Chocolate and Malai Peda for Holi/Five Minute Chocolate and Milk Fudge

Here's wishing all my readers a Very Happy Holi. Have fun, stay safe and healthy. This past weekend we were out on a road trip on a little vacation driving around the state to the usual vacation spots. Took some time off of the early part of spring break as well. By the time we got back yesterday, just in time for Holi, I already had several ideas crawling in my head for what to make for the festival of which - like most festivals - food is an essential element. Holi is all about having fun, painting each others with colors, spending an hour in the shower to get all the paint off you and then having some wonderful food from the kitchen. Coming back from our trip yesterday you would think I would take some time and relax but instead I went right to the kitchen (yes I did stop at the grocery store on the way). Since it was late at night, did some basic prep work and starting this morning  over a few hours put together five dishes. This sweet dish is one of them which in fact was easier of the five. You may find several versions of these Pedas out on the web that use almost similar ingredients. They are all done pretty much the same way with minor differences based on personal preference. I tried to put together the general concept of the dish together with my love for chocolate. A fine dessert to serve with an exquisite meal or a casual candy to have around and to pop in when you please.

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Dahi Vada/Dahi Bhalla/Lentil Dumplings in Sweet Tangy Yogurt Sauce

Where do I start about Dahi Vadas. Let me just say they are the most favorite savory snack of all time for me. Right up there where a molten chocolate lava cake would be for a sweet one. Yeah... that much. Now that you got an idea about how much I like it, for those of you who are not aware of what it is, it is a crispy fried donut shaped dumpling made of ground lentils, very lightly seasoned and if fried right, is light and airy. Now let that crispy airy dumpling soak in a lightly salted thick yogurt sauce and here's the kicker, garnished with a spicy tangy tamarind chutney and a bunch of dry ground spices. Does the picture in your head look close to the one above?

The dahi vada is a signature dish for some of the major festivals in India, especially Holi and Dussehera. Dussehera, that was yesterday, was the occasion this time around that I made it and I am proud to say I make it just like my mother did growing up. Another occasion which proved all over how many memories food evokes.
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Gulabi Phirni/Rose rice pudding

Phirni is an Indian sweet dish. It has a texture that is a cross between custard and pudding and is made with ground rice and milk. The popular flavor variations are badam (using almond paste), aam (with mango pulp) and rose phirni (obviously with rose syrup). Unlike other Indian sweet treats which can be tricky and time consuming to make, phirni is  quite quick and easy. The smooth creamy cool taste of this dessert just puts you in a good mood. It is so good that my princess who doesn't have much of a sweet tooth and is a very fussy eater, ate a whole bowlful of this "pink ice-cream" as she likes to call it :)

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Thandai/Spicy Nutty Almond Milk

oli is this Thursday. This Festival of Colors is undoubtedly one of the most fun filled of all the festivals in India. The celebration of the advent of spring, this festival is tied to a lot of religious significance as are all the other festivals in India and also signifies the triumph of good over evil. Huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi to commemorate this spirit.

As with any festivities, there are loads of fond memories with Holi as well. For those not aware, the tradition might seem a little odd but here is how it was done - and boy was it fun. The morning of the festival, you would wake up and go out on the streets armed with all your washable paints, colors and gulal. Any person you find young or old, whether you know them or not, you make sure you get them painted beyond recognition. Of course you get the brunt of it too, so much so you would not recognize if you saw yourself in the mirror... no kidding. While you did all that, you would sneak an occasional peek in the house and pick a taste of all the goodies mom was busy cooking up. I remember how my mom and aunts used to cook up a storm and how all of us children would huddle up in the kitchen and be curious and all excited, waiting for the treat. The sweet aroma of festivity, sounds of laughter, the deep frying, chit-chat, gossip.

On this occasion it is customary to drink thandai - a cold refreshing beverage made with milk that is infused with almond and few exotic spices often traditionally mixed with ground hemp paste or bhaang. Bhaang  is prepared with ground leaves and flowers buds of the cannabis plant which works like a relaxant and gives a intoxicating kick :) You guessed it, as kids, we weren't allowed. This  version here is of-course the non-intoxicating version and perfect for the upcoming hot summers and not to mention very nutritious as well.

