Uppu Cheedai

Once again after a long break...This time with a interesting recipe of non bursting cheedai... Generally many are quite afraid to make cheedai as it might burst... I will share my secret recipe which doesn't burst... I make this every year for Gokulashtami/Janmashtami... 

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 cups
Urad Dhal Flour (Roasted and ground) - 1 tbsp
Salt -1/2 tsp
Asafoetida -1/4 tsp
Till - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Coconut water -1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Oil - to fry

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients and keep in microwave for a minute. In case microwave is not there, roast in sim flame for 2 mins. 

(Pls note: the colour should not change)

2. Add butter and mix gently. Sprinkle coconut water little by little and mix. Make into dough (just enough to roll into balls).

(You can add 1-2 tbsp water if required)

3. Roll into small roundels. Don't try to make perfect roundels. 

4. Heat oil in a kadai, drop the balls gently in the oil and fry in sim flame. Remove it, while the colour is changing from golden brown. Normally takes 6-8 mins. 

Thengapal Murukku

This is one more post which was pending on my list for a long time. I had made this for last Diwali, clicked this pic while i was making one side. Since then somehow this recipe got skipped. The coconut milk in this thengapal murukku gives a unique mild subtle taste to it. 

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1/4 Cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Butter/Ghee - 1 tbsp

Coconut milk - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it  and mix well.

2. Add coconut milk little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal and in a plastic sheet grease it with oil, and squeeze out the dough to make small small murukku.

3. Once the oil is hot, drop each murukku into the oil slowly. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins. Keep turning side every 2-3 mins, so that both sides are well cooked. 

P.S: If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown.... So make sure you cook in medium low heat so that the colour is retained.....

Masala Vada

One of the most popular item which is made during every occasion in Tamil nadu. BE it festival or marriage or just a get together gathering lunch, this will be definitely be part of the menu... Relishing snack too. 

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Toor Dhal - 1 tbsp
Onion (Finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Red Chilli - 3-4 nos.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Corriander leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Oil - To fry

How to make:

1. Soak the channa dhal, toor dhal and red chili for minimum 3 hrs.

2. Grind it coarsely without any water.  Add salt, asafoedita, curry leaves, onion and corriander leaves  to this mixture and blend well.

3. In a kadai heat oil, fry the vada's in medium flame. Fry till it turns golden brown.

Sakara Pongal

Pongal is celebrated across the nation in different names. Pongal / Sankranti / Uttarayan / Lohri / Maghi etc...  Basically its a festival dedicated to nature and praying god before harvesting..  In south Sakara Pongal is a mandatory sweet made on this day... Tomorrow being pongal, I thought it will be nice to share the recipe of sakara pongal with you all...

Ingredients:

Rice -  1 Cup

Moong Dhal - 1/2 Cup

Jaggery - 1 Cup

Water - 2 Cups

Milk - 1 1/2 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cashewnut / Almond / Raisins - 3 tbsp

How to make:

1. Wash the rice and moong dhal nicely under water and drain. Add the Rice and moong dhal to the pressure cooker.

2. Add water and milk to it and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

3. In a separate pan boil half cup of water and add jaggery to it. Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, strain it and keep aside.

4. In a small kadai, heat little ghee and roast nuts and raisins and keep aside.

5. Once the pressure is released, open the cooker lid and add the jaggery to it  and cook  for 8-10 mins until most of the water content is evaporated.

6. Finally add cardamom powder, ghee and roasted nuts and give it a nice blend.

7. Hot hot Sakara Pongal is ready...!!

P.S. I have added few strands of saffron. Its absolutely optional.

Milk Peda ( Microwave)

As I told in my previous post, here is one more sweet recipe for Diwali.... Milk Peda... Made in microwave in jiff of time... If you are running out of time to make some quick sweet, this is the answer for you.. In microwave it just takes 5 mins for cooking time. But you can make on gas stove as well.. Then also it takes not more than 10-12 mins. I have used cookie cutter to make these shapes. If you don't have a cookie cutter just make a round ball  and flatten with your palms (as shown in the upper right corner picture).

