HOW TO MAKE CROUTONS | HOME MADE BREAD CROUTONS

Bread Croutons generally we put in soups and salads. When i relocated to Singapore, i was looking for this croutons here as my little on loves this a lot. Somehow i couldn't find this croutons in stores here also i don't know how to make croutons at home too. Also those days i don't have oven at home and somehow i didn't try further too. Today i saw a few slices of bread lying down and it was 3 days old too. Suddenly this croutons idea flashed me and made it successfully. Check out my Soup recipes. 

CHOCOLATE PEDA MODAK | PEDA MODAK RECIPE

Peda modak is a popular one made by Maharastrians during Ganesh Chathurthi festival. As i mentioned in my khoya stuffed modak  post, i have a lot of maharastian friends here and they make the celebration too elaborate. They keep the Ganpathi at home for 3-5 days and all the days it will be like a festival for them. We will be invited for Dharshan and they will visit as many houses as possible for Ganpathi dharshan. Being born and brought up in South India, for me it is very interesting to know about the tradition followed by them. I still remember the kids of friends will cry when they do the Visargen of Ganpathi (immersion of ganesha idol). Maharastians make modak with khoya and they call it as Khoya | Mawa modak. The same pedas which we make for Diwali will be made as a prasadh for Ganpathi. They make varieties of modak and few of my friends make eggless cakes too for neivedhyam. This chocolate peda modak also made in some houses for this Ganesh chathurti festival. I have adapted this recipe from Sanjeev kapoor's recipe. Try out this easy peda recipe and check my other Ganesh Chathurti recipes too.
Wish you all a very Happy Ganesh Chathurthi

MODAK | HOW TO SHAPE MODAGAM USING MOULD

Though i have seen modak moulds in shops, i never bought one for me. Some how i am comfortable in making modakams in hands, so never attempted to buy it. Also my experience with the sweet somas or karanji mould is not so good and so i didn't buy this modak mould too. When i got it for Raji too i never got one for me. But when my Maharastrian friends were telling about this mould a lot and also i got request from a reader to post the procedure of how to make modak using mould, i thought i will post this recipe . I got this cute little modak moulds from my friend here and tried at home this weekend. It turned out well and was a good experience making with these moulds too. I have tried another modak too with this mould which i will be posting tomorrow. Check out my other modakam | kozhukattai recipes.

KHOYA MODAKAM | GANESH CHATHURTHI RECIPES 2015

KHOYA STUFFED MODAKAM| KOZHUKATTAI

I have lot of Maharastrian friends here and they used to share with me many recipes. While talking about the Ganpathi celebrations in Mumbai, they were telling about the types of modakam they make too. Generally these khoya|mawa modaks they make in a different way. they make khoya|mawa pedas and using he modak mould they make them as modaks. I wanted to try this as our usual south indian kozhukattai. It turned out very well and we all loved it very much. So for a change from the usual thengai poornam kozhukattai, try out this Khoya Modakam for Ganesh chathurthi 2015. Check out my video on how to shape modakam.

14 MODAKAM | KOZHUKATTAI VARIETIES| GANESH CHATURTHI 2015 RECIPES

VINAYAGAR CHATURTHI MODAKAM| PILLAYAR CHATURTHI KOZHAKATTAI

Vinayagar chaturthi | Ganesha chathurti 2015 is on September 17th. We always make kozhukattai | modakam for ganesh chaturthi. I have posted many varieties of Modakam | Kozhakattai so far. Here in this post i am compiling all the Vinayagar chaturthi kozhukattais in one place, so that it will be easy for all readers. Click on the pictures for the recipes. Check out my Video on How to make modakam

MODAKAM | KOZHUKATTAI WITH MOONG DAL POORNAM

GANESH CHATURTHI|VINAYAGAR CHATHURTI RECIPES

Among all festivals celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi is always very special to me. Though during my childhood days i am not much fascinated by eating modakams but i love the buying of Pillayar(Ganesha) for the pooja at home the next day. When i was very small, every time my mama will buy the clay Pillayar from the market. I could still recall the smell of it. The Pillayar will not be painted and will be rustic color of clay only. Mama will bring this Pillayar to home and me, my sister and appa and  amma will be waiting with Aarthi (the coloured water) to welcome the Ganesha to our home. The moment we hear the car horn our face will lit up. Mama will give the Pillayar from the car itself and he will go to his house to do the pooja. Then the celebrations will start at home. Paati will put a small poonal for the pillayar and also decorate with flowers. In our town we don't have access to Pillayar Kodais (umbrellas) .Even we never know that such thing exist too. As we grow we love to go to the shop on our own and buy the Pillayar. So me and my sister will take bath early and take our bicycles and also take the koodai(basket which is hand made using wire)and go to the place where the Ganesha idols will be displayed for sale. Also we buy the fresh flowers, garlands and bring it back home very carefully. After getting married and moved to chennai every year the before day of Pillayar Chathurti me and my fil used to go to West mambalam Station road and buy the Ganesha idol, kodai and all other items for the pooja. 

