Akkaravadisal

I believe this is a Iyengar Recipe. Extremely tasty recipe, it is a slight variation to the Sakkarai Pongal or Sweet Pongal. It is usually made with Rice and Moong Dal, however I do it with Rice alone.

It tastes heavenly and delicious.Believe me if you make it once you will make it very often.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice or Raw Rice - 1/2 Cup
Milk - 4 ups
Ghee - 3 Tablespoon
Sugar - 1 CUp
Nuts - I used Almonds and Cashew

Method

Wash the Rice and keep it aside.

In a Non stick Kadai, add the milk and allow it to boil.

Add the rice to the boiling milk and reduce the flame.

Cook the rice on a low flame stirring it frequently.

Ensure that it does not burn. Scrap the milk on the sides of the kadai throughout.

The cooking of the rice may take 30 minutes.

Once the rice is cooked, add the sugar and Mix and switch off the stove.

In a pan, heat Ghee and sauté the nuts and fr it for 1-2 minutes.

Add the roasted Nuts on the cooked Rice and mix.


Notes

• Add sugar only when you know the rice is completely cooked.
• Switch off when the mixture is little watery as it will thicken as it cools off. 

Masala Stuffed Bun

I am in a baking spree of making breads. Last time, when I made Masala Buns my hubby said that he wants to have Stuffed Bun. So I decided to experiment with Masala Stuffing. Then he said he wants it with Indian Masala stuffing. So I decided to make this Bun and believe me it turned out super delicious.

Ingredients

Maida (All Purpose Flour) - 1.5 Cups
Warm Milk - 1/4 Cup

Water - 1/4 Cup
Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon
Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
Dry Instant Yeast - 3/4 Tablespoon.
Olive Oil - 3 Tablespoon

For stuffing

Vegetables of your choice - 1/2 Cup (Boiled)
Potato - 1 Cup (Boiled and mashed)
Onion - 1 (Small,finely chopped)
Cumin - 1/4 Teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1/4 Tablespoon
Coriander Powder - 1/4 Tablespoon
Turmeric Powder - a Pinch
Garam Masala - 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil and Salt

Method

In a vessel, add the lukewarm milk,sugar and salt and then add the Yeast and mix well. Leave it aside for 5 minutes or till it becomes frothy.

Meanwhile in a vessel, take the Maida,add the olive oil,water and yeast mixture and knead it.

Then cover the vessel it a cling film or plate and set it aside for 1 hour or till it doubles in quantity.

Once the dough is doubled, take it on a floured surface and knead it to a soft smooth dough.

Divide the dough into equal portions and make it into smooth balls.

On a floured surface, using a rolling pin roll the balls into small flat roundels.

Then place the stuffing and make it into a ball.

Place a aluminium foil on the baking tray and grease the foil with Olive oil.

Place the stuffed balls in the tray and leave it aside for 15-20 minutes. Cover it with a wet towel during this time.

Place this in a pre heated oven at 220 Celsius for 15 - 20 minutes.


For Stuffing:

In a Kadai, add little oil and add the Jeera (cumin) and allow it to crackle. Then add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the all the dry masala ingredients and sauté till the raw flavour goes.

Then add the mashed potato and vegetable vegetable and sauté for 3-5 minutes.

Allow it to cool down and then make balls with the stuffing.

The stuffing should be half size of the Maida balls.


Inspired by Rakskitchen.

Adi Velli Festival

One of the festival,that my Mom does not ever miss is the Adi festival.
She does Pooja on the Friday of the Adi Month (August) every year. She will invite women home and do Puja and give Thamboolam to them.

I have inherited this from my mom. So this Friday, I did this Puja.

I did not make it too elaborate as I was sick.

The Prasadam I made was:

Venn Pongal
Akkaravadisal
Vada
Gotsu

I will post the recipe soon.

