Amba Burfi

Living in the USA, has taught me a lot of things....one of them is 'making your own Indian traditional sweets'..which, if I was living in India, I am sure,I would have never ever attempted to make. Pedhas, Burfis, Mawa modaks....you just get those from the Mithai walas....hardly anyone makes those at home. But as you live away from 'Home'...you have to learn to do things..that makes us 'feel at home' in the unfamiliar places. Food is one such thing...it can instantly take you wherever you want to go in just one bite!

So, for Ganesh chaturthi, I made this Amba Burfi with the mango pulp I had on hand.I wouldn't say it is the easiest thing, like the microwave version of making pedhas, but it wasn't too hard and totally worth the efforts!

Ingredients:
4.5 to 5 cups milk powder
1 Cup Mango pulp (I used canned mango pulp from the Indian store)
3/4 cup plus 4 tsp sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
12 oz evaporated milk
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
Ghee for greasing the a pan
Chopped nuts for garnishing
Silver 'varkha' for garnishing

A good non stick pan to make the mixture
A flat cookie sheet/ cake pan coated with ghee

Method:
1) Mix together the butter, 4 cups milk powder, evaporated milk and cook in a non stick pan on low flame for 15 mins with constant stirring.
2) Add the mango pulp, sugar, cardamon and nutmeg powder mix and keep cooking till the mixture gets thick. another 10-15 mins
3) Add 1/2 to 1 cup milk powder and cook till the mixture really thickens up. Take off the heat and let it cool for 5 mins. Add the 4tsp sugar and mix well.

4) Pour the mixture in the ghee coated pan.Flatten with spatula.Decorate with chopped nuts.Cut into squares.

Let it cool. Keep in the refrigerator for cooling for 1-2 hours.
Take out the burfi gently with a knife.
Cut and store in the refrigerator.

Wish you All a Very Happy Diwali 2013 with "Two layer (Chocolate Malai) Kalakand "

                                        Happy Diwali 2013 !!!

Over the last few years, I have made a variety of 'Diwali Faral' recipes and posted them on TheSizzlingPan.
Here is a compilation of  those:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Diwali%20Treats

This, year...it's different!! I am enjoying and being pampered with 'mom' made faral/ treats by mom-in- law and my mom:)) 
But could help myself making this sweet specially for Diwali!

Two Layer (Chocolate-Malai ) Kalakand 

 Malai Kalakand

 
This recipe is adapted from "Showmethecurry"(www.showmethecurry.com)

My version:
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
14 oz Sweetened Condensed milk
1/2 cup milk powder
1/2tsp Cardamom powder
1/2tsp vanilla essence
1/4cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder

Chopped Pistachios, sugar pearls etc for garnish

 
 Method:

1)Follow instructions from "showmethecurry.com"
2)After the kalakand is made.Split it into two parts.To one part add cardamom powder, to other add Vanilla and chocolate ----mix.
3) Apply ghee to a pan in which you want to set the kalakand.Press the white layer.On top layer which chocolate layer.
4) Garnish with nuts etc.
5) Let it set for 1 hour in refrigerator.Cut into pieces with sharp knife.

One layer Malai kalakand -

 
 

"Treats for Diwali"- Pedha with Flower icing

It's the second day of Diwali....and it is "Padwa"..the festival of "husbands and wifes"!! I couldn't resist making these "pretty" looking Pedhas to sweeten M's  mouth after the "Ovalni"(Pooja).

To make these, I used the left over "Pedha dough"(3 minute condensed milk pedhas) from the "Pedha Diyas"(http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/11/treats-for-diwali-pedha-diyas.html) that
 I made couple days ago and made a simple butter-sugar icing to make those pretty flowers!

Ingredients:
Pedha dough (recipe below)
Icing (recipe below)
Decorating  Edible Pearls ( Bought them from 'Cake decorating section' of a grocery store)

Here is the recipe for 3 minute Pedhas:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html
( I halved the recipe for these Pedhas)

Icing:
1/4 stick butter (at room temperature)
5tbsp powdered sugar (plus little extra)
few drops of orange color/ red and yellow color(mix 4 red to 2 yellow to make orange color)
few drops vanilla essence
Zip lock bag and icing tip

1) Mix the butter and powdered sugar till smooth and without any lumps.It should make 'icing' consistency) easy enough to be squeezed from zip lock bag.Add more sugar if needed.
2) Add the orange color and vanilla essence to the icing and mix.
3) Cut the tip of zip lock bag(small enough for the icing tip to come through). Place the icing tip inside.Fill the bag with orange icing.
4) Squeeze out icing in shape of a flower. One dot in the center and 5 dots around it.

5) Place one edible pearl in the center of each flower
6) Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

"Treats For Diwali"- Pedha Diyas

Wish You All a Very Happy Diwali 2012!!

Festival of Lights

 

What else goes 'hand in hand' as good as "Diwali and Diyas"??? After all it is called the "The festival of Lights".And so..I thought why not make my "star attraction" this Diwali...."The Pedha Diyas"!!

