IYENGAR KALYANA GOTHSU RECIPE / KALYANA GOTHSU RECIPE

Kalyana Gothsu is a traditional, side dish for tiffin, served almost in all south indian marriages. Iyengar kalyana gothsu is popular for its unique taste, just as iyengar puliyodharai and pulikachal. It goes well with venn pongal, idli, dosa, uthappam and arisi upma. Not as thick as sambar and not too thin, kalyana gothsu is an excellent side dish and very simple to make.

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - half of the key lime size
Yellow pumpkin, brinjal, potato, carrot - 1 cup (chopped)
Tomato - 1
Sambar powder- 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp.
Karamudhu podi (mel podi) OR All purpose karamudhu podi - 1 tablespoon

Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Salt - to taste

To temper:
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp.
Green chilli -1
Dry red chilli -1
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

To garnish:
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

Chop vegetables to small pieces. Cook Moong dhal with turmeric until soft, mash and keep aside.
Soak tamarind in a cup of warm water and extract juice.

Heat a thick bottomed pan, temper with the given ingredients, add chopped vegetables, add little salt, turmeric powder, sambar powder and hing, mix well. Now add tamarind water, mashed moong dal and remaining salt and allow it to boil until the raw smell diffuses. Cook covered so that the vegetables are cooked well but not mushy. Add little water if necessary. Now add the mel podi (karamudhu podi) and allow it to boil again for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve Kalyana gothsu with Vennpongal, idli, dosa, uthappam or Arisi upma.

Recipe links for Karamudhu podi:
Karamudhu podi
All purpose karamudhu podi

MENU IDEAS FOR NINE DAYS OF NAVARATHRI FESTIVAL: NINE SUNDALS, NINE RICE VARIETIES, NINE PAYASAMS

CLICK ON THE RECIPE NAME FOR RECIPES LINK

MENU IDEAS FOR NINE DAYS OF NAVARATHRI FESTIVAL: NINE SUNDALS, NINE RICE VARIETIES, NINE PAYASAMS

DAY	SUNDAL	RICE	PAYASAM
1	RAJMA	LENTILS KHICHRI	CASHEW PAYASAM
2	GROUNDNUT	KADAMBAM(IYENGAR STYLE)	PUTTU
3	THENGAI MAANGAI PATTANI	KALKANDU BHATH	ARISI PAYASAM
4	FRESH BUTTER BEANS	KOTHAMALLI RICE	SAKKARAI PONGAL
5	KABUL CHENNA	MANGO RICE	BADAM KHEER
6	PACHAI PAYARU	COCONUT RICE	MOONG DHAL PAYASAM
7	FRESH RED BEAN	LEMON RICE	AKKARA ADISIL
8	KARAMANI(SWEET)	PULIYODHARAI	JAVVARISI PAYASAM
9	KONDAKKADALAI	ELLORAI	CARROT KHEER

FEW MORE IDEAS

DAY	SUNDAL / URUNDAI	RICE	PAYASAM
1	MOCHAI	KOVIL PULIYODHARAI	PAZHAM PRADHAMAN
2	KARAMANI	KADUGORAI	SEMIYA PAALPAYASAM
3	MAALADU	ULUNDHORAI	PRAIPPU PRADHAMAN
4	KADALAI URUNDAI	MILAGORAI	THIRUPULLANI PAL PAYASAM
5	AAMA VADAI	MELKOTE PULIYOGARE	CHAKKA PRADHAMAN /
6	KADALAI PARUPPU SUNDAL	'THIRUKOSHTIYUR' THIRUMAALAI CHAMBA	NEI PAYASAM (KERALA SPECIAL)
7	PAYATHAMPARUPPU SUNDAL	KUTHIRAIVALI(BARNYARD MILLET)PANAMKALKANDU BHATH	SADASADAYAM / CHADACHADAYAM
8	PACHAI PAYARU(SWEET)	SAMBHAR SADHAM	PAL PAYASAM
9	CORN SUNDAL	MANGO RICE / MANGAI SADHAM	PALADA PRADHAMAN

WHEAT FLOUR COCONUT MILK VELLA SEEDAI RECIPE / WHEAT FLOUR COCONUT MILK SWEET SEEDAI RECIPE / GODHUMAI THENGAIPAAL VELLA SEEDAI RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat flour - 1 1/4 cup
Rice flour - 3/4 cup
Urad dhal powder - 2 tsp.
Crushed jaggery - 1 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tablespoons (to be melted)
Coconut pieces - 2 tablespoons
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coconut milk - 2 tablespoons or as needed
Oil - 1 cup - to deep fry

METHOD:

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

Sieve well. Dry roast rice flour until hot. Dry roast wheat flour until you get a nice aroma.

