Kaasi Halwa with Gulkand

Halwa - Traditional Sweet Dish.
Ash Gourd Halwa.
Flavoured with Gulkand.

Ingredients Needed:
1. White Pumpkin Grated (1 cup) {measure after squeezing out the water from pumpkin. To remove water, tie the grated Pumpkin in a towel and squeeze.}
2. Sugar - 3/4 Cup + 2 tblsp
3. Gulkand - 3 tsp to 4 tsp. [Rose Petals Jam - Rose Petals, Dry fruits and Sugar.] [link:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulkand]
4. Ghee - 5 tsp.
5. Water - 1/2 cup to make sugar syrup
6. Cashew nuts (For garnishing) Fry and keep it aside.
Method:
1. Melt 1 tsp of Ghee in a pan and add grated white Pumpkin pieces.
2. Cook in slow flame to remove excess water and to remove raw smell.
3. Make sugar syrup to 1string consistency.
4. Pour this syrup to the cooked white pumpkin and keep on stirring.
5. When it sticks to the bottom add 2 tsps of ghee.
6. Halwa will leave on the sides, now goes the Gulkand and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Garnish with Cashew nuts, and enrich the Halwa by adding the remaining ghee.
Ash Gourd Halwa, deliciously flavoured with Gulkand is ready to be enjoyed.
Note:-
If you dont get Gulkand, and add Sugar in the ratio of 1 : 1, for every cup of grated Ash Gourd and add few drops of Red Colouring.
This is my Submission for Monthly Mingle Hosted by Meeta

Kalkkandu vadai

Chettinad Diwali

Spicy Vadas are normal. How about a Sweet Vada?
Recipe from Chettinad.
Chettinad is famous for its Culture, Heritage, Mansions and of course its Cuisine.
Thanks to A, for this Recipe.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Urad Dal 1 cup
2. Sugar Candy 3/4 cup (Kalkandu) (Rock Sugar)
3. Grated Coconut 2 tablespoons (Optional)
4. Elaichi POwder
5. Pinch of Salt
6. Oil to deep fry
Method:
1. Soak Urad dal for 30 minutes, wash them and drain excess water.
2. Wipe soaked urad dal with a cloth and grind it along with the Sugar candy. (No Need to add water)
3. Now add grated Coconut, Elaichi Powder, Salt and Mix well.
4. Make small size vadas and deep fry in oil.
Note:
1. Vada should get immersed in Oil while frying.
2. While frying the vada will puff up.
3. Never use sugar for this vada.
4. If it is watery add 1 or 2 tsps of Maida.
5. This vada can be retained for 4 days.

This is my submission for Special Edition Jhiva hosted by Vee

Vella Pidi Kozhukkattai

Jaggery and Rice [Idli rice or Raw rice] makes this Traditional Sweet Snack.

Ingredients are for a measure of 10 Nos.
1. Raw Rice 3/4 cup
2. Jaggery 3/4 cup
3. Grated Coconut 2 tablespoons
4. Pinch of Salt
5. Water 2 cups
6. Ghee 1 tsp
7. Elaichi Powder
Method:
1. Clean the rice with a dry towel to remove the husk and dust, if any.
2. Dry roast in a pan till light brown.
3. Cool it and make a thin rawa consistency powder.
4. Mean time, soak jaggery in water and keep it aside.
5. Now filter the Jaggery water to remove the mud and dust. Let it boil in a pan.
6. Add Grated Coconut, Ghee, Salt, Elaichi powder and Rice Rawa. Mix thoroughly.
7. Close with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
8. When it is still warm make oblong balls and steam it...

Traditional, Healthy Snack for a Festival day. *

Note:
1. If rice is not fried properly, the steaming will
* not cook the rawa properly.
2. If you are using Raw rice, no need to wash it.

This is My submission for JFI(Rice) hosted by Sharmi of Nivedhyam

Pan Fried PineApple

~ Easy breezy Dessert dish made out of Pineapple.~
Pineapple pieces are fried in butter and garnished withfried raisins and grated chocolate...

