In the old days, the women at home would prepare amazing recipes for each festivity, but with time all of it changed, and now people prefer getting all made from shops. It was not just about saving money but how the family would come together and celebrate any festival. So, this year when we have already tried a lot of delicacies and posted them proudly on our social media, it’s time to get back to work and prepare the best sweets of all time.
Kaju Katli
It is an all-time favourite sweet enjoyed by many, loved for being a smooth melt in the mouth slices of cashew. Take some cashews at room temperature and grind them in a grinder making a smooth paste. But keep in mind not to overdo it over as it may end in oil formation. Take ½ cup sugar in 5 tbsp water in a thick bottomed pan to help it from sticking to it. When the sugar gets completely dissolved add the cashew powder. Keep stirring it for about 8-10 mins until it starts to form a dough-like formation, put off the flame and place the pan on a slab. Knead it while it’s hot but bearable, but don’t over knead. Flatten it with a rolling pin and cut out in diamond shape to enjoy your hard work.
Gulab Jamun
It is a loved delicacy that can be prepared in two ways one using khoya the other using milk powder. So, here we will be learning the one made using milk powder.
Dough Preparation: Mix 9 tbsp Milk powder, 3 ½ tbsp All-purpose flour, ½ tbsp Semolina, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 2 tbsp curd, 2 tbsp Milk & 1 tsp Ghee. Knead a soft dough out of it, then form small balls from it.
Take some ghee in the Kadhai and heat it on medium heat, so that the gulab jamun gets cooked from inside.
Sugar Syrup: Prepare sugar syrup with 1.5 cups of sugar & 1.5 cups water with some crushed cardamoms in a pot. The syrup will get thicker and sticky but do not over boil as it won’t help in soft jamuns.
Now dip the fried gulab jamun directly in the hot sugar syrup and let the balls soak the syrup nicely. And take them out once done to serve hot or cool it down as you like.
Rabdi
Take 1.5 litres of full cream milk in a pan and start simmering it on medium flame till it comes to boil. Using a spatula disperse the cream layer formed to the corners of the pan. After 30 minutes of cooking, it will reduce to half the actual quantity and thicker consistency. Now add some saffron, 1/2 tsp cardamom powder and 3 tbsp of sugar, mix this until a good colour appears. This sweet is all about patience as we need to cook it on slow or medium flame. Add soaked almonds & pistachios after removing their skin, crush them before mixing to your Rabri.
Your lip-smacking dessert is all prepped to consume.
Jalebi
Instant Jalebi comes handy when you don’t have much time in hand so just prepare the instant mixture adding 1 Cup Refined Flour, ¼ Cup Yoghurt, 1 tsp Vinegar, ½ tsp Baking Powder, Water if needed to thin it down. Pour the batter in a bottle.
For sugar syrup 1 Cup Sugar, ¾ Cup Water and some cardamom seeds. Boil it till you achieve the one string consistency.
Use Ghee or Oil for deep frying as per your liking. Set a frying pan with oil or ghee and start squeezing the bottle and make concentric rings with the batter. Take out the jalebi once golden in colour and immediately put the fried jalebi in the sugar syrup.
Malpua
Mixing 1 cup maida, 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), 3 to 4 crushed cardamoms. To this mix add 3 tbsp grated khoya or whole milk powder, 3 tbsp fresh yoghurt and ½ a cup water.
Let this batter rest for 30 to 40 minutes or even for the next 2 hours at room temperature. For sugar syrup heat ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water, achieve the one string consistency.
Add 3 pinches baking soda or ⅛ tsp baking soda to the Malpua batter before frying it in ghee. Make a small Malpua’s with 2-3 tbsp of batter each time in hot ghee on medium flame. Then immediately place the fried Malpua in the warm sugar syrup.
You may enjoy this as it is or use some Rabdi over it to enhance its taste.
So get started now and enjoy the festival of Diwali with your loved ones.
