Sakkarapongal/Paal Pongal[Festival sweet recipes]-The pressure cooker way!

Been sometime since I blogged.Completely held up with my professional and personal life :)I make ready made mixes,pastes during weekend so I that could make my food in a  jiffy during the hustling bustling weekdays :)Planning menu the before day and cutting veggies beforehand helps me a lot!So I was not able to capture any dishes that I made and since I do not want my blog to go to hibernation,I was checking my drafts and yes got the sakkarapongal :)
Be in Friday or any other auspicious day,I opt to make this sweet pongal as it is hassle free :)The one recipe that I am so confident and it is definitely a never fail recipe for me after trying it for some many times.


Ingredients:

rice	1 cup
Boiled milk	2 cups
Raw milk(not boiled)	2 cups
water	1 to 1.5 cups
Jaggery	1 cup(nicely grated)
raisins and cashews	1 tsp"(roasted in the ghee)

Method:
1.Put the rice in a the cooker and wash it well…Drain the water…Add  2 cups of   of the raw(not boiled) milk plus 1 cup of water and pressure cook it for 5 whistles..Wait till the pressure releases.
2.Once the pressure is released,open the cooker and smash the contents well with a ladle.Smashing the content is important as we want the sweet pongal to be gooey :)
3.Switch on the stove place the cooker and add 2 cups of boiled milk and mix the contents well..
4.When the mixture starts to boil add the grated jaggery and simmer the stove till the jaggery melts..
5.Once the jaggery completely melts,turn the flame to high and mix the contents well…
6.Add the roasted cashews and raisins and mix it well…When it attains the semi solid consistency,switch off the stove as it would turn solid once it gets cooled.
7.Serve it with a dollop of ghee and enjoy the sweet ambrosia.

Notes:
I have heard from people making it with moong dal and using water instead of milk…Have not tried it though!
You can add or subtract the jaggery quantity as per your sweetness.
You can also add cardamom powder to pongal

Kadalaiparuppu sundal/Channa dal sundal-Sundal recipes

Kadalaiparuppu sundal is  a must menu during varalakshmi pooja at my MIL’s home…She does not change the sundal menu and by default it should be kadala paruppu sundal…My mom makes sundals extremely so well and as usual I called her and asked her for tips and she gave me the most useful tip about kadala paruppu sundal and here it is…Kadala paruppu gets cooked so fast and so you do not have to soak it and you can wash once and directly put it in cooker for 1 whistle or you can soak the split channa dal and drain water again put it in a wok along with water and let it cook for few minutes.,.Make sure you switch the stove off in advance so that it does not go mushy…I follow the firt tip of not soaking it and cooking directly in the cooker.You can follow any of the way.

Ingredients:

Kadala paruppu	1 cup
scraped coconut	1/4 cup
oil	1 tsp
mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
curry leaves	a spring
asafetida	2 generous pinches
dry red chili	2 roughly broken

Method:

1.Wash the kadala paruppu well and put it in a cooker and add enough water till the paruppu gets immersed.Cook it for 1 whistle.
2.After that cool and drain the water and keep the cooked kadala paruppu ready.

3.In a wok add oil and once it gets hot add mustard seeds and wait for it to crackle.Then add dry red chili,curry leaves,asafetida,cooked kadala paruppu and salt and mix it well.,..

4.Wait till you find no traces of water in the kadalaparuppu and stir it for a couple of minutes in medium flame…Finally add the scraped coconut..Give it a quick stir and switch the stove off…Yummy sundal is ready.


Notes:

Instead of cooking in cooker you can directly cook in wok.The choice is yours.
You can even add grated carrort and mango at the end.

Mosambi/Sathukudi juice-[Easy juice recipe]

My mom is a great fan of sathukudi juice :)She always insist me to have it for breakfast or during the mid day :)I was never a great fan till few days back but all of a sudden I started to drink this juice like something…It is so very good for health and it provides energy to you…

 

Ingredients:

Mosambi	3 medium sized
salt	a pinch
sugar	1 tsp or as per your need
pepper powder	a pinch
water	1/4 cup

 

 

 

Method:

1.Cut mosambi into 2 halves.If you are not using the juicer to extract the juice then remove the seeds and peel the outer green skin…ensure that the white skin is also removed..

2.In a blender put the flesh of the fruit sans seeds,sugar,very small quantity of water,a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper powder and nicely blend it..

3.Using a strainer,strain the juice and enjoy the taste.If you feel it is too concentrated then add water and mix well and serve.

 

 

 

Notes:

You can use chilled water while blending and enjoy the cool mosambi juice.

serve immediately after making it else it will taste bitter.

You can top ice cubes too

Adding pepper powder and salt is purely optional

If you have the mosambi juice extractor,you can very well use it extract the juice and then add all the ingredients in the blender to get the frothy appearance.

