Maida cake

Maida burfi

This is second of the cakes/burfi syle sweet that I tried , the first one being mysorepak. Both turned out great the first time itself. I am generally not a sweet person, but, when I tried maida cake/burfi for the first time more than a decade ago, made by my m-i-l, I just fell head over heels in love with it. I had to! I had no other choice.  I had to try it out myself. I am sharing the recipe here.

Ingredients

Maida/ All purpose flour                                       1 cup

Sugar                                                                     2 cups

Ghee                                                                      1/2 cup

And that's about it! That is all you need for this melt-in-the-mouth madness!

Method

1. Heat ghee in a pan. Ghee should be hot enough to fry maida/all purpose flour, meaning when you sprinkle a pinch of maida in it, it should get fried immediately.
2. Add all the miaida in hot ghee and fry it for a good 2 - 3 mins. It emanates an intoxicating aroma. Switch off the stove and keep this aside.
3. Take a stir fry pan, add sugar and just enough water to immerse sugar, heat it and let the sugar syrup boil until it reaches the one-string consistency.
4. Switch off the stove and now everything done after this is off the stove and fire. Now transfer the fried maida mixture to this sugar syrup and keep mixing.
5. Within the next two to three  minutes, things will get solidified and will be felt in your hand while mixing and the mixture will come to a pourable consistency (leaving the sides ).
6. Pour the mixture on to a plate greased with a tsp of ghee and flatten it with a spatula. 
7. Cut it to pieces when it is still warm. Let it cool down.
8. Burfis are ready when it is completely cooled down to room temperature and it comes out of the plate just like that.

Vendakkai thayir pachadi/ Bhindi raitha

This simple easy to make yummy raitha /thayir pachadi is from my mother-in-law's cookbook.  This pachadi/raitha goes very well with Cauliflower saadham/Gobi Rice .

Ingredients:

Vendakkai/ Bhindi                                              100 gms
Thayir/Curd/Plain natural yogurt                        1 cup
Salt                                                                       As needed
Red chilli powder (optional)                                1/2 tsp


To temper

Canola/Vegetable/Sunflower refined oil             1 tblspn
Mustard seeds                                                       1/2 tsp


Method

1. Cut vendakkai/bhindi to rings as thin as possible, discarding the head and tail portions of it.
2. In a small stir fry pan, add oil, heat and add mustard seeds to splutter. Bring the heat to low.
3. Add cut vendakkai rings/bhindi rings to it , mix well , add salt and red chilli powder (if adding) and mix well to give it a uniform coating of oil, salt and red chilli powder. Turn the heat back to medium.
4. Cook these bhindi rings for 5 mins or until it gets roasted. 
5. Take a cup of yogurt/curd/thayir and beat it until smooth. Add these cooked vendakkai/bhindi rings to it. Mix well. Taste and add salt if needed.

Vendakkai thayir pachadi/bhindi raitha is ready to be had with the yummy Cauliflower rice/Gobi rice.  It goes very well with rasam rice too.

Cose milagu jeeraga kari/poriyal/ Cabbage milagu jeeraga poriyal/kari

This version of cabbage kari/poriyal was crafted by my father in law who had a genius palette. He used to direct my mother-in-law to cook certain vegetables a certain way. This super simple recipe was one of his contribution to this form of art, if u call it so :D

Ingredients

Cabbage                              1 whole big head
Milagu jeeraga podi            1.5 tsps
Salt                                      As needed

To temper

Canola oil                                    1 tblspn
Mustard seeds                              1/2 tsp
Ulutham paruppu                         1 tsp
Karuveppilai/ Curry leaves          1 sprig


Method

1. Cut cabbage to 1/2 inch square pieces.
2. In a heavy bottomed large stir fry pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds to splutter.
3. Add ulutham paruppu and fry till golden brown.
4. Add curry leaves to splutter.
5. Add cabbage and mix well with tempered ingredients.
6. Add salt. Mix well. Let it cook for couple of minutes in medium flame.
7. Add milagu jeeraga podi/pepper- jeera powder and mix well.
8. Let it cook in medium flame for 10- 15  mins until it is completely. Cabbage will shrink in volume when it cooks. Its completely okay. Mix well now and then to ensure even cooking.

