Karthigai/Thiruvannamalai Deepam Appam Pori Recipe!

Karthigai Deepam falls on 1st of December 2009 and is observed by Hindus all over the world and mainly in Tamilnadu, India . Lamps are lit daily for 30 days beginning a grand day on the 1st day. Crackers are burst mostly reserved after Deepavali. People visit Lord Murugan (Son of Lord Shiva) temples and offer pooja. They also visit Vishnu temples and observe Vishnu Deepam is tomorrow celebrated by Iyengars. Day 3 thats day after tomorrow is Kuppa Karthigai were lamp is lit everywhere mainly at entrance of the house.

Thousands of people visit Thiruvannamalai temple to see the Deepam(Lamp) lit in temple which is in Tamilnadu and offer prayers for the well being of families.

House is decorated with decorative lamps and prasadams are offered to god. Pooja is performed in the evening with Pori, Appam and Adai as Neivedyam.

Traditional Festive Food without onion and garlic is prepared includes special Vella Aval Pori Urundai(Sweet Beaten Puffed Rice Balls), Nel Pori Urundai(Puffed Rice Balls made from Paddy), Appam and Adai.

I am giving recipes for Vella Aval Pori Urundai(Sweet Beaten Puffed Rice Balls) and Nel Pori Urundai(Puffed Rice Balls made from Paddy)

I would like to thank my Father and Mother in law for their help in making these.

Vella Aval Pori Urundai and Nel Pori Urundai

Ingredients
Pori - 400 gms
Vellam(Jaggery) - 3 cups(1.5 paavu)
Fresh Coconut - 1 cup(cut into tiny pieces)
Fried Groundnut(Varutha Verkadalai) - 1/2 cup(Optional)
Sukku Podi(Dry ginger powder) - 1/2 tspn
Elakkai Podi(Cardamom powder) - a pinch

Preparation Method

Clean and Seive Pori.

In a kadai, add vellam and sprinkle little water and start dissolving. Once its dissolved filter it since mud particles will be there in vellam.

Then again pour the liquid in the kadai and start boiling it until its 1 string consistency. Keep stirring in low medium flame.(You can also check this by taking little water in a cup and pour a spoon of Jaggery paste (Vella Paggu). If you can make a small ball out of it then its correct consistency (padam)

Now add Dry Ginger Powder, Coconut Pieces, Elaichi (Cardemum) Powder and Groundnut and mix well. Reduce the flame.

Disolving of Jaggery Checking of Padam

In a wide vessel take the pori and slowly add this hot vella paggu. Caution since Paagu is very hot, dont mix with hand. Take a laddle and mix fully once its slightly cool. Start making balls and keep aside.

Repeat the same process for leftover pori too.

This is the same procedure for Nel Pori Urundai also.

Checkout my recipe for 
Adai.
Appam /Nei Appam
Banana Appam
Salt Appam (without onion)

Note - If you cannot make balls take little rice flour(Arasi Maav) apply to your hands and make balls. Sometimes after doing this too you cannot make balls its because of mistake in the Vella Paggu so have as it is....

Happy Karthigai!!!

Tikki Puri | Bengaluru Style Street Food

Tikki Puri is one of the famous evening chaats. I used to eat a lot on Street side(Road side shops) in Bangalore. This is very tasty and tangy.

Ingredients
Puris - 7 nos(per plate) or as you wish(Homemade or Store bought
Puffed Rice(Pori) - 1 cup
Grated carrot - 2 tspns
Finely chopped onion - 2 tspns
Finely chopped tomato - 1 tspn
Green chutney - 1 tspn (for recipe click here )
Sweet chutney - 1 tspn (for recipe click here )
Chaat masala - 1/2 tspn
Salt a pinch.
Plain Sev or Mixture - for garnishing(I ran out of it.....:-))
(You can change the quantity of the ingredients as per your taste)


Preparation Method

Place all the Puris on a plate. Gently press in the centre and make hole.
Now add all the ingredients one by one in it.
Finally garnish with Puffed Rice and Mixture.

Enjoy Streetside Tikki Puri. Eat one whole Puri....at a time....

Apple Juice and an Award:-)

Juices are always refreshing. Heres recipe for Apple Juice which is healthy and tasty.
Health Info - Next to water, fresh fruit juices mix with blood within 6 hours. You might have heard this "An Apple a day keeps the doctor away". If you eat an apple in the morning it keeps us active throughout the day.

Recipe for the Juice

Take 1 big red apple remove skin and seeds. cut into small cubes. (If you dont remove skin filter it after blending)

In a mixer add apple, 1 glass water and 1 tspn sugar. Blend well. (Add water if its thick and blend again)
Apple Juice is ready to serve.

Now its Award Time:-)

I thank my dear friend Rekha for passing this award to me. I would love to pass this to all my bloggers friends who have not received this award.

Vegetable Upma!

