Kadala Urundai/ Sweetened Peanut Balls

Nothing much to say about a delicacy which wraps up any tongue.

Ingredients
400 gms - Dry Roasted pealed or raw pealed Peanuts
500 gms - Dark coloured Jaggery
100 ml.   - Water
1 tbsp.    - Cardamom or Elaichi powder
1 tbsp.    - Dry Ginger powder or Suk powder

Method:
1. Crush the peanuts roughly using a dough roller.
2. In a pan add in jaggery and water.
3. Once it starts boiling drain out the impurities and again pour it into pan and boil.
4. Drain at least twice.
5. Once the jaggery  starts thickening. Pour one drop into a water filled steel cup. If it immediately roles to a ball means it's ready.
6. In a non sticky bowl poi in the crushed peanuts over it pour in the jaggery, elaichi and suk powder.
7. Roll the mixture into small balls quickly. Remember it would be extremely hot.  Also use a sodden ladle or iron one to mix them well.

Masala Mathri

Masala Mathri is a Marati snack made during festivals. Similar to Namkeen family. It's a kind of masala Indian biscuit.

Ingredients:
400 gms - Maida / All purpose flour
5     gms - Carrom seeds/ Ajwain/Omam
200 ml    - Water
Oil to deep fry
Salt to taste

Stuffing :
100 gms  - Gram flour / Chickpea flour
1     tbs    - Jeera
1     tbs    - Red Chilly powder
1     tbs    - Dry Mango Powder/Aamchoor
1     tbs    - Garam Masala (Optional)
2     tbs    - Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Sieve the dough and mix carrom, water to make a soft dough.

2. Set aside covering with a wet muslin cloth for ten minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add oil in a pan to make the stuffing.
4. Once oil is hot add in jeera let it spluter. Add in gram flour and rest of the ingredients.
5. Roast it and add little water so that the flour becomes into a fine paste.
6. Take of the wet cloth from the dough and flatten it into a big chappati having 1inch thickness.
7. Place the paste over the dough and cover the paste completely pulling all corners of the dough.
8. Now slowly flatten the dough again without putting much pressure leaving 1 inch thickness.
9. Cut them into various shapes desired.

10. Heat oil on medium range and fry Mathri's.
Enjoy the Mathri's with your family.

Thattai

Thattai - name calls for crisp,tasteful snack anytime. Down south of India along with Seedai thattai is also made on Lord Krishna's birthday or Krishna Jayanthi.

Ingredients:

1 cup - Idli rice or Boiled rice
1/4 cup - Pottukadalai or roasted gram dhal
1 tbs     - Pepper powder
1 tbs    - Asafatida
2 tbs   - Channa Dhal or Kadalai Parupu
1 arc.  - Curry leaves
1 tbs.   - Red Chilly powder or flakes
Salt to Taste
Water to soak rice and dhal
Oil to deep fry

Method
1. Soak rice for 4hrs. Drain and grind into a fine semi liquid batter
2. Soak Channa dhal for 1hr
3. Grind the pottukadalai into powder
4. In a bowl add in the rice batter. To it add pottukadalai powder little by little in small quantities.
5. Add in salt,chilly powder,pepper powder,asafatida,Channa Sal drained,curry leaves.
6. Mix well into a dough.

7. Meanwhile heat oil on medium flame or induction 3 point
8. Take a small lemon size dough and flatten it round using 3 fingers a tissue paper or plastic sheet or wet cloth.
9. Test a bit of dough in oil to check temperature of oil. Dough has to raise up.
10. Slowly drop 2 to 3 flattened dough into oil depending on size of your pan

11. Turn the dough after 30 secs to other. Fry them until golden brown.
12. Drain it on to a tissue paper and store it in air tight container once it cools down.

Mixed Pullipu Kootu

Pullipu or Tangy or Khatta gravy dish made during 3rd day of Pongal festival down south. It is one of the healthiest and yummy traditional dishes made during that season. It is served with mixed rices like coconut rice, lemon rice, tomato rice, puliyogare rice, curd rice etc.. on normal days too you can serve it along with dosa, chappati.

