Koodaravalli Special - Aval Kesari 

This Festival comes in the month of Marghazi.Koodaravalli is celebrated on the 27th day of Marghazi. It is believed that Andal rendered 30 Pasurams in praise of Lord Krishna on each day f Marghazi. Every Year, we do Puja at our house and sign Devotional songs and read Thiruppavai Pasuram. For more on Thirupavai or Koodaravalli click here.

Usually Akkaravadisal or Sweet Pongal is offered during Kudaravalli. Click here to check out Last Year's celebration. This year I made Sweet Pongal and Aval Kesari. So today I will share the recipe of Aval Kesari and will share Sweet Pongal recipe later. I got this recipe from my mom.

Ingredients

Aval/Poha - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup
Water - 2 Cups
Ghee/Clarified Butter - 4 Tablespoon - 6 Tablespoon (As per Taste can decrease or Increase)
Badam, Cashewuts and Golden Raisins - As required
Food Color - a tiny pinch (Optional)

Method

•  In a warm pan, add a Tablespoon of Ghee and roast the aval/Poha for few minutes.
• Please ensure that you do not change the colour of the Aval.
• Pulse the roasted Aval in a mixer until it is coarsely done like Sooji/Rava.
• In a pan, heat 2 cups of water and bring it to boil.
• To the boiling water, add the prepared Aval Rava while stirring continuously.
• Now, put the stove on the low flame and cover the pan with a lid and allow the Aval Rava to cook.
• Stir in between to avoid it from burning.
• Once all the water is gone, all the pinch of Food coloring and the Sugar. The mixture will become watery.
• Dont worry, continue cooking for 5-8 minutes, with frequent stirring so they dont burn. 
• Meanwhile, heat a pan with 1 Tablespoon of Ghee and add the cashews and Raisin and roast till they get a nice golden brown colour. Keep this aside.
• Within 5 minutes the Kesari will come to a nice consistency, now add a tablespoon or two of ghee and stir till it incorporates.Switch off the flame. 
• Now add the roasted nuts along with Ghee and raisins to the prepared Aval Kesari and Serve. 

Spinach Bread/ Green Bread with Whole Wheat Flour 

 To do colored bread was in my wish list for a long time. However, I am wanting to get the color using natural ingredients. So I was wanting to experiment with Spinach, Beet and Carrot to get natural colors. The first one I tried was Spinach Bread and it was a super duper success. I used Whole Wheat flour, you can use APF too for making this.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour - 3 Cups
Spinach/Palak Puree - 1 Cup (For the recipe click here or you can use Blanched Spinach Too)
Olive Oil or Butter - 1 Tablespoon
Sugar - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - 1 Teaspoon
Garlic - 3 (Peeled and finely Chopped, Optional)
Dry Instant yeast - 1 Teaspoon
Warm Water - 3/4 Cup - 1 Cup

Method

• In a bowl, place 1/2 Cup of warm water (Not too warm and not too cold too), add sugar to this and add the Yeast and mix it.
• Cover the bowl with a lid and leave it aside for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.
• Once it is activated, add the finely chopped Garlic and Salt and the Spinach Puree and mix
  
  well.
• To this add the Whole Wheat flour and start kneading.
• Add warm water little by little as required, depending on the moisture content in your spinach puree and the quality of flour the water amount may vary.
• Knead till you get a soft and slightly sticky dough.
• Place this dough in a bowl and grease the dough with Olive Oil.
• Cover with a wet kitchen towel and allow it to double, it may take upto 60-90 minutes.
• Once the dough as doubled, bring it to your kitchen counter.
• Dust the kitchen counter with Flour and place the doubled dough.
• Punch it down and knead it for 5 minutes.
• Shape it into loaf and place it in a greased loaf tin.
• Cover it with a wet Kitchen towel and allow it to raise for 30 -45 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife , make some incisions on the top (This step is optional)
• Pre heat the oven at 180 C for 10 minutes.
• Bake the Bread at 180c for 45 minutes or till it is done.
• Cool completely before slicing this. 