Ingredients needed:
1. Ripe Pineapple pieces round pieces.
2. Unsalted Butter - 2 Tbsp
3. Raisins - 3 Tbsp
4. Grated Chocolate
5. Sugar to coat Pineapple

Method:
1. In a Shallow frying pan Melt Butter .
2. Place the Sugar Coated Pineapple pieces in a pan.
3. Fry both sides till golden brown.
4. While frying put raisins in pan to fry.
5. Garnish with Fried Raisins and Grated Chocolate

* Cool Dish that is served Hot.*
This is My Submission for Maheshwari's AFAM (PineApple)

One Year and Badam Halwa

Eat Little, Sleep Sound goes an Iranian Proverb.
Simple words for a Healthy living.

To eat little, someone has to cook and I love Cooking.

I had learnt cooking from my Mother, MIL and my friends Mothers etc. Always eager to watch the Cooking shows on TV.

With time to spare and having introduced to Sailu's blog by my husband, critiqued by my Son, encouraged by friends around, I took up to food blogging in January '06.

Named it MenuToday and initially posted few traditional items like Thiruvathirai Kali, Sarkarai Pongal, Kuzhi Paniyaram, Milagu Vada etc.
They were not big draws then but brought me my first few blog friends in l g,

Towards a better tomorrow, Pushpa, Saffronhut.

Am quite happy that some of my traditional items finds comments and new friends even after many months of their posting.

I like the idea initiated by Indira on JFI and participating in the JFI events always brought Joy to me. It makes me work a little hard to find an item that would fit the bill and am always amazed by others unique contributions that make the JFI so varied and colourful. Till now have not missed making my contributions to it.

VCC Contests, Breakfast blogging, Weekend Curry Mela have all been interesting and bring good food on to your screens at regular intervals.

I always look out for the postings of Asha, Indira, Sailu, Archana, Ashwini, PriyaS&S, Vaishali who always excel not only in their Culinary skills but also on Writing and Photography skills that I am quite envy of. Their posts are a pleasure and they bring more than just a recipe.

Have gained friends like Shammi, Archana, Prema Sundar, Meena, Jayashree, Krishna Arjuna, Akshayapatra(m) Priya and Chandrika, IndoSunGod whose blogs that I my Computer visits automatically whenever I login.

New to Food blogging are LakshiAmmal, Ultimate Foodie, VCuisine but experts in their own way whose blogs are added in my list to frequent.

Have earned many Culinary Cousins (All of you food bloggers) in this One Year and all of whom are worthy of mention and close to my blog and heart.True to tradition, On an occasion like this I have to certainly name a few Asha, Krithika, Daily Girl Priya, Prema, Sudha, Shilpa, Vineela whose words of support I always eagerly look for and also feel encouraged by it.

Initially I didn't know much about food blogging but now I wonder how I have, in this 1 year, made 150+ postings.

I also learnt that it is world of its own and am glad to be part of it.

On this occasion I raise a toast, Oops, a Spoon of Badam Halwa to the Good Health and Happiness of all Food bloggers and readers.

Badam Halwa

* - * Badam (Almond) has good Cholestrol.
* - * Badam Halwa easy to prepare and tastes nice.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Badam (Soaked in Hot water for 30 minutes) 1 cup
2. Sugar (1cup of paste = 1 cup sugar)
3. 1/4 cup hot milk.
4. Saffron strands 10 to 12 soaked in hot milk.
5. Ghee 3 table spoons.

Method:
1. Remove Brown skin from the soaked badam and grind it to a fine paste
adding milk.(Saffron Soaked Milk)
2. Add Sugar and mix well.
3. On stove, Cook in medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes, in between add 2
tablespoons of ghee.
4. When bubbles form on edges, and in center, small layer like (malai)will
form switch off. (Now it will be semi solid consistency)
5. Switch of the stove and Now add remaining one tablespoon of ghee
and Mix gently till it forms to a lump.

