Coconut Buns

INGREDIENTS

1. Coconut Milk (250 ml) / Coconut Milk Powder (250 gms)
2. Maida - 500 gms
3. Baking Powder - 10 gms
4. Baking Soda - 3 g
5. Salt (To Taste; Not required if making it sweet)
6. Warm Water (If required)

PROCEDURE

1. Take a glass bowl and mix Maida, Baking Powder and Baking Soda
2. Add Coconut milk and knead like a dough. Add water if required.
3. Oil your palms and knead it one last time to take it off the walls of the container
4. Cover with a cellophane sheet or Butter Paper and keep aside for 1 hour for it to rise
5. Take a double boiler and keep it to heat 
6. Make balls of 1-2 inch in diameter and place them in small cupcake containers or inside butter paper cups meant for pastries
7. Place these cups into the double boiler and let cook for 10 minutes
8. Remove and serve with Chicken Curry / Veg gravy / Tomato Chutney / Yellow Dal

NOTE: The Coconut Buns can be made with following fillings to make unique dishes

1. Precooked Chicken / Mutton Kheema / Fish / Egg Bhurji
2. Grated Mixed Vegetables
3. Boiled Potatoes
4. Grated Apple with Cinnamon Powder (Dusted on top with powdered Sugar)
5. Simply dusted with Powdered Sugar

Lagan nu Custard (Wedding Custard)

INGREDIENTS

1. Milk . 1.5 lit
2. Condensed milk. 300 ml.
3. Sugar. 4 table spoon.
4. Sugar. ( for caramelize).  2 table spoons.
5. Eggs. 6 nos.
6. Vanilla essence .105 tea spoon.
7. Almonds, blanched and chopped. 100 gms.
8. Pistachios, blanched and chopped. 100 gms.
9. Cardamom powder. 1.5 tea spoon.

PROCEDURE

1. Boil the milk and 4 tbsp/50 g sugar in a pan on medium about 15 minutes.
2. Add the condensed milk to this.
3. In a separate pan burn 2 tbsp/30 g sugar on a slow fire to a brown color indicating it is caramelized.
4. When the sugar is brown, add in the milk and stir till dissolved.
5. Take the mixture off the stove and let it cool.
6. Beat the eggs and add it to the milk with the vanilla essence. (Make sure the mixture is cool before adding the eggs.).
7. Pour in an oven-proof dish.
8. Sprinkle the almonds, pistachios and cardamom on top and bake it in a pre-heated oven at 350 deg  F/180 deg. C for 90 minutes to 2 hours or till the top is light brown.
9. Let cool.
10. Refrigerate before serving.

Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

1. All Purpose Flour - 195 gms
2. Sugar - 200 gms (Granulated; White)
3. Cocoa Powder - 25 gms (Unsweetened; Not Dutch Processed; Sifted)
4. Baking Powder - 1 tsp
5. Baking Soda - 3/4 tsp
6. Salt - 1/4 tsp
7. Butter - 75 gms (Unsalted; Melted)
8. Water - 240 ml
9. Lemon Juice / Vinegar - 1 tbsp
10. Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

For Chocolate Frosting:

1. Chocolate - 170 gms (Semi Sweet; Chopped)
2. Cream - 180 ml (Heavy; 35% Butterfat)
3. Butter - 1 tbsp (Unsalted; Room Temperature)

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat oven to 350 Deg F (177 Deg C) and place the rack in the center of the oven
2. Stir together the flour, Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt
3. Add Melted Butter, Water, Lemon Juice and Vanilla Essence and mix with a fork till well blended
4. Upturn the mixture into an greased 8 inch (20 cm) Square Cake pan
5. Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes or until the Cake springs back when lightly pressed and the toothpick inserted comes out clean
6. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool

For Frosting:

1. Place the chopped Chocolate, Cream and Butter in a heat proof bowl an place over a saucepan of simmering water and let it melt till smooth
2. Remove from heat and let it stand at room temperature until its of pouring consistency
3. Pour the frosting over the cooled cake and let it stand till frosting has thickened

Sweet Khoya Paratha

INGREDIENTS

1. Wheat/ Mix Grain Flour - 250/300 gms
2. Khoya - 250 gms
3. Elaichi - 4 (Powdered)
4. Sugar (To Taste)

PROCEDURE

1. Knead the Flour and keep aside for half an hour
2. Take a pan and roast the Khoya till it leaves the Ghee and turns golden brown
3. Drain all the Ghee and use it for cooking the Paratha
4. Take a bowl and mix Khoya, Elaichi and Sugar
5. Take a small ball (1.5" diameter) of the Flour and roll it into a small roti
6. Spoon in about 50 gms of Khoya mixture on the center of the roti
7. Seal it and make a ball
8. Roll out the Paratha and put it on the Non-stick Pan
9. Turn it when half done from one side
10. Apply Ghee (Optional if the Paratha is releasing Ghee of its own while cooking) to the upturned side and turn it again when the other side is half done
11. Apply Ghee (Optional) on the upturned side again and fry till golden brown
12. Serve hot or pack it up in the lunch box

NOTE: If using the Khoya used for making Gulab Jamuns available at the local dairy, then it can be used without roasting since the Ghee has already been drained from it.

