Aamras recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• Ripe mango - 2
• Sugar - 8 tsp. or as needed
• Elaichi - 2

METHOD:

• De-skin the mango , cut out the pulp and puree it in a mixie with sugar and elaichi. Do not add water. Serve chilled.

NOTE:  
Palmsugar or Jaggery can be substituted for sugar. 
Sugar or jaggery or palmsugar can be added as needed depending on the sweetness of mango.


Memories:31.8.2009
I am extremely happy today, as I have been featured as ,Diamond chef, of the month by Solkadi.com.
My sincere thanks to everyone who visit my blog and also to all co-bloggers and also my friends in our blogger community.

I would like to celebrate it with Aamras.

MY INTERVIEW WITH SOLKADI

I am very excited today, as solkadi.com has featured me as "Diamond Chef" of the month. Thought of sharing my happiness with you.
You can see the interview in the following link: http://solkadi.com/user/?cat=5&paged=3

Thanks to all of you.

AWARDS FROM FRIENDS

My dear friend sanghi and Hema and jyothi has passed on an award to me. Thank you Sanghi dear and May GOD bless you and your family.

Requirements:

I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it

I must list 10 honest things about myself

I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.

I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links

I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above three requirements also.

" Here comes my 10 honest things.."

1. I accept my faults and mistakes.
2. I'm sensitive.
3. Love travelling, but not planned for any, due to circumstances.
4. I dislike people who take things for granted.
5. I keep myself away from people who change like a chameleon and who are selfish.
6. I do not compromise on my principles.
7. Love my family more than anything else. My husband is my World.
8. I pray HIM to be alone with my husband atleast for one day without thinking about any problems and enjoy life as it is.
9. I am outspoken and transparent. But this is not appreciated by everyone.
10. I am really very honest(I mean it) and like to be friend with people who are honest.

I am passing on this award to

Lata raja
Preethi
Sireesha
Aruna
Ashwini
Chaitra
Sarah naveen

MIXED FRUIT PANCHAMIRTHAM

Everyone must have heard and also tasted Palani panchamirtham. This mixed fruit panchamirtham is very famous in temples(especially perumal koils) of eastern and central parts of Tamil Nadu. They do abishekam for the deity with this panchamirtham and when taken as prasadam, Wow!.... it's simply delicious. Our elders also offer this as a naivedyam. You can also do this when you have many fruits leftover on a function. On the whole, it's a bowl of nutrition.

Now the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

Apple - 2
Orange - 2
Mosambi - 2
Mango - 2
Pomegranate - 1
Seedless dates - 100 gms.
Green grapes - 100 gms.
Paneer(black) grapes - 100 gms.
Plantain - Malai vazhai pazham or rasthali variety - 3 or 4
Kalkandu (Rock candy) - 100 gms.
Honey - 50 gms.
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Coconut - 1 (small)

METHOD:

Wash all the fruits. Cut apple, plantain and mangoes to cubes. De-skin and take out the seeds from orange and mosambi.

Crush kalkandu to powder. Scrap the coconut.

Now, mix all the fruits (I have not used green grapes, as it is out of season here), alongwith kalkandu, honey, scraped coconut and ghee. Your panchamirtham is ready for offering.

Note: You can use any fruit of your choice. But for naivedyam, only these fruits are used. You can check out for restrictions on naivedyam from your elders.

You can use more kalkandu as per your taste(OR) can also use sugar.

POTATO PODIMAS

INGREDIENTS:

Potato - 1/2 kg.
Lime - 1
Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Oil - 2 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Chenna dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2

METHOD:

Boil potatoes. Peel the skin and mash it without any lumps.

In a kadai, heat oil, season with mustard seeds, urad dhal, chenna dhal, chillies, ginger and curryleaves alongwith turmeric powder.

Add the mashed potatoes and salt. Mix well. Switch off the stove and squeeze the juice of a lemon. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.

MASALA IDLI

After a break for 8 days, today I thought of posting a recipe. A quick lunch box recipe and an interesting dish for the children. Very easy to do dish.INGREDIENTS:

Idli - 12 no.
Big onion - 1 or 2
Tomato - 3
Garam masala - 1 tsp.
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Curry leaves - (optional)
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Hing
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Allow the idli to cool and cut it into cubes.

Chop onions finely.

Grind tomatoes to a fine paste. (Do not add water).

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add urad dhal, hing and turmeric powder. When golden brown, add chopped onions and saute till translucent. Now add the tomato puree, and sambhar powder. Add salt just for this mixture. (Already there is salt in the idli). Mix well. Saute till the raw smell is diffused. Now add the garam masala and ghee. Saute for a minute. Add the cubed idli pieces. Mix well till all the mixture is coated in the idli pieces evenly.
Add chopped coriander leaves and mix gently.

