Neer mor, Panagam and Vada Paruppu (Sri Rama Navami Recipes) ~ Day 92

Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama.  The following recipes are traditionally prepared on that day and offered to Lord Rama.

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Ingredients:

For the Neer Mor:

• Yogurt - 1/4 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - 1 tsp, finely grated
• Green chili - 1, chopped
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - few
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Whisk the yogurt in 2 cups of water along with lemon juice and salt.
2. Heat oil in a small skillet.  Splutter mustard seeds.  Add the ginger, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
3. Add it to the buttermilk and whisk to combine.

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For the Panagam:

• Jaggery powder - 1/2 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Dry ginger powder / Sukku podi - 1/4 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

 Method:

1. Soak the jaggery in water for 10 minutes.  Once the jaggery is melted, strain to remove impurities.
2. Add the lemon juice, ginger powder, and cardamom powder.  Mix well.

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For the Vada Paruppu:

• Split moong dal - 1 cup
• Green mango - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
• Cucumber - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
• Green chilies - 3, chopped
• Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves / Cilantro for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak split moong dal in enough water for 1 hour. Drain well.
2. Add the green chilies, green mango, cucumber,  grated coconut, lemon juice, coriander leaves,and salt.  Mix well.
3. Heat oil in a skillet and splutter mustard seeds.  Add curry leaves and asafoetida.
4. Add it to the moong dal mixture and mix well.

Aama Vadai / Paruppu Vadai ~ Day 91

அனைவருக்கும்  இனிய  தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு  நல்வாழ்த்துக்ககள்!!

Happy Tamil New Year!!

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Preparation time: 3 hours for soaking and 10 minutes for grinding

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Yields: 25 to 30 vadais

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Ingredients:

• Toor dal - 3/4 cup
• Chana dal - 3/4 cup
• Urad dal - 1/4 cup
• Red chilies - 5 or to taste
• Green chilies - 3
• Ginger - 1-inch piece
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 springs
• Cilantro / Coriander leaves - a handful
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for frying

Method:

1. Soak all the dals in enough water for 3 hours.  Drain well.
2. In a food processor, place the red and green chilies, ginger and handful of dal and pulse until chilies are coarsely ground.
3. Add rest of the dal and grind coarsely without adding any water.  Lastly, add the curry leaves and coriander leaves and pulse to combine.
4. Transfer the ground mixer into a bowl.  Add salt and asafoetida.  Mix well.
5. Heat oil in a deep pan / kadai.  Take a golf ball sized dal mixture and flatten into round patties.   Drop it gently into the hot oil and fry over medium-low heat, until golden brown and crisp.  Add 5 to 6 patties at a time.  Drain on paper towel.  
6. Serve hot.

Amaranth (Rajkira) Mango Phrini ~ Day 88

Happy Ugadi / Gudi Padwa to all who celebrate!

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Amaranth seeds are, seeds from the amaranth plant (Mulai Keerai / Thandu Keerai).  It is easily available in most of the Indian stores here in the U.S.A.  

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6
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Ingredients:

• Amaranth seeds - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 2 and 1/2 cups
• Mango pulp - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 1/4 cup or to taste
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Saffron strands - a pinch
• Chopped nuts - for garnishing

Method:

1. Rinse and soak amaranth seeds for 1 hour.  Drain and keep it aside.
2. Place the milk in a heavy bottom sauce pan and bring it to a boil.  Add the drained amaranth and cook over low heat, until soft, stirring constantly.
3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.  Add cardamom powder, mix well. Remove from the heat.  Add the mango pulp and stir.
4. Serve with chopped nuts.

Aval Orange Payasam / Poha (Flattened Rice) Orange Kheer ~ Day 75

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3 to 4

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Ingredients:

• Aval / Poha / Flattened rice - 3/4 cup (White or Brown)
• Milk - 2 cups
• Sugar - 1/2 cup 
• Orange - 2, peeled, pulp removed from the fibers and chopped
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Saffron strands - few
• Chopped nuts - for garnishing

Method:

1. In a small skillet, saute the poha in ghee until heated through.  Set it aside.
2. Boil milk in a saucepan.  Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly reduced.
3. Add poha and cook until soft.  Add the sugar and cook for another 10 minutes to thicken (a semi porridge consistency).  If the kheer is too thick, add more lukewarm milk.  Add cardamom powder and saffron strands.  Mix well.  Cool completely.  
4. Once cooled, add the chopped oranges.  Chill before serving.
5. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve.

