Carrot Halwa

Carrot Halwa / Gajar ka Halwa is a popular Indian dessert. Cooking in milk with the addition of Khoa is a tasty Punjabi method. This dessert is a must-have for family gatherings. We cooked this delicacy to welcome our newest and most important member into the family.

Ingredients: 

• shredded carrots – 1 cup 
• milk – 3/4 cup 
• sugar – 1/2 cup (to taste)
• Khoa (mawa) – 1/4 cup 
• Ghee – 1/4 cup 
• Elaichi Powder (Cardamom) – 1/4 teaspoon 
• Dry Fruits – 2 tablespoons (Pista, Badham, Cashew)

Method:

1. Take a heavy-bottomed (stainless steel) pan or kadai.
2. Simmer the milk and carrots until the carrots are soft and mushy.
3. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts. Mix in the grated khoa well.
4. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is almost dry.
5. Continue to simmer until the ghe leaves the sides of the pan, adding spoonfuls at a time.
6. Add the nuts and cardamom powder now. Combine thoroughly.
7. Serve with sliced pistachios as a garnish.

RAVA LADDU

Rava laddu is a type of sweet ball made from Rava/semolina, sugar, milk, and almonds. It’s one of my favorite candies. My mother cooks it frequently when we get home from school. Rava laddu can be made with few ingredients and in a short amount of time. My friend’s mother used to grind rava after roasting it, which I dislike. Because I enjoy feeling the Rava when biting into the laddu.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rava (semolina)
• a cup of sugar
• 4 tablespoons – Ghee
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Of warm milk
• Cardamom – 2 nos.
• Cashew nuts, 10 pcs.
• Raisins – 10 pcs.

Preparation method:

1. Add sugar and cardamom to a mixer grinder and grind to a fine powder. Place aside.
2. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and roast cashew nuts and raisins till golden brown. Place aside.
3. Add the remaining ghee to the same pan and roast the Rava well. Place aside.
4. In a mixing dish, combine the roasted Rava, roasted cashew nuts and raisins, and crushed sugar. Now, gradually add warm milk, a bit at a time, and make a lemon-sized ball out of it. The Rava laddu is ready to be served.

Notes:

• Once the rava has been roasted, grind it into a fine powder in a mixer grinder/blender and proceed with the remainder of the laddu-making stages.
• Overcooking the Rava will ruin the flavor of the laddu.
• You can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.
• If you use too much milk, the laddu will get droopy. Pour the milk in little increments so you know how much you need.

How to Make Sweet Somas

Ingredients for Dough

• Maida 1 cup 
• salt 1/4 teaspoon 
• ghee 1 teaspoon 
• water 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon

Ingredients for Filling

• Semolina / Rava 1/4 cup 
• shredded fresh coconut a quarter cup (tightly packed)
• Sugar 1/4 cup 
• cardamom 2 
• cashew nuts smashed 20. (finely chopped)
• Ghee (for roasting Rava) 1 tablespoon 
• ghee (for roasting coconut) 1/2 tablespoon

Other Ingredients

• water (for sealing) 1/4 teaspoon
• cup oil (for deep frying) 3 quarts

Let’s explore how to prepare these Sweet Somas………..

For the outside…

In a mixing basin, combine Maida, salt, and ghee. To form a stiff dough, gradually add water. (With the stated amount of water, it will be difficult to produce a stiff dough, but continue kneading until you form a soft but stiff dough. This method produces crispy somas.

Allow the dough to rest for at least 2 hours, covered.

To make the stuffing…

Chop the cashews finely. In a food processor, combine the sugar and elachi and set aside.

1 teaspoon ghee roasted Rava until slightly browned. (about 5 minutes on a low-medium flame) When finished, remove from the oven and leave aside to cool.

Add 1/2 teaspoon ghee to the same pan and toast the grated fresh coconut until dry. Maintain the flame at the lowest possible setting. Remove from the pan when they are lightly brown and set aside to cool. If you use dried desiccated coconut, it will turn golden quickly (within minutes), so keep the flame low to avoid over-browning. It takes about 4-5 minutes to cook fresh shredded coconut over a low burner.

Combine the powdered sugar, roasted Rava, toasted coconut, and cashews in a mixing bowl. The filling is complete.

Make little dough balls to divide the dough evenly.

Roll out the dough to make a thin poori.

Place a small amount of the stuffing mix (approximately 2 teaspoons) in the center of each poori.

Wet your finger and run it down the edges of the poori before folding it in half.

Now, gently press down to seal. Using a somas spoon, trim the edges (the spoon with wheels). If you don’t have one, you can use somas mould or a fork to press.

Repeat with the remaining dough balls, keeping all shaped somas in a plate covered with a cloth to avoid drying.

Now add enough oil to the pan and begin deep frying. The oil temperature should not be too hot, as this may burn the somas; instead, maintain it about medium-hot and the flame between low and medium to cook flawlessly. (Only fry 2 or 3 at a time.)

When you put the somas into the oil, they will sizzle and rise to the surface. Flip once, then remove and drain excess oil on a paper towel until both sides are golden.

Allow cooling completely before storing in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks.

Notes:

• Observations: Yield- 12 somas
• Use only high-quality maida rather than all-purpose flour. Elite, Deeps, and Double Horse Laxmi maida are all good. Never use Swad Maida is white flour that has been bleached… All-purpose flour is not, and your somas will not be crisp if you use it.

Naatu Kozhi Soup

Naatu kozhi soup, the country chicken soup recipe, is nutritious, delicious, and cosy.

