Dwadasi Sathuamuthu/ Dwadasi Rasam without tamarind Tomatoes

This saathuamuthu is very simple. I make this saathuamuth on Dwadasi days(Next day of Ekadasi day).

For Dwadasi Paranya Thaligai Menus, Please see here http://www.sadhanakitchen.blogspot.com/2014/01/dwadasi-parayanai-thaligai-dwadasi-menu.html . 
 I made this rasam without tamarind and tomatoes. . It tastes yummy and has the strong aroma of pepper & ginger .

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal                             - ¼ cup

Turmeric Powder                     ½ tsp.

Water                                     2 cups.

Grated Ginger                       1 tbsp

Chopped curry leaves            few 

Lemon Juice                          2 tbsp.

Salt                                      to taste.                          

Fry and Powder coarsely

Ghee                                   ½ tsp.

Urdh dal                               ¾ tsp.

Chenna dal                            ½ tsp.

Black Pepper                         1 tbsp.

Cummin seeds                        1 tsp.

Red chilies                              2 no.

 Curry leaves                          few

FOR TEMPERING IN GHEE:

Ghee                                   1 tbsp.

Mustard seeds                      1/2 tsp

Curry leaves                         little

Crushed red chilies                2 no.

Hing                                     a pinch                                 

Chopped Coriander leaves      for Garnish

Method:

• Pressure cooks the dal with turmeric powder. Mash the dal and add 2 cup of water and dilute it. Transfer into the big vessel.
• Add salt, turmeric powder,ginger, curry leaves and Hing and bring to boil on low fire.
• In mean time, fry above ingredients (expect cumin seed) and powder it coarsely.
• Add ground powder and while rasam froths up, remove from the fire.
• With one tablespoon ghee, fry the mustard seeds ,when they burst add curry leaves crushed red chilies and Hing to it and pour them to the Rasam.
• Squeeze lemon juice and mix well.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Note:

• Lemon juice gives the sourness and pepper gives the taste and strong aroma for the sathuamuthu.

Dwadasi Parayanai Thaligai/ Dwadasi Menu

In Hindu religion, Dwadasi Parayanam is considered to be the best. A quote below a verse that supports this:

Na Annodhakath Param Dhanam

Na Dwadhashyat Param Vratam

Na Gayathrayat Param Mantram

Na Maata Para Devatha

There can be no better charity than providing food and water,

There is no vratham that is superior to Dwadasi

There is no Mantra that is superior to Gayathri and

There is no God superior to one's own mother. (Source ramanuja.org)

Ekadasi vratham is observing total fast (suddha upavasam) on Ekadasi tithi. Timely breaking of the fast on Dwadasi is as important as observing the fast on Ekadasi. Normally, the fast must be broken before trayOdasi arrives. If there is insufficient time, the fasting can be broken with Tulasi water.

People fast on ‘Ekadasi’ day and have ‘Dwadasi Paranai’ (special food or thali) on the next day which levels the acidity and the menu by itself is fantastically medicated. We don’t use tamarind for this thaligai (samayal).

Concerning the food for Dwadasi pAranE, one should avoid using anything related to plantains (vazhai kaay, ilai etc.), also avoid tamarind. One can substitute lemon or dry mango  Powder for tamarind

  

Dwadasi Thaligai Menus are:(Please click the links)

                   Ghee                                                                           

Mor kozhambu                                         Poricha kootu

                     

Dwadasi sathumudhu                               Nellikkai pachadi 

                      

Nellikkai ( Gooseberry ) Rasam / Dwadashi Sathuamuthu

Keerai Masiyal                                     Akkaradisil or Any Kannamudhu

                    

Kothavarraikai Paruppu Usli                   Manghai Urukkai

                       

    Akathi Kerai                                   Sundaikkai Fried in Ghee 

             

                             

                                  

        Plain Curd                       

                                                                                                   

Vella Seedai

Vella seedai is must sweet for Janmashtami. For me, preparation of Vella seedai is always tricky. Here is the tip for best vella seedai.

Tips:

• While shaping seedai marbles don’t press them tight.
• All ingredients must be also free from impurities.
• The dough should be moist and non-sticky.

 Preparation Time  :   15 Mins
 Passive Time          :    30 mins
 Cooking Time       ;   20 Mins
 Recipe Category   :   Festival, Sweet, Neivedyam
 Recipe Cuisine     :   South Indian

Ingredients:

Rice flour-                            1 cup

Urad flour -                          2 tbsp.

