KITCHEN RHAPSODY

Homemade Nannari Syrup, Nannari Sherbet And Nannari Ice-Cream - Sarasaparilla Syrup, Sarasaparilla Sherbet and Sarasaparilla Ice-Cream

2013-04-15T11:20:00.001+05:30

A small push cart lined with bottles and bottles of rainbow coloured syrups parked along the shaded region of the roadside and the crowded region of a bus stand, is a sight that most of us would not have missed while travelling on the suburban roads in the South. I wouldn't have known what those pretty coloured syrups tasted like, if a group of us had not mustered the courage to go and buy the drink, when we used to return from school. For once we did not bother about what water was used or how clean the cart was or the glasses were, for all we wanted to know was, whether it tasted as good as it looked and sure it did; our first taste of sherbet! Ignoring the hygienic part we continued to savour this new found taste for a few more days, not knowing that we were actually drinking nothing but artificially flavoured sugar syrup with synthetic food colour! Most of the commercially available concentrates are just artificially flavoured and coloured syrups, that includes even the most popular Nannari syrup, which is devoid of the real goodness of nannari roots.

Real nannari roots have rich therapeutic properties, especially a good coolant that our body requires during summer and is said to be good for digestion and curing stomach disorders. Nannari roots are available in Country drug stores ( Naatu Marundu Kadai) present in almost every locality and if you can't find one, you can go to Triplicane, where there's an entire street (jam bazaar market) lined with these shops on both the sides of the road. Making the nannari concentrate is a very easy procedure and when you can make it at home with all the goodness of the sarasaparilla roots why buy artificial syrups which is nothing but slow poison, especially with added synthetic food colours.

After a litre of Nannari syrup made only a month ago got used up, this is my second batch and I know I will run out of it very soon, as we are yet to see the worst of the summer heat! Nannari sherbet is the best summer drink, that I can think of, to beat the heat.

Nannari Syrup

Ingredients

Nannari Roots 50 gms

Water 350 ml

Sugar 250gm

Lemon 2 1/2

Method

Pound the nannari roots slightly and remove the white part in the centre and discard. Collect only the outer part of the roots and pound again to smaller pieces.

Bring water to a boil, turn off the heat and add the nannari roots and leave it overnight. ( If you do not like the syrup to be strong in flavour, soak the roots in just plain water)

Filter the roots marinated in the water with a fine cloth folded three to four times, so as to remove even the fine particles.

Add sugar to the filtered nannari water and put it on medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Let it boil until the syrup reaches one string consistency ( or just sticky consistency), add the lemon juice and continue to boil for a few more minutes ( approximately 5 minutes) and remove from heat.

Cool, filter the syrup ( honey like consistency) into jars and store in a refrigerator.

To make Nannari sherbet
Nannari Syrup a few tbsp
Water to taste
Lemon juice a few drops
Ice cubes

Take a few tablespoons of the syrup in a serving glass, add enough water to taste, a few drops of lemon juice, some ice cubes, stir and drink.

To make creamy nannari

Cream 200 ml

Powdered Sugar 2 Tbsp

Nannari Syrup 3 Tbsp (or to taste)

Lemon zest 1/2 tsp

Walnuts

Method

Whip Cream+ sugar until thick and soft peaks form.

Stir in lemon zest and the syrup.

Stir in some chopped walnuts, transfer to cups and chill overnight or until set.

Sprinkle a little lemon zest and arrange whole walnuts on the cream and serve.

Nannari Ice cream
Fresh Cream 200 gms
Condensed Milk 100 gms
Lemon Juice to taste
Nannari syrup to taste
Walnuts and lemon zest

Method
To make ice-cream combine fresh cream and the condensed milk and whip until soft and frothy. Stir in lemon juice, nannari syrup, chopped walnuts and the lemon zest. Transfer to a container, close tightly and freeze till set.

The ingredients are almost the same for both the recipes but the texture and the taste differs from one another. While the creamy nannari tastes more like a spongy mousse and easy to prepare, the ice cream tastes soft, creamy and cold that melts instantly in the mouth with a lemony zing.

Nannari roots with and without the white part.

Thattu Idly

2013-04-07T11:03:00.000+05:30

A little more than a decade ago, when I was offered ramasseri idlies brought from kerala, I hesitated to eat and said, 'these idlies are a day old and must be stale', but when I was told these idlies are different as they stay good even after a week and people carry these idlies even when travelling abroad, to my surprise, a few morsel of the idly changed my opinion immediately! Ramasseri idlies are famous not without a reason, as they were truly delicious and with that idly podi, all of us lost count on how many idlies we ate. Soon it became a habit.

Thus my decade long acquaintance with those famous idlies prompted me to make these thattu idlies which are just our regular idlies with a soft texture and I have used the same technique to cook these idlies by steaming them over an earthen ware. Except for the shape and the technique there is nothing similar to ramasseri idlies. But my thattu idlies are special in its own way, one because they can also be made using barnyard millet and two because they taste delicious with a wonderful soft texture. Served with a spicy podi these thattu idlies will be absolutely delicious.

Ingredients
Idly rice 2 cups
Urad Dal 1/2 cup
Salt 1 1/4 tsp

Method
Rinse and Soak idly rice and Urad dal separately for about 3 hours.
Grind the urad dal to a fine smooth batter like that of butter consistency.
Grind the rice separately and mix the two batters, stir in salt, close and leave it to ferment overnight.
The consistency of the batter should not be too thick. Add water if necessary, such that the batter spreads on its own in the plate when titled ( but not too thin).
Take two perforated idiappam plates, line the plates with wet cotton cloth (preferably ghaada cloth), pour a good ladle full of the batter and tilt the plate slightly to spread the batter. ( do not spread with the ladle)
Place the plate over a clay pot ( Paanai), quarter filled with water, cover the idly with a lid and steam cook for about 4 minutes on low-med heat.
Remove the plate and let it stand for a minute or so, turn it upside down over a serving plate and peal the cloth gently from the idly( if the cloth is dry and sticking to the idly, sprinkle a little water over the cloth and then peal).

Keep two plates and use them alternately as and when the idlies are cooked.
Repeat the same for the rest of the batter.
You can also use all the plates in the idiappam stand and make many idlies in one go or make one by one like I do.
Serve the idlies with Spicy Idly Podi.

Note:
Thattu idlies can be made using millet also, the idlies in the picture were made using barnyard millet.
Depending upon the availability, I make both rice thattu idly and millet thattu idly.
The cloth used for making idlies should be wet before the batter is poured.
The softness of the idly ( any idly ) depends on how well the urad dal is ground. It does not matter if the rice is ground roughly but the urad dal should be ground to a nice smooth batter. ( If grinding in a mixie jar you will see a lot of air bubbles in the batter )
The same batter can be used to make regular idlies too.
Though using cloth to steam the idlies is an option, I would strongly suggest to use cloth to make idlies, as it gives a lot of difference to the idlies made using them.

Verkadalai Arisi Roti, Thakkali Kaara Chutney - Groundnut Rice Roti, Spicy Tomato Chutney

2013-04-02T12:39:00.000+05:30

A jar of rice flour will always come handy when you want to fix something quick to snack on. Verkadalai arisi roti is a quick fix breakfast or dinner recipe that can be done in no time. The recipe for the chutney is the spicy dip that you get along with the 'molaga baji' in the marina beach. These roties make a filling snack too for the late afternoon cravings and since there aren't any fancy ingredients in the recipe, I guess it will not be that difficult for everyone to give it a try.

Ingredients

Rice Flour 1 cup (roasted) + 1/4 cup

Roasted groundnut 3/4 cup

Dried Red chilly 1

White Sesame Seeds 1 1/2 tsp

Water about a cup

Salt 1 tsp

Method

Combine roasted peanuts and dried red chilly and blend to a fine powder.

Add this to the rice flour, add in salt, sesame seeds and mix well.

Add hot water and mix to form a dough.

Rest the dough for a few minutes and knead until soft.

Divide into balls, flatten using palm by flipping from one hand to another or roll into a thin circle by placing in between two plastic sheets.

Cook on a tawa on both sides until done.

Serve with spicy chutney or just jaggery.

( use the 1/4 cup of rice flour to knead the dough if it is sticky and to roll them into roti)

Spicy Tomato Chutney

Onion 1 medium

Tomato 1 large

Green chilly 1 large

Coriander leaves 1 tbsp

Salt

Method

Heat 2 tsp of oil and saute roughly chopped onion.

Add chopped tomato and green chilly and stir.

Add chopped coriander leaves and stir until the tomato breaks down.

Add salt and blend to a paste when cool.

Temper the chutney with mustard+urad dal and curry leaves in 2 tsp of oil and serve. Goes well with idly and dosa too.

Note:
Can use roasted Sorghum flour instead of rice flour or a mixture of sorghum and rice flour.
When I say rice flour or for that matter any flour ( like millet flour - ragi, cholam, kambu or wheat), I always mean home made flour and never store bought flour.

Varagarisi Vengaya Vadaam - Kodo Millet Onion Fryums

2013-03-28T11:48:00.000+05:30

When I made these vadaams last January, it was still winter and it was hot. Lately, I am beginning to see no difference between summer and winter in this part of the earth. A few years back, I was teased by people around for wrapping myself in sweaters during winter, but now, I don't remember pulling them out even once in the recent years. Now that the heat is on, Vadaams and pickles will be the talk of every household and almost every one of us will have a childhood memory of accompanying our mothers and grandmothers to the terrace while they made the vadaams, licking the cooked batter ignoring their warnings that it will cause stomach ache. The best part was, nibbling on the salty, spiced, half dried and half wet vadaams, that tasted more delicious even in its raw form.

It's a crazy obsession among south Indian women that no matter how old they are or ailing, they insist on making vadaams and pickles all by their hand and I still wonder how my grandmother was able to stir up a huge quantity of vadaam batter every year without complaining. Even though it involved braving the scorching heat, above the head and below the feet, this laborious task was performed with perfection, an amazing dedication and a unique quality that I see and admire in every grandmother on earth. I guess it their years of experience and the desire to impart their knowledge and skills on the next generation, that prevents them from sitting idle.

