Classic Nei Appam

 Nei Appam is one of the most important Neivedhiyams / Prasadams made during Janmashtami,  Ganesh Chaturthi,  Karthigai,  Avani Avittam and lot more poojas or rituals like Ganapathi Homam, Bhagavathi Sevai etc .

Instant version can be made using rice flour,but this is a classic version by soaking and grinding rice along with cardamom, ripe bananas and jaggery.  Adding grated coconut or slivered coconut bits gives a nice taste and texture to the appam. 

I add a teaspoon of udad dhall while soaking the rice, this gives a nice texture and softness to the Neiappams . By adding the udad dhall , we can avoid the use of cooking soda . Udad dhall automatically gives the appam the softness and fluffy texture. 

We can using melted jaggery syrup while grinding the appam batter or if we are using good quality powdered jaggery without dust, then we can add it to the rice while grinding. 

Grinding jaggery with rice is an easier way to seamlessly blend the rice and jaggery without lumps .

For Krishna Jayanthi, it is said that if we are unable to make  elaborate prasadams for Krishnar , we can offer 

Navaneetham (Butter + sugar candy)

Nei appam

Aval Payasam (Poha Kheer)

Thayir Aval / Gopalkaala (Dahi Poha)

Paal / Milk.

Preparation Time : 10min
Soaking Time : 4 hrs
Cooking Time : 30min
Complexity : medium

Ingredients 

1 cup rice (no basmati/fragrant rice)
1 tsp udad dhall
3/4 cup jaggery (use 1 cup if you like it very sweet)
1 ripe banana
2 to  3 cardamoms

Procedure

• Wash and soak the rice and udad dhall for 3 to 4 hrs
• Drain the water and add the soaked rice to the blender along with roughly chopped banana and cardamom seeds .
• Grind it to a fine paste adding water in batches. 
• If using organic jaggery powder ,add the jaggery powder to the blender and grind it to a smooth paste resembling Dosa batter .
• If you are doubtful about the jaggery,melt it using half cup water and strain it .
• Use this strained jaggery water for grinding the appam batter.
• Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl ,add a tsp of grated coconut or slivered coconut bits if you like .
• Beat it well with a whisk or spoon to incorporate air . The batter will feel light . Rest it for 30 to 40 mins
• Heat the appam pan , pour ghee into the cavities .
• Once the ghee has heated up,pour the appam batter into the cavities and cook on medium flame until the underside cooks well.
• Flip it over gently and let the other side cook until crisp and brown.
• Take it off from the appam pan and repeat the same steps for the entire batch of batter. 
• Tasty and delicious Nei appam is ready. 
• If you like you could also make Jackfruit Nei appam and Watermelon Nei appam  also .

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Vegan Mango Shake

 Mango season is almost coming to a close as Neelam variety of Mango has now landed in the markets . It is said that when the Neelam variety Mango shows up,it means the Mango season is almost over .

Summer is the time to rejoice delicious and juicy mangoes and jackfruit along with the other seasonal summer fruits.  

Mango is a fruit loved by one and all and there will hardly be any haters for Mango.  In the recent years , I am seeing a surge in restaurants hosting a Mango Meal special with a wide menu of 18 to 20 items made from ripe mango as well as raw mangoes .

Vegan Mango shake was on my mind ever since I made the Mango coconut Barfi in the microwave, and it became a super hit with my friends and family .

This year, I was determined to make and blog this vegan Mango shake before the season  ends . As always, I have used the Aaapus variety but Badami or Imampasand variety also give a nice taste. 

Store bought coconut milk can be used or home pressed fresh coconut milk. You can add sugar based on the sweetness from the mango . Most of the times,  sugar isn't needed as the Alphonso or Badami mangoes are very sweet. 

Adding a pinch of cardamom powder and saffron strands is my personal liking as it gives a nice refreshing taste to the mango shake .

Mango Specials from my blog

Mango Barfi

Mango mastani

Mango Lassi 

Aam Ras 

Preparation Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - Nil
Complexity - easy 

Ingredients 

2 ripe Alphonso mangoes /any sweet mango
1 cup coconut milk

Soaked almonds deskinned
Few strands saffron
Pinch of cardamom powder 
Sugar optional 

Method 

• Peel the skin from the mangoes
• Slice the mangoes into small cubes.
• Add the mango slices to a blender along with almonds,cardamom, saffron and coconut milk. Add some sugar if you find the shake bland.
• Blend until smooth . 
• Serve chilled 

Pidikarunai Masiyal | பிடிகருணை‌ மசியல் (small elephant foot yam)

 Pidikarunai Kizhangu belongs to the Yam/Jimmikand family and is native to southern India especially Tamil Nadu . 

