Date:22/12/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/12/22/stories/2002122200680700.htm
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Christmas spread


TRY out these specialities for Christmas.

Chocolate cake

  • Ingredients:

    Maida 2 cups
    Sugar 1½ cups
    Cocoa powder ¼ cup
    Eggs 3
    Soft drink (Pepsi) ½ cup
    Oil ½ cup
    Baking powder 1 tsp>

  • Method:

    Sift the flour and the cocoa with the baking powder a couple of times. In a mixing basin put in the flour and add the sugar, oil and the Pepsi. Beat the eggs well and gradually add them to this mixture. Pour out into a prepared greased and floured cake tin. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. While still warm, cut into slices in the tin for serving later.

    * * *

    Almond fudge

  • Ingredients:

    Blanched almonds 1 cup
    Sugar 2 cups
    Ghee 2 cups
    A few drops of yellow food colour
    Milk 1 cup
    A few drops of almond essence.

  • Method:

    Put the almonds in a mixer alongwith the milk and blend for a minute to a fine paste. Put a cup of ghee in a pan and add the almond paste and the sugar. Simmer on a slow fire, taking care to stir all along. The paste should not lose its colour. When the paste starts leaving the sides of the pan, add the remaining ghee and keep stirring till the ghee begins to appear on the surface. Remove from the fire and quickly spread it on a greased plate. Flatten well. When cool cut into squares.

    * * *

    Kulkuls

  • Ingredients:

    Maida 2 cups
    Rice flour 2 tbsps
    Butter 2 tbsps
    A pinch of salt
    Oil for deep frying

  • Method:

    In a mixing bowl put in the maida, flour, butter and salt. When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add enough cold water to make a soft pliable dough. Keep covered in a cool place. Lightly film a kulkul board with oil. Make tiny balls of the dough, flatten on the kulkul board and curl to resemble curly shells. (If you do not have a kulkul board then a new flat comb will serve the purpose.)

    * * *

    Rava ladoos

  • Ingredients:

    Fine rava 2 cups
    Sugar 2 cups
    Small raisins 2 tbsps
    Chopped cashewnuts 2 tbsps
    Cardamom powder ½ tsp
    Ghee or dalda 3 tbsps

  • Method:

    Fry the raisins and the cashewnuts in the ghee or dalda. Drain and keep aside. In the same ghee fry the rava till the raw smell disappears. Transfer to a plate. Put the sugar in a pan with a cup of water. Boil till syrup becomes sticky. Mix in the raisins and the nuts along with the cardamom and the rava. Mix well. When slightly cool to handle, shape into ladoos and store in an airtight tin when completely cool.

    * * *

    Chaklies

  • Ingredients:

    Rice flour 2 cups
    Thick coconut milk 1 cup
    Butter 2 tbsps
    Salt ¼ tsp
    Roasted theel 2 tbsps
    Oil for deep frying.

  • Method:

    Take a mixing basin and put in the flour, coconut, butter, salt and the theel. Make a soft dough. If the dough is too stiff a little more coconut milk could be added. Keep covered for about 15 to 20 minutes. Press a small portion of the prepared dough into a chaklie mould and press the coils straight into the hot oil. Fry to a golden brown. Drain, cool and store in an airtight container.

    * * *

    Coconut barfi

  • Ingredients:

    Grated coconut 3 cups
    Sugar 3 cups
    Cardamom powder ½ tsp
    Grated cashewnuts 2 tbsps
    A few drops of green food colour

  • Method:

    Take a clean pan and add the sugar along with the coconut. Allow to simmer on a slow fire till the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan. Now mix in the cashewnuts, the cardamom and a few drops of the colour. Mix thoroughly. Then remove from the fire and flatten out on a greased plate. When cool cut into desired shapes and store in an airtight container.

    FIFIE MENDONCA

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