Puran Poli | Flatbread with Cardamom Infused Sweet Lentil Filling

The first time I heard of Puran Poli was as a kid visiting a friend's home in Bombay! It was coming up to Holi and we had just popped in after an afternoon of skating. The home was replete with the aroma of ghee and cardamom and there was much bustle in the kitchen. On the dining table were large plates piled high with what looked liked parathas. But these parathas were sweetly fragrant, incredibly soft, and oozing with butter fat!!

Kesari Peda | Creamy Saffron Milk Fudge

It was Basant Panchami on the 4th of February this year!! Hard to believe with spring nowhere on the horizon this year. It seems that we are in a never ending cold spell. And this was confirmed by the local groundhog who announced bright and early on Sunday morning that we are to expect two more weeks of the chilly winter. Yet despite the frigid temperatures, I heard the sweet sound of a bird on the tree outside the bedroom window on the very same morning!! Yes, the cardinal is back. Every year we are treated to its sweet music around this time of the year. And this year is no different, there she was sitting on the frozen branch of a frozen tree, announcing her arrival. Oh, joy!!

Pineapple Ricotta Basundi | Milk and Ricotta Pudding with Pineapple Bits

In March I announced the first ever giveaway hosted at Annarasa ~ Essence of Food. This food event and giveaway ended on the 20th of April 2013 and I will announce the winners of the giveaway in the coming weeks. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every contributor and participant for taking the time to make this event a wonderful success. Over seventy unique recipes have been shared through this event by bloggers and non-bloggers alike.

Badam ki Kheer | Almond Milk Pudding

Diwali Greetings to all my readers!! I have been wondering for some time what sweet I should make to mark this festival and I realized that it has been some time since I made Kheer!! Badam Kheer or Almond Milk Pudding is one of my favourite Kheer recipes. The Kheer has a deliciously soft grainy texture, is fragrant with cardamom and saffron, and if you pay close attention gives a hint of heady almond towards the end.  Here is the delicious milk pudding recipe.

Chocolate Doodh Burfi | Chocolate Milk Fudge: Indian Festival Sweets

Chocolate Doodh Burfi is one of the most popular burfi items around festival times in Delhi. When I came across this confection the first time I was quite frankly horrified by the idea. The very thought of combining creamy milk burfi with cocoa seemed strange!! But one bite and I was hooked. This delicious sweet is seldom found in the Mithai Shops we have around here. This year I was simply craving this burfi and so I decided to just go ahead and make it. All I can say is that there were no regrets and the family just loved it!!

Nariyal Barfi | Coconut Burfi (Soft) | Coconut Fudge

Come Autumn, its the beginning of festival season in India. Festivals of course mean family, friends, and food!! Lots and lots of delicious food made especially to celebrate. Festival food tends to be rich in every way - full of sugar, deep fried, packed with dried fruits and nuts, and topped off with lashings of ghee (clarified butter). Everyone has their favourites and can't imagine the festival season without them.

Doodh Peda | Milk Fudge for Krishna Janmashtami

I have been wanting to make Pedas at home for a long time now. I find most Halwai Pedas to contain way too much sugar. Not that they don't taste good - lots of sugar can make for a delicious melt in the mouth Peda. But I was looking for something a little less intense. Here I have used condensed milk for that extra milkiness and sweetness. My recipe has no sugar and I found that the proportions below gave me a delicious milk fudge.

Sabudana-Chana Dal Kheer | Payasam | Sago-Lentil Milk Pudding

Diwali or the Festival of Lights is celebrated every winter across the Indian Subcontinent. Endless varieties of sweets and special savoury foods are prepared in homes, offered as Prasad or Neivedyam in prayers and then shared with family, friends, and neighbours!! One such sweet is Kheer or Payasam.

Kheer for Krishna Janmashtami | Kheer Recipes

Milk and milk products rule on Krishna Janmashtami. After considering some options I decided to go for the traditional Kheer - rice pudding with Saffron and Cardamom!!