This can be served hot and also tastes good when not hot. So, you can pack it for lunch box also.

AWARDS FROM FRIENDS

Thank you Sanghi for passing on this award to me.

It is the Scrumptious Blog Award -a blog award given to sites who:
Inspire you
Encourage you
May give Fabulous information
A great read
Has Scrumptious recipes
Any other reasons you can think of that make them Scrumptious!

The rules are:
Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 7 blogs
Let them know that they have received this Scrumptious award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

I pass on this award to

Anu
Ramya
Dhanya
Gayathri
LG
Somoo
Sireesha

May God bless you friends and let the bond continue with the grace of God.

AWARDS FROM FRIENDS

THANK YOU SANGHI FOR YOUR AWARD. GOD BLESS YOU.

AWARDS FROM FRIENDS

Again Kreative blog from friends Sireesha, PJ, nivedita and Pinky.
THANK YOU FRIENDS.

VADAI / MEDHU VADAI

This is made on all festivals and functions in South India. But generally, we do not put a hole in the centre on festivals. Can be had with chutney, sambar and also can be dropped in rasam when hot. Yummy dish when had even without side dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

Whole white urad dhal - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 0r 3
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - few
Pepper crushed - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - as per taste (or approx.1/2 tsp.)
Oil - 1 cup

METHOD:

Soak dhal in water for an hour.

Chop green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and crush pepper.

Grind the soaked dhal in a grinder to a smooth paste using very little water. The batter when dropped in water should float and that is the consistency. When smooth and slightly frothy, add salt and also the chopped and crushed items and grind again for two more minutes.

Take out the batter and add chopped coriander leaves.

Heat oil . Meanwhile, wet your palms with water, take out a ball from the batter and flatten it using your hand and put a hole in the centre. (OR) can use a plastic cover (OR) banana leaf.

Carefully drop them into the oil and turn it on both sides and cook till golden brown.

NOTE:

Ensure medium heat of oil. If oil is smoking, the vadai will become red but will not be cooked.

Do not add salt in the beginning. The batter doesn't double if added in the beginning. Add salt only when the batter is smooth.

Wet your palms,or fingers or plastic cover or banana leaf for each vadai and the vadai doesn't stick to your hands.

MANOHARAM

Manoharam in Tamil means beautiful. Yes. This sweet is also beautiful. This is a lovely bakshanam made in tamil marriages.

INGREDIENTS:

Thenkuzhal - 6 (approx. 3 cups)
Crushed jaggery - 1 or 1 1/2 cups
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp.
Rice flour - 2 tsp.

METHOD:

Crush thenkuzhal into small pieces.
Crush and powder the jaggery. Dissolve in half a cup of water, strain without any dirt or mud.

Heat jaggery and make soft ball syrup out of the jaggery. Drop a little of jaggery syrup in a cup of water, and using your hand try making a soft ball from it inside the water. This is the perfect consistency for the jaggery syrup.

Quickly add cardamom powder and crushed thenkuzhals. Mix well and transfer it to a plate. Pat your hands in rice flour (this will avoid syrup sticking to hand) and make balls out of it when hot and then tighten the balls.

MURUKKU

This is kaisuthu murukku.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dhal powder - 2 tsp.
Butter - 50 gms.
Jeera - 1 tsp.
Hing
Salt - as per taste
Coconut oil - 2 cups

METHOD:

Wash and soak rice in water for 15- 20 minutes. Drain the water and when slightly wet, grind in a flour mill to a fine powder. Sieve well. Add all other ingredients (except oil) and make a soft dough using water without any lumps.

Take a lemon-sized ball, and using your index finger and thumb, form a small rope(from the dough) and slightly twist the dough on a clean white cloth in a circular motion. Enough, if you twist two rounds of it. Do only 4-5 murukkus at a time and immediately fry in oil.

Do not twist all the murukkus at a time, because when the dough becomes dry murukku will not turn out well.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Take out the murukku from the cloth using a spatula, and gently drop it into the oil, without losing its shape. Turn to the other side gently and as usual fry till the bubbling of oil and hissing sound reduces.

Ensure medium heating of oil .

NOTE:

You can make 2 round murukku, 4 round murukku etc.

