Cherupayar Payasam/Moong dhal Payasam

Paruppu Payasam is a traditionally important dish in Kerala cuisine. Anyone who has had an Oman or Vishu sadhya will vouch that the feast is incomplete until you have savored the steaming paruppu payasam.

Ingredients

Green gram dal/ Moong dal                    – 1 cup

 Grated Jaggery                                   – 1 ½ cup

Mashed banana                                     -1 no

Very Thin Milk ( 3 rd milk)                      – 1cup

Thin coconut milk                                 – 2 cups

 Thick coconut milk                               – 1 cup

 Cardamom Powdered                            – 2 tbsp

Dry ginger Powder                                 – 1`/4 tsp

Cashew nuts                                         – 2 tbsp

Raisins                                                 -2 tbsp

 Coconut Pieces                                   – 3 tbsp

Ghee                                                  – 4 tbsp

Method

• Dry roast the dal in a nonstick pan till it turns light brown color. After cooling it well, cook the dhal along with very thin milk (3^rd milk) and water and pressure cook it for 3 whistles. Take out the dhal from the cooker and mash it well. Keep aside.
• Melt the jaggery and filter it. And keep aside.
• Heat the 2 tbsp. of ghee in the heavy bottom vessel; add the cooked dhal, mashed banana and the thin coconut milk (2^nd milk). Stir it well and now add the melted jaggery, cardamom power and Dry ginger powder.. Mix it well and cook it in the very low flame for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Finally add the thicken coconut milk and stir well. Switch of the flame.
• Fry the cashews and raisins in 1 tbsp. of ghee and pour it into the payasam.
•  Fry the small coconut pieces this same ghee till it turns golden color and add it to the payasam.

Paruppu Vadai (Lentils Vadai)/ Split chickpea fritters

Paruppu vadai is a south Indian specialty snack that is prepared on every single occasion. This is a snack which I always enjoy with tea. In olden days people prepare this using Ural. Nowadays it is prepared quickly using the mixie/blender/food processer. Making a good vadai is all about the consistency of the batter. When you make this vadai, remember this key point, batter should not be very loose dough. When you deep fry very loose dough, you won’t get the rough crunch that is key to this dish. There are a lot of variations in preparing these vadai. It depends on the proportion of dals used.   If you want make Masala vadai, you can add Sombu, Cinnamon powder in this Batter. My version of vadai, here you go…

Ingredients: 

Toor dal                               - 1 cups

Chenna dal                           - 1 cup

Urdh dhal                              – 1 cup

Dry Red chillis -                      10 – 12 (depending on how hot you want)

Asafetida powder                  – ½ tsp.

Grated ginger                       – 1 tsp

Crushed Black pepper            – ¼ tsp

Chopped curry leaves              – 2 tbsp.

Chopped Coriander leaves/Cilantro

Salt                                     to taste

Oil                                      for deep frying

Method: 

• Soak all dals together in water for 3 hours. Once soaked, the lentils should break easily if you pinch them. Wash them in water, and drain.
• In a food processor, add the red chillis, Asafetida powder, and salt, ginger and curry leaves. Grind for a second.
• Now add the dals and grind this in a blender adding very little water so it is roughly blended.
• The dal should be partially ground. (i.e., half the dal is should be just broken and the remaining dal remains whole.)
• Add chopped coriander leaves/cilantro and mix dal well.
• The thick batter should be formed into silver dollar sized patties, rounded on top and bottom, and should hold their shape in your palm. Deep fry both sides until it turns golden brown.
• Eat it with Sāmbhar and chutney, Tea and anyone will be happy.

Coconut Rice

The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, which means "monkey face" because the three indentations (eyes) on the hairy nut resemble the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means "nut-bearing.".

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a "functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content. Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's amazing healing powers. If you want to know more about coconut health benefits, Please see the link http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

This rice an exciting combination of coconut and plain white rice. In our family Coconut rice is usually prepared during festivals along with array of other delicious preparations. Freshly grated coconuts are also available widely in frozen form mainly in the Asian stores. All these processed form of coconut tastes good, but nothing would beat the fresh coconut taste.

