Recipes you can rustle up for a hearty meal at home in Durga Puja

Kesari Malai Peda
Ingredients
4 cups skimmed milk
A few strands of saffron
A pinch of citric acid
2 tsp cornflour, dissolved in 2 tbsp of milk
¼ tsp cardamom powder
10 tsp sugar
8 almonds, chopped

Method
Bring milk to a boil in a deep pan and simmer till it reduces to half its original quantity. Add saffron and mix well.
Mix citric acid in two tsp water, add to thickened milk.
Add dissolved cornflour and stir continuously till the mixture thickens.
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
Take pan off the heat and stir in sugar and set aside to cool.
Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape them into round pedas.
Sprinkle almonds over the pedas and serve.

Chennar Payesh
Ingredients
½ cup chenna, made from skimmed cow’s milk
1 litre (5 cups) skimmed milk
½ cup sugar
5-6 almonds, blanched and chopped
¼ tsp green cardamom powder
7-8 pistachios, blanched and chopped

Method
Boil the milk in a deep non-stick pan, reduce heat and let it simmer till it is reduced to half the original quantity.
Add sugar and cook till it dissolves.
Mash the chenna in a bowl. Add it to the milk and simmer for two minutes.
Garnish with almonds and pistachios and serve chilled.

Sandesh
Ingredients
8 cups (1.6 litres) milk
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup (65 gm) sugar
A pinch of green cardamom powder
12 pistachios, blanched and finely chopped

Method
Bring milk to a boil in a deep, thick-bottomed non-stick pan. Add lemon juice and stir till the milk curdles. Strain, and immediately refresh the chenna in chilled water.
Put chenna in a piece of muslin and squeeze till all the water is drained out.
Knead chenna well, with the heel of your hand. Add sugar and cardamom powder, and knead again.
Cook in a non-stick pan on medium heat for eight minutes. Remove from heat and divide into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and make a dent on the top.
When cooled, place a pistachio in the dent and serve.
(Recipe makes 12 sandesh)
— Recipes courtesy Chef Sanjeev Kapoor