THATTAI

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 4 cups
Urad dhal powder - 4 tsp.
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Hing - 1/4 tsp.
Pottukadalai - 2 tsp.
Chopped curry leaves - 4 tsp.
Butter - 50 gms.
Oil - 3 cups
Plastic sheet - 5"x5" - 2 sheets
Flat bottomed cup - 1

METHOD:

Prepare rice flour and urad dhal powder as mentioned in this link.

Add all the ingredients (except oil) to the flour , mix well and make a stiff dough using water.

Make gooseberry sized balls from the dough.

Grease a plastic sheet with oil, place a ball in it, cover with another greased plastic sheet and press the dough with the flat bottomed cup. Flatten all the balls like this.

Heat oil, and slide the flattened balls in oil. Deep fry on both sides till golden brown.

NOTE:

You can also use chenna dhal soaked in water instead of pottukadalai. Soak chenna dhal in water for half an hour.

You can also flatten the balls with your hand. But there will be finger marks in it.

NAVANEETHAM

INGREDIENTS:

Butter - 250 gms.
Kalkandu(Rock candy) - 50 gms.

METHOD:

Wash the butter well. Crush kalkandu to a fine powder. Mix well with butter. Offer it to the Lord. You can also use powdered sugar instead of kalkandu.

NOTE: Take a vessel with water, put the butter in it and clean it using a thick spoon. Butter does'nt stick when in water.

VELLA SEEDAI - VERSION 1

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dhal powder - 2 tsp.
Crushed jaggery - 1 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Coconut pieces - 2 tablespoons
Oil - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp.

METHOD:

Prepare rice flour and urad dhal powder as mentioned in this link.

Sieve well. Dry roast rice flour until hot and light brown.

Cut coconut into small pieces. Crush jaggery, dissolve in little water and strain it without any dust, dirt or mud. Heat jaggery and when slightly thick add all other ingredients except oil and stir for a while.

Allow it to cool. Make gooseberry size balls from the dough.

Heat oil in a kadai. The heat should be medium. Fry 5- 6 balls at a time till brown.

THENKUZHAL RECIPE / THENKUZHAL

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice - 5 cups
White urad dhal - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Jeera - 2 tsp.
Butter - 100 gms.
Hing - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - 3 cups

METHOD:

Grind rice and urad dhal in a flour mill to a fine powder.

When cool, sieve well and add all the ingredients. Mix well, adding water little by little to make a manageable dough. Ensure there are no lumps.

In a kadai, heat oil. Make balls out of the dough and fill it in a Thenkuzhal achu(press having round holes like that of punching machine holes) and press in a circular motion directly into the oil. Flip on both sides until golden brown.

NOTE:

For those who cannot press directly into the oil, you can shape it in plates. But be careful not to lose the shape when sliding into the oil. Take out from the plates using a spatula. You can also shape it in a ladle with holes and gently drop it in oil.

When the bubbles in oil reduce and the hissing sound reduce, it is implied that the bakshanam is well cooked.

UPPU SEEDAI

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dhal - 2 tsp.
White sesame seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Scraped coconut - 4 tsp. (optional)
Hing 1/4 tsp.
Butter - 50 gms
Coconut oil- 2 cups(for deep frying)

METHOD:

Prepare rice flour and urad dhal powder as said in this link.

In a pan, slightly heat the rice flour. Mix rice flour, urad dhal powder, and sieve well for 2 or 3 times. Now add salt, hing, sesame seeds, coconut, and butter and mix well adding water little by little to make a firm dough.

Make small balls from the dough and spread it on a clean, white cloth.

Heat oil and add the seedais to it. Gently turn it and fry till bubbling and hissing sound from oil reduces.

NOTES AND TIPS TO MAKE SEEDAIS WITHOUT BURSTING:

Make sure that there is no mud or dust in the coconut, flour, sesame seeds, jeera and salt.

Ensure multiple sieving. It is better to dissolve salt and hing in water and strain it and use. In the same manner clean sesame seeds, jeera and other items also.

If coconut is added, shelf life decreases.

Coconut oil enhances the taste, but can use other edible oil also.

RICE FLOUR AND URAD DHAL POWDER

BASE FLOUR FOR MOST OF THE BAKSHANAMS:

RICE FLOUR:

1. Wash and soak raw rice in water for 15-20 minutes. Drain well and spread it on a clean, white cloth for 15 minutes. Grind it in a flour mill to a fine powder or can be done at home using the mixie. When done in a mixie sieve well. (OR)
2. Rawrice can be powdered in a flour mill without soaking in water.

The bakshanams come out well in the 1st method.

URAD DHAL POWDER:

Dry roast1/2 kg. whole white urad dhal till golden brown and when cool powder it in a mixie and sieve well.

