Besan Laddu

Ingredients:

400 gms Besan
225 gms Ghee
450 gms Sugar - powder
50 gms Cashew - bits
50 gms Raisins - optional
5 gms Cardamom powder
75 ml Milk - boiled and cooled

Method:

In a thick pan, heat ghee, and fry besan on a medium flame. Keep stirring continuously.

After about 20 minutes (besan becomes little fluffy) add cashew bits. Continue to mix till besan changes colour and cashew has turned golden.

Switch off and add 75 ml of milk and mix very well. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes. Let it cool till lukewarm - add powdered sugar, raisins and cardamom. Mix and make laddus.

Makes about 30 laddus.

Fried Gram Laddu

Ingredients:

300 gms Fried gram
100 gms Dry grated coconut
300 gms Jaggery
100 gms Ghee
5 gms Cardamom powder

Method:

Powder fried gram in a mixer, and sieve it.

Powder coarsely, dry grated coconut in a mixer.

Grate jaggery ball, and mix with the above ingredients.

Take one handful at a time, of the above mixture in a mixer and run for a few seconds, so that the ingredients mix well.

Add cardamom powder and mix. Heat ghee and pour the melted ghee and mix. Make balls immediately.

Makes about 28-30 balls.

Til Laddu

Ingredients:

300 gms Nylon til
350 gms Jaggery
200 gms Dry grated coconut

Method:

Fry til 1 tbsp at a time, in a pan, till they puff, on a low-medium flame. When cool, powder coarsely in a mixer. Grate the jaggery ball. Take grated coconut in a mixer one handful at a time and powder coarsely.

Mix all the 3 ingredients with the hand, take one handful at a time in a mixer, run for a few seconds, just to mix everything, and make balls immediately. Can be stored for 2 weeks.

Makes about 30-35 balls.

Sankranthi Ellu / Nuvvulu

Ingredients:

Step 1:

1 kg. Rajgira

1/2 kg Nylon Til
1.2 kg Sugar

Fry rajgira, 1 tsp at a time in a hot pan till they pop, keep aside. Clean and separate the popped rajgira and discard the rest.

Fry til 1 tbsp at a time, till they puff. Mix rajgira and til.

In a big vessel take sugar, add 3 cups of water and boil. When it starts boiling add 3 tbsp of milk. After boiling for 2-3 minutes, a layer forms on top. Strain in a muslin cloth. Keep the strained syrup on the stove and boil till it becomes thick and bubbles will form. When the right consistency is reached, remove from stove, add rajgira, til and mix thoroughly. When cool break the lumps into small bits.

Step 2:
450 gms Sugar


Melt sugar in about one and half cups of water and strain in a muslin cloth. Divide into 4 portions. Keep one portion on the stove and keep stirring till the syrup becomes thick. Add any desired food colour and when the right consistency is reached pour on a wet wooden board. When it sets, and is still hot, move it to a side. When cool slowly move and place in a plate, upside down. When dry, break into small squares. Repeat with different colours.

Step 3:
2 Dry coconut


Grate the dark skin of the dry coconut and cut it into small pieces.

Step 4:
1 Kg Groundnuts
1/2 kg Fried Gram
1/2 kg Walnuts
1/2 kg Almonds
1/2 kg whole Cashew
200 gms Chilgoza
200 gms Melon seeds
200 gms Gourd seed
200 gms Charoli
200 gms Jeera sweet / kusurellu





Groundnuts - microwave for 2+2 minutes, when cool, remove skin. Retain rounds.

Fried gram - clean and add.

Walnuts - Clean, break into small pieces and microwave for 2 minutes.

Almonds - cut into desired shape.

Cashew - cut into desired shape and fry in 2 tsp ghee.

Chilgoza - Deskin and clean.

Melon seeds - clean and fry in a pan on a low flame, till they puff.

Gourd seeds - clean and fry in a pan on a low flame, till they puff.

Charoli - Clean and microwave for 2 minutes.

Kusurellu / Jeera sweet - add.

Step 5:
1/2 kg Raisins
1/2 kg Apricot
250 gms Dry Figs
200 gms Black currents
200 gms Cherry (in sugar syrup)




Raisins - clean and add.
Apricot - Remove the seed, cut lengthwise.
Figs - cut into desired shape.
Black currents - clean and add.
Cherry - cut lengthwise.

