Spaghetti Squash Halwa

ngredients

• Spaghetti Squash - 1 (medium size, about 1 lb) 
• Sugar - 1/2 cup 
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (or use 2 crushed cardamom)
• Chopped cashews or almonds or any other nuts - 2-3 tbsp (for garnishing) 

Preparation

1. First cut the squash lengthwise into half. Scoop out all the seeds and the fibrous part inside.
2. Now you have to cook the squash till soft. You can either pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles or microwave it for about 10-13 minutes. You can also bake it in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for 1 hour. 
3. Once the vegetable is cooked, scoop the flesh using a fork. You will see that the flesh automatically separates into thin strands similar to noodles.
4. You can use these spaghetti squash strands to make kheer or add a seasoning and serving as a quick sabzi. For now, let's make Spaghetti squash halwa!!!

   Method

   1. Take 1 tbsp ghee in a pan. Toast the nuts till golden brown and remove it.
   2. Add the scooped out spaghetti squash strands and saute for a minute.
   3. Add the milk and sugar. Cook till all the liquid gets absorbed.
   4. Add another tbsp of ghee and cook till the mixture moves as a single mass without sticking to the pan. You can also see a sheen as the ghee will start oozing out.
   5. At this stage add the cardamom powder and toasted nuts. Mix once and switch off. 
   Is there anyone else out there who enjoys eating warm halwa topped with some cold vanilla ice cream!!! Yummy!!!

Badam Halwa

Preparation time: 30 minutes 
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Almonds - 1 cup (around 80 almonds)
• Milk - 3-4 tbsp
• Water - 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 cup (or as needed)
• Saffron - a pinch
• Kesari Powder/ Yellow food colour - a pinch

Method

1. Soak the almonds in hot water for 2 hours and peel the skin off the almonds. To make it faster, boil the almonds with the water for 15-20 minutes and peel them or use store bought peeled almonds.
2. Grind the almonds in a blender or mixie along with the milk to make a paste. Add very little milk just to help the mixie moving.
3. Heat the sugar with 1/4 cup of water in a heavy bottomed pan. Bring it to boil to make a simple syrup.  (Note :- It is best to use a non stick pan to prevent sticking at the bottom.)
4. Add the milk-almond paste and keep stirring constantly to prevent it from getting burnt at the bottom. It will thicken very quickly.
5. Add saffron strands and food colour while mixing it. When the mixture cooks, there can be lot of hot splattering, so keep a lid handy.
6. Once it thickens, keep adding ghee little by little (1 tsp at a time) and keep stirring continuously. When the splattering reduces, it is an indication that the mixture is almost cooked.
7. Continue mixing until the halwa no longer sticks to the pan and forms a single mass. It starts shining with the ghee separating out as tiny droplets. (The perfect Halwa consistency!!!)
8. Garnish with fresh nuts.Almond halwa is ready to be served.

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White Russian Cake

• Recipe Servings: 4
  Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 1 Hour

The popular vodka-based cocktail gets transformed into a sinful cake. There's vodka, Kahlua and Bailey's - as heady as it gets.

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter
• 175g self-raising flour
• 25g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 150g sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp soda
• 2 Tbsp vodka
• 1 tsp Kahlua
• For the Buttercream Icing
• 275g icing sugar
• 130g unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp Baileys coffee
• 1 Tbsp Vodka

Method

1. First, grease your cake tin and turn on the oven to 180 degrees, to preheat. Perfectly powder the sugar and then add the butter, creaming until the mixture becomes light and airy.
2. Next, crack open the eggs and gently beat them into the sugar- butter mixture, one after the other. Beat until they are perfectly mixed.
3. Sieve the baking powder together with the flours and then gently fold (not stir) into the butter mixture until they are well mixed. Add the soda water and a teaspoon of Kahlua.
4. Pour it all into your cake pan and bake for about half an hour, by which time the cake should be light, fluffy and burnished with a golden brown tint on top. Run a skewer through it and it should come up clean.
5. Once it has been cooked, let it cool for a few minutes. Then stab lightly with a fork or toothpick and paint the vodka over it.
6. While the cake is cooking, start working on your buttercream icing. For the icing, first make sure that the butter is at room temperature. Then beat it until it is fluffy, preferably with an electric beater. Gradually add in the sugar, bit by bit, making sure it is beaten well before adding more. Then add in the vodka and Baileys, gradually. Last of all, slather on to the top of your cake and serve.

Key Ingredients: butter, flour, eggs, kahlua, baileys, vodka