Vegetable Brinji | Brinji - Tamil Nadu Special

All this while, I was always under the impression that Biryani was colloquially called as Brinji in Tamil Nadu . Not sure, how I got that into my head ;well am thinking still ! 

Coming to my encounter with Brinji; recently on our way back from Chennai ,we had a lunch stop over at famous restaurant near Kanjivaram and that's where I first tasted this Brinji . I had ordered a mini thali which had 3 flavored rice along with some Poori and curry . One of the flavored rice looked like pulao,but it was garnished with bread crumbs . 

Intrigued by that presentation, I asked the waiter what's that and he replied "Akka adhu Brinji". That was my first taste of Brinji a.k.a Birinji .

Without wasting a moment ,I took a spoonful and I must tell you; I totally fell in love with the flavors . That's when my myth was broken and I realized that Brinji is not Biryani and also it is a vegetarian recipe and has no meat .

It was a riot of flavor explosion.  The essence from fennel;sombu as it is called in Tamil and slightly over powering flavor of ginger, garlic ,bay leaf mint along with the vegetables was a treat to the taste buds. 

What is Brinji ?

Brinji is  made using Jeera Samba rice which is a native rice used for Biryanis in TN . A melange of flavors from whole spices , fresh mint , ginger garlic paste along with fresh vegetables is what makes Brinji a delight .

The other main flavor enhancer is the use of coconut milk to cook the rice. The subtle sweetness from the coconut milk lends a wonderful balance of flavors to the palate with every mouthful .Served with a slightly watery onion raita and a veg kurma, the Brinji is a whole meal by itself and keeps us full .

I wanted to try this Brinji ever since I tasted it,but somehow it kept getting delayed, but today we wanted to eat something different for lunch and I immediately told hubby I am making Brinji that too with my own recipe trying to replicate what I ate remembering the taste . 

I am told that Brinji is a very common in the vegetarian menu during Christmas and New Year parties in Tamil Nadu . So for the upcoming year end parties, you could also make it for your office potluck or friends' get together .

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

Ingredients 

1.5 cups Basmati rice 
1 cup coconut milk (canned or home made)
2 cups water 
1 carrot cut into long strips 
2 small potatoes cut into long strips
8 to 10 French beans cut into 1 " strips
1 medium onion cut length wise 
3 to 4 green chillies slit 
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 bay leaves /tej patta/ birinji elai
3 to 4 cloves/lavang
1 inch stick cinnamon/dalchini/pattai
2 to 3 cardamom/elaichi /elakkai
1.5 tsp fennel /saunf /sombu
Handful of chopped mint leaves 
Handful of chopped corriander leaves 
Salt as needed
2 tbsp cooking oil
3 tbsp ghee 

Method 

• Wash the basmati rice and soak it in water for 20 mins and then drain it .
• Heat the pressure cooker vessel with oil and ghee .
• Crackle the fennel seeds and the whole spices until they turn aromatic. 
• Saute the onions until transparent followed by the mint leaves , ginger garlic paste and vegetables.
• Let the fat coat the vegetables and saute ginger garlic  until the raw flavor is lost . This will prevent the ginger garlic paste from burning and sticking to the pan's base .
• Add required salt ,coconut milk and water . Bring  it to a boil .
• Add the drained Basmati rice. Check for salt and adjust if needed.  Add the fresh corriander and close the cooker lid .
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles on high flame and turn off. Let the pressure release naturally. 
• Open it and wait for 5 mins before you can fluff it . Trying to fluff immediately will make it mushy .
• Roast cashews in ghee and add it to the brinji . You may also add some fried or toasted bread crumbs for extra taste.  
• Serve hot with onion raita and a gravy of your choice.  

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Nei Payasam | Aravana Payasam

 Nei Payasam also known as Aravana Payasam is very popular as prasadam in Kerala Temples especially Bhagavathy (Devi) Temple and Ayyappa Temple . Sharkara Payasam ,Kadu Madhuram or just Aravanai are some other names for Nei Payasam.

Nei means ghee and payasam means kheer. This payasam gets it flavor and taste from just 3 ingredients; rice,ghee and jaggery. The payasam is either garnished with fried coconut bits or ghee fried cashews . A pinch of ginger powder at the end elevates the flavor profile manifold. 

Though we call this as Nei Payasam, the consistency of nei payasam isn't like the usual paysam (kheer). Consistency of nei payasam is gooey and thick similar to sakkarai pongal . 

Originally, Kerala Matta raw rice or red rice is used in the preparation of Nei Payasam,but if that us not available we can use any short grained rice, but a strict No to Basmati rice as it will alter the taste of Nei Payasam, because of the natural flavor that Basmati rice possesses

 In temples, nei payasam is made in huge bronze urulis and slow cooking method is followed. Ghee is poured at intervals until the ghee is completely absorbed into the rice and jaggery mixture.  Normally, dark colored jaggery is used for preparing nei payasam, hence the color will be dark and deep brown. 

