Imarti

                                              

Imarti or Amriti or Emarti or Omriti also known as Jaangiri or Jhangri in south India, is a dessert invented in Mughal kitchen & is now popular across the Indian Subcontinent including Rajasthan, West Bengal & South India.
In North India it is often consumed with rabri (condensed milk). In South India, this sweet is served after a meal and also popular at weddings and festivals.
So what are you waiting for? Make this for Bhaidooj & enjoy it with your brother 

Ingredients
For Batter
1 cup Split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal)
2 tbsp Rice flour or 1/4 cup Rice
6 to 8 drops Edible orange colour
Oil to deep fry

Sugar Syrup
5 cups Sugar
2 1/2 cups water
6 drops Rose essence
1 tsp Green cardamom powder
2 tbsp milk

Method
For Batter
Soak overnight dal & rice together.
Drain & grind in morning with the colour to a soft, spongy mixture with a coarse texture.
If using rice powder then add it to dal mixture & mix well.
You would need water to grind but make sure to add little by little as the batter should not become too thin.

For Sugar Syrup
Boil sugar with water till a syrup of single-thread consistency is reached. Add milk & remove scum to make a clear sugar syrup. Remove from heat & strain the syrup.
Add rose essence & green cardamom powder. Keep the syrup hot.

How to Proceed
Heat sufficient oil in a shallow flat kadai.
Beat the batter till it's light & fluffy. Now check it by dropping a drop in a bowl of water, if it floats then batter is ready otherwise you have to beat it more.
Take one ladle full of batter in the imarti cloth or zip lock bag (refer Tips), hold tightly & press the batter through the hole into the hot oil.
For the traditional design, make a small circle around which make another circle & over these two make scallops in anti-clockwise direction ending at the starting point.
Make small batches & deep fry on both the sides till crisp & light golden brown. Drain the hot imarti & dip into the sugar syrup.
Let them remain immersed just for 2 minutes & drain them. Repeat this process till all the batter is used up. Serve hot.

Tips
* Imarti is best made immediately after grinding but you can always grind & refrigerate it. Just make sure to beat it well before using.
* Imarti cloth as suggested in this recipe is a special thick canvas cloth with a round buttonhole in the center.
* For Zip Lock Bag-
Take a zip lock bag & a nail. Heat nail & insert hot nail lightly in the centre of zip lock bag. You will get a hole that would be sealed on sides & when you make imartis, it will not tear.
* Do not over soak imartis in sugar syrup or they will not remain crisp & will become soggy.

Oats Cookies with Almonds & Chocolate Chunks

                                              

 A friend brought some cookies for me & kids just loved them. So I started searching for a perfect recipe to bake some cookies myself. After trying with one batch with not so perfect result, I finally got this one which everyone liked :)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp milk

1 cup oats

1/2 cup whole wheat 

1/2 cup plain flour

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chunks

1/2 cup roasted almonds

 

Method

In a large bowl put in the butter, sugar, vanilla & milk.

Beat until smooth and creamy.

In another bowl, assemble all the dry ingredients, the oats, flour, cinnamon powder & baking powder and mix well.

Add chocolate chunks & roasted almonds.

Mix in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture & knead until the cookie dough comes together.

Add little more milk if you feel the need.

Preheat the oven at 175 C.

Divide the mixture into 20 equal parts & form into round balls & press to give cookie shape.

Place on a greased or non stick cookie tray at a little distance from each other.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for a chewy cookie and 25 to 30 minutes for crisp cookies (Till slightly golden).

Tips

* Flip cookies after half time to avoid over browning of cookies from bottom.

* I used salted butter, if you are using unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt with flour.

* You can use 1 cup whole wheat & omit plain flour, but the cookies will be denser.

* Can make these without nuts & chocolate or you can replace almonds with cashew or walnuts or raisins.

* You can use 1/2 tsp baking soda in place of baking powder.

* Do not take less butter as it is needed for binding the flour.

* Do not over bake as it will alter the taste.