I have posted many varieties of Kozhukattai | Modakam and today i am posting moong dal poornam kozhukattai. Check out my Thengai poornam kozhukattai, modakam with Kadalai paruppu poornam, Ellu kozhukattai, fried modakam and Dry fruits modakam. Stay tuned for more interesting modakam and kozhukattai varieties coming up next week.

DAL PARATHA RECIPE | EASY PARATHA RECIPES

Dal paratha is yet another easy stuffed paratha which i tried recently. Last week when Suresh was out of town . I packed  pasta for kid's  lunch box and was thinking what to cook for me for lunch. I don't have any proper veggie at home too and lazy to go out and buy too. Suddenly this dal paratha idea flashed me . Since it was raining wanted to have something spicy too. So made it according to my preference. I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy dal  paratha with a glass of sweet lassi. Check out video of how to roll parathas in my aloo paratha recipe .  

VETHALAI RASAM | BETEL LEAVES RASAM RECIPE| PATHIYA SAMAYAL

Rasam is always a staple item in South Indian Cuisine. We make many varieties of  rasam. Vethalai or Paan leaves or Betel leaves also can be used in making Rasam. Betel leaves are good source of calcium and best for lactating mothers too. It helps in digestion of food and also relives stomach discomfort after having a heavy feast. As Janmashtami was over yesterday, we all must have ended up eating delicious sweets and snacks. Also after doing pooja at home most of us must be having Betel leaves | Paan leaves | vethalai at home too. So i wanted to post this Vethalai rasam today. I actually tried this after Tamil new year, but for some reasons i couldn't take the final pictures. But i tried it again today and clicked to post the recipe of Vethalai rasam. Check out my other recipes using paan leaves | vethalai | betel leaves - Sweet beeda, Paan juice .

SUKKU VELLAM RECIPE | SUKKU VELAM FOR KRISHNA JAYANTHI

Sukku Vellam | dry ginger mixed with jaggery, is a compulsory one we keep it for Krishna jayanthi neivedhyam. I never thought to post thsi as a recipe as it doesn't involve any procedure. But a reader mailed me for this and i  replied to her in mail the recipe with measurements. Then i thought this will be useful for beginners , so here i post the recipe of Sukku Vellam for Gokulashtami. The main purpose of keeping this for neivedhyam is after eating lot of oily batchanams | sweets to make the digestion fully and to avoid any tummy aches, sukku vellam should be consumed. Also my Patti says, Lord Krishnar will be eating lot of oily food in all homes so thsi will aid in good digestion for Lord Krishna. Check out my entire  janmashtami | Krishna jayanthi recipe colletions 

KESAR SHRIKAND RECIPE | SHRIKAND RECIPE

Shrikand | kesar shrikand, iam trying at home for the first time. I have a very bad experience with Shrikand 2 years back. Once a friend bought me mango shrikand from a shop while visiting me. I have never tasted Shrikand so was so eager and immediately opened it and tasted, after she left. It tasted horrible, i guess the pack must either be spoilt or must not have stored properly in the shop. After that whenever i hear the name Shrikand, i will just move away from that place. Recently when i met a friend she was telling that she is a huge fan of shrikand and she makes it home so often for her kids too. After she telling so much about that, i thought i will try this for janmashtami as curd is one of the main offering for Lord Krishna, Also it is a no cook recipe like vella aval. So last minute if you do not have time to cook anything you can prepare this Kesar Shrinkand. Check out my Kesar rabdi and kesar badam peda recipe too.

Kesar Shrikand

  Preparation Time : 5 mins + 3 hours resting time| Cooking Time : Nil |Serves: 2

     Curd | yogurt     1 cup
     Sugar    3 tblsp
     Milk   1/2 tsp
     Saffron    a pinch
     Cardamom powder   a pinch
     Pistachios    5-6 
     
     

Method:

• In a big strainer or a muslin cloth put the curd and keep it aside for 3 hours. If keeping in a strainer keep a vessel below this for the water to get collected. I always use this method because the cloth one since we are hanging it outside will make the curd sour.

• So you will get thick curd after 3 hours. Discard the water.
• Soak the saffron in warm milk for 5 minutes. Blanch the pistachios and chop them finely.
• Add the saffron milk , powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the thick yogurt.

• Mix this gently and well. Do not mix too much as the thick curd will leave out oil. I used the fine sugar and so it get dissolved soon. 
• You can powder the sugar and add too. Add the chopped pistachios. Keep little for garnishing. 
• Adding now will give a nutty texture while eating.
• Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with pistachios and if needed a strand of saffron.

• Keep this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and serve chilled. 

Notes:

1. Do not add soak the saffron in more milk, else it will make the  curd loose.
2. You can adjust the sugar according to your taste.
3. Do not over beat this while mixing.
4. You can add blanched and finely chopped almonds too.

  

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