Nurukku Gothambu Paayasam / Broken Wheat Kheer

My Favorite paayasam.....

Ingredients

Nurukku Gothambu/ Broken wheat: 1 cup
Water: 3 cups
Jaggery : 500 gms
Water :1/2cup
Medium thick coconut milk : 3cups
Thick coconut milk: 1 cup
Crushed Cardamom: 3 - 4
Ghee: 2 Tea Spoon
Cashew nuts & Raisins: 1/2 cup
Bite size coconut pieces: 1/4 Cup

Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Method

Pressure cook the cleaned broken wheat in 3 cups of water.
Cook it on high flame for around 2 whistles and in medium flame for 10 minutes and then switch off the flame.
Once all the pressure is gone open the lid and drain if there is any excess water.
Melt the jaggery with ½ cup water.
Strain the melted jaggery and add it to the cooked wheat
Keep stirring and boil the paayasam well till it becomes thick consistency
Now add medium thick coconut milk to this and boil till it becomes slightly thick consistency.  Do not stop stirring
Now add thick coconut milk. Give a good stir and add crushed cardamom and switch off the flame
Heat ghee in a small pan and fry the coconut pieces. When it starts changing colour, add cashew nuts and raisins
Add this to the payasam and mix well

Note:
Once the paayasam cools it will thicken more.  So adjust the consistency accordingly.

Paneer Egg Scramble

Its So Easy....

Ingredients

Egg: 3
Grated Paneer: 100gms
Onion: 1 Medium sized
Tomato :1 Medium Sized
Green Chilly :1 - 2
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Garam Masala Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon (Optional)
Chopped Coriander Leaves: 3 Table Spoon
Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Salt

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Method

Finely chop the onions, tomato and green chilly
To a bowl break the eggs and just beat it with a fork
Heat oil in a pan and add onions and cook till the onion becomes soft
Now add green chilly, tomato and salt.  Saute for 3 to 4 minutes
Now reduce the heat and add all the spice powder (Red chilly powder, turmeric powder, Garam Masala Powder, Pepper Powder) and mix well
To this add grated paneer and saute for 3 to 4 minutes
Now add the egg and stir
Once egg starts to cook add coriander leaves
Keep stirring till the eggs becomes dry and is cooked well
Serve hot with chapati, bread etc or can use this as a filling for sandwiches.

Lemon Rice

A Quick and Easy Lunch!!!

Ingredients

Basmati Rice: 1 Cup
Turmeric powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Lemon Juice: 2 Table Spoon
Channa Dal: 1/2 Table Spoon
Urud Dal: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Peanuts: 2 Table Spoon
Cooking Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 2
Slit Green Chilly: 2
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Method

Wash the rice well and cook adding enough water and little salt
To a pan pour oil and add mustard seeds and once it starts to crackle add dried red chilly,  urud dal, channa dal and peanuts.  Fry until it becomes light brown in color in medium flame
Then add turmeric powder, curry leaves, green chilly and salt and saute for a minute
Reduce the flame and add lime juice and cooked rice
Stir well and and switch off the flame
Close the lid and keep for some time before serving so that all the flavors gets incorporated well
Serve with mango pickle, pappad, coconut chutney etc.

Note:
You can use any white rice to make this dish

Chena Theeyal / Yam in Tangy Fried Coconut Gravy

Another Theeyal!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

Chopped Yam: 1 Cup
Tamarind: 1 Gooseberry size
Grated Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Dried red chilly: 4 - 5
Coriander Seeds:1 Table Spoon
Cumin seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Black pepper corns: 6 - 8
Asafoetida: A Small Piece or 2 pinch of  asafoetida powder
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Turmeric powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Coconut oil : 4 - 5 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

For Seasoning

Coconut oil: 2 Table Spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Dried Red Chilly: 2 - 3

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Soak tamarind in water and keep side

To a pan pour 2 table spoon coconut oil and add dried red chilly, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corns, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds and saute for 2 minutes.

To this add grated coconut and fry till the coconut becomes light brown in color
Make sure you roast everything in medium heat.