# Serve the Delicious, Rich Halwa Hot or Cold to Young and Old. #

Badam Halwa

Note:
1. Here I didnot add any food colour, colour from saffron gives rich look
to Badam Halwa.
2. If you wish, few drops of Almond essence can be added.
3. Mixing of Halwa will gives it a smooth texture.

Happy Pongal, Happy Makara Shankaranthi ! ! !

Sago Payasam

~ Traditional dish but served in all (Bhavan's) South Indian Meals.
~ Light Dessert.

Ingredients Needed:
1. 4 table spoon Sago
2.1/2 lit milk (boil for atleast 20 minutes)
3. Water
4. Ghee for frying sago , cashew, raisins
5. Sugar According to taste
6. Saffron few strands
7. Elaichi Powder

Method:
1. Heat Ghee in a kadai fry Cashews and Raisins and keep it aside.
2. Fry Sago till it pops.
3. Add water and cook till Sago looks transparent.
4. Drain water and add Sago to the boiling Milk and Cook for a further 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Add sugar, mix well, bring it to a boil and switch off.
6. Mix Elaichi powder, fried Cashews and Raisins and Saffron. (soaked in Warm Milk)

<> Serve Hot or Cold. <>

Aval Sarkkarai Pongal / Vella Aval

>> Easy Breezy dish.
>> Sweet Pongal made with Aval.
>> Yet Another Traditional Dish.

Aval Sarkkari Pongal/ Vella Aval

Ingredients Needed:

1. Poha/ Aval 1 cup
2. Jaggery 3/4 cup (Grated and soaked in 1/4 cup of water)
3. Dry Ginger Powder
4. Elaichi Powder
5. Cashew Nuts
6. Ghee 1-1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash Aval/Poha 2 times, drain water and keep it aside.
2. Heat one tsp of Ghee in a kadai/pan fry Cashew nut pieces and keep it aside.
3. Strain Jaggery water in strainer and add in kadai.
4. Make a thick Syrup and in it goes the soaked poha and stir for 2 minutes.
5. Pour another 1/2 tsp of Ghee and Pongal will gather in center.
6. Mix Elaichi powder, Dry Ginger Powder, Fried Cashew nuts .

~~ Enjoy the Goodness of Poha and Sweetness of Jaggery Hot. ~~

Payaru Vella Sundal

(/) Traditional Sundal Variety.
(/) Healthy Sundal for all.

This is my submission for JFI#8 (jaggery) Hosted by Kay of Towards Better Tomorrow

Ingredients Needed:

1. Green Moong Dal - 1 cup
2. Jaggery (Gud) - 3/4 cup
3. Coconut (Grated) - 1/4 cup
4. Elaichi Powder to taste
5. Salt - 1/4 tsp
6. Ghee - 1/2 tsp
Preparing Method:

1. Fry Green Moong for 5 minutes and Soak in water for 30min.
2. Cook in a open pan till done. (not too mushy)
3. Mean time, Boil Jaggery with 1/2 cup of Water, Strain to remove dust and sand.
4. Make this into a thick syrup.
5. Now add Cooked Moong, Salt, Grated Coconut, Elaichi powder and stir well till water evaporates.
6. Garnish with fried Cashew.

Hot or Cold, Delicious and Healthy !

Puran Poli (South Indian Style)

Traditional Indian Sweet made with Jaggery and Dal.
Each states has its own version of making this Poli.
The below features the version of Tamil Nadu.

Ingredients Needed For Base
1. Maida 3/4 cup
2. Salt (pinch)
3. Turmeric Powder or Food Colour (2 pinches)
4. Sesame Oil 3 tablespoons.
5. Water to knead the dough

Items Needed For Pooranam (Filling):
1. Channa dal 1 Cup
2. Jaggery 3/4 Cup to 1 Cup (according to taste)
3. Grated Coconut 2 table spoons.
4. Elaichi Powder
5. Ghee 1/2 tsp

Make Base:
1. In a bowl add Maida, Food colour/Turmeric, Salt and knead it to a soft dough using water.
2. Pour Oil on top of dough and keep it aside for 30 to 40 minutes.