Cold coffee-Yummy coffee recipe

I am someone who love cold coffee a lot…I cannot even accept the addition of cream or ice cream in my cold coffee…Being a coffee lover that I am got addicted to this drink…I always thought that you will need magic ingredients to make this one but only later I did realize that all it requires is very easy ingredient that is readily available in the pantry…umm the moment I think of it,I could feel the taste in my tongue :p

Ingredients:

Chilled milk	1 cup(boil the milk,cool it and then refrigerate it)
sugar	as per the need
Instant coffee powder(I used BRU)	1 tsp or more to get the flavour and the color

Method:

In a blender add chilled milk,sugar and instant coffee powder and blend it well…Transfer it in a glass and enjoy.

Notes:

You can add any ice cream of your choice and blend it to get a more creamy texture

You can even drizzle chocolate syrup and relish the taste.

Cucumber salad[Easy salad recipe]

It has been sometime since I posted some recipe.I so badly wanted to write something…Office work keeps me busy during weekdays and works at home keeps me busy on weekend but I ensure that I try new varieties during weekend and relish the taste till the next weekend…We have started to include more veggies,salads and fruits juices in our daily menu..Even when I come late from office I make this salad and enjoy the goodness.


Ingredients:

Cucumber	1 medium sized
salt	a pinch
pepper powder	a pinch or 2
jeera powder	a pinch or 2(I used more as I love the flavour)

Method:

1.Peel the skin of the cucumber and slice it into thin rounds and keep it ready.
2.Just before serving add salt,pepper powder and jeera powder.Give it a quick mix and serve mmediately.

Notes:
You can also add red chilli powder instead of pepper powder.
You can also add a drop or 2 of lemon juice if you wish to have the tangy effects.

How to make rice flour for preparing savouries

With lotsa functions in the past and with lotsa celebrations in the future I have prepared a good number of dishes and all the pics are resting safe in my PC…I wanted to write a post on all the sweets and savories that I made…So I have decided to post all those recipes in my next few posts…Keep watching this space for more..
Rice flour is an essential ingredient for any savoury item and when the flour is perfect the outcome is also perfect…Since Ganesh chathurthi is today my next few posts are going to be related to kozhakkatai’s…The main ingredient for kozhakattai is rice flour…Let us see how to make this.

You will need

Raw rice

2 cups

Take 2 cups of rice and add water to it till the rice gets immersed…Let it soak in water for 15 minutes…

After 15 minutes completely drain the water and allow the rice to drain further using a tiny hole sieve.

Once you do not see any dripping water in the rice take a neat white cloth and spread it in floor…Add the drained rice to the cloth and spread it well…Let the rice dry for another 10 minutes…After that collect the rice in a vessel and grind it to smooth powder(I usually give it in rice mill)…Store it in a air tight container and use it when needed…
If you do not have a rice mill near your place grind it in a food processor and sieve the powder…The coarse particles with stay in the sieve…Add this coarse particles again in the processor  and grind it till smooth and continue the sieving process for the rest of the flour…
Your rice flour is perfectly ready!

Paal poli[Easy sweets recipe]

Paal Poli I could attribute this only with Avani avittam as my mom diligently makes it during this day…This time I had a fluctuation whether I can make pooran poli or paali poli finally confusion ended as my MIL preferred paali poli…This time avani avittam was on a weekday and so I made the pooris the before day all I did during avani avittam was dip the pooris in flavoured milk and eat it and relish the taste..This requires simple ingredients but taste is always yummy :)




Ingredients:

 

Maida	1 cup+1 tsp for dusting
salt	1/2 tsp
oil	1 cup(you can added if needed)
Milk(full cream or partial cream)	1/2 litre
Sugar	1tbsp(you can add more if needed)
Cardamom powder	1/2 tsp
water	as needed

 

Method:

1.Ina  bowl add maida and salt..mix well…add water and form a dough similar to chapathi dought…If you feel the dough is dry then you can add a tsp of oil…Let the dough rest for 10 minutes..

2.After 10 minutes pinch a small ball from the dough…dust it in maida and using the rolling pin roll it to thin circle…Let the circle be medium   in size…Holding one side of the circle close it so that one side touches the other…Seal the ends well with your hand so that the ends does not open when you put it in oil…

3.Heat oil in a wok and when it is hot simmer the stove and drop the folded pooris…Wait it till turns golden brown color…Drain it from oil and put it in a vessel…Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.

4.Now add milk in a vessel and allow it to boil..,.When it reaches to the brim…Switch off the stove…add sugar and cardamom powder to it and mix well.,..

5.When it is still hot,using a tong dip the pooris in the flavoured milk for half a minute and take it out…Ensure both the sides of the pooris are dipped in milk…Repeat the process and arrange it in a plate…Pour the floured milk on top of the pooris if you want the soggy version…Enjoy the softy softy paal poli.