Sevaiyan / Semiya Payasam (Vermicelli Kheer)

INGREDIENTS

1. Sevaiyan (Vermicelli) -  100gms (Roasted/Plain)
2. Sugar – 200 gms
3. Milk – 1 ltr
4. Ghee – 2 tsp
5. Cashewnuts – 15
6. Raisins – 15
7. Elaichi powder – ½ tsp

PROCEDURE

1. Take a pan, add 2 tsp Ghee, roast Cashews, Raisins and keep aside
2. If Sevaiyan are not previously roasted, fry them in Ghee till golden brown
3. Take a heavy bottomed vessel, boil the milk on high heat.
4. Reduce the flame, add roasted Sevaiyan and let it simmer for 10 minutes on meduim heat
5. Add Sugar, Cardamom powder and let it cook for 5 more minutes
6. Switch off the gas and garnish the Payasam with Cashews and Raisins

Pal Payasam (Milk Payasam)

INGREDIENTS

1. Milk – 1 ltr
2. Sugar – ½ Cup approx. 100 gms
3. Raw Rice – ½ Cup approx. 100 gms (Rinsed)
4. Cashews – 8 to 10
5. Ghee – 1 tsp
6. Elaichi powder – ¼ tsp

PROCEDURE

1. Take a pan, add Ghee, roast the Cashews and keep aside
2. Take a heavy bottomed vessel, boil the Milk along with Rice on medium flame stirring occasionally till the rice is cooked completely
3. When the quantity of Milk reduces to half, add Sugar and stir well
4. Add Cardamom powder and mix well and let it cook for 5 more minutes
5. Garnish with roasted cashews and serve hot or cold
6. Yummy Pal Payasam is ready to fill your tummy!!

Sin on the Finger Tips (French Toast)

INGREDIENTS

1. Wheat Bread - 1 Loaf (Cut Diagonally into halves/triangles)
2. Ghee to fry 
3. Milk - 1.5 ltrs (To make Rabdi)
4. Cardamom/ Elaichi - 5 pods (Coarsely ground)
5. Kesar - 8/10 strands (dipped in Milk)
6. Sugar (To make syrup)
7. Dry Fruit Flakes (Pista, Badam, Kaju) 

PROCEDURE

1. Take a non-stick pan and put the ghee in it
2. Deep fry the bread slices and keep them aside
3. Boil the Milk till it thickens
4. Add Powder Cardamom / Elaichi and Kesar to the thickened Milk (Rabdi)
5. Mix Sugar in equal quantity of water and boil it to make a thick syrup
6. Dip the fried bread in the syrup and take out immediately
7. Place on individual serving dish
8. Pour the Rabdi on the bread slices
9. Garnish with Dry Fruits mix and serve hot or cold (As preferred)

Chawal Ki Kheer

INGREDIENTS

1. Uncooked Basmati Rice (Tukda/Whole) - 100 gms
2. Ghee - 1 tbsp
3. Milk - 1.5 ltrs
4. Cardamom/ Elaichi - 5 pods
5. Kesar - 8/10 strands
6. Sugar (To taste)

PROCEDURE

1. Take a non-stick pan and put the Ghee in it.
2. Coarsely grind the rice or keep it whole (As preferred)
3. Powder Cardamom / Elaichi coarsely
4. Dip Kesar in a teaspoon of milk
5. Roast the Rice in the Ghee till light golden in colour
6. Add 1 litre of milk (pre-boiled or raw) and let is cook on slow gas till rice is soft
7. Add Sugar to taste
8. Stir the mixture
9. Add Cardamom / Elaichi and Kesar
10. Add remaining half litre of milk and bring to a boil
11. Serve hot or cold (A preferred)

Gujiya / Karanji (North Indian Style)

INGREDIENTS

1. Khoya - 250 gms
2. Mava - Badam + Kaju + Pista (roughly ground) + Kismis + Chirounji - 250 gms
3. Rava - 2Tbsp
4. Powdered sugar to taste
5. Maida - 300 gms
6. Oil - 100 ml (For Kneading); 400 ml (To fry)

PROCEDURE

1. Roast the Khoya till golden brown
2. Drain excess ghee and let it cool
3. Roast Rava till golden brown and add to the Khoya
4. Add the Mava mix
5. When completely cool add Sugar as per taste
6. Warm 100 ml Oil and slowly add to the maida all the while kneading the mixture
7. Knead the dough finally with warm water and cover with a damp cloth to prevent dryness
8. Make small balls (1/2" diameter) and roll them out into small rotis
9. Fill in the Khoya mix and seal with a little wet Maida paste
10. Knead the rope like design and keep it in moist cloth till 5/6 are ready for frying
11. Fry till light golden brown in colour and take it out
12. The internal heat will turn them into a deep golden colour