Ingredients:

Uncooked Basmati rice                            – 2 cups

Freshly Grated Coconut                         – 1 1/2 cups

Water                                                – 2 1/2 cup

Salt                                                   to taste

Sugar                                                  ½ tsp.

Seasonings

Coconut oil                                     – 2 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chilies,                          4 whole

Mustard seeds                                – 1 tsp.

Chenna dhal                                  – 1tbsp

Peanuts                                           – 3 tbsp.

Chopped Green chilies                     –  2 tsp.

Chopped ginger                              – 2 tbsp.

Curry leaves                                  – 1 stem

Garnish

Ghee                                           – 1tsp

Whole Black Pepper                      – 5 no

A handful of cashewnuts                   to garnish (optional)

Coriander leaves

Method:

• Cook basmati with water and leave it to cool.
• Heat the oil   in pan. Add mustard seeds now and wait for them to splutter.
• Then add peanuts, Chenna dhal  on it and fry till they turn golden color.
• Now add chopped green chilies, ginger, curry leaves and the grated coconut.
• Sauté on medium /low heat for about 2 minute.
• Add the rice and salt, sugar to the coconut mixture and mix well
•  Fry cashews in the ghee.
• Garnish with fried cashewnuts bits. 

Tips: You can add chopped carrots and  frozen green peas  on it.

Maa Villaku

 Srivaishnavas , during the month of Purattasi (Mid-September/Mid October) on a Saturday, they used to light a lamp to the Supreme God Thirumalai Appan (Lord Balajii). Normally, this is done on any one of the Saturdays,  on the first, third or fifth Saturday of Purattasi Tamil month. Mainly, this is done when there is No Utsavam and Dwajarohanam is going on in the Tirupati Hill Temple. It is a form of Dheepa Poojai practiced by some families devoted to Lord VenkatEsa as the immortal lamp on top of the seven hills.

During Every Saturday of the Purattasi month, it is said Lord Sri Balajii expecting his devotees to come closer to his consort hills. And for those who could not afford to travel at length, he beams himself through the light of this specific ViLakku. Thus, a devotee getting His Lord's Darshan without climbing the seven hills of Thirumalai Tirupati. Also, the carbon emanated through the mixture of rice flour and cow's ghee is said to remove all the ill radiations and negative vibrations from one's home and that too when one recites aloud the name of the Lord God when the lighted cotton soak goes off. To make it worthy, devotees used to recite the Lord Gods name several times.

On this day, the Govinda Nama sankeerthanam reverberates on the hills of Venkatam as the sevArthees meditate on the dheepam and climb the hills to have the sevai of this eternal dheepam .Azhwars call it Nanada Vilakke.

AzhwAr's anubhavam of this JyOthi

 ******************************************

 The three Mudhal AzhwArs lit their own lamps in the first verses

Of their respective ThiruvanthAdhis and had a cosmic vision of

 The Lord with His Devi.

Poygai AzhwarAr , the first of the three Mudhal AzhwArs is the PaanchajanyAmsar.

 This AzhwAr lit a Cosmic Lamp for the Lord with the gigantic Earth as

the container vessel/bowl (ahal) to hold the surrounding seas serving as

the fuel for the lamp and lit the lamp with the hot rayed Sun as the light (Villaku)

 to ban the darkness of ajn~Anam:

 " Vyaam TahaLiyA Vaar kadalE neyyAha

veyyak--kathirOn viLakkAha ---Seyya

 SudarAzhiyAnukke SootinEn sonn maalai

 IdarAzhi neenguhavEyenRu "