Whole Wheat Orange Cake

I had made this for New year Lunch. Orange is in season , so I was looking for a recipe with Orange and Whole Wheat.  Sorry for the Bad picture as I was busy preparing the Lunch that I did not get a decent picture of this. nevertheless The cake was a Hit, so do try this when Orange is in season.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 Cup
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Cooking Oil-1/4 Cup
Orange juice - 1 Teaspoon
Sugar -3/4 Cup
Cinnamon Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Orange Zest - 1/2 Cup
Baking Powder - 3/4 Teaspoon

Method

• Bring the Orange Juice to a boil and switch off the flame.
• Add sugar to this and stir well. Keep this aside.
• Grease a cake/Loaf tin and pre heat Oven at 180 C
• Now the Orange juice is cooled,add the Oil,Curd,Orange Zest and stir it well.
• Meanwhile, sift Whole Wheat Flour, Baking Powder and Cinnamon together.
• Now using a fork, stir in the sifted ingredients into the wet ingredients.
• Ensure that the ingredients are mixed well, however don't over beat it.
• Now pour this into the greased Tin and bake it at 180C for 25-30 minutes or till done.
• Completely cool the cake before cutting it.

 

Lunch Menu 19: Baati with Panchmela Dal,Rice,Sambhar,Ginger Rasam,Cabbage Poriyal,Arbi Roast,Curd Rice, Poondu Kuzhambhu,Eggless Chocolate Mousse, Whole Wheat Orange Cake, Paneer Tikka, Alo Tikki,Gulab Jamun and Masala Vada

Happy New Year to all of you. Lets start this Year with a Wonderful Lunch Menu. I prepared this on New year.

Click Here for the Recipes

• Gulab Jamun
• Eggless Chocolate Mousse (Coming Soon)
• Masala Vadai (Coming Soon)
• Ladies Finger Sambhar
• Ginger Rasam 
• Paneer Tikka
• Potato Tikki
• Poondu Kuzhambhu
• Cabbage Poriyal
• Arbi Roast
• Baati 
• Panchmela Dal
• Whole Wheat Orange Cake 
• Curd Rice

Whole Wheat Bread Sticks

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour - 2 Cup +1/2 cup (Based on your wheat flour quality you may or may not need the extra 1/2 Cup of Wheat Flour)
Oats - 1/2 Cup (I used Quaker Cooking Oats)
Maida or APF - 1/2 Cup
Warm Water - 1.5 Cups
Salt - 1 Tablespoon
Sugar - 1 Teaspoon
Dry Instant Yeast - 1 Teaspoon
Honey - 1.5 Teaspoon
Oregano or Italian Herb Mix - 1 Tablespoon
Olive Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Garlic Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon (Adjust to taste or add freshly grated Garlic Pods)



Method

• Take warm water in a mixing bowl and add sugar and add the yeast and mix.
• Allow it to rest for 5 minutes so the yeast gets frothy.
• Then add Oats, Maida and Whole Wheat Flour and mix.
• Add Honey, salt to this and knead into smooth and pliable dough.
• Depending on the quality of the wheat flour you may need some extra wheat flour.
• Now grease a Bowl with Olive Oil and coat the dough with Oil.
• Cover the bowl with kitchen cloth and allow it to rest for 60 - 90 minutes or until it is doubled.
• Once it is doubled, bring it down to a counter and punch it down.
• Add Garlic powder, Oregano or Herb Mix and knead it for 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, Grease a baking tray or dish with oil or place an aluminum foil
• Place the prepare dough on greased tray and spread the dough to a 1/2 Inch Thickness.
• Using a knife or Pizza cutter, cut them into bread sticks.
• Pre heat the oven at 200c for 10 minutes and bake the Bread sticks for 15 - 20 minutes or till it is cooked.
• Mine had a beautiful crust on top and spongy inside.
• Depending on how crisp or soft you want your bread sticks, you can spread it thinly and bake it longer.