Serves - 4

Ingredients:
2                - Large Red/Orange Carrots
10             - French Beans
5               - Clustered Beans
100 gms - Fresh green peas
100 gms  - White pumpkin
100 gms  - Red pumpkin
50   gms  - Yam
2                - Medium Potato
1                - Large Capsicum
1/2            - Chayote/Cho-Cho/Chow-Chow
2                - Green chillies
1/2 inch  - Ginger
200 ml     - Tamarind pulp
1 tbs         - Turmeric powder
1 tbs         - Sambhar powder
3 tbs         - Home made kootu powder (check end of the page for the recipe)
1 tbs         - Oil
1/2 tbs     - Mustard seeds
2 arc          - Curry leaves
1/2 tbs     - Asafatida
1     tbs     - ghee
Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Roughly chop carrots, french beans, clustered beans, white pumpkin, red pumpkin, capsicum, potato, Yam(to be chopped and par boiled separately), chayote, green chilly, ginger finely chopped.
2. In a pressure cooker add oil and splutter the mustard seeds, curry leaves along with asafatida.
3. Add in the vegetables, turmeric powder, sambhar powder, tamarind pulp, salt amd if needed add in 1/2 cup water.
4. Pressure cook the vegetables until 3 whistles come.
5. Once the pressure cools add in the kootu powder.

Kootu Powder : Dry roast & Grind the below ingredients. You can use them in various other south Indian kootus and curries.

2 tbs   - Channa dal
1 tbs   - Corainder seeds
2          - Dry red chilly
1/2 tbs - Asafatida
1/4 tbs - Fenugreek seeds

6. Add in the kootu powder on the vegetables and boil them by stirring for 3 mins.
7. Temper some more curry leaves and mustard in ghee . Pour them over the vegetables.

Yummy Coffee Coco Brownie (Eggless)

Brownies are always the favorite bakery item apart from the cupcakes and the regular ones. This time during the Golu season i happen to make a dark coffee brownie for those who were bored from the regular sundal. 


Ingredients:

•  1 Cup    - Maida / Refined flour
•  1/2 Cup - Buttermilk / (Boiled milk with 1 tbs Vinegar)
•  1/4 Cup - Coco powder
•  1/2 tbs   - Instant coffee powder
•  3/4 Cup  - Powdered sugar
•  1/4 Cup  - Melted butter
•  20 gms   - Walnuts / Almonds
•  1 tbs       - Baking powder
•  A pinch of salt

Method / Vidhiee:
1. Pre- heat the owen at 180 degree centigrade.
2. In a bowl sieve the maida, baking powder, coco powder, coffee powder, salt, powdered sugar.
3. Mix them well.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter and keep it in room temperature.
5. Add the buttermilk to the butter and beat them well. If, you are using milk then add in the vinegar and beat the milk well before hand.
6. Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and mix gently in one direction.
7. Break the walnuts into pieces or semi grind them and add half of them into the batter.
8. In a baking tray add in some butter and grease it well.
9. Pour the batter into it and on top add the remaining Walnuts.
10. Bake the mixture for approximately 25-30 minutes.
11. Check with a thin needle or a toothpick whether they are done. Immerse the toothpick into the brownie if it comes out clean without any batter over it then it means its done.
12. Keep the brownie till it gets cool down.
13. Decorate with the powdered sugar.

Cut into big pieces and serve with tea, ice cream or fruit salads.

Janmashtami/Sri Jayanthi/Krishna Jayanthi Basic Snacks

This festival is one of the most sought of festival of hindus in India. The day is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna or otherwise called as Lord Vishnu. It is said that Lord Krishna likes some of the following sweet & savoury accompanied with white cow butter. So to learn about his favourite eatables scroll below. Make it and celebrate the day along with your fellow beings.

UPPU SESDAI
Ingredients:
Rice flour - 2 cups
Soak rice in water. Drain it and dry it on a thin cloth. Once its dried grind it into powder.
Be sure to strain the rice powder once and take of the little granuels.
Uradh Dhall / Ulatham parupu - 1/2 cup
Asefatida - 1tps
Unsalted white butter - 1/2 cup
Warm water - 1/2cup
Salt - As per taste
Sunflower Oil - to deep fry

Method/ Vidhiee:
1. In a pan dry roast the rice flour till it turns hot. Keep stirring so that it doesn't turn brown. Keep the flame low.
2. Once its done, transfer them to a big bowl. Let it cool.

