FESTIVE FOOD TREATS TO BRIGHTEN UP DIWALI

CARROT MOUSSE WITH SAFFRON RICOTTA

SERVES- FOUR

INGREDIENTS:

For Carrot Mousse-

1 cup grated carrot

3 cup full cream milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp agar-agar powder

For Ricotta-

1/2 litre cow’s milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp sugar

10-12 threads of saffron

1/2 tsp agar-agar

2 tbsp warm milk

For Garnishing:

Chopped pistachios

Chopped almonds

Gold foil

METHOD:

FOR CARROT MOUSSE-

1. In a deep pan, add milk and grated carrot. Cook on high flame till the mixture thickens up, stirring every few minutes.
2. Add sugar and cook for few minutes to caramelize the sugar.
3. Now add agar-agar and stir well till it all mixes well.
4. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
5. Once the mixture is at room temperature, use a blender to make a fine paste.
6. Set this paste in desired mould and keep in refrigerator.

FOR SAFFRON RICOTTA:

1. Add milk to a deep dish and bring to a semi- boil. Add a few drops of lemon when small bubbles start appearing. Take off the heat and keep stirring. The milk will begin to curdle immediately.
2. Strain this milk with a cheesecloth and remove excess water.
3. In another pan, boil milk, sugar, saffron and agar-agar till emulsified. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Add the fresh ricotta and stir well.
4. Fill this ricotta mixture in a piping bag and swirl on top of the mousse.
5. Garnish with chopped pistachios, chopped almonds and gold foil. Serve chilled!

RECIPE BY: PRIYA KUMBHAT

MOTICHOOR CHEESE CAKE

SERVES- FIVE

INGREDIENTS
20 pieces Marie biscuits
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup hung curd
1 cup fresh paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tea spoon cardamom powder
4 Motichoor Ladoos,crushed (available in Indian sweetshops)
Sliced pistachios & silver foil (optional)
Few strands of saffron

METHOD
1) Crush Marie biscuits and mix with melted, unsalted butter and add a pinch of cardamom powder and set in a round tin box.
2) Mix hung curd and fresh paneer with powdered sugar and beat it well until the mixture is smooth.
3) In a separate bowl, take chilled whipping cream and beat it until fluffy. Fold the whipped cream into the hung curd and paneer mix.
4) Spread the cream mixture on top of the biscuit layer in the tin box and sprinkle some cardamom powder and saffron.
5) Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until the layers are well set.
6) Spread crushed ladoos on top of the cream mixture.
7) Garnish with silver foil and sliced pistachios.

RECIPE BY: REKHA AGARWAL

RAGDA PATTICE CANAPIES

SERVES- SIX

INGREDIENTS
For the Ragda:
1 cup white peas, soaked overnight
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon oil (optional)
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
4 cups water
Salt as required

For the Pattice:
2 medium potatoes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 green chilli, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying

To garnish:
Cilantro chutney
Tamarind chutney
Chopped onion
Chopped tomato
Chopped cilantro
Nylon sev
Chaat masala (black salt)
Cumin powder
Pomegranate seeds
Canapes for the base (available in supermarkets)

METHOD
For the Ragda:
1) Mix everything and boil until the peas are cooked and mushy.

For the Pattice:
2) Boil and mash potatoes. Do not mash too much.
3) Add all the ingredients except oil and mix well. Make bit size round shape patties, flatten and pitch it down in the centre to make a hole.
4) Shallow fry the tikkis until golden and crispy.

For the assembling of canapes:
5) Take a canapé, put a spoonful of ragda, top it with a pinch of chaat masala, black salt and cumins powder.
6) Place the Pattice on top and pour the green and tamarind chutney in the centre (where you made the hole).
7) Garnish with a few pieces of onion, tomato, fresh coriander leaves, nylon sev and pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

RECIPE BY: SARVAT NAQQASH

DRY FRUIT SEVIYAN DELIGHT

SERVES- FOUR

INGREDIENTS
100gms dry coconut powder
1 bowl mixed dry fruits (walnuts, pista, almonds, cashew)
2 tbsp ghee
1 packet roasted seviyan (vermicelli)
397 gms can of condensed milk
1 pinch, cardamom powder

METHOD
1) Heat pan at medium flame and add the ghee. Add crushed dry fruits into it, roast for a minute and keep aside.
2) In the same pan, add crushed seviyan and roast for a minute. Add coconut powder, keep mixing for 30-40seconds. After that, add roasted dry fruits. Mix well.
3) Add cardamom powder and full can of condensed milk. Mix well and turn off gas. Keep tossing until ingredients are blended well.
4) Grease plate with ghee and pour the above mixture into it. Tap the mixture and spread it across the plate to make it flat and even. Keep aside until cool.
5) Once cool, cut into pieces and serve.

RECIPE BY: VAISHALI PUROHIT

WALNUT AND CASHEW NUT HALWA

SERVES- EIGHT

INGREDIENTS

250 gms cashew nut (coarsely ground)
125 gms walnut (finely chopped)
125 gms ghee
150 gms sugar
1 tsp pistachios, sliced
1 pinch saffron

METHOD
1) Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Add cashewnuts and cook on a slow flame till it starts giving out aroma (about four to five minutes). The colour of cashewnut should not change.
2) Add chopped walnuts in the pan, switch off the gas and stir continuously until mixed well. Keep the mixture aside.
3. For sugar syrup, boil sugar in ½ cup water in a separate pan. Mix well until the syrup attains 1-1/2 string consistency.
4. Add the sugar syrup to the walnut & cashew mixture. Stir continuously till it mixes properly.
5. Garnish with sliced pistachios and saffron and serve hot.

RECIPE BY: ALKA BHANDARI

PEANUT PRALINE BROWNIES

SERVES- EIGHT

INGREDIENTS:
100 grams chocolate
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder
50 gm peanut chikki (praline), crushed

METHOD:
1) Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) for twenty minutes.
2) Combine chia seeds with six tablespoons of water, mix well and rest for 15 mins.
2) Grease a dark metal pan with softened butter, then line with parchment paper with extra paper hanging on the side. Also, grease the parchment paper with softened butter.
3) Heat the butter and immediately pour it over the chocolate and let sit for two minutes. Whisk until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted, then set aside.
4) Combine the sugar, vanilla extract, salt and chia seed mixture in a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until light and fluffy (about 10 minutes). It will be similar to the texture of thick pancake batter.
5) While the mixer is on, pour in the slightly cooled chocolate and butter mixture and blend until smooth.
7) Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until combined.
8) Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Add in the crushed peanut chikki on the top and bake until lightly puffed for about 20 minutes.
9) Remove the baking pan from the oven, lightly drop the pan on a flat surface 1-2 times until the brownies deflate slightly. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
10) Return the pan to the oven and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre of the brownies comes out fudgy but the edges look cooked (another 20 minutes).
11) Set the brownies on a cooling rack and allow them to cool.
12) Use the parchment paper to lift the cooled brownies out of the pan. Cut into bars and serve.

RECIPE BY: BEENA BABLANI