This Ugadi, you can go the traditional way with holiges or usher in the new year with something different. Here are some recipes that you can enjoy with your family and friends:
Moong pak
Ingredients:
Green gram flour: 1 cup
Sugar: 2 cups
Water: ½ cup
Ghee: 2 cups
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Method: Mix sugar and water and make a syrup of ‘pearl drop’ consistency (when a drop of syrup is dropped on a plate and the plate is turned around, the drop should retain its shape in the form of a bubble or a pearl). Simultaneously, heat half portion of the ghee in a pan. Add the flour and then the other half of ghee and keep stirring on a medium heat. When the mix starts leaving the sides of the pan, add cardamom powder, stir for a minute. When the mix becomes porous, pour it on a plate, cut into desired shapes, while it is still warm. Store in an airtight box.
Triple delight
Ingredients:
Carrot, grated: 2 cups
Beetroot, grated: 1 cup
Chayote, grated: 2 cups
Peda,crushed: 4
Milk: 1 cup
Sugar: 2 cups
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Mixed dry fruits, chopped: 2 tbsp
Raisins, chopped: 2 tbsp
Cardamom/vanilla rose or essence: 1/4 tsp
Method: Heat a tbsp of ghee and fry the dry fruits and keep aside. Mix all the grated veggies and cook in milk, till tender and dry. Add crushed peda and sugar, raisins and cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Add the remaining ghee and the fried nuts and serve hot.
Pink barfi
Ingredients:
Dry coconut, grated: 2 cups
Strawberry jam: 1 cup
Sugar: 1½ cups
Peda, crushed: 1 cup
Method: Mix sugar and grated coconut and cook till well-blended. Add peda and jam and cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Pour on a plate to a square mass of ¾inch thickness and cut into squares while still warm. You can also use fresh fruit pulp instead of jam.
Cocoa-nut pak
Ingredients:
Cocoa powder: 1 tbsp
Dry coconut, grated: 3 cups
Besan: 1 cup
Butter/ghee: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 2½ cups
Rose essence: a few drops
Method: Melt the butter and fry besan in it till it turns light brown and a fine aroma develops. Remove from heat and keep aside. Mix grated coconut, sugar and cook till the mixture has blended well and dry. Add the fried besan and cocoa powder; mix well and cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Add rose essence, mix well and pour on a plate to one-inch thickness.Cut into desired shapes while it is still warm. Store in an airtight container.
