MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTION & WISHES

My New year resolution: I will try to change things which I don't like. If I can't change things, then to change my attitude and not to complain. Will have to wait for 1 year to see if it works out.

PORICHA SATHAMUDHU / PORICHCHAATHUMUDHU / PORICHA RASAM

"Vaikunta Ekadashi" is an important festival of Hindus. Lord Vishnu says in 'Padma Purana' that whoever worships HIM on this day will reach His abode 'VAIKUNTAM'. People fast on 'Vaikunta Ekadashi' day and have 'Dwadashi Paranai' (special food or thali) on the next day which levels the acidity and the menu by itself is fantastically medicated. We don't use tamarind for this thaligai(samayal). The menu is as under:
1. Rice
2. More kozhambu
3. Agathi keerai kariamudhu (poriyal)
4. Poricha kootu
5. Poricha sathumudhu(Poricha rasam)
6. Nellikkai pachadi or Nellikai thogayal
7. Akkaraadisil or any kannamudhu (payasam)
8. Sundakkai vathal fried in ghee
9. Curd

NOW THE PORICHCHAATHUMUDHU(PORICHA RASAM):
Tomatoes - 3
Green chilli - 1
Salt - as per taste
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Jeera - 1 tsp.
Toor dhal - 1 tsp.
Pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Coconut scraped - 1 tsp.
Dry red chilly - 1
Ghee - 2 tsp.
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

Roast, toor dhal, pepper, jeera, red chilli& hing in a spoon of ghee and grind it in a mixie alongwith scraped coconut to a powder or paste.

In a vessel, add 1 cup of water, salt, slit green chilli, and finely cut tomatoes. Allow it to boil for sometime. Add the ground powder and 1 more cup of water and bring it to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves and season it with mustard seeds.

Variation: You can add rasam powder instead of dry roasted powder.

MY FIRST BLOG'S 1ST BIRTHDAY

My first blog's 1st anniversary post can be read here. Hope you all will enjoy it.

FRESH GRAPE JUICE

INGREDIENTS:

Black(Paneer) grapes - 1/4 kg.
Sugar - 8-10 tsp.
Water - 2 cups
Ice cubes - 2
Strainer

METHOD:

Wash the grapes well by rubbing the "bloom" (white coating in the grapes) with your hand. Puree it in a mixie with water and sugar. Strain and add ice cubes while serving.

GOTHSU / BRINJAL GOTHSU

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal( Big variety) - 2
Tamarind - half the size of a lemon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2
Green chillies- 2
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Hing
Rice flour - 1 teaspoonOil - 2 tablespoons



METHOD:

Slit the brinjals into half with stems intact. Brush it with oil and heat it on direct, medium flame. Turn it on all sides by holding the stems till the outer skin turns black. When cool peel the skin and gently rub under running water to remove the small black parts. Mash it slightly and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp. Slit green chillies and red chillies.

In a kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds, slit green chillies and red chillies, hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Now add the tamarind extract and salt and allow it to boil till its raw smell is diffused and slightly thick. Now add the mashed brinjals and allow to boil. If you want it thick, mix a spoon of rice flour in water and add to it. Allow it to boil. Excellent combination with arisi upma and venn pongal.

ARISI UPMA

INGREDIENTS:

Raw rice - 1 cup
Pepper - 1/2 tsp.
Toor dhal - 1 handful
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1 tsp.
Chenna dhal (optional) - 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - few
Water 21/2 cups
Hing
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 1 ladle

METHOD:

Soak together raw rice, toor dhal and pepper in water for 15 minutes. Drain the water completely and spread it on a clean cloth and pat it dry for 10 minutes. Grind it coarsely.

In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, chillies, hing and curry leaves. When golden brown, add water and salt. Allow it to boil. Add the coarsely powdered rice, pepper and dhal into it and mix well. Transfer it to a vessel and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Serve hot with an excellent combo of brinjal gothsu.

SEEYAM

INGREDIENTS:

Scraped coconut - 1 cup
Crushed jaggery - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 tablespoons
Cardamom - 3
Thenkuzhal maavu - 2 tablespoons
Oil - to deep fry

METHOD:

Heat a kadai, add crushed jaggery and water. When the jaggery is dissolved, add the coconut and powdered cardamom. Stir for sometime till it is slightly thick. When
cool, make small balls out of it.

Prepare a thin batter using thenkuzhal maavu and water. Dip the balls in this batter and deep fry in oil till golden brown.

NOTE: Using thenkuzhal maavu gives a fantastic aroma for the sweet snack. If the batter is thick the outer cover will be hard. I prepare a thin batter and the outer cover will also be soft and melt in mouth.