3. In the same pan dry roast Uradh dhall/ Ulatham Parupu till they turn golden brown.
4. Once they are done transfer to a plate and cool it.

5. Once the dhall is cool. Take it and grind into fine powder. To have fine powder use strainer to strain the granuals.
6. Take the bowl which has rice flour. To it add dhall powder, salt, asefatida & white butter.

7. Mix well and do not press hard.
8. To it sprinkle warm water at times needed and make it into a semi solid dough.

9. Note that this dough would not come like a chappatti dough.
10. Roll on ball and see whether it doesn't crack.
11. Once the mixture is done roll the mixture into small balls and dry them.

12. In a heavy bottom pan heat oil.
13. Once the oil is hot lower the flame and add the balls one by one on to the side of the pan.
14. Leave it for 1 min and then keep rolling the balls.

15. You can raise the flame in middle and then again lower it so that the balls turn brown.

16. The balls should turn light brown colour.Means its done.
17. Take them out on a tissue paper and drain excess oil.

18. Once the balls cool down a bit tranfer to a air tight box.
19. Do not close the box immediately as water vapour may form inside it and it would get spoilt.
20. Close half the box for ten min then fully close it when once all the mixture is done.

Enjoy the UPPU SEEDAI savoury. Present it to Lord Krishna and enjoy it with all your near and dear ones.

Tip : You can add white sesame seeds powder or seeds, but be careful that the balls don't burst.
        You can also add jeera powder or seeds as above.
Caution : To much of water or butter would make the balls crackle like small bomb in oil or might dissolve in oil. Hence, be careful and test one first and then if it turns well start the process

VELLA SESDAI
Ingredients:
Rice flour - 2 cups
Soak rice in water. Drain it and dry it on a thin cloth. Once its dried grind it into powder. Be sure to strain the rice powder once and take of the little granuels.
Uradh Dhall / Ulatham parupu - 1/2 cup
Elaichi / Elakai/ Cardamom  powder - 1tsp
Unsalted white butter - 1/2 cup
Warm water - 1/2cup
Salt - 1/4tsp
Jaggery - 1/2 cup (If your jaggery is dark brown this measurement is ok. If, its light brown then ou can take 3/4 cup  measurement)
Sunflower Oil - to deep fry

Method/ Vidhiee:
1. In a pan dry roast the rice flour till it turns hot. Keep stirring so that it doesn't turn brown. Keep the flame low.
2. Once its done, transfer them to a big bowl. Let it cool.

3. In the same pan dry roast Uradh dhall/ Ulatham Parupu till they turn golden brown.

4. Once they are done transfer to a plate and cool it.
5. Once the dhall is cool. Take it and grind into fine powder. To have fine powder use strainer to strain the granuals.
6. Take the bowl which has rice flour. To it add dhall powder, salt, cardamom powder, jaggery and mix well in a processor.
7. Mix well with unsalted white butter.
8. To it sprinkle water at times needed and make it into a semi solid dough.

9. Note that this dough would not come like a chappatti dough.
10. Roll on ball and see whether it doesn't crack.
11. Once the mixture is done roll the mixture into medium sized balls and dry them.

12. In a heavy bottom pan heat oil.
13. Once the oil is hot lower the flame and add the balls one by one on to the side of the pan.
14. leave it for 1 min and then keep rolling the balls.
15. You can raise the flame in middle and then again lower it so that the balls turn brown.
16. The balls should turn light brown colour.Means its done.
17. Take them out on a tissue paper and drain excess oil.

18. Once the balls cool down a bit tranfer to a air tight box.
19. Do not close the box immediately as water vapour may form inside it and it would get spoilt.
20. Close half the box for ten min then fully close it when once all the mixture is done.

Enjoy the VELLA SEEDAI savoury.
Present it to Lord Krishna and enjoy it with all your near and dear ones.

