SAKKARAI PONGAL / CHAKKARAI PONGAL

A bowl of delectable, sweet Sakkarai Pongal....

INGREDIENTS

• RAW RICE-1 CUP
• MOONG DHAL-1/2 CUP
• JAGGERY -1 CUP
• MILK-1 CUP
• POWDERED ELAICHI-1/2 TEASPOON
• GHEE-1 CUP
• CASHEWNUTS- 10 to 12
• RAISINS -1 TABLESPOON

METHOD

• Powder the jaggery. Dissolve in hot water.Strain the impurities .
• Roast the moong dhal slightly.
• Wash and clean the rice.
• Pressure cook the rice and dhal together with 4- 4.5 cups of water till well done.
• Remove from the cooker and mash well.
• Bring the strained jaggery syrup to a boil.
• Now add the mashed ride-dhal mixture to the boiling syrup.
• Mix well.
• Add the milk and cook till it becomes a homogenous mixture.
• Now,add the milk and simmer for a while.
• Heat the ghee.
• Fry the raisins .Add to the pongal.
• Fry the cashew nuts.Add to the pongal.
• Now,add the powdered elaichi and the rest of the ghee.
• Simmer till the ghee is mixed well with the pongal.You can add more ghee to this dish while serving .

LAUKI HALWA / SURAIKKAI HALWA

A deliciously healthy halwa ...so easy to prepare ...loaded with the goodness of bottlegourd (Lauki /Suraikkai) and full cream milk...



INGREDIENTS

• BOTTLEGOURD /LAUKI/SURAIKKAI(Grated)-4 CUPS
• GHEE-3/4 CUP
• FULL CREAM MILK-4 CUPS
• KHOVA-1/2 CUP
• SUGAR-11/2 CUPS
• POWDERED CARDAMON-1/2 TEASPOON
• BROKEN CASHEWNUTS-FEW
• RAISINS-FEW
• GREEN FOOD COLORING- A PINCH

METHOD

• Skin the bottle gourd .Remove the seeds.
• Grate the gourd.Squeeze out the juice with your hands .Drain.
• Heat the ghee.
• Fry the raisins and broken nuts.Drain and keep them aside.
• Add the grated bottle gourd/lauki and fry well .The remaining water will ooze out .Boil well stirring continuously till it is almost evaporated.
• Now ,add the milk and sugar and cook stirring continuously in a heavy bottomed pan till it is reduced to  a thick mass.
• Add the  food color.Stir well.
• Add the crumbled khova ,cardamom powder and fried nuts and raisins.
• Serve hot or chilled.
• Instead of khova,you can also add condensed milk to add to its richness.

Linking to
http://zestysouthindiankitchen.com/2014/11/hearth-soul-blog-hop-november-1-st-week.html

SEMIYA PAYASAM/VERMICELLI KHEER

Here is a delectable kheer/payasam which is so simple to prepare...

INGREDIENTS

• VERMICELLI/SEMIYA-1 CUP
• MILK - 1 LITER
• SUGAR-1 1/2 CUPS
• POWDERED ELAICHI-1/2 TEASPOON
• GHEE-2 TABLESPOONS
• CASHEW NUTS-1 TEASPOON
• RAISINS-1  TEASPOON

METHOD

• Boil milk well,stirring continuously and reduce it to 80% of it's original content.
• Heat a little ghee in a pan and roast the semiya lightly taking care not to brown it.
• Add a teaspoon of sugar to it and toss lightly.
• Add a cup of water and cook the semiya till done.Cool slightly.
• Add the boiled and reduced milk and sugar to the cooked semiya/vermicelli. Boil for 5 minutes over low heat. 
• Add the powdered elaichi.
• Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in ghee . Drain.
• Add them to the payasam.
• Serve hot or chilled.

PAAL PAYASAM

Here is the ultimate dessert-A fitting finale for a rich Southern spread...The thick,creamy,light pinkish paal payasam...a rich kheer made with full cream milk in which rice is cooked...

No South Indian feast is complete without the thick ,creamy sweet paal payasam.And it is the favoured neivadyam(offering) to God Almighty in many a pujas...



INGREDIENTS

• FULL CREAM MILK-2 LITERS
• SUGAR-2 1/2 CUPS
• RAW RICE/BASMATI RICE-2-3 TABLESPOONS
• POWDERED ELAICHI-1/2 TEASPOON
• CASHEW NUTS FRIED IN GHEE-10 -12
• CONDENSED MILK- 2 TABLESPOON(OPTIONAL)

METHOD

• Soak the rice for half an hour.
• Drain.
• Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed vessel.(You can use a pressure cooker too)
• Add the rice to the milk and cook continuously .
• Stir frequently.
• If you are using a cooker,then add the milk and rice to the cooker directly and pressure cook till one whistle in high heat  and for 15 -20 minutes over a low flame.
• Once the rice is well cooked,mash slightly and simmer further till the volume of the milk is reduced to almost half of it's original quantity and it acquires  a pinkish tint.
• You can add the condensed milk now, if you wish.
• Now ,add the sugar and elaichi powder.Remove from heat.Stir well till the sugar dissolves.
• Garnish with fried cashew nuts.
• Serve hot or chilled.

CARROT HALWA -MICROWAVE COOKING

A  generous helping of fresh and hot ,delicious carrot halwa-

The perfect comfort food for all seasons...ready in a jiffy!

