Teej is a vibrant festival celebrated in northern India to welcome the monsoon season. It is a time when women come together to honor the goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva. The festival is marked by colorful attire, intricate henna designs, fasting, and communal rituals. Women observe a day-long fast, sometimes without water, praying for the well-being of their husbands and a joyful married life.
During Teej, the air is filled with the aroma of traditional sweets and savory dishes, creating a joyful and communal atmosphere. To make the festival even more special, here are some healthy dessert recipes you can try at home easily:
Grilled Almond Burfee (Sugar-Free)
Ingredients: Khoya (pindi), Sugarfree, Almonds roasted and crushed.
Recipe: Grate the khoya and set aside. Heat a pan and add the khoya, then add sugar-free sweetener and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in roasted and crushed almonds. Transfer to individual serving dishes, sprinkle sugar-free sweetener on top, and place the dishes in a hot oven at 200°C with heat only from the top to caramelize the sugar. Serve immediately.
Almond and Carrot Halwa Crumble
Ingredients: Carrot, Full cream milk, Sugar free, Cardamom (powdered), Ghee, Almonds (blanched)
Recipe: Cook milk and carrots together until the milk reduces. Add cardamom powder, ghee, and sugar, then mix in sliced, blanched almonds. For the crumble, rub flour, butter, sugar, and ground almonds together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Bake at 180°C until golden brown. Serve the gajar halwa with the crumble and roasted almonds.
Seb Aur Badaam Ka Shorba
Ingredients: Almond (peeled), Ginger, White pepper powder, Honey, Jeera, Cream, Refined oil, Shahijeera, Saunf, Cinnamon, Salt, Veg stock, green apple.
Recipe: Blanch almonds, make a puree, and set aside. In a pan, heat oil, add ginger and green apple dices with water, and bring to a boil. Cool and make a puree. In a separate saucepan, heat oil, add shahijeera, saunf, and cinnamon, then add almond puree and apple puree. Add vegetable stock and cook, then add honey, pepper, and jeera powder. Finish with cream and toasted almond flakes.
Almond and Amaranth Ladoos
Ingredients: Popped amaranth seeds, Jaggery melted, Almond slivers (unpeeled)
Recipe: Combine popped amaranth seeds, almond slivers, and melted jaggery in a bowl. Shape into small balls.
These healthy dessert recipes are a great way to add a nutritious touch to your Teej celebrations. Enjoy the festive season with these delicious treats that are not only tasty but also good for your health.
By Rohini Patil, MBBS and Nutritionist
(Images courtesy: Canva)
