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Sunday, February 23, 2014

BOILED SWEET POTATO

BOILED SWEET POTATO,SHIVRATHRI RECIPES, PRASADAMS,

This is called avicha sakkaraivalli kizhangu in tamil. Very healthy and vitamin packed.

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet potato - 1/2 kg.
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.

METHOD:

Cook sweet potato in water alongwith salt until done. Peel, sprinkle pepper powder and offer it to the Lord. Serve hot.

Friday, February 21, 2014

FARALI CHUTNEY / CORIANDER DIP

FARALI CHUTNEY / CORIANDER DIP/ FARALI GREEN CHUTNEY

"Farali" is fasting in North India. This is a chutney made during vrat days and used as a dip too. This goes well with sabudana vada, sabudana khichdi, sabudana thalipeeth and batata vada.

INGREDIENTS:

Coriander leaves –  2 cups (roughly chopped & tightly packed)
Green chilies – 3
Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons (optional)
Roasted peanuts – 2 tablespoons
Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Sugar - 1/4 tsp.
Salt – to taste

METHOD:

Wash and  chop coriander leaves with the stem. Discard the root. 
Mix all the ingredients(except oil) in a blender, to a smooth paste
Do not add any water.
Add oil and give a whip.
Farali chutney is ready to serve.

NOTE:
Store in an air tight container and refrigerate. Shelf life when refrigerated is about 10 days.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

SHIVRATHRI RAITHA / SHIVARATHRI RAITHA

Shivrathri fasting recipe, Shivrathri raitha, Shivarathri recipes, Shivrathri recipes,Shivrathri recipes
Pictured by Mrs.Safeera, my friend

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet potato  - 1 small
Organic cucumber  - 1
Singhara (Water chestnuts) - 3
Curd - 2 cups
Roasted peanuts - 2 tsp. (Roughly crushed)
Green chilly - 1 (finely chopped)
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon (finely chopped)

METHOD:

Boil sweet potatoes and roughly mash it or cut it to small pieces. Boil, peel and chop singhara. Cut cucumbers finely. Beat curd until smooth. 

Mix all the ingredients. Offer to the Lord. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Ulundhu kozhukattai / Uppu kozhukattai

VINAYAKA CHATURTHI RECIPES,How to make uppu kiozhukattai, How to make Ulundhu kozhukattai
This healthy urad dhal stuffed kozhukattai is done during ganesh chaturthi.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEL MAAVU (OUTER COVERING):

Rice flour OR Idiyappam flour - 2 cups
Water - 2 1/2 cups or as needed
Salt - a generous pinch
Gingelly oil - 1 tablespoon

INGREDIENTS FOR THE POORNAM (FILLING):

Urad dal - 1 cup
Green chillies - 3
Scraped coconut - 1/2 cup (optional)
Oil - 2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida -  1/8 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - a sprig
Lemon juice - 1 tsp. (optional)

METHOD:
VINAYAKA CHATURTHI RECIPES,How to make uppu kiozhukattai, How to make Ulundhu kozhukattai
MEL MAAVU(OUTER COVERING):

Heat water in a heavy-bottomed kadai, add salt and oil. When it starts boiling, simmer the stove and add the rice flour slowly and stir it quickly without any lumps. When it leaves the sides of the kadai and becomes like a dough, take it off the stove and keep it covered for 10 minutes. When cool, knead well and keep aside.

POORNAM(FILLING):

Soak urad dhal in water for 45 minutes. Drain water completely and grind alongwith green chillies to a coarse paste. DO NOT ADD WATER. Transfer it to a wide vessel, add salt and mix well using your hand. Make patties out of this mixture.

Grease an idli plate, place these patties, one on each dent and steam for 7-8 minutes. When cool, pulse in a mixie to crumbles. 


In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add hing, curry leaves, crumbled mixture,grated coconut and saute for a couple of minutes until dry. Now add coconut and stir for a while.  Switch off the stove. Cover and keep aside.


