Eight easy hacks to use up leftover Diwali mithai and dried fruits with recipes

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Diwali is the season of gifting and receiving. And now, even as the festive hangover rages on in full force, those boxes of mithai and dried fruit staring you in the face present the formidable choice of re-gifting or repurposing. To help make the decision easier, we spoke to Reetu Uday Kugaji, a culinary expert and consultant chef, to explore interesting ways of using up those Diwali leftovers. "Leftover mithai is surprisingly versatile and can find numerous applications. However, before you begin to repurpose the sweets, make sure to examine them carefully - any change in texture or a sour smell is a sign that the sweets may not be safe for consumption. Discard these," she warns.

Reetu Uday Kugaji

Mithai makeovers

If you're tired of munching on boxes of peda or kaju katli, chef Kugaji suggests the following hacks:

. Store leftover dried fruit in a clean airtight jar with some organic honey. The honey preserves the dried fruit and increases their shelf life. You can stir this mixture into your morning cereal or granola, or even on buttered toast.

. With Christmas just around the corner, soak leftover dried fruit in wine, rum or brandy, and use them to make Christmas cake and other delicious bakes. For more flavour, add spices such as nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and dry ginger. You could also invite your friends over for a cake mixing ceremony in anticipation of the Christmas festivities.

. Use dried fruit in granola bars. Add some nuts, seeds, nut butter and rolled oats with some honey. You can either chill the bars directly, or bake them for a short while.

. Treat yourself to an indulgent breakfast by making pancakes or crepes that are stuffed with leftover mithai. Make sure to use sweets that aren't too moist, to keep the pancakes or crepes from becoming soggy. Indian sweets such as peda, barfi and kaju katli work best as filling. As you spread the batter on the pan, place the finely-chopped or crumbled mithai on the crepe or pancake - the mithai will begin to melt and become pliable. If you are health conscious, swap your regular flour with millet.

. Prepare stuffed multigrain flour parathas and use the leftover mithai as filling.

. Use leftover karanjis to make choorma, churi or panjeeri. Crumble the karanjis and add coarsely ground dried fruit. Eat this mixture for breakfast with a glass of unsweetened milk, on cold winter mornings.

. Leftover milky and syrupy sweets such as rasmalai, rasgulla, malai sandwiches and sandesh, which tend to have a shorter shelf life, can be quickly blended into milkshakes.

. Cookies, cupcakes, cakes and muffins are another easy way to use various leftover mithais and dried fruit.

Also Read: Pecan Miso Butter and Jelly Sandwich? Follow these recipes for gourmet versions

Ela ada or elayappam with leftover mithai and dried fruit

Ingredients
For the dough:
. 1/2 cup rice flour
. 3/4 cup hot water
. 1/2 tsp clarified butter
. 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:
. Leftover barfi, kaju katli or puran of puran poli (as required)
. Leftover dried fruit, coarsely ground (as required)

For the wrap:
. 1 banana leaf, small

Additional:
. 1 tsp clarified butter

Method
Heat the banana leaf over a low flame on both sides, to ensure that the leaves do not break while folding. Heat a non-stick pan and dry roast the rice flour. Let it cool. Add hot water, clarified butter and salt to the rice flour and knead into a stiff dough. The dough should not be sticky. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll into round balls. Place each ball on a portion of the banana leaf and flatten gently with your fingers into the shape of a small roti.

Spread 1/2 tbsp of the filling in the centre of each dough ball. Spread evenly. Now fold the banana leaf and seal the sides by pressing down gently on the edges. Repeat the process until all the ingredients are used up. Place the banana leaf pouches in a steamer. Cover and steam for 15 minutes. Serve warm with a drizzle of clarified butter.

Note: You can replace the rice flour with ragi flour or other millet flours for a healthier alternative.

Punjabi kachi haldi di panjiri with leftover karanji and dried fruit

Pics Courtesy/Reetu Uday Kugaji

Ingredients
. 200 gm fresh raw turmeric (kachi haldi), peeled and ground, pureed or grated
. Crumbled leftover karanji as required
. 2 tbsp desi ghee
. 1 tbsp leftover mixed melon seeds, sautéed in desi ghee
. 1 tbsp poppy seeds, sautéed in desi ghee
. 1 tsp dried ginger powder
. 1/4 cup leftover fox nuts (optional)
. 4 tbsp leftover mixed nuts, finely chopped or coarsely ground

Method
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the haldi. Cook on a low flame until the haldi is completely dry. Make sure it doesn't brown. Set aside and cool in a sterilised dry glass bowl or a stainless steel thali. Mix the melon seeds and poppy seeds. Coarsely grind the dried fruit mixture and add dried ginger power. Mix well. Add some freshly ground cooked turmeric. Finally, add the crumbled karanji and mix thoroughly. Store in a sterilised and dry airtight jar or container, with hot and unsweetened milk.

Also Read: Easy recipes to celebrate with Vegan Saag and other dishes