Rakhi with coconut barfi / नारळाच्या वड्या

Raksha bandhan is round the corner so what sweet are you making? ?

Well in Maharashtra rakhi is associated to coconut sweets as this day is also called as "नारळी पूर्णिमा".

So it's considered auspicious to make नारळ or नारियल or coconut sweet that day.
Known as नारियल बर्फी or नारळाच्या वड्या in Maharashtra

Sharing my mom's simple recipe of nariyal barfi/ नारियल बर्फी or नारळाच्या वड्या

Ingredients 

1 coconut grated

2 cups sugar

2 cups milk if you have mava or khoya then reduce milk and increase khoya

If milk or khoya both are unavailable we can use milkmaid tin also by decreasing sugar as milkmaid is already sweet.

Method

Heat desk ghee or clarified butter a spoonful in pan and add grated wet coconut to it. Roast properly till it's milk is reduced. Add milk/ khoya/ milkmaid to it with sugar.

Keep stiring continously till reduced to thick paste.

Add cardamom powder before switching off gas. 

Once warm spread on greased steel plate abd cut in desired shapes.

Enjoy the sweetness of Rakhi with this sweet.

KHIRAPAT

Khirapat is a prasad offered to ganesha during ganesh utsav.
Its very simple to make.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup grated dry coconut

1 tbsp Poppy seeds

150 gram Rock sugar



1/4 tsp cardamom powder
6 to 7 dried dates ( to taste)
8 to 10 Almonds



Method:
1) Grate dry coconut and then dry roast grated coconut over medium-low heat until color changes to golden.
2) Grind almonds to fine powder and dry roast it in same kadhai of coconut.
3) Dry roast Poppy seeds over low heat for one or two minutes. pound in khalbatta (mortar n pestle)

4) Do not roast for longer otherwise it could get burn.
5) Grind sugar in mixer or else grind in mortar pestle. 

6) Now mix all coconut, dry powder of almonds and dates, sugar, little cardamom powder and here you go....Khirapat is ready.


During Ganesha Festival this Khirapat is offered to Lord Ganesha as naivedyam.

Moong Dal (Split gram) Halwa

Winters are soaring and so are the taste buds, there is that special place of pudding after every meal, and when sun's heat is not much around we need the heated puddings on platter. Out of which mung dal halwa is one of my i am sure everyone else's favourite too. 

Its one of those rich delectable dessert.

So here my mung dal halwa recipe which has experience of my mom's hand as she only taught me and now i m mung dal halwa expert in my family.

You will need:

2 cups yellow mung dal (dhuli) (split yellow gram)
300 gms ghee(clarified butter)
2 sp besan

3 & 1/2 cup water
2 & 1/2cup sugar

1 tsp elaichi powder
Sliced almonds, cashews, pistachio for garnishing.

Now how to make:

1. Soak moong dal in water for 3 to 4 hours. ( Dont leave too much water)

2.  Drain and grind to fine paste using very little water.
3. Pour and melt ghee in non-stick pan or kadhai.
4. Add Moong dal paste and stir the mixture continuously on a low flame.

    Initially the paste may stick to the pan but slowly when it becomes golden brown it will leave sides.
    Note - This strirring and roasting off dal is long process so ned ample of time and effort with your hands        and spatula.
5. On other burner in the meanwhile in a separate vessel add the sugar and water and give it a single boil.    
( Don't make chashni just one single boil is enough)
6.  Add the mixture or dal mixture which is now golden brown and ghee has left the sides. and keep stirring continuously again.
7. Add cardamom powder.
8. Take is serving dish and give layers of garnishing after every layer as dry fruits will give it body and character....

Serve HOT.