 When Poygai AzhwAr spoke with the dawning of JN~Anam

that the Lord is the Supreme Master (Sarva Seshi) , the next of

 the Mudhal AzhwArs, BhUtham used His Bhakti as the ahal

 to for the Lord and His intense desire to visualize / experience

the Lord as the ghee/fuel for that lamp. The wick in that lamp

was His heart that was racing in anticipation of the bliss of

enjoying the Lord's presence :

 AnbE tahaLiyA aarvamE neyyAha

inbhuruhu sinthai idu thiriA --nanpuruhi

 JN~Anacchudar viLkkERRinEn NaaraNaRkku

 Jn~Anat-Tamizh purintha naann

pEy AzhwAr with the benefit of Para Jn~Anam joined the other two

 AzhwArs to have ParipoorNa SaakshAthkAram of the Lord in the light

 (glow) of the lamp lit by the other two and described that anubhavam

 of enjoying the Lord with His divine consort and His weapons:

 "ThirukkaNDEn ponn mEni KaNDEn--Thihazhum

 arukkanaNi niRamum kaNDEn --seruuliLarum

 ponnAzhi kaNDEn purisankam kai kaNDEn

 yennAzhi VaNNan paalinRu"

 In the third Paasuram of the MoonRAm ThiruvanthAdhis ,

 PeYAzhwAr described the Lord as the permanent cure for

 the illness of SamsAram( varu naraham theerkkum marunthu)

and identifies Him with residences in the Milky Ocean,

 the breast region of MahA Lakshmi and his heart lotus:

 " ManatthuLLAn Maakadal neeruLLAn--MalarAL

 tanatthuLLAn TaNN thuzhAi Maarbhan -----

 varu naraham theerkkum marunthu "

 PeyAzhwAr declares further that he visualized the Lord's

 Sacred feet and announces that he clung to them tight

as the refuge to destroy forever the cycles of future births .

 AzhwAr explains in the next Paasuram that the dhivya jyOthi

 of the Lord's feet are our means for the liberarion from the terrors

 of SamsAram and they should be goal and the Supreme object

 of enjoyment ( Marunthum poruLum amuthamum thAnE ).

 The same JyOthi ( Kaarthikai dheepam ) was seen by Thirumangai Mannan

at SrIrangam and Utthama Nambi explained that as the means , goal and

the perrenial , insatiable enjoyment (aarAvamudhu) for us .

 May the divine JyOthi of the Purattasi Saturday dheepam shining on

 the ahal of Maa ViLakku chase away our darkness of ajn~Anam and

 Vipareetha Jn~Anam and offer us the comforting place in His

 Parama Padham at the end of our earthly existence !

http://www.indiadivine.org

Maa ViLakku Recipe

Ingredients

 Raw Rice                   1 cup

 Jaggery                     ½ cup

 Cardamom                 4nos

benzoine known as Pacchaikarpooram a pinch

Grated coconut          2 table spoons

 Ghee                        2 table spoons

 Wick                        4 inch length.

Method

• Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.
• Drain well and spread on a white cloth.
• Grind the rice in a heavy duty mixer a little at a time and sieve.
• When all the rice is ground, mix with powdered jaggery’, grated coconut, Pachaikarporam and cardamom
• On a silver plate shape this dough in to the shape of a lamp or ViLakku. Pour ghee and place a wick.
• Light the lamp and wait until it completes burning.
• Chat slokhas and Govinda Nama.
• When the lamp is about to go off, do offerings, neivedhyam of Milk or Fruits. Afterwards, remove the burnt wick, mix the dough properly, and distribute the prasadam.
• 
  

Ada Pradhaman

Ada Pradhaman is known as the king of Payasam at Kerala, a prestigious addition to festivities such as Onam and marriage ceremonies. Payasam is a desert which is a must for every sadhya (Feast) in Kerala. The combination of coconut milk and jaggery is very delicious. 

