No festival in India is complete without the tradition of good food. Deepavali, the festival of lights is also synonymous with sweets and lot of goodies. Here are a few sweets to be made at home.
Kesar pedas
Ingredients
Fresh grated khoya: 3 cups
Powdered sugar: 1 cup
A few strands of saffron
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
Pistachios: 4-5
Almonds: 4-5
Method
Take a flat kadai. Mix the grated khoya and powdered sugar and cook on a low flame. Keep stirring continuously till the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai.
Allow the mixture to cool. Dissolve the saffron in a little milk. Add it to the above mixture along with the cardamom powder. Mix well.
Shape the mixture into desired shape. Garnish with chopped pistachoes and almonds.
Coconut barfi
Ingredients
Fresh grated coconut: 4 cups
Sugar: 4 cups
Water: 4 cups
Ghee: 4 tsp
Milk: 1 tsp
A few strands of saffron
Milk: 1 tsp
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
Pistachios: 7-8
Sheets of silver foil (vark): 1
Method
Heat the ghee and add the fresh grated coconut and gently stir fry for a few minutes. Keep it aside to cool.
Dissolve the sugar in 4 cups water and boil. When it starts to boil, add one teaspoon of milk and strain the mixture. Let the mixture boil until you get a syrupy consistency.
Add the syrup to the coconut mixture. Stir continuously.
Dissolve the saffron in milk and add it to the above mixture along with the cardamom powder. Mix well.
Spread the mixture into a flat plate. Cover with silver foil and decorate with pistachios. Allow it to cool.
Cut into desired shapes.
Besan chakki
Ingredients
Besan (Bengal gram flour): 2 cups
Ghee: 1 cup
Grated khoya: 1 cup
Sugar: 1 1/2 cups
Water: 1 cup
Milk: 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
A few strands of saffron
Almonds finely chopped: 4-5
Pistachios finely chopped: 7-8
Silver foil: 2 sheets
Method
Heat the ghee in a kadai and add the gram flour. Cook on a low flame stirring continuously until the mixture is golden brown. Add the grated khoya and stir fry the mixture for some time. Allow this mixture to cool.
Mix the sugar and water and boil. When the mixture begins to boil add the milk. Strain the syrup and again boil. Cook until you get a syrupy consistency.
Pour the hot syrup over the above mixture. Dissolve the saffron in a little milk and add it along with the cardamom powder. Mix well.
Grease a plate and spread the mixture on it. Cover with silver foil. Sprinkle the chopped almonds and pistachios over it. Allow it to set for about 4 hours. Cut into squares and serve.
Gehun aatta laddu
Ingredients
Gehun ka atta (whole wheat flour): 1 cup
Ghee: 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar: 3/4 cup
A few strands of saffron
Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp
Method
Heat the ghee in a kadai. Add the whole wheat flour and stir fry on a low flame until the flour turns brown. Keep it aside and allow it to cool.
Add the powdered sugar. Dissolve the saffron and add it to the above mixture along with the cardamom powder. Mix well. Shape into round laddus.
