Recipes for sweet snacks for a rainy day

A heavy downpour throughout the day usually makes for cooler evenings if not cooler nights. If one such weekend you find yourself listless not wanting to order dessert but have time on your hands, make these sweet rainy day snacks, perfect for chilly monsoon days when the best gives you a little respite and the sweet and hot desserts warm you up from the inside.

1. Gajar ka Halwa

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ghee, divided
• 450 gm carrots, peeled and grated
• 375 ml whole milk
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 75 gm sugar
• 65 gm cashews, chopped

For garnish:

1 tbsp pistachios, chopped

Instructions:

1. Thoroughly wash, then peel the carrots. Then grate the carrots finely using a grater and set aside.
2. Place a large kadai over medium heat and once it's hot, add half of the ghee and let it melt.
3. Add the grated carrots and stir well to coat the carrots with ghee, then continue to sauté for about 8 minutes. You'll notice the color of the carrots deepening. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning.
4. Pour the milk next, and mix well. Cook this mixture for six to seven minutes, stirring constantly. The carrots will gradually absorb the milk, so keep stirring.
5. Once the milk has been almost absorbed, add the sugar to the kadhai. Then immediately also add the remaining ghee.
6. Continue cooking as the sugar melts and releases water. Keep stirring until this excess moisture evaporates and the halwa starts to come together. This process usually takes about five to six minutes.
7. Sprinkle in the cardamom powder and mix followed by adding the chopped cashews to the mixture. You can also add other nuts like almonds or pistachios.
8. Mix everything well, then continue to cook for a couple more minutes.
9. Once the halwa has reached your desired thickness, remove it from heat. Garnish with the chopped pistachios before serving.

2. Warm Fudgy Brownies

(Serves 16)

Ingredients

• 300 gm granulated sugar
• 90 gm all-purpose flour
• 60 gm Cadbury Cocoa Powder
• 60 gm powdered sugar, sifted
• 85 gm dark chocolate chips
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 120 ml choice of oil
• 2 tbsp water
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C and grease an 8x8 inch baking dish, then line it with parchment paper, allowing some overhang over the sides.
2. Take a medium bowl, add granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, dark chocolate chips, and salt, and whisk.
3. Take a separate big bowl, crack the eggs and add the oil, water, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and slightly frothy.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish. Smoothen the top with a spatula.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies and check for a few moist crumbs. Your brownies will be fudgy of you get moist crumbs, and they are done.
7. Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
8. After cooling, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the brownies out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and slice into 16 squares.

3. Sewaiyyan Payasam

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 500 ml milk
• 50 gm vermicelli, roasted
• 250 ml water
• 100 gm sugar
• 45 gm cashew nuts, halved
• 45 gm raisins
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 2-3 saffron strands
• 1 tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Place a saucepan over medium heat and bring water to a boil.
2. Once boiling, add the roasted vermicelli to the water. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vermicelli is soft and most of the water has been absorbed. This should take about five to seven minutes.
3. Pour in the milk and stir to combine with the cooked vermicelli. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
4. Add the sugar to the simmering milk and vermicelli mixture. Stir continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved.
5. Sprinkle in the cardamom powder and add the saffron strands. Stir to distribute these spices evenly throughout the payasam.
6. Allow the mixture to simmer for about five minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The payasam should thicken slightly then become creamy.
7. While the payasam simmers, prepare the nuts. Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the cashew halves and fry them, stirring constantly, until they turn golden brown and fragrant.
8. Add the raisins to the pan with the cashews. Stir for a few seconds until the raisins puff up slightly. Remove from heat immediately.
9. Once the payasam has reached your desired consistency (it will thicken further as it cools), remove it from the heat.
10. Add the roasted cashews and raisins, and stir, reserving a few for garnish.
11. Pour the payasam into serving bowls. Garnish with the reserved cashews and raisins.
12. Serve the Sewaiyyan Payasam either warm, at room temperature, or chilled.