In the olden days in Kerala they make these rice flakes days before the festival and let them dry in sunlight. But now a day the instant Ada packets are available at market, so it’s quite easy to make Pradhaman. On the day of the festival whole coconuts are grated and coconut milk is extracted from it. The first time it is extracted without adding any water, next time with little water and the third time again with little more water. The pure extract is called the First milk, Second milk and third milk consecutively. It is a great process which starts from morning till mid-noon. The ada Pradhaman is made in a big Uruli, which also adds up taste. One of my friend Santhanam loves this Pradhaman.

Here I used instant adas and tinned coconut milk. It helps you to make Pradhaman, fast and easier. 

Ingredients

Uruli

Ada                             250 gms

Jaggery                      500 gms

Water                         1 cup

Cardamom               10 no

Coconut pieces        ¼ cup

Dry ginger powder – ¼ tsp.

Cashews –                10no

Raisins                       5 no

Ghee                        4 tbsp.

Readymade Ada

Coconut milk            2-1/2 tin

Coconut milk

Ist milk:    Keep aside of 1 tin of coconut milk. That is called onnam paal .Mix crushed cardamom, dry ginger powder in it.

2^nd milk:   Add 1/2 cup of water in 1 tin of coconut milk. That is called 2^nd paal. Keep aside

3^rd milk:  Add 1 cup of water in the left of coconut milk. That is called 3^rd paal. Keep aside.

Method

• Soak Ada for an hour. Wash 2 to 3 times and drain  it and keep it aside.
• Cook with double the quantity water. It should be soft when you press it. It will take approx. 20- 25 minutes. When cooked, drain away water and keep aside.
• In meantime, add water to jaggery and melt it. When the jaggery is melted and filtered to eliminate any impurities in it.
• Mix the melted jaggery with the cooked ada and stir for ten minutes in low fire.Add 3 tbsp of ghee in it.
• In meantime, heat  1 tbsp of ghee in a small Kadai. Add coconut pieces and fry till light brown. Then add cashews and fry till brown and last add the raisins. Keep it aside.
• When Ada is cooked, add the 3^rd milk in it , cook it for 5 minutes in low flame. The payasam has to reach a thick consistency, add the 2^nd milk in it. Keep on simmer and let it thicken again.
• When the payasam reaches a thick consistency, add the first extract of milk. Mix well and just cook for 30 seconds and switch of the stove.
• Now add fried coconuts, cashews, kishmish in it.

Yummy tasty Ada Payasam is ready!! Enjoy

For Low-fat version:

• substitute half the quantity of low fat coconut milk with low fat ordinary milk.
• Use less ghee .

Neer moru. (Spiced up Buttermilk)

I make this for Ramanavami day.

 Ingredients:

Thick curd                                         1 cup

Water                                               2 – 3 cups

Hing                                                1/4 tsp

Fresh ginger grated                            1 tsp

Salt                                                 1/2 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies                 1no.

Curry leaves and coriander leaves         For decoration

 For Seasoning - mustard seeds            1/4 tsp..

Method:

• Churn the curd to butter milk ,add enough water and all other ingredients, mix well.
• Season some mustard seeds.
• Neer Moru is ready.

Rava Kesari

India is a land of sweets.  Every good news is celebrated with sweets. One of the famous and most commonly made Indian sweet is Sheera or ravakesari.  Rava Kesari is a tasty low calorie Indian recipe. This can be made with simple ingredients available in most homes. This recipe seems to be easy, but it requires lot of practice and patience to bring in the right texture.

Ingredients:

Rava (semolina)                           1 cup

Water                                           2- 3 cups

Sugar                                          1 3/4 cups

Almonds, Cashew nuts and raisins -3 tbsp (fried in ghee)

Orange edible food color             - a pinch

Kasseri color                                ¼ tsp

Ghee                                            1/2 cup

Cardamom                                   4 to 5(well crushed)

Method:

• Roast the Rava for two minutes with a tablespoon of ghee.
• Boil the water and add orange & Kesari color powder.
• Add  the boil water to Rava slowly. Stir continuously while adding Rava to avoid lumps.
• Cook Rava for 2 minutes then add the sugar slowly, just the way you added the rava, so it blends in well. Cook for a minute and then add ghee. Cook for 5 minutes till the ghee comes out of the rava.
• Again add the remaining ghee, heat a little, add cardamom, cashews, raisins fry till nice golden brown and add to the rava. Keep stirring once again till the Kesari thickens
• Pour the ghee generously, and stir well. Don’t let it stick to the bottom.
• The ghee starts oozing out on the sides. That’s the perfect time to turn off the flame.
• Tasty rava Kesari is ready. 