Sakkarai Pongal / Sweet Pongal ~ Day 13

Pongal wishes to everyone with a sweet / sakkarai pongal.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1 cup, washed
Split Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Jaggery - 2 cups, powdered
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 8
Raisins - 10
Clove - 3
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Edible camphor - a pinch (optional)

Method:

1. In a small skillet, dry roast the moong dal until golden brown.
2. Combine rice, dal, milk,water and 1tbsp ghee and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
3. Meanwhile, dissolve jaggery in 1/4 cup water on a low heat.  Strain the jaggery syrup for impurities.
4. Once the rice is cooked, mash the rice and add the jaggery syrup and mix well.  Add 2 tbsp ghee and cook on low flame, stirring constantly, for 5 minute.
5. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan.  Fry the cashews and raisins.  When the raisins plumps up remove from the heat and add the cloves and pinch of edible camphor.  Pour it over the pongal along with cardamom powder.  Mix well to combine.  
6. Serve hot.

Paruppu Poli / Puran Poli ~ Day 12

Celebrating Bhogi, the first day of the harvest festival, with Puran Poli.

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 Preparation time: 1-2 hours

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yields: 8-10

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Channa dal /  - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sesame oil - 4 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Water - for kneading
• Ghee - for frying 

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, turmeric powder and salt.  Add 2 tbsp oil and mix well.  
2. Add water little at a time and knead into a soft and pliable dough.  
3. Add the remaining oil and knead one more time.  Cover and let it rest for 1-2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, cook (in a pressure cooker or on the stove top) channa dal with enough water until soft. 
5. Drain and cool, lightly.  In a saucepan, melt the jaggery with 1 tbsp of water.  Strain the jaggery syrup to remove impurities.  Rinse the saucepan and add the jaggery syrup, cooked dal, coconut and 1 tsp of ghee.
6. Cook on a medium heat until thick and the mixtures starts leaving the side.
7. Cool completely and grind the mixture with cardamom powder to a smooth paste using a food processor.
8. Divide the mixture into lemon sized balls. Take the dough and knead again.
9. Take a large piece of parchment paper for making poli.  
10. Take a small amount of dough and flatten it slightly on the parchment paper.  Place the sweet ball in the middle and cover the edges.  Pinch and remove excess dough.  Now flatten the dough using your finger and make thin discs.
11. Heat a nonstick or a cast iron skillet. Carefully lift the flattened discs and place it on the hot skillet.
12. Cook until the bottom turns slightly brown.  Flip it and apply little all over.  Cook both sides with ghee.
13. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.
14. Serve warm.

Omapodi - Ajwain Sev

 Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 -5 cups

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Ingredients:
Gram flour / Besan / Kadalai maavu - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Ajwain / Omam / Carom seed - 2 tbsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Ghee or butter - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Clean and soak ajwain / omam in water for 30 minutes. Grind it with the soaked water to and grind until smooth.  Strain the ground paste with a tea strainer.  Save the water.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt.  Mix well. Add the ghee and ajwain / omam water.  Mix well.
3. Add water little at a time and make dough that is pliable.  
4. Heat oil in a pan.  Attach the Om podi disc to the murukku maker.  Fill the murukku maker with some dough.
5. Reduce the heat of the oil to medium.  Place the top of the murukku maker over the dough and press it over the hot oil in a circular motion.
6. Fry until it turns bright yellow in color and bubbles subsides.  Turn to the other and fry for few seconds. Remove and drain on a paper towel.  Repeat the process with rest of the dough.
7. Store in a air tight container.

Kalkandu Pongal / Sugar Candy Rice Pudding

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 5 to 6

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Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Moong dal - 2 TBSP (optional)
Kalkandu / Small Sugar candy - 1 1/4 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Ghee / Clarified butter - 2 TBSP
Broken Cashew nuts - 1 TBSP
Raisins - 1 TBSP
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal (if using) thoroughly.
2. Add water and milk and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
3. Once the pressure goes down, and add kalkandu (sugar candy).
4. On a low to medium heat, cook till the kalkandu melts, stirring constantly.
5. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small skillet.  Add the raisins and cashews.  Fry until golden brown.
6. Add it to the rice mixture along with the remaining ghee and cardamom powder.  Mix well.  
7. Serve warm.

Here are some of my other Pongal recipes:

Quinoa Sarkarai Pongal

Sweet Potato Poli

Nel Pori Urundai for Karthigai Deepam

Nel in tamil, is unhusked rice paddy.  Nel pori is puffed rice paddy.

