Ganesh Chaturthi 2012

Wishing all Our Fellow Bloggers & Readers a very Happy & Prosperous Ganesh Chaturthi

Lord Ganesha's Favorite Item made specially during the Chaturthi Festival
Savoury Steamed Rice Flour Dumplings with Chana Dal (Kudumulu/Undralu)
Serves 6-7

Ingredients:
Rice- 500 Grams
Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)- 4 Tbsp., Boiled separately till Soft (but not overly done)
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)-1 Tbsp.
Salt- to Taste
Water-

Method:
Clean & Wash the Rice thoroughly
Spread the Rice on a Cloth & keep it to Dy Completely (the Rice has to be Dried Fully to Grind)
Strain the Rice through a Sieve to get Coarse Ground Rice Rava from the Sieve should be measured to equal about 400 Grams
(the remaining Smooth Rice Rava can be used later for Various Dishes later)

In a Bowl Add Oil & Water to Boil 
(The Ratio of Water:Rava should be 4:2)
Add1 Tbsp. Salt, Roasted Jeera is optional
Add Rava & Stir till it all comes together on Slow Flame
Cover & Simmer for about 5 Minutes
The Consistency of the Rava will be like Upma
Mix Chana Dal in the Rava & let the Rava & Chana Dal Cool completely
Grease Hands with Water or Oil to make Dumplings

Steam in a Pressure Pan/Bowl/Idli Stand or any Vessel of Choice (with Water just enough to Cover 1/3rd of the Pan)

We made a Different Version of the Traditional Semiya Payasam (made with Sugar) with Date Palm Jaggery (Khajur Gud)
Serves 6-7

Ingredients:
Vermicelli (Semiya)- 2 Cups, Toasted till Golden
Milk- 2 Litres
Date Palm Jaggery (Khajur Gud)-  , Finely Grated/Shredded
Mix Dry Fruits (Cashew nut, Raisins)-  , Roasted in Ghee
Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)- 1 Tsp.

Method:
In a Deep Bottomed Pot, Add Milk & carefully till it Boils Milk
Add Semiya & Stir to avoid any Lumps
When the Semiya seems done, Add Jaggery & Mix Well
Add Cardamom Powder & Dry Fruits just before turning off the Flame

Tips:

Bengali- Shemai

English- Vermicelli

Hindi- Seviyan

Gujarati- Sev

Kannada- Shavige

Malayalam- Semiya

Tamil- Semiya

Telugu- Semiya/Sevalu

Urdu- Seviyan




Lemon Rice (Pulihora)
Serves 6-7

Ingredients:
Rice- 350-400 Grams, Boiled separatelyso that the Grains are Separate

For Tempering:

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- 2 Tbsp.

Raw Peanuts- 2 Tbsp. (as Desired can increase or Decrease the Quantity of Peanuts)

Mustard Seeds (Rai/Aavalu)- 1.5 Tsp.

Cumin Seeds (Jeera/Jeelakarra)- 2 Tsp. (Optional)

Split Bengal Gram/Split Chick Pea (Chana Dal/Senagapapu)- 2 Tsp.

Split Black Gram (Urad Dal/Menapappu)- 2 Tsp.

Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta/Karvepaku)- 10-15 No’s

Asafoetida (Hing/Inguva Podi)- ½ Tsp.

Turmeric Powder (Haldi)-4 Tsp.
Salt- to Taste

Fresh Lemon Juice- 4 Small sized

Deep Fried Sweet Stuffed with Powdered Chana Dal & Jaggery (Burulu)
Serves 6-7

Ingredients:

For Outer Covering:
Rice-1 Cup
(Urad Dal)- 1 Cup

For Stuffing:
Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)- 400 Grams, Soaked for 2 Hours, Boiled till Soft & Coarsely Ground
Jaggery (Bellam/Gud)- 200 Grams, Finely Grated/Shredded
Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)- 1 Tsp.
Ghee- 2 Tsp.

Method:
Preferred is a Ratio of 1:1 (Dal:Rice) but many families mix a Batter of Ratio 1:2 (Dal:Rice)
Soak for 2 Hours & Grind Thick like Idli Batter

In a Wide Pot, Boil the Jaggery till it Boils
Add Cardamom Powder, Ghee 2 Tsp., Add the Chana Dal Powder & Mix evenly
When Cooled, make the Stuffing into Lemon Sized Dumplings


Heat Oil for Deep Frying
Dip the Stuffing in the Idli Batter & Drop in the Oil Gently

Another Variation is the Poli Purnam Buralu/Poornalu (made with Moong Dal/Pesarapappu) for which will post the Recipe on the next Festival Days of Navratri (Goddess Durga's Favorite it seems)

Mixed Vegetables in a Spinach based Gravy

Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special

Mixed Vegetables in a Spinach based Gravy
Serves 2

Ingredients:

Spinach Leaves (Palak)- 2 Cups, Chopped, Blanched & Puréed
Mixed Vegetables (Carrot, Cauliflower, French Beans, Sweet Corn)- 1 Cup

For Spice Mix in the Spinach Gravy:

Coconut- 1 Tbsp., Freshly Grated

Cashewnuts (Kaju)- 1 Tbsp., soaked in Hot Water & Roughly Cut 

Poppy Seeds (Khus Khus)- 1 Tbsp.

