Badam Ka Halwa

Ingredients : 225 grams almonds , 568 ml milk , 225 grams sugar , 150 ml water , 225 grams ghee , 3-4 silver leaves (varak) optional.

Instructions : 1. Soak the almonds in the water overnight. They should be puffed up and double in size the next day. Skin the almonds and place them in a blender or food processor. 2. Grind them to a smooth paste on a low speed, adding the milk gradually. Do not grind the almonds first on their own and then add the milk as too much of the almond oil will get lost. 3. In a heavy based pan dissolve the sugar in the water, boil it rapidly for about 10 minutes to half its quantity. 4. Add the ground almond paste and stirring very frequently, simmer the mixture for 11/4 hours until it thickens. At no stage should it be allowed to stick to the bottom and scorch, as that will ruin the taste. 4. In another pan, melt the ghee. Slowly pour a little ghee into the almond paste and stirring continuously, see that it is absorbed completely into the paste. Within a few minutes the paste will start releasing the ghee. As soon as that happens, pour in a little more ghee and once again stirring continuously, see that the has been absorbed. Repeat this process until all the ghee has been used up and the rich almond paste is glossy. Transfer the paste to a pie tin and spread it out into a thickness of no more than 1.5cm. Leave it to cool down. As soon as it begins to set, cut it into squares or diamonds and leave it to cool completely for several hours or overnight. Decorate with silver leaf or halved almonds it wished. Lift off the pieces with a spatula and arrange on a serving dish.
• Serves: 6 People. • Preparation Time: 20 minutes. • Cooking Time: 50 minutes.

Akhrot Ka Halwa

Ingredients : 1 cup ghee or oil , 1\2 teaspoon cardamom powder , 2 cups milk powder (full cream) , 4 eggs, lightly beaten , 400 ml milk, condensed , 2 cups walnut halved, chopped.

Instructions : 1. Heat ghee and cardamom’s powder in a heavy based skillet until warm, add milk powder and stirring constantly fry milk powder over low heat for about 5 minutes or until light brown. (Don’t over fry, otherwise milk will burn). 2. Add beaten eggs and stirring constantly, cook until the mixture is dark brown, about 5-8 minutes. 3. Add condensed milk and cook until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and thick, about 3 minutes. Add nuts stir fry for one minute and remove from heat. 4. Spread the mixture evenly in a greased pan, sprinkle chopped walnuts and press with the back of a metal spoon. 5. Using a sharp knife mark squares and keep aside to set. Cut through the scored lines and transfer to serving plate.
• Serves: 6 People. • Preparation Time: 10 minutes. • Cooking Time: 20 minutes.

Khajoor Ka Halwa

Ingredients : 1.5 cups dates , 2 cups milk , 1/2 cup sugar , 1/4 cup ghee , 1 cup khoya , 50 grams almond, blanched roughly chopped , 30 grams cashewnuts , 30 grams walnuts , 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground green , silver leaf (varak) for decoration , drops kewra essence (optional).

Instructions : 1.Wash and remove the seeds of the dates. Put the dates in a food processor and grind to a smooth paste. 2. Place milk, date paste and sugar in a heavy based sauce pan and stir well to combine milk, dates and sugar. 3. Stirring frequently cook for 20 to 30 minute or until all the water from milk has evaporated and the dates begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. 4. Add the ghee, almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts, ground cardamom, khoya and kewra, if using. 5. Stirring continuously, fry the date mixture until the ghee is first absorbed by the dates and then released. The halwa is ready when ghee begins to separate. 6. Transfer to a serving dish and decorate with silver leaf. Serve hot or cold.
• Serves: 6 People. • Preparation Time: 15 minutes. • Cooking Time: 30 minutes.

Gajraila

Ingredients
1 kg fresh carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
3 /4 cup rice
3 liter milk
2 cups sugar
8 to 10 green cardamoms
100 g blanched almonds, cut into slivers
50 g unsalted pistachio nuts, cut into slivers
50 g green raisins
12 cardamoms seeds, crushed
Sliver leaf for decoration, optional
- few drops of kewra essence
Method
1. Put the rice in a sieve and wash it thoroughly under a running cold tap until the water runs clear. Soak in plenty of cold water for 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve.
2.Put the grated carrots, rice and cardamoms in a large heavy-based sauce pan and add milk. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat, for two hours. Keep scraping the sides and bottom of the pan to loosen coagulated milk that may stick there and add this to the carrots and rice mixture to help to thicken the milk in the pan. Keep stirring and scraping the pan until the carrot and rice turns soft mushy and the milk has thickened ( the consistency should be that of thick porridge ).
3. Add the sugar and stirring continuously, dissolve it. This will also thicken the pudding slightly. Stirring constantly cook for another 152 0 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and decorate with silver leaves. Serve hot or cold.

Anday ka halva / Egg halva

Ingredients:
• 4 eggs
• 1\2 cup khoya
• 4 tbsp. ghee or butter
• 1\2 cup sugar, or according to taste
• 1\2 cup milk
• 1\2 tsp. ground green cardamom
Preparation:
1. Mix the eggs, khoya, sugar and cardamom’s powder together with a fork or a beater until sugar is dissolved.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy based sauce pan. Pour the egg mixture and stirring all the time fry on medium heat for 5-8 minutes until the eggs are cooked.
3. Don’t over cook the eggs. Remove from fire and transfer to a serving plate.