Chettinad Crab Masala

Crab is my favorite food. Crabs are my weakness; anytime I am bored or dull, my mother prepares crab for me, and no matter how she prepares it (dry or sauce), I simply adore them and devour them in a hurry. Then I started experimenting with different crab dishes and discovered this fantastic tasty Chettinad Crab Masala; I’ve been making this recipe on a regular basis since then. My parents, friends, and relatives all appreciated my recipe and gave me extremely favorable feedback. So I wanted to share this dish with you, my dear friends.

Since relocating to the United States, I’ve been buying crabs on a regular basis, and I have a separate budget for them (since King Crabs are more expensive). My favorite combination is crab curry with rice and fryums. This Chettinad Crab Masala is a treat for seafood enthusiasts. My husband never touches rice on that day since he converts into a true non-Vegetarian (one whole plate of crabs). Delicious crab meat cooked in a delicious gravy. A great side dish that goes with everything and may even be served as a stand-alone starter.

This crab curry pairs beautifully with Chapathis and Pooris….go Let’s hunting!!!!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kilogramme crab (king crab)
• Roasting on the grill
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon pepper corns
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chilies

To make crab masala

• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 large onion (250g)
• 2(150g) Tomato
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 2 tablespoons Chili Powder (can adjust according to your taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• Season with salt to taste
• Garnishing with Curry Leaves

Cooking Method

Step 1) Dry roasting 3 minutes on medium heat with 1 cup grated coconut, pepper corns, cumin seeds, and dry red chilies The coconut mixture should next be ground into a fine paste.

Step 2) To make crab masala, heat little oil and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds explode, add green chilies and cook till the onions are golden.

Then add the ginger garlic paste and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the raw scent has gone away.

Step 3) Mix in the masalas turmeric powder, coriander powder, and chili powder (I used 2 tbsp chili powder because I like it spicy).

Then add the diced tomatoes and heat until they’re mushy and completely cooked (If you like the gravy to be very smooth then grind the cooked onions and tomatoes)

Step 4) Add the ground coconut paste (from step 1), along with the necessary water, and cook for 5 – 7 minutes.

After the gravy comes to a boil, add the cleaned and scored crabs, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the crab.

Step 5) Once the crabs are thoroughly cooked, decorate with curry leaves and serve.

Notes:

• Only by scoring the crabs will the masalas and curry be able to enter the crab meat more efficiently.
• Some crabs include salt, so keep an eye on the salt level.
• Cook for 8- 10 minutes for small crabs.
• Leave out the coriander leaves (add curry leaves to get a nice flavor)
• This is a hot version (you can adjust the spiciness according to your taste) Reduce the amount of chili powder to 1 tbsp.

Seedaikkai Recipe

Chettinad Seedaikkai is a delicious crispy evening snack made in Chettinad with idli rice, fried gramme, grated coconut, cumin seeds, and salt. If you carefully follow the instructions, this is a really straightforward dish to cook. This is a popular Chettinad snack presented to guests and specially cooked during festivals. Other snacks that you could enjoy include

Pakoda Ribbon

Murukku Thattai

Murukku (butter)

Murukku Chettinad kaichuthal

Omapodi

Kara Sev is a Turkish name.

Notes:-

• While deep frying the seedai, use a full pan; if you use half a pan, the seedai will rupture and make a mess.

Chettinad seedai recipe – Ingredients:- 200 ml cup used 

• 4 cups idli rice
• 1.5 cup fried gramme / pottu kadalai
• 1/2 cup grated coconut / thuruviya thengai
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds / seeragam
• a pinch of salt / uppu – to taste
• frying oil – for deep frying (coconut oil preferred)

Chettinad seedai recipe – Method of preparation:-

1. First, wash and soak the idli rice for 2 hours in water. In a wet grinder, grind it into a smooth batter after two hours.
2. In the meantime, grind the fried gramme in a food processor to a fine powder and filter it to remove large unground bits.
3. Next, in a mixing bowl, combine the ground rice batter, fried gramme powder, grated coconut, cumin seeds, and salt to produce a smooth dough. Make little balls, flatten them, or cut them lengthwise. Place it in a piece of newsprint or on a platter.
4. Use all of the dough to make such seedais. In a frying pan, heat the needed amount of oil for deep frying. Put about a cup of seedai in the oil, making sure there is no gap in the oil when frying, and deep fry them for 10 to 15 minutes on low or medium heat. Stir with a ladle in between, and do not place seedai in oil one at a time.
5. Finally, after the seedai is entirely cooked, the oil will cease releasing bubbles and the sound will stop. Remove the seedai from the oil and completely drain it. Pour it into a filter and allow it for 5 minutes to drain the oil. Store it in an airtight container and use it as needed. This is a great snack to present to guests at any time.