Ingredients:

Milk Powder - 2 Cups

Butter (Unsalted) - 100 gms (1 stick)

Condensed Milk - 1 Can (390-405 gms)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Saffron (soaked in 10 ml of warm milk) - 4-5 strands

Food colour - your choice  (Optional)
Chopped / Full nuts - For decoration

How to make:

1. Melt the butter in microwave by keeping for 30 secs. Add condensed milk, milk powder and blend well. Make sure no lumps are not formed.

2. We will have to cook in microwave for 5 mins. But after every min, we have to remove and give a vigorous stir, so that it forms a smooth peda.

3. After 4th min while giving stir, add cardamom powder, milk with saffron  and keep for the last min.

4. Now you can divide the mixture and add food colour to it and mix well. To check if the consistency is right, take small quantity in hand try to make ball out it. if the ball is formed the consistency is achieved.

5. Allow it to cool down a bit and while it is warm, grease the rolling pin and roll it to the desired thickness and cut into desired shape. If you don't have a cookie cutter just make a round ball  and flatten with your palms (as shown in the upper right corner picture). You can decorate with nuts of your choice. I have used only almonds.

P.S: You can also make layers with different colors and cut into shapes (as shown in upper left corner of the picture).

Jalebi

One more sweet recipe.... Since Diwali is coming up, I'm just posting sweets and snacks recipe recently... Jalebi is one of mine and my husband's favorite sweet.... The sweet and sour taste is an awesome feeling when u eat... and the crispy texture is the highlight of the jalebi...

Ingredients:

Maida - 2 Cup

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Curd - 1 Cup

Yellow / Orange food colour - 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Oil - For frying

Sugar - 1 Cup

Water - 1/2 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Saffron - 4-5 strands

How to make:

1. Mix the flour, baking powder and curd into a batter and keep aside for 10-12 hours to ferment.
2. Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle. You can make cone out of plastic covers/ zip lock bags as well.
3. To make sugar syrup: Melt the sugar and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and gently tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.
4. Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
5. Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.
6. Now hold the ketchup dispenser/ cone bag over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a randomly coiled circle. It will take couple of tries to get proper shapes.
7. Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
8. Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove.
9. Serve warm.

Mixture

Diwali is coming up....   Here is one snack to make for Diwali... Making mixture is little tedious/long process, since we have to make quite a few items separately and  mix everything... And that's why its called mixture... Don't get afraid with the process, because its easy though.....

For making mixture we need, oma podi, bhoondi also...  You can refer to Boondi recipe in blog.

For making Oma Podi...

Ingredients:

Besan flour - 1 Cup
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Omam / Ajwain - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. Sieve the gram flour, rice flour, salt and chilli powder for even mixing.

2. Dry roast the omam in a pan and soak this for 15 minutes in 1/4 cup of water. Grind this in a mixer using the soaked water. Even if it is slight coarse also ok. Using the remaining soaked water extract the omam water by mashing the ground omam with your hands, filter it using a tea strainer.

3.Use this water to mix the flour. Make a sticky dough by adding 2 tblsp of soft butter or hot oil .

4. Use the small dotted hole kuzhal, for making omapodi and keep a portion of dough inside the kuzhal/presser and start pressing it into the hot oil by making circles.  Keep the oil in medium heat otherwise it will get burnt.

5. Fry both the sides for 2-3 mins and take out in a tissue so that excess oil is absorbed in tissue.


For making Mixture...

Ingredients:

Boondi - 2  Cups
Oma podi - 2 Cups
Pressed Rice (Aval) - 1 Cup
Peanut - 1/2 Cup
Fried Bengal gram (Pottu Kadalai) - 1/2 Cup
Almonds - 1/2 Cup
Cashewnut - 1/2 Cup
Curry leaves  - 1/2 Cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp (Optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp

How to make:

1. Dry roast the pressed rice(aval) in simmer for 5 mins and take in a big bowl. Add the boondi and oma podi to it.

2. In a kadai, add oil, add peanut, cashewnut, almonds, fried bengal gram curry leaves and roast in simmer for 4-5 mins. Now add the turmeric powder, salt, chili powder. Roast for another min and switch off. Add sugar and mix well.

