Tirangi Mewa Burfee

Its 65th Independence Day!! A celebration of Freedom and Democracy!
Today , we finally conclude our "Veg.Cuisine of India" marathon....and we do it with a mitha!!
A sweet tri coloured burfee , thats just Indian..not belonging to any state or territory...just representing ,every bit of Our Nation...INDIA!!!
Happy Independence!!!!!

 




 Ingredients:

For the Sugar syrup:

2 cup     Sugar

3/4 cup  Water

For the Orange layer:

3            Carrots

1 cup     Mawa

1 cup     Sugar

1/2 tsp   Elaichi powder

For the White layer:

1 1/2 cup   Grated Paneer

1 cup         Cashew Powder

1/2 cup      Mawa

1/2 tsp       Elaichi Powder

1/2 cup      Sugar Syrup (or 1 cup powdered sugar)

For the Green layer:

1 cup        Coarsely Ground Pista

1/2 cup     Mawa

1/2 tsp      Elaichi Powder

1 cup        Sugar Syrup

Few Almonds for Garnish

Duration: 30 Mins
Serves: 4-5
 

Method:

Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar and water till it comes to 1 string consistency.

For the orange layer:

Grate the carrots. In a non stick pan, add a little ghee. Put the grated carrots, sugar, mawa and the elaichi powder and cook till it reaches a ball like consistency.

Duration: 15 mins

For the while layer:

In a microwave proof bowl, take the paneer, mawa, cashew powder, elaichi powder and 1/2 cup sugar syrup and microwave it for 3 to 5 mins till the mixture thickens. Cool and keep aside.

Duration: 5 mins

For the green layer:

To the sugar syrup add the ground pistas, elaichi powder, mawa and a little green color. Heat a little for about 5 mins. 

 

Duration: 4 mins for sugar syrup and for mixing and  2 mins for cooling and spreading.
(Last 4 Mins for layering and cutting.)

Grease a plate with a little ghee. First put in the green layer ( the mixture should be a little hot otherwise it will not spread). Then spread the while layer and even it out. Lastly spread the carrot layer (this layer will be a little thicker). 

Let the burfee cool down a bit and then cut pieces.

You can garnish it with almonds.

 

 

This is our entry for the event"Dish In 30 Mins - Sweets"

 

hosted at

http://www.sarasyummybites.com/2012/10/dish-in-30-minutes-event-announcement.html

Jangri, Urad dal Jalebi

Its Diwali time and I am in the midst of dusting and cleaning and of course making Namkeens and Mithais....My home is a flurry of activity but I am totally loving it. Infact I just wait the whole year for this festive. Dunno know where I get this much energy but this time of the year I am into a maniac mode!!!! 

You can call Jangri a South Indian cousin of North Indian Jalebi or Imarti!!!!!!

Basically they look similar but their texture and flavours are totally different....Jalebi is made with Maida and Jangri with Urad dal. This again is a very simple recipe as all the ingredients required for this recipe are readily available at home. 


Ingredients:

1 cup             Urad dal
1 1/2 cup       Sugar
Ghee/Oil        For frying
1 tsp              Elaichi powder
a pinch          Kesari colour


Method:

Soak Urad dal in water for atleast 2 hrs. Wash and drain the water and grind in a mixie using very little water. The batter should be like the wada batter. 

Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar with just enough water to cover the sugar. The sugar syrup should be of one string consistency that is a drop of syrup should leave one string between your thumb and finger. Add a few drops of lemon to the syrup to prevent the syrup from crystallising. Add the kesari colour and the elaichi powder and mix.

Heat Ghee in a flat bottomed pan. 

Take a zip lock bag and fill it with the batter. Make a small hole in it.

Now squeeze the bag and make the jangris in the ghee. You can shape them like jalebis or be a little more creative and make a imarti like pattern. Cook on low flame till crisp. 

Now dunk the hot jangris in warm sugar syrup for 10 mins. Remove on a plate and serve.

Fried Modak

 

Our favorite rotund Lord Ganesh is here and so are his favourite modaks….

Currently there are “Modaks Modaks everywhere!!!!!!” Its just been a day and wherever I go for the darshan I am being bombarded with modaks but nope….. I don’t mind. And given the variety of modaks , Why should I???

