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Thursday, May 31, 2012

MUZHU NELLIKAI OORUGAI - TYPE 2 / GOOSEBERRY PICKLE


INGREDIENTS:

Nellikai - Big variety -15
Salt - 1/4 cup
Chilli powder - 1/8 cup.
Oil - 2 ladles
Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Heat water in a vessel, add a tsp. salt and turmeric powder. When the water boils rapidly, add the gooseberries and allow it to boil for 1 minute. Switch off the stove. Drain, and allow to cool.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add hing, turmeric powder and the whole gooseberries. Add salt and chilli powder and saute well. Sprinkle little water and cook covered. Saute frequently till done. When cool, store in airtight ceramic or glass jars and refrigerate.

NOTE: If well sauted and done with more oil, this can be stored at room temperature for 3 days and when refrigerated it can be stored for 1 month.

Monday, May 28, 2012

NELLIKAI OORUGAI-TYPE 1/GOOSEBERRY PICKLE/AMLA ACHAR


INGREDIENTS:

Nellikai - Big variety (Gooseberry / amla) - boiled and separated into wedges - 2 cups
Salt - 1/4 cup
Chilli powder - 1/8 cup.
Oil - 2 ladles
Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Heat water in a vessel, add a tsp. salt and turmeric powder. When the water boils rapidly, add the gooseberries and allow it to boil for 5 minutes. If you press the gooseberry with your thumb and index finger, it separates into segments. At this stage, switch off the stove. Do not overcook. Drain, and when cool, press gently and separate the segments to wedges.



Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add hing, turmeric powder and the nellikai wedges (gooseberries). Add salt and saute well. Now, add the chilli powder and saute again for 2 minutes. When cool, store in airtight ceramic or glass jars and refrigerate.

NOTE: If well sauted and done with more oil, this can be stored at room temperature for 1 week and when refrigerated it can be stored for 2 months.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

NEER NELLIKAI



This pickle is made during gooseberry season. This is oil free and spice free. Gooseberry pickle has less shelf life. So if we have gooseberries in surplus, we can make this neer nellikkai, and use for the spicy pickles as and when required.

THIS IS JUST THE BASIC BRINING FOR PRESERVING THE SURPLUS GOOSEBERRIES. THIS CAN BE USED IN BATCHES WHILE MAKING SPICY GOOSEBERRY PICKLES. VARIOUS GOOSEBERRY (AMLA) PICKLES ARE COMING IN THE FOLLOWING POSTS.

INGREDIENTS:

Gooseberry / Amla (big variety) - 15
Salt - 1 tsp.
Water - 2" above after the gooseberries are immersed.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.

METHOD:

Heat water in a vessel, add salt and turmeric powder. When the water boils rapidly, add the gooseberries and allow it to boil for a minute. When cool, transfer to a Jaadi (ceramic container), cover with the lid and refrigerate.

NOTE: For a perfect neer nellikai, if you press the gooseberry with your thumb and index finger, it separates into segments.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

SABUDANA KHICHDI / SABUDANA KHICHRI (MAHARASHTRIAN STYLE)



Ekadasi vratham is observing total fast (suddha upavasam) on Ekadasi tithi. Those who cannot observe a complete fast, the elders and children are permitted to observe this vratham by taking fruits and milk. Grains, rice and hing are not permitted on fasting days and certain restrictions are there in vegetables too. Sabudhana khichdi is a popular Maharashtrian vrat (fasting) recipe. Its a flavourful dish even without hing and with the aroma of peanuts and sago in ghee. Its very easy to make. This recipe serves two.

Quite often people end up with sticky , rubbery khichdi and many end up without the glossy, translucent look of this. My way of preparing this khichdi is guilty free of sticky khichdi with the pearls separated and translucent also. Just follow the simple steps and you will definitely get a perfect, non-sticky and glass like khichdi.

INGREDIENTS:

Sago(Javvarisi/sabudana) - 1 1/4 cup
(medium sized, regular variety and NOT the nylon one)
Peanuts (coarsely ground) - 1/4 cup
Peanuts without skin - 1 tablespoon

Potato - 2 medium sized
Salt - as per taste (approx. 1 level tsp.)
Ghee - 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Green chillies - 2 or 3 (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Lemon - 1
Scraped coconut - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

Clean the sago without mud and stones, wash gently two or three times and drain the water completely. Now pour in VERY LITTLE WATER, JUST TO COVER OR IMMERSE THE SAGO AND KEEP ASIDE FOR 2 HOURS. Rake the sago gently with a fork once an hour.

