Some sweet recipes for u..

SEMIYA PAYASAM
we will know that the semiya payasam we prepare at home has at least 500+ years of history. The recipe ingredients and the method have remained unchanged all these years. That is the greatness and as well as the simplicity of this recipe. What has changed is our attitude and regard towards such honest and soulful food. But that is a topic for another time.
Semiya, Sugar, Ghee, Milk, Cashews and Draksha ~ Ingredients for Payasam
Recipe:
4 cups whole milk½ cup cane sugar, ( or to taste)Fine semiya, one bunch, about the size that fits baby’s fist (10″ long)2 tablespoon of ghee, melted16 cashews and 16 golden raisins4 cardamom pods, seeds powdered
Heat ghee in a wide pot. Add and toast golden raisins to pink balloons first, and then cashews to pale gold color. Remove them in to a plate.
In the same pot, add and toast the semiya for one to two minutes. (This is to remove the raw wheat smell of semiya and I usually do it, but this is optional) Take the toasted semiya to a plate and keep aside.
In the same pot, add the milk and stir in sugar. Bring the milk to a rolling boil Reduce the heat and add the semiya. Also the cashews, golden raisins and cardamom powder. Simmer on slow heat for ten minutes. The fine semiya floats like water lily stems in a pond of sweetened milk. That is the consistency we want in semiya payasam.
Serve warm or cold, and enjoy this fine, honest dessert in the name of tradition.
A Sweet 500+ year old tradition ~ Semiya Payasam
Note:Semiya, the fine wheat noodles are a speciality of India. They are prepared with durum wheat flour and water. Semiya is egg free, and that is the major difference between western egg-laden vermicelli and Indian semiya. (Semiya is available at Indian grocery shops).
*************












KALAKAND
Kalakand, an exquisite, milk based sweet preparation is an interesting process. Concentrated milk called khoya and fresh paneer called chhana are mixed and simmered together with sugar to a luxurious thick, firmness. The mixture is cooled, then cut to squares and garnished with pistachios. That is kalakand. As you can imagine the kalakand has a rich taste.
Depending on the khoya-chhana ratio and sugar variety, kalakand is 2 types.Milky-white kalakand: Three parts chhana and one part khoya together simmered slowly with white sugar for hours. Continuous stirring and low heat cooking result in a pure-white kalakand. It’s a labor intensive process and usually you will find this milky-white kalakand at Indian sweet shops.Coral-pink kalakand. Chhana and Khoya are in 1:1 or 1:3 ratio and unprocessed, old-world style red sugar (turbinado) sweetens and colors the kalakand. This is the type we prepare at our home. Both varieties taste equally delicious, but I prefer the Coral-pink colored kalakand. Here is how I made it for Krishnashtami prasadam.
Recipe:(takes about 2-3 hours. Makes about 18 to 20 2×2x1 square shaped Kalakand)
½ gallon whole milk and juice from one lime - to prepare chhana½ gallon whole milk - to prepare Khoya (concentrated milk)2 to 2½ cups - unprocessed cane sugar (turbinado)1 cup, shelled and unsalted pistachios - coarsely crushed for garnishSilver or gold foil to decorate the kalakand
2 big, sturdy, wide based pots -
Chhana for Kalakand
1: Place the pots on stove-top and add half gallon milk to each pot to prepare chhana and khoya simultaneously.
Chhana: In one pot, once the milk starts to boil, reduce the heat. Add the limejuice and stir. Within minutes, you will see small clouds like white curds floating on top. Wait till they get bigger (if they don’t, add some more lime juice and stir) and the whey below gets less milky. This process takes few minutes, so wait at least five minutes. Switch off the heat and let it stand for few more minutes. Then pour the whole thing immediately into a clean muslin or cheese-cloth in a colander, over a sink. Gather the curds and discard the whey. The fresh paneer called chhana is ready.
Simmering Milk ………….. Thickened milk (khoya) after 2 Simmering Hours


Khoya: In another pot, once the milk starts to boil and lower to heat and simmer, until the milk gets thick and is reduced to about one fourths of the original quantity. (While thickening, stir now and then, and care should be taken that milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.)
2: At this stage, to the khoya, add the freshly prepared chhana and sugar. On low heat, simmer continuously mixing, until the khoya-chhana mixture thickens to a waterless-firm lump. This process takes about 45 minutes to one hour.
3: Pour the firm mixture onto a plate. Level it evenly and allow it to cool completely. Then cut to squares or diamonds and garnish with gold/silver foil and pistachios.
Kalakand Cooling
Kalakand Cut to Squares
Kalakand Garnished with Pistachios ~ for Indian Sweets 101







