GINGER DATE BALLS

Ingredients
1/2 lb almonds, finely chopped,toasted and divide in 1/2
1 cup dates, pitted, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 ounce candied ginger, chopped
1/4 cup honey
Directions
1.Place one half of the almonds and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended.
2Roll into balls and then coat in the remaining almonds.
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GATE AND WALNUT LADDOO

DATE AND WALNUT LADDOO
Ingredients
Dates, chopped 200 grams
Walnuts, toasted and crushed ½ cup
Apple juice 1 cup
Pear, grilled and chopped 1
Cinnamon 2 inch stick
Sponge cake crumbs ½ cup
Cocoa powder as required
Method
1.Heat apple juice in a pan, add dates and cook. Add pear and mix.
2.Add the cinnamon stick. Mix and cook till the pear and dates and soft and the mixture is a little dry.
3.Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add walnuts and mix.
4.Add sponge cake crumbs and mix well. Let the mixture cool in the refrigerator.
5.Shape into laddoos, roll in cocoa powder and serve.
This recipe is by Sanjeeve Kapoor

FUDGE FINGERS

For the fudge
200 grams (7 oz.) powdered sweet biscuits
100 grams (3 1/2 oz.) butter
100 grams (3 1/2 oz.) sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 level tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 tablespoons chopped walnuts
a pinch salt
For the chocolate icing
1 1/2 teacups icing sugar
3 teaspoons cocoa
2 tablespoons (approx.) hot water
For decoration desiccated coconut
For the fudge
1. Mix the butter, sugar, milk, cocoa and salt. Heat on a slow flame until it becomes a liquid. Remove from the heat.
2. Add the vanilla essence and walnuts and mix.
3. Pour this mixture over the biscuits. Mix thoroughly.
4. Press the mixture evenly on a Swiss roll tray. Put to set in the refrigerator. This will require about 30 minutes.
For the chocolate icing
1. Mix the sugar , cocoa and hot water. If you like, add a little extra water.
How to proceed
1. Spread the icing evenly over the fudge.
2. Sprinkle the coconut on top and once again put to set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
3. Cut into pieces and serve.

RAS MADHURI

RASMADHURI
Ingredients
8 rasgulla logs
Other ingredients
1 recipe sandesh
5 strands saffron, soaked in 1 tablespoon milk
1/2 tablespoon chopped almonds
1/2 tablespoon chopped pistachios
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
3 tablespoons milk
2 fresh banana leaves
For the garnish
1 tablespoon pistachio slivers
2 drops saffron food colour
Method
1. Make 8 banana leaf boxes. Keep aside.
2. Make rasgulla logs as stated in the recipe. Drain the syrup and slit the rasgulla logs vertically into 2 equal parts. Keep aside.
3. Divide the sandesh into 2 equal parts.
4. In one portion of the sandesh, add the saffron milk, chopped nuts and cardamom powder and mix well. Divide into 8 portions. Keep aside.
5. To the other sandesh portion, add the milk and mix well to make a smooth mixture.
6. Sandwich one portion of the saffron-sandesh mixture between two parts of each rasgulla log and place in a banana leaf box.
7. Top each box with the sandesh-milk mixture so as to completely fill the box and smoothen the upper surface with the back of a knife.
8. Garnish with the pistachios slivers and lines of saffron colour as shown in the above picture.
9. Serve chilled.

LILWA KA HALWA

Ingredients
1 cup green chana (boiled)
1/4 cup khoya
10-12 almonds
10-12 cashewnuts
3 tbsp ghee
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tbsp green cardamom powder
Directions
1.Boil chana and keep aside for cooling.
2.Then grind itHeat ghee in pan and add ground chana and cook for 10mints.
3.Add milk and wait till it becomes thick, than add add sugar and keep at flame till 2 mints.
4.Add khoya, almonds, cashew nuts, and cardamom powder Serve.

KHAJUR KI KHEER

Ingredients
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup seedless dates
1/2 liter milk
2 tsp ghee
5-6 tsp sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
chopped almond and cashew for garnishing
Directions
1.Soak the poppy seeds in 1 cup milk for 2-3 hours.Then grind it in grinder and make a smooth paste.
2.Then make a paste of dates by grinding it.Take a bowl and allow to heat it,add ghee in this.
3.Then add poppy seed paste and dates paste in this,fry them on medium flame for 5 min.
4.Now add milk in this mixture and add sugar.Allow to boil up to it become a thick.
5.Now add cardamom powder and remove from flame.Garnish with cashew and almond, and serve it.