Yup there are a wide variety of modaks available commercially and in mindblowing flavours like the pista, chocolate, strawberry and the good old elaichi modak. But nothing comes close to the traditional home cooked modak, be it the fried ones or the yummylicious Ukdiche Modak.

Yesterday was a whirlwind of activity for me…from cooking Naivedya to making modaks and not to forget visiting friends for Ganapati Darshan. But it always gives me a sense of achievement and peace whenever I cook a complete meal with modaks for Bappas naivedya. And the food never tastes as good as on this day.

Contrary to popular belief, the modak can be prepared in under an hour. Since my family loves the fried modaks I made those on the first day.

"GANAPATI BAPPA MORYA"

Ingredients:

For the cover:

4 cups         Wheat flour
3 tsp            Rawa
4 tsp            Oil
A pinch of namak shamak

For the filling:

1               Scraped coconut
1 ½ cup    Jaggery (approx. ½ of the coconut)
½ tsp        Elaichi and Jaiphal (nutmeg) powder
½ cup      Assorted Dryfruits (chopped)


Method:

For the dough:

Take the wheat atta in a bowl, add the rawa and salt to it. In a small pan heat the oil and when hot add it to the atta. Now knead the dough using water. The dough should be stiff. Cover and keep aside for ½ hour.

For the filling:

Heat a pan and add the jaggery to it, when it melts add the coconut and the elaichi, jaiphal powder and cook till it becomes dry. It will take about 10 mins. Add the chopped dry fruits and mix.

For making modaks:

Make small pedas of the dough and roll them into puris. Make sure they are not very thin as they might break and the filling will come out and spread in the oil.

Fill the puris with the coconut mixture and gently close the modaks using pleating action (make small pleats as you would while wearing a sari!!!!) Close and seal them firmly.
Heat oil in a kadhai. Fry the modaks on low heat till golden brown and done.

 

Winner of

hosted by

Ez Cookbook and My Cook book

http://www.ezcookbook.net/2012/10/lets-party-prasadam-event-round-up-and.html

Sevaiyan and Paneer Burfi

Just a few days post the Ashadhi Ekadashi , and the air is already filling with the holy festivities! Thats the best thing of being an India , in India! We always have something to celebrate all year round! And celebration means meeting up with relatives , friends and of course Sweets and Mithais!

And with the holy month of Shrawaan just a fortnight away , everyone is gearing up for the season of feasting and fasting , especially in Maharashtra!
So this year , especially for the festivities , we have decided to make and share some new innovative mithais , apart from the traditional ones made , just for the occassion.

This Paneer and Vermicelli Burfi is one such innovation. Quick and easy to make and ofcourse Delicious!

Ingredients:

For the seviyan layer:
Ghee                             2 tsp 

Seviyan                        1 cup 

Sugar                           1/2 cup 

Milk powder                 1/2 cup 

Milk                               1 cup

For the paneer layer: 

Paneer                         1 cup

Milk powder                 3 tsp 

Powdered sugar         4 tsp

1/2 tsp Elaichi  powder

Blanched Almond sliver and Kesar for garnish

Method:

In a microwave oven proof bowl heat the ghee and roast the seviyan on microwave high for 1 min. Remove and add the milk powder, sugar and milk and stir. Now microwave on high for 5 mins or till the milk evaporates but the mixture remains moist. Remove, add a little elaichi powder and cool a little.

In a bowl mix the grated paneer, milk powder, sugar and elaichi powder.

Grease microwave proof dish with little ghee. Put in the seviyan and spread them evenly. Add the paneer and layer it evenly on top.

Bake at 180 degrees for 10 mins. on low rack.

Cool and cut into desired shape and garnish with kesar and slivered almonds.

Winner of




hosted by

Ez Cookbook and My Cook book

Khirapat che Modak

Our very dear Ganpati’s Modaks takes different forms as they travel across Maharashtra. Before I got married , my modaks were limited to Ukadiche or steamed ones made from rice flour and fried ones from wheat flour . Both had common stuffing made with scraped coconut and jaggery.

