Monday, March 15, 2010

Aresalu for Indian Cooking Challenge


Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 200 gms 
Paku Jaggary - 250 gms
Sesame Seeds - 2 tsp or less
Gasa gasa or Poppy Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch

Method:

Soak rice for 6 hrs and then shade dry it. Meaning it should not become dry but should still have some wetness in the rice. You can either grind this to fine powder using your mixie or give to mill. The rice flour should have that texture of soft and wet feeling when you take a handful and also it should kind of retain your fist shape. Hope you understand what I am saying. This is very important because if the flour is very dry it wouldn't turn out well.

Have all the things ready when you put the jaggary for cooking.

Take water that is enough to dilute jaggary. Dissolve the jaggary. Remove any impurities that may be present. Then again cook till the pakam is ready. The consistency here is also very important. Hope you know that pakam is calculated as threads. 

This is how we check the thread consistency, when the jaggary starts boiling and becomes thick, carefully take a small bit and touch it between your thumb and Index fingers. A thread will be formed when you take your fingers away from each other.

Likewise when the syrup becomes thick, you can find 3 threads being formed. So after 3 thread consistency the jaggary is really cooked well and it become thick. When you take a bit and put it in water, you should be able to make a ball of it. This is when you know the pakkam is ready.

Remove from fire, and add poppy seeds, sesame seeds and cardamom. Mix well. Then slowly add the rice flour and keep mixing well. The consistency is very important, so you need to add the flour little by little. Mix till you get a chapati dough consistency. End of this, you may still have some flour left out.

Divide into lemon size balls. Grease a plastic sheet and your fingers. Place the ball on the sheet, and pat it down to a poori size. 

Heat oil for frying and slowly drop these discs into the hot oil. You can simmer for a while until you know the inside is cooked. Turn to the other side and cook till its golden in colour. If you are cooking alone, you can roll out one by one and cook. Else it might get burnt. Once done, remove and drain on a Kitchen towel.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

1 year and 100th post celebrations



Hooray its been 1 year since i started my blog, and I want to celebrate it with my achievement of my article getting published in Hindu newspaper. 

 

You can find the original posting in the following link.


http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/01/16/stories/2010011651111000.htm







Happy Valentines Day 2010



Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sledding in Maine 2010




Happy Sankranti 2010





Carrot Halwa



Ingredients:


Carrots: 8 peeled and grated
Sweetened condensed milk: 1 can (14 oz)
Evaporated Milk: 1 can (14 oz)
Elachi pwd: 2 tsp
Butter or ghee: 4 tbsp
Powdered milk: 4 tbsp
Raisins: 1/2 rice cup




Method:


 In heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, ground cardamom and carrots. Heat to boiling and stir constantly.Reduce the heat and continue stirring.
Cook the carrot mixture on medium heat for approximately 30 to 45 minutes until milk is completely absorbed.
Remove from heat, and add sweetened condensed milk and butter. Stir vigorously until well blended.
Return to low heat to continue cooking. Return mixture to low heat and continue cooking until carrots become very soft and dry.
In small bowl, combine powdered milk with a few spoons of water to make a paste.
Add milk mixture to carrot mixture in small spoonfuls. Combine slowly, then stir in raisins.
Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 8 to 10 hours, preferably overnight before serving. 


Enjoy.

Ribbon Pakodi




Ingredients: 


Moong dhal: 2 tbsps
Channa dhal: 2 tbsps
Toor dhal: 2 tbsps
Yellow roasted channa dhal: 2 tbsps
Urad dhal: 1 tbsp
Rice flour: 2 cups
Hot oil: 2 tbsps
Salt: to taste
Baking soda: pinch
Chili pwd: to taste
Oil : to deep fry





Method:


Roast all the dhal separately until golden brown, cool and powder finely in the blender. To this add rice flour along with the 2 tbsps hot oil, salt baking soda, chili pwd. 
Mix well, add enough water to make stiff dough.
Add to chakli press with ribbon slit plate and press out into the hot oil to deep fry until golden brown. 
Drain on paper and store in air tight container.


Enjoy.