Carrot Halwa - காரட் அல்வா

Halwa made with Carrots, Milk and Sugar.

Carrot is a rich source for Vitamin A

My version of this Halwa can be prepared very easily and also with less sugar.

Ingredients Needed:-

1. Grated Carrot - tightly pressed 4 cups

2. Milk 4 cups (here I used low fat milk. full cream milk gives richer taste to this Halwa)

3. Sugar - 3 cups 

4. Ghee - 4 tsp

Ingredients for Garnishing:-

1. Elaichi Powder

2. Grated badam , cashew and raisins

Method:-

1. Peel the carrot skin, wash and grate it.

2. Measure the grated carrot, heat 2 tsp of ghee in a thick bottom vessel (I used pressure cooker)

Sauté the grated carrot for a while and add the equal amount of milk and bring it to boil.

3. It takes atleast 25 to 30 mins to cook thoroughly and the milk evaporates.

4. Add sugar and stir nicely, at first it will be watery and slowly it thickens and the mixture loses its moisture.

5. Add remaining ghee, raisins and chopped nuts.

6. Leave in that vessel itself for atleast 30 mins.



Carrot Halwa - காரட் அல்வா

Note:-

Halwa can be served hot or cold.

Instead of milk,  condensed milk can also be used and in that case reduce the sugar.

Avarakkai Poriyal - அவரைக்காய் பொரியல்

Avarakkai Poriyal

Avarakkai (Broad Beans) is a country vegetable (நாட்டு காய் ).
Rich in vegetable protein and fibre.

This Vegetable has many medicinal and weight loss properties. 

Ingredients Needed:-

1.  Avarakkai washed thoroughly and cut into small pieces (I used 250 grms)

2.  Salt to taste

3.  Turmeric Powder

4.  Hing.

Ingredients for Tempering:-

1.  Oil  1 tsp

2.  Mustard Seeds

3.  Urad dal 

4.  Curry leaves 

Ingredients to pound:-

1.  Grated Coconut 1-1/2 table spoon

2.  Dry Red Chilli -2

3.  Cumin Seeds -1/4 tsp

Method:-

1.  Heat Oil in a Kadai , temper with Mustard Seeds, Urad  dal and Curry leaves .

2.  Add cut Vegetables, Turmeric powder, Hing and Salt.
Mix thoroughly, sprinkle some water, cover and cook till vegetables become soft.

3.  Mean time pound the ingredients. (grated Coconut, Red Chilli and Cumin seeds)

4.  Add the pounded Mixture to the cooked vegetable mix nicely .

அவரைக்காய் பொரியல்

5. When the moisture dries switch off.

Different  type of Avarakkai Poriyal is ready to enjoy with Sambar and Rasam .

KARUVEPPILLAI SADAM (CURRY LEAVES RICE) - கறிவேப்பிலை சாதம்

Curry Leaves Rice - கறிவேப்பிலை சாதம்

Curry leaves has lots of medicinal properties.
In indian cooking it is used as seasoning agent that gives the nice flavour to the food. 

It is very good for digestion and hair growth.

It is very good for those who have sugar and blood pressure issues.

We normally discard the curry leaves which we season in dishes, here in this rice we can get the full benefit of curry leaves.
 

Ingredients Needed:- (for one cup rice)

1.  Curry leaves 2 handful 

2.  Urad dal / Ulutham Paruppu 2 tsp

3.  Channa dal / Kadalai Paruppu. 2 tsp

4.  Dry red chillies 5 nos

5.  Cooked rice ( one cup rice I cooked and kept it in a broad vessel and drizzled 2 tsp of oil)

6.  Salt to taste

Fry the above ingredients separately with little oil cool and powder it adding salt.

Ingredients for Seasoning:-

Oil - preferably use Gingely oil (Sesame oil) - 2 tsp plus 2 tsp to sprinkle on rice.

Mustard Seeds

Ground nuts.

Method for making rice:-

1.  Heat Kadai or any heavy bottom pan and season the Mustard seeds and when it splutters add ground nuts and fry till done in low flame.

2.  Add the cooked rice, powdered Curry leaf mixture.



கறிவேப்பிலை சாதம்

3. Mix nicely so that you get bright Green Colour rice.

Serve this rice with Morekoottu or Morkuzhambu.

This dish can be prepared for pot luck parties and for lunch box.

