Badam Pak

Ingredients:  Badam Pak Almonds 500 gm, Ghee 300 gm, Sugar 400 gm, Water 200 ml,  Cardamom pwd a pinch.
Method: Blanch Almonds (In boiling water plunge the almonds. Remove from fire and leave for 30 mts., when skin bloats, rub between hands and remove skin).

To the blanched almonds add a little water and make a smooth paste. Take ghee in a kadahi, add almond paste and stir fry till light brown in colour. Remove and keep aside. In a separate pan/kadahi, heat sugar and water and allow it to simmer.

As scum keeps forming on top, keep removing the scum till clear syrup is left in the kadahi. Keep boiling on low flame till the syrup reaches the soft ball stage(When you pour a drop of the sugar syrup in cool tepid water, the sugar syrup should form a round ball and should be soft when pressed between fingers). To the sugar syrup add the almond paste and cardamom powder and mix well. Grease  a tray and pour mixture and cool. Cut into shapes.

Badam Poori

Ingredients: Maida 350 gm/ 2 ½ cup,  Almond (blanched and ground) 175 gm/ 1 ¼ cup , Sugar 750 gm/ 3 1/3 cup, Rice flour 150 gm/ 1 ¼ cup, Milk 100 ml./ 6 ½ tbs, Saffron 1 gm, Cardamom 6 gm/ 1 tbs, Ghee 25 ml/ 2 tbs, Oil for frying, Water 375 ml./ 1 ½ cup & 1 tbs.

Method: Make a dough with rice flour, maida, milk and  almond paste. Make sugar syrup with sugar, saffron, cardamom and water stirring continuously. Divide the dough into small equal sized balls roll into small round shape like small poories. Apply ghee on top of poories and stack one on top of other with a total of three poories in each stack. Roll and cut into small pieces. Again roll it into round shape and deep fry till golden brown. Soak in warm sugar syrup. Serve warm.

Courtesy: Almond Board of California