For Fat (and hence tasty) version:

• Add lot of dry fruits.
•  you can add whole milk with water (50% water, 50% milk)
• Use  ghee generously.
• 
  

Ambalappuzha Pal Payasam

Ambalappuzha is a small town in Alappuzha district of Kerala state, south India. The town is famous for its Sri Krishna temple. The Ambalappuzha temple is one of the three important Sri Krishna temples in the state of Kerala. The payasam served in this  temple is famous among Hindu devotees.  An idol of Sri Krishna, is  "The Lord Parthasarthy idol" .  Usually I make this payasam on Krishna Jeyanthy day. 

Ingredients:

Unnakkal Rice/ Kuthari (Brown rice)              – 1/2 cup

Whole Milk -                                               1 cup

2% milk                                                  – 2 cup

Evaporated milk                                        – 1 tin

Water                                                      1/4cup

Cardamoms                                              – 6 no

Ghee                                                      – 2 tbsp

Sugar                                                        – ¾ cup

Saffron                                                      - a pinch

Fried cashews, raisins                                  – 2 bsp

Method:

• Wash and clean the rice. Fry the rice in 1 tbsp of ghee.
• Add whole milk, water and saffron into the rice. Cook it in the pressure cooker for 3 whistles
• Take out the rice from cooker and transfer into the sauce pan.
•  Mash the rice slightly. Add sugar, 1 tbsp of ghee, evaporated milk, 2 % milk and crushed cardamoms. Stir well until Sugar dissolve into milk. Reduce the heat and cook it for 30 minutes until it thickens to the consistency of payasam. (Payasam will smell like condense milk).
•  Now take it away from heat. Add fried cashews on the top.

Aval Thirukannaamuthu (Aval Payasam)

This is a traditional dish from Kerala state,India. This is one of the Neivedya prasadam for Unni Kannan. Usually I make this payasam on Krishna Jeyanthy day.  For Unni Kannan he loves Aval and Milk. This dish gives both. This payasam does not require nuts for decoration.

Ingredients:

Chemba Aval (Brown Aval)                    – ¼ cup

2% milk                                                – 1 cup

Evaporated milk                                    – 1 tin

Cardamoms                                          – 6 no

Ghee                                                     – 2 tbsp

Sugar                                                    – ¾ cup to 1 cup

Saffron                                                   - a pinch

Method: 

• Wash and clean the Aval. Fry the Aval in  1 tbsp  ghee.
• Add milk and saffron into the Aval. Cook it in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles
• Take out the Aval from cooker and transfer into the sauce pan.
•  Mash the Aval slightly. Add sugar, 1 tbsp of ghee, evaporated milk and crushed cardamoms. Stir well until Sugar dissolve into milk. Reduce the heat and cook it for 20 minutes until it thickens to the consistency of payasam.

Traditional Iyengar Dhadiyonnam - Curd Rice

If you want this recipe as low fat, please use 2 % milk, low fat yogurt and low fat sour cream.  In traditional dahi Annam, they won't use jalapenos& sour Cream. But I used  jalapeno& sourCream , it came out very tasty.

Ingredients:
Rice                                       1 cup

Whole milk                              2 cups 

Water                                     1  cup

Sour cream                             1/2 cup

 Thick Yogurt                            ½ cup

Ginger cut into small pieces        2 tbsp

Green chillies chopped finely       5 no

Jalapenos chopped finely            1 no

Salt                                         to taste

Seasoning:

Oil                                         ½ tsp

Mustard seed                           1 tsp

Curry leaves –                          1 stem (chopped finely)

Hing                                        1/8 tsp

Method:

• Wash and clean the rice.
• Add water and whole milk and pressure cook it for 4 whistles.
• Take out from rice and smash well and keep aside.
• Add ginger, jalapenos, green chills and salt into it and mash well.
• Whisk sour cream and yogurt very well. And add to the rice.
• Fry all seasonings and add to the rice.
• Serve with lemon pickle, or  Puli Millaghai.

Tips

• Don't add curd to the hot rice. It will leave water.
• Before serving the rice, add fruits and veggies to the curd rice and mix it well then serve. 
• In summer season, add very  little sour cream to the rice. 
• You can add more milaghai to the seasonings. It will increase the flavor and taste to the curd rice.
• Always mix the rice with big spoons. Don't use your hands for mixing the rice. It will become too sour.

Venn Pongal

This is the prasadam in all Vishnu temples during Margazhi month.

Ingredients

Rice                                        1 Cup

Moong Dal                               1/4 Cup

Whole  milk                            3/4 cup

Water                                     2 1/2  cups

Whole Black Pepper                  1 tbsp

Jeera                                      1 tsp

Dry Ginger powder (Sukku)        1/4 tsp 
 Grated ginger                        1 tbsp

Hing                                     1/2 Tsp

Curry leaves                          1 stem

 fried Cashew                         for garnishing

Ghee                                    3 tbsp

Salt                                      to taste

Method:

• Wash rice and dal together and drain nicely.
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee fry the rice and dhal for  2 minutes.
• Add water and milk and cook it in the pressure cooker till 3 whistles.
• Take out the rice from cooker and smash it well.
• Heat ghee fry the cashews  and keep aside
• Heat 1 tsp of ghee and fry black pepper, Jeera, dry ginger powder  & grated ginger and curry leaves
• Add the above ingredients to the rice .
• Add salt and mix it well. Add the left over ghee and nuts on it.
• Serve it hot with coconut chutney and Brinjal Goshthu
• Best Side dish for venn pongal is Ezhu kari kootu

Note: For Low Fat use: 2% milk, Less Ghee and nuts

Akkaraadisal (Rich Rice Pudding)

This is a traditional Iyengar dish. It is rich rice pudding made with milk, Jaggery and ghee.People often think that Sarkkarai Pongal is the same.  This dish is slightly different from Sarkkarai Pongal

Differences are:

Semi solid, Lot of milk and ghee used: less  nuts used, Boiling time more,   do not used the pachaikarpuram.

I have memories of eating this in Azhagarkovil temple where it is traditionally made as prasadam on “Koodarai “day. Its so yummy.

Ingredients:

Rice                             ½ cup

Whole Milk                    4 cups

Water                           1 cup

Jaggery grated              1 ¼ cup 

Crushed Elachi              5 nos

Ghee                             ¼ cup

Cashews and Raisins       1 tbsp

Saffron                           1 tsp (Soaked in warm milk)

Method:

• Wash the rice and fry it 1 tsp of ghee
• Add 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of water and cook it in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles
• After 4 whistles simmer the stove and cook for 5 minutes
• Take out from the cooker and smash the rice very well. Keep aside.
• Powder the Jaggery. Mix it in one ladle of water.
• Heat it and stir continuously till it turns into syrup state. Filter it.
• Mix this filtered Jaggery syrup with the cooked rice mixture.
• Smash the cooked rice mixture with left over milk and  ghee;cook it  lower heat.
• Fry the nuts and elachi in ghee and add it to the rice mixture.And there you go! Here’s your tasty Akkaravadisal!