Aravana / Nei Paysam shouldn't be confused with sakkarai pongal though they may sound similar. The quantity of ghee used in Nei payasam in more also there is no use of milk or lentils. Because the quantity of ghee is more ,we cannot eat this nei paysam like any other paysam for dessert . Just a small quantity can be savored and that itself will be very satiating and satisfying. 

Even to this day, Bhagavati Seva Pooja always has the offering of nei paysam and the same is distributed to all those partaking in the Pooja . 

I have very fond memories of enjoying piping hot Nei Payasam and crispy fried Medhu Vadai served as prasadam in leaf cups after Bhagavathy Seva Pooja.  The taste still lingers on my tongue and nothing can beat the taste and flavor of prasadam that is blessed with divine vibrations.

Holy month of Aashada or Aadi or Karikatam(July 15 to Aug 15 as per English calender) is known for Bhagavathy Seva ,many Brahmin families hailing from Kerala / Palakkad have the tradition of performing thus pooja at home on either Tuesdays or Fridays in this holy month .

So,whether or not you perform Bhagavthy Seva at home,you can always prepare Nei Payasam and offer as prasadam during auspicious pooja days or even on Tuesdays and Fridays during Aadi Maasam .

Preparation Time - 15 to 20 mins
Cooking Time - 45 mins
Complexity- medium 
Serves - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

3/4 cup raw rice (I have used Sona Masuri )
3/4 cup powdered organic jaggery 
1/2 cup ghee 
Few cashews 
Pinch of dry ginger powder 
Pinch of cardamom powder 

Method 

• Wash the rice well and pressure cook it with 3 cups of water and let the pressure release naturally. 
• The rice must be cooked well and soft but not mushy . With the back of ladle ,lightly mash the rice but don't make it mushy . 
• In a thick bottomed vessel , melt the jaggery with 1/2 cup water . We don't need any string consistency  just the jaggery needs to melt . Incase ,you see any impurities in the jaggery syrup,then filter it out and bring the syrup to a quick rolling boil.
• Slowly add the mashed and cooked rice and mix it well without any lumps .Gradually add the ghee in parts and keep stirring until all the ghee is well absorbed into the nei payasam and the paysam looks glossy and well done .
• If you are using coconut bits ,fry them in ghee until it turns golden brown and crisp ,likewise the same with cashewnuts as well.
• Add this to the nei payasam along with cardamom powder and ginger powder and mix it well .
• Offer it to the lord and distribute it among family and friends. 

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Tomato Rice | Thakaali Saadham - Quick one pot vegan recipe

 Thakali Saadham / Tomato Rice is a simple and delicious recipe from South India . It makes for a Quick fix lunch or dinner option and also apt to pack for lunch boxes . 

It is not a traditional recipe, hence each household may have different recipes to dish out this yummy Thakali saadham .

The main ingredient for this recipe are juicy and slightly tangy tomatoes for the extra punch. I use just basic spices and not much whole masalas/ garam masala . I like the rice to soak in the taste and flavor of tomatoes and chillies . 

If you like you may add some fried cashews or boiled peas while preparing the tomato rice . I add them depending on my family's request . 

My hubby loves to have his tomato rice with either Pattani (Peas) Masala or Potato Curry and some chilled raita/pachadi . Papads or fryums are an excellent addition as well . 

If packing for lunch , make sure you cool the rice completely and then pack it . If you pack it very hot ,there is a chance the rice may go bad especially in summer.  

I often make thakali saadham for dinner as it is a quick fix and I wont see fussy faces at home . As always, I realised that this delicious tomato rice wasn't on my blog and as a matter of coincidence our gourmet food group theme for this month was "cook what you like " .. Viola !! I got an opportunity to publish this recipe.  My partner Rafeeda has dished out a baked Pasta recipe and if you are a pasta lover, you must try it for sure .

Preparation Time- 10 mins
Cooking Time - 20 mins
Complexity - simple
Serves  - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

2 cups rice (Basmati / Sona Masuri / any short grained rice ) 
3 to 4 medium sized tomatoes 

1 onion chopped (optional) [skip for jain and no onions no garlic recipe ] 
3 green chillies slit 
Few curry leaves 
Fresh corriander 
1 tsp mustard seeds 
1 tsp channa dal 
1 tsp udad dhal 
2 tsp corriander powder 
1/2 tsp jeera powder 
1/2 tsp chilli powder 
Pinch of turmeric powder 
Salt as  needed
2 tbsp cooking oil 
Pinch of sugar 

Method 

• Wash the rice well and soak it for 10mins and then drain the water through a colander. 
• Chop the tomatoes into medium sized chunks and finely chop the green chillies .
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or pressure pan and crackle the mustard seeds followed by channa dal and udad dal until they turn crisp and golden brown . Saute onions if using until pick and translucent. 
• Fry the green chillies,  curry leaves . Keep the flame on low and add the chopped tomatoes and  spice powders (haldi, red chilli powder, jeera powder and corriander powder ).
• Saute the tomatoes well and sprinkle some water ..cook covered until the tomatoes turn mushy and soft . Continue cooking until the oil begins to separate.Add salt at this  stage along with some chopped corriander. 
• Add water and bring to a boil . If using basmati rice use 1.5 cups water for 1 cup rice and if using sona masuri rice use 2 cups water for 1 cup rice.
• Once the water begins to boil,add the drained rice,  Pinch of sugar and adjust salt if needed .
• Close the pressure cooker and cook on medium flame for 2 whistles.  Let the pressure release naturally. 
• Fluff it with a fork and add some ghee if not vegan and serve hot with raita ,papads and some gravy or curry . 