Melt butter and keep ready. Cut coconut into small pieces.

Crush jaggery, dissolve in little water and strain it without any dust, dirt or mud. Heat jaggery and make a syrup of soft ball consistency.

(Sugar syrup consistency - detailed post is here).

Add all ingredients (except oil) to the syrup and stir without any lumps. Switch off the stove. Add coconut milk to make a smooth dough. Knead well when still warm.

Allow it to cool. Make gooseberry- sized balls from the dough.

Heat oil in a kadai. Fry 5- 6 balls at a time, in medium heat, until golden brown.

WHEAT FLOUR COCONUT MILK UPPU SEEDAI RECIPE / WHEAT FLOUR COCONUT MILK SEEDAI RECIPE / GODHUMAI THENGAIPAAL UPPU SEEDAI RECIPE

Seedai is an offering made for Sri Krishna Jayanthi/Gokulashtami. Usually, seedai is done with processed rice flour. Earlier I have posted uppu seedai, maida coconut milk seedai. Now I have used wheat flour instead of maida. The gluten content in wheat breaks down when steamed and makes it easily digestible and healthy.

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Urad dhal powder - 2 tsp.
White sesame seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Hing - 1/4 tsp.
Butter - 50 gms (to be melted)
Oil or Coconut oil - to deep fry
Water-coconut milk mixture - as needed

METHOD:

Prepare urad dhal powder as said in this link. Tie wheat flour in a clean white cloth and steam cook for 15 minutes. When still warm to handle, break well without any lumps or powder in a mixie. Sieve well. Sieve rice flour and dry roast until hot.

Mix water and coconut milk and keep ready. Melt butter and keep ready.

In a broad vessel, combine all ingredients and mix well to a crumbled mixture. Now add the water-coconut milk mixture little by little to make a smooth dough.

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

Heat oil and add the seedais to it. Deep fry in medium heat until golden brown. Drain on a kitchen towel. When cool, store in an airtight container.

Crispy and crunchy wheat flour coconut milk seedai is ready for offering.
Click here for regular seedai recipe.

Click here for maida coconut milk seedai recipe.

NOTE:

Make sure that there is no mud or dust in the flour, sesame seeds, jeera and salt. It is better to dissolve salt and hing in water and strain it and use.

Grated coconut is not necessary as coconut milk is used.

Coconut oil enhances the taste, but any other edible oil can be used.

PANAKAM , NEER MOR, KOSUMARI RECIPES / SRI RAMA NAVAMI RECIPES

Sri Rama Navami is a festival/pandigai celebrating the birth of Lord Rama .

Offerings for Sri Rama Navami is the simplest of all the festivals. They are Panakam, Neer Mor and kosumari.

Rama fulfilled all his duties towards his subjects in Ramarajyam. Even a poor man
will have buttermilk and jaggery in his house and can celebrate Rama Navami. That is the karunyam of Sri Rama. 

In addition to neer mor, panakam, kosumari you can also make Tiruppullani paal payasam which is a special on this day. All these recipes are summer coolers.

Pandigai thaligai :
Sadham(rice), Nei(ghee), paruppu, mor kozhambu or Sambhar, paruppu usili, kari amudhu(poriyal), kootu, thayirpachadi, kosambari, vadaam or appalam, vadai or thayir vadai, sathamudhu(Rasam), Tirukannan amudhu(payasam), thayir (curd),oorugaai(pickle).

NEER MOR

INGREDIENTS:

Buttermilk
Salt
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves
Hing powder

METHOD:

Whisk thick  curd and dilute it with water. Add salt, curryleaves, coriander leaves and hing to buttermilk. Mix well and offer it to Lord.

PANAGAM 

INGREDIENTS: 

Jaggery
Dried ginger powder
Cardamom powder 
Water

METHOD:

Powder the jaggery. Dissolve it in water. Strain it to remove impurities. Add the given powders, stir well and offer to Lord. 

