Kadala Parippu Pradhaman / Chana Dal Payasam

          

Parippu Pradhaman

Ingredients:-
Chana dal – 13/4 cup
Sago pearls / Chowari – 3 rounded tbsp.
Jaggery – 600 grams ( Use the brown colored one. I used 450 g Royal & 150 g TDM brand)
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 – 1/2 cup / 100 ml.(/ use 1heaped 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.
Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp.
Coconut cuts – 2 tbsp.
Ghee as needed

Method:-
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.

Heat 2 tsp. ghee and roast the chana dal till very hot for 2 minutes. Wash it several times under running water. Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker adding 1 rounded tbsp ghee  and 3.5 cups water. Simmer for 20 minutes after 1st whistle. Open the cooker when the pressure subsides and let the cooked dal cool slightly. Mash this dal to a paste ( I used my mixer/grinder). Mix the moonam paal with this paste and make it slightly loose.

Melt the jaggery adding 3/4 cup water. Strain it to remove any dirt. Add the cooked chana 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 25 minutes, stirring occassionally. When the mixture starts to get dry keep stirring for 10 more minutes, till the whole thing gets dry.






Now add the randaam paal and mix well. Let boil. Lower heat to medium- low and cook it till it becomes thick for 20 – 25 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 & sesame seeds seperately and pour into the payasam. Keep the payasam covered for 3 – 4 hours till it reaches the PATHRAPAAKAM.

Apple pie

          

Apple Pie

This is my favourite recipe for apple pie…
Ingredients:-

For the crust

All purpose flour – 2 cups
Salt – a generous pinch
Powdered sugar – 2 tbsp
Butter – 100 grams, frozen ( cut into small pieces)
Ice water – 6 tbsp.

For the filling

Green apple – 4 numbers, chopped (I used Granny Smith apples)
Powdered cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
Brown sugar – 1/2 cup
Water – 1 cup
Bread crumbs – 3/4 cup ( I used raisin loaf slices)
Cream cheese – 200 grams
Milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar – 4 tbsp
Mixed fruit jam/ Pineapple jam – 2 tbsp
Egg yolk – of one egg
Whipping cream – 2 tsp

Method:-

For the filling cook the apples adding water. I cooked them for 20 minutes & there was very little water left behind. Add the brown sugar, mix & cook further for 5 minutes. Finally stir in the bread crumbs & remove from heat. Grind the cream cheese adding the milk & sugar to a very smooth paste.

Mix together the flour, salt &  powdered sugar. Add the chopped butter & rub the flour with the butter till the mixture resembles bread crumbs/ wetted Puttu podi. Add the ice water & knead it to a dough. Cover the dough with a plastic wrap & refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take 3/4th of the dough ( refrigerate the remaining) & roll it out as thin as possible into a circle. Carefully transfer this to your pie dish. Prick here & there with a fork & bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 15 minutes.Place the apple filling over the baked crust; top up with the ground cheese paste. Apply the jam at a few places. Roll out the remaining dough into a circle & cut out strips from it to make a lattice top. Mix together the egg yolk & whipping cream; brush the top of the crust with this mixture.

To be baked

Bake this pie at 180C for 45 minutes / till golden. Remove the pie from the oven & let it rest for 30 minutes.
Source :- Lakshmi Nair, slightly modified

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.

Carrot halwa in MW

Microwave Carrot Halwa

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Remya Unnikrishnan

Microwave Carrot Halwa

Though I am a great fan of Carrot Halwa I seldom make it as it is very much time consuming. But I found a microwave version at Indian Potpouri which seemed to be very easy & gave it a try. It tasted great. You can find the recipe here. I had to cook for 18 minutes on high power to make this halwa & had used 3 grated carrots.

Baked Apple Sauce Cheese cake

      

Baked Apple Sauce cheese cake

Ingredients:-

Graham crackers – 225 grams
Butter – 100 grams
Granny Smith green apples – 4 big
Powdered cinnamon – 1/4 tsp
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Condensed milk – 1 tin
Egg white – of 3 large eggs
Lemon zest – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp.

Method:-

Powder the graham crackers in your mixer/ grinder. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan & mix in the cracker crumbs. Stir well till the crumbs get moist. Transfer half of the crumbs to a well greased spring form pan & press gently with hand so that it forms a layer. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cook the peeled & cored apples adding 11/2 cups water for 30 minutes. Add the sugar & powdered cinnamon & mix well. Let cool; mash well with a ladle. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice & zest. Beat the 3 egg whites in a clean bowl till foamy & gently fold in to the apple sauce mixture. Pour over the biscuit layer.

