No Indian festival season is complete without a sweet sendoff.
Let Vindhya Karwa tempt you with her fusion sweet offering.
The fuss-free Paan Sandesh is flecked with betel leaves and has been flavoured with rose water and is served with Almond Coconut Laddoos.
The laddoos are a wonderful combination of almond, coconut and foxnuts -- the nuttiness goes amazingly well with the sweetness of the jaggery.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Vindhya Karwa
Paan Sandesh
Servings: 8-10 pieces
Ingredients
- 15 small-sized betel leaves
- 200 gm paneer
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rose water
- Rose petals and betel leaves to serve
Method
- In a blender combine the paneer along with the betel leaves and blend.
Transfer the contents into a bowl.
- Add the sugar and rose water and mix well until sugar dissolves.
- Store the bowl in the deep freezer for 30 minutes.
Take out of the freezer and using an ice cream scoop make small balls of the sandesh.
Place it back in the freezer until ready to serve.
- To serve assemble a few betel leaves on a plate and decorate it with rose petals.
Almond Coconut Laddoos
Servings: 8-10 pieces
Ingredients
- ½ of a fresh coconut, grated along with the skin
- 1 bowl almonds
- 3 tbsp jaggery
- 10 to 15 makhana or foxnuts
- Rose petals and betel leaves to store
Method
- In a heavy-bottomed kadhai or pan roast the almonds over medium heat.
Take off heat, let cool and then grind in a blender into a coarse mixture.
Keep aside.
- In the same pan roast the foxnuts. Add little jaggery so they don't turn soft.
Take off heat and keep aside.
- In the same pan, melt the balance jaggery over low heat.
Add the ground almonds and the grated coconut.
Keep stirring until the almonds are well-coated with the coconut and jaggery.
Take off heat, let cool a bit.
Roll the foxnuts in the mixture and using your hands shape it into small laddoos.
To serve assemble a few betel leaves on a plate and decorate it with rose petals.
Note: You may want to serve the Almond Coconut Laddoos and Paan Sandesh together to have a wow-looking dessert.
Place the Almond Coconut Laddoos in the centre and arrange the Paan Sandesh on the side as in the photograph above.
Vindhya Karwa posts vegan and vegetarian recipes under the Instagram handle @vinsplate.