3. Mix all these together and the mixture is ready...!!

Boondi

Boondi is one tasty snack which very tasty to smack on and on... Diwali is round the corner and I'm planning to make mixture. But to make mixture we need Boondi and oma podi also... Here is the recipe for boondi.. whether you make mixture or not, you can just make boondi and have it for all... 

Ingredients:

Besan flour - 1 Cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. While adding water to the besan , first add a small amount of water and make it into a thick paste. The amount of water depends upon the texture of besan.

2. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. when the oil becomes hot, just pour 2 tbsp of hot oil to the batter and mix well.

3. To check whether the  consistency is right for the batter, take a spoon and with the back of the spoon mix the batter well and just hold it on the top of the hot oil.  If this forms a nice round ball then the consistency if perfect, else it gives a tail you need to add little extra water. Add 1 tblsp and check again.

4.You need 2 perforated ladle for making this. The ladle with small holes to make boondi and another one to take out the boondis from oil. Pour a ladle of batter to the perforated ladle ,keeping the ladle on the top of the oil and  let the boondis falls into the oil.

5. Fry till the oil sound subsides. Then only we can get crispy boondis. Take out from oil and drain it in a kitchen towel. 

P.S. You can add some more chili powder and fried peanuts & curry leaves to the boondi. It adds to the taste... I have not done it bcos my son can't eat spicy snacks..... 

Boondhi Ladoo

Ladoo, almost every one's favorite sweet.... Next month Diwali is also coming... So thought of posting this yummy sweet  recipe which will be useful. But you need not wait for an occasion to make this sweet.... Quite easy to make.... Trust me....

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Besan Flour - 2 Cups

Water - 1 1/4 Cup

Salt - 1 pinch

Cooking soda (baking soda) - 1/4 tsp

Roasted Cashew / Almonds - 1/2 Cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Oil - For frying

For Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 2 Cups

Water - 1 1/4 Cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Cloves - 8-10

How to make :

1. First we should make the sugar syrup to one string consistency and keep it ready. Add the cardamom powder and cloves to it.

2. Make a batter out of besan, salt, soda and water. Batter has to be in dosa batter consistency. If the consistency is not correct then the bhoondhi won't come in proper roundels.

3. Heat oil in a kadai. On medium heat, pour the batter through a perforated ladle from 1/2 feet high from oil. keep the flame on low medium only.....

4. Remove the bhoodhi's when it is 3/4 done. Don't let till cook fully, then it will turn crispy... Approx it takes 1-2 mins only to cook 3/4th... Remove it on a kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil and transfer them to the sugar syrup.

5. Make sure the sugar syrup is still warm. Add 1 tbsp of ghee and blend it well with a ladle. Then make round ladoo's...

 

 

Besan Ladoo (Microwave)

And now its time to celebrate as this is my 100th blog recipe.... So of course its a sweet..... Generally besan ladoo when made made on gas takes atleast 15-20 mins (making ladoo shape timing is not included)..... Now here its made so simple in just 5 mins...

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Besan Flour - 1 Cup

Sugar (Powdered) - 3/4 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 3-4 tbsp

Cashew nut (broken) - 3 tbsp

Almonds - for garnish

 

How to make:

 

1. In a micro wave bowl add the ghee and keep for 30 secs, so that the ghee melts.

 

2. Now add the besan flour and mix well. Make sure no lumps are formed. Keep in microwave for 2 mins in high.

 

3. Remove it and mix well again. Break out any lumps. Again keep it for a minute. Now you will start getting the nice aroma of besan cooked in ghee.

 

4. Again remove it and mix well. Add the cashew nuts and blend well. Keep in microwave again for 90 secs.

 

5. Remove it, add sugar and cardamom powder now and mix well. Allow it to cool for a while and while its warm, start making the ladoos and garnish with almonds...