Notes:

1.My mi have a habit of dipping the pooris first in hot water and then in the flavoured milk..This way the pooris get soggy texture even during the first dip in the flavoured milk :)

Masala Tea[Easy tea recipe]

Saturday and Sunday are meant to try new dishes at home.Weekdays my MIL takes care of the cooking activities  and I help her in cleaning activities…sometimes even during weekdays if I  come to home from office early before  by 08.00pm I make dinner…So weekends I take the charge and try something or the other..My FIL makes the morning decoction and I have the habit of wrapping our tea time at 03.00pm…Some days we   run out of coffee decoction and we don’t like to have instant coffees…In such cases tea comes as respite…Normal tea is sometimes boring so I try either ginger tea,cardamom tea or masala tea…I will post the other tea recipes sometime soon…Masala tea is just flavorful with the blend of all the spices…Sipping a hot cup of masala tea on a raining day is what I like the most :)Now off to the recipe…

 

Ingredients:

tea powder/tea leaves	3tsp
sugar	as per the need
cardamom powder	1 tsp
bay leaves	a small leaf
cloves	5
cinnamon	2 small sticks
ginger(peel the skin and smash it well using a pestle and mortar)	1 small piece smashed
water	1 cup
boiled milk	1 cup

 

Method:

1.Boil milk and keep it ready.

2.In a wok add water,tea powder,cardamom powder,cinnamon sticks,bay leaves,cloves and smashed ginger and allow it to boil…

3.When the mixture boils well and comes to brim…simmer the stove and allow it to boil well…This helps to get a thick and flavorful essence…Let it boil for 5 minutes…

4.After 5 minutes switch off the stove and filter the contents to get only the essence.

5.Take a tumbler add sugar.Add the prepared essence to 1/4th of the tumbler and pour milk…Mix well and enjoy the masala tea.Use more essence if you need dark tea.

 

Notes:

1.You can use tea leaves in place of tea powder.Here I do not get good tea leaves and so I use tea powder.

2.Instead of preparing the essence first you can directly add all the spices in the milk and allow it boil well and then you can strain and serve it hot :)

Akkaravadisal[Festival sweet recipe]

Adi (tamil month) is always special…We get up early, offer pooja and prepare neivedhya…Of course it would be a week day but then I do pooja  and rush to office…Thankfully today is holiday and I could prepare my neivedhyam leisurely.

I hardly remember  the taste of akkaravadisal…My mom or MIL have never prepared it till date or rather I never had an opportunity to taste this…After several searches I decided to follow my own recipe…I have heard people making chakkarapongal without milk but I have the habit of making it only with milk and sans moongdal so for me the akkaravadisal would be ditto my chakkarapongal recipe but the extra ingredient would be moong gal…

My boy loved this…It is rich in iron because of jaggery…The milk in it has calcium…What else you need?A power packed sweet must try dish…

Akkaravadisal@moicuisinecorner

Ingredients:

Rice-3/4 cup

Moong dal:1/4 cup

Milk(not boiled)-3 cups

Milk(boiled)-1.5 cups

Ghee-2 tsp

Cashews and raisins-few

Cardamom powder-1/2tsp

Method:

1)Add moong dal and rice together.Wash it for 3 times…Drain water and add it in pressure cooker.

2)Add 3 cups of milk(unboiled milk) and mix it well…Let it cook for 5 whistle.After that simmer the stove for 5 minutes and switch off. Allow it cool.

3)Once it gets cooled,open the lid and smash the contents with a laddle…Ensure you smash it so well…This helps to have a creamy texture…

4)Again place it in stove and add 1.5 cups of milk(boiled) and mix the contents well…simmer the stove and let it cook till it becomes semi solid..Add the roughly powdered  jaggery and cardamom powder and stir well…Simmer the stove and wait till the jaggery melts…Once it melts make the flame to high and stir for few minutes till it reaches to a thick semi solid consistency…Switch it off…once it cools the mixture would turn solid…In a separate wok add 2tsp of ghee and roast the raisins and cashews. Add this to the akkaravadisal and mix well J And then it gets ready for serving…You can add a tsp of ghee over the  top of akkaravadisal and serve 

Notes:

1)Instead of jaggery you can use sugar as well.