Note: Akkaraadisal should be in semi- solid state.
For Low Fat : Reduce the ghee amount , Instead of half and half, use 2% milk

Sarkarai Pongal (Sweet Rice)

The word Pongal means “boiling over” - refers to riced cooked in milk and Jaggery. This festival is celebrated on January 14^th, the first day of the Tamil month Thai. This is a harvest festival in Tamil Nadu. Pongal is the main preparation of the festival. The ingredients of this preparation have some symbolic meaning attached to each.People wish each other good times, happiness, peace and prosperity. They also greet each other saying "Pongalo Pongal" and "Pongum Mangalam Engum Thanguga" in Tamil. Rice and milk are signs of prosperity, sugarcane for happiness, while turmeric augurs the good things to come. Two varieties of Pongal- the salty one known as 'venn Pongal' and the sweet one known as 'Sarkkarai Pongal' are prepared on the second day of the Pongal festival. Sarkkari pongal also a Marghazi Prasadam for all Vaishnavate homes and Temples.

Hope you all have enjoyed the Pongal festival.

Ingredients

Raw Rice                                     1 cups

Moong dhal                                  1/4 cup

Jaggery powdered                          ¾ cup 

Whole milk                                   1 cup

Water                                          2 cup

Saffron                                         1 pinch

Ghee                                            ¼ cup

 Crushed Cardamom                         4 nos

Nutmeg powdered                           less than ¼ tsp

Pachai Karpuram                              1 pinch

Cashews                                       10 pieces

Raisins                                          10 pieces

Method:

•  Clean the rice and moong dhal.  Heat 2 tsp of ghee and fry it for few minutes
• Mix rice, dhal, water, milk and saffron. Cook it in pressure cooker for at least 3 – 4 whistles. Switch of the gas.
•  When steam goes away takeout the cooked rice from pressure cooker and smash it very well. Keep aside.
•  Melt the Jaggery with 3 tbsp of water.Filter it and keep aside.
• Fry the nuts, nutmeg, and cardamoms in ghee. Keep aside.
• Mix the Jaggery syrup with rice and cook it in low flame for 5 to 10 minutes. If rice is too thickening, you can add little bit of milk in it.
• Add the fried nuts, nutmeg, keshar or yellow color and ghee in it. Cook it for few more minutes.
• Finally add a pinch of Pachai Karpuram (don’t add too much. It will spoil the Pongal taste).
•   Hot Sweet Pongal is ready. 

Tips

•  Frying rice and dhal gives more delicious taste. Cook it  along with whole milk gives you more richness in the dish.
• You want authentic taste,use jaggery and no other substitutes.
• Pongal has the tendency to be thick after cooling down. so remove pongal when it is semi solid.

Note:    See my other Pongal Recipes (click the link)

Unniappam

This is one of the traditional & delicious sweet dishes from Kerala. In all Krishna temples in Kerala, they make this Neivedyam prasadam for Lord Unni Kuttan. And these prasadam are so yummy like Krishna Himself.

Ingredients

Raw rice                                           1cup

Jaggery                                             1 cup

Ripe Banana                                      1 no

chopped Coconut pieces                      1/4 cup (fried in ghee)

Green cardamon powder                    ½ tsp

Dry ginger powder                             ¼ tsp
Black sesame seed                             - 1/2tsp.

Ghee                                                  2 tbsp

Oil                                                      frying 

Method:

• Soak the raw rice for 4 hours. Drain it.
• Melt the jaggery with little water and strain.
• Smash the banana very well.
• Grind together with rice, melted Jaggery  banana, elachi & dry ginger powder with just enough water to form a smooth batter.
• fry the coconut pieces & till seeds in ghee.
• Mix ghee and coconut pieces with it and mix well. Keep aside it for 2 hours.
• Heat the Unniappam mould, fill it ¾ of ghee (or oil), pour the batter into mould.
• When one side is cooked, using sharp ladle flip it.
• Once appam is cooked, drain the ghee (or oil) and set aside. Sometimes sugar is sprinkled on top to give that awesome black/brown and white contrast and add sweetness. Also it tastes far better if you take it after couple of days, instead of fresh.

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