Ribbon Pakoda

This is another snack item which is usually made during festival days... But you can make it just like to have it as tea time snack.... its quite easy to make....

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1 tbsp
Besan Flour - 2 tbsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it and mix well.

2. Add water little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal with Ribbon (straight line) nob and press it over hot oil to make ribbon like pattern.

3. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins.Cook until both sides are well cooked. If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown faster.... So be cautious.

Thenkozhal Murukku

These days many don't make these types of snacks at home because you get everything in shop.... But its always better when it is made at home because we know what ingredients we use,  and of course when it is made in fresh oil, its hygienic too..

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Sesame (Till seeds) - 2 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

 

How to make:

 

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it  and mix well.

 

2. Add water little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal and press it over hot oil to make small murukku.

 

3. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins. Keep turning side every 2-3 mins, so that both sides are well cooked. If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown.... So make sure you cook in medium low heat so that the colour is retained.....

 

Peanut Ladoo

A quick and easy sweet with very less ingredients. All you need is peanuts, jaggery and little ghee. Try it and you will start making it very often..

 

Ingredients:

 

Peanut (Skin Peeled) - 1 Cup
Jaggery  - 3/4 Cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to make:

1. In microwave, roast the peanut for 2 mins. Incase you don't have microwave, just roast in kadai in simmer for 8-10 mins.

2. Cool the peanuts. In a mixer, add the peanuts and jaggery. Grind it to coarse texture only.

3. Add the melted ghee and make round balls or any shape of your desire.


P.S. You can add little powdered cardamom if you desire... It gives a sweet flavour.

Rava Kesari

This month I haven't posted any sweet... So thought let me make some sweet. But then wanted to make something very simple. So why not Rava Kesari.... It so simple an less time consuming also.

Ingredients:

Rava (Sooji) - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup
Water - 2 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew /Raisins / Almonds - Few (As per ur wish)
Orange food colour powder - 1 pinch (Optional)
Gheee - 2 tbsp

How to make:

 

1. Roast the rava with 1/2 tbsp ghee for 2-3 mins in simmer and keep aside.

 

2. In a thick bottom pan, add the water and bring it to boil. Add the sugar an let it dissolve completely. Now add the colour powder and cardamom powder.

 

3. Now add the roasted rava slowly and mix well. Make sure lumps are not formed. Within 2-3 mins the rava will cook and kesari is almost ready.

 

4. In a small pan, heat ghee and saute the nuts & raisins for 1-2 min and add to kesari an blend well. Serve it hot.

Vazhapoo Vada

I had made this almost 2 months back. But some how I was not able to update the recipe as I was more busy with other latest ones... Hmmmmm... Now the time has come to post the recipe. As I had mentioned earlier, Banana flower is very good for health, just that you will have to spend a little more time to clean it. Ofcourse one of the tastiest vada, thats needless to mention.

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Banana flower (stock removed & finely chopped) - 1 Cup
Onion (Finely chopped) - 1/2 Cup
Red Chilli - 4-5 nos.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Oil - To fry

How to make:

1. Soak the channa dhal and red chilli for minimum 3 hrs.

2. Grind it coarsely without any water.  Add salt, asafoedita, curry leaves, onion and banana flower to this mixture and blend well.

3. In a kadai heat oil, fry the vada's in medium flame. Fry till it turns golden brown.

Pori Urundai

Pori urundai is generally made for Karthigai deepam festival.... I also made this during last Karthigai deepam only... But posting the recipe only now... But its a great snack to make and munch any time of the day. Its very light and healthy too.

 

Ingredients:

Puffed Rice (Pori) - 250 gms
Jaggery - 400 gms
Water - 500 ml
Dry Ginger powder - 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp (Optional)

How to make:

 

1. Need to make a syrup (pagu) with Jaggery and water. In a thick bottom vessel, add the jaggery and  water. Once the jaggery completely dissolves in water and starts to bubble, filter this thru a strainer to remove any small sand particles and transfer to the vessel again for boiling.

