SWEET WINTER DELIGHTS

Author Rekha Gupta

As mentioned earlier several times, my cooking journey began for all the right reasons and so often I experimented with ingredients and steps simply by following my instincts, combined with a little common sense and experience to try something new which was not cooked at home or outside the traditional way (keep it pure, keep it simple) and the outcome ‘yeh dil mangay more’…C@Rg

Fortunately Indian mithai / sweet is not something that simply satisfies your sweet tooth. Like all other Indian foods, there is a lot of science behind these sweet dishes too. Ingredients like Sesame seeds, Carrots are seasonal and local. They help keep you warm, give you nutrition and long term benefits. I am henceforth giving recipe of 3 such winter desserts.C@Rg

GAJAR ( carrot ) HALWA

Onset of winters and ”Gajar ka Halwa” is the sweet that is most awaited in Northern India. A traditional Indian classic dessert made with fresh Carrots simmered in milk that has become more of a staple food in every household, than a one off dessert reserved for special occasions. Its comfort food with the goodness of carrots along with creaminess of Khoya and warmth & subtle crunch of dry fruits. It’s time consuming, hence many have taken shortcuts, that is; make it with market bought ‘Khoya’, condensed milk ,boiled in a pressure cooker only in sugar , but the real taste is in the traditionally cooked Halwa that is simmered on low flame in milk for hours to go. Not only is it delightfully tasty but because of the array of health benefits, it is a guilt free sweet as well. C@Rg

As you all maybe aware by now, I use unrefined sugar, so its Karara or Rock Sugar (Dhaga Mishri) for me. Its the rawest form of sugar with all the nutrients intact, medicinal properties and its taste is completely different as its not biting sweet alongside being naturally aromatic. You are free to use regular refined sugar as well. For best results I use Amul’s pure cow’s milk as it is lighter as well as Amul’s Cow Ghee. (and I’m not brand endorsing, just stating my preferences 🙆)c@Rg

U. S. P – My dishes have to be healthy and tasty both – hence no short cuts!!

Vegetarian and Gluten Free

Ingredients :

~ COW’S MILK – 2 Litre ( Amul’s cow milk makes it creamier and lighter )

~ CARROTS – 3 Kgs

~ Rock sugar (Mishri powder) or regular sugar- 3 Cups ( balance it according to your taste)

~ COW’S GHEE – 4 tbsp

~ DRY FRUITS – 3/4 th Cup of chopped Almonds ,Raisins & Cashewnuts . Roast in one Tbsp Ghee and keep aside. If you are a person who loves nuts in every bite, then go all out my friend and use 1 full cup of roasted nuts.

Steps :

1). In a heavy base big steel kadhai first add 2 tbsp Water ( milk will not burn at the base) then add Milk and bring milk to a boil.

2) .Then leave it on medium flame to simmer, stirring it once every five minutes so that the milk doesn’t end up getting burnt at the base of the pan. It will take more than an hour to reduce it to 1/3 rd of the whole quantity.

3). Meanwhile Wash & peel the carrots. Then grate the carrots (into big size juliennes) either with a hand grater or in a food processor.

4) On another flame,heat another big kadahi, add 2 tblsp. Cow Ghee , add the grated Carrots ,saute on medium flame for 5 to 10 min.

5). Add the carrots to the now reduced milk, stirring continuously till the mixture reaches a boil again. (Whenever anything is added to milk, it should be stirred till it reaches a boil again as the milk could curdle if not stirred)

6). Leave it on medium flame to simmer till all the milk evaporates and it looks like one thick mix. Keep stirring it in every 5 minutes.

7). Add Mishri powder/sugar to the mixture and keep stirring till sugar dissolves, the mix will again become a little semi liquid at this point (as sugar releases water).

8) Leave it on medium flame for another 25 minutes or little more, for the sugar water to evaporate completely .Stir it once every 5 minutes .

9 ) When the sugar water evaporates, then add Ghee, add half the dry fruits giving it a good stir for 5 more minutes.

10) Finally garnish the final dish with dry fruits and enjoy.

MOHAN THAAL

”Mohan” is one of the many names of Bhagwaan Krishan. A traditional Indian sweet – Mohanthal is served as Bhog to Bhagwaan Krishan, hence it is a magical sweet. Its origin can be traced back to both Gujarat and Rajasthan. C@Rg

Made essentially with Gram flour ( Besan ) cooked in Ghee with sugar syrup added to it.

Vegetarian and Gluten Free

Ingredients :

1~ BESAN ( gram flour) – 2 Cups / 250 gms,

2~ HOT MILK – 3 tbsp

3~ HOT GHEE – 3 tbsp

All of the above 3 ingredients have to be mixed together in order to get a crumb like consistency.

~ COW’S GHEE – 175 gms.

~ MILK -1/2 CUP boiled and cooled to room temperature .