MOR KUZHAMBU / IYENGAR MORKUZHAMBU/ MOR CURRY / KADHI

INGREDIENTS:

Curd - 2 cups (slightly sour)
Lady's finger - 6
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Toor dhal - 1 tsp.
Jeera - 1 tsp.
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Raw rice - 1/2 tsp.(optional)
Coconut(scraped) - 2 tablespoons
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Oil- 2 tsp.
Ghee-1 tsp.
Salt - as per taste

METHOD:

Blend curd with a little water. Mix turmeric powder and salt to curd. Keep aside.

Soak toor dhal, jeera and rice in water for 15 minutes. Grind it with coconut, ginger and green chillies to a fine paste. (If the blended curd is thick, need not add rice while soaking).

Cut ladysfinger into long pieces.

Heat a pan, add oil and ghee, temper with mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves and saute the okra well alongwith little salt. Now add the ground paste and allow it to cook till the raw smell goes. Pour in the blended curd and heat till frothy. (Do not bring it to a boil. When boiled it will curdle). Generally, ladysfinger and ashgourd is used for this kozhambu. If using ash gourd, cook it with salt and add to the kozhambu.

VARIATIONS:

MOR CURRY OF KERALA

Toor dhal is not used and chilli powder and dry red chillies are used alongwith green chillies.
Coconut oil is used. Onion mor curry, kumbhalanga mor curry, cheera mor curry etc. are the different names named after the vegetables used in that.

GUJARATI KADHI

Besan flour and ajwain is added to the curd. Chilli powder is also added. Pakodi kadhi (besan flour fritters) is popular in North India. Kadhi is also made without pakodis.

KANCHEEPURAM IDLI / KUDALAI IDLI

Kancheepuram idli is very famous for its distinct taste. This is an ideal travel food. It doesn't get spoilt for longer durations. So, in Iyengar marriages, this is also packed for kattu saadha koodai alongwith puliyodharai and bahala bhath.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice - 1 cup
Idli rice - 1 cup
Whole white urad dhal - 1 cup
Pepper - 1 tsp.
Jeera - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp. (optional)
Broken cashews - 2 tablespoonGhee - 1 ladle
Gingelly oil - 1 ladle
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Salt - approx. 2 level tsp. or as per taste
Curd - 2 ladles
Curry leaves - few

METHOD:

Wash rice and dhal and soak in water separately for 3-4 hours.

Grind dhal to a fine paste.

Grind rice to a coarse batter as of rawa consistency. Add salt and mix rice and dhal together and allow it to ferment for atleast 6 hours. I fermented it overnight. 

Crush pepper and jeera to a coarse powder and also crush the ginger. Add this to the batter alongwith slightly sour curds, hing, fried cashews, curry leaves, melted ghee and gingelly oil. Mix well and keep it covered for half an hour. (You can also temper it with mustard seeds, but I have not done that).

Take a round vessel of 2" inch thickness, grease it well with gingelly oil, pour the batter in it and steam it in a pressure cooker without using the weight for 10- 12 minutes or until cooked. When done, take out and cut into desired shapes. Serve alongwith chutney and dosa molaga podi. It tastes good even if it is not warm.
You can also do it using idli plates. And when done in a donnai, it is called as Kudalai idli. Grease a donnai (cup made out of banana leaf or manthara leaf ) with gingelly oil, pour the batter and steam it for 10-15 minutes.
NOTE: Adding ghee in the batter enhances the taste.
Dry ginger powder can be substituted for ginger.

APPAM / NEIYAPPAM

Avani Avittam is an important festival for gents. They change the sacred thread (PooNool) and wear a new one on this day. The next day they do Gayathri Japam. In addition to general pandigai menu for the lunch, we also do idli and appam for breakfast. This is also made on thirukarthigai festival. As we make it with ghee it is called neiyappam.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice - 1 cup
Crushed jaggery-3/4 cup
Cardamom - 4
Ghee - for frying

METHOD:

Soak rice in water for about three to four hours.

Crush cardamoms to powder.

Grind the soaked rice with very very little water to a thick batter. Then add the jaggery, and grind it to a smooth batter(like dosa batter). Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Set aside for 2 hours.

Heat an "appakaral" or "paniyaram mould" to a medium-heat, pour ghee upto 3/4th in each mould and pour in a small ladle, preferably a tablespoon of the batter in each mould.

When cooked, flip to the other side, using a small rod, add more ghee if necessary, and cook till both sides are golden brown.

