Almonds Dishes

Save some chopped nuts for garnishing. Soak rice in water for at least 30 minutes. Put 1/2 cup water to boil, add rice when it starts boiling. When water almost evaporates, pour in milk, stir to bring to boil. Add sugar, simmer till rice is fully cooked. It should be of thin porridge consistency. Add chopped nuts, cardamom, saffron, stir. Serve very hot, or chilled as desired. Note: If serving chilled, keep the kheer a little thinner, since it will thicken considerably on cooling. Garnish just before serving, or the nuts will go in, if kept too long.

Peel almonds, wash and drain. Put almonds, cashews together, add 1 cup water. Pressurecook for 2 whistles. Remove, drain, but save water, keep aside. Heat 1/2 tsbp. ghee, add onions, saute till transparent. Grind together: Sauteed onions, 5 cashews, 5 almonds, curds, ginger, garlic, half of cream. Heat remaining ghee in heavy pan, Add bayleaf, whole spices. Add drained remaining cashews, almonds. Stir and add sesame seeds, and khuskhus, saute for 2 minutes. Add ground masala, all other spices, salt,, except cream. Cook till oil seperates, add drained nut water. Cook till gravy is thick, stir in cream, simmer for 2 minutes. Pour into serving dish, garnish with grated cheese and coriander. Serve hot with parathas, roti, etc.

Use a heavy pan, so sugar won't burn. Put sugar in pan. Keep following greased with oil and ready: A rolling pin, 2 sturdy large knives, a metal spatula, stone or marble surface to work. Heat sugar, stirring frequently, till fully melted and light brown. Add almonds, cardamom powder, mix well. Pour onto greased surface, mix well with both knives. Be quick, and do not allow mixture to cool, or else it will get brittle. Roll with pin to 1/4" thickness, even out edges by pressing and rolling to a square. While still warm, mark out deep incisions for 1" square pieces. When cold, break into marked pieces, store in airtight container.

Bring milk to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Mix cornflour in 1/2 cup cold milk, keep aside. Add sugar to milk, stir. Add cornflour paste, stirring continuously, till boil resumes. Boil for a further 4-5 minutes, take off fire. Sprinkle gelatine over 3 tbsp. water in a small pan, warm and dissolve over low flame till transparent. Or soak chinagrass in 1 cup water till spongy, then dissolve over flame till transparent. When boiled milk cools a little, add gelatine solution and mix well. Cool to room temperature, freeze in covered tray, till set but not hard. Roast almond slivers in preheated oven on a baking sheet for 5 minutes or till light golden. Remove and cool, mix with pistachios. Break into pieces, beat with an egg beater till soft. Add cream,almonds, cardamom, saffron and mix well. The texture should be light and creamy. Reset in the freezer till frozen.

Take almonds in a large plate. Pour ghee over it. Rub with hands to mix and coat all almonds. Mix salt in 2 tsp. water, take on palms, rub almonds with it. Spread on a clean towel to dry. Put on baking sheet, spread out thinly. Bake in preheated oven at 150oC for 5-7 minutes. Toss once in between to bake evenly. Remove, cool completely, before storing in airtight jar. Note: One may even add chaatmasala, chilli powder, etc. along with salt, to make masala almonds.