Cabbage milagu jeeraga kari/poriyal is done and can be had with keerai /peas/carrot/ vendakkai sambhar and goes very well with any rasam and curd rice too. This is an interesting variation to the usual cabbage poriyal/ kari.

Cauliflower saadham/ Cauliflower rice/Gobi Rice

Cauliflower saadham/ Cauliflower rice/Gobi rice gets its direct entry pass to this blog from my m-i-l's kitchen. This is one of the heart-warming, easy on the tummy, rice preparation that she makes that is too tasty to pass.


Ingredients:

Cauliflower/Gobi                                    1 nos ( big)
Cooked Rice  (White/brown)                  4 cups      
Salt                                                          As needed

To temper

Canola oil                                               2 tblspns
Mustard seeds                                         1/2 tsp
Kadalai paruppu/ Chana dhal                 1 tsp
Cashew nuts (whole)                              5 nos
Green chillies                                         4 nos
Asafoetida                                              1 pinch

Method:

1. Cut cauliflower to bite sized florets. Break cashews to small pieces.
2. In a large heavy bottomed stir fry pan, add oil, heat, add mustard seeds to splutter.
3. Add chana dhal/kadalai paruppu and cashews together and  fry till they turn light brown.
4. Slit green chillies and add them . Fry them until they change colour.
5. Add asafoetida powder and add the cut cauliflower florets. Mix them well with the oil and tempered ingredients and then add the required salt.
6. Let it cook  for 10-15 mins, mixing it now and then until the cauliflower/gobi gets cooked completely.
7. Add rice and mix very well. Cover it at this point and bring the flame to low. Sprinkle some water if necessary, but take care for the rice and gobi mixture in not becoming mushy. 
8. Let it cook together for 10 minutes, for the flavor to infuse. Keep mixing now and then during this time with a very light hand.

Cauliflower rice is ready. This is generally had with vendakkai thayir pachadi/ bhindi raitha and appalam/papad.  Cauliflower rice  made with brown rice, is tastier than its white counterpart.
                                        

Manga vathal thayir pachadi

This recipe speaks of my paternal grandma's cooking legacy.
Ingredients


Manga vathal                               - 5 nos
Water                                           - 1/4 cup
Mor milagai                                 - 2 nos (deep fried already)
Curd/ Plain natural yogurt           - 1/2 cup
Salt                                               - if and as needed

To temper

Canola oil                                  -  1 tsp
Mustard seeds                           - 1/4 tsp


Method

1.) Boil water and add manga vathal to it. Close the pan and switch off the stove and leave it for about 15 mins until vathal becomes soft and can be mashed roughly using hands.
2.) Mash it roughly in the water. Do not drain the water
3.) Add curd/yogurt to it. Make sure that the yogurt is thick and not watery.
4.) Crush mor milagai and add to it and mix well.
5.) Taste the pachadi. If salt is needed add to suit taste.
6.) In iluppakarandi or a small stir fry pan, add oil, heat it and add mustard seeds to splutter.

This tangy pachadi can be mixed with  1 tsp of  indian sesame oil / nallennai and  hot rice and can be had with appalam for a delicious, hearty rainy day meal. It can also be a great side dish as any other raitha.

Jeeraga rasam/ Cumin seeds rasam

My mother in law makes the best Jeeraga Rasam in this planet! That is what I would say! When I got to know the recipe and the ridiculous easiness with which it can be made, my love for Jeeraga rasam  just shot sky high. I am just putting it down here for all of us lazy-bummed -long- tongued-losers.

Ingredients

Tamarind                                                       - 1 lemon sized ball
Payathamparuppu/ Mung dhal                      -  1.5 tsps
Cumin seeds                                                  - 1 tsp
Curry leaves                                                  - 1 sprig
Red chillies                                                   - 1 nos
Asafoetida                                                     - 1 pinch
Salt                                                                - As needed

To temper

Ghee                                                            - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                             - 1/2 tsp


Method

1.) Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 mins and extract tamarind syrup as done for any rasam.
2.) Simultaneously, soak payathamparuppu/mung dhal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilli in hot water together for 15 mins and grind it to a  runny paste.
3.) In a saucepan pour the tamarind syrup, add  salt and asafoetida and bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 mins.
4.) Add the ground Jeeragam/ mung dhal runny paste and mix well and bring the heat to low and let the rasam froth.
5.) Simultaneously, in a small stir fry pan or iluppakarandi, add ghee for tempering and add mustard seeds to splutter.
6.) Pour it in the Jeeraga rasam and switch off the stove when the rasam is frothy enough.

