Boli/Poli

I had shared my Varalakshmi Vratam Menu. The main Prasadham for this was Boli. I made it with Gram Dhall -Jaggery Stuffing. I plan to make the savoury version like Sri Krishna Sweets soon.

The Boli that I have made is little thick,it is completely up to you on how thick or thin you want to make this to be.

Ingredients

Gram Dhall - 1 Cup
Jaggery - 1 Cup
Maida - 2 Cups
Ghee

Method

Soak and boil the Gram dhall. When it is hot itself, drain all the water. Dont throw this we can use it in Sambhar or Rasam.

If the Dhall is till after draining,dry it in a Kitchen towel. Then Run in a mixer. It will give a dry powder,not completely dry though.

Put this in a Kadai and add grated Jaggery and keep on stirring it till the mixture becomes thick.

Once it is thick allow it to cool and make Lemon Sized balls with the mixture.

Meanwhile, Knead Maida into a dough with a pinch of salt,2 tablespoon of Ghee and water. Make this Madia Dough into Balls.

Madia balls should be half the size of the Jaggery Balls.

Take a aluminium foil or Zip lock cover,grease it with Ghee.

Place the maida Ball on this and using hands spread it and then Place the Jaggery Ball on it.

Now Pull the Madia Ball from all sides so that the Jaggery Ball is stuffed in Madia.

Then spread into a thin Roti.

Cook this on a Tawa and Serve it hot with Ghee.

Foccaccia Bread


Foccaccia is a Flat Oven baked Italian Bread. I love them with my Pasta. The aroma of the Oregano and Olive oil is amazing. The good thing about this bread is that you can add the topping as per your choice. This Bread is an amazing accompaniment for Pasta and Soup.

Ingredients

 All Purpose Flour/Maida - 4.5 Cups
Olive Oil - 1/4 Cup + for greasing
Salt - 1 Teaspoon
Active Yeast - 2 Teaspoon
Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
Seasoning - As per your choice (I used Chilli Flakes,Thyme,Rosemary,Oregano and Grated Garlic)

Method

Take a cup of warm water and add salt and sugar to it and mix well. Then add the yeast and mix well and let it rest for 5 minutes or till it is frothy.

In a mixing Bowl add the Maida,yeast mixture and Olive oil and knead well. If you have a Stand Mixer or Food Processor you can use it for kneading.

Grease a Baking tray with some olive oil and spread the dough in the tray. Cover it loosely with a damp Kitchen Towel and let it raise for 1.5-2 Hours.

After the dough has raised,make indents for every inch. On top of it Brush the Olive oil dressing. ( Mix Olive oil with seasoning of your choice and very little Salt)

Now,let it rest for 30-45 minutes. Pre heat the Oven for 15 minutes at 200c.

Then Bake the Foccaccia for 10 minutes at 220c. Each oven is different so keep a close eyes.

Chocolate Loaf/Chocolate Bread

I found this recipe when I was browsing through one of the FB groups. I immediately earmarked it as I am a chocoholic. However, I don't remember the blog. (Sorry) The cake was yummy and as the butter is only 3 Tablespoon ,you can eat without any guilt.

I made couple of variations to the ingredients based on what was available in my Pantry. The freshly baked Chocolate Bread was yummy. The Chocolate taste was bombing on the next day of baking.

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour/Maida - 21/4 Cup
Butter - 4 Tablespoon
Dry Instant Yeast - 2 Teaspoon
Warm Milk - 1 Cup (Luke Warm or else Yeast will not work)
Brown Sugar - 1/4 Cup
Salt - 1 Teaspoon
Chocolate Bar - 1/2 Cup (Grated)

Method
In a mixing bowl, take Luke warm Milk, in that mix 1 Tablespoon Brown sugar,salt and add the yeast and rest t aside until it is frothy.

To this add the chocolate,butter and mix well.

Once they have mixed well add the APF or Maida  and knead well.

Take this dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.

In a greased bowl,place the Dough and cover it with a Damp Kitchen towel.

Leave it to double in size,this may make 1 hour.

Once the dough is doubled, bring it to floured surface and knead it for 2 minutes.

Take the baking pan of your choice and grease it with butter and place the dough in the baking pan.

Pre Heat the Oven at 220c for 15 minutes

Let it raise for 30-45 minutes and Bake it for 20-30 minutes at 220c.

Seedai - Krishna Jayanthi Special

Today (28th August 2013) is Krishna Jayanthi.Happy Janmashtami wishes to all. I have already posted the recipe for Thattai which is made for Krishna Jayanthi.

