Sweet Encounters

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SWEET Encounters www.sanjeevkapoor.com

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POPULAR PRAKASHAN PVT. LTD. 35-C, Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya Marg Tardeo, Mumbai-400 034. © 2002 by Sanjeev Kapoor First Published 2002 First Reprint January 2003 Second Reprint November 2004 (3810) ISBN - 81-7991-064-4 PRINTED IN INDIA

Note to the Readers Just as a symphony ends with a crescendo, a good meal ideally should climax with a sweet dish. Desserts, the world over, mark the end of a healthy repast. Be it a magnificent display of exotic desserts at a premium restaurant or be it tables laden with traditional mithais at a family function, the sweets invariably become the main attraction. So what if there is only ice-cream or kulfi at a wedding reception, the crowd around that table is bound to be buzzing like honey bees around their hive. Here is a collector's book for those who have an incurable sweet tooth. It is a part of the series of 'Any Time Temptations'. All the recipes have been picked out from my earlier books and segregated. For those who prefer to end their meal with an everyday laddoo or jalebi, or a rotund gulab jamun, or ice cream, phirni or kheer or it could be something very different like Matar Kheer, check this one out! On the same track runs the Kesari Phirni and the Mango and Coconut Ice cream. For lovers of cakes and puddings, and those who do not mind sinking their teeth in sumptuous fluffy cream, here's a sinfully exciting array:

the unique Green Tea and Pista Souffle which is as happy as a fairytale ending or unravel the dark mysteries of Quick Chocolate Mousse. If you love to bake stop at the exquisite Almond and Cognac Cake, or try out the Caramel Brownies. Both are guaranteed to leave sweet lingering notes. For the lighter moments, there are desserts which sideline the calories. Be it the Pear Paradise or the Poached Cinnamon Apple, these fruit based sweets are fantastic for formal dinners. All the recipes serve four portions and form part of a menu. So when the mood's for "sugar and spice and all that's nice", remember you have a true friend in Sweet Encounters!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A. I. Kazi Aditi Mehta Afsheen Panjwani Anand Bhandiwad Anil Bhandari Blue Cilantro, Mumbai Brijesh Lohana Capt. K. K. Lohana Debasis Sikdar Drs. Meena & Ram Prabhoo Ganesh Pednekar Grain of Salt, Kolkata Harpal Singh Sokhi Jaideep Chaubal Jijesh Gangadharan Jyotsna & Mayur Dvivedi Lohana Khaandaan

Meghana Samant Namrata & Sanjiv Bahl Neelima Acharya Neena Murdeshwar Pooja &. Rajeev Kapoor Rajeev Matta Rajneesh Sharma Rutika Samtani Shivani Ganesh Smeeta Bhatkal Sunit Purandare Swapna Shinde The Yellow Chilli, Jalandhar The Yellow Chilli, Ludhiaria Tripta Bhagattjee Uma Prahhu

CONTENTS Hot Chocolate Nut Sundae Baked Alaska Caramel Brownies Trifle Pudding Crunchy Muffins Kheer Kadam Choco Jamun QuickChocolate Mousse Green Tea and Pistachio Souffle Almond and Cognac Cake Cheese Cake Hot Bread Pudding Orange Caramel Custard Orange Rice Pudding Strawberry Cheese Cake Medley of Fruits with Candied Rose Apple Cake

15 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 31 33 35 38 40 42 44 46 49

Poached Cinnamon Apple Pear Paradise Kesari Rajbhog Sandesh Chocolate Mud Cake Kesari Phirni Malpua Steamed Modak Rava Naral Laddu Peach Mousse Kesari Badam Kulfi Eggless Fruit Cake Besan Ke Laddoo Chocolate Burfi Jalebi Mango and Coconut Icecream Khajoori Shahi Tukra Baba Au Rum Matar Ki Kheer Gulab Jamun

51 53 55 58 60 62 64 66 69 71 72 73 75 76 78 79 81 83 85 86

Rasmalai Caramel Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Jiffy Ice Cream Dudhi Halwa Steamed Fruit Pudding Mohan Thaal Basoondi Semiya Payasam Shrikhand Gajar Halwa Ada Pradhaman

88 90 92 93 94 96 98 99 100 101 102

DEDICATION This book is dedicated to all the viewers of Khana Khazana and my family and friends who have been a constant support to me at all times.

HOT CHOCOLATE NUT SUNDAE INGREDIENTS Vanilla ice cream 4 scoops Fresh strawberry ice cream .... 4 scoops Chocolate ice cream .... 4 scoops Black grapes Vi cup Green grapes Vi cup Fresh strawberries 20-25

Oranges 4 Pomegranate 1 medium sized Almonds 20- 25 Wafer biscuits 4 3/4 cup Chocolate sauce

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

Select flat dishes for making the sundae and chill them in a refrigerator. Wash the grapes. Wash fresh strawberries and cut into two halves.

3 4

5

6

Peel oranges, clean, separate segments and split open into two. Cut pomegranate and separate seeds. Roast almonds in an oven or salamander and slice thinly lengthwise. Cut wafer biscuits into triangles. Heat the chocolate sauce in a double boiler i.e. place a pan with a bigger mouth half filled with water on heat and keep the pan of chocolate sauce in it. Just before serving take out one flat dish from the refrigerator and arrange one-fourth of the prepared fruits at the base. On it place the three scoops of ice cream i.e. one scoop of each flavour. Immediately pour one tablespoon of hot chocolate sauce on each of them. Sprinkle sliced roasted almonds. Decorate with wafer biscuits and serve chilled instantly. Repeat the process for the remaining sundaes.

Note: You can use any ice cream flavour and fruits of your choice. Jelly too can be used as a base for the sundae. Along with chocolate sauce you can use two other sauces and pour a different sauce on each scoop. A cocktail umbrella on one of the scoops can add to the appearance of the sundae.

BAKED ALASKA INGREDIENTS Sponge cake (fat less) 1 (8 inch square) Ice cream (preferably Vanilla) .. Vi It Mixed fruits (canned) 1 cup Brandy Vi cup

Meringue Egg whites Cream of tartar/lemon juice Sugar

5 /4tsp V4 cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Keep the ice cream brick in a freezer, at around 0 ° C or below, overnight to make it very hard. Preheat the oven to around 200°C. In a bowl beat the egg whites semi stiff. Add cream of tartar or lemon juice, gradually add the sugar, a couple of tablespoonfuls at

a time and continue to beat until the meringue forms stiff peaks and turns glossy. Slice the sponge cake into half horizontally. Sprinkle some sugar syrup from the canned fruit on the cake sheets. Place canned mixed fruits on top of the cake base. Arrange the ice cream in one layer and cover it with the other half of the cake. Make sure the ice cream is covered from all sides with the sponge cake. Spread the meringue over the cake until it is completely covered. Place on a baking sheet and grill for about three minutes in the preheated oven to brown the meringue. Take a round spoon, place brandy in it and heat, the moment it catches fire pour this on the Baked Alaska spreading evenly. Serve immediately on a chilled serving dish.