Let this cool a bit and grind it to a fine paste adding enough water

Cook the yam adding salt and turmeric powder

Squeeze the tamarind well and add the water to the yam
Add the coconut paste with enough water and allow it to boil well
Add curry leaves and reduce the flame and allow it to boil for another 4 or 5 minutes and then switch off the flame

Pour coconut oil to a pan and add mustard seeds and once it finishes spluttering add dried red chilly and allow it to change color

Now pour this on top of the theeyal
Enjoy with a cup of steamed rice.

Note:

For recipe of Ulli Theeyal click here
Adjust the spice levels as per your taste
Add water as per the thickness required for the gravy
You can add a few curry leaves while frying coconut
Can make variations using Bitter gourd,  Brinjal, Ladies finger etc
Can substitute coriander seeds and dried red chilly with coriander powder and red chilly powder. But add it only after the coconut is fried well. 

Ari Unda / Sweetened Rice Balls / Rice Laddu

Babitechi..... This one is for you.....Well friends she is my Sister in Law....

Ingredients

Parboiled Rice: 1 Cup
Grated Coconut: 1 Cup
Jaggery Grated: 3/4 Cup
Cardamom Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Water: 2 Table Spoon

Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Method

Wash the rice well and drain off all the water
To a thick bottom pan put the rice and roast the rice in medium flame till rice starts to puff up and crackle and change color to golden brown

Once the rice cools (Its better to grind the rice when it is warm) grind it into powder.
You don't have to make it too fine.  Just make it like puttu podi.
Coarsely grind the coconut and add it to the rice flour.  (Put it in a mixer and stir for a few seconds)
Put the grated jaggery to a pan and pour water to it and melt it well in low flame
Strain it and pour it to the rice mix
Using a spoon mix rice flour, coconut, jaggery and cardamon powder
Allow the mix to cool a bit and take small portions of the mix and roll it to small balls.
Serve it with a cup of tea

Notes:
Usually while making ari unda grated jaggery is added to the rice flour and put in a mixer and blended well.  But as i felt there is a lot of dirt in the jaggery i decided to make jaggery syrup so that i can strain it.
Increase or decrease the amount of jaggery as per your taste.
While roasting rice do not stop stirring as there is a chance of burning the rice
You can use Matta rice, Ponni rice, Kuruva rice etc to make ari unda

Vella Kadala Stew / White Chickpea Stew

Have it with Puttu, Idiappam or Appam....

Ingredients

White Chickpea/ Kabooli channa: 1 Cup
Onion: 1 Medium Size
Chopped Ginger: 1 Table Spoon
Green Chilly Slit: 2
Pepper Powder: 1 Tea Spoon
Coconut Oil: 2 Table Spoon
Thick Coconut Milk: 1/2 Cup
Thin Coconut Milk: 1 Cup
Cinnamon Stick: 1 inch piece
Cardomom : 3
Cloves : 4 - 5
Bay leaf: 1
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves

Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Method

Wash and soak the channa over night in enough water
Pressure cook the channa until soft
Drain off the water from the channa and then add chopped onion, green chilly, ginger, cinnamon stick, cardomom, cloves, bay leaf, salt, curry leaves and thin coconut milk
Cook on medium flame till the onion in cooked well
Take a table spoon of channa from the stew mash it and add it back to the stew
Add pepper powder and let it boil for a minute
Now add thick coconut milk, stir well and keep on flame for half a minute.  Do not boil the stew after adding thick coconut milk
Pour coconut oil and add a few chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with appam, puttu or idiappam

Note:

Adjust the spice levels accordingly

Pokkuvada / Pakkavada / Pakoda

Hot hot Pokkuvada ready......

Ingredients

Chopped Onion: 2 Medium sized
Chopped Ginger: 1 Table spoon
Chopped Green chilly: 1 Table Spoon
Kadala Podi/gram flour/basen: 5 Table Spoon
Rice flour: 4 Table Spoon
Asafoetida Powder: 1 pinch
Red Chilly Powder: 1 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Salt
Water
Oil: For frying

Cooking time: 5 to 10 minutes
Method

Chop onion, ginger and green chilly.