2)You can even dry roast moong dal and rice and then proceed as above…Being lazy I skip this step…

3)You can even add the saffron soaked in milk into the mixture…I did not have it so skipped J

Pidi Kozhakattai aka Upma kozhakattai,rice dumplings[Breakfast/dinner recipes]

I always love m mom’s arisi upma…she serves it with kathrika gotsu…oh I remember having plates and plates of arisi upma topped with ghee and accompanied by kathrika gotsu…I never knew pidi kozhakattai is a variation of arisi upma…My mom never prepares this and after marriage I have seen my MIL make this dish often…At first I was not a big fan of this but gradually I started to like this dish…My mom and MIL follow the same recipe…I tried it today and it came out well..I made coconut chutney and gonkura as a side dish :)

Ingredients:

 

raw rice/pacha arisi	1 cup
channa dal(kadala paruppu)	1 tsp
salt	as required
mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
curry leaves	a sprig
green chilly/dried red chilly	1 medium sized
asafetida	a pinch
oil	2 tsp
water	2.5 cups
grated coconut	1/4 cup

Method:

1.Take raw rice and give it in a rice mil or using your food processor grind it…It should resemble  like sooji/rava.

2.In a heavy bottomed vessel or pressure cooker  add oil and once it is hot add mustard seeds…Let it splutter…

3.Add a pinch of asafetida,chilies chopped curry leaves,channa dal and wait till channa dal turns golden brown..

4.Add water,grated coocnut and salt and wait till the water starts to boil…

5.Once the water starts to boil add the raw rice powder(which resembles sooji) and stir well…If using pressure cooker put the lid and whistle…Switch off the flame after 2 whistle…

6.Once the pressure releases take the mixture from the cooker and spread it in plate…Let it cool completely.

7.Grease your idli plate with oil and also grease your hands…

8.Take some mixture in your hand and form a round or cylinder shape out of it…Put it in idli steamer and steam it for 15 minutes.

9.Serve it with any chutney…

 

Notes:

Instead of pressure cooker you can cook in any heavy bottomed vessel…You can simmer and cook the mixture in vessel itself.

You can add veggies too the choice is yours…

How to make Cauliflower fries/bajjis[Easy snack recipe]

 

I do not know how,when or where I got so addicted to cauliflower bajjis…My mom usually makes sepankizhangu toast and she told me to follow the same recipe for this which turned super yummy…Also this is one dish that you can make with the readily available ingredient in  the pantry…Whenever  I visit Marina beach I get a plate of cauliflower bajji and I love to munch it with the spicy green yummy there serve it with this!yay!my bajji pretty much tasted like the one that I get it in beach…Please do try it out and let me know how it turned…

 

Ingredients:

Besan flour/kadala maavu	1 cup
rice flour/pacharisi maavu	1tbsp s
salt	as required
red chili powder	1 tsp or as per your need
asafetida	1 tsp
cauliflower	1 medium sized
turmeric powder	a pinch

Method:

 

How to clean the cauliflower?

Take the cauliflower and roughly wash it in running water…roughly shred it into pieces…remove the long stems…Heat water in a vessel…add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt and allow it to boil…when it is boiling well switch off the stove and add the cauliflower florets to it and close the vessel with a plate…After 10 minutes drain the water and check for any worms…if it is clean and clear use it for the cooking.


How to make the bajji:

1.In a wide vessel add besan flour,rice flour,salt,red chili powder and asafetida…Mix it well

2.Add the cauliflower florets and mix it well…The water in the cauliflower itself will be enough to mix…In case you feel it is too dry add water and mix it well…Ensure that the cauliflower is coated well with the flour mixture.

3.Heat oil in high flame and when it is hot simmer it to low flame and drop the flour coated cauliflower and fry it till it is golden brown color.

4.Take it out from the oil and serve it tomato ketchup or green chutney.

 

Notes:

1.Instead of besan and rice flour combo you can use maida and corn starch…For 1 cup of maida add 1tbsp of corn starch.

2.You can add ginger garlic paste,garam masala or any other spicy powder to the four.The choice is yours :)

Vegetable raita[Easy side side recipe]

MY MIL makes vegetable raita and I totally became hooked with this recipe…She blends it well with curd and this is used as a side dish whenever we make rotis…This is one healthy recipe as we do not cook the veggies but blend it raw…I became so addicted to this so instead of onion raita I make this one…For someone who loves curd then this recipe would steal the show…Here you go :)

 

 

Ingredients:

tomato	1
carrot(finely chopped)	1
green chilies	1(roughly chopped)
coriander leaves	1 tsp
salt	as per your need
curds	1 cup+1tsp

Method:

 

1.In a blender put the finely chopped carrots,tomato,chilies and coriander leaves and blend it to smooth paste…Then add 1tsp of curd and salt and then blend it again for a minute…

2.Take the blended mixture in a cup and teh remaining curd..mix well and serve with any rotis.

Notes:

1.You can add grated coconut too.

2.Also you can add any vegetable of yours choice…Instead of grinding finely you can also coarsely grind to feel the texture :)

How to make nannari sharbath[Easy juice recipes)

Nannari concentrate is always kept in my mom’s home during summer…Amma makes the juice in jiffy and serves us during  noon when the entire house would feel the scorching heat..The last time I visited home my dad got me 2 big bottles full of goodness…I packed it safe and even I brought the bag safe till in front of my home…When I got out the auto I was in a hurry to take out my baggage and I took the nannari bag and hastily placed it in the floor but with more force…Then what?one of the bottles broke into pieces and I even started to cry such is my love for nannari…Mom says it is very good for health…I wish I get this concentrate all through the year.




