ADHIRASAM | SOFT AND CRISPY ADHIRASAM

Adhirasam, a delicacy of South India has huge fans for its taste and softness.  It is done using wet rice flour and jaggery. My family relishes Adhirasams, than any other sweet. Making a perfect adhirasam is not at all an easy task. After preparing the dough, I kept my fingers crossed whether it will turn out perfectly. It was like a dream, when it came out perfectly. I was feared of trying this recipe for the past 2 years after starting this blog. 

After soaking the rice, it should be dried on a clean cloth for 20 minutes. When we do in small proportion, it can be ground to flour using a mixer. After grinding to flour, preparing the dough should be done immediately. Otherwise the flour will get dried and the consistency will not be right. Also, the jaggery syrup consistency should be perfect to get a good result, or else it will disintegrate will deep frying. See blog for 

• Makkan Peda
• Diwali Recipes

Video recipe of Adhirasam

INGREDIENTS:

Raw Rice - 1 cup

Jaggery ( Paagu vellam) - 3/4 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Gingelly oil - 3 to 4 tsp

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

• Soak raw rice for atleast 2 hours.
• Drain the water completely, and spread the rice on a clean cloth.
• Allow it to dry for 20 minutes.
• The rice should stick to the hands while touching it.
• Add to a mixer and grind to powder and sieve it.
• Add cardamom powder to it and keep closed so that the moisture will remain.
• In a pan add jaggery and 3/4 cups of wate. Allow to boil till jaggery dissolves in water.
• Filter it to a tawa and place the tawa on flame.
• The jaggery syrup starts to boil.
• Check for consistency by dropping little syrup in a cup of water.
• At first the syrup dissolves in water.
• After some time, it forms a soft ball.
• Switch off the flame and add rice flour immediately and mix well.
• The flour will get blended with the syrup and comes together and holds shape.
• Transfer to a container and allow it to rest for a day or atleast 12 hours.
• Grease with  a tsp of gingelly oil to prevent drying.
• Next day, knead the dough so that becomes soft.
• If it is too dry, sprinkle little milk and knead it.
• If it is very soft, sprinkle little rice flour and knead it.
• Make small balls of the dough. Heat oil.
• Take a plastic sheet/aluminium foil/ banana leaf. Grease with gingelly oil.
• Take a ball and flatten with fingers, slightly thick.
• Grease fingers and flatten it gently and remove it.
• Add to hot oil and deep fry in low flame so that the inner portion gets cooked well.
• Squeeze extra oil by pressing, using a ladle.
• Tasty and Yummy ADHIRASAMS are ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures:

1. Soak raw rice for atleast 2 hours.

2. Drain the water completely, and spread the rice on a clean cloth.

3. Allow it to dry for 20 minutes.

4. The rice should stick to the hands while touching it.

5. Add to a mixer and grind to powder and sieve it.

6. Add cardamom powder to it and keep closed so that the moisture will remain.

7. In a pan add jaggery and 3/4 cups of water.

8. Allow to boil till jaggery dissolves in water.

9. Filter it to a tawa and place the tawa on flame.

10. The jaggery syrup starts to boil.

11. Check for consistency by dropping little syrup in a cup of water.

12. At first the syrup dissolves in water.

13. After some time, it forms a soft ball.

14. Switch off the flame and add rice flour immediately and mix well.

15. The flour will get blended with the syrup and comes together and holds shape.

16. Transfer to a container and allow it to rest for a day or atleast 12 hours.

17. Grease with  a tsp of gingelly oil to prevent drying.

18. Next day, knead the dough so that becomes soft.

19. If it is too dry, sprinkle little milk and knead it.

20. If it is very soft, sprinkle little rice flour and knead it.

21. Make small balls of the dough. Heat oil.

22. Take a plastic sheet/aluminium foil/ banana leaf. Grease with gingelly oil.

21. Take a ball and flatten with fingers, slightly thick.

22. Grease fingers and flatten it gently and remove it.

23. Add to hot oil and deep fry in low flame so that the inner portion gets cooked well.

24. Squeeze extra oil by pressing, using another ladle.

24. Tasty and Yummy ADHIRASAMS are ready.

KOZHUKATTAI | MODAK | MODAKAM using almonds and nuts

Kozhukattai is an authentic recipe done during Vinayagar Chathurthi. It can be done with different stuffings using coconut or channa dhal or moong dhal or peanut along with jaggery and cardamom. Here, I have done using coconut and jaggery along with almonds and nuts. It tasted awesome and the quantity of stuffing was more. 