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Instant Jalebi!

realize this is a day after Diwali but festivity is still in the air, right! Hope all you guys had a very prosperous and fun filled Diwali!
Diwali or Deepawali is the Festival of Lights. It is a time that is much awaited all year round by children and adults alike. A time of celebration, prayers, holidays, family, fun, fireworks and of course food - lots of it. It is one of the most important religious and cultural festivals in India bringing family and friends together. Diwali is one of the biggest and most celebrated Hindu festivals. In my Chandrakala post on Dussehera a few weeks ago I spoke about Lord Rama and his victory over evil. After vanquishing the evil Ravana, Lord Rama along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana come back home after 14 years of banishment. Since then, that day is celebrated by Hindus all over the world as Diwali!

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Chandrakala/Stuffed Sweet Festive Pastries

ere is another recipe from me that gives me an intense sense of nostalgia.

The start of 'navaratra' marks the beginning of the festive season in India. Navaratra culminates in Dussehera after which comes the much awaited Diwali with Dhanteras and Chhath between and immediately after. These followed by Christmas and of course the welcome of the new year. Festivities in India are associated with pomp and fervor, family, dressing in your finest, prayers and worship, time off from school, carnivals, guests and of course food, lots of food. How is that for nostalgia!

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Sabudana Kheer/Tapioca Pudding with Saffron and Nuts

ndia is the land of festivities. Believe it or not but national and regional festivals together would probably go into three figures. What's more is that these vary widely in the way they are celebrated from one region to another. Some are quiet and solemn including prayers and worship, some an expression of love and affection and most are attributed to deities and celebrated with quite the pomp and fervor.

Many of the regional festivals often are the quiet and solemn kind (but still elaborate nonetheless) and they are often associated with fasting. Fasting is a way of worship where you eliminate certain food groups from your diet for the period of the fast or sometimes, depending on how resilient you are and the method the particular festival dictates, not eat or drink at all.

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Gujiya - Holi hai!

ujiya is a traditional indian sweet dish made typically during the festival of Holi. The sweet delicious filling inside the crunchy flaky pastry covering tastes out of this world and makes you want to grab some again and again. Gujias slightly vary from region to region. In the Northern parts of India, the filling is made with sweetened khoya and dry fruits and nuts while in South Western States, it consists of shredded coconut, nuts and jaggery or sugar. I of course like this the way my mom makes them.

Where I come from, we call it Pedukiya. These are made in most households during the festivities of Holi like it was in ours. They always take me back in time to those days when on the morning of the festival, you would wake up and go out on the streets armed with all your paints, colors and gulal. Any person you find young or old, whether you know them or not, you make sure you get them painted beyond recognition. Of course you get the brunt of it too so much so you would not recognize if you saw yourself in the mirror... lol. While you did all that, you would sneak an occasional peak in the house and pick a taste of all the goodies mom was busy cooking up. I remember how my mother and aunts used to make it and how all of us children would huddle up in the kitchen and be curious and all excited, waiting for the treat. The sweet aroma of festivity, sounds of laughter, the deep frying, chit-chat, gossip... I miss them all... here in my kitchen when alone I cook something like this there is not someone always to taste as it comes hot off the frying pan, the chit-chat... but the aroma of cooking the warmth of festivity makes me feel at home again. I have the sweetest and the most caring man in the whole world who is my sous chef my taster my food critic, my everything. With him and my our little bundle of joy everyday feels like a festival and keep me going!

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Shakarpala and Chivda - Diwali Treats

Us Indians know our festivals. Just to give you an idea, if you were to just add the major national and regional festivals, you will atleast have a list of a dozen. Festivals are always celebrated with much zeal, pomp and show in India. Among these, the arguably biggest festival is Diwali or Deepawali or the Festival of light. Biggest or not, it is definitely my favorite. People clean their homes, decorate entire houses with flowers, rangolis, electric lights and the more traditional diyas (earthen lamps). On diwali night kids and adults alike light firecrackers. You basically keep at it into the night till mom yells out of the window demanding you to return. Yes of course and how can you forget the food! During Diwali you can smell, shakarpala, namkeen, ladoo, mathri, nankhatai etc from every kitchen when you walk around the block. All these goodies also make for a wonderful homemade gift. I remember when I was a little girl, mom making loads of these and then packing individually in gift boxes and she would arrange them in a basket and give to me distribute in the neighborhood. I dressed in my brand new diwali dress would go door to door to deliver this goodies and always come home with basket full of goodies as return gifts. I used to love it :)
Even though these dishes are traditionally made during diwali, these home-made snacks can infact be made anytime as they come handy when unexpected guests drop in. Out of the several dishes as I mentioned, I picked Shakkarpala and Chivda as they are my favorites.
Chivda is a combination of toasted flattened rice, roasted peanuts, cashews, dalia and any of your favourite ingredients. Make this crispy, crunchy snack ahead of time and store in an air-tight container. It's perfect for times when you have an attack of the munchies. A warning: this stuff is addictive!

