Pori Urundai for Karthigai Deepam

It is a custom in our home to make Pori for Karthikai. We usually made pori urundai  along with Athirasam, Vella seedai,&  Appam on that day. While many make these balls using Arisi pori. But in my both side my mom and MIL is not making balls, they just mix and make it as crumbles. So  I too followed their way. But this time I made Pori Urundai As per my husband’s wish. Here I am sharing the recipe of PORI URUNDAI.

Ingredients:

Pori (Puffed rice flakes) –3 cups

Jaggery powdered –1cup

Coconut (cut into small pieces) – 2 tbsp

Cardamom Powder – 1 teaspoon

Dry ginger powder (Sukku podi) – 1/2 teaspoon

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Water- ½ cup

 

Method:

1. Put the cleaned Pori in a large plate.Add jaggery in a pan with 1/2 cup of water and when it dissolves it water take it and strain the jaggery water to avoid sand.

2. Again boil the jaggery water and keep stirring it .When it became  thick, check the consistency by pouring a drop of syrup in a cup of water. The syrup should not melt in water and when touched by finger it should roll into a soft ball. It should not be hard. This is the right consistency. (To test: Put little syrup in cold water. It should mould into ball when rolled with fingers the jaggery comes to stone consistency)

3. On this consistency Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and coconuts pieces and stir well.

4. Now remove the jaggery from flame and add the Pori and mix it thoroughly using a big flat spoon.

5. When it is warm enough to hold by hand Grease hands well with ghee take the mixture and make balls using both your palm.

6. Press the ball by giving pressure from both your palm so that the syrup could bind the pori to remain as a ball. It will harden further when the syrup cools down

7. Now the Aval/Nell Pori Urundai is ready.Store it in Airtight container

Maida Besan Dry Fruit Burfi

Previously I made in the combination of Maida BesanBurfi. This time Just I tried  with dry fruits with maida with a mixture of besan as a Diwali sweet and that can be made easily the taste was awesome ! 

Ingredients:

Ingredients: 

Milk Powder-100gm

Maida-100gm

Besan- 100gm

Badam- 50 gm

Cahew nuts-50 gm

Pistachio- 25 gm

Ghee- 200 gm

Sugar 300gm

Cardamom Powder- 1 tsp

 

Method:

1.Roast Maida  & Besan separately  in a 1/4 cup of ghee on medium heat until aroma  comes and then set aside.

2.Powder each of the nuts separately using  mixer/ blender until fine. Do not over powder nuts as the nut butter in them will cause lumping. Place all the powdered nuts in a bowl and mix well.

3.Powder cardamom finely and add to the powdered nuts and mix well. Keep this mixture aside.

4.Grease a deep tray/ plate  with a drop or two of clarified butter and keep aside

5.Mix sugar and water and place on heat and allow to  boil.  Allow the sugar to boil until it achieves one string consistency syrup.

6.As soon as the syrup achieves one string consistency, pour the entire nut powder, Milkpowder, Maida& besan flour into syrup and mix well.

 

7.Stir the mixture in a medium flame / heat it till it leaves the sides of the kadai.

8.You may test it by putting the mixture in a small plate,and seeing whether it becomes little hard when it is cooled.

9.Remove from heat and pour onto the pre greased plate and quickly spread and cut it in to desire shape or Cut into 1 inch square pieces.
  Tasty Mix dry fruit Burfi is Ready

Ammini Kozhukattai// Steamed Rice Balls

Ammini Kozhukattais are savory mini rice balls, steamed and tempered with mild spices. Very simple to make but it tastes really good. My daughter loves making and she prepared this mini savory balls in this weekend..

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 1 cup

Coconut (Grated) - 1/2 cup

Water-2cups

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Salt- as per taste

For Tempering:

Oil - 4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Red Chillies – 1 or 2

Asfoetida/Hing – a pinch

Curry Leaves – Few

Method

1.Heat a non stick Kadai, add the 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add a pinch of salt and about 1 tsp of sesame oil to this water.

2.Once the water starts boiling add the flour little by little and mix well without forming lumps until it comes together as a mass.

3.Cover and rest it for about 5 to 10 mins. Then, apply some oil to your hands and knead into smooth dough.

 

4.Pinch out a small amount of dough and shape it into a small ball. Repeat procedure with the entire dough.

5.Now place these in a steamer and steam cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The balls will be shiny when done.

6.For the tempering, Heat a Kadai with a tsp of oil. Temper with mustard, urad dal and red chillies. 7.Finally add a pinch of asafetida and curry leaves and then add the steamed rice balls and .& grated coconut.mix well.

8. Delicious Mini/Ammini Kozhakattais are ready to be served.

Pavakkai /(BitterGourd) Pakarkaai Pitlai

Pavakkai / Pakarkaai Pitlai

Pavakkai /Pakarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd Pitlai) is an authentic recipe made in our home. Pitlai is kind of a cross between sambar and kootu. I used to make Pitlai in  any one of these veggies (green tomato, katharikai- eggplant, Pakarkaai & Ladies finger).The combination of Thoor dal ,tamarind pulp and spicycoconut paste gives tangy with coconut flavor  gives the unique taste and reduce the bitterness of this vegetable. The pitlai is easy to prepare and quite healthy and served along with steamed rice and ghee .But the classic combination for pitlai is with morkuzhambu! It is one of our favorite dish.I often make this pitlai.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd – 4 medium chopped and quartered

Toor dal – 1/2 cup (washed and cooked with a pinch of turmeric)

Tamarind – Lemon sized ball

Turmeric  Powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

To Roast & Grind:

Oil-1 tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Channa dal – 3/4  tbsp

Long dry red chilies – 5

Shredded coconut – 1/2 cup

For seasoning:

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

 Urad dal – 1 tsp

Shredded coconut-1tbsp

curry leaves-1 spring

A pinch of asafetida

 

Method:

1.Slit the bitter gourds and remove the seeds. Cut it into small pieces. Sprinkle little salt and mix well. Keep it aside.

2.Soak tamarind in water and extract thick pulp, drain the pulp and set aside.

3.Pressure cook the toordal and smash it and keep it aside.

4.Pour the oil in the pan and fry the red chillies, coriander seeds, channa dal till its turn golden brown color then add shredded coconut and turn off the stove. Let it cool down and grind it to a paste.

5.Cut bitter gourd into small pieces. In a vessel pour the tamarind extract; add the bitter gourd pieces and squeeze out all the water and add turmeric powder and salt. Bring to boil. Till the raw smell of tamarind goes and the vegetable is cooked.

6.Once the vegetable is cooked add the mashed dal and stir well. Bring to boil. Then add the spice paste and allow boiling for about few  mins. Add water by checking for consistency. Remove from heat.

7.For seasoning, in a teaspoon of oil, pop mustard seeds, add urad dhal, asafoetida, coconut and curry leaves, saute till golden colour and add it to the Pitlai.

8.If you desire, you can add a small piece of jaggery to lessen the bitterness.

9.Yummy Pavakkai Pitlai is ready. Goes well with steaming hot rice and ghee/morkuzhambu and pappad.