KOSUMARI

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Grated/finely chopped raw mango - 1/2 cup
Salt  as required
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp.
Lime juice - 1/2 tsp.(optional)

To temper(optional):
Oil
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves - 4 or 5

METHOD:

Soak dal for 1 an hour. Drain the water. Add grated/finely chopped mango, salt and lime juice, mix well. Temper with the given ingredients, add finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and offer it to Lord.

Updated 👇

Tiruppullani paal payasam

Kosambari

Neer mor

Panakam

SEMIYA PAAL PAYASAM / VERMICELLI KHEER / SEMIYA PAYASAM

I launched this blog nine years ago. Yes, my blog is 8 years old and stepping into the 9th year. I am happy to share on my Blog Anniversary, the stats google gives me. Over this period of blogging, my blog and has 35,86,334 Lifetime Pageviews/readers/visitors.With every blog post, I engaged myself and learned and the learning continues. Thanks to all for your support. I celebrate this with a Semiya paal payasam. Very appropriately and with no plan whatsoever, this is the 651st  post on my site.

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted vermicelli - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 ltr.
Cardamom powdered - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee fried cashews and raisins - few
Condensed milk -1/4 cup
Saffron (optional)
Ghee - 1 tablespoons

METHOD:

Heat a tablespoon of ghee and fry vermicelli until golden brown. Fry cashews and raisins in ghee and keep aside. Powder cardamoms and keep ready.

Boil milk in a heavy- bottomed deep pan. Stir frequently until the milk reduces to 3/4th. Simmer and add ghee roasted vermicelli into the milk and cook until soft. Now add sugar, condensed milk, stir and cook until the milk is thick. Add the powdered cardamoms,saffron and ghee. Garnish with ghee-fried cashews and saffron. Serve hot or cold. Both will taste good.

NOTE: Sugar can be adjusted to suit your taste.

MAALADU / MAALADOO / MAALAADU / ROASTEDGRAM LADOO

Maladu / Maa ladoo is an easiest, simplest and quick to make, healthy sweet made with pottukadalai (roasted gram). Ladoo courtesy: My sister Radha. The ladoos in the picture were made by my sister. 

INGREDIENTS:

Pottukadalai (Roasted gram) - 2 cups 
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cups OR Boora sugar - 1 and 1/2 cups. 
Cashews - 10 
Ghee - 3/4 cup 
Powdered cardamom - 1/2 tsp. 

METHOD: 

Heat a pan and dry roast pottukadalai until hot. Pound it to a fine powder. Powder the sugar finely using a mixie. OR you can also use the boora chakkarai (boora sugar) which will be available in the stores. 

Break cashews into small pieces and fry it in a spoon of ghee until golden brown. Keep aside.

Melt ghee in the same pan. This should be warm while shaping the balls. 

Mix together powdered pottukadalai, powdered sugar, cardamom powder and ghee-fried cashews. Add the melted ghee little by little and shape into balls. (DO NOT POUR IN THE ENTIRE GHEE. POUR A LADLE OF GHEE AND SHAPE FOUR OR FIVE BALLS) Repeat the procedure for the entire mixture. Shape all the balls tightly. 

NOTE: Little milk can be sprinkled if felt difficult to shape.

POTTUKADALAI MANAKKOMBU / POTTUKADALAI MULLU MURUKKU / ROASTED GRAM MURUKKU / POTTUKADALAI MURUKKU

This crispy savoury is very easy to make and termed by different names like Manakkombu / Mullu murukku / Magizhampoo thenkuzhal / Mullu thenkuzhal / Magizhampoo murukku etc. 

INGREDIENTS:

Idiyappam flour / Processed rice flour / Store bought rice flour - 2 cups
Pottukadalai powder (Roasted gram powder) - 1/2 cup
Butter - 50 gms.
Cumin seeds / Ajwain - 1 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Hing - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

Melt butter. Mix all the ingredients in a wide bowl, without water. Keep aside.

Take out a small portion from the above mixture, add little water and knead it to a medium-soft, manageable dough.

Heat oil in a kadai. Fill the dough in a three starred achu (what we call as mullu thenkuzhal achu) and press it firmly in a circular motion, directly into the oil. Alternatively, you can press in greased ladles and slide gently into the oil. Ensure medium heat, and fry on both sides until golden brown and crisp. Drain on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. When cool, store in an air-tight container.

NOTE: 

Ensure medium heat of oil while frying. 

Do not let the dough to rest for a long time as it will absorb more oil. Take out only little portions of the mixed flour and knead with water as and when required. 

When cool, store in air-tight containers at room temperature.

CASHEW BADAM KESAR BURFI / KAJU BADAM KESAR BURFI / CASHEW ALMOND BURFI / KAJU BADAM BURFI

INGREDIENTS:

Cashewnuts - 1 cup
Almonds - 1 cup
Sugar - 3 cups
1st quality saffron strands - 3 finger pinch
Milk - approximately 1/4 cup
Melted butter or ghee - 1/2 cup
2 to 3 drops of yellow food colour (optional)

METHOD:

Soak cashewnuts in water for an hour. Soak almonds separately in hot water for an hour. Soak saffron in 2 tablespoons on warm milk.

Sliver 6 almonds. Keep aside. Peel the remaining almonds. Drain soaked water and grind cashews and almonds in a mixie, to a fine powder. Add very little milk and grind again to a smooth thick paste. Use as little milk as possible while grinding.

Grease a tray with melted ghee and keep ready.

Combine the ground paste and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan, and cook on medium heat. Now the sugar will dissolve and the mixture will become watery. Keep stirring continuously in medium heat, until the mixture begins to thicken. Add slivered almonds, reduce heat and keep stirring until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and turns like a dough. Wet your fingers, pinch a little from the dough and roll it to a small ball. If you can and it doesn't stick to your hand, then it is done. Alternatively you can take a pinch from the dough and rub it to a plate. If you can roll without sticking, then it is done. Switch off the stove, add ghee little by little, simultaneously stirring the mixture until the ghee mixes well. Now add soaked saffron alongwith soaked milk and mix until it spreads well in the dough. Pour the mixture to the greased tray and level the surface evenly with a flat spoon or spatula. Cut into rectangle shape or desired shape with a knife, when cool.

Delicious kaju badam barfi / kaju badam kesar barfi is ready. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

NOTE:
The colour from saffron itself will be enough for the burfi. You can use food colour if your prefer to. 

MILLET COCONUT MILK THENKUZHAL / MILLET THENKUZHAL / COCONUT MILK THENKUZHAL / THENGAIPAAL THENKUZHAL /

INGREDIENTS:

Barnyard millet OR any millet - 2 1/2 cups
(Store bought millet flour can also be used).
White urad dhal - 1/2 cup
Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
White or black sesame seeds or jeera - 1 tsp.
Butter - 50 gms.
Hing - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - to deep fry

NOTE:

Raw rice can be substituted for millets. Rice flour or store bought rice flour can be substituted for millet flour.

METHOD:

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

When cool, sieve well. Dry roast in a kadai until hot. Add other ingredients. Mix well, adding coconut milk little by little and knead to a firm but manageable dough without any lumps. If necessary sprinkle little water. (Note: If you let the dough sit for a long time thenkuzhal will not be white. So ensure to make thenkuzhal immediately after kneading the dough. If making more quantity, knead dough in batches)

Heat oil in a kadai. Take out fist sized balls out of the dough and fill it in a Thenkuzhal achu (press having round holes like that of punching machine holes) and press it in a circular motion directly into the oil. You can also shape it in a ladle with holes and gently drop it in oil. Flip gently on both sides until bubbling and sizzling sound from the oil subsides. Take out, and keep in a kitchentowel or colander to remove excess oil. When cool, store in an air-tight container.

Note: Coconut milk thenkuzhal will be white in colour and not golden brown. So its enough if you fry until the sizzling sound stops.

COMMON NOTES FOR ALL BAKSHANAMS: 

Ensure medium heat of oil.

Take out only little portions of the mixed flour and knead with water or coconut milk as and when required. By doing like this, the bakshanams will get a beautiful colour. This applies to all the bakshanams.

When cool, store in air-tight containers at room temperature.

MINI KAJU KATLI / KAJU KATLI / SMALL CASHEW KATLI

I used to think about making mini sweets, savouries and desserts during festivals, especially during diwali, when we have varieties of sweets and savouries in surplus. My earlier mini savoury was the making of button pepper thattai/mini pepper thattai. I just loved the trend of making the minis in sweets and savouries. Now its time for mini kaju katlis. These mini katlis will sure leave you begging for more. Do try this simply irresistible bite-sized treats for this diwali and enjoy one or even two of these fun little treats! 

INGREDIENTS:

Cashewnuts - 1.5 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Water - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp.
Rose water - 1 or 2 tsp (optional)

INGREDIENTS:

Dry grind cashews in a mixie to a smooth, fine powder. Pulse at short intervals. Do not grind at a stretch as it will become oily and sticky.

In a pan add sugar and water and boil it to make one string consistency. Boil the syrup a little more (a little more than one thread and little less than 2 threads is the sugar syrup consistency).

Lower the flame, add cashew powder to the syrup, while stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame, add ghee, rose water(if using) and keep stirring in the pan until the mixture turns like a dough. Allow it to cool for a few minutes. When the dough is still warm, knead it to a smooth, firm dough using your hands. Meanwhile, grease the backside of a plate or plastic sheet or clean kitchen counter, and also the rolling pin with melted ghee and keep ready. Place a portion of the cashew dough on the greased surface and flatten it to a circle with the greased rolling pin. Roll the dough to approximately 1/3" thickness. If using a plastic sheet keep another greased plastic sheet on top and flatten it.

After 10 minutes, cut into diamond shape using a small sized cookie cutter. If you want a bigger piece use a knife and cut into diamond shape or any shape of your choice.

NOTE: Bring cashews to room temperature if kept in fridge.

HAYAGREEVA / BANDI / MADDI

Lord Hayagreeva is the God of wisdom and knowledge. Hayagreeva Jayanthi falls on Aavani(tamil month) shravanam (star) / Shravan month . The oofering / naivedhyam is a sweet called "Hayagreeva"/"Maddi"/"Bandi". Offering this sweet to The Lord on any Tiruvonam day, gives knowledge and wisdom to the children and they will perform well in studies.  Lord Hayagreeva, give us the power to discriminate between right and wrong.

INGREDIENTS:

Chenna dhal - 1 cup
Crushed jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom - 4
Scraped coconut - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 ladle

METHOD:

Choose red variety of jaggery ( paahu vellam) and crush it. Powder the cardamoms.

Wash and pressure cook chenna dhal. When cool, drain the water and keep aside. Do not mash it.

Dissolve jaggery in 1/4 cup of water and strain it without any mud.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan, pour in the jaggery and allow it to boil till it diffuses its raw smell. Now add scraped coconut, cardamom powder and boiled chenna dhal and mix well . Add ghee and saute till thick. Offer it to The Lord.

MAIDA COCONUT MILK SEEDAI / MAIDA SEEDAI / MAIDA THENGAIPAAL SEEDAI

Seedai is a popular snack made for Sri Krishna Jayanthi/Gokulashtami. Usually, seedai is done with processed rice flour. While talking with my grandma yesterday, she told me about making maida seedai and also said that it will be "vella velaer" (a beautiful golden colour without browning) in colour. Maida has high gluten content and when steamed it breaks down the gluten and makes it easily digestible.

INGREDIENTS:

Maida (All purpose flour) - 2 cups
Urad dhal powder - 2 tsp.
White sesame seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Hing 1/4 tsp.
Butter - 50 gms (to be melted)
Coconut oil- to deep fry
Water-coconut milk mixture - as needed

METHOD:

Prepare urad dhal powder as said in this link. Tie maida in a clean white cloth and steam cook for 15 minutes. When still warm to handle, break well to powder without any lumps. Sieve well.

Mix water and coconut milk and keep ready.

In a broad vessel, combine all ingredients and mix well to a crumbled mixture. Now add the water-coconut milk mixture little by little to make a smooth dough.

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

Heat oil and add the seedais to it. Deep fry in medium heat until golden brown. Drain on a kitchen towel. When cool, store in an airtight container.

Crispy and crunchy maida seedai is ready for offering.

Click here for regular seedai recipe

NOTE:

Make sure that there is no mud or dust in the flour, sesame seeds, jeera and salt. It is better to dissolve salt and hing in water and strain it and use.

Coconut oil enhances the taste, but any other edible oil can also be used.

IYENGAR PULIYOGARE GOJJU (KARNATAKA STYLE)

Puliyogare is a South Indian rice preparation mixed with tamarind pulp and spices. It is offered to Perumal and served as prasadam in temples. Puli in Tamil is tamarind , Ogare is rice and Gojju is the paste made to mix with rice. Hence it is puliogare gojju. Puliyogare is also termed as Hulianna in some parts of Karnataka, puliyodharai in Tamil Nadu and Pulihora in Andhrapradesh.

Any Iyengar family would have these pulikkachal(🔗)/ gojju stocked and the recipe is passed down through generations. This Puliyogare gojju / Mysore Iyengar puliyogare gojju will be slightly sweetish unlike the spicy pulikkaachal of TamilNadu(🔗) and slightly different in the way it is prepared. In Karnataka, they add more jaggery, but I reduced the jaggery as I always prefer spicy paste.

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind - tennis ball size
Crushed jaggery - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Home made rasam powder - 5 or 6 heaped tablespoons
Black sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon
Hing - 1/4 tsp.Oil - 3/4 cup

For tempering:
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tsp.
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Peanuts - with skin - 2 tablespoons

NOTE:

Use dark tamarind.

Make the rasam powder with byadge chillies for a bright colour.

In Karnataka, jaggery achu / blocks are used. More jaggery can be added if you like the sweet taste.

There are many variations in rasam powder which will definitely change the taste of the puliogare. If you do not have karnataka style home made rasam powder, MTR rasam powder can also be used. I will post the rasam powder used for this later.

Ensure low heat to avoid burning.

Oil should always float on top.

Temper only while mixing the rice and paste, which gives the crunchy bites and fresh taste.

METHOD:

Soak tamarind in water and extract thick pulp.

Dry roast sesame seeds until it splutters, transfer it to a plate. When cool grind it to powder. Keep aside.

Heat half the oil, add the pulp. Allow it to boil. When it boils add, rasam powder,hing and jaggery. Reduce the heat to medium and stir occasionally. Be careful not to burn the paste.

When slightly thick, add salt, reduce the flame to low and add sesame powder. Add the remaining oil. Stir well. Let it boil for few more minutes. Traditional puliyogare gojju is ready.

When cool, store it preferably in glass bottles or glass containers.

When kept at room temperature the gojju stays good for a month (only if the above mentioned oil is added). This paste can be stored in fridge for atleast 6 months.

How to prepare puliyogare:
In a tablespoon of oil, fry the items given in “tempering” to golden brown. Add little of the paste and temperings to the cooked rice. Mix well without breaking the grains. Mysore Iyengar Puliyogare is ready.

POOSHANIKKAI KARAMUDHU (MUTT STYLE) / ASHGOURD STIR FRY (MUTT STYLE)

Few years ago, 'Srimad Andavan' visited Coimbatore. With the grace and blessings of our 'Acharyan' we got the opportunity for offering one day 'Thatheeyaradhanai' (prasadam/lunch) to all the devotees.  It was on this day, I tasted this karamudhu (curry) for the first time. It tasted very good. I never thought we can make a dry curry with ashgourd until I had this in 'Andavan Ashramam'. Usually, I make only koottu and sambar with ashgourd (vellai pooshani).  After trying this at home, I became a great fan of this karamudhu. These type of curries are called 'samaan podi karamudhu' or 'podi idicha karamudhu' in 'iyengar thaligai'. If you are bored of pooshanikkai koottu and sambhar, do try this simple curry.

INGREDIENTS:

Ash gourd (vellai pooshanikkai) - 1/2 kg.
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - as per taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.
Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Mel podi - 2 tablespoons
Grated coconut (optional) - 2 tablespoons 

For Mel podi:

Dry roast and powder:

Pepper - 1/8 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Coriander seeds - 2 tablespoons
Chenna dal - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - ¼ tsp.

METHOD:

Cut ashgourd into cubes. Discard the skin and seeds.

Heat a spoon of oil in a pan and dry roast the ingredients given in 'Dry roast and powder', until golden brown, powder coarsely and keep aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds, urad dhal and red chillies. When golden brown, add hing, turmeric powder, curry leaves and cubed ashgourd.. Add salt, saute well and cover with a lid.  Cook until done. It should be crunchy, not mushy. When done, add the 'Mel podi'. Mix well. Saute for 2 more minutes. Mutt style pooshanikkai karamudhu is ready. 

KADALAI PARUPPU BONDA / CHENNA DHAL BONDA

This is a traditional recipe made in our family. My mother in law makes this bonda for Bhogi. Along with this, general pandigai recipes and Poli is also made. As tomorrow is Bhogi, I thought of posting this kadalaiparuppu bonda recipe made in our home.

INGREDIENTS:

• Gram dhal (Kadalaiparuppu)- 1 1/2 cup
• Raw rice - 2 tablespoons
• Dry red chillies - 4
• Ginger - 1/2" piece
• Green chilly - 1 (finely chopped)
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (finely chopped)
• Coriander leaves - fistful (finely chopped)
• Hing - a generous pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - to deep fry
• Scraped coconut - 1/4 cup (optional) 

METHOD:

1. Soak kadalaiparuppu (chenna dhal) and rice for 2 hours.
2. Drain the water completely and grind with red chillies, salt and ginger to a coarse paste by just sprinkling water. 
3. Now, add the chopped green chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves and hing and mix well. 
4. You can also add the scraped coconut, if you wish.
5. Heat oil in a kadai, take out small balls from the ground paste, drop in gently into the oil and deep fry until golden brown. Ensure medium heat. 
6. Serve hot. 

Note: Do not refrigerate the batter after adding coconut. You can also grind green chilies instead of chopping.

POTTUKADALAI URUNDAI

INGREDIENTS:

Pottukadalai (Roasted gram) - 2 cups
Crushed Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Water - 1/2 cup
Ghee - to grease the hand

METHOD:

Keep pottukadalai in sun until crisp.

Heat a pan, dissolve the crushed jaggery in water, strain without any impurities. Pour the jaggery water in the pan, and make a soft ball consistency syrup. (Check here for the sugar syrup consistency) . Add cardamom powder and pottukadalai to the syrup. Mix well. Switch off the stove. Grease your hand with ghee and shape to equal-sized balls when warm. Scoop with a tablespoon to get equal-sized balls. Crispy pottukadalai urundai is ready for offering to deepalakshmi.

EASY AND QUICK DEEPAM ARRANGEMENTS FOR KARTHIGAI - VIDEO

For a very quick. easy and hazzle-free deepam arrangement during karthigai festival, see the above video which is self-explanatory. A quick note again.
1. Make a semi-thick paste of chandan and kumkum and keep ready. Keep 2 ear-buds ready.
2. Dip the wicks in oil, squeeze lightly and keep ready.
3. Dip ear-buds in the paste and apply chandan, kumkum for the lamps.
3. Place 2 wicks in a lamp, pour little oil in each lamp.
4. Your lamps are neatly ready to be lit without any spilling.

Some more tips:
1. Soak new earthen lamps in water for about 5 to 6 hours two days before and dry it.
2. Cut small squares from newspaper and keep under the lamps. 
3. Dry roast pori to get crispier urundais.
4. Keep butter paper between each layer of pori urundais to avoid sticking to each other.

HAPPY KARTHIGAI :)

MICROWAVE PALKOVA / MICROWAVE THIRATTIPAL / CONDENSED MILK THERATTIPAL

Picture courtesy: My daughter

Thirattupaal / Therattipaal is a tasty sweet passed down through generations. Some families have a tradition of making therattipaal for diwali. This is an easy way of making it with condensed milk, in a microwave oven. It will be ready within 10 minutes. The traditional method of making therattipal with step-wise instructions can be hovered in the headers. 

INGREDIENTS:

Condensed milk (Milkmaid) - 1 tin
Thick curd - 2 tablespoons
Ghee - 2 tsp
Saffron - few strands

Warm milk - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Soak saffron in a teaspoon of warm milk.

Mix condensed milk and curd in a large microwaveable glass bowl (NOT micro-safe plastic bowls) (I use borosil bowls). Microwave high for 3 minutes. Take out stir well, add saffron with milk and ghee, mix again and MW high for another 2 minutes. Take out, stir well and MW high again for 2 minutes. Give a standing time of 5 minutes and mix well.

NOTE: The timing differs depending on one's MW oven, so the mixture becomes grainy in 1 or 2 minutes extra or soon. Stir each time you take out and MW to get the desired consistency.