Upma is a very tasty breakfast/tiffen in South India. Its my all time favourite... I know many don't like this but actually its very yummy. We can do many variations in upma I am giving recipe for Vegetable Upma. Upma is a frequent dish in my house which is quick and easy to prepare.

This recipe is a long time pending in my drafts. Rava and Vegetables are good for health for growing kids.

Ingredients

Rava(Semolina/Sooji) - 2 cups
Water - 5 to 6 cups

Carrot - 1 no(Chopped into fine pieces)

Beans - few (Chopped into fine pieces)

Green peas - 1 cup

Potato - 2 nos(chopped into fine pieces)

Oil - 4 tspns

Ghee - 1 tspn

Green chilli - 2 nos(As per taste)

Mustard - 1/2 tspn

Urad/Channa dal mixed - 1 tspn

Asafotida(hing) - 2 pinches

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric - 1/2 tspn

Salt to taste

Preparation Method

Heat a kadai, roast the rava slightly till it becomes brown and gets nice aroma. Transfer it to a plate.

In a vessel boil water and keep aside.

In a same kadai, add 3 tspns oil and mustard wait till it splutters. Now add dal and asafotida. Saute till its brown.

Add all vegetables, salt, turmeric and cook well with little water.

Add boiled water, 1 tspn oil allow it to boil. Once its boiled reduce the heat. Add salt and curry leaves.

Slowly add the rava and mix well immediately without allowing it to form lumps. Add water if required. Close with a lid till rava cooks.

Slowly stir until no water is left.

Add ghee on top mix and close the lid. Off the stove.

Upma is ready to serve. Its good to eat as it is or with Sugar or coconut chutney or pickle.

My Other entries for this event are

Gobi Manchurian Dry

Rose Milk
This recipe is going for Kids Special(4-14) by Radhika and Sudesna.

Say Cheese - Event Roundup

I thank each and everyone for participating in the Say Cheese Event and making the event successful. Have received around 62 entries, heres the yummy Roundup of dishes. Hope you try these.

Mozarella Cheese

Pizza by Arti
Cheese Cutlet by Arti
Creamy Pasta by Arti
Cheesy Noodle Cutlet by Sushma
Potato Pizza by Sreevalli
Cheesy Spinach and Oats Swirl Bun by Priya Suresh
Garlic Bread with Cheese by Valarmathi
Classic Cheese Pizza by Malini
Creamy Cheese Pasta by Malini

Ricotto Cheese

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne by Sushma
Cheesy Eggless Brownies by Sushma
Kalakand by Padma
Rasmalai by Padma

Paneer/Cottage Cheese

Threaded Paneer Stripss by Sushma
Masala Cheese Sticks by Sailaja
Paneer Parantha by Shanti
Palak Paneer by Rohini
Paneer Bites by Rohini
Paneer Butter Masala by Rohini
Paneer Pulav by Rohini
Pepper Paneer by Saraswathy
Methi Chaman by Priti
Palak Paneer by Sireesha
Leafy Paneer Fritters by Sushma
Paneer and Corn Rice by Sushma
Chilli Paneer by Shama
Paneer Cashew Masala by Shama
Chilli Paneer by Usha
Paneer Mutter by Padma
Paneer Bhurji by Padma
Paneer Butter Masala by Padma
Microwave Malai Kofta by Cool Lassie
Garbanzo and Paneer Curry by Pari
Paneer Kaju Pasanda by Pari
Cheesy Bread Rolls by Pari
Paneer Peas Pulav by Malini
Paneer Parantha by Malini
Navratan Korma by Malini
Hariyali Paneer Tikka by Malini
Mutter Paneer by Saraswathi Iyer
Palak Paneer by Saraswathi Iyer

Cheddar Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese by Sireesha
Cheese Soup by Gethan
Cheesy Tacos by Kanchan
Brocolli and Cheese Pasta by Rohini
Pasta with Coriander Pesto by Sreevalli
Cheddar Cheese Balls by Anam Syed
Cheese Toast by Sahana
Crunchy Cheesy Baked Potato Balls by Cool Lassie
Two Cheese Veggie Hogie by Cool Lassie

Tofu

Tofu Sambal by Saraswathy
Tofu Chilli Gravy by Sushma
Capsicum Tofu Masala by Shama
Tofu Bhurji by Padmaja

Emmental Cheese

Cheesy Oats Paratha by Priya Suresh

Brie Cheese

Brie in a Crust by Cool Lassie


Swiss Cheese

Walnut n Cheese Coated Fruit Balls by Cool Lassie
Cheese n Chestnut Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers by Cool Lassie

Monterey Jack Cheese

Cheesy Veggie Bean Nachos by Cool Lassie

Any Cheese

Cheesy Rajma Sandwich by Priya Suresh
Cheesy Veggie Sandwich by Shama
Veggie Bean Quesadilla by Sadhana

Please do let me know in case any entries are missed. Thank you.

Hope to receive your support and entries for my next event Oats Feast.