As the winter winds weave through the air, the need for cozy and healthy eats become essential. Traditional winter delicacies are like nostalgic hugs, warming the body and soul. These time-honoured recipes, often passed down through generations, provide comfort and energy during the frosty days. In this pursuit of combining tradition and health, Marisha Baurai, a seasoned Food Innovation Technologist, introduces us to these wholesome winter treats.
JAGGERY RICE
Ingredients: (for 4 servings)
- Rice – 400 gms
- Ghee – 100 gms
- Jaggery Powder – 250 gms
- Green Cardamom Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Almonds – 1/4th cup
Nuts of your choice
Directions:
- Wash the rice 4-5 times and soak for about 15-20 minutes.
- Put a deep-bottomed pan on medium flame and add water to it. Bring it to a boil and add soaked rice in it along with cloves.
- Let the rice cook until they are tender and firm. When the rice is cooked, drain the water properly.
- Put a saucepan on medium flame and melt ghee in it. When the ghee is hot enough, add the jaggery powder. If you do not have jaggery powder available, you can simply cut the jaggery in pieces and add it to the pan. This will take a little longer, but will give you the same taste.
- Once the jaggery has melted completely, add the green cardamom powder along with clove rice.
- Mix the rice well with the melted jaggery, this will turn the colour of the rice a little brownish. Now, slow the flame and cover the pan with a lid, and let the rice cook for about 5-8 minutes.
- Garnish with almonds and nuts of your choice. Serve hot.
MAKHANA DALIYA
Ingredients:
- Makhana: 1 cup
- Water: 1 cup
- Ghee: 1 teaspoon
- Palm Sugar: as per taste
Directions:
- Slice your makhanas in two
- Heat the ghee in a pan
- Throw in the makhanas & roast them on a medium flame for 5 minutes
- Keep stirring until the makhanas turn crispy & crunchy
- Remove from heat & transfer the makhanas on a large plate and let them cool
- Once cooled, churn the makhanas in a blender jar to make a fine powder
- Put water in a pan and bring it to a boil
- In a bowl, put a heaped spoon of makhana powder and slowly add hot water; keep stirring continuously to avoid lumps
- Once the desired consistency is acquired, add palm sugar and mix well
- Serve this yummy and nutritious porridge (daliya) as breakfast or lunch to your munchkin
PANJIRI
Ingredients:
- 1 kg sugar or khand/khandsari, powdered
- 1/2 kg atta (whole wheat flour)
- 1/2 kg ghee
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Raisins
Directions:
- Powder half cup of sugar in a dry grinder & keep aside. Here, khand or khandsari which is a desi raw sugar can also be used
- Keep a cup of whole wheat flour in a kadai or a thick bottomed broad pan on a low flame & stir often while roasting the flour so that there is even roasting & browning
- Once the colour changes & you get nutty aroma from the whole wheat flour, add 4 tablespoons of ghee in the flour
- Stir & mix well
- Add cashews & almonds. You can roast the almonds separately in a pan & then add for a crunchy texture.
- Keep stirring & roasting the panjiri mixture for 5 to 6 minutes more
- Check the taste of the whole wheat flour & it should feel cooked. There should not even be a slight rawness in the flour
- Turn off the flame & add powdered sugar in parts & mix it well
- Now add raisins & allow the panjiri to cool
- Store the panjiri in an airtight jar & serve with warm milk