This is my 300th post.Again the same story. Full time employment and a very fundamental idea about how to use a basic model of a camera and the same with the computer. It is surprising to me to have traversed a long path ,only with the passion of pursuing my interest in cooking, reading and writing.Moreover there cannot be a better panacea than keeping ourselves always engaged.
Mysore Pak, the evergreen sweet was earmarked for the 300th post but it turned out to be Badam Cake.This Badam Cake is easy to make but has a rich taste.
My daughter, an expert in this sweet happened to be the supervisor as this Deepavali was celebrated at her home with her family.This also is the first Deepavali for the sweet little Prince Arjee and the fifth for the beloved Jiji.
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| Badam Cake |
Ingredients:
Badam 1 cup.
Sugar 1 - 1.25 cup.
Ghee 2 tbsp.
Cardamom Powder
Milk 1/4 cup.
Method :
1. Soak Badam in hot water for 1 hour.The skin comes out easily and remove it.
2. In a mixer, grind the Badam with the milk to a fine paste.In the end, add sugar and blend for a minute.
3. Heat the Ghee in a thick Kadai, add the blended Badam and Sugar. Keep on stirring on a medium flame till the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the sides of the Kadai.
4. Switch off, add Cardamom powder and stir for a minute or two. Pour into a greased tray and flatten with a greased cup to a thin sheet of 1/4 inch.
5. After it cools, cut into desired shapes.
Thayir Vadai is a very delicious variety of Vadai.Whenever Uzhundha Vadai is prepared by me, I always reserve atleast four Vadais for soaking in the Curd as we always have curd in the fridge.Only Kara Boondhi may not be there.
Similarly whenever mixture is made by me, I set aside 2 tablespoons of Kara Boondhi for Thayir Vadai or Boondhi Raitha.
Two handfuls of Oma Podi is saved for Bhel Pori or any Chat item.
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| Thayir Vadais |
Ingredients :
Uzhundha Vadais 5
Curd 1 cup.
Green Chilly 1
Ginger 1 small piece
Oil, Salt, Hing, Mustard.
For Garnishing :
Kara Boondhi 5 tbsp.
Coriander leaves.
Method :
1. If the Vadais are very cold, heat the oil,drop the Vadais in the oil for a minute and take from the oil.No need of flipping to the other side or waiting for the bubbles in the oil to disappear as it is already fried in the oil.
Most of the people advise the Vadais to be soaked in hot water for a minute, so that the oil comes out, the Vadais may absorb less curd and the Vadais may be soft.However soaked in hot water, only soft Vadais become soft after soaking in curd.
If the Vadais are hard, Thayir Vadais will also be hard.
2. Whisk the curd well.Season with Mustard, Hing and add to the curd after cooling for a minute.Grind the Chilly, Ginger and salt in a mixer.Mix with the curd well.
3. Soak the Vadais thirty minutes before serving.While serving, garnish with the Kara Boondhis and Coriander leaves.
The tasty Thayir Vadais are ready.
No festival menu is complete in Tamil Nadu without Vadai and Payasam. This Vadai called also Medhu Vadai is a very popular and tasty Vadai.No reason can be given for posting a common but perfect item so late.
This Vadai is the best combination for Pongal and Sambar.It goes well with Coconut Chutney. Yummy Thayir Vadais can be made out of these Vadais.
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| Uzhundha Vadais |
Ingredients :
Whole white Urad Dhal 1 cup
Raw rice 2 tsp.
Green Chilly 3 - 5
Ginger 1 small piece.
Onion ( optional)
Oil, Salt, Coriander leaves, Curry leaves.
Method:
1.Soak Urad Dhal and rice for 1 hour.Rice is added for the Vadais to be crispy.Rice flour can also be added in the end instead of rice. Drain the water completely and grind in a wet grinder with the green chilly and ginger.Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of water each time for 2-3 times for the Vadais to be soft.Otherwise the Vadais will be hard.Grinding may take 12 - 15 minutes.The dough must be fluffy and little flexible but rigid enough to be made into Vadais.Add salt in the end.
2. Add finely chopped Onion, Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.Mix well.
3. Make the dough into Vadais, drop in the hot oil.When one side is cooked, flip to the other side and remove from oil, after the bubbles disappear. The hot and tasty Vadais are ready.
