Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Cornflakes mixture.

Here comes the recipe of "Cornflakes mixture" as promised. Hope you like it!:0).


Cornflakes mixture-

Ingredients-

                     1/4 kg of makai pova/ corn flakes.
                     1 cup/ 1 pav of peanuts/ groundnuts.
                     1/4 cup of roasted gram/ hurigadale/ pottukadale.
                     1/4 cup of dry coconut/copra flakes.
                     10-15 cashewnuts.
                     25-30 golden raisins.
                     4- 5 sticks of fresh curry leaves.
                     2 tsp of mustard seeds.
                     1 tsp of turmeric powder/haldi.
                     2 tbsp of red chilli powder.
                     2 tbsp of sugar.
                     2 tbsp of table salt.
                     4 tbsp of cooking oil.

Procedure-


  • Start making the mixture by measuring the required amount of ingredients & keep everything ready.
  • We need to lightly dry roast the required amount of peanuts & de-skin them. You can make them into halves as well.
  • The cashewnuts can be halved or quarted as well.
  • Chop & keep the dry copra flakes aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar & salt. Keep aside.
  • In a kadai, deep fry the makai pova in batches keeping the oil at smoking point .
  • Take the makai pova in a large bowl & immediately mix the powders when the pova is warm to touch. All the pova should be coated by the powder-mixture.
  • In an another kadai, heat about 2 tablespoons of  cooking oil & roast mustard seeds, curry leaves, copra flakes,peanuts, cashewnuts, hurigadale in the same order; one after the other. There is no need to roast them separately.
  •  Add the roasted pova to the mixture & lightly turn over in the kadai.
  • Once everything gets mixed well; roast the golden raisins with a little oil in a separate kadai - till they puff up & add to the above mixture.
  • Mix everything throughly once again & allow it to cool down to room temperature.
  • Store in an air tight container. Stays good for a month. 

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Bringing back childhood memories.

This post is dedicated to my Bapama (paternal grandmother).

She filled my childhood with these soft, crispy, flaky, melt in the mouth, sweet pastry... lovingly called as "Phenori".

You have to eat one & tell me if you can stop at that or you need one more!:0).

 Phenori / Chiroti-


Servings- makes 12 phenoris of medium size            Cooking time-  1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients-
                     1 cup/ 1 pav of all purpose flour/ maida.
                     1/2 cup of vanaspathi ghee.
                     1 cup of sugar.
                     1 tbsp of ghee/ clarified butter.
                     2 tsp elaichi/ cardamom powder.
                     Oil for deep frying.
                     

Procedure-

  • Measure 1 cup of all purpose flour/ maida. Add 1 tbsp of ghee & rub with your fingers to get a bread crumble consistency. Add water as required & make a dough as for puris.
  • Make small portions of the dough & roll out small puris. Keep one beneath the other with a gap of 1 cm each; upto 5 to 6 puris.
  • Keep applying vanaspathi ghee on the rolled out side of each puri before placing the other on it. Roll it as you would roll a traditional indian mattress.
  • Cut into equal portions & roll out the cut pieces into small puris again.
  • Deep fry in hot oil & place them aside.
  • Now start making the sugar syrup using 1 cup of sugar & 1/4 cup of water. The sugar syrup should reach 1 to 2 strand consistency. Add elaichi/cardamom powder.
  • Once the phenoris are completely cooled; dip them one by one in hot sugar syrup & arrange on a plate. 
  • Delicious sweet phenoris are ready to relish.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Tricked treat!- Happy Diwali/Deepavali..

A Very Happy & Prosperous Diwali/Deepavali to all the readers of my food blog.

I prepared Theek tukdi/ Namak pare  this Diwali. It turned out quite well, but gave me a lot of backache & fatigue. Try preparing this savoury only if; you have a lot of time, patience & help at hand.

 

Theek tukdi/ Namak pare- 

Servings-  2 cups/200 gms                   Cooking time- 1 & 1/2 hrs.