f £0 1

' C H E F ' S

T I P1 \

While beating egg whites see to it that the bowl and the beater/whisk are absolutely clean with no trace of fat. The whites are to be separated very carefully from the yolks, as they will not form stiff peaks when beaten if even a small portion of egg yolk is V present. y

19

CARAMEL BROWNIES INGREDIENTS Sugar Fat/Oil Walnuts kernels Chocolate Butter Eggs

Vi cup to grease Vi cup 250 gms 8 tbsps 4

Vanilla essence Sugar (powdered) Refined flour (maida) Baking powder Salt Chocolate chips

2-3 drops Vi cup 1 cup Vi tsp a pinch Vi cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a baking sheet with fat/oil. Crush walnuts a little. Combine sugar granules and two tablespoons of water in a pan and bring it to a boil. Cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture is

3

4 5

6

7 8

deep caramel in colour. Set it aside and keep it warm on a pan of hot water. Combine chocolate and butter in a pan. To melt this mixture, put some water in a bigger vessel and place the bowl with the chocolate in it and cook till it is smooth and even. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Beat eggs with vanilla essence until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well till all the sugar has been used up. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture, little at a time, folding into it carefully and lightly without losing much aeration. Blend in the cooled chocolate mixture. Spread half of this batter onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for around six minutes. Remove from the oven and spread caramel carefully over the baked layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips. Stir in walnuts into the remaining chocolate batter and spread over the caramel layer. Bake for twenty minutes. Take it out of the oven and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate before cutting into bars or squares.

TRIFLE PUDDING INGREDIENTS Sponge cake (fatless) 1 (8 inch square) Canned fruits 1 tin Sugar 4 tbsps Cream 1 cup

Jam 2 tbsps Strawberries (optional) 4 Mango (ripe) 1 Cherries 6-8 Mint few sprigs

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

Slice the cake horizontally into two layers using a sharp knife. Cut strips of cake to fit the glass bowl in which the pudding is to be set. Drain excess syrup from the canned fruits. Cut the canned fruits into bite size pieces. Make sugar syrup using sugar and one cup oi water or alternatively you can use the drained syrup of the canned fruits.

3 4

5 6 7

8

Whip the cream to soft peak consistency. Add two tablespoons of water to the jam and blend it into a smooth paste. Sprinkle the sugar syrup on the cake strips and divide them into three parts. Line the glass bowl with one part neatly. Arrange a layer of half the quantity of canned fruits and top it with a layer of one-third of the cream. Cover it with the second part of cake strips. Spread a thin layer of jam. Repeat the layers of canned fruits and cream. Finally cover with the remaining sponge cake strips and the whipped cream. Smoothen out the top layer of cream using a knife, which is dipped in hot water and pipe rosettes of cream in continuous fashion on top using a piping bag with a star nozzle (optional). Garnish it with slices of fresh strawberry, mango, cherries, mint or fresh fruits of your choice. Keep it in a refrigerator for chilling. Serve cold.

I

3

\ C H E F ' S

T I P

1. Canned fruits can be replaced with fresh fruits. Jam can be used to line the glass bowl. 2. This pudding can also be set in individual glasses or cups.

23

CRUNCHY MUFFINS INGREDIENTS Refined flour (maida) 1 Vi cups + to line the tins Baking powder 1 tsp Salt a pinch Corn flakes 1 cup Fat 1 tbsp Orange Vi Butter/margarine Vi cup

Brown sugar Egg Vanilla essence Milk For the topping Walnuts (shelled) Brown sugar Cinnamon powder

4 cup 1 2-3 drops '4 cup 3

cup V3 cup Vi tsp lA

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Lightly crush the corn flakes with the help of a rolling pin. Similarly crush the walnuts.

2

3

4

5 6 7 8

Grease eight muffin tins with fat. Fill individual tins with flour till the edges, remove all the flour and lightly bang the tins so that all the flour is removed from it except for a very fine layer. Grate the rind of orange. Cream butter, brown sugar and orange rind in a bowl with a wooden spoon till light and fluffy. Beat egg lightly with vanilla essence. Add milk and egg to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix in a clockwise manner. Mix in corn flakes. Correct the consistency, if required, by adding more milk. Divide the mixture equally between the muffin tins. Combine the ingredients for the topping and sprinkle over the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for fifteen to twenty minutes or till the skewer comes out clean from the muffins. Serve warm.

KHEER KADAM INGREDIENTS 16 Rasgullas (mini) Khoya/Mawa.... 2 cups + 3 tbsps 2 tbsps Milk

Sugar (powdered) Rose essence

4 tbsps Wi tsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

5 6

Remove excess of sugar syrup from the mini rasgullas. Grate the khoya finely and mix powdered sugar in it. Knead into a smooth dough. Add little milk if required to get the right consistency. Cook the mixture on high heat for two to three minutes. Cool and add the rose essence and knead well. Divide the khoya mixture into sixteen equal balls. Lightly flatten the balls by pressing in the center using the thumb. Thin the edges and place the mini rasgulla in it. Now cover the rasgulla with the khoya so that no part of the rasgulla is left exposed. Roll into balls. Powder the three tablespoons of khoya in a mixer. Roll the balls in this to finish off the kheer kadam. Store in a refrigerator.

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CHOCO J AM UN INGREDIENTS Khoya/mawa 300 gms Cottage cheese (chenna) .. 50 gms Soda bi-carbonate a pinch Refined flour (maida) 4 tbsps Cocoa powder 2 tbsps

Drinking chocolate 1 tbsp Sugar 5 cups Chocolate chips (optional) .. 3 tbsps Ghee to deep fry

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

2 3 4

Grate fresh khoya and chenna into a bowl. Dissolve soda bi-carbonate in one tablespoon of water. Sieve together refined flour, cocoa powder and drinking chocolate. Add sieved flour, cocoa powder, drinking chocolate, dissolved soda to the grated khoya and chenna and mix gently to make a dough. Heat together sugar and two and a half cups of water to make a thin syrup and keep it warm. Make small soft balls of even size of the khoya mixture. If you wish

5

6

you can stuff these balls with the chocolate chips. Heat sufficient ghee in a kadai and deep fry the balls, a few at a time, till golden on low heat. While frying agitate the ghee occasionally over the balls, using a perforated spoon, very carefully without touching them. Drain and soak them in the sugar syrup. Serve hot.

QUICK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE INGREDIENTS Dark chocolate Butter

300 gms .. 2 tbsps

Double cream Castor sugar ..

