Janmashtami Special

Wishing You all a very Happy Janmashtami / Gokulashtami.

Today being a special day for Dear Lord Krishna, I made a few of his favourite preparations at home, to be enjoyed by the Lord & us too :-)

Pal Payasam :
This recipe i have posted already & here is the link - Pal Payasam . This is how i normally made my Payasam & its a favourite at home too...

Goddu Phovu (Sweet Aval)



Phovu (Konkani), Aval (Tamil) and Beaten Rice (English) is used in many preparations - From Aval payasama, to Batata Phova to dosas.. its used widely. I used this to make Goddu Phovu. This is a Konkani Preparation made by us for all good occassions. Its easy & tasty to eat too...


Ingredients:
Phovu ( Thick Aval)- 2 cups
Jaggery - 1 cup ( or more acc to your taste)
Coconut - 1 cup
Channa Dhal - 1/4 cup
Til - 2 tsps ( optional)


Method:

1. Mix the Phovu & coconut by hand in a wide mouthed bowl for 10 mts till it becomes little soft.


2. Put the jaggery in a pan & add 1/4 cup water & dissolve it. Then bring it to a boil & 1 string consistency. Let it cool down completely.


3. Dry roast the Channa dhal on a medium flame till it becomes golden brown.. it takes a few minutes. (If you do on a high flame chances of burning the channa dhal are high, so be carefull!!) Powder it coarsely & set aside.


4. If using Till dry roast it for a minute or two.


5. Now add the jaggery syrup to the Phovu & coconut mixture & mix everything well with your hands.


6. Now add the roasted & powder channa dhal & til & mix well...


Godu Phovu is ready to be served!

Sakkarai Pongal

Sakkarai Pongal is a traditional sweet dish of South India. It’s a very delicious sweet & easy to make too. Uses just a few ingredients & you have a yummy dessert ready.Today being India’s Independence day, Tulsi Puja & Varalakshmi Pooja too, I decided to make a sweet dish & ended up making Sakkarai Pongal.

Happy Independence Day dear Friends!

Ingredients:

Raw rice – ¾ cup
Moongh Dhal – ½ cup
Jaggery – 1 cup
Cashews & Raisins – few
Ghee – 3 tbspns

Method:

1. Dry fry the moongh dhal a little. Then add it to the rice & add 4 cups water & pressure cook well.

2. In a Kadai add the jaggery & little water & make it into a syrup & bring to a good boil. Strain it .

3. Now add the syrup & cooked rice & dhal mixture & mix everything well. Keep cooking on a medium high flame. It will all come together . Add ghee little by little & keep on mixing.

4. Roast nuts & raisins in ghee & add to the mixture.

Delicious Sakkarai Pongal is all ready to be enjoyed!

Sheera & an Award.

Sheera / Kesari / Sooji Halwa - many names but one delicious dessert! Its an all time favourite & easy to make too. Though its made during festivals, its also the easiest & quickest back up dessert incase of sudden guests!

We also love having Sheera after eating a plate of Bajjis!!! Yum Yum!! It sounds wierd, but a hot glass of Filter coffee, bajjis & sheera on a cold / rainy day.....Wouldnt that be great? Try it out & you'll know what a great combo this is.

Ingredients:

Rava - 1 cup
Sugar 1& 1/4 cup
Kesari Colour - little
Elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew & Raisins - a handfull
Ghee - 3-4 tbspns
Water - 2 & 1/2 cups

Method:

1. In little ghee fry the nuts & set aside.

2. Now in the same pan, add little ghee & fry the Rava till slightly golden brown.

3. Boil water in a pan & set aside

4. Add the sugar to the sooji & mix well. Then add the boiling water & keep on stirring. Make sure no lumps are there.

5. Add little colour, elaichi powder & mix everything well & cook till its done. Takes about 5 - 8 mts.

6. You can add in the fried nuts & mix everything well.

For Serving - You can serve in a bowl or you can grease a bowl with little ghee, put in some fried nuts & raisins on the bottom of the bowl, then fill it up with the Sheera & place the katori on a dessert plate upsidedown & empty it & you'll get a great presentation.

AWARD:

Divya of Divyas cook book has passed on the blogging with a purpose award . Thanks Divya for this award & thinking of me! It feels great to get another award... :-)

I would like to pass it on too...
1.RC of Red Chillies.
2.Uma of Essence of Andhra.
3.Happy Cook of My Kitchen Treasures.
4.Raaga of Chef at work.

Congrats to you all dear friends!

Pal Payasam

Pal Payasam or Kheer is a popular sweet in India & liked by all. Its made by all for all major festivals & a must for every wedding too. Its a nice dessert and you can make it real quick too.

Heres my version of Pal Payasam!