Tip : You can add copra or dry coconut for the crunch flavour, but be careful that the balls don't burst.
Caution : To much of water or butter would make the balls crackle like small bomb in oil or might dissolve in oil. Hence, be careful and test one first and then if it turns well start the process

KAJURKAI
Ingredients:
Maida - 1/2 cup
Atta -1/2 cup
Khus Khus / Poppy seeds - 2tbs
Elaichi/ Cardamom - 3 pods
Ghee - 3tbs
Copra / Dry coconut -1/4cup
Badam - 2-3
Kismis - 5
Sugar powder - 1/4cup
Rice powder - 3tbs
Water
Oil - to fry

Method/ Vidhiee:
1. Soak poppy seeds for 1 hr. Wash it and drain them.

2. Grind them and fry in 1tbs ghee.
3. Dry raost the copra and cool it.

4. Cut kismis and badam into small bits.
5. Mix well copra, poppy seeds, kismis, badam, rice flour, sugar powder and keep aside.

6. In another bowl mix atta, maida, salt and make a dough.
7. Flattent the dough and cut into round rings.

8. Fill in the rings with the poppy seeds mixture.

9. Put water drop on the sides of the rings and close it semi-circle.

10.Close them and seal it.
11. In a pan heat oil and keep in low flame.

12. Put the Kajurkai's into oil and fry till they turn golden brown.

11. Drain them on to a tissue paper and sprinkle sugar powder over it .

Enjoy by sharing with others.

VELLA OPPRA
If you some of the VELLA SEEDAI dough. You can make one more sweet VELLA OPPRA.
Sprinkle the dough into the hot oil.
Keep strring till it turns brown.
Drain it on to tissue paper.
It would turn crisp once it cools down.

This sweet can be given as VELLA OPPRA to young kids and oldies who cannot chew :)

En iniya Thamizh Puthandu Nal Vazthukal!! To all u folks Wish you all a Happy Tamil New Years Day. Cook, serve,eat be happy :)

Happy Holi

For a change try these instead of Thandai     Cold/Hot Beverages

Merry Christmas!!! It feels really great to have Plum Cake on the eve of Christmas. It at times feels good not to cook and get served :)))

Vella Appam / Sweet Jaggery Dumplings

Vellam Appam - Made in down south of India during festivals. Especially on Karthigai Deepam festival which comes after Diwali. A traditional dish with bit changes according to times.

Ingredients:
200 gms - Atta/Godumai Mav/Wheat flour
100 gms - Chawal ka atta/Arici Mav/Rice flour
150 gms - Guud/Vellam/Jaggery (Try not taking very dark colour jaggery)
2 pods   - Elaichi/Elakai/Cardamom
150 ml   - Water (approx)
20 gms   - Dry coconut bits (If, preferred)
2 tbs      - Sugar
1/4 ltr - Oil
3 tbs   - Ghee/Clarified butter/Nei

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Sieve the Atta, rice flour separately without any lumps.
2. In a blender add the jaggery,atta and rice flour.
3. Grind them for a min giving intervals in between.
4. Make them into a consistency of bread crumbs.
5. In a small mixer jar add sugar and cardamom pods.
6. Grind them till the pods turn into powder.
7. Take of the outer layer after grinding.
8. Add the cardamom powder to the jaggery atta rice flour mixture.
9. Add water to it and make a semi liquid consistency.
10. Take a appam pan which has deep round impressions on it. In which you can fill in the oil and mixture.
11. If you are not able to get it you can deep fry them in a small pan but, you should make one at a time.
12. Coming back to making the dumplings in Appakaral (You get non-stick Appakaral these days)-- Mix ghee and oil.
13. Add quarter spoon of oil into the holes once they are hot add the jaggery mixture till half of the hole.
14. Cook them in medium flame.Turn slowly with a wooden or steel pricker or with a knife.
15. Once you have turned wait for the other side to cook.
16. Once the other side also turns golden brown. Prick one by one. Drain them and serve hot.

Methi Namkeen

Another new version of namkeen..bit healthier and excellent aroma.