Seedai is one of my favourite snack to munch on when you are watching TV. I have given all tips to be followed to prevent the seedai from bursting. When I made,not even one of them went Bursting.

Ingredients
Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Urad Dhall Powder - 2 Tablespoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 Teaspoon
Grated Coconut - 2 Tablespoon (Optional)
Black Sesame Seeds - 1/2 Tablespoon (Optional)
Butter - 4 Tablespoon (at Room Temperature)
Salt and oil
Water - To Knead

Method:

Soak Raw rice for 3 Hours and Drain the water completely. Then in a clean cloth spread teh Rice and allow it to dry. Preferably do it under fan.

Then make this into a dry powder using a powerful Mixer or grind it in a flour mill (Unless your mixer is powerful, getting the flour will be a challenge. so get it done at a flour mill or else used ready-made processed rice flour). Slightly roast the Rice flour in a kadi for few minutes till they become slightly warm.

Meanwhile, heat a pan add 2 Tablespoon of Urad dhall and roast it till a nice aroma comes. Grind this in a mixer and keep aside.

Now Sift the Rice Flour a couple of times. This is ensure that your seedai does not Burst.

Once you have sifted the rice flour atleast twice, add the urad dhall to it and sift it along with the Urad dhall powder.

Now, take the sifted flour,add asafoetida,butter,salt,Sesame Seeds,grated coconut and water and make a soft Dough.

Now pinch small balls from this dough and make roundels. Do not make perfect roundels as they will burst. another point to remember while making the balls/roundels is that do not apply too much of pressure.

Once you have made balls with all the dough, let it aside for 10 minutes or so.

In a pan, heat oil for deep frying and add the Seedai and cook till the cracking sound is gone.

Stir in between to ensure they are cooked evenly.

Once it is cooked, remove them on a paper towel and store in a air tight container once they are completely cooled down.

I have given enough tips to prevent the seedai from bursting. However, maintain a distance from the Pan, while you are adding the Seedai to the Oil.

Tips

• You can dry roast the Grated Coconut too
• Dont go overboard on Butter.
• Sift the Riceflour atleast twice.
• Sift the Riceflour along with Urad Dhall powder again.
• Let them dry for only 10 minutes before you fry them
• You can prick the Seedai with toothpick, to be 120% sure that it will not burst.
• Dont Try to make perfect balls/roundels
• Dont put pressure while making the Seedai Balls. 

Basic Sponge Cake (Eggless)/ Basic Cake/Vanilla Cake

This is the basic cake recipe. We can make some variations in the measurement and make Chocolate Cake/Orange Cake Etc. You can make any type of frosting on this basic cake. 

However, The Cake on its own tastes good.

Ingredients

Maida /All purpose flour - 3 Cups

Sugar - 1.5 Cups

Vanilla Essence - Few Drops

Butter - 1.5 Cups

Milk - 300 Mls

Baking powder - 1 Tablespoon.

Method

 In a mixing bowl,add milk,butter and sugar and mix well.

Sift Maida and Baking Powder together. 

To the Milk-butter mixture, add the sifted flour little by little and mix well. 

Pre heat Oven at 220c for 10 minutes.

Take a Baking Pan, grease it with butter and then dust it with Maida.

To th greased and dusted pan, add the Cake batter and Bake it for 20 Minutes at 180C. 

Thattai - Krishna Jayanthi Recipe

As Krishna Jayanthi is becoming I tried and tested some recipe and measurements. The first recipe I tried was Thattai. It turned out so tasty and Crunchy.

For this recipe,  we need to make Processed Rice flour,however I used ready made Processed Raw rice flour. 

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour - 2 Cups
Urad Dhall Flour - 2 Tablespoon  (Roast urad dal until nice aroma rises and then cool down, grind to a fine powder)
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 Tablespoon
Roasted Groundnuts - 2 Tablespoon (Optional)
Asafoetida - 1/4 Teaspoon
Roasted Gram Dhall Powder (Pottukadalai) - 2 Tablespoon 
Urad Dhall - 1 Tablespoon (Soaked) (Optional)
Butter - 2 Tablespoon
Salt and Oil

Method

In a mixing bowl,add all ingredients except oil. Make a smooth non sticky dough by adding water litte by little. Cover it with a damp kitchen towel.

Heat oil for deep frying in the stove. The oil needs to be hot for making the Thattai.