6 cups Vi cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

3 4

Break chocolate into small pieces, transfer into a bowl, add butter. To melt this mixture, put some water in a bigger vessel and place the bowl with the chocolate in it and cook till it is smooth and even. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Mix half of the cream into it. Stiffly beat the remaining cream with sugar, fold this into the chocolate mixture and refrigerate for thirty minutes. Take a piping bag with a large star nozzle and pipe this chilled chocolate mousse in individual glasses and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

GREEN TEA AND PISTACHIO SOUFFLE INGREDIENTS Green tea leaves Gelatin Pistachios Milk

3 tsps 20 gms 10-15 2 cups

Eggs 4 Sugar Vi cup Natural green colour.. 2-3 drops Cream Vi cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

2 3

Boil half a cup of water and add green tea leaves to it. Continue heating for three to four minutes and then strain the mixture. When cool, dissolve gelatin in this liquid. Slice pistachios. Boil milk and keep aside. Separate yolks and whites of the eggs carefully. Beat together egg

fi e,

C H E F ' S

T I P

To make the rosettes put the beaten cream into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe them onto the top of i the souffle. ,

32

yolks and sugar till the colour of the mixture changes from yellow to white. 4 Add hot milk to egg yolks and sugar mixture. 5 Heat the milk again to make custard. Any overcooking at this stage will curdle the mixture. The mixture should just coat the back of a wooden spoon. 6 When the custard is ready, remove it from heat and add the gelatin and tea extract and mix well. Strain the custard. 7 Cool the custard and add natural green colour. 8 Beat egg whites and cream separately till light and fluffy with firm peaks. Keep aside some beaten cream for making rosettes and fold in the rest along with egg whites into the custard. 9 Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate till it sets. 10 Garnish with fresh cream rosettes and sliced pistachios.

ALMOND AND COGNAC CAKE INGREDIENTS Refined flour (maida) .... 1(4 cups lA tsp Salt Baking powder Vi tsp Butter Vi cup Icing sugar 1 cup

Eggs Almond essence Almond powder Cognac Fat

3 ... 2-3 drops XA cup 2 tbsps for greasing

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Preheat the oven at 180°C. Cut butter paper to the size of the base of the cake tin. Sieve refined flour, salt and baking powder together twice. Take butter, sugar in a pan and cream till it is light and fluffy.

4 5 6 7

8 9

' C H E F ' S

TIP

You can replace cognac with any good quality y brandy.

34

N

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Beat the eggs with almond essence till light and fluffy. Mix it into the butter and sugar mixture, little at a time, and blend well. Now add the flour mix and lightly fold in. Add the almond powder and cognac and mix. Grease the cake tin with fat, line it with butter paper and pour the batter in it. Bake it in the preheated oven for forty-five minutes or till done. Check the cake using a skewer or a knife, if it comes out clean the cake is done. Remove from oven and cool it on a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve.

CHEESE CAKE INGREDIENTS Crust Cashewnut powder Sugar Butter Cake Cream cheese

... Vi cup .. V3 cup ... lA cup IVi cups

Castor sugar .... Eggs Lemon juice .... Vanilla essence Glazed cherries

1 cup 3 1 tbsp .Vi tsp lA cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

3 4

Preheat the oven to 180°C. For the crust mix together all the ingredients with hand and spread in an eight inch baking dish, covering bottom and one inch up the sides. Set aside. Cream together cheese and sugar till smooth taking care that no lumps remain. Separate yolks and whites of eggs carefully. Lightly beat the egg yolks and mix it well into the cheese and sugar mixture.

Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla essence into the mixture. Using a whisk or hand blender beat egg whites till it forms soft peaks. Fold in the beaten egg whites into the mixture. Pour the mixture over the crust lined in the baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for thirty minutes or till the center is firm and stiff. Cool and refrigerate. The cake is moist enough and does not require any toppings. Serve chilled with fresh fruits or glazed cherries.

HOT BREAD PUDDING INGREDIENTS White bread Butter Milk Sugar Eggs-

5 slices 3 tbsps . 2 cups . Vi cup 2

Vanilla essence Nutmeg powder.... Cinnamon powder Raisins Cashewnuts

. 1 tsp M tsp ,lA tsp lA cup 6 8

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

Preheat the oven at 180°C. Trim off the hard crust from the side of the bread slices and apply butter only on one side. Cut the slices into triangles. Take a baking dish and arrange the slices with buttered side up. Heat milk. Add sugar and stir till the sugar has dissolved. Take off the heat.

5 6 7 8 9

Break eggs, mix but do not beat. Add to the milk and mix. Add vanilla essence, nutmeg and cinnamon powder. Sprinkle the raisins and cashewnuts over the bread pieces. Pour the egg-milk mixture over the bread through a strainer. Bake in the preheated oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes or till the top is browned. This pudding can be served hot.

ORANGE CARAMEL CUSTARD INGREDIENTS For caramel Sugar Water For orange custard Orange rind

Vi cup 3 tbsp

Orange juice Candied peel Eggs Sugar

2 cups 1 6 5 tbsps

1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Boil the orange rind in half a cup of water for five minutes. Strain and cool. Mix this liquid with the orange juice. Cut candied peel into thin strips. Break eggs and mix it lightly with the sugar.

Make caramel by taking three tablespoons of water in a heavy bottom pan and adding half a cup of sugar to it. Cook till the sugar melts and turns golden brown. Remove from heat to avoid burning of sugar. Pour this caramel into individual cups and keep warm. Heat orange juice for three minutes and mix it with the egg-sugar mixture mixing quickly to avoid cooking of eggs. Strain and pour this mixture into the caramel-lined cups. Cover with greaseproof paper. Arrange a tray in the preheated oven, pour boiling water into it. Place the covered cups in it and bake for thirty minutes. Allow to cool, place in the refrigerator for two hours till properly chilled. De-mould and serve chilled, garnished with strips of candied peel.

ORANGE RICE PUDDING INGREDIENTS Rice Raisins Seedless dates Orange rind ...

73 cup Vi cup 6-8

.. 1 tsp

Skimmed milk Honey Vanilla essence Fresh orange juice

....2 cups 1 Vi tbsps lA tsp .... Vi cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

2

3

Pick, wash and soak rice in sufficient water for half an hour. Soak raisins in water for fifteen minutes. Squeeze out excess water. Chop dates roughly. Finely shred orange rind. Boil milk in a non-stick saucepan. Drain and add rice to the boiling milk, reduce heat and cook, stirring continuously till the rice is soft and the milk is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Combine cooked rice with honey, raisins, vanilla essence, chopped dates, shredded orange rind and fresh orange juice. Pour into a medium sized ceramic or glass ovenproof dish. Bake the pudding in the preheated oven at 160°C for fifteen minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

STRAWBERRY CHEESE CAKE INGREDIENTS Crust Bran biscuit or Digestive biscuit... 8-10 Margarine 1 tbsp Instant coffee powder 1 tsp Filling Fresh strawberries .... 12 medium sized Skimmed milk yogurt.... I1/! cups Skimmed milk cottage cheese ... IV2 cups Powdered sugar Vi cup

Carrageenan 15 gms Skimmed milk 1 cup C o m starch 1 tbsp Lemon rind of one lemon Vanilla essence 1 tsp Strawberry essence 1 tsp Topping Fresh Strawberries.. 6-8 medium sized Strawberry or lemon jelly.. 1 tbsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

