Dry Jamoon

Again my husbands favourite, you guys all must be wondering if I am obssessed with my husband that I am only cooking and posting only/mostly what he likes........But I have not much of an option, its just the two of us and I can make good sweets and he definitely has a Sweet tooth.

Dont they look yummy!!!!!!

Ingredients:

• MTR Jamoon Mix - 250 Gms (to make 20 Jamoons)
• Roasted scraped coconut - 100 gms
• Bread Crumbs - 100 Gms

For the Syrup:

Sugar - 500 Gms

Water - 600 Ml

Cardamom Powder - 1 Tsp

Rose essence - 1 Tsp

Method -

Prepare the coconut powder, use the regular scrapped coconut (u can you Frozen one too) and dry roast it in a pan or a baking tray in a oven at 200C for 10 mins. Mix the dry bread crumbs and spread it on a plate or the Baking tray.

Sugar Syrup:

Mix the sugar and water and bring to a boil after the sugar dissolves completely. After its starts to boil switch off the heat. Add the Rose essence and cardamom powder.
Mix the Jamoon Mix with little water, ensure not to make a dough, it should be a little crumpy. thats when the Jamoon with have a texture.

Make small capsules (about 1 Inch long), in the meantime heat oil in a kadai with 3/4 filled. For frying Jamoons, they have to be completely submerged in oil. When all the mixture are made into capsules fry them in oil stirring continuously. Ensure to drop the dough pieces in the oil only when it is hot. After they are dark brown remove from the oil and drop in the sugar syrup and let in sit in for 5-10 minutes after that remove from the syrup and drop in the coconut powder and bread crumb tray, rollover to cover the jamoon and set in another tray.

Serve it chilled......................enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Carrot Halwa

Its winter and as we are vegetarian most of the times, so carrot becomes very integral of our diet. Now the things that you can cook with carrots are limited and can get boring. However I like the taste of raw carrots better than its cooked in anyway. And I just remembered about a sweet with carrots - "Carrot Halwa". My husband just loves sweets and particularly Carrot Halwa. He eats it for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Even if I make a big batch I can be rest assured its finished within 3-4 days. Now! to the recipe.................................

Ingredients:

• Grated Carrots - 3 Cups
• Milk - 1 1/2 Cups
• Sugar - 1 3/4 Cups
• Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1 Cup
• Condensed Milk - 3/4 Cup
• Cashew Nuts - 15-20 nos
• Cardamom powder - 1 Tsp

Method:

For Carrot Halwa I use the bigger hole grater to maintain the texture. Heat a Pressure cooker or any heavy bottom vessel, pour in the ghee(preserve some for frying the Cashew nuts) and melt, now add the grated carrots and saute until the water is evaporated. Now add the milk and let the ingredients simmer for 30-45 mins, remember to keep the heat on medium all through the cooking. You can also pressure cook but that will not help the milk to reduce.

Once the milk is reduced and you can feel the carrots tender, add the sugar and mix well, watch the heat else the sugar can get caramelised. Mix well and add the condensed milk and mix well, by now the mixture will be in a dropping consistency, hence let it on the heat until all the liquids evaporate. Keep stirring else it might catch the bottom. Now heat the remaining ghee in a small pan, fry the cashew nuts and top it over the halwa and add the cardamom powder and turn off the heat.

You can eat it hot or cold, I prefer it slightly warm with some cream or ice cream. When you make a bigger batch refrigerate it and take required portion and warm it in microwave and enjoy it.