Sorakkai/Bottle Gourd Rava Ladoo Repost!!!

I usually make Rava Ladoo, this time tried with Sorakkai/Bottle Gourd. Sometime back this was showed on TV and tried by my friend.  It was different, tasty and moist.

Ingredients
Sorakkai/Bottle Gourd - 1/2 cup
Rava - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup(as per taste)
Elachi/Cardamom - powder of 2 pods
Ghee - 1 tspn + little more
Cashews/Pistachoes - few
Milk - 1 to 2 tspns

Preparation Method
Grate Sorakkai and squeeze just little water but not fully. Keep it aside.

Heat a thick bottom kadai, add 1/2 tspn ghee, add rava and roast till its slightly brown and gets good aroma. Transfer it to a wide vessel. Add sugar, press and mix well with a spoon.

In the same pan, add 1/2 tspn ghee, add grated sorakkai saute till the raw smell goes. Add this to the rava mixture.


In the same pan, add little ghee and fry chopped nuts till brown. Add this also to the mixture.


Now mix everything finely with a spoon.


Sprinkle little milk as sorakkai is little moist and mix to a soft dough by hand.


Take lemon size of the mix to get round shape.


Store it in an air tight container and enjoy. This will be perfect to eat next day or rests for a 2 -3 hrs. Its good to prepare for guests and festivals.

This recipe along with my Carrot Rice Payasam, Dumroot Halwa and MW Low Fat Carrot Halwa, Carrot Halwa, Jackfruit Payasam are going to Celebrate Sweets Fruits n Veggie by Raks and Nivedita.

This recipe alongwith the following is going for
"IndusLadies.com eBook for Diwali.

Badam Puri - http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2009/05/badam-puri.html

Seven Cup -  http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2009/06/seven-cup.html

Maaladu/Besan Ladu - http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2009/03/maaladubesan-laadu-recipe.html

Holige/Obattu - http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2011/04/holigeobattu-step-by-step-recipe.html

Sorakayi Rava Laddu - http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2011/04/sorakkaibottle-gourd-rava-ladoo.html

Carrot Rice Payasam - http://simplysara07.blogspot.com/2011/04/carrot-rice-payasamkheer.html

Amani Kozhakattai Payasam Step by Step Recipe | Vinayagar Chathurthi Recipe!!!

WISH ALL MY READERS A VERY HAPPY VINAYAGAR|GANESH CHATHURTHI. GANAPATHI BAPPA MOURYA!!!!


Amani Kozhakattai Payasam is prepared with rice flour dough and cooked in jaggery and milk.


Preparations are started for Tomorrow's Vinayagar Chathurthi at my home. Some of the dishes are Ullandhu Kozhakattai, Poornam Kozhakattai,Karjikai/Somasi, Ellu Urudai, Paruppu Payasam, Sundal and more. For more recipes on Vinayagar Chathurthi you can browse Indusladies Forum for more recipes here.


Steps

Dough

Take little dough.

Spread it lengthwise.

Take little portion and make small balls.

Place it in the idli plate and steam.

Recipe
Ingredients
Kozhakattai Maavu - 1 cup(Approximate 20 tiny balls) to make the dough click here.
Vellam/Jaggery - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Fresh Grated coconut - 1 cup
Rice - 1/2 tspn
Elakka/Elachi - 1no


Preparation Method
Steam the kozhakattai urundai, with other kozhakattai and keep ready.
Heat a vessel, add vellam/jaggery with little water, let it dissolve. Filter it if any mud particles are there.
Grind coconut, rice and ellaka in mixer or blender with little water to fine paste.
Again boil the vellam/jaggery till raw smell goes, then add milk, kozhakattai urundai. Mix well an boil in simmer flame.

Ammni Kozhakattai Payasam is ready to offer for Lord Vinayagar and Enjoy!!!

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take a picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Do follow me on Instagram id - saraswathiyer for more food stories and recipe ideas.Thank you.