Nattu Kozhi Soup is a delicious and nutritious soup made from country chicken. This soup aids in the treatment of common colds and fevers. We’re also adding spices like pepper and cumin, which boost the immune system and aid with cold symptoms. It boosts stamina and allows you to recover quickly from illness or excessive exhaustion. Aside from all of these health benefits, nothing beats a bowl of warm country chicken soup on a wet day.

Ingredients

• 250 g chicken, country
• ten tiny onions
• a single tomato
• 3 tablespoons gingelly oil
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste

To Grind:

• 1 garlic clove
• Grinder:
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons seeds of coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 curry leaf sprig
• 5 onions, tiny
• 1 red pepper

Instructions

1. Except for the little onion, combine all of the ingredients specified under To Grind in a mixie jar. Grind into a fine powder. Then add little peeled onions.
2. Using a little water, grind into a smooth puree. Set this aside for now. Wash the country chicken pieces thoroughly.
3. Now, using a mortar and pestle, lightly smash the chicken pieces. Don’t break it, just squish it a little.
4. The chicken pieces are now ready. Heat the gingelly oil in a pressure cooker. Then stir in the bay leaf, cloves, fennel seeds, curry leaves, and onion. Cook until the onions are tender.
5. Combine the ginger garlic paste and soy sauce in a mixing bowl. Once the raw smell has faded, toss in the diced tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
6. Sauté the chicken chunks for 2 minutes.
7. Then add the ground masala, mix, and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add enough water, a teaspoon or less of sambar powder, and salt to taste.
9. Allow it to come to a boil. Finally, stir in the gingelly oil.
10. Pressure Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the pot. Once all of the pressure has been released, reheat the soup and add more water if necessary. Check the salt and add more if necessary. Naatu kozhi soup, which is hot and nourishing, is now ready!! Serve with chopped coriander leaves on top. While serving, you can additionally drizzle with gingelly oil (Indian sesame oil).

Notes

• The use of sambar powder is optional. If you don’t want to, simply skip it.
• Water may have been lowered after pressure cooking. So give it a taste and add extra water if necessary.
• Cooking time for country chicken is slightly longer than for standard chicken.
• You can marinate one or two tablespoons of curd with chicken pieces for 30 minutes before cooking. This may aid in the tenderness of the chicken once it has been cooked.

Chettinad Mutton Chukka Varuval

Ingredients

• Mutton (Lamb/Goat Meat) 450 g / 1 libra
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 teaspoon 
• Ginger Garlic Paste: 1/2 teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder: 1 teaspoon 
• Salt to taste 

To Pressure Cook : 

• Red Small Onion /Shallots : 2 tablespoons(finely chopped) 
• Garlic : Chopped-5 pods 
• Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon 
• Coriander powder : 3 teaspoons 
• Red Chilli Powder : 1

To Grind :

• Grated coconut: 2 tablespoons 
• Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon 
• Poppy Seeds: 1 teaspoon 

For Sauteing: 

• Clove: 2 
• Cinnamon: 1 inch piece 
• Bay leaf: 1 
• Fennel seed: 1 teaspoon 
• Curry leaves: 1 sprig 
• Red Small onion/Shallots: 25-30 or Onion/Savola: 2 (Medium) 
• Tomato: 1 (finely chopped) 
• Ginger- Garlic paste: 1 teaspoon 
• Sakthi Mutton Masala powder or Red Chilli Powder

Preparation

1. Wash and cut mutton into little pieces, marinate with the ingredients given in To Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker, then add the marinated mutton and saute for a couple of minutes. 
3. Add all of the ingredients listed under “To Pressure Cooker” and mix well. Close the cooker and cook for about 8 minutes after the first whistle (after it comes to full pressure), then reduce the fire to medium, then turn off the heat and let it cool naturally.
4. Meanwhile, mill the things listed in “To Grind.” In a Kadai/saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seed, and curry leaves for a minute.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste, diced onion, and chopped tomatoes and cook till transparent. Sauté the grounded masala for a few minutes. Remove the mutton from the cooker and set it aside.
6. Add the remaining gravy to the Kadai, followed by the mutton masala powder or red chili powder, mix well, and adjust the salt.
7. Continue to whisk the liquid over high heat until most of the water has evaporated and the liquid has thickened. Fry the mutton chunks until they are fully covered with masala and dry.
8. Remove from the fire and stir in the remaining curry leaves. It goes nicely with curd rice, parotta or any roti variety, biriyanis, and so forth.

Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup – 250ml 
• Small sized brinjal – 10 nos 
• Small onion / Chinna Vengayam – 10 nos 
• Garlic cloves – 10 nos 
• Tomato – 1 no (country variety/Naatu thakkali) 
• Tamarind – Small lemon sized 
• Red chilli powder – 2-3 tsp 
• Coriander powder/Dhania powder – 2 tbsp 
• Salt & water – as needed 

To temper

• 1/4 cup Sesame oil / Gingelly oil
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp 
• Fenugreek seeds – 2 
• pinch Curry leaves – a few sprigs

METHOD

• Mark an X on the top of the brinjals halfway down without cutting the stem section. Soak them in water until ready to use. Soak small lemon-sized tamarind in 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside the extract. Peel the onion and garlic and set them aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine 1 tbsp tamarind extract, red chili powder, dhania powder, turmeric powder, and salt. To make a thick paste, thoroughly combine all of the ingredients. Fill the brinjals with this paste and arrange them on a platter.
• Heat 1/4 cup sesame oil in a pressure cooