Sooji Halwa Recipe

sooji halwa

Sooji halwa is liked by young and old alike. It is also made for bhog-prasad that is offering to the Lord and then distributing among devotees. Sooji ka halwa is also known as 'sheera' in some parts of India. If you add saffron to it, then it is known as 'rava kesari'.
Recipe of sooji ka halwa
1 cup sooji (rava/semolina/suji)
1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup sugar
4 cups of water
Few cashewnuts and raisins (kishmish)
1. Heat a kadhai or a pan and add a little ghee. Add cashews and raisins. Toast them a little and take them out of kadhai. Keep aside.
2. Add rest of the ghee and add sooji. Roast sooji on a medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Roast till sooji turns a little brownish (not chocolate brown). Sooji should not burn.
3. Add water and sugar. Mix and cover the kadhai. Let it cook on a medium-low heat till all the water is absorbed. Mix in cashews and raisins. Turn off the heat and let it stand for a few minutes, covered.
4. Uncover, take out in a bowl and serve sooji halwa hot.

Til ki Barfi

Diwali is approaching fast and you can make this til ki barfi for your near and dear ones. This barfi is easy to prepare and doesn't take too much prep time. You can also garnish this barfi with chopped, unsalted pistachios. The choice is totally your's.

Recipe of til ki barfi

1 cup til

1 cup khoya (mawa) - grated

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp elaichi (cardamom powder)

Few cashew nuts- chopped

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

How to make til ki barfi

1. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and roast cashew pieces in it till reddish brown. Drain and take out from kadhai.

2. In the same kadhai, add til and roast on medium-low heat stirring continuously. Roast till til begin to splutter and attain slightly brownish colour. Take til out of kadhai.

3. In the same kadhai, add grated khoya and roast on medium-low heat till khoya turns a little brownish. Take out from kadhai.

4. In a big bowl or any big utensil, mix khoya, til, powdered sugar and cashews.

5. Grease a big plate with few drops of ghee (clarified butter) and spread the til-khoya mixture evenly. Level with a big spoon.

6. Allow it to cool down for 15-20 minutes. Then cut it into squares or diamonds.

7. Let it harden for 2 hours.

8. Remove til ki barfi from plate with the help of a knife. You can eat it right away or store in the fridge for later use.

Makhane ki Kheer (Lotus Seeds Pudding)

This recipe of makhane ki kheer comes from my mom's kitchen. She makes it on the occasion of Janmashtami. This is a very delicious kheer, tastier than rice kheer. Makhane ki kheer can be made in fasts like 'Ekadashi' , Navratri'  and 'Janmashtami' as it is a falahari food.

Recipe of makhane ki kheer

1 liter full fat milk

1 cup makhane (lotus seeds)

2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

2-3 pods elaichi (green cardamom) - crushed

Few chopped nuts like cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios and raisins

3 tbsp sugar

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai or a pan and add makhane. Roast makhane on a medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Roast till makhane turn a little pinkish. Turn off the heat and take makhane out of kadhai.

2. Put them in the jar of food processor or a mixie and crush them to small pieces by spinning the jar to 2-3 rounds. Remember makhane should not turn to powder.

3. Put the milk in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and let it come to boil.

4. Add makhane and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally. Milk gets thickened and looks pinkish.

5. Add sugar, elaichi and chopped nuts. Cook for 5 more minutes till sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and take out makhane ki kheer in a bowl. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

Coconut (Nariyal) Ladoo

coconut ladoo

This festive season, make everyone's favorite coconut ladoo at home and win over your family's hearts. These coconut ladoos are very not just tasty but very easy to put together.
Recipe of coconut ladoo
200 gm grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
200 gm khoya (mawa) -grated
200 gm powdered sugar
1/2 tsp elaichi (green cardamom) powder
How to make coconut ladoo
1. Put a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) on heat and put grated khoya in it. Turn the heat to low.
2. Cook, stirring, till khoya turns a little brownish.
3. Add grated coconut and cook stirring for few minutes.
4. Add powdered sugar and elaichi powder and mix well. Turn off the heat and take out the coconut mixture on a big plate.
5. Allow this mixture to cool down till it is comfortable to touch but still warm.
6. Using your hands, make ping pong size balls from it. These are now called coconut ladoo. Keep them in fridge for 1 hour so that they get tightened. You can eat these ladoo right away or store them in fridge for later use. 