Arasi Paruppu Payasam | Happy Gokulashtami/Krishna Janmashtami!!!

Payasam is a mix of Rice, Jaggery and choice of Dal. Here I have used Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu, its very aromatic and tasty. I have posted few payasam varieties here. I prepared this for Avani Avittam Festival on Saturday.

It was perfect and everyone liked at my home. This recipe was taught by my Mother in Law, Thanks a lot.

Pic courtesy : Google images

Wish you all a very Happy Gokulashtami!!!


Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients
Rice - 1/2 cup(I used Ponni)
Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu - 2 tspns
Vellam/Jaggery - 1.5 cups(powdered or broken)
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup + Rice - 1/2 tspn(for grinding)
Elachi powder - 1/4 tspn
Milk - 1 glass
Ghee - 1 tspn
Cashews/Raisins - 2 tspns


Preparation Method
Wash, rinse rice and channa dal. Pressure cook upto 3 whistles with water.
In a vessel, add vellam/jaggery with 1/2 cup water and allow it to dissolve. If required add more water, once its fully dissolved, filter it and again start boiling in low flame on occasional stirring till the raw smell of Jaggery goes.
Grind the coconut and rice with little water to fine paste.
Once the pressure is gone, take the rice and dal mix and mash it with a laddle/karandi.
Add the rice, dal mix to the jaggery, coconut paste and mix well.
Finally add milk and boil well. It should be to medium consistency. off the stove


Heat ghee in a pan, add cashews and raisins. Fry till brown and add to the payasam.


Delicious Payasam is ready for Neivedyam and Enjoy it warm or chill!!!

Once again wish Happy Gokulashtami to all friends celebrating the festival.


Until my next post. Happy Weekend.


Cheers,
Saraswathi

Holige/Obattu ಹೋಳಿಗೆ/ಒಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು Step by Step Recipe!!!

Holige/Obattu ಹೋಳಿಗೆ/ಒಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು is one of the popular sweet in South India - Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu . Its popular and must sweet in Karnataka for festivals, weddings and functions. I prepared this for Tamil New Year in Karnataka style. My mom and dad helped me in this. Thanks a lot.

Ingredients
Chiroti Rava/Small sooji,semolina - 2 cups
Salt a pinch
Turmeric - 2 pinches
Oil - 1 cup

For Filling/Hoorna/Poornam
Toor Dal - 2 cups
Jaggery - 2cups(As per your taste)
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Cardamom powder/Elakka - a pinch
Preparation Method - Step by Step Method

Mix Rava, turmeric, 1 tspn oil, salt with little water and form soft dough. Pour oil and leave it for 3-4 hrs.(You can do this previous day too and leave it in fridge.) Keep punching and beat it like chapathi dough.The more it rests, the obattu will be very soft.

Pressure cook toor dal to one whistle, strain the water and keep aside for rasam. Allow dal to cool. I will post this photo soon.

For Filling/Hoorna now Grind toor dal, jaggery, grated coconut and elachi powder to fine paste.  (Wash the mixie with water and keep aside this mixture for rasam)

Take a thin plastic paper grease it with oil.

Take small balls of the dough, knead it to a puri shape and fill it with lemon size hoorna.

Close all the edges turn it.

Knead with a rolling pin to form a chapathi shape slowly.

Heat a tawa/skillet, grease your hands and slowly remove from plastic sheet and put in on the tawa/skillet.

You can put ghee or oil and cook both sides till light brown.

Follow the same procedure with the rest of dough.

Delicious Holige/Obattu is ready to serve. It will be very soft because of the rava. You can eat after 2days too.

Notes - You can store the balance dough and filling in air tight container and refridge it for later use.

Mangai Pachadi and methods!!!

Wish you all a very Happy Vishu!!!

Mangai/Raw Mango Pachadi is a traditional South Indian side dish prepared for the New Year.

