Sooji / Semolina Modak

 

             Sooji Halwa (Semolina Pudding) is an all time favorite dessert prepared during auspicious occasions and festivals. So make this simple and easy Halwa but with a difference and in a new avatar. Give it a modak shape and surprise your loved ones. It looks quite appetizing and can be a great party recipe too. You may treat it as a festive sweet or relish as an after meal dessert as is or with poori / paratha. 

            

            You can substitute sugar with jaggery or brown sugar to give it a healthy touch. I flavored it with cardamom powder and saffron. Very easy to prepare, it can be made in a very short time. The end result are these yummy modak that can also be offered to Lord Ganesha or any festive occasion. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy dessert.

  

• 3/4 cup sooji / semolina
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• pinch of saffron soaked in 1 & 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp. coarsely ground nuts & seeds (pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds)

            In a pan, add the sooji and 1 tbsp. ghee. Sauté till it turns light brown.

            Add the milk, water and coarsely ground nuts and seeds. Continue to cook till the moisture is absorbed.

            Now add the sugar, remaining ghee and cardamom powder.

            Mix well and sauté till it is well blended and thickens.

            Transfer to a greased plate and knead for a minute  

            Grease a modak mold with some ghee and fill it with a small portion of the sooji halwa. 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 halwa. 

          Wow!!! Yummy Sooji modak is ready to be enjoyed. 

                  In a pan, add the sooji & 1 tbsp. ghee.

                       Sauté till it turns light brown.

Add the milk, water & coarsely ground nuts and seeds. Continue to cook till the moisture is absorbed.

                Now add the sugar, remaining ghee & cardamom powder.

 Transfer to a greased plate.

 knead for a minute. 

Grease a modak mold with some ghee & fill it with a small portion of the sooji halwa. Press it with your fingers to make the modak. 

 Now gently demold.

Arrange it on a serving plate. Make similar modak with the remaining halwa.

                  Wow!!! yummy Sooji modak is ready to be enjoyed. 

Dates Pongal

 

           This is a traditional South Indian Dessert most popular in Andhra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. This simple preparation includes rice, moong dal (split green gram lentil), dates and a little bit of jaggery. The latter can also can be substituted with sugar. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this divine dish.

          This dish is generally prepared during Sankranti and Ugadi festivals. If prepared with only sugar, it is called  Chakkara or Sakkarai Pongal. This is a festive dessert, prepared as an offering to God during Pongal festival or any other auspicious events. It is a very healthy recipe and is good for young and old alike. 

• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/4 cup split green gram (moong dal)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• a pinch of salt
• 13-15 pitted dates, soaked in 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1-2 tbsp. ghee
• handful of mixed nuts (cashew, almonds & raisins)

          Soak the rice and dal for an hour. Then wash well and drain. 

          Pressure cook the soaked rice and dal with a pinch of salt in 1/3 cup water and 1/2 cup milk for 5-6 whistles. 

          Then mash it well with the back of a ladle and keep aside. 

          Heat ghee in a pan and sauté the mixed nuts till light golden. (Keep aside few to garnish).

          To it, add the boiled rice-dal mix, soaked dates along with the water in which it was soaked and cardamom powder. Mix everything well and check for sweetness. 

          Now add 1-2 tbsp. jaggery accordingly and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Add some hot water / milk to adjust the consistency. 

          Garnish with the remaining fried nuts and enjoy at room temperature or chilled. 

        Soak the rice & dal for an hour. Then wash well and drain. 

 

Pressure cook the soaked rice & dal with a pinch of salt in 1/3 cup water & 1/2 cup milk for 5-6 whistles. 

           Then mash it well with the back of a ladle & keep aside. 

Heat ghee in a pan & sauté the mixed nuts till light golden. (Keep aside few to garnish).

                   To it, add the boiled rice-dal mix,

soaked dates along with the water in which it was soaked & cardamom powder.

Mix everything well & check for sweetness. Now add 1-2 tbsp. jaggery accordingly.

Simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Add some hot water / milk to adjust the consistency. 

Garnish with the remaining fried nuts & enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Nolen Gurer Oats Payesh (Jaggery Oats Pudding)

 

          Enjoy this yummy Bong dessert with the goodness of oats and Nolen Gur (date palm jaggery. This type of jaggery is available only during winter and you can dish out a wide range of sweets with it. 

         

          So this is my take on the traditional Bengali Rice Kheer that is typically prepared with a special variety of aromatic small grain rice called Gobindo Bhog and date palm jaggery. I only replaced the rice with oats, thus giving a healthy touch to this classic dish.

