Nov 7, 2014

414: Kadappa

Kadappa

This is a special dish around Kumbakonam/Tanjore areas. Potatoes cooked in fennel and coconut gravy. A perfect side dish for idly / Dosa and Idiyappam.


Ingredients

Boiled Big Potatoes                    3 Nos. (Peeled and Crumbled)
Moong dhal                                 ¼ cup
Chopped Green Chilies               2 no.
Chopped Curry leaves               2 Strings
Grated Ginger                           1 Tbsp.
Lemon Juice                              1 Tbsp.
Coriander leaves                       For Garnishing

For Grinding
 Grated Coconut                      1/2 cup
Fried Gram/Pottukadalai        3 Tbsp.
Green chilies                           2 no.            
Fennel seeds                           1 Tbsp.
Poppy seeds                             1 tsp.

For Tadka
 Oil                                           1 Tbsp.
Mustard seeds                        1/4 Tsp.
Bay Leaves                              2 No.
Cinnamon stick                        1 no.
Cloves                                     2 no.
Turmeric powder                   ¼ Tsp.

Preparation

  • Boil potato and crumble them well.
  • Cook moong dal in a pressure cooker and mash it well. Keep aside.
  • Grind all the ingredients mentioned under "to grind" with little water into a smooth coconut paste. Keep it aside
  • Heat oil in a kadai, add all tadka items, fry for a minute, add chopped green chilies, grated ginger and curry leaves. Sauté them for a minute.
  • Now add the grounded paste and mix well and sauté them until the raw smell goes off, around 5 minutes. Reduce the stove heat.
  • Then add the cooked potatoes and dhal and add some water to dilute it and allow simmering for 5 to 7 minutes boil together. 
  • Transfer to the serving bowl and garnish it with coriander leaves and squeeze the lemon juice over it.
Kadappa


Nov 1, 2014

413: Palada Pradhaman/Milk Ada Pradhaman



Palada pradhaman is very popular dessert in Kerala .It is made on occasions like Vishu, Onam & marriage feasts.  This a rich and delicious dessert and it is a fitting finale to the sadhya(feast), leaving your guest with unforgettable memories of the delicious Onam sadhya.

Ingredients:
Instant ada                              1 cup
Whole milk                              2 ½  cups
Evaporated milk                       1 tin
Water                                      1 cup  
Sugar                                      1 ½ cup
Green Cardmons                       6no. (crushed)
Saffron                                     a pinch
 Ghee                                       2 tbsp.
Cashews & almonds                   a handful

Method:
                           
  • Soak the adas in water for 30 minutes  Wash & drain in cold water 2-3 times until water is clean.
  • Place a heavy bottom vessel and add in one cup of water and allow it to boil. Add ada into it. When its almost cooked drain the water and keep aside.
  • Pour the milk , evaporated milk and saffron into the thick bottom non stick vessel, heat it.when it boils, add the sugar and continue boiling until it thickens.
  • When it is well reduced or thickened, add the cooked ada pieces into it.  Cook it in very low flame.
  • Finally add the crushed cardamom powder to  the milk  and  mix well. switch off the flame.
  • Blend the well boiled milk and the ada together and remove from the flame only when it reaches the consistency that makes it ready to serve
  •  Heat ghee and roast the cashew nuts and raisins and garnish on top.

Note:
You can make ada at home. Here is the recipe.

For making fresh ada:

Unnakkal ari (Raw rice)  - 1 cup.  Sugar   - 3 tsp. Coconut  - 1 tbsp.

  • Wash the unakkalari well and either powder it or grind it.
  • To this, add the sugar and the coconut oil, and mix it till it is slightly thinner than dosa batter consistency, but thick enough to be spread on a leaf. 
  • Tear the banana leaf into five portions, remove the fibre, and spread the batter on each leaf by hand. Flatten and smoothen it out.
  • Place a vessel of water on the flame, and when it boils well, add the flattened ada into it.
  • When the ada is cooked well, switch off the flame.
  • Drain the water and when it cools, gently separate each ada from the leaf.
  • Cut the ada into very small pieces.
  • Now ada is ready for Pradhaman. 


Note: see my other  Ada Pradhaman recipe

Oct 18, 2014

412: Kasi Halwa/Pumpkin Halwa

Pumpkin halwa or popularly called as Kasi halwa. This traditional sweet is served in every Tamil weddings. I tried this delicious halwa for this Diwali and It came out very well. I am sure you will also would like to give a try.

Ingredients

Grated White Pumpkin                       2 cups
Sugar                                               1 ¼ cup
Ghee                                                3 tbsp.
Freshly crushed cardamom                 1 tbsp.
Orange color                                      a pinch
Cashews                                            1 tbsp.
Raisins                                               1 tbsp.
Edible camphor (Pachai Karpuram)        a pinch  

Method                          
  • Peel the white pumpkin skin and grate it. I used my food processor for shredding which made the job easy and no mess.
  • Drain the excess water from the grated pumpkin.
  • Microwave Cook the grated pumpkin for 10 minutes.(If you don’t have microwave, use the idli cooker to steam cook).
  • Mash the vegetable easily once it is cooked.OR grind the pumpkin to a paste.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in the nonstick pan, and saute the pumpkin for 5 minutes until the water gets absorbed.
  • Heat a pan and add sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Let sugar dissolve and bring it to a boil. When the syrup starts thickening add ground vegetable and mix well.
  • Cook in medium flame for about 20 min keeping the pan closed. Stir it after every 5 minutes
  • Mix the food color in a few drops of water and add it to the pan and mix well.
  • Once the mixture becomes semisolid, add ghee and crushed cardamom and  eatable camphor stir it well.
  • When it starts leaving the sides of the pan and becomes thick, remove from heat.
  • Fry the cahsews and raisins in ghee, until golden brown and add to the halwa.


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