Shakarpala is deep fried flaky and crispy dough cubes that are coated with sugar syrup almost like a doughnut glaze. Not to mention it is my papa's most favorite snack ever.

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Kesar Phirni/Saffron Rice Pudding

Phirni is an Indian sweet dish. It has a texture that is a cross between custard and pudding and is made with ground rice and milk. The popular flavor variations are Badam (using almond paste), aam (with mango pulp) and rose phirni (obviously with rose syrup). Here however I am sharing with you the variation that is one of my most favorite flavoring for sweet dishes - kesar (saffron) phirni. The saffron gives the phirni a level of sophestication which is just perfect for oncoming festive occasion of Deepawali. During the festival of Deepawali, or the festival of light, no Indian family can do without sweet dishes.  Many families use the store bought sweets and even more families are busy making sweets at home. The list of those universally liked Indian sweet dishes is really long. Some dishes can be tricky and time consuming to make but phirni is quick and easy. The smooth creamy cool taste of this dessert just puts you in a good mood. Its so good that my princess, who doesn't have much of a sweet tooth and is a very fussy eater, ate a whole bowlful. She just started to learn Spanish at her pre-school and lovingly gave it the name "blanco ice-cream" :)
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Jalebi with rabri

Goddess Durga has arrived and it is festival season again, not that I feel much like it sitting ten thousand miles away from home. Back home, there is a festive spirit all around and people are gearing up to celebrate the season that is marked with several other major festivals. That warmth, the excitement, fasting and feasting,family reunion, markets full of puja items, shopping malls full of crowds, the rush, new fashion clothes, full blown shopping and those giant skeletal pandal structures that in a few days will be the most beautiful and ornate puja pandals and the home of Maa Durga for the next ten days.

I will welcome Maa this season with this sweet dish. Jalebi is always special for me. Whenever we used to visit our grandparents' place (which was every year) especially for durga puja I remember we used to get jalebi and kachori and aloo chana ki sabji from the roadside halwai... almost everyday... this used to be my favorite breakfast... jalebi with rabdi... was on the top of the list of everyone and how all my cousins used to fight for that last piece.  Sometimes my  mother and aunts would make it and all of us children would huddle up in the kitchen and be curious and all excited waiting for the treat. Now sitting here and writing this post I so miss those wonderful carefree childhood days. The pampering.. unconditional love of grandparents, the crowd, gossip, laughter, food everything. Still now when I go back to India, mom makes jalebi and hot sabji and kachodi... and I eat them to my heart's content.

Cooking a traditional recipe specially for festivals  always warms me makes me happy and also makes me all nostalgic. I miss them all. Here in my kitchen when  alone... cooking something like this and there is no one always there to taste, chat... but the aroma of cooking, the warmth of festivity makes me feel at home again... sometimes I just  get sad and homesick but then I call mom and ask for a recipe... multiple times... try to recreate... jump with joy when it works... sad when it doesn't and call her again to let her know the outcome. We laugh over the phone, sometimes cry that we are so far away from each other especially during festivals. But again now I have the sweetest and the most caring man in the whole world who is my sous chef, my taster, my  food critic, my everything and with him our little bundle of joy... everyday feels like a festival and keeps me going!

I followed mom's 'world famous' jalebi recipe. For the rabdi however I took the easy route and made it with ricotta cheese in the microwave. Jalebi or zalabiyah in arabic is an Arabian sweet which is very very popular in the Indian subcontinent. It is made by deep-frying batter in a kind of pretzel or circular shape, then soaked in syrup. It has a crunchy and crispy outer shell and is soft juicy inside which makes for an interesting combination of textures when you bite into it.

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