RAJGIRA CHIKKI

Ingredients:
250 gm ramdana / rajgira / cholai
750 gm jaggery
3 1/2 cups water
A greased surface to set the chikki
Method:
1.Heat a pan to very hot and add the rajgira. It will start popping up almost immediately. When popped up, remove from pan and keep aside.
2.Place jaggery and water in a pan, and dissolve jaggery over low heat. When dissolved increase the heat and bring to a boil and cook over high heat till a 2-3 thread consistency is reached.
3.Mix in the rajgira into the mixture.
4.Transfer at once onto the greased surface, pat to level and leave to set.

BADAM KA HALWA

Ingredients
1 cup almonds
½ poppy seeds
2 cup sugar
1 cup ghee
2 tsp cardamom powder
2 cup milk
2 tsp Broken cashew
Directions
1.Sock almonds & poppy seeds separately in milk for 3-4 hours.Grind them separately with milk in which they socked.
2.Heat a pan with ghee, add both the mixtures in it & fry them on medium heat for 20
min.
3.Now add milk & then sugar & fry it again for 5-7 min.Now add cardamom powder & cashew & remove it from fire.serve it hot.

BESAN LADDOO

Ingredients:
200 gm ghee
350 gm besan (gram flour)
175 gm castor sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp dried fruit
1/4 tsp saffron strands soaked in 1 tbsp water

Method:
1.Heat ghee in a large pan. Add besan and cook on a slow flame, stirring continuously.
2.Remove the pan from the flame when the ghee separates and the besan colors. Cool.
Stir in sugar, spice, dried fruit and saffron.
3.Prepare even sized ladoos and serve decorated with extra dried fruit and silver leaf.

MOONG DAL HALWA

Ingredients
1cup. Moong (yellow dal) dal
1cup Sugar
1/2 cup Milk
2 cups Water
8 nos. Almonds
4 nos. Cardamoms
1/2 tsp. Saffron
3/4 cup Mawa/khoya
1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
Method
1.Wash and soak the dal overnight. Grind coarsely, using very little water.
2.Prepare a one string sugar syrup with sugar and water.
3.Soak saffron in hot milk. Crumble mawa into fine granules.
4.Blanch almonds, Cool and peel them and cut finely.
5.Heat Ghee(clarified butter) in a kadhai and add ground dal and fry till golden brown on a low heat and keep stirring .
6.Add the sugar syrup and saffron milk. Mix well and cook till halwa is of dropping consistency. Add mawa and cook till it dissolves.
7.Serve hot, garnished with crushed cardamoms and and sliced almonds.

DATES AND ANJEER KARANJI

Ingredients
For outer layer
Refined flour (maida) 1 cup
Semolina (rawa) 2 tablespoons
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Milk ¼ cup
For stuffing
Seedless dates, chopped ¾ cup
Dried figs, (anjeer), chopped ¾ cup
Cashewnuts, crushed 15-20
Pistachios, crushed 15-20
Green cardamom powder 1 teaspoon
Roasted poppy seeds (khus khus) 1 tablespoon
Milk 2 tablespoons
Ghee, melted 2 tablespoons
Method
1.Take refined flour in a bowl. Add semolina, ghee and milk and knead into a semi soft dough. Divide into equal portions and shape them into pedas. Keep them covered with a damp cloth.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. To make the stuffing take dates and figs in a bowl. Add crushed cashewnuts, pistachios, green cardamom powder, roasted poppy seeds and mix. Mash lightly with fingers and add a little milk.
4. Roll out a dough peda. Place it in the karanji mould. Put a small portion of the prepared filling in the hollow. Apply a little water on edges, close the mould and press firmly.
5. Remove the excess dough and use again. Similarly make the remaining karanjis.
6. These can be made without the mould too.
7. Place the karanjis on a greased baking tray. Brush them with a little ghee and bake at 180°C for twenty to twenty five minutes. Cool, store in an airtight container.

KAJU KATLI

Ingredients
Cashewnut powder 3½ cups
Sugar 1 1/3 cups
Liquid glucose 2 tablespoons
Ghee 1½ tablespoons
Silver warq as required
Method
1.Cook sugar and one and one third cups of water together till the syrup reaches three string consistency and 118?C. Add liquid glucose and stir well.
2. Remove from heat and add cashewnut powder stirring continuously. If necessary add one tablespoon of water and keep stirring till the temperature comes down to 65?C. Add ghee and mix well.
3. Knead lightly to make a soft dough. Roll out on a flat greased surface to one centimetre thickness.
4. Rub a butter paper over the surface to smoothen it evenly. When it cools down to room temperature, apply silver warq and cut into diamond shapes. Store in an airtight container.

BESAN LADDOO

Besan Ladoo
Ingredients:
200 gm ghee
350 gm besan (gram flour)
175 gm castor sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp dried fruit
1/4 tsp saffron strands soaked in 1 tbsp water

Method:
1.Heat ghee in a large pan. Add besan and cook on a slow flame, stirring continuously.