• Paal Kozhukattai

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Ghee - little

Oil - for greasing 

Salt - a pinch

For Puran/Stuffing

Coconut - 1/2

Almond - 10

Cashew nut - 10

Pistachios - 5

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Cardamom - a pinch

Ghee - 1 tsp

METHOD:

1. In a mixer, add almonds, nuts and pistachios and grind to coarse powder and keep aside.

2. Grate coconut finely and add to a tawa along with almond and nuts mixture.

3. Add jaggery, and cook on medium flame.

4. Jaggery starts to melt and after a while coconut and nuts mixture gets blended and comes together.

5. Add cardamom powder, ghee, mix well and switch off the flame.

6. In a pan add water and milk together until it boils well.

7. In a bowl, add rice flour, little salt and ghee.

8. Add boiling milk little by little.

9. Mix with a spoon till it comes to crumbled texture.

10. Close with a lid for a while and using hand, mix well to form a dough. Sprinkle little oil and knead well.

12. Grease the modak mould with little oil. Join the mould together.

13. Take a little dough and press along the inner sides of the mould with space in the center for stuffing.

14. Place the stuffing  and seal the top with rice flour dough.

15. Open the mould carefully, and take out the modak. Likewise prepare all modaks.

16. Heat an idly pan, steam the modaks for 7 to 8 minutes till it turns glossy.

17. Tasty Kozhukattai is ready.

Note:

• Adding milk gives a soft texture for the outer cover.
• Milk & water quantity may vary according to the quality of rice flour.

VAZHAIPOO VADAI

Vazhaipoo vadai is one of the healthy recipes of South India.It is very crispy. Many recipes like kootu, usili, sambar etc. can be done using Vazhaipoo/ Banana flower. Children often resist eating vazhapoo, which is very good for stomach health. It is quite time consuming process to clean the florets. But keeping in mind the health benefits, it can be included in kitchen once in a week. Tender and reddish flower tastes awesome with less bitterness. When soaked in buttermilk the bitterness reduces and poriyal or kootu can be prepared. But for preparing Vadai, it need not be soaked in buttermilk.

INGREDIENTS:

Bengal gram/ Kadalai paruppu - 1/2 cup

Chopped Vazhaipoo - 1 cup

Red/ Green chilly - 3

Fennel/ Sombu - 1/2 tsp

Gram flour - 1 tsp (optional)

Coriander leaves - a handful

Curry leaves - little

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Oil - for deep frying

Salt

METHOD: 

1. Wash and  soak Bengal gram for 2 hours.

2. Drain the water completely.

3. In a mixer, add bengal gram, chilly, fennel and grind to a coarse paste without adding water.

4. Remove the mixture in a wide bowl.

5. Chop vazhaipoo finely and add to the mixture.

6. Add required salt,gram flour, asafoetida, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and mix well using hand so that all ingredients are blended properly.

7. Make vadas of desired shape and arrange on a plate.

8. Heat oil, drop a little batter, if it raises immediately to the top the oil is ready for frying.

9. Drop vadas one by one and deep fry until golden brown.

10. Tasty and crispy VAZHAIPOO VADAI is ready.  

 

Note:

• Adding gram flour gives crispness to the vada. 

TOMATO BIRYANI using Coconut milk

This dish can be prepared quickly with minimal ingredients. It tastes awesome and has unique flavour due to the addition of coconut milk. Instead of coconut milk regular milk can also be used.

INGREDIENTS:
Jeeraga samba rice - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Tomato - 2
Onion - 2
Crushed ginger garlic - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Small onions - 5 (optional)
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbs
Ghee - 1 tbs
Curry leaves - a little
Coriander leaves - a little
Salt

METHOD:
1. Soak rice for 20 minutes and wash well and drain the water and keep aside.
2. Chop the onions and tomato.
3. In a pressure cooker, add oil and ghee and add cinnamon, cloves, fennel, bay leaf and saute till nice aroma comes out.
4. Add curry leaves and chopped onions and stir well for few minutes.

5. Add crushed ginger garlic, mix well and add chopped tomatoes.
6. Cook until the tomato turns juicy.

7. Add all the powders and mix well.
8. Add 1 cup coconut milk and 3/4 cup of water and allow to boil.

9. Add soaked rice, required salt and coriander leaves and close the lid and cook for 2 whistles on high flame and simmer for 3 minutes and switch off the stove.

10. After the pressure is reduced, open the lid and  give a gentle stir.
11. Tasty and appetizing Tomato Biryani is ready to be served.

Note:

• Basmathi rice can also be used.

 

BADAM KATLI

Badam Katli is a quick and very easy recipe which can be done in minutes. Diwali festival is fast approaching in a fortnight from now. So, I have posted this recipe. This burfi is very soft and semi transparent compared to Kaju burfi and can be prepared the same way as we prepare Kaju Katli which has been already posted in this blog.

INGREDIENTS:
Badam - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Saffron strands - a little
Ghee - 2 tsp

METHOD:
1. Soak Badam in hot water for an hour and remove the skin. Let it dry for sometime.
2. In a mixer, add the badam and saffron and make into a coarse powder. Do not over run the mixer since the badam might turn sticky due to the oil content in it.
3. Meanwhile, in a thick bottom tawa add sugar and 1/2 cup of water and allow to boil.

4. When the sugar dissolves completely and starts boiling add the badam powder and stir well. 

5. Mix continuously adjusting the flame from low to medium.
 6. In 10 to 12 minutes time, dough will start leaving the pan. Take a little and roll into a small ball after greasing fingers with ghee. 

