BADAM KHEER RECIPE | BADAM MILK FOR NEW YEAR 2013

First I wish you all a very happy and prosperous New year 2013. Happy to start the New year post with Sweet Badam Kheer. Badam kheer is a very simple drink which i learned from my Mil after marriage. Without any further ramblings let me move on to the recipe of badam kheer.

INGREDIENTS:

BADAM | ALMOND	1/4 CUP
MILK	3 CUPS
SAFFRON	A PINCH
SUGAR	4-5 TBLSP
CONDENSED MILK	2-3 TBLSP(OPTIONAL)
YELLOW FOOD COLOR	2 DROPS

 

METHOD:

• Soak badam in hot water for 1/2 an hour.
• Keep it aside and take out the skin of the almonds .
• Do not discard the skin, this can be used while grinding any thogaiyals.

• Grind the blanched badam into a smooth paste. While grinding you can add milk instead of water.
• Soak saffron in 3 tblsp of warm milk.

• Boil 3 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed pan. Keep stirring it till the milk reduces little.No need to make it half the quantity.
• If adding condensed milk add at this stage.
• Add the ground badam and saffron mixture to this.
• Keep the flame low and stir well without getting burnt.

• If adding food color add at this stage and switch off the flame.
• Add sugar and stir well.
• Badam milk | badam kheer is ready to serve. you can serve it chilled or serve warm.
• But i recommend serving this chilled.
• I sliced few badam and cashew nuts(1 tblsp) and added to this while serving.

Note:

1. Do not keep the badam milk on the flame for not more than 3 minutes after adding the badam paste.
2. Add sugar in the last else it may curdle.
3. Never reheat this.

Technorati Tags: badam milk,almond milk,badam kheer recipes,Indian kheer recipes,Badam payasam

PESARATTU RECIPE | PESARATTU DOSA RECIPE

Pesarattu recipe,dosa  made using whole green gram dal,a popular Andhra style recipe. Pesarattu is generally served for breakfast or dinner. Though i have heard this but never tasted this and attempted to make this at home. My in laws side they used to make a pessarattu with yellow moong dal and rice, which some how doesn’t fascinated me, and it will be slightly dry too. This recipe with green moong dal i learnt from my friend who regularly makes pesarattu at her place . When i made this last week, we all liked it especially the kids. Here is the recipe for easy and healthy pesarattu. Traditionally they serve Pesarattu with Rava upma inside and they call this as MLA pesarattu. Check out my

• Thina pesarattu recipe

SHANKARPALLI RECIPE | SWEET VERSION

Shankarpalli recipe i tried during Diwali , but due to lot of posts which i posted during diwali time, i couldn’t post this recipe of shankarpalli. So i am posting this finally for Christmas.Though i wanted to bake something couldn’t do , as i was running out of time. I adapted the recipe from here but i followed  my own way of making it. Wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and will see you all soon with interesting recipes. Check out my

• Spicy diamond cuts
• Gavvalu recipe

INGREDIENTS:(yields approx 1 and 1/2 cups)

MAIDA | ALL PURPOSE FLOUR	1 CUP
RAVA | SEMOLINA| SOOJI	1/4 CUP
GHEE(MELTED)|CLARIFIED BUTTER	1/4 CUP
SUGAR	1/4 CUP
OIL	TO DEEP FRY
SALT	A PINCH
WATER	TO KNEAD THE DOUGH

METHOD:

• Powder the sugar in a mixer.
• In a wide bowl add the maida, rava,powdered sugar , ghee and salt. Knead it into a stiff dough . You can add little water while kneading.

• Cover this and keep it aside for 1/2 an hour.
• After 1/2 an hour, take out a small ball of dough and roll it into a thick circle.
• Shankarpallis should be slightly thick.
• Using a pizza cutter or a knife cut it into diamonds.

• Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.
• Fry these diamonds in a medium low flame till they become golden brown.

• Be careful as they become burnt soon.
• Repeat this for the rest of the dough. Drain the fried one in a kitchen towel and after some time store this in a airtight container.

