Holi is not only a celebration of colors but also food items that are an integral part of this festival. So, here are 2 mithai recipes from Chef Sanjyot Keer to indulge in with your loved ones.
Food is an integral part of the Holi celebration and desserts and traditional sweets are the most important ones. Without some delicious sweets and desserts, the Holi celebration is incomplete. So, here are some exclusive mithai recipes shared by Chef Sanjyot Keer.
Recipe of Kaju katli
Ingredients:
- Cashew nuts (Kaju) 500 gm
- Jaggery (gud) 125 gm
- Water 50 ml
- Pistachios (pista) (powdered) for garnish
Method:
- 1.Grind the cashew in a food processor or a grinder to get a fine powder. Make sure to grind in short intervals on pulse mode, grinding continuously will make the cashew moist as its oil will release. You can keep the cashew powder grainy or fine depending on how smooth or grainy you want your Kaju katlis to be.
- 2.Set a non-stick wok on medium heat, add jaggery and water, mix and melt the jaggery, cook until the jaggery comes to one string consistency. To check, take a drop and try to stick between your thumb and index finger, if a single thread is formed you are good to go.
- 3.Add the powdered cashew nuts to the wok, mix and combine well, cook for 1-2 minutes keeping the flame on medium to low heat.
- 4.Transfer the mixture to a butter paper and place another butter paper over it.
- 5.Use a rolling pin and flatten the mixture as thin or thick as your preference.
- 6.Remove the top butter paper and garnish it with the powdered pistachios, press the powdered pistachios lightly with a clean spatula, and allow it to rest for half an hour to set.
- 7.After half an hour’s rest, cut the katli in a diamond shape with a sharp and clean knife. You can also apply aluminum foil over the katlis as you get in the sweet shop. Your katlis is ready, serve it to your guest, family, friends.
Recipe of Rasmalai
- Rest time: 4 hours
- Prep time: 45 mins
- Cooking time: 1 hour
- Serves: 10
For flavoured milk
Ingredients:
- Milk 1.5 liter
- Almonds 2 tbsp (slivers)
- Pistachio 2 tbsp (slivers)
- Cardamom powder 1 tsp
- Sugar 1 cup
- Saffron strands 15-20 nos.
Method:
1.Set a heavy bottom deep pan on medium-low heat, add milk and keep stirring in between with light hands to bring it to a boil. Add almonds, pistachio, cardamom powder, sugar, and saffron strands. You can adjust the quantity of sugar according to your palate.
2.Mix well and cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes while stirring in intervals. The milk by now has been reduced a little bit, take it from the flame and cool down to room temperature.
For Chena
Ingredients:
- Milk 2 liter (full fat)
- Vinegar 1 tsp
- Corn flour 1 tsp
Method:
- 1.Set a heavy bottom deep pan on medium heat and add milk. It’s recommended to use full-fat milk for better results, bring the milk to a boil while stirring in intervals.
- 2.Once the milk has boiled switch off the flame wait for a few minutes and add vinegar, keep stirring as now the milk has started to curdle, add ice cubes to stop further cooking, immediately strain the excess whey.
- 3.Pass the curdled milk through a muslin cloth and drain the excess whey, wash it with cold water thoroughly, and squeeze out the excess moisture. Transfer this to a mixing bowl and knead the chena (curdled milk) until a smooth consistency is achieved. Make sure you don’t squeeze it hard as the chena has to be a little moist.
- 4.Add cornflour and mix it again, make sure the chena is not dry, you can add little water if required.
For making rasmalai
Ingredients:
- Water 1.5 liter
- Sugar 1.5 cup
- Freshly prepared flavored milk
- Freshly prepared chena
- Almonds (slivers)
- Pistachios (slivers)
- Saffron strands as required
Method:
- 1.Shape the freshly made chena into a big size dough ball and divide into two equal parts and further roll into a cylindrical shape, further divide it into equal balls, shape those balls into flat Tikki.
- 2.Set a deep pan on medium heat, add water and sugar and let the sugar dissolve completely as it starts boiling.
- 3.Add the chena Tikki to boiling sugar syrup, do not overcrowd the pan, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes on high flame, the chena tikkis has now doubled in size, switch of the flame, and further rest the tikkis in the sugar syrup for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze out excess sugar syrup from chena Tikki and immediately dip into freshly prepared flavoured milk.
- 4.Keep the ras malai in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours so that the chena absorbs all the milk till the centre. Garnish it with few almonds, pistachios, and saffron strands.
- 5.Your ras malai is ready to be served, this royal delicacy tastes better when it is served chilled.
