Blogging Marathon # 14

Sesame ladoos are made as an offering to the gods during the festival of Makar Sakranti. Various sweets made from sesame are enjoyed specially during winter season in Northern part of India.  
Sesame seeds are a very good source of copper, magnesium and calcium. In Jaggery the total mineral content is 5 times higher than brown sugar and 50 times that of regular sugar. A food rich in iron, it is a healthy nutrition choice for anemic patients.

These nutrition packed ladoos are quick and easy to make and they are healthy and can be consumed guilt free to relish.

Ingredients

• 1 + 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 cup jaggery powder
• 1/4th teaspoon cardamom powder(optional)
• 1 tablespoon ghee

Method

1. Slightly dry roast the sesame seeds till the color slightly changes to pale brown. It will take approximately 2-3 minutes.
2. Grind the 1 cup sesame seeds into coarse powder.
3. In a pan add jaggery and 1 tablespoon ghee. Cook it till the jaggery melts and comes to a boil.
4. Add 1 cup sesame seeds and the sesame powder in the jaggery syrup.Mix well and remove from the gas. Add cardamom powder.
5. Allow the mixture to cool down slightly say for 2-3 minutes.
6. You have to shape them into small balls while the mixture is warm.
7. Grease the hands with the ghee and then wet your hands with water. start making balls from the mixture. It is difficult to make balls once the mixture is completely cool. so you have to be really fast.

Variation

• you can add roasted peanut, cashew or almond powder to the sesame seeds.
  Instead of jaggery you can use sugar.

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Blogging Marathon # 14

This sweet is a special offering to God Shiva and Goddess Parvati on the occasion of a very famous Rajasthani festival GANGAUR. GAN means SHIVA and GAUR means PARVATI.

The festival commences on the first day of chaitra month, the day following Holi and continues for 18 days. On the evening of the seventh day after Holi, unmarried girls carry 'Ghudlias' (earthen pots with holes all around in which a lamp is lit) on their heads and they go from house to house and singing devotional songs. (This ritual is observed to celebrate the triumph of Rao Santhal, ruler of Jodhpur,Rajasthan over the cruel Mir Ghudley Khan, who had carried away 140 young girls celebrating the festival of Gangaur, in 1548 AD. The burning lamp symbolizes maharaja's valor and chivalry).

The idols of Shiva and Parvati made of clay and wood are worshipped. These divine entities are called as 'Isar' and 'Gangaur'.

[These paper Mache idols are made by my husband’s grandma narayani devi]

On this day maiden and married ladies worship Goddess Parvarti for getting good husband and for the Health ,welfare and long life of their husbands respectively. They apply mehandi on their hands and dress up themselves beautifully.

[Mehandi art by me]

The festivals conclude with the procession of idols on the 18th day. Ladies sing song about farewell of Gauri from her parent's home to her husband's home.

               [Gauri procession idol placed in the Mehrangardh Jodhpur fort]

Now coming back to FAL. Gauri had these fal while leaving her parent's home that's why this offering is made to her on this festival.

Ingredients

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 cup jaggery
• 1/4 th cup water
• 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
• Ghee or oil for frying

Method

1. In a pot mix jaggery with water and boil it till it melts.
2. Take the wheat flour in a big bowl.
3. Add a tablespoon of ghee and Mix it with fork.
4. Add the jaggery syrup to the wheat flour as required and knead the dough.
5. Make small cherry size balls of the dough and pinch the ball with thumb and fingers to give the pyramid like shape.
6. Fry it in the ghee or oil till it turn golden brown.

Variation

• You can make any shape out of the dough.
• You can add sesame seeds to the dough.
• Instead of jaggery you can use sugar.

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Blogging Marathon#14

The health benefits of figs and dates are far too many. Figs are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium and manganese. The date fruit pulp is very sweet something similar to honey or sugar syrup. Dates gives instant energy and revitalizes the body instantly.
The adding of almonds, cashew. and pistachio makes it more healthy and increases its nutritional value. This is a healthy nutrition packed sweet without any added sugar. I usually make this sweet during winter season.

Ingredients

• 20 pieces of figs soaked for 3 to 4 hours
• 20 pieces of dates soaked for an hour.
• 1 cup chopped assorted dry fruits
• 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 edible silver foil (optional)

Method

1. Make the puree of soaked figs and dates. You can add little water if needed.
2. Add the ghee in a non stick pan.
3. Add the puree and cook it on the medium heat till the moisture evaporates from the puree and it started leaving the sides of the pan, approximately 10-15 minutes.

         4.  Add dry fruits. mix it well and set it in a pre-greased tray. apply sliver foil on top of it.

       5.Let it set. In winter it will set outside in 2 hours but in summer you would want to keep it in the refrigerator for an hour to set.

          6. Cut in the desired shape and serve.

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Blogging Marathon # 14

Shrikhand is traditional Indian dessert made with hanged or stained curd. It is very popular in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in India.
I always make this as an offering to Lord Krishna on the occasion of Janmashtami. It is one of the summer time favorite desserts among my family and friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg (2 Lbs. approx.) curd
• 1.25 cup powdered sugar
• 4 pinch saffron
• 1/2 tea spoon cardamom powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
• 1 tablespoon chopped almonds

Method:

1. Hang the curd in a muslin cloth for 5-6 hours or overnight.
2. Dissolve saffron in a teaspoon of warm milk or you can put saffron in one table spoon of water and microwave it for 30 seconds, see the result strands will be double of there original size
3. In a big bowl mix all the ingredients. Refrigerate.
4. Serve chilled.

Quick Tip-

 

You can use Greek yogurt which is already very thick instead of the hung curd.

 

Variations

Add any flavor or fruit of your choice like rose, gulkand, thandai, mango, strawberry, peach, blueberry, raspberry etc. etc.

 

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Blogging Marathon # 14

It is spring time again !!  I thought of making something refreshing to match the season. As the temperature warms up, cool desserts soothe and quench your thirst. I am delighted to share a recipe of my own “Lychee Gulla” with you all. It has the looks of an Indian dessert rasagulla, hence the name lychee gulla. It is a quick and easy mithai or dessert. You can make it with either fresh lychees or canned ones. Nowadays lychees are in season so I would suggest to make it with fresh fruit.

Ingredients

• 20 lychees
• 1 cup rabdi
• 2 tablespoon of Chopped blanched Almonds
• 2 tablespoon of Chopped blanched Pistachio

Check out the rabdi recipe here-

If you have time you can make rabdi at home or you can use store brought or ready mix packet rabdi, the choice is yours.

Quick tip

-Instead of rabdi you can use kulfi or any ice-cream.

Method

• Peel and deseed the lychees.
• Add the almonds and pistachio to 1/2 cup of rabdi to make stuffing.
• Stuff the lychees with rabdi and dry fruit mix.
• Serve chilled with a dollop of rabdi on it

Use your imagination to present it in your style either in traditional way like a mithai or in modern chic style like party shots.

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