Now take the dough and make a lemon Sized ball. Grease a aluminium foil and place the ball on it.

Using your fingers flatten the ball till it is thin and even. To ensure that it is cooked evenly, you can poke the Thattai with a fork. 

Now, carefully slip the Thattai in the oil. 

You will hear a cracking sound once you slip the Thattai in the oil. Cook on medium flame. Flip it on the other side after a minute or 2.Once the cracking sound stops, reduce the flame to low and cook for one more minute to ensure that it is cooked completely.

Transfer to a plate lined with Paper towel and allow them to cool completely and store in a airtight container.

Potato Gravy with Coconut Milk

This is a Gravy that goes well with any Rice or Idli or Appam. I served it with Coconut Milk Rice. This is mildly spiced and the flavours are wonderful.

Ingredients

Potato - 500 Grams (Boiled and slightly mashed)
Onion - 1 (Chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Chopped)
Chilli Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut Milk - 1 Cup (Thin Milk)
Oil and Salt

Method

In a pan, add some oil and add the onion and sauté for few minutes. Once the onion is done, add the tomato and cook till when they are mashed up.

Then add turmeric,Chilli Powder,Coriander powder and sauté well.

After 2 minutes, add the Potato and give it a quick mix and add 2 cups of water and cover the pan with a lid.

Cook till the raw Flavour of the masala is gone. Then add salt and the Coconut Milk (Thin) and simmer it for 2 minutes and switch off.

Tips

• After adding Coconut Milk, do not boil. 
• Depending on your Main Dish, you can adjust the quantity of your Chilli Powder and Coconut Milk. 
• refer to my recipe on Coconut Milk Rice on how to make Coconut Milk. 

Garlic Bread

Who does not love the Garlic Bread that we get in Pizza Outlets. I order Pizza mainly for the Garlic read. I got this recipe from here.

I make this very often as it is become the favourite in our house. The pic is not so great,but believe me it is very tasty. Before I could take some pics,my hubby finished it.

Ingredients

Maida/all purpose flour - 1.5 Cups
Yeast - 1 teaspoon
Warm Water - 1/2 Cup
Olive oil - 3 Tablespoon
Chilli Flakes - 1 Teaspoon
Rosemary/Thyme or Italian Seasoning - 2 Tablespoon
Garlic - 6 Crushed
Salt

Method

In a vessel, take warm water (Not hot,just lukewarm otherwise The Yeast will not work) add salt and add the yeast and keep it aside for 5 minutes or till it is frothy.

In a mixing bowl, add the Flour,olive oil and the yeast mixture and knead a soft and springy dough.

Cover it with a plate or cloth napkin, let it rest for 1 hour or till it doubles.

Then take it to a floured surface, knead for 10 minutes. Now add half the quantity of the following ingredients : Garlic,Chilli flakes and Italian Seasoning.

Then set it aside for another 30 minutes or till it is doubled.

After 30 minutes, transfer to the floured surface and roll it slightly like a semicircle.

Then brush some olive oil and sprinkle rest of the Garlic,Chilli Flakes and Italian Seasoning.

Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and smear some olive oil on the foil. Transfer the dough to he baking tray.

Cut vertical strips using a knife.

Bake in a Pre heated Oven at 220C for 20 minutes. Every Oven is different so keep a close eyes.

Golden Fried Baby Corn/Baby Corn Fry

Want a quick Snack that will be ready in a jiffy? Try this. Super Easy,Super Quick and Super Tasty.

Ingredients

Baby Corn - 10
Corn Flour/Rice Flour/Maida (APF) - 1 Teaspoon each
Chilly powder - 1 Teaspoon or to taste
Salt and Oil.
Chat Masala - for seasoning (Optional)

Method

In a mixing bowl, add the Baby corn ,flour, salt and chilly Powder  and leave it aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile In a pan, heat oil for deep frying.

Drop the corn one by one, fry them and remove them to a paper napkin.

After removing the excess oil, arrange it on a plate and add a dash of Chat Masala and serve hot.

Tips

• If you don't have all flour, just add Maida and it will still taste good
• Mine was so tender so I did not Parboil,otherwise you need to need parboil them

Varalakshmi Vratam Menu

As you must be aware yesterday was Varalakshmi Vratam, so I was busy with cleaning the house, Puja etc.

Festivities brings so much of joy inside us right?

Click here to find out more about this Vratam and its significance and click here for the step by step way the Puja has to be done.

