Boondi Laddoo to Gurer Payesh: Sweet dishes that’ll make your Lakshmi Puja special

This Lakshmi Puja, how about celebrating not just the festival but also the culinary heritage of the country? So, make Sweet Pongal, Boondi Laddoo, Sabudana Kheer and Gurer Payesh, and share these delectable delights with your loved ones…

Sweet Pongal

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A variant of payesh that’s easy to make and it’s delicious too.

Ingredients

Any small grain rice: ½ of a small cup
Moong dal: 1/3rd of a small cup
Grated or liquid jaggery: ½ of a medium cup
Cardamom powder: 1 teaspoon
Room temperature water: ½ of a medium cup + 3 and ½ of a medium cups
Ghee: 5-6 tablespoons
Cashews: 15
Raisins: 15

Recipe

Begin by frying cashews and raisins in ghee until golden brown. Set them aside
Dry roast the rice and moong dal separately over a low flame until they release a fragrant aroma. Let them cool, then rinse thoroughly
Add the 3-4 tablespoons of ghee in a pressure cooker and heat well
Add the rinsed rice and dal to the pressure cooker, along with 3 and ½ cups of water. Cook for 6-7 whistles on medium flame, ensuring a slightly mashed consistency
In a separate pan, combine ½ cup of water with grated jaggery. Cook on low heat until the jaggery dissolves, stirring occasionally
Strain the jaggery mixture and add it to the rice and dal in the pressure cooker
Incorporate the remaining ghee, cardamom powder, fried cashews, and raisins. Mix well
Serve warm and enjoy!

Boondi Laddoo

Boondi Laddoos

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Festive season without laddoos? Not a chance! And here’s a quick recipe for the favourite sweet.

Ingredients

Store bought dry boondi: 500gm
Sugar: 500gm
Room temperature - water: 2 large cups
Cardamom: 2
Milk: 2 tablespoons
Cashew: One piece each per laddoo
Ghee: 1 medium cup

Recipe

In a pan, add 3-4 tablespoons of ghee and fry the cashews until they turn golden. Set them aside
Prepare the sugar syrup by combining sugar and water in a pan. Add milk and cardamom pods, then bring to a boil until the consistency resembles threads
While making the syrup, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface
Cool the syrup a little. Pour the boondi in a large mixing bowl and add the syrup in small quantities
Add 6-7 tablespoons of ghee and gently mix. Grease your palms and begin shaping the laddoos
Place a cashew inside or on top of each laddoo for an extra touch
Serve the laddoos fresh

Sabudana Kheer

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Sabudana lovers, here’s a wintery version of Sabudana Payesh with gur.

Ingredients

Sabudana (sago): 1 small cup
Full fat milk: 1l
Liquid or grated jaggery: 2 small cup
Cardamom: 3-4
Chopped dry fruits: ½ of a small cup
Saffron strands: 1 teaspoon

Recipe

Soak sabudana in water for a minimum of 5-6 hours or overnight The sabudana has to be plump during cooking. Strain excess water right before cooking and leave aside
Heat milk with cardamom and bring to a boil
Add sabudana, mix well and keep stirring continuously for 12-15 minutes. Keep the flame low
Add saffron, dry fruits and give a good mix. Cook for another 5 minutes
Turn off the flame and add jaggery. Mix well
Serve warm or cold

Gurer Payesh

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As the season approaches (well, almost!), one simply cannot overlook the quintessential delight of Gurer Payesh.

Ingredients

Gobindobhog rice: 1/4th of a small cup
Full fat milk: 1l
Liquid or grated jaggery: ½ of a medium cup
Bay leaf: 1 large
Chopped cashew and raisins: 6-7 tablespoons
Cardamom: 2

Recipe

Wash the the rice thoroughly and allow it to soak for 15-20 minutes
In a non-stick pan, combine milk, bay leaf, and cardamom, bringing the mixture to a full boil
Strain any excess water from the rice and add it to the boiling milk. Cover and let it cook on low flame, stirring occasionally
Once the rice is fully cooked and the payesh has thickened, add dry fruits for cook for about one more minute
Turn off the heat, add jaggery and mix well. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
Serve this delightful dish either warm or cold