The following recipe for the vadaam is from one such old lady, who happens to be my better half's aunt from palayankottai. Inspired by her rice and onion vadaams that she brings us every year and since it tasted a little different and delicious than the vadaams made back home ( the addition of onion to the vadaam makes the difference) I adapted the recipe to use kodo millet to make these vadaams.

Ingredients

Kodo millet 1 cup

Cumin 1/2 tsp

Salt 1 tsp

Asafoetida 1/4 tsp

Shallots 5

Dried red chilly 1

Water 3 cups

Method

Rinse and soak kodo millet for 3 hours.

Grind the millet to a fine batter and leave it to ferment overnight.

The next morning make a paste of cumin+Shallots+Red chilly and add to the fermented batter.

Stir in salt, asafoetida and 1 1/2 cup of water and cook on low heat stirring continuously.

When the batter begins to thicken add the remaining water and continue to stir until the batter is cooked and appears glossy. ( It is cooked when the batter does not stick to wet fingers when touched)

Spread a tbsp of the cooked batter on a greased banana leaf placed on a perforated plate and steam cook for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat.

Peal the vadaam gently from the leaf and spread on a baking paper and leave it to dry. Usually a day of sun drying is sufficient. Mine took 3 days, because I made them last January when there wasn't much heat.

Note:

If the batter by any chance turns into lumps, run the batter in a mixie jar until smooth and continue to cook till done.

If the vadaams are not properly steamed it will stick to the baking paper, so make sure it is well cooked.

You can follow the recipe using rice or any other minor millet.

Poached Apple In Strawberry Sauce

2013-03-25T11:43:00.001+05:30

When I pulled out the box of strawberries and some bananas, all I had in my mind was to fix a drink for myself. But it so happened that, looking at the gorgeous ripe and dark red berries, I didn't want it to blend them to a usual frothy drink, instead, wanting to make something exotic with my last batch of strawberries from this season; this beautiful was dessert was born without a second thought and it hardly took 20 minutes to fix this simple dessert. Sounds good?

Since, I was making this for myself, I used one large apple, but in the end, three spoons dug in and I was left with only the core and was scrapping every last edible bit from the apple. If you can manage to find some good strawberries now, try the recipe, every kid and every adult will love it! The poached apple, looking like a glossy candy apple, masquerades as one giant strawberry with a sweet and the tart taste of the fruit. Served warm with cold ice cream, the duo embrace each other and provides an ethereal experience, making it a perfect dessert.

Ingredients

Strawberry 1 cup

Apple 1 large or 2 small

Sugar 1/4 cup

Water 1/4 cup

Cloves 2

Cinnamon 1

Star anise 1

Zest of an orange

Method

Take strawberries, sugar and water in a pan, throw in cloves, cinnamon, star anise and the grated orange zest .

Bring to a boil, place the peeled apples in the sauce, close the pan and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, turn the apple upside down and cook for another 5 minutes.

Check if the apples are cooked and remove from the sauce.

Raise the heat and stir until the strawberry sauce thickens.

Drizzle the sauce over the apple and serve with ice cream.

Note:
You can add or skip spices of your choice.
I used Himalayan red apple and served with "fruits and cream" ice-cream.

Nellikkai Jam - Gooseberry Jam

2013-03-22T09:03:00.002+05:30

With a tree in the backyard and abundant gooseberries to pick as and when needed during the season, we would play around with gooseberries in our mouth and swollen cheeks, slowly chewing the fruit, drawing its sweet and sour juices, until there was nothing but the hairy, green seed and run to drink water that would taste sweet like sugar. An experience that would last only till the fruits were harvested and I would save the best pick from the harvest, collecting all the large fruits for later consumption. Although gooseberries comes with all the recommended nutrients and goodness, it is difficult to eat them raw every single day. Making jam, pickle and preserving them in jaggery or honey are the best ways to make sure that we get the nutrients from these fruits through the year. Considering the sugar content in the gooseberry jam, I guess a teaspoon a day is good enough for an individual's daily requirement. I am no nutritionist, but I draw my limit there. We take this leghium ( that's what my mother calls it and with just a tsp a day, I think it sounds apt ! ) almost every day with our breakfast along with idly or dosai. The harvest is over and I am happy I have my stock of gooseberries, sweetened and preserved in my little jars, that will last till the next season.

Ingredients

Gooseberry 1 k

Sugar 900 gms

Cinnamon 2 pieces

Cloves 8

Star anise 2

Ginger 2 inch piece ( about the length of a little finger )

Water 1 1/2 cup

Method

Rinse the gooseberries well and steam cook them along with the ginger ( peeled) for about 25minutes.

Remove the seeds from the gooseberries and blend the flesh along with the ginger to a fine paste( add a little water if necessary to get a fine paste)

Transfer to a pan and stir on low heat.

Meanwhile, combine sugar and the water in another pan, stir on medium heat until the sugar dissolves and boils to a syrup.

Strain the sugar syrup directly into the pan with gooseberry paste and stir to mix.

Add the spices and stir on high heat until it thickens to a jam consistency.

Let it cool completely.

Transfer the jam to canning jars and seal tightly.

Place the jars in a large pot filled with water( the jars should be immersed in water ) and bring the water to a boil.

Let the jars remain in the boiling water on medium heat for about 10-15minutes.

Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.

Remove the jars from the water. The jam is ready to be consumed.
The jam needs no refrigeration and can be stored at room temperature, but avoid using wet spoons or water from entering into the jar, which will spoil the jam and its shelf life.
This is the standard canning procedure that I follow and it works for me really well all the time and the canned products last long without refrigeration.

The jam can be eaten with dosai, idly, roti or any bread.

If you do not want to waste the seeds, dry them well and as mentioned earlier, use in your shikakai mix.

Moongil Arisi Maambazha Paayasam - Bamboo Rice Mango Kheer

2013-03-18T10:29:00.001+05:30

Summer and mangoes are like two inseparable twins that should be best used before their season ends. I am sure I'll be making this gorgeous "Moongil arisi maambazha paayasam" a few more times, before the heat subsides and I run out of mangoes. The sweetness of the mango and the flavours hits the palate on the very first sip and this is one dessert that will be the best part and the highlight of any meal. Though I call it a 'paayasam' it tastes nothing like a regular paayasam, but something thing that will make you raise your eyebrows, the moment the sweet and the aromatic melange of flavours touches the palate and surprise you for sure!

Ingredients

Cooked Bamboo rice 1/2 cup

Ripe Mango 1/2 cup ( diced )

Ghee 1/2 tsp

Cashews 5

Raisins 5

Vanilla essence few drops

Sugar 1/2 - 3/4 cup

Thick Coconut Milk 1/2 cup

Second and third coconut milk 1 cup

Method

Add the ghee in a cooking pan and roast the cashews and raisins.

Add the diced mangoes and stir until it breaks down to a mushy pulp.

Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and add the rice, the second and the third coconut milk and stir.

Boil until thick. Add a few drops of vanilla and the thick coconut milk.

Cook on low heat for a few minutes.

Serve warm or chilled. But the paayasam tastes best when chilled overnight and served the next day or at least leave it to rest for a few hours for the flavours to blend well with each other.

Note:

The mangoes I used were sweet and a little sour and so I had to use 3/4 cup of sugar, adjust the amount of sugar depending upon the sweetness of the mango used.

Moongil Arisi Kattu Saadham, Mambazha Kuzhambu - Bamboo Rice Parcels, With Aromatic Sweet and Spicy Mango Curry

2013-03-15T11:22:00.000+05:30

A strong feeling of guilt engulfs me as I cook bamboo rice. Having robbed the elephants of its territory they freely strolled for years, we have also laid our hand on their favourite food "Moongil Arisi" ( Bamboo Rice ). The constant conflict between elephants and human beings upsets me a lot. Elephants are my favourite animal next to dogs and I hate to see them begging on the streets and suffering standing for long hours in the temple wagging its trunk a few hundred times a day, up and down, all in the name of blessings, touching our greasy heads and getting infected. How can an animal bless when it is stripped of all its dignity and magnificence, chained and poked every now then by a sharp metal and forced to do a routine job. As much as I hate to see these animals in temples the least I do is avoid the so called "elephant blessings" and I never forget to feed them before I leave a temple. Do you know the elephant in Thiruthani temple loves Sarkkarai Pongal and does not like coconut. Remember that, the next time you visit the temple. I wish all these captive elephants are taken into a sanctuary and rehabilitated and the whole practice of using animals to entertain and abusing in the name of god be abolished and provide a corridor for the wild animals, removing all that block their way to navigate freely to avoid the elephant-man conflict. Elephants fascinate me a lot and I love reading about them. They are like human beings in bonding like a family, in their intelligence in thinking before they act, in remembering their paths and geographical locations , in mourning when a member of the family dies, in protecting when a member of the clan is in trouble. The more you learn about these animals the more you will fall in love with these loveable giants.

Bamboo forest happens to be the breeding place of King Cobras, where they build nests and lay eggs, especially on the western ghats where they are found in large numbers, the leaves and shoots are the favourite food of Pandas, the stalks and seeds are the favourite of elephants, rodents and birds and an occasional delicacy for the tribal people when they collect the seeds from the flowers of an aged bamboo. By nature an old bamboo plant dies after the flowering, leaving behind the seeds ( rice ) that gets dispersed by natural means, paving way for new plants.
Bamboo rice is not commonly available due to the reason that it takes many years for an aged plant to flower, which cannot be predicted, as it may vary from few years to 100 years for a bamboo plant to flower. Bamboo rice is an aromatic seed that smells like one of those familiar ayurvedic concoctions and it naturally gives the feeling of intaking a medicinal food. Though generally cooked as rice by the tribes, the following recipes are my novelty idea that everyone loves and asks for more.

Mantharai leaf, from mantharai tree, ( Bauhinia Tomentosa - Botanical name) commonly called as orchid tree or camels foot tree, has been a part of our food culture for a long time. I used to stock up dried mantharai leaves, to pack food for my better half when I had easy access to it. They came handy when banana leaf was not around. Juggling hot puliyodarai and sarkkara pongal from one hand to another, served in dhonnais made of mantharai ilai, is a nostalgic experience that none can deny, when thinking of the visits to the temples in south india.

I used these dried mantharai leaves to make the steamed rice parcels. Combined with the aromatic bamboo rice and the curry, the leaves on its part imparts a flavour to the rice, that hits our senses the minute it enters the mouth. The rice parcel on the whole, tastes wonderful with a beautiful flavour that can only be experienced and cannot be told.

