FAMOUS SWEETS OF UTTARAKHAND

 We all have relished the mouth watering Pahari sweets of Uttarakhand such as Arsa, Singori, and Bal Mithai in our childhood days. Their sweet flavours are still on our taste palates till date and we still can’t resist eating them while visiting our native villages. But with the introduction of the western flavours in the traditional cooking methods, somewhere we have forgotten the authentic flavours of the Pahari delicacies. But if you wish to incorporate these sweets and delicacies in your wedding menu, then you can check out these scrumptious Pahari sweets that will tempt your guests with its aroma and taste.

BAL MITHAI

Bal Mithai is a brown chocolate-like fudge, made with roasted khoa, coated with white sugar balls, and is a popular sweet from Almora in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India, especially regions around Almora.It is one of the most favourite sweet of common people and the people living near almora region.

Now lets know its receipe-

Sweets of Uttarakhand
BAL MITHAI
Makes: 12 to 15 pieces
Ingredients
  • 11/2 kg khoya
  • 500 gm powdered sugar
  • 500 gm sugar crystals
  • 10 gm tartaric acid
  • ½ cup milk
  • 50 gm khus khus (poppy seeds)
  • Ghee for greasing
Method
For the sugar syrup
In a heavy-bottomed pan mix sugar (crystals) and tartaric acid with a litre of water. Bring it to a boil on medium flame.
After the sugar dissolves, add a little milk to the syrup. A scum will be formed on the surface. Remove it with the help of a spoon.
Boil the syrup and keep checking the consistency. The syrup should be of three-thread consistency. Divide it into two portions.
For the chocolate coloured barfi
Mix the khoya and powdered sugar with half of the syrup in a pan and keep stirring till it is of a rich chocolaty colour.
Grease a tray with ghee and spread the mixture on it. When it is cool and set, cut into pieces.
For the bal dana (white balls)
Heat the remaining sugar syrup in a pan and put the khus khus seeds in it, till they are coated with the syrup. Using a strainer remove the seeds and put them on a plate. Repeat the process a few times.
Roll the cut brown burfi pieces on the plate so that they get coated with the sweetened khus khus.

SINGORI

Singori (also spelled Singodi) or Singauri is an Indian sweet made with Khoya and wrapped in maalu leaf. It is similarto Kalakhand.According to some historians the origin of Singori is believed to be the old province of Tehri. It is traditionally made with khoya wrapped in form of a cone with Maalu leaves.The dessert is prepared from Khoya and served wrapped like a cone in Molu leaf.Singori/Singodi is a cone shaped sweet exclusively available in the kumaon region of Uttarakhand.

Now lets know its receipe-
  • Prep Time: 15m
  • Cook Time: 30m
    • Sweets of Uttarakhand
    SINGORI
  • Total Time: 45m

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 kilogram Unsweetened khoya / evaporated milk
  • 1/4 kilogram Sugar
  • 100 grams fresh grated coconut
  • 15 molu leaves, folded into cones
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rose petals / nuts

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Knead khoya and sugar by mixing well. Heat this till khoya melts.
  2. Add grated coconut and continue heating for 10 minutes.
  3. As mixture cools down, fill small khoya ball in each malu basket.
  4. Garnish with nuts or rose petals.

ARSA

Arsa is normally prepared and served as a sweet dish during the wedding occassions and also presented to bride's in-law house along with other items. This is a custom which can be seen in weddings. Now a days people can find this dish selling in markets of Dehradun.
Sweets of Uttarakhand
ARSA

Now lets know its receipe-

Ingredients

  1. 100 gms Rice
  2. 80 gms jaggery
  3. as needed Oil to fry
  4. 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder

Steps

  1. Soak rice for overnight
    1. After soaking, Dry it very well.Now make a fine powder of it.
       
       
    2. Take a wok, Add jaggery. Melt it well
       
       
    3. Add rice powder in melted Jaggery and stir it well.
       
       
    4. Now our arsa mixture is ready, Make small balls and fry it well.
       
       
    5. Our Uttarakhand traditional recipe arsa is ready.Serve it hot.

ROTANA

Rotana - Traditional Pahari sweets
ROTANA
Rotana (Sweet Flour Dumplings) is a traditional Garhwali sweet. No celebration of Uttarakhand is complete without it.
Now lets know its receipe-
Preparation Time:40 minutes
Difficulty:Easy
Servings:20 pieces

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour1 cup
Sugar or Gur1/4 cup
Ghee1 tbsp
Small cardamom (elaichi) powder1/2 tsp
Milk2 tbsp
Desiccated Coconut2 tbsp
Powdered SugarTo Garnish
OilFor frying

Method:

  1. Make syrup of sugar with 1/4 cup of water (or less) just to dissolve the sugar. Keep aside to cool.
  2. Rub the ghee in wheat flour.  
  3. Keep aside 2 tbsp of syrup. Mix flour, elaichi powder, remaining sugar syrup, milk and coconut and make a tight dough like mathari. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
  4. Knead the dough again. Add some more milk if it’s too hard.
  5. Make small walnut size balls from the dough using oiled hands.
  6. Fry on medium heat till brown. If the oil is not enough hot, the dough will start spreading in the oil. Even if the oil is hot enough, some of the balls will get a crack and that’s fine. Drain them on paper towel.
  7. Garhwali Rotana (Sweet Flour Dumplings) is ready.
  8. To serve, drizzle the fried balls with the remaining syrup. Top it with some desiccated coconuts and powdered sugar.

Notes:

  1. If you are using sugar, there is no need to make a syrup. You can powder the sugar and knead it with wheat flour directly.
  2. Garhwali Rotana (Sweet Flour Dumplings) is crisp from outside and soft from inside.
  3. You can change the flavor as per your liking. Saunf is a great substitute for elaichi.
  4. You can even top it with roasted sesame seeds.
  5. In Kashmir there is a similar dish called Roth. In that wheat flour is kneaded with sugar, saunf and ghee. Biscuit shaped dough is made and brushed with dahi. Then sugar crystals are sprinkled on top along with poppy seeds and chopped nuts. The nuts are pressed in the dough and then they are fried.
  6. In Bihar, a similar recipe is called Thekua, which is made in the shape of a mathri and some patterns are made on both sides.

jhangore-ki-kheer
JHANGORE KI KHEER

JHANGORE KI KHEER

Jhangore ki Kheer is a delicious Pahari dessert recipe that you can prepare in the comfort of your home for you family and friends. This authentic kheer is made using jhangora (barnyard millet), milk, sugar and deliciously garnished with kewra essence, almonds and raisins. Prepare this scrumptious dessert on festivals and special occasions like Diwali, Holi, Birthday, etc. This sweet and delectable dessert is just perfect for people who have a sweet tooth and wouldsatisfy your taste-buds. You can sweeten the life of your loved ones by making this tasty Jhangore ki Kheer for them and they will shower you with tons of praises and compliments. 

Now lets know its receipe-

Ingredients

4 servings
  1. 1/2 cup Jhangora / Barnyard Millet
  2. 1/2-3/4 cup Sugar
  3. 8 cup Milk
  4. 1 tbsp Almonds chopped
  5. 1 tbsp Raisin
  6. 2 drops Kewra essence or Rose essence (optional)

Steps

30 min
  1. 1.Take a deep bottomed pan and add milk to it. Let the milk boil over medium flame.
  2. 2.Once the milk is boiled, add millets to the pan. Cook this mixture and keep stirring to avoid lumps.
    1. 3.Add sugar and cook till it thickens.
       
       
    2. 4.Switch off the flame and garnish with almonds and raisins.
       
       
    3. 5.Serve Jhangore ki kheer warm or chilled.

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