          Relish it at room temperature or chilled. It can also be enjoyed as an after meal dessert or as a side dish with poori / paratha. It is simply wholesome and very satisfying. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this sweet delicacy.

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 3 cups full fat milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup Nolen gur (date palm jaggery)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp. milk powder
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios & almonds to garnish

          Dry roast the oats in ghee till light brown in colour or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside.

          In a pan, bring the milk to a boil along with a pinch of salt. Add all the ingredients and combine everything well.

          Simmer on a low flame and keep stirring at intervals till the payesh turns thick to a desired consistency. (keep it slightly runny as it will turn thick once it cools down).

          Garnish with chopped pistachios & almonds or as desired. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Nolen Gurer Millet Payesh (Millet & Date Palm Jaggery Kheer / Pudding)

 

             Nolen Gurer Millet Payesh is a my take on the traditional Bengali Rice Kheer / Pudding / Payasam that is typically prepared with a special variety of aromatic small grain rice called Gobindo Bhog and date palm jaggery called Nolen / Notun Gur. This type of jaggery is available only during winter and you can dish out a wide range of sweets with it. 

             However, in this recipe, I replaced the rice with Foxtail millet to give it a healthy touch to the kheer. You can relish it at room temperature or chilled. It can be enjoyed as a festive dessert, an after meal dessert or as a side dish with poori / paratha. It is simply wholesome and very satisfying. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this sweet delicacy.

• 1 cup cooked & mashed Foxtail Millet
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups full fat milk
• 1/3 cup Nolen gur (date palm jaggery)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp. milk powder
• 1-2 tbsp. chopped pistachios & almonds
• pinch of saffron strands soaked in 1 tbsp. water

          

          

          Bring the milk to a boil along with a pinch of salt and bay leaf. Add all the ingredients and combine everything well.

          Simmer on a low flame and keep stirring at intervals till the payesh turns thick to a desired consistency. (keep it slightly runny as it will turn thick once it cools down).

          Garnish as desired and serve at room temperature or chilled.

         Bring the milk to a boil along with a pinch of salt & bay leaf. 

                               Add cooked & mashed millet,

                                 cardamom powder, 

                                milk powder,

                                date palm jaggery,

                                 dry fruits,

                                 and saffron water.

Simmer on a low flame and keep stirring at intervals till the payesh turns thick to a desired consistency.

              Garnish as desired & serve at room temperature or chilled.

Mauz Ka Meetha (Banana Pudding - Hyderabadi style)

 

               Mauz Ka Meetha is a Hyderabadi style Banana Pudding. Mauz in urdu means banana and Meetha is sweet. This easy to make dessert is very yummy and there are many versions of this recipe. At times the banana is cooked in the milk and sometimes the fruits are mixed to the prepared pudding. However, this is the latter version. 

          In this recipe, I have made use of jaggery instead of sugar or condensed milk, giving a healthy touch. It is served chilled topped with all the garnishes. 

          In this way, you can make good use of any leftover or over ripe bananas. This dessert can be a great party recipe or a festive recipe. 

          So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this awesome dessert. 

• 2 cups milk, boiled
• pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp. water for 30 minutes
• 10-12 cashew nuts, soaked for 2 hours
• 10-12 almonds, soaked for 2 hours & deskinned
• 2 tbsp. jaggery or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts, raisins
• 2 bananas, chopped
• 1/3 cup grapes, chopped (opt)
• chopped banana, grapes, almonds, pistachios, saffron, raisins & dried rose petals to garnish

         Grind the soaked almonds and cashew along with some water into a smooth paste.  

          In a pan, add the milk, cashew-almond paste, saffron water, jaggery and cardamom powder. 

          Mix everything well and simmer, on a low flame by continuously stirring so that it does not stick to the bottom.

          When the pudding turns slightly thick, add the chopped nuts (reserve some for garnishing) and simmer further for 1-2 minutes.

          When done, switch off the flame and allow it to cool down. Now add the chopped banana and grapes. Give it a gentle mix and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

          Spoon into individual bowls and serve with all the garnishing. Enjoy as an after meal dessert or as and when desired. 

           

                       In a pan, add the milk, cashew-almond paste, 

                            saffron water, 

                              jaggery 

and cardamom powder. Mix everything well & simmer, on a low flame by continuously stirring so that it does not stick to the bottom.

When the pudding turns slightly thick, add the chopped nuts (reserve some for garnishing) and simmer further for 1-2 minutes.

When done, switch off the flame & allow it to cool down. Then add the chopped banana & grapes. Give it a gentle mix & refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

                 Spoon into individual bowls & serve with all the garnishing. 

                  Enjoy as an after meal dessert or as and when desired.