Ingredients
For Moongil Arisi Saadham / Bamboo Rice
Bamboo rice 1/2 cup (see glossary for an image of the rice)
Water 600 ml

For the Mambala Kuzhambu/ Sweet and Spicy Mango Curry
Shallots 1/3 cup (sliced)
Ginger 1 tbsp (julienned)
Garlic 2 cloves ( chopped)
Green Chilly 2 ( slit)
Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon 2 pieces ( each)
Thick Coconut milk 1/2 cup
Second Coconut Milk 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Chilly+ Coriander Powder 1/2 tsp
Ripe Mango 1/2 cup ( diced )
Lemon Zest 1/4 tsp
Salt 1/2 - 3/4 tsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp
Oil 2 tsp

Method
Bamboo Rice
Rinse the bamboo rice and add water. Cook for about 35 - 40 minutes and drain the excess water ( just like cooking regular white rice). Set aside.
Serve with curd or any other curry, if not making these parcels.

Mango Curry
Heat oil in a pan, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and curry leaves.
Add sliced shallots, green chilly, ginger and garlic and stir.
Add turmeric powder and chilly+ coriander powder, salt and stir. Add a tbsp or two of water, a tbsp of coriander leaves and stir, before adding the diced mangoes.
Add the second coconut milk,grated lemon zest and cook on medium heat until it thickens.
Add the thick coconut milk and cook on low heat for a few minutes until the curry thickens. Sprinkle the remaining coriander leaves and turn off the heat.

Making Bamboo Rice Parcel
Take a mantharai leaf, place about 3/4 cup of cooked rice in the middle of the leaf, top it with some of the mango curry, fold the leaf enveloping the rice with the curry and tie the parcel. Repeat the same with the rest of the rice and steam cook all the rice parcels in a steamer, for about 25 minutes.
Serve hot with appalam.

Note:

It is not too often that you come across bamboo rice, so use regular white cooking rice in place of bamboo rice and follow the recipe, but you will still miss certain unique flavours of this original version and the experience of savouring the aroma of the bamboo rice, the mantharai leaf, combined with sweet, spicy and the sour mango curry. I guarantee that, people will ask for more and you will make these recipes again and again. When I say 'recipes', it means there's 'more' to come!

Agathikkeerai Poriyal - Hummingbird Treeleaves Stir Fry

2013-03-11T09:36:00.000+05:30

Of all the edible green leaves, hummingbird tree leaves is the only one, that I give a second thought before cooking, because of the limitations it comes with, as it is not recommended to be taken too often and on certain conditions, inspite of it's healing properties. Protecting the internal organs these leaves are aptly called as Agathikkeerai ( 'agam' meaning inner ), as it suppresses the heat generated in the body and the diseases associated with it. Similar to drumstick leaves, these leaves and the flowers are edible and packed with nutrients. In some villages, you can see people feed these leaves as an offering, to the cows reared in the temple. Due to its unavailability in the city, these leaves are naturally limited to consumption and when these leaves have become a rarity, I don't think I need to think twice, when I come across a bunch, once in a while!

Ingredients
Hummingbird tree leaves 2 cups (rinsed and chopped)
Mung dal 1/3 cup
Onion 1
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Mustard + urad dal 1 tsp
Cumin 1/2 tsp
Dried red chilly 2
Coconut 1-2 tbsp
Oil 2 tsp

Method

Add the tempering ingredients to the hot oil in a pan, throw in chopped onion and sauté.

Add the chopped greens and turmeric powder and pre-soaked mung dal, stir, sprinkle some water, close the pan and cook until done.

Add salt, grated coconut, give a final stir and serve with rice.

Note:
Vegetables like bottle gourd, snake gourd, cabbage and chayote squash can be cooked in the same manner.

Home Made Coconut Oil

2013-03-07T13:50:00.000+05:30

Massaging new born babies with coconut oil before giving them a bath is an age old tradition in South India, but using virgin coconut oil is a traditional practise followed in Kerala, which I wouldn't have known if not for my sister in law, who hails from the land of god's own country. A little over a decade ago, my nephew who was born with a dark complexion turned into a fair looking baby with a soft and a beautiful complexion within months and I still remember the moment, when I couldn't hide my surprise and asked my brother's mom-in-law the secret and that's when she revealed their tradition of massing babies with virgin coconut oil extracted from coconut milk made at home. Though the massage is not meant for toning skin alone, it also protects the skin from infections and has other therapeutic properties too.

Almost every two years the abundant coconuts harvested from our home grown coconut trees are dried to copra and ground to extract coconut oil from a nearby oil mill, that we have been using for decades in our avial, on our hair, in our lamps, but in all those years my parents never knew that oil can be extracted from coconut milk, until it was used on one of their own grandchild. It's not an easy task either, to be made at home in large quantity, it takes almost five hours to prepare a few hundred mls of oil and the resultant product is just pure liquid gold. Although there's no baby at home, I was forced to make this oil now for my fifteen year old, who kept nagging me to help him get rid of the blemishes on his sun tanned dry skin and I couldn't think of a better solution than this virgin coconut oil. The hardest part is the extraction of the coconut milk which took me almost two hours and two and half hours to boil down the milk to extract the oil and at the end of a completely exhausted evening and a bad head ache, I face this teasing question by my son, "What will you do if the bottle breaks accidentally ?"

What you will need is good mature coconuts of desired quantity. ( I used about 7-8 small sized coconuts)

Blend the coconut kernels with little water to a fine paste, pass through a sieve, press hard and extract coconut milk as much as you can. Repeat the process again and extract the second coconut milk. Squeeze hard to get every little drop of milk from the ground coconut.

Take the coconut milk in a wide and large pot and boil on medium - high heat stirring now and then for the first hour and half and then continuously when it begins to thicken.

By the end of 2 hours you will see all the water evaporated and the thick coconut butter boiling with traces of oil in it.

Continue boiling until the oil separates and the coconut butter turns to golden red. Turn off the heat if you want clear white oil or leaving it a little longer will yield honey coloured oil, just like mine.

Leave it to cool, before filtering the aromatic oil into a bottle using a fine piece of cloth.

The residue which is left after filtering the oil can be mixed with sugar and consumed.

The process is similar to extracting ghee from butter, if you are familiar with that, then this will be easy too.

Thinaiarisi Sarkkarai Adhirasam - Foxtail Millet Adhirasam

2013-03-01T09:05:00.000+05:30

Adhirasam, Nendrampazham, Sevvalai, Oiless murukku, Mundirikothu, Halwa, Sarkaravarati and roasted cashews are some of the speciality food of Tirunelveli region, that my maternal relatives from nagercoil, never fail to carry with them everytime they visit us. If not all, they made sure that, they carried at least Sevvalai or Nendrampazham with them. Adhirasams are made with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and a hole in the centre in this region, unlike the flat ones made in the other parts of TN. Though traditional Tirunelveli adhirasams are made using jaggery, I have given the sugar version, as I have already posted the jaggery version of adhirasam using rice flour.

Everytime my mother made adhirasam, she never fails to make a separate batch of her favourite "Sarkkarai Adhirasam or Sugar Adhirasam". Although we preferred the jaggery version, we never complained about the sugar or white adhirasam or it never took too long for us to empty the dabba. Why would we? As long as it is delicious, who cares what it is made of!

The reason why my blog is beginning to flood with millet recipes is because, these recipes prepared few months ago are part of an e book, that I had planned to do, which I dropped for the lack of understanding of technical details and eventually lost interest. While I still learn the nuances, some of the recipes will be shared in the meantime. Although you will be seeing a lot of millet recipes in the future, all these recipes are adaptable, where you can use regular rice instead of millet and continue with the recipe, if you do not fancy millet.

Ingredients

Foxtail Millet flour 2 1/4 cup

Granulated Sugar 1/2 cup

Water 1/4 cup

Cardamom 2

Poppy seeds 1 tsp

White sesame seeds 1 tsp

Ghee 1 tsp

Method

Combine sugar and water and stir on medium heat until melted.

Strain the sugar syrup and transfer to a heavy bottomed vessel.

Bring the sugar syrup to a boil and continue to boil on medium heat, until soft ball consistency is reached. ( To check for soft ball consistency, drop a tsp of the boiling sugar syrup into a bowl of water. If the sugar syrup dissolves in the water then it is not ready yet, if it doesn't dissolve and if you are able to pick the syrup and make a ball out of the syrup and when thrown on a steel plate makes a noise, then the right consistency is reached)

Turn off the heat and add the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cardamom and add in the flour immediately, stirring continuously until everything is mixed well.

Drizzle the ghee over the mixed batter and leave it aside overnight or for twenty four hours.

Take a small portion of the batter, place on a greased banana leaf or a plastic sheet and slightly flatten to a thick disc.

Using a bottle cap or any other cutter make a hole in the centre.

Slide the disc into medium hot oil and fry on both sides on low-med heat until brown and cooked through.

Transfer to a bowl and repeat the same process until all the batter is used up.

Adhirasams can also be made flat, by flattening the batter into a slightly thinner disc and frying them in oil, without making a hole in the centre.

Once fried these flat adhirasams should be pressed using another flat ladle or by placing it on flat base and pressed with a heavy object to extract excess oil. ( This is done only when making flat adhirasams and not for adhirasam with hole)

The uncooked batter can be stored in a refrigerator upto a week and used, as and when needed.

Note:

Do not try to use store bought foxtail millet flour or rice flour to make adhirasams.

To make flour, rinse and soak 2 cups of foxtail millet for 3 hours.

Drain and spread the millet on a cloth and leave it to absorb excess moisture.

Grind the moist millet to a fine flour, sieve the flour and keep it ready to use.

(The millet should not be dry when it is ground to a flour, if dry sprinkle a little water and grind)

2 cups of millet will yield about 3 cups of flour, of which only 2 1/4 cup will be used to make adhirasam for the above given proportion. The remaining flour can be roasted until dry and stored for later use in other recipes or make a laddu mixing powdered sugar and melted ghee with the roasted flour.

Jaggery can be used instead of sugar. See my earlier post on making jaggery adhirasam.

