Sweet Palm fritter, Coconut laddu & Malpua

"Janmastami", Sri Krishna's birthday is in near proximate. At present it has become a tradition of celebrating "Janmastami" in most Indian families.

In today's busy life it is not possible for everyone to prepare 'Palm-fritter','Coconut laddu' and 'Malpua' which are Lord Krishna's favourites, at home. So now-a-days they have to buy these things from a Sweet Shop. But these ready-made food-items will not be aiike our Home-made preparations neither in quality nor in quantity.

If we bear a little trouble in making those items by ourselves in our homes then we can enjoy more in taking "Prasadams" with Lord Krishna. Today I will share those recipes with you.

_________________________________________________________________________________

(1) Coconut Laddu:

INGREDIENTS

Coconut: 2 ( desiccated ),

Sugar: 400 grams,

Cardamom: 2,

condensed milk 1 cup,

cashew nuts ( broken ),

ghee

Method:

* Heat ghee in a frying pan.

* Mix sugar, coconut and milk to the pan over middle flame.

* Add cardamom powder and cashew and cook till it thickens.

* Stir continuously otherwise it will get stuck in the pan.

* When oil comes out from the mixture,turn off the fiame.

* Quickly prepare laddu with your hands keeping in mind that the mixture does not get cools off.

* Store the coconut ladduo in an air-tight jar.

_________________________________________________________________________________

(2) Sugar Palm Fritters:

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients:

Asian sweet palm - 1

Coconut 4 cups(grated)

Sugar - 2 cups

Wheat flour - 2 cups

Rice flour - 1/2 cup,

banana - 4

Semolina - 1/2 cup

Refined Vegetable Oil for frying

Directions:

* Separate the fibrous kernels from the palm fruit.

* Extract the pulp from the kernels.

* Heat palm pulp in a pan over medium heat and boil it until the pulp becomes thick. Stir continuously.

* When it acquires the thickness consistency like a condensed milk, turn off the flame. Let the pulp cool down to a room temperature.

* Add grated coconut, and all the other ingredients into the pulp. Now the batter is ready for frying fritters.

* Heat oil in a pan. Pour 1 tbsp of the batter in the oil and deep fry it until deep brown. Fry around 9-10 fritters ( taler bora ) at one go depending on the size.

* Strain the oil from the fritters using tissue paper or kitchen towel. Serve hot.

_____________________________________________________________________________

(3) Malpua:

INGREDIENTS:

200 gm all purpose flour

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp Saunf Coarsely Ground

1 tsp powdered green cardamom

1 cup ghee

250 ml water

50 gm khoya

100 gm semolina

1/2 tsp baking powder

500 ml milk

250 gm sugar

8-10 strands Saffron

2 tsp chopped pistachios

Instructions

**To prepare the sugar syrup:-

Place water in a pan over medium flame and add sugar and 2-3 tsp milk and stir well to mix. Once the sugar syrup is thick, turn off the the flame and keep it aside.

** Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl. Ensure that the mixture has a pourable consistency and is not too thick. Once the batter is ready, keep it aside for few minutes so that the spices are fully absorbed.

**Heat ghee in a pan over low flame. Pour a ladleful of the mixture and spread evenly. Cook till it is light brown on both sides.

**Remove the cooked malpua from the pan and drain the excess ghee. Drop the malpua in sugar syrup and allow soak for 10 minutes.

**Take the malpuas from the syrup and serve hot.