Gujiya, Til Laddu & Halwa for Diwali / Deepavali

Diwali / Deepavali, if called by another name, would have to be the ' Festival of Sweets'. Each community and states has a unique speciality: mithai vendors display high piles of delicacies, layer upon layer on large stainless steel platters, sometimes as wide as three feet in diameter.
Diwali sweets feature as the most integral part of the festivities of the festive occasion.

Khoya - 50 gm
?Coconut, grated - 30 gm
?Almonds, chopped - 1 tbsp
?Pistachios, chopped - 1 tbsp
?Raisins - 1 tbsp ?
Maida - 100 gm
?Ghee - 30 gm
?Water - 40 ml
?Oil for frying
?Sugar - 40 gm

Knead maida, water and ghee to form a stiff dough. Grate the khoya and mix it with grated coconut, chopped almonds, sugar, pistachios and raisins. Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and roll.

Stuff them with the above filling and mould them into the shape of a half moon.

Deep fry them in moderate hot oil till they are golden brown in colour.

To be served at room temperature sprinkled with castor sugar or dipped in thick sugar syrup.

Khoya - 100 gm
?Sugar - 70 gm
?Green cardamom - 1 tbsp
?White sesame seeds - 60 gm
?Saffron - 1 pinch

Slightly roast the white sesame seeds and grind it coarsely.

Cook the khoya in a kadai for some time. Add the ground sesame seeds to the khoya along with sugar.

Add the cardamom powder and saffron and cook.

Let the mixture cool for some time. Make small balls of the laddus.

To be served at room temperature garnished with silver foil.

250 g til ( sesame seeds )
250 g jaggery ( powdered )
50 g khoya

In a kadai or pan, roast til on a low heat. Add the powdered jaggery and khoya. mix quickly. Make the balls or laddus of this til - jaggery - khoya mixture. Store in an airtight container.

Flour - 100 gm
?Sugar - 125 gm
?Almonds slivers - 1 tbsp
?Pista slivers - 1 tbsp
?Water - 250 ml
?Ghee - 40 gm

Cook the flour with ghee till it becomes light brown in colour.

Dissolve water and sugar together in a bowl.

Add the mixture to the flour along with almond and pista slivers.

Cook it till it thickens. To be served hot, garnished with chopped pistachios and silver leaves.