Grated Jaggery                     3/4 cup 

Cardamon  powder               1 tablespoon

Til seeds                              1 teaspoon

Grated  coconut                    1 teaspoon

Ghee                                   1 tablespoon

Coconut oil                           1 teaspoon

Cooking oil                            for deep fry

Water                                   1/4 cup- ½ cup

Method:

• Heat the rice flour in pan. Let the color start changing to brown (take off flame when the color just starts changing. Don’t let it become fully brown). Spread on a newspaper and let it cool.
•  Dry fry the urudh dhal in a pan. Let the color change, switch off the stove. Keep aside for cooling. Make it a nice powder in a mixie. Keep aside. (If you using readymade Urdh flour, dry fry it for one minute).
• Dry fry the coconut and til for a minute. Keep aside.
• In a kadai, add the water and the jaggery, Heat it.   As soon as all the jaggery melts, switch off the gas.
• Strain it using a steel strainer to remove dirt in jaggery. Let the jaggery water cool down.
•  Take a bowl, mix rice flour, Urdh dhal flour, Elachi powder, til (ellu), coconut, coconut oil and ghee . Use a whisk to gently bring all the ingredients together. 
• Now add the mixed flour little by little and keep stirring. Add flour till the dough consistency is such that you can make round balls. Cover it and keep aside for 30 minutes.
•  After 30 minutes, with your hands make a soft ball and put it on the newspaper.
• Heat the cooking oil in a kadai. Keep the flame on medium low.
• Add the balls to the oil once heated from the side of the kadai. Do not throw it into oil.
• When the seedai has fried a little, turn it over using a long handled spoon so that it gets fried evenly on all sides. Wait till color changes to a little dark brown and take it out.
• Put it in a vessel and drain the excess oil.
• Vella seedai ready to Offer to Lord Sri Krishna as neivedhayam.

Navaneetham

"Navaneetham" means newly churned butter that Krishna is so fond of, and

He Himself pervades the whole universe as butter pervades the milk.

Ingredients:

Unsalted  Organic white Butter –        4 tbsp.

Elachi Powder                          ½ tsp.

Candy sugar                           2 tbsp.

Sugar                                      1 tbsp.

Silver almonds                     1 tsp.

Method:

Mix all ingredients very well. Offer to Kutti Krishna as Neivedhyam.

Madhuvargam

Madhu vargam is a form of fruit mix sweet made in all Perumal kovil during Thirumanjanam. This is also offered as Neivedhyam. I am giving below my modified version of Madhu vargam.

Ingredients

Chopped Mixed fruits - 2cups(Apple,Banana, all Berries, Jack fruit, cantaloupes)
Chopped Dates                            3 tablespoons

Mixed dry fruits                              4 tbsps.

Sugar Candy (Kalkandu)                   3 tbsp.
Grated coconut                               1 tbsp.
Cardamoms & cloves powder -         1 tablespoon

Raisins                                                    1 tbsp.

Ghee                                                        1 tbsp.

Honey                                                       ¼ cup

Jaggery (Crushed)                                  1 cup

Method:

• Wash, clean and chop the fruits.
• Take a clean mixing bowl.
• Add all the chopped fruits, dry fruits, sugar candy, coconut,raisins, ghee, cardamom powder and jaggery.
• Mix them very well.
• Now Madhu vargam is ready for Perumal’s neivedhayam .

Mullu Thenkuzhal

 Murukku can be magical for first timers – especially first time makers. Be it the ones made by the murukku maker, or the hand-made kai-murukkus, making murukku is an art by itself .In most South Indian family festivals, won’t end up without Murukku items.  This Mullu Thenkuzhal is an all-time favorite Indian snack that is sure to satisfy both in our family. This recipe guarantees crunchy and smooth  Mullu Thenkuzhal. This is very easy and simple recipe.

Murukku tips:

• Do not keep the dough for a long time. Make sure you keep the dough covered throughout to avoid drying of the dough.
•  Do not mix the whole flour at a time to make dough. Make dough little by little and fry at once. Otherwise, the preparation will become red.
• Make sure the rice flour and other flours, you use is fine in texture. Otherwise the Murukku will break.
• Butter gives whiter color and crisp texture.
  
  

Ingredients:

  Rice flour –                                         2 cup

Moong dhal flour –                            ¼ cup

Chutney dhal flour (Pottukadalai) – ¼ cup

Cumin seeds –                                    ½ tea spoon

Asafetida powder                              1/8 tsp.

