‘Pastry for pooris’ recipe is one of the tasteful recipies in the south Indian recipies.

Item required
4 cups (500 g) plain flour, sifted
120 g ghee
cold water
extra ghee for frying
COCONUT FILLING
21/3 cups (250 g) desiccated coconut,
moistened with milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1A cup (60 g) sultanas
1/4 cup (30 g) ground almonds
1/2 cup (125 g) of sugar.
Blend together all ingredients.
Preparation method
1 Place flour in a bowl, rub in ghee. Add enough water to mix to a soft, pliable dough. Knead until smooth.
2 Roll out thinly, cut out circles in the size required.
3 In the centre of each piece, place a quantity of coconut filling. Wet the edge of the pastry all round with water, fold in half, press the edges down.
4 Melt extra ghee in a frying pan, add pooris 1 to 3 at a time, cook on both sides until golden brown.
MAKES 24

This is a rich and filling dessert, which can be served hot or cold.It is very tasty food too.

Item required
2 tablespoons ghee
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
170 g thin vermicelli
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (230 g) sugar
1 drop yellow food colouring (optional)
60 g blanched almonds, chopped and
toasted
125 g cashew nuts, chopped and toasted
30 g shelled pistachio nuts, chopped
2 drops vanilla essence
4 cups (1 litre) milk
Preparation method
1 Melt ghee in a saucepan, saute cardamom and vermicelli until light brown.
2 Add water and sugar, bring to boil. Reduce heat to moderate, simmer for 10 minutes.
3 Add yellow colouring, almonds, cashews, pistachios, vanilla essence and milk. Bring to the boil and remove from heat, pour into a serving dish.
SERVES 4 To 6

This is a sweetened item and prepared on festival or a special occasion. It is delicious and very tasty recipe too. children likes it very much.

Item required
2 cups (250 g) plain flour, sifted
water
1 tablespoon plain yoghurt
oil for frying
SYRUP
2 cups (500 g) sugar
21/2 cups (625 ml) water
V4 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of turmeric
Preparation method
1 Place flour into a bowl, make a well in the centre, gradually add water, stirring in gradually increasing circles from the centre. Add sufficient water to form a thin batter. (Alternatively, combine flour and water in a blender or food processor, blend until smooth). Stand 24 hours, stir in yoghurt.
2 Place just sufficient oil in a frying pan to float the jalebis, heat to moderate.
3 Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a 1% cm plain tube (place a finger over the hole). Pipe the batter in figure eights or double circles into oil, cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove, place into warm syrup for a few minutes. Drain on absorbent paper.
4 To MAKE SYRUP: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil. Simmer over a low heat for 5 to 10 minutes until a thick syrup is formed. Keep warm.
SERVES 4 To 6

This custard has a delicate aromatic flavour.You may like to pour the mixture in small cups or moulds, bake them and serve these individual portions immediately.

Item required
31A cups (875 ml) milk
V. cup (60 g) caster sugar
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon ground almonds
1 tablespoon rose water
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground cardamom
Preparation method
1 Combine milk and sugar in a saucepan, simmer over low heat until reduced to half, cool slightly.
2 Lightly beat eggs and egg yolks together, add milk mixture, almonds and rosewater. Stir until combined.
3 Pour into a 1V2 litre ovenproof dish, sprinkle with nutmeg and cardamom. Place dish in a pan of hot water, bake in moderate oven for 45 minutes or until custard is set.
SERVES 6 To 8

This coconut layer cake has two fluffy layers of cake that are made with coconut milk, which infuses a subtle coconut flavor into them. It is delicious one.

Item required
11/3 cups (350 g) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1 cup (125 g) plain flour, sifted
21/2 cups (625 ml) coconut milk
10 egg yolks, lightly beaten
90 g ghee, melted
Preparation method
1 Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, stir over heat until sugar dissolves, cool.
2 Stir coconut milk into flour, stir in sugar syrup and egg yolks until smooth, stand 1 hour.
3 Preheat grill to moderate, remove grill tray.
4 Pour 2 teaspoons of ghee into an 18 cm round cake pan. Pour in 3 tablespoons of batter, tilt pan until mixture forms a thin layer, grill about 4 minutes or until
golden brown.
5 Brush top with melted ghee, pour
3 tablespoons of batter over first layer, grill until golden brown. Repeat until all mixture is finished, brushing each layer with ghee before pouring in the next layer. Lower temperature of grill if necessary. Cake will take approximately 1 hour to cook.
6 Allow cake to cool, turn out, cut into wedges to serve.
SERVES 10