Sweet Puris (Paakatlya Purya)

Pakatlya Purya literally means Puris soaked in sugar syrup. This is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe and is prepared on festive occasions. These puris are very easy to make and can be stored for 3-4 days.

Ingredients :

For Puri batter :
1/2 cup Rawa (Semolina)
1/2 cup Maida (Refined flour)
2 tbspns ghee
2-3 tbsns sour curd
Salt to taste

For Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 lemon’s juice
2 tbspns Saffron-Cardamom Syrup (OR Cardamom powder and Saffron Strands)

For frying :
Ghee (Or vegetable oil)

For Garnishing :
Saffron strands
Almond flakes

Method:

To make dough :
Take Semolina and all-purpose-flour (maida) in a mixing bowl. Add salt to taste. Then pour hot ghee (Moan) on the flour. Knead it using sour curd. Add approximately 2-3 tablespoons of curd. You may adjust the quantity of curd as required. Knead a tight dough and set it aside for 45 minutes to one hour. 

To make sugar syrup :
You need to make the sugar syrup before starting with the frying of puris. To make Sugar syrup, take a cup of sugar in a pan. Pour water that is half the quantity of sugar and heat the mixture. Heat it till an one-string syrup is formed. Turn off the flame and add lemon juice and Saffron-cardamom syrup. Alternatively, you may add cardamom powder and saffron strands into the sugar syrup.

To make Puris :
Before making puris, knead the mixture again. Then beat the dough for 5 minutes with the help of beater. Make 18-20 small balls of the dough. Take each ball on a roller and roll it into flat circles (puris). 

Heat ghee / oil in a pan on high flame. Once the ghee / oil is hot, turn the heat to medium. Put puris into the hot ghee / oil one by one (3-4 at a time) and fry till them till they are light brown in colour. Take out the fried puris and dip them immediately into the sugar syrup. Coat both sides of the puris with sugar syrup. In the similar fashion, fry next set of puris. Once these puris get fried, remove the previously set of puris from the sugar syrup. Put the next set of puris into the sugar syrup. Garnish the syrup-coated puris with saffron strands and almond flakes. 

Transfer it into an air-tight container and store them for 3-4 days. 

Notes:

You may garnish the puris with dry fruits of your choice
Always ensure that the syrup is hot while dipping puris. When the syrup cools down and thickens, re-heat for some time and then dip the fried puris.

Stepwise Pictures:

 

Sending this entry to Vardhini's event Sweet Luv.

Gajar Halwa

Gajar ka Halwa is a very popular Indian sweet dish and is especially made during winters when red carrots are available in abundance. This dish is a bit time consuming and also contains high amounts of sugar. However, you can adjust the quantity of sugar as per your preference. The method shared below is very traditional and gives the best outcome. However, you can also try some alternate methods.


Ingredients :

4 cups grated red carrots (approx. 1 kg)
2 - 2 & 1/2 cups boiled full fat milk
250 gms mava (Khoa-milk thickened by heating in an open iron pan)
3 tbspns Ghee + 1 tspn ghee
1 & 1/2 cup Sugar (or as per taste)
1 tspn Cardamom powder
15-18 Saffron strands (soaked in milk) 
1/4 cup almonds (blanched in hot water and cut vertically)
3 tbspns raisins (soaked in water)

Method :

Take 3 tbspns ghee in a large pan and heat it. Once it melts, then add grated carrots to it. Saute the grated carrots in ghee for about 2-3 minutes. Then add boiled full fat milk into it. Turn the flame to low and keep stirring the mixture at regular intervals. 

Simultaneously  heat 1 tspn ghee in another pan and add khoa to it. Saute it in ghee on low flame, till it slightly changes its colour. Set it aside to add it in Gajar Halwa.

Once the milk is absorbed in carrot, add cooked khoa into the mixture and mix it. Then add Sugar to the mixture. Stir the mixture and further cook it till the sugar is melted and absorbed in the carrots.

Lastly add cardamom powder, Saffron strands, blanched and chopped almonds and soaked raisins. Mix it in the halwa. Garnish with dry fruits of your choice. Serve it either hot or cold. It tastes equally good.

Notes :

The above quantity yields for approximately 4 people
Time taken is approximately an hour and half on low flame
I have used Saffron Syrup instead of Saffron strands
You may substitute milk and khoa with condensed milk 

Stepwise Pictures :

Sending this entry to Kavi's Kid's Delight : Something Sweet Event,  Anzz's Valentines-special event, Teena Mary's Valentine's Day Event and Vardhini's event  Sweet Luv.