Recipe 44/50 : India : Diwali Sweets

Wishing All my lovely readers a Happy Diwali!

When I started up my 50 From 50 In 50 challenge, I was questioning myself; what would I cook for my country India. India has many cultures and hence the traditional foods. It was really difficult for me to make the choice but, this festival of lights had solved my problem. Diwali is one festival celebrated across India among most of the cultures.There are only two sellers who are busy filled with people on this day; one being the fire work sellers and other the sweet shops. Sweets Sweets and more sweets.

I made 3 variety of sweets for Diwali this year.

1. Besan ladoo

2. Kowa

3. Gujia

Hope you enjoy reading and wishing all a happy and safe Diwali

Last year this day http://thesaji.blogspot.com/2010/11/festival-of-lights-2010.html

1. Besan Ladoo

Ingredients

11/2 cups Besan

4 tbsp coarse Semolina

1/2 cup Ghee (clarified butter)

3/4th cup sugar

1 teaspoon Cardamom powder

4-5 tablespoon almonds chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon raisins

Method

1. First warm the ghee in low heat. If it is solidified, then it will melt. Don't overheat.

2. In a bowl, sift the chickpea flour and add the semolina and the ghee

3. Mix well until well combined.

4. Take a pan and drop the mixture and keep the heat in low heat. and roast this mixture to get rid of the rawness of the chickpea flour. It may take 15-20 minutes based on heat

5. Remove the besan mixture from heat and set aside to warm dowm

6. In same pan add 1 teaspoon butter and toast almonds and raisins

7. Add the sugar,cardamom, almonds and raisins to this mixture.

8. While warm make round ladoos.

2. Kowa Recipe

Ingredients

1. 14 oz Condensed Milk

2. 6-7 tablespoom mawa powder

3. 1 stick butter

4. 1/4 cup chopped nuts [ Almonds and Pistachios ]

Method

1. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl, add in condensed milk and mawa powder. Stir

2. cook in microwave for 8 minutes stirring the mixture in bewtwen for every one minute.

3. Time may vary for different microwave, you will its done, by the color and aroma. 

4. Once done add the nuts and set aside to cool, make different shapes and serve

3. Gujia Recipe

Ingredients

For crust

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon semolina flour

2 tablespoons oil

Lukewarm water or as needed

For filling

I USED KOWA Recipe as filling for my Gujia's

Method

1. Mix flour, semolina flour and oil in a bowl, make a soft dough adding water slowley as needed. Knead the dough until the dough becomes soft.

2. Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least ten minutes.

3. Mix 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of flour to make a paste. Set aside.

4. Knead the dough again for a minute.

5. Divide the dough into about 20 equal parts and roll into balls with the palms of your hands.

6. Roll each ball into about 4-inch diameter like a roti

7. Dip your finger in the flour paste and spread it around the rim of the rolled dough, but just on the half the circle.

8. Take the rolled dough in your palm and put about 1 tablespoons of the filling mixture in the center and fold it into a semi-circle. Now press the edges together with your fingers. Make sure the edges are completely sealed otherwise they will open while frying and oil will get in and filling will come out.

9. Continue filling the rest of the gujia in the same manner.

10. Heat about 1-1/2 inches of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should sizzle right away but come to the surface slowly.

11. Place the gujia in the frying pan few at a time.

12. After gujhias are floating on top of the oil, turn them slowly. Fry the gujias until they turn light golden-brown color on all sides. Don’t fry on high heat; the gujia crust will be too soft and not crispy.

When they are done cooking, lift them out of the oil with a slotted spoon.