Ingredients:

Whole Milk - 5 cups

2% milk - 5 cups

Raw Rice - 3/4th cup

Sugar - acc to taste

Method:

1. Wash the rice & set aside.

2. In a cooker add water( as u keep for cooking rice) & keep a big vessel & pour in the milk. Add the washed rice & cover the vessel with a lid. Close the cooker & put on the weight.

3. Keep for 2 whistles. Then turn gas to low & keep for another 45 minutes. Turn off & then once cool completely only open it.

4. Add required sugar & stir in well... serve slightly warm or cold, however u like it!

Enjoy your Payasam!

Sweet Appo

"Sweet Appo" is also know as Kuli Paniyaram in tamil. You need a special vessel to make this sweet. A very tasty sweet & very easy to make.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1& 1/4 cup

Coconut pieces - 3 tbspns (if dersired)

Elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp

Cahews & raisins - little

Ghee - as required

Method:

1. Soak rice for an hour. Grind to a coarse paste with as less water as possible.

2. Now to this add jaggery & Elaichi (I keep the jaggery in the microwave for a minute to soften it).

3. Once everything blends well, trasfer to a vessel & add the coconut pieces, cashews & raisins.

4. Keep the Appo vessel on gas & add ghee into each hole. Then once its hot pour in this mixture & cover & cook. Once the first sides done, turn & cook other side.. takes about 5 minutes to completly be done. Keep reating the process til your batters done!

Your Appo are ready to be served.... hot or cold its yummy always!

Gova Kichidi (Wheat Kichidi)

"Gova Kichidi" is again a Manglorean sweet. Not many of you, would have heard / tasted it. Its made from Broken wheat (Samba Godumai - Tamil). Some of us use broken wheat to make upma.. but you must be wondering sweet... is that right?? Yes, its a sweet & tastes yummy!!

Ingredients:

Broken wheat - 1 cup

Channa dhal - 1/4 cup

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Sugar - 1&1/2 cups

Ghee - 4-5 tbspns

Elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp

Cashews - few

Raisins - few

Method:

1. Take broken wheat & channa dhal in a vessel. Wash once. Add required water & pressure cook for 2 whistles. (Channa dhal must not get mashed up!!)

2. Now put this in a pan along with, coconut, sugar, ghee & on a medium high heat, keep stirring.

3. It will seem liquidy, but as you cook, it will thicken & come together.

4. Then add elaichi powder & stir in well.

5. In another pan add little ghee & add cashews & raisins - fry them a little & add to the kichidi.

Your Gova kichidi is ready... serve slightly warm.

Chur Mundo ( Besan & Wheat Flour Laddo)

"Chur Mundo" is a Manglorean sweet, & is very tasty & yummy to eat. My family loves this one & so do my friends.

Ingredients:

Besan - 1 cup

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 & 3/4 cup

Elaichi Powder- to taste

Ghee - as required

Method:

1. In a pan fry the besan with 2 tsps of ghee till golden brown.

2. To the same add the wheat flour & fry till the raw smell goess off. Takes about 15 mts.Then let it cool for few minutes.

3. Now add the powdered sugar to this mixture, along with Elaichi powder.

4. Mix everything well. Add required ghee & mix the flour till its easy enough for you to make laddos.

5. Make small laddos & serve.

Chur Mundo is all done for your guests!!

Seven Cups Burfi

"Diwali" - The festival of lights, is a festival, celebrated throughout India. Its a festival of lights, fire works, sweets & savouries. Sure all are getting geared up, to celebrate this festival & are making some amazing sweets & snacks in their kitchen !!

Well, here's my first post for this occasion...This recipe is my mom's & i learnt it from her.

Ingredients:

Badam - 1 cup

Besan - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 3 cups

Method:

1. Soak badam in water for couple of hours. Then peel the skin off & grind badam along with milk to a fine paste.

2. Now pour this ground paste in a pan, along with all other ingredients & stir on a medium high flame continuously.

3. After about 20 minutes, you'll see it thickens & bubbling up.

4. Wait for another few minutes & you'll see it bubble up more & leave sides of vessel.Usually time taken to get right consistency is anywhere from 25 - 30 minutes.

5. Then transfer to a greased plate. Wait till slightly cool to cut into pieces.

Your burfi is all ready to be served!!

Fruit Pizza

This pizza is just simply superb & a great hit with people who dont like fruits too!! Its simple & very easy to make. I tried this recipe from Allrecipes & it was awesome.

Ingredients:

1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup water
Other fruits of your choice to decorate your pizza.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice cookie dough and arrange on greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.

2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.

3. Begin with strawberries, sliced in half. Arrange in a circle around the outside edge. Continue with fruit of your choice, working towards the middle. If bananas are used, dip them in lemon juice so they don't darken. Then make a sauce to spoon over fruit.

4. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.

Your Fruit Pizza is ready to serve!!