Crush biscuits to coarse powder. Melt margarine. Dissolve instant coffee powder in two teaspoons of boiling water, cool slightly. Combine melted margarine and dissolved coffee with the crushed biscuits.

rre Line a six inch spring form pan with butter paper. Press mixture evenly over bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside. Soak the carrageenan in a quarter cup of water. Heat it lightly on a double boiler to dissolve and keep warm. Hull strawberries and roughly chop. Dissolve cornstarch in two tablespoons of milk and add it to rest of the milk. Cook it on low heat till it thickens. Take it off the heat and cool it to room temperature. Hang yogurt in a muslin cloth for about half an hour. Place cottage cheese and hung yogurt in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Add the other filling ingredients. Process just until blended, scraping sides of the bowl frequently. Pour filling into the prepared pan. Cover and chill until set, for at least two hours. Meanwhile hull and slice strawberries. Dissolve the strawberry or lemon jelly in a quarter cup of water, bring it to a boil and cool. Decorate the top of the chilled cheesecake with sliced strawberries and brush liberally with the prepared jelly. Chill until the jelly is set. 9. Remove from the spring form pan and cut into eight wedges with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

0c 1

C H E F ' S

4\

T I P

Spring form pan is similar to a round shallow cake tin but with a removable base. Carrageenan is a vegetarian alternative \ to gelatin. j

45

MEDLEY OF FRUITS WITH CANDIED ROSE INGREDIENTS Watermelon Pineapple Apples Lemon juice Pomegranate Bananas

medium sized '4 medium sized 2 medium sized 1 tsp Vi medium sized 1

lA

Orange 1 Sweet lime 1 Chickoo 1 Candied rose petals (gulkand).... 2 tbsps Fresh orange or sweetlime juice .. 1 cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

Scoop out watermelon into small balls, using a Parisienne scoop. Scoop out pineapple also into small balls. Scoop apples into small sized balls and sprinkle with lemon juice and mix well.

Peel pomegranate and separate the pomegranate pearls. Peel and slice the banana into six to eight pieces. Peel orange, deseed, remove the white pith and cut the segments into two. Peel sweet lime, deseed, remove the white pith and cut the segments into two. Peel, remove seeds and cut chickoo into thin wedges. Mix candied rose petals (gulkand) with fresh orange juice or fresh sweet lime juice. Arrange the fruits in a serving plate decoratively and refrigerate. Just before serving lace candied rose petal and fresh juice mixture onto the arranged fruits. Serve immediately.

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Instead of making scoops out of fruits, you can also prepare this dessert by cutting the fruits into any shape. /

48

APPLE CAKE IN GREDIENTS Whole wheat flour (atta) .. 1 cup Refined flour (maida) 1 cup Baking powder 2 tsps Soda-bi-carbonate Vi tsp lA tsp Cinnamon powder

Powdered sugar 1 cup Skimmed milk 1 cup Apple puree (unsweetened) 1 Vi cups Butter (melted) 150 gms

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4 5

Take a cake tin of one kilogram capacity, grease it with oil/fat, sprinkle with a little flour and dust off the excess. Keep it aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Sieve the flours, baking powder, soda-bi-carbonate, cinnamon powder and powdered sugar together. Mix together skimmed milk and unsweetened apple puree till well blended. Add the melted butter and mix again. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring well to prevent the formation of lumps.

If the mixture is too thick add a little water or skimmed milk to get the right consistency. Put the mixture in the well-greased cake tin and bake in the preheated oven at 200° C for thirty to forty minutes. Allow the cake to cool down properly before cutting it.

POACHED CINNAMON APPLE

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INGREDIENTS Apples Dried figs Brown sugar Raisins

4 medium sized 2-3 2 tbsps 3-4 tbsps

Lemon juice 1 tsp Cinnamon powder 1 tsp Red wine Vi cup Unsweetened apple juice ... 1 cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

3 4

Wash, core and pat dry apples. Prick them with a fork. Chop the dried figs. Make a filling using brown sugar, raisins, chopped dried figs, lemon juice and cinnamon powder. Stuff the apples with the raisins and figs filling. Arrange the apples on a baking dish or ovenproof dish and pour the wine and apple juice.

C H E F ' S

I I P

Instead of making scoops out of fruits, you can also prepare this dessert by cutting the fruits into any shape.

51

Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C for thirty to forty minutes. When slightly cooled, halve the apples. Serve warm. It can also he served at room temperature or chilled.

PEAR PARADISE INGREDIENTS Pears Lemon juice.. Orange rind .. Pistachio nuts

4 large sized 1 tbsp 1 tbsp

Unsweetened mango pulp Fresh orange juice Sherry (optional)

Vi cup 1 cup 4 tbsps

6-8

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Wash, peel and halve pears. Remove seeds, apply lemon juice and keep aside. Cut orange rind into thin strips. Soak the pistachios in hot water for five minutes. Drain, peel and slice. Arrange pears with the cut side facing down in a medium sized oven-proof ceramic or glass dish. Mix unsweetened mango pulp, orange rind, fresh orange juice, sherry and pour on the arranged pears.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for thirty minutes. Alternatively cook in a microwave oven on HIGH (100%) mode for five minutes. Garnish with sliced pistachios and serve warm. You may also serve this chilled, if desired.

KES ARIRAJBHOG INGREDIENTS Chenna (from cow's milk). 250 gms Refined flour (maida) 1 tsp Semolina (rava) 1 tsp Pistachio nuts 12-15 Almonds 6-8

Khoya (grated) 3 tbsps Green cardamom powder Vi tsp Rose syrup 2 tsps Sugar 4-5 cups Saffron (kesar) Vi tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

Take fresh chenna, knead it well until smooth. A d d refined flour and semolina and then knead it gently. Divide into twelve to fourteen equal portions. S o a k pistachio nuts and almonds in one cup boiling water for five minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop them roughly. C o m b i n e grated khoya with green cardamom powder and rose syrup. Knead it into dough. Mix in the roughly chopped pistachio nuts and almonds, divide into twelve to fourteen equal portions.

Stuff a portion of khoya into each portion of chenna and make marble-sized balls. Combine sugar with three-fourth litre of water. Bring it to a boil and make thin sugar syrup. R e m o v e scum, if any and pass it through a muslin cloth. Bring sugar syrup to a boil in a wide-mouthed pan and add saffron. Gently slide in stuffed chenna balls and cook for four to five minutes on high heat. Sprinkle about quarter cup hot water and continue to cook on high heat for another five minutes or till they are almost double in size. Remove and keep in sufficient quantity of saffron infused sugar syrup. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

SANDESH INGREDIENTS Pistachio nuts Almonds Saffron Warm milk....

8-10 10-12 a generous pinch 1 tbsp

Cottage cheese (chenna, from cow's milk) 400 gms Sugar, powdered Vi cup Cardamom powder Vi tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

5

Soak pistachio nuts and almonds in one cup of water for ten minutes. Drain, peel and chop pistachio nuts and almonds. Lightly crush and dissolve saffron in warm milk. Mix chopped pistachio nuts in milk and saffron mixture. Knead chenna with your palm to ensure that it is quite smooth in texture. Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder and knead well. Transfer the mixture to a kadai and cook on low heat for five to six minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat, mix gently till it is cool enough to handle.