Garlic (Lehsun)- 3 to 4 Cloves, Roughly Chopped

Ginger (Adrak)- 1" piece

Green Chillies- 3 to 4, Roughly Chopped
Aniseeds- 1 Tsp.

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- 1.5 Tbsp.

Cumin Seeds (Jeera)-  1 Tsp.

Onion- 1, Finely Chopped

Green Chillies- 1 Tsp., Finely Chopped

Turmeric Powder (Haldi)- ½ Tsp.

Red Chilli Powder- 1 Tbsp.

Fresh Curds (Dahi)- about 2.5 Tbsp., Beaten 

Salt- To Taste

Method:

All the ingredients (Aniseeds, Cashew nuts, Green Chillies, Poppy Seeds) for the Spinach Gravy Spice-Mix need to be ground into a Smooth Paste  

      Tips:

Stack few Spinach leaves together so they become easy to chop

The Onions shouldn't be overcooked but just Soft in this recipe

For this recipe try to use Fresh Ginger & Garlic or Paste can be used if chopped pieces aren’t preferred

The classic combination of Garlic and Spinach go together beautifully and give a nice flavor to this dish as well

Blanching or ‘Refreshing of Green Vegetables’ is a precooking process by which Greens (Spinach, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Broccoli) are dipped in hot water for few minutes and immediately transferred in ice cold water so that they are semi cooked and retain their bright colors
This method is great for cutting and preparing Vegetables in advance by Freezing and used for further cooking like Sauteing or stir Frying

Low Fat Yoghurt is an excellent substitute for Full Fat Fresh Cream in most of the Gravy Recipes (especially in our Indian dishes) to replace as a Healthy Meal option
In this dish though it is optional, Curd imparts the required Sour taste as well as blends well in a creamy texture with the Greens

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Botttle Gourd Dumplings simmered in Rich Tomato Gravy (Lauki ke Kofte)

North Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special

Punjabi/Uttar Pradesh Cuisine
Botttle Gourd Dumplings simmered in Rich Tomato Gravy (Lauki ke Kofte)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
Bottle Gourd (Doodhi/Lauki)- 1/2 Kg.
Gram Flour (Besan)- 1/4 cup
Salt- To Taste
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 Tsp. (optional)
Red Chilli Powder- 1 Tsp.
Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- For Deep Frying & 4 Tbsp. for Gravy

For Gravy:
Fresh Roma Tomatoes- 4 Medium
Red Onions- 2 Medium
Fresh Ginger 1 inch 
Fresh Garlic- 5 Cloves
Whole Dry Red Chillies- 4 to 5
Salt- to taste
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 Tsp.
Coriander Powder- 1 Tbsp.
Cumin Powder- 1/2 Tsp.
Garam Masala Powder- 1/2 Tsp.

Fresh Coriander Leaves- a few Sprigs, Finely Chopped

Method:
Clean, Wash, Peel & Grate the Botttle Gourd
Add about 1/2 Tsp. of Salt & keep aside for 15 Minutes
In small batches, squeeze the Grated Lauki to get rid of the excess water (this process may have to be repeated depending on the Quality & freshness of Lauki)

Add Gram Flour, Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder & Mix to make a semi smooth Dough to make Dumplings

Divide it into ten to twelve equal portions
Stuff one-piece tamarind into each portion of this mixture
Wet your palm and shape the stuffed portion into a ball

In a Non Stick Kadai, Heat Oil
Deep-fry the prepared Koftas (in small batches) for 2 or 3 Minutes/until Golden Brown in colour and crisp from the outside
Drain and remove onto Kitchen towel/absorbent paper

For Gravy:
Clean, Wash, Peel & Finely Chop Onions
remove Stems from Dry Red Chillies
Peel Ginger, Garlic and Grind to a fine paste along with Dry Red chillies

Wash and puree Tomatoes in a blender

Heat Oil in a pan, add the Pureed Onions and Sauté until light golden brown
Add Ginger-Garlic-Dry Red Chilli paste & Stir-fry till done

 

Add Haldi, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder and Red Chilli Powder
Continue to cook on medium heat for about a Minute or so stirring continuously
Add the Tomato Puree and cook on high heat stirring continuously till Oil begins to separate
Add about 1.5 Cups of Water and bring it to a Boil
Add Salt, reduce heat & Simmer for about 5 Minutes

Gently add the fried Koftas and Simmer for 3-5 Minutes

Sprinkle Garam Masala
Serve Fresh garnished with chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves


Tips:
In Allahabad, a variation of this Dumpling is with a Cherry Stuffed in each for that classic Awadhi Touch!
Another option is to add a Tamarind Piece in each Dumpling
other options to stuff inside are Dried Plums, Paneer


Can replace all Dry Masalas in the Gravy (except for Salt) with Catch (or any of your Favorite Brand for that matter) Kitchen King Masala (perfect for Gravies)



 Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Moment’s Falooda Mix

On one of those Grocery store trips in an unexpected corner of Reliance Fresh Store, I saw the Moment’s Falooda Rose Flavoured Mix. Rest of the 9 flavours available are Vanilla, Rajbhog, Butterscotch, Kesar, Pista, Sitafal, Chocolate, Mango, Strawberry & are a great addition as coolants in Summer

The actual preparation happens literally in few minutes with a great result!

One 200 Grams Packet Serves about 5-6 (this is based on the Packet Instructions but trust me it would eventually turn to be for may be about 4 to 5)

In 1 Litre of Milk, mix about a Glass of Water & bring to a boil

Add the whole pack of Falooda Mix & boil for 10-15 Minutes till the Mix thickens

Keep aside so that it reaches room Temperature after which Refrigerate to Chill

The Chilled Falooda is ready to be served!

Some of the Additional Toppings can be Ice Cream, Roasted Dry Fruits etc.


Moment's Mango Falooda Mix:

Moment's Pista Falooda Mix:

Strawberry Mix:

    

After this pack, we were not able to get another one soon but finally found luck with the Mango Flavour
I just wish this Falooda Mix is available at most stores in the South especially Chennai & Tamil Nadu

Just for some information on different Indian Names for the versatile world famous Rose Flower, I have put together its names here:

Bengali- Golap
Hindi- Gulab
Kannada- Gulabihuvu/Tarana
Odiya- Gulap
Tamil- Irosa/Pannirpu/Pannir Roja/Rajappu
Telugu- Gulabipuvvu/Rojapuvvu



English- Saffron
Hindi- Kesar/Zafran
Telugu- Kunkumapuvvu




Feel free to share your views on this Product & let us know how it can be of use in our Pantry :)

MTR Rava Idli Mix

South Indian Vegetarian Breakfast Special
Andhra/Kannada Cuisine
MTR Rava Idli Mix
Serves 2

Ingredients:
MTR Rava Idli Mix- 1 Pack
Curd-

Serve Immediately with any Chutney of Choice!


Alternative method:
Mix 1 pack of Rava Idli mix with some Yoghurt, rest it for about a minute and mix the rest of the yoghurt
In colourful moulds, pour batter, put green or red chutney, Boiled Carrots, Cashewnuts, Black Sesame & put them to steam for 15 minutes





Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Sago Pearls Vermicelli Pudding (Saggubiyyam Semiya Payasam/Sabudana Seviyan Kheer)

Indian Egg less Sweets Special

Andhra Cuisine

Sago Pearls Vermicelli Pudding (Saggubiyyam Semiya Payasam/Sabudana Seviyan Kheer)

For Pavan's B'Day this year (according to the Telugu Calender), we prepared this Payasam & was well appreciated by my everyone including my beloved Grandmother :)

Ingredients:

Sago (Sabudana/Saggubiyyam)- 2 Tbsp. 

Vermicelli (Semiya)-¼ Cup

Clarified Butter (Ghee)- 2 Tsp.

Milk- 1 Litre or 3 Cups

Sugar- ½ Cup

Cashew nuts & Raisins- 2 Tbsp.

Cardamom Powder (Elaichi/Yalakulu)- ½ Tsp.

Method:

In a Pan, Heat Ghee, Add Cashew nuts & Raisins & Sauté till Golden in color, Keep aside

Add Vermicelli in the same Pan & Sauté on Low Flame till it starts getting a nice Golden color, Keep aside

In a Thick Bottomed Pot, add Sago with just about enough Water to Cover & Cook Covered on Low Flame till they are half done

Heat Milk in a separate Pot till one Boil comes
Add the Vermicelli & Boiled Milk to the Sago Pot & let it simmer

Tips:

Bengali- Shemai

English- Vermicelli

Hindi- Seviyan

Gujarati- Sev

Kannada- Shavige

Malayalam- Semiya

Tamil- Semiya

Telugu- Semiya/Sevalu

Urdu- Seviyan

Sago adds the binding in this Vermicelli Kheer which otherwise can be made alone but the Vermicelli would be loosely separated & the Kheer would be liquidy

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)