Sweet Corn Halwa - the flavour is unique ! Select fresh American Sweet corn-cobs, 4 in no:. Pressure cook in just enough water for 3 whistles. Allow to cool & remove the kernels with a sharp knife. Corn kernels- 2 cups Milk - 1 cup Sweetened condensed milk - ½ of 400 gm tin Saffron - ¼ tsp ( warm & powder) Ghee - 2 tbsp Grind the corn with just enough milk to a paste. Add condensed milk & 1 tbsp ghee. Coook till the mass starts solidifying. Add saffron & the rest og the ghee. Simmer for 5 more mts & remove. <xml id=yoombaxml></xml>
Mangalore Sugar Poli - a delicacy in South Canara & Trivandrum Now this is served in weddings on Janavasam Day topped with ghee. The addiion of wheat flour for the outer covering is a very useful tip given by Ms Cheeniya. Covering: Siever together Maida - Heaped 11/4 cup Wheat flour - 2 level tbsp Both should together make 1 ½ cups Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp Powdered sugar - 2 tsp Saffron colour - a dash Oil - as given below Add colour & powdered sugar to the flours. Add water & knead to a smooth, soft elastic dough. Keep in a vessel & pour oil over to cover it completely. Keep covered for minimum 1 hour. Filling: Gram dhal - 1 cup Sugar - 1 cup Cardamom powder - ½ tsp Nutmeg powder - ½ tsp Boil gram dhal till just soft, but not mushy. Drain completely & cool. Powder the same fine in a mixie. Add 1 cup of water to sugar & boil to get a sticky syrup ( before one string) Add the gram dhal powder, mix very well without lumps. Go on stiring on low fire till it solidifies well. A little on cooling can be tested for the right puran consistency. Add 1 tsp ghee & spices. Remove & cool completely. Now take a small lemon size ball of the outer covering on a greased plantain leaf or a greased plastic sheet. With hand spread it to 2-3” diameter. Keep a ball of filling inside. Cover it completely, drawing the covering from all sides. Keep a plastic sheet over this & roll with a roller as thin as possible. Roast on a dry tava, carefully till just cooked - too much roasting should be avoided to get it very soft. It is not necessary to add ghee or oil. Fold into 2 & remove. Do not stack one over the other when hot, but spread on a plate. Serve topped with ghee. <xml id=yoombaxml></xml>
MW Kalakand (1) - quickest sweet ! In a big vessel, mix Sweetened condensed milk - 400 gms tin Full fat milk powder - 8 tbsp Fresh curds - 6 tbsp Mix all ingredients in a big micro vessel. Blend thoroughly without even a tiny lump. MW Hi for 4-5 till the mixture curdles slightly & rises to the top. Empty into a flat vessel and garnish with nuts.
Sago Kesari - call it also Sabudhana Halwa ! Sago (Sabudhana) - 1 cup Milk - 1 cup Sugar - 1 ¼ cups Ghee - ¾ cup Cardamom powder - ½ tsp Cashew - 2 tbsp Raisins - 2 tbsp Saffron colour - a dash Mix milk with 1 cup of water & saffron colour. Soak sago in this for 3 hrs. In a vessel, heat 2 tbsp ghee, fry cashew & raisins & remove. Now add the soaked sago & cook. Add remaining ghee gradually, stirring the halwa. The sago will start getting cooked & become sift. In another stove, boil sugar adding ¾ cup water. Switch off when a thick syrup of one string is reached. When the sago is cooked, add sugar syrup. Stir & cook till it becomes a mass. Add cardamom powder & cashews-raisins.
Besan-Milk Burfi - takes a little while to set. Fresh besan - 1 cup Sugar - 2 cups Ghee - 1 cup Milk - 1 cup Cardamom powder - 1 tsp Mix all ingredients without lump. Cook till firm ball stage is reached. Remove, stir to chappathi dough consistency & empty on a greased plate. This takes a little longer, but will set. Cool & cut.