Matar ki Kheer (Green Pea Pudding)

Matar ki kheer is an unusual dessert but very tasty. Cook this kheer for your loved ones and let them be surprised!
Recipe of matar ki kheer
1 cup shelled green peas (matar)
4-5 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 1/4 liter milk
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
1 tbsp sliced pistachios (pista)
1. Boil matar for 5 minutes. Put matar in cold water so that it cools down. Drain.
2. Grind matar to a fine paste.
3. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and saute green pea paste for a few minutes. Set aside.
4. Boil milk and add cooked matar paste to it. Let it come to boil.
5. Cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add sugar, cardamom powder and sliced pistachios to kheer. Cook stirring continuously, on a low heat for 8-9 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let it cool down, refrigerate and serve matar ki kheer cold.

Mohanthal (Gram Flour Fudge) Recipe

Since it's festive time in India, I thought why not share a sweet recipe. Try this mohanthal and you will be delighted by it's rich taste.
Recipe of mohanthal
2 cups besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)
4 tbsp milk
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp + 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder
8-9 almonds- sliced
How to make mohanthal
1. Pass the besan through a sieve and discard the residue.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee and 4 tbsp milk.
3. Pour this over the besan. Mix with your fingers so that it is lump free and resemble bread crumbs.
4. Pass this again through a sieve and keep aside.
5. Make a syrup with 1 cup sugar and 3/4th cup water. Cook the sugar syrup till it reaches slightly more than 1 string consistency. Turn off the heat and keep aside.
6. Grease a thali with few drops of ghee and keep it aside.
7. Heat 1/2 cup ghee in a kadhai and add the besan from step 4. Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly till it gives nice aroma and turns golden brown. Add cardamom powder. Turn off the heat.
8. While the besan is still hot, add the hot sugar syrup. Mix continuously and make sure no lumps are formed. Keep mixing till it reaches setting consistency.
9. Pour this besan mixture on the greased thali and rap it on a flat surface so as to flatten it. Garnish with almonds.
10. Let it cool. Cut it into squares or diamonds and your mohanthal is ready.

Shyamak Chawal ki Kheer Recipe (Samo Rice Pudding)

shyamak chawal ki kheer

In fasts like Ekadashi or Navratri, shyamak chawal ki kheer or vrat ke chawal ki kheer is quite popular.  It's light and easy to digest but quite filling. Shyamak chawal is known by many names in India, like samak chawal, sama ke chawal and swang chawal.

Recipe of shyamak (samak) chawal ki kheer

1 liter milk (preferably full fat)

1/2 cup shyamak chawal (samak chawal/sama ke chawal/samo rice)

4-5 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Chopped nuts like almonds and raisins

1. Wash shyamak chawal and soak for 1/2 an hour. Drain.

2. Boil milk and add sama ke chawal.

3. Simmer on a low heat, stirring occasionally, till kheer reaches desired consistency.

4. Add sugar, cardamom powder and nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes more.

5. Cool kheer and chill in refrigerator. Enjoy shyamak chawal kheer.

Note- You can enjoy shyamak chawal kheer both warm and cold.

This kheer cooks much faster than rice kheer.

Pineapple Sheera (Halwa) Recipe

pineapple halwa

This recipe is among the few recipes with pineapple that I know as I am not used to cooking with pineapple. Pineapple sheera is nothing but sooji halwa with pineapple. It's a quick and easy dessert which now makes its appearance in wedding buffets so you can also call it dessert for crowds.

Recipe of pineapple sheera/suji halwa with pineapple

1 cup sooji (suji/semolina)

1 cup pineapple pieces

1/2 cup ghee

1 cup sugar

Nuts like cashews, almonds and raisins - chopped

A pinch of saffron (kesar)

How to cook/prepare pineapple sheera

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai or a pan and add sooji. Roast sooji, stirring, till it turns golden brown. Add saffron and mix.

2. Add pineapple pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add 4 cups of water and sugar. Cook covered over medium heat till all moisture evaporates and sooji is completely cooked.

