Panchmeva Paag (Dry Fruits Burfi)

Panchmeva Paag is a Krishna Janmashtami as well as Ganesh Chaturthi special bhog or prasad. On the auspicious day of Krishna Janmashtami, we make this alongwith panchamrit as bhog for Ladoo Gopal ji. This is made with the mixture of 5 different types of nuts as the name suggests. Choice of nuts depends totally on personal liking and availability at home. I have used the ones that i find taste good in this. You can also make it during vrat or fast days.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 cups fox nut or lotus seeds (makhana)
• 1.5 cups dry coconut, shredded
• 1/2 cup melon seeds
• 2 tbsp almonds
• 2 tbsp chiraunji
• 1 tsp green cardamom powder
• 1/4 cups clarified butter (ghee)

For Sugar Syrup:

• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup water

METHOD:

1. First step is to roast all the nuts seperately, take a tbsp ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the makhana. Roast for 4-5 min. on slow flame till light golden in colour and crisp while touching. Take it out on a plate.
2. In the same pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee, add almonds and roast for a min. and take it out seperately.
3. Similarly roast melon seeds, chiraunji and dry coconut.
4. Crush the roasted almonds and fox nuts coarsely using a mortar and pestle.
5. Mix together crushed almonds and fox nuts with roasted chiraunji, melon seeds and coconut.
6. Add green cardamom powder and mix well.
7. For the sugar syrup, heat a heavy-bottomed pan, add sugar and water. Bring it to a boil.
8. Let it cook for 8-10 min. till one-string consistency.
9. Finally add the above nuts mixture into the prepared sugar syrup. Mix well and cook for a min. on low flame.
10. Take a greased thali or any square baking dish, and pour the mixture. 
11. Let it cool for a few min. only and cut into desirable shapes.

NOTE:

• This can be stored for a couple of weeks in an airtight container.
• Make sure the sugar syrup is of one-string consistency before adding the nuts mixture in order to ensure perfect pieces.

Instant Jalebi

Who doesn't like hot and crispy jalebis straight from the flavorful and aromatic sugary syrup. During my childhood days, there was a sort of a ritual of eating jalebis alongwith our city's famous street food moong dal (going to share its authentic recipe soon) on the sunday mornings. So here i am with the recipe of jalebis which is instant and doesn't require any kind of yeast or fermentation. Try frying them in ghee for the awesome aroma and taste.

Preparation time: 15 min.
Cooking time: 30 min.
Type: Dessert
Serves: 5-6

INGREDIENTS:

For sugar syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
• 8-10 strands saffron
• few drops kewra essence

For jalebi:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
• 2 tbsp sour curd or yoghurt
• 1 pinch orange food colour or turmeric powder
• soda water as required
• clarified butter (ghee) or oil for frying

METHOD:

For sugar syrup:

1. Combine together sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pan.
2. Cook on medium high flame till all the sugar dissolves, meanwhile stirring continuously.
3. Cook further for few min. till it reaches single thread consistency.
4. Add saffron, elaichi powder and kewra essence.
5. Remove from flame and keep it warm.

For jalebi:

1. In a bowl, mix together maida, besan, food colour and curd.
2. Add soda water to make a batter of pouring consistency. It should neither be thin nor too thick. Keep aside for 15 min.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed broad pan which is approx. 1" deep.
4. Fill the jalebi batter into a plastic bottle with a small opening in the lid or use a piping bag with single hole nozzle.
5. Press out swirls of the batter into the hot ghee or oil of 2" diameter each.
6. Deep fry the jalebis in hot oil or ghee till golden in colour.
7. Immediately put fried jalebis into warm syrup for 2-3 min. and drain out.
8. Serve hot with curd or rabdi.

Note:

• As soon as u take out fried jalebis, transfer immediately to warm syrup.
• The sugar syrup should not be hot while adding jalebis else the jalebis will turn soft.

Mawa Gujiya /Khoya Gujiya

HAPPY HOLI TO ALL THE FOODIES!!

Gujiya is a famous holi snack of north India. I always prefer homemade gujiyas rather than buying sugar syrup dripping, high in saturated fats ones. These can be made both sweet or savoury and the list of stuffing is endless, experiment and you will come up with so many options. Every home has its own recipe of making gujiya, I always liked gujiya made by my mom so today I am sharing her mawa gujiya recipe stuffed with khoya, shredded coconut and dry fruits.

Preparation time: 20 min.
Cooking time 1 hr.
Type: Snack

Ingredients:

For the cover:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
• 3 tbsp oil/ghee (melted)
• 1 cup water

For the filling:

• 250 gm khoya or mava
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 cup dry coconut (shredded)
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1 tbsp chironji
• 1 tbsp melon seeds
• 1 cup castor sugar

Method:

For the filling:

1. In a pan, heat khoya till light golden in colour.
2. Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, shredded coconut, raisins, chironji melon seeds and castor sugar.

For the cover:

1. Sieve all-purpose flour in a bowl.
2. Mix melted clarified butter or ghee using fingers until the mixture resembles bread crumbs and binds to a certain extent.
3. Now add some water and knead lightly to form a stiff dough.
4. Cover and leave the dough for 30 min. atleast.

Preparing and assembling the gujiya:

1. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and make them into balls. 
2. Roll the balls into circles about 4 inch diameter.
3. Place the rolled puri on the gujiya mould, fill with a spoonful of the stuffing in the centre. Dip your finger into water and apply all around the edges. Now close the mould ensuring the filling does not spill out of the edges. Press lightly and remove the extra dough to give it the shape of the mould.
4. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the gujiyas on medium flame till crisp and golden in colour.

Note:

• During the entire process of making gujiya, keep the dough and prepared gujiyas covered with a muslin cloth to prevent them from drying out.