Ricotta Cheese Rasmalai/ A Traditional Indian Dessert Busundi

This post is very special and I am really happy to write my  Madappalli’s 10th Anniversary . Thanks  for the support , comments and  appreciations. That helps me to  continue travelling in my culinary Journey. I want to share this recipe to celebrate with you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR2021

Ingredients:

Ricotta Cheese                  1 pound

Corn flour                        1 Teaspoon

Whole Milk                        2 Cups

Evaporated Milk                 1 Cup

Sweeten Condensed Milk    ½ Tin

Sugar                                  2 Tablespoon

Cardamom Powder                1 Tablespoon

Saffron/Kesar                    few strands

Roasted Nuts                       Few

Method:

• In a mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese, sugar and half of the cardamom powder.  Mix well and make a small balls.

• Grease the oil in a muffin pans. Place Ricotta balls in it and bake it at  350F for 15-20 mins in the oven. , till the cheese sets and the sides turns slight brown. Check with toothpick. The cheese 'discs' will look like these after baking.  Cool. Chill in the fridge for sometime until firm.

For Malai

•  Take a heavy bottom pan, On low heat boil together all the Whole Milk, Evaporated milk, Condensed Milk and Corn Powder for about 20 mins.
• Stir continuously and make sure the milk doesn't burn.
• Check for sweetness. Add sugar if it isn't sweet enough for you.
•  Add the saffron cardamom powder. and Let it cool.  Refrigerated for 1 hour. Rasmalai tastes best when chilled.
• Arrange all the cheese dumplings in a Big serving dish and pour the malai on top and Refrigerated for an hour. Garnish with chopped nuts, saffron etc. Serve Chill.
• OR  place the cheese dumplings in individual serving dishes and pour the malai gravy on top. Garnish with chopped nuts, saffron etc.
  Serve at room temp or Chilled. 
• Enjoy!!

Navratna Dal/ Blend of 9 Pules/ Gluten free Dal

This month  My” Madappalli” is completing years 10 years.While I wanted to share something special for the occasion. Navratna Dal is one of the most popular and savored Indian recipe prepared with a combination of nine different dals. This easy dal recipe is generously garnished with tempering of dry red chilies, cumin seeds and asafetida. This easy Dal recipe will take complete control over your taste buds and you will relish it for a longer time. In fact, this delicacy is one of the most common dish of every Indian household.

Cuisine:                    North Indian

Preparation Time   :  5 minutes

Cooking Time            25 minutes

Serves                        4-6 Nos.

Ingredients:

Tovar Dal                           ¼ cup

Chenna Dal                        ¼ cup

Brown Masoor Dal              ¼ cup

Red Masoor Dal                  ¼ cup

Green Gram Mung Dal         2 Tablespoons

Split Urdh Dal                    ¼ Cup

Split Green Pea Dal            ¼ Cup

Rajma                                2 Tablespoon (Soaked in hot water)

Black Urdh Dal                   2 Tablespoons.

Other Ingredients:

 Chopped Tomatoes            1 cup

Chopped Capsicums           ¼ cup (optional)

Grated Ginger                    1 Tablespoon

Salt                                   To Taste

Chopped Coriander            1 Tablespoon.

Butter                               1 Tablespoon. (optional)

Masalas:

Turmeric Powder                ½ Teaspoon

Hing Powder                       ½ Teaspoon

Coriander Powder               ½ Teaspoon

Chili Powder                       ¾- 1 Teaspoon

Gram Masala Powder           ½ Teaspoon

For Tempering:

Ghee                                 2 Tablespoon

Cinnamon sticks                 1 no

Cloves                                5 no.

Cardamom                         4no.

Cumin Seeds                       ½ Teaspoon

Fennel seeds                       ½ Teaspoon

Method:

• Soak the Green Moong dal and Rajma dhal for 5 hours in the hot water.

• Wash all the dals and soak them in enough water for 30 minutes.

• Drain the water and add the dals with turmeric powder, Grated ginger in a pressure cooker along with 5 cups of water. Pressure cook until dal is done.

• Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release.

• Heat a wok, put a teaspoon of Ghee, once heated, add all tempering items,

• let them crackle for a few seconds.

• Now add green Capsicums, and tomato and fry for 3-4 minutes.

• Now add all masala powders  , fry for 2 minutes in the low heat.