This hot Jeeraga rasam is had with rice and made on days when we make paruppu usili (beans/kothavarangai/vazhaipoo etc.,). It goes ecxcellent with paruppu usili, appalam, vadaam.

Mung dhal (Maharashtrian Jain style)

I got this recipe from my friend when I was living in London. I tasted this dhal for the first time at his place and Ah! I became a fan of his cooking. He used to make great bhindi and everything I know he can cook.  I am sharing his home-style dhal recipe here for all. The fried masala powders in ghee  and pressure cooking mung dhal in pressure cooker with hing/asafoetida just gives a unique flavor and taste to this dhal. My kitchen just smells awesome after this dhal preparation each time and I never switch-on my vent fan to let the aroma linger .... LOL!

Ingredients

Split green mung beans/ Split green mung dhal                           - 1 cup
Turmeric powder                                                                          - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida/ Hing                                                                          - 1 pinch
Water                                                                                            - 3.5 cups
Salt                                                                                                - To taste


To temper

Ghee/ Butter                                                                    - 1 tblspn
Mustard seeds                                                                  -  1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds                                                                     - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder (Dry mango powder)                            - 1/2 tsp
Ginger                                                                             - 1 inch piece grated
Red chilli powder                                                           - 1 tsp
Green chillies                                                                  - 4 nos


Method

1.)Pressure cook split green mung dhal/beans adding turmeric powder, water, salt and hing to it for 3 whistles.
2.) Slit green chillies and grate the ginger piece.
3.) In a  hot stir fry pan add ghee/ butter and let it melt and get heated. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to splutter.
4.) Add green chillies and ginger. Mix well and let it be for a minute.
5.) Add amchur powder (dry mango powder), red chilli powder, give it a quick mix and add the pressure cooked dhal to it and stir.
6.) Let it come to a boil and simmer it for 15 minutes.

The simple,  humble , delectable dhal is ready to be had with hot phulkas and rice.

Kothavarangai( Cluster beans) puli kuthi kootu/ Cluster beans, tamarind and lentil curry

I inherited this recipe from my maternal grandmother who is a great cook. My mom used to make it very well too. Kothavarangai/ Cluster beans is one of my favorite vegetables. I look forward to this puli kuthi kootu more than paruppu usili made out of kothavarangai. This kootu is that tasty for me.

Ingredients:

Kothavarangai/ Cluster beans - 150 gms
Tamarind                           - 1 lemon sized ball
Toor dhal                           - 1/4 cup
Sambhar powder                - 1.5 tsps
Asafoetida                          - 1 pinch
Salt                                     - As needed
Turmeric powder               - 1/4 tsp

Masala Powder - to grind

Toor dhal                             - 1 tsp
Red chilli                             - 1 nos
Coriander seeds                   - 1 tsp
Coconut shredded /
Dessicated coconut powder - 1 tsp
Karuvadaam                        - 5 - 7 pieces ( optional) *

To temper

Canola oil                            - 1 tsp + 1.5 tblspns for frying karuvadaam( if using) *
Mustard seeds                      - 1 tsp
Methi seeds/ Vendhayam    - 1 tsp
Asafoetida                           - 1 pinch



Method:

1.) Pressure cook toor dhal with turmeric powder and enough water.
2.) Soak tamarind in lukewarm water and extract syrup as done while making sambhar
3.) Cut kothavarangai as small as you can like as we do for paruppu usili.
4.) Heat a saucepan in low- medium heat and add a tsp of oil.
5.) Add mustard seeds to splutter, add vendhayam/ methi seeds and fry till golden brown.
6.) Add asafoetida and then add cut kothavarangai/ cluster beans.
7.) Mix well and let it cook for 5 minutes in low heat mixing well every minute.
8.) Add tamarind syrup, sambhar powder, asafoetida and stir well to mix everything.
9.) Let it come to a boil and allow it to simmer for 10- 15 mins until kothavarangai/cluster beans is cooked, within which the raw flavour of sambhar powder and tamarind syrup would have been replaced by a wonderful cooked aroma.
10.) Add the desired amount of salt and let it simmer for 3 more minutes
11.) Add pressure cooked toor dhal and stir well. If there is not enough water, add very little to bring it to the consistency of a stew and let it boil for 5 minutes.
12.) In a small flat pan dry roast toor dhal, red chilli, coriander seeds until toor dhal turns glden brown. Bring the heat to low and add shredded coconut/ dessicated coconut powder. Fry till it turns golden brown. Grind this to a powder.
13.) Add this powder to the preparation and mix thoroughly. Let it come to a boil in low to medium heat,
14.) Add 1.5 tblspns of oil to a hot iluppa karandi or a  hot small stir fry pan. Heat oil. Add karuvadaams and fry till golden brown. Take the karuvadaams out of the oil. Drain excess oil and quickly add to  kothavarangai puli kuthi kootu. Mix well. *

 Kothavarangai puli kuthi kootu/ Cluster beans curry is ready.


It can be had with hot rice and potato/arbi (seppankizhangu)/ raw plantain (vazhakkai) fry.

Note

* Karuvadaam belongs to vadaam ( vathal) family and is made with just urad dhal (ulundhu) and  sun-dried. They are about a cm in diameter and add unique texture and flavour when fried and added to all puli kuthi kootu preparations. For me these puli kuthi kootu preparations are never complete without karuvadaams although it is completely optional and the kootu tastes out of the world without them too.

For curious readers and cooking enthusiasts, if you are interested in the making, I am planning to share the recipe of it in one of the future posts. I will link this recipe to that post too when I do it.

Karuveppilai (Curry leaves/ Khadi paththa) kozhambu

This is one of those familial age old recipes that has  enlivened  our lives and revived our taste buds. This kozhambhu gets ready within 20 mins and doesn't demand presence much. This is a variation from the wildly popular molagu kozhambhu.

Ingredients:

Curry leaves/ Karuveppilai                                           25 sprigs
Tamarind                                                                       1 big lemon sized round
Black Peppercorns                                                       1.5 tblspns
Red chillies                                                                    2 nos
Asafoetida                                                                      1 pinch
Salt                                                                                 As needed

To temper

Canola oil                                                                       1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                                                 1/2 tsp


Method

1.)  Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and extract tamarind syrup as we do for sambhar/rasam. *
2.) Grind curry leaves, black peppercorns, red chillies, asafoetida and salt in a blender adding just enough water to make it to a thick paste.
3.) Heat a saucepan in medium- low flame.  Add oil and mustard seeds to splutter.
4.) Add the ground paste to it adn mix well. Add tamarind syrup. Bring the heat to medium.
5.) Let the mixture come to a boil and let it simmer for 15 mins. It will get to the consistency of a thick kozhambu. Karuveppilai kozhambhu is ready.

Karuveppilai kozhambu can be had with hot rice. It goes very well with appalam (papad), vadaam(vathal), potato/arbi (seppankizhangu)/suran (senaikizhangu)/ raw plantain (kachcha khela/ vazhaikkai) fry and any vegetable poricha kootu.

Notes:

* If  hard pressed for time, or plain lethargic (like me),  to extract tamarind syrup from the pulp,  simply add the above mentioned quantity of tamarind to the blender  along with the other ingredients mentioned and make it to a paste and continue as mentioned above.

Aloo and Spinach pulav / Urulai keerai pulav

I am posting this recipe as part of easy cooking/ Travel cooking series. I will be posting recipes which can be made with minimal resources like with only a saucepan if you have an access to a stove or in an electric cooker if you have access to a plug point. There will be many recipes that I concocted along my way during my travel, when I had difficulty accessing vegetarian food or wanted to have the luxury of a home-cooked meal elsewhere. I will be using dry  powders a lot instead  of fresh ones as I will not have the resources to grate/shred etc., or will not have access to its availability. I have used butter instead of ghee. I always carry cumin seeds, red chilli powder and ginger powder with me as they r life savers. Rest I buy it from the local supermarket wherever I am.