I used the "3 minute microwave pedha recipe" to make the basic Pedha mixture.(I used 1/4th portion of the recipe to make the Pedha dough for the Diyas.I will make regular Pedhas with the remaining mixture)
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html


Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter+ little to butter the molds
2 cups milk powder (Use Nestle Nido if you can find)
1- 14oz can Sweetened Condensed milk
2tbsp milk with saffron

Colored Sugar( I used yellow)
Edible colors
Toothpicks

Method:
1) Bring the butter to room temperature.
2) In a microwave safe dish, mix butter, milk powder, condensed milk and flavorings of your choice.
3) Microwave for 3 mins.At each 1 min interval, mix everything together.
4) Let it cool,then form into traditional round pedhas or mold into various shapes. 
5) I molded them into "Diya" shape
6) Used a toothpick to make the 'rim' design

7) Dip the toothpick in edible color of your choice and make designs on the Diya

8) Or dip a straw in the color and make design on the Diyas

9) Pour some colored sugar in the center of the Diya

Pumpkin shaped Pedhas

'Fall' and Halloween in America ...has "Pumpkin" written all over it. The bright Orange color like the 'falling  leaves'...represents 'Fall' extremely well. With the Jack O lanterns of pumpkin ..no Halloween is complete without Pumpkins...their carvings...cookies shaped like pumpkins...cupcakes with pumpkin color and pumpkin pie. I thought...why not Pumpkin shaped Pedha???? 

I am sure everyone will love to get their hands on these cute little 'Pumpkin Pedhas' at the Upcoming Halloween Party.
For the recipe.....I used the same old 3- minute Pedha recipe ( http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-treats-3-minute-pedhascondensed.html) with few modifications-

Ingredients:
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 can of 14 oz sweet condensed milk
1 cup+ little Dry milk powder(I used carnation milk powder)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4tsp Saffron crushed
Liquid Food colors:( Red and Yellow color) or Orange color and green color

Method:
1)  Mix together butter, condensed milk, milk powder in a large microwave safe bowl
2) Warm 1/4 cup milk with saffron.Add to the butter, milk powder mixture.Mix well
3) Microwave for 3-4 minute total, mixing every 1 minute.The mixture will fluff up and thicken as it cooks. Remember to mix every 1 minute.
4) After 4 minutes, if it isn't thick enough to roll into Pedhas, add 2 tsp milk powder, mix. Microwave for 40 secs more.
5) Add orange color drop by drop ( If using Red and yellow to make orange...mix 4 parts red + 2part yellow to get orange color). Mix. Add more to get desired orange color if needed.
6) After cooling, knead well.Roll into small balls of equal size without cracks. You can apply butter/ ghee to your hands to prevent sticking.Slightly flatten them to get pumpkin shape. Make ridges on the sides with a small fork.
For details chk:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/09/sweet-treats-quick-and-easy-mango-pedha.html

7) Make the Pumpkin stem by slightly pinching the top.
8) Apply green color to the stem with a small brush.Draw eyes and mouth with green color with pointed brush.

Your own little Pumpkin Patch is ready and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!!

Halloween cake that I baked few years ago:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/11/pat-cake-halloween-cake.html

"Treats for Diwali" - Ricotta Cheese Pedhas with Saffron /Kesar-Malai Pedhas

Have you ever wondered...how you crave certain things NOW...which you really did not care for much, when you were back in India?

It happens to me a lot! Many vegetables like (karela, tondali, paapdi,green bhopala etc) which actually my mom had to force us to eat when I was in India....but now..when I go to Indian grocery store...those are the vegetables I hunt for! Because we cannot find those in 'normal' American grocery stores here.Those are like 'delicacies' now! Similar goes for certain sweets like pedhas.Those were never in my 'most favorite' list in India.But now...I crave those sometimes and actually want to make those at home! I did not know, I could make those here at home.But for 'E's naming ceremony, one of friend made these and we were really surprised how delicious ..'melting in your mouth' they were!And the bigger surprise was..they were made from...RICOTTA CHEESE!

I thought that was really Cool...and immediately hunted for the recipe.Have been making these ever since for Diwali and everyone loves them..especially my 'M' who has a sweet tooth!

Ingredients:
425 gms Whole milk Ricotta cheese
1 cup Carnation milk powder
3/4th cup sugar
1/4th cup milk
1tsp ghee
1/4th tsp cardamom powder (Elaichi)
1 pinch saffron (kesar)
Pista and almond chips for decoration

Method:
1) In a non stick kadhai/skillet, melt 1tsp ghee. On medium to low flame add the ricotta cheese. Stir for about 15 mins. First the cheese will melt and then start getting thick again. This is similar to Khoya/ Khava.
Ricotta can burn easily. So, use non stick skillet and keep the flame low/medium!

2) When it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai, add milk (mixed with saffron/ kesar), sugar and milk powder. Stir all together. Cook till it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai. This will take about 15 mins or so. The mixture will become thin first and then thick.

3) Add the cardamom powder. Mix well. Take off the gas.

4) Let it cool. Then roll into small pedhas and decorate with pista and almond chips.

5) The above ingredients yield about 40-55 pedhas depending on how big or small you roll them.

6) Pedhas can stay in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

7) Enjoy!


Announcement:
I'm sending this recipe to Mansi's Sweet Celebration Contest being held at Fun and Food Cafe