NeerAagaram | Pazhaya Saadham | Probiotic rice porridge

 Neer is water and Aagaram is food ,so basically NeerAagaram boils down to Watery Food or put it simply,  a liquid diet . Neeragaram is very popular in the Southern part of India and also in Orissa, Bengal, Bihar ,chattisgarh as well . Partaking Neeragaram on a daily  basis prevents malnutrition and also improves our immune system .

Now,if you are wondering what is this  Neeragaram ? The answer is very very simple and will leave you amazed .

Neeragaram is just left over cooked rice soaked in water overnight and the next morning it is mashed well and mixed with buttermilk ,rock salt and consumed with shallots and some green chillies .

Neeragaram is also known as Pazhaya Saadham , Saadhertham , pazhaya sor Kanji in South and in the North it is called as Pakhala, Paani Bhaat,Panta Bhaat etc . Orissa celebrates this health rich food as Pakhala Dibasa in the month of March every year .

Neeragaram is a powerhouse of nutrients for the benefit of good gut health . It's a natural probiotic just like home set curd .

The overnight soaking of cooked rice helps in the activation of good bacteria which is very beneficial on consumption for good gut /intestinal health.  You may need not take probiotic supplements if you have this pazhaya saadham regularly.

Consuming Neeragaram early in the morning is an age old practice followed by ancestors especially during the hot summer months when the sun is blazing. The soaked rice acts as a natural coolant and also keeps us full for long hours due to the absorption of starch content in the rice and most importantly prevent us from dehydration. 

Neeragaram can be had with some pickle , fried curd chillies (mor milagai) or with chopped shallots /onions . If you are pairing pazhaya saadham with onions you must definitely try it out with Srilankan Seeni Sambol - get the recipe from my fellow blogger Priya's blog.

You may adjust the quantity of buttermilk as per your preference. I like my neeragaram watery,so I add more buttermilk, if you like it thick like a porridge, you can adjust accordingly. 

Preparation Time - 8 to 10 hours /overnight 
Cooking Time - Nil
Complexity - easy 
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

1.5 cups cooked rice (I use the sona masoori variant)
2 cups water 
3 cups buttermilk
Rocksalt as needed 

Method 

• Soak the rice in 2 cups water overnight . Use an earthen vessel if you can else regular steel bowls will work.
• The next morning, mash the rice well with your hands or use a masher . The rice when mashed should resemble porridge /gruel like consistency.  Mashing the rice with your hands is always a good choice .
• To this now add the buttermilk ,rock salt and mix well . Pour it into glasses and serve with the accompaniments of your choice .
• You may also add 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds while soaking the rice previous night. 

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Neer Dosa | Neer Dose - vegan breakfast

 Neer dose or neer dosa is a very popular breakfast from Tulu Nadu in Karnataka and delicacy from Manglorean cuisine . 

Neer dosa literally means water dosa in Tulu/Kannada but that doesn't mean that it is made from water ,just that the batter to prepare the dosa is very watery hence its called Neer Dosa. The consistency of the batter is very similar to that of Rava Dosa meaning pouring consistency.

Best part of Neer Dosa is the simplicity in preparation as there is no fermentation needed like the usual dosas,meaning you can make dosas as soon as the batter is ready . 

Neer Dosa uses just 2 ingredients ;rice and water .Adding grated coconut is optional but tastes really good when added to the batter .

Neer dosas are very soft and spongy to eat and it remains the same even after a few hours of preparing, making it ideal to pack for lunch box or travel . 

Neer dosas are served with coconut chutney , sagoo , balehannu Rasayana and for non veg lovers it is paired with some spicy curry made from egg,chicken etc .

Soaking Time - 4 to 5 hrs 
Preparation Time - 15 mins
Complexity - simple 
Makes - 15 to 16 neer dosas 

Ingredients 

2 cups normal rice (except basmati)
1/2 cup grated coconut 
Salt as needed
Water to grind 

Video recipe 

Method 

• Wash the rice well and soak it overnight or for minimum of 5 hrs .
• After 5 to 6 hrs , transfer the soaked rice to a blender along with the coconut and grind it to a fine paste..donot add water to grind. The water in which you have soaked the rice is sufficient to grind the batter .
• Transfer this batter to a wide vessel and add some more water and bring it to a pouring consistency. Check the video recipe below for exact consistency.  Add salt as needed.
• Heat a non stick tawa or a seasoned cast iron .
• Sprinkle some water on the tava and if it sizzles immediately the tawa is ready to make dosas .
• Pour the batter from outside to inside like how we do for rava dosa . Donot spread the batter like regular dosas.
• Close the dosa with a lid for 30 to 40 sec and then open it up .Slowly using a spatula remove the dosa and fold it up like a wedge and serve with chutney or any other side dish of your choice. 
• Neer dosa gets cooked only on one side. You don't have to flip over and cook . 
• Keep adjusting the heat of the tawa as you keep making the dosas.  If the tawa is too hot then the dosas won't get cooked evenly.  

