Corn Flour / Karachi Halwa

          Back again from Hibernation ! Mainly due to my son's persuasion; he is really much concerned that my access to the computer may get into a state of oblivion as I have got relieved from my profession and with the mobile in the palms,all errands are executed.Real thanks to him.

      Only after trying this Halwa for Saraswathi Pooja, could I find out that it is one of the easy and quick desserts, yet a very tasty one! Honestly speaking, compelled to try this sweet as my better half got a big pack of corn flour, when requested to buy a little for soup.

              

Corn Flour Halwa

Ingredients :

Corn Flour      0.5 cup
Sugar             1 cup
Ghee              5 tbsp
Cardamom powder, Nuts, Yellow or Red Colour, lime juice

Method :

1. Mix 1 cup of water with the corn flour using a whisker without any lumps.


2. Add 2 cups of water to sugar and boil it on medium flame, stirring in 
    between  till a single string consistency is reached.

3. Add a tsp. of lime juice to the sugar syrup to avoid crystallization; add the          food colour. I added only Turmeric Powder as I always avoid chemicals.No          need to panic about the Turmeric. I can vouch that the aroma of the                  Turmeric  powder is completely lost.

4. Keep on stirring on medium flame. The mixture becomes translucent and            also starts thickening. Add the Ghee slowly. When the mixture starts leaving      the sides of the vessel, preferably, a non stick or a thick bottomed Kadai,          add cardamom powder and the chopped nuts. Transfer to a greased tray and      cut into desired shapes. 

Badam Cake

                    This is my 300th post.Again the same story. Full time employment and a very fundamental idea about how to use a basic model of a camera and the same with the computer. It is surprising to me to have traversed a long path ,only with the passion of pursuing my interest in cooking, reading and writing.Moreover there cannot be a better panacea than keeping ourselves always engaged.

                   Mysore Pak, the evergreen sweet was earmarked for the 300th post but it turned out to be Badam Cake.This Badam Cake is easy to make but has a rich taste.

                   My daughter, an expert in this sweet happened to be the supervisor as this Deepavali was celebrated at her home with her family.This also is the first Deepavali for the sweet little Prince Arjee and the fifth for the beloved Jiji. 

Badam Cake

Ingredients:

Badam   1 cup.
Sugar   1 - 1.25 cup.
Ghee  2 tbsp.
Cardamom Powder
Milk  1/4 cup.

Method :

1. Soak Badam in hot water for 1 hour.The skin comes out easily and remove it.

2. In a mixer, grind the Badam with the milk to a fine paste.In the end, add sugar and blend for a minute.

3. Heat the Ghee in a thick Kadai, add the blended Badam and Sugar. Keep on stirring on a medium flame till the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the sides of the Kadai.

4. Switch off, add Cardamom powder and stir for a minute or two. Pour into a greased tray and flatten with a greased cup to a thin sheet of 1/4 inch.

5. After it cools, cut into desired shapes.

Sweet Aval

                         Sweet Aval is an easy to make sweet dish and a good Neivedhium to be offered to God on any festival.

Sweet Aval

Ingredients :

Thick Aval    1 cup
Powdered Jaggery      3/4 cup.
Grated coconut    2 tbsp.
Cashew,  Ghee,  Cardamom Powder


Method :

1. Add minimum water just for the Jaggery to dissolve. Heat on the stove and stir till the it dissolves.Filter for impurities.Let the syrup boil for 2 -3 mins.There is no need to worry about the consistency as the Aval can absorb it.


2. Rinse the Aval and soak for 1 minute. Drain the water completely and add the Aval and the coconut to the Jaggery syrup and mix well. Keep mixing on a low flame for 2 or 3 minutes till the Aval  absorbs the syrup.

3. Add the Cardamom Powder and the Cashews, roasted in Ghee. Mix well. The tasty sweet Aval is ready.

Besan Laddu

                 Besan Laddu tastes somewhat similar to our Pasipaparuppu  / Moong Dhal Laddu.

                But the Besan Laddu can be made faster.

Besan Laddu

To make 20 Laddus :

Ingredients :

Besan Flour / Kadalai Mavu     1.5 cup
Sooji / Rava   1 tbsp.
Powdered  Sugar   1 cup
Ghee   0.5 cup
Sliced Almond  5 tbsp.
Cardamom Powder   0.5 tsp.

For Garnishing :

Ghee   1 tbsp.
Saltless and broken Pistachio   1 tbsp.