7. If it rolls into a soft ball, switch of the flame. If it is sticky, stir for a minute and try again.
7. Add ghee and mix well.
8. Allow to cool for few minutes. 
9.Grease a burfi plate/butter paper/plate with little ghee.

10. Knead the dough with hands and transfer it to the plate.
11. Stretch using a flat bottomed cup and cut into desired shape.
12. If transferred to a butter paper, use rolling pin to flatten it.
13. Tasty and soft BADAM KATLI is ready. 

Also see for Badam Halwa in this blog

Note:

•  little milk powder can be sprinkled while kneading into dough, so that the burfi doesn't look transparent.
• Saffron is optional. Adding saffron gives a tinge of yellow colour to the burfi.

SABUDANA VERMICELLI KHEER/ JAVVARISI SEMIA PAYASAM

Sabudana Vermicelli Kheer is a popular dessert and favourite of many.  It can be done using Sugar or Jaggery. Now, being Navarathri time, I have done using Jaggery. This kheer can be done either using Sabudana or Vermicelli or a combination of both. 

INGREDIENTS:
Javvarisi/Sabudana - 1/4 cup
Semia/Vermicelli - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Milk - 3 cups
Cashew nut - 10
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

METHOD:
1. Soak Javvarisi for an hour. 
2. In a bowl add 2 cups of water and allow to boil. 
3. Add soaked Javvarisi and cook for a few minutes, until it is half cooked. 
4. If over cooked it might turn into porridge.

5. After it is half cooked, add vermicelli and cook for a minute until it starts boiling, switch of the flame.
6. Close the bowl with a lid so that both sabudana and vermicelli gets fully cooked,
7. In a pan add milk, boil until it gets little thicker and let it cool.
8. In another pan, add jaggery and half cup of water and cook until the jaggery melts well and starts to boil.

9. Filter the jaggery syrup and add to the javvarisi semia mixture.

10. Add cooled milk, otherwise it might curdle.
11. Taste for sweetness, if needed add more powdered jaggery. If it is very sweet, boil needed milk, cool well and add to the Kheer.
12. Add cardamom powder, mix well.
13. Add ghee in a pan, roast cashews and add to the kheer.
14. Tasty and delecious Javvarisi Semia Kheer is ready.

Note:

• Instead of Jaggery, sugar can be added. 
• Before adding jaggery, the Javvarisi should be well cooked and turn into transparent pearls. Other wise it might not taste well.

CARROT KHEER/ CARROT PAYASAM

This is a Colourful and simple  dessert, very easy to prepare. A healthy kheer, done using carrot, badam and cashew, which everyone will like, especially Children. This can be served warm or chilled.

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 2 

Cashewnuts  - 10

Badam - 6

Saffron/Kesar - a pinch

Sugar - 5 to 6 tsp

Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Cardamom - a pinch

Ghee - 2 tsp

METHOD:

1. Peel and grate carrot using a grater or grind coarsely in a mixer. Soak the badam for an hour before starting to prepare the recipe.

2. Heat ghee, add half of the cashews broken into pieces and fry till golden brown and keep aside.

3. In the same pan, add carrot and stir well until raw smell goes off.

4. Add milk, saffron/kesar and bring to boil in medium flame and allow the carrot to get half cooked in the milk.

5. Meanwhile, peel badam, add to a mixer along with remaining cashews and make a paste adding little water and add to the carrot, milk mixture.

6. After some time, the kheer will thicken and the carrot will be fully cooked.

7. Add sugar and cardamom and mix well. Taste for sugar and add more if needed.

8. After the sugar gets dissolved, add roasted cashews and switch off the flame.

9. Tasty and delicious Carrot Kheer is ready to be served.

See for Carrot Halwa in this blog

Note:

• Add sugar according to the need as some carrots might be very sweet.
• If the kheer becomes very sweet, add boiled and cooled milk so that the taste of sugar can be balanced.

APPLE - ALMOND KHEER

APPLE - ALMOND KHEER

INGREDIENTS:-

Apple - 1 and 1/2 apple

Milk  - 6 cups 

Condensed milk  - 2 tbsp 

Finely Sliced Almonds - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 3 tsp

Sugar - 3 tsp

Cardamom Powder - 2 tsp

Saffron Strings - 10 strings

METHOD:-

Set all the ingredients ready.

Boil milk in  a sauce pan. Once it is boiled, keep the flame in low/sim, and let it boil for 30 to 40 minutes. Scrap the sides of the pan. Stir frequently to avoid  burnt. After sometime, allow it to cool.

Peel the skin of the apple and grate it. (grate the apple, before starting cooking)

Heat ghee in a separate pan and add sliced almonds. Fry for a minute and add the grated apple. Saute continously till the water in the apple are absorbed completely. 

Add the cardamom powder, saffron strings, condensed milk, sugar and mix together, for 2 minutes. Allow it to cool.

Mix  the milk and the grated apple mixture together, when both are completely cools.

Apple -Almond kheer is ready to serve.

Note:-

Use the same cup for measuring the ingredients.

The cup which I used is, 1 cup = 150 ml. 1 tbsp = 15 gms, 1 tsp = 5 gm