PINEAPPLE KESARI

   After tasting a wondeful pineapple kesari in saravana bhavan ,i wanted to attempt this at home. This recipe i have tried so many times,but everytime i make this ,it got over within 5 minutes. This time i pleaded them to wait  till i click the pictures. Thanks to them,so finally i am here with the recipe of pineapple kesari.

   Now it is holiday for the kiddos and i was quite busy with them for the past 3-4 days and i didn’t give feedback on all the yummy recipes which i saw in my reader….

Check out my Rava kesari recipe.

INGREDIENTS

RAVA/SOOJI	1/2 CUP
PINEAPPLE CHUNKS	1/2 CUP
WATER	1 AND 1/2 CUP
SUGAR	3/4 CUP
GHEE	3 TBLSP
CASHEW NUTS	2 TBLSP
ELACHI	A PINCH

METHOD:

• In a kadai, add a tsp of ghee and fry the cashews until they turn nice golden brown colour .
• Keep it aside.

• In the same kadai, dry roast the rava for few minutes, till a nice aroma arises and the rava turns slightly brown.
• Be careful not to make it burn.

• Cut the pineapple into fine pieces.
• In a sauce pan heat the water and add the pineapple chunks and bring it to a boil.

• Slowly add the hot water with the pineapple chunks to the roasted rava.

• Stir well till the rava gets nicely cooked.
• To check whether the rava is cooked  or not, wet your hands and touch the mixture.  If rava  doesnt stick to your hands it means it is completely cooked.
• Now slowly add the sugar to this cooked rava.

• To avoid getting lumps add sugar slowly with one hand and stir the mixture continuously with otherhand.
• Do not panic if the mixture gets watery.
• You will get the right consistency if you continuously stir this for few minutes.
• Add the ghee, elachi and the roasted cashews.

• Mix well.

 

• Serve warm.

 

Note:

1. The rava has to be cooked properly,otherwise the kesari will become watery.
2. Be careful, while adding sugar,otherwise lumps will be formed.

GREEN BEANS WITH SESAME SEEDS/SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

BEANS CURRY

  I always make beans in THIS style or make PARUPPU USILI .I have never attempted any version of beans curry that can go well with roti.  This recipe i saw in cook book,which my friend borrowed for me recently from the library. This tasted so nice and though we had that with rice, i am sure it will go well with Rotis too.

INGREDIENTS:

GREEN BEANS	250 GMS
TOMATO(DESEEDED)	1 SMALL
SESAME SEEDS	2 TSP
ONION	1 NO
GARLIC	2 PODS
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2 TSP
REDCHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER	1/4 TSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1 TSP
KASOORI METHI	2TBLSP
OIL	1 TBLSP
SESAME SEEDS (TO GARNISH)	1/2 TSP

 

METHOD:

• Cut the beans into long strips.

• Grind the sesame seeds, coriander powder,redchilli powder,turmeric powder,cumin seeds,garlic,onion into a smooth paste,using 1 tblsp of water.

• Deseed the tomato and cut them into cubes.

• In a kadai, dry roast the sesame seeds which we have taken for garnishing and keep it aside.
• In a kadai add oil and throw in the ground paste and saute for 2 mins in a low flame.

• Add the kasoori methi and tomatoes.
• 
• Saute for a minute.
• Add the green beans and mix well.
• Cover and cook for 15 mins,stirring in between.
• If needed,sprinkle a tblsp  of water in between.
• Do not over cook the beans. Let this be little crunchy.
• Garnish with dry roasted sesame seeds. 
• Enjoy with rice/roti.

KACHORI-A POPULAR STREET FOOD.

KACHORIS STUFFED WITH MOTH DAL.

  Two years back when my neighbour called us for dinner, she made these kachoris and that was extremely awesome. After that i tried that once, but that doesnt turn out so well and i couldn’t get the texture  and crispiness. Then after 2 years i tried out this  and that turned out real yum and so crispy.

  I used MOTH DAL for stuffing . Alternatively, you can stuff with moongdal and for this recipe you can visit Tarla Dalal’s website.

The key for this recipe is making the stuffing very dry and frying the kachoris in the oil.

INGREDIENTS:

MOTH DAL	1/2 CUP
MAIDA	2 CUPS
RAVA	1 TBLSP
OIL	1 TBLSP(FOR KNEADING THE DOUGH)
SALT	AS NEEDED
WATER TO KNEAD THE DOUGH	3/4 CUP
REDCHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/4 TSP
GARAM MASALA	1/4 TSP
AMCHOOR POWDER	A PINCH
OIL	FOR DEEP FRYING

 

METHOD:

• Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles. Take care not to over cook and do not add more water while cooking it.
• Here is the pic of moth dal. Sieve the maida and add rava, salt and oil .
• Mix it nicely.

• Knead it into a soft dough and cover it with a wet cloth and set aside for half an hour.

• Take the cooked dal now and drain excess water if any.
• Saute it in a kadai and add the chilli powder,coriander powder,amchoor powder ,garam masala and salt.
• Saute it in a medium low flame till it becomes totally dry.

• Now take out the dough and divide it into 12 equal sizes.
• Take out a ball.
• Roll into a small poori and keep a tblsp of filling in the center.

• Close it carefully and take out the extra dough.
• Keep it aside.
• Do it for the rest of the dough.
•  
• Now gently make it into flat poori by using ur palm.
• If you are using rolling pins be careful, not to make any holes in the poori
• It will not come up if there it gets a little  hole.
• Repeat the same procedure for the rest of the stuffed balls.
• Heat the oil and check whether it is in a right heat.
• To check whether it is in a right heat, put a pinch of dough in oil it should come up slowly.
• If it doesnt come up the oil is yet to be heated .
• Put the kachoris in the oil , you can put 2-3  at a time, depending on the size of the kadai.

• Drain it in a kitchen towel.

• I cooked more of moth dal and made a gravy with that in the same way as i did for Green Moong dal.
• Enjoy the crisp kachori with the gravy as my neighbor served for me.

• Visit Manjula's kitchen for a detailed video.

GARLIC RASAM(POONDU RASAM)

       I always make rasam  by adding toordal and without garlic. We call it tomato rasam/parupu rasam.  My mom makes the garlic rasam when we were running out of cold and cough and during rainy day nights. We all love to have with hot steamed rice and garlic rasam with simple papad only.

Here comes the recipe of  GARLIC RASAM.

INGREDIENTS:

TAMARIND	A SMALL GOOSE BERRY SIZED
TOMATO	2 NO
GARLIC	4 PODS
PEPPER	3/4 TSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1/2 TSP
CURRY LEAVES	FEW
OIL	1/2 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER	1/4 TSP
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH

 

METHOD:

• Coarsely grind the pepper, cumin seeds and curry leaves in the mixer .
• Grind the tomatoes into a fine paste.

• Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of warm water.
• Transfer the coarsely ground pepper mixture and tomato paste to it.
• Add salt, asfoetida,turmeric powder, coriander leaves to it.
• Crush the garlic and ad it to the tamarind mixture.
• Mix everything together nicely with the hands.
• Keep it in a kadai and when it starts frothing switch off the flame and temper with mustard seeds.

• Enjoy with hot steamed rice with Potato Curry.

 

KUZHI PANIYARAM – SAVOURY VERSION.

AUTHENTIC CHETTINAD STYLE.

        Kuzhi Paniyaram  is a common South Indian Breakfast made usually with leftover idli/dosa batter,and  even i have made it  several times. But this time i learnt this from my friend ,who gave me exact recipe of making kuzhi paniyaram in their native place. It turned out so well and it was super soft and fluffy. From that i stopped making paniyarams out of left over idli/dosa batter.

Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

RAW RICE	1 CUP
IDLI RICE	1 CUP
URAD DHAL	1/2 CUP
FENUGREAK SEEDS	1 TSP
ONION	1 NO
GREEN CHILLI	2 NO
COCONUT (FINELY CHOPPED)	1 TBLSP(OPTIONAL)
SALT	AS NEEDED
OIL	1 TBLSP
CHANNA DAL	2 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/2 TSP
CURRY LEAVES(CHOPPED)	FEW

METHOD:

• Wash the rice and the urad dal nicely and soak it together along with fenugreek seeds(vendhayam) for 4-5 hours.
• Grind it smoothly in a wet grinder.
• Add salt to the batter and ferment it for 6-7 hours.
• Grind the chillies coarsely and add to the batter.

• Chop the onions finely.
• In a kadai, add oil and add the mustard seeds, channa dal and once the channa dal turns nice golden colour add the onions and fry the onions turns pink.
• Add a pinch of salt to this.

• Add this to the batter and mix well.
• If you are adding coconut bits add at this stage.
• Heat the paniyaram pan an add oil in each holes.
• Pour the batter , i used an icecream scoop to do this.

• Keep in a medium flame.
• Flip this with the help of a fork or the wooden stick which comes with the non stick pan.

• Serve hot with coconut chutney or spicy red chutney.

Note:

1. The batter should be not too thick or too watery.This has to be slightly thin than idli batter,but little thick than the dosa batter.
2. If you want u can add green chillies while grinding the batter itself as we do for vadas.
3. The leftover batter can be used for making dosa as it comes very great.
4. You can replace green chillies with red chilli powder also.

KARADAIYAN NOMBU ADAI/SWEET AND SAVOURY VERSION.

  Karadaiyan nombu is celebrated in  Brahmin community  during the transition of Tamil Month Maasi and Panguni. We generally observe fast on that day and make the adai and offer to neivedyam to god along with butter.
   This year it falls on the 14th of March and we have to make the pooja and tie the nombu charadhu(the holy thread) between 8 :30 to 9:00pm IST.

HERE COMES THE SWEET VERSION OF THE ADAI.
If you are using homemade rice flour you can roast it nicely in a low flame and sieve it,before making adai. For home made rice flour check out Here.
INGREDIENTS:

RICE FLOUR(I used the IDIYAPPAM FLOUR)	1 CUP
WATER	2AND 1/2 CUP
KARAMANI/BLACKEYED BEANS	2 TBLSP
JAGGERY	1 CUP
SESAME OIL	1/4 TSP
COCONUT (FINELY CHOPPED)	1/2 CUP
ELACHI	2-3 NO.

METHOD:

• In a kadai ,add water , a drop of oil  and add the jaggery in that.

• In a bowl add some water and cook the karamani for 5-10 mins.No need to soak this before hand. Just if you want can soak for 10 minutes. Do not over cook the karamani.

 

• When the jaggery completely melts in water,strain the impurities.
• When Karamani cooked strain the water and add the karamani to the jaggery water.
• Add the coconut, karamani(black eyed beans) and elachi powder.

• Slowly add the rice flour to it and mix thoroughly without any lumps.
• When it is warm ,grease your hand with oil/ghee and make small pinwheels .

• Steam it in greased idli mould for 10-12 mins. Note:

1. The jaggery which i used was slightly dull in colour so i didnt get a nice brown colour which i expected.
2. While making pinwheels if you feel it is breaking, just sprinkle some warm water to the jaggery dough mixture and make it.
3. If the mixture is little watery(normally it wont come like that, just keep in a low flame and stir well for 3 minutes.
4. This measurement yielded 15-17 adais.

SAVOURY VERSION OF ADAI.

RICE FLOUR(I used the IDIYAPPAM FLOUR)	1 CUP
WATER	2AND 1/2 CUP
KARAMANI/BLACKEYED BEANS	2 TBLSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
SESAME OIL	1/4 TSP
COCONUT (FINELY CHOPPED)	1/2 CUP
GREEN CHILLI	2 NO
CURRY LEAVES	FEW
GINGER	A SMALL PIECE
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP

METHOD:

• Chop the ginger,Green chilli and curry leaves finely.
• In a kadai add oil and throw in the mustard seeds,channa dal, ginger and curry leaves.
• Add the water and let it boil for few minutes.
• When it boils nicely add the karamani(black eyed beans) and rice flour slowly and make  a smooth dough.

• When it is warm make small balls and flatten it into patties and make small holes in the middle as we do for pinwheels.

• Repeat this for the rest of the dough.
• Grease the idli mould and steam these savoury adai for 10-12 mins.

• For making this savoury adai also,if it breaks while you are making patties,just sprinkle some warm water and make it.

I am not good in making equal shapes ,so please bear with that.
UPDATE:

• In any case if you feel the flour mixture is watery do not add flour while making adais, as it is not cooked.
• Add flour and stir in kadai till the mixture thickens.
• Do not make it too thick as it will make cracks in adai