Method :

1. In a thick Kadai, mix well the Besan Flour, Sooji and Ghee.Keep on the stove and roast on medium flame.Take care that it does not get burnt. Roast till it starts turning colour, giving an aroma.Switch off, stir for a few minutes.

2. Mix the Sugar, Cardamom Powder and the Almonds. When the mixture is hot but can be handled by the hands, smear the palms with Ghee and make into Laddus.

3. After making all the Laddus, take one Laddu, dip one end in Ghee and touch the Pistachio with the same end so that the Pista stick to the Ghee. Repeat with all the Laddus.The tasty Laddus are ready.

Uzhundhang Kali - Easy Version

                      Uzundhan Kali prepared in the traditional way is already posted me.This easy version was explained to me by my maternal aunt, Mrs. Parvathakumari of Tirunelveli ,whose way of doing even small tasks with perfection is appreciated by me.

Uzhundhang  Kali

Ingredients :

Rice Flour    1/2 cup  =  0.5 cup
Urad Dhal Flour    1/4 cup. = 0.25 cup
Water   1 1/2 = 1.5 cup
Crushed Karuppatti   1 cup
Gingelly oil   4 tbsp


If Kali Flour, a mixture of Raw Rice and Urad Dhal is available at the stores as in Tirunelveli or prepared at home, no need of using Rice Flour and Urad Dhal Flour separately, take 3/4 cup of Kali flour.


Method :

1. The water must be added in the ratio of 1 ; 2. That is for 3/4 cup of the total quantity of quantity of rice and Urad Dhal flour, 1 1/2 ( 1.5 ) cups of water should be used.Soak the crushed Karuppatti in water for two hours till it dissolves well.  Filter for impurities.

2. In a 3 lit. small pressure cooker mix the Karuppatti water, Rice Flour and Urad Dhal flour well without any lumps.Add 3 tbsp. of oil.

3.Place the cooker on the stove and stir on constantly on a medium flame till the mixture starts boiling. Be careful to avoid lumps .Reduce the flame completely, close the cooker and place the weight.Let it simmer for 30 mins. Switch off.

4. After 10 mins, open the cooker, mix the Kali well. When it is hot enough to be handled, smear the palm with the remaining oil and make them into balls of Laddu size.

 If you feel the Kali consistency is not reached after opening the cooker,light the stove and stir the mixture for 3-5 mins on low flame.Then make into balls.


Note :

Even within the same community, the type of ingredients to be used varies slightly from place to place and from family to family.

For this Kali, my mom uses Black gram Dhal, that is Karutthaparuppu. My mom in law uses White Urad Dhal, that is Vellai Paruppu.

For Kali and other Urad dhal Flour, the Urad Dhal supplied through PDS can be used.

In olden days, Raw Rice and Urad Dhal, black or white were mixed in the ratio of 2 : 1 and ground in the commercial  machines where wheat is ground.

Now as the quantity is less, we use the Rice Flour and Urad Dhal separately.

Sweet Kuzhi Aappam

                Sweet Kuzhi Aappam is loved by all as it is not very sweet like the Payasam, Kheer and other sweets.

Sweet Kuzhi Appam

Ingredients :

As given in Kuzhi Aappam plus 3/4 cup of Powdered Jaggery and Cardamom Powder

Method :

1. Prepare the batter as done for Kuzhi Aappam without salt. Do not add much water as the Jaggery syrup has to be added after fermenting the batter for 6 - 8 hours.

2. Add the minimum water for the Jaggery and heat it till just the Jaggery dissolves.Filter for impurities. Let it cool.Then add with the batter, add Cooking Soda and the ground coconut paste.Cardamom Powder can be added.The batter must be of the Idli batter consistency.

3. Heat the Paniyaram Tawa and do as given in Kuzhi Aappam.The sweet Paniyarams are ready.

Thirattu Pal

              Thirattu Pal was a long pending post under the tag of sweets. Finally it has worked.

            My son in law's Birth day fell last week and this year's precious and greatest gift is the birth of his second son who has very much taken after him.

          As a part of the Birth day celebration, Thirattu Pal, which happens to be one of his favourite desserts was prepared by me and my daughter had baked a cake .Another new delight was the Jaipur Pink Poori to be posted next.

Thirattu Pal

Ingredients :

Thick Milk   5 cups
Powdered Jaggery    1.5  - 2 cups
Grated coconut     1  -  1.5 cup
Moong Dhal    0.5 - 1 cup
Ghee  4 tbsp.