Note:

1. You can make syrup with sugar and add it to the flour mix instead of adding water.
2. Fry in medium low flame. Be careful while frying as this will get burnt fast.

          

POONDU KUZHAMBHU RECIPE | GARLIC KUZHAMBHU

Poondhu kuzhambhu | Garlic kulambhu is an authentic chettinad recipe . Though i have tasted this many times at my friend’s place during my school days, never know how to make poondu kuzhambhu. When a reader asked for this recipe i casually asked my sister whether she knows this recipe of chettinad poondu kuzhambhu she immediately told the recipe . I tried it few days back and enjoyed with rice and Kootu. We love to have any coconut based curry or kootu for spicy gravies.
Also check out

• Chettinad karuveppilai kuzhambu
• Venthaya keerai kara kuzhambu

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 4-5)

GARLIC FLAKES	10- 15
TAMARIND EXTRACT	2 AND 1/2CUP
RED CHILLI POWDER	3 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER	A PINCH
SALT	AS NEEDED
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH
SESAME OIL	2 TBLSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
CURRY LEAVES	FEW

TO ROAST AND GRIND:

CORIANDER SEEDS	3 TSP
BLACK PEPPER	1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1/4 TSP
VENDAYAM (FENU GREEK SEEDS |METHI SEEDS)	1/4 TS[
SMALL ONION |SHALLOT	4-5

METHOD:

• Peel the skin of the garlic and keep it aside.In a pan dry roast the ingredients given under the table To Roast and Grind. Saute it in a medium flame till they become evenly brown.

• Grind this into a smooth paste.
• In a pan add oil and add in the mustard seeds and add curry leaves. Add the peeled garlic flakes too.
• 
• When the garlic turns soft add the tamarind water.

• Add red chilli powder , turmeric powder and salt.

• Add the ground masala to this and bring it to a nice boil till it reaches the kuzhambhu consistency.

   

• Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy with rice and and roasted papad or any curry of your choice.

      

DAL PALAK RECIPE | PALAK DAL RECIPE

SPINACH DAL

Dal palak | spinach dal is an easy and comforting dish and though i have tasted this in restaurants never tried at home. But my friends here, used to make this often for rotis. For a change from usual Keeari masiyal and keerai poriyal i tried this dal palak which a bunch of palak which i got from the Indian store . To my surprise the kids and hubby loved this a lot and they finished the entire bowl in no time.

CARROT AND GINGER SOUP RECIPE

Soup is always welcome at my place and i always try new combos in making soups. Few years back when we went to Kottayam, we stayed in a resort and since we are vegetarian most of the time the chef prepared the meal  according to our specifications and one rainy day evening he made a carrot ginger soup and till we tasted the first spoon he was beside us waiting for our response. It was too good and he told me the recipe too as i can make it at home for kids too. Though i tried this few times never blogged the recipe and finally today i am sharing the recipe

I am going for vacation from today but have scheduled some posts. For any queries , please keep posted will get back to you in  the New year 2013.
Check out my

• Roasted bell pepper soup
• Vazhaithandu soup

CABBAGE KOFTA RECIPE | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

LOW FAT KOFTAS

Cabbage kofta recipe, low fat koftas using cabbage, cooked in a tomato based gravy.

   I never know that we can make koftas with Cabbage  and this is the first time i attempted and it turned out well and was a super hit among the kids. Actually i wanted to deep fry the kofta ballas as i did for Malai Kofta Recipe, but after i start putting one ball in oil, i felt it absorbed more oil. So i immediately changed the idea of deep frying it and made it in a paniyaram pan. Though it took little extra time , but still we can have guilt free koftas.

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 4-5)
FOR KOFTAS –(MAKES 12 KOFTAS)

CABBAGE ( FINELY CHOPPED)	2 CUPS
PANNER(SCRAMBLED)	1 CUP
BESAN | KADALAI MAAVU	3 TBLSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1 AND 1/2 TSP
GARAM MASALA	2 PINCHES
SALT	AS NEEDED
OIL	1- 2 TBLSP

FOR GRAVY:

ONION	2
TOMATO	2
RED CHILLI POWDER	1 TSP
TOMATO KETCHUP	1 TSP
GARAM MASALA	TO TASTE
KASOORI METHI	2 PINCHES
GARLIC	3 FLAKES
MILK	1 CUP
OIL	2 TBLSP

METHOD: for making koftas.