Coconut Poli - though less common now, a very tasty poli For the covering: Maida - 11/4 cups Wheat flour - 2 tbsp Oil - 2 tbsp Powdered sugar - 2 tsp Lemon yellow colour Knead the above ingredients with water to a very soft elastic dough. Soak this completely in oil for minimum 1 hr. Filling: Grind white portion of grated coconut very fine, adding water if necessary. Ground coconut paste - 1 cup Jaggery - ½ cup Nutmeg powder - ½ tsp. In a kadai, mix coconut & jaggery. Heat & go on stirring on a low flame, till the mass leaves the vessel. Add nutmeg powder & switch off. Now take the dough from oil & knead. Make small round balls. Take one ball & lightly roll it to a disc. Keep puran ( twice the quantity of outer dough ) in the centre. Bring all edges from around to the centre & cover to make a tight ball. Flatten, using hands to a chappathi about 4” in diameter. Heat a flat tava. Roast this on medium heat. Flip it & roast the other side. It will become golden coloured on both sides. Do not roast for long - it gets cooked very fast. Remove & smear ghee.
Condensed Milk Mysorepak - a foolproof version ! I learnt this from my flatmate Ms Sadique Ali. This sweet which she makes, is very popular in her friends’ circle. Sweetened Condensed Milk - 400 gms Fresh besan - 400 gms Ghee - 1 ¼ cup Grated nuts - to garnish (optional) Kee the condensed milk tin, open & ready. Heat ghee in a kadai. Roast besan on a low fire, stirring continuously. Continue till the colour becomes light brown & a nice aroma emanates. Remove from fire & quickly add the condensed milk. Stir very well & quickly transfer to a greased plate. It sets very fast. Sprinkle chopped nuts – this is optional. Mark & cut into squares.
Besan Ka Halwa - I learnt this from a Bengali Friend Besan must be fresh for best results. Besan (gram flour) - 1 cup Ghee - ¾ cup Sugar - 2 cups Milk - ½ cup Water - 250 ml Cardamom powder - 1 tsp Almonds, pistachios, raisins - 8-10, each Heat ghee & fry besan till golden. Now simmer the stove. Add hot milk & stir continuously to cook. Add hot water gradually &slowly, mixing & blending well to avoid lumps. At this stage, it is best to hand-blend to remove even a tiny lump. Continue to cook on a low flame, preferably with an old tava underneath. When all water has evaporated, add sugar & mix well. Cook on a very slow flame (preferably over a tava) or better still, continue to cook in microwave to prevent sticking. Cook on slow fire till ghee separates. ( MW – power 40 or med lo) Add cadamom powder & nuts. Serve hot.
Pineapple Halwa - the fruity taste adds a special touch ! One medium size pineapple can be used. Peel, cut into cubes & grate. Grated fruit - 2 cups Grated khoa - 1 cup (200 gms) Sugar - ½-1 cup, depending upon, how sweet the fruit is Saffron - ¼ tsp (warm & powder) To garnish - nuts Take the fruit in a vessel, do not add water, keep inside a pressurecooker & cook for 2 whistles. Add sugar & grated khoa . If you want a very smooth texture, after adding khoa, put in the mixi & give a run. Stir on a low fire till it solidifies. Since we are adding khoa, ghee is not necessary. The later part can be done in MW also. Add saffron & garnish with nuts.
Hayagriva - the famous sweet of Karnataka ! I learnt this from my Bangalore friend. It is made as a Naivedyam also. Gram dhal - 1 cup Jaggery - 1 cup Grated coconut - ½ cup Ghee - 2 tbsp Cardamom powder - 1 tsp Raisins - 2 tbsp Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp Pressurise gram dhal with 2 ½ cups of water till soft. Drain & transfer to a kadai. Add powdered jaggery & 1 tbsp ghee. Go on stirring till it becomes a mass. Add cardamom powder & remove. Fry cashews & raisins in the remaining ghee & add.