Ingredients
Mangai/Raw Mango - 1/2 no
Vellam/Jaggery - lemon size
Water -1 cup + little more
Sambar Powder or Chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Green Chilli - 1no(slit)
Salt

Talipu/Seasoning
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Peringayam/Hing/Asafotida- a pinch
Venthayam/Fenugreek seeds - 1/12 tspn
Veepam Poo/Neem Flowers - 1/2 tspn(Optional)

Preparation
Method 1
Wash, remove skin and cut mango into thin slices.
In a wide vessel/kadai, add mango, jaggery, water, green chilli, sambar/chilli powder and salt. Boil well in medium flame until mango cooks and becomes thick and blends well like gravy.
Add more water if required.
Season it with above ingredients and add to the gravy.

Method 2
Wash, remove skin and cut mango into thin slices.

In a vessel, add mango, jaggery, water, green chilli, sambar/chilli powder and salt.
Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and season it.

Method 3
You can try microwaving too in a microwave safe dish with same ingredients above.

My preparation is Method 1.

Tangy Mangai Pachadi is ready.

Serve with hot steamed rice or sidedish for sambar, kootu and curd rice.

Checkout Kerala recipes for Vishu here.
Aviyal
Puli Inji
Palapazham/Jackfruit Payasam
Sweets

Notes
You can also use mango with skin.
Veepam Poo/Neem Flowers - If you are using fry in ghee or oil separately and garnish it.

Happy Ugadi!!!!

Dear Readers,

Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous Ugadi.

Wish you all Happy Ugadi!!! Ugadi is a New year celebrated in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka by Telugu and Kannadigas. This is also called Chandramana Ugadi. Chaitra masa starts on this day. Bevu Bella which is mixture of neem leaves and jaggery is served in Karnataka. Ugadi Pachadi is prepared in Andhra Pradesh. Sweet and bitter represents joys and sorrows of life. People take oil bath, wear new dress and offer special prayers.

Gudi Padwa is also new year celebrated in Maharashtra, India on the same day .

Many delicious food is cooked and celebrated with family and friends.
Dishes prepared on this day in Karnataka are
Parap Boli(Bele Obattu in Kannada) - Prepared with stuffing of dal and jaggery in  dough.

Thenga Boli(Kai Obattu in Kannada)

 Coconut Boli

Kosambari

Lemon Rice/Chitraanna

Masala Vada(Am vade)

Obatt rasam

Karadaiyan Nombu | Adai Recipes!

I am reposting this again, since today is the Nombu Festival. I am going off to prepare. Happy Karadaiyan Nombu to all ladies.

Karadaiyan Nombu is on 14th March between 8.00 and 9.30pm. It is a festival celebrated by Hindu married women. The story behind this is Savitri observed fast(upavasam) for the sake of well being and long life of her husband Satyavan. It is continued and believed by tying a yellow thread tied with flowers keeping turmeric at the center in front of Goddess photos. The thread is tied during the time Panguni Masam starts temple priest is best person to get exact time. Prayers are done by Hindu married women offering pooja, vella adai & kara adai, breaking coconut, offering fruits along with betel leaves, betel nuts and turmeric.

After pooja is done, they eat kara adai and sweet adai in plantain leaf with edge.

There are two types of adai sweet and salt. Recipe as follows:

Kara Adai

Ingredients

Karamani(Black eye beans) – 1 cup
Rice Flour – 2 cups
Oil – 5 tspns
Mustard – ½ tspn
Bengal gram/Urad dal – 1 tspn
Asafotida – 1 pinch
Dry Red Chilli – 2 nos
Curry leaves – 10 nos (chopped)
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Salt

Preparation method

Cook karamani(brown or white) in pressure cooker for about 3 whistles and keep aside.
In a thick bottom kadai, season it with oil, mustard, wait till it spulters.
Add Bengal gram, urad dal, asafetida wait till it turns brown.
Add curry leaves and dry red chillies and sauté for few mins.
Add 4 to 5 cups of water. Allow it to boil.
Now add the cooked karamani and salt. Stir for few mins.
Add grated coconut and mix well.
Add rice flour and keep stirring till it absorbs all water in medium-low heat.
Off the stove and mix well like chapathi dough by hand.
Take a plantain leaf or plastic sheet and grease oil on it.
Make small balls, spread by hand to small round patties and make a hole in the center.
Steam the patties in idli cooker or pressure cooker(without whistle) for 20mins.