Method :

1. Boil the Jaggery  with a little water till it is dissolved and filter for impurities.If you feel the Jaggery is pure, you can add it directly without making a syrup.

2.Dry roast the Moong Dhal and blend it coarsely in the mixer with little water added after dry powdering.Then add the coconut and run the mixer for a few seconds. Mix the paste with little water or milk without lumps.  

3. Boil the milk in a flat thick bottomed Kadai with the constant stirring that it is reduced to half.

4. Add the Jaggery and mix well. The milk curdles and keep on stirring for 5 mins.

5. Then add the ground Moong Dhal and coconut by stirring continuously to avoid lumps.Keep on stirring by adding Ghee at intervals.If you feel tired of stirring, simmer on low fire.

6. When the thick Halwa like consistency is reached,switch off.Adding Cardamom powder is purely optional.Nuts roasted in Ghee are not added for Thirattu Pal.

Note :

If you want the taste of Milk to be dominant, use the lower value of the Jaggery, Moong Dhal and coconut.

If you want more quantity of Thirattu Pal, add the higher range of Jaggery, Moong Dhal and coconut.

It is better to use the Pahu Vellam which is dark brown in colour.

Milk Rava Halwa

           Milk Rava Halwa, the name may have been christened by me.But this sweet was introduced by our relative, a highly adorable lady and the spouse of a leading Cardiologist in Chennai.She is an expert in preparing this Halwa in those days,when it was common to have guests and visitors without prior intimation.

           During such an occasion,two decades back,it was my privilege to taste that delicious sweet during a visit to their house.It is a kind of Rava Kesari in which milk is added for the Rava to get cooked instead of water.The milk enriches the dessert.

          As milk is added, it is better to consume it within a few hours or to refrigerate and take the next day.

Milk Rava Halwa

Ingredients :

Rava    1/2 cup
Sugar     1 cup
Milk    1.5 cup
Ghee    4 tbsp.
Cashew, Raisins, Cardamom Powder.


Method :

1. Heat 2 tsp. of Ghee, roast the nuts and keep aside.

2. Heat 2 tsp. of Ghee in the same thick bottomed Kadai and roast the Rava.
     till it starts changing colour, giving an aroma.Set aside.

3. Boil the milk, if there is less milk, half cup of water and 1 cup of milk can be
    boiled.To the boiling milk, slowly add the roasted Rava, stirring with one 
    hand, constantly.A few lumps may form. Crush them with the ladle.

4. No colouring is required as it may look like Kesari.Slowly add the Ghee.The
    flame can be reduced.When the sweet leaves the sides of the vessel, add the
   Cardamom Powder and roasted nuts. Mix well and switch off. The rich and
   tasty dessert is ready.

Sweet Boondhi

                            Sweet Boondhi was not prepared by me for some time.At least Kara Boondhi is prepared frequently as a necessary constituent for mixture.Little of that Kara Boondhi is kept asidealways by me to make Boondhi Raitas or Thayir Vadai.

                         This time, Boondhi was prepared for the naming ceremony of our sweet little Prince, fondly called Aarji.

                         This is very easy to make and only the sugar syrup has to be perfect.

Sweet Boondhi

Ingredients :

Besan Flour/ Kadalai Mavu    1 cup
Sugar    1.25 cup
Cardamom Powder, Cashew, Raisins
Yellow Colour,
Ghee   2 tbsp
Oil.

Method :

1. Sieve the flour, mix the colour and prepare a batter like Dosai Batter.

2. Mix 3/4 cup of water with the sugar, mix well and keep on the stove. Keep on stirring and prepare a sugar syrup of a single thread consistency.This is very important.Switch off.

3. Heat oil, pour the batter in the perforated ladle over the oil and gently  press the batter through out the ladle as done for Dosai on the Dosai Tawa.

4. The batter falls like pearl drops but of yellow colour .Do not over crowd the oil.Gently stir the balls after a few seconds and scatter them, that they cooked evenly.

5. Once the sizzling stops, remove from the oil in a tissue paper, the add to the syrup.Repeat with the whole dough and 1 cup of Besan Flour can be done in 4 or 5 batches.You need not even wait till the Boondhis are fully cooked to be crisp as they are to be added to the syrup.

6. Mix all the Boondhis with the syrup, add Cardamom powder, Cashews and Raisins fried in the Ghee. A little bit of edible Camphor can be added.Even 2 or 3 cloves can be powdered and added.

7. At times, the syrup may seem to be excess. Do not panic at it is sure to be absorbed within an hour.The tasty Boondhi is ready.

