Ghevar is a sweet specialty from Jaipur. It is a round cake made from daal or flour mix soaked in ghee and milk and topped with sliced almonds. Ghevar is a Rajasthani delicacy especially prepared during the festivals of Teej & Rakhi. A delicious sweet consisting of a spongy wedge made from refined flour & clarified butter is liked by many. This Rajasthani delicacy is made with the help of a mould. So one can also use a wok or small moulds.






Ingredients:
3 cups Plain Flour
1 cup Ghee
3-4 icecubes
4 cups water
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 tsp Yellow Colour
1 kg Ghee

Syrup:
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water

Topping:
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
1 tbsp Almonds chopped
1 tbsp Pistachios
1 tbsp Milk
1/2 tsp Saffron dissolved in milk
Silver foil

Method:

1. Prepare sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency and keep aside.
2. Take solidified ghee in a large wide bowl.
3. Taking one ice cube at a time rub the ghee vigorously.
4. Take more ice cubes as required, till ghee becomes very white.
5. Add milk, flour and 1 cup water. Mix to make smooth batter.
6. Dissolve colour in some water and add to batter.
7. Add more water as required to make the batter of thin consistency. (it should run off easily when pour from spoon).
8. Take a aluminum or steel cylindrical container with diameter 5-6" and height at least 12".
9. Fill half the container with ghee. Heat. When ghee is smoky hot, take a 50 ml, glassful of batter.
10. Pour in centre of ghee, slowly in one continuous thread like stream.
11. Allow foam to settle.
12. Pour one more glassful in hole formed in centre.
13. When foam settles again, loosen ghevar with an iron skewer inserted in hole.
14. Lift carefully, at a slant, and place on wire mesh to drain.
15. Keep hot syrup in a wide flat-bottomed container to fit in ghevar.
16. Dip ghevar in it, and remove, keep aside on mesh to drain excess syrup.
17. Alternatively pour some syrup evenly all over, keeping ghevar in a mesh placed over a container.
18. Cool a little, top with silver foil.
19. Splash a few drops of saffron milk, sprinkle some chopped dry fruit like almond and a few pinches of cardamom powder.
20. Ghevar is ready to be served.

Making Time: 1 hour

Serves: 5 persons

Shelflife: 1 day.

Note: Ghevar needs to be done carefully. So just follow the steps one by one as prepare it as given.

Click here to know more about Rajasthani foods and cuisines - Introduction to Rajasthani Foods And Cuisines.

Click here to know more about of Indian Sweets and Desserts- An Introduction To Indian Sweets And Desserts.

This is an aluminium contraption in which handvo - a Gujju snack - is prepared. The cooking contraption, I think, is somewhat like a chiffon cake/ angel food cake pan - a very deep tube. It sits on a plate filled with damp sand to help conduct the heat better. It also has a hole in the middle, where you can see the flame rising from in the image. This hole helps cook the center of the handvo.

1. Soak all the lentils/dal and rice overnight.
2. Grind the lentil-rice mixture with some water to form a thick batter.
3. Add the yogurt and leave aside for another 5-6 hours in a warm place.
4. Alternately if using the ready made handvo mix soak the mixture in yogurt and water overnight in a warm place.
5. Add the grated bottle gourd, sugar and salt and mix well.
6. Crush the green chilies, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste and add it to the handvo mixture.
7. Heat oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, and when they pop, add the turmeric, asafoetida, chili powder, dried chilies and sesame seeds in that particular order and pour this mixture over the handvo mixture.
8. Mix well and transfer the batter to a baking pan.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds on top and bake at 400 degree F for 45-60 minutes till the top is a golden brown.
10. Alternately test by pushing a knife through and if it comes out clean (instead of the batter clinging to it), the handvo is baked.
11. Serve hot with some oil on the side.
12. Take out. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Making Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4 - 5 persons.

Shelflife: 1 day.

Note:

• If you are using a oevn, bake for 45 minutes in a preheated oven, 15 minutes at 200 degree centigrade, and 30 minutes at 180 degrees centigrade.
• If you have doubts regarding the batter consistency or its fluffiness, you can add 1 eno fruit salt to the batter before baking, it would amke the handvo soft.

Variations:

As a variation or to make handvo more nutricious, finley chopped vegetables like carrots, cabbage, potatoes, leeks etc to the batter and mix well and then bake them. Remember to chop them very finely for good texture and good taste.

Click here to know more about Gujrati foods and cuisines- An Introduction To gujrati cuisines and Recipes.

Arisa Pitha is the popular delicacy of Orissa. Pithas are home made cakes known all over in Orissa for their unique taste and presentation. Prepared from rice flour, powdered cinnamon, jaggery syrup and vegetable oil or ghee, Pitha is luscious, mouth watering Orissa special. Similar to Kachoris, Pithas are easy to prepare and can be stored for few days.

1. Soak the rice in water for about 2 to 3 hours. Wash it with water and then drain all the water.
2. Keep the rice in room temperature to dry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Grind it to make a semi-rough powder of it by using a grinder.
4. Heat ½ cup of water and add 1 cup of sugar.
5. As you go on stirring on medium flame, the boiling water forms a syrup. The syrup should be consistent.
6. Slowly add 2 cups of rice powder to the syrup and stir continuously to form a batter.
7. Cook till it absorbs the water completely (to the consistency of chappati). Let it cool.
8. Knead it properly to make a smooth dough.
9. Now make small portions.
10. Take the batter in small portions and flatten the same with the help of your palms in the shape of small thick puris/ kachoris .
11. Fry the thick puris (pithas) in oil till they become golden brown.
12. Take them out and serve hot. The pitha also tastes great when served after cooling.

Making Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 persons.

Shelflife: 1 day. Hard pitha can be stored for 1 week.

Note: A hard pitha may also be preserved in room temperature for about two weeks. Cinnamon is for added taste and hence optional, you can use it while grinding for a different rich taste.

Click here to know more about Oriya cuisines and Food Recipes- Introduction to Orissa Cuisines And Recipes.

Click here to know more about of Indian Sweets and Desserts- An Introduction To Indian Sweets And Desserts.