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Ammini Kozhukkattai | Steamed rice flour dumplings

Ammini Kozhukkattai,  mani Kozhukkattai is a steamed preparation using rice flour or rice batter . It is offered to lord Ganesha on Ganesh Chaturthi or on Sankashti as prasad. 

These ammani Kozhukkattais look very cute and pretty as the dough is rolled into small and tiny balls and steamed later to be tempered and sauteed in a special spice mix .

Generally ,after making the Modakam / Kozhukkattai, the balance dough is used to make the Mani Kozhukkattai without wastage . Kids love to have these ammini Kozhukkattai as it is fun to pop the small balls into the mouth one after another. 

We can prepare the ammani Kozhukkattais either using rice flour or by soaking the rice and then grinding it to batter . This batter is then cooked to form a dough which is then rolled out and steamed .

I prefer soaking the rice and then making the Kozhukkattais as I feel it turns out to be very soft and is fail proof.  

Soaking Time - 3 hrs 

Preparation Time - 45 mins

Steaming Time - 7 to 8 mins

Complexity - medium

Ingredients 

For the outer cover 

1 cup rice (regular cooking rice except basmati )

2 cups water 

Pinch of salt 

1 tsp oil 

Tempering and flavoring 

1/2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

Few fresh curryleaves 

1 chilli finely chopped

Pinch of asafoetida 

1 tbsp curry powder 

2 tbsp fresh grated coconut 

Pre Preparation for the Rice flour dough

Wash and soak the rice in sufficient water for  3 to 4 hrs . I have used sona masuri which is used for day today cooking ..avoid using any variety of par boiled rice as it is never used for making prasad/offering to God .

Method 

Preparation of Rice flour Dough

• Transfer the soaked rice to a blender with 2 cups of water and grind to a very fine paste. 
• The batter will be runny and that is how it has to be.  Incase you happen  to add extra water ,donot worry ,it can be handled while cooking the dough .
• Strain this rice flour batter through a strainer to remove any rice grits that may have remained while grinding .
• To the strained batter add a pinch of salt and oil and mix well.
• Heat a heavy bottomed fry pan or vessel and transfer this batter to it . Reduce the flame to medium.
• Go on stirring the batter and you will observe the batter begins to thicken and starts forming lumps.
• Keep stirring and breaking the lumps until all the batter is well cooked and it appears lumpy. 
• To see if the batter is cooked well ,touch with your fingers and the dough must not stick on the fingers.  If it sticks continue cooking for 1 more min. 
• Turn off the stove and close the dough with a lid . The dough will further get cooked on this heat
•  Once the dough is warm enough to handle ,transfer it to a large plate ,grease your palm with some ghee or oil and knead the dough for 5 to 6 mins until you get a soft ,crack free and smooth dough . 
• Pinch out a portion of the dough and you should be able to roll into a smooth ball without cracks . This is the right consistency of the dough . If you are getting cracks while rolling ,the sprinkle a little hot water and continue to knead further till you get the desired consistency.  
• Cover this with a damp cotton cloth until use.

Preparing the Ammini Kozhukkattai 

• Pinch out small balls from the dough and roll it until it is smooth and without cracks . 
• Place all the tiny rolled out balls in a steamer and steam for 7 to 8 mins .
• Heat oil in a thick bottom kadai and splutter the mustard seeds , fry the green chillies ,curry leaves and add asafoetida. 
• Tip in the steamed rice balls ,top it with the curry powder and give a quick toss until the curry powder coats the amminis / rice balls wel . Adjust salt if needed . Close and cook for 1 min. This will help the flavors to absorb nicely. 
• Lastly garnish with fresh coconut , mix it and offer to lord Ganesha .

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Chawal Ke Pakore | Chawal k tikki | Rice Fritters (Vegan snack)

 Does the leftover rice from lunch or dinner make you go crazy ?

Today ,I shall share with you a very delicious and lipsmacking chawal k pakore or chawal k tikki recipe and trust me your family won't even notice the transformation of the rice and you won't have to worry abt wasting the left over Rice .

These pakoras made from rice can be served as appetisers for parties or get together . They are a  perfect crowd pleaser and everyone would love it . You can prepare rice in the morning if you are hosting a party in the evening or night as the rice has to be little dry and grainy before you can make the tikkis or pakodas . The dryness helps in getting crisp and crunchy pakodas ..soft and moist rice will make the pakodas mushy and we don't want that. 

 I am sure we all make the left over Rice turn into lemon rice, curd rice or fried rice and over time it certainly gets monotonous and boring for us as well as our dear family.

From now on you can make these yummy and lipsmacking chawal k pakode or  chawal k tikki and serve it with some tamarind dates chutney and piping hot tea or coffee . At times, I purposely keep some extra rice so I can make these delicious pakodas in the evening for tea time .

