Phodni Rice ( फोडणीचा भात )

Ingredients -  

2 cups....................left over rice
2...........................onion ( chopped)
2..........................green chillies ( slit in two)
1/2 tsp..................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ..................cumin seeds
3-4 ...................... cloves
5/6 ......................pepper
2........................cardamom
2 .......................cinnamon
1/4 tsp..................hing ( asefoetida )
1/2 tsp................turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ...............chilly powder
1 tsp.................sugar
2 tbsp................oil
salt
1/2 lemon ...............(squeezed to juice ) (optional )
chopped coriander leaves ( for garnish) ( optional )

Method :

Heat oil and add mustard seeds.

After they splutter add hing, cloves , pepper , cardamom , cinnamon , slit chillies and chopped onions and saute till translucent.

Now add separated grains of left over rice.

Add turmeric powder, chilly powder , salt and sugar and mix well.

Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Add lemon juice and chopped corainader leaves and serve hot.

Balushahi

Ingredients :

2 cups ......................maida
1/2 tsp.......................baking powder
1 pinch......................baking soda
2 tbsp.......................whipped curd
4 tbsp...................... warm ghee
a pinch.....................salt
2 cups ....................sugar
1 cup.....................water
1/2 tsp...................cardamom powder
1 tbsp.....................almond slivers
oil for deep frying

Method :

Mix maida, baking powder, soda, curd and ghee gently with fingers till they resemble bread crumbs.

Now add just enough water and knead a soft but firm dough.

Cover it with wet muslin cloth and keep aside for at least 1 hour.

Make sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water.

When the syrup boils add cardamom powder and boil till it thickens a bit.

Now in a kadhai heat oil .

Make lemon sized balls of the dough and press them to form a pedha shape.

Make a depression in the middle with your thumb.

Deep fry these badushahs in oil on low flame for 10 to 12 minutes.

This will ensure that they become crisp and are cooked properly.

Fry till they are golden brown in colour.

Then drain out the oil with a slotted spoon and drop them in prepared syrup.

Let the badushah absorb syrup for about 5 to 10 minutes.

In the meanwhile fry the next batch of the sweets.

Remove the badushah from syrup and arrange them on the plate for the syrup to dry.

Sprinkle almont slivers on top and when completely cold store them in airtight container.

Motichur Laddoos ( मोतीचूर लाडू )

Some people make the boondi used for these laddoos at home . But I have used the saltless boondi which is readily available at most of the sweet and farsan shops .
Edible camphor that I have used it totally optional but it lends a heavenly flavour which one should rather not miss . 
Most of the Indians who  have heard or had been lucky enough to eat the boondi laddoos offered as prasadam at Lord Tirupati temple will certainly know what I mean . 

Ingredients - 

1/4 kg - saltless boondi 
half cup - almond and pistachio slivers
2 tbsp - raisins
half tsp - cardamom powder 
one small piece - edible camphor 
2 tbsp - ghee 1 
1/2 cup - sugar 
1 1/2 cup - water 

Method - 

Boil the water and sugar together and make one string syrup . 
The sugar syrup should not be very thick or very thin.
Add to it cardamom powder and camphor . 
Now to this syrup add dry fruits and boondi . 
Mix everything well and cover the vessel with a lid . 
Keep the vessel covered for 10/15 minutes . 
The boondi will absorb all the syrup and become soft . 
When the mixture is still warm smear your hand with ghee and make laddoos .