CHETTINAD PAAL KOZHUKATTAI

Chettinad Paal Kozhukattai is a well-known and traditional Tamilnadu dish, particularly in Chettinad cuisine. This is a sweet meal that not only tastes nice but also looks good; pretty little balls are cooked in milk with jaggery. However, instead of jaggery, sugar can be used to make the same dish. Though the technique appears to be time-consuming, it is well worth the effort to attempt it. Please read the recipe all the way through as I have provided numerous ideas to help you get it just right.

Find more interesting recipes like 

1. Beach Sundal / Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal on my website.
2. Brinjal Rice / Vangi Bath
3. Kuthiraivali Curd Rice/Barnyard Millet
4. Kesari de Pineapple

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough

1/2 cup rice flour 

1/2 cup milk 

1/2 cup water 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

For the Jaggery Syrup

1 cup jaggery

1/4 cup water

For the Milk Sauce

1 cup milk

1 quart coconut milk

3 Cardamom Pods 2 tbsp Grated Coconut 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Measure out and have all of the ingredients on hand. The first picture shows how to create jaggery syrup, and the second shows how to make dough.
2. These components are for producing the milk sauce seen in the picture. In a saucepan, combine powdered jaggery and water. No string consistency is required; simply heat until bubbles emerge.
3. Remove the contaminants by straining them through a metal filter and setting it aside. Pour 1/2 cup milk into a saucepan.
4. Then add 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Slowly and evenly sprinkle in the rice flour.
5. Add the salt to taste and continue to stir over a low flame. Mix well until it approaches the consistency of dough; it should be smooth and free of lumps. Turn off the flame.
6. Grease your hands and add a little ghee to the dough. Pinch a tiny amount of dough and roll it into balls, similar to how we create seedai. Make little balls so it cooks quickly.
7. To keep the rest of the dough from drying out, cover it as well. These are the instructions for producing the milk sauce. In a heavy-bottomed pan, pour 1/2 cup milk.
8. After that, add 1/2 cup of water. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to a low setting and carefully put the balls in.
9. Initially, the balls sink to the bottom; but, once fully cooked and mushy, the balls begin to float to the surface. Then add 1 cup of coconut milk and stir well.
10. Pour in the jaggery water, followed by the crushed cardamom pods. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat; don’t boil for any longer or the mixture may curdle.
11. Add the grated coconut and gently mix everything together. Allow for a minimum of half an hour of relaxation.

NOTES

Tips for Paal Kolukattai Recipe

1. Traditionally, this paal kolukattai dish is created by soaking uncooked rice for a few hours, grinding it like idli batter, then pour the batter into a pan, thickening it, and shaping it like dough. The remainder of the steps is the same from here. However, I took a shortcut by using premade rice flour.
2. You can modify the sweetness of the jaggery to your liking. However, jaggery syrup should always be filtered to remove contaminants.
3. Always add the rice flour after the milk and sauce have come to a boil. Before shaping the dough into balls, make sure it is thoroughly cooked, without lumps, and smooth.
4. Also, roll the balls extremely small so that they cook quickly in the milk sauce and absorb the sauce nicely; if they are larger, they taste bland.
5. Rice balls can also be made in oblong or cylindrical shapes. Otherwise, place the dough in a murukku/chakli presser and plunge it into the hot milk (step: 8).
6. To prevent drying, always cover the dough with a damp wet cloth. Grease your hands with ghee to produce crack-free balls, which also adds flavor.
7. Add the rice balls to the roll boiling milk only, as indicated in Step 9; at first, the balls sink to the bottom, but after cooked, they float to the top naturally.
8. For extra flavor, add 1 pinch of edible camphor at the end.
9. Instead of jaggery, this Chettinad Paal kozhukattai recipe can be made with sugar.

Chettinad Kavuni Arisi

Chettinad kavuni arisi dish is a traditional delicacy served at Chettinad weddings. Historically, the Chettiar community traded all across the world. Burma is one such nation where we spent time and brought back many souvenirs. Black rice, also known as kavuni arisi, is a prominent component in Burmese dishes that came into our Chettiar’s homes.