2.Remove the pan from the flame when the ghee separates and the besan colors. Cool.
Stir in sugar, spice, dried fruit and saffron.

3.Prepare even sized ladoos and serve decorated with extra dried fruit and silver leaf.
This is a traditional Indian sweet.

CHURMA LADDU

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta), coarsely ground
1/4 cup grated dry coconut (copra)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (til)
3/4 cup (150 grams) jaggery , grated
2 tablespoons ghee
Other ingredients
ghee for deep frying
poppy seeds (khus khus) for coating the laddus
Method
1. Make a stiff dough of the whole wheat flour using 1/2 cup of water. Knead very well.
2. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
3. Shape the portions into the shape of your fist and press with your fingers in the centre of each portion to make an indentation.
4. Heat ghee in a large kadhai and deep fry the dough portions on a very slow flame for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until they are golden brown in colour.
5. Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
6. Pound in a mortar and pestle to coarse pieces. Grind the pieces further in a food processor to get a fine powder (churma).
7. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan, add the grated coconut and sesame seeds and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
8. Heat the jaggery with the remaining tablespoon of ghee and 1 tablespoon of water on a medium flame till the jaggery dissolves. Cool slightly.
9. Mix the ground churma, coconut and sesame seeds with the melted jaggery.
10. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
11. Divide into 10 portions and shape into rounds. Roll each laddu in poppy seeds.
12. Store the laddus in an air-tight container.

KAJU BARFI

Ingredients

2 cups cashewnuts soaked in water for 2 hours

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp. Ghee

1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

Silver Varak (silver leaf) for decoration

Method

1.Drain and blend the cashewnuts to a fine paste. Use as little water as possible when blending.

2.In a heavy saucepan put sugar and paste. Cook on a medium heat.

3.Keep on stirring continuously till a soft lump is formed.

4.Add Ghee(clarified butter) and cardamom powder and mix well. Spread on a clean greased work surface.

5.Roll lightly with a rolling pin, to a desired thickness.

6.Apply the silver varak. Cool and cut into diamond shaped burfis.

This sweet is generally made during diwali period.Do not make in an aluminium or iron kadai,It will turn dark in colour.Make in non stick pan for brighter colour.

DATES AND ANJEER KARANJI

Ingredients
For outer layer
Refined flour (maida) 1 cupSemolina (rawa) 2 tablespoons
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Milk ¼ cup
For stuffing
Seedless dates, chopped ¾ cup
Dried figs, (anjeer), chopped ¾ cup
Cashewnuts, crushed 15-20
Pistachios, crushed 15-20
Green cardamom powder 1 teaspoon
Roasted poppy seeds (khus khus) 1 tablespoon
Milk 2 tablespoons
Ghee, melted 2 tablespoons
Method
1.Take refined flour in a bowl. Add semolina, ghee and milk and knead into a semi soft dough. Divide into equal
portions and shape them into pedas. Keep them covered with a damp cloth.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. To make the stuffing take dates and figs in a bowl. Add crushed cashewnuts, pistachios, green cardamom powder,
roasted poppy seeds and mix. Mash lightly with fingers and add a little milk.
4. Roll out a dough peda. Place it in the karanji mould. Put a small portion of the prepared filling in the hollow. Apply a
little water on edges, close the mould and press firmly.
5. Remove the excess dough and use again. Similarly make the remaining karanjis.
6. These can be made without the mould too.
7. Place the karanjis on a greased baking tray. Brush them with a little ghee and bake at 180°C for twenty to twenty five
minutes. Cool, store in an airtight container.

KAJU KATLI

KAJU KATLI
Ingredients
Cashewnut powder 3½ cups
Sugar 1 1/3 cups
Liquid glucose 2 tablespoons
Ghee 1½ tablespoons
Silver warq as required
Method
1.Cook sugar and one and one third cups of water together till the syrup reaches three string consistency and 118?C.
Add liquid glucose and stir well.
2. Remove from heat and add cashewnut powder stirring continuously. If necessary add one tablespoon of water and
keep stirring till the temperature comes down to 65?C. Add ghee and mix well.
3. Knead lightly to make a soft dough. Roll out on a flat greased surface to one centimetre thickness.
4. Rub a butter paper over the surface to smoothen it evenly. When it cools down to room temperature, apply silver
warq and cut into diamond shapes. Store in an airtight container.

