Phirni (a Rice and Milk Dish)

Ingredients 1 litre milk 100 grams pudding rice Water 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder Small pinch of saffron powder At least 3-4 hours before preparation of the dish, put the rice in a bowl, add water so that it

reaches a little over the rice.

Grind the soaked rice to make a paste Boil the milk in a pan. Add sugar and rice paste to the milk. Cook until thick. Mix in the cardamom powder and saffron in the thickened milk. Remove from stove and keep in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Shakkar Paare

Ingredients 300 gm whole wheat flour 150 gm jiggery (Demerara sugar will do) 1/2 cup water 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking powder 180 gm ghee (unsalted butter) Oil for deep frying Method Mix salt, ghee, baking powder Demerara sugar and flour into a stiff dough with the water. Keep aside covered for 15 minutes or so. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness, cut into strips and shallow fry over medium heat.

Sweet Kachoris 250 gm flour 1 tbsp besan (gram flour can be bought locally) 1 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter water for kneading oil for deep frying Filling: 100 gm caster sugar 150 gm khoya (either ricotta or cream cheese) 100 gm chopped dried fruits 1/4 tsp green cardamom seeds Sprinkle with caster sugar. Method: 1. Sieve the flour and besan into a bowl. Rub ghee into the flour with fingertips. Put some water and knead well until dough is smooth. 2. Cover and keep it to cool for fifteen minutes. Mix all filling ingredients together. 3. Roll out dough into flat discs about 4" in diameter. Put the filling in the center and seal the roll with a little water on its edges. 4. Fry kachoris over a slow flame in hot oil. When it turns golden brown take it out carefully and drain the excess oil.

PURAN POLI

150gms. chana dal (yellow lentils) (we used orange) 150 gms. jaggery (molasses) or demerara sugar 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder 150 gms. plain flour 1 tbsp. ghee warm water to knead dough ghee to serve Method

Boil dal in plenty of water till soft but not broken. Drain in a colander for 10-15 minutes. Mash

the dal. Add the sugar and mix well into dal. Put mixture in a heavy saucepan and cook till a

soft lump is formed Take care to stir continuously, so as not to burn. Keep aside.

Mix ghee with flour, add enough water to make a soft pliable dough. Take a morsel sized ball

of dough, roll into a 4" round. Place same sized ball of filling in centre, pull up around and seal.

Reroll carefully to a 6" diameter round. Roast on warm griddle till golden brown. Repeat other

side.