Tirunelveli halwa or wheat ghee halwa

Ingredients

Wheat : 2 cups (approx 450gms)

Sugar: 7 cups

Water: 12 cups

Cardomom powder: 1/2 tsp

Ghee: 3 cups

Procedure:

Soak the wheat in sufficient amount of water for 8 hrs.  Grind the wheat with some water and extract the wheat milk. To get the milk, grind the wheat in mixie/blender for 5 minutes and filter out the milk. Grind the wheat with fresh water again and filter.Repeat this atleast 3 times. Allow the milk to ferment overnight.

In the morning , you will find that the thick milk has settled at the bottom and the clear liquid on top.Discard the clear liquid. I got approximately 3.5 cups of milk

In a wide non stick pan, pour this milk and add 12 cups of water and mix well. Cook in a medium flame and keep stirring once 3 -5 minutes.After 1 hour, the mixture starts to thicken. At this point add sugar and keep on stirring

Once it reaches semi solid stage, add ghee little by little and keep on stirring.After another 1 hour or so, the ghee will start oozing out.The halwa will look transparent as well.When you take the mixture in the laddle, it should slide and not stick to the laddle.

The ghee will really start oozing out at the last stage. I recollected more than 1/4 cup of ghee. once I was done with the Halwa.  Add cardomom powder and fried cashews and switch off the flame. Decorate with cashews, almonds & pistachios for rich taste.

For getting exact colour of the halwa 

Heat 3 tsp of ghee. Add 2 tsp of sugar and keep stirring until the sugar starts melting and starts caramelizing. At one point (within a minute or two), the ghee starts changing color to brown.Pour this to the Halwa mixture and you will get the required color naturally.

Sabudana or javvarisi kheer

Ingredients

Milk - 5 cups

Soaked sabudana - 1/4 cup

Saffron soaked in warm milk

Sugar - 2.5 tbsps

Kesar colour - a pinch

Broken cashews - 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder

Heat the milk in a deep non stick pan. Add the saffron soaked milk and mix. Cook on low heat till the milk thickens a little. Add the sabudana to the milk and cook, stirring, till the sabudana is fully cooked and the kheer thickened.

Add broken cashews, sugar and green cardamom powder and mix well. Serve it hot or chill and serve.

Quick Almond or Badam halwa

Blanched Almonds - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup (I used half a cup)
Milk -  1 cup + 2 tbsp
White sugar - 2 cups. 

Saffron - 1 large pinch

Method

Soak the almonds for an hour. Blend almonds and 1 cup milk together. Heat the 2 tbsp of milk in a heavy bottom pan (preferably non stick). Add saffron to the milk. When the milk is hot and about to boil, add the almond paste. On medium heat, stir continuously. After 8-10 min, the almonds paste changes color, at this point start adding sugar and ghee little by little at a time. After 10 mins, halwa will be ready and all the ghee will be absorbed. Decorate the halwa with almonds & pistachios. Serve this halwa hot.

Puli upma or tamarind upma

Ingredients

Rice flour: 1 cup
Tamarind juice: a little more than 1/4th cup
Mor molagai(chily soaked in curd and sun dried) or dried red chillies
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Asofoetida: a lavish pinch
Gingelly Oil: around 4 tbsp
Salt to taste

Procedure

In a bowl mix rice flour, tamarind juice, asofoetida and salt. The mixture should be free of lumps and consistency should be semi soild. In a pan add 4 tbsp oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add dried red chillies. Keep the flame in medium and add the flour mixture and keep stirring.(If not stirred, the mixture gets stuck at the bottom. The Mixture should come togehter like a ball. At this stage pat the mixture with a flat ladle, holding it vertically. Keep doing this till the mixture dries up and separates out and becomes like upma.(around 10 minutes). Remove from heat and serve.

Milagu kuzhambu or pepper gravy

Ingredient:

Garlic - 10 cloves

Tamarind (Soaked in warm water)-lemon size

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - To taste

To roast and grind:

Black Pepper- 5 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsps
Toor dal - 2 tsps

Red chillies - 3

Asafoetida - a small piece

Jeera - 1 tsp

To temper:

Gingely oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Preparation:

Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the juice from it. Roast and grind the ingredients in little oil. In a pan, add gingely oil and throw in the tempering agents.  On the mustard seeds splutter, add in curry leaves, garlic and pour in the extracted tamarind juice.

Add turmeric powder, salt, and the ground mixture. Let this boil for some 10 to 15 minutes until the gravy has become in thicker consistency and the garlic is completely cooked. Mix with rice and you get great taste

Lemon rice - quick lunch recipe

Benefits of lemon


1. Lemon being a citrus fruit, fights against infection.

It helps in production of WBC's and antibodies in blood which attacks the invading microorganism and prevents infection.