Back then, chettiars would bring this rice from Malaysia or Burma. Nowadays, high-quality black rice is grown in Tamil Nadu’s pudukkottai and karaikudi districts.

Because black rice is very hard rice, it should be soaked in water overnight or for 10 – 12 hours.

The components for this Chettinad kavuni arisi recipe were simple to remember. We’ll need equal parts black rice, sugar, and grated coconut. You can adjust the amount of sugar-based on your taste and health if necessary.

Ingredients:-

1 cup kavuni arisi

1 cup sugar/jaggery

1 cup grated coconut

elakkai podi / cardomom powder – pinch

1 tsp ghee / nei

Chettinad kavuni arisi recipe – Method of preparation:-

1. Clean and soak the kavuni arisi overnight or for 10 – 12 hours. If you want to prepare it for tomorrow, soak it in the water tonight.
2. Next, add 5 cups of water and the soaked kavuni arisi. If using a pressure cooker, the kavuni arisi: water ratio should be 1:4. After you hear the whistle, cook it for 10 minutes on low heat in a pressure cooker.

Another way to prepare kavuni arisi is to boil water in a large container and keep kavuni arisi and water in a 1:3 ratio in a small closed container inside. It should be placed inside the large water container. See also: How to Cook Black Rice.

3. If cooked in a pressure cooker, release further pressure. Finally, stir in the sugar or jaggery, chopped coconut, cardomom powder, and ghee. Serve after thoroughly mixing.

THENGAI PAAL PANIYARAM

Tamilnadu’s (Chettinad) famous Thengai Paal Paniyaram is cooked using raw rice and urad dal. Paal Paniyaram with Cardamom Flavored Coconut Milk is a soft and fluffy paal paniyaram. This popular Chettinad delicacy is incredibly simple to prepare. There is no need for Paniyaram/appe pans to create this Paniyaram. Ideal for a weekend breakfast. Homemade coconut milk was used in this recipe. The recipe for Paal Paniyaram is accompanied by instructions on how to make coconut milk at home.

HOW TO MAKE THENGAI PAAL AT HOME(HOMEMADE FRESH COCONUT MILK)

To extract coconut milk, crush the coconut with water.

1. Microwave 1 cup shredded coconut for 30 seconds, then transfer to a mixie jar with 1 cup warm water and grind.

(Microwave heating softens the coconut, allowing us to easily remove the milk.) If you don’t have a microwave, skip this step and just put the coconut in the mixie jar with some warm water.

2. strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve.
3. Squeeze all of the liquid out of the coconut until all of the milk has been extracted.
4. This is the first milk; you can extract the second and third milks in the same manner by adding a little water.

Remember that we should not boil the first milk because it would curdle, but we can boil the second and third milk.

Now that the coconut milk is ready, let’s look at how to make Paal Paniyaram without paniyaram/appe Pan.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup uncooked rice (pachharisi)

a cup of urad dal (ulundhu)

frying oil

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1 cup light coconut milk

2 crushed cardamom

2 tablespoons sugar

Important Tips:

1. Always heat up the second coconut milk before adding it to the first milk when making Thengai Paal for Paniyaram. Otherwise, it becomes cosy.
2. Coconut milk can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days.
3. If you don’t want to use sugar, you can substitute jaggery, however, paal paniyaram should be white.

Some other noteworthy Paniyaram recipes include Ragi Kuzhi Paniyaram, Unni appam, Sweet Kuzhipaniyaram, Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram, and Suzhiyam.

Chettinad Fish Curry Recipe

I’d like to try several types of fish curry. I’ve already posted a coconut-flavored Meen Kuzhambu. This fish curry is based on Chettinad cuisine and does not contain coconut. It comes together quickly with freshly ground spices and pairs great with rice, idli/dosa, or chapati. When I was craving fish kuzhambu but didn’t want to grate coconut, I tried this fish curry. It turned out fantastic, and we enjoyed the thick, tangy flavor.