Ular Nellikkai - Gooseberry Fruit Leather

2013-02-23T20:51:00.000+05:30

Our arms spread wide, holding on to the edges of a thick bedspread, heads titled above, we stand there waiting to catch the falling berries from the tall green tree with pretty, tiny little leaves and drooping branches, heavy with clusters of juicy and golden gooseberries. Not wanting to let the fruit hit the ground, we move from side to side trying our best to catch every one of them, but they seem to evade the cloth and fly in unpredictable directions, as the fruits are shaken off from the tree, using a long pole attached with a scythe.

Gathering the best and the handpicked gooseberries, we sit down to make nellikkai murabba, under the careful instructions of my father and my uncle ( happens to be their mother's recipe). We start pricking holes using a sharp wooden tool that takes a few painful laborious hours to complete, which is then soaked in lime ( sunnambu) water before it is made into a murabba in jaggery syrup. This is a yearly routine, that we followed every January - February, the peak time, when the gooseberries reached their full size and were ready to be harvested.

Gooseberries are a wonder fruit, when in abundance, needs to be preserved, as all of them cannot be consumed in a short period. Even after drying them, powder them, preserving them, we were still left with a lot of fruits. Over the years I adapted the recipe and have made murabbas using sugar and honey, But when I received a bagful of gooseberries from this year's harvest, I decided to try something else other than murabba and ended making a beautiful fruit leather and a jar of gooseberry jam, but, I am not done with it yet, as I am still in possession of a few kilos of gooseberries waiting to be preserved in honey.

It's an old tree that once produced fruits the size of a golf ball, but now shrunken in size, they taste slightly more bitter and sharp, which explains the need for the below mentioned quantity of honey and prunes that has gone in to this fruit leather. Adjust the sweet ingredients if you are using the large sized gooseberries that you get in the market, which might be a little sweeter than the medium sized ones.

Ingredients
Gooseberry 300 g
Honey 1/2 cup
Prune 10 (pitted and dried)
Ginger 1 inch piece
Water 1/2 cup

Method
Rinse and chop the gooseberries into pieces. ( The seeds can be dried, powdered and used in shikakkai to rinse hair)
Blend the chopped gooseberries and the ginger and mince them finely.
Add water and blend until it is pureed to a soft paste.
Strain the puree and collect the juice( about 1 1/4 cup).
Combine gooseberry juice and honey and bring to a boil.
Puree the prunes and add to the boiling juice.
Stir on high heat continuously until it thickens like a jam.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and grease lightly or spray.
Spread the mixture on the lined baking sheet as thin as possible.
Bake at 40*c for about 8 to 12 hours.
The drying time varies depending upon the thickness of the leather. Mine took 12 hours.
If the fruit leather is ready it will peal off easily from the paper and will not be sticky.

( Since I didn't know how to call this in tamil exactly, I came up with a name which may not sound right, but I tried my best !)

Muppaal Halwa - Three Milk Sweet

2013-02-19T10:58:00.000+05:30

Try making a halwa and you will naturally develop a respect for those halwas sold in the market and its makers. It's not an easy sweet that is made in a jiffy, there's a whole lot of technique, hard work and experience that produces a flawless sweet, which slides down our throat effortlessly. The aching arms will make us vow to never make halwa again, but the lingering sweet flavour will lure us to start it all over again, especially when there's a demand for more! The making is definitely a time consuming process and one that demands some muscle power too, but the final product and those melting moments will make it all worthwhile. Made with a combination of three different milk extracts, packed with flavour, Muppaal Halwa is totally a delicious treat.

Ingredients
Whole Wheat 1/2 cup ( samba kodumai)
Red rice 1/2 cup ( sivappu puttarisi )
Coconut milk 1 cup
Cardamom 2
Ghee 6 tbsp
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Water 3 /4 cup (for the syrup)
Cashew 1/3 cup

Method
Rinse and soak wheat and Rice, separately overnight.
Grind the soaked wheat and rice separately and extract milk one by one, by passing the ground paste through a fine sieve or muslin cloth. Set aside.
Combine sugar and water, stir on high heat till the sugar dissolves and boils to a syrup.
Combine whole wheat milk, rice milk and the coconut milk in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add additional water if the mixture is thick to make it a thin pouring consistency ( if the mixture is thick it will turn into lumps on heating)
Stir the milk continuously on low heat, till it begins to boil.
Add the sugar syrup, cardamom and continue to stir till the milk thickens.
When the halwa gathers to a thick mass and begins to leave the sides of the pan( makes thick ribbon shape when lifted up in the ladle), start adding the ghee, little by little, stirring continuously until all the ghee is absorbed.
Add the chopped cashews and transfer to a greased plate.
Cut into squares when it cools down completely.

Note:
Don't leave the halwa unattended when it is cooking, it will turn into lumps or burn. Continuous stirring is essential for a lump free halwa.
To get a transparent looking halwa, use a muslin cloth to extract milk. ( I used a regular strainer and not a muslin cloth, which is evident in the texture of the halwa, as seen in the picture)
Add more ghee, if desired.

Cholamaavu Kaara Puttu, Kambu Urundai - Sorghum Spicy Puttu, Pearl Millet Sweet Balls

2013-02-12T16:57:00.001+05:30

Last year, reminiscent of her old times, a family friend from Salem, who fondly recollected the days she grew up in a village in Salem, shared these two recipes with me. It's in one of those villages near Salem called Kandampalayam, that I learnt to ride cycle as a kid, during my vacations, when my father was posted there. We would hire cycles and go practising in the vast vacant lands of the village without the fear of traffic, but ran into huge trees that stood as a guard on both sides of the road and bumped into walls, emerging unhurt always.

I remember my visits to the weekly market ( sandhai) and watch the people sell cattle, bargaining with their hands held under a towel. While their fingers communicate the price of the cattle, their facial expression reveals if the trade is satisfactory or not. It's a one day market that fulfils the needs of the people for the week to come, with the fresh produce from in and around the villages, garlic, shallots, tamarind, vegetables, earthenware, all displayed attractively. The day starts with a noisy fair, that subsides by late after noon and before the day comes to an end, most of goods are sold out and they leave behind only a few traces of the busy market that lasts only a day. A visit to the weekly market is still something I love to do and my recent memory of shopping was a few years back, where I happily strolled through the market and bought vegetables, fresh pulses, palm sugar, baskets and some essential household tools from a sandhai in a hill station. Shopping in a sandhai, where you get to buy fresh goods that comes straight from the producers without being processed or chilled, exposes to a whole new world, its not just the market, but the people, the luring words of the vendors, the tireless bargain, the smell, the lively spirit in the air, this market offers an experience that super markets can never provide.

Cholamaavu Kaara Puttu - Sorghum Spicy Puttu
Cholamaavu puttu is made like any other puttu ( rice puttu, kambu puttu, ragi puttu), but served with a spicy mixture and sesame oil.
Ingredients
Sorghum 1 cup
Salt 1/2 tsp
Shallots 1/2 cup
Green chilly 1-2
Sesame oil to taste
Water

Method
Rinse the millet and spread on a cloth to dry.
Grind the millet to a fine powder and sieve.
Dry roast the powdered millet on low-med heat until hot and dry.
To make puttu, add salt to the roasted flour and sprinkle water little by little, until the mixture is well moistened.
Process the mixture in a mixie jar for a second or two, to break the lumps.
Transfer this mixture on to a cloth, lined on an idly plate or any steamer and steam cook for about 20 minutes.

Combine shallots and green chilly, mince to a coarse paste and serve with the cooked puttu, along with a generous amount of sesame oil.

Note:
I have given the exact version of how it is consumed by people in villages, but not many will favour the taste of raw shallots and green chilly and if you don't, serve with spicy chicken curry or prawn masala.
The puttu can also be made into a sweet dish, by adding coconut while cooking and serving with sugar, banana and ghee.
While preparing puttu sprinkle water every time it becomes dry.
For a cup of sorghum flour you will require about 6-7 tbsp of water.

Kambu Urundai - Pearl Millet Sweet Balls
It's a healthy snack that tastes like sesame seed balls and not millet. Easy to make and healthy to eat. Adding cardamom or cashews is not necessary but use them if desired.

Ingredients
Pearl millet 1 cup
Roasted groundnuts 1/2 cup
Dark brown sugar 3/4 cup
Milk 3 tbsp ( more or less)

Method
Rinse pearl millet, drain well and start roasting in a pan on low heat.
Roast until it turns golden colour and a nice nutty aroma arises.
Let it cool and grind to a fine powder, add the roasted groundnuts and process again.
Add the sugar and grind again until everything comes together.
Transfer to a plate, sprinkle milk and start shaping them into balls. This will last for a couple of days, a little longer if refrigerated.
To make them last longer, you can either shape them into balls right away without adding milk( the oil in the groundnut will help to bind the mixture together) or go easy on the calorie part and use melted ghee to make balls.

Note:
According to the original recipe, I was told white sugar was used and water was used to make them into balls, but, I chose to use dark brown sugar and milk instead.
The pale looking balls in the jar were made without adding milk, while all the dark ones were made with milk.

Thakkali Jam - Tomato Jam

2013-01-28T11:23:00.000+05:30

When I stood there watching my In-laws and co sister, blanching and pureeing tomatoes, fifteen years ago, little did I know that certain fragments of that moment was going to be frozen in my memory for years to come.

The ladies rubbing shoulder with each other, their voices filling the room, with some suggesting; "needs more sugar", " a little more spice will be good", "careful don't let it burn", and instructions flowing from all sides, the tiny kitchen filled with the sweet aroma of the boiling tomatoes, the chattering of the women, the impatient nagging of the children, the ladies taking turns to stir the jam, I still remember the jam boiling in the floral printed, dark porcelain pan and many of us waiting to feed our taste buds and pronounce our verdict. There was no refrigerator to tell them of the setting point, but their experience told them when to stop. It's not just the making of the jam alone, but on the whole, cooking was more fun and a delightful experience back then, which was more lively, unlike the rattling sound of the ladle that echoes in my kitchen and fills the empty space.