2. Lemon is an antioxidant which deactivates the free radicals preventing many dangerous diseases like stroke, cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

3. Lemon lowers blood pressure and increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol) .

4. Lemon is found to be anti-carcinogenic which lower the rates of colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

They prevent faulty metabolism in the cell, which can predispose a cell to becoming carcinogenic.

Also blocks the formation of nitrosamines in the gut.

5. Lemon juice is said to give a glow to the skin.

6. A few drops of lemon juice in hot water are believed to clear the digestive system and purify liver as well.

7. The skin of lemon dried under the sun and then ground to make powder can be applied to the hair for a

few minutes before bath which relieves head ache and cools the body.

8. Applying lemon juice to acne dries the existing ones and prevents from getting more.

9. Lemon juice acts as a natural hair lightner and skin bleach which reduces the pigment melanin and prevents

the risk of chemical allergic reactions which is common with hair dyes and bleaches.

10. Lemon juice is given to relieve gingivitis, stomatitis, and inflammation of the tongue.

11. Lemon juice is given to prevent common cold.

12. Lemon juice is given to prevent or treat urinary tract infection and gonorrhea.

13. Lemon juice is applied to the sites of bites and stings of certain insects to relieve its poison and pain.

14. Lemon juice relieves colic pain and gastric problems.

15. Lemon juice soothes the dry skin when applied with little glycerin.

16. Lemon juice used for marinating seafood or meat kills bacteria and other organisms present in them,

thereby prevents many gastro-intestinal tract infections.

17. Lemon juice with a pinch of salt (warm) every morning lowers cholesterol levels and brings down your weight.

18. Lemon juice is the best drink to prevent dehydration and shock in case of diarrhea.

19. Lemon juice can also be used as a mouthwash. It removes plaque, whitens the teeth and strengthens the enamel.

20. A table spoon on thick lemon syrup everyday relieves asthma.

21. Lemon juice relieves chilblains and itchy skin.

22. Gargling lemon juice relieves throat infection and also used as a treatment for diphtheria.

23. Lemon juice is an excellent treatment for dandruff and greasy hair.

24. Lemon applied over the face removes wrinkles and keeps you young.

25. Lemon juice helps to prevent and cure osteoarthritis.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw rice, cook rice with each grain separate (to get separate grains add a tsp of gingelly oil on washed rice before cooking the rice)

8-10 curry leaves

juice of 3 lemons (approx 6-7 tbsps) 

salt to taste

For Tempering

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 1/2 tsps urad dal

1 tbsp channa dal

2 dry chillis, 

pinch of asfoetida

1/2 tsp grated ginger

2 green chillis (slit )

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

 Heat oil in a vessel, add the mustard seeds and as they begin to sizzle, add the dals and allow them to turn slightly red, add curry leaves, green chillis, grated ginger, red chillis and stir fry for few more secs. Add asafoetida and turmeric powder.

Add salt to taste and 3/4th of the lemon juice and combine well. Add the seasoning and combine that it coats the rice well.

 Taste and if you feel that it needs more tang, add more lemon juice accordingly.

Serve with spicy potatoe curry or appalam/pickle.

Puliyodharai paste or pulikaaychal

Ingredients

Puli (Tamarind) - Size of sweet lime/mozambi
Red chilly - 10
Vendhayam (Fenugreek) - 1 teaspoon
Kadugu (Mustard) - 2 teaspoon
Asafoetida (perungaayam) - size of small gooseberry
Sunflower oil - 3 teaspoon
Salt - 1 small kuzhi karandi

Preparation

1. Prepare 2 and 1/2 tumblers of thick tamarind water 
2. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida. Heat till it gets roasted
3. Add mustard in the pan, then add vendhayam and finally add red chilly and roast them.
4. Add the tamarind water in the pan
5. Add salt, mix them thoroughly
6. Close the pan and Heat it in medium flame till 1 tumbler of Pulikkaaichal paste is formed (might take 45 mins to 1 hour approx)

Preparation of Puliyodharai Powder

Ingredients

Dhaniya (coriander seed) - 100 grams
Red chilly - 15
Vendhayam (Fenugreek) - 2 teaspoon
Asafoetida (perungaayam) - small piece
Sunflower oil - 2 teaspoon

Salt - For taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida. Heat till it gets roasted
2. Add vendhayam and stir
3. Add red chilly and stir
4. Finally add dhaniya and heat till it turns light red color
5. Turn off the stove
6. Separate the red chilly and asafoetida from the above roasted ingredients
7. Put the red chilly and asafoetida in a mixer grinder and add salt
8. Grind them coarsely
9. Add dhaniya and vendhayam and grind nicely

Sweet pongal or sakkarai pongal

1. 
   
