NUTRIBALLS/PEANUT LADDU/SHAKTHI LADDUS

Another traditional sweet delicacy from Kongu Cusine.

How to make it?

INGREDIENTS :

Groundnuts 500 g
Almonds 50 g
Cashew nuts 50 g
Sesame seeds 50 g
Cardamoms 8-9 pcs
Dry ginger 2 inches
Nutmeg 1/2 pc
Fresh Ghee  2 Tbsps
Jaggery  400g

Procedure: 

Dry roast the almonds and cashews on medium heat.
Take out the roasted nuts and place them on a dry plate.
Dry roast the sesame seeds until they pop up with a nutty aroma.
Collect them on the dry plate that contains roasted nuts.
Dry roast the groundnuts and place them on another dry plate.
Set them aside to cool down to room temperature.
Rub the groundnuts to get rid off the skins.
Just blow the air to remove the skins.
Transfer the nuts and sesame seeds to the mixer jar.
Add dry ginger powder, Nutmeg powder, and crushed cardamom.
Run the mixer @ high speed for 5 seconds.
We get a coarse-textured powder.
Transfer the powder to the mixing bowl.
Break the jaggery into small pieces and grind it to a powder.
Transfer the jaggery powder to the mixing bowl that contains nut powder.
Now, pour 2 tbsps of ghee and mix well.
Take a small portion of the powder-mix and hold tight and make balls
Repeat the same for the remaining powder-mix.
We will get 25 balls packed with nutrients and high protein.
Good for health. Good for pregnant and lactating mothers.
Good for patients. Good for children.
give a try.
Easy to make.
Quick mode
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield 25 balls out of this measurement of ingredients.
You can multiply the ingredients according to your needs.

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BELOVED FLUFFY POORIS

No family occasion days can be complete without these fluffy pooris.  Pooris - Potato kootu is the all-time beloved combination across Tamilnadu. This food is indelibly associated with the wedding feasts of Tamil Nadu.

How to make his fluffy Poori?

Ingredients:

Wheat flour 200 g
All purpose flour or Maida 200 g
Semolina 1 tbsp to be soaked in water
Salt 1/2 Tsp
Sugar 1 Tsp
Groundnut oil or any cooking oil 1 tbsp
Coconut oil 2 Tsps
Hot water 125 ml
Groundnut Oil to deep fry 400-500 ml

Procedure:

Add wheat flour and all-purpose flour in a mixing bowl.
Add sugar and salt.
Dry mix well.
Pour 1 tbsp  Groundnut Oil.
Mix well.
Add hot water little by little and knead to combine all the ingredients to a mass.
Pour 2 tsps of Coconut oil and knead again to get a non-sticky and soft dough.
Cover and rest for half an hour.
Divide the dough into equal portions.
Make balls and place on a dry plate.
We use Poori press for fast work.
Smear the palm with a drop of oil and make perfectly round balls.
Smear a few drops of oil on the surface of the Poori Press.
Place a ball on the center and press gently.
Take off the flatbread and lower into hot oil.
Deep fry the bread into a puffed poori.
Just hold the Poori against the hot pan for one second to drop the excess oil.
Place the Poori on a dry plate.
Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough balls.

Fluffy Pooris are ready to enjoy!

Cooking Time 45 minutes including preparation time.
Yield:  2 liberal servings.

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WHOLESOME CHICKPEAS

We are tracing the foods that are fit with our daily diet and at the same time satisfying the taste buds. There are a lot of healthy reasons to consume these chickpeas.  They are loaded with  Calcium, iron, phosphorous, fibre, potassium and folic acid and manganese.  One of the best vegetarian source of protein. 
They are good for diabetic patients.
Good for our heart and cholesterol levels.
Guten free.
Low in fat and enriched with dietary fibre that aids easy digestion.
It is the best choice for the weight-loss diet.
It has a considerable satiety value that keeps us full and satiated for a long time,  stopping the mid-meal cravings. 

A magical nutritious evening snack!
A popular neivedyam for Deities during Festival days!
It is the best offering for the Lord Venkateswara, every Saturday of the PURATTASI mONTH!!

How to make this special Pooja Prasad?

