Sweet Ragi Kali

                  Sweet Ragi Kali is an alternative for Uzhundang Kali.

Sweet Ragi Kali

Ingredients :

Ragi Flour   1 cup
Powdered jaggery / Karuppati   1 cup
Oil    4 tbsp.

Method :

1. Heat 2 cups of water with jaggery till it just dissolves. Karuppati is the best choice.

2. Fill the syrup for impurities and boil in a 3 lit. cooker partly closed with lid.

3. When the syrup boils, add the flour without stirring. Keep a wooden ladle inside and let it rest on the side of the cooker. Reduce the flame and again partly close the cooker.

4. The water slowly boils and covers the flour. After 5- 8 minutes, the water gets absorbed and the flour must be almost covered. Add the oil and switch off.

5. Still hot, hold with a cloth, mix and mash well for the lumps to break.

6. When it gets cool enough to be touched, make them into balls of your preference, smearing the palm with oil. The tasty Kali is ready.
 

Ragi Paratha / Chappathi

                  Ragi Paratha is an alternative for the Wheat Flour Chappathis and goes well with any gravy.

Ragi Parathas

For 10 Chappathis :

Ingredients :
Ragi Flour    1 cup
Salt, Oil

Method :

1. Boil 1.5 cups of water in a 2 lit. cooker or any  thick bottomed container. To the boiling water add 1/2 tsp. of salt and then slowly add the Ragi Flour without stirring. Keep  one end of a wooden ladle in the water and let it rest on the sides of the vessel. Close partly with a lid.

2. Reduce the flame and let it simmer. Slowly the water boils and covers the flour. Switch off and mix well the flour and the left over water. After it cools, knead with the hands and make a dough. The flour expands as it is cooked. That is why for 1 cup of flour we can get about 10 Rotis.

3. After 30 mins. make the Chppathis as usual and toast.



 

Kambu Dosai

           Kambu means Bajra and this Dosai has the unique flavour and taste of Kambu.Some people just mix Kambu flour with the rice flour and make Dosai. some grind Urad Dhal and mix with the Kambu Mavu.

           But the taste is perfect only when we soak Kambu with rice and grind with the Urad Dhal. 

Kambu Dosai

Ingredients:

Kambu   2 cups.
Idli Rice  1 cup.
Urad Dhal   1/2  cup -  3/4 cup.
Fenugreek  1 tsp.
Salt

Method :

1. Soak Kambu and rice together for at least 4 hours. Soak Urad Dhal and Fenugreek together for 1 hour.

2.In the wet grinder, first grind the Urad Dhal as normally done for Dosai, then add the rice and Kambu. Grind till the batter is fine.

3. Mix salt and let the batter be little loose, then only it comes up well.

4. After  8 hours, prepare the Dosais.

Lemon Ginger Syrup

                         This is very easy to prepare with the common ingredients and is very handy when we have some digestive problems, nausea or vomiting. This can be carried while travelling.

                        This syrup can also be prepared when we have lemons, available cheap at the market or got from free from some orchards.

Lemon Ginger Syrup

Ingredients  :

Lemon juice   2 tbsp.
Ginger extract    2 tbsp.
Sugar   1 cup.

Method :

1. Mix 1 cup of water with sugar and boil till a single string consistency is got.

2. Let it cool. Add the lemon and Ginger extract. Mix well and transfer to a clean
    and sterile bottle.

3. When required, mix 1- 2 tsp. of the syrup with the cool or normal water. A tasty and healthy juice is ready

Asoka Halwa

            Asoka Halwa of Tanjore origin , fast and easy to make with the common ingredients, gives us a change from the regular Halwas.

Asoka Halwa

Ingredients :

Pasiparuppu / Moong Dhal    1/2 cup.
Ghee     1/2 cup.
Sugar    1 1/2 cups.
Wheat flour   3 tbsp.
Cashew  10

Method  :

1. Heat a Kadai and dry roast the Moong Dhal till an aroma comes, taking care that it just starts turning red but does not become black. If even 1 grain becomes black, the colour and aroma of the Halwa may be lost.

2. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and rest for 15 mins. to save fuel and time. Then pressure cook for 4 whistles.

3. Heat 1/4 cup Ghee, add the nuts, later the Wheat Flour and sauté till it starts turning red.

4. Open the cooker, mash the Dhal and add sugar. Mix well. Add the roasted flour, mix well, add the remaining Ghee and stir constantly on a medium or low flame till the Halwa consistency is reached. The Tasty Halwa is ready.


The nuts can be roasted, kept aside and added in the end for a perfect presentation.

Note :

If the flame is high or medium, any dish can be made fast but a lot of care has to be taken to stir constantly, that the dish does not stick to the vessel or gets burnt. It is better to use a cooker or any thick bottomed Kadai or non stick Kadai.

If the flame is low, the dish is safe but takes time.

Aval Pakoda

       Aval Pakoda has a unique taste of being crunchy and soft at the same time.

           It is a wonderful starter and snack.

