PAAL PAYASAM/RICE KHEER

Ingredients
1.Rice - 1/4 cup
2.Milk - 2litres
3.Cardamom Powder - 1/2tsp
4.Sugar - 1cup(adjust more or less)
5.Almond slices - 3tbsp
6.Cashew nuts - 11/2 tbsp

Method
1.Boil milk in a heavy bottom non stick pan.Once the milk starts boiling reduce flame add washed rice and cook in medium flame till the milk reduced into half.
2.Add sugar and mix gently.Reduce flame to medium low and cook for 2-3mts.
3.Mash the rice gently with spatula and add mixed nuts,cardamom powder.
4.Serve cold or warm.

Diwali Special Sweets ---- Boondi Ladoo

 

Ingredients
1.Besan Flour - 2cups
2.Rice Flour - 1/2cup
3.Sugar - 5cups
4.Cardamom Powder - 1/2tsp
5.Cashew nuts - 2tbsps.
6.Raisins - 1tbsp
7.Oil - for deep frying
8.Camphor - pinch
9.water  - 2cups +3tbsp

Method
1.In a bowl sieve besan flour,rice flour.Add water to the flour till you get pouring consistency or like dosa batter.Mix the batter with out any lumps.
2.In a deep non stick vessel add sugar and 2cups water.Stir well till the sugar melts completely.Boil the sugar and water in medium hi flame till you get single thread consistency.Turn off the flame.
3.Heat oil in a deep frying pan.

4.When the oil is hot,place the perforated ladle on top of the oil and pour batter  on the perforated ladle.Rub gently with ladle.You will see boondi falls down in the oil.Fry boondi for 20seconds(Boondi should be soft not crispy) and transfer into sugar syrup.Repeat the same process with the rest of the batter.After you add new batch of boondi to the syrup,mix well till the sugar syrup coats very well to the boondi.
5.Add pinch of camphor,toasted cashew nuts and raisins to the boondi and make ladoos.You should make ladoo when boondi mixture is warm.
6.Let it cool for 1hour and serve.Store in air tight container.

Navratri special ----- Godhuma Rava Pongal/Cracked Wheat Pongal

Ingredients

1.Cracked wheat/Godhuma rava - 1cup
2.Moong dal - 1/2cup
3.Ghee - 1tsp
For Tempering
1.Ghee - 1tbsp
2.Oil - 1tbsp
3.Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
4.Jeera - 1/2tsp
5.Channa dal - 1/tsp
6.Urad dal - 1/2tsp
7.Pepper Corns - 7-9
8.Pepper Powder - 1/2tsp(adjust to your taste)
9.Curry leaves - 5-6
10.Ginger - 1/2tsp
11.Green chillies - 2(chopped)


Method
1.In a pan add 1tsp ghee and fry cracked wheat for 4-5mts in medium flame.To this add rinsed moong dal.Add salt,31/2 cups water and pressure cook in high flame for 3 whistles.Reduce flame to medium and cook for 4mts.
3.Remove lid after the pressure is released.
4.In a pan heat ghee,oil and add mustard seeds,once it starts spluttering,add jeera,channa dal,urad dal,cashew nuts and fry in medium flame till the nuts and dal changes its color.Add ginger,green chillies,pepper corns,pepper powder and curry leaves.
5.Mix this seasoning to the pongal.

Navratri Special --- Wheat Flour Halwa - Godhuma Pindi Halwa

Ingredients
1.Wheat flour - 2/3cup+2tbsp
2.Milk - 2/3cup
3.Water - 2/3cup
4.Sugar - 2/3cup
5.Cardamom Powder - 1/2tsp
6.Cashew nuts - 10
7.Raisins - 1tsp
8.Ghee - 5tbsp


Method

1.In a non stick pan,heat 2tbsps ghee.Fry cashew nuts,raisins and fry in low flame till it changes its color.Transfer it into a separate plate.
2.In the remaining ghee add wheat flour and fry in medium flame for 4-5mts.Keep stirring continuously to avoid burning.
3.In a pan add sugar,milk and water.Let it boil in medium flame till the sugar gets completely melted.Stir in between.Once the sugar gets melted add this milk and water mixture in roasted wheat flour little by little and mix continuously with one hand with out any lumps.
4.Turn the flame into low and add remaining ghee to the halwa and mix till it forms dough kind of texture.
5.Mix cashew nuts,raisins,cardamom powder to the halwa and serve.

Navratri Special - Kobbari annam/Coconut Rice

Ingredients
1.Rice - 1cup
2.Grated fresh coconut - 3/4cup
3.Salt - to taste
For Seasoning
1.Ghee - 1tbsp
2.Oil - 1tsp
3.Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp
4.Jeera - 1/4tsp
5.Channa dal - 1/2tsp
6.Urad dal - 1/2tsp
7.Green chillies - 2(adjust to your taste)
8.Curry leaves - 10
9.Dry red chilli - 1
10.Cashewnuts - 10
11.Hing -pinch

Method
1.Wash and cook the rice.Let it cool in a wide bowl.
2.In a pan heat ghee,oil and add mustard seeds once it starts spluttering add cashew nuts,jeera,Chana dal,Urad dal  and fry till the dal and nuts changes its color.
3.Add green chillies and fry in medium flame.Add curry leaves,hing.Mix well.
4. Finally add grated fresh coconut and fry for2mts in medium flame.Turn off the flame and mix well with rice.

