Archive for January 16, 2009
Ghewar - Sweets from Rajasthan - Teej Festival Traditions
Ghewar - Sweets From Rajasthan - Teej Festival Traditions
About Ghewar
Ghewar a delicious sweet from the state of Rajasthan is a treat to the taste buds. It is a very popular sweet even outside Rajasthan and usually served as dessert.
Ghewar is generally prepared in January for Makar Sankranti, in March-April for Gangaur and in July-August for the Teej festival.
The demand for Ghewar remains high during the Teej which marks the beginning of a series of fairs and festivals, which are celebrated throughout the autumn and winter months in Rajasthan, culminating in the spring festival of Gangaur.
Ghewar sweet known for its matchless sweetness comes in varieties such as plain, desi ghee, paneer and mawa. Paneer ghewar is garnished with paneer and is highly demanded for their matchless flavor.
Ghewar on The Festival of Teej
During Teej and Gangaur, gifting Ghewar is part of rituals in Rajasthan. The newly wedded girls are given Ghewar sweet as gift. The gifting of these sweets is locally called Sanjara, which is a part of the culture of Rajasthan.
It is really very tasty and yummy to eat. No doubt, the calories are really high in this sweet, but eating one or two pieces would do no major harm. However, if there are diabetic people in your house as well as those who are health conscious, you can fry it little less or instead of pure ghee, use white oil. Instead of sugar, you can also use commercialized sugar-free substitutes available in the market.
Ingredients Required to Prepare Ghewar
• 4 Cups flour
• 2 Cups ghee
• 4 Cups water
• 1 Cup milk
• 1 tbsp Almonds (chopped)
• 1 tbsp Pistachios (chopped)
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Saffron (soaked in milk)
• 1 1/2 Cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp Yellow colour
How to prepare Ghewar from scratch?
• Mix flour, ghee, milk and 3 cups of water to make a batter.
• Dissolve colour in the remaining water.
• Mix the coloured water to batter.
• Take an aluminium or steel cylindrical container.
• Cylinder should have a height of at least 12″, and a diameter of 5-6″.
• Fill half of the cylinder with ghee and heat.
• Once the ghee is hot, pour a glass of batter in the centre of ghee.
• Allow foam to settle.
• Pour a glassful of batter in ghee again.
• Once the foam gets settled again, place ghewar on mesh.
• Prepare sugar syrup of one tar consistency.
• Dip Ghewar in syrup so as to remove the extra oil.
• Keep it for cooling.
• Pour few drops of saffron water.
• Sprinkle chopped almonds, pistachios and cardamom powder.
• Ghewar is ready.
