Dry fruit treats

The festive season is round the corner. Here are some dessert recipes harnessing the nutritional power of milk, nuts and dry fruits – Parvathy Menon Power of five milkshake (4 servings) Ingredients 20 almonds 15 cashewnuts 6 dates 20 unsalted pistachios 10 figs 1 tsp rose essence ¼ tsp cardamom seeds, pounded 7 almonds, roasted 4 cups milk Preparation guide Soak the almonds in water overnight. Peel the skin in the morning. The skin contains tannin which reduces nutrient absorption. Put the blanched almonds, cashewnuts and pistachios in a bowl and pour enough water to cover them. Soak for two hours. • Blend the nuts in a mixer, until fully crushed. Break the dates and figs into small pieces and add them to the nuts. Run the mixer again. The dates and figs provide sweetness so sugar is not needed. Add the rose essence and pounded cardamom seeds. Run the mixer for a few seconds and transfer the mixture into three cups or bowls. Add milk to each one and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator. Grate a few whole, roasted almonds and sprinkle on top. Serve chilled. Health benefits Milk is rich in protein, calcium, phosphoros, vita[1]min B, vitamin D and potassium. If you can, use organic milk. Cashewnuts contain vitamins B6, E and K, and magnesium, zinc and manganese. Cardamom alleviates digestive problems and bad breath. Coconut boosts cardio-vascular health, provides fibre for good digestion, and contains a number of antioxidants Nutty coconut balls (4 servings) Ingredients 3 cups of desiccated coconut 2 cups condensed milk (sweetened) 1 cup khoya ¼ cup almonds ¼ cup cashewnuts 2 tsp ghee Preparation guide Dry roast the almonds and keep aside. Roast the cashewnuts and leave on a plate to cool. Heat the khoya over low flame, stirring well. Keep it aside. Heat the desiccated coconut in a pan. Stir continuously until it begins to turn light brown. Keep aside in a bowl. Pour in the condensed milk and mix well. Since the condensed milk is sweetened, there is no need to add additional sugar. Add the khoya to this mix and stir. Crush the cashewnuts and almonds into bits. Make a ball of the coconut mixture. Flatten it, and use the crushed nuts to make a filling in the centre. Form a neat, round ball and dip it in the desiccated coconut bowl. Use the entire mix to make same-sized balls. Basmati kheer (4 servings) Ingredients 1 ½ litre full fat milk ¼ cup high quality broken basmati rice ½ cup sugar 15 raisins 15 cashewnuts ¼ tsp cardamom powder Preparation guide Soak the broken rice in water for two hours. Roast the cashews on low flame. After it cools, break the cashewnuts into smaller pieces. Boil the milk and reduce to a low flame. Continue to heat the milk for five to six minutes, stirring to ensure that there is no browning. Add the rice to the milk and continue to cook till the rice becomes soft. Once it is…