Old is gold.

Karadayan Nombu adai - always the priority in March !

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/966578-post9.html
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/966578-post9.html



The flour made with raw rice is the same for both & can be prepared in advance & stored.

Wash well & soak rice in water for 30 mts, minimum.

Drain well & spread on a cloth.

When it is fairly dry, powder in the mixi.

The flour should be very fine.
(Now, processed rice flour is available & can be directly roasted. But it takes between 1 1/2-2 cups water only. So boil 1 1/2 cups of water & keep some boiled water ready to add, ifd necessary.)

Now roast it in a dry tava well, till it changes colour slightly.

Cool & sieve to remove lumps.

Normally for every cup of flour, 2 cups of water is sufficient. But this varies with rice.

Soak chawli or karamani in water for 6 hrs & cook till soft.

Drain & keep ready.

Vella adai;

Roasted flour - 1 cup

Cooked karamani - 2 tbsp

Jaggery powdered - 1 cup

Finely chopped coconut or grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Boil 2 cups of water & add jaggery.

When it dissoves completely, strain to remove the dirt.

Put the jaggery water to boil again.

( Keep ½ cup extra boiling water ready, by the side.)

When it boils, first add cooked karamani & coconut.

Then add the flour in one stroke & whisk well till it blends.

Simmer the flame, add cardamom powder.

The whole thing will form a lump.

In case the water is not sufficient, add a little more boiling water from the reserve.

Remove & knead well to a dough.

Form lemon size balls, flatten into discs 3” in size & steam till done.

Cool & remove.

Uppu adai;

Roasted flour - 1 cup

Cooked karamani - 2 tbsp

Finely chopped coconut or grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Salt

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Red chilli - 1

Green chillies - 2 – chop fine

Chopped curry leaves - few

Hing - ½ tsp

First temper in oil all the given ingredients & then add water & salt.

This will take a little less water than sweet adai.

Then proceed in the same way, given above.

 

Poricha Kozakkattai - Please partake Ganapathy Homam Prasadam.

This is a deep fried kozakkattai, which is specially made for Ganapathy Homam.

It is mandatory to include little whole moong ( or moong dhal) in the stuffing.

Whole moong or moong dhal - 2 tsp

Grated soft coconut - 1 cup

Powdered jaggery - ½ cup

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Wheat flour - as given below

Oil - to deep fry

Lightly roast the dhal till aroma comes.

Powder like rava in a mixie.

If the coconut is not fine, give one run in the mixi.

Mix coconut, jaggery & dhal powder in kadai.

Cook on low fire till the mixture blends well & no moisture is left.

Do not allow it to become dry.

Add cardamom powder & remove.

Cool & roll into small balls.

For 1 cup of filling about ½ cup of wheat flour is needed.

Make a batter, adding water, to dosa batter consistency.

Keep oil hot & ready.

Dip balls into this batter & deep fry in batches.

Deep frying shoud be done quickly to keep the kozakkattais soft.

 

Puli Pongal - as old as old can be !

For making this dish “ broken rice” called “ arisi noi” is required. Since it usually contains stones, clean it well & keep ready.

Broken rice - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups ( generally)

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi

To temper:

Oil - 3 tbsp ( not less)

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Red chillies - 3, 4

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Gram dhal - 2 tsp

Green chillies - 2

Hing - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few

Soak both dhals in water for minimum 30 mts, drain & keep ready.

In a kadai or saucepan, heat the oil & temper all ingredients.

When they are done, add water, tamarind paste, salt & haldi.

When the water starts to boil, add the broken rice & simmer the flame.

This has to cook on a very slow flame.

Keep covered with a rimmed plate in which hot water is kept.

When it is cooked, switch off & allow to rest for a while.

Serve hot.

This is not very soft & mushy like pongal, but cooked, soft & still grainy.

The photo shows the texture.

 

Paanakam Concentrate - Paanakam is a naivedhyam ( drink) for SriRamaNavami.