Karaadai is ready to serve with butter.

Vella Adai

Ingredients

Karamani(Black eye beans) – 1 cup
Rice Flour – 2 cups
Jaggery – 1 ½ cups(you can lessen if you want less sweet)
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Cardamom powder – 1 tspn

Preparation method
Cook karamani(brown or white) in pressure cooker for about 3 whistles and keep aside.
In a thick bottom kadai, put jaggery and water. Wait till it dissolves and filter it to remove mud particles.
Transfer it to a vessel.
Now add the cooked karamani. Stir for few mins.
Add grated coconut and cardamom powder mix well.
Add rice flour and keep stirring till it absorbs all water.
Off the stove and mix well like chapathi dough by hand.
Take a plantain leaf or plastic sheet and grease oil on it.
Make small balls, spread by hand to small round patties and make a hole in the center.
Steam the patties in idli cooker or pressure cooker(without whistle) for 20mins.

Vella Adai is ready to serve.

Note - The quantity of jaggery can be reduced or increased according to one's requirement.

URAD DAL /MEDHU VADAI

MEDHU VADAI IS A DEEP FRIED SNACK. POPULARLY KNOWN WITH COMBINATION OF VADAI SAMBAR IN SOUTH INDIA AS BREAKFAST OR TIFFIN WITH IDLI OR DOSAS.

INGREDIENTS

URAD DAL – 2 CUPS

BLACK PEPPERCONS – 2 TSPNS

CURRY LEAVES – 2 TSPNS( CHOPPED)

OIL – TO DEEP FRY

GINGER – SMALL PIECE
Green chilli - 2 nos

SALT

PREPARATION METHOD

SOAK URAD DAL FOR 3 to 4 HRS.

GRIND LIKE THICK BATTER WITHOUT ADDING MUCH WATER WITH GINGER, Green chilli AND SALT.
NOW MIX PEPPER AND CURRY LEAVES TO THE BATTER
KEEP PAN WITH OIL IN OVEN TO DEEP FRY.
IN A BOWL KEEP WATER DIP YOUR HAND AND TAKE BATTER.
ONCE THE OIL IS HOT TAKE LEMON SIZE PORTION OF BATTER AND MAKE A WHOLE AND DROP IN OIL.
DEEP FRY BOTH SIDE UNTIL BROWN

SERVE HOT WITH SAMBAR OR CHUTNEY. YOU CAN SOAK IN CURDS/YOGURT AND HAVE THAYIR VADAI.

NOTES - YOU CAN ALSO ADD LITTLE RICE FLOUR OR A PINCH OF SODA TO THE BATTER.
If you are grinding in mixie do not prepare vadas immediately after grinding. Allow  for 1 to 2 hrs and then prepare it.

Happy Pongal and Paruppu Vadai/Dal Vada Recipe!!!

Wish you and your family a very Happy and Prosperous Pongal and Sankranthiya Subhashayagalu. Pongaloo Pongal!!!

For Sakkarai Pongal recipe click here

To know more about this festival click here

To know about dishes prepared on this day click here

Today I prepared Pasi Paruppu Payasam and Paruppu/Dal Vadai for the Bhogi Festival which is the first day of Pongal. This recipe is pending is very long time in my drafts.

Paruppu Vadai/Dal Vada is prepared on all auspicious ocassions without onion and garlic.

Here goes the recipe

Ingredients

Kadalai Paruppu/Channa Dal  3 cups

Dry Red Chilli 2 nos(as per your taste)

Inji/Ginger a small piece

Asafotida/Hing 1/4 tspn

Curry leaves/Coriander leaves  few chopped

Salt

Little water

Oil for deep frying

Optional

Paasi Paruppu/Moong dal  2 tspns(soaked separately)

Grated coconut  2 tspns

Preparation Method

Soak kadalai paruppu for 4 to 5 hours in water.