Notes :
Many people add chopped green chilly but that is bitten at times and becomes hot and spicy for kids and adults also.So when ground in the grinder, it is safe. Adding Ginger gives a good flavour.
It is better to blend the Chilly and Ginger in the small mixer and add to the Urad Dhal while grinding in the wet grinder.Anyhow, the mixer has to be taken for grinding the Chutney for Vadais.
Tamarind Aval has already been posted by me. But this is an easy version, provided we have a stock of Pulikaichal.
If Onion is not used, it is a quick Neivedhium.
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| Tamarind Aval |
Ingredients :
Thick Aval 1 cup
Onion ( optional) 1Pulikaichal Paste
Oil
Method :
Boil 1/4 cup of water, mix 1 - 1.5 tsp. of Pulikaichal. Mix well. Just wash the Aval, drain the water, add.Stir well and simmer for 2 mins. Switch off.Even if there is little water, it gets absorbed and becomes scattered in 10 mins.
Those who like it to be fresh, can heat oil,add Hing and fresh Curry Leaves. No need of adding Mustard, Split Urad Dhal and Channa Dhal as Pulikaichal has all those things.
Pulikaichal is the the Tamarind paste that is prepared in advance and stored.In olden days of no refrigerators, it was very handy. Now also, it can be prepared and stored for packing lunch or for the travel menu or for the Pooja.
With this one Pulikaichal,not only Puliodharai but Puli Aval, Puli Semia , Puli Idiappam and Morekoozh can be prepared.
This Pulikaichal, Rice, an electric rice cooker,pickle, Curd are very supportive for the people who do not like to eat out during travel by their own or rented cars. It can also save time for those who like to cover a lot of places during any tour.
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| Pulikaicahal |
For 4 cups of rice ( roughly for 8-10 packets )
Ingredients :
Tamarind 1 lemon size + little more
Turmeric Powder, Salt
For tempering :
Red Chilly 15
Channa Dhal 3 tbsp.
Oil 5 tbsp.
Mustard 1 tsp.
Split Urad Dhal 1 tsp.
Hing, Curry Leaves.
To dry roast and grind :
Red Chilly 2
Coriander Seed 3 tbsp.
Channa Dhal 2 tsp.
Fenugreek 1 tsp.
Hing.
Method :
1. Soak the Tamarind in warm water and take 2 cups of Tamarind water.Dry roast the given ingredients and powder in the mixer.Some people add Pepper and Sesame. So if you like, you can add.
2. Heat oil and add the ingredients for tempering.After the Mustard splutters, add the Tamarind extract, salt and Turmeric Powder. Let it boil on medium flame. When it starts, thickening, add the powder. Mix well and simmer till it reaches the paste like consistency.The Pulikaichal is ready to be mixed with the cooked Pacharisi.
Normally for a mediocre eater 1/2 cup or 100 grams of uncooked rice is enough.
So for packing for a picnic or cooking for an occasion,say if there are 2 rices, tamarind and Curd Rice, 50 gms( 1/4 cup) of uncooked, each for Tamarind and 50 gms. for Puliodharai is enough for a person. Even if one is a poor eater and the other eats well, it is balanced.The reason I have given the quantity separately for Tamarind and Curd Rice is that, I always cook rice separately for Tamarind Rice with less water and for Curd Rice with more water.
For 1 cup of uncooked rice, we get 2.5 to 3 cups of cooked rice depending on the water, we add. If the rice is old and of a good quality, we can add 3 - 3.5
cups of water.
This Pulikaichal always has a place in my fridge and it is very handy to pack my lunch.For half ofthe above quantity of Tamarind paste, I can pack my lunch for 2 or 3 days in a month and others at home also can use this.
Note :
This powder of dry roasted ingredients, named Taste Maker Powder by me can be prepared in more quantity and stored, That is very handy to prepare Pulikaichal in a short time,
It also enriches the taste of sambar on adding a tsp. in the end.
This Taste Maker Powder also enriches the taste of Mango Rice, Nellikkai Rice, Cabbage Rice etc. when 1 or 2 tsp. is mixed in the end.
