Almond Rice Kheer Recipe

Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice, washed and soaked in water
15-20 almonds blanched, peeled and chopped
10 pistachios chopped thinly
4-5 cardamoms, seeded and crushed
10-12 strands saffron crushed

Method
Save some chopped nuts for garnishing.
Soak rice in water for at least 30 minutes.
Put 1/2 cup water to boil, add rice when it starts boiling.
When water almost evaporates, pour in milk, stir to bring to boil.
Add sugar, simmer till rice is fully cooked.
It should be of thin porridge consistency.
Add chopped nuts, cardamom, saffron, stir.
Serve very hot, or chilled as desired.

Note: If serving chilled, keep the kheer a little thinner, since it will thicken considerably on cooling. Garnish just before serving.

Sesame Diyas Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup flat white, black or mixed sesame seeds
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

Method
Heat sugar in a very thick pan.Stir gently, to make sure it melts evenly.
When fully melted, add in sesame and cardamom, mix.
Take off fire, mix well, by holding pan down, and folding with a spatula.
Grease hands generously with oil, take a blob at a time.
Mould over diya mould Repeat for all mixture, while it is still hot and mouldable.Allow to cool and stiffen, before prying out.
Fill if desired with chocolate curls or transparent sweetened gelatine, with wicks.

Nankathai Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
5-6 tbsp of pista powder (optional)

Method
Mix the shortening and powdered sugar.
Gently add the flour, cardamom, nutmeg, and pista powder.
Make into small balls.Keep on a baking sheet 2" apart and bake at 300 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or till done.

|