Red Dragon Fruit Peda

 

          Check out these yummy Pedas prepared with Red Dragon Fruit. The recipe is very simple with very few ingredients, but the end product is just amazing and mouth watering. These Pedas are visually very attractive to look with its vibrant dark pink / red colour. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this sweet treat. 

          Dragon Fruit, be they White or Red, is a versatile fruit with which many desserts can be prepared. Peda on the other hand, is a very popular sweet in the Northern parts of India. It is offered as prasad to devotees in the temples. 

         This Fruit, typically is a tropical fruit rich in fibre and antioxidants, but low in calories. It is mildly sweet in taste and has many nutritional benefits. The outer part of this fruit almost resembles a dragon, hence the name.

• 1 red dragon fruit, pureed
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 cup semolina
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste (I used brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup milk powder
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1-2 tbsp. chopped almond

          Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan and add the semolina. Roast on a low flame for 2-3 minutes or till light golden in colour. 

          Add the pureed dragon fruit, cardamom powder and brown sugar. Mix  everything well and keep stirring on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

          Now add the milk and cook till almost dry, but moist. Then add the milk powder, followed by the remaining ghee. 

          Continue to cook till everything comes together like a dough. Keep aside to cool slightly.

          Take a little portion of the dough and make round pedas. Make an impression in the centre with your finger and stuff with chopped pistachios and almonds. 

          Yummy Red Dragon Fruit Pedas are ready to be served to Lord Ganesha. 

                    Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan.

Add the semolina & roast on a low flame for 2-3 minutes or till light golden in colour. 

Add the pureed dragon fruit, cardamom powder & brown sugar. Mix  everything well & keep stirring on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

                Add the milk & cook till almost dry, but moist. 

                   Then add the milk powder, 

                  followed by the remaining ghee. 

Continue to cook till everything comes together like a dough. Keep aside to cool slightly.

Take a little portion of the dough & make round pedas. Make an impression in the centre with your finger.

               Stuff with chopped pistachios and almonds. 

 Yummy Red Dragon fruit Pedas are ready to be served to Lord Ganesha. 

Red Dragon Fruit Sooji Modak

 

          Red Dragon Fruit Sooji Modak is a new vibrant twist to the classic modak. It is incredibly easy to dish out. As preparing Modak during Ganesh Chaturthi is mandatory, so go ahead and make these amazing and colorful sweet dumplings. I flavored it with cardamom powder. You may add saffron or rose water if you wish. So please Lord Ganesh by offering these modak this festive season by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this divine treat. 

           

• 1 red dragon fruit, pureed
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 cup semolina
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste (I used brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup milk powder
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1-2 tbsp. chopped almond

          Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan and add the semolina. Roast on a low flame for 2-3 minutes or till light golden in colour. 

          Add the pureed dragon fruit, cardamom powder and brown sugar. Mix  everything well and keep stirring on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

          Now add the milk and cook till almost dry, but moist. Then add the milk powder, followed by the remaining ghee. Continue to cook till everything comes together like a dough. Keep aside to cool slightly.

          Grease a modak mold with ghee and add few pieces of chopped almonds. Then fill it with a small portion of the prepared mixture. Press it with your fingers to make the modak. 

          Now gently demold and arrange it on a serving plate. Make similar modak with the remaining mix. Your tasty modak is ready to be offered to Lord Ganesha. 

                        Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan....

Add the semolina. Roast on a low flame for 2-3 minutes or till light golden in colour. 

Add the pureed dragon fruit, cardamom powder & brown sugar. Mix everything well & keep stirring on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

               Now add the milk & cook till almost dry, but moist. 

                       Then add the milk powder, 

                       followed by the remaining ghee.

Continue to cook till everything comes together like a dough. Keep aside to cool slightly.

Grease a modak mold with ghee & add few pieces of chopped almonds. 

Then fill it with a small portion of the prepared mixture. Press it with your fingers to make the modak. 

Gently demold & arrange it on a serving plate. Make similar modak with the remaining mix.

           Your tasty modak is ready to be offered to Lord Ganesha. 

Nolen Gurer Millet Oats Modak

 

            Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi is incomplete without his favorite Modak. There are many types of modak that can be prepared. Traditionally it is made of rice flour and with a coconut-jaggery stuffing. 

