Kheer (Vermicelli Pudding)
Recipe from Dalbir Chadda:
What makes this
dessert unusual is that it is not as sweet as most Indian desserts. It
is fairly simple to make. Make sure that the vermicelli is very fine
(angel hair pasta is ok but the very fine vermicelli that can be bought
at chinese stores is the best).
Ingredients
- 1 stick Butter
- 2 handfuls Very fine vermicelli
- 4 cups Milk
- 1 pint Whipping cream
- 1 handful Raisins
- 3 tblsp Sugar
- 4 Almonds (optional) peeled and thinly sliced
Directions
Melt butter in a 4 qt pot. Break vermicelli into 3" pieces. Over low
heat stir vermicelli into butter until it turns light brown. Pour in
the milk and stir over medium heat until it boils. Put in the raisins,
almonds and sugar.
Continue to cook under low heat for 10 minutes. Add whipping cream and
continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and, when
cool, chill in the refrigerator before serving
Rice Flour Pudding
(6 servings)
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 c Milk
- 3/4 c Sugar
- 2 oz Rice flour
- 6-8 drops Rose water
- 1 oz Almonds
- 1/2 oz Pistachio nuts
Directions
Blanch (optional) and shred nuts. Mix rice flour into the milk and mix
until smooth. Cook over medium heat until a creamy consistency is
achieved (20-30 minutes?). Simmer and add sugar and stir for 2-3
minutes more.
Cool (in refrigerator for 30 minute) add the rose water, almonds and
pistachios (maybe before it cools). Pour into individual dishes and
serve.
Besan Burfi
Ingredients
- 1 c Besan
- 1 c Shortening
- 1 c Sugar
- 4 seeds Cardamom
- Nuts (optional)
Directions
Melt shortening in a pan. Turn down heat and add cardamom and Besan.
Fry, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it has changed to a
brown color and smells done. (Test: a few drops of water sprinkled on
it sputters instantly).
Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar. Spread 1/2" thick onto a
platter. Cut into diamond shapes after it has cooled down.
Kheer 2
Ingredients
- 1/2 c Rice
- 4 c Milk
- 1/4 c Raisins
- 3/4-1 c Sugar
- 1 t Cardamom seeds
- 1/4 c Shredded blanched almonds
- 6-8 drops Rose water
- 1/2 c Water
Directions
Wash and drain the rice. Soak in 1/2 c water for 1/2 hour. Boil the
rice in the same water until it is coated and the water dries up. Add
the milk and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Scrape the sides and bottom frequently to prevent sticking and mash rice
while stirring. When it is creamy, add sugar and stir in well. Remove
from heat and add crushed cardamom seeds, rose water and shredded
almonds.
Serve hot or cold decorated with silver or gold leaves (optional). [Silver/Gold
leaves are very fine and tasteless.]
Gulab Jamuns
(Easy Method)
Ingredients
- 1 c Bisquick
- 2 c Carnation powder
- 2 c Water
- 1 1/2 c Sugar
- 4 pods Cardamom
- few drops Rose water
- 1/2 stick Butter (4 T)
- 1/8 c Yogurt
- Milk
- Oil for frying
Directions
Heat butter and pour in a bowl. Add Bisquick, carnation powder and
yogurt and blend together. Knead well adding milk if necessary. Make a
smooth ball, cover and let rest (30 minutes?). Make 12-14 small balls.
Heat the water, add sugar, bring to boil, add cardamom seeds and simmer.
Boil, then simmer to reduce the water by half. Heat the oil until hot
and fry the balls to a golden brown or until they are dark
brown---almost black.
Soak in sugar syrup until they double in size (1 hour or overnight).
Serve hot or cold.
Suji Halva
(Semolina Halva)
(4-6 servings)
Ingredients
- 1/2 c Suji (semolina)
- 1/2 c Sugar
- 1/2 c Ghee
- 1 1/2 c Water
- 1 oz Sliced almonds
- 1 oz Raisins
- 8 Green cardamoms
Directions
Boil sugar and water together for 5 minutes. Heat ghee add suji and
stir on low heat until mixture becomes light creamy in color and ghee
leaves the side of the pan. Add the syrup and stir briskly until it is
absorbed in the semolina. Mix in crushed cardamom seeds, almonds, and
raisins. Serve hot.
Sewian
(Vermicelli)
Ingredients
- 2 c Sewian (vermicelli)
- 3 1/2 c Milk
- 3/4 c Sugar
- 1/4 t Rose water (or 6-8 small cardamom seeds)
- Ghee
Directions
Fry the sewian in hot oil until golden brown. Heat the milk to boiling
and add the sewian. Cook until the milk is reduced by half. Add sugar
and cook on low heat until creamy (about 25 minutes). Remove from the
heat. Add in rose water. Decorate with blanched finely shredded
almonds and pistachio nuts and silver leaves if desired.
Carrot Halva
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Carrots
- 1/2 gal Milk
- 2 c Sugar
- 2 c Carnation milk powder
- 1 c Oil
- to taste Nuts
Directions
Clean and grate the carrots. Heat milk to boiling and add the carrots.
Cook until liquid is almost gone, stirring to prevent sticking and
burning (3 to 4 hours). Add oil and cook more, stirring often, to roast
the carrots well (about 1/2 hour). Add the powdered milk and sugar and
cook until all the liquid is gone and the mass does not stick to the
sides. Add the nuts and raisins and turn off the heat. Pour in a
serving dish and serve warm or cold. Will keep in the refrigerator for
up to 1 week.
Rasgoola
Ingredients
- 1 ltr Homogenized Milk
- 2 tsp White Vinegar
- 1 1/2 C Sugar
- 3 C Water
Directions
Bring the milk to a boil and add vinegar to the boiling milk to separate
the whey. Throw away the liquid part by sifting the stuff onto a muslin
cloth. Pour some cold water over the curd to cool and wash it. Discard
the water and hang the cloth for 15-20 minutes to let the excess water
drip off.
Put the curd in a food processor or blender and blend at high speed to
get a smooth consistency. You may add just a little (1 tsp or so) water
while blending, if the curd is too dry and will not blend. Be very
careful so as not to add any extra water. Remove the paste and make
small balls (1-2" in diameter).
Boil water in a wide vessel. Make sure that there is at least 2-3" of
water in the vessel. If not, add more water and increase the quantity
of sugar proportionately. Add sugar to the boiling water to make a
light syrup.
Continue boiling the syrup and gently drop the curd balls in the boiling
syrup. Cook the balls in the boiling syrup for 30-40 minutes. Remove
from the heat and let the stuff cool down. Put the balls and the syrup
in a storage container and refrigerate (don't freeze). Serve cold.
Mango Ice Cream
This is a great desert which can be made with very little effort. You
can replace the Mango pulp with any other pureed fruit.
Ingredients
- 1 can Condensed Milk
- 12 oz. Whipped cream(Cool whip)
- 1 can Mango pulp (Alphonso)
It is very confusing to describe quantities as 1 can. Well, I do not
remember the exact numbers so let me describe the sizes. The Mango pulp
can is about 6" high and 3" in diameter. I think it is the only size
available in an Indian store. The condensed milk can is about 3" high
and about 2.5" in diameter and should be available in your neighbourhood
grocery store.
Directions
Mix all of the pulp, condensed milk and whipped cream in a bowl. Put in
the freezer for about 8 hours.
