Strawberry Sheera/ Strawberry Halwa

Preparation Time - 5 Min                        Cooking time - 20 Min                          Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Rava(Semolina) - 1/2 Cup

Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Milk - 1 - 1 1/2  Cup

Strawberry - 20-25 (Small)

Cardamom powder - 1/4 Tsp

Raisins - 1 Tbsp(Optional)

Ghee - 2-3 Tbsp

Method:

1) Grind half of the strawberries to smoothie and chop remaining strawberry finely.

2) Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in pan and add semolina. 

3) Roast it on low medium heat till color changes to golden and nice aroma comes.

4) Meanwhile keep milk to boil.

5) Once semolina is roasted slowly add milk in it as required. 

    Tip: Add 1 cup milk initially and then add remaining as required. Always add hot milk in sheera.

5) Add sugar and mix well. Let this cook for 2-3 min.

6) Add strawberry smoothie and mix well.

7) Add 1 tbsp of ghee, raisins and cardamom powder and mix well.

8) Switch off stove and add chopped strawberries and mix it.

9) Serve hot.

Strawberry Sheera

Kateri Halwa/Sankranti Halwa

On Makar Sankranti halwa is given with tilgul. This is a traditional recipe for tilacha halwa. It takes 3-4 hrs to make this halwa.

In Maharashtra jewelry is made using this halwa, known as "Halwayache Dagine". Newly married ladies and new born wear these "Halwayache Dagine" on first Makar Sankranti celebration. Halwa is made on til, rice, muri(murmure) for dagine but to eat "Til Halwa" is generally made as it tastes very good.

Ingredients:

Sugar - 1 Cup

Til (Sesame seeds) - 1 1/2 Tbsp

Milk - 1 Tsp

Method :

1) In a pan take 1/2 cup water and add sugar and milk in it. Let it boil to form the syrup of one string consistency. Milk helps to get white color to sugar syrup. Let the sugar syrup cool for 15 mins and sieve it.

2) Take sesame seeds in heavy broad bottom pan and put on the stove on very low heat. 

Make sure the pan does not have any masala smell. If you have use brass (Pital) pan and if you do not have heavy bottom pan then first put the griddle on stove and on the griddle put a pan.

3) Add half tsp or a drop of sugar syrup in sesame seeds and mix well with hands very carefully.

4) Once the added sugar syrup is dried then add again and mix well.

5) Continue this process for 1 hour.You will observe a sugar coating on sesame seeds.

 Tip : Add 1/2 tsp of sugar syrup at a time do not add more than that initially.

6) Then start adding 1 tsp sugar syrup and mix well.

Tip: Always make sure your hand are clean while making halwa. Also cut your nails before making halwa.

7) Continue adding 1 tsp of sugar syrup for 2 hours.You will observe very little "kante" on sesame seeds.

8) You can continue this process for 30 mins to one hour or till halwa is big enough of size you want. Do not try to make it very big you may loose the "kateri" texture of halwa.

Kateri Halwa

9) You can also add color to sugar syrup to make colored halwa.

Anjeer Halwa/ Figs Pudding

Anjeer Halwa :

Ingredients :

Anjeer ( Figs) - 200 gm

Cashew Nut raw powder - 2 Tbsp

Almond raw powder - 3 Tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/4 Tsp

Sugar - 1 Cup

Milk Powder - 1 Tbsp

Milk - 2 Cup

Ghee/Butter - 1 Tbsp

Method :

1) Boil anjeer (figs) in 3 cup water for 10 min or till they become soft.

2) Let it cool and drain; then puree by adding 1 cup of milk.

3) Heat ghee/butter in heavy bottomed pan, add almond powder and cashew nut powder, saute well.

4) Add anjeer(figs) puree and 1 cup milk in it and cook for 5 mins.

5) Add milk powder and sugar. Cook for 10-12 mins. on low flame stirring continuously.

Make sure halwa is not watery.

6) Add the cardamom powder and mix well.

7) Garnish with sliced/crushed almonds and serve.

Anjeer Halwa