Lauki Halwa

Over the weekend, I made a few sweets for Diwali. Lauki halwa was one of the sweet dishes I made for our small Diwali celebration that I hadn’t made before. Since it turned out pretty well, I’m making a note of the recipe here.

Ingredients:

• 1 big bottle gourd/lauki, about 5 cups, peeled, grated, and excess water removed
• Ghee/clarified butter- 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp
• ¼ cup cashewnuts
• A handful of raisins (I used dried cranberries since I realized at the last possible moment that I was all out of raisins!)
• ½ -3/4   cup sugar (adjust according to taste)
• ½ tsp cardamom powder

 Method:

In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp ghee over medium-high heat. Add the cashews and raisins and fry the cashews till they are lightly browned and the raisins plump up a bit. Set aside.

In the same pan add 2 more Tbsp ghee and add the grated bottle gourd. Cook for 10-15 minutes till all the water evaporates.

Add the sugar, mix well and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so till the sugar melts and the mixture comes together. Add the cardamom powder, raisins and cashews. 

Cook, stirring constantly till the mixture is almost dry. Serve hot or cold.

Coconut Burfi

Coconut burfi is one of my favorite Indian  sweets and I've been making it for a long time now.  I recently made it in this fun pink color after I saw Aarti make it on her show many months back.  I purchased my first tiny bottle of food color just  to make pink colored burfi !  

Over time, I've found that the sugar to coconut ratio that works well for me is 1:2 The burfi is still a bit too sweet for my taste, but I've learned that using anything  less than a cup  affects the texture of the burfi,  doesn't allow it to "set" and gives  it a fudge-like consistency.

Ingredients:

(For 36 small squares)

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ -½  cup water ( or just enough to cover the sugar)
• 2 cups frozen coconut, thawed before using
• ½  tsp cardamom powder
• 1-2 drops red food coloring

Method:

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. When the sugar melts and the syrup starts to bubble, add the coconut, cardamom powder and food color.

Mix well and stir at regular intervals till the mixture thickens and is almost dry. This could take 20-25 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a greased pan, allow it to cool and harden (refrigeration might be required), and cut into squares. I used one of my square serving trays, lined it with foil and dumped the coconut mixture into it. This recipe gives me 36 small squares.

Besan Laddoo

Although I love Indian sweets, I usually wait for a festive occasion to make them make at home- preparing sweets seems far too time-consuming and labor-intensive to do so otherwise.

These besan laddoos made in the microwave are an exception, though, and take less than 15 minutes to make, from start to finish. I first noticed the recipe on Tee's blog, Bhaatukli, a few years back and I’ve been following her method ever since. Since this is such a fuss-free recipe, I make these laddoos every now and then without even waiting for a special occasion.

Please refer to Tee's post for detailed instructions on making these laddoos.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• ¾ cup + 2 tsp sugar
• 8-10 Tbsp ghee
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• A handful of raisins

Method:
In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together the besan and ghee. Cook the mixture in the microwave for 6-8 minutes stirring and mixing every 45 seconds or so. As the besan roasts, it turns a darker shade of yellow and becomes fragrant.

When the besan is cooked and while the mixture is still hot, add the sugar, cardamom powder and a handful of raisins and mix well. Shape into small balls. Store in an airtight container.

Happy Diwali