Don't even try to make this with leftover tomatoes. If you are making the jam pick the right tomatoes which are ripe and red. Even on ordinary days, I go out of control, when I see these scarlet beauties and end up buying as much as my hands can carry. With the jam in mind, you can guess how much I would have loved to pick these ripe and plump fruits to all my heart's content. It's the kind of tomatoes that is used, decides the colour and the taste of the food that is prepared, so choose deep red fruits that is not sour. Apart from the traditional method, I wanted to try and find how the jam would taste, if made without blanching. The jam made without blanching had a different texture, appeared more red, but tasted almost the same. But, I guess I would still stick to the traditional method always.

Ingredients
Tomato 1/2 k
Sugar 150 gms
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1 inch piece
Cashew 1 tbsp
Dried black raisins 1 tbsp

Method
Add water to a wide mouthed vessel and bring to a boil.
Add the tomatoes and continue to boil for 4 minutes. Turn off heat.
Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and peel the skin.

Chop into small pieces and puree the tomatoes.
Strain the tomato puree and extract the juice.
Transfer the extracted juice to a cooking pan and bring to a boil.
Add half the sugar and continue to boil on med-high heat, continuously stirring.
Add cloves, cinnamon and lemon juice.
After a few minutes add the remaining sugar and stir.

By 20 minutes the mixture will begin to thicken, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir until the setting point has reached. This is will take less than 5 minutes. Check by dropping a tsp of the jam on a chilled plate, if it runs on the plate then it needs a little more boiling.
Even without using a chilled plate, it is easy to understand if the jam is done, when the mixture thickens and boils like a thick lava, without any liquid, then the setting point has reached.
Add the cashew and raisins and give a final stir for a few seconds, remove from heat and leave it to cool.

With the given amount you won't require any sterilisation of the jar to fill the jam, as it will be gone in just one sitting. Refrigerate the jam if there's any leftover. But when made in large quantity, follow proper canning procedures.
I usually fill in well cleaned jars, cover the mouth of the jar with a piece of muslin cloth and tighten with the cap, immerse them in a vessel filled with water and boil for about 10 minutes. Remove the jars when cool. The jam canned this way has a longer shelf life.
The other method I tried was by pureeing the tomatoes straightaway without blanching and used the strained puree to make the jam following the same procedure, but without the dried nuts and raisins.
The jam tasted more or less the same, tasted delicious, yet there was a difference in the texture.

Kudiraivali Saadham, Sundaikkai kaara kuzhambu - Barnyard Millet Rice, Turkey Berry Spicy Curry

2013-01-17T11:35:00.000+05:30

I grew up in a house that is surrounded by numerous coconut trees that still continues to give us abundant coconuts and oil, fruit trees, flowering plants, bushes, that made everyone who passed by to pause and admire the greenery and the pretty flowers that were colourful. Neighbours envied and still envy, the result of one man's dream and hard work, my father, who gave us the luxury of growing up in the midst of rich, flora and fauna.

Fauna! yes, our abode has been famous for housing all sorts of animals too, that included at least half a dozen dogs of various sizes and various breeds, not to forget even our own Indian country breed the most loyal of all, multitude of birds of various kinds, a gaggle of geese that would happily nibble on all the saplings that I plant, Ram the monkey that loved us all like a brother, more than half a dozen stray cats that would sit on all corners watching my movement, cows that stayed with us for many years feeding us with fresh milk, a goat that stayed for a short period, the number of chickens that gave us healthy eggs throughout the year and the omnipresent crows, especially a bald headed character which would fearlessly eat food from my hand, the house constantly echoed the sounds of the dogs barking, the birds chirping, the geese honking, all these animals created an atmosphere that was bursting with life, but the only animal that did not make it to our clan was the horse, an animal that my father still yearns to rear it someday.

Life has not been the same ever since I moved to this concrete world in the busy part of the city, breathing smoke and dust, constantly feeling the trembling earth under my feet every time a heavy vehicle passed by, with no plants to tend and no animals to feed, waking up to see another building instead of green plants, my days come to an end with books in hand instead of making garlands from the freshly picked jasmine flowers from the creepers, which used to be my routine back then. Though an occasional visit to my parents house now and then, to be in the midst of the trees that are as old as me, does make me extremely happy, somewhere in the corner of the mind there is this simple desire to live in a house surrounded by trees, feed cats and dogs, have a garden where I can pick my home grown vegetables and fruits and prune my own flowering plants. Still dreaming!

Barnyard millet ( kudiraivali arisi) has the texture of broken rice, cooks like rice and tastes like rice. I can guarantee that people who do not appreciate the taste of other millets for its distinct taste will embrace barnyard millet in their daily meal without frowning. I would love to say, "go ahead and start using this millet to make rice and idly", but in reality these millets ( little millet, foxtail, kodo) are very expensive that, not all people can afford to include these millets in their daily meal. Millets like finger millet, sorghum and pearl millet have always been available in an affordable rate to people of all section of the society and since these millets are equally rich in nutrients, they can be used in our meal when it is not possible to include minor millets. Now that the government has decided to include Ragi puttu and Cholam biscuit in the noon meal scheme for the children, I believe it will not be long before minor millets are also appreciated and made available at an affordable price to all people.

Like all the other minor millets barnyard millet is also cooked in the same manner as mentioned in my earlier posts. Previously the millets I cooked were with husk and here the barnyard millet I have cooked is hulled. Since it is hulled, it requires less water to cook than the millets with the husk. But still, if you prefer to have a rice that is well cooked to feed aged people at home, then I suggest to use three cups of water. For a fluffier rice use 2 cups of water for a cup of millet and continue with the same process. Barnyard millet on the above picture was cooked using 3 cups of water for 1 cup of millet and in the picture below the millet was cooked using 2 cups of water for a cup of millet. Barnyard millet rice cooked with salt, tastes delicious on its own even without any curry. It tastes absolutely wonderful with curd, shallots and some cooked greens.

Kudiraivali saadham - Barnyard millet rice

Ingredients

Barnyard millet 1 cup ( hulled millet)

Water 2 cups

Method

Add water to the well rinsed barnyard millet and bring to a boil on high heat.

Close and cook for ten minutes on low heat.

Turn off the heat and leave it closed for another 30 - 40 minutes till all the millet is well cooked in its own steam.

( It will appear to be still wet after 20 minutes, but when the rice completely cools down it will become dry and well cooked. You can adjust the ratio of water used, according to your need)

Sundaikkai kaara kuzhambu - Turkey Berry spicy curry

Ingredients

Turkey berry 1cup

Onion 1 large

Tomato 1 1/2 ( pureed)

Turmeric powder 1/2tsp

Chilly Powder 3tsp

Coriander Powder 3tsp

Salt 1 1/2tsp

Tamarind gooseberry sized ball

Water 1 cup

Coconut 1 1/2 tbsp

Poppy seeds 2tsp

Sesame oil 2tbsp

Mustard +urad dal 1tsp

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves

Method

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes, extract the juice and discard the pulp.

Slightly crush the turkey berries with a hard object like a pestle, just until it split opens.

Rinse the berries twice or thrice and add it to the tamarind water.

Heat oil in a pan, do the tempering with mustard + urad dal and curry leaves.

Add the chopped onion and stir until it changes colour.

Add the pureed tomatoes and when it begins to boil, add turmeric powder, chilly+coriander powder and the salt. Stir well to mix everything.

Add the tamarind water with the turkey berries and cook on low-med heat with the lid on for about 10min.

Combine poppy seeds and coconut and grind to a fine paste. Add this paste to the curry and cook for a further 5-10 min.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Prune and Dark Chocolate Bomb

2013-01-04T11:45:00.000+05:30

Why not usher in the New Year with a sweet recipe? These Prune and dark chocolate bombs are a perfect fit for the occasion and certainly a healthy recipe, if you can kind of overlook the addition of sugar. However, I find these bombs which require no baking, satisfactorily healthy, delicious and surprisingly filling too.

The ingredients are easily adaptable to taste and availability. Use dates, if you like dates and chocolate combination ( the dark Arabian kind), use any nuts of your choice and any flavouring agent of your choice. I have never fancied chocolate and dates combination, so I can't say much, on how it would taste. With prunes the following combination works right and the bombs explode with flavour and taste.

Ingredients

Dark chocolate 150 gms

Dried and pitted prunes 100 g

Paneer 60 g (extracted from 500gms of milk)

Cream 3 tbsp

Sugar 1 tbsp (light brown or dark brown or white sugar)

Vanilla 1/2 tsp

Hazelnuts 2 tbsp

White Chocolate 1/2 cup (melted)

Orange zest 1/2 tsp - 1tsp (optional)
Chillipowder (optional)

Method

Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler and set aside.

Puree the prunes and stir into the melted chocolate.

Combine paneer, cream and sugar and whip in a mixie jar until smooth.

Add the chocolate and prune mixture and the vanilla and process again to a smooth paste.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the halved hazelnuts.

Freeze the chocolate mixture for a few hours or overnight.

Grease your hands with melted butter or ghee ( the mixture will be sticky) and divide the chocolate and prune mixture into balls.

Melt white chocolate pieces, on a double boiler and pour gently on each chocolate ball until evenly coated. Chill until set.

Remove and dip the bottom of the chocolate balls in white chocolate to coat the base.

If you do not like the rustic look of the chocolate bombs with feet, like shown here, then place the chocolate prune mixture in a wire wrack and pour the white chocolate over the balls to coat them evenly to a round shape and the excess chocolate collects in a plate kept below.
Well, I don't mind mine looking a bit out of shape!

Note:
For a spicy hint of flavour, add 1/4tsp to 1/2 tsp of chillipowder according to tolerance level.
Stir in orange zest if using, finally along with the nuts.

Cauliflower Kurma

2012-12-18T13:30:00.000+05:30

Making roti has never been a difficult task, but making the right subji or the curry for the roti has always been the tough part. Especially if serving meat lovers, every attempt to please them with vegetable curries will be like walking on a tight rope. This cauliflower kurma is an exception that is actually a much loved curry by my folks and one that has been making our dinners satisfactory, when there is no egg or meat around. Though it the season for cookies and cakes, considering people who can't bake and not wanting to disappoint them, here comes a cauliflower kurma recipe that suits all seasons and all people. It seems like there always comes a moment when we need to remain silent when we are at loss of words for some reason and I guess that moment has come for me now, to stop rambling and make it snappy. Enjoy the kurma.

