Pottukadalai Murukku

Prep Time:20 m + soaking time     Cooking Time:1 hr

Ingredients

Raw Rice               - 4 cups

Roasted Gram Dal - 1 cup

Red Chilli              - 8

Butter                     - 1 tblsp

Ajwain                   - 1 tsp

Salt                        - to taste

Oil                         - to deep fry

Method

• Wash and soak rice along with red chillies for atleast two hours.Grind them smoothly into a thick batter.
     
• Meanwhile finely powder roasted gram dal/pottukadalai into a fine powder in a dry jar.
     
• Add this powder to the rice batter.Add salt,butter and ajwain also.If the spicyness is not enough just add little red chilli powder.Now knead them all together into a loose dough.
                           
  
• Heat oil in a kadai.Grease the murukku press with butter and fill with dough.Press it and check the consistency of the dough.It should be soft enough for pressing.Squeeze the murukkus directly into hot oil or press them into greased plastic sheets or ladles and then drop them carefully in hot oil.Fry them in hot oil turning gently and remove when the bubble sound ceases.
                       
                            
     
• When all the dough is finished transfer into an airtight container and this keeps well for atleast ten days and even more.

Little Words

• Let the dough be smooth without any particles.Once there was a roasted dal in the dough and it bursted out and splashed straight into my hands.
• If the dough is tight sprinkle few drops of water and knead well.
• If squeezing directly into hot oil take the necessary precautions.

Memories

       Though this murukku needs a little effort the joy of eating homemade murukkus is always special.And when the holidays were around there was nothing more joyous than the smell of murukkus and other sweets filling the air.

Arisiyum Paruppum

Prep Time:15 m     Cook Time:20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Rice                   - 3/4 cup

Toor Dal            - 1/2 cup

Onion                 - 1

Curry Leaves      - 2 sprigs

Grated Coconut  - 2 tblsp

Cinnamon Stick  - 1" piece

Clove                   - 3

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt                       - to taste

Ghee + Oil           - 1 tblsp

To Grind

Garlic           - 4 clove

Red Chilli     - 2

Peppercorn   - 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seed  - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method

• Wash and soak dal and rice for twenty minutes.
  
• Meanwhile slice onions and grind the ingredients under to grind into a paste.
     
• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker,add clove and cinnamon stick followed by curry leaves and onion.Add little salt and saute till onion becomes transparent.Then add the garlic red chilli paste and turmeric powder and fry till raw smell goes off.
     
• Now add required amount of water and bring it to boil(I used 2 & 1/2 cups of water,1:2 ratio).Add dal and then after five minutes add rice.Add salt and grated coconut.Close the lid and wait for two whistles.Once pressure is released open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot with gingelly oil drizzled on top or with onion raita.
                                
     

Little Words

• The rice would be spongy spongy.
• Instead of grinding red chilli it can be added while tempering.
• Coconut can also be ground and added.
• Traditionally this rice is made with split valour dal/avarai paruppu/dried and split mochai.

Memories

           This is  one of the most favourite dishes that I love to eat prepared by amma.The taste doubles when the rice is served hot on plantain leaf with a drizzle of ghee or gingelly oil.This had been in the draft for a really long time and this mother's day am finally able to post this and hope to share my memories and thoughts in the future posts.

Mango Lassi

Prep Time:5 m          Cook Time:Nil

Makes:2 glasses

Ingredients

Mango - 1

Curd    - 1/2 cup

Milk    - 1/2 cup

Honey - 1 tblsp

Method

• Cut the mango into two halves,deseed and scoop out the pulp.Place them in a blender along with curd and milk.Blend well,pour into glasses drizzle honey on top and serve.
                        
                                 
  

Little Words

• A cool refreshing summer drink.
• Sugar can be added if desired.

Sweet Potato Pancake

Prep Time:20 m      Cook Time:20 m

Makes:4 - 6

Ingredients

Sweet Potato - 2

Nuts               - as desired

Ghee              - 1 tbl sp

Jaggery          - 2 tblsp

Rice Flour     - 1 tbl sp

Method

• Cut the sweet potato into two halves and pressure cook for a whistle.Peel off the skin and mash them.
     
• Add jaggery,rice flour and nuts fried in ghee.Mix them well,take small portions,place it on the hot tawa and cook on low heat till golden brown on both sides drizzling ghee on the sides.
                         
     

Little Words

• Can be made with potatoes too with little extra jaggery.
• Makes an ideal snack in the evenings or mid mornings.
• Rice flour is added for binding.

Mutton Keema Curry

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mutton Keema        - 300 g

Onion                      - 1

Tomato                    - 2

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves           - 2 sprigs

Coriander Leaves    - 1/4 cup

Coriander Powder   - 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder    - 1/4 tsp

Chilli Powder          - 3/4 tsp

Cumin Powder        - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds        - 1/4 tsp

Aniseed                   - 1/2 tsp

Khus Khus              - 1/4 tsp

Salt                         - to taste

Oil                          - 2 tsp

Method

• Heat oil in a pressure pan,splutter mustard seeds,aniseed,khus khus,curry leaves,onion and saute till onion becomes translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves.Now add keema and saute for a while.
     
• Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become mushy and then add all the spice powders and salt.Close the lid and pressure cook for four whistles.Once pressure is released add finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with idli, dosa or rice.
                    
                      
  
     

Little Words

• Fresh cream can be added for a rich creamy gravy.
• Adding more coriander leaves gives a different flavour and taste to this keema gravy.
• Tastes excellent with idli.
• Keema form is easier for kids to eat and especially for toddlers.

Paneer Chaat

Prep Time:10 m      Cook Time:10 m

Serves:2

Ingredients

Paneer                      - 250 g

Cumin Powder         - 1/4 tsp

Chilli Powder           - 1/4 tsp

Dry Mango Powder  - 1/4 tsp

Chaat Masala            - 2 pinches

Coriander Leaves     - few

Salt                           - to taste

Oil                            - 2 tbl sp

Method

• Cut paneer into bite sized cubes.Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the paneer pieces till they are golden brown in all the sides.Sprinkle all the remaining ingredients and transfer to a plate and serve.
                                                     
                                
     

Little Words

• Toss them gently to avoid crumbling.
• After frying the paneer cubes you can transfer to serving plate and then toss in the spices.This way spices won't stick to the pan.