Wednesday, January 26, 2011

South Indian Poli

Puran Poli

Ingredients

Chana Dhal........................1 cup
Sugar.................................1 cup
Cardamom Powder...........1 tsp
Ghee..................................2 tbsp
Wheat Flour........................1cup
Salt....Little
Oil ..................................2 tbsp


Method

Make a soft dough with flour ,salt,water and oil .
Knead nicely and make big sizes balls and keep.

Soak the chana dhal for an hour and cook it.
Remove the water and make a paste with sugar.
Heat a pan with little ghee, add the paste and mix it well. .(stir continuously). 
When it becomes thick remove from the flame and let it cool.Make lemon sized  balls.
Take a dough roll it into 4' round and place the sweet ball at the center and  cover the middle part along with the ends. 
With the help of flour make  5" round.(like chapathi)
Heat a tawa and place the poli and cook it and turn the other side add ghee and cook.

Serve hot with ghee.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Ven Pongal ( Kichadi)

January 15 th is Pongal./Makara Sankranthi. We make venpongal, chutney and Sarkarai pongal for this festival.
Ven Pongal

Ingredients

Raw Rice...................1 cup
Split Moong Dhal.........1 cup
Pepper.....................1 tsp
Cashew Nuts..............10.
Chopped Ginger.........1 tsp
Curry Leaves..............few
Ghee...........................2 tbsp
Pepper Powder...........2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Heat pan and roast the moong dhal until roasted aroma released.
Wash the rice ,add the dhal with four cups of water in pressure cooker.
Heat a pan with ghee ,add cumin seed. pepper corns, ginger and curry leaves. 
Add the cooked rice salt and pepper powder.
Roast the cashew nuts add to the pongal. Mix well. 
Add little more ghee.

Ellu Orundai( Tilache Ladu )

Ellu Orundai(Tilache Ladu)
Maharashtrian  specially make this ladus on Makara Sankranthi Day.

Ellu Orundai (  Sweet Sesame Balls )

Sesame Seeds…………………..2 cups
Peanuts………………………..¼ cup
Powdered Jaggery………………..¾ cup
Ghee………………………………1 tbsp

Method

Roast the sesame seeds and peanuts separately. 
He at a pan with little water. 
When the syrup is one thread consistency add the peanuts and sesame seeds. 
Add the ghee and allow to cool. Shape it into small balls by applying little ghee on hands.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Pazha Pradhaman

Pazha Pradhaman

Onam Sadya is not complete without payasam/pradhaman
This is Kerala's specialty sweet dish.We use  netranpazham with jaggery and coconut milk to prepare this pradhaman

Ingredients

  • Netranpazham.........................2
  • Powdered jaggery...................2cups
  • Coconut..................................1
  • Cardamom Powder.................1tsp
  • Thin coconut pieces.................1/4 cup
  • Ghee.......................................1tbsp

Method

  • Steam the netranpazham, remove the skin and mash them.
  • Grate the coconut and extract  the cream without adding water.
  • Add one cup of  water and extract the  first cup of milk  . .
  • Add one  more cup water  and extract  the second milk and keep.

  • Heat a thick tawa, add ghee netranpazham and jaggery.
  • Cook stirring till the mix come away from its sides.
  • Keep in low flame add the second of coconut milk and stir.
  • Slowly add the first extract of coconut milk.
  • Lastly add the cream and remove from the flame.
  • It should not boil.Fry the coconut pieces in ghee till brown.Add to the pradhaman.
  • Sprinkle the cardamom powder..

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Puttu and Kadala Curry

This is the popular breakfast of Kerala people. 
Ingredients

Rice Flour...............1 cup
Grated Coconut.........1 cup
Warm Water.............1/2 cup
Salt to Taste
Puttu and Kadala Curry

Method

Roast the rice flour for 5 minutes.Mix rice flour and salt by sprinkling warm water keep mixing with hands.
The entire flour has to be wet.
( you can get ready made puttu rice flour at Indian stores)

Keep water in the bottom of puttu vessel.Take the puttu mould add 1 tsp of coconut first followed by4 tsp of rice flour then again 2 tsp of coconut. Keep layering to fill the mould.Close the lid

Keep the vessel on the gas . When the water boils the steam goes inside and cook the flour. Keep up to 4 minutes.take the vessel in hand . Use a skewer(it comes with the vessel) and push the dish out of the mould.
Eat the puttu hot with kadala curry.

Kadala curry 

Brown Chick peas.......1 cup
Tamarind Paste............1 tsp
Coconut......................3 tbsp
Red Chili.......................3
Coriander Seeds...........2 tsp
Chana Dhal......................1tsp
Turmeric Powder......1/2 tsp
Curry leaves..............few
Tomato ....................1
Onion .........................1
Salt to taste

Method

Soak the chick peas over night.Chop the tomato and onion. 
Fry the chili, coriander seeds and chana dal.Grind this with coconut and keep.
Cook the chick peas with salt .Add turmeric powder, tamarind paste,tomato and onion, 
Let it boil. When everything is cooked add the ground paste and curry leaves,
Eat hot puttu with this kadala curry.