Scrumptious Sabjis ~ Methi Matar Malai
Here is an easy meal idea that will taste like you spent hours in the kitchen, when in reality all you would need to do is pluck few leaves, open few packets or cans and grind some masala paste. 10 minutes in front of the stove, the result would be a very comforting creamy curry that is appropriate for family meal or a gathering of friends.
Speaking of friends get-togethers, we were invited a potluck party yesterday and I prepared some sweets with homemade malai. I kept a small cup of malai to the side to prepare this scrumptious sabji today. Store bought evaporated milk or concentrated almond milk/rice milk also works for this recipe. Give it a try.
from Hindi to English - Methi (Fenugreek), Matar (Peas) and Malai (Cream)
Recipe:
Fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) - 1 cupFresh peas (matar) - 1 cupMalai (cream) - half cup(homemade or store-bought evaporated milk - unsweetened variety)2 red potatoes - peeled and cubed to bite sized piecesSalt and turmeric to taste or half teaspoon eachPeanut oil or ghee - one teaspoon
Masala paste: One small red onion or shallot, one inch size ginger, six green chillies, two cloves, one inch piece of cinnamon stick, one teaspoon cumin and quarter cup of fresh peas (peas are added to thicken the sauce) - Grind to smooth consistency by adding half cup of water in a blender.
Heat oil in a wide skillet.
Add and saute the masala paste for 5 minutes on medium heat until the paste starts to turn red.
Now add one after another, first potatoes, then fenugreek leaves and finally peas Do a quick stir-fry until the leaves wilt.
Add malai (evaporated milk). Stir in salt and turmeric and about 1 cup of water. (I also added a half teaspoon of jaggery which helps to bring out the sweetness of peas. But this is optional.) Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat until potatoes and peas are cooked to tender and the sauce thickens. Serve warm. Tastes superb with chapatis or with naans.
My latest find is garlic naan from frozen section of Trader Joe’s. One packet is priced at 2 dollars and contains 4 good sized naans which are prepared in India and vacuum packed. We just have to heat them on stove-top or in oven. The flour, the layers, the garlic topping - very flavorful and quality stuff. Well, they are from India. Need I say more?
Methi Matar Malai with Garlic Naan ~ Our Meal Today










Pumpkin Halwa with Butternut Squash
Pumpkin Halwa with Butternut Squash and Almonds
The ingredients that we use in our cooking may not be constant but love, family and tradition, the natural, real ingredients that we share to celebrate the Deepavali festival are going to be constant and would always be there to sustain us through our life journey. Also if there is one festival that truly unites India, it is Deepavali~the festival of lights. All ages and religions joyously participate - Lighting the divas, sharing sweets, presents or enjoying firework displays. The festival has something for everyone. Even the grinch among us would shine and smile during this time.
Deepavali is also about giving and receiving a second chance in life and I am glad to share with you my second chance with pumpkin:) To tell you the truth, I am not a big fan of pumpkin, I never was. My dislike of this vegetable started in my childhood, continued through upto now. But after seeing several of my fellow food bloggers’ fabulous creations with this vegetable, I too wanted to join the fun. But would the pumpkin accept me, I was skeptical. So I took the help of almonds, milk kova and of course our true friend that would instantly bring joy to any occasion, ‘the sugar’. With the help of all these ingredients I have prepared pumpkin halwa with butternut squash. Boy, oh boy, what a delight that was. I was astounded by how generous the pumpkin was with its gentle sweetness and its ready mixing with other ingredients It may look all bulky and intimidating, but the vegetable has a sweet taste of a kind giant.
Many thanks to my fellow food bloggers (dear InjiPennu , where are you?), to my new friend pumpkin for inspring me to take this second chance and also to lovely Vee for hosting this special edition of Jihva. If it’s not for you guys, I would have never tried pumpkin again, I think. And this pumpkin halwa sweet truly is a special Diwali treat for us, and is going to be a tradition from now on in my family.
Butternut Squash ~ Cut in Half and Grated
Recipe:
Butternut Squash, almonds, milk and sugarGhee, rose water and cardamom
Prep work:
1. Almonds - Soak half-cup almonds in warm water for about 2 hours. Remove the skins and make a smooth powder in a food processor.
2. Butternut squash (2 pounder) - Peel the skin and cut into half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and finely grate using a mandoline. Comes about 3 cups of tightly packed grated squash.
3. Meanwhile prepare milk-sugar syrup: take 5 cups of whole milk and 2 cups of sugar in a big, thick-bottomed vessel. Cook the mixture until is gets thick and is reduced to about one fourths of the original quantity. Takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Take 8 cardamoms, remove the skins and in a mortar pound the seeds into fine powder with a pestle.
Showtime:
1. In a big sturdy, wide bottomed vessel, heat about 2 tablespoons of ghee on medium heat.
2. Add the grated pumpkin to the melted ghee. And with a big slotted spoon, gently mix and cook the pumpkin. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring in between, until the raw smell of pumpkin disappears and color changes from yellow to orange-yellow.
3. Add the almond powder and condensed milk-sugar kova. Add cardamom powder and two teaspoons of rose water. Gently mix and constantly stirring, cook the whole mixture until it comes together into a solid firm mass. Takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove the halwa to a pan. Level it even and let cool. Keep it in the freezer for about one hour to firm it up even more. Remove and cut into squares or use a cookie cutter to cut round shape discs.
5. Serve chilled.
I think this halwa can stay fresh upto one week, when refrigerated.
Pumpkin Halwa ~ Our Diwali Treat ~


Paramannam (Sweet Rice)


Recipe:
6 cups of milk2 cups of cooked rice1 cup of sugar/powdered jaggery or to taste¼ cup of - golden raisins and cashews together, roasted in ghee4 cardamom pods - seeds powdered1 tablespoon of ghee
In a large, thick-bottomed saucepan, combine milk and sugar (or jaggery). Cook until sugar melts and milk thickens (just a little bit). Add cooked rice, cashews, golden raisins, cardamom powder and ghee. Mix thoroughly and cook on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring in-between, until the whole thing comes together. Turn off the heat. Keep it covered for few minutes. Paramannam further thickens on cooling. Serve warm or for a cool refreshing taste, refrigerate for about one hour.