Sweet Ragi Kali

                  Sweet Ragi Kali is an alternative for Uzhundang Kali.

Sweet Ragi Kali

Ingredients :

Ragi Flour   1 cup
Powdered jaggery / Karuppati   1 cup
Oil    4 tbsp.

Method :

1. Heat 2 cups of water with jaggery till it just dissolves. Karuppati is the best choice.

2. Fill the syrup for impurities and boil in a 3 lit. cooker partly closed with lid.

3. When the syrup boils, add the flour without stirring. Keep a wooden ladle inside and let it rest on the side of the cooker. Reduce the flame and again partly close the cooker.

4. The water slowly boils and covers the flour. After 5- 8 minutes, the water gets absorbed and the flour must be almost covered. Add the oil and switch off.

5. Still hot, hold with a cloth, mix and mash well for the lumps to break.

6. When it gets cool enough to be touched, make them into balls of your preference, smearing the palm with oil. The tasty Kali is ready.
 

Asoka Halwa

            Asoka Halwa of Tanjore origin , fast and easy to make with the common ingredients, gives us a change from the regular Halwas.

Asoka Halwa

Ingredients :

Pasiparuppu / Moong Dhal    1/2 cup.
Ghee     1/2 cup.
Sugar    1 1/2 cups.
Wheat flour   3 tbsp.
Cashew  10

Method  :

1. Heat a Kadai and dry roast the Moong Dhal till an aroma comes, taking care that it just starts turning red but does not become black. If even 1 grain becomes black, the colour and aroma of the Halwa may be lost.

2. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and rest for 15 mins. to save fuel and time. Then pressure cook for 4 whistles.

3. Heat 1/4 cup Ghee, add the nuts, later the Wheat Flour and sauté till it starts turning red.

4. Open the cooker, mash the Dhal and add sugar. Mix well. Add the roasted flour, mix well, add the remaining Ghee and stir constantly on a medium or low flame till the Halwa consistency is reached. The Tasty Halwa is ready.


The nuts can be roasted, kept aside and added in the end for a perfect presentation.

Note :

If the flame is high or medium, any dish can be made fast but a lot of care has to be taken to stir constantly, that the dish does not stick to the vessel or gets burnt. It is better to use a cooker or any thick bottomed Kadai or non stick Kadai.

If the flame is low, the dish is safe but takes time.

Rava Puttu

             Rava Puttu is a crunchy Puttu item, different in texture from the Rice Flour Puttu, normally made.

            Rava Puttu is an alternative for the other Puttus.

Rava Puttu

Ingredients :

Roasted Rava /  Sooji   1 cup
Powdered Jaggery   1 cup.
Grated coconut  3 tbsp.
Ghee 2tsp.
Cashew ,  Cardamom Powder

Method :

1. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of water with Rava, mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Steam cook the Rava. After it cools, just put in the mixer and on for 30 - 45 minutes to break the lumps.

3. Make a syrup with the Jaggery of 2 string consistency add the Rava ,coconut,
roasted Cashew, Cardamom powder, Gheemix well, give a quick stir and switch off.
The tasty and crunchy Rava Puttu is ready.
 

Pal / Milk Kozhukattai

           My mother in law is an expert in making this sweet. This can be served as a different type of dessert item. It is oil free, so highly recommended for all ages. 

Pal Kozhukattai

Ingredients :

Roasted / Idiappam rice flour     1/2 cup.
Vellam / Jaggery  1/2 cup.
Milk    1 cup.
Coconut Milk ( optional ) 1/2 - 1 cup.
Cardamom Powder

Method :

1. Boil 1 cup of water and add it little by little to the rice flour in a bowl. Almost all the water may be required or little water may be left. Make a smooth dough.
Set aside.

2. Mix the Jaggery with 1/2 cup of water and heat till the Vellam is dissolved.
    Filter for the impurities.

3. Make the whole dough into small balls or cylindrical shapes.

4. Add the milk to the the Jaggery syrup and simmer. Add the rice balls to it and gently stir without breaking them. Simmer for 3 - 4 mins. Add the coconut milk in the end and switch off. Mix the Cardamom powder. The dessert is ready.
 

Sooji Halwa

                  Sooji Halwa, a popular dessert item in North India is a modified version of our South Indian Evergreen Sweet, The Rava Kesari.The ingredients are the same. But the tsate is different. This Halwa is little crunchy, as we add the sugar syrup to the roasted Rava, not cooked.

                 In our Kesari, we cook the roasted Rava by adding it to the boiling water, then add the sugar. So Kesari is soft whereas Halwa is crunchy.

