'Carrot Halwa Bites' / Carrot Halwa Burfi

Have you ever tasted a 'something' which looked like 'something' but tasted like the 'other thing' in just 'one bite' ??? I did yesterday!!! I tasted  the "Gajar ka Halwa"(Carrot Halwa) with a texture of a 'chewy Badami halwa'..in the "Carrot halwa burfi" that I made yesterday:)
Now let me be frank... I am still to get the whole "Sugar syrup"  consistency thing-- one string syrup, two string syrup etc, for traditional Indian sweets, under my belt.
 I start out by having something in mind...and end up with a different texture. But this time it wasn't so bad...it resembled the chewiness of the 'Badami halwa" but tasted like "Gajar halwa" !! LOL!!

Ingredients: Makes 25-30 burfi pieces
2 Cups Milk powder( I used non fat dry milk powder) + some more
1 cup sugar
6tsp Ghee + little to grease a pan
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1/2cup All purpose flour
1/2cup Powdered sugar
1/2tsp cardamon powder
1/4tsp nutmeg powder
1/4tsp saffron
Chopped Pistachios

Method:
1) Heat 5tsp ghee in  a nonstick pan . Add the all purpose flour.Fry for few seconds.Add the milk powder and warm it through, while stirring constantly. Don't let it brown/ burn.Take off the heat and keep aside.
2) Heat 1tsp ghee, fry the grated carrots for 1 min.Keep aside.
3) Take 1 cup sugar in a pan,add enough water just to cover it.Add the cardamon,saffron and nutmeg. Let it boil for 7-9 mins till syrup reaches "one string consistency" ( when a syrup drop is stretched between 2 fingers..single string is formed)
4) Add the grated carrots, milk powder, all purpose flour.Stir till it thickens up. ( Add little more milk powder if necessary)Once it thickens add the powdered sugar.
5) Apply butter to a pan. Spread the above mixture onto the pan.Flatten with buttered spatula/ bowl
6) Spread the chopped pistachios on top.
7) Let it cool, then cut into squares with buttered knife.
8) Keep in refrigerator to harden more. Carefully take out each square ( if its sticky, use a buttered spoon)

Bharali Tondali/ Stuffed Tindora

A vegetable done in a 'different' way can make a whole lot of difference.Though the vegetable has it's own flavor, the way you treat it and what flavors you complement it with ...will make it into a whole new dish...with a new flavor and appearance!!
Like for example...If you make Spinach...just the way you make "Alu (colocassia leaves) chi bhaji"...the maharashtrian way ...with peanuts,radish,tamarind, jaggery, besan flour etc...it will taste just like "Alu chi Bhaji"!!
So...like we make "Bharali Vangi" or 'Stuffed eggplant' and Stuffed Okra/Bhendi....here is "Bharali Tondali" or Stuffed Tindora!!

Ingredients:
20-25 Tondalis/Tindoras
1/2 cup dry coconut powder
1/2 cup ground peanuts
1tsp Maharashtrian goda masala
1tsp red chili powder (add more for spicier taste)
1tsp jaggery
1/2tsp Tamarind concentrate
1/2tsp sesame seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/4tsp turmeric powder
salt
oil
few curry leaves
For garnish- chopped cilantro

Method:
1) Wash, drain and Slit the Tindora 3/4 th way lengthwise in a '+' shape.
2) Mix coconut, peanut powder, all the spices,tamarind, jaggery etc
3) Fill the stuffing in the slit Tindoras.

4) Heat 2tsp oil in a nonstick pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves. Add the stuffed tindoras. Add any remaining stuffed if left over.

5) Fry and cook on medium flame tossing every few minutes until the tindoras are cooked through.
Serve hot with Chapati!