Gear up for Navarathri with delicacies from across country
The nine-day festival that celebrates goddess Durga in south India and West Bengal, and marks the victory of Lord Rama over demon king Ravana in north India, includes a multitude of rituals. But, one thing that remains common across the country is the delicious surprises it comes with. Here are some healthy sweet inspirations from different regions of India for a truly diverse feast.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-09-28 18:44 GMT
Chennai
Water chestnut halwa (North Indian)
Ingredients
Ghee: 1/3 cup
Water chestnut flour: ½ cup
Water: 1 cup
Sugar: 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder: 1/8 tsp
Chopped dry fruits: For garnish
Method
- Head the ghee in a pan and add the water chestnut flour. Mix well.
- Roast the flour by stirring continuously. It could take about five minutes for the flour to get a light brown colour.
- In another pan, allow a cup of water to boil. Add the hot water to the flour mixture and stir to avoid lumps.
- Once the water is absorbed, add in sugar. Mix well.
- Turn off the stove once the ghee separates from the mixture.
- Add cardamom powder and mix. Serve with a garnish of chopped nuts.
Sweet potato and raw banana barfi (Awadhi)
Ingredients
Sweet potato: ½ cup boiled and mashed
Raw banana: 1 boiled and mashed
Jaggery: 2 tbsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Milk: 3 cups
Cardamom powder: 1/8 tsp
Chopped nuts: For garnish
Method:
- Mix together the boiled and mashed sweet potato and raw banana.
- Add boiled milk to the mix and whisk well to eliminate any lumps.
- Cook on low flame until the milk is evaporated and then add in the ghee.
- Spread the thick mixture on a flat plate and let it cool down.
- Cut into pieces and garnish with chopped nuts to serve.
Pumpkin Kheer (Andhra Pradesh)
Ingredients:
Grated pumpkin: 2 cups
Milk: 2 cups
Jaggery: 1 cup
Ghee: 4 tbsp
Chopped almonds: ½ cup
Method:
- In a wide pan, heat some ghee and add the grated pumpkin. Fry the pumpkin until it turns light brown.
- Add two cups of milk and mix well. Cook the mixture until milk evaporates.
- Add the jaggery and allow it to melt on low heat. Mix well till the mixture comes together. Sprinkle little cardamom powder for flavour.
- Garnish with almonds and serve hot or chilled.
Mixed millet kozhukattai (Tamil Nadu)
Ingredients:
Red rice flour: 1 ½ cup
Mixed millet flour: 1 ½ cup
Jaggery: 2 cups
Grated coconut: 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Method
- Add jaggery and water in a pan and bring it to a boil. Set it aside.
- In another pan, bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Keep it aside.
- In a bowl, add red rice flour, mixed millet flour, grated coconut and cardamom powder. Mix well.
- Add in the jaggery water and mix well. Now add the hot water little by little, and create a soft mixture.
- Make kozhukattai using hands or a greased mould. Steam for 15 minutes and serve.
Thambittu (Karnataka)
Ingredients:
Roasted gram flour: ½ cup
Peanuts: ½ cup
Sesame seeds: 2 tbsp
Rice flour: 1 cup
Dry coconut: ¼ cup grated
Cardamom powder: ¼ tsp
Jaggery: 1 cup
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Method:
- Dry roast the rice flour and add the roasted gram flour, crushed peanut powder to it.
- Add in the roasted sesame seeds, dry coconut and cardamom powder.
- Add ghee and mix until the flour mixture turns moist.
- Grease your hands and prepare the mix into laddus.
- Thambittu can be stored and enjoyed for up to two weeks.
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