Making of Pooranam:
1. Fry Channa dal till good smell comes.
2. Cook this dal in (just enough) water. (not too Mushy)
3. Drain out all water and add Jaggery and Coconut.
4. Grind this into a fine paste.
5. Heat a kadai add this paste and saute till water evoparates.6. Mix Elaichi powder and keep it aside

Making of Poli.
1. Take a tender Banana leaf or thick plastic sheet. Apply little oil.
2. Take some amount of Maida dough and spread with hands.
3. Keep the Coconut filling (Pooranam) inside and cover with maida.
4. Make it into a ball, spread with hands.
5. Fry both sides on a tawa applying little Ghee unti Poli is done.
Delicious, Healthy Poli is ready.Serve Hot with a little Ghee on top of it.Can store upto 3 days.

This is My Submission for JFI#8 (Jaggery) hosted by Kay towards better tomorrow

Carrot Pearl (sago) Payasam

Carrot Pearl (Sago) Payasam

My son asked for some sweet dish with Vegetables.
So I decided to make Payasam with Carrot and added Sago to make it interesting.
Sago also from tapiocca
Here is how I went about making this Payasam.

Ingredients needed:
1. Carrot medium size 4
2. Milk 1/2 lit (I used full cream milk)
3. Sago 3 to 4 tablespoons.
4. Sugar to taste
5. Ghee 1/2 tsp
6. Water 1/2 cup

Garnishing:
1. Elaichi Powder.
2. Saffron
3. Cashew and Badam
4. Cloves 2


Method:
1. Pressure cook Carrots. Cool it and grind into paste.
2. Boil milk and keep aside.
3. Heat 1/2 tsp of Ghee in kadai and fry Sago till it pops open.
4. Boil the fried Sago with Water and Drain water completely and keep it aside.
5. Take a heavy bottom vessel put Carrot paste and water.
6. Boil this mixture for 5 minutes in medium flame, Add Milk and Cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add Sugar, stirring continuously and cook for another 5 minutes.
8. While boiling the Carrot puree, add Cloves.
9. Garnish later with Elaichi powder, Saffron, fine pieces of Cashews and Badams.

Note:
1.You can make this with low fat milk .
2. This one is fat free. (whatever ghee we are using we are taking out).
=> How was the CP Payasam? <=

JackFruit Paruppu Payasam

Jack Fruit Paruppu Payasam
* A Traditional Sweet Dish of South India.
* A Payasam that is full of Protein, Calcium and Iron.
* Easy to prepare.

Items Needed:
1. Channa dal 1/4 cup
2. Moong dal 1/2 cup
3. Jaggery 3/4 cup
4. Elaichi 4
5. Coconut Milk Thick 1/2 cup
6. Jackfruit cut into small pieces 1/4 cup
7. Grated Coconut 3 tsp
8. Ghee 2 tsp
9. Cashew Nuts 9

Method:
1. Fry dal in tawa without adding Oil or ghee till red.
2. Cook Dal nicely with enough water.
3. Add the Jack Fruit pieces, when Dal is almost cooked.
4. Adding 1/4 glass water, Cook Jaggery until boiling point.
5. Strain Jaggery water to remove the mud and dust in it.
6. Pour this Jaggery water and Cook for 8 min in Medium flame.
7. Add Coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Switch off.
8. Using Ghee, Fry Cashew nuts, Grated Coconut and add this into the Payasam.
9. Sprinkle Elaichi Powder and mix well.

* Can be Served Hot or Cold. *

Rasa Malai

I had bought 2 tins of Rasagolla. Sweets get finished in no time. Some how I could save One tin.

I decided to make Rasa Malai.

My procedure for home made Rasa Malai goes like this:.

