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

Karthigai Deepam

Happy Karthigai!!!

Paruppu Urundai Kulambu/Morkulambu

Traditional South Indian Kulambu.
Full of Proteins.

Ingredients for making Urundai:
1. Toor dal 1 cup
2. Red chillies 3 (According to taste)
3. Hing
4. Salt to taste
5. Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
6. Curry leaves and Coriander Leaves.

Method:
1. Soak dal for 1 hour and grind it with other ingredients to coarse paste.
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in kadai, splutter mustard seeds and fry this paste for 2 minutes, let it cool and make small balls and steam it.

With these Urundais can make both kulambu and Morkulambu.

Urundai Kulambu

Ingredients Needed:
1. Onion Medium size- 1 Chopped finely
2. Tomato - 1/2 chopped finely
3. Tamarind water 1 1/2 cups (Soak small gooseberry size tamarind and remove extract by adding 1 1/2 cups water)
4. Dhania Powder 1/2 tsp
5. Sambar Powder 2 tsp
6. Coconut Paste 2 tsp

Ingredients for Tempering:
1. Oil 2tsp
2. Curry leaves
3. Mustard Seeds
4. Methi Seeds
Method of Preparing Kulambu:

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add tempering ingredients.
2. Now add, chopped onion and fry till golden and add chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Now goes, coriander powder, sambar powder and Tamarind water.
4. Add salt and cook till raw smell goes.
5. Now add the steamed Urundais and cook for a minute and mix coconut extract.
6. Cook this kulambu till oil floats on top.
**Serve this with Hot Rice and Ghee.**
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Paruppu Urundai Morkulambu

Ingredients for paste:
1. Dhania 1 tsp
2. Grated Coconut 4 tsp
3. Methi seeds 1/4 tsp
4. Urad dal, channa dal each 1/2 tsp
5. Rice 3/4 tsp
6. Dry chillies according to taste
7. Jeera 1/4 tsp.
Soak everything for 30 mins. and grind into paste.

Ingredients for Kulambu:
1. Butter Milk (Thick ) 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Grinded paste
4. Hing
Mix everything and keep it aside.
Ingredients for tempering:
1. Mustard Seeds
2. Oil 1tsp
3. Curry leaves, Coridander to Garnish.

Method:
1. Heat oil and Mustard seeds and Curryleaves and pour in the curd mixture.
2. Add prepared urundai and bring it to boil.(Not more than 3 minutes)
3. Garnish with coriander seeds.

Serve with Hot Rice.

The Kulambus can be prepared with no or less vegetables.

Pick your Choice of Kulambu, Make it and Enjoy !

This is my Submission for JFI (Toor Dal) Hosted by Linda

Palak Pulav

Pulav with a tasteful difference
Pulav that is Colourful and with lots of Vegetables.

Ingredients needed:
1. Basmati Rice 1 cup (I had used Jeeraga Samba Rice)
2. Cubed vegetables (Carrot, Cauliflower, Potatoes)
3. Palak - One bunch
4. Salt to taste
5. Lemon/Lime Juice 1 tsp
6. Pulav Masala ( 2Elaichi, 1Bay leaf, 1 inch Cinnamon, 3Cloves)
7. Garlic - 2 cloves
8. Fennel seeds (Sombu / Saunf) - 1/2 tsp
9. Green Chillies - 3 (according to taste)
10. Onion - 2. Sliced length wise
11. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
12. Oil 2 tablespoons + 1 Tablespoon Ghee
13. Water - 13/4 cup
Method:
1. Wash Rice, drain water and keep it aside for a good 1/2 hour.
2. Heat 1 tsp of Oil in a Pan, add washed Palak, Garlic, Green Chillies and Sombu. (Fennel seeds)
3. Fry this for about 3 minutes, Cool and Grind into paste adding little salt.
4. Heat Oil and Ghee in a pressure cooker, Add Pulav Masala and Cumin seeds.
5. Add Onions and fry till golden brown.
6. Now goes the Chopped vegetables. Fry for about 3 minutes and add the Palak Paste.
7. Fry till you get a nice aroma and add the washed Basmati Rice, Salt and lemon Juice.
8. Mix with water and Pressure cook till done.

Serve this Green and Delicious Pulav with any Raita.

Keerai Vadai

Spinach Vada.
Tea Time Snack or Party Snack.

Ingredients Needed: (Makes 16 -18 vadai)
1. Urad Dal - 3/4 cup
2. Tuar Dal - 1/4 cup
3. Raw Rice - 2 tsp
4. Dried Red chillies - 3 (according to taste)
5. Hing
6. Jeera (Cumin) or Fennel Seeds (Optional)
7. Ghee - 1 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil to deep fry
10. Chopped Greens 1 cup (I used Amaranth)
Method:
1. Soak Urad dal and (Tuar dal and Rice ) separately for 1 hour.
2. Grind it along with Salt, Red Chillies and Hing.
3. Add Jeera or Fennel, Ghee and Chopped Greens to the Grounded paste
mix well.
4. Make vadas and Deep fry in hot oil till crisp.



Keerai Vadai - Crunchy and Tasty. Best had with Mint Chutney.

Semiya Biryani

Vermicili Biryani.
Quick and Easy dish.
Make a difference with this dish in Picnic and Parties.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Vermicili (Semiya) 1 cup
2. Cubed Vegetables (Carrot, Beans, Peas, Cauliflower, Potato, peas) 2 cups
3. Onion - Sliced lengthwise 1
4. Salt to taste
5. Water 1-3/4 cup
6. Ghee - 1 tsp
7. Oil - 3 tsp
8. Chopped Tomato - 1

Grind into Paste
1. Onion - 1/2
2. Ginger - 1inch Piece
3. Garlic Pods - 2
4. Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Green Chillies (According to taste)
6. Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
8. Grated Coconut - 2 tsps
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Grind the above items into paste.

Ingredients for Tempering
1. Bay leaf - 1
2. Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Pepper - few

Method:
1. Heat Ghee in a pan and fry semiya till golden brown and keep it aside.
2. Heat Oil and add tempering Ingredients.
3. Fry Onions till golden brown.
4. Now goes the Paste, Cubed Vegetables and fry in slow fire for 5 minutes or till Oil floats on top.
5. Now add water and chopped tomatoes, let it boil.
6. Add Semiya and Cook till done.
Garnish with Coriander and Mint leaves

.:. Enjoy the Semiya Biryani with Raita. .:

Vellai Paniyaram

Another Chettinad Traditional, Diwali dish.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Rice 1 cup (Measure flat one cup)
2. Urad dal 2 tablespoons (Or add urad dal to make one full cup with rice)
(ie. One flat measure of rice and add remaining portion Urad dal to cover one full cup measurement)
3. Salt to taste
4. Milk
5. Sugar 1 tsp
6. Oil to deep fry.
Method:
1. Soak rice and Dal together for 2 hours and grind into fine paste.
(Without any granuals)
2. Add Salt, Sugar, Milk and Mix well like pouring consistency.
3. Heat Oil in a Kadai, pour one ladle of grinded paste in Oil and Cook in
slow flame.
4. Trun the other side and cook for a minute. (Should not be over fried.)
5. Drain well and keep it in a absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
6. Serve Hot with Onion Chutney or Tomato Chutney.

Happy Deepavali with these Chettinad dishes.

This is my submission for JFI Special Edition hosted by Vee

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