Ingredients-

  • 1 cup / 1 pav of all purpose flour/ maida
  • 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
  • 1/4 tsp of table salt
  • 1/4 tsp of ajwain (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp of jeera (optional)
  • 1 tbsp of hot oil
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • oil for deep frying

 Procedure-

  • In a large bowl, mix the maida, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, table salt & the spices. Add a table spoon of hot oil & mix well with fingers. 
  • Add water in parts to the above mixture & knead into a firm dough.
  • You can keep it aside for 30 minutes & continue or start immediately rolling the dough to make chapatis.
  • Using a rolling pin & flat board; roll the dough into thin chapatis. Make it as thin as possible.
  • Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter; cut it into small squares or diamond shaped pieces.
  • Collect the pieces on a plate.
  • Heat oil in a kadai to smoking point & deep fry the tukdis in hot oil on medium flame.
  • Spread it out on a paper towel to absorb extra oil.
  • Store in air tight container, after it cools down to room temperature.
  • Stays good for a month.
  • Enjoy with a cup of tea as a snack.

 


 

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Diwali Sweets- Churmi ladoo.

Churmi ladoo popularly called as "churmundo" at my home is everybody's favourite ladoo. I vividly remember my mamama (maternal grandmother) preparing 'dabbas' of these ladoos with home-made pure ghee & distributing it to everone in the family.

 It was particularly popular with us children. This ladoo is very nutritious &  yummy to have with a glass of warm milk. 

It is particularly good for growing children & women in post-partum. The addition of dry fruits leads to added nutrition.


Churmi ladoo/Panjiri ladoo-

Servings- makes 15 ladoos of medium size            Cooking time-  30 minutes

Ingredients-
                     1 cup/ 1 pav of whole wheat flour/ atta.
                     1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
                     4 tbsp of ghee/ clarified butter.
                     2 tsp elaichi/ cardamom powder.
                     A handful of golden raisins.

Procedure-

  • Measure 1/2 a cup of sugar & along with elaichi/cardamom; powder it to a fine consistency in a dry mixer. Keep it aside.
  •  Measure 1 cup of whole wheat flour/atta. Roast it on low flame; till till gives out a nutty aroma. This will take about 10 minutes.
  • Then, add 4 tablespoons of ghee, mix throughly & continue roasting for another 2 minutes.
  • Switch off the flame. Add golden raisins & powdered sugar with elaichi/cardamom when the mixture is hot only. Mix everything throughly.
  • Make ladoos when the mixture is hot only (warm enough to handle).
  • Store in an air tight container, once it cools to room temperature. Stays good for a month.
  • Serve with a warm glass of milk. 

      


Monday, October 26, 2015

Diwali Namkeen- Pova Chivda.



"Chewda" as it is popularly called at my home is a perfect low calorie, healthy snack to munch on anytime. It is particularly made during Diwali/Deepavali in many households. The pova/ rice flakes can be replaced by corn flakes in this mixture to make a Cornflake mixture- the recipe of which i will be posting soon..

In spite of addition of dry coconut/copra flakes, I make it sure to add some freshly grated coconut scrapings; just before eating to enhance the taste of this mixture. It makes an excellent accompaniment with Upma/ Chow chow bhath as well. I prefer to have it with tea as an evening snack.



Pova Chivda/ Phova Chewda-

Ingredients-

                     1/2 kg of thin pova/ phova/ rice flakes.
                     1 cup/ 1 pav of peanuts/ groundnuts.
                     1/4 cup of roasted gram/ hurigadale/ pottukadale.
                     1/4 cup of dry coconut/copra flakes.
                     10-15 cashewnuts.
                     25-30 golden raisins.
                     4- 5 sticks of fresh curry leaves.
                     2 tsp of mustard seeds.
                     1 tsp of turmeric powder/haldi.
                     2 tbsp of red chilli powder.
                     2 tbsp of sugar.
                     2 tbsp of table salt.
                     4 tbsp of cooking oil.

Procedure-



  • Start making chewda by measuring the required amount of ingredients & keep everything ready.
  • We need to lightly dry roast the required amount of peanuts & de-skin them. You can make them into halves as well.
  • The cashewnuts can be halved or quarted as well.
  • Chop & keep the dry copra flakes aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar & salt. Keep aside.
  • In a kadai, lightly roast the pova in batches using about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
  • Take the roasted pova in a large bowl & immediately mix the powders when the pova is warm to touch. All the pova should be coated by the powder-mixture.
  • In the same kadai, heat the remaining cooking oil & roast mustard seeds, curry leaves, copra flakes,peanuts, cashewnuts, hurigadale in the same order; one after the other. There is no need to roast them separately.
  •  Add the roasted pova to the mixture & lightly turn over in the kadai.
  • Once everything gets mixed well; roast the golden raisins with a little oil in a separate kadai - till they puff up & add to the above mixture.
  • Mix everything throughly once again & allow it to cool down to room temperature.
  • Store in an air tight container. Stays good for a month.
  • Serve with freshly grated coconut scrapings.  