Sprinkle the remaining cracker crumbs on top.

Bake at 180C for 30 minutes & 170C for another 30 minutes/ till firm. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into wedges & serve.

Jangiri or the South Indian Jalebi

 

Jangiri

Jangiris are south Indian jalebis made with split urad dal.

Ingredients:-
Urad dal – 1 cup (soaked overnight in 2 cups of water)
Baking soda – a pinch
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Orange food color – a pinch ( as orange food color is not available here I had to mix yellow & red food colors)
Powdered Cardamom – a pinch
Canola oil / Ghee – as needed

For the syrup
Sugar – 2 cups
Water – 11/4 cup
Rose water – 1 tbsp/ Rose essence – 1/2 tsp

Method:-
Sterilise a thick cloth  in boiling water the previous day & let it dry thoroughly.
Combine sugar, water & the rose essence; keep it on the stove top.
Drain water from the dal. Grind it to a paste adding soda, salt, color, cardamom & 1/2 cup of water. The paste should be thick but you should be able to squeeze & make patterns of the batter.
Take a thick cloth & make a hole at it’s center using a nail/ screw. You may make a button hole stitch to strengthen the hole.

Transfer the batter to the cloth & close it from all the 4 sides. Keep aside.


For making the syrup heat the sugar & water you have combined before & let it boil for 3 minutes on high heat ( take care, it should not reach the string consistency.) Reduce the heat to the lowest & maintain the syrup like that ( you may have to pour little water into the syrup from time to time so that it does not reach the string consistency).

Heat 1/2″ of oil in a flat frying pan. When the oil becomes medium hot take the cloth & squeeze the batter into the oil & make jalebi like patterns ( you may pipe a circle/ 2 concentric circles on which you could make smaller circles). Fry on medium heat ( not low/high) till both sides are crisp ( I like my jalebis crisp) & jalebi is cooked through.



Immerse the fried jalebis immediately into the sugar syrup & let it soak for 7 minutes( you may have to flip the jalebis to soak both the sides).  My jangiris were crisp but sweet at the same time.


Transfer the jalebis to a rack. Serve it hot / at room temperature.

Note:- You may first try to make the patterns on a plate & practise before making patterns in the oil.

Mysore Pak ( The soft version)

 

Mysore Pak

This sweet is very easy to make; just make sure that you have the right consistency of the sugar syrup & remove the pak from heat at the right time.

Ingredients:-
Fresh Besan / Gram flour – 1 cup
Melted Ghee - 11/4 cup + 1 tbsp
Granulated sugar – 3/4 cup
Water – 1 cup
Powdered cardamom – 1/2 tsp

Method:-
Sift the besan to remove any lumps. Grease a plate & keep it near the stove.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai & roast the besan on medium heat for 10-15 minutes/ till it gives out a good aroma & lightly change it’s colour ( roasting the flour in your microwave oven enhances the taste of the pak). Transfer the besan to a clean platter.

Heat the melted ghee & transfer it to a mug / a fat seperator ( if you don’t have any helping hand, this method works well). The ghee should be very hot.

Mix the sugar & water, bring to a boil. Let it boil on medium heat till it attains a one thread consistency. This is very important; there were many instances when I have ended up with Mysore payasam instead of Halwa:-D)

Add the besan & mix well to avoid any lumps. Add the ghee little by little in a steady stream while continuosly stirring the besan mixture.

When the mixture turns porous & starts leaving the sides of the pan add the powdered cardamom & quickly transfer to a greased plate ( if you keep it on the stove top further the pak will not be soft). Keep the plate at an angle so that any excess ghee comes out of the pak. Cut into bars when still hot.

Note :- Adding 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder to the pak gives it a brighter color.

Kerala Trifler – Pudding made with Kerala Banana, Sweet potato & Rice flakes!