Ingredients:

Nannari concentrate	1 tsp
lime juice	1tsp
sugar	2 tsp
Chilled water	3/4 glass
ice cubes	3 to 4

 

Method:

 

1)In a vessel add nannari essence,sugar,lime juice and chilled water…

2)Mix everything well and serve it with ice cubes topped.



Notes:

Adjust the sugar and lime juice quantity as per your taste.

How to make lime squash-Easy juice recipes

Chennai Summer hmm it is unbearable…I quench my thirst either with nanari sharbath(I will post the recipe soon) or with the lemon juice…It hydrates your body and you gain loads of energy…My mom always prepares this lime squash and I got the recipe from her…Off to the recipe..

Ingredients:

Lemon(medium sized)	5
Sugar	1 tbsp
ginger(small size)	1

Method:

1.Cut lemon vertically and get 2 pieces out of it.Carefully extract juice from it.Remember to remove the seeds from the juice as the seeds add bitter flavour to it.

2.Peel the skin of the ginger..Grind it nicely adding little water…Add the ginger juice in a cup and rest it for 10minutes..After 10 minutes take only the juice that floats at the top and discard the calcium powder that settles at the bottom..This way you can eliminate the impurities.

3.Add sugar in a wok with very little water and heat it…Add ginger juice too and stir well…Switch off the stove when the sugar syrups is before single thread consistency and sticky.

4.Allow the sugar syrup to cool and add lime juice and mixthe content well…Store it in a bottle.

How to serve:

Now that the lime squash is ready how to prepare lime juice?I would say you can do it all in a jiffy.

Take 1/4th of this syrup add required chill water and mix well..Serve it with ice cubes…Now you will agree that this is an easy juice recioe.

Notes:

Allow the sugar syrup to cool and then add lime juice…Wj\hen you add lime juice when teh sugar syrup is hot the entire mixture would taste bitter.

Adjust sugar quantity accordingly.

You can even omit ginger..But it definitely adds flavour.

Restaurant review:Mathysa

My in-laws were away from home yesterday and I was running out of ideas for my dinner...When I asked my hubby for suggestions he promptly said We shall eat out and I was not ok with it...The main reason is my 1.9 year old hyper active kid..He pulls out the plates, glass and everything that is placed on the table...runs around the restaurant...So I was bit hesitant...Finally I nodded yes and was ready to face the challenge...

Now that We have decided to eat out We started to search for the restaurant...Since it was not planned before We were pushed to choose one...and Mathsya was our choice...We were there twice and We planned to visit it again...

Dinner buffet starts at 07.00pm and We were there by 06.45pm...Was waiting for 20 minutes and finally We chose our chairs...

The first item that came to our tables was tomato soup...It was just yummilicious..especially the croutons..My boy loved it a lot...and then We then started to explore the dishes...

The welcome drink was grape juice...It was not tangy and not so sweety...It was perfectly blended with sugar and I had 2 small glasses of it :)

Then came the salad session which I loved the most...Veg herbal salad, desi veg salad, faji radish salad(corn and radish) and beetroot salad..I loved faji radish salad the most...

Mutter kachori,veg sesami finger and kerai vadai was our next menu...I loved the kachori but did not like the keerai vadai for some reasons...veg s esami finger was the one which I loved the most...wish I could have it now :(

I took  poori and channa..And We had roti and butter naan...And the side dishes were paneer butter masala,mixed vegetable curry,dal fry,kerala hofta curry and veg and bells pepper sauce...I did not try dal fry though....

Noodles and peas pulav was there..I love peas pulav and enjoyed eating it :)Coconut rice was there...It was not in white colour but was in yellow color and I loved the taste...

I skipped rasam and steamed rice...My favourite curd rice was there along with mor molaga and pickle...
Finally We took some fruits and I skipped the ice cream..
Desserts were waiting for us...It was semiya payam,jalebi and mango payam..I had only the mango payasam and it was just out of the world..Loved every bit of it...a blend of mango flesh and jaggery…yummy in my tummy J
I ate so well and I could not even barge out of my seat...
I skipped the chaat counter and veg utappam which was their special menu that day...
Dinner buffet for one would cost 310+ tax...