Items needed::
1. One tin rasagulla tin
2. Full Cream Milk 1 lit
3. Saffron ¼ tsp
4. Sugar according to taste

Garnishing::
1. Elaichi - 3 (Powder)
2. Badam - 5
3. Cashew - 5
4. Pistachios - 5
Slice the dry fruits finely.

Method::
a> Boil Milk for 20 minutes with saffron. Add sugar and boil for 5 minutes. (Take care that milk is not sticking to the vessel). Switch off and keep this aside.
b> Strain Sugar syrup from Rasagolla and put the Rasagolla into Warm Water.
c> Take out each Rasagolla and flatten it in your palm and put in the milk.
d> Boil for 2-3 Minutes.
e> Garnish with Nuts and Elaichi
f> Chill and serve.

* Surprise everyone with this. *

Kesari

Rawa Kesari

We had a party last week. Sorry could not invite you all :-). So I give you all a Visual treat.

My friends asked me to make some sweet for the party. I decided to make Kesari. Kesari is part of the SKC party ie., Sweet, Karam (Spicy Bajjis), Coffee since it had been made quickly and also can stay for a day or two, if refrigerated.

As you know, Kesari is a Sweet made out of Sooji (Rawa / Semolina) with Ghee and Sugar and Garnished with nuts….

Kesari is prepared with:
1. Rawa ( Sooji ) 1 cup
2. Sugar 1 ½ cup
3. Ghee 5 tsp
4. Elaichi 2 made into powder
5. Food Colour - Orange pinch..
6. Water 2 ¾ cups

Garnishing:
1. Cashew - 7
2. Kismiss (Raisins) 12 to 15
3. Badam Optional sliced. 3 (Almonds)
4. Kesar, Saffron 2 to 3 stings

Method:
- Heat kadai with 1 tsp ghee and fry cashew, raisins and keep aside.
- Fry rawa in that ghee till you get the nice aroma of the fried rawa.
- Now, add boiling water to that rawa and cook .
- Add food colour, mix well.
- Mix the sugar with cooked sooji, (rawa) .
- Thoroughly mix without allowing it form lumps.
- Now add another 2 tsp of Ghee, it will give glossy look.
- When it is not sticking add remaining ghee, garnishing, saffron and elaichi powder,
- Mix well and set in a ghee greased plate, after cooling slice the kesari into required shape.
- Serve Hot or Cold.

* As told earlier, Kesari's best friends are Onion, Raw Banana, Cauliflower, Potato Bajjis and Of course a cup of Hot Coffee. *

Pink Pal Payasam

Pal payasam

Payasam is everybody’s favorite dish.
It can be prepared for party’s, functions and on auspicious days.
Here I am posting the method of making Pink Pal Payasam.
Ingredients:
1. Milk 1 litre. (Full Cream Milk)
2. Sugar 50 to 60 gms
3. Water 1 cup (120ml)
4. Rice 4 tablespoon (preferred Basmati rice)
Garnishing:
1. Elaichi 3 made in to powder
2. Badam, Cashew, Pistachios finely cut - 4 tablespoons.
3. Saffron 3 to 4 strings
Use thick bottomed pressure cooker with vent.
1. Boil Milk - adding water .
2. Add the washed and cleaned rice in boiling milk.
3. Keep the pressure closed and cook in slow fire for 35 to 40 minutes. (no whistle required).
4. After the pressure has cooled down open the cooker.
Mix thoroughly, boil for 5 minutes in medium flame.
5. This is the time to add Sugar and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Garnish with Saffron, Elaichi powder, Dry fruits etc..

Now the Pink Pal Payasam is ready. The secret behind the color is the “slow cooking of the milk.”

7. Serve Hot or Chill.

This payasam takes lot of effort and time, but the taste of this effort is very Sweet and enjoyable.
Points to Note:-
1. If the payasam is not cooked sufficiently, it would smell of milk.
2. If you add more rice, the payasam will be 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.