INGREDIENTS, WE NEED:

Black Chickpeas or Sundal 250 gms
Shallots 10 pcs peeled and chopped
Coriander greens, a fistful chopped
Green Chillies 2 pcs slit
Curry leaves 10 pcs
Grated carrot 2 tbsps
Shredded coconut 2 tbsps
Rock salt 1/2 tsp
Grated ginger 1 tsp
Groundnut oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Step 1:

Wash thoroughly and clean Chick eas if stones any.

Soak in 150 ml water for four hours.
Drain the water and pressure cook the chickpeas with 150 ml water and rock salt.
Allow 3 whistles.
Set aside. 

Step 2:

Assemble all the ingredients for seasoning:
Mustard seeds
Shallots, green chillies,
Curry leaves
Grated ginger
Grated carrot
Shredded coconut
Coriander greens.

Now, Open the lid and notice the chickpeas cooked soft.
Drain the water.
Heat the tempering pan with oil.
Add mustard seeds to splutter.
Add shallots, slit green chillies and curry leaves.
Then ginger gratings
Saute until the shallots turn transparent.
Transfer the chickpeas and combine everything together on low heat.
Add coriander greens,  grated carrot and coconut 
fold to combine 
That's it.
Wholesome Sundal is ready!

Cooking time 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

VENDAIKKAI/OKRA/lADY'S FINGER CURRY

How to make this mild tangy and delicious curry?

Ingredients we assemble here:

Lady's finger veggie 250 g
Tomato medium size
Shallots 10 chopped
Marble sized tamarind to be soaked in 100 ml water
Asafoetida 2 pinches
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Sambar powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Groundnut Oil 2 tbsps
Rock Salt 1/2 tsp
Roasted fenugreek powder 1/2 tsp (optional)

Procedure

Saute the chunks in one tbsp oil on medium heat.
until the chunks get shrivelled.
Add tomato and saute again for 5 seconds
Add turmeric and sambar powder
Combine all the ingredients on low heat.
Strain the tamarind extract using 200 ml water
Add rock salt, Asafoetida and Fenugreek powder
Add jaggery.
Allow boiling and cooking the veggies soft on medium heat.
Meanwhile, heat the tempering pan. 
Heat the remaining oil on medium heat.
Add mustard seeds to splutter.
Once they start to splutter, add shallots, curry leaves.
Transfer the cooked veggies and the remaining to the tempering pan.
Garnish with coriander greens.
Easy cooking! yet super tasty curry.
Serve with hot steamed rice and ghee.

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Cooking Time 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

SUNBERRY GREENS/MANATHAKKALI KEERAI GREENS/WONDERBERRY GREENS/CHUKKUTTY KEERAI CHUTNEY/THUVAYAL

Best accompaniment to hot steamed Rice,  Idlies/Dosas and Oothappams.

The greens are very popular in Tamilnadu. It is well known for healing ulcer and mouth ulcer.

Ingredients assembled:

Fresh Sunberry greens/Black nightshade greens/Wonderberry greens/Manathakkali keerai/Karunchukkutty keerai one bunch
Groundnut Oil 1 Tbsp
Grated coconut 100 g or one bowlful
Fried gram 100g
Rock Salt 1/2 Tsp
Dried chillies 5-7 pcs (optional)
Tamarind one marble size
Jaggery small piece
Peeled Garlic 4 cloves
Asafoetida one pinch

Procedure:

Wash the greens thoroughly.
Pluck the young green leaves, flowers, and tender stems.
Chop them roughly using scissor
Heat the wok with one tbsp oil on medium heat.
Transfer the green leaves and saute on medium heat until the remaining water absorbed and leaves turn shriveled.
Add other ingredients one by one.
Saute to combine
Sprinkle asafoetida.
Turn off the heat.
Set aside to cool down.
Transfer the sauteed ingredients to the mixer jar.
Add 100 ml water.
Run the mixer @ high speed.
Grind the greens and other ingredients to a coarse-textured or fine-textured up to your choice.
I ground the coarse-textured chutney here

Green chutney is ready to have with hot steamed rice/Idlies/Dosas/Oothappams.
It goes very well with hot steamed rice topped with ghee.
Give a try!