 

SUNDAL RASAM - சுண்டல் ரசம்

Rasam Made with Pulses like Green Moong Dal, Karamani (Red Bean), Kondakadalai (Channa). I used Black channa, Mochai, Kollu (Horse gram).

In this Rasam I added the above pulses though any other pulses can also be added except Ground Nut.

Ground Nut may give bitter taste to the rasam.

This rasam is made with freshly fried and grinded paste and no need for Rasam Powder.

Ingredients Needed:-

1. Tamarind - Small gooseberry size ( soaked in 1-1/2 cups of water)

2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

3. Hing (Perungayam) 

4. Salt to taste

5. Jaggery little 

6. Mixed Pulses soaked and cooked till soft

7. Tomato finely chopped (optional)

Ingredients needed for Grinding:-

1. Dhania Seeds (Coriander seeds) 1-1/2 tsp

2. Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp

3. Red Chilli dried - 2 nos ( according to taste)

4. Grated coconut - 1 tsp 

5. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Fry the first 3 items in very little oil and grind it along with coconut and cumin seeds.

Ingredients for Tempering:-

1. Ghee - 1 tsp

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

3. Curry leaves

4. Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:-

1.  Soak the pulses for atleast 6 hours (I soaked them overnight) and pressure cook till soft.

2. Take the Tamarind extract in a vessel, add Turmeric powder, Hing (perungayam), Salt and 

Jaggery. Boil this till the raw smell of the tamarind goes.

3. Add cooked pulses with water, grinded paste, finely chopped tomato and bring it to boil.

4. After few minutes add 3/4 cup to 1 cup of water and cook in a slow flame till frothy.

(no need to boil )

5. Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in ghee and garnish with Coriander leaves.

SUNDAL RASAM - சுண்டல் ரசம்

Notes -

Tomato floats in rasam if it is added after boiling the tamarind water.

This rasam can be made just with sprouted Green Moong dal also.

Grinded paste should be coarse. 

If the paste is very fine, then rasam consistency will be very thick.

Karadayan Nonbu Adai ( Sweet )

This measure makes 12 to 15 small size adais.

Ingredients:1. Rice flour 1 cup
2. Jaggery ¾ cup for medium sweet,1 cup for strong sweet.
3. Cardamom 2 (Powder it)
4. Coconut grated or small pieces ¼ cup
5. Brown kidney beans boiled 4 table spoons.
6. Water 1 ¾ cups
7. Ghee 2 tsps
The measure of Rice flour is after frying.



Method:1.Fry rice flour till light brown color. (fry this measure in 2 portions)
2.Soak the jaggery in 1 ¾ cups water for 20 minutes.
3.Strain the jaggery water
4.Pour jaggery water in a kadai and bring it to a boil.
5.While boiling, add grated coconut and boiled kidney beans.
6.Slow down the fire and pour the flour and mix it briskly .
7.Cover it for 3 to 4 minutes. Switch off the stove.
8.Add cardamom powder,2 tsp ghee and mix the dough till soft.
9.If need more water, we can sprinkle water while kneading.
10.Take small amount and make a ball flatten it .
Follow the same procedure to make everything cover it with a wet cloth to avoid dryness.
11.Steam it till cooked. (Testing Procedure: There has to be a shine on the adai)



Tips / Cautions:If the portion of Jaggery is more, during steaming the shape will loosen.
It will break in the edges, if water content is less.
Rice flour should be nicely fried otherwise it will never get cooked.
Adding a pinch of salt will give u more sweet taste.
This is a healthy dish without much Oil.This is an ideal evening snack too.

Karadayan Nonbu Adai (Salt)

Salt Adai:This measure makes 15 small size adais.

Ingredients:1. Rice flour one cup
2. Grated coconut or small pieces of coconut ¼ cup
3. Boiled kidney beans 4 to 5 table spoons.
4. Water 1 ½ cups
5. Salt to taste.
6. Hing - Little.