PROCEDURE:
VINAYAKA CHATURTHI RECIPES,How to make uppu kiozhukattai, How to make Ulundhu kozhukattai
Grease your hand with gingelly oil. Take out small balls from the mel maavu and flatten on your palm to a circle. Place a tablespoon of poornam(filling) inside it and fold it to a semi-circle and seal the edges. Grease idli plates and arrange the crescent shaped kozhukattais in it. Steam cook for 10 minutes in medium heat. Allow a standing time of 5 minutes. Offer them to Pillaiyaar when done. 

NOTE: 
1. Always keep outer covering  covered, to avoid dryness and cracks. 
2. Grease your hands for each kozhukattai during shaping. 
3. Only one or two kozhukattais should be arranged in one dent of the idli plate. 
4. Perfect kozhukattais will be glossy when done.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

LENTILS KHICHRI / LENTILS KHICHDI

LENTILS KHICHRI / LENTILS KHICHDI RECIPE

This is a very special post for me, as its my Blog Anniversary! I thank all my readers, bloggers and friends who spend their time in reading my posts , commenting and trying my recipes. A huge THANKS to each and every one of you for your support!

Recently, I had this prasadam  in ISKCON temple. This was different from the usual Vennpongal of South India and Khichri of North India. I asked the temple authorities about it and they told me the ingredients they used for this Mahaprasad. Ofcourse, the recipe is simple and needless to say, prasadams offered in temples have a distinct flavour. The prasad "as it is" is here for you. 

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dhal with skin (Green gram) - 1/2 cup

Urad dhal with skin (Black urad dhal) - 1/4 cup
Roasted peanuts - 1 tablespoon
Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp.
Pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Hing (asafoetida) - a pinch
Curry leaves - few

Ghee - 3 tablespoons
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Cashews - few


METHOD:


Rice/dhal:water ratio is  1:31/2.

Pressure cook rice and dhals without adding salt.

In a pan, heat a spoon of ghee and fry cashews & peanuts until golden brown. Keep aside.

In the same pan, heat oil, add pepper. When pepper splutters, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves, grated ginger, and hing. Pour these over the rice. Add salt for rice and mix well. Add ghee fried cashews & peanuts. Top with melted ghee.Offer it to the LORD with a tulsi leaf.


Thursday, February 6, 2014

CHETTINAD MASALA KUZHAMBU / CAPSICUM KUZHAMBU

CHETTINAD MASALA KUZHAMBU / MASALA KUZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS:

Capsicum & tomato OR Any vegetable of your choice - 1/2 cup
Shallots (small onions) - 10

Tamarind - a small lemon sized ball

(or) tamarind paste - 1 tbsp.
Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves - few

To roast & grind:
Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon
Dry red chillies - 2
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Tomato -1
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Clove - 2
Curry leaves - a sprig

Hing

METHOD:

Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp.

In a pan, heat a spoon of oil and fry the items given in "to roast & grind" in order. Grind it to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

In the same pan, heat oil, add the items given in "to temper". Saute until golden brown. Now, add small onions and saute until golden brown. Add capsicum and tomato and saute for a while. Pour in the tamarind extract alongwith salt, coriander powder and sambhar powder. Allow it to boil until the vegetables are cooked and the raw smell of tamarind goes. Now, add the ground paste, mix well and allow it to boil until thick. Transfer it to a bowl and serve hot with rice.

Monday, February 3, 2014

CARROT KOSUMARI / CARROT KOSAMBARI

CARROT KOSUMARI / CARROT KOSAMBARI/ KOSUMARI / KOSAMBARI

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dal -1 tbsp.
Grated carrot - 1 cup
Scraped coconut - 1 tbsp.
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tsp.
Salt - as required
Lime juice - 1 tablespoon

To temper:
Oil - 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds  - 1/4 tsp.
Green chillies finely chopped - 1/4 tsp.
Hing - a pinch

METHOD:

Soak dal for an hour. Drain the water completely. 
De-seed and  cut the chillies finely. Peel and grate carrot. Mix all the ingredients.  Temper with the given ingredients.  Mix well.  Kosambari is ready.