• 2 cups - Refined flour/Maida
• 1 cup   - Rice flour/Arici mav/Chawal ka atta
• 2 tbs    - Unsalted butter
• 1 cup   - Water
• 1/2 tbs - Baking soda
• 2 tbs    - Kasoori methi/Dried fenugreek leaves,kanja vendhaya elai
• 1 tbs - Edible green food colour
• 1/2 tbs - Chat masala
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry
Method/Vidhiee:

1. Sieve the Maida,rice flour and baking soda on to a bowl.
2. To it add butter, green food colour and mix them well.
3. Now start adding water to the flour butter mixture.
4. Remember you have to knead the dough tight with less moisture in it.
5. Make big portions of the dough.
6. On to the cooking station flatten the one portion of the dough maintaining 1/2 inch thickness.
7. Cut them lengthwise first and then breadth wise so that diamonds shapes are formed.
8. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep fry pan.
9. When the oil is hot drop in the diamond namkeens one by one sliding from the sides of the pan.
10. Do not drop in from the center or there may be a possibility of oil spilling.
11. Fry them till they turn half golden brown or full golden brown.
12. Drain excess oil and put them on to tissue paper.
13.Once they turn cool transfer them to an air tight container.
14. Repeat the same process keeping the flame low till the namkeens are going to be dropped.

Tip:
Avoid using more water to knead the dough.
Fry them till the namkeens are crisp ans hard.

Gulab Shakaar Namkeen

Tried a bit different Namkeen...and it came out good :)

• 2 cups - Refined flour/Maida
• 1 cup - Rice flour/Arici mav/Chawal ka atta
• 2 tbs - Unsalted butter
• 1 cup - Water
• 1/2 tbs - Baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbs - Gulab jal/Rose water/Panneer liquid
• 5 tbs - Sugar powder
• Pinch of kesari edible colour powder
• Oil to deep fry
Method/Vidhiee:

1. Sieve the Maida,rice flour,pinch of salt and baking soda on to a bowl.
2. To it add butter, 3 tbs of sugar powder,kesari colour,rose water and mix them well.
3. Now start adding water to the flour butter mixture.
4. Remember you have to knead the dough tight with less moisture in it.
5. Make big portions of the dough.
6. On to the cooking station flatten the one portion of the dough maintaining 1/2 inch thickness.
7. Cut them lengthwise first and then breadth wise so that diamonds shapes are formed.
8. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep fry pan.
9. When the oil is hot drop in the diamond namkeens one by one sliding from the sides of the pan.
10. Do not drop in from the center or there may be a possibility of oil spilling.
11. Fry them till they turn half golden brown or full golden brown.
12. Drain excess oil and put them on to tissue paper.
13. You can dust remaining sugar powder when they are half cool.
13. Once they turn cool transfer them to an air tight container.
14. Repeat the same process keeping the flame low till the namkeens are going to be dropped.

Tip:
Avoid using more water to knead the dough.
Fry them till the namkeens are crisp ans hard.

Namkeen

Namkeen a common snack made up north of India. It's a simple yet tasty snack for the evening. At my place we make it every year for Diwali and here i share it.

• 2 cups - Refined flour/Maida
• 1 cup - Rice flour/Arici mav/Chawal ka atta
• 2 tbs - Unsalted butter
• 1 cup - Water
• 1/2 tbs - Baking soda
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Sieve the Maida,rice flour,salt and baking soda on to a bowl.

2. To it add butter and mix them well.

3. Now start adding water to the flour butter mixture.

4. Remember you have to knead the dough tight with less moisture in it.

5. Make big portions of the dough.

6. On to the cooking station flatten the one portion of the dough maintaining 1/2 inch thickness.

7. Cut them lengthwise first and then breadth wise so that dimonds shapes are formed.

8. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep fry pan.

9. When the oil is hot drop in the diamond namkeens one by one sliding from the sides of the pan.

10. Do not drop in from the center or there may be a possibility of oil spilling.

11. Fry them till they turn half golden brown or full golden brown.

12. Drain excess oil and put them on to tissue paper.

13. Once they turn cool transfer them to an air tight container.

14. Repeat the smae process keeping the flame low till the namkeens are going to be dropped.

Omma Podi/Ajwain Sev

Simple savory which can be made on any festival..

