Dodol - Coconut and jaggery Sweet

Ingredients:

Coconuts (large) 3 nos.
Rice flour 1/4 kg.
Palm jaggery 1/4 kg.
Cane jaggery 1/4 kg.
Cashewnuts (optional) Few

Method:

Extract thick and thin juice from coconuts. Mix flour and thin juice and continue stirring all the time. Add some jaggery and continue stirring. As mixture thickens, add remaining jaggery and keep stirring. Then add thick coconut juice and stir, adding nuts. When mixture begins to leave the sides of the vessel and oil begins to ooze the Dodol is done. Pour into a flat plate. When cool cut into squares or diamond shapes.

Jalebies (Orange Whirls)

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour (maida)
1 teaspoon Bengal gram flour
1/2 teaspoon Fresh yeast
1 teaspoon Ghee
1 cup Sugar
2-3 drops Lemon yellow food colour
1/4 teaspoon Lemon juice
Few Saffron
As per requirement Ghee

Method :

For the jalebi batter:

Sieve the plain flour and gram flour together. Dissolve the yeast in 1 tablespoon of water. Mix the flour mixture, yeast solution, ghee, 1 tsp sugar and lemon yellow food colouring with 2/3 cup of water to make a thick batter, making sure that there are no lumps. Keep aside for 10 minutes till the yeast ferments.

For the sugar syrup:

Dissolve the sugar in ½ cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes till the syrup is of 2 string consistency. Add the saffron and lemon juice and mix. Remove from the fire and keep aside.

Method:

Heat the ghee in a large saucepan. The ghee should be approximately 1 inch deep. Fill the jalebi batter into a piping bag with a single hole nozzle or a thick cloth with a small hole in the center which is finished with button-hole stitch. Press out round whirls of the batter into the hot ghee working closely from outside to the centre of the whirl [approx.50 mm (2) diameter]. Deep fry the jalebis till golden brown and transfer into the warm sugar syrup. Drain immediately and serve hot.

Cashewnut Diamond Sweets

Ingredients:

Cashewnuts 100 gms.
Powered sugar 80 gms.
Cornflour 1 tsp
Rose essence 1/3 tsp.
Varak For decoration

Method:

Soak cashew nuts in water, for 1-2 hours. Then Drain and grind them to a fine paste on a grinding stone, using as little water as possible. Mix together the sugar and cashew paste. Cook in a karahi on a medium flame. When the mixture thickens, reduce the flame and keep stirring. When the mixture becomes thick and comes away from the sides of the pan (it should take 8 minutes) sprinkle cornflour, stir well, and remove from the fire. Immediately, mix in the rose essence and quickly turn onto a greased marble or wooden surface. Quickly, roll thinly with a greased roller. Spread the silver sheet over and cut into diamond shaped slices. Store in an air-tight container when cold.

Coconut Pudding

Ingredients:

4 cups milk
1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut cinnamon sticks
3/4 cup cornstarch
Preparation Time: 1 Hr. 45 Min.
Cooking Time: 45 Min.

Method:

Mix the milk, the sugar, the grated coconut and the cinnamon sticks in a pot. Cook on low flame and stir constantly until it boils. In a separate container, add the remaining milk and the cornstarch until it is dissolved. Then add it to the previous mixture and stir it. Continue cooking on low fire until it gets thick; continue for 10 minutes as you continue stirring it.
Allow it to cool and pour the mix in individual portions into glasses or into a big mould.
Put the container/moulds in the fridge and wait for at least 3 hours before serving.