert and it looks more festive. Since it is deep fried it gives two texture. Outer shell is crunchy, at the same time deliciously soft filling inside. Every household has different recipe. However, you can always tweak the recipe as per your palate. I add desiccated Coconut to enhance the flavor profile of this pillowee dish.So this delicacy is the fusion of many flavors. Nutty flavor and crunchy texture from chopped Pista, Almond and Raisin, soft and sweet from Mawa and Coconut, and aromatic with Saffron and Cardamon.
MATHRI
Sooji Laddu is traditional Maharashtrian delicacy and prepared at the time of Diwali yet very much famous in all over India.Sooji laddu is very easy to make and get ready quickly. You don't have to count calories while eating these Laddus.
Brother of Gulab-Jamun,Kala jamun is as much loved and famous as Gulab Jamun.It has chocolate dark color and little bit stiff and grainy texture than Gulab-Jamun.Made from Paneer(cottage cheese), Khoya, Maida(AP flour),corn starch all mix together and kneaded into dough, then shaped in round balls and deep fried in Desi Ghee(clarified butter) on medium heat ,drenched in flavored (green cardamon,saffron,kewra,rose water)sugar syrup.Kala jamun gets its signature dark chocolate color from corn starch.Hence,it is known as Kala-Jamun
EloJhelo is a very famous Bengali sweet delicacy.It is a snack item and usually made during the time of Vijay Dashmi or Bijoy dashmi or can be made during the time of Deepawali.I just made them for karva chauth and Deepawali.