Cauliflower Kurma (The same recipe makes a good egg curry too)
Ingredients
Cauliflower 1 medium or about the size of your hand
Onion 1 medium
Tomato 1 large
Green chillies 2
Turmeric powder 1/2 + /14 tsp
chilly+ coriander powder 2 tsps or 1 tsp each
Salt 1 tsp
Cinnamon 2 small pieces
Cloves 2
Cardamom 2
Oil 1 tbsp
Curry leaves few
Coriander leaves

Make a paste of
Shallots 5
Coconut 1 tbsp
Poppy seeds 2 tsp
Roasted gram 1 tsp
Ginger 1"piece
Garlic 2 large cloves
or
1 good tsp of ginger garlic paste
Fennel 1/2 tsp

Method
Combine the ingredients given in 'make a paste' and grind to a fine paste. Set aside.
Boil enough water, add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and the cauliflower florets into the boiling water and let it remain in it for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain the florets.
Again boil some more water and add the florets to the boiling water and let it remain in it for another 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil and add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, when they begin to splutter, add curry leaves and roughly chopped onion and the green chillies, saute until it turns from pink to light golden brown, add the chopped tomato and stir until they become soft.
Add turmeric powder, chilly+coriander powder, salt and stir for a few seconds until the oil separates out.
Add the ground paste, stir and add some water and bring to a boil. If it is too thick add more water and let the kurma boil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. The idea is to get rid of the raw masala smell and simultaneously the gravy also thickens as it boils. When it is reduced to desired thickness, add the cauliflower florets, mix well, cover the pan with a lid and leave it on low heat for about 5- 10 minutes.
Throw in some chopped coriander leaves and serve with roti or dosai or rice.

Note:
Cauliflower and cabbage are the two vegetables that is allegedly subjected to heavy chemical treatment to keep them free of worms and to make them appear white and fresh, that is the reason why I subject it to boiling water treatment twice. If you are convinced that your vegetable is organic then skip it and just rinse them in hot water to remove worms if any.
You can reduce the coconut to 1/2 tbsp or you can even skip it, if you do not want to add coconut at all, the kurma will still have the same thickness and taste.
For the kurma you can add about a cup of water, but add 1/2 a cup at a time, check for consistency and add more.
Of the two green chillies given, I use 1 whole green chilly and 1 split green chilly and the spice level of the kurma will be moderate, that suits my taste. If you prefer a spicy curry, then split or chop both the chillies and use. (Whole green chillies are used for flavour without the heat.)

You can add some boiled eggs along with the cauliflower or use the same recipe to make egg kurma with eggs alone and serve with Idiappam or appam.

Varagarisi Vadai - Kodomillet Vadai

2012-12-07T09:55:00.000+05:30

As Thilagan throws in the spices and the basmati rice in hot ghee in a huge cauldron to prepare the malabar biriyani, the stunning visual tantalises our senses. As Dulquer Salmaan flips the white dough to make parotta, one can't stop fantasising crispy layers of parotta dipped in chicken curry sauce and salivate at the thought of it. To come across a movie with food taking the center stage is a rare phenomenon in indian cinema and 'Ustad hotel' that comes from the land of spices, with a strong message, presents a flavourful feast that fills our heart too. If you know how to cook, then learn why to cook. Even if it's just a cup of tea one will learn the real secret that makes a good 'cuppa'. If you love food, then check out 'Ustad hotel'.

It will be a blunder to get past winter without making vadai that makes the perfect pair with the moody weather. Varagarisi or varagu (kodo millet) is used in making this vadai, you can also use saamai or thinai or regular rice instead and adjust the spice level according to taste.

Ingredients
Kodo millet 1 cup
Onion 1
Green Chilly 1
Ginger 1 tsp
Coriander leaves 1 tbsp

Grated coconut 2 tbsp
Drumstick leaves 1/4 -1/2 cup (murungaikkeerai)
Salt 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few

Method
Rinse kodomillet (varagu) well, add a cup of water and soak for 2 hours.
After two hours, drain the millet, add the coconut and grind in a mixie jar. What you will get is a powdery mass, when well ground, add a tbsp or two of water and blend again to get a vadai batter consistency.

Transfer to a bowl, add the chopped onion, greenchilly, ginger, corianderleaves, drumstick leaves, curry leaves, salt and mix well.
Wet your palms, take a small ball of the batter, flatten it like vadai and deep fry on both sides until cooked on low-med heat.

Note:
The vadais are good only when had hot, so do not try to store the prepared vadai for later use, however you can chill the batter and use later. Since these vadais are made using only varagurice it becomes hard to chew when cold.
Can make these without drumstick leaves too.

Apricot and Lemon Cookies

2012-11-22T12:16:00.000+05:30

I almost lost my cell phone on the day of Deepavali, all because of my crazy desire for "kamarkat"! The car crammed with five of my ever chattering and bubbly nieces, eight of us drove into a remote village in the outskirts of chennai and had a little adventurous tour in this forest area driving past the vast landscape of jasmine bush and cashew farm, sans the jasmine or the cashew!

On our way back, my curiosity to look for kamarkat in a lone shop, near an age old temple that was almost in a dilapidated state, landed me or rather others in trouble. The next minute, the seven of us barged into that tiny shop and everything went berserk. Though kamarkat was not available, ruby red, sugar soaked "Then mittai"was our next choice, followed by roasted groundnuts, groundnut burfi squares, some butter biscuits and finally the crispy, yellow, cylindrical kuzhal appalam, my childhood snack, which I used to put it in each of my fingers before eating them, completed our list and our shopping in that small village.

Shopping done, we pushed off, carrying the small parcels of our goodies, leaving behind my cell phone on the wooden counter. But, even before I realised I had missed my phone( even after 4 - 5hours), the good samaritan of the village shop, promptly called the last person I spoke to and informed to collect it from him. Not knowing that my phone was missing until I was told, we were taken by surprise when he actually called to inform about it. I did get back my gadget, within 24 hours, by the kind effort of some good souls, who took the trouble to retrieve the phone safely, but, I couldn't shake off the thought, whether this was possible only because I had missed it in a village! This virtue is a fine example of the nature of the village people and I guess they will remain so, as long as they don't brush shoulders with the wrong set of people.

Malta lemons, these large, pretty, green lemons have an aromatic citrusy flavour than our regular lemons, the inside looking more like a sweet lime, it renders a fabulous taste to baked goods. These are from my parents garden and when I held them in my hand, inspired by its vibrant colour, the citrus smell and it's lovely tangy taste, my mind was already imagining different recipes to use them. Luckily, I had some apricots and almonds and couldn't think of a better recipe than this gorgeous cookies to start with and their combination with these malta lemon is the highlight of the cookie. These are not the crisp kind, but soft cake like cookies, packed with flavour and I love these fruity, nutty and citrusy cookies.

Ingredients
Flour 60 g (1/2 cup)
Ground Almond 60 g (1/2 cup)
Butter 50 g
Sugar 1/2 cup (100 g) (powdered)
Dried apricot 4 tbsp (chopped)

Lemon zest 1 tsp
Lemon juice 1/2 tsp
Vanilla 1/4 tsp
Hung curd 1/4 cup
Salt 1/4 tsp
Baking powder 1/4 tsp

Method
Combine ground almonds, flour, salt and baking powder.
Beat Butter and powdered sugar until soft.
Add in the hung curd ( curd strained until all the liquid is drained and the remaining thick curd is measured - a metal strainer can be used for this), whip till combined and creamy.
Add in the lemon zest, vanilla and stir to mix.
Add in the flour mixture and stir to combine.
Add in the chopped apricots and lemon juice and stir.

Drop a tbsp of the dough onto a baking sheet, lined with baking paper and lightly sprayed or greased.
Leave enough space between the cookies to spread when baked.
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180*c for 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies begin to change to golden brown.
Let it remain in the heat of the oven for a couple of minutes, remove from oven and leave it cool( The cookies will be very soft at this stage), when cooled it will harden up a little.
Chill the remaining dough until the first batch of cookies are done.

Note:
The cookies will be very soft almost like a cake and tastes like one too.
You can add a couple of tbsp of ground almonds or flour for a denser cookie if desired.

Adhirasam

2012-11-14T17:55:00.001+05:30

There was a time, when I used to wake up to the continuous sound of crackers bursting as early as 4 in the morning, to celebrate the day of lights, waiting to lay my hands on the array of sweets and savouries that my mother and grandmother had laboured hard, for over a week to prepare the feast. Big and wide stainless steel plates filled with Adhirasam, murukku, Thattuvadai, Rava laddu, Ribbon pakoda, Coconut burfi, Omapodi, Somas, would be spread across the table and large stainless steel dabbas filled with these sweets and savouries will be lined against the wall waiting to be distributed to relatives and neighbours. Inspite of all the fun that is associated with deepavali like new clothes and crackers, it was the food, especially the variety of sweets and savouries, that made the day really special and we were always hungry for the next few days, till we faced the empty containers. That was thirty years back.

Moving to chennai, the passing years have changed everything and the long list of sweets and savouries were reduced to just one or two. For us Deepavali is synonymous to Adhirasam and it has never been an option. My mother would wait for us to go to sleep before she starts making adhirasam without disturbance, late in the silent hours of the night, a habit that still continues with her. She is someone who loves to make things in large sizes and large quantity. Her adhirasams and poories will be very large compared to palm sized adhirasams and poories that I make. Her ulundu kali balls will be as big as an apple, while mine would never exceed the size of a small lemon. She can never cook anything in few grams like I do, it has always been in kilos and what is truly amazing is that I have never seen any of it go waste.

The sudden trend of gifting shop bought sweets made me abruptly stop making sweets and savouries a few years back. The sight of boxes and boxes of sweets lying around the house always made me sick and lose the desire to make sweets of my own. This year I wanted to make these adhirasams before we were bombarded with gift boxes of sweets and decided to disappear and appear only after the festival was over and it worked. I also crossed my limit in making small quantities and prepared double the amount of adhirasam that I usually make, for the only reason that I wanted to share with more people than our small family and as I am typing this, I am happy that its all been devoured without a trace. It's a bit surprising that I have never come across a person who dislikes adhirasam!