4. Garnish pineapple sheera with nuts and serve hot.

Sweet Pongal Recipe

sweet pongal

This is a South Indian pongal recipe which is rice and lentil dessert made on the festive occasion of Pongal. This is sweet pongal recipe with jaggery, also known as chakra pongal or chakkara pongal. Some recipes use sugar in place of jaggery, then it is known as 'Sakkarai Pongal' as sugar is known as sakkarai in Tamil. Sweet pongal is more popular in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh of South India.

Recipe of sweet pongal

1 1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup dhuli moong dal (split, skinless green gram)

2 1/2 cup milk

2 cups gur (jaggery)

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

2 tbsp raisins (kishmish)

2 tbsp cashew nuts (kaju)

1/2 tsp elaichi (small cardamom) powder

1. Wash rice, drain and soak rice for 1/2 an hour. Roast moong dal in a kadhai or a pan till light brown.

2. Break jaggery into small pieces and set aside.

3. Boil milk with 1 cup water in a heavy bottomed vessel like kadhai/wok.

4. Wash rice and moong dal, drain. Add to the boiled milk. Let it again come to a boil. Reduce heat and cook till rice and dal cook completely, mixing continuously. It will take around 15 minutes or so.

5. Add jaggery pieces and cook mixing so that jaggery doesn't stick to the vessel. When gur melts completely, add half of the ghee and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring.

6. Heat remaining half of the ghee and roast raisins and cashews. Add this to the pongal.

7. Add elaichi powder and mix well. Serve sweet pongal warm.

Urad Dal Pinni Recipe

urad dal pinni

Urad dal pinni is a traditional Punjabi sweet. Pinni is also made of atta or whole wheat flour but here I am sharing the recipe of pinni made of urad dal or black gram.

Recipe of urad dal pinni

1 1/4 cups dhuli urad dal (split skinless black gram)

1 1/2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour/gram flour)

1/2 tbsp atta (whole wheat flour)

2 1/2 tbsp sooji (semolina/rava)

3/4 cup khoya (mawa) - grated

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1 cup sugar

Chopped almonds (badam) and pistachios (pista)

1. Soak urad dal for 1 hour. Drain.

2. Grind urad dal to a fine paste adding minimum or no water while grinding.

3. Heat ghee in a kadhai/wok. Add besan, sooji and atta. Sauté for 5 minutes.

4. Add dal paste and sauté on low heat for about 1/2 an hour.

5. In the meantime, make syrup of 1 thread consistency by boiling sugar with 1/2 a cup of water.

6. Roast the almond pieces and set aside.

7. Add khoya to the dal mixture and cook for 5 minutes.

8. Add sugar syrup and cook till mixture dries up a little.

9. Turn off the heat leave the mixture to cool.

10. Shape the cooled down dal mixture into round or oval pinni. Garnish pinnis with almonds and pistachios.

Eggless Apple Cake Recipe

apple cake

This is a very simple recipe of very delicious apple cake. Who says you can't bake cakes without eggs. I bake all my cakes without egg and all turn out very tasty and soft. Try this apple cake and you'll agree with me.

Recipe of eggless apple cake

1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)

1 cup all purpose flour (maida/refined flour)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups apple puree (unsweetened)

1 cup milk

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda-bi-carbonate

100 gms melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C.

2. Grease a cake tin of 1 kg capacity and dust with maida. Keep aside.

3. Sieve together atta, maida, baking powder, soda-bi-carb and powdered sugar.

4. Mix together apple puree and milk. Blend till well blended.

5. Add butter and mix.

6. Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing with other hand to prevent lump formation.

7. If the cake batter appears too thick, add a little milk.

8. Pour the cake batter in the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven at 200 degree C. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Insert a toothpick or a knife at the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is done.

9. When the apple cake has cooled down, invert onto a plate and cut as desired.

Dhaniya Panjiri Prasad Recipe

radha krishna

Dhaniya panjiri is made especially on birthday of Lord Krishna, that is Janmashtami. This panjiri is offered to the lord and then taken as a prasad. Some people also do the process of roasting dhaniya seeds and then grinding them but this is an easier and fast method. Dhaniya panjiri is also known as 'dhaniya kassar'.