Then add coarsely with salt, red chilli, ginger in mixie or blender without adding much water to paste.

Transfer it to wide bowl, add rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Heat a kadai with oil take small balls, flatten in on hand and drop in oil slowly.

Deep fry them till brown.

Paruppu Vadai is ready to serve. You can serve hot or cold. I like it cold it tastes great.

This recipe alongwith my Pongal recipe is going to Pongal Feast Event by Kurinji and Deep Fried Snacks by Radhika.

Notes : Adding Paasi paruppu/Moong dal makes crispier and coconut gives nice flavour.

Celebrate Thiruvadarai with Kali and Kootu (Tamil Iyers Special) - Reposting with new photos

Thiruvadarai is on 22nd December 2010. It is also called Aarudra Darisanam. Thiruvadarai is Lord Shiva's star which falls on full moon day in the tamil month of Margazhi. Speacial prayers are performed at 9th January night in various Shiva temples all over India.

courtesy - http://www.templenet.com/

Celebrate Thiruvadarai with Kali and Ezhukari Kootu.

Here goes the recipe for Thiruvadarai Kali.

 

Ingredients

Rice Rava - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

Cardamom - 1 tspn (powdered)

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Ghee - 4 tspns

ashews - 6 nos

Water - 3 cups

Preparation Method

Preparation of rice rava Fry 1 cup of normal rice untill it turns light brown. Transfer it to a bowl and cool it. Grind to coarse powder in mixie(Like rava/semolina/sooji)

Fry 1 cup of moong dal till light brown and transfer it to a separate bowl.

Preparation of Thiruvathirai Kali:
In a kadai, add jaggery, add 1 1/2cup water to dissolve. Strain it prior to boiling to remove muddy particles generally present in Jaggery.

Boil moong dal with 1 1/2cup water separately and once ready add it to the jaggery water and boil it. When the desired consistency is achieved add rice rava little by little and keep stirring to avoid formation of lumps.

Add ghee and stir to make kali rich.

Add grated coconut and cardamom powder for taste and flavour.

Make the flame low and close the lid for few mins till rava is well cooked.

Heat ghee and fry the cashews (If you wish add more ghee to get good taste) mix well.

Kali is ready to serve with Ezhukari Kootu.

Here goes recipe for Kootu

Ingredients
Sweet Potato(Large) - 1 no
Potato - 2 nos
Yam (senai Kizhangu) - 1 small piece
Koorkai(Siru Kizhangu) - 6 nos
Arbi (Cheppankizhangu) - 2 nos
Chow Chow(Chayote) - 1no
Avarakai - 50gms
Mochaka - 50gms
Turmeric - a pinch
Grated coconut - 2 cups
Green chilli - 3 nos
Curry leaves - 2 tspns
Coconut oil - 2 tspns
Salt to taste
Preparation Method
Wash all the vegetables and cut them into medium size pieces.
In a Kadai, put all the vegetables with little water, salt and turmeric and cook.
Grind in mixie grated coconut and green chillies.
Once its 3/4th cooked add this mixture and mix well (do not over cook then vegetables will be mashed)
Keep it in medium flame, add little water if required.
Add 2 tspns coconut oil and curry leaves.Kootu is a side dish gravy for the Kali. It is called Ezhukari Kootu because we use 5 rooted vegetables and 2 any other vegetables. If you dont get rooted vegetables you can do with other vegetables also.

Allow it to boil.

From my mom's kitchen Kootu is ready to serve with Kali.

Banana Appams for Karthigai

Appam is my family favourite sweet. This time for Karthigai, I prepared with bananas and its tasted great. Then next day sent to my hubby's office for his colleagues and it was a great hit. It has an amazing flavour. My son loves the mini version too.