Cooking time including preparation time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 2 liberal servings.

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SHRI GANESH POOJA SPECIAL SWEET KOZHUKKATTAIS

Kozhukkattai is a  sweet dumpling offered as special neivedyam  to Lord Shree Ganesha, the God of new beginnings and the remover of obstacles. Festival celebrations began yesterday and will continue for 10 days. There are several sweet versions and savory versions of preparing kozhukkattais. The most popular method is filling with grated coconut and jaggery into the rice flour dumplings that are being steamed and offered to Him as Neivedyam and served as Prasad to the devotees.

Ingredients that are needed:

Kozukkattai Raw Rice flour /Idiappam raw rice flour (Processed and available at grocery stores) 250 gms
Jaggery 200 gms
Cardamom seeds three or four.
Grated Coconut one bowlful 200 gms
Fresh ghee 50 ml
Boiling Water 200 ml

Kozhukkattai mould, we need. (available at stores)
Idli pot to steam the kozhukkattais.

Cooking time:  30 minutes with preparation time.

May Lord Ganesha bless you all and shower His grace on you, Dears!

SWEET APPAMS/FESTIVAL SPECIAL SWEET

SHRI GANESH CHATURTHI FESTIVAL SPECIAL SWEET

Ingredients, we need:

Raw rice 300gms
Jaggery 250 gms
Fresh Ghee 100 ml
Cardamom pods 5 pcs
Grated coconut one bowlful
Cooking soda 1/2 tsp

Optional ingredients:

Dry ginger powder 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in water for two hours.
Powder the jaggery 
Grind the raw rice by adding water little by little to dosa consistency.
(Smooth  batter)
Add Cooking soda and grind again for 2 seconds @ high speed.
Transfer the batter to the mixing bowl.
Add the powdered jaggery and mix well to combine both the ingredients.
Add Cardamom seeds powder, Nutmeg powder and dry ginger powder.
Mix well to get the flavours infused.
Heat the special appam pan. Pour 1/2 a tsp ghee into every pit.
ON medium heat.
Pour the batter into every pit using a spoon.
Cover and cook for five minutes on medium flame.
Open the lid and turn over the appams.
Let them cooked for 2 seconds.
Take off the appams and place on a dry plate.
Serve warm or hot.

Cooking time  2 hours  soaking time- cooking time 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings.

A lovable sweet dedicated to Shree Ganesh!

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AUSPICIOUS MOONG DAL HALWA

Moong Dal Halwa is a  delightful delicacy that captivates all our senses.  It just melts in our mouth. It leaves you craving more and more. 

Now onto the recipe:

This is a quicker version, you can follow.

Main ingredients:

Moong Dal 200 g
Sugar 200 g
Ghee 150 ml
Cardamoms 4 pcs
Take off the seeds and crush to a coarse powder
Pistachio 10 pcs to be chop as fine flakes.

Colouring agents and enhancer of divine taste:

Edible camphor 1/2 a pinch
Kaesar powders both orange and yellow half a pinch each

Procedure:

Grind the moong dal to a fine powder.
Heat the one tbsp ghee and roast the moong dal. Add one tbsp ghee
and roast on medium heat with quick saute to avoid burning.
Remove from the flame and set aside to cool down.
Bring the water  450 ml water to boil.
Add Kaesar powders and edible camphor
Add two tbsp ghee to the boiling water.
Transfer the dal powder and stir constantly
Add sugar.
Fold several times to get combined all the ingredients together.
add the remaining ghee and fold on low heat until the non-sticky mass and ghee separate all over the sides.
Add cardamom powder and mix gently.
Add Pistachio flakes in the separated ghee.
Serve warm.

Cooking time 15 minutes
Servings: 2.

TRADITIONAL ONE POT MEAL-AUTHENTIC ARISIYUM PARUPPUM SAATHAM

Authentic Arisiyum Paruppum Saatham. 

