Sweet Somas recipe/ Diwali recipes

Sweet somas is one of my favourite Diwali snack.. During my school days I eagerly wait for every Diwali because I love somas verrrrry must, it is quite less sweet & crispy at outside... My mom is damn good in making this crisp somas.. Me & my sister trim the edges with somas cutter & help my mom..haha..:)

 The main thing is to knead the dough as much as possible, so that it gives crisp texture... It may vary in many states because of the fillings... But outer layer is same for all the other varieties.. My aunt will do kara somas by stuffed with veggies mixed with masalas.. It also very nice & perfect for tea time snack....

Preparation time- 20 mins                       Cooking time- 15mins

INGREDIENTS:

FOR DOUGH:

Maida- 1 cup
Rava(white)- 1 tsp
Melted ghee- 2tsp
Vanaspathi/ Dalda- 2tp (optional)
Salt- as needed

FOR STUFFING:

Fried gram dal(pottukadalai)- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup + 2tsp
Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
Elachi- 5
Cashews- 10
Raisins- 10

METHOD:

• Take maida, rava, melted ghee & salt in a bowl & mix together.. Then add water little by little, knead to get a soft dough... Beat knead...again beat knead...repeat the process for atleast 10-12 times, so that you get crisp at outside... Divide the dough into small equal sized balls & keep it aside & rest for 1/2 an hour...
  
• Meanwhile roast the fried gram dal until the aroma rises, cool down & grind into fine powder... And grind the sugar & cardamom into fine powder & keep it separately...
  
• Now roast the coconut & keep it aside...
  
• With a tsp of ghee, roast the cashews & raisins... keep it aside...
  
• Take a mixing bowl, add fried gram dal powder, powdered sugar, roasted coconut, cardamom & fried nuts... All mix it thoroughly & set aside...
  
• Take a small ball of dough & roll it to thin circle.... Spread 1 tsp of sweet mixture & pull the other end & close it... Press well & seal the edges properly... Take a somas cutter & trim the edges..repeat the same process for remaining balls & make it ready...
  
• Heat the oil in a pan, once it is well hot..drop the somas one by one..fry until it becomes golden brown colour....  drain oil & allow it to cool down, it will be crispy soon...
  
• Yummmmmy somas is ready.. cool down & store it in a air-tight container...
  

NOTE- Adding rava gives crispness... Roll the dough into very thin layer... Here I have used pizza cutter instead of somas cutter... Kneading the dough is more important****** 

Badam Halwa recipe/ Diwali sweet recipe

Badam Halwa is a rich & delicious Indian sweet, prepared with almonds, ghee, sugar & saffron threads.. It is absolutely delicious treat for DIWALI.... During my school days, my dad used to buy badam halwa from sri Krishna sweets & it is very occasionally.. It was packed in small packets & asked to share with mom and sister, but I took more packets & hide it on a book shelf :) still remember those memorable days...

 I thought it is too difficult to make & it will take long time to prepare, but once I saw the preparation in TV channel, I was shocked.. because it is so simple & easy to prepare at home.. The only thing is peeling off the skin takes some time, otherwise it is damn easy.... My hubby is huge fan of badam halwa, so I decided to give surprise treat for this Diwali... Hope u too try this recipe at home...

Preparation+Soaking time- 3hours                      Cooking time-20mins

INGREDIENTS:

Badam/ Almond- 1 cup heaped
Sugar- 1 cup
Milk- 1/8 + 1/8
Water- 1/2 cup
Saffron threads- a pinch
Yellow food colour- pinch
Ghee- 6-7 tsp

METHOD:

• Soak almonds for 2-3 hours... Then peel off the skin & keep it aside...
  
• Meanwhile take 1/8 cup of warm milk, add few saffron threads... Then add the yellow food colour & mix well... keep the milk aside...
  
• Then grind the almonds with the another 1/8 cup of milk & grind into fine thick paste...
  
• In a non-stick pan, add 1/2 cup of water & 1 cup of sugar... boil until it gets completely dissolved.... Then add the ground paste of badam with the sugar syrup.... mix well...
  
• Mix thoroughly & keep stirring at low flame for 5-6mins, then add the saffron milk into it... Stir well... Add a tsp of ghee at regular intervals & stir continuously...
  
• Once its stop spluttering & start leaving the sides of the pan & it becomes smooth thick consistency.. it is a correct stage to switch off the flame....
  
• Allowed to cool down & serve as small packets as given at shops(refer pictures?)... 
  
• It is delicious yummy recipe for all....
  