Navratri Special - Saffron Badam Halwa/Badam Ka Halwa

 
Ingredients
1.Badam - 1/2cup
2.Sugar - 1/2cup
3.Cardamom powder - 1/8tsp
4.Saffron - 1pinch
5.Milk - 1/4cup+1/8cup
6.Ghee - 3tbsp

  Method
1.Soak almonds in hot boiling water for 1 hour.Remove skin  and keep it aside.
2.Grind the almonds into smooth paste with milk.
3.Heat non stick pan.Add sugar and 1/4th cup water to the sugar.Let the sugar melt and add almond paste.
4.Keep stirring in medium flame with out burning on sides and bottom of the pan.

5.Once the mixture starts boiling add 3tbsps ghee and stir continously for 2-3mts.
6.Place the saffron ,little milk in the mortar and grind it with pestle into smooth paste.
7.Add this saffron paste to the almond mixture and mix very well till the mixture leaves the sides.
8.Once the mixture is ready,remove from the flame
9.Let it cool to get slightly thicker consistency.Serve warm or chilled.

Navratri Special - Daddojanam

 

Ingredients
1.Rice -1/2 cup
2.Curd -21/2 cups
3.Pomegranate seeds - 3tbsp
4. Salt - to taste
For Tempering
1.Oil - 1tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Jeera - 1/4 tsp
4. Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
5. Green chillies - 2 finely chopped
6. Curry leaves - 4
7.Roasted Cashew nuts -  10




Method
1.Pressure cook rice for 3 whistles or rice becomes soft.
2.Remove lid after the pressure is released, and mash the rice with ladle gently.
3.Add curd,salt to this and mix well with out any lumps.
4.Heat oil in a small pan.Add seasoning in the above order under tempering section and mix well this seasoning with rice.
5.Finally add pomegranate seeds or choice of fruit(grapes) to the rice and serve.

Navratri Special Recipes - Channa/Chick Pea sundal

Ingredients
1.Chick Peas - 3/4cup
2.Salt- as needed
3.Oil - 1tsp
4.Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp
5.Jeera - 1/4tsp
6.Dry red chilli - 1
7.Urad dal - 1/2tsp
8.Chana dal - 1/2tsp
9.Hing - pinch
10.Curry leaves - 3-4
11.Grated fresh coconut - 2tbsp


Method
1.Soak channa over night.Pressure cook with 3cups water and salt.Turn off the flame after 3 whistles.
2.Once pressure is released,drain the water and keep it a side.
3.Heat oil in a non stick pan.Add Mustard seeds,once it starts spluttering add jeera,urad dal,chana dal,dry red chilli and fry till the dal changes its color.Add curry leaves,hing.
4.Add boiled channa and mix well till the seasoning coats to the channa.Add grated fresh coconut to the channa and serve.

Pesara Vadalu/Moong dal vada

Ingredients

1.Moong dal - 1 1/2cup

2.Onion - 1 1/2 cup(finely chopped)

3.Ginger - 1tbsp

4.Green chillies - 4(chopped)

5.Salt - to taste

6.Jeera - 1/2tsp

7.Curry leaves - few
8.Oil - for deep frying

Method

1.Soak moong dal in water for 2-3hours.Keep a side 1/4 cup moong dal aside. Blend the remaining dal  into smooth paste with out adding any water.Add 2tbsp water while grinding.Transfer this batter to a bowl.Mix the remaining dal to the batter.

2.Add green chillies,curry leaves,jeera,salt,ginger and onion.Mix well.

3.Heat oil in a deep frying pan.Once the oil is hot,take 1tbsp batter and make into round shape.Drop these vada into oil slowly and fry on both sides till it changes nice color.

4.Serve with coconut chutney,Ginger chutney.

Cabbage Vada with no Onion

Ingredients

Makes -20

1.Cabbage - 2 1/4 cups

2.Urad dal - 1cup

3.Salt - to taste

4.Curry leaves - few

5.Ginger(minced) - 2tsp

6.water -1/2 cup+3tbsp(for grinding)

7.Oil - for deep frying

8.Cumin seeds -1/2tsp

9.Gren chillies -4(chopped)

Method

 1.Soak urad dal in water for 2-3hours.Grind in wet grinder or blender untill fluffy by adding 1/4 cup water to the urad dal.Once the dal gets grinded into half way add another 1/4 cup water.Add 2-3tbsp more water  if needed in between while grinding.Grind until the batter becomes light and fluffy.Transfer the batter into a bowl.

2.Add rest of the ingredients to the vada batter and mix well.

3.Heat oil in a deep frying pan.Once the oil gets hot reduce flame to medium.

4.Take a big lemon size ball and pat the dough on a ziplock bag.Make a small hole in  the middle and drops into the oil.Turn the flame to medium high and deep fry on both sides by turning on other side and fry till it reaches color.Repeat the same process with the rest of the batter.Serve with coconut chutney.

Notes

It took 1/2 cup water for my dal while grinding.Adjust the water as needed.Do not add than the required amount water.The batter should not be thin.If the batter is thin then you won't able to make into vada.