Seasonings:1. Mustard seeds ½ tsp
2. Urad dal 1 tsp
3. Curry leaves one string
4. Ginger one small piece - Finely chopped.
5. Green chilli and red dry chilli mix 3 nos - Finely chopped
6. Oil 2 tsp

Method:1. Take a kadai, heat it with a oil add seasonings.
2. Pour water while boiling add coconut pieces or grated,, boiled kidney beans, and salt.
3. Put the flour at a time, mix well without forming lumps.
4. Close it with a lid and switch off the stove.
5. Take a small amount of dough and mix it till soft, sprinkling little water if need.
6. Take a small ball of the dough and flatten it.
7. Steam it (till it get a shine).
Tips:* Flour must be added only when the water is in a boiling stage. Else it will form lumps.
* To retain the moisture, keep the dough closed in a wet cloth.
* If the water content is less crack, during steaming the edges will break.

VARUTHU ARACHA MORKUZHAMBU - வறுத்து அரைத்த மோர் குழம்பு

VARUTHU ARACHA MORKUZHAMBU

This Kuzhambu made with curds.
Normally we soak and grind like this .

This is little different and taste very rich.

This kuzhambu go very well with rice and also with Ada -அடை, Sevai - சேவை and Milagu Aval - மிளகு அவல்

Ingredients Needed:-

1.  Curds - 1 cup

2.  Water  1-1/2 cups

3.  Salt to Taste

4.  Turmeric Powder

5.  Hing / Perungayam 

Dilute Curds with Water and make Buttermilk.

வறுத்து அரைத்த மோர் குழம்பு

Ingredients for Grinding:-

1.  Coconut grated - 2 tablespoon

2.  Toor Dal/ Thuvaram Paruppu  - 1 tsp

3.  Raw rice - 1 tsp

4.  Urad Dal - 1 tsp

5.  Methi seeds (Vendhayam) - 1/4 tsp

6.  Dry Red Chilli - 3 nos

7.  Green Chillies - 1

8.  Mustard Seeds - few

Soak Toor Dal / Thuvaram Paruppu for 30 mins

Roast Urad Dal, Dry Red Chilli, Green Chilli, Mustard Seeds and Methi / Vendhayam in 1/2 of oil till Golden Brown.

Grind  soaked Dal and Rice, Roasted items and Coconut into a Paste.

 

Method :-

1. Take a Heavy Bottom Vessel add Grinded Paste along with 1/4 cup Water.

2.  Boil this for few mins and sim the stove, now goes Butter Milk, Turmeric Powder, Salt and Hing.

Mean time I fried Lady's Finger with little salt till dark and kept aside.

 

Boil the Mixture till Boiling Stage.

Now add Fried Lady's Finger and Swtich off.

Ingredients for Tempering:-

1. Oil  - 1 1/2 tsp

2. Mustard Seeds

3. Cumin Seeds / Jeera 

4. Curry leaves

4.  Temper the Ingredients in Oil and Pour over MORKUZHAMBU.

Tasty and different kind of MORKUZHAMBU is Ready to Enjoy.

Note:-

White Pumpkin, Chow-chow, Carrot also can be used to make this Kuzhambu.

For this Vegetables are boiled first and then added to the paste.

Sour Curd is more suitable to make this Kuzhambu.

Milk Balls

Milks Balls

I wanted to Make Milk Burfi the recipe that I learnt from my Sister.
In her house they this make very frequently.
I wanted to make this and distribute in temple for Prasad.
I did not plan my time well so I had to make Milk Balls instead of Milk Burfi.

For One litre Full cream Fresh milk  about 25 medium sized burfis can be made.
In my case I made into small sized balls and it came to about 60 in numbers.

Easy to make with very few ingredients but time consuming.

Ingredients Needed:-

1. Milk full cream Fresh Milk  -1 lit

2. Sugar 400 grams (don't compromise this measure otherwise it is difficult to get Burfi shape)

3.  Rava - 1 tsp 

4. Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:-

1.  Take a heavy bottom kadai (thick bottom vessel) put everything and mix well.

2.  Keep stirring all the time.

3.  Slowly the Milk quantity reduces and it turns thick.

 

4. When the mixture turns golden and the bubbles (white) are formed in the edge is the time switch to off the stove but keep stirring till it becomes even more thicker. (nearly 10 mins) 

5. Again switch on the stove and cook for further 7 to 8 minutes in medium flame, until it becomes very thick and leave the sides. Pour this on to a greased tray .

6. Cut into desired shape when it becomes warm.
At this stage I didn't have enough time, I kneaded it well while it was warm and made balls.

This sweet tastes well and with full of milk flavour, no need to add anything like Elaichi or saffron.