Kaju Pista Roll

India is land of diverse cultures, traditions and languages in all its myriad forms. Every now and then India celebrates festivals of all sorts that is why India is also called of Land of Festivals. We Indian don need any special occasion to celebrate i.e we celebrate everything from birth of a child, birthday of God and Goddesses, any fasting, harvesting, planting to commence of rain any many so on. Every festival is a part of mythology or has some significance to our Vedas, Holy scripts. 

Birth if new born baby is also celebrated as a festival, and to mark this special occasion sweets are gifted to friends. Here is my post dedicated to my grandson and made this sweet for his welcome to our family. 

Cooking time : 40 mins
Preparation time : 20 mins
Makes Approx : 2 roll of 12’’

PISTA BARFI

Cooking Time : 20 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.

Ingredients1 cup (100 grams) pistachios

1/2 cup (50 grams) sugar
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
a few drops of green food colouring (optional)

Method1. Microwave the pista for 1 min or dry roast pista in pan.

2. Cool and grind pista to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or dry mixer. Keep aside.
3. Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup of water and prepare a syrup of one string consistency.
4. Add the powdered pista paste, cardamom powder and green colour and cook over a slow flame, stirring continuously till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan (approx. 5 to 7 minutes).
5. Transfer to a plate and cool slightly. Keep aside.

CASHEW BARFI

Cooking Time : 20 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.

Ingredients

2 cup (200 grams) cashewnuts, broken
1 cup (100 grams) sugar
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method : 
1. Microwave the cashewnuts for 1 min or dry roast cashew in pan.

2. Cool and grind cashew to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or dry mixer. Keep aside.
3. Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup of water and prepare a syrup of one string consistency.
4. Add powdered cashew and cook over a medium flame, stirring continuously till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan (approx. 5 to 7 minutes).
5. Transfer to a plate and cool slightly. Keep aside.

Kaju Pista Roll preparation

Preparation Time : 15 mins.
Cooking Time : Nil.

Other ingredients

ghee for greasing

For the garnish

Coarse Pista powder

Method : 1. Make the pista barfi as specified in the recipe.

2. Divide into two equal parts and shape each portion into a cylindrical roll of 100 mm. (10") length and 6 mm. (1/4") thickness. Keep aside.

3. Make the cashew barfi as specified in the recipe.
4. Divide into 2 equal parts. Roll out each portion with the help of a greased rolling pin on a sheet of plastic to rectangle of 250 mm. x 75 mm. (10" x 6") and 150 mm. (1/8") thickness.

5. Place one portion of the pistachio roll on one side of the cashewnut rectangle.
6. Roll out tightly starting from the end where the pistachio roll is placed and seal the edges completely.

7. Gently press the roll till it is about 300 mm. (12") length.

8. Roll this onto coarse pista powder till it coats the kaju pista roll completely.

9. Cut into 7 pieces of 25 mm. (1") each.

10. Repeat the steps from 2 to 9 for the other roll.