Besan Ki Chakki

Intro

I've been to India twice now and it is a spectacular place; so vibrant and affects all your senses: noise, colour, smells, business - just so much of everything. It is exhilarating. While in New Delhi I discovered Indian sweets and - omg - what a range! Sweets is a bit of a misnomer becauswe they are not actually that sweet at all. This is one I have managed to recreate at home. 

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups sugar
• 1.75 cups water
• 2.75 cups ghee
• 4 cups chickpea flour 
• 2 cups non fat dry milk powder
• 1.25 teaspoons cardomom
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron
• 2 tablespons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons sliced pistachios

Boil the sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat and boil about 8-10 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Melt the ghee in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the chickpea flour and sirring constantly, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and stirring constantly cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the flour turns light brown. Turn off the heat and add the milk powder and spices. Using a whisk mix well.

Pour the sugar syrup slowly into the cooked mixture. Stir constantly until the mixture absorbs the liquid. Press into a greased pan, sprinkle nuts over the top. Place a sheet of paper towel over the top and press own gently absorbing excess oil.

Cool in fridge and cut into small squares.

Intro

I have fallen in love with Indian sweet making and have been trying to recreate the gorgeous delicacies I experienced in Delhi.

I interloaned the "Art of Indian sweets by Krishna Priya Dasi" and every recipe I've tried  has been a winner.This slice is slightly chewy, coconutty, a slight catch from the cardomom and just delicious. The book can be prchased from the Krishna Store.

Recipe

• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup disicatted coconut
• 1 teaspoon cardomom

Texture of fully cooked mixture.

Melt the ghee, add the milk, then all the other ingredients. Stirring constantly cook for 12 -15 minutes on medium then continue for another 5 mins on low. It will initially come together almost like a choux pastry mixture but then it breaks up; eventually it will get to a stage it where the mixture releases the butter oils.

Tip the mixture out into a greased slice tin and press flat. Soak off  the extra oils with paper towels then refrigerate. Cut into squares when cold. 

Coconut Laddu

Intro

These are gorgeous; the flavour of coconut ice but soft and creamy - and none of that cloying sweetness.

Recipe

3 cups desicated coconut

4 cups full fat milk

1.75 cups sugar

1/2 cup extra coconut

Place 3 cups coconut and 2.5 cups of milk in a blender and blend until it becomes a smoothish paste (couple of minutes. Place into a large heavy flat bottomed saucepan, add the remaining milk and bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and stirring constantly cook until the mixture is very thick. Add the sugar (and a few drops of cochineal if you want pink balls) and continue stirring and cooking until it is thick again.

Transfer to a bowl and leave until cold in the fridge. Form into small balls and roll in coconut.