Festive delights to relish

Here are some easy-to-make festive recipes

We are currently in the midst of the festive season and food, obviously, forms a major part of our festivities. From Navaratri to Diwali, our homes are filled with the aromas of mouth-watering sweets and savouries. For those who like to try something different from their usual traditional fares, here are a few festive recipes to try out. They are quick and easy to make, and taste lip-smackingly delicious!

Shakarkandi Halwa (Sweet Potato Halwa)

Ingredients: 2 cups boiled, peeled and mashed sweet potatoes, a few saffron (kesar) strands, 1 tbsp warm milk, 1 tsp ghee, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup sugar,1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder, 2 tbsp chopped mixed nuts.

Method: Combine saffron and warm milk in a small bowl, mix well and keep aside. Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick pan, add the sweet potatoes and saute on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, ½ cup of water, sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Cook on a slow flame for 2 to 3 minutes or till the mixture has little liquid remaining and not completely dry, while stirring continuously. Switch off the flame, add the saffron-milk mixture, mixed nuts and mix well. Serve immediately.

Farali Pattice

Farali Pattice

Ingredients: 3-4 potatoes boiled, peeled and grated, 1/4 cup fresh coconut scraped, 1 tbsp cashew nuts chopped, 1 tbsp peanuts roasted and crushed, 1/2 tbsp raisins, rock salt to taste, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste, 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, 1 tbsp arrowroot powder and some more for coating, oil for greasing and deep-frying.

Method: To make stuffing, combine coconut, cashew nuts, peanuts, raisins, rock salt, sugar, lemon juice, ginger-green chilli paste and chopped coriander in a bowl and mix well. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Combine potatoes, arrowroot powder and rock salt in another bowl and mix well. Grease your palms with some oil. Spread some arrowroot powder on a plate. Divide the potato mixture into equal portions, make a dent in the centre and fill it with a portion of the stuffing. Coat it with arrowroot powder. Deep-fry pattice in hot oil till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

Fruit Shrikhand

Ingredients: 2 cups plain yogurt, ¼ cup sugar powdered into blender or grinder, few strands saffron crushed into mortar and pestle, 1 tsp milk, ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds powder, 4-5 cashew nuts chopped finely, 4-5 almonds chopped finely, 4-5 pistachios chopped finely.

Fruit Shrikhand

Method: Take a deep bowl and a strainer. Put a muslin cloth over the strainer. Add plain yogurt into the prepared strainer. Gather the cloth edges and if you squeeze it lightly, tie the edges of the cloth. Now keep this in the refrigerator for at least 4-5 hours. After 5 hours, all the liquid/whey has been drained out. You will be left with very thick yogurt aka hung curd or chakka. Now crush the saffron in mortar and pestle. Also warm up the milk in the microwave for few seconds. Add crushed saffron into the warm milk and stir. Take hung curd into a bowl. Add powdered sugar and saffron milk. Stir it well using spoon till everything is incorporated well. Now add cardamom powder, chopped nuts. Stir well to combine.

Chill and enjoy!

(The author is corporate chef, Khandani Rajdhani)