KESAR RASMALAI

For the rasgulla discs
1 recipe chenna
1 teaspoon plain flour (maida) for dusting
For the sugar syrup
5 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
For the saffron flavoured milk
1 litre full fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
a few saffron strands, dissolved in milk
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
Other ingredients
2 teaspoons plain flour (maida)
For the garnish
2 tablespoons slivered pistachios
For the rasgulla discs
1.Divide the chenna into 16 equal portions and gently shape each portion into a flat round (disc) of 25 mm. (1”) diameter and 6 mm. (¼”) thickness. Take care to see that there are no cracks on the surface.
2.Dust back of a flat plate lightly with flour and place the chenna discs on it.
For the sugar syrup
1.Combine the sugar and milk with 3 cups of water in a large pan approximately 200 mm. (8”) in diameter and 150 mm. (6”) in height and heat while stirring continuously till the sugar dissolves. When the syrup comes to a boil, the impurities in the sugar will begin to float on the surface, forming a grey layer.
2.Heat over a medium flame to allow the grey layer to float. Do not stir at this point as the layer will break and it will not clarify the syrup.
3.After about 5 minutes, slowly drizzle 1 cup of water from the sides of the pan with the help of a ladle. Water added at this stage will bring down temperature of the sugar syrup and will not allow it to boil and break the grey layer.
4.Continue to simmer the syrup over a medium flame for about 10 minutes and then gently remove the grey layer using a slotted spoon.
5.Bring the syrup to the boil once again and then slowly drizzle another cup of water from the sides of the pan using a ladle. Remove all the remaining impurities from the syrup, again using a slotted spoon.
6.Increase the flame and boil vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Keep aside.
For the saffron flavoured milk
1.Heat the milk in a broad non-stick pan and bring it to a boil. Add the sugar, saffron milk and cardamom powder and mix well.
2.Remove from the fire.
For the rasgulla discs
1.Mix 2 teaspoons of the plain flour with ¾ cup of water to make a flour solution. Keep aside.
2.Heat sugar syrup in a deep pan over a high flame and allow it to boil vigorously.
3.When it boils, sprinkle half the flour solution in the sugar syrup and then add the chenna discs by upturning the plate on which they are kept. (Do not touch the chenna discs at this point as they are fragile).
4.When the flour solution is added,a frothy layer is formed on the surface of the syrup.
5.If the frothy layer begins to subside, sprinkle the remaining half portion of the flour solution.
6.After this, keep on sprinkling water (mini 1 cup) on the surface of the sugar syrup. Ensure that the syrup froths all the time while cooking the rasgulla discs.
7.Cook for about 15 minutes,continuously sprinkling water to enable the froth to form.
8.Check if the rasgullas are cooked. This is determined by touch. If the rasgulla springs back and retains its shape when pressed, it is cooked. Another way of checking is to drop a rasgulla disc in pan of cold water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is cooked.
9.Remove from the fire.
10.Transfer rasgullas to a bowl with 2 ladles of sugar syrup and 1 cup of water.
11.Cool and chill for approximately 3 to 4 hours.
How to proceed
1.Remove the rasgulla discs from the sugar syrup and squeeze out the excess syrup
2.Place the discs in a serving bowl and top with the hot saffron flavoured milk.
3.Chill for at least 2 hours.
Serve garnished with slivered pistachios.
VARIATION1.MANGO RASMALAI : In the above recipe, add ¼ cup mango purée to the saffron flavoured milk. Garnish with fresh mango slices.
2.ANGOORI RABDI : Divide the chenna into 36 equal parts and shape each portion into a ball. Proceed as per the above recipe. Also use “Quick Rabdi” instead of the saffron flavoured milk.

SANDESH

Ingredients
500 grams paneer
4 to 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice
2 drops orange essence (optional)
2 drops orange colour (optional)
For decoration segments of 2 oranges
4 almonds, blanched and sliced
4 pistachios, blanched and sliced
Method
1. Knead paneer thoroughly with sugar.Add orange juice, orange essence andorange colour and mix well. Spread half this mixture to form a 125 mm.square on a plate or dish. Arrange half the orange segments on top.
2. Cover with the remaining paneer mixture, spreading it evenly on top chill. Tips Decorate with the remaining orange segments, almonds and pistachios.

MARIE FUDGE

Ingredients
1 packet marie biscuit
desicated coconut 200 grms
4 table spoon cocoa powder
3/4 tin milkmaid
Method
1. Break biscuits in to medium sized pieces.
2. Add desicated coconut,cocoa powder.
3.Add milkmaid little mix well add again milkmaid little.Quantity of milkmaid will depend upon how much sweet you can afford to eat.
4.The mixture will be bind because of milkmaid.Make rolls out of the mixture.
5.Keep those rolls in freezer for 1/2 an hour to set.Once it sets cut slices of the rolls and keep in the fridge(not freezer).
6.This lasts for about 7-8 days.
This recipe is specially for Zankar.This fudge lasts for 7-8 days but it does not remain for so long ,before that it gets over.Quick and easy recipe but watch your calories.Nice to make for diwali or any festival.