Other fish recipes can be found here:

• Fry Vanjaram Fish
• Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu is an abbreviation for Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu
• Fish Fry with Pomfret
• Curry of Fish with Coconut Milk
• Fry Salmon Fish

Ingredients

• 200 gms or 1/2 cup loosely packed small onions
• 1 large lemon-sized tamarind
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes
• 2 green chilies
• a 1/2 inch slice of ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 2 tsp crystal salt

To Temper

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

To Marinate

• 350 gramme fish pieces I used Sheela fish.
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon rock salt
• roasting and grinding
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 8 red chilies
• 4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 sprigs curry leaves

MEEN KULAMBU PREPARATION :

1. Wash the fish pieces thoroughly and marinate for at least half an hour outside or one hour in the refrigerator with turmeric powder and rock salt. Soak the tamarind for ten minutes in warm water to extract the juice. Set aside. Small onions should be peeled. Using ginger and garlic, make a paste in a mortar and pestle. Roughly chop the tomatoes and slit the green chilies. Prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time.
2. In a tsp of oil, roast red chilies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and fennel seeds until fragrant, then blend with water to produce a coarse paste. The kuzhambu masala is done. Set this aside for now.

PROCEDURE :

1. Heat the oil in a Kadai and add the contents to temper. When the mustard starts to crackle, add the curry leaves and cook for a minute. Now add the tiny onions and green chilies and cook for 5 minutes.
2. When the little onions begin to brown here and there, add the tomatoes and cook until they become mushy and soft.
3. Add the ground kuzhambu masala paste, red chili powder, and ginger garlic paste once the tomatoes are tender. Fry them for 5 minutes, or until the raw scent of the masala fades. Then, along with the salt, add the tamarind water. For a minute, combine everything. If necessary, add more water.
4. Cook the Kuzhambu over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the raw scent has gone and the curry has thickened slightly. Then add the fish pieces and simmer for 5 minutes more, turning off the heat once the fish is well done. Because fish cooks faster, turn off the heat.

Serve with steamed rice, if desired. It tastes great.

Notes:

1. To create this Kuzhambu, you can use any type of fish that goes well with the gravy.
2. For this dish, little onions work best. As a result, I recommend using little onions rather than large ones.
3. The right amount of salt is essential for the perfect fish gravy. As a result, include it.
4. Resting time is critical for the fish to properly absorb the tamarind sauce. Allow at least two hours of rest time before serving.
5. Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat briefly before serving.

KUZHI PANIYARAM RECIPE

Crispy Chettinad Kuzhi Paniyaram in Tamil style. Making my own batter from scratch.

The delicious crispy crunchy Kuzhi Paniyaram is a renowned dish in Tamil Nadu. Many people enjoy it. It is manufactured in a specific mould known as a paniyarakkal. The dish’s shape is comparable to that of Japanese Takoyaki, Danish bleskiver-appleskives, and Indonesian Pinyaram. Paniyaram can be made either sweet or savory. A tempering is applied to the idli/dosa batter in this savory variation. I like to use idli batter for this dish, and you can find the idli batter recipe here.

Here’s how to perform Kuzhi Paniyaram. Soak Sago (“Tapioca Sago – Sabudana” is known as (javvarisi) in Tamil) in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes. To make a paste, grind all of the ingredients together. While grinding, do not add any additional water. The water used for soaking should be sufficient. Place aside. The sago gives the Kuzhi Paniyaram a crispy and crunchy texture.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the mustard seeds when the oil is heated. Allow it to sputter. Stir in the shallots and green chilies. Shallots are a typical ingredient in Kuzhi Paniyaram. But I used onions instead of shallots today because I didn’t have any.

Cook until the onions are tender. When the onions have softened, add the coconut. Fry for about a minute. Turn off the heat. To the dosa batter, add the onion coconut mixture and the sago paste. I don’t add any additional salt because the idli batter already contains salt. If you think you might need salt, add only a little to the batter. Mix the batter thoroughly. Place aside.

Preheat the paniyaram pan / paniyarakkal. Fill each mould with 3/4 teaspoon vegetable oil. Drop the batter into the mould to fill it. Cook for a minute at a time. Then flip it over and cook on the other side. If required, turn the paniyaram again to ensure that it is equally cooked on both sides and is a good golden color.

When the paniyaram is crispy and golden on all sides, it is done.

Kuzhi paniyaram goes well with a spicy kaara chutney or poondu kuzhambu.

Chettinad Kandhar Appam

How to make traditional Kandhar appam recipe or Chettinad kandhar appam or Kandarappam

Kandhar appam is a classic Chettinad sweet appam made with raw rice, urud dal, jaggery, and coconut that is battered and deep-fried in tiny quantities. It is known as Kandhar appam because it is prepared as a neivedanam for Lord Muruga, who is also known as Kandhan. Discover how to create this original Chettinad special Kandhar appam in the video below.

