Rava Ladoo ( Sweet )

INGREDIENTS:• 500 gms Sooji/ Rava/ Semolina (coarse variety)
• 6 tbsps ghee (see recipe below)
• 300 gms sugar
• 500 ml milk (full cream)
• 3/4 cup mixture of cashews (coarsely chopped ) and whole raisins/ sultanas

PREPARATION:

Heat a deep pan on a medium flame and when hot add the ghee. When it melts, add the cashews and rasins and fry for 2-3 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and remove onto paper towels. Keep aside for later.

In the same ghee, add the Sooji and mix well.

Roast the Sooji (stirring frequently) till it begins to turn a very light golden color and give off a faint aroma.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Now gently add the milk, stirring all the while to prevent lumps from forming. If any do form, make sure to break them with the back of the stirring spoon so you get a smooth paste-like consistency. Cook the mixture till it is thick and begins to come away from the sides of the pan.

Add the nuts and raisins now and mix well. Turn off the fire and allow the mixture to cool till you are able to comfortably handle it.

Now form the mixture, a little at a time, into lime-sized balls (Laddoos). Press gently but firmly with lightly greased palms to ensure they have no cracks and are firm and smooth. Arrange the Laddoos on a lightly greased platter as you prepare.

The Laddoos will become firmer if left alone for approximately half an hour. They are now ready to serve or store for later. Keep in an airtight container for upto 1 week.

GAUVA CHEESE

Chewy fudge-like sweet, Guava Cheese is best made with fresh guavas. They are a rich source of vitamin C - from 3-6 times more than in oranges to almost 30 times more than that found in bananas! Most of this vitamin C is found in the skin of the fruit.

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg soft guavas
• Sugar (amount based on how much pulp you get out of the guavas)

PREPARATION:
• Cut the guavas into quarters and remove the seeds.
• Put the seeds in a sieve and add a small amount of water. Rub into the sieve and press down with a flat spoon so as to extract the pulp surrounding the seeds, into a bowl kept below the sieve.
• Blend the gauva pieces to a smooth pulp in your food processor. Measure how many cups of pulp you have and include the pulp removed from around the seeds.
• Put all the pulp into a large, flat, heavy-bottomed dish on a medium flame.
• Add sugar to the amount of one cup less than the number of cups of guava pulp. For example, if you had 6 cups of pulp, add 5 cups of sugar to it.
• Cook, stirring frequently, till it becomes hard to stir and the guava cheese begins to come away from the sides of the pan.
• Grease a platter and spoon the guava cheese onto it. Spread into a thick layer.
• Allow to cool a little and while still warm, cut into diamond shapes.
• When completely cooled, store in an air-tight container.

Mango Delight

Ingredients:-

400 ml Fresh Milk
250 ml Ice Water
250 gms Whipping cream
40 gms Gelatine Powder
300 gms Mango Puree
300 ml Water
20 gms Butter
Coconut Powder
200 gms Sugar

Method:-

1. Mix gelatine powder, sugar and water, stir well and bring to boil till sugar dissolves in water.

2. Add in greased bowl and keep aside.

3. Stir and mix well mango puree, ice water, milk, whipped cream and instant coconut powder.

4. Now Mix the sugar solution and puree together and stir well.

5. Pour the mixture into a desired shape mould.
Chill well and serve.

Chocolate Blamange

Ingredients:

3 cups milk
3 teaspoons cocoa
5 teaspoons sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Method:

Bring 3 Cups milk to a boil.
Add remaining ingredients together in a small bowl.
Add to boiling milk.
Stir until thickened and smooth.
Pour into individual custard dishes and put in fridge until set.
This is great served covered with cool whip or half and half.

Coconut Barfi with Cashew Nuts

Ingredients

700 gram sugar
2 coconuts
35 grams cashewnuts
70 grams ghee


Method

Scrape the coconut. Break the cashewnuts into small pieces and fry them in ghee.
Next Heat water in a vessel containing 1/4 ltr. of water and add the sugar to it.

After the sugary liquid is no longer thin, add the coconut shreds and heat it until it turns thick. Keep stirring till thick add the fried cashewnut pieces and ghee and stir the mixture well. Turn off the heat.

Pour the mixture onto a deep plate or tray which could accomodate sufficient thickness. Cut into rectangular pieces while hot. Allow to cool well and place in a container to be eaten any time after lunch or dinner.

ZAFRIANI SEVIAN

Ingredients - Vermicelli - 3 tablespoons, saffron 10-15 strands, skimmed milk 4 1/4 cups
sugar 4 tablespoons, raisins 20. Green cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon, Almond slivers, toaste 1 tablespoon.

Method

Heat a non-stick pan and roast vermicelli on medium heat till lightly browned. Take milk in a deep pan and bring it to boil. Lower heat and simmer for two to three minutes. Add sugar and cook for two minutes. Take it off the heat. Add saffron and green cardamom powder and stir well. Serve hot or cold garnished with toasted almond slivers.

Coconut Sweets

Ingredients: - 15 to 20 pieces

1. Coconut gratings -- 1 cup
2. Sugar -- 3/4th Cup
3. Milk -- 1 cup
4. Ghee -- 3 tbsp
5. Cardamom (elaichi) -- 1 tsp

Method:
1. Cook coconut, milk and sugar on medium flame with constant stirring for about 45 minutes or until milk is condensed. Add ghee whenever milk sticks to the bottom of the pan.

2. Add elaichi and remove from heat when the paste starts leaving the sides of the pan. Pour into a well greased plate and allow it to cool before cutting into pieces.