Unsalted butter –                               2 table spoon

Salt –                                                     as per taste

Oil for frying

Method:

• Dry fry the Moong dhal in a pan,  grind in the mixer till fine powder.
• Mix all together. Divide them into two equal parts.   
• Make dough with first half, with enough water to a stiff dough.
• Make balls out of the batter and put it in the mould (mullu thenkuzhal) of the achu.
• Heat the oil in a pan and press out the dough.
• Cook in low flame till crisp and golden in color.
• Remove from the fire and drain.
• Now prepare the other half (follow the same steps)
• Mullu Thenkuzhal is ready.  Store it in an air tight container.
•  

  

  Murukku Aachu

Asoka Halwa

This Halwa, made with Moong dhal (paasi Paruppu) and it is a specialty from Thanjavur district.    This is also famously called as "Thiruvayaru Halwa”. I bet, definitely you would come across this Halwa in every wedding that happen in Tanjore side. It is also called moong dal halwa in different parts of the country.It takes a long time and lot of patience to prepare this Halwa.

Ingredients

Yellow split Moong dhal                     1 cup

Milk                                                 1 cup

Saffron                                            a pinch  

Wheat flour                                   -  1/4 cup

Maida                                              1 Tablespoon

Water                                             ¼-1/2 cup

Sugar                                              1 1/2 cup- 2 cups

Red food color:                               as desired (optional)

Kesari powder -                               2 to 3 pinches

Ghee -                                            1 cup

Cardamoms –                                  8 no (powdered)

Cashews & Sliced Almonds        10 to 15 (broken into bits and fried in ghee)

Method:

•  Wash the Moong dhal and add milk and saffron. Cook the Moong dal in a pressure cooker until soft. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.
• Dry roast the wheat and Maida for a minute. Mix wheat flour in the water or milk to make a smooth, runny paste.
• Heat this flour mixture in a frying pan, stirring continuously, and bring to a boil. 

• Add the mashed Moong dal, mix well and cook over medium flame.
• Once cooked, add the sugar, then half the quantity of ghee, and stir well.
• Add the food color and the remaining ghee slowly and stir continuously, until the mixture forms a ball and comes off the sides of the pan. At this point the ghee will start oozing out.
• Take 1 tsp. of ghee in a pan and again roast the nuts and cardamom powder. Add to the Halwa and switch off the flame. Asoka is ready now.
• Pour the mix into the greased tray or vessel. You,cut  this into diamonds, squares, or rectangles.

 Note:

• It will probably require a little extra ghee too. You can make a larger quantity of this recipe and store it refrigerated for several weeks. Just add a little milk to the Halwa before reheating it.

I am sending and linking to " Sending to Dish it out – Sugar and Butter and Vardhini’s page"

Thenkuzhal Murukku

Murukku is a traditional snack which prepared for festivals, especially Diwali and Krishna Jayanthi. Thenkuzhal is a tasty and crispy snack make from rice and Urad dal flour.  This post has been lying in my draft since Diwali and finally posted it today.   For Thenkuzhal Mavu, readymade mavu won’t be good. But if there is no other go add a handful of urudh dhal powder more. Add little hot oil or ghee while getting the batter ready. In this recipe, I used ready made rice flour.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour -                     4 cups

Urdh dhal                      1 cup

Cumin Seed                   1 tsp.

Salt -                               to taste

Butter -                            4tbsp.

Asafetida(Hing)              1 tsp.

 Cooking Oil                   for deep fry

Method:

• Put the frying pan in the stove. Keep the stove in low fire .Dry roast the Urad dhal to a nice golden brown color and powder it in the blender and sieve it .The urudh dhal should be roasted in such a way that it should never get red at the same time be well roasted .  (OR) you can use store bought Urad flour and roasted it.
• Take a large mixing bowl and mix rice flour, Urad flour, cumin seeds, salt, asafetida powder, butter. and water . Knead well to form smooth dough.  Heat oil and keep it ready.

• Check the oil temperature before dropping the Murukku. Try with a small sample.
• Press out the dough using a Thenkuzhal press in the hot oil, fry well.
• Cook until the hissing sound ceases.
• Remove from the fire and drain.
• Crispy Thenkuzhal are ready! Cool them and store them in air tight containers so that they remain crispy. 

 Tips:

•  Always fry the Murukku on medium high flame, otherwise it will brown the outer layer, and dough will be partially cooked inside.
• Do not mix the whole flour at a time to make dough. Do them in batches.
• Do not over crowd them while frying.
• Do not keep the dough for a long time.

Uppu Seedai

Uppu Seedai is one of the main traditional bakshanams made especially during Krishna Jayathy’s day.. There are two varieties of seedais – sweet and the salt version. Sweet seedai is called “vella seedai”.The salty version is called “Uppu seedai”.  I have heard stories about seedai bursting from my friends. Here are the tips to avoid Uppu Seedai(s) from bursting in hot oil.