You can also add some veggies like shredded carrots , boiled sweet corn , finely chopped methi (Fenugreek) or even palak to make it even more tasty . I had some soaked sabudana (sago pearls) which I added to the pakora mixture and it gave it a nice texture and taste to the pakoras .

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Frying Time - 20 to 25 mins

Serves - 2 to 3 

Complexity - medium 

Ingredients 

2 cups left over cooked rice 

1/2 boiled potato 

1 tbsp soaked sabudana /sago pearls (optional)

Chilli flakes as per taste 

1 green chilly finely chopped 

1/2  tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp chat masala 

2 tbsp gram flour / besan 

Finely chopped corriander 

Salt as needed 

Oil to deep fry

Method 

• Take the rice in a blender with some salt and red chilli powder and give a quick pulse . This helps the rice mash well and you don't have to spend time to mash with a masher or your fingers .
• Take this mashed rice in a big bowl and add the mashed potatoes, gram flour ,chilli flakes,  chat masala,  corriander leaves, green chillies and sabudana if using. 
• Mix all the ingredients and form a nice and smooth dough.  Adjust salt if needed while mixing the dough .Leave this dough in the fridge for about 10 mins . Refrigeration helps to shape the pakoras as tikkis/patty easily. 
• Heat the oil in a kadai while the dough is resting in the fridge. 
• Grease your palms with a little oil, pinch out small portion of the pakoda dough and shape them like a tikki or patty and slowly slip it into the oil and fry until the oil stops hissing and the tikkis turn crisp and golden brown.
• Alternatively, you can also just roughly pinch out small portions of the dough and drop them into the oil and fry them until crisp and golden brown.
• Serve with chutney or sauce of your choice and enjoy.

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Carrot Rice - Quick lunch box recipe (Vegan & GF)

Carrot rice is a very healthy and delicious flavored rice and perfect for carrying as a lunch option for kids as well as adults.  This rice is mildly spiced and also there is a subtle hint of sweetness from the grated carrots . We can also add cashews, groundnuts, peas or boiled sweet corn while preparing the carrot masala making it all the more tasty ,healthy and delicious. 

Carrot rice is very simple to make and gets done in less than 15 mins if we have cooked rice ready on hand . If you have to pack an early lunch, you can precook the rice previous night, prepare the carrot masala and in the morning and just mix it with rice ,viola you are lunch box is ready in a jiffy! 

Serve it with some papads and flavored dahi seasoned with some roasted jeera powder or even goes well even with Boondi Raita . To make it even more sumptuous,  you can pack some carrot fries too. (recipe courtesy- Magical Ingredients by Radha R ) 

Have you tried the delicious  

Carrot Pumpkin Soup 

Carrot Kheer (Payasam) 

Evergreen Gajar Halwa

Carrot Sambol   (Srilankan Vegan Salad)

Carrot Koshimbir  from my blog ?? 

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 15 mins
Complexity - Simple 
Serves - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

1.5 cups cooked rice. 
2.5 cups grated carrots 
Handful of boiled sweet corn
Handful of green peas 
2 tbsp groundnuts 
few curry leaves 

1-2 dry red chillies 
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp vangi Baath masala 
1 tsp turmeric powder 
1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp rasam powder
4 tbsp oil 
Salt as needed 

Method

• Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan fry the ground nuts followed  by  mustard seeds ,curry leaves , red chillies and asafoetida. 
• Add the grated carrots ,turmeric powder , red chilli powder and saute it  nicely.  Sprinkle some water and cook covered for 2 mins on medium flame. 
• Open after 2 mins ,the carrots would have become soft and semi cooked,at this stage add the rasam powder, vangi Baath powder ,salt and mix well . Continue closed cooking for another 2 mins.
• Open the lid ,add the boiled corn , peas and mix it nicely.  By now the carrots would have cooked well and become soft.  The masala for the Rice is ready now . 
• Add the cooked rice and carefully mix it with the carrot masala taking care not to break the rice..adjust salt if needed at this stage . Keep the rice covered for 5 to 10 mins for the flavors to steep in well with the rice .you can also add some roasted cashews just before serving. 
• Serve with chilled dahi and papads .

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Thiruvadhirai Kali - Traditional prasadam for Lord Shiva

 Thiruvadhirai Kali is a special offering made to lord shiva / Nataraja in the holy Tamil month of Dhanur /Margargashira/ Margazhi .  Kali and kootu are offered as prasadam on the holy festive occasion of Arudra Darshanam. 

Kali is a sweet dish made from broken rice,  jaggery and flavored with cardamom powder and garnished with cashews nuts fried in ghee . I donot use moong dhall in my version of kali while some families make use of some moong dhall (paasi paruppu) too while preparing kali .

Kali is paired with a special and yet another traditional curry called 7 kari kootu / Thalagam(recipe already on my blog)  made from fresh native vegetables .  The sweet kali and spicy kootu hit the right notes while eating and makes it a very divine and a pleasurable experience.  

This recipe of preparing the kali is very simple and doesn't require much experience.  Even beginners can prepare this and dish out the perfect kali without any hassles.  

In 2021 Arudra Darshanam falls on Monday, 21 Dec

Preparation Time - 20 mins
Cooking Time - 20 mins
Serves - 2 to 3
Complexity - easy 

Ingredients 
1 cup rice
1.5 cups grated jaggery
1 tsp cardamom powder
Few cashews 
3 - 4 tbsp ghee
3.5 cups water 
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut 

Method 

Preparing the broken rice 

• Wash the rice under running water and drain it in a colander for 10 mins
• Roast this rice in a dry kadai until it turns slightly pink and crisp.  Cool and blend it in a blender till you get a consistency like rava. (Has to be coarse and grainy not like a flour) 

Preparing Kali 

• In a thick bottomed vessel heat 1tbsp ghee and fry the cashews until golden brown. 
• Add the water and bring it to a rolling boil while you add the jaggery . Wait until it melts .
• As the jaggery syrup is boiling,add the broken rice slowly and keep stirring to avoid the lumps . Break the lumps in case you feel them.
• Close the kadai and cook on medium flame for 10mins .
• Open the lid carefully after 10 mins and you can see the water has been fully absorbed by the rice and the kali is well cooked resembling the texture of upma. Turn off the stove. 
• Add the remaining ghee, cardamom powder and grated coconut.  Mix it well ,keep covered for 5 to 10 mins to let the flavors steep in .
• Delicious kali is ready to be offered as prasadam.  Prepare the 7 kari kootu also simultaneously and offer it to Lord Nataraja .

 

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Coconut Veg Pulao | Coconut Pulav - Pressure cooker method

 Anyone who follows my blog regularly will for sure know my love for pulaos and the many variations I have tried and posted on my blog .

You all may laugh if I say , I prefer pulao over biryani . I feel pulao is mildly spiced and does not have over powering spices and flavors as is the case with Biryani. I always prefer mild seasoning and spices as part of my meal and that is what suits my palate too .

Today's coconut veg pulao was my mom's speciality and she would make it quite frequently at home . The addition of coconut paste with corriander, mint and few other spices adds a natural creamy and sweet taste to the pulao.  Adding veggies and corn makes it a full meal and can be easily packed for lunch or pot lucks . 

This coconut veg pulao comes handy and is sumptuous to make a full meal by itself on  days when  you are pressed for time and unable to prepare a full fledged meal . I normally pair it with some Ginger Raita or Boondi Raita and some chips for the crunchy element.  

This coconut veg pulao is saatvik which means Onion and Garlic are not used in the recipe ,hence this can be prepared and served on festive days too .

This month we are exploring varities of Biryanis and Pulaos suggested by Swaty in our food group "Shhh cooking secretly challenge" . Swaty has an amazing collection of Pulaos on her blog and this Jodhpuri Pulao in particular has drawn my attention to bookmarking it to make it soon.

I was paired with the talented and super cool Shobha aunty of Shoba's food Maaza for this month theme and we exchanged our secret ingredients and came up with exotic recipes. My secret ingredients to aunty were green chillies and Biryani Masala while she gave me fresh coconut and ghee.

Aunty has prepared a yummy Chole Pulao from Sindhi Cuisine which is so  very inviting and I am waiting to try it soon.

Some more Pulao varieties on my blog for you all to try 

Moti Pulao

Masala Peas Pulao

Chutney Pulao

Aloo Mutter Pulao 

Rajma Pulao

Channa Pulao

Preparation Time - 15 mins
Cooking Time - 20 mins
Complexity - Medium
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients

Assorted Vegetables chopped in to small cubes ( beans , carrot, fresh corn, peas )
2 cups rice
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ghee
fresh corriander for garnish
handful of cashewnuts
salt as needed
pinch of sugar

2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp biryani / pulao masala

whole spices  

small stick Cinnamon,

2 cardamoms

1 tsp jeera 

3 cloves

2 bay leaves

To grind

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
2 green chillies
few mint leaves
handful fresh corriander
small piece of ginger
1/4 tsp saunf/fennel seeds

** skip carrot and ginger for Jain version

**skip ghee for vegan version

Method

• Wash the rice and soak it for 10 mins in water and then drain it through a colander and keep aside.
• Take all the ingredients mentioned under the To Grind section and grind to a fine paste with sufficient water.
• In a pressure pan or pressure cooker, heat the oil and ghee and splutter all the whole spices one by one on very low flame until you get a fragrant aroma.
• Saute all the chopped veggies with a little salt , turmeric and then add the ground coconut paste with 1/2 cup water along with the biryani masala and let the masala cook for 3 to 4 mins.
• Depending on the variety of rice you have taken add the water ( If basmati then for 1 cup rice add 1.5 cups water) . I used 4.5 cups water for the quantity of rice I took . I used thin grained Sona Masuri rice for making the Pulao.
• Let the water boil nicely , adjust salt and spices at this stage. Add the drained rice to this boiling water with pinch of sugar and 2 tsp lime juice ,mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame.
• Let the pressure release naturally . Open the lid and fluff the rice with fork taking care not to break the rice .
• Garnish with fresh corriander and roasted cashew nuts just before serving.

Kozhukkattai | Modakam | Modak

Lovingly as Ganesha is called "Modaka Priya" meaning a lover of Modakams , have you ever thought ,how this name stuck to him ? Well ,then read on to find out .... 