Boil, peel and cut the potatoes to small pieces.

After 2 hours, separate the sago pearls gently with your hand. By this time the sago would have absorbed all the water. It will be moist but no trace of water will be there. Add the salt , mix well but gently.

Heat little ghee in a pan, fry the peanuts without skin in ghee. Keep aside. In the same pan, add remaining ghee, and when hot, add cumin seeds, when they sizzle, add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Now add the potatoes, little salt (just for the potato) and saute for 2 minutes. Now add the coarsely ground peanuts and sago. Mix everything well.

Now, sprinkle a spoon of water with your hand on this and cover with a lid. Repeat it two or three times until the sago turns translucent.  Stir gently each time.This process takes about 3 minutes. Add the scraped coconut. Mix gently. Switch off the stove, squeeze the juice of a lime. Again mix gently.

Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and top with ghee-fried peanuts.

Sabudana khichdi is ready. Serve hot.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

PAZHAM PORI (KERALA STYLE)


Photo courtesy: My friend Arya.

This is a special snack/ fritters of Kerala with ripe banana known as ethappazham (nendrampazham). It is also called as Ethekkappam and a perfect teatime snack. When deep fried in coconut oil, this gives the authentic taste. A spoon of jeera or ajwain and cardamom powder are also added to the batter. But, I do not use those in the batter as I prefer to have the snack with the wholesome aroma of ethappazham.

INGREDIENTS:

Ethappazham / Nendram pazham - 1 (ripe)
Coconut oil - to deep fry

For the batter:
Maida - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp.(optional)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp.
Cooking soda - a pinch (optional) I do not use this.
Turmeric powder- a pinch OR yellow food colour - a pinch.
Salt - a pinch

METHOD:

Select ripe nendrampazhams. Peel the skin and half it horizontally. Then cut vertically to thick slices.

Prepare a batter with the items given in "for the batter".The batter should be slightly thick. It should not be too watery because the bananas slip from the hand as it is ripe.

Heat coconut oil in a kadai . Dip the sliced nendrampazhams in the batter and deep fry to golden brown colour. Serve piping hot with tea.


NOTE: 
More sugar browns the fritters. 
If the batter is watery it will be too oily.Ensure a semi-thick consistency of the batter.
If you want it crispy, you can add a little more rice flour, but the snack tastes better  when chewy.

Monday, May 7, 2012

KEERAI KOOTU (PORICHA KOOTU - TYPE 3)


INGREDIENTS:

Mulai keerai - 1 bunch
Moong dal - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Jeera - 1/2 tsp.
Dry red chilly - 1
Urad dhal (split) - 1 tsp.
Coconut(scraped) - 3 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Hing
Salt
Oil - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Pressure cook moong dhal with turmeric powder and mash it well. Keep aside.

In a pan, heat oil and fry pepper, chillies, urad dhal and jeera till golden brown. Grind it in a mixie to a paste alongwith scraped coconut.

Wash the keerai well, discard the roots and cut it finely. Cook it with a pinch of turmeric powder, required amount of salt and hing. Now mash the keerai with a keerai masher. When done, add the mashed dhal and ground paste and bring it to a boil till thick.

Season it with mustard seeds and urad dhal. A perfect side dish with South Indian Thali.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

MANGO PACHADI (SWEET) / MANGAI PACHADI


INGREDIENTS:

Raw mango - 1 cup

Crushed jaggery - 2 cups
Ghee 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp.
Dry red chilly - 1
Hing

METHOD:

NOTE: If the mango is sour the jaggery ratio is as said in the ingredients. If the mango is kilimooku variety, it will not be sour and slightly sweet. Then you can  put jaggery in the ratio 1:1.

Select firm raw mango.

Peel the skin and slice the mangoes to biteable size. Boil in little water till it is tender.

Crush jaggery with a crusher. Add to the mango and allow it to boil till the raw smell is diffused and glossy.

Temper mustard seeds, hing and red chillies in ghee and add to the pachadi. Give it a boil. Serve hot or cold.