• Add the chopped cabbage and scrambled paneer in a wide bowl and add salt.
• Keep this aside for 15 minutes after mixing well.
• 

• Now squeeze out the extra water as much as you can and keep it aside.
• Add red chilli powder, garam masala, little salt,besan and mix well.
• Now start making balls. If you still can’t bind this properly add 1-2 tblsp of besan to this cabbage paneer mixture and start making balls.
• It yielded approximately 12 balls for me.

• Heat a paniyaram pan, and add little oil to this and start cooking the kofta balls in a medium low flame. This will take little time but instead of deep frying this method is ok.
• Cook all sides by turning it around till it becomes golden brown in color.

• Koftas are ready. Keep this aside.

For gravy:

• Roughly chop the onions and peel the skin of the garlic.Saute this in a tblsp of oil till the onions turn brown.
• Grind this into a smooth paste along with tomatoes,chilli powder, kasoori methi and tomato ketchup.
• In a pan add oil and add the ground masala.
• When it leaves oil on the side add the milk ( i used full cream milk) and add 1 cup of water too. Make the gravy little thin as after adding the koftas the gravy will thicken . Add garam masala to this and mix well.

• When the koftas are completely cool, add to the hot gravy and switch off the flame.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:

1. These koftas stayed in the gravy as it as for 4- 5 hours.
2. Always ensure that  the water is completely squeezed out from the cabbage paneer mixture.

         

KEERAI VADAI RECIPE | MASALA KEERAI VADAI

Keerai vadai |spinach vada can be made with either urad dal or channa dal as we do for masala vadai too. I have nice memories of keerai vadai when i was first introduced to this when i was in 7 th std. There used to be one sweet stall near our house ,run by a mami and her son at their house and during week end evenings they make special snacks like bajji, bonda and one among them was this Keerai sweet. There used to be a board kept outside their house “Today’s special” and we though my mom makes yummy snacks at home we always crazily look forward for this weekend board from the “Ambiees Sweet stall”. One day they have placed a board named “ Keerai vadai” and we were new to this and immediately urged our dad to buy this one before this could get over. And it tasted awesome and couldn’t forget the taste.
So this is the first time i made keerai vadai at home and it turned out yum and stayed soft even after 4-5 hours.
Also check out

• Cabbage vadai
• Vegetable vadai recipe

INGREDIENTS: (YIELDS 10 TO 14 VADAS)

CHANNA DAL	3/4 CUP
TOOR DAL	1/4 CUP
SPINACH	1 CUP(TIGHTLY PACKED)
FENNEL SEEDS	1/8 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
ONION	2
ASAFOETIDA	2 PINCHES
RED CHILLI	4-5
CURRY LEAVES	4-5
OIL	FOR DEEP FRY

METHOD:

• Soak the channa dal and toor dal for 2 hours.
• Drain the water and grind this along with red chilli, salt ,fennel seeds and asafoetida.
• Grind them coarsely. You can add few spoons of water if u need while grinding.
• Add chopped onions to this and finely chopped and cleaned spinach to this.

• Mix it nicely with hands. Take a portion of batter and flatten this with hands. Normally keerai vadai is slightly bigger than the regular masala vadai.

• Heat oil in a wok for deep frying, when it is hot carefully place the patties to the oil. do not put too much in a batch.
• Flip it after few minutes and cook in a medium flame.
• Do not keep the flame too high, the inner side will not get cooked.
• Do not keep it too low also. It will make the vadai soggy.

• When it turns golden brown colour, drain this in a kitchen towel and enjoy hot with a cup of coffee or tea.
• We had some left over vadais which we had for dinner along with Curd rice.

Note:

1. This vadai can be made with Urad dal batter too.
2. For more crispiness add 1 tsp of ghee in the batter after grinding and mix well before frying.