Ingredients:
Nel Pori - 4 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup
Thinly sliced coconut - 2 TBSP
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Dry ginger powder(sukku) - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Spread the pori in a large plate or bowl.  Remove all the husks.
2. If pori is soft, spread them in a tray and toast in a oven on a very low temperature setting.
3. Remove and let it cool.
4. Roast the thinly sliced coconut in 1/2 tsp ghee until golden brown.
5. Heat the jaggery in 1/4 cup of water until completely dissolved.
6. Strain to remove any impurities.
7. Add ginger powder, cardamom powder and coconut.
8. Boil the strained jaggery syrup until it reaches a soft ball consistency.
9. To check the consistency, place some syrup in a bowl of water.  If you can make a ball out of it, then it is ready.
10. Pour the jaggery syrup all over the pori.
11. Using a wooden spoon, mix well to coat.
12. Apply little ghee to your palm and shape into tight balls. 

Jangiri

Ingredients:
Whole white urad dal  - 1 cup
Raw rice - 2 TBSP
Sugar - 4 cups
Water - 1 cup
Saffron strands - 1/4 tsp
Rose essence - 1 tsp
Oil - for deep frying
Orange food color - optional ( I used saffron for the color)
Zip lock bag or piping bag with round nozzle

Here is a video on how to make jangiri.

Method:

1. Soak urad dal and rice for 1 hour.
2. Drain the water and grind with very little water until soft and fluffy.  Add little crushed saffron while grinding the dal.
3. Place sugar in a pan and add 1 cup of water.  Bring it to a boil.  
4. Just before it reaches to one string consistency, switch off the flame.  Add rose essence and saffron. 
5. Prepare the zip lock bag by piercing a hole in the middle of the bottom.  Use a thin hot nail or rod.
6. You can also use a piping bag with a round nozzle.
7. Heat oil (fill about 1 inch deep) in a broad skillet on a low flame.
8. Half fill the zip lock bag or piping bag with the batter.
9. Press the batter over oil to make a circle and continue pressing along the sides like a coil.
10. Make like 3 to 4 jangiris at a time.  
11. Fry until golden brown.  Remove from the oil and drop them in to the sugar syrup.
12. Press the jangiris down to soak.  Leave them in the syrup until the next batch is fried.
13. Repeat the process.
14. If the syrup becomes thick, stop the frying and add little hot water to the syrup, bring it to boil.
15. Makes about 30 jangiris.

Deepavali Legiyam / Marundhu

Legiyam / Marundu is a herbal medicine,  prepared during deepavali / diwali.  In some households,  it is a tradition to have a spoonful of this medicine first thing in the morning on deepavali day, before eating all the sweets and savories.  This herbal medicine helps to aid digestion problems and also great for cold and cough.

Ingredients:
Black pepper - 2  TBSP
Cumin seeds - 2 1/2 TBSP
Coriander seeds - 2 1/2 TBSP
Omam / Ajwain - 2 1/2 TBSP
Kandan thipilli - 10 sticks
Arisi thippli - 10
Sukku / Dry ginger - 2 inch size
Elakkai / Cardamom - 3
Jaggery powder - 1 cup ( same amount as ground powder)
Ghee - 4 TBSP

Note:  If you can't find kandan thippli and arisi thippli, omit and use other ingredients.
Both Arisi thippili and Kandan thippili are called pippal in hindi and long pepper in english.  Arisi thippili is a small, black grainy pepper and kandan thippili looks like a stick.  I did find the stick pepper in local indian store, here in NJ.

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients except jaggery and ghee in a skillet.  Slightly saute for 30 seconds.  No need to roast them, just heat it up.
2. Let it cool.  Using a blender, make a smooth powder.
3. Measure the powder and take the same amount of jaggery.
4. Add water to the powder and make a thick paste, like a soup consistency.
5. In a large heavy pan / kadai, heat the paste on a low flame.  Keep stirring.
6. Once its start to thicken, add the jaggery and keep stirring until jaggery is melted.
7. Add the ghee slowly and cook until you get the jam consistency.
8. When the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan without sticking, switch of the flame.

Sweet Rice Puttu with Jaggery - Navarathri Recipe

Happy Navarathri

Ingredients:
Rice flour / Puttu flour - 1 cup ( I used puttu flour,  Nirapara brand)
Jaggery - 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 2 TBSP
Cashew nuts - 5
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Boil 1/2 cup water with salt and turmeric powder.  Let it cool.
2. Dry roast the rice flour until hot and slightly brown.
3. Sprinkle the turmeric water little by little to the rice flour and mix.  The right consistency is, you should be able to form balls with the flour and break to powder again.
4. Tie the flour mixture in a clean white cloth / towel and stem cook for 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the steamed flour mixture into a large plate and crumble the big pieces. You can sift the mixture, if it has lumps.
6. Place jaggery in a pan with little water and melt.  Strain to remove impurities.
7. Boil the jaggery water and make syrup.  Test the syrup for right consistency.  That is when you drop some jaggery syrup in cold water, you should be able to form a ball.
8. Remove from the heat.
9. Add the jaggery syrup little by little to the steamed flour with one hand and mix the flour with another hand using a spoon or spatula.  The syrup will be very hot, so be careful while mixing.
10. The puttu should be grainy and not like halwa.  
11. Heat ghee in a small skillet and roast the cashew pieces and grated coconut until brown.  
12. Add it to the puttu and mix well.

