Recipes for Karwachauth

Depending upon family tradition the menu of food is decided for Karwachauth. However, some important festivities do call for some sweets, specially homemade sweets, are a call for the day. So why not try a hand at some of the yummy & mouthwatering recipes for the day.

Shaahi Rabri
Ingredients:
- 1 kg full cream milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4-5 green cardamoms
- 12-15 almonds - blanched and shredded
- 2 tbsp pistachios - blanched and shredded
- vark (Silver leaf) - optional



Method:

• Bring the milk to a boil in a wide, heavy based pan or a kadahi and add the sugar and cardamoms and simmer over low heat, till thick (at least half should evaporate)
• When thick enough, add sugar and cardamoms.
• Simmer some more, when done, the colour changes to a beigeish cream.
• Shut off the heat. When cool, transfer on to a serving dish, put the silver leaf on the top and garnish with the nuts. Chill and serve.

Note: You can add condensed milk to it to save you from cooking too long, in which case of course, you will have to adjust the sugar also.


Besan ke Laddoo
Ingredients:
- 2 cups gram flour
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp powdered green cardamom
- few almonds-blanched, slivered, to garnish
- few pistachios-blanched, slivered, to garnish


Method:

• In a kadahi, melt the ghee and add the gram flour.
• Stir-fry over low heat. It takes about 30 minutes for the flour to get cooked through and it gets a pasty look when done. The colour should be a light brown.
• Shut off the heat and leave the mixture to cool completely. If it does not cool entirely, it becomes moist when sugar is added.
• Add the sugar and cardamom and mix well by rubbing it with your open palm against the base of the bowl. Rub till blended thoroughly.
• Shape into tight, hard balls, pressing hard at every stage. At the final stage, keep it pressed a little longer, so that the surface becomes smooth.
• Decorate the top of each ball with almonds and pistachios.
• Can be stored for almost 4-6 weeks.

Rava Laddoo with Khoya
Ingredients:
- 200 gm rava (semolina)
- 200 gm powdered sugar
- 200 gm khoya (grated)
- 100 gm ghee
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp chopped dried fruits
- silver leaf



Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the rava over a low flame until golden in color.
• Heat the rest of the ghee and saute the khoya till it collects together (stir continuously).
• When the khoya cools, blend all the ingredients together and make small balls.
• Garnish with chopped nuts and decorate with silver leaf.