Mix in chopped almonds and divide into twenty equal portions. Form each portion into the desired shape, garnish with chopped pistachio nuts and soaked saffron. Chill thoroughly and serve.

CHOCOLATE MUD CAKE INGREDIENTS Refined flour (maida) .... IV2 cups Baking soda Vi tsp Chocolate slab 75 gms Egg 1 Cocoa powder 1 tbsp

Butter Castor sugar Coffee powder Vanilla essence Oil

1 cup 4 cup 1 Vi tbsps Vi tsp for greasing 3

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Sift together refined flour and baking soda. Grate the chocolate slab. Lightly beat the egg. Grease a fifteen-centimetre square cake tin with oil, sprinkle with cocoa powder. Mix grated chocolate with butter in a bowl and melt in a double boiler.

4 5 6

Add sugar and stir till it dissolves. Remove from heat and cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix coffee powder with half a cup of water. Add this to the chocolate mixture. Also add vanilla essence and lightly beaten egg. 7 Add the flour mixture and mix well. The batter should have a dropping consistency. 8 Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake at 180°C for forty to fifty minutes. 9 Remove the cake and cool on a wire rack. 10 Serve with vanilla ice cream or any other ice cream of your choice.

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KES ARIPHIRNI INGREDIENTS Skimmed milk 2 Vi cups Pistachio nuts 6-8 Rice flour (coarse) 6 tbsps Green cardamom powder ... Vi tsp

Saffron a few strands Sugar substitute (Equal Spoonful, etc.) 4 tbsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4 5 6

Boil milk and keep aside. Blanch pistachio nuts in hot water, remove skin and slice finely. Mix the rice flour in half a cup of water and make a fine paste without any lumps. Add this paste to the milk and bring it to a boil. When it starts to thicken, reduce heat and simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously. Add cardamom powder and saffron and mix well.

When it becomes thick and reaches custard like consistency, remove from heat and stir in sugar substitute. Pour the mixture into four individual earthenware bowls while it is still warm. Sprinkle sliced pistachio nuts and refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve chilled.

M A I I ' U A INGREDIENTS Milk 1 Vi Its Mawa (khoya) 50 gms Green cardamoms 3 Refined flour (maida) 3 tbsps Ghee to deep fry For the sugar syrup Sugar 2 cups

Natural yellow colour (optional) V4 tsp For garnish Pistachios 15-20 Saffron a few strands

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

2 3

Boil milk in a thick heavy-bottomed pan, reduce heat and simmer till it is reduced and reaches a coating consistency. Add grated mawa, and mix well. Bring it to room temperature. Reserve two tablespoons of sugar and form a one string sugar syrup with the rest of the sugar and two cups of water. Dissolve some strands of saffron in two tablespoons of hot milk. Add it to the sugar syrup. Chop pistachios finely.

Add refined flour and the reserved sugar to the reduced milk. Mix well and make a batter of pouring consistency using a little milk if required. Heat ghee in a wide mouthed flat bottomed kadai. Pour a ladle full of batter to form a small pancake. Cook on low to medium heat. Turn it over when it starts to colour slightly. When both sides are done, drain and immerse in the sugar syrup. Sprinkle chopped pistachio and the remaining saffron on the malpuas. Serve hot.

' CHEF' S TIP

N

Serve hot Malpuas with chilled rabdi. It V tastes divine!

65

STEAMED MODAK IN GREDIENTS Rice Salt Pure ghee

1 V> cups a pinch Vi tsp

For stuffing Fresh coconut (scraped) 1 Vi cups 34 cup Jaggery (grated) Green cardamom powder .. a pinch

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Clean, wash and drain rice thoroughly. Dry completely by spreading on an absorbent sheet of cloth. Grind dried rice to a fine powder. Pass it through a fine sieve. Bring one and quarter cups of water to a boil in a pan; add salt and ghee to it. Add rice flour in a flow, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Remove the pan from heat and keep it covered for ten to fifteen minutes.

Grease your palms with a little oil and knead the cooked rice mixture to a soft dough. Keep covered with a moist cloth. Combine scraped coconut and jaggery in a pan and cook on medium heat- for one or two minutes or till light golden brown. Ensure that it is not overcooked. Add green cardamom powder and remove from heat and cool it slightly. Divide the coconut mixture into ten to twelve equal portions. Divide the dough into ten to twelve lemon sized balls. With greased palms flatten each ball to form discs with a diameter of three inches. Press the edges of the disc further to reduce the thickness. Place a portion of coconut and jaggery mixture in the centre, form eight to ten pleats with fingers, gather them together to form a bundle and seal the edges at the top to end in a cone. Stem them in an idli steamer for ten to twelve minutes. Serve the modak hot with pure ghee.

RAVA NARAL LADDU INGREDIENTS Pure ghee 4 tbsps Semolina (Rava) IV2 cups Fresh coconut, scraped .... % cup

Sugar 1 cup Raisins 2 tbsps Green cardamom powder .... IV2 tbsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed kadai, stir-fry semolina on very low heat, till it just starts changing colour to light golden. Add scraped coconut and continue to stir-fry for one more minute. C o o k sugar with half a cup of water on medium heat, stirring continuously till it dissolves. Increase heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook without stirring for about five minutes or till it reaches single thread consistency.

Add the warm roasted semolina mixture and green cardamom powder to the sugar syrup and mix well. Cover the mixture with a lid and keep aside for thirty minutes, stirring the mixture at regular intervals. Divide the mixture into twelve to fifteen equal portions, shape into firm laddus by rolling them with your hands and decorate with raisins.

PEACH MOUSSE INGREDIENTS Peaches (ripe) 8-10 (250 gms) Egg whites of 3 eggs lA cup Skimmed milk yogurt

Corn starch Honey

2 tbsps 4 tbsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4 5

Peel, halve and remove stone from peaches. Slice peaches and keep a few slices aside for garnish. Whisk egg whites lightly. Mix sliced peaches, egg whites, yogurt, honey and corn starch and then put in a blender to puree. Pour into a non-stick pan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously for eight to ten minutes or till it is thick and smooth. Pour into individual serving bowls and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. Garnish with the remaining peach slices and serve immediately.

KESAR1 BAD AM KULFI INGREDIENTS Milk.... Sugar .. Saffron

3 litres (15 cups) Vi cup few strands

20 Almonds (toasted) 20 Green cardamom powder .. a pinch

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

2

3

Heat milk in a saucepan and bring it to boil. Simmer and reduce to one litre (five cups), stirring constantly. Add sugar and stir till it dissolves. Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk and add it to the reduced milk. Chop the toasted almonds and add them to the milk. Add the cardamom powder and mix. Pour in the prepared moulds, seal them airtight and freeze them in the refrigerator.

Note: To make the kulfi in the minimum time: take one and a half litres of milk and reduce it to one litre and add 400 grams of condensed milk and proceed in the same way.