2. Ingredients
3. 
   
4. White Raw Rice - 1/2 Cup
5. Split Yellow lentils/Moong Dhal - 1/4 Cup
6. Water - 3 1/2 Cup
7. Jaggery - 3/4 Cup
8. Cardamom - 4
9. Salt - to taste (add little)
10. Cashew Nuts - 15
11. Raisins - 20g
12. Ghee - 1/2 cup
13. 
    
14. Procedure: 

1. Wash the rice and lentils. Add 3 1/2 cups of water and cook in a pressure cooker. Cook upto 4 to 5 whistle. Heat the ghee in a pan and roast the cashew nuts until golden brown and then add raisins and fry for 30 seconds.Finely chop the jaggery and add 1/4 cup water and cook in a medium flame for couple of minutes. Add the cardamom powder and sugar. Strain the mixture in a sieve. Add strained jaggery mixture and roasted cahew nuts and raisins. Mix well and cook the pongal in a medium flame for 5 minutes while stirring the mixture. Serve hot.
2. 
   

1. 
   

Paruppu vadai

This vadai is made of three types of dhal or paruppu, it is also referred to as Paruppu Vadai or Muparuppu Vadai (meaning that all three types of dal are used for this). Also referred to as Masal Vadai (without onion).

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 1 cup
 Urid dal: 2 teaspoons
Pasiparuppu - 2 teaspoons(optional)
 Red chillies: 5 (Normal sized), if u want spicy masala vadai  
A Handful of rice
Salt to taste
 Asafoedita
Water to soak the dals
Oil to fry
Curry Leaves and coriander leaves
 A pinch of turmeric powder

 Procedure:

1.       Soak all the dal together and rice in water for one hour. Take a side 1 tbsp of gram dal alone and soak it separately.

2.       After an hour, filter out the water and grind the dal along with red chillies, salt, asafoedita and turmeric powder by adding no water..

3.       Grind it for only few seconds and not very nicely.

4.       Take the semi grinded maavu and mix this with curry leaves. Add the separately soaked 1 tbsp gram dal to this maavu after filtering out the water.

5.       Make small vadais by your hand and fry it in a kadai of oil once the oil is heated.

6.       Fry it both the sides till golden yellowish brown colour.

This vadai would be very crispy and usually children’s favourite…

Coconut boli

Tommorrow is Bogi pongal. We used to do this dish for Bogi. This traditional recipe was taught to me by my mother.  Boli is a festival favourite. The coconut Boli will last at least two to three days and is a great dish to savour while travelling.

What you need:

For the outer layer

Maida or finely ground wheat flour - 2 cups

Salt - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Sugar - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup or as required

Gingelly oil - 1 ladle

For the stuffing

Coconut – 1

Jaggery, finely grated – 1 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - as required

To roll

Banana leaf – small size

Cooking instructions

Take the flour in a basin and add salt, turmeric powder and sugar.

Add enough water to make a loose dough.

Add the gingelly oil and mix well. Keep aside for at least half-an-hour.

For the stuffing, boil jaggery in water till it dissolves, and strain the syrup.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix the jaggery syrup and grated coconut. Place on stove, and stir till the mixture attains semi-solid consistency.

Roll into lemon-sized balls.

Take the banana leaf and grease it with gingelly oil.

On it, spread a lemon-sized piece of dough. Flatten it, and place the mixture in the middle. Close it and spread it with fingers into round polis.

Heat a tawa on medium flame. Place the poli with the banana leaf on top. After a minute, remove the leaf.

After one side of the poli is cooked to a golden brown, turn and cook the other side.

Sprinkle some ghee on both sides after removing from the stove.

Serve hot.

Paruppu Boli

Ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for the puran mixture - sweet filling:

1 cup powdered jaggery cup, chana dal/skinned spilt bengal gram, 3 cups water for pressure cooking the chana dal, 2 tsp ghee, 1 tsp fennel powder/saunf, ¾ to 1 tsp dry ginger powder ½ tsp cardamom powder or 4-5 cardamoms crushed finely, ¼ tsp nutmeg powder

for the poli - outer covering:

1.5 cups whole wheat flour/atta + ½ cup all purpose flour/maida (or you can also use 2 cups whole wheat flour instead)1 tsp oil or ghee, ½ tsp salt or as required, ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi (optional, to give a faint yellow color to the Boli)water as required to knead the doughoil or ghee as required for frying the puran Boli

Preparing the puran:

Rinse the chana dal first very well in water. I didn't soaked the chana dal but you can also soak the chana dal for 30 minutes to one hour and then drain the water. In a pressure cooker, cook the chana dal for 6 to 7 whistles. If you soak the chana dal, the cooking time will be reduced. Once the pressure settles down on its own, strain the cooked dal. The dal has to be strained well. Keep the stock aside. You can just add it to your veggie dishes or rotis. Heat ghee in a pan and add the dry ginger powder, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder and fennel powder. Saute for a few seconds. Add the chana dal and jaggery. Stir and let this puran mixture cook on a low flame till the mixture becomes dry. Keep on stirring the puran mixture at intervals. Once the puran stuffing become dry and thick, switch off the flame. Let it cool and then mash the puran mixture with a potato masher. You can also use your mixer to mash the puran mixture very well. Keep aside.

Preparing the poli dough:

Take whole wheat flour/atta, all purpose flour/maida and salt in a bowl mix well. Add a little bit of water and ghee and mix. begin to knead the dough adding water as required. The dough should be smooth and soft. cover and keep aside the dough for 15-20 minutes.

Making the puran poli:

Take a medium or large size ball from the dough. Roll it 2-3 inches in circumference on a dusted rolling board. Place a portion of puran mixture in the center of the rolled dough.  Bring the edges together towards the center. Join all the edges and pinch them. Sprinkle some flour and start rolling the dough. Make a medium or large circle (Boli) as depending upon the size of the dough and puran filling you took. On a heated tawa or griddle, spread some ghee. Place the rolled Boli/dough circle on the tawa. When one side gets browned, turn over and cook the other side till you see some brown spots. Once the second side gets browned, Then turn over and apply ghee. If everything is done properly then puran Boli will puff up. The Boli should be cooked well with brown spots and golden. Make all puran Bolis this way and stack them in a casserole or in a kitchen napkin. You can serve puran Boli warm or at room temperature with milk, ghee or yogurt/curd.

7

Thiruvadhirai kootu

Ingredients

Carrot - 1/2 cup
Beans - 1/2 cup
Potato - 1/2 cup
Broad beans - 1/2 cup
White pumpkin - 1/2 cup
Cheppankizhangu - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves
Toor dal
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asfoetida - a pinch
Tamarind extract
Urad dal - 1tsp
Dry red chillies - 3 or 4
Sambar powder - 2 tbps
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Grated jaggery - optional

Take a pressure pan and add the veggies, turmeric powder, salt, sambar powder and some water (don’t add more water). Cook up to 1 whistle. Let it cool. Make sure not to make it mushy .Take a kadai, add few drops of oil, and add ‘TO GRIND’ products. Fry until golden color. Grind it in the mixie to the powder consistency. Separately cook the Chepangkizhanku until it’s tender and Peel the skin , Cut into cubes. Pour the tamarind extract and cooked and cut cheppankizhangu into the cooked veggies. Let it boil until the raw smell is gone. Separately grind the coconut with water in the mixie. Pour it into the above mix. Add the ground powder, grated Jaggery, cooked and mashed toor dal and mix it well.Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves. Pour it in the kootu. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with Thiruvathirai Kali/Rice/Roti.

Thiruvadhirai kali

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 1 Cup
Grated Jaggery - 1 1/2 Cup
Water - 3 Cups
Moong dal - 2 tablespoons
Cardamom - 4
Grated Coconut - 4 tablepsoons
Cashews - 6
Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Salt a pinch

Method

Wash the raw rice in a water and rinse it. Fry the rinsed ricr until it becomes golden brown in colour.

Grind the Raw Rice in a mixer and the rice powder should be like sooji or rava. Take the contents in a bowl. Put the moongdhal in the kadaai and fry it till it becomes golden brown in colour.

Pour one cup of water to cook the dhal. It will take approximately 5 minutes to cook. The dhal need not to be cooked completely. It should be in half boiled consistency. If you take one of the dhal and press it with your fingers, then it should get smashed. This is the right consistency. While the dhal is getting cooked, you can prepare the jaggery juice in parallel.
Heat another pan, add water (till the jaggery immersed in the water completely) and add grated jaggery.

When the jaggery dissolves completely in water, strain it to remove dust and sand particles. Keep the strained jaggery juice in a separate bowl.

Once the dhal is almost cooked, pour two cups water, strained jaggery juice and a pinch of salt.

When the jaggery mixture begins to boil, add the powdered rice and stir well to avoid bumps.

Powder the cardamon and add it along with the grated coconut.

Fry the cashews in the ghee and add to the kali. Add the remaining ghee to the kali and stir it well.

Keep the flame low and allow it to cook in low flame for 5 minutes and then remove from the flame.


Yummy thiruvadhirai kali is ready.