Step 6:
Mix everything together.
Distribute to Family & Friends, along with sugarcane and fruits.

Khus Khus Payasam

Ingredients:

35 gms Khus khus
70 gms fresh grated Coconut
20 gms Cashew
200 gms Jaggery
2 pinch cardamom powder
300-400 ml Milk

Method:

Powder khus khus in a mixer. Add cashew and powder again. Add grated coconut, little water and make a paste. Mix this with 250 ml water and boil till good smell comes (15-20 minutes), on a low flame.

Add jaggery and boil till it melts. Switch off, add cardamom powder. When it is cool, add milk to the required consistency.

Serve cold. Goes well with Otthu Shavige.

Ash Gourd Halwa

Ingredients:

500 gms Ash gourd - grated
(weigh after squeezing the water)
80 gms Ghee
500 ml milk
200 gms Khoya
220 gms Sugar

10 gms ghee
10 gms cashew
10 gms raisins

Method:

Cut ash gourd into small pieces (3"X3") with the skin, remove the seeds and grate it. Take this in a muslin cloth and squeeze out all the water from it. Weigh it, and then steam the grated ash gourd. (Or spread on a microwavable plate and micro for 2+2 minutes)

Divide into 2 portions. For one portion, add half the ghee and in a thick pan fry on a low flame, till the colour changes and the strands separate. Do the same for the second portion also.

Boil milk till it reduces to half.

Take the prepared gourd in the same pan, add thickened milk, sugar and mix well till it is dissolved. Add khoya and fry for some more time.

Heat 10 gms ghee, add pieces of cashew and fry till golden. Switch off and add raisins. Mix everything and serve hot.

Moong Dal Payasam

Ingredients:

270 gms Moong dal
15 gms Khus Khus
2-3 gms Rice flour
20 gms Cashew
40 gms Fresh grated coconut
170 gms Jaggery
150 gms Sugar
300 ml Milk
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsp ghee
20 gms cashew
20 gms raisins

Method:

Fry moong dal in a thick pan, on a low flame, till it changes colour slightly. Boil 1.2 lts of water and when it starts boiling add moong dal and boil on a medium flame, till they are cooked.

Powder khus khus in a mixer, add rice flour, cashew, fresh coconut and a little water and grind it to a paste.

When moong dal is cooked, add the ground paste, and boil till it is cooked completely. Lastly add jaggery and sugar and cook till they melt. Switch off. Cool and add milk, and cardamom powder.

Heat ghee, add cashew bits and fry till golden, switch off, add raisins, mix to the prepared payasam.

Sweet Avalakki (Poha)

Ingredients:

150 gms Thick Rice flakes (Avalakki)
15 gms Khus Khus
75 gms fresh grated Coconut
250 gms Jaggery - grated
80 gms ghee
25 gms Cashew nuts - break into pieces
20 gms raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

Wash and soak rice flakes in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside, for 1 hour.

Powder khus khus in a small jar of a mixer and now add fresh grated coconut, water and grind it to a smooth paste.

Heat 20 gms of ghee, add cashew and fry till golden. Switch off and add the raisins.

In a thick pan add the ground coconut, khus khus along with 50 ml of water and boil till good smell comes. Now add grated jaggery and let it melt. Boil for 2-3 minutes, add the remaining 60 gms ghee, mix well and add soaked rice flakes. (Before adding, if the rice flakes are hard, you can sprinkle a little water on them). Heat it for a couple of minutes. Switch off. Lastly add, cashew, raisins and cardamom powder. Serve.

Rava Burfi

Ingredients:

400 gms sugar (2 measuring cups)
150 gms Chiroti Rava (1 measuring cup)
175 gms ghee (1 measuring cup)
200 gms milk (1 measuring cup)

2 drops any food colour
2 drops vanilla essence
1/4 tsp ghee to grease the tray

Method:

Mix sugar and chiroti rava in a thick copper bottom vessel. To this add ghee and milk. Keep it on a stove on medium flame. Stir continuously. When it starts boiling, simmer and continue to stir. After 10 minutes add 2 drops of food colour and 2 drops of vanilla essence. Continue to stir for 2-5 minutes more.

If it starts changing colour slightly, and the bubbles remain continuously, it is done. When the burfi consistency is reached, pour in a 8" X 10" greased tray. Tap the tray to settle it evenly.

Cool for 5 minutes. Cut into squares. Let it cool completely. Transfer to an air tight container.