Chithirai Festival Special: Check out some dessert recipes you can try at home

CHENNAI: On this auspicious occasion of the Chithirai Festival, here are some sweet recipes you can try at home.

Wheat Halwa

Ingredients:

1/3 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 cup wheat flour (atta)

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 tbsp chopped almonds

1/2 tbsp chopped pistachios

Instructions:

In a pan, combine 3/4 cup sugar with 1 cup water.

Boil until the sugar completely dissolves (no need for any string consistency).

Once it comes to a boil, switch off the heat and set it aside.

Heat 1/4 cup of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.

Fry the chopped nuts in the ghee, remove, and set them aside.

Add 1/2 cup wheat flour to the ghee.

Roast the flour on a low flame, stirring continuously.

Roast until the colour deepens and it gives off a nutty aroma.

Reheat the sugar syrup slightly, then carefully pour it into the roasted flour mixture.

Stir quickly to avoid lumps. (It may form small lumps at first, but keep stirring, they will dissolve as it cooks.)

Continue stirring and cooking until the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Add 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder and mix well.

Once ghee starts oozing out slightly from the edges, it's done.

Add the fried or fresh chopped almonds and pistachios.

Mix well and remove from heat.

Mysore Pak

Ingredients:

1 cup besan (gram flour)

1 cup sugar

1 cup ghee

1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Add 1 tsp ghee to a nonstick pan and roast the besan on a low flame for 3–4 minutes until aromatic.

Sieve the roasted flour to remove lumps.

Mix it with 3/4 cup ghee in a bowl until smooth and slightly pourable. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Grease a plate with ghee and keep it ready.

In a nonstick pan, boil 1 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water over medium heat until it reaches one-string consistency (a single thread forms between your fingers).

Add the besan-ghee mixture to the syrup and stir well.

Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup ghee while stirring continuously.

Keep the flame low and stir until the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

It will eventually form a non-sticky mass that comes together like a ball.

Pour the mixture into the greased plate. No need to flatten, it will spread on its own.

While still warm, cut into squares or diamonds as desired.

Aval payasam

Ingredients:

1/2 cup thick poha (aval)

2½ cups full cream milk (boiled and warm)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

1½ tbsp broken cashews

1 tbsp raisins

1½ tbsp ghee

Instructions:

Fry the nuts and raisins:

Heat 1½ tbsp ghee in a pan.

Add broken cashews and fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Add raisins and fry until they puff up and turn golden. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1/2 cup thick poha and roast for about 1 minute.

Pour in 2½ cups of warm milk and mix well.

Cook for 7–10 minutes on medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the poha softens and the milk begins to reduce.

Once poha is cooked and soft to touch, add 1/4 cup sugar.

Stir and let it simmer for a few more minutes until the mixture thickens.

Add 1/4 tsp cardamom powder and mix well.

Add the ghee-fried cashews and raisins (reserve some for garnish if needed).

Mix and switch off the heat. The payasam will thicken further as it cools.