This Lakshmi Puja, how about celebrating not just the festival but also the culinary heritage of the country? So, make Sweet Pongal, Boondi Laddoo, Sabudana Kheer and Gurer Payesh, and share these delectable delights with your loved ones…
Sweet Pongal
Sweet Pongal Shutterstock
A variant of payesh that’s easy to make and it’s delicious too.
Ingredients
- Any small grain rice: ½ of a small cup
- Moong dal: 1/3rd of a small cup
- Grated or liquid jaggery: ½ of a medium cup
- Cardamom powder: 1 teaspoon
- Room temperature water: ½ of a medium cup + 3 and ½ of a medium cups
- Ghee: 5-6 tablespoons
- Cashews: 15
- Raisins: 15
Recipe
- Begin by frying cashews and raisins in ghee until golden brown. Set them aside
- Dry roast the rice and moong dal separately over a low flame until they release a fragrant aroma. Let them cool, then rinse thoroughly
- Add the 3-4 tablespoons of ghee in a pressure cooker and heat well
- Add the rinsed rice and dal to the pressure cooker, along with 3 and ½ cups of water. Cook for 6-7 whistles on medium flame, ensuring a slightly mashed consistency
- In a separate pan, combine ½ cup of water with grated jaggery. Cook on low heat until the jaggery dissolves, stirring occasionally
- Strain the jaggery mixture and add it to the rice and dal in the pressure cooker
- Incorporate the remaining ghee, cardamom powder, fried cashews, and raisins. Mix well
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Boondi Laddoo
Boondi Laddoos Shutterstock
Festive season without laddoos? Not a chance! And here’s a quick recipe for the favourite sweet.
Ingredients
- Store bought dry boondi: 500gm
- Sugar: 500gm
- Room temperature - water: 2 large cups
- Cardamom: 2
- Milk: 2 tablespoons
- Cashew: One piece each per laddoo
- Ghee: 1 medium cup
Recipe
- In a pan, add 3-4 tablespoons of ghee and fry the cashews until they turn golden. Set them aside
- Prepare the sugar syrup by combining sugar and water in a pan. Add milk and cardamom pods, then bring to a boil until the consistency resembles threads
- While making the syrup, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface
- Cool the syrup a little. Pour the boondi in a large mixing bowl and add the syrup in small quantities
- Add 6-7 tablespoons of ghee and gently mix. Grease your palms and begin shaping the laddoos
- Place a cashew inside or on top of each laddoo for an extra touch
- Serve the laddoos fresh
Sabudana Kheer
Sabudana Kheer Shutterstock
Sabudana lovers, here’s a wintery version of Sabudana Payesh with gur.
Ingredients
- Sabudana (sago): 1 small cup
- Full fat milk: 1l
- Liquid or grated jaggery: 2 small cup
- Cardamom: 3-4
- Chopped dry fruits: ½ of a small cup
- Saffron strands: 1 teaspoon
Recipe
- Soak sabudana in water for a minimum of 5-6 hours or overnight The sabudana has to be plump during cooking. Strain excess water right before cooking and leave aside
- Heat milk with cardamom and bring to a boil
- Add sabudana, mix well and keep stirring continuously for 12-15 minutes. Keep the flame low
- Add saffron, dry fruits and give a good mix. Cook for another 5 minutes
- Turn off the flame and add jaggery. Mix well
- Serve warm or cold
Gurer Payesh
Gurer Payesh Shutterstock
As the season approaches (well, almost!), one simply cannot overlook the quintessential delight of Gurer Payesh.
Ingredients
- Gobindobhog rice: 1/4th of a small cup
- Full fat milk: 1l
- Liquid or grated jaggery: ½ of a medium cup
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Chopped cashew and raisins: 6-7 tablespoons
- Cardamom: 2
Recipe
- Wash the the rice thoroughly and allow it to soak for 15-20 minutes
- In a non-stick pan, combine milk, bay leaf, and cardamom, bringing the mixture to a full boil
- Strain any excess water from the rice and add it to the boiling milk. Cover and let it cook on low flame, stirring occasionally
- Once the rice is fully cooked and the payesh has thickened, add dry fruits for cook for about one more minute
- Turn off the heat, add jaggery and mix well. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Serve this delightful dish either warm or cold