~ For Syrup – DHAGA MISHRI /SUGAR – 2 CUPS + WATER 3/4 th CUP

~ Cardamom Powder 1/4 th tsp, 3/4th cup of Almonds & Pistacchio slivers for garnishing

Steps:

1). In a bowl, put Besan, now sprinkle the hot mixture of Milk and Ghee combined together all over evenly( the first three ingredients ) . Mix all three with your fingers . Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

2). Meanwhile in a heavy pan, combine Dhaga Mishri(Rock Sugar) and Water and put it on low flame till the Sugar dissolves completely. Then cook the Sugar syrup to consistency of 1.5 string /tar. ( 1.5 tar ki chashni )

3). Heat Ghee in heavy kadhai on medium flame, add the Besan mixture and keep stirring it continuously. Roast it till it changes colour to a golden brown and is aromatic (it will appear to be tight).

4). After 30 – 40 minutes of continuous roasting, the Besan will start to FROTH and will appear very light and loose. (better taste it to check if its still raw or cooked. )

5). Now add the 1/2 cup Milk (the one at room temperature ) and keep stirring. The milk will make the mixture FROTHY again. The froth will settle down in a minute or two. It will be completely incorporated within the besan mixture. The colour will become slightly darker, roast it for another 5 minutes till it turns golden brown in colour then remove the kadahi from flame onto the slab.

6). Add the Mishri Syrup to the besan mixture and keep stirring till the mix becomes thick again. ( it should not be liquidy ) It will take 5 to 10 minutes of continuous stirring for it to look like a dough. Then add cardamom powder and the dry fruits, give a good mix. ( if it does not come together like a dough ,then keep the kadahi back on medium flame and stir continuously till it looks like a dough,ready to be set).

7). When it looks that it will readily set, then spread it on a greased Thali /tray, tap it to even it out, sprinkle the remaining dry fruits on top and press lightly with the back of a greased spoon/spatula.

8). Keep it aside to cool a little,when it is still warm, make cut marks as desired.s Allow it to cool and after two hours carefully lift the barfis and enjoy!

KHOYA TIL LADOO

Back then, there weren’t any smart phones , no you tube /Social media etc. Amongst the many things of entertainment, socialising was a big thing and we would be hosting parties almost every weekend. Thus began my tryst with new innovations and experiments with recipes. Cooking has always been close to my heart and nothing less than an expression of love and affection. This combined with Passion and a feeling to make my family and friends feel special each time. I came up with some delectable unique recipes which I want to share with all of you.C@Rg

In our community Sesame(til) ladoos were usually made with just til and sugar or gur (jaggerry) was added to sweeten the ladoos and I had never eaten another version of til ladoo anywhere. But I’ve always wanted to experiment and do something different, therefore I created my own version and made Til ladoos with Khoya. This brought the sweet to whole other level, making it richer and thereby hard to forget.C@Rg

Vegetarian and Gluten Free

Ingredients

~ SESAME SEEDS (TIL) 500 gms dry roast (keep 4 tbsp Til aside to be used as garnishing)

~ SUGAR / MISHRI POWDER – 500 gms – {if using Sugar, then powder it in a grinder and keep aside less or more according to your taste )}

~ COWS MILK 3 Lts to make KHOYA

~ COW’S GHEE 2 tbsp

Steps

To make KHOYA:

1) In a big heavy base steel kadhai / pan, bring milk to a boil. Then leave it to simmer on medium flame, stirring once every 5 minutes so that the milk doesn’t end up getting burnt at the bottom of the pan.

2). It will take about 60 -75 minutes to evaporate, to reduce and remain 1/3rd of the whole quantity.

3). Then the last 20 minutes are are crucial – you have to stir it every minute till it becomes golden brown and becomes one full lump of Khoya. Now add ghee and give it one final stir. Switch the flame off and leave it to cool slightly. Keep it aside.

4). Meanwhile on another flame simultaneously, dry roast the Til in a heavy base Kadhai on low flame, stirring every in 5 minutes. This will take 40- 60 minutes. When it starts changing colour slightly, test by tasting a few and if crunchy, remove and allow it to cool slightly for 10 minutes.

5). Grind Til, little at a time on PULSE mode in mixer grinder. ( You absolutely have to grind til on pulse, for a second and then release as they should not release their oil at all).

6). When done, remove Til in a big mixing bowl, add Mishri powder and warm khoya to it .Mix all three ingredients with your fingers till it becomes an even mixture, taste the sugar (sugar less or more according to taste) .

7). Shape it into ladoos /balls .

8). Spread the roasted Til on a plate (that is was kept aside for garnishing) and roll all the ladoos in it .Enjoy!

Do not forget to offer bhog to bhagwanji before enjoying these delicious sweets. 😋🙏

I make cooking a fun and an enjoyable activity, involving my children and the full family. Thereby making it a good way to maintain our age old recipes and pass them onto the next generation . C@Rg

Author Rekha Gupta

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