 

This pudding is quiet unusual. It has 3 layers as the name suggests & is not at all bad with those crsipy rice flakes on top & smooth rose flavoured sweet potato layer.
Heat 2 tbsp of ghee & toast 10 cashews & 1 tbsp of spit bengal gram /pottukadala & keep aside. Chop 1/4 cup of dates & reserve.
Make a thick syrup with 2 cubes (180 grams) of brown jaggery. Powder together 1 clove, 7 cardamom, a little nutmeg & 1″ piece of cinnamon in your coffee grinder. Add this powdered spice mixture to the molten jaggery & mix well.
For the first layer:-
Steam cook 2 big Kerala Bananas till soft. When cool, peel the bananas & chop them. Add the bananas to half of the prepared jaggery syrup & leave it undisturbed for 1 hour. Also add 25 grams of butter to the banana mixture when still hot.
For the second layer:-
Powder 1/4 cup of palm sugar cubes/ panamkalkandum. Boil 1/2 cup of milk & add 2 tbsp of finger millet/ ragi powder to it. Steam cook 2 medium sized sweet potatoes & mash them well. Add 25 grams of butter & the ragi-milk mixture to the mashed potatoes. Add 1/2 cup of condensed milk & the powdered palm sugar cubes & beat well till well combined. Add 1/4 tsp of rose essence & mix.
For the third layer:-
Heat 50 grams of butter. Fry 11/2 cups of rice flakes in this butter till crisp. Pour the remaining jaggery syrup over the rice flakes & keep aside for 1 hour. Add 1/4 cup of milk to the rice flakes & cook it on low heat for 5 minutes.
To make the pudding:-
Grease a 6″ pudding dish with butter. Place the banana mixture in it & cook it on high power for 3 minutes in your microwave oven. Allow this layer to cool completely.
Place the sweet potato mixture on top of this layer & microwave for 3 minutes. Let this second layer also cool completely & set.
Arrange the rice flakes over the second layer & again cook it in your microwave oven for 3 minutes. Allow the pudding to cool completely.
Spread 1 cup of heavy cream over the top of the pudding.
Garnish the pudding with toasted cashews, pottukadala & chopped dates.
Refrigerate for 10 hours before serving.
Source:- Malaya Manorama Newspaper, Sunday supplement

Beetroot Kesari

      

Heat 1/2 cup of ghee & fry 1 cup of Semolina/  Rava for 7 minutes. Add 1 cup of grated beetroot & fry for 5 more minutes. Add 11/2 cups of boiling water & cover cook on low heat for 7 minutes. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 tsp of rose essence & 1 tsp of powdered cardamom & mix on low heat till the kesari starts leaving the sides of the wok.
Transfer to a greased plate & garnish with almond slices. Let cool completely before serving.

Orange Sunshine Pudding

      

This colorful pudding with it’s heavenly combination of dry fruits, peanuts, custard & orange juice tastes so heavenly that you are just gonna love it! This recipe is adapted from one of my favourite programmes,”It’s Really Tasty” anchored by Mrs.Lilly Babu Jose.
Soak 1 tbsp+ 1 tbsp of gelatin each seperately in 1/4 cup of cold water for atleast 15 minutes.

For the first layer powder together 3/4 cup of peeled & roasted peanuts/ cashews/ almonds & 8 marie biscuits. Add 3 tbsps of icing sugar & 2 tbsp of butter to the powdered biscuits & mix well. Transfer the peanut-biscuit mixture to a greased pyrex ware & spread it out evenly in the dish. Bake at 180C in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let this layer cool down to room temperature.

For the custard mix together 11/2 cups of milk, 1 cup of condensed milk & 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil & remove from heat. Stir in 1 part of the soaked gelatin & mix well till combined. Pour half of this custard over the biscuit layer (hold a spoon over the biscuit layer & pour the custard over it) & keep it in the fridge for 1 hour/ till completely set.

For the dry fruits layer cook together 1 cup of chopped dried apricots, 1/2 cup of deseeded & chopped prunes & 1 cup of golden raisins adding 3 tbsp of sugar in 1 cup of water. Cook on low heat till the water completely evaporates. Let cool; spread the cooked dry fruits evenly over the set custard layer. Pour the reamaining custard over this layer & refrigerate further till completely set.

Add 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of Orange Juice (I used Tang reconstituted juice) & mix well. Dissolve the other part of the saoked gelatin by holding it over simmering water; add to the juice & mix well. Pour over the custard layer & refrigerate till set. Garnish with chopped amonds/ cashews if you like.
 

Coconut Moss Pudding

      

Here comes the recipe for another Yummy Pudding- Coconut Moss Pudding.
Soak 2 tbsps of gelatin in 1/2 cup of cold water for atleast 15 mimutes.
Mix together 11/4 cup of milk, 1/2 tin of condensed milk, 3 tbsps of sugar & 1/2 cup of water; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the soaked gelatin & mix well. Add 1/4 tsp of vanilla essence & fold in 1/4 cup of fresh cream when completely cool.
Pour into individual ramekins & refrigerate till completely set.
For the garnish heat together 1/4 cup of grated coconut & 1/2 tsp of white sesame seeds. Add 3/4 tbsp of suagr when they start to change color & fry till light golden brown.
At the time of serving garnish the pudding with the coconut-sesame mixture.

