FILTER COFFEE | SOUTH INDIAN FILTER COFFEE RECIPE

Filter coffee , the name itself makes me refreshing. Though we don’t have filter coffee everyday morning but it is a must at my place during weekends. But in my mom and mil’s place everyday we make filter coffee. I am pretty confident in making a good filter coffee and i learnt a few tips from my mom to make a perfect filter coffee. Though amma makes it normal stainless steel filter, i got introduced to the Electric coffee maker by my Mil. Now a days i use only the electric coffee maker only as it is easy to handle when it is very hot too. So i am sharing today the recipe of how to make filter coffee both in steel filter and electric coffee maker.  My sister was insisting me to write this post for a long time and finally i am sharing the recipe of filter coffee today.
The making of filter coffee comes mainly by practise and knowing the do and don’ts involved in this recipe. The quality of coffee powder also plays an important role in this. Here in Singapore i use the Kothas coffee powder regularly and in India we get from particular shop in West mambalam, chennai who grinds the coffee beans freshly and give. Even the Cafe Coffee day powder also works out well for a good filter coffee.

I am just sharing the measurement of the coffee powder which i use here and it may slightly vary from the different varieties of powder available in the market.  Once u make continuously for 3- 4 days you come to know about your coffee powder. 
INGREDIENTS:

COFFEE POWDER

WATER

SUGAR

MILK

METHOD: USING STAINLESS STEEL FILTER

• Heat the upper part of the coffee filter ( the part with holes) for a 3-4 seconds.

• Place it over the down part and add 1/4 tsp of sugar to top portion. Adding sugar is purely optional. If you have any diabetic people around do not add sugar. The addition of sugar is to give thickness to the decoction.
• Add 1-2 tblsp of coffee powder to this and  bring the water (approx 1/4 cup) to a nice rolling boil. Add the very hot water to the filter and slightly cover this with the lid.
• Always pour the hot water around the sides. Do not pour in the center. Pouring from the sides will make the decocotion to flow smoothly from the filter.

• After few minutes the decoction will be ready. Boil the milk till it comes up and pour it to a tumbler. Add the decoction (generally the first decoction will be strong and so you can add little only.) to the milk. Add sugar. Do not add more than 1/2 tsp of sugar for 1 cup of milk . the more the sugar you add it will suppress the flavor of coffee. Even sometimes my mom skips adding sugar as we add sugar while making decoction. 

• Froth it up by nicely giving a mix using another tumbler. Do not over do as it may end up in cold coffee.

MAKING FILTER COFFEE IN ELECTRIC COFFEE MAKER:
I use the preethi coffee maker for a so many years and it works out quite well.
They give one small and big filters to wherein you have to put the coffee powder. Generally i use the small one , but if you are making for more than 5 people then use the bigger one.

• Insert the small filter cup into the big one.

• Add the coffee powder (approximately 2 tblsp)
• Place it on the coffee maker.

• Switch on the filter and it will just 3-4 minutes to get the decoction ready.
• Switch off when the red light in the electric coffee maker turns off.

• Follow the same step as we followed in the last stage as boiling milk, adding sugar and decoction and froth it up.

 
Notes:

1. We generally use full cream milk for filter coffee.
2. Do not more water to the filter as it will end up in making thin decoction.
3. Never heat up the decoction , if you want to  heat it up just keep it in very hot water for few minutes.
4. Always boil the milk freshly and the reheated milk will spoil the taste of fresh filter coffee.
5. Even while reheating the milk too , do not do directly, just place the milk in a cup over a cup of water in a wide saucepan and heat the water .
6. Never reheat the coffee too as it will not at all taste good.Do not add sugar to the milk while boiling.
7. you can store the decoction in the fridge for a day.

Hope i have mentioned everything clearly in the post, have any queries feel free to write to me. the post made me for a craving of filter coffee now itself. So i am going to make afresh cup of filter coffee now.