AVAL PAKODA

Ingredients :

Thin Aval  1 cup.
Curd    1 cup.
Grated carrot  1 cup.
Grated Suraikkai   1 cup
Channa Dhal Flour/ Kadalai Mavu   4 tbsp.
Chilly Powder   1 tsp.
Green Chilly  2
Hing, Salt, Oil

Method :

1. Wash the Aval and let it drain for 2 minutes. Mix with Curd and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Slit the Green Chilly and mix all the ingredients well except oil.

3. Heat the oil, squeeze the Pakodas and deep fry.

 

Radish Chappathi

                Radish Chappathi is very ideal during travel as it can be packed conveniently and can be taken without a side dish.

Radish Chappathi

Ingredients :

Wheat Flour  2 cup
Grated Radish   1/2 cup.
Roasted and powdered Zeera   1 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder  1 tsp.
Chilly Powder  2 tsp.
Salt, Oil, Coriander Leaves

Method :

1. Mix Wheat Flour, Radish, Garam Masala Powder, Zeera Powder, Chilly Powder, Coriander Leaves, Salt and set aside for 5minutes for the Radish to give out water. Pepper can be added instead of Chilly Powder . Or 1 tsp. of Pepper Powder and 1 tsp. of Chilly Powder can be added.

2. Add water and make a dough. 2 - 3 tsp. of oil can be added. After 30 minutes, roll into chappathis and roast them as you like, on a tawa or on the flame.
 

Rava Puttu

             Rava Puttu is a crunchy Puttu item, different in texture from the Rice Flour Puttu, normally made.

            Rava Puttu is an alternative for the other Puttus.

Rava Puttu

Ingredients :

Roasted Rava /  Sooji   1 cup
Powdered Jaggery   1 cup.
Grated coconut  3 tbsp.
Ghee 2tsp.
Cashew ,  Cardamom Powder

Method :

1. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of water with Rava, mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Steam cook the Rava. After it cools, just put in the mixer and on for 30 - 45 minutes to break the lumps.

3. Make a syrup with the Jaggery of 2 string consistency add the Rava ,coconut,
roasted Cashew, Cardamom powder, Gheemix well, give a quick stir and switch off.
The tasty and crunchy Rava Puttu is ready.
 

Drumstick Leaves / Murungai Keerai Thuvaial

                        Murungai Keerai Thuvaial ! My eyes opened wide on reading this recipe in a Cookery Supplement attached with a magazine.

                       Yet, I tried as only the common ingredients are required with the Keerai plucked fresh from our tree. Vow ! The taste is good, somewhat similar to the Coriander Thuvaial, minus the flavour of Coriander Leaves. This goes well with any Tiffin item or Rice Variety.

Murungai Keerai Thuvaial

Ingredients :

Red Chilly    4
Channa Dhal    1 tbsp.
Urad Dhal     1 tbsp.
Chopped Murungai Keerai   2 cup.
Tamarind    1 small piece
Oil   3 tsp, Salt

For Seasoning :
Oil   2 tsp.
Salt, Hing, Mustard

Method :

1. Heat 2 tsp. of oil, sauté the Red Chilly, then the Channa Dhal till it starts turning red. Then add the Urad Dhal and sauté till an aroma comes out. Add the coconut, stir and switch off after 1 minute. Cool. Soak the Tamarind in water.

2. Grind all the ingredients with salt and little water to the desired texture.

3. Season with Mustard and Hing. The tasty and healthy Chutney is ready.

 

Plain Kadaintha Keerai

        Plain Kadaintha Keerai is very good and ideal, even for infants,also for kids and adults. Full of iron, this can be mixed with plain rice, ghee and given for kids.

        This is the best combination with Vathakuzhambu or Karakuzhambu.The Keearai has to be mixed with plain rice and Kuzhambu.It tastes like Amirtham or Divine food.

     Sunda Keerai, made out of simmering a mixture of Keerai and Kuzhambu is very popular in Tirunelveli District and simply perfect with Curd Rice.

Kadaintha Keerai

Ingredients :

Chopped and cleaned Arai Keerai   3 cups.
Garlic Pods   2- 4, Salt.

Method :

1.Boil 1 cup or little less water, add the Keerai and close with a plate, leaving a gap. The lid, partially covering the boiling Keerai, helps to maintain the green colour.In early days a pinch of cooking soda or lime ( Sunnambu ) was added to retain the green colour.This is left to our choice.

2. Stir in between and add Garlic in the end.The Keerai gets cooked in 5 minutes. Switch off.When hot mash with salt using Keerai Mathu.

3. If blended in a mixer, cool and blend with salt for 30 seconds, preferably using the whipper button.

4. Seasoning with Mustard is optional. 
 

Thinai Arisi Payasam

            Thinai Arisi Payasam is prepared with the millet or Siru Dhaniyam called Thinai which is widely used now. This dessert has a unique flavour and taste.

