Rajgira Ka Halwa | Rajgira Sheera | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Rajgira Halwa, Rajgara Sheera, Rajgira Atta Ka Halwa or amaranth flour halwa is easy, delicious halwa made with rajgira atta (amaranth flour) made for fasting or vrat. Amaranth is gluten-free and very healthy, flour made from amaranth are slightly coarse compare to singhara or kuttu flour which gives more texture to the halwa. This rajgira no sheera (rajgira ka halwa) is very easy to prepare with minimal ingredients.

Dussehra Recipes | Dasara Recipes | Dussehra Sweets, Snacks Recipes

Dussehra or Vijayadashami also known as Dashahara, Dashera, Dussera, Dashain is one of the most important Hindu festivals As the name suggests Vijayadashmi or Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Ashwin according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar which corresponds to September or October and this year Dussehra falls on 4th Oct 2014.  Dussehra is celebrated on the 10th day of Navratri to mark triumph of good over evil.   Lord Rama's victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana.

Bakheer | Gur Chawal Kheer | Kheer Recipes

Bakheer or Gur (Gud) Chawal ki Kheer is traditional Uttar Pradesh kheer recipe made during Ramnavami, Dussehra along with Dal Poori. Bakheer made with rice, jaggery and milk, using dark brown jaggery is good in this recipe which brings the brown color in kheer if you are using white or normal jaggery then the kheer will be in dull white color but the taste is almost same whatever jaggery we use.

Chana Dal Puri | Dal Puri Recipe | Dussehra Recipes

Chana Dal Puri or Dal Puri (poori) is traditional, authentic Uttar Pradesh/Bihar recipe made during Dussehra/Dasara in our home. This is called Chana Dal Puri but it's actually made as stuffed paratha.  Chana dal poori made on Dussehra (Vijayadashami), Holi, wedding, during winter or on any auspicious occasion or celebration.   This is one of family's favorite dal puri made with minimal ingredients its very simple and taste delicious, during Dussehra chana dal puri is served with Bakheer another traditional recipe.

Lauki Kheer | Dudhi Kheer Recipe

 
Wishing everyone Happy Dussehra.   I wanted to post something sweet on this special day but cooking in morning and posting the same day is not my cup of day.  So using this kheer recipe which was suppose to be part of my Navratri Vrat Recipes.  Bottle gourd/Lauki/Doodhi is a wonderful vegetable, we can make sabji, dal, kofta, halwa, kheer and so  many other things from it.  


Lauki Ki Kheer is widely made during fasting and also on festivals.   It’s very easy to prepare with minimal ingredients and taste delicious.  Before I start to peel and grate bottle gourd I keep milk to boil and let it simmer until I needed it in kheer, it helped me to save time later while cooking kheer as it was done fast and made thick creamy kheer.  Try this one time and you will fall in love with this delicious kheer.
 


Ingredients:

Milk - 1 Liter/5 Cups  [I used full cream]
Lauki/Bottle gourd - 500gms [Around 3 cups grated]
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Cashews - 8-10
Almonds - 5-6
Raisins - 15-20
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp



Method:

1. Keep milk for boiling, after it boils slow flame to medium and let it simmer to reduce milk to 3/4 or until we need it to use. 

2. Wash, peel and remove seeds from bottle gourd and grate it.
3. Squeeze grated bottle gourd/lauki to remove water.  Don’t discard the water but use it in your dal or to make roti dough.

4. In a pan heat ghee add bottle gourd and sauté until light golden brown for around 5-6 minutes.

5. Now add boiled milk and mix well.  Milk will start to boil again, add dry fruits and cook in medium to slow flame and simmer it for 8-10 minutes.  In regular interval keep stirring the kheer.

6. Add sugar, cardamom powder and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.  To check if kheer is done if you drop kheer both milk and bottle gourd should go down together then your kheer is done, if you have bottle gourd stick to your ladle means it’s not done yet, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve it warm or cold with dry fruits garnish. I like it cold and chilly.



Variations~

~ You can add 1/2 cup condense milk to make kheer creamy, in this case reduce sugar.  And you don’t have to simmer milk for long.
~ You can also add khoya if you wish to make the kheer very rich.

Have a nice day ~~