KATHIRIKKAI SAMAAN PODI KARAMUDHU

This is one of the popular Iyengar pandigai dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjals - 1/2 kg.
Oil - 1 ladle
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Sambhar powder - 1/2 tsp.
Karamudhu podi - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add turmeric powder, mustard seeds & urad dhal . When golden brown add curry leaves and chopped brinjals. Saute well, add salt, sprinkle some water and cover it with a lid until half-cooked. Now take out the lid, add sambhar powder and fry well, flipping it gently . When done, add the karamudhu podi and mix well. Saute for 2 more minutes. Saaman podi karamudhu is ready.

And an award from Sailaja.Thank you Sailaja.

. Thank you Sailaja

SNAKEGOURD PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:

Snakegourd - 100 gms
Curd - 11/2 cups
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Red chilly - 1
Hing

METHOD:

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, chilly and hing. When golden brown add chopped snakegourd and salt. Fry till it is cooked and shrinked. Add it to the curd and mix well. Goes well as a side dish with manathakkali vathal kozhambu. You can add curd to get the desired consistency.

MANATHAKKALI VATHAL KUZHAMBU

INGREDIENTS:Tamarind - a lemon sized ball
Manathakkali vathal -1 tablespoon
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Asafoetida(hing)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - as per taste
Curry leaves - few

METHOD:

Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp. Keep aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan, heat a spoon of oil and fry the vathal. Keep aside. In the same pan, heat the remaining oil & add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add methi seeds, hing, turmeric powder and curryleaves . Saute for a while. Now add the sambhar powder and slightly saute it being careful not to burn it. Immediately pour in tamarind extract alongwith salt. Allow it to boil. Now add the fried vathals and boil till thick.

Goes well with hot rice, snakegourd pachadi and roasted papad or appalam.

MY INTERVIEW WITH NAARISAKHI

I am extremely happy to announce that I have been featured in Naarisakhi. Please see this link:
http://www.narisakhi.com/forum/upload/blog.php?b=405

ROUND-UP OF EVENT "FOOD FOR ORPHANAGES"

I would like to announce the round up of my event "food for orphanages". The first entry for my event is the only one which I received for the event and I have already posted about the children who sent the entry. Thanks to them once again. And now , a message which came to me as a mail forward.

Going to church every sunday.....
Going to mosque every friday....
Going to temple every saturday....

Helping hands are always better than praying lips. Do not waste food. Give the surplus to the needy.

KADALAI URUNDAI (PEANUT BALLS)

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted groundnuts - 2 cups
Crushed Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Ghee - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Roast groundnuts until crisp. Take a wide plate and put the groundnuts in it. Dissolve the crushed jaggery in water , strain and make a soft ball consistency syrup. Remove quickly and add it to the peanuts. Mix well. Grease your hand with ghee and shape to balls when warm.

NEL PORI URUNDAI

INGREDIENTS:

Nel pori - 4 cups
Crushed Jaggery - 1 cup
Coconut sliced - 1 ladle
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Pottukadalai - 1/2 ladle
Rice flour - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Take a wide plate and put the nel pori in it. Dissolve the crushed jaggery in water , strain and make a soft ball consistency syrup. Remove quickly and add it to the nel pori. Mix well. Tap your hand with rice flour and shape to balls when warm.

AVAL PORI URUNDAI

INGREDIENTS:

Aval pori - 4 cups
Crushed Jaggery - 1 cup
Coconut sliced - 1 ladle
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Pottukadalai - 1/2 ladle
Rice flour - 2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Take a wide plate and put the aval pori in it.

Dissolve the crushed jaggery in water , strain and make a soft ball consistency syrup. Remove quickly and add it to the aval pori. Mix well. Tap your hand with rice flour and shape to balls when warm.

APPAM (TANJORE STYLE)

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat flour(Atta) - 3/4 cup

Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Jaggery crushed - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powdered - 1/4 tsp.
Scraped coconut - 2 tsp. (optional)
Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

Mix all the ingredients well. Add water and form a batter. The batter consistency should be like dosa batter.  Rest for 30 minutes. Heat oil, and pour a ladle of the batter, when fluffy on one side, flip and fry until golden brown. Do one by one. Appam ready.

NOTE: Do not pour two or three at a time. The batter will stick together.

Variation: 50:50 flour ratio 

BEANS MEZHUGUPURATTI

This is a Kerala recipe. The vegetable glitters in oil and so the name. This is an easy-to-do recipe. The poriyal which we used to make in Tamil Nadu without coconut is typical to this. But, here coconut oil is used. You can use any vegetable of your choice.

Beans - 1/2 kg.
Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons
Green chillies - 4
OR Red chillies -2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1 tsp. (optional)
Salt - as per taste

METHOD:

Chop beans in to small pieces. Boil it in water alongwith salt and turmeric powder, drain the water completely and keep it aside.

In a pan, heat coconut oil , add mustard seeds, urad dhal &chillies and when it splutters, simmer the stove, add the cooked vegetable and saute well. You can also use chilli powder instead of chillies.