EGOLESS FRUIT CAKE INGREDIENTS Refined flour (maida) Soda-bicarbonate Baking powder Orange peel (chopped).... Candied fruit (chopped).. Sugar

1 cup 4 tsp K tsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 3

Unsalted butter 4 tbsps Condensed milk Vi tin Soda water a little less than Vi cup Vanilla essence 1 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

Heat the oven to 150°C. Grease a baking tin and lightly dust it with flour. Sift flour with soda-bicarbonate and baking powder. Add the chopped orange peel and candied fruit. Beat together sugar and butter well, then add the condensed milk and beat well. Add soda water, mix well and add the essence.

Then gradually add the flour beating well after each addition. Beat well for three to four minutes till the mixture is smooth and light. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for about thirty to forty minutes at 150°C.

BESAN KE LADDOO

w

INGREDIENTS Gram flour (besan) Cashewnuts Almonds

4 cups Ghee 1 cup 12-15 Green cardamom powder .... 1 tsp 12-15 Powdered sugar 2 cups

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

4 5

Sieve the besan through a fine sieve and set aside. Coarsely grind cashewnuts and almonds and keep aside. Melt ghee in a kadai. Add besan, cook over low heat till besan is well done and gives out an aroma. This normally takes about fifteen to twenty minutes. Add cardamom powder, ground cashewnuts and almonds. Stir and take it off the heat. Let it cool for a while. Finally add the powdered sugar and mix well. You may use your hands to mix this. Shape it into walnut sized spherical shaped laddoos and store in an airtight container.

C H E F ' S T I P While serving B e s a n laddoos that have been kept for a few days in the refrigerator, warm them for fifteen t o twenty seconds in the microwave. T h e y will not only become soft but also seem freshly V made.

75

CHOCOLATE BURFI

•fr £

INGREDIENTS

I

Mawa (khoya) Oil

2 cups 2 tsps

C o c o a powder Sugar.

3 tbsps V, cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 C H E F ' S

T I P

U s e an aluminium or steel tray for setting the Chocolate burfi as, while cutting, the knife may leave scratches on the surface of the plate v used. /

76

3 4

5 6

Crumble mawa into fine granules. Grease a tray with oil and keep aside. Cook mawa in a thick-bottomed pan, stirring continuously till it is completely melted and has a thick sauce like consistency. Do not colour. Stir in sugar till it is completely dissolved and mawa is cooked. Remove half of this mixture and pour onto the greased tray. For spreading the mawa evenly on the tray, hold it from two sides and rap it on a hard surface two or three times. Let it cool. Keep the remaining half on low heat. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Pour the cocoa mixture over the earlier mixture. Let it cool completely. Cut into pieces and serve coated with silver leaves (chandi ka warq), if desired.

a s

JALEBI

£

I I "3 T I P '-', F o r the jalebi cloth, t a k e s o m e cloth and m a k e a three mm hole in the centre. Jalebi m a k i n g takes s o m e practice and patience. T o start with, try m a k i n g individual jalebis and when you have p e r f e c t e d that, try m a k i n g them together in a row. To make crisp jalebis add a little rice flour to the maida.

Refined flour (maida) ... IV2 cups Soda bi-carbonate (baking soda) 1 tsp Sugar 2Vi cups MI 1 2 3 4 5

78

n

O

> OI

PR

Cardamom powder Vi tsp Ghee to deep fry Yellow or saffron colour (optional) a pinch

« V.RATIC )N

Mix flour and cooking soda. Add some water and make a smooth batter. Make sure that there are no lumps. Leave it overnight to ferment. Mix it again, add a little water if required to get a pouring consistency. Prepare sugar syrup by adding equal quantity of sugar and water. Add cardamom powder and cook it for twenty minutes. Heat ghee in a jalebi tawi or a flat kadai or a frying pan. Pour batter into a jalebi cloth and then pour it into medium hot ghee giving it a jalebi shape. Start from outside to inside for better results. Cook it from both sides till crisp. Remove and keep it in sugar syrup for at least five minutes before serving.

MANGO AND COCONUT ICECREAM INGREDIENTS Mangoes (ripe).... 2 medium sized Lemon juice 2 tsps Coconut milk 1 cup Milk 1 cup Cornstarch 3 tbsps

Sugar Salt Coconut (scraped) Egg whites Cream

Vi cup lA tsp 2 tbsps 2 lA cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

Peel the mangoes and make a puree of the pulp with the lemon juice. Keep aside. Mix together coconut milk and half the milk in a saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and add sugar and

salt. Add this to the coconut milk mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until a thick custard is formed. Add the scraped coconut. Mix and set aside to cool. Add the mango puree and mix well. Pour into a lidded bowl and place in the freezer until half frozen. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Beat the cream. Transfer the mango mixture to another bowl. Add the beaten egg whites and mix until smooth. Fold in the beaten cream and mix well. Freeze this mixture for three hours. Remove from the freezer and beat again till smooth. Return to the freezer until well frozen.

KHAJOORI SHAHI TUKRA INGREDIENTS Bread 8 slices Seedless dates 1 cup Green cardamom powder ... Vi tsp Desi ghee to fry Milk 5 cups

Sugar Silver warqi Pistachio nuts Almonds Rose water

Vi cup for garnish 10-12 8-10 Vi tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1

2

Trim the crust and cut each bread slice into round shape with a cookie cutter or a katori. Heat desi ghee in a pan and shallow fry the bread pieces for about a minute, turn over and fry about a minute more or until light brown and crisp. Drain and remove onto an absorbent kitchen towel or paper. Soak pistachio nuts and almonds in hot water for ten minutes. Drain,

peel and slice. Reserve one tablespoon of sliced pistachio nuts and almonds for garnish. Finely chop seedless dates, add green cardamom powder and mash thoroughly with a rolling pin. Add the sliced pistachio nuts and almonds and mix well. Divide this mixture into four equal portions. Place a portion of the date mixture on a fried bread piece, cover with another fried bread piece and press to secure. Meanwhile, bring milk to boil, reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes, stirring continuously or until the quantity is reduced by half. Add sugar and continue to simmer for five minutes, stirring continuously. Dip stuffed bread pieces in this mixture for half a minute, remove and keep aside. Cook the remaining milk for five to six minutes, stirring continuously or until it thickens to a coating consistency. Remove from heat and chill. Place soaked bread pieces on a serving dish, pour chilled reduced milk on top, apply silver <warq and top with reserved pistachio nuts and almonds. Serve sprinkled with rose water.