NOTE-  If you want add pinch of cardamom powder also...I don't like that flavor, so I skipped...

Gulab Jamun recipe( with khoya/kova)

Gulab Jamun is one of the favorite sweet for all & iam so excited to posting this recipe.. It can be made easily with Ready-made jamun mix, I usually prepared jamuns with MTR instant pack.... I love jamun verrrrrrry much.. Usually my mom prepare jamuns for every DIWALI, awesome taste than the other sweets... She keeps some jamuns separately for my dad & sister, because I empty the container in few minutes.. :) I always drool When I see jamun Ad on television... I enjoy to have it & making also...

Iam a great fan of jamun, especially made with khoya... Though it takes very long time to prepare but the taste is really extra ordinary when compared with instant mix... especially it fried with ghee.. If you want get the readymade khoya available in stores.. Jamun is our family favorite too, our little hero JINJU likes it very much.... And i am so happy while clicking the jamuns, it came out very well & soon I will post some other varieties of jamun...The credit goes to my grandma, because she's damn good in making khoya jamuns & I learnt from her... I dedicate this recipe to all jamun lovers & enjoy ****DIWALI...***** 

Preparation time(including khoya)- 1hr            Cooking time- 15mins                   Soaking time- 3hours...

 

INGREDIENTS:

Khoya/Kova- 1 cup
Maida/ All purpose flour- 5 tsp
Cardamom- 3-4
Sugar- 2 cups
Water- 1 & 1/2 cups
Food colour- pinch
Ghee/ oil- for frying

METHOD:

• First boil the milk & keep stirring at low flame... slowly it becomes thicker & gets thicker... When it becomes kova consistency, switch off the flame... allowed to cool down... Then add 5tsp of maida into it & make a fine dough...(no need to knead the dough)
  
• Then take a piece of dough & make a small ball without any cracks... Likewise repeat the process to make small equal sized balls...
  
• Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup... take a wide bowl, add sugar, cardamom & water..along with that a pinch of food colour was added.. Bring to boil for about 10mins(not more than that)
  
• Heat ghee/oil in a pan & bring it to hot.. Gently drop the small balls into it & keep rolling the jamuns to cook all the sides evenly till it appears golden dark brown colour... Drain oil & add immediately to the hot syrup... Fry the remaining balls & soak well for about 3-4 hours or over-night....
  
• Delicious mouth watery gulab jamuns are ready to taste it... yum.. yum !!!!!!
  

NOTE- If you want get the khoya from stores, it is available in readymade... Roll the smalls soft & smoothly without any cracks, otherwise it gives not perfect shape while frying... Transfer the fried balls into HOT SYRUP, so that it will become soft & well soaked at inside too....

Asoka Halwa- sweet (Thiruvaiyaaru style)

Actually Asoka Halwa is not much familier to me.. When I came to Singapore, me n my friend Sundari used to go temple regularly... Once they distributed some pasathams. ..In that red colour sweet was there it tastes awesome & I asked about the sweet, she told that it is ASOKA HALWA & very famous in Tanjore, thiruvaiyaaru... Later I was addicted to it..😁

 Me & my friend SANTHIA was keep on cracking our head of its ingredients... We thought it is prepared from rice or corn flour.. Normally I love Sweets & I wish to know the method of preparation & try at home... Likewise I Google the recipe of Asoka halwa..Finally I got it..

                   

But when I came to know about the ingredients, really I was surprised.. It can be prepared from Moong dal, few spoons of wheat flour, sugar & ghee... Very simple ingredients & i decided to prepare at home.. Because I am huge fan of Asoka halwa, really I fall in love.. Actually the colour tempts everyone to taste... Really it is my dream project & awaited to prepare, finally it is also another super hit recipe from PRIYA'S KITCHEN...

You too check out the recipe & fall in love:)

Preparation time- 5mins                  Cooking time- 30mins           

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dal- 3/4 cup
Wheat flour - 6tsp
Sugar- 1cup
Ghee- 1/2 cup
Red food colour- pinch
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Cashew nuts- 10

METHOD:

• First roast the moongdal until the raw smell goes off....  Then add 1/4 cup of water to 3/4 cup of moong dal & pressure cook unti it becomes soft...(give 3-4 whistles)
  
• Once the moong dal is well-cooked, take a blender & grind into fine paste...
  
• Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan, add some cashews & fry until golden brown... keep it aside...
  
• With the same pan, add I tsp of ghee & add 5-6 tsp of wheat flour & roast well... it nicely mixed with the ghee....
  
