Kanjak Prasad – Poori, Chana & Halwa

Hey All! Hope you are doing great. Though its been a while that we are way past our festive season in India. However, it looks like I am yet to get over from it. And why not? After-all, festival means spending more time with family, revive the age-old traditions, fun, laughter and of-course food.

As I have mentioned in my earlier post, there is something special about festival foods. The reason can be attributed to the fact, that these foods are not the kind of foods that we get to relish on a regular basis. Hence, they are called delicacies. Also, these foods or I may say these Prasads (offerings), are prepared with certain emotion, dedication and devotion, that it becomes difficult for a person to find the same authenticity of taste outside. Thus, they say, the taste of the food only enhances when it is prepared with love😊.

One such prasad, that enlightens my heart not only because of its divine taste, but also the memories attached to it, is Kanjak. Kanjak, or Poori, Chana & Halwa, is usually prepared during the eighth day or the ninth day of Navaratri. The festival which is dedicated to the nine incarnations of Goddess Durga. The eighth day of Navratri is celebrated as Ashtami and the ninth day as Navami, which also mark the end of the fasting period for several devotees. According to the Hindu tradition, the lady of the house welcomes nine girls into the house and offers them halwa, chana and poori as Kanjak Prasad.

When I was a child, I also had the pleasure of being invited to different households, as a part of Kanjak Puja ritual. With time, maybe I have lost the privilege, but the taste of this delicious Prasad and the memories have always stayed with me.

So, come along, and let us re-create the divine taste once again.

Recipe: Kanjak Prasad – Poori, Chana & Halwa

Preparation Time: Around 20 minutes altogether Cooking Time: Around 1 hour 30 minutes altogether Yield: Serves 3 Equipment used: A pressure cooker, 3 pans, rolling pin & board, 3 turner, 2 bowls

For Poori

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat four (atta)
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons refined oil
• Water to knead the dough

Method:

• Combine whole wheat flour (atta) with 2 tablespoon oil
• Knead the dough with hand by adding little water at a time until the dough is firm
• Cover the dough with muslin cloth and keep it aside for approximately 10 minutes
• After 10 minutes, take out little piece of dough, roll it with both the hands to make small ball of dough and repeat the process for the entire dough
• Take one dough ball at a time and flatten the dough with a rolling pin and board to give it a round shape
• Heat 1 cup oil in a pan and deep fry the flattened pooris one after another with a spatula or a deep frying strainer

Combine flour with 2 tablespoon oil.

Knead the dough with hand by adding little water until the dough is firm.

Cover the dough with muslin cloth and keep it aside for a while.

Make a small ball of dough, flatten the dough and fry the poori one at a time.

Enjoy hot pooris with chana and halwa.

For Chana

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kala chana
• 2 cups of water
• Quarter teaspoon salt
• Quarter teaspoon garam masala powder
• 3 tablespoon refined/vegetable oil
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon jeera (cumin) powder
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ½ inch X ½ inch crushed ginger
• 1 teaspoon ghee

Method:

• Wash and soak the chana overnight
• Rinse the chana with fresh water and pressure cook them with 2 cups of water, ¼ teaspoon salt till 3 whistles
• Once the chana is boiled, heat a pan and add 3 tablespoon oil into the pan
• Temper oil with cumin seeds and bay leaf
• Add the boiled chana with water followed by jeera powder and dhania powder and mix them well
• When the water starts reducing, add garam masala powder followed by crushed ginger and ½ teaspoon salt
• Remove from heat and add ghee

Soak chana overnight.

Pressure cook chana with salt and water till 3 whistles.

Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a pan and temper the oil with bay leaf and cumin seed.

Add boiled chana with water.

Add jeera powder and dhania powder.

Add garam masala powder, crushed ginger and salt, once the amount of water is reduced.

Add ghee, after removing chana from heat.

For Halwa

Ingredients:

• Quarter cup semolina/suji/rawa
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup peanuts
• 1/8 cup raisins
• 5-6 sliced almond for garnishing
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 1 bayleaf
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ghee

Method:

• Heat a pan and roast semolina for 2-3 minutes
• Soak the raisins and almonds
• Heat a pan and add oil into the pan
• Add bay leaf and peanuts
• Once peanuts are fried, add semolina
• Add sugar and mix it well
• Add water and raisins and keep stirring till the texture of halwa in acquired
• Add ghee followed by sliced almond

Heat oil in a pan and temper hot oil with bay leaf

Fry 1/8 cup peanuts.

Once peanuts are fried, add semolina, sugar, water and raisins. Keep stirring till the texture of halwa is acquired. Add ghee , followed by sliced almond.

Tips:

• Ensure that the dough is neither too soft nor too firm. You can check by pressing the dough with your finger. It should be soft enough that your finger reaches the bottom of the dough, but your finger should come out easily from the dough without getting stuck
• While boiling chana, pressure cook the chana on high flame till the first whistle. Reduce the heat to sim for second and third whistle.
• The left over oil from frying pooris can be re-used