Thinai Payasam

Ingredients :

Thinai      1/2 cup.
Powdered Jaggery   1 cup
Thick Coconut Milk   1 cup.
Thin Coconut Milk    1 cup
Ghee    1 tbsp.

Method :

1. Heat the Ghee and sauté the Thinai till it starts cracking.

2. Cook in the pressure cooker as rice is cooked, adding water in the ratio of 1:4 as Thinai needs a lot of water to get cooked. For 1/2 cup of Thinai, you can add one cup of water and one cup of thin coconut milk and pressure cook.

3. Add little water to Jaggery and boil till it dissolves. Filter for impurities.

4. Open the cooker and mash the cooked Thinai, add the Jaggery syrup and simmer on medium flame with constant stirring.

5. After 5 minutes, add the thick milk and switch off after 1 minute. The tasty dessert is ready.

Note :

For this Payasam, Cardamom Powder and roasted Cashew and nuts are not absolutely necessary. If preferred, they can be added. Milk can be used instead of Coconut milk.
 

Mango Thokku

                       Mango Thokku is a very delicious form of Thokku and goes good with any item but a perfect combination for Curd Rice.

                       Kilimooku Mangai is the first choice. The round shaped Pacharisi Mangai, called as Gundu Mangai can also be used.

Mangai Thokku

Ingredients :

Medium sized Mangai   1
Chilly Powder   2 -3 tsp.
Salt   2 tsp
Powdered Jaggery   1 tbsp.
Fenugreek Powder   1 tsp.
Oil    4 tbsp.
Mustard, Hing, Turmeric Powder

Method :

1. Peel off and grate the Mangai.

2. Heat oil, add Mustard, Hing and later the grated Mangai. Stir on a medium flame for 5 mins.

3. Add salt, Chilly Powder, Fenugreek Powder and Turmeric powder. Stir on a medium flame for 8 - 10 mins. Add the Jaggery and simmer for 2- 3 mins.
The tasty Mangai Thokku is ready.

Salt and Chilly Powder can be altered to the sourness of the Mangai and our preference.

Mango Pickle

              Mango Pickle means the cut Mango Pickle and can be made easily. Kili Mooku  Mango the best but other Mangoes can also be used.

Mango Pickle

Ingredients :

Medium Mango ( Raw )   1
Chilly Powder   2 tsp.
Roasted and powdered Fenugreek powder  1 tsp.
Crystal Salt   2 tsp.
Gingelly Oil   3 tbsp.
Hing, Mustard.

Method :

1. Cut the raw Mango into small piece. Add salt, mix well and leave in the sun, if possible for 3- 5 hours.

2. Add the Chilly  and Fenugreek Powder. Mix well.

3. Heat oil, add Mustard and Hing. Add to the Mango and mix well. The tasty home made Mango Pickle, free from chemicals is ready.

Chilly Powder and Salt can be altered according to our preference and sourness of the Mango. This can be kept outside the fridge for 3-4 days. For long life, store in the fridge.

Pori Uppuma

     Only  Bhel Puri and Pori Urundai come to our mind, using Pori.

          Today, I happened to see a cookery demo about Pori Uppuma. I tried at once as only common ingredients were required.

                Pori Uppuma was perfect. Later, discussing this with my daughter, she told me that this is common in Andhra and she had even relished this Uppuma in one of her friends' house. She is from Andhra and living away from our land, gives us more opportunities to move with a heterogeneous group.

Pori Uppuma

Ingredients :

Pori / Puffed Rice  2 cups.
Onion  1
Carrot 1
Beans 5
Peas   2 tbsp.
Cabbage ( optional)   1 small piece
Green chilly 1-2
Ginger  1 small piece
Pottu Kadalai Powder 2 tbsp.

For seasoning :
Oil  1 tbsp.
Mustard, Split Urad Dhal, Curry Leaves, Coriander Leaves

Method :

1. Finely chop the vegetables, Onion, Chilly and Ginger.

2. Soak the Pori in water for 2 mins. Squeeze  and drain the water.Mix with the Pottukadalai Powder.

3. Heat oil, add Mustard, Urad Dhal,Curry Leaves and later Chilly and ginger.
Then add the vegetables, salt and sauté till they get cooked.

4. Add the Pori, stir well and switch off after 2 mins. Decorate with the coriander Leaves. The simple, easy to prepare but tasty and healthy snacks for all ages is ready.

 

Methi Chappathi

         Methi is nothing but Vendhaya Keerai.

                   This Paratha is one way of making the kids, eat Vendhaya Keerai.

Ingredients :

Wheat  Flour  2 cups.
Kadalai Mavu    1 tbsp.
Chopped and cleaned Vendhaya Keerai    1 cup.
Chilliy Powder    1 tsp.
Amjur ( Dry Mango ) Powder  2 tsp.
Turmeric Powder, Salt,
Ghee  2 tsp.
Oil.

Method :

1.Make a dough with all the ingredients except oil and let it rest for 30 mins.

2. Then prepare the Chappathis using oil  or not as per you prefer.