TOP Rated Gujarati Recipes

Kesar Halwa

Main Ingredients

Sugar (Cheeni) , Saffron (Kesar) , Flour (Atta), Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Ingredients

1 cup Sugar1 1/2 cup Water1 tsp Cardamom powderSaffron colour or saffron threads2 cups Plain Flour1 1/2 cups Ghee.Nuts for decorating

Method

Bring water and sugar to boil. Remove from heat, add essence, colour. Mix well and set aside.
Roast the flour over medium heat for 10 mins. (till you get aroma). Add ghee and fry for further 5-7 mins till golden brown.

Slowly add the sugar syrup to the flour mixture. Quickly and constantly keep stirring till it forms a smooth paste. Grease a plate. Pour the paste to the plate. Decorate with nuts of your choice.
Cover the thali and set it in the refigerator for atleast 1/2 an hour.
Cut into desired shape and serve

Apple Halwa

Carrot Halwa, Lentils and Bean Halwa, Wheat Flour Halwa and Semolina Halwa are all popular desserts in India. Apple Halwa can be made the same way and it has an interestingly sweet and tart taste. In Indian homes, a form of milk cooked until all the water has evaporated-known as khoya is used. Condensed milk is a nice substitute.

3 lbs apples, grated, best made with tart crisp apples

6 tsp sugar

juice of 1 lemon

8 tbsp ghee or clarified butter

2 inch cinnamon stick

6 cloves

8 tbsp condensed milk

2 tbsp raisins

2 tbsp butter

4 tbsp calvados

almond slivers to decorate

silver or gold foil Serves: 6

As soon as the apples are grated, sprinkle them with sugar and lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Mix well.

Heat the ghee in a heavy based saucepan, add the cinnamon and cloves and after 30 seconds the apples. Saute for 10 minutes or so over high heat. Add the condensed milk and raisins and saute for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
Glaze with the butter. This dessert should be served hot. Heat the calvados for a few seconds in a small pan and pour into the halwa.

Garnish with almonds if using.

Notes: You can also use silver or gold foil to garnish the halwa and sprinkle ground toasted pistachios or walnuts and serve the halwa with vanilla ice cream.

Bansudi

Main Ingredients

Cream (Malai) , Milk, Sugar (Cheeni) , Saffron (Kesar)

Ingredients

500 ml. Whipping Cream100 ml. MilkSugar to taste1 tsp. Nutmeg powderA pinch of Saffron1 cup of Milk Powder

Method:

Bring whipping cream and milk to boil together. Add nutmeg powder and saffron to it.
Keep boiling on medium heat for about 15 mins, adding milk powder slowly to it. Keep stirring to prevent lumps. Remove from heat. Once cool, add sugar and stir well.
Chill before serve.

Variation:

You could make tiny little rasgullas and squeeze water out of them. Add to prepared basundi after both rasgullas and basundi get cold and right after you add sugar to basundi. Keep in the fridge for a day and then serve.