            However, let me share a healthy modak recipe made of Nolen Gur (Date Palm jaggery), millets and oats. This type of jaggery is available in West Bengal during winter and you can dish out a wide range of sweets with it. Apart from Foxtail Millet that I have used, you can go ahead with any other millet of your choice. 

        

           Coming to the recipe, I flavored these guilt-free modak with cardamom powder. Very easy to prepare, they can be made in a very short time. The end result are these yummy and healthy modak that can be offered to Lord Ganesha on this festive occasion. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this divine festive treat.

• 1 cup cooked Foxtail Millet, mashed
• 1/2 cup nolen gur (date palm jaggery)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/4 cup oats, dry roasted & powdered
• few chopped pistachios

          

          Heat a pan and add the nolen gur (Date palm jaggery). Keep stirring it continuously till it melts.

          Now add the cooked millet and combine everything well. Add the cardamom powder and keep stirring till all the moisture dries up.

          Add the powdered oats and give it a mix so that everything comes together. Switch off the flame and transfer the dough to a plate. Allow it to cool down completely.

          Grease a modak mold with ghee and add few pieces of chopped pistachios. Take a small portion of the prepared mixture and fill the mold. Press it with your fingers to make the modak. 

          Now gently demold and arrange it on a serving plate. Make similar modak with the remaining mix. Your amazing Nolen Gurer Millet Oats modak is ready to be offered to Lord Ganesha. 

Heat a pan & add the nolen gur (Date palm jaggery). Keep stirring it continuously till it melts.

                   Add the cooked millet.

                        Combine everything well.

 Add the cardamom powder & keep stirring till all the moisture dries up.

Add the powdered oats & give it a mix so that everything comes together. Switch off the flame & transfer the dough to a plate. Allow it to cool down completely.

Grease a modak mold with ghee & add few pieces of chopped pistachios. 

Take a small portion of the prepared mixture & fill the mold. Press it with your fingers to make the modak. Now gently demold & arrange it on a serving plate. 

Your amazing Nolen Gurer Millet Oats modak is ready to be offered to Lord Ganesha. 

Black Cherry Shrikhand

 

           Shrikhand is a traditional Maharashtrian Dessert prepared with hung yoghurt. It is a very easy dessert that can be made in no time if the hung yoghurt is ready. It is usually flavored with saffron and cardamom powder for the original version. However, you can make it a bit healthy and appetizing by adding any fruit of your choice.

        

            So, check out my version of this yummy Black Cherry Shrikhand, where I used some low fat yoghurt along with the fruit puree. It makes for a perfect summer treat. 

           Be sure to have this visually appealing dessert chilled for a divine experience. I simply love to dig into this melt-in-the-mouth delicacy. If you are a fan of any fruit based shrikhand, you will simply love this dessert. 

           It is perfect for any festive occasion and is a great party recipe too. You can also relish it as an after-meal dessert. Garnish as desired and Voila!! You have a yummy and a fuss-free healthy dessert in a jiffy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this sweet indulgence. 

• 400 gms. low fat yoghurt
• 1 cup black cherry
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• chopped nuts to garnish

           Deseed the black cherries & chop them into small pieces. Blend them into a puree.

           Transfer it to a pan and simmer on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep aside to cool. 

           Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth and place on a strainer. Keep this on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for the recipe.  

           In a bowl, take the hung yoghurt, reduced blueberry, sugar to taste, cardamom powder and rose water. Whisk well till smooth and refrigerate till serving time. You can strain it if preferred. 

          Spoon into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped nuts and a cherry on the top. Serve as a festive dessert, as an after meal dessert or anytime you desire.

Deseed the black cherries & chop them into small pieces. Blend them into a puree.

                Transfer the puree into a pan. Simmer on a low flame ....

       ... till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep aside to cool. 

Pour the yoghurt in a cheese cloth & place on a strainer. Keep this on a bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The thick hung yoghurt is used for the recipe. 

Mix the hung yoghurt, reduced black cherry, sugar, cardamom powder & rose water. 

                   Whisk well till smooth and refrigerate till serving time.

Spoon into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped nuts & a cherry on the top. Serve as a festive dessert, as an after meal dessert or anytime you desire.