I know I should have posted this earlier,however was busy at work. Sorry.

I am posting the Picture of Neivedyam, I will post the recipes of these soon.

Menu
Boli/Poli
Sambar
Rice
Rasam
Vada
Cabbage Poriyal
Yam Fry

Vegetable Biriyani

This is my youngest BIL's (Chandu) favourie. Whenever he visits us I ensure I make it for him. He says that I am best in Vegetable Biriyani. There are so many ways to make this. I am sharing the most easiest and foolproof method to make this.

Ingredients

Rice - 1 Cup (Washed and Soaked in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes)
Aniseed,Black cardamom,Bay leaf,Cinnamon stick - 1 each
Onion - 1(Big,Sliced)
Mint Leaves - 1/2 Cup (Cleaned and washed)
Tomato - 1(Medium Sliced)
Vegetable of your choice - 1 Cup (I have used Parboiled Potato,Green Peas and Cauliflower)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tablespoon
Green Chilly - 1 Slit
Chilly Powder - 1 Tablespoon
Garam Masala - 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil and Salt - To taste

Method

In the Vessel, add oil and add all the whole Spices. Then add the onions.
Once the onion is cooked,add the mint leaves and sauté for a minute.
Then add the Tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the ginger Garlic paste and cook for 3 minutes.

Then add the Red chilly powder,Garam masala and Green chilly and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Then add the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes or till your vegetable is 40% done.
Then add the water in which the rice was soaked. Once the water comes to a boil add the rice, stir slowly and carefully not to break the rice.

Once the rice is 90% done, add required amount of salt and stir.

Cover with a lid and cook till the rice and vegetables are cooked well. While cooking, ensure that you stir in between so the rice and vegetable is cooked.

Coconut Milk Rice/Coconut Milk Biriyani/Thengaipal Sadam

This is one of my favourites. Even though it is made with Coconut Milk it does not feel heavy. It is also said to cool your stomach. I tried this with a wonderful Alo/Potato Korma cooked in Coconut milk.

Oh God! it was heavenly. This is a mildly flavoured preparation without any spice.

Ingredients

Rice - 1 Cup (Washed and Soaked for 20 minutes)
Aniseed/Bay Leaf/Black Cardamom/clove/- 1 Each
Green Chillies - 1 Slit
Coconut Milk - 2 Cups*
Onion - 1(Small,sliced)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 Teaspoon.
Oil and Salt - To taste

Method

In a vessel, heat some oil. Once the oil is heated add the whole Masalas and then then add the onion.

Once the onion is cooked,add the green chilly and Ginger Garlic paste.

After a minute, drain the water and add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes.

Then add the Coconut milk and stir and cover.

Cook until the rice is done. Stir in between as it may burn.Add salt and serve hot with little Spicy Gravy.


Tips

• If you are using store bought Coconut Milk, add water and make it really thin.

• I made coconut milk at home. Grate the coconut and add it to boiling water and set aside for 10 minutes. Then pass it through a muslin cloth and squeeze the milk and use. I used 1/2 medium coconut and 3 cups of water. I used 2 cups of coconut milk for this rice and 1 cup for the Potato Korma.
• Take a tall vessel as the milk may spill.
• It is easier to make in a electric rice cooker. Add the rice and coconut milk in the electric cooker. In a kadai,do the sauté of masala and onion and add it to the Rice coconut mixture in the cooker and cook. 
• You can add Mint leaves if your want.
• You can skip the onions too
• You can add some Peas , it will enhance the taste of this dish. 

Potato Peas Podimas/Alo Mutter Sukhi Sabzi/Urulai Pattani Poriyal

This is been a very long that my Bro wrote a recipe for me. So I told him to send me some recipes. The first one he selected was the humble,simple yet super delicious Potato Peas Podimas.

If you want to post any of your recipes, please send me your recipes with picture to sowjanyaalok@gmail.com and I will post it in my blog.

From Rajesh's Desk

This is probably a very common dish in Tamil Nadu. It goes really well with virtually any dishes with rice. However, I had this with chapathis, and it was not bad at all!

Ingredients

Potatoes – 2 big ones or more

Green Peas – 50 gms (boiled)

Onions – 1

Dry red chillies – 1 or 2

Garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped

Oil – 2 tablespoon

Little of mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

Pinch of asafoetida, and a teaspoon of chilli powder.

Salt to taste

Method

Boil the potatoes, and de-skin them.

In the meantime, heat a pan and add little oil. 

