Kozhakattai (Ganesh Chaturthi), Ellu Kozhakattai and Ulundu Kozhakattai

Ganesh Chaturthi

We prepare Kozhakattai, Appam and Vadai on this day for Naivedyam. Kozhakattai is a sweet prepared with coconut, jaggery and rice dumpling prepared on special occasions and for Lord Ganesh on Chaturthi festival.

Ganesh Puja

Kozakattai

• Grated Coconut...........1cup
• Powdered Jaggery.......1/2 cup
• Cardamom Powder.....1 pinch
• Rice Powder.................2cups
• Salt .............................1/4 tsp
• Coconut Oil...................2tsp

Method

• Grate the coconut.Heat a pan with coconut and jaggery. 
• Stir it till the jaggery incorporated with coconut. 
• When you can able to make small balls remove from flame. 
• Make small balls and keep.
• Boil one and half cup water with a pinch of salt and 1tsp oil. 
• Add the rice powder slowly with out lumps and make thick soft dough. 
• Knead the dough well. Apply oil in your hands take a little dough and shape it like a cup and keep the sweet coconut balls in the centre and cover all the sides with the fingers. 
• Steam all the kozhakattais. When they are cooked cool them and remove them to a bowl

.  
Ellu  Kozhakattai(sesame/Till seeds Kozhakattai)

• Ellu or Sesame seeds....... 1cup
• Powdered Jaggery...........1cup
• Oil................................ 1tsp
• Rice Powder..................1 cup
• Salt ..............................1/4 tsp

Method

• Dry roast the ellu/sesame seeds till they puffs up. 
• Powder the jaggery and sesame seeds with a pinch of salt.
• Boil the water with 1tsp oil add the rice flour and make a thick dough. 
• Take a little rice dough, apply oil and shape like a cup and keep 
• 1tsp ellu podi in the middle and seal all the sides. Steam them.

Ulundu Kozhakattai

Ingredients

• Urad Dhal…………….. 1 cup
• Green Chilies………….3
• Grated Coconut………. half cup
• Ginger………………. 1 piece
• Curry Leaves…………. few
• Mustard Seeds……… 1tsp
• Rice Flour………… ..1 cup
• Water………………..1/2 cup
• Oil ………………… 1 tsp
• Salt ………………….1 tsp
• Asafoetida……………half tsp

Ulundhu Kozhakattai

Method

• Soak the dhal for an hour and grind coarsely with chili and salt.
• Steam this mixture for 10 minutes.
• Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds curry leaves,chopped ginger asafoetida and when mustard crackle add the steamed mixture and stir well.. 
• Add coconut and make small balls and keep. 
• Boil the water in a pan and add oil, salt and rice flour,maida. 
• Stir well with out forming lumps. 
• When it becomes thick dough,cover and keep.
• Knead the dough with little oil till it becomes smooth. 
• Make cups and place this dhal pournam and cover them. 
• Steam all the kozhakattais for ten minutes.

Red Beans, Pepper Salad

Red Beans Pepper Salad

Ingredients

• Cooked Red Beans.......... 1cup
• Yellow Pepper...................1
• Red Pepper.......................1
• Onion................................1
• Black Olive........................1/4 cup
• Scallion..............................1
• Salt and Pepper..................to Taste
• Olive Oil...........................1tsp
• Lemon Juice.....................1tbsp

Method

• Chop the onion, red pepper, yellow pepper onion and scallion. 
• Mix all including red beans, olives, salt and pepper.
•  Mix all nicely add olive oil and lemon juice.

Green Apple, Pumpkin Soup

Green Apple, Pumpkin Soup

Green Apple , Pumpkin Soup












Ingredients

• Chopped Green Apple.................1cup
• Chopped Onion............................1/2 cup
• Chopped Pumpkin.........................1 cup
• Chopped Celery.............................1/2 cup
• Olive Oil........................................2tsp
• Vegetable Stock.............................3cups
• Coriander Leaves...........................few
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

• Combine every thing in a pan with oil . Saute them for 5 minutes. 
• Add vegetable stock salt and pepper. 
• Cook till the apple and pumpkin become soft. 
• Puree them. Remove to a serving bowl sprinkle chopped coriander.

Making Vegetable stock

• Vegetable stock is a good substitute for chicken stock.
• To make 2 cups of vegetable stock use 2 onions, 2 ribs of celery, 1 carrot, small piece ginger (optional) 3 garlic pearls, 1/2 tsp pepper powder. chop all the vegetable add 4 cups of water.Let it boil .
• Cook them in low flame for 1 hour.Strain the water and keep it in fridge. 
• Whenever you need you can use it.