Mathsya is situated in
29/31, Arcot Street, Off Thanikachalam Road
T. Nagar, Chennai –600017

Note:This is not a paid review and it is all my view about the restaurant...
On a scale of 5 I would rate 4.5...If you are looking for a simple buffet then got for it and you will enjoy :)

Maa ladu-Easy sweet recipes

Maa ladu is an easy sweet recipe which can be prepared in a jiffy…My hubby likes this sweet and my mom makes it every time when she visit my place…I have no traces of eating this sweet during my childhood and I was not a fan of it…Every time We go for monthly provision purchase my MIL gets a pack of fried gram and I have nearly  5 such packets in my pantry and so decided to try this for the first time and it did turn out yummy :)





Ingredients:

fried gram/pottu kadalai	1 cup
powdered sugar	1 cup
cardamom powder	1 tsp
ghee	2 tbsp
cashews broken(optional)	1 tsp

Method:
1.Using your food processor powder the fried gram well…Ensure it is powdered well.

2.The same way finely powder the sugar.

3.Take a wide place and add the powdered sugar and fried gram powder…Mix it well..Add cardamom powder to this mixture.Again mix it well.

4.In a wok heat 2 tsbp of ghee…Wait till vapours comes out of the ghee…Add this hot ghee to the fried gram and sugar powder and mix it well…If adding cashews,roast it in a tsp of ghee and add it after adding the ghee and mix well using a spoon.

5.Once you mix well the entire powder mixture would be warm and so you will be able to hold and form the round shape.

6.When the mixture is still warm using both the hands take more powder.Put both the hands together with the powder in the middle and shape the powder to round shape..Place it in a box,Similarly complete it for the entire powder mixture.
Notes:

If you add more ghee your maa laadu will turn into perfect round shape.

Manga pachadi-Tangy,Sweet Mango Sauce :)

 

It’s been sometime since I posted something… I am just trying to find why I lost my motivation :( for the past few weeks I was trying to cook and take a picture but I am not doing it as my camera is in dearth of the charge…ummm I wish today I recharge it and try to capture things :)Also it is a hectic month and I am finding it hard to juggle both work and home :)With no ramblings I am going straight to the recipe..This is one of the many recipes that We prepare for Ugadi…I can have a whole bowl of this pachadi and still long for it…Now off to the recipe.



Ingredients:

Raw Mango	1
Jaggery(grated)	1 cup(plus or minus it as per your need)
oil	1/2 tsp
mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
green chilies(finely chopped)	2 medium sized
Water	1/4 cup

 

Method:

1.Wash the raw mango.Remove the skin and the seed and chop it roughly.

2. normally I use my cooker but you can use any pan for making it…Take a wok or cooker add oil and once it is hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter…Add chopped green chilies and give it a quick stir…Add water followed by mango pieces..do not add more water and ensure that it is enough for the mango pieces to cook…Finally add grated jaggery and give it a quick stir…Close the lid and pressure cook it for 1 whistle…

3.Serve it hot or cold :)

Notes:

1.My in-law’s relatives have this pachadi as a side dish for chapathi but I like to have it as is.

2.Instead of pressure cooking you can use a wok and follow the same procedure…While opting for the wok method wait for the mango pieces to cook well and finally add the grated jaggery and wait till the jaggery melts and the consistency reaches to semi solid…I always prefer the cooker method to make my job easier :)

Vella Adai-Karadeiyan nombu recipe

Yes  I am back but I am always very slow in posting the recipes on time..I was meaning to post the recipe during the eve of karadaiyan nombu but being lazy that I am I kept on postponing and finally I am posting it hear…Along with kara adai We make vell adai and with butter as an accompaniment We serve it after neivedhyam to god…My mom is an excellent cook when it comes to making festival recipes and I again I phoned her and got the recipe and made it…



Ingredients:

Grated jaggery	1 cup
cardamom powder	1 tsp
grated coconut	1/2cup
boiled cowpeas/karamani	1/2 cup
raw rice powder	1 cup
ghee	1tsp

Method:

1.Take a wok and add the raw rice powder…Roast it in medium heat..Make sure you do not change the color…Collect it in a plate and allow it to cool.

2.In another wok add grated jaggery and water…Ensure you add water only till the jaggery gets immersed…Wait till the jaggery melts.,..Take a strainer and filter the jaggery water(this is to remove the impurities).

3.Again add the jaggery water in the wok,followed by cardamom powder and grated coconut..Wait till it boils..Add boiled cowpeas followed by rice flour…Stir it well…

4.At one stage all the flour will get completely mixed and it would become a solid mass but still with bit of moisture…Switch it off at this stage…Add ghee and mix the dough again..

5.When the dough becomes lukewarm make patties out of it…You can either create a hole or hole like impression..the choice is yours…

6.Steam it in idli steamer for 20 minutes…then take it out and cool it…Serve it :)

Notes:

1.Add only very little water to the jaggery…If the water is high then you will need to add more rice flour…

Neer Mor-Excellent thirst quencher for Summer

Neer Mor is an excellent thirst quencher for this summer…I am trying myself hard to avoid all the junky,oily,caustic food and replace it with juices and neer mor…Summer makes you to lose your energy so easily so always keep yourself hydrated with this sooper cool drink…Whenever there is a deficiency for curd mom converts the curd to neer mor…We even mix the neer mor with rice and have it as curd rice(or is it the butter milk rice :p )…Now off to the recipe.

