Diwali sugar and spice

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, which people celebrate by lighting small earthen lamps called diyas. They also exchange gifts and meet relatives.

Many mouth-watering dishes are prepared in this festive season. I have chosen the most popular and modified them into recipes low on fat and calories but high on taste.

Besan laddu

• 1/2kg besan rawa (coarse gram flour)
• 1/2kg brown sugar, powdered
• 1 tbs raisins
• 1 tbs cashew nuts, chopped
• Flaxseeds, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder
• 4 tbs canola oil

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Mix in the besan rawa, divide the mixture into half and set aside one portion. Roast the remaining portion on low heat for about an hour until it turns whitish. Roast the other portion too. When cool, mix in the remaining ingredients. Take enough mixture at a time and shape into a laddu. Makes about 24 laddus.

Barfi

• 400g condensed milk
• 300g paneer (Indian cottage cheese), grated
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbs almonds and pistachios, chopped
• 2 silver sheets

Mix condensed milk and paneer in a pan and cook on medium flame, stirring continuously. When the mixture starts thickening, reduce the flame. When it leaves the sides of the pan and is semi-solid, remove from heat and spread on a greased tray. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and dry fruits on the mixture. Decorate with silver sheets and cut into desired shapes.

Ras malai

• 2lb ricotta cheese
• 2 quarts half-and-half cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Rose water to flavour
  

Mix 1-1/2 cups of sugar with ricotta cheese and bake in a 400°F oven for about 75 minutes in a flat dish covered with aluminium foil. The cheese should have hardened and turned pale brown. Thicken the half-and-half cream by simmering for a long time.

This is best done in a microwave; if that is not available, do it over low flame, stirring frequently. Simmer until the cream is reduced to half its original volume. Add half a cup of sugar, cardamom pods, bay leaf, vanilla and rose water to the cream. Heat for a few minutes. After the cheese has been baked, cut into 1-inch squares and add to the hot, thickened half-and-half. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Kheer

Brown sugar will add a brownish tinge to the kheer, which gives it a great malty taste.

• 1 litre skimmed milk
• 1 tbs basmati rice (washed)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 5 cardamoms
• 4cm cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp canola oil
  
  For garnish
  
• 6 almonds, sliced
• Raisins, a handful
• 8 cashew nuts, chopped

In a pan, heat a small amount of milk. Lower the heat and stir in the sugar. When it caramelises to a dark brown colour, add the rest of the milk.

When the milk comes to a boil, add the rice, stir well and pressure-cook for 10 to 15 minutes. When cool, mix the rice and milk well with a hand beater. Add sugar and simmer for five minutes; then remove from heat. Powder cinnamon and cardamoms finely and add to the milk; stir well. Add the raisins, cashew nuts and almonds to the milk and serve.

Badam ka seera

• 1-1/2 cup almonds, soaked overnight
• 3 cups skimmed milk, hot
• 4 tbs canola oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup brown sugar
  

Peel, wash and grind the almonds to a fine paste. Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add the paste and cook on first high then low flame, stirring continuously.

After a while, it should turn a light brown and give off an aroma. Carefully pour hot milk and stir.

Use a long-handled spatula, as the mixture tends to splatter.
When the mixture thickens, add the sugar and cook, stirring continuously, till the oil begins to separate. Remove excess oil and place the mixture in a serving dish. Decorate with chopped nuts and serve hot.

Savoury snacks

Samosas

For the samosa pastry

• 1 packet samosa strips, readymade

For filling:

• 2 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ginger, crushed
• 1/2 tsp garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs coriander, finely chopped
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil to spray
  

Samosa strips

Defrost the strips and keep them from getting soggy. Cover the strips with a cloth to avoid dryness.

For filling

Heat a pan and spray olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add ginger, green chilli, garlic and coriander seeds and stir-fry for a minute. Then add onion and sauté until light brown. Add coriander, lemon, turmeric, salt, red chilli and garam masala and stir-fry for two minutes and add potatoes.
Stir for two more minutes; cool and set aside.

To fill samosas

Take a samosa strip and make a small cone at one end. Place a tablespoon of filling in the cone and wrap it. Seal the loose flap with a paste made from flour and water.

Spray the bottom of a baking tray with the olive oil. Place the samosas in the baking tray and spray with olive oil until covered. Turn the samosas over and spray with the oil. Bake in a preheated oven until the samosas turn golden brown. Flip them to ensure they are evenly baked.

Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, tomato sauce or chilli sauce.

Sai bhaji

Besides being nutritious, this dish is tasty and loved by all.

• 2 bunches of spinach
• 1 bunch khatta leaves
• 1 onion, large
• 1 large potato
• 2 small aubergines
• 2 large tomatoes
• 8 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
• 4 tbs gram dal
• 1-1/2 glasses of water
• A pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil to spray
  

Separate the spinach and the khatta leaves, wash well and chop finely. Chop the onions, potatoes and aubergines into small pieces and set aside. Soak the gram dal for an hour. Spray the pan with the oil and add the cumin seeds, green chillies and ginger and sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped onions, potatoes and aubergines. Sauté the vegetables until done.

Add the chopped spinach, khatta leaves, tomatoes, dal, spices, salt and water. Pressure cook on high flame until the first whistle goes off. Simmer until two or three whistles. Open the cooker after 10 minutes and mix well. Serve with quinoa or brown rice.

Aloo tikki

• 10 potatoes, medium-sized
• 2-1/2 tsp red chilli (or to taste)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp mango powder
• Salt to taste
• Egg to coat the tikkis
• Oil spray
  

Peel and halve the potatoes. Boil water in a pan and add salt. Place the potatoes in the water and boil until tender. Drain the water and place potatoes in a separate bowl. Using your hands (wet them slightly), mash the boiled potatoes slightly and add the spices and salt.

After mixing well, take a handful of the mixture and form balls. Flatten them slightly and shape the edges. This will then look like a potato burger. Grease your non-stick frying pan slightly with the oil spray.

Dip the potato tikkis in seasoned egg and let the excess drip off. Place the tikkis in the pan when hot and fry until golden brown. Brown them on the other side too. Serve on a bed of rye bread, lettuce and green chutney.