Also known as Pidi Karanai or karunai kizhangu it is often mistaken with arbi /taro root ,but both are entirely different . 

 Elephant foot yam is known as Senai kizhangu or simply Senai /Chenai.

Pidi karunai is used in a variety of recipes like masiyal (gravy type) , stir fry , sambar, kootu etc

Pidi karunai is small in size as compared to the regular yam /suran that is commonly used. 

Kai Pidi in Tamil is a measure to denote "a fistful" and as this vegetable fits within the size of one's fist it is called as Pidi karunai .

The flesh inside is starchy, and has a slightly slimy texture when cooked. It has a mild earthy flavor . Pidi Karunai has a tendency to cause mild itchiness to some, hence we always need to cook it in tamarind water to reduce the itchy property .

Health benefits of Pidi karunai

• Rich in dietary fibre 
• Low glycemic index.
• Rich in potassium ,Vit B and C 

Pidikaranai masiyal is a very traditional Tambrahm recipe ,so obviously it is devoid onions, garlic and other strong spices .

Every home will have their own slight variations in preparing this masiyal .Some use tamarind pulp to cook the masiyal while some recipes just use a dash of lime juice while serving. 

I was introduced to Pidikarunai masiyal only after my marriage and that was when I first saw this vegetable.  In Bangalore, this vegetable is still a rarity but with the growing Quick commerce and Dark storage concept, we do get to relish Pidi karunai 3 to 4 times a year .

If you are in Tamil Nadu or happen to visit, you can definitely buy these from the local vegetable vendors .In Mumbai , Matunga market stores this vegetable around Sankrant for a few weeks .

Preparation Time - 30 mins
Cooking Time - 45 mins
Complexity - medium
Serves - 3 to 4

Ingredients 

500gm pidikarunai 
2 green chillies 
Finely chopped ginger 
1/2 cup tamarind extract 
1/2 tsp sambar powder
1 tsp oil 
1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
1 tsp udad dhall
2 dry red  chillies 
Few curry leaves
Pinch of asafoetida 

Method

• Soak the pidikarunai in water for 10-15 mins and scrub it clean to clear the mud off it .
• Add the cleaned Pidikarunai in a pressure cooker with sufficient water ,turmeric and a small piece of tamarind. 
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles and open it after the pressure releases .
• You may immerse the pressure cooked pidikarunai in a bowl of water .This step makes the peeling of pidikarunai easy.
• Peel the skin of the pidikarunai and mash it well with a masher or using back of a ladle .
• To the mashed pidikarunai, add salt, sambar powder , turmeric and the tamarind extract. Mix it well and keep aside .
• In a kadai,add oil and once heated,temper it with mustard ,udad dhall,curry leaves, ginger,green chillies and red chillies.  
• Add the pidikarunai mixture to the tempering, 1/2 cup of water and cook until the raw flavor of tamarind is lost.
• You can adjust the consistency by adding water if you feel it is too thick.  Also,adjust the spice and salt level based on your liking .
• Delicious pidikarunai masiyal is ready to be served .
• You can mix it with rice and hot ghee and eat it with some roasted papads and curry.

Pudanlangai Thayir Pachadi | Potlakaya Perugu pachadi | Snake Gourd raita

Snake gourd /padwal(Marathi)/Potlakaaya (Telugu) /Padavalanga (Malayalam) / Padavalkkai (Kannada) .

Call it by any name it has a lot of nutritional value and is a powerhouse of nutrients. Snake gourd belongs to the summer squash family, mostly a summer produce ,it is available all round the year in India.

Rich in dietary fiber , vitamins A and C ,snake gourds help in digestion ,prevent bloating and constipation . Helps in detoxification of the body because of its diuretic properties. Due to water content present in the snake gourd it helps maintain body's hydration.

 Podalangai Thayir pachadi is a new addition to my kitchen and hence it is making it to the blog . 

Amma would make it frequently during summer, but over the years I had totally forgotten about this recipe . As a flash,this recipe occurred to me this morning when I was contemplating what to make with fresh and tender snake gourd that I had just bought. The snake gourds have to be tender. Overly ripe ones taste bitter and become hard and chewy . So while buying, make sure the snake gourd vine is easy to twist and tender to feel. If you find it hard or it easily cracks ,then don't buy that .