• 2 cups - Gram flour/Kadala Mav/Besan
• 1 cup - Rice flour/Arici mav/Chawal ka atta
• 2 tbs - Carom water/Oma water/Ajwain pani
• 1 tbs - Oil
• 1 tbs - Salt
• 1/2 cup - Water
• Oil to deep fry
• Omapodi achu or Sev Mold.. which has small circular dot holes in them.

Method/Vidhiee:
1. In a bowl add gram flour,rice flour,salt and mix well.
2. To it add carom water (oma water.. its simple boil some omam in 15ml water strain the water)
3. Add oil and mix well.
4. Now add water and start kneading.
5. Make a solid dough.
6. Make small partitions of the dough.
7. Heat oil for deep frying the podi.
8. Grease the mold/achu so that the batter does not stick to the walls.
9. Take a portion put them inside the achu .
10. Once the oil is boiling hot press the mold from the top with the mold lid.
11. Move the mold in circular motion so that the worm like shapes form.
12. Be careful as the heat would be unbearable at times.
13. Leave them for 1/2 min in oil.
14. Now gently using a spatula turn them the other side.
15. As per your wish you can fry them light brown,light yellow colour.
16. Once its done drain excess oil and transfer on to a tissue paper.
17. Transfer them into an air tight container once they are cool.
18. Crush them so that they become podi/sev.
You can serve it as it is. Or you can add chopped onion, green chilies and few drops of lemon juice garnished with coriander. They can also be added to while making mixture.
Tip:
Do not close the container when the omapodi is hot or else it would become soggy.
You can add unsalted butter instead of oil.
You can also add more butter and less water.
While doing the next sets try lowering the flame. Raise few seconds before you are going to squeeze the batter.

Adhirasam - South Indian Jaggery Pancake

Happy Navarathri to all.. Sorry that i really not able to put any of Navarathri recipes. Thought sundal recipes are all over and why not i start on pre- planning posting for Diwali. And here it goes people.

ADHIRASAMS - One of the oldest sweet delicacy. Have seen my grad mother being perfect on it. Its a art to make this sweet. Each time you make it you tend to learn new nuances of this recipe. It's one of the important sweet during "Diwali" down south. The first Diwali or called the "Thallai Diwali" is unfinished without this sweet being offered by the brides parents :)

So here it goes the step by step process.

• 300 gms - Rice flour
• 200 gms - Jaggery/Vellam/Gudd
• 250 ml - Water
• 2 pods - Cardamom/Elaichi/Elakai
• 2 tbs - Clarified butter/Ghee
• 2 tbs - Oil
• 1/2 lt - Refined oil
• 2 - Banana leaf / Plastic sheets

Vidhiee/Method:

Making of rice flour

1. Rice flour as such you can buy from any store or i make it by soaking it for 1/2 hr in water.

2. Drain water and dry them on a muslin cloth.

3. Dry it for at least an hour.

4. Powder them and sieve them thoroughly. Remember there should not be any lumps or water in it.

Making of the Adhirasams.

1. Dissolve the jaggery in 250 ml of water. Boil it and strain of the impurities. 

2. Powder the cardamom and add the same to the jaggery mixture.

3. Bring it to boil until it comes to string consistency.

4. Remove from heat.

5. Slowly start adding rice flour using a ladle. Mix with a ladle to make a dough.

6. Once the mixture turns bit tight use your hands to tight them.

7. Do not dip your hands when the jaggery is hot.

8. Add ghee damp and mix them well.

9. Set them aside in a plastic cover in room temperature for a day. 

10. This is done so that the mixture gets fermented and tasty.

11. More immediately you make more the chances of jaggery dissolving.

Next Day

1. Take of the plastic sheet. Knead the dough and you can feel the softness of it.

2. Make medium size balls.

3. Take the banana leaf keep the ball in center and press it flat with you palm.

4. You can grease oil into your hands and press it in order to avoid stickiness.

5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying the Adhirasams.

