1,000 Indian Recipes (313 page)

Prasaad Offerings

Indians are deeply religious people. Part of the worship ritual dictates that foods are a gift from the Gods, and special dishes should be offered back to the Gods to thank him. Such foods are called
prasaad
, or consecreated food, and desserts are the most commonly offered
prasaad
in places of worship.

These offerings are made at home or at or near temples, and certain temples are renowned for their
prasaad
s. For instance, my friend Sohini Baliga has never forgotten the sweets she had from Thirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, a famous south Indian temple. As she puts it, "For a 12-year-old, dragged on a long, wearying pilgrimage along with several prayerful relatives, the reward wasn't seeing the Lord; it was the softball-sized desserts, laden with
ghee
, and studded with raisins, and rock candy. Now
that
was heaven."

Marzipan Delights

Badaam ki Mithai

Makes 15 to 20 pieces

During the celebration of Diwali—the Hindu new year and festival of lights—mothers and grandmothers humor children by shaping this sweet almond dough into little toys, adding chopped nuts and food coloring for special effects.

¹
⁄
₂
pound blanched raw almonds

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup coarsely chopped mixed nuts, such as blanched almonds, pistachios, or cashews

1.
Process the almonds in a food processor until as fine as possible. Then, add the sugar and almond extract and continue to process until everything comes together into a dough. With clean hands, divide the dough into 15 to 20 portions and roll each portion into a round ball.

2.
Roll each dough ball in the chopped nuts and serve, or place in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator about 2 months.

Himachali Nuts

Himachal kae Mithae Mavae

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Served over a bed of freshly cooked
basmati
rice, this mixture of fragrant nuts, floating in a thick saffron syrup, is a traditional dessert from the northern hill state of Himachal Pradesh. Try it over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

4 cups (1 recipe)
Steamed Basmati Rice (Absorption Method)

¹
⁄
₃
cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₃
cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₃
cup raw pistachios, coarsely chopped

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups sugar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon saffron threads

1.
Prepare the rice. Then place all the nuts in a small nonstick skillet and dry-roast, stirring and shaking the skillet, over medium-low heat until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

2.
Place the sugar, water, cardamom seeds, fennel seeds, and saffron in a medium wok or saucepan and boil over medium-high heat about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture forms a thick syrup, about 5 minutes.

3.
Mix in the cashews, almonds, and pistachios and cook 1 minute. Meanwhile, place the rice in a serving dish. Pour the nuts and the syrup over the rice and serve. Or ladle over individual servings of rice.

Banana Dumplings

Modak

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A specialty along the west coast of India, these bite-sized banana dumplings are a popular tea-time snack. They are also a served as
prasaad
at temples and, on occasion, are dedicated to the elephant God, Ganesh. These are typically made with ripe plantains, but firm, ripe bananas also work well.

2 large firm, ripe bananas

¹
⁄
₂
cup all-purpose flour

¹
⁄
₂
cup sugar, or to taste

2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

1.
In a mixing bowl, peel and mash the bananas with a fork. Add the flour and
¹
⁄
₃
cup sugar and mix well, forming a semi-firm batter.

2.
Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer or until a piece of dough dropped into the hot oil rises to the top after 15 to 20 seconds.

3.
With a spoon or clean fingers, carefully drop about 1 tablespoon of the batter into the oil, adding as many spoonfuls as the wok can hold at one time without crowding. Fry, stirring and turning with a slotted spatula, until golden. Remove dumplings to a tray lined with paper towels to drain. Transfer to a serving platter, dust with the remaining sugar, and serve hot.

Sweet Roasted Whole-Wheat Flour

Attae ki Panjeeri

Makes about 4 cups

Called
panjeeri
, this is a sweet, fragrant, and powdery Punjabi dessert. It is often served as a
prasaad
during religious ceremonies, especially on
puran-masi
—the day of the full moon, which comes once every month. For best flavor, do not replace the
ghee
with oil. If you prefer to use butter, spend an extra minute to
clarify
it.

¹
⁄
₂
cup shelled raw pistachios

¹
⁄
₂
cup shelled raw almonds

1 teaspoon coarsely ground green cardamom seeds, or more to taste

2 cups stone-ground durum whole-wheat flour

¹
⁄
₄
to
¹
⁄
₃
cup melted ghee (or clarified butter)

1 cup sugar

1.
In a food processor, process the pistachios and almonds until coarsely ground. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cardamom seeds.

2.
Place the flour and ghee (or clarified butter) in a large wok (not nonstick) and roast, stirring constantly with a slotted spatula, over medium-high heat until heated through, then over medium-low heat until a very fragrant smoke arises from the wok and the flour turns a rich golden color, 12 to 15 minutes.

3.
Mix in the sugar and the nuts and roast, stirring, about 1 minute. Let cool and serve at room temperature, or store in an airtight container about 1 month at room temperature, or about 3 months in the refrigerator.

Variation:
For added flavor and enhanced presentation, add
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon crushed saffron threads and
¹
⁄
₄
cup melon seeds (
char magaz
) during the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking.

Sweet Pastries with Dates and Nuts

Mandi-Pirakari

Makes 12 pieces

This
prasaad
is typically made and served during Krishna Janamashtami, Lord Krishna's birthday, in late August. Lord Krishna is one of the Hindu Gods. Stored in an airtight container, these pastries will keep fresh for about a month. They make a lovely tea-time snack.