KAJU KATLI | KAJU KATLI RECIPE

Kaju katli, a popular Indian sweet made using  cashew nuts and sugar as the main ingredient. I have posted Kaju katli using palm jaggery with video. Generally, Kaju katli we make during Diwali time, as it is one a must recipe for diwali at my in laws place. But my mil makes in a different way which i have posted already as Kaju coconut burfi. I tried this version of Kaju katli 3 years back when i learned from my cousin. This method is extremely easy and doesn’t involve much of ghee as we use for other sweets and also it is mild in sweetness too.
Yesterday was my son Varun’s bithday and i asked what to make for his birthday . He is not a big fan of cake or sweets or ice creams and he told me to make the “diamond shaped sweet”. so i made Kaju katli and he loved it too. Over to the recipe of Kaju katli now:

This recipe i got from my cousin and followed few tips from Lavi's blog also.
INGREDIENTS:  (MAKES 12-13 –PIECES)

CASHEW NUT	1 CUP
SUGAR	1/2 CUP
WATER	4-5 TBLSP
GHEE	1 TSP
MILK	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Before starting the process keep the cashew nuts out from the refrigerator and pat dry it and bring it to normal room temperature. It should not contain any moisture while grinding else it will become soggy and not into a powder..
• Grind the cashew into a fine powder , please ensure that the mixie should be dry.
• Do not over do as the cashew nuts will start emitting oil and the powder will become soggy.

• Take 1/2 cup of sugar and melt this in a wide pan with just 5-6 tblsp of water.
• Do not add more water.
• Heat till the sugar gets dissolved stirring in between.
• Once sugar gets dissolved stop stirring and boil till this reach one string consistency.
• You can check the one thread  consistency of the syrup between the thumb and the index finger. This step is important.

• Once the consistency is reached you can add the cashew nut powder and start stirring it in a low flame. Keep doing till it reaches a soft dough consistency. Over doing this will result in hard burfis.

• When done transfer it to a plate and when it is warm grease your hands and start kneading it into a  soft dough. I sprinkled little milk as my was bit dry. but my cousin told generally by practise we will come to know the right stage and adding of more milk also reduces the shelf life of the burfis.

• Once done, transfer it to a wide greased plate and start rolling it thinly with a rolling pin. Cut them into diamonds and the kaju katlis are ready to eat now.

• My son loved this and he had a very nice birthday with his friends.

SEMIYA BIRYANI | VERMICELLI BIRYANI RECIPE

EASY LUNCH BOX RECIPE – TRIED FROM RAK’S KITCHEN.

This is the first time i am trying the recipe of Semiya or vermicelli biryani. Usually i make the some rice varieties for kids lunch box and for a change i tried this Semiya biryani from Rak's Kitchen . Though it turned out quite well and i planned to make this once in a week for lunch box.
  If you wonder, that i am not using any fancy plastic box for kids lunch box, no i won’t use any plastic and use only stainless steel lunch box as even a high quality plastic is not good as it will bring many health problems in long run. Even the storage boxes i use in the kitchen are stainless steel only. So try to avoid using plastic boxes as much as you can.

  
INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 2) FOR ORIGINAL RECIPE, CLICK HERE.
I slightly altered the recipe to suit my taste.

ROASTED VERMICELLI	1/2 CUP
THIN COCONUT MILK	1/2 CUP
MIXED VEGETABLES	1/4 CUP
ONION	1
MINT LEAVES	5-6
GARLIC	4-5 FLAKES
FENNEL SEEDS	1/4 TSP
CARDAMOM	1
GREEN CHILLI	1
SALT	AS NEEDED
OIL | GHEE	1-2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Grind the mint leaves, garlic flakes,fennel seeds, green chilli and cardamom into a fine paste adding little water to it.
• Slice the onions and chop the veggies finely. I used carrot,beans and green peas.

• In a pan, add oil | ghee and add the cumin seeds and the   onions. Saute till the onions turn brown.
• Mix 1 tblsp of coconut cream powder in 1/4 cup of water. If using fresh coconut milk, just use the thin milk.

•    Add the ground masala paste and saute well, till the raw smell goes off.
• Add the veggies and saute well for 3-5 minutes in a medium flame, till the veggies gets half cooked. Add the coconut milk and let it boil in a low flame.

• Add salt and add the roasted vermicelli. I used the roasted one, if using the non roasted one, roast the semiya well ,else the biryani will be sticky.
• Cover and cook in a very low flame till the moisture gets absorbed.

•   Enjoy with any raita of your choice.

   
Sending this to Tried and tasted event hosted by Sowmya of Nivedhanam.
Note:

1. Instead of grinding the mint leaves you can finely chop them and add too.
2. Do not add too much of water or coconut milk, it will make the biryani sticky.
3. If using plain vermicelli, roast it nicely in a low flame, else the biryani will be sticky

Technorati Tags: vermicelli biryani,semiya puloa,semiya biryani,easy vegetarian lunch box recipes,kids lunch box recipes

PUDINA CHUTNEY| MINT CHUTNEY RECIPE|SIDE DISH FOR IDLI /DOSA

NO ONION NO GARLIC RECIPE

Though making of Idli | dosa is an easyone for breakfast or dinner , making a side dish for idli / dosa is always a task for me and most of time i end up making Onion tomato chutney and coconut chutney( recipe coming soon)  and sometimes will make Tiffin Sambar too. My daughte Varsha loves to try different varieties of chutney for idli | dosa and so i tried pudina chutney last week as i had a big bunch of mint leaves after my visit to the Indian market here.

