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Sunday, July 13, 2008

Lapshi


Today I had to send some one off to Mumbai and also had to welcome some back the to Bengaluru.

So I made this sweet dish that is so nutritious, wholesome and a breeze to make too. Lapshi as it is called in Koli/ Marathi is a sweet made with broken wheat. It is called as Gulacha sheera in other parts of Maharashtra, as jaggery(Gul) is the sweetener used. It is served as prasad as well as for offerings during Shraddha.

Since I was in a rush this morning getting ready to go to the the new airport and with the double A back from Helsinki this was something they'd definitely love I thought. Anand, Alok and Varsha loved it but Asawari missed it. Gauri now no more a toddler has become very assertive and she just passed it on with Finnish "No".

Ingredients

1 cup broken wheat
3/4 cup jaggery powdered
1/2 cup ghee (Alt method: 2 tablespoons only)
1-2 cardamoms powdered
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
handful of golden raisins
choice of nuts
hot water

In a pan heat the ghee till molten. Add the broken wheat and fry till it pops to give whitish color but be careful not to redden it. Meanwhile heat enough hot water approx. 1 liter you will use up less though. Add the powdered jaggery and mix with the broken wheat. Follow up with hot water. Mix well and cook till each grain is separate and fluffy. Add the nut and raisin along with the fragrant spices and mix well. Cover and leave it still for 5 mins before serving.

Serve each portion with a dollop of ghee! For the weight watcher skip it.


Alternative Technique:

Add 1.5 tablespoons of ghee to a small pressure cooker. Toast the broken wheat till puffed white and fragrant. Add water about 1/2 inch above the level of broken wheat. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or 20 mins. Cool cooker. Open and add the jaggery. Cook on low heat till its incorporated and glossy. Its done when the lapshi leaves the sides of the cooker. Top with 1/2 tablespoon ghee. Incorporate it. Let it cool a bit but serve warm. Pressure cooking ensures every grain is perfectly cooked and uses lesser ghee without compromising on taste.


When Lapshi is made like a liquid it is called Gavhachi Kheer.

This is a classic case of how the same ingredients can give a completely different experience.

5 comments:

  1. This looks like a one comforting dessert!!

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  2. Thats one easy breezy dessert - more healthy with borken wheat and jaggery.

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  3. In my village , lapshi is not made with one cup . But with wheat as much as that can get in a village cart . Proportionately, ghee, slices of dry coconut , and jagery etc .
    This is accompanied by kadhi ( made from lassi of cow milk ) .
    Every body has to bring his/her own plate, eat with everybody and at the end carry the plateful of lapsi home .
    This is India

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  4. Really I love such traditions! Every village has some of these and those huge meals made on wood fire taste amazing don't they?!!

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