Mix together onion, ginger, green chilly, basen, rice flour,  red chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and required salt

To this add required water and make it a thick paste.

Heat oil in a kadai
Once the oil is heated well, reduce the flame
Using a spoon or with your hands take small portions of the mixture and put in oil  and deep fry till it becomes golden brown in color

If using your hands please be careful while putting the pakodas in hot oil
Serve hot.

Note:
Adjust the spice levels accordingly
Do not fry the pakodas in high flame.  It will not be cooked inside
Rice flour helps to make the pokkuvada crispy. 

Koorka Mezhukkupuratti (Chinese Potato Stir Fry)

Cleaning little tough, Cooking easy and Taste awesome.....

Ingredients

Koorka / Chinese Potato: 500gm
Garlic: 5
Shallots: 10
Crushed Red Chilly: 1 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Coconut oil: 2 Table Spoon
Salt
Water
Curry Leaves

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Method

Scrape the skin of the koorka and wash it well.  Cut it to small pieces

Add turmeric powder, salt and required water and cook it.  Do not over cook and make it mushy
Drain off the excess water

Crush shallots and garlic
To a pan pour coconut oil and  add curry leaves, crushed garlic and shallots and saute till it becomes light brown in color
Reduce the flame and add crushed red chilly and saute for a minute
To this add cooked koorka and mix well
Keep in low flame for 5 more minutes stirring occasionally
Serve hot with rice

Note:
Adjust the spice levels accordingly
It is better to soak the koorka in water for at least half an hour before cleaning so that you can easily scrap off the skin
You can also put the koorka in a jute sack and beat it several times on the floor so that the skin starts to  peel and then just scrape off the rest of the remaining skin using a knife
Always put the cleaned koorka in water and take it out of water just before cooking.  Else it will change color

Paneer Cutlet

Let's try something spicy after a sweet!!!!

Ingredients

Grated Paneer: 200 gms
Onion: 2
Green Chilly: 4 - 5
Ginger: 1 Small Piece
Tomato Ketchup: 2 Table Spoon
Bread Slice: 3
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 Table Spoon
Chicken Masala: 1/2 Table Spoon
Corn flour: 2 Tablespoon or 2 eggs
Bread Crumbs: 2 Cup
Oil: 1 Tablespoon + For Frying
Salt
Water: 1/4 Cup
Coriander Leaves

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Method

To a pan pour 1 table spoon oil and add chopped onion, green chilly and finely chopped ginger
Saute till everything cooks well and then reduce the flame and add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, pepper powder and chicken masala
Saute for 2 minutes on low flame
To this add grated paneer, salt,  coriander leaves and tomato ketchup and mix well.  Saute for 5 minutes
Switch off the flame
Soak the bread slices in water and then squeeze out all the water from it and add it to the paneer mixture and mix it well
Allow the mix to cool for some time
Mix corn flour in water.  Or if using eggs beat the eggs using a fork
Once the mixture gets cooled use your hands and knead the paneer mixture well
Take lemon sized balls out of the mixture and roll it to the required shape
Dip in corn flour paste or egg and roll in bread crumps

Shallow fry in oil.
Serve hot

Apple Halwa

Simple Halwa!!!

Ingredients

Apples: 5
Ghee: 3 Table Spoon
Sugar: 3 Table Spoon
Water: 1/4 Cup
Cinnamon Powder: 2 Pinch
Saffron: 3 - 4 strands(Optional)

Cooking Time: 25 Minutes
Method

Wash the apples and peel off the skin and dice it
Crush the saffron with little sugar and keep aside
Add ghee to a pan and add the diced apples to it
Fry it for 4-5 minutes.
Now add water and on medium flame cook the apples for 10 minutes
Mash the apples with your spoon and stir frequently. 
Now add the sugar and saffron. Continue to stir and cook till the whole mixture becomes one and starts to pull away from the bottom of the pan
Now add cinnamon powder and stir well
Keep on flame and keep stirring until oil starts to leave
Remove the pan from the fire and spread the halwa on a greased plate

Allow to cool well and then cut and serve

Note:

Increase the amount of sugar if required
You can also add some dry fruits like cashew, almonds, pistachios raisins etc