Holi is round the corner and this festival is incomplete without sweets that match its spirit and colour. Well-known Chef Sanjeev Kapoor comes up with recipes of some festive specials.
Kesari malai peda
Ingredients
4 cups milk
A few strands of saffron
A pinch of citric acid
2 tsp cornflour dissolved
in 2 tbsp of milk
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
10 tsp sugar substitutes
8 almonds chopped
Method
Bring milk to a boil in a deep pan and simmer till it reduces to half its original quantity.
Add saffron and mix well. Mix citric acid in 2 teaspoons of water and add to the thickened milk. Add dissolved cornflour and stir continuously till the mixture thickens. Add green cardamom powder and mix well. Take pan off the heat and stir in the sugar substitute and set aside to cool. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape them into round pedas. Sprinkle almonds over the pedas and serve.
Mathri
Ingredients
2 cups refined flour
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp carom seeds
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
5 tbsp of light table spread containing healthy vegetarian omega 3
Oil for deep frying
Method
Place the flour in a bowl and add the salt, carom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves and mix well. Add 5 tablespoons of the table spread and mix well. Add sufficient cold water and knead into hard dough. Cover the rest of the dough for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 24 equal balls and flatten them slightly. Roll each ball thinly into small puri and fold in half and then fold again to make a triangle. Stick a clove at one corner making it appear like a paan (beeda). Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Slide in the mathris, a few at a time, and deep fry on medium heat till golden and crisp. You can also make these in round shapes. Lightly prick them with a fork so that the mathris do not rise like puris. Drain on absorbent paper. Cool completely. Store in airtight tins.
