Rakhi special: Surprise your sister this Raksha Bandhan by whipping up these almond based healthy sweet treats

Check out these innovative, sweet but healthy, tempting recipes which are ideal for festivities, especially to light up your sibling's mood this Raksha Bandhan

This year, the Hindus community in India is celebrating the festival of Raksha Bandhan on August 30 and August 31 because Bhadra Kaal and the full moon dates are coinciding this year so, as people mark the unbreakable bond shared between siblings and wish for their happiness and prosperity on the auspicious occasion, here's your chance to straighten your chef's hat and surprise your sister's tastebuds with some almond based healthy sweet treats. According to Hindu customs, sisters tie Rakhi on their brother's wrists and bless them with a prosperous and fulfilling life while brothers promise to protect them from all harm, love them unconditionally and give their sisters gifts.

Rakhi special: Surprise your sister this Raksha Bandhan by whipping up these almond based healthy sweet treats (HT)

If you are looking for ideas to plan an innovative, sweet but healthy and tempting surprise for your sisters, try your hands on these recipes which are ideal for festivities, especially to light up your sibling's mood this Raksha Bandhan -

1. ALMOND AND GOJI BERRY BOONDI LADDOO

Serves: 4 people (2 Boondi ladoo each)

ALMOND AND GOJI BERRY BOONDI LADDOO ( Chef Manish Mehrotra)

Ingredients Quantity

For ladoo batter

Besan 1 ½ cup

Water 1 cup

Cardamom powder ½ tsp

Roasted Almond slivers ¼ cup

Goji berry 3 tbsp

Ghee ¾ tbsp.

Sunflower oil for deep frying

For the Sugar Syrup

Sugar 1 ½ cup

Water ¾ cup

Saffron strands a pinch

METHOD:

• Take sugar, saffron strands and water in a pan, and put it over low flame. Cook the syrup till a single string consistency is achieved. Keep the sugar syrup hot.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Mix besan, cardamom powder together and add water to it to form a batter.
• To check the consistency of the boondi batter drop a few droplets of the better in hot oil, if it becomes flat, the batter is thin and if it has peaks, the batter is thick.
• To make the batter thick add some more besan and to make the batter thin add some water.
• To make boondis, hold a perforated ladle over hot oil, using a spoon spread the boondi batter over the perforated spoon; make sure that the perforated spoon and the pandon’t have much height between them or else the boondis will not be round.
• Do not over fry the boondis and do not crisp them.
• Remove them from oil once the oil stops to sizzle and put it in the sugar syrup. Strain the boondis from the syrup.
• Mix the boondis with almond slivers and goji berries and add around a tbsp of ghee for the binding.
• Make golf sized roundels and shape them. Use ghee so the mixture does not stick on hands.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories	2539	Protein	45.9 gm
Total fat	44.7 gm	Saturated Fats	5.8 gm
Monounsaturated Fats	19.6 gm	Polyunsaturated Fats	10.4 gm
Carbohydrates	499.2 gm	Fiber	23.1 gm
Cholesterol	9.9 mg	Sodium	98.4 mg
Calcium	236.1 mg	Magnesium	363.5 mg
Potassium	1869.5 mg	Vitamin E	14.4 mg

2. ALMOND HALWA TART

Serves: 4-5

ALMOND HALWA TART (Chef Manish Mehrotra)

Ingredients Quantity

Unsalted butter 100 gm

Castor sugar 60 gm

Khoya 120 gms

Almonds 300 gms

Desi ghee 90 gm

Mascarpone cheese 50 gm

Method:

• Cream unsalted butter and sugar together in the machine bowl of planetary mixer with paddle attachment, until thick and creamy. Alternatively, you can use a wooden spoon and a bowl to cream butter and sugar.

• Add the flour and mix well. This pastry is for the tart base, refrigerate in the fridge for about 4-5 hours or overnight.

• Grind the almonds to a slightly coarse powder.

• Heat desi ghee in a heavy bottom pan, add the almond powder and cook on slow heat.

• Cook till slightly brown, add the sugar and cook further 5-10 mins.

• Add the khoya and cook for 10-15 minutes. The almonds and khoya should bind together.

• Roll out the pastry in to a 9 inch round and line a 8 inch tart shell with the rolled pastry.

• Bake at 180 degree Celsius for about 15-20 mins till the pastry is fully cooked and golden in colour.

• Mix the almond halwa with mascarpone cheese and fill the tart with this mixture evenly.

• Garnish with slice toasted almonds and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional).

Nutritional Analysis

Calories	3663.85	Protein g	62.02
Total fat g	335.31	Saturated g	129.07
Monounsaturated g	99.04	Polyunsaturated g	27.4
Carbohydrates g	71.06	Fiber g	52.5
Cholesterol mg	526.85	Sodium mg	845.33
Calcium mg	202.43	Magnesium mg	124.5
Potassium mg	389.85	Vitamin E IU	10.08

3. ALMOND AND ROSE KHEER
Serves: 4-5

ALMOND AND ROSE KHEER (Chef Manish Mehrotra)

Ingredients Quantity

• Full fat milk 2ltr
• Rice 120 gm
• Grain sugar 40 gm
• Rose water 3-4 drops
• Dried rose petals 10 gm
• Almonds 100 gm
• Almond Slivers 25 gms

METHOD

• Soak the rice in water for about 20 mins.
• Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan, after a boil, reduce the heat and simmer till milk is reduced to half the original volume.
• Add the soaked rice, after draining the water and cook on low heat till rice is cooked well and the mix thickens.
• Add chopped almonds and cook for further 15 mins on low heat till the kheer is thick and creamy, add sugar.
• Set aside to cool. Once cool add rose water and mix. Refrigerate till serving
• Roast some almond slivers in an oven for 180 deg for 5 mins, until golden brown. Garnish with slivers and dried rose petals before serving.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories	1152	Protein	28.1 gm
Total fat	88.4 gm	Saturated Fats	13.1 gm
Monounsaturated Fats	36.9 gm	Polyunsaturated Fats	13.4 gm
Carbohydrates	76.6 gm	Fiber	12.4 gm
Cholesterol	30 mg	Sodium	452.6 mg
Calcium	816 mg	Magnesium	375.4 mg
Potassium	1138 mg	Vitamin E	51.8 mg

(Recipes: Chef Manish Mehrotra)