We had this pudina chutney with dosa and the recipe is quite simple and easy to make too.

INGREDIENTS:

MINT LEAVES	1 CUP (TIGHTLY PACKED)
CHANNA DAL	1 TBLSP
RED CHILLI	5-6
TOMATO	1
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH
COCONUT	1-2 TBLSP
OIL	1 TSP + 1/2 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
CURRY LEAVES	FEW

METHOD:

• In a pan, add oil and add the channa dal , red chilli and asafoetida. When the dal turns golden brown, add the roughly chopped tomato.
• Wash the mint leaves and keep it aside.

• Now keep the flame in medium low and saute till the tomatoes turns soft.
• Add the mint leaves and add the salt. Saute for a minute and switch off the flame.

• Add the coconut and allow it to cool. When it is cool, grind this into a smooth paste in a mixer.
• Temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

• Serve with Idli | dosa. I had some left over chutney which i had with biryani the next day and it tasted quite well.

NOTE:

1. Always ensure that the channa dal is roasted very well, as after adding the rest of the ingredients it won’t get roasted.
2. Do not over cook or saute the mint leaves. It may give a bitter taste.

Technorati Tags: pudina chutney,mint chutney for idli|dosa,side dish for idli| dosa,how to make easy chutney .south indian chutney recipes,no onion no garlic recipes

GOOSEBERRY PICKLE | NELLIKAI OORUGAI RECIPE

INDIAN PICKLE RECIPES

Pickles are usually a rare one which i make at home. When i was in India, i used to make variety of pickles but after coming here to Singapore i generally make few varieties only and especially the Raw mango pickle, which Varsha loves the most. Few days back, when i met a friend in kids school, she wanted me to post the recipe of Gooseberry pickle (amla Pickle) i promised her that i will post it soon. The very next day another friend of mine happened to go the Indian market and bought me these gooseberries and finally i made the nellikai oorugai (Gooseberry pickle)

When i called up my mom to ask for the recipe, she was busy that time and she told everything in a hurry. So i just followed her method and some how made the gooseberry pickle, and it came out very well. I didn’t get the bright red color of the pickle as the reason being my chilli powder was slightly old and the color was not there and also since i grind the mustard seeds the dark color dominated a little.

Sending this pickle to  Bharathy of Spicy Chilly who is hosting her first event “My Spicy Recipe” with an attractive gift vouchers too from that you can shop online and i love to shop from Flipkart which is my recent addiction too.

Here is the recipe of Gooseberry pickle:

INGREDIENTS:

GOOSEBERRY(BIG)	10
METHI SEEDS (VENDAYAM)	2 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	5 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
ASAFOETIDA	1/2 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1 TSP + 1/2 TSP
SESAME OIL	1/4 CUP

METHOD:

• Wash the gooseberries and pat dry them. In a wide pan, boil water and add in the gooseberries. Add salt and turmeric powder to this and boil for some time (10 mins) till the gooseberries become soft. [ i didn’t add salt and turmeric and later tasting the pickle i felt i should have added it while boiling – This is to get the salt infused into the gooseberries) Do not over cook, check with a fork to see whether it is soft or not.

• Drain the water completely and take out the seeds from the gooseberries.Since it is cooked it is easy for you to take it out.

• Dry roast the mustard seeds and methi seeds. When cool grind this into a powder and keep it aside.

• In a pan add sesame oil and add the 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds and asafoetida.
• When it splutters add the ground mustard seeds and methi seed powder.( the powder won’t be very fine as it is small in quantity)
• Add the red chilli powder ,turmeric powder and salt. Saute in a low flame for few minutes and add in the cooked gooseberries.

• Mix them nicely for and let it be in the pan for a 5 minutes in a medium low flame.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to completely cool.
• Transfer this to an airtight container. Always handle with clean dry spoon.
• Enjoy with curd rice.          

Note:

1. Always cook the gooseberries with salt and turmeric powder.
2. I felt mine was slightly undercooked so you can cook it little extra to get the gooseberries soft in the pickle.
3. Add sesame oil as mentioned.

Technorati Tags: gooseberry pickle,amla pickle,Indian pickle recipes,nellikai oorugai,how to make pickle