Diwali Special- 5 Barfi To Try This Diwali

Diwali 2017 is right round the corner, and preparations have already started for one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar. The 'festival of lights' is also the time when delicious Indian traditional delicacies are prepared in every household, particularly sweets or mithai. And a favorite among the vast repertoire of Indian sweets is none other than barfi.

# Nachni Barfi

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Nachni flour (ragi flour)
1/2 Cup Jaggery, grated
1/2 Cup Khoya
3 Tbsp Ghee
2 Tbsp Assorted Nuts, chopped
4 Tbsp Peanut Butter
For garnish Chocolate Vermicelli
For garnish Almonds

Method

- Heat Ghee in a kadai; add chopped nuts and sauté for 1 minute.

- Add nachni flour (ragi flour) and roast it until cook for 8-10 minutes.

- Now add grated jaggery and stir well until the jaggery is completely melted

- Add khoya, peanut butter and keep stirring for a while

- Remove the mixture on a plate, evenly spread it and refrigerate it.

- Remove from refrigerator and garnish it with chopped almonds, chocolate vermicelli.

- Cut it into desired shape and serve.

# Lauki Gulkand Barfi

Ingredients

250 Gram Bottle gourd, grated
700 Ml Milk
16 tsp Sugar
16 tsp Khoya
4 tsp Sunflower seeds
2 tsp Melon seeds
6 tsp Gulkand
5 Ml Rose syrup

Method

- Boil grated bottle gourd with milk on a slow flame and cook until the milk is reduced.

- Add sugar, khoya, gulkand and stir the mixture on slow flame.

- Pour the mixture on a tray and flatten it with pallet knife.

- Garnish with sunflower seeds and melon seeds.

- Once the mixture cold and set, cut into small piece and serve along with rose syrup.

# Badaam ki Barfi

Ingredients

250 gm almonds - blanched and peeled.
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
Vark Leaves
A greased plate to set the barfi in a greased rolling pin

Method

- Finely blend the almonds and milk using a blender.

- Put the paste in a heavy-bottomed kadahi and add the sugar.

- Place the vessel over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then bring to a boil.

- Continue stirring over medium heat, till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, and becomes a dough-like paste.

- Once it gathers up together into a mass, remove from heat and cool for a while.

- When cool enough to handle, roll it onto the greased plate, with the greased rolling pin.

- It must be rolled before it cools completely. Do not roll while it is too hot, as it is sticky when hot.

- Roll to 1/2 cm in thickness. Cover with vark leaves and leave to cool.

- When cold, cut the barfi into diamond-shaped pieces, and transfer to a serving dish and serve.

# Singhare Atte ki Barfi

Ingredients

1/2 cup singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour)
2 Tbsp ghee
1/2 cup khoya
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp green cardamom - powdered

Method

- Stir-fry the atta in the ghee over low flame, till the atta darkens a bit, and taking care not to scorch the flour.

- Then transfer immediately to another vessel and stir-fry the khoya in this vessel till it becomes of uniform consistency and looks a bit fried.

- Mix the atta and the cardamom and leave to cool.

- Dissolve sugar into the water over low flame, when dissolved, increase the flame and bring to a boil, letting the syrup cook till thick.

- Remove pan from flame and mix immediately into the cooled khoya mixture, stirring vigorously and quickly, to blend well.

- Transfer onto the greased plate, pat to level and leave to cool.

- When cool and set, cut into pieces, using a sharp knife. Arrange on a serving dish and serve.

# Besan Ki Barfi

Ingredients

2 cups (240 gm) besan
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1 cup (240 gm) ghee
Blanched and sliced almonds to decorate
Greased tray

Method

- Fry the besan in ghee on low flame for about 30 minutes till it gets brown and the ghee get separated.

- Dissolve the sugar into the water over low heat.

- When it dissolves, bring it to a boil and cook till thick enough.

- Take some between your fingers and pull apart, 2 threads should form.

- Add this syrup to the besan and mix well.
Pour this mixture into a greased tray.

- When it cools cut into small cubes and garnish it with almonds.