                     


Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Tasted & Tried- Sweet Tukdi/ Shakkar pare.

Sweet tukdi/ Shakkar pare- 

Servings-  2 cups/200 gms                   Cooking time- 1 & 1/2 hrs.

Ingredients-

  • 1 cup / 1 pav of all purpose flour/ maida
  • 1 tbsp of hot ghee/oil
  • 1/4 tsp of table salt
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp of elaichi/cardamom powder
  • oil for deep frying


     Procedure- 

    • Measure 1/2 a cup of sugar & along with elaichi/cardamom; powder it to a fine consistency in a dry mixer. Keep it aside.
    • In a large bowl, mix maida & table salt. Add a table spoon of hot oil & mix well with fingers. 
    • Add water in parts to the above mixture & knead into a firm dough.
    • You can keep it aside for 30 minutes & continue or start immediately rolling the dough to make chapatis.
    • Using a rolling pin & flat board; roll the dough into thin chapatis. Make it as thin as possible.
    • Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter; cut it into small squares or diamond shaped pieces.
    • Collect the pieces on a plate.
    • Heat oil in a kadai to smoking point & deep fry the tukdis in hot oil on medium flame.
    • Spread it out on a paper towel to absorb extra oil.
    • Sprinkle powdered sugar & allow it to coat the hot tukdis.
    • Store in air tight container, after it cools down to room temperature.
    • Stays good for a month.
    • Enjoy with a cup of tea as a snack.

     

    Friday, October 16, 2015

    Navarathri special- Rava/Sooji Ladoo.

    "Rave unde" as it is popularly called is a very simple ingredient, easy to make & delicious to eat sweet from Karnataka, my state..

    I vividly remember tasting these ladoos in train travels from my childhood days. It was never prepared at home coz of lack of knowledge regarding the recipe. Both my paternal & maternal grandmothers were experts in various other ladoos but, not this one here.My mother-in-law makes these ladoos & my husband likes them quite a lot. I tried making these & got them right, the second time. It's currently my daughter's favourite ladoo.. 

    These laddos are yummy to have with a glass of warm milk. They can be had for breakfast as well.


    Rava Ladoo/ Sooji Ke Ladoo-

    Servings- Makes around 15 medium sized ladoos.               Cooking time- 30 minutes.

    Ingredients-
                        1 cup/1 pav chiroti rava
                        1/2 cup powdered sugar
                        1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut or 1/4 cup of dry copra scrapings
                        1/4 cup of previously boiled & cooled milk
                        2 tbsp of ghee/clarified butter
                        2 elaichi/cardamom pods
                        8-10 cloves
                        8-10 cashewnuts
                        15-20 golden raisins

    Procedure-
    • Powder half a cup of sugar along with the cardamom & cloves in a dry mixer. Keep aside.
    • Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a kadai & roast the chiroti rava for 6-8 minutes. It need not change color, just let it become fragrant, loose & crumbly.
    • Take the roasted rava mixture into a large bowl.
    • In the same kadai, heat the remaining ghee & roast the cashews to a golden brown color. Add the freshly grated coconut or dry copra scrapings & roast for a while. It need not change color. Let it become fragrant.
    • Add the powdered sugar & spice mix. Mix throughly. The sugar combines with the coconut & the mixture becomes moist. Add the golden raisins. Mix & switch off the stove.
    • Add the mixture to the rava & mix throughly.
    • Make ladoos when the mixture is hot only. Pour a few drops of milk at a time for help in binding the ladoos.
    • Store it in an air tight container once cooled to room temperature.
    • Serve with a glass of warm milk.
    Note-
    • Use only chiroti rava otherwise you may have to pulse & break the roasted rav in a dry mixer.
    • Cloves make the laddos, very fragrant. Don't miss adding them.
    • Freshly grated coconut gives a better taste to the ladoos than dry copra but, reduces the shelf-life.
    • Milk reduces the shelf-life as well.
    • It is better to make these ladoos in small quantities & refrigerate after 3-4 days.