Then add mustard seeds, dry chillies, and asafoetida and then chopped garlic. 

Add onions now, and sauté till golden brown. 

Now add the boiled potatoes and green peas. 

The boiled potatoes can be either cut into cubes, or mashed.

 Regarding green peas, they need to be a bit cooked, but not overcooked. 

So the method that I follow is, after the potato is boiled, add the peas to the hot water in which the potato was boiled, and leave it for 2-5 minutes. This will get the peas in the right consistency. It will neither be hard, nor be over-cooked. 

Now, mix the potatoes, peas and the onions well. 

Add a little chilli powder. 

You can also add a bit of masala powder, to add some flavour to it. 

Add salt to taste, and you now have a very tasty and favourite south Indian side dish ready!!

Braided Bread

This Bread was in my To Do list for a long time. (Source: Chefinyou) Last week I decided to bake it. It was so light,delicious and Hmmmm. I was tasting fantastic without any butter or Jam or any preservatives.

Even though it looks difficult, it is pretty simple to make.

Ingredients

Maida/All purpose flour - 3 and 3/4 Cups
Egg - 1
Salt - 1 teaspoon or to taste
Butter - 4 Tablespoon (At room temperature)
Luke warm Milk - 1 Cup
Dry Active Yeast - 1 Tablepsoom
Sugar - 1 Teaspoon

Method

In a vessel, mix the sugar and salt well. To this add the lukewarm milk and stir well.

To this mixture, add the Yeast and close and leave it aside for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, take the all purpose flour,add egg,Butter, yeast mixture and knead it into a smooth dough.

Cover the Dough with a wet kitchen cloth and allow it to sit for 1 hour or till it doubles.

Once the dough is doubled, take it to a floured surface and knead it softly

Then divide the dough into 3 equal portions.

Roll each portion into thing long ropes.Place each next to each other with a 1 inch distance.

Bring all of them together at one end. Now start braiding them by bringing the right rope to the centre and so on. (Just like how we braid our hair, it is very simple)

Tuck the lower end below the Braid.Give a wash to the bread. I brushed some olive oil on top of the bread.

You can wash it with butter/egg/milk or water.

Place this on a greased Baking tray. (I greased them with Olive oil. You can use Olive oil or butter)

Cover this with a wet kitchen towel and allow it to raise for 30 minutes.

Then bake it at 220 Degree Celsius for 30-40 minutes. (I grilled for 5 minutes to get the golden colour).

Even oven is different,so keep an close eye so that you don't burn your bread.

Let them cool and rub with butter on top (Optional,I did not do it though)

Katthirikkai Gotsu/Eggplant Gotsu (Sidedish for Pongal)

Pongal is never complete Gotsu. It tastes heavenly and nothing can beat Gotsu as an accompaniment for Pongal. The Moongdhall used in this dish takes this dish to another level.

I have tried it Rice too and it tastes amazing.

Ingredients

Moong Dhall (Split Yellow Dhall) - 1/2 Cup
Onion - 1 (Medium,finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Medium ,finely chopped)
Eggplant/Brinjal - 4 (Medium,cut into 1/2 inches)
Tamarind - gooseberry Size
Mustard/Fenugreek/Cumin- 1/4 Teaspoon each.
Asafoetida - 1/8 th Teaspoon
Oil - 2 Tablespoon
Salt - to taste

To Grind 

Chana dal - 3 Tablespoon
split urad dal  - 1 Tablespoon
coriander seeds- 3 Tablespoon
dry red chillies - 4-6
whole black peppercorn  - 10 Corns
Cumin - 1/2 Teaspoon

Method

In a  pan, add a tablespoon of oil and sauté all the ingredients given in "To Grind". Please be careful not to burn. Cool them and powder them in a Mixer. Keep it aside.

In a pressure cooker, add the washed Moongdhall and add enough water (Say 2 cups) and cook for 2 whistles. Keep this aside.

In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil and add the mustard seeds,after it splutters add the Cumin seeds and then Fenugreek seeds. 

Then add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. 

Then add the tomatoes and Brinjal and sauté for couple of minutes. Then add a cup of water and cook till the Tomato and Brinjal is cooked.

 Now add the Grinded masala powder and sauté and add the Tamarind Juice and cook till the Raw smell is gone.

Then add the cooked Moongdhall and switch off after the gravy boils.

The Gravy needs to be thin so we can pour it on our Pongal.

Add chopped Coriander leaves.