• Now add the ground moongdal paste, 1 cup of sugar... after adding the sugar, it leaves some water...(adding sugar & mix well without any lumps& keep stirring...)
  
• Add 1 tsp of cardamom powder, pinch of food colour... this red colour tempts everyone to taste it.... add some ghee & keep stirring...
  
• Add the remaining ghee & fried cahews, keep stirring... Once the halwa consistency appears, switch off the flame..
  
• Delicious halwa is ready... it can be served either hot or cold...
  

NOTE- Stirring is more important, so that it cannot stick on the sides of a pan.. it is adviced to use non-stick pan.... Switch off the flame at right consistency, it should become non-sticky... 

Nei Appam..(sweet)

Nei appam is usually prepared for KARTHIGAI DEEPAM festival.... Iam eagerly waiting for it, because each & every house looks so bright with lot of lamps.... Still i remember my childhood days, wearing pattu pavadai & lighten the small lamps.. Me & my sister will reserve some crackers 🎉& lights flower pot, chakra on that day....we both are much interested in pouring oil to the lamp & makes to glow for longtime..😊😊

 My mom is soooo good at drawing koolam, she puts big vilaku kolam at front & small kolams at the center of corrider.. Every year , she used to buy new lamps & lights it... big kuthu vilaku in the middle & many small vilaku around it.... Really, it was beautiful memories to me..!!!!! 

COOKING TIME- 15MINS      PREPARATION TIME- 2-3 hrs(soaking)

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice- 1 cup

Jaggery- 3/4cup( adjust to ur taste)

Grated coconut- 5tsp

Cardamom- 2

Cooking soda- pinch

Ghee- as needed 

METHOD:  

• Soak rice for about 2-3 hours...... Grind into fine & thick paste....keep it aside..
  
• Melt the jaggery with very little amount of water..... Once it is completely melted, strain it(to remove any impurities)
  
• Now take rice batter, add jaggery syrup into it & mix well...then add grated coconut & cardamom...mix well.... 
  
• Heat a paniyaram pan & add 1/4 tsp of ghee in each mould & pour the batter into it...
  
• Cook at low medium flame, once the appam is cooked at bottom...turn over to cook on other sides until golden brown appears... (by using a skewer)
  
• Repeat the same process for remaining batter & collect the appam in a bowl & serve hot... Delicious appam is ready to eat..😚

NOTE- If you add more water to the batter, it becomes watery while adding jaggery syrup into it... It should be thicker consistency..... You can add powdered jaggery & mix well instead of making syrup... To get perfect appam, use non-stick paniyaram pan...!!!!!! 

Pusanikai/White Pumpkin HALWA

I am so happy that it is my 100th recipe... 💃💃Feel excited on posting this... Thanks to all...😊😊

Pusanikai or Kasi halwa is traditional recipe served in many marriages & Diwali.... It is one of the delicious halwa....very easy & instant to prepare at home... Adding food colour is purely your choice, you may skip by adding it... This is easy for beginners too.... Iam sure it just melts in your mouth...😋

It can be prepared in two ways, with milk or without milk... But the advantage if you are making this halwa without milk, you can store this for 2-3days.. 

INGREDIENTS:

White Pumpkin(grated)- 1cup

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Ghee- 2tsp/ less

Cashews- 6

Raisins- 8

Cardamom powder- a pinch

Food color- a pinch 

Saffron- a pinch(OPTIONAL) 

METHOD: 

• Peel off the skin of white pumpkin & take the inner fleshy part.... Grated & squeeze the water & keep it aside...
• Heat pan & add 1.5 to 2tsp of ghee, add in the grated pumpkin & saute till the raw smell goes off... You can see the water leaves from pumpkin.... keep sauting till it becomes soft...
• Add a pinch of safforn into it(I USED FOR FLAVOUR)
  
• Add a pinch of food color, cardamom& mix well....
• When pumpkin gets cooked well, it turns mashy & transparent.....Meanwhile, Add few drops of ghee & roast cashes & raisins.....keep it aside...
  
• Now add 1/2 cup of sugar, FRIED cashews & raisins mix well..... keep stirring till it becomes glossy texture... 
  
• When the halwa leaves the sides of the pan, Switch off the flame... Allowed to cool down....
  
• Transfer it into serving bowl & enjoyyyy the yummy halwa....Its tempting,  iam going to eat it... how about you? ????
  

NOTE- It can be served either cold/ hot.... Make sure that pumpkin is fully cooked...