 Kozhukkattai or Modak are Lord Ganesha's favorite and we offer these incredibly delicious offering made from rice flour and jaggery on Ganesh Chaturthi and also during the monthly Sankashti Chaturthi.  

Kozhukkattai is also offered to Devi Varamahalaxmi during the Varalakshmi Viratham observed in the month of August. 

A small story ......

Baby Ganesha  used to love ladooos a lot and he would go on eating them but never felt satiated. Once Devi Parvati  was out of ladoos and that's when she  came up with this idea of stuffing coconut and jaggery in rice flour dumplings and serve it to Ganesha ,to see if his hunger is satisfied.  The moment Ganesha ate this Modakam,he developed an instant liking and also declared that he felt full after eating these Kozhukkattais. Hence , devi Parvati mentioned that any devotee who offers these kozhukattai or Modakams to Her son  Vinayaka they would be blessed abundantly and all their wishes would be fulfilled. 

 Isn't it a nice myth behind Modaka being an eternal favorite of Ganesha  and he being referred as Modaka Priya?

Since we spoke of ladoos also being Lord Vinayaka's favorite, panchakajjaya ladoo is a traditional prasadam from Udupi cuisine which is offered during the festive season . My friend Preethi has detailed the process of making these traditional panchakajjaya  ladoo seem like a child's play . 

Kozhukkattai or Kozhukkata ,as easy as it may sound ,the tricky part is making the outer cover from rice. Once we master the art of getting the dough right,then making the Kozhukkattai is a breeze .

 There are 3 main steps involved in making the Kozhukkattai 

• Preparing the rice flour dough for the outer covering. 
• Jaggery coconut mixture for stuffing in the modakam
• Steaming the prepared modakam.

I have been following this recipe of making kozhukkatai for last 4 or 5 years and it has never failed me . This recipe was taught to me by Bageerathy Aunty who gave me the confidence that making modakam is not as hard as it may seem . 

Do follow this recipe to the T and you won't fail at all . Initially there might be some hiccups when you shape the modakm ,but as it is said practice makes one perfect, if you take the lord's name and keep preparing 3 or 4 times you can easily master this wonderful art of making kozhukkatai. 

 

Soaking Time - 3 hrs 
Preparation Time - 45 mins
Steaming Time - 7 to 8 mins
Makes - 10 to 12 modaks

Ingredients 

For the outer cover 
1 cup rice 
2 cups water 
Pinch of salt 
1 tsp oil 

Pre Preparation for the Rice flour dough

Wash and soak the rice in sufficient water for  3 to 4 hrs .

For the stuffing 
1 cup fresh grated coconut 
3/4 cup powdered jaggery
1tsp cardamom powder /elaichi powder 

Method 

Jaggery Stuffing 

• Melt the powdered jaggery in 1/4 cup water. 
• Let it come to a rolling boil or until all the jaggery is dissolved .
• To this, add the grated coconut ,elaichi powder and mix it well .
•  Cook on slow flame until you get a nice glossy mixture .Turn off the stove and transfer this mixture to a plate and let it cool . 

Outer covering for Modakam

• Transfer the soaked rice to a blender with 2 cups of water and grind to a very fine paste. 
• The batter will be runny and that is how it has to be.  Incase you happen  to add extra water ,donot worry ,it can be handled while cooking the dough .
• Strain this rice flour batter through a strainer to remove any rice grits that may have remained while grinding .
• To the strained batter add a pinch of salt and oil and mix well.
• Heat a heavy bottomed fry pan or vessel and transfer this batter to it . Reduce the flame to medium.
• Go on stirring the batter and you will observe the batter begins to thicken and starts forming lumps.
• Keep stirring and breaking the lumps until all the batter is well cooked and it appears lumpy. 
• To see if the batter is cooked well ,touch with your fingers and the dough must not stick on the fingers.  If it sticks continue cooking for 1 more min. 
• Turn off the stove and close the dough with a lid . The dough will further get cooked on this heat
•  Once the dough is warm enough to handle ,transfer it to a large plate ,grease your palm with some ghee or oil and knead the dough for 5 to 6 mins until you get a soft ,crack free and smooth dough . 
• Pinch out a portion of the dough and you should be able to roll into a smooth ball without cracks . This is the right consistency of the dough . If you are getting cracks while rolling ,the sprinkle a little hot water and continue to knead further till you get the desired consistency.  
• Cover this with a damp cotton cloth until use.

Shaping the Modakam 

• Grease your palms and  pinch out a small lemon sized portion of the dough.  Roll it into a smooth ,crackfree ball.
• Make a dent in the center of the dough with your thumb .
• Starting from the center ,start flattening the dough towards the outer circumference till you get a nice base to put in the stuffing. 
• (This process is similar to how we roll and shape the wheat flour into a cup to stuff the filling for aloo paratha) 
• Take a spoonful of the stuffing and place it in the center and then bring in all the sides of the outer cover to the top shaping it like a cone . 
• If you are finding it difficult to shape it like a modak ,you can also shape it like a semi circle.  (Refer to the second image) 
• Continue this process for the entire set of dough and filling and keep the modaks ready .
• Prepare a steamer as we do for idlis and place these modaks inside the steamer and steam for 6 to 7 mins . You can see the jaggery syrup slightly oozing out and the outer cover will appear glossy . This is an indication that the modaks have been steamed to perfection. 
• Donot over steam as the outer cover will become hard. 
• Once the modaks have been steamed,let it cool down for a while before offering to the lord.