 

Ingredients:

 

Curd	1 tbsp
Water	1 glass
Asafetida	a pinch
Salt	as needed
Coriander leaves(finely chopped)	1tsp
Green chilies(finely chopped)	1 small sized
oil	1/2tsp
mustard seeds	1/2tsp
ginger chopped	1 small piece finely chopped

 

Method:

1.Take 1 tbsp of curd and beat it so well.To the curd add 1 glass of water and again beat it so well..

 

2.To the curd mixture add asafetida,salt,chopped coriander and chopped green chilies.

 

3.In a wok add oil and once it gets heated add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.Add this seasoning to the butter milk…Milk well.If needed you can chill it and serve it…

 

Notes:

Instead of adding chopped chilies and coriander leaves as is you can add chopped chilies,coriander and ginger pieces into a mixer and make a paste of it and add it to the buttermilk.

I did not add ginger.But it surely enriches the taste.

I have given only the rough quantities,please feel free to add and reduce the quantity as per your need.

Karadeiyan nombu special-Kara adai

When I was in my mom’s place amma use to make kara and vella adai for karadaiyan nombu…After marriage I heard from my MIL that they do not celebrate karadaiyan nombu…But still I had the urge to make these lovely adais and made it on a normal day…
Significance of karadaiyan nombu:
Savitri brought back his husband Sathyvan alive on this day from the hands of Yama…So all married women celebrate this nombu for the well being of their husband…Unmarried woman pray god to get nice life partner…Sacred yellow thread is tied around neck on this day…I remember chanting below sloka while We tied  the yellow thread.
Urugadha vennaiyum oradaiyum naantharuven
Orunaalum yen kanavar piriyamal yirukavendum

Kara adai and vella adai is made as neivedhyam…Butter is placed as an accompaniment ..




Ingredients:

Rice flour(making of rice flour is mentioned below)	1 cup
mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
grated coconut	1/2 cup
green chilies	2 medium sized
ginger	a very small piece
salt	as required
water	3/4th of a cup
oil	1 tsp
Cow peas/Karamani(soak it overnight and next day boil it and keep it ready)	1/2 cup

Method:

1.Soak raw rice in water for 2 hours..After 2 hours wash the rice and drain it from water…Spread the rice in clean cloth for  20 minutes…After 20 minutes take the rice and grind it to a fine powder,the rice will still have moisture at this stage…I usually give it in rice mill…

2.Take a cup of rice powder…Add it in a wok and dry roast it…Ensure it does not change the color…Take it in a plate.
3.Peel the skin of the ginger and roughly cut it into pieces…add grated coconut,ginger pieces  and green chilly and grind it to a nice paste..

4.In another wok add oil and once it gets heated add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter…add water and wait till it starts to boil…add the ground paste and allow it to boil for a minute…keep the stove in low flame and start adding the roasted rice flour and stir well…add boiled cowpeas at this stage..ensure that the water mixture is completely observed and u see more of the rice flour…It should be solid with moisture content in it…Allow the dough to cool.

5.Smear your hands with oil or ghee and mix the dough well.

6.Pinch a small ball from the dough..Form patties and if needed a little hole in  the centre or create an impression like a hole in the centre.

7.Arrange the patties in the idli steamer and steam it for 20 minutes or till it is cooked well.

8.Serve it hot :)

Note:You can also add lime juice to the cooked rice flour mixture before steaming.

How to make maa vadu-Seasonal recipes :)

My mom makes maa vadu during every summer.In addition to maa vadu she also makes vadams and this time she has sent me a big pack with lots of vadams in it :)I always follow my mom’s recipe as she exactly tells me the proportion and obviously the dish comes out well…When I saw fresh maa vadu in Mylapore market I could not control myself and got a  good quantity of it.Phoned my mom for the recipe and immediately made it.Here you go with the recipe.

Ingredients:

 

Fresh maa vadu	3 cups
Salt	1.5 cups or adjust accordingly
Turmeric powder	2 tsp or adjust accordingly
Red chili powder	1.5 cups or adjust accordingly

Method:

1.Wash the maa vadu well and pat it try with a kitchen towel and ensure it does not have any water.

2.Add the maa vadu in a plastic vessel…To this add turmeric powder,salt and red chilli powder and give it a good stir so that everything is mixed well.Close the vessel.

3.For 4to 5 days every morning and in the evening mix the content well so that it does not form any white layered foam which will spoil the recipe.By this time you will see maa vadu floating in the chilli salty water…All because of the added salt.

