Sweet Bun Puri / Banana Puri

          

Sweet Bun Puri

Ingredients:-
Thick curd – 1 cup
Powdered sugar – 1/2 cup
All purpose flour – 21/2 cups
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 2 tsp + as needed to deep fry
Salt – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
Ripe kerala banana – 1, mashed well

Method:-

Add the powdered sugar to the curd & stir till the sugar dissolves completely. Add the mashed banana, salt, pepper powder & baking soda & mix well.

Add the flour little by little till you get a slightly stiff dough ( it should be harder than the chapathi dough).

Add 2 tsp oil & knead well. Apply little oil on the kneaded dough & keep covered for 3-4 hours.
Divide the dough into small balls ( these should be of the same size as that of puris) & roll out ( it should be a bit thick to puff up).

Deep fry the rolled out puris in hot oil. Drain on kitchen towels. Serve hot.

Source :- Vanitha magazine

Aval Pazhapradhaman

          

Aval Pazham Pradhaman

Ingredients:-
Kerala Banana – 5 numbers, very ripe ( around 1 kg.)
Red rice flakes – 1 cup
Ghee – 3 tbsp
Sago pearls / Chowari – 1/4 cup
Jaggery – 400 grams ( Use more if your bananas are less sweet)
Moonam paal – 1/4 cup (/use 1 rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Randaam paal – 3 tea mugs / 750 ml. (/ use 6 heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Thick coconut milk – 1  cup / 200 ml.(/ use 3 heaped rounded tbsp coconut milk powder)
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry ginger powder – 1/4 tsp
Cashews – 2 tbsp.
Raisins – 1 tbsp.
Coconut cuts – 2 tbsp.

Method:-
Heat 1 tbsp ghee & roast the rice flakes till crispy for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Transfer to a plate & keep aside.

Soak the tapioca pearls in hot water for 1 hr. Put it in boling water and cook for 5 minutes till soft. Drain the water completely and reserve this cooked sago.

Cook the sliced bananas in a pressure cooker adding 1 tbsp ghee  and 1.5 cups water. Simmer for 30 minutes after the 1st whistle. Open the cooker when the pressure subsides ( the banana will change it’s color to red) and let the cooked banana cool slightly. Grind this banana to a paste ( I used my mixer/grinder). Mix the moonam paal with this paste and make it slightly loose.

The cooked bananas

Melt the jaggery adding water. Strain it to remove any dirt. Add the cooked banana paste and 1 rounded tbsp ghee. Bring it to a boil. ( I used a non- stick pan). Lower heat to medium – low & cover cook for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. When the mixture starts to get dry keep stirring for 15 more minutes, till the whole thing gets dry.




Now add the randaam paal, the rice flakes and mix well. Let boil. Lower heat to medium- low and cook it till it becomes thick for 10-15 minutes.

Finally add the cooked tapioca pearls, the thick coconut milk, cardamom powder, cumin powder and dry ginger powder. Mix well, bring it to a very slow boil & remove immediately from heat.
Toast the cashews, raisins & coconut cuts seperately and pour into the payasam. Keep the payasam covered for 3 – 4 hours till it reaches the PATHRAPAAKAM.

Note:-
Never use milk for making this pradhaman. As the bananas are sour it will curdle, so use only coconut milk for making this.
To make thick coconut milk add 200 ml of lukewarm water to 3 cups of grated coconut & run it in your mixer for sometime. Squeeze & strain the extract. Repeat to make the randaampaal & moonampaal.

Fat free Banana Pancakes

Sift together 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour & 2.5 tsps of baking powder. Puree 2 medium sized chiquita bananas in your mixer & reserve.
Beat one large egg till frothy, add the pureed banana, 4 tbsps of sugar, salt & 11/2 cups of milk. Mix well till the sugar dissolves. Fold in the sifted flour mixture.
Heat a pan till a drop of water sprinkled on it sizzles right away. Pour a ladleful of batter & cook both sides of the pancake on low heat.
Serve hot.