Chef Rajeev Kumar Shares 3 Delectable Festive Recipes 

We are in the last month of this year and have just a few more days to enter 2024. This season brings us a lot of moments to celebrate, be they festivals, weddings, or just a simple get-together with friends. No matter what occasion it is, food is always the most important part of celebrations, and when it comes to deciding the menu, no one can skip the Indian delicacies. 

Whether you are looking for scrumptious snacks like samosas and kachoris or heavy meals like butter chicken and biryani, desi food has always got you covered. Packed with rich and complex taste and texture, Indian cuisine can never disappoint us.

Karanji 

Ingredients 

• ¾ cup dry coconut or desiccated coconut 
• ½ cup powdered sugar 
• 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds  
• 5 cashews, chopped 
• 10 raisins, chopped  
• 5 almonds, chopped 
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder 
• 1 cup maida 
• salt as per taste 
• 2 tablespoons of hot ghee 
• ½ cup warm milk 

Method

To make karanji stuffing: 

• Take dry coconut in a large mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and poppy seeds. 
• Add chopped dry fruits. Add cardamom powder and mix well. 
• Finally, the stuffing is ready to prepare karanji. Keep it aside. 

To make karanji dough  

• In a large mixing bowl, add maida and salt to taste. Pour very hot ghee over maida. 
• Now rub and crumble the dough well between your hands. Then add milk and knead the dough. Cover with a moist cloth, and rest for 30 minutes. 

Instructions:

• Now pinch a small ball-sized dough and roll it into a ball. Then, roll into a slightly thick purist and cut into a round shape. Also, grease with warm milk the edges of the puri. 
• Place a teaspoon of the prepared coconut stuffing in the middle of the puri. Stick the edges together and press slightly. Furthermore, press the edge gently and fold it inside. 
• Take the tip that comes out, press it again, and fold it. Furthermore, deep-fry the kanjis till they turn golden brown. 
• Finally, drain the oil over the kitchen towel and serve. 

Coconut Laddoo  

Ingredients 

• 2 cups + ¼ cup desiccated coconut or dry coconut 
• ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk 
• 3 cardamom pods (powdered) 
• 1 teaspoon ghee  
• a few pistachios for garnish 

Method 

• In a pan, add the condensed milk and desiccated coconut with ghee. Mix well and cook on low heat for 5–6 minutes. The mixture should get slightly thick and come together. Check for sweetness, and adjust. 
• Add the crushed cardamom. Mix well, and turn off the stove. Slightly cool the mixture and make round balls. You should get about 11–12 laddoos. 
• Roll the laddoo with desiccated coconut and garnish with a pistachio. 

Ragi Chakli  

Ingredients 

• 1 cup ragi flour  
• ½ cup rice flour  
• ¼ cup roasted chana dal, powdered 
• a pinch of asafoetida 
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds  
• 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee  
• salt to taste 
• Oil for deep frying 
• Water as needed.

Method 

• Take ragi flour in a dry pan and roast it lightly till the raw smell leaves it. Put it in a bowl. 
• Add all the ingredients to a bowl except water. Mix well. Slowly add in water and knead to a soft dough. 
• Heat oil for deep frying. Put this in an idiyappam press with the kuzhal achu. Press to form a small murukku. 
• Drop in hot oil and fry till the sizzling sound stops in the oil. Drain the oil and allow it to cool down. 
• Store it in an air-tight container. This will stay good for more than 15 days.