Podalangai thayir pachadi is very easy to make and gets done in no time . A tasty paste is made using fresh coconut, ginger,green chillies and curry leaves which is added to thick whipped yogurt and boiled snake gourd is mixed along with this followed by a tempering of mustard, dry red chillies and asafoetida. 

Podalangai thayir pachadi is also made during Amavasya, pithrupaksha and Shraadh cooking in a typical Tamil Brahmin household . Vishu and Onam Sadhyas also feature padavalanga kichadi as one of the Sadhya menu items.

Officially, though it is still winter/spring in India , we are already feeling the warmth in my part of the city. There is hardly any chillness felt and the afternoon sun is at its peak .

As always, with summer setting in; buttermilk,lassi,raita and yogurt based curries make a lot of appearance in my kitchen . Yogurt based curries are light on stomach and easy to digest as well .Most importantly it keeps the body cool during harsh summer and it maintains hydration. 

Some lipsmacking raitas in South Indian flavor 

• Sakkaravalli kizhangu pachadi (sweet potato raita)
• Inji Pachadi (Ginger raita)
• Vendakkai Thayir Kichadi (Lady's finger raita)
• Vellarikaai kichadi (Cucumber raita)
• Vellarikaai Inji pachadi (Cucumber Ginger raita)
• Daangar Pachadi (black gram flour raita)
• Thakali thayir pachadi (Tomato raita)

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Preparation Time - 5 mins

Cooking Time - 8 mins

Serves - 2 to 3 

Complexity - easy 

Ingredients 

1 medium vine snake gourd 

1.5 cups thick yogurt

2 tbsp coconut grated

1 green chilli (optional)

2 to 3 dried red chilli

Few curry leaves  

Small piece ginger 

Salt as needed 

1/2 tsp oil 

1/4 tsp mustard seeds 

1/4 tsp udad dhal /black gram 

Pinch of asafoetida 

Note - if you family tradition doesn't use green chilli for shraadh/Amavasya then replace with dry red chillies.

Method 

• Wash the snake gourd and slit it vertically . Deseed /remove the seeds and chop it into small cubes. 
• Boil half cup water with salt and cook the snake gourd until soft and tender . Drain the water .
• Grind the coconut, green or red chilli ,curry leaves,ginger to a fine paste .
• Beat the curd/yogurt to make it lump free and smooth.
• Mix the ground coconut paste ,whipped curd and boiled snake gourd . Adjust salt if needed.
• Prepare a tempering of mustard seeds , curry leaves ,udad dhall, red chilli,asafoetida and pour it over the raita and mix well. 

Avarakkai Kootu | Broad beans lentil curry

 Avarakkai kootu is a popular side dish from the Tambrahm cuisine made from just moong dhall (yellow split gram) , fresh coconut paste and a Sizzling tempering of mustard seeds ,curry leaves in coconut oil.

Avarakkai(tamil),Avrekkai(Kannada), chikkidkaay (Telugu) is a native Indian vegetable and used extensively across cuisines in India . In the Maharashtra and Gujarat it is called as Vaal papdi or papdi and Sem in Hindi .

Avrakkai is a diabetic friendly vegetable and also rich in protein, dietary fibre,vitamin A ,potassium and folates. Consuming avarekkai is a good source of plant protein and apt for vegetarians to meet their dietary requirements of protein intake. The fibre present in the Indian flat broad beans helps to manage cholesterol in the body.

Since, Avarekkai is a native vegetable, it is used during the Mahalaya Paksha , Amavasya cooking and also for cooking during Shraadh or Devasam. During Shraadh , Amavasai or Mahalaya paksha avrekkai is mostly used in the form of kootu but some families also make a simple stir fry known as Thenga pota curry . 

I shall share the recipe of the simple yet flavorful curry very soon. You may refer to Mildly Indian Seema's Kothavarangai Poriyal and in the same way you can make avarekkai poriyal .

Amavasya Lunch Menu

Avrekkai kootu can be mixed with rice or can also be served as an accompaniment to sambar ,vethakuzhambu, milagu kuzhambu along with some toasted papads and a simple paruppu Thogayal or pudina Thogayal. 

If making kootu to mix with rice, make it a little runny else we can have a thicker consistency. 

Avrakkai kootu is purely Saatvik and Vegan making it No Onion No garlic and Jain friendly .