Ingredients:

Basmathi rice                   - 1 cup
Potatoes (medium sized) - 2 nos
Spinach                           - 200 gms
Ginger powder                - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder           - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies                 - 4 nos slit
Cumin seeds                   - 1/2 tsp
Butter                             - 1 tbspn
Salt                                 - As needed


Method:

1.) Boil potatoes and keep it aside if you have the time and resources. Else, dice the potatoes to very small size and keep it aside. If boiled, mash slightly and keep it aside
2.) Add butter to the electric cooker/  a saucepan if you have access to a stove. Let it melt
3.) Add cumin seeds to splutter. Add split/ slit green chillies. Let it fry for a minute.
4.) Add spinach and let it shrink and cook for a couple of minutes. Add potaoes and mix. If boiled previously, let it cook together for a minute. If not, then leave it for a couple of more minutes mixing well occasionally.
5.) Add basmathi rice at this point, salt , ginger powder and  red chilli powder mix well. Add 2 cups of water and cook until the rice is soft.

This aloo/spinach pulav can be had with plain natural yogurt, chips and if you are lucky enough to have access to achar.  This recipe has an added advantage of metamorphosing into a scintillating soup for winter days by adding just extra water while cooking.

Parangikkai huli

Huli is a kannada word for  puli/tamarind in some parts of karnataka. It can also mean sour-tasting and can refer to a sambhar  or a tamarind and coconut based gravy that falls into the family of sambhar. This recipe is from my paati (both paternal and maternal grand-moms used to make it) and it tastes simply out of the world. For this recipe, parangikkai/ red pumpkin should be diced like as it is done for kootu varieties (small).

Ingredients:

Parangikkai/ red pumpkin -  200 gms
Tamarind                           - 1 lemon sized ball
Toor dhal                           - 1/4 cup
Sambhar powder                - 1.5 tsps
Asafoetida                          - 1 pinch
Salt                                     - As needed
Turmeric powder               - 1/4 tsp

Masala Powder - to grind

Toor dhal                             - 1 tsp
Red chilli                             - 1 nos
Coriander seeds                   - 1 tsp
Coconut shredded /
Dessicated coconut powder - 1 tsp

To temper

Canola oil                            - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds                      - 1 tsp
Methi seeds/ Vendhayam    - 1 tsp
Asafoetida                           - 1 pinch


Method:

1.) Pressure cook toor dhal with turmeric powder and enough water.
2.) Soak tamarind in lukewarm water and extract syrup as done while making sambhar
3.) Dice parangikkai/ red pumpkin as small as you can without peeling its outer skin.
4.) Heat a saucepan in medium heat and add a tsp of oil.
5.) Add mustard seeds to splutter, add vendhayam/ methi seeds and fry till golden brown.
6.) Add asafoetida and then add  diced red pumpkin/parangikkai.
7.) Mix well and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
8.) Add tamarind syrup, sambhar powder, asafoetida and stir well to mix everything.
9.) Let it come to a boil and allow it to simmer for 10- 15 mins until parangikkai/ red pumpkin is cooked, within which the raw flavour of sambhar powder and tamarind syrup would have been replaced by a wonderful cooked aroma.
10.) Add the desired amount of salt and let it simmer for 2 more minutes
11.) Add pressure cooked toor dhal and stir well. If there is not enough water, add very little to bring it to the consistency of a stew and let it boil for 5 minutes.
12.) In a small flat pan dry roast toor dhal, red chilli, coriander seeds until toor dhal turns glden brown. Bring the heat to low and add shredded coconut/ dessicated coconut powder. Fry till it turns golden brown. Grind this to a powder

13.) Add this powder to the parangikkai huli and mix thoroughly. Let it come to a boil in low to medium heat, Parangikkai huli is ready.

It can be had with hot rice and potato/arbi (seppankizhangu)/ raw plantain (vazhakkai) fry.