Verkadalai / Peanut Sundal ~ Navarathri Recipe

Ingredients:
Verkadalai / Dry Peanuts - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 2 TBSP
Lemon Juice - 1 TBSP (optional)
Salt - to taste
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Few curry leaves
Spice powder: Dry roast until fragrant and grind to a fine powder
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Whole black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the peanuts in enough water for 2 hours.
2. Drain and pressure cook with 1 cup of water and salt for 3 to 4 whistles.  Drain and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a skillet and add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
4. Add urad dal, red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.  Fry till golden brown.
5. Add the drained peanuts and mix well.  Add the ground spice powder and mix thoroughly.
6. Cook for a minute.  Adjust salt.
7. Add the grated coconut and mix well.
8. Mix in the lemon juice and serve.

Uppu Seedai and Vella Seedai for Krishna Jayanthi

Happy Krishna Jayanthi

Uppu Seedai (Savoury)

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Urad dal flour - 2 TBSP, roasted until light brown and aromatic
Butter - 2 TBSP, room temperature
Sesame Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Freshly grated coconut - 1 TBSP
Asafetida - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients.  Add water little at a time and make a tight dough.
2. Spread a clean and damp cloth or paper towel on the counter top.
3. Take a small marble sized dough and roll it into a ball, using your palm.
4. Heat oil in a pan.  Drop the rolled balls little at a time.  
5. Move the balls gently to prevent them from sticking together.
6. Fry on a medium heat, until golden brown.
7. Place it on a paper towel to drain of excess oil.

Vella Seedai (Sweet)

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup, sifted
Urad dal flour - 2 tsp, roasted until light brown and aromatic
Jaggery - 1 cup, grated
Thinly Sliced Coconut Pieces - 1 TBSP
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
oil - for frying

Method: 

1. In a large skillet, dry roast the rice flour on a low flame, for a minute and until aromatic.
2. Let it cool completely.  Add the urad flour, sesame seeds and the thinly sliced coconut pieces and mix well. 
3. Place 1 cup water and 1 cup jaggery in a pan.  Heat until the jaggery dissolves completely.
4. Strain the jaggery syrup using a fine mesh strainer to remove impurities. Add cardamom powder.
5. Boil the strained jaggery syrup in the same pan.   Remove from the heat.
6. Using a ladle, add the syrup little by little into the flour mixture until it forms a tight tough.  
7. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
8. Grease the palm with some ghee and roll the dough into small balls.  A little bigger than a marble.
9. Heat oil to medium high. The oil should not be smoking hot.
10. Drop 5 or 6 rolled balls in hot oil.  Wait for a minute and gently move it around to prevent them from sticking together.
11. Deep fry until dark brown.  

Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients:
Rice Flour - 2 cups
Gram Flour / Besan / Kadalai Mavu - 1 cup
Melted Butter - 2 TBSP
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 TBSP
Asafetida - 1 tsp
Oil - for frying
Salt - to taste
Water - as needed

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, sieve both the flour.
2. Add the butter, red chili powder, black pepper, sesame seeds, asafetida and salt.  Mix well.
3. Add water little by little and form a stiff but smooth dough.
4. Heat oil in a skillet.
5. Grease the  murruku achu with a ribbon plate, and fill it with the prepared dough.
6. Press the dough in a circular motion directly in to the hot oil.
7. Cook until golden brown on a medium to low heat on one side and flip and cook on the other side.
8. Remove and place it on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
9. Repeat the process.
10. Store it in a air tight container once it cooled completely.

Some of my other sweets and savories to try for this Deepavali:

Semiya Payasam with Carrot and Pumpkin

Baked Brown Rice Appam with Tutti- Frutti

Adirasam / Ariselu

Mint Vadai

Mixed Fruit Kesari

Baklava

Kasi Halwa

Quinoa Sarkari Pongal

Peanut and Moong Flour Murukku

Sathu Maavu / Health Mix Mysore Pak

Bhadam Paal Puri

Peanut - Sesasme - Almond Ladoo

Bournvita Burfi

Kara Sev

Multigrain Thattai

Whole Moond Dal and Broken wheat Payasam

Sweet Potato Poli

Badusha

Coconut Macaroons