Method: Soak semolina in enough water for three hours. Drain, rub gently between fingers, wash three to four times with fresh water.

Keep aside to settle again, discard top water, grind to a very smooth paste. Add enough water, to make a thin batter. Heat one cup ghee in a large heavy pan, allow to cool. Add batter, stir well, till smooth.

Place on heat, cook while stirring continuously, add ghee little by little. Cook to form a transparent, soft lump. Add sugar, stirring till it is liquefied and again a soft lump forms. When ghee starts separating, take off from fire, sprinkle citric acid. Stir well, mix in blanched and halved almonds and pistachios and set in a rectangular, greased tray.

Make incisions when cooled but still soft. When completely cooled, separate pieces, wrap each in clean thin pieces of polythene or clingfilm.

Store in airtight container.

Condensed milk 1/2 cup

Cottage cheese 250 gm

Kewra essence 2-3 drops

Yellow colour 1/4 tsp

Method: Mash cottage cheese.

Add condensed milk and cook on slow flame, stirring continuously. Cook till it becomes thick and leaves sides. Add essence and remove from flame. Mix well. Cool. Make laddoos. Sprinkle powdered elaichi and decorate.

Chana dal 300gm

Jaggery 300 gm

Cardamom powder1 tsp

Plain flour 150 gm

Ghee 1 tbsp

Ghee to serve

Method: Boil dal in plenty of water till soft but not broken. Drain for 10-15 minutes. Pass through an almond grater little by little till all dal is grated. Mash jaggery till lumps break. Mix well into dal. Put mixture in a heavy saucepan and cook till a soft lump is formed. Take care to stir continuously, so as not to charr. Keep aside.

Mix ghee, flour and add enough water to make a soft pliable dough.Take a lemon-sized ball of dough, roll into a 4" round. Place same sized ball of filling in centre, close and seal. Reroll carefully into a 6" diameter round. Roast on warm griddle till golden brown. Repeat the other side.

Take on serving plate. Apply a tsp of ghee all over top.

It can also be shallow fried like a parantha for a better flavour. Serve hot with dal or amti.

Fine wheat flour 3 cups

Semolina 1 cup

Grated jaggery 2 cups

Ghee 2 tbsp

Peppercorns 1 tsp

Milk 2 cups

Lime 1

Curd 1 tbsp

Sugar syrup of

one-thread consistency 2 cups

Condensed milk 4 tbsp

Elaichi powder 2 tsp

A pinch of salt and soda

Method: Put the flour and semolina in a bowl along with the milk, curd, jaggery and the pinch of salt. Beat at least for five to seven minutes so that the mixture becomes light. Pound the peppercorns coarsely and add to the mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and pour over the mixture.

Mix well, cover the bowl and let it stand for seven to eight hours in a warm place.

The mixture would have risen by this time. Stir it well. If it is thick, add a little milk or water to bring it to pouring consistency. Add and blend in it a pinch of soda and lime juice .

Place a deep frying pan with a lot of oil in it, when it is heated, lower the fire, gently put in 1 tablespoon of the prepared batter into the heated ghee.

Fry to a golden brown colour on both sides. on low flame. While frying splash to make it porous and crisp.

Take out with a slotted spoon and place in a strainer so that the extra ghee drips down. Thus fry all malpuas. Put these in sugar syrup while still hot and let these remain in it till they become soft. For serving, take out malpuas with a ladle and put in the serving dish. Top with condensed milk and elaichi powder.