Navratri 2024: 5 almond-based healthy recipes you can make at home and enjoy the festive season

TOI Lifestyle Desk / etimes.in / Apr 16, 2024, 15:31 IST

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Navratri 2024: 5 almond-based healthy recipes you can make at home and enjoy the festive season

As Navratri unfolds with its vibrant celebrations, many individuals opt for a clean and natural sattvik diet. This dietary choice includes indulging in nutritious foods like almonds, seasonal fruits, and vegetables. Nuts like almonds, known for their energy-boosting properties, are particularly favored during this festive season. Almonds are commonly enjoyed in their raw or soaked form, but if you're looking to add some variety to your almond consumption, there are numerous creative ways to incorporate them into your diet. Here are five delightful almond-based recipes to enhance your Navratri culinary journey.Seb Aur Badaam Ka ShorbaServes: 4Ingredients:Almond (peeled), 150 gmsGinger, 20 gmsWhite pepper powder, 5 gmsHoney, 10 mlJeera, 2 gmsCream for toppingRefined oil, 10 mlShahijeera, 5 gmsSaunf, 5 gmsCinnamon, 2 gmsSalt to tasteVeg stock, 200 mlMethod:

Blanch the almonds, make a puree and keep aside. In a pan, heat a little oil,add ginger and green apple dices with a little water to boil.Cool it down to make a puree.
In a separate sauce pan, add a little refined oil, shahijeera, saunf and cinnamon and sauté well. Add almond puree to cook for sometime then add apple puree. After that, add a good vegetable stock cook for 20 minutes, add honey, pepper and Jeera powder.
Check the seasoning. Finish with cream and almond flakes which are toasted and are with skin.

Tip: To make a good Indian vegetable stock sauté some onion and garlic and whole garam masala and add carrots, coriander, ginger and mint and boil for 2 hours or pressure cook for 15 minutes with ample water, strain and keep for soups and gravies in your fridge.Grilled Almond Burfee (Sugar Free)Serves: 4Ingredients:Khoya (pindi), 500 gmsSugar free, 40 gmsAlmonds roasted and crushed, 1 cupMethod: Grate the khoya and keep aside. Heat a pan and add khoya, now add 40 g of sugar free and cook on low heat for 3-4 mins. Remove from fire and mix in roasted and crushed almonds. Immediately transfer to individual serving dish. Sprinkle the remaining sugar free on top. Place the dish in a hot oven 200 degrees C with heat only from top and allow the sugar to caramelize.

Remove and serve immediately.Elaichi AlmondsServes: 4Ingredients:Toasted Almonds, 100 gmsMaple Syrup, 1 tbsp.Salt, 1 pinchCracked Pepper, 1/2 tspCinnamon Powder, 1/2 tspElaichi Powder, 1 tspDesiccated Coconut for garnishing Method:Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Garnish with desiccated coconut. Almond Halwa TartServes: 4-5 Ingredients:Unsalted butter, 100 gmSugarfree to tasteKhoya, 120 gms Almonds, 300 gmsDesi ghee, 90 gmMascarpone cheese, 50 gmMethod:

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).

Almond Coconut BurfiServes: 4 – 5 peopleIngredients:Freshly grated coconut, 1 cup Grinded, Almonds blanched,1/2 cup Sugarfree to taste Desi ghee, 1/3 cupMethod:

In a non-stick pan add ghee on a low medium heat and add coconut & almond mixture. Stir to mix well and keep on stirring to prevent the mixture form sticking to the pan or getting burnt, until it begins to leave the sides of the pan, lumping up as one mass. Add sugar and fold it well.
Apply ghee onto a baking sheet and keep aside.
Reduce heat to low and continue stirring for a few more minutes until the residue sticking to the sides of the pan starts to look opaque and dry, which means the consistency is nearing almost right for solidifying.
Remove onto the greased plate / sheet. Mix the dough with greased hands, pat it flat into a neat square with a greased rolling-pin to 1/4 inch thickness. Smooth out the surface if needed.
As it has cooled partially, cut into equal squares with a knife. Once completely cooled (about an hour or so), separate out the burfis with a flat spatula and store in an airtight container.

By Almonds Board of California

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