Recipe of dhaniya panjiri prasad for Janmashtami

1 cup dhaniya (dhania/coriander) powder

1/2 cup grinded sugar or boora

Few chopped nuts like almonds and cashew nuts

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

dhaniya panjiri

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai and roast dhaniya powder. Take out of kadhai.

2. Mix grinded sugar and chopped nuts in the roasted dhania powder.

3. Your dhaniya panjiri is ready. You can also add chopped cucumber and chopped fruits like banana, apple, orange and grapes to the panjiri.

Pude (Gulgule)

gulgule

One day my mom made pude or gulgule. As she was frying them, I was ready with my camera for the photo shoot. I asked for the recipe and she gave it to me in detail which I am sharing with you.

Recipe of pude/gulgule

250 grams atta (whole wheat flour)

250 ml water

250 grams gur (jaggery)

4-5 pods of green cardamom- opened and seeds separated

1 tsp saunf (fennel)

Oil to deep fry

1. Soak gur in water for 1 hour.

2. Add all the ingredients except oil to the gur water. Mix well. Adjust the water to get pakora (fritters) batter like consistency. Beat well.

3. Heat oil in a karahi (heavy bottomed vessel). When the oil is sufficiently hot, turn the heat to medium. Drop the batter by hand or by teaspoonfuls. When 1 side is cooked, turn over and fry from other side also. Fry till they get reddish brown. Drain pude or gulgule on an absorbent paper.

Sooji Kheer (Semolina Pudding)

sooji kheer

Sooji kheer or suji ki kheer is an almost instant dessert. Today after lunch, I was craving something sweet so within no time, I prepared sooji ki kheer and polished it off as quickly. This kheer can also be called as 'Rava Payasam'. Sooji ki kheer is also good for infants as it is very light to digest.

Recipe of sooji ki kheer

1 liter milk

3/4 cup sooji (rava/ semolina/ suji)

1/2 cup sugar

A big pinch cardamom (elaichi) powder

Few threads of saffron

Chopped and toasted nuts like cashew nuts, raisins etc.

1. Dry roast sooji in a heavy bottomed pan (kadhai) over low heat till light brown. Soak the saffron threads in 1 tablespoon milk.

2. Bring the milk to boil. Add sooji little by little, constantly stirring with other hand so that no lumps are formed.

3. Cook over high heat till the mixture begins to thicken. Add sugar and cardamom powder and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add saffron and mix well.

4. Garnish with nuts and serve sooji ki kheer hot or cold.

Lapsi (Sweet Dalia/ Broken Wheat)

Lapsi or sweet dalia is a nutritious dessert. I have added much less ghee and sugar than the traditional recipe calls for. If you want a richer lapsi, you can increase their quantities. Sweet dalia is made both by adding water and milk. This recipe is with water.

Recipe of lapsi

1 cup dalia (broken wheat)

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups hot water

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

2 tbsp almonds (blanched and chopped)

3/4 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add dalia and stir-fry on a medium heat till it turns light brown.

2. Add 2 1/2 cups of hot water and cook partly covered on medium heat. Cook till most of the water gets evaporated.

3. Add sugar, cardamom powder and 1/2 cup water to the daliya and give it a stir. Place a griddle (tava) below the pan. Cook on a low heat for about 8-9 minutes.

4. When ghee starts oozing out from the sides of the pan, your lapsi is ready. Garnish with almonds and serve hot.

Gajar ki Kheer (Carrot Pudding)

gajar ki kheer

Gajar ki kheer or carrot kheer is a delicious and healthy dessert. Kheer or payasam is my weakness and this one is a treat for me. It does not take too much time to cook gajar ki kheer.

Recipe of carrot kheer/ gajar ki kheer

1 cup grated carrot (gajar)

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 liter milk

4 tsp sugar

Chopped nuts

1. Heat ghee in a pan and stir-fry gajar for 5 minutes.

2. Boil milk till its quantity reduces to half.

3. Add carrot and boil for few minutes.

4. Add sugar and boil for few more minutes. Garnish gajar ki kheer with nuts. Serve hot or cold.

Coconut Rava Laddu (Sweet Semolina Balls)

rava laddu

Rava laddu or sooji laddu are made by themselves as well as by adding coconut. Here I am sharing the recipe of coconut rava laddu. They are more popular in Southern part of India but now also available at North Indian sweet shops. Rava laddu are especially made on festive occasions.

