“Padwa”with Sweet Potato (Yam) Munchkins (रताळ्याचे काप)

This is the very first Diwali after marriage and hence “Padwa” would mark the beginning of gifts by demand from Rohan as per the Hindu Sanskruti! The custom is to do “औक्षण” and receive gifts as well as do namaskar (worship the husband like god and receive blessings) from him.The “औक्षण”  and receiving the gifts part sound interesting, :P (lets do without the namaskaar part of it,what say girls?).

Rohan got me a beautiful pair of earrings from Kohl’s & a long desired fancy Corningware (Corelle) Factory crockery set!! So,seems like a very handsome beginning! I m going to make him happy as well! So,"Paneer Chili”  (an appetizer with Indian cottage cheese with chilies) & “Ratalyache Kaap” (Sweet Potato Munchkins) shall be laid on the platter for my Sweetheart :)

  Unfortunately,the book has a recipe for the Sweet Potato Munchkins but not for the other dish.Hence,putting only the Sweet Munchkin Recipe here for you guys!

Total Time=Cooking Time+ Preparation Time=10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato/Yam thinly sliced into circles or quarters(Indian sweet potatoes are white while American yams are orangish when de-skinned).
• 1 and half muffin-full bowls of sugar or jaggery.I used sugar,however the quantity may differ.
• 1-2 tbsp of ghee
• 1 and half muffin-full bowl of water
• 1tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder (my addition)
• 1-2 cloves (my addition)

Slice Up & Caramelize the Munchkins

The sweet munchkins are absolutely easy to make.Quick sweet! However,I wasn’t not quite sure if my husband would like it,so making it only a bowl full!

I began with caramelizing the yam slices in ghee with cloves.I allowed it to caramelize it for 5-6 minutes until the yam absorbed ghee completely.

 

 

Then,I moved them out of the saucepan and spread them over a paper napkin to absorb all the excess ghee.While my napkins were stabilizing the calorimeter of sweet potatoes,I made the sugar syrup for the munchkins.

My Aai does not make a sugar syrup,instead adds the sugar to caramelized sweet potatoes.However,I wanted to taste the output of munchkins as per Kamala Aji’s method so made the syrup separately by boiling sugar and water together in the proportions mentioned in the ingredients,stirring it continuously.Sometimes,the recipes suggest on addition of some lime juice to such a sugar syrup,but Kamala Aji hasn't added any,so I skipped it too!

Once the syrup started the boil,I added the caramelized yams,nutmeg powder and cardamom powder to it.As suggested by the book Ruchira,I kept stirring the sugar syrup-yam mix until the syrup got exhausted & the mixture was dry.

Yummmm! these munchkins tasted like heaven! In fact,the taste was unique and better than my Aji’s (Granny)..he he!

Treat your hubbies with these munchkins!

Happy Balipratipada (new year) and Bhaubheej (a festival of brothers and sisters).