BAB A AU RUM INGREDIENTS Refined flour (maida) ....\Vi cups Salt Vi tsp Sugar 1 Vi tbsps Yeast 1 tbsp (10 gms) Eggs 2

Butter Oil For syrup Sugar Rum

1/3 cup for greasing 1 cup 4 tbsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4 5

Mix refined flour and salt together and sieve. Grease ten to twelve baba moulds with oil. Dissolve yeast in one third cup of warm water and sugar. Add this mixture and eggs to the flour and mix well. T h e batter will be a bit sticky. Keep this mixture in a bowl, covered with a cloth and allow it to prove for thirty to forty minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

6

Cream butter and mix with the batter. Pipe this dough with the help of a piping bag or with a spoon into the prepared moulds filling them only upto half level. Allow the batter to prove for another twenty minutes. It will rise almost to the top of the mould. 7 Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C for thirty minutes. Remove the cakes from the moulds and keep on wire racks to cool. 8 Heat together sugar and one cup of water to form a syrup. Allow it to cool and then add the rum. 9 Soak the cooled cakes in the sugar syrup and chill for half an hour. 10 Serve chilled. Variation: You can apply jam on the cakes and eat. They can be topped with whipped sweetened cream too.

MATAR KI KHEER INGREDIENTS Shelled green peas Ghee Milk Sugar

1 cup .... Yl cup 1 % litres 1 cup

Green cardamom powder.. 1 tsp Pistachio nuts 20-25 Raisins 20-25

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

Boil green peas for five minutes. Refresh in cold water and grind to a fine paste. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan, add green peas paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Keep aside. Boil milk and add it to the cooked green peas paste. Bring it to a boil. Cook on low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes or till the milk is reduced to half. Add sugar, green cardamom powder, raisins and sliced pistachio nuts. Cook for about eight to ten minutes on low heat, stirring continuously. Serve chilled.

GULAB JAMUN

H

INGREDIENTS

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Mavua (khoya) IV2 cups Cottage cheese (chenna)... 14 cup Cooking soda % tsp Refined flour (maida) 3 tbsps

Cardamom powder Ghee/oil Sugar

A tsp to deep fry 2 cups l

METHOD OF PREPARATION C H E F ' S

T I P

N

Temperature of the oil should be low or the jamuns will remain u n c o o k e d from inside. You may stuff G u l a b j a m u n s with saffron and pistachio nuts or L mishri. y

86

1 2 3 4 5 6

Grate mawa and mash chenna. Keep aside. Mix the two along with cooking soda, refined flour, cardamom powder and a little water to make into a soft dough. Divide into sixteen equal portions and shape into balls. Prepare a sugar syrup with sugar and equal quantity of water. Clear the syrup by removing the scum, if any. Heat ghee/oil in a kadai. Add the balls and deep fry on low heat till golden in colour. Drain and soak in the sugar syrup for atleast fifteen to twenty minutes before serving.

RASMALAI INGREDIENTS Cottage cheese (chenna) Refined flour (maida) Pistachio nuts

250 gms 4 tbsps ..10-12

Sugar Milk..

4 cups ....2 Its

MET HOD O F PREP A RATION 1 2 3 4 5

Crumble the chenna and mash it. Add two tablespoons maida and mash again with the palm of your hand to make a dough. Divide into sixteen equal portions, roll into balls and press slightly to flatten them. Blanch pistachio nuts in hot water, cool, remove skin and slice. Dissolve two cups of sugar in the same quantity of water, bring to a boil, add the rest of the flour dissolved in a little water. Slowly lower the chenna balls in the boiling syrup and cook over high heat for ten minutes. Add half a cup of water and bring to a boil again. Cook for three minutes.

Meanwhile prepare a thin sugar syrup with one cup sugar and two cups of water. Soak the cooked chenna balls in this syrup. Boil the milk in a thick-bottomed pen, lower the heat and continue to boil till it is reduced to a thick consistency. Stir continuously. Add the rest of the sugar to reduced milk and keep boiling till the sugar is dissolved. Take it off the heat, cool and refrigerate for an hour. 10 Squeeze the chenna balls and put them into the chilled and sweetened reduced milk. Refrigerate it for another half an hour. 11 Serve chilled, garnished with sliced pistachio.

<5

' C H E F ' S

Til

5

U s e chenna made from cow's milk. Best chenna is made by curdling cow's milk with leftover whey of chenna made earlier. The trick lies in curdling and the acid content should be just right, if it is too much, the chenna would V become tough. J

89

CARAMEL PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE INGREDIENTS Refined flour (maida) Baking powder Castor sugar Pineapple slices

4 cup 1 tsp Vi cup 5

3

Butter Brown sugar Eggs

/i cup + 1 tbsp Vi cup 2

y

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

3

Preheat oven to 180°C. Mix refined flour and baking powder and sift together. Mix castor sugar and three tablespoons of water and cook over low heat till the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and allow the sugar to caramalise. Pour on base of the cake tin. Place thin pineapple slices. Dot with

4 5 6 7 8 9

one tablespoon of butter and keep aside. Cream half a cup of softened butter and brown sugar until soft and pale. Beat eggs and gradually mix into the butter mixture. Add flour and mix. Pour the batter over the pineapple slices. Bake in the preheated oven for forty-five minutes. To check whether done insert a skewer or a knife. If it comes out clean then the cake is done. Remove from the cake tin. The side with the pineapple slices will be on top. Cool, cut into slices and serve.

•a<3

JIFFY ICECREAM INGREDIENTS

s

Cream Fruit pulp Milk powder

1 cup 1 cup 1 cup

Sugar Milk (chilled)

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

C H E F ' S

T I P

If the fruit is very sweet, decrease the amount of sugar.

92

Mix all the ingredients and blend in a blender till smooth. Pour into a glass bowl and set in the freezer to freeze.

1 cup IVi cup

DUDHI HALWA INGREDIENTS Bottle gourd (dudhi/lauki) 1 medium sized (Vi kg) Cashewnuts 10 Pistachios 10 Milk 3 cups

Pure ghee 3-4 tbsps lA cup Sugar Green cardamom powder ... Vi tsp Raisins 10

METHOD OE PREPARATION 1 2 3 4 5

Peel and wash bottle gourd, scrape out the seeds. Grate it finely. Chop cashewnuts and pistachios. Heat the milk and reduce to around two cups. Heat ghee in a pan, add the grated gourd and saute for five to seven minutes. Add reduced milk and cook, stirring continuously, till all the liquid content has evaporated. Add sugar and green cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly. Serve hot or cold garnished with cashewnuts, raisins and pistachios.

STEAMED FRUIT PUDDING INGREDIENTS Apple Chikoos Bananas Egg whites

1 medium sized 2 medium sized 2 medium sized of 2 eggs

Whole wheat flour (atta).... 1 cup Baking powder 1 tsp Cinnamon powder Vi tsp Honey 3 tbsps

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

Peel and core apple. Peel chickoos and remove seeds. Peel bananas and grind to a fine paste along with apple and chikoos. Break the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Reserve the yolks for some other use. Beat the egg whites till stiff. Preheat oven to 190°C. Mix wheat flour with baking powder and cinnamon powder and sieve.

5 6 7

8

Mix fruit puree, egg white and honey with a light hand. Add wheat flour and combine well. Pour into pudding mould. Cover tightly with silver foil. Put the pudding mould in a hot water container and place into the pre-heated oven. Bake for thirty to forty minutes or till it is set. Check by inserting a skewer into the pudding and if the skewer comes out clean then it is cooked. Serve warm or chilled.