Eggless Chocolate Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

      

Sift together 11/2 cups of plain flour & 1 tsp of baking soda. Grease an 8″ cake tin & keep aside. Preheat the oven to 180C.
Beat together 1 cup of cold buttermilk, 3 heaping tbsps of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tbsp of white vinegar & 5 tbsps of canola oil; add 1 cup of caster sugar to this little by little & beat well with your mixer till well combined. Add 1 tsp of vanilla essence & 1/2 tsp of salt & mix.
Fold in the sifted flour mixture & transfer the batter to the greased baking pan. Bake at 180C for 30-35 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cake on to a rack to cool completely.
Serve with chocolate sauce.
For the chocolate sauce combine 4 tbsps of unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 tbsps of granulated sugar, 4 tbsps of water & 1 tsp of butter. Cook in your microwave on high power for a minute.

Ginger Payasam /Injipayasam

      

Here’s a strange paal payasam with a flavour of ginger. Ginger lovers will like it & this payasam is a must try for them.
Grind 1 cup of chopped ginger adding 1/4 cup of lukewarm water in ur grinder & strain the extract.
Soak 1/4 cup of broken matta rice in water for 3 hours & grind it to a coarse rava like powder. You should have 1/2 cup of powdered rice. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in an uruli & fry the rice till you get a nice aroma. Add 4 cups of boiling water & cook the rice till it turns very soft & all the water evaporates.

Add the ginger extract to the cooked rice & keep stirring on low heat till the mixture turns dry.

Add slightly less than 1 cup of sugar & cook for 10 minutes/ till the mixture turns dry & is brown in color like jaggery. This step is very important.


Mix 3/4 cup of full cream milk powder with 21/4 cups of water to prepare thick milk. Add this milk to the payasam slowly whilst stirring continuosly. Bring the payasam to a boil & add 1/2 tsp of cardamom powder.
Remove the payasam from heat & garnish it with cashews & raisins toasted in ghee.
Source :- Mrs.Lakshmi Nair, recipe slightly modified

Chocolate & Egg Pudding

      

Seperate 3 large eggs, beat the egg yolks & keep aside.
Mix together 1/4 cup of milk chocolate chips & 1 cup of whole/low fat milk. Cook on low heat till the chocolate completely melts, never allow the mixture to boil. Remove from heat & keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsps of salted butter in a saucepan , add 1 tbsp of plain flour & 1 tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder, fry till raw smell goes.Add the chocolate-milk mixture & 6 tbsps of granulated white sugar. Cook till the mixture thickens, remove from heat & let cool down to room temperature. Fold in egg yolks & again cook the mixture on low heat till it turns thick. Let cool completely & add 1 tsp of vanilla essence.
Preheat oven to 170C. Grease three 200 ml ramekins & keep aside.
Beat the egg whites adding 1/8 tsp of cream of tartar & beat well with your mixer till the whites hold soft peaks. Gradually add 1 tbsp of sugar & beat till the mixture holds stiff peaks. Fold in 1/3rd of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, add the remaining whites & fold in gently but thoroughly.
Transfer batterto ramekins & set the ramekins in a hot water bath. Bake at170C for 30 minutes.
Serve chilled with vanilla flavoured whipped cream.

Bread n Butterscotch pudding

This is a very delicious pudding that leaves you craving for more & more…

You will need 10 slices of bread.
Seperate the yolks & whites of 3 large eggs.
Heat 1/2 cup of sugar in a pan on medium heat & add 50 grams of unsalted butter when the sugar melts & turns golden brown in color. Switch off heat & allow the mixture to cool slightly. Add 1/4 cup of water to the butterscotch mixture & cook it on low heat till the sugar completely melts. Let this butterscotch cool slightly.
Beat 3 egg yolks, add 3 cups of milk & mix. Pour the butterscotch mixture & whisk till well combined.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a pudding dish.
Trim the brown edges of the bread slices & cut them into smaller cubes, arrange these cubes in the pudding dish & pour the butterscotch-milk mixture over them. Make sure that the bread slices are well soaked with the liquid mixture.
Beat 3 egg whites with your electric mixer till they are white & shiny. Add 1/4 cup of sugar & beat till the whites hold stiff peaks. Pour the beaten whites over the soaked bread cubes & gently fold in with a fork.
Bake in the oven at 180C for 40-45 minutes/ till golden brown on top.
Source:- Mrs.Lakshmi Nair