Pal Kozhukattai/Paal Kozhukattai

Usually for any occasion may be it is Vinayaka Chathurthi or Krishna Jayanthi My mom would make all Bakshanam (all sweets and savouries) required for it. However this year I have told my mom that I will make all Bakshanam for all occasion this year.

As I did not want to make anything disastrous on the festive day I have decided to do them,practise them well in advance. So you will get to see more of festive dishes in the blog often now.

One dish that my mom makes for Krishna Jayanthi is Pal Kozhukattai. So I decided to start off with something simple, so it isPal Kozhukattai/Paal Kozhukattai this time.

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour - 1 Cup (I used Store bought)
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Coconut Milk - 1/2 Cup (thick Milk)+2 cup (Thin Milk)
Water - 1 Cup
Ghee - a Teaspoon
Sugar - 1/2-3/4 Cup (As per your taste)
Cardamom Powder - as required
Salt - a pinch

Method:

In a pan, add the 1/2 cup of milk,1 cup of water and a teaspoon of Ghee and allow it to become warm.Once it is warm add the Processed Rice flour and mix it well.

Cook it till the mixture comes to a dough consistency.

Now remove the mixture from the stove and knead it well. Smear some oil on your hands if required.

Cover with a wet muslin cloth so the dough does not dry up and crack.

Using this dough, make small balls. The smaller the better.

While making these balls, ensure that you take a little quantity at a time and rest of the dough is covered with the wet towel.

In a vessel, add the thin coconut milk and let it to boil in a low flame. Then add the balls to the coconut milk. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir to ensure that they don't get stuck to the bottom of the vessel.

Add the cardamom powder,sugar and cook for 4-5 minutes.

After switching off the stove,add the Thick Coconut milk and mix well and serve. 

Khaju Korma/Cashew Korma/Cashew in Red Gravy

 When I hubby came back from Goa he got a big bag of Cashews. Usually whenever I have lots of Cashew I usually make Cashew Barfi or Halwa. However, my microwave is not working so I was in no mood to cook Cashew in Stove top.

So I decided to make this recipe. Believe me, I have made this in White Gravy and had,however the cashew in Red Gravy is amazing.

Ingredients

Khaju/Cashew - 1 Big handful

Poppy Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon. 

Onion - 1 Big (Finely Chopped)

Tomato Purée - From 1 Big Tomato

Dry Fenugreek Leaves/Kasoori Methi - 1/2 Teaspoon

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Teaspoon

Chilly Powder - 1 Tablespoon

Turmeric - 1/2 Teaspoon

Garam Masala - 1/2 Teaspoon

Corinder Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin Powder -1/2 Teaspoon

Oil and Salt - As required

Method

In a kadai, heat a tablespoon of oil and add the onion and fry them till they become transparent.

Add the tomato Purée to the onions in the kadai and sauté well.To this add the ginger Garlic paste and sauté well.

To this add all the dry masala powders (Chilly powder,Corinader powder,turmeric,garam masala,Cumin Powder) and cook them well. 

Now add the Poppy seed-Cashew-onion paste (See Notes) and sauté well till the raw flavour is gone.

Crush the Methi Leaves/Kasoori methi and add it to the mixture.

Then add some water and bring to boil and keep it aside.

Just 5 minutes before serving bring the mixture to boil, add the cashew and cook for a minute or 2 and serve. 

Notes

• For the Cashew Paste:

Remove a tablespoon of fried onion in a mixer. 

Dry roast the Poppy seeds. Be careful while doing this as it may burn quickly.

In a mixer, add the fried onion,roasted poppy seeds and 4-5 cashews and grind into a smooth paste.

• The paste will make the Gravy quite thick, so If you plan to have the gravy little later after cooking, make it slightly watery than you want it to be.
• Grinding the Poppy seeds is tricky. So either Dry roast them or soak them in water for sometime. While grinding first grind them and then add the cashew and then the onion. If you add everything together grinding the Poppy seeds would be impossible.