Kandhar Appam,Kandhar Appam,Chettinad Kandhar Appam

Ingredients

1 cup leveled raw rice

3 tablespoons urud dal

1 teaspoon fenugreek

1 cup powdered jaggery

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Deep-frying oil

Method

Wash and soak the rice, dal, and fenugreek for 2 hours together.

Drain the water and add the rice, dal, fenugreek, grated coconut, powdered jaggery, and a little water to the mixie jar, then grind to a smooth dosa batter consistency.

Allow the batter to ferment for at least a half-hour to an hour.

Deep-frying oil should be heated in a flat kadai or pan.

Now, take a ladle full of batter and gently pour it into the hot oil; if you don’t disturb it for a few seconds, it will rise automatically.

If it becomes stuck to the bottom, gently dislodge it with a flat ladle.

Cook over low heat until the mixture turns a light golden color.

Cook the other side as well.

Using tissue paper, remove any excess oil from the appam.

Serve immediately.

Time to Prepare: 3 hours

12-15 nos. yield

Note-

The batter should be neither too thick nor too thin.

When grinding the batter, use caution.

Because we’ll be adding jaggery, don’t add too much water.

Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to moderate and cook the appam on medium heat only.

For 2-3 days, put the appam in a clean, airtight container.

CHETTINAD ADHIRASAM RECIPE

Step-by-step instructions and a short YouTube video accompany this Athirasam Recipe / Chettinad Adhirasam Recipe. Adhirasam (Tamil), Ariselu (Telugu), Anarsa (Marathi), and Kajjaya (Kannada) are traditional sweets created mostly for holidays such as Diwali, Sankranthi, and Dusshera. Despite the fact that the recipe only calls for two primary components, raw rice, and jaggery, preparing smooth, pillowy Adhirasam is a little challenging. The rice is where you can go wrong; use only Maavu Pacharisi and Paagu Vellam. Another stage is the jaggery syrup, which most of us overlook. Last year, around Diwali, I skipped the jaggery syrup stage and the athirasam turned very hard, resulting in a flop! But don’t worry, I’ve published the recipe with a video and included a lot of recommendations with minute details, so certainly read the tips before proceeding to the recipe if you want spongy athirasam. My Grandma makes the finest athirasam, and I’ve watched her make it for hundreds of people with ease.

Check out my other Chettinadu Cuisine Recipes, such as

• Kara Paniyaram / Kuli
• Biryani with Mushrooms
• Curry, Vada
• Kulambu Mochakottai
• Vengaya vadagam Thalippu Vengaya vadagam

EQUIPMENT

• Stovetop

INGREDIENTS

1 cup uncooked rice

34 Cup Jaggery / Paagu Vellam

12 cups of water 

2 cardamom pods 

12 tsp Sesame Seeds 

2 – 3 tsp Ghee / Homemade Ghee Recipe

NOTES

Tips for Athirasam Recipe

1. To make Flour / Maavu
2. Only ‘Maavu Pacharisi’ should be used for this Chettinad Adhirasam Recipe, as plain raw rice or premade rice flour will not work.
3. Soak the rice for at least 2 to 3 hours to make it easier to ground.
4. Only dry the rice for 30 to 45 minutes; there should be little moisture content; when you push your palms over the rice, 1 or 2 rice grains should stay together.
5. Do not grind the rice; instead, pulse it or, if made in big batches, grind it in a flour mill.
6. Also, pulse the rice until it is a semi-coarse powder, not a fine powder. Use a sieve with large holes for sifting as well.

For making Jaggery Syrup / Vella Paagu

1. To make a great Athirasam Recipe, use Paagu Vellam or Mandai Vellam.
2. Always create this syrup / paagu on low heat, as there is a risk of missing the syrup consistency.
3. When the syrup begins to thicken, keep an eye on it and a bowl of water nearby. When you put a pinch of syrup in the water, it becomes clear.
   • The syrup dissolves in the water in the first stage.
   • The second step – the syrup should not dissolve, you should be able to make a ball, and the ball should be soft, jelly-like, and slide off your fingers.
4. If you pass the syrup stage, the adhirasam will definitely harden from soft to hardball.