Sooji Halwa

Ingredients :

Sooji / Rava    1/2 cup
Sugar        1/2 cup
Ghee      4- 6 tbsp.
Cashew , Almonds

Method :

1. Take 1 1/2 cups of water and the sugar.Keep on the stove. Let it boil. Then reduce the flame and let it simmer. In the end before adding to the Rava, if desired, a pinch of permitted food colour ( red ) can be added.

2. Heat a kadai with 2 tsp. of Ghee and roast the nuts. Keep aside.

3. Heat the same Kadai, add the remaining Ghee, add the Sooji and roast the Rava till it starts turning brown.

4. By this time, the sugar syrup must have got reduced in volume. Add it slowly to Rava and stir constantly till the Halwa consistency is got. Add the roasted nuts and mix well. The hot and tasty Halwa is ready.

Multi Grain Laddu

        Multi Grain Laddu is a highly nutritious Laddu, the recipe of which was passed on to me by my beloved sister in law Ms. Chitra Velmurugan, a Smiling Beauty and an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga.

Multi Grain Laddu

Ingredients :

Sooji / Rava  1 cup
Moong Dhal / Pasiparuppu   1 cup
Roasted Channa Dhal / Pottukadalai   1 cup
Wheat Flour   1 cup
Roasted Ground Nut, Badam, Cashew( together)   1 cup
sugar   4 cups
Ghee   1.25  -  1.5 cup
Cardamom  4

Method :

1. Dry roast Rava, Moong dhal and wheat flour separately, one by one till an aroma comes out.

2. Roast the Pottukadalai for a few seconds.

3. The proportion of Ground Nut, Badam and Cashew can be according to our taste, preference and availability. Remove the husk of the Ground Nut and roast all the three separately. Cool all the ingredients.

4. Powder the sugar with the Cardamoms.

5. Powder all the ingredients one by one. Do not powder the nuts for a long time as they are oil based.

6. Mix well all the ingredients.

7. Heat Ghee and slowly mix with the powder. When you take in the hand and are able to make them into balls, stop adding the Ghee. Press into Laddus.

 Note :

 As it is better and easy to be made into balls as the Ghee is hot enough to be handled by our palms, divide the powder roughly into 2 halves and make in 2 batches, if your are doing alone. if there are 2 persons, it can be done in a single time.

For a small family 1/2 of all the ingredients are enough. So half of the powder can be kept in a fridge and made into Laddus, when we need.

Boondi Laddu

                        Incredible but true. This is my 200th post. Kesari was my particular choice for the 100th post, this time Laddu.

                        Laddu, I felt must be given the credit of the 200th post as Laddus and Mysore Paks, even today honour us on all auspicious occasions and festivals.

                       Laddu, in early days meant only Boondi  Laddu. Now as we make a variety of Laddu, we call the common Laddu as Boondi Laddu.

Boondi Laddu

Ingredients :

Besan Flour / Kadalai Mavu   1 cup
Sugar   1 1/4 cup
Cashew, Cardamom Powder, Cloves
Edible Camphor ( optional )
Ghee  2 tsp.
Oil for frying

Method :

1. Mix Besan flour and make batter, little loose than the Dosai batter.

2. Mix sugar with 1/2 cup of water and boil till one string consistency.

3. Heat oil, hold a perforated ladle over it and pour the batter over it and
    tap the sides.The batter must drop in the oil like tiny balls. Do not over crowd
    the oil with more Boondis.

4. Once the oil stops sizzling, remove the Boondis from the oil, draining it and
    put the hot Boondis in the hot syrup.

5. Do not make the Boondis very crisp as pressing into Laddus will be difficult
    and the laddus may not be soft.

6. Finish off all the batter and mix with the sugar syrup. Add fried cashew,
    partly powdered cloves, Cardamom Powder and edible Camphor. Add 1 tsp.
    of Ghee.

7. Mix well. If the mixture is loose, let it dry for some time. The syrup is sure to
    be absorbed by the Boondis.

8. Press well and make into Laddus, smearing the palm with Ghee. Laddus, the
    all time favourite sweet of South India is ready.

Wheat Flour Halwa

                                   Wheat Flour Halwa can be called an instant Halwa as it can be prepared just in 20 minutes. Yet the taste is perfect, making it a fine 
dessert.