6. Once the oil is hot slide in one pressed dough into oil from sideways. 

7. Do not drop from center on to oil. Oil would splutter all over your body.

8. Take out the Adhirasams once they turn golden brown.

9. Drain excess oil by having two flat heavy round medium plates ( preferably wooden)

10. Gush out excess oil.

11. Again keep them on a tissue paper.

Serve hot or cold.. 

Happy Diwali in advance.. More to come keep clicking the blog :)

Paitha Laadu

Paitha Ladu or otherwise called in Tamil as Paitha mav laddoo. It's a healthy, less time consuming,hassle free recipe. One of the oldest secret recipe of tamilnadu. Why not try for this Ganesh Chathurthi???

Serves 10 (Vary on sizeof the ladu and consumption)

• 150 gms - Paitham Parupu / Moong Dal / Split green gram
• 300 gms - White sugar powder
• 10gms    - Kaju/Cashew/Mundiri
• 10 gms   - Kismis/Ulrandha Dhrachchai
• 75 gms   - Ghee/Nei/Clarified butter
• 2            - Elaichi/Elakai/Cardamom

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Take a heavy bottom pan. Roast the paitham paruppu till they turn light golden brown.
2. Cool them and grind them into powder.
3. If you do not prefer the finest pieces you can sieve them to get the powder. I prefer those fine crunches adds to the taste.
4. Meanwhile, powder the sugar finely along with cardamom.
5. Make a fine powder. Do not use the skin of the cardamom.
6. Break the cashews and fry them in 1tbs of ghee.
7. Heat and melt the ghee so that its easy to mix with the powders.
8. Cool the ghee a bit so that you can add and make balls.
9. In a big bowl add pitham parupu /green gram powder, sugar,cashews,kismis and mix well.
10. Take a tablespoon of ghee and pour at one small portion of the powder.
11. Mix tight and make small balls.
12. First press tight then toss the ball and keep aside.
13. Keep the laadu in a vessel and let it dry for at least 2hrs.
14. Then transfer into a air tight box.

Ladu stays good for 3-4 days if kept away from light and ants :))
I recommend this amazing sweet to be tried by all. Simple to make yet tasty. Try it !!!

Jhatpat Sweet Surprise

Want to give a sweet surprise suddenly? Matter of just 7mins and sweet for your palate is done. Check out one of the loved recipe of my sis made by mom and now by me :)) Very Very simple ingredients and very easy to serve too..

• 2tbs - Clarified butter/Ghee Naie(It would be good if you make ghee from white butter at home than buying ready made)
• 4tbs - Atta/Wheat flour/Godumai mav
• 3tbs - Sugar

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Take a pan add the ghee/clarified butter.
2. Once its heated up add the atta/wheat flour to it.
3. Lower the flame and mix them well with butter.
4. Once the atta starts turning light brown add sugar to it.
5. Mix the atta sugar and ghee well.
6. You would see that the atta getting crystallizing with sugar.
7. Never take away the ladle from the pan or else it would burn. Keep sauteing.
8. Super aromatic smell would bold you off and the mixture would start turning dark brown.
Your Jhatpat Sweet Surprise is ready to serve.

Beware: Not to eat while they are piping hot. This sweet retains heat for atleast half and hour so be careful before you taste it.

Sakkara Pongal / Sweet Pongal

Pongal one the major harvest festival of south India. Especially in tamilnadu farmers celebrate it with great joy as its their earning which comes out of an year hard work. They make dishes out of new harvested rice.
One such dish is SAKKARA PONGAL or Sweet Pongal.
As a tradition at villages they make in MANN PANNAI (mud pot) tieng  yellow banana, turmeric leaves, flowers, sugarcane around pot. At my home we have tradition to tie the same thread with all the materials above around a VENGALLAI PANNAI (Bronze Pot).

Well there is no occasion needed to make this Pongal!!!