• Add the cooked dal  and salt, stir well.

• You can add more water if needed to adjust the consistency of the dal. Cover and cook over for few minutes. Then add lime juice, coriander leaves and mix well.

• Garnish dal with chopped coriander leaves and Butter.

•  Serve while it’s hot.

• This dal makes a wonderful, exuberant partner of Rice, Chapatti and Nan.

Navratna Dal

NADAN AVIYAL/ MIXED VEGETABLES IN THICK COCONUT PASTE

Aviyal is a traditional dish of Kerala. One of the most important dish served on the plantain leaf for a traditional feast. Aviyal is a mix of vegetables with coconut paste and made into almost dry dish..

Aviyal is famous for its special flavors and it is a thick mixture of different vegetables, and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. This Vishu , I made this. 

Ingredients

Assorted Vegetables            4 cups ( Cut Length wise- Refer  Notes)

Water                                   1 ½ cup

Tamarind  Juice                    ½ cup

Turmeric Powder                    ½ Teaspoon

Curry Leaves                          Few

Salt                                       To Taste

For Grinding:

Fresh Coconut                         1 ½ Cups

Green Chillies                          2nos.

Pepper powder                         ¼ Teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder                     ¼ Teaspoon

To Seasoning:

Coconut  Oil

Curry Leaves.

Method:

• Wash and Cut all the veggies into 1/4-inch thickness and 1 1/2 inch long pieces.

• Very coarsely grind together pepper powder, coconut, green chili, Red chili powder, jeera and water (1/2 - 1 tbsp) into a thick paste.

• Cook the veggies with turmeric powder, water , Tamarind juice and salt.
• When the veggies are 3/4th cooked, add the ground paste. Mix well

• Mix the Aviyal gently without crumbling the pieces cook for a few minutes until all the water has dried up and the coconut coats all the veggies well.
• Cover and cook till the veggies are done and the raw taste of coconut paste is gone.
• just before removing from the gas, add the coconut oil and curry leaves.
• .Level the oil on top don't mix immediately. Let it rest keep it covered,
• Before serving  mix again gently .
• Serve along with Rice and feast dishes.

Notes:

• Here I used Kumbalanga /  Ash Gourd, Snake Gourd,Yam, Carrot, Raw Banana, Ethanga(Kerala Long Banana), Chow Chow,Payar(String Beans), Raw Mango.
• Use only small quantities of each vegetable as everything together adds up and makes a lot.
• You can add Potatoes, Green Beans into the recipes. Normally in Nandan Aviyal they don’t add Potatoes, root vegetables.
• you're free to pick and choose.

Enjoy Cooking!.

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Hotel Style Coconut Chutney Recipe

There are many versions to make this chutney. I have made my own version. Cashew nut plays an important role in this chutney. It makes the chutney more creamy, thick and tasty. It tastes great with dosa, idli, dhokla, chapati, sabudana vada, vada pav Or any cutlet / patties.

Prep time     1 minute

Cook time      2 Minute

 INGREDIENTS:

Fresh Coconut           1 cup

Chutney Dal               2 Tablespoons

Cashew nuts              7 nos.      

Green Chillies            3 nos.

Chopped Coriander     ¼ cup

Grated Ginger            1 Teaspoon

Sugar                         ½ Teaspoon

Water                         1 Tablespoon

Lemon                         ½

Salt                             To Taste

Tempering

Coconut Oil                 1 Teaspoon

Mustard Seeds            1 Teaspoon

Urdh Dal                     1 Teaspoon

Curry Leaves                Few

Method:

• Take a pan, dry roast the Chutney dal for a minute.
• Now add a grated coconut and sauté for a minute on low heat. Please don’t burn the coconut just fry them on low heat until it’s warm. Then switch off the gas.
• Combine the roasted coconut mixture into the Blender/Mixie
• Add a grated ginger, coriander leaves, Chillies, Sugar, Salt and Lemon Juice.
• Ground until all blends well add about a tbsp of water
• Heat the coconut oil in  pan, tempering all ingredients and add to the Chutney.

Notes:

• ·       Please don't add water while grinding add only if required.
• ·       Tempering is optional.
• ·       If you want your Chutney to be white color, You can omit the coriander Leaves in the Chutney. 

Zucchini Dry subji

A staple at many farmers markets during the warmer months, zucchini, which is a type of summer squash, and it can range in color from yellow to deep green. This is a perfect spring/summer vegetable dish.