4.After 5 days replace the contents in a plastic bottle and store it in a refrigerator and start using it once the maa vadu has completely observed the salt and chili powder.

5.Once refrigerated it can hold good for approximately an year.

Notes:

1.I have given the approximate quantity of salt and chill powder because it many vary depending upon the maa vadu.So adjust it accordingly.The more salt and chili powder the maa vadu would look so slurpy and tasty.

2.Initially do not add the maa vadu in ever silver vessel as it may create a hole because of the salt content.I used a plastic vessel.So be careful with the vessel type that you use.

Savoury Appam and Karthigai Deepam a perfect pair

After reading the title people don’t smirk at me for not having posted this during the eve of Karthigai deepam…Yesterday after a short noon nap I felt I need to have something savoury and not sure why I longed for Appam…Immediately I called my mom for the recipe and she gave me the exact proportions…I followed it the same way and It turned out good…My mom makes this authentic dish on Karthigai deepam and I remember gobbling 10 at a stretch…No kidding 10 I tell you…So such is my love for this appam or call it Kara appam…My mom usually deep fries this in oil and makes this dish oily rich but I wanted to cut down some oil and so used my Paniyaram pan…Though the original recipe calls for the deep fry thing :)Now off to the recipe.

 

To make this you need:

Raw rice powder	1 cup
Maida/All purpose flour	1/2 cup
Wheat flour	1/4 cup
Sooji/Rava	1/4 cup
Salt	1 tsp or as per you need
Green chilies	2 medium sized
Grated coconut	1/2 cup
Oil/Ghee	1 tbsp
Water	1 cup or as per the need
Asafetida	a pinch
Curry leaves(finely chopped)	a spring
Coriander leaves(finely chopped)	1/4 cup

Method:

1.In a wide bowl add Raw rice powder,maida,wheat,flour,sooji and salt…Mix it well.

2.Using a mixer grind grated coconut and chilies…If needed you can add water and form a paste out of it.Add this paste to the flour and mix it well.

3.Add water to the flour and coconut mixture and form a batter similar to that of idli batter consistency.Make sure you see no lumps.Add asafetida,curry and coriander leaves and mix the batter well.

4.Heat panniyaram pan and grease the moulds with ghee.Pour the batter into the brim of the each moulds and wait till the edges turn golden brown color.Flip it using a spatula and wait till the other sides gets cooked well…If needed you can grease the appam with ghee.Remove it and serve it hot with any chutney of your choice.

 

Notes:

1.Instead of using panniyaram pan you can heat the oil in a wok and once it gets heated,you shall take a ladle full of batter and drop it in the oil as a round shape…Wait till it turns golden color and flip it for the other side to get cooked and turn golden color.Drain it and serve it.The choice is all yours :)

2.I used ghee instead of oil.Again the choice is yours :)

Thiruvathirai Kali-Broken rice in jaggery sauce-Festival recipe

Thiruvathirai aka Arudhra darisanam is a day when Lord Shiva performed his astounding dance and enthralled his devotees…On this day it is a custom in our home to prepare Arudhra kali(broken rice in rich jaggery sauce) and yezhuthaankootu(gravy with 7 vegetables of your choice)…This was the first time I prepared this kali and it was good…My MIL made the yezhuthaan kootu as I was running late to office…I got the recipe from my mom and followed the same way and as always it turned yummy :)

 

Ingredients:

Raw rice(pacha arisi)	1 cup
Jaggery	1.5 cups(grated)
Water	5 cups
Ghee	1 tbsp
Cashews	1 tsp broken
Raisins	1 tsp broken
Cardamom powder	1 tsp
Grated coconut	1/2 cup

Method:

1.Dry roast raw rice in a pan till you could see it to turn golden color.Cool it and grind it to rava(sooji) consistency…Do not grind beyond that as it turn into powder…

2.You can use either venkalapaanai(traditional pot ) or cooker…I used cooker…Add the grated jaggery and 1/2 cup of water…Wait till it melts…Filter the jaggery water(this is to ensure to remove the impurities)…

3.Add the jaggery water in the cooker,then add cardamom powder followed by grated coconut and add remaining 4.5 cups of water…Wait till it starts boiling…At this stage add the broken rice powder and give it a nice stir…Close the lid and cook it for 4 to 5 whistles…

4.Roast cashews and raisins in ghee till cashews turn golden color and raisins becomes fluffy and keep aside.

5.Once the pressure is released smash the content and again switch on the stove in low flame and add the roasted nuts and give it a quick stir and switch off.

Notes:


1.For 1 cup of  broken rice add 4 to 5 cups of water…Only then the kali would turn gooey.

2.You can cook the same in the traditional pot aka venkalapaanai…Once after filtering the jaggery water and when it starts boiling add broken rice and cook it medium low fire till it is fully cooked and gooey and finally top it with nuts.