Raagi Halwa

Ingredients:


Ragi Flour  - 1 Cup

Water  -  5 Cups

Grated Coconut  -  1 Cup

Milk  - 1 Cup

Jaggery  -  1 Cup

Cardamom Powder : 2 tsps

Ghee -  4 tsp

Almonds - 10 (Blanched and skinned)

Method:  


Soak ragi flour with water for 1/2 an  hour. 

Grind with coconut and strain using a fine strainer. 

Discard the pulp. 

Add milk to the ragi+coconut liquid. 

Stir in the jaggery  till its completely dissolved. 

Put it on the stove on a low heat and keep stirring. 

Within 5 minutes, the mixture would have thickened. 

Add ghee  frequently   to ease the stirring.

Add the cardamom powder to it and keep stirring. 

Give continuous stirring  till the mixture reaches a semi solid consistency. 

Remove to a ghee  greased plate and garnish with almonds. 

Cut into pieces when cool.

Bottlegourd (soraikai) Halwa

Ingredients:


Grated bottle gourd - 2 cups

Sugar - 1 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Ghee - 2 tbs

Cashew nuts - 6 nos

Crushed cardamom - a pinch

Raisins - a few


Method:


Peel , wash and grate the bottlegourd and keep it aside.

In a pan heat ghee and roast the cashews and raisins at medium flame. 

Add the grated bottle gourd in the same pan. 

Stirring continuously until the raw smell goes .

Now pour the milk and stir well. 

Cook on medium-high till the milk is nearly absorbed.  

Give frequent stirs 

Now add the sugar. Cook it for 7-8 minutes at medium flame.

When the halwa becomes thick, add the remaining ghee, roasted cashews, 

roasted raisins and crushed cardamom. 

Serve it hot or chilled.