I love easy cooking, food that can be prepared in minutes without any fuss. This is best subji for fast cooking.  A very versatile sabzi also. Can be prepared dry or with gravy.

 

Ingredients:

Large Zucchini         2                           

Large Tomato          1 no.

Roasted peanuts       1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder      ¼ tsp.

 Red Chili Powder      1 tsp.

Curry Powder            1 tsp.

Amchur Powder        ¼ tsp.

Salt                          to taste.

To Seasoning:

Oil                            1 tsp.

Punch Poran               1 tbsp.(Fenugreek,mustard,fennel,cumin, Nigella)

Curry leaves                few

Method: 

• Wash the zucchini, tomatoes and sliced in ½” round. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in the pan. Add Panch Poran seeds& curry leaves. Fry for few minutes.
• Now add Turmeric powder, chili powder on it.
• Add chopped zucchini and tomatoes. Mix it well and cook for a minute.
• Now add curry powder, Amchur powder and salt. Mix well it.
• Stir it and let it cook till the Zucchini should be tender not mushy.
• Add roasted and crushed peanuts. Stir it uncovered..
• Turn off the stove heat; transfer the masala zucchini into serving bowl.
• Decorate with cilantros.
• Serve hot with rice, chapatti.

• 
  

Green capsicum Paruppu Usli / Green Bell Pepper and Lentil fry

Paruppu Usli is a traditional South Indian Brahmin dish, particularly famous in Tamilnadu. This is a healthy dish prepared by using lentils and vegetables. Beans, cluster beans, plantain flower, cabbage and potato, are the vegetables generally used for this recipe.  Here I am using Capsicum.

Ingredients:

Tovar Dal                            ¼ cup

Chenna Dal                         ½ cup     

Urdh dhal                            2 tbsp.

Moong dhal                         2  tbsp.

Red chilies                          7  no

Curry leaves                       2 stem

Hing                                   ½ tsp

Salt                                   to taste

Green Capsicum chopped    2 cups

 For Seasoning

Coconut Oil                        4 tbsp.

Mustard seeds                    ½ tsp

Urdh dal                            1 tsp

Method:

• Soak the all dals in a hot water for 2 hours. After 2 hours drain it and grind with curry leaves, Hing, red chilies, and salt. Grind them coarsely.  Put it in the Microwave bowl and cook it for 3 minutes. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai; add all the ingredients under "For seasoning" one by one. After it crackles, add chopped capsicum along with salt.  Fry till capsicum is cooked.
• Now take the capsicum from the kadai, keep it aside
• Add little more oil in the same kadai. Add the half cooked dhal paste and fry it on low heat till it gets cooked.
•  Now add capsicum in it and mix well.  Lower the heat, and stir it for few more minutes. The delicious Paruppu Usli is ready
• Serve with Rice, MorKuzhambhu and  Ginger Saathuamuthu/Rasam

Brinjal Masala Curry

Curry is a staple in my kitchen. This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I feel like I need to eat spicy . Enjoy this simple recipe from my Madappalli Kitchen. 

Ingredients

Small Indian Brinjals         1 pound

Green Capsicum                1 no.

 Big Tomato                     1 no.

Salt                                to taste

Turmeric Powder              1/2 tsp.

Hing                                ½ tsp.

Masalas

Curry leaves                     few

Chenna dhal                    1 tbsp.

Urdh dhal                        1 tbsp.

Fennel seeds (optional)    1 tsp.

Red chilies                      4 no.

Cloves                            2 no

Green cardamom              2 no.   
  

For Seasoning

 Oil                                     1 tsp.

Cumin seeds                        1 /2 tsp.

For Decoration

Coriander leaves                   few

Method

• Wash and cut Brinjals into 2’ long sizes. Cut capsicum & Tomatoes in to small pieces.  
• Dry roast the all masalas and coarsely powder it.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add seasonings, when they start spluttering, add capsicums and sauté it for 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and sauté until they are mushy.
• Now add the brinjal and turmeric, hing and salt. Fry it in medium heat until Brinjals are cooked.
• Add the grounded masals and  mix well and cook it in very low flame.
• When you feel Brinjals has been cooked soft and raw masala smell gone, switch off the stove.
• Garinish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with steamy rice or Chapatti.