Kuch meetha ho jaye!

Sweets are very centric to the festival of lights, Diwali. This week we bring some unusual but delicious recipes for you to try

Kunafa Ingredients

250 gms pheni (seviyan) 150 gms rabri (dense condensed milk) 150 gms moti choor laddu 100 gms sugar syrup 50 gms almonds, grated 50 gms pistachio, grated

Method Heat a frying pan and add pheni. Roast it, till it turns light brown. In a tray spread the roasted pheni to make the first layer of the dish. Now, make the second layer by spreading the moti choor laddu on the roasted pheni. For the third layer spread the rabri on the tray. Add some grated almonds and pistachio. Make a last layer by spreading the roasted pheni at the top. Finally, pour the sugar syrup and keep the tray in deep freeze for at least an hour. Once frozen properly, cut the kunafa in the shape of barfi. Garnish it with with grated dry fruits before serving.

Lauki (bottle guard) ka halwa Ingredients 1 cup lauki (bottle gaurd), grated 1 cup sugar 1/2 ltr milk 100 gms khoya 1/2 tsp cardamom powder 1/2 tsp mace and nutmeg powder 4-5 almonds 4-5 cashew 4-5 pistachios Few drops of edible colour, green 100 gms ghee

Method Take a non-stick pan and add grated bottle guard and milk. Cook it for 10-15 minutes on medium heat till the milk is completely absorbed. Now add khoya and ghee and cook it for 5-10 minutes. When the khoya is absorbed, add sugar, mace and nutmeg powder and cook until the ghee separates from the mixture. Now add the edible colour and mix it well. Garnish with almonds, cashew and pistachios.

Dry fruits khoya cones Ingredients For cones 250 gms maida 100 gms ghee 100 gms milk 100 gms sugar, powdered Oil for frying For khoya filling 250 gms khoya 150 gms sugar 1 cup mixed dry fruits, chopped

Method Mix maida, ghee, sugar and milk and knead the mixture to a soft dough. Take a small ball of dough and roll it into a thin roti. Cut the roti into thin strips. Now, wrap the maida strip around a metal cone and seal the edges using milk. Deep fry the cones in oil on medium heat, till golden brown. Once they have cooled, gently remove the cone shaped fries from the metal cones. Now in a pan roast the khoya on medium heat. Take off the flame after 8-10 minutes. Keep aside to cool down. Now in a bowl add roasted khoya, chopped dry fruits and sugar. Mix well. Fill this mixture in the fried cones. Garnish with dry fruits before serving.

Kesar peda (microwave based recipe) Ingredients 115 gms butter, melted 1 can sweetened condensed milk 200 gms milk powder 20 strands kesar (saffron) 50 gms chocolate flakes 50 gms mixed dry fruits, grated Method Mix all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Place the bowl in microwave and cook for 3 minutes. Take out bowl from microwave and stir the mixture properly. Keep aside and allow it to cool. Now, take little amount of mixture and roll it in a round shape and then flatten gently giving it the shape of peda. You can garnish the pedas with dry fruits and/or chocolate flakes.