INGREDIENTS

• GRATED CARROT- 2 CUPS
• SUGAR-1 1/2 CUPS
• CONDENSED MILK-2 TABLESPOONS

                        or

• MILK POWDER -2 TABLESPOONS
• GHEE-1 TABLESPOON
• MILK-2 TABLESPOONS
• ELAICHI-2-4
• FRIED CASHEW NUTS -FEW
• FRIED RAISINS - FEW

METHOD

1. Grind together the milk and grated carrots to a coarse consistency in a mixer.
2. Mix the sugar and powdered elaichi (cardamoms)to this mixture.
3. Keep this mixture in a wide mouthed large micro safe bowl.
4. Add the condensed milk/milk powder and ghee to this mixture.
5. Microwave for 10 minutes stirring once in 3 minutes.
6. If the carrots are very juicy ,you can microwave it for another minute or two.
7. Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with fried raisins and cashew nuts.

    Serve hot or cold.

SIGILI URUNDAI / CHIMILI URUNDAI/SWEET TIL LADDOO

Here is a traditional dessert-

An ethnic dish  made in South Indian homes ...

(mainly Tamil Brahmin homes)

Usually ,this one is not available off the counter

in sweet shops and restaurants...

It is a very healthy dish which has the goodness 

of jaggery and sesame seeds...

In the days of yore this dish 

called for a lot of physical  effort 

like rubbing, pounding etc...

but now,we can prepare them effortlessly...

INGREDIENTS

SESAME SEEDS( DESKINNED) -     2 CUPS
(You can get deskinned ones off the shelf)

JAGGERY (POWDERED)-1 1/2 CUPS

METHOD

• Powder jaggery in a mixer.
• Roast the sesame seeds/ellu/til in a hot pan till they splutter.
• Now powder the sesame seeds in a mixer.
• Mix the powders well.
• Now, shape  1 inch sized balls/laddoos /urundais with the mixture.
• You need not add any ghee/oil etc because sesame seeds themselves have oil in them and this binds the laddoos.

KAJU KATHLI

Here is a delicious , melt in the mouth  sweet

 made with cashew nuts and sugar...

INGREDIENTS

• CASHEW NUTS - 2 CUPS
• SUGAR -1 1/4 TEASPOON
• CORNFLOUR -2 TEASPOON
• GHEE- 2 TEASPOONS
• LIQUID GLUCOSE -1/2 TEASPOON

METHOD

1. Powder the cashew nuts in a dry mixer .
2. Heat 1/2 cup water in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the sugar  and make a sugar syrup of soft ball consistency.
3. Now add the cashew powder and liquid glucose and cook over medium heat till it leaves the sides of the vessel.
4. Add the ghee.and cook ,stirring continuously till the mixture is a soft lump.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Place it on a marble slab dusted with cornflour and knead well till it forms a smooth dough like mass.
7. Roll out to a 1/2 cm thick  layer with a rolling pin.
8. Draw uniform lines with a sharp knife and make diamond shaped pieces.
9. Loosen the pieces when slightly set.Store in airtight containers.
10. Keeps fresh for a week.

BADAM MILK PURI /PAAL BOLI

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Here is a wholesome dessert -which is a meal by itself too!

These delicious Badam milk puris or Paal Bolis are 

traditional desserts which are served along with the meal

or as a wholesome meal too!

INGREDIENTS

• MILK -1 LITER
• WHEAT FLOUR- 2 CUPS
• GHEE-1 TABLESPOON
• OIL FOR FRYING
• DUSTING FLOUR
• 
  
• SUGAR -2 CUPS
• ALMONDS-10
• YELLOW FOOD COLOR-LITTLE
• ALMOND ESSENCE -A FEW DROPS
• SAFFRON -A FEW STRANDS(OPTIONAL)

METHOD

For making the puris...

1. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the flour.
2. Add melted ghee to the flour.Mix well.
3. Add water (little by little) and knead the flour to a stiff dough.
4. Set aside for 15 minutes.
5. Make small balls and roll out small 3" round puris.
6. Deep fry in hot oil.Drain.

For preparing the Badam milk...

1. Soak the almonds in hot water.Remove the skin.
2. Now grind them to a paste with a little milk.
3. Add the almond paste to the milk.
4. Bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add the food color and essence.
6. Add the saffron dissolved in warm milk.

 Now,

Soak the puris,few at a time in the hot milk  and drain them out and arrange on a basin or a platter.

Do not soak for more than a 15 -20 seconds -or else the puris will lose shape.

Pour the hot milk on the puris and serve them hot or chilled.

RASMALAI

Ingredients

4  cups milk for paneer (2% milk)
3  cups milk for Ras(sweetened milk)
4 - 4 1/2 tbsp. sugar for Ras(sweetened milk)
1 cup sugar
3 cups of water
saffron, cardamom
lemon juice
A pinch of yellow food coloring


Method

1.Boil 3 cups of milk for ras  until it is reduced to  1 3/4 cup.
2.Bring 4 cups of milk to boil. Now to curdle the milk ,add lemon juice to it stirring continuously.
3.Then drain it through a clean,fine cloth.(I prefer a fine handkie)
4.Hold it covered with cloth under running water. Drain the excess water by pressing the cloth there must not be any water remaining.
5.In a pressure cooker add 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar.
6.Take the paneer out of the cloth in a dish, mash it knead it till smooth and make around 15 small sized balls out of it
7.Pressure cook the  paneer balls in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles in the sugar syrup.
8.Add the sugar  to the boiled milk  and add cardamom,  and saffron to it. Let it cool .
9.Let the  pressure cooker cool. Open it take out the balls of paneer with the spoon  and let the water drain by pressing it little and let it cool.Flatten the paneer balls.
10.When the milk is cool add paneer balls to it.
11.Refrigerate it.Serve chilled.

# You can decorate it with sliced almonds before you serve them.