I still remember my first ganpati post marriage…and remember how grand it was !! And ohh my god…me and my mom in law made a big dabba full of modaks!! And they were not like the ones we made at home back in mumbai. They were made from dried coconut , dryfruits and sugar ,alpng with some other simple ingredients!! And they were called Khirapat che Modak!

Khirapat is nothing but a mix of grated roasted dry coconut and castor sugar. Its also made as a prashad during evening aartis during the ganpati festival!

These modaks are slightly smaller in size and very light. And being made from all dry

ingredients,they can be stored for upto 2-3 days in airtight container.

 

Ingredients:

1 Cup whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp Salt

2 tbsp Ghee

1 tbsp Suji / Rawa

For the Khirapat/stuffing:

1 Cup Grated Khopra/dry coconut

½ Cup Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Cardamom powder

1 tbsp rawa

2 tbsp Besan

½ Cup Chopped Nuts

1-2 tbsp Raisins

Oil for deep frying

 

Knead a stiff dough from wheat flour,suji,ghee,salt and water as required. Keep covered for atleast 1 hour.

Heat a pan and dry roast grated dry coconut on medium flame till just brown.

Transfer in a plate to cool.

Now roast suji , followed by besan and add them to the dry coconut.

Once cooled,add sugar,nuts cardamom powder and raisins.

Mix together and keep aside.

Pinch small portions of the dough and roll it into a small round puri.

Put a tsp or more of the stuffing at the center and pleat the sides of puri and gather together and pinch to form a tip.

Pinch off excess dough and shape the modak.

Refer the link for details on shaping the modak

http://namakshamak.blogspot.in/2012/09/fried-modak.html

Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the modaks on medium flame till golden brown and crisp.

Ukadiche Modak / Steamed Rice Modak

Festivities trigger traditions and vice versa....Its very pleasing to see everyone donning a traditional Kurti or a saree , be it at workplace or at home!! Its gives us an excuse to step out of routine and enjoy the change, meet relatives and so on.
Ganesh Chaturti is one such occassion that gives you the chance to indulge in a change.....
And the traditional treats it gets along , is  just awesome!!
Our sweet Lord Ganesha is a star even with the kids, who are extra enthusiastic to bring their Ganpati Bappa home
Ganpati Bappa is worshipped and treated with a variety of sweets and a complete meal called "Naivedyam"! And Ganpati bappa's favourite food happens to be Modak!! A type of stuffed laddoo,made with coconut stuffings and covered with rice dough and steamed or with wheat dough and fried. Modaks come in different forms , but the traditional one made at home is the Ukadicha Modak (Steamed Modak)
I remember making those as a child, helping my Mom ..... And the rewards for all the efforts were just worth it!!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Rice Flour ( You get a scented Basmati flour specially for making modaks, but regular rice atta will do)
1 Cup Water
1 tsp Ghee
1/4 tsp Salt

For the stuffing
1 Cup Scraped Coconut
3/4 Cup Jaggery
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tbsp Khoya.Mawa (optional, but it does give a nice taste)

For making the stuffing , mix together the scraped coconut with jaggery and place it in a non stick kadhai on a medium flame , mixing occassionally with a spoon to prevent sticking at the bottom.

Cook the stuffing till the stuffing is solid , but still moist.
Add the khoya and cardamom powder and mix .
Cook for 1-2 mins till khoya is well blended.
Transfer in a bowl to cool.
You can make this stuffing in advance and storein refregerator for 1-2 days.

Heat 1 cup water in a pan. Once it boils , add ghee and salt.

Lower the flame and add the rice flour and mix.
Put off the flame and cover with a lid.
Transfer in a plate after 5 mins.
Let it cool slightly.

Now knead the dough while still warm, into a smooth texture.
Use oil is too sticky.

Pinch small balls of the dough and using a mix of oil and water to grease hands, mould the dough into a small bowl or katori shape.

Put 1-2 tsp of stuffing in the shaped dough and pinch the sides and shown.(This ensures the modak gets neat pleats and a nice shape)
Now gently gather the edges and pinch them together.

Grease the steaming plates or cooker vessels with some oil (You can use banana leaves to place the modaks , in them,it gives a nice fragrance and flavour)

Steam the modaks for 15 mins.
Cool for some time and transfer in a plate.