Ingredients:

Par Boiled Ponni Rice 250 gms
Toor dal/Masoor Dal 100 g
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Shallots 15 pcs chopped
Green Chilly 1 pc
Curry leaves 20-25 pcs
Tomato one diced
Mint Leaves a fistful
Groundnut Oil 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 5 pcs
Cinnamon stick 2 inch
Turmeric 1/2 tsp 
Sambar Powder 1 Tsp
Rock Salt 3/4 Tsp
Mint greens, a fistful
Ghee to drizzle

Procedure:

Wash thoroughly and soak the rice and dal for 10 minutes.
Heat the cooker with OIl
Add mustard seeds to pop up.
Add cloves and cinnamon stick
Once they start to fry, add shallots,  slit green chilly and curry leaves and garlic cloves.
Saute for 2 seconds until the shallots turn translucent.
Add turmeric and sambar powder.
Reduce the heat to avoid burning.
Add tomato dices
Saute for another 2 seconds. 
Change the heat to the medium level.
Drain and transfer the rice dal contents.
Add salt
Add 500 ml water.
Rub the cumin seeds with your palms and Add Mint greens
Check the salt if needed add a little to adjust.
Close the lid and place the weight.
Pressure cook up to one whistle.
Simmer for 15 minutes.

Set aside to cool off its own.

Serve hot topped with ghee. We use generous pour!
Enjoy.

CRUNCHY RAGI PAKODAS

Finger Millet is known as Ragi in Tamil. Ragi Pakora is crispiest and crunchiest snack and highly preferred during rainy days. It is a great combo with all one pot meals. It is the perfect match with hot Tea. 

How to make?

Ingredients what we need:

Finger millet flour 250 g
Fried gram 100 g to be powdered
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida one pinch
Coriander greens a fistful
Unsalted butter one tablespoon
Bellary onions 2 pcs  finely chopped  
Green Chillies 3 pcs 
Curry leaves fresh 20 pcs
Ginger grated 1 Tsp
Fennel seeds 1 Tsp
Cooking Soda 1/4 Tsp
Salt  3/4 Tsp
Oil to fry about 400 ml

Procedure:

Cooking Time 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings.

In a mixing bowl, add finger millet flour,.
Grind the fried gram to a fine powder and transfer the fried gram flour into the bowl..
Add salt, cooking soda. asafoetida.
Mix the dry ingredients well.
Add unsalted butter and mix again.
Grind the green chillies and curry leaves to a coarse paste.
Add to the mixing bowl contents
Add water little by little and knead gently.
Rub the cumin seeds and add to the mix.
Add onion bits and knead again to combine together.
Add Fried gram and coriander greens
Knead well and bring all the ingredients together to a mass.
Heat the oil on a medium heat to a deep-frying temperature
Pinch a rough portion and press gently with thumb and drop carefully into the hot oil.
Allow deep-frying until the oil bubbles subside.
Take off the pakodas and place them on oil absorbent tissue paper.
Repeat the same process for the remaining dough.

An addictive crunchy snack for the rainy tea time. This is a traditional savoury of Kongu Cusine.

RAW BANANA PEPPER PORIAL

How to make this yummy Raw Banana Porial?

Cooking Time 10 minutes
one Raw banana is sufficient for two servings. You can multiply for more than two members accordingly.

Ingredients what we need:

One raw banana
Groundnut oil 1 tbsp
Green chilly 1
Grated coconut 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Shallots 10 pcs
Curry leaves 15-20 pcs
Salt 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric 1/4 Tsp
Pepper 3/4 Tsp
Coriander greens a fistful
Grated Coconut 1 tbsp

Procedure;

Wash the raw banana and Trim off the ends.
Cut into two halves
Shave the green skin
Chop into  thick slices
Peel off the shallots and chop them.
Heat the pan with Oil.
Add mustard seeds.
Once they start crackling, add shallots,  slit green chilly and curry leaves.
Add turmeric.
Saute until the shallots turn translucent.
Transfer the thick slices of Raw Banana.
Saute for 2 seconds on medium heat.
Sprinkle salt.
Splash some water.
Cover and cook on low heat.
Open the lid after two minutes.
Add chopped coriander greens, grated coconut.
Mix gently.
Sprinkle Pepper  1 tsp over the banana 

This porial is  yummy having a distinct flavour with a dash of pepper
powder goes very well with  Curd meal,  Sambar meal and other one-pot meals.