For making Dough

1. When the syrup has reached the desired consistency, turn off the heat and slowly and evenly sprinkle the flour into the syrup.
2. Always let the dough rest outside for 1 or 2 days before making the adhirasam. The dough will not be stiff if formed promptly, and the adhirasam will dissolve in the oil.
3. This dough can be stored at room temperature for a week and refrigerated for a month. If using chilled dough, bring it to room temperature before using.

To Troubleshoot the Dough

If the dough is too loose, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of rice flour or wheat flour and knead it again.

If the dough is too stiff, knead in a little hot water or warm milk. However, milk shortens the shelf life.

Furthermore, sauté the Adhirasam on medium heat until it is cooked through. Once it swells up, flip it over and drain it on tissue paper, pressing it with a ladle as it sucks up a lot of oil.

METHOD FOR CHETTINAD ADHIRASAM RECIPE

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly before soaking it in water for 2 hours. Then, drain the water entirely and spread the rice in a cloth to absorb any extra water. Leave it for 30 minutes, but the rice should not be fully dry; it should still have some moisture (when you press your hand over the rice, it should stick).
2. Transfer the rice to a mixer and pulse until it is a semi-coarse powder. Sift the powdered powder through a sieve until it resembles Rava or sooji. In addition, the residual rice particles can be ground in the next batch.
3. For the preparation of Jaggery Syrup/Paagu. Crush the jaggery and cardamom pods first. Pour 1/2 cup of water into a pan and add the jaggery.
4. Cook over medium heat until the jaggery is completely dissolved. When bubbles develop, reduce the heat and keep a bowl of water handy. Once the jaggery syrup has thickened slightly, take an amount of jaggery in your fingers and begin testing the jaggery consistency by dropping it into the water. The first stage – it dissolves in water, the second stage – it does not dissolve, you can build a ball, it should be soft, jelly-like, and slide off your fingers. Turn off the flame right away.
5. Strain the jaggery syrup, then sprinkle in the rice flour very slowly. Then stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee and sesame seeds.
6. The dough is now soft, glossy, and pliable. Set aside for one day, covered. If you make it ahead of time, keep it refrigerated for up to a month. After 1 day, knead the dough again and form medium-sized balls with 1 tsp ghee. Grease a banana leaf or plastic sheet with a little ghee or sesame oil, then place the ball and flatten it to a medium thickness.
7. In a pan, heat the oil and add 1 or 2 athirasam at a time, simmering the flame. When it swells up, flip it over and fry it till golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough.
8. Place the fried athirasam on a piece of tissue paper and push it down with a dosa ladle, tumbler, or flat bowl (as athirasam sucks a lot of oil).

This Diwali, try this traditional Athirasam Recipe.

Sweet Seeyam Recipe

Sweet Seeyam, Susiyam, and Munthiri kothu are all names for this particular sweet. Although it goes by several names in our area,

The recipe that was followed is essentially the same, as are the ingredients. When dunked in fresh ground batter and deep-fried, seeyam will be excellent. This can be done in Kuzhipanayaram pan if you are health conscious. When the pan is heated, spray little oil on it and pour batter into each pit, then place a tiny ball of filling on top, then add a little more batter on top to cover the ball. When the surface is slightly brown, turn the pan over and cook the other side.

Ingredients to prepare:

Batter:

1 cup raw rice

1 cup urad dal

Filling:

1 cup channa dal or whole moong dal

1 cup powdered jaggery

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

10 or 15 cashews

2 tbsp coconut (grated)

1 tsp ghee to cook cashews

150 ml oil for deep frying seeyam

Method to prepare:

1. Wash and soak uncooked rice and urad dal for an hour before blending into a homogeneous batter.
2. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon salt to make a dosa batter consistency and set aside.
3. Fry the cashews until they are golden brown.
4. Cook the dal with 1 cup of water, making sure it’s a smooth paste and not adding too much water to bring it to a boil.
5. When it reaches room temperature, mash it and add the powdered jaggery. Cook on the fire until it thickens, then add the grated coconut and cardamom powder and stir well.
6. This mixture can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.
7. Shape the filling into small gooseberry-sized balls and place roasted cashews in the center, as shown in the picture.
8. It is now time to make seeyam. Heat the oil in a pan, then dip the filling balls in the batter one at a time and drop them into the oil gently without touching. Make sure the balls are completely covered in batter, or else the filling will disperse in the oil.

Turn occasionally, fry until golden yellow, and remove from oil.

A delicious dessert is ready to be served.