Wheat Flour Halwa

Ingredients :

Wheat Flour   1/2 cup.
Sugar    1/2 cup
Ghee    1/4 cup
Cashew, Cardamom Powder

Method :

1. Heat 1 tsp. Ghee, fry the Cashew and set aside. The Kadai should be thick
    bottomed or non stick. Non stick Kadai is the best.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. of Ghee in the same Kadai and sauté the flour on a low or 
    medium flame. Take care that it does not get burnt.

3. Boil the sugar with 1/2 cup of water just till the sugar dissolves. Add red or
    yellow colour if desired.

4. Add the sugar syrup to the flour and keep on stirring on a low flame till
    the water is absorbed. In between add the remaining ghee.

5. Add the fried Cashew, Cardamom Powder and switch off when the Halwa
    consistency is reached. The rich dessert is ready.

Maida Barfi

                         Maida Barfi is a very simple but tasty sweet. The consumption of ghee is also less, compared to Mysore Pak and other  Halwas. I have seen the cooks preparing this sweet during small functions at home.

Maida Barfi

Ingredients :

Maida  3/4 cup
Sugar   1 cup
Ghee  1/2 cup
Coarsely powdered Cashew   1 tbsp.

Method :

1. Heat Ghee, add the cashew, then add the Maida and sauté well. Add green
   colour if desired. Saute  on a low or medium flame till the mixture becomes
   thick.

2. Side by side, add 1/2 cup of water to sugar. Boil till one string consistency
    is reached. Venilla Essence can be added, if preferred.

3.Add the syrup to the Maida. Mix well till the lumps break.This can be done,
   switching off the stove.

4. When the mixture thickens, spread on a greased tray and cut into desired
   shape.

 

Doodhi / Suraikkai Halwa

Doodhi Halwa

                              The recipe of Doodhi Halwa  was noted by me in my cookery book, a couple of years back from a magazine. Today I tried and the sweet / Dessert turned out be perfect. As we all know, the bottle gourd is only the base. Ghee, sugar and milk are real taste makers. Kowa or condensed milk still enhances the rich taste.




Ingredients : 

Grated Bottle Gourd / Suraikkai     2 cups.
Sugar   1/2  cup
Milk   1/2 cup
Ghee   2 tbsp.
Permitted Food Colour( Red or Yellow )      a pinch
Condensed Milk / Kowa  4 tbsp.
Cashew.

Method :

1. Peel the outer skin off the bottle gourd and grate, discarding the central part with the
    seeds. Squeeze the water.

2. Fry the Cashew and set aside.Heat the same Kadai, thick bottomed or non stick, add 1
    tbsp. of ghee, add the bottle gourd and sauté on a medium flame for 2 mins.Add the 
    colour if desired.

3. Add the milk and keep on stirring till it is cooked, absorbing the milk.Add condensed
    milk or the Kowa. Add sugar and 1 tbsp. of Ghee. Let it simmer for 5 mins. Add
    cardamom powder and the fried cashew.Switch off. The rich, tasty and aromatic Halwa
    is ready.

Moong Dhal Halwa

                      This Moong Dhal Halwa is similar to the Popular Gujarati sweet called Moong Dal Sheera, can be said to be a simplified version.It is also tasty,can be prepared with a prior notice of 2 hrs.as soaking time is required.
                     This sweet gives a change from the Rawa Kesari. But Raw Kesari is the King of all sweets to be prepared just in 30 mins.to serve 4 without prior intimation.

Moong Dhal Halwa

Ingredients :

Moong Dhal / Pasiparuppu   1/2 cup
Sugar    3/4 cup
Ghee     1/4 cup
Saffron, Cardamom Powder, Nuts

Method :

1. Soak Moong Dhal for 1 hour and grind coarsely in a mixer with minimum water.

2.Soak the Saffron in 1 tbsp. of warm milk and set aside for 1 hour.Half cup of milk can be
   added for this sweet.If milk is added, more cooking time is necessary but the taste is 
   rich.With no stock of Saffron, a pinch of permitted yellow food colour can be used.

3. Heat 2 tsp. of ghee, fry the Cashew, Badam, Pista etc. and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining Ghee in the same Kadai, add the Moong Dhal paste and keep on
    stirring in a medium flame.As it sticks to the sidess, use only a thick bottomed Kadai or
    a non stick Kadai.

5. Keep on stirring and be careful to avoid the paste from sticking to the sides.

6. Within 5 to 8 mins.the paste gets cooked as the quantity is less.

7. Add the sugar and Saffrron. Cook on a low flame for 5 mins. and switch off.Decorate
    with the fried nuts. A tasty and rich dessert is ready.