Pin it up for future 

Mix Vegetable Rice - Kannu Pongal special (Vegan,GF& Saatvik)

 We are always on the look out for quick lunch box recipes which are filling at the same time healthy and nutritious. My to go choice for such quick recipes is always some variety of mixed rice like pulao ,biryanis or south indian style variety rice .

As much Pulaos and Biryanis are sought after delicacies in North Indian Cuisine, South Indian cuisine has a variety of flavored rice known as Chitrannam / Chitranna / Kalandha Saadham .

If you have been following my blog regularly you would have observed I have posted most of the traditional south Indian variety rice recipes which are very popular and a must have on special occasions.  

Festivals like Aadi Perukku and Kannu Pongal are days when we prepare an elaborate spread of variety rice .For these festivals minimum of 3 variety rice is prepared and max is about 7 or 9 varieties. 

Both these festivals are a way of expressing our gratitude to The Nature for having bestowed us with abundant natural resources which helps in fetching a good yield of crops year on year .

Kaanum Pongal / Kannu Pongal is celebrated on the day after Pongal/ Sankranti where the cattle is worshipped and farmers pay their respects.  The family then  rejoices this day with friends and relatives and they share the delicacies prepared in each home. 

Also,during Navaratri ,each day a special chitrannam is prepared as Prasad for Devi Maa.

If you haven't checked on these recipes , do click the links below and try them the next time you are pressed for choices 😉 

• Lemon Rice | Ellumcha Pazha Saadham 
• Coconut Rice | Thengaai Saadham
• Puliyogre | Tamarind Rice 
• Ellu Saadham | Sesame Rice 
• Karvepillai Saadham | Curry leaves Rice
• Iyengar Spl Kadhamba Saadham | Mix veg Sambar Rice 
• Maavinkaai Chitranna | Raw Mango Rice 
• Thayir Saadham/ Dhaddhiyodhanam| Curd Rice
• Lemon Capsicum Rice 
• Capsicum Rice | Capsicum Baath 
• Kalkandu Saadham | Sugar candy rice 
• Sakkarai Pongal | Jaggery Rice 

This Monday is the 281st week in our FMBH group and Narmadha is the hostess. She suggested we share variety rice dishes which are the speciality of any region barring Pulaos and Biryanis as they are a wide range by themselves.  Narmadha's Srilankan Pol Roti (Coconut Roti) is very interesting and something very unique which I would like to try .

Today's recipe of mix vegetable rice is very simple yet flavorful at the same time .There are no spl fancy spice mixes needed just the usual ones we have in our kitchen shelves . I personally love this rice very much because it is loaded with vegetables and can be paired with some chilled curd and chips . A simple cucumber raita is also a good combination for this mix veg rice. If you follow Vegan diet ,you can pair this with some simple Dal tadka or Rajma Masala.

Donot forget to pin this recipe 

Preparation Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 20 mins
Complexity - Simple 
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

2 cups cooked rice 
1 -2 medium sized potato
2 medium carrots
8 to 10 fresh French beans
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas 

2tbsp cooking oil

2 tsp mustard seeds
Salt as needed 
2 tsp sambar powder
1 tsp dhaniya powder 
1/2 tsp haldi 
1/2 tsp red chilli powder 
Fresh corriander finely chopped
Few curry leaves 
1 tsp sugar 
1 tsp tamarind extract 
Pinch of asafoetida (skip for GF) 

Method 

• The rice must be well cooked at the same time fluffy and separate. Spread the rice of a wide plate and allow it cool completely before you mix it .
• Chop all the vegetables into small cubes and keep aside 
• In a wide pan , heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds and asafoetida followed by curry leaves.
• Add the vegetables, salt , haldi and red chilli powder and stir it well . Sprinkle some water and cook covered with occasional stirring . 
• Once the veggies are half cooked add the dhaniya powder , sambar powder ,fresh corriander leaves ,sprinkle some more water and continue cooking covered. 
• After a while you can see the vegetables are well cooked .Adjust salt at this stage ,add the tamarind extract and sugar and continue to cook covered for another 2 or 3 mins until you see the vegetables releasing oil and water on its own from the sides .
• Turn off the stove, add the cooked rice to this vegetable mixture , spread some oil and mix it carefully without breaking the rice.  
• Donot over mix else they will turn mushy . Carefully mix the rice with the vegetable mixture so that the vegetable mixture gets evenly coated and mixed with the rice. 
• Let it sit for 20 mins before you serve. This well help the rice absorb all the flavors nicely .
• Warm it up a bit just before serving. Tasty and healthy vegetable rice is ready .
• You can fry some peanuts or cashewnuts and garnish it just before serving .