Dussehra or Dasara is one of the most popular Indian festivals. Some of the most popular traditions are to send gifts for Durga puja to family and friends exchange durga puja cards and gifts and teh best of all send sweets to everyone. Here are  some hot favorites

Malpuas:
Ingredients: Wheat flour 3 cups, Semolina (Suji) 1 cup, Jaggery (gur) 2 cups (grated), Ghee 2 Tbsps, Peppercorns 1 Tbsp, Milk 2 cups, Lime juice 1 full lime, Curd 1 Tbsp, Salt and Baking Soda A pinch each.

Method: Put flour, semolina, milk, curds, jaggery and salt in a heavy bottomed pan. Beat the mix for about 7 minutes to make the mix light and fluffy. Grind the peppercorns to make coarse powder and mix it in the pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of heated ghee on the mix. Cover the pan and keep it in a warm place for about 8 hours. After this the mixture will rise. Then stir it well to make an easy- to-spread batter.

Add baking soda and lime juice to the mix. Spread ghee in a frying pan and heat it on a low flame. Put 1 tablespoon of batter and spread it to make a small pancake. Splash it well to make it porous. Your malpaus are ready to eat.

Malai Peda
Ingredients: Milk 1/2 gallon, Sugar 1/2 cup , Citric acid 1/2 tsp, Cold Milk 4 teaspoons, Cornflour 1 level teaspoon, Cardamoms 4 to 5 (powdered), Almond 10 pieces (chopped finely)  and Saffron 1/2 tsp

Method: Boil milk in a vessel until it becomes half its quantity. Add sugar and boil for another 5 minutes. To this mixture, add citric acid mixed in 3 tsps of water. Add the acid gradually to the boiling milk and stir continuously until the milk curdles slightly. Mix the corn flour in 2 teaspoons of milk, mix the saffron in warm water and add 2 teaspoons of milk to it. Now add the flour and saffron to the boiling milk. Keep cooking and stirring until the mix becomes condensed and thick. Add cardamom at the end and allow the mix to be cooled. Once cool, make small balls and serve cold.

Sooji Ka Halwa
Ingredients: Sooji or semolina 1 cup, Ghee 1 cup, Sugar 2 cups, Water 4 cups, Cardamoms 2 (crushed), Raisins & chopped almonds 1/2 cup

Method: Take two pans. In one, heat water and sugar until they boil. In the other one, fry sooji in ghee until it turns golden brown in colour. Add cardamom, raisins and almonds to the fried suji. Add the water and sugar mix to the semolina mix. Keep stirring while mixing to avoid lumps and continue cooking on a low flame. When the mixture starts to froth, remove it from the flame and serve it either hot or cold.

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