Lime juice 1 cup

Jaggery powdered well 3 cups

Dry ginger powder 2 tsp

Cardamom powder 2 tsp

Pepper powder 2 tsp (optional )

Heat jaggery with 2 cups of water to dissolve.

Strain , boil to honey consistency .

Add all powders , cool & add lime juice. Refrigerate.

Dilute to required consistency, adding plain or ice water whenever required.

 

Panchamirtham - Palani Special !

This is an ideal offering for any puja & can be easily made.

Traditionally in Palani, a variety of banana called Virupakshi is used, which grows in that area. The next best substitute is Chiru Malai Vazaippazam, available in Dindigul. Now we have to use, whatever variety is available !

Ripe sweet bananas - 20

Kismiss (raisins) - 100gms

Jaggery ( if in India, nattu sakkarai ) - 200gms

Ghee - 50gms

Deseeded dates(Chopped) - 100gm

Honey - 100gm

Sugarcandy(diamond kalkandu) - 100gm
In a big vessel, take the peeled bananas, crush with jaggery, then add all ingredients & mix with a ladle ( do not use the hands to mix). If you can manage to get ripe jackfruit, ½ cup finely chopped, can be added to this.

 

Wheat-Ragi Vella Dosai - Matches with a spicy sambar.

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Ragi flour - ½ cup

Bombay rava - ½ cup

Powdered jaggery - 1 cup

Finely grated coconut - 2 tbsp or a littlemore

Cardamom powder - ½ tsp

Dissolve jaggery in 2 cups of warm water, completely.

Strain & cool.

Add all other ingredients & mix thoroughly.

Rest for minimum 1 hour.

Make small dosais without spreading very thin.

A mixture of oil & ghee is traditionally used for a good flavour.

Serve with sambar.

 

Maida-Rava-Sugar Appam - Popularly known as Ravai Paniyaram.

This is a mild sweet & is very popular in Madurai, Virudunagar etc

Bombay rava - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Maida - ½ cup

Ripe banana - 1, medium

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Oil - to deep fry

Mix rava & maida with water to a stiff dough for ½ hr.

On adding sugar, the dough will losen slightly.

Heat oil in the appakaaral.

By the time the oil gets heated, add sugar, mashed banana & cardamom powder to the dough & mix to idli batter consistency.

Pour in teaspoonfuls & deep fry till goden brown.

 

Idli – Milakaipodi Usili (gunpowder idli)– So what if the idlis are hard ?

For this refrigerated idlis are best suited. Even if the idlis have turned out hard, refrigerate & try this. The flavour is unbeatable !

Using the grater ( only) the idlis have to be grated. Do not crumble with hand.

Grated idlis - 2 cups

Milagai podi ( used for idlis) - 2 tbsp ( more or less is optional )

Oil - 2 tbsp

To garnish:

Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp ( optional)

Chopped coriander leaves

Mix grated idlis, milagai podi, oil well, adding a sprinkling of water.

Keep in a bowl & MW Hi 1 mte.

Unmould & garnish.

 

Puttu Kadalai - the Kerala favourite.

Puttu podi ( powder) is now readily available under various brand names. So I am not giving that recipe.
Small brown variety kadalai ( called kothukadalai or kodakadalai in tamil ) is best suited for this.
Small brown kadalai - 1 cup (soak in plenty of water with a pinch of soda overnight)

To grind:

Onions - 3 big, chopped

Soaked dhaniya - 2 tbsp

Red chillies - 5,6 (or to taste)

Tamarind - marble size

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Wash & pressurise the kadalai directly in a pressure pan for 4-5 whistles till soft.

Cool & remove.

In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil & fry the ground paste till the raw smell goes.

Add the cooked kadalai, salt & correct amount of water to get the desired consistency.

Cook for one whistle.

Cool, open & add chopped coriander leaves.

It is optional to add 2 tbsp cooked kadala with the other grinding ingredients to get a thick gravy.

 

Photo of Puttu & Kadalai

The photo of Puttu which is traditiionally served with kadalai is posted below.