C H E F ' S

T I P

\

You can cook this pudding in a pressure cooker without using its whistle. Heat about two cups of water in the cooker and then place the y ^ i u d d i n g mould. /

95

MOHAN THAAL INGREDIENTS Gram flour (besan) 2 cups Almonds 8-10 Pistachio nuts 8-10 Ghee 2 tbsps + Vi cup

Milk 4 tbsps Sugar 1 cup Cardamom powder V4 tsp Nutmeg (jaiphal) powder ...lA tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

5

Sieve the besan and discard the residue. Slice almonds and pistachio nuts and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of ghee and four tablespoons of milk. Pour this over the besan. Mix thoroughly with your fingers so that no lumps are formed and it resembles bread crumbs. Pass it through a sieve again and set aside. Make a sugar syrup with one cup sugar and three-fourth cup of water. Stir the sugar and water and then heat. The syrup should be a little more than one string consistency. Once ready, keep it aside.

6 7

Grease a thali and keep aside. Heat half cup ghee in a kadai. Add the treated besan and cook on low heat till it gives out an aroma and besan turns golden brown. Stir constantly. 8 Add cardamom powder and nutmeg powder. Remove from heat and add the hot sugar syrup when the besan mixture is still hot. Mix continuously to- ensure that no lumps are formed. Continue to mix till it reaches setting consistency. 9 Pour onto the greased thali and rap it on a flat surface to flatten it. Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachio nuts. Let it cool and set. 10 Cut into the required shape and serve.

BASOONDI INGREDIENTS Milk Almonds Pistachio nuts

1 Vi Its Charoli seeds (chironji) ... 2 tbsps 34 cup Vi cup Sugar 8 - 1 0 Saffron a pinch

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3 4

5

Soak almonds in warm water to blanch. Remove the skin. Reserve a few for garnish and make a paste of the rest. Slice almonds reserved for garnish and pistachio nuts. Wash and strain chironji. Bring milk to a boil, simmer over low heat till milk coats the back of the spoon. Stir continuously. Stir in almond paste dissolved in half a cup of water or milk and mix well. Add sugar and saffron and cook till sugar gets fully dissolved. Chill and serve garnished with almonds, chironji and pistachios.

SEMIYA PAYASAM INGREDIENTS Vermicelli Pure ghee Cashewnuts Milk

1 cup 4 tbsps 8-10 4 cups

Sugar 1 Vi cups Saffron a generous pinch Green cardamom powder Vi tsp Nutmeg powder a pinch

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

4 5

Heat pure ghee in a pan, add vermicelli and saute, for two to three minutes or until light golden brown in colour. Chop cashewnuts. Add them to the vermicelli, stir well and keep aside. Heat milk in a thick bottomed pan, bring to a boil and add the sauteed vermicelli and cashewnuts. Mix gently, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar and continue to simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for three to four minutes or until the payasam has thickened well. Stir in saffron, green cardamom powder and nutmeg powder. Mix well and serve hot, chilled or at room temperature.

SHRIKHAND INGREDIENTS

I

Yogurt Powdered sugar Pistachio nuts Chironji

3 cups 2 Vi cups 8-10 2 tsps

Saffron a generous pinch Warm milk 2 tbsps Green cardamom powder 14 tsp

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 C H E F ' S T I P A d d one cup mango puree to this shrikhand to make amrakhand, best enjoyed during

3 4 5 6

100

Tie yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang it overnight, to drain out the whey. This should preferably be hung in the refrigerator to prevent the yogurt from turning sour. Transfer the hung yogurt into a bowl. Add powdered sugar and mix well till sugar dissolves completely. Soak pistachio nuts in hot water for five to ten minutes. Drain, peel and slice them. Clean, wash and pat dry chironji. Dissolve saffron in a little warm milk and add to the yogurt mixture. Mix well. Add chironji and green cardamom powder and mix well. Serve chilled, garnished with sliced pistachio nuts.

GAJAR HALWA INGREDIENTS Carrots Raisins Cashewnuts Pure ghee

8-10 medium sized 2 tbsps 8-10 cup

Milk Green cardamom powder Khoya (grated) Sugar

1 cup Vi tsp 1 cup 1 cup

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2 3

4 5

*Wash, peel and grate carrots. Wash and pat dry raisins. Chop cashewnuts. Heat pure ghee in a thick-bottomed pan, add grated carrots and saute for five minutes. Add milk, green cardamom powder and cook on medium heat for five to six minutes or until the milk evaporates and the carrots are cooked. Stir in the grated khoya and sugar and cook for two to three minutes or till t h e sugar melts and mixes well, stirring continuously. Add raisins and cashewnuts and continue to cook for two minutes more and serve hot or at room temperature.

ADA PRADHAMAN INGREDIENTS Ada Pure ghee Green cardamoms Sugar

1 cup cup 4 1 tbsp

lA

Cashewnuts 12 Raisins 2 tbsps Fresh coconut (scraped).... 1 Vi cups Palm jaggery 200 gms

METHOD OF PREPARATION 1 2

3

Heat two tablespoons ghee and fry the ada lightly. Grind the cardamoms with the sugar to a fine powder, sieve and keep aside. Heat two tablespoons ghee and fry cashewnuts and raisins till light brown. S o a k the scraped coconut in one cup warm water, grind and extract thick milk. Repeat the process and make a second extract

4 5 6

7

and keep aside. Break the jaggery into smaller pieces. Cook the fried ada in one cup boiling water and the second extract of coconut milk, till it is soft but holds its shape. Add the jaggery and continue cooking till it thickens. Heat the remaining ghee and add to the cooked ada. A d d the first extract of coconut milk, stir and mix the fried cashewnuts and raisins. Stir well and heat through without boiling the mixture. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and serve at room temperature.

METHOD OF PREPARING A D A 1 2

3

Soak three quarter cup raw rice for about one hour in sufficient water, wash and drain well. Dry the soaked rice on a sheet of dry, absorbent cloth for twenty minutes and grind to a fine powder. Sieve and mix with one cup warm water to make a thick paste. Spread this batter on a piece of banana leaf, roll and tie with a string.

Steam the rolls for fifteen minutes on high heat and cool. Peel the ada from the leaves and cut into small discs. Dry overnight and use. If you want to store them for future use then dry well under hot sun and keep in an airtight container.

M aster Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's story is like putting success in the fast forward mode. From the highly successful Khana Khazana on Zee TV, to the up-market, fine dining restaurants within and out of India, Sanjeev Kapoor has carved a niche for himself in the world of food. Sanjeev Kapoor's books as well as his websites www.sanjeevkapoor.com and www.indiancookery.com are an extension of his commitment to make Indian cuisine Number 1 in the world. Here's a collection of sweets that are simply ambrosia! For those with an incurable sweet tooth there's Malpua, Baba Au Rum and many, many more... ensuring all meals a 'Happily Ever After' ending! Get in touch with Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor at [email protected]

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