You may also want to try some lip smacking healthy and delicious kootu recipes from my blog

Chou chou (Chayote) kadalai paruppu Kootu 

Cabbage Kootu 

Thiruvadhirai Kootu 

Poosanikkai (Ashgourd) Pulippu Kootu 

Vellarikaai(Cucumber) Kootu 

Keerai (Spinach) Kootu

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Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 25mins 
Complexity - Simple
Serves - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

150 gms Indian broad beans /avarekkai 
1 cup moong dhall
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 
1 tsp jeera/cumin
8 to 10 pepper corns
2 dried red chillies 
Few curry leaves 
Pinch of turmeric 
Salt as needed 
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
Pinch of asafoetida 

Method 

• Wash the broad beans and trim the head and tail. Bundle them up and chop into medium cuts.
• Wash the moong dhall under running water 3 to 4 times.
• Add the washed moong dhall,chopped avrakkai ,turmeric , 2 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. 
• Grind the coconut, cumin,red chillies ,pepper with water to a fine paste .
• Once ,the pressure cools down,lightly mash and mix the lentil and add the ground coconut paste to this along with required amount of salt. 
• If too thick,add 1/4 cup water and bring it to a quick boil with occasional stirring. Coconut paste has a tendency to stick to the bottom and the kootu will get burnt. 
• Turn off the stove when the kootu thickens and the raw flavor from the coconut paste is gone.
• Prepare a tempering of mustard seeds,fresh curry leaves,asafoetida in hot coconut oil and pour it over the delicious kootu.
• Averakkai kootu is now ready to be served.

Aloo Matar (आलू मटर) | Potato Peas curry - Winter Special

 Come winter, the market is flooded with fresh vegetables which are very tempting. Most of the times,I will hoard my fridge with the fresh produce and then struggle to consume it before the freshness withers away .

Winters at home means fresh green peas ,carrots,cauliflower and radish in abundance.  Of course the evergreen , doodhi aka lauki makes it presence in the menu atleast once a week . 

Aloo mutter is easy and simple to make,but packed with a riot of flavors. You can make with fresh peas or the frozen ones .Try and avoid the dried peas which needs to be soaked overnight . The dried peas don't blend well in to the curry is my opinion. 

In winters, I make this curry with fresh peas and during off season ,the frozen peas comes handy . We can easily make this Aloo Matar gravy for year end parties , get togethers and office pot luck.  

I learnt this recipe from my amma and she used just simple basic spices to make this curry and it would be served with piping hot fulkas just off the pan . I enjoy it with some thick yogurt or cucumber raita while hubby loves it with onion raita. 

Kulchas and Naan are a best combination too and if serving with rice, simple steamed basmati rice, jeera rice ,peas pulav or vegetable pulao are just the perfect pairing. 

I use the pressure cooker to make and it gets done quickly . Pressure cooker or instapot option is the best choice, if we want to make a large quantity of Aloo Matar.  

Donot forget to use lots and lots of fresh corriander as garnish.  It enhances the flavor of the gravy. Serve with some chopped onions and a wedge of lime.

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Complexity- easy
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients
3 to 4 medium sized potatoes  peeled & cut into big cubes 
1 medium onion chopped roughly 
2 tomatoes roughly chopped 
1 cup green peas
2 green chillies finely chopped 
Lots of fresh corriander
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric/haldi
1/2 tsp kasuri methi /dehydrated fenugreek leaves
3 tsp oil
Salt as needed 
Whole spices
 1tsp jeera /cumin
small piece  cinnamon /dalchini 
3 cloves /lavang
 2 cardamom / elaichi

Method

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker .
• Crackle the cumin seeds ,followed by the whole spices until you get a nice aroma of fried spices .Take care to roast over low flame,that is the key to bring out the essence from the whole spices. 
• Add in the onions and green chillies ,saute till the onions turn pinkish .
• Add in the tomatoes , turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and soft. 
• Once,the tomatoes become soft, add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw flavor is lost.
• Slowly ,add in the potato cubes ,green peas and mix it well.Adjust salt if needed and pour 3/4 cup water. 
• Pressure cook on medium flame for 4 whistles .
• Let the pressure release naturally.  Open the lid and gently mix the gravy while you roughly mash a few potatoes here and there.
• Mashing of potatoes will give a nice volume to the gravy.If you find the gravy thick,you can add some hot water and adjust the consistency.
• Lastly add the kasuri methi and fresh corriander.  Serve hot with rotis ,naan, steamed rice etc.

Some winter special recipes which you must try

Aloo Gobhi 

Lauki Channa Dal (video)

Palak Paneer 

Sabz Hariyali (video)

Gajar Halwa

Doodhi Halwa 

Gajar Mooli sabji 

Corn peas pulao 

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