Making flawless adhirasam is not a rocket science but you need to follow every single instruction it demands for, if you do not want to fail. I follow the same rules that has worked for me the first I learnt to make them fifteen years back. I usually don't measure, just eyeball while mixing the flour, but here I have given the measured quantity. To the recipe now;

Ingredients
Jaggery 1 k
Raw rice 1 1/2 k
Ghee 2 tbsp
Cardamom 8
Water 1 cup
Oil 1 litre

Method
Rinse and soak the rice for about 3-4 hours.
Drain the rice completely and spread it on a cloth and leave it to dry in room temperature for about 30minutes ( not under fan or sun)
The rice will still have the moisture.
Grind the rice in portions in a mixie jar or get it ground in a mill.( I do it in my mixie jar)
(If the rice is too dry ( depends upon the room temperature) sprinkle a little water before grinding)
Sieve the rice flour and keep it aside.

Combine the jaggery and water, stir to dissolve on low heat.
Strain the dissolved jaggery and take the jaggery syrup in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Bring this syrup to a boil. Continue to boil on high heat and check for ball consistency ( Take a tsp of jaggery syrup and pour in a bowl of water, try to collect the syrup in your fingers and make a ball and throw against a plate, if it makes a noise then the right consistency has reached. If the jaggery syrup dissolves in the water or if it slides between your fingers then continue to boil more till the right consistency has reached)
You will reach this consistency in 5minutes from the time the syrup starts to boil, with the measurement given. ( Everytime you check for the consistency keep the heat down and when done raise the heat, because by the time you are doing the consistency check, the syrup would have reached the next stage)
Turn of the heat, immediately add the split cardamoms and the rice flour and start stirring until everything is mixed well. When the rice flour is completely mixed well in the hot jaggery syrup, pour the ghee on the dough, around the edges and do not stir. When it is cool, close and leave it overnight or for 24 hours before you start making adhirasam. This mixture can be stored in a refrigerator for a week and used to make adhirasam as and when necessary.
The next day, grease your fingers with oil, pinch a large lemon sized dough and place it on a greased plastic sheet and flatten it to a 1/4 inch thick circular rounds. Slide the circles in medium hot oil and fry on both sides until golden brown on low - medium heat ( If the adhirasam turns dark too soon then reduce the heat a little more, which you will know when making the second or the third adhirasam)
Transfer the fried adhirasams to the ahdirasam press placed in a plate and after a few seconds press to extract the excess oil and transfer to a plate. Repeat the same until all the dough is used up.

Note:
Always use good quality rice for tasty adhirasams. I use silky raw rice.
Do not try to store the wet rice flour for later use, it will develop fungus. Once the flour is ready start making the syrup.
Always use paagu vellum and never the yellow jaggery.
I always use cardamom by slightly splitting it open and throwing it in my sweets as the flavour remains subtle and never overpowers the taste of the actual dish.
While removing the fried adhirasams using a perforated ladle( ladle with holes - jallikarandi), I usually press the adhirasams with another flat ladle (as shown in the picture) to drain the excess oil into the oil pan itself and then transfer it to the wooden press. This way oil will not get wasted. But try this only when you are little experienced because while trying to change positions in holding the ladle, adhirasam may fall into the hot oil and might scald you if you are not careful.

Instead of the wooded adhirasam press you can use any flat bottomed vessel to press and extract the oil.
First timers try using a small quantity till you learn the nuances.
what can happen ifthe syrup consistency went wrong -
If you have added the flour before the soft ball consistency stage, the adhirasam will split and dissolve in the oil while frying
If you have added the flour in a hard ball consistency stage the fried adhirasams will be slightly hard and crisp.
But if the consistency is right and the flour added is excess then the adhirasam will taste less sweet.
If you have missed the soft ball consistency and the syrup is very thick then add a little water and boil again until you attain the right consistency. (This suggestion is only before adding the flour and not after)

Pumpkin and Paneer Roast with Coriander Leaves

2012-10-30T12:20:00.000+05:30

When the weather is good, everything around looks and feels good and the craving for comfort food also sneaks in automatically. When the wind is cold out there, spicy, hot, peppery, crisp food marauds our thoughts and it is the best time, when food is actually savoured and loved. It's the season, when, even a simple food will give you the greatest pleasure, a season of luxury for people like us, who live in the temperate zone, getting baked in the heat for most of the year. I guess these are expressions, that just echoes my present state of mind, while I am enjoying the onset of winter season. The mild drizzle, the grey clouds and the moody weather contrasts well with bright colours and sets the perfect mood to enjoy this simple pumpkin roast. Winter is here, so is good food and festivities. Should I say anything more?

Ingredients
Pumpkin 2 cups ( about 300gms) cubed
Garlic 3 cloves
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Chilly powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Corinader leaves 2 tbsp
Paneer 200gms
Salt 1/2 tsp
Roasted peanuts 1/4 cup (optional)
Pomegranate syrup or honey 1-2 tbsp (optional)

Method
On medium heat slightly roast the paneer cubes in 1 tbsp of oil, tossed with a good pinch of salt and chilly powder and set aside.
In the same pan add the remaining tbsp of oil and throw in crushed garlic gloves and stir until it begins to change colour.
Add the pumpkin cubes and stir to coat with oil evenly.
Add in the chilly+ coriander powder, salt, give a good stir, close the pan and cook on low-medium heat for about 8 minutes until the pumpkin is soft and tender but firm, stirring in between.
On medium heat and open pan continue to roast the pumpkin for two more minutes, add in the roasted paneer and chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Note:
Roast pumpkin can be served as it is with roti or bread, but if you like the sweeter version then stir in the pomegranate syrup and peanuts and take it like a salad, which is what I do and it is totally filling and delicious and you can very well skip your meal.
You can make this without paneer too.

Espresso Filter Coffee, Cafe Bombon and Chocolate filled chocolate Biscuit/ Bourbon Biscuit

2012-10-20T11:52:00.000+05:30

'Gomathi', that was the first cow that came into our house back in the 90's, heavily pregnant and I still remember the day when we saw the birth of her calf Lakshmi and her baby steps. It was magical to watch a new born, trying hard to stand on its four legs even though it stumbled many times, tempting us to go and help her, instead within days she was kicking and running amok and exploring the surroundings and infecting everyone with her excitement. Along with her, we too were nourished with the colostrum milk that was made into "seempal" every singly day until the milk turned clear and thereafter, there was never a shortage for fresh and thick milk or curds and litres of ghee was always in stock in our pantry. The aroma of the drumstick leaves fried during the end process of making ghee would always invite my son to the kitchen, who was a little kid back then to come and ask for the ghee rice that I made by mixing some rice in the kadai in which the ghee is prepared and drained. Even after years when the cows were no longer there, he still kept asking for the ghee rice with fried drumstick leaves.

Over the years we saw many cows and calves in the shed, until one dreadful day, when my mother saw a cobra posing with its hood spread, ready to strike the shivering and frightened cow which had moved to the corner of the shed out of fear and the snake was momentarily distracted by the continuous barking and intervention of a beautiful and wonderful black pomeranian which was trying to protect its close pal the cow, these two animals were always seen together licking each other's nose and caring. This lovely dog had previously saved a family by ripping the head of a snake until it was dead, but this time the snake won and the dog died saving its best friend, while the snake too was beaten to death soon. That visual shook my mother a lot and decided to give away the cow and she was the last cow and the last time when we had good coffee or for that matter, pure milk and ghee too.

Those were golden filter coffee days when we loved our morning drink more than anything else, thanks to the cows and the best blend of freshly ground coffee called A1 peaberry mix, that my better half used to buy from Cafe' Coffee day. The first coffee that was made using the fresh coffee powder and the fresh milk will always result in a lot of aah, aah!'s and oh, oh!'s. If you think you are having the best filter coffee made using milk from the carton, then I bet you are not. A good blend of freshly ground coffee beans and fresh and thick cow's milk makes the best filter coffee, you will have to try it to believe me. That is why it was so easy for us to give up drinking coffee something that we adored so much, when we did not have any more fresh milk and the filter coffee made with packet milk only made me cast away my coffee filter for ever and switch to tea.

One thing that my better half went crazy about, throughout our Europe tour in 2010, was the small shots of dark and bitter espresso drink that he had there almost every three hours or so. He loved it so much that when we came across this Lavassa Espresso coffee here in Chennai, we bought it, without even giving a second thought on how we were going to make an espresso without the espresso machine. I decided to give life to my cast away coffee filter, but the decoction lacked the feel that an espresso has and when I added my low fat milk, we thought we will never get over this nightmare! but just then I remembered my condensed milk and decided to give it a whirl and that was moment when our golden filter coffee days were reborn. The aroma of the espresso and the thickness of the condensed milk rendered that richness to the coffee, which was missing all the time. Since then, we are completely smitten by this aromatic coffee that it has become our weekend indulgence and something that we all look forward to every sunday morning.

This is not a daily drink unless you don't mind the calories or the heavily priced espresso. Cafe bombon is espresso with condensed milk served in certain European countries , made using espresso maker and the condensed milk is usually left unstirred with separate layers and served with a stirrer. This is something that I came to know later and I had absolutely no idea that there was even drink called cafe bombon! However this is espresso filter coffee made with our indigenous coffee filter, without an espresso machine, completely aromatic, rich, sweet, bitter and frothy almost like our kumbakonam filter coffee. I say 'almost' because, nothing can surpass a coffee that is made with fresh cow's milk and freshly ground coffee beans.

Ingredients for Espresso Filter Coffee
Espresso powder 4 -5 Tbsp
Condensed milk 3 1/2 Tbsp
Water 1 1/2 cup

Method
Add the espresso powder in the coffee filter and pour boiling water over the powder and after a few up and down pressings using the filter, close and leave it aside until the decoction is extracted at the bottom. ( gently tap on top, this will hasten the extraction of the decoction)
For one cup of decoction, add 3 1/2 tbsp of hot condensed milk and serve as cafe bonbon with a stirrer or a spoon. To make filter coffee use two stainless steel glasses and pour the coffee vigorously from one glass to another until it froths up. (The coffee should be hot to create foam)
If you know how to use a coffee filter then follow your own method.

For the Chocolate biscuit, I adapted my garibaldi biscuit recipe and filled it with chocolate ganache. I can't call it a bourbon biscuit because I haven't used any bourbon, but from the look of it I guess you can call that and taste wise, I won the appreciation of a good number of teenagers even though my first batch of biscuits were as big as a dog's tongue! ( blame my cutter). I made another batch of thin biscuits that was more visually appealing and yes, besides its size and shape, it tastes great.

