India is one of the few countries in the world that can boast of people from different backgrounds and different religions living together and enjoying and celebrating festivals of each other with the same enthusiasm as they celebrate their own. These different religions provide India with a lot of different festivals that are celebrated all year long. As a matter of fact some people say that India is a country where a festival is celebrated everyday. 

These festivals offer a great opportunity for people from different religions to enjoy the traditional delicacies that are cooked using the traditional recipes. These traditional recipes have been passed on from generations to generations. 

Sweets are added attractions festivals like Diwali, Lohri, Eid etc. are well known for offering sweets that are a must eat during the period in which these festivals arrive. A must eat because as one goes from home to home congratulating people on festivals it is considered a omen to offer sweets to the well wisher. Although you will realize how easy it is to prepare these sweets once you have gone through the recipe sections of various festivals. 

Here we are providing few Indian festival food recipes to make your festival celebrations more tasty and mouth watering:

Gulab Jamun

• 1 cup Carnation Milk Powder
• 1/2 cup Bisquick - Pancake mix (Instead of Bisquick Pancake mix, use 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda)
• 2 tablespoons butter -melted
• Whole milk just enough to make the dough
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup water
• Oil for frying

• Make the dough by combining the milk powder, Bisquick, butter. Add just enough whole milk to make a medium-hard dough.
• Divide the dough into 18-20 portions.
• Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel.
• Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium.
• Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side.
• After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The Gulab Jamuns should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. Now they must be gently and constantly agitated to ensure even browning on all sides.
• If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So, adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.
• The balls must be fried very slowly under medium temperatures. This will ensure complete cooking from inside and even browning.
• The syrup should be made earlier and kept warm. To make the hot sugar syrup add mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar.
• Transfer this hot syrup into a Corning serving dish. Keep warm on stove. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup.
• Leave gulab jamuns in syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

Peda

• 1/2 kg. Soft white khoya
• 2 1/2 cups (approx.300gms) sugar powdered
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. cardamom seeds semi crushed
• 1 tbsp. slivered or crushed pistachios

• Grate khoya with a steel (not iron) grater.Add powdered sugar and mix well.
• Put mixture in a large heavy or nonstick pan. Heat first on high for few minutes.The on slow till done.
• Make sure to stir continuously, while on heat. When mixture thick and gooey, add cardamom.
• Mix well, and take off fire. Allow to cool, gently turning occasionall
• Use cookie moulds, or shape pedas with palms into patty rounds.
• Mix pistachios and cardamom seeds and press a bit on top of each.
• If using moulds, first sprinkle some at bottom. Take some mixture and press into mould. When set well, invert and carefully, unmould.

Carrot Halwa

• 1 kg Carrots
• 1 litre Milk
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds
• 3/4 cup Water
• 3 tablespoons Ghee
• 2 tablespoons Raisins
• 2 tablespoons Almonds
• 2 tablespoons Pistachios
• 450 grams Sugar

• Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and shred the nuts.
• Put the water to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Add the milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
• Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
• Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins.
• Mix well. Remove from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.