Recipe of coconut rava laddu

1& 1/2 cups Semolina (Rava)

3/4 cup fresh coconut- scraped

4 tbsps ghee (clarified butter)

1 cup Sugar

2 tbsps Raisins (kishmish)

1 & 1/2 tbsps Green cardamom powder

1. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed kadai, stir-fry rava on very low heat, till it just starts changing color to light golden.

2. Add scraped coconut and continue to stir-fry for one more minute.

3. Cook sugar with half a cup of water on medium heat, stirring continuously till it dissolves. Increase heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook without stirring for about five minutes or till it reaches single thread consistency.

4. Add the warm roasted rava mixture and green cardamom powder to the sugar syrup and mix well. Cover the mixture with lid and keep aside for thirty minutes, stirring the mixture at regular intervals.

5. Divide the mixture into twelve to fifteen equal portions, shape into laddus by rolling them with your hands. Decorate rava laddu with raisin.

Churma (Rajasthani Sweet)

churma

Churma is a very popular sweet from Rajasthan. Churma or churma ladoos are made in most households in Rajasthan on big and small occasions. As you start eating this sweet, it grows on you. Churma satisfies your sweet tooth completely and makes you feel connected to your vast inheritance.

Recipe of churma

1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

3 tbsp sooji (semolina/ rawa)

6-7 tbsp powdered sugar (vary according to taste)

4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 tsp elaichi (green cardamom) powder

Mixed chopped nuts like almonds, raisins

Ghee for frying

1. Mix atta, sooji and ghee. Adding warm water, knead it into stiff dough.

2. Take small balls (pedas, muthias) from the dough and deep fry in ghee. Heat should be medium for frying. Fry till brown. Shape of the balls is not important. When fried, drain by a slotted spoon.

3. When the fried balls have cooled down, grind them in a mixer to a coarse powder.

4. Mix powdered sugar, chopped almond, raisins (kishmish) and elaichi powder. Store this churma in an airtight container. It stays fresh for some days.

Quick Microwave Besan Ladoo

besan ladoo

Microwave besan ladoo is a very easy and quick substitute for traditional ladoos in kadhai. You don't have to go for endless stirring lest the besan burns. You can get accolades without going through the grind. They taste absolutely great and you cannot tell the difference between microwave besan ladoo and those made the traditional way.

Recipe of microwave besan ladoo

2 cups besan (gram flour)

1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

4-5 pods hari elaichi (green cardamom) - crushed

2 tbsp chopped nuts like almonds, cashew nuts and raisins

1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix besan and ghee.

2. Microwave on High for 6 minutes. First stir after 2 minutes, then after 2 minutes, then after 1 minute, then after 30 seconds till you get desired brownness. Let it cool.

3. Add powdered sugar, cardamom powder and chopped nuts.

4. While the besan mixture is still warm and comfortable to touch, make ping pong size balls using your hands. These are now called besan ka ladoo. Store besan ladoos in an airtight container. 

Rice Kheer (Pudding)

rice kheer

Rice kheer or chawal ki kheer is one of the most popular desserts of Indian Subcontinent. It is even offered as prasad. It’s very delicious and my family prefers it chilled. So after the kheer reaches room temperature, we refrigerate it.

Recipe of rice kheer (payasam)

1 liter milk

1/4 cup rice

1/4 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder

4-5 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp almonds (blanched and slivered)

1 tbsp kewra water (optional)

1. Soak the rice for 1/2 an hour. Drain.

2. In a heavy bottomed pan, bring the milk to boil. Add rice and lower heat.

3. Cook stirring in between till rice is cooked and kheer thickens. Cook till the desired consistency is reached.

4. Add sugar and cook stirring till sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and add almonds and cardamom powder. When the kheer has cooled down somewhat, add kewra water. Serve rice kheer hot or cold.

kesari kheer