Ingredients
Flour 200 gm minus 2 tbsp
Cocoa Powder 2 tbsp
Butter 50 gm
Dark brown sugar 60 gm
Baking powder 3/4 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Milk 5 tbsp

Ganache
Dark chocoalte 100 gm
Golden syrup 1 tsp
Milk 2 tbsp

Method
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and sift.
Whip butter and sugar until light, add the flour and the milk and make a dough just until everything is combined.
Roll out the dough into a sheet of desired thickness by keeping it in between two plastic sheets. Cut out desired shapes and poke holes on the biscuit. Brush a little milk or water on the surface and sprinkle some sugar crystals on top. Bake the biscuits at 180*c for about 15 minutes, for a slightly thicker biscuits bake for another 5 minutes.
For the ganache
Combine chocoalte pieces, golden syrup and the milk and melt on a double boiler. Stir until smooth.
Leave it to cool completely before use.

My old Coffee filter

Note:
You can use granulated white sugar instead of dark brown sugar,but make sure to powder it before use. I made my first batch with white sugar only.
You can skip the golden syrup or use honey or 1/2 tsp of liquid glucose in ganache.

Whitechocolate Mousse With Pomegranate Syrup

2012-09-28T09:04:00.000+05:30

I don't know what's with me and the ruby red colour, I go bonkers over this colour and pause at least for a minute when I come across something that's in deep maroon shade. I pick up every tomato that is fully ripe and inviting with its plump red colour, until my eyes meet the last red fruit, this happens even if i have a bag of tomatoes lying in my fridge and if it happens to be cherry sized tomatoes there is no controlling me, I have seen people smile in wonder, when they see me pick up the tiny little tomatoes that is generally left unpicked. I find it irresistible to buy the Afghan pomegranates for its brilliant deep red colour and I love to picture those glistening little rubies more, than just eating it. Thankfully, I live in a place where cherries don't grow or else, I guess, I will be buying them in abundance just for the sheer love of the crimson shade and its miniature size.

As much as I love this blood red colour, the irony is, the sight of real blood makes me drowsy. When my son's doctor showed me a small container of blood that he had extracted from his knee due to effusion, I almost lost my balance and for the next thirty minutes, I became the patient, while my son hopped out more consciously than me! Standing in blood donation camps makes my head spin, but I can stare at a bottle of burgundy for hours with craze for the sparkling colour ( I repeat only the colour).
It's an obsession that still continues with an eye for this bloody scarlet colour.

The last few weeks of dining were peaceful, as I was cooking and experimenting quite a few recipes and have been successfully enjoying it without the pressure of having to note down the precise measurements or delaying to serve the meal to my family, for the purpose of photo shoot, nor having to deal with their constant nagging over my shoulders, "Are you done yet"? kind of questions. Sometimes, I had to assure them that there was no photo shoot and they would sit down to eat, giving out a peaceful sigh! This was so good, but back to square one, here I am posting another recipe passing all that hurdles, to carry on what I started.

I am not fond of white chocolates, but this white chocolate mousse is an exception, which I absolutely love it and it is the easiest dessert that anyone can make to please a guest. The pomegranate syrup that I have used here is optional, but the syrup can be used on almost anything, from crepes and roti, pancakes and bread toast, as a glaze on panna cottas and tarts, dosas and poories. The white chocolate mousse can be had on its own or can be used as icing on cakes, or meringues, to sandwich cookies, as fillings instead of custard, or with some chopped fruits like mangoes and bananas, it makes a wonderful dessert.

White chocolate mousse
White chocolate 100 g
Cream 200 ml (1 cup)
Orange zest 2 tsp
Pistachios 1/4 cup (lightly toasted)

Method
Melt white chocolate pieces in a double boiler. Let it cool.
Whip cream until stiff peaks form.
Stir in the orange zest and chopped pistachios in the melted chocolate.
Fold the cream in the cooled chocolate mixture.
Transfer the mousse to ramekins and chill until set.
Serve or spread a tablespoon of melted pomegranate or any other syrup or honey, on the surface of each mousse and chill again to set. Serve cold.

Note:
To melt chocolate, the chocolate should be at room temperature, chopped into small pieces and melted in a bowl kept over a pan of simmering water.
To whip cream to peaks, transfer the cream from the pack to a bowl ( Fresh cream like Amul comes with some liquid in the pack, drain that and use only the thick cream) and freeze it for 12 minutes, remove and start beating for about 2 minutes on medium speed and 1 minute on high speed.

Pomegranate Syrup
Pomegranate juice 2 1/4 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 cup
Pomegranate seeds 1/2 cup ( optional)
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Orange zest 2 tsp

Collect the seeds in a wide mouth bowl and crush it with your hand or a masher to extract the juice( do not use a processor, as the seeds gets crushed too and it alters the taste).
Strain the mixture and discard the seeds.
Combine the strained juice and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring now and then for about 30minutes. Add the lemon juice, pomegranate seeds and the orange zest and continue to cook on low heat for a further 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool completely before transferring to a sterilised jar.
The syrup becomes a lot more thicker than what it looks like in the picture when chilled. Here, the syrup was brought to room temperature and slightly beaten for use.
(Recipe for the pomegranate syrup was adapted from cafefernando's pomegranate jam)

Saamai Murukku, Saamai Aravanai - Little Millet Murukku, Little Millet Sweet Rice - A Sweet and a Savory food using Little Millet

2012-09-11T16:07:00.000+05:30

The Agriculture ministry's proposal to include millets in noon meal scheme sounds like 'water to the parched millet farming and the farmers', as it means more demand, more production and a better income. But unless it is implemented by the states, this health food initiative which will not only benefit the farmers but also the people health wise, might fade away like a mirage and cripple the millet farming and the lives of the hungry farmers will never be revived. Alas!

I know the past few posts have been an overdose of millets recipe, but I hope it is helpful to many out there.
Apart from cooking millets as rice, it can also be used to make sweets and savories, just like rice flour is used. In order to give an idea of how millets can be used other than just eating as rice with curry or mixed rice or uppuma or pongal ( if you haven't tried any of these, you must at least try making bisibelebath with little millet, it's too good! ), I have given two sample recipes that best describes the versatility of millets. Again, once you understand how it works, you can use the knowledge to apply in various other recipes that you know, where rice is used.

Every time you pick that packet of chips, think a little about the preservatives, food colours, taste enhancers, fats and the excess salt that comes packed along with. Instead, choose to make a healthy food at home, which is far more healthier and safer than the store bought food. My 15 year old son loves these murukku made using saamai. The best part is, people will not even know what it is made of instead they might even ask you for the recipe!

Saamai Murukku/ little millet murukku
Little millet flour 1 1/4 cup
Bengal gram flour 1/2 cup
Salt 3/4 tsp
Black Sesame seeds 1 tsp
Cumin 1 1/2 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Water 3/4 cup
More oil to deep fry

Preparing Millet flour
Prepare millet flour by soaking the millet for about 3 hours, drain the millet, spread on a cloth and let it dry. Grind in a processor to a fine powder. Sieve the flour and transfer the flour to a pan and roast on low heat until you are able to draw a line (without any break in the line) using the roasted flour( This is the roasting consistency for any type of flour)
Method
Combine the above given ingredients and knead to a soft dough. Using the Murukku making device and the star shaped nozzle, press the dough into the medium hot oil and fry until golden brown.
Note:
The oil that is added to the flour need not be hot, just plain cooking oil will do, as the murukku will still be very crisp.
The prepared millet flour can also be used to make puttu, kozhukattai or any recipe where rice flour is used, just substitute it.

Saamai Aravanai/Little millet sweet rice

Give me a box of milk sweets, it will remain untouched for ever. When it comes to sweets, I am a hard core south indian, as I love jaggery based sweets and the words "portion control" will lose its meaning when I make jaggery based sweets like adhirasam, kozhukattai, sarkarai pongal or payasam. The following is one utterly decadent food that, it's a pleasure to eat in one go and if you find the quantity I have given to make Aravanai funny, then this is the reason; by making less, I can eat less. Aravanai is a popular sarkarai pongal kind of food that is given in most of the south indian temples as prasadham, to be more precise, this is one of the prasadham that pilgrims from sabarimala temple will bring back home. But I find that always a little hard to chew and I guess it is intended to be so, for a reason.

If you want to impress someone by cooking millets, then these two recipes are a perfect choice and I can assure you that, this Aravanai made using saamai/little millet will surely tempt you to make again and again. Follow the instructions given carefully, including the timings, for a fail proof recipe and enjoy this food, that is more delicious than sarkarai pongal and chances are, you may not even make a sarkarai pongal anymore, once you have tasted this aravanai! Just three ingredients, but it melts in the mouth and leaves an everlasting taste.

Saamai Aravanai/Little millet sweet rice
Saamai/Little millet 1/4 cup
Water 3/4 cup
Jaggery 1 cup
Water 2 Tbsp
Ghee 1 1/2 tsp

Note:
Use only paagu vellum (jaggery that is soft and brown in colour - see glossary), don't use mandai vellam ( which is yellow in colour and hard)
Cook millet by combining rinsed millet with 3/4 cup of water as instructed in the previous post and keep it ready.

Method
Melt jaggery with 2 tbsp of water on low heat and strain the syrup to remove grit. ( The strained syrup will measure to about 3/4 cup)
Take the syrup in a pan and on low-medium heat, boil the syrup for exactly two minutes, now add the cooked saamai rice/little millet rice and stir continuously on low-medium heat. When it begins to thicken add the ghee and stir until it thickens further, turn off the heat. (This takes exactly five minutes from the time the cooked rice is added) Serve warm.

Note:
I have used chopped coconut pieces fried in 1/2 tsp of ghee, which is optional, if not, just stir in the 1/2 tsp of ghee when the Aravanai is done.
There is no need to use cardamom at all because the Aravanai tastes extremely delicious and aromatic with ghee flavour. If desired you can add cardamom, but that won't be necessary.( Cardamom in the picture was used only for contrast purpose and not in the food)
Another way to enhance its taste is to drench the Aravanai lightly, with a little coconut milk and if desired you can add more coconut milk and fried cashews to make it a payasam. Either way, you will love it!