Sweet Chilli Almonds

(yields: 1 cup)

Ingredients: A cup of whole almonds; egg white from an egg; two springs of curry leaves; half a tsp of salt; 2 tsps of sugar and half a tsp of red chilli powder

Method: Place the curry leaves in a microwave and dry them completely on low heat. Crush them in a bowl and add salt, sugar and red chilli powder. Mix well. Add the egg white to the almonds and mix well. The egg white should be just enough to coat the almonds lightly. Now sprinkle the masala and mix well. Spread the almonds on a roasting tray. In a pre-heated oven, cook the almonds for 10 minutes at 120 C. Remove and allow to cool. Store in an air-tight jar.

Almond and Amaranth Ladoos
(yields: 14 to 15)

Ingredients: Around 50 gm of popped amaranth seeds or rajgira; 50 gm of jaggery and 30 gm of almond slivers (unpeeled).

Method: Melt jaggery in a pan to make a syrup for the laddoos. Keep the jaggery syrup in a bowl and add popped amaranth seeds and almond slivers to it. Mix all the ingredients well. Make small firm balls from the mixture.

Almond and Soya Milk Smoothie (yields: 4 glasses)

Ingredients: Around 100 gm of almond flakes; 750 ml of soya milk; 150 gm of honey; 350 gm of whole almonds and 200 gm of banana.

Method: In a mixer jar, take whole almonds without skin, add soya milk, honey and banana in it. Blend it and garnish with roasted almonds flakes.

Grilled Almond Barfi
(Sugar Free)

Ingredients: Around 500 gm of khoya; 40 gm of artificial sweetner and a cup of almonds roasted and crushed.

Method: Grate the khoya and keep it aside. Heat a pan and add khoya, followed by the artificial sweetner and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Take it off the heat and mix in roasted and crushed almonds. Transfer this to a serving dish. Sprinkle the remaining sweetner on top. Place the dish in a hot oven 200 C, and allow the sugar to caramelise. Serve immediately.

Courtesy: California Almonds