Note: You can also mash a plantain and add scraped coconut to the mixture. And for those who do not have a mould, heat oil or ghee in a pan and pour a ladle of batter in it and take out when done. In this way, you should do it one by one.

THREE AWARDS

I am very happy to receive these 3 awards: One Lovely blog award, Creative blogger award and I love your blog award from Sunanda and Faiza. Thank you friends.

1. What is your current obsession?
Blogging
2. What are you wearing today?
Saree
3. What’s for dinner?
Dosa
4. What’s the last thing you bought?
Flavoured milk
5. What are you listening to right now?
Podhigai TV Kannanin Aramudhu
6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Lovely friends.
7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Coonoor
8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?
Cotton sarees
9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Switzerland
10. Which language do you want to learn?
Sanskrit
11. Who do you want to meet right now?
My husband
12. What is your favourite colour?
Green
13. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
Saree
14. What is your dream job?
Doctor
15. What’s your favourite magazine?
Women's era
16. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Give it to my children
17. What do you consider a fashion faux pas
Short tops
18. Who are your style icons?

Madhuri Dixit
19. Describe your personal style?
Simple
20. What are you going to do after this?
Clean my house
21. What are your favourite movies?
Horror movies
22. What inspires you?
Comments and encouragements
23. Give us three styling tips that always work for you:
Be Simple, Be confident and Be bold
24. Coffee or tea?
Both
25. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Pray
26. Which month is your birthday?
March
27. Which other blogs you love visiting?
Spiritual blogs
28. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Butterscotch ice cream

29. Favorite Season?
Spring
30.One thing you love about yourself
My principles

31 What is your favourite pass time?
Music

The rules are:
Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.
I pass on this to all my co-bloggers.

PUNJABI GARAM MASALA POWDER

This is a very aromatic masala powder and this is the secret that enhances the taste of Punjabi cuisine. Recipe courtesy of garam masala: Santhosh aunty from Punjab.

INGREDIENTS:

Jeera - 100 gm
Pepper - 50 gm
Big Black cardamom - 50 gm
Cloves - 10 gm
Cinnamon - 10 gm
Bay leaves - 5 or 6
Javetri or Jaadhipathiri - 1 flower
Jayphal or Jaadhikkai - 1 no.

METHOD:

In a kadai, slightly roast all the items separately. Grind to a fine powder and store in an air-tight container.

Also see my Aloo paratha(Punjab)


and my Rajma masala (Punjab).

LASSI PATIALA

Lassi originated from Punjab. It is also popular in the western parts of India.

INGREDIENTS:

Chilled fresh curd - 4 cups
Ice water - 1/2 cup
Hot milk - 1 tsp.
Sugar - 6 tsp.
Cardamom - 4
Saffron - a pinch
Rose water - 1 spoon
Vannila essence - 2 drops

METHOD:

Mix sugar and curd alongwith powdered cardamom.

Soak saffron in hot milk for five minutes.

Combine all ingredients and whip well in a mixie till frothy.

Serve chilled.

VARIATIONS:

PLAIN LASSI: Just whip curd, sugar and water and serve chilled.

MANGO LASSI: Add peeled mango pieces and prepare as said in plain lassi.

ROSE LASSI : Add a teaspoon of rosewater to plain lassi while blending and decorate with saffron.

JEERA LASSI : Add salt and cumin powder (slightly roasted) while blending. Do not use sugar for jeera lassi. Squeeze a lime and mix well. Decorate with mint leaves.

SALT LASSI: Grind together green chilli, cumin, salt and pepper add to the curd and blend in a mixie.

MINT LASSI: Grind together mint leaves, roasted cumin , salt, add to the curd and whip well till frothy.

CHITRAANNAM FOR AADI 18

Aadi 18 is nearing. So this post. The 18th day of Tamil month Aadi is also known as "Aadi perukku" or "Aadi 18" or "Padinettaam perukku". Perukku in Tamil means "in abundance". The rivers will have water in abundance now, after the monsoon rains in the previous month. This is an important pandigai of TamilNadu. On this day, people prepare mixed rice varieties also called as kalandha saadham or chitraannam. They go to the banks of the river with kith and kin and enjoy the trip with chitraannam. This is an important festival for the farmers.Aadi 18 menu : Coconut rice, Lemon rice or Puliyodharai, Sarkarai pongal and curd rice(bahalabhath) along with poricha appalam.Admire the tactics of our elders. Nothing will be spilt while travelling to the banks of the river and cooking is also simplified.

Related recipes:
Pulikkachal
Iyengar Puliyodharai
Kovil Puliyodharai 
Iyengar puliyogare gojju
Melkote Puliyogare