Cooking web notes

Happy Deepawali!!!!!!!!!  How are your Deepawali preparations going?   I am sure you all have filled your boxes of sweets and other goodies to share with friends and family.  In this joyful festival of lights, we join to wish you all a very happy and safe Deepawali.

  Growing up in Central Travancore, Kerala, I grew up without any firecrackers and lighting of lights as part of the festivities for Deepawali.  But you better believe sweets were always a part of our Deepawali, and I continue to keep that  tradition alive.    Every Deepawali I make some for my family. 

  My most favorite Deepawalis were celebrated while I was in Hyderabad - hours together with firecrackers, partying, sweets, the works!  If you are from that part of the world, I want to tell you a special thanks for giving such great memories.

Sunitha and I wish all our friends and readers a Deepawali full of fun !!



I didn't use any food colors,that's why the color is not great



But it tastes wonderful and my lil one finished at least half a dozen pieces while I was clicking away :-)



Ingredients:

Unsalted Pistachios, blanched - 1 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup
water- 2-3 Tbsp
Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
Ghee- 1 to 2 Tbsp

Method:

1.Blanch the pistachios by soaking them in hot water for about a minute and washing in cold water,slip out the skin.
2.Dry them on a paper towel. Grind to a fine paste, without adding any water.. (I like it to be a bit coarse)
3.Prepare a cookie sheet or a plate greased with ghee.
4.Heat the sugar in a wide, preferably non-stick pan after adding 2 Tbsp of water, just enough to wet the sugar.(The more the water the more time it will take !)
5.Let it boil and come to one string consistency.If you think that you have overdone, add a little more water and do it again.If you add this amount I've mentioned it won't take long after it starts boiling.
6.Add the ground pistachios and stir well.
7.Slowly add the ghee and stir in to incorporate.If you are using a non-stick pan you need to add only 1 Tbsp ghee.
8.When the mixture starts leaving the sides add the cardamom powder and mix well.
9.Switch off the heat and spread the mixture onto the greased plate or baking sheet.Use a greased spoon /rolling pin to even the surface.
10.Let it cool a bit and cut into desired shapes. Cool them completely before storing in an airtight container.

Happy Deepawali one again !!



Notes:

1.The amount of sugar is to our liking.(In fact I added a little less than 1/2 cup!)It was perfect for us.If you like your sweets to be extra sweet you might
want to add a little more sugar.
2.If you want to add green color, add it to the sugar syrup, before adding the pistachios.
3.If you have edible silver foil/varak spread it onto the top after you even the surface.

Contributor: Namitha