 

2. This syrup has to reduce to 1/4 of the volume. This will bring it to vella pagu consistency. To check this consistency, in a glass of water you can add few drops of the syrup and check if this turns to chewy ball. If it comes, then the consistency is achieved.

 

3. Add the ghee, cardamom powder and dry ginger powder to this. Add the puffed rice and blend well.

 

4. Before the jaggery completely cools down, we will have to make the balls (urundai). This needs to done faster. Once the jaggery completely cools down, it will turn stiffer and won't be possible to make the urundai's.

 

Gajjar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)

Yipee..... This is my 50th post and I'm so excited... Thanks to all my friends who have been encouraging me, which push me to do more... .... As a celebration I wanted to post something sweet and delicious. So presenting you the carrot halwa... Its one of the easiest recipe again, not much of strain other than grating the carrot. I used microwave because its takes much lesser time than cooking on gas.

Ingredients:

Carrot (grated) - 2 Cup

Milk - 1 Cup

Sugar - 3/4 Cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cashewnut - 10-15 nos. (broken into small pieces)

Raisins - 15-20 nos.

How to make:

1. In a microwave bowl add the carrot and milk. Put this in microwave for10 mins...

Incase you are cooking on gas, pressure cook the grated carrot with milk in cooker for 20 mins.

2. Now add the sugar, stir well and keep for another 5 mins.

In a thick bottom pan, add the cooked carrot and sugar and cook till the sugar dissolves and is completely absorbed by the carrot.

3. In a small bowl, add 1 tbsp of ghee and cashewnuts and raisins, keep for about 1-1 1/2 mins...

4. Add this to the carrot hawa and the balance ghee. Keep for another 2 mins.

5. Hot hot gajjar ka halwa is ready... Serve it hot with vanilla ice cream.... !

Rice Kheer

One of the delicious dessert for any festival. Simple to make and taste is just ecstasy... I will share the simple way to make super kheer without any condensed milk, but tastes like heaven.... ;-)

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
Milk - 4 Cups
Sugar - 1 Cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cashewnut - 2 tbsp
Raisens - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/2 Cup

How to make:

1. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20-30 mins.

2. Crush the rice with your hands and put in pressure cooker. Add the milk, sugar and pressure cook until 1 whistle. After that cook in sim for another 10 mins.

3. In a small pan, heat ghee and add the cashew nut and raisens and fry till becomes golden brown.

4. Once the pressure is released, add the cardamom powder and fried nuts.

5. Serve it hot or cold as you prefer !

Rava Ladoo

You have very less time and want to make some sweet ? Here is the answer for you to treat some one special with a delicious delight which can be made in no time (hardly takes 10 mins).

 

Ingredients:

 

Rava / Sooji - 1 Cup

Sugar (Powdered) - 1 Cup

Ghee - 1/2 Cup

Cashew nut / Almonds - Few

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

 

 

How to make:

 

1. Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pan and roast the rava for 2-3 mins. Make sure rava doesn't turn brown... Roast it in simmer.

 

2. Add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the sooji.

 

3. Melt the ghee and fry the cashew nut / almonds till turns golden brown and add to the mixture.

 

4. While it is warm itself, make the ladoo's. In case if you are unable to make round balls, sprinkle little warm milk. It will be very easy to make ladoo's now....

 

P.S. In case you like coconut flavour, you can add dry desiccated coconut. The taste will be awesome. But its only optional for people who like coconut taste.

Mysore Bonda

One of the simple snack to enjoy for the evening tea time... Now you might think why is this called Mysore bonda, is it famous in Mysore ? I also dont know the reason, but I can assure you that you will definetely not forget the relishing taste of this bonda...

 

Ingredients

All purpose flour / Maida - 1 Cup
Rice Flour - 1/2 Cup
Butter milk (thick) - 3/4 cup
Green Chilli (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
Corriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Asafoedita - 1/4 tsp
Oil - For Frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the ingredients to get a thick batter (similar to medu vada batter consistency).

2. Heat oil in a kadai and drop in the batter like bondas. Fry till golden brown.

3. Serve it hot with coconut chutney....