Here are some delicacies for the festival of colours.
Mawa Gujiya
Ingredients:
For the dough
1 cup maida
1 tbsp ghee
Water to knead the dough
For stuffing
1 cup khoya
¼ cup cashews, chopped
12-15 raisins
¼ cup almonds, chopped
2 tbsp decicated coconut
1 tsp cardamom powder
8 tbsp powdered sugar
Oil for frying
Method:
For the dough
Mix maida, ghee and water in a bowl. Knead it into stiff and smooth dough. Cover it and set aside for 20-25 minutes.
For the stuffing
Heat the khoya in a pan over medium heat, and continue stirring till it starts to melt. Remove from heat and set aside. Add all the other stuffing ingredients and mix well.
For gujiya
Divide the dough into 20 equal portions. Roll one portion like a slightly big puri. Place about a spoonful of the stuffing in the centre, and apply little water on the edges of the dough. Fold the rolled dough in a semi-circle shape and seal the edges. Use a fork to seal the dough well. Likewise, prepare the rest of the dough into gujiyas. Once done, fry the gujiyas in oil untill golden brown and crispy.
Thandai
Ingredients:
1 liter milk
½ cup
powdered sugar
½ cup saunf
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup pista
¼ cup
watermelon seeds
A few saffron strands
½ tsp
cardamom powder
¼ fresh
rose petals
Chopped dry fruits for garnishing
Method:
Soak almond, saunf, pista, watermelon seeds and some rose petals in water for two to three hours. In a pan, boil the milk and set aside. Grind the soaked ingredients to make a smooth paste. Pour the remaining water into this paste and strain through a muslin cloth. Collect the liquid in a bowl and add cardamom powder, sugar and the saffron strands in it. Mix well. Now mix this liquid with the milk. Allow to chill for four to five hours before serving.
Lavang Lata
Ingredients
250 gm maida
1 cup ghee
150 gm sugar
½ tbsp cardamom powder
100 gm clove
4 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 cup mix dry fruits, chopped
Oil for frying
Method:
Make the sugar syrup (chashni) of medium consistency. Add the cardamom powder to the chashni and keep it warm. Mix maida, ghee and water in a bowl. Knead it into a stiff and smooth dough. To make the stuffing, take a bowl, mix the chopped dry fruits, and the desiccated coconut. Roll the dough into small puris. Fold the three edges, such that it makes a pocket and fill one tsp of the stuffing. Close the fourth flap and seal it well with a clove. Deep fry in oil on low heat, till golden brown and crispy. Soak the lavang lata in the chashni for 20-30 minutes.
Malpua
Ingredients:
1 cup maida
1 cup khoya
2 cups warm water
½ cup dry fruits, chopped
150 gm ghee
150 gm sugar
Method:
Make the sugar syrup of medium consistency and keep it aside. In a bowl mix maida and water to form a smooth lumpless batter, of thick consistency. Now in another bowl, mix the khoya and water of the same consistency as the previous one. Add both the batters together. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the batter — one tbsp at a time in circular motion (like you would for dosa). Cook for a while till the malpua’s edges turn golden brown. Make all the malpuas and then soak them in the sugar syrup for seven to ten minutes. Garnish with dry fruits.
Namak Pare
Ingredients:
500 gm maida
2 tbsp oil for the dough
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Method:
In a bowl, mix the maida, oil, salt and water. Knead it into a smooth dough. Rest it for 10 minutes. Make small pedas of the dough and with the rolling pin make slightly thick roti. With help of knife, cut the roti vertically and diagonally to get diamond shape. Heat oil in a pan. Now add the namak pare and fry till they turn golden brown.
Kasuri Methi Mathari
Ingredients:
1 cup maida
1 tbsp kasuri methi
2 tbsp oil for the dough
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste
Method:
In a bowl, add maida, kasuri methi, oil, salt and water. Knead it into a stiff and smooth dough. Rest the dough for 10 minutes. Make small pedas of the dough, and with the rolling pin, make small puri of 3 inches. With the help of a fork make holes on both the sides of the puri. Heat the oil in a pan. Now add the matharis and fry till it turns golden brown.