Ingredients
Raw Rice/Idli rice - 1 cup
Vellam/Jaggery - 1 cup (If you like more sweet can add little extra)
Ripe Banana - 1 no(If you dont have riped one can used normal one too)
Cardamom Powder - a pinch
Oil as required

Preparation Method
Wash and soak rice in water for 3-4 hours.
Grind rice for 1-2 rounds in mixie, then add jaggery, banana and grind to smooth paste.
Transfer it to a bowl and leave it for 5-7 hours.(I left it overnight)
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
Heat a non stick Appam Chetti or Kuzhipaniyaram Chetti, with 1 tspn oil each.
Pour batter to 3/4th of the chetti. Reduce flame to medium low otherwise it becomes black.
Cook and turn the overside and cook till its dark brown.

I used Tikka sticks. You can also use fork to turn them.

Super soft Banana Appam is ready to serve.

Notes - If you want, can make mini appams by just pouring half the Kuzhi. It will be loved by Kids.

This recipe is going off to Aipi's -Veggie/Fruit a Month - Ripe Banana Event started by Priya.

Navaratri Begins.....

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Navarathri.

Navarathri is going to begin from tomorrow after this Mahalaya Amavasya day. Navarathri means a 9 day festival of Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswathi and Goddess Durga.

This is celebrated by Hindu religion in different states of India.

You can see Golu i.e decorating the house with dolls. They keep 3,5 or 11 padi/steps. Each day various prasadam is prepared and exchanged with ladies. Gifts are also bought and given with Kumkum. Many people keep fast on these days. Sundal is a usual prasadam prepared with the dals and its very healthy. These 10days food is prepared without onion and garlic.

Mysore, Karnataka, India is famous for Mysore Dasara and 10days its celebrated very grand.

Navarathri starts from 8th Oct and ends on 17th October. 16th October is Saraswathi Pooja, on this day books and music instruments are kept for pooja. 17th October is Vijayadashami. Aksharabyasam is also done for children before going to school on this day. Children enroll into music, dance and other classes on these days. During these 10days of the festival cleaning or dusting are to be avoided until the Ayudha Pooja day. In many places classical music navaratri concerts are conducted.

Lots of sweets are distributed in factories and many enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

In North India, they have garba and dhandiya cultural dance for this festival.

On Mahalaya Amavasya payasam or sweet is prepared and offered to God.

Since am abroad we dont keep Golu but still do all the pooja and prasadams.

Here is the prayer when lighting the lamp sent by my cousin.

Subham Karoti Kalyanam

Arogyam Dhana Sampadah

Shatru Buddhi Vinashaya

Dipa Jyotir Namostute

Some more information on Goddess Durga

Who is Goddess Durga and the meaning of Durga?



Durga, in Sanskrit means "She who is incomprehensible or difficult to reach." Goddess Durga is a form of Shakti worshiped for her gracious as well as terrifying aspect. Mother of the Universe, she represents the infinite power of the universe. The manifestation of Goddess Durga is said to emerge from Her formless essence.

She is also called by many other names, such as Parvati, Ambika, and Kali. In the form of Parvati, She is known as the divine spouse of Lord Shiva and is the mother of Her two sons, Ganesha and Karttikeya, and daughter Jyoti. Destroyer of demons, she is worshiped during an annual festival called Durg


Her Appearance


There are endless aspects of Durga described in the Puranas and Agamas and the iconography is consequently very varied. She is usually pictured as having ten arms holding Sword, Conch, Discus, Rosary, Bell, Winecup, Shielf, Bow, Arrow, and Spear. She is most often shown riding a lion from which comes Simhavahini. She is gorgeously dressed in royal red cloth and has several ornaments decorating her beauty. Her hair is dressed up in a crown (karandamukuta) which then flows out in long luxuriant tresses that are darkly luminous and soothing to the eye. The various tools reflect the eminent supremacy that helps in controlling the universe.


* Will upload photos of Golu soon.

For Sundal Recipes click here
Pacha Payir Karamani Sundal
Verkadalai Sundal
Kondakadalai Sundal