Ingredients:
Raw White Rice - 1 cup
Split yellow moong dhal/ Paytham parupu/ Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
Channa dhal/ Split gram dhal/Kadalai Parupu - 100gms
Gudd/Jaggery/Vellam - 1cup
Ghee/Clarified butter/Nei - 1/4cup
Kaju/Cashewnuts/Mundhiri parupu - 20gms
Kanja drakshai/Kismis - 10gms
Elaichi powder/Elakai powder - 1tsp
Milk - 1cup
Water - 3cup (for boiling)

Mehtod/Vidhiee:
1. Soak dhals & rice for 1/2hr in water.
2. Take a heavy bottom vessel/pressure cooker.
3. Add water and then milk. Bring them to boil.
4. During Pongal days when the milk boils and the froth falls out of the pot people say PONGAL O PONGAL (PONGAL name generally is derived from this froth which falls out of pot).
5. Once the froth falls add the rice and the dhals.
6. Keep stirring till the rice and lentils cook.
7. Keep adding water as and when required sot that the rice & lentils cook.
8. Once they are cooked (means you get to smash them well) time to add powdered jaggery.
9. Stir them well. Let the jaggery melt.
10. Add ghee to the rice mixture and keep stirring without taking out the hand.
11. Meanwhile in another small pan fry the cashewnut,coconut pcs and kismis in ghee.
12. Once the rice, lentils and jaggery becomes like a poridge add the cashew and kismis.
13. Keep a note the Pongal has to be semi solid as when they cool it would become thick and hard.
14. So its ok if the pongal is bit watery.
15. Add elaichi powder and stir well.
Serve hot or cold. Enjoy it!!

Note: You can make the same in pressure cooker. Add 1 portion of water and 3 portions of water to 1 cup rice and 1 cup lentils. Bring them to pressure cook (4 Whistles). Once the pressure is released add jaggery mash and mix well. Add ghee, nuts, kismis, coconut pcs, elaichi powder.

Paruppu Thengai Poli

This sweet dish is made on BHOGI festival the day before PONGAL in south of India.
Bhogi is celebrated by burning the old things which are no more in use and the next day is the harvest festival Pongal when new things are bought for the home. But, considering the current global warming it is clever not to burn but to bow and give to the needy people around.
POLI is also called as BOLI in some areas. It is made up of only Parupu Poli (Channa dal poli), Thengai Poli (Coconut poli), Masala Poli (carrots, beans, potato salty Poli).
Today i have made a combination of Thengai and Parupu Poli.

Ingredients:
Maida - 2cups
Salt -1/2tps
Water - 1 1/2cup
Refined Oil - 2cup
Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1cup
Elaichi/Elakai/Cardamom - 3-4
Thengai/Coconut - 1/4cup scrapped freshly
Kadalai paruppu/Channa Dal - 1/4cup
Vellam/Jaggery/Gudd - 1/4 cup
Plastic thin sheets - 2
Yellow food colour - a pinch

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Knead the maida by adding salt to it with water. Add Yellow food colour.
2. Make into a dough and add refined oil 1/2cup and knead well.
3. Cover it with a plastic sheet tightly.
4. In a mixer jar add coconut,jaggery,cardamom (pods broken and the flavour inside need to be added)
5. Meanwhile boil the channa dal to 3/4 consistency where you can mash them by a spoon.
6. Once the channa dal is done strain them and add to the mixie jar.
7. Grind them so that all the particles get broken down but, donot make them into paste.
8. Grind them corasely but not any pc that would hamper the process.
9. Now remove the sheet from the kneaded dough and mix the jaggery coconut mixture with it well.
10. Traditionaly the jaggery mixer is stuffed inside the dough by flattening them into a chappati, rolling them and again flattening them.
11. Here, i have used the method of mixing both the jaggery mixture and dough.
12. Now heat a tawa in a low flame.
13. Take one of the plastic sheet and grease them with oil.
14. Take a medium size ball of the mixed dough and flatten them with your hands or fingers on the sheet.
15. Starting from thinning the ends and then again flattening the centre to the end.
16. Be sure that the edges are thin as when you cook them they tend to turn thick.
17. Now gently take the flatten dough and put on to the pan.
18. Cook on both sides till light brown spots are seen.
19. Now add 1tps of ghee and cook on one side and another 1tps on other side.
20. Traditionaly the POLI floats in ghee when on tawa which is now immposible as the ghee prices are high and so to our health :)))
21. Hence, add ghee as per your wish.

Serve hot with adding 1/2tps of ghee or white butter on top.