Diwali Snack and Sweet.

Happy Diwali to all!

Treat yourself with this simple snack and a sweet.

Snack:

Ingredients:

1 cup- Fresh coconut grated.(can use the frozen grated coconut.)

3/4 cup- Semolina

1/4 tsp - salt

3/4 tsp- Cumin seeds

Oil for deep frying.

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients except oil into a dough. cover it and leave it aside for 1hour. After an hour you will see that the semolina is soaked up with the moisture of the coconut and becomes a soft pliable dough. Take small portions(raspberry size) of this and roll the with your palm on a flat surface and then fold it into a ring shape. Deep fry these rings into golden brown and put them on to an absorbent paper. Once they cool down, you can store them in an air tight container.

Sweet:

2 Cups -carnation milk powder

1 can- condensed milk

3/4th stick - Butter

1/4 tsp- Cardamom powder

pistachios or sliced almonds for garnish.

Method:

Take a microwave safe bowl and put the butter stick in it and cook until it melts. Then add condensed milk and milk powder, stir it and put it in the microwave again for 2 mins. Stir it once again, add the cardamom powder and put in for another 2 mins. You can do this until you notice the mixture very fluffy and light pink in color. Then, sit near a fan and keep stirring and take small amounts in between your palms and roll it until smooth and then flatten it and garnish each piece with a pistachio or a sliced almond. Serve it warm or cold.

Walnut Brittle

 This is one, mouth-melting dessert/Sweet. It is no doubt high in calories but i feel it's o.k to pamper yourself once in a while. My friend made this for Christmas a few years ago, and I remember how we all flocked around the plate. When I asked the recipe, she had a naughty smile initially, but she shared it with me.
So, you all enjoy this, and say Kudos to my friend.

 Ingredients:
3 cups-Chopped Walnuts

1 cup-Brown sugar
3/4 stick- Butter
1 can- Condensed Milk

Method:
Take a nonstick sauce pan. Melt the butter in then add brown sugar and condensed milk. Stir in, You have to keep stirring it until you see bubbles and the content leaving the sides of the pan, It becomes lighter and fluffy. It has to get the texture of being hard when it cools down. Spread the walnut in a greased tray and pour this hot mixture on to it and immediately flatten it with a rolling pin or anything you can use for this purpose. When hot it self, mark it with a butter knife into pieces.
 Once it cools down you can break it into pieces and store them in a container.

Dates and Walnuts Cake (eggless)

Dates are one of the most popular fruits with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals, required for normal growth, development and overall well-being. They are also rich in antioxidants, Iron, Potassium and they are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper and magnesium and Calcium. This cake was served to me by a very good friend of mine who is an excellent cook herself. She cooks as though she has a magic wand to make everything taste perfect.


Ingredients:

20- Pitted Dates
3/4 cup- Milk
3/4 cup -Sugar
1 cup- All purpose flour
1/2 cup-  Vegetable Oil
1 tsp- Baking soda
 3 tbsp-  Chopped Walnuts

Method:

Soak the dates in warm milk for 2-3 hours or just heat milk and dates for few minutes in a microwave  so that dates becomes soft .  Add sugar and grind them to a smooth paste along with the milk in which it is soaked in. Add oil and stir well.
Sieve together flour and baking soda. Add the flour and blend slowly. Add the nuts and blend once again. Pre-heat oven to 350* F. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and bake it for 35 minutes. Test with a tooth pick or fork and see that it comes out clean. The color of the cake might be dark or light depending on the kind of dates used. So don't panic if it is looks very dark.