Tips:

• Homemade or store bought flour, it should be sieved properly.
• Do not roll them tightly. While rotating them in your palm, keep it as gentle as possible.
•  Use, instead of dry coconut, uses coconut oil for the dough.
• Dry the balls before frying them.

Here is the recipe for the Seedai.

 Preparation Time   :  15 mins
 Cooking Time        : 30 mins
 Recipe Category    :  Festival Recipes, Neivedyam 
 Recipe Cuisine       : South Indian  

Ingredients:

Rice Flour                   2 cups

Urad Flour                  2 tablespoon

Sesame seeds             1 teaspoon (optional)

Cummin See               1 teaspoon

Salt                            To taste

Butter                         1 tablespoon

Asafoetida                   a pinch

Coconut oil                  1 tablespoon

Cooking oil                  for deep frying.

Method

• I have used store bought rice and Urad flour.
• Fry the Urad flour in medium heat for 2 minutes.
•  Dry roast the sesame and cumin seeds for a second.
• Mix everything along with salt, asafoetida, butter.
• Add water very little by little to form a smooth dough.
• Form into a small balls of marble size. While rotating them in your palm, keep it as gentle as possible.
• Keep them on a clean cloth or paper towel for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in medium flame and fry the balls.
• Put as many cheedais as possible , the oil can hold at a time.
• When frying the balls , keep moving the balls in oil to ensure uniform frying.
•  Fry until they become golden brown or till the bubble stops, and hissing sound ceases.
• Drain them in a tissue paper and transfer them to an airtight container.
• Now Yummy Cheedai is ready to eat.

Uppu Seedau

Sweet Appam- 250th Post

Appam is a known dish in Tamilnadu. There are different versions of appam and this is very simple version which we make during festivals like Krishna Jayanthi and Kaarthikai.

Ingredients
Wheat flour                          1/2 cup

Maida -                               1/2 cup
Rice flour –                         2tbsp

Jaggery –                            ½ cup

Cardamom powder n-           1/2 tsp.

Baking soda                       – a pinch

Water -
Oil                                     for frying

 Method:

• Add a little water to jaggery and soak for 15 minutes.  Dissolve well and filter it to get rid off any dirt.
• In a bowl , add the flour and powdered cardamom and add the jaggery liquid to it and mix well till you get a consistency of a thick dosa batter or idly batter(Make sure it is not so free flowing. When you drop it from the ladle it should fall slowly). Keep for 30 minutes.
• Heat a oil in a deep frying pan, (Keep a slow fire.)
• When oil hot is enough, take the dough in a small ladle and drop it into the oil.
• Cook one side and then turn the other side.
• Let it fry till it becomes golden brown. Drain it on the paper towel.
• You can make 3 to 4 appam at a time depending on the size of your pan.
•  Repeat the procedure with the rest of the batter and serve hot or warm.

Cucumber Kosambari

Kosumbari is a typical and traditional  veg salad in Karnataka. Make this delicious Cucumber Kosumbari, using this simple recipe from Madappalli.

Ingredients

Peeled and finely chopped English Cucumbers             - 2 cups

Moong dhal                                                         - 1/4 cup 

Finely chopped Green chillies                                – 3 no

Lemon juice                                                     – 1tbsp

Salt                                                                to taste

For seasoning:

Cooking oil                                                - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds                                           - 1/4 teaspoon

Asafetida                                                  - a couple of pinches

Cilantro                                                    - 3 tbsp. (finely chopped)

Grated coconut                                          – 3 tbsp.

Fresh basil leaves (optional)                          -  1 tbsp.

Method:

• Soak Moong dhal in water in a bowl for about an hour, drain the water and set aside. Using warm/hot water will speed up the soaking process.
• Add the finely chopped cucumber, cilantro, basil, green chillies and grated coconut to the Moong dhal and mix well.
• In a small pan, heat oil, pop mustard seeds, add the Asafetida and fry for a second. And pour the mixture over the above cucumber mixture; add salt & Lemon juice. Mix well once again.
• The Kosambari is ready to serve.

Akkara Adisal - 2

Akkara Adisal  is a minor  variation of Sakkarai Pongal. Srivillliputtur Akkara Adisal  is very  famous.  It is slightly   different from  Iyengar Akkara Adisal, since rock sugar is used instead of jaggery. My friend Mayura gave this recipe. This is really very tasty. 

Ingredients:

Raw rice –                                          1/4 cup

Whole milk                                           3 cup

Half and Half milk                                3cup

 Powdered Rock sugar (Kalkandu) -         1 ½ cup

Cashews –                                         ½ cup (keep aside 1 tbsp.for garnishing)

Almonds –                                         ½ cup (Keep aside 1 tbsp. for garnishing)

Ghee-                                                 ½ cup to ¾ cup

Green Cardamoms -                             10 nos

Cloves                                                  4 no

Nut Meg powder                                  - 1/4 tsp.

Saffron   -                                            2 pinches

Almond flakes –                                   3 tbsp. for decoration

Method:

• Soak cashews and almonds in hot water for 1 hour. Remove the almond skin and grind  it with cashews , slightly roughly. Keep aside.
• Wash the rice and fry it 1 tsp. of ghee.
• Add 1 cups of milk, 1 cup of half and half milk and a pinch of saffron, crushed
• Cardamom.  Cook it in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles. After 4 whistles reduce the stove heat, and again cook it for 5 more minutes.
• Take out from the cooker and smash the rice very well. Keep aside.
• Heat the remaining milks with a pinch of saffron in a slow cooker.  Let it boil for an hours.
•  Transfer the boiling milk to the heavy bottom vessel. Now add the smashed rice, ghee and nut paste to the boiling milk. Stir well. Let it boil for few more minutes in a slow heat.
• Now add powdered rock sugar in it. Stir well and let it cook it in lower heat.
• Fry the nuts, nutmeg powder, crushed cardamoms and crushed cloves in ghee and add it to the Adisal mixture.  Garnish with Almond flakes.
• Now the yummy Akkara Adisal  is ready.

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:(Click the Link)

Akkar Adisal -1

Kathambha satham /Sāmbhar Satham

Tamilnadu is ever known for its delicious sambar and idly. This has become a usual menu in all wedding receptions where rice Items are also served along with Tiffin .This rice for sure will tickle the taste buds of all sambhar lovers. I added the vegetables to my taste and  also I have added lot of green chillis. This is really a very nice recipe and easy to make too.

Ingredients

Rice-                                        1 ¼ cups

Toor dhal-                                 ½ cup

Chenna dhal                             – ¼ cup

Tamarind-                                a small lemon size

Turmeric powder                      – ½ tsp.

Curry leaves –                           2 stems

Coconut oil –/ Ghee                  2 tbsp.

Salt                                      – to taste

 Vegetables

 Chopped Carrot-                     1 no

 Chopped Potato                   -1 no

 Chopped Beans-                  ¼ cup

 Chopped Pumpkin                 - 1 cup

 Chopped Sweet potato           – ¼ cup

Green Peas or chickpeas           -1 handful

Green chillies                         - 4no (slit)

Coriander leaves                    -little

 Chopped Tomato-                     1 no

Curry leaf                               -little

Masala to grind

 Dry Coconut                         – 2 tbsp.

Red chillies                           -4 no

Coriander seeds                    -3 tablespoons

Pepper                                  -1 teaspoon

Bengal gram                         -1 tablespoon
Khus Khus                              - 2 tsp

Curry leaf                                  -little

Fenugreek seeds                      -1/2 teaspoon

Asafetida                                -a small piece (if powder is used add while seasoning)

To seasoning

Mustard seeds                          -1 teaspoon

Red chillies                             -4 no

Asafetida                                -a pinch

Curry leaves                          – 1 stem
Cashew nuts                         – 1 tbsp.

Cinnamon                                -2 pieces

Clove                                     2

 Method:

• Soak the rice and dals for 15 minutes in water. Cook rice & dal, turmeric with  little extra water in pressure cooker for 4 to 6 whistles.. Smash the rice well. Keep aside.
• Dry roast all the items .Add fenugreek at last as it will get roasted fast. Powder the roasted items. Keep aside.
•  Cook the vegetables (except tomato) in microwave for 3 minutes.
• Heat the oil in pan; add vegetables and shallow fry the vegetables for one minute. Add chopped tomatoes and ground Sāmbhar powder in it. Fry for 2 minutes.
•  Now Take 2 cups of tamarind extract and add to the mixture. Add salt, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cooked rice mixture in it. Mix it very well. Add coconut/Ghee in it.
• Mix well and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
• Heat the ghee in a pan, add all seasonings and fry well and add to the Kathambha satham.
• Serve when it is hot with chips or potato fry or Vadams.

TIPS:  

•  You can  use Rice cooker also.  If you are using rice cooker, when the rice gets cooked add all cooked vegetables, tamarind water, sambhar powder, salt, ghee into the rice cooker. Cook it for another 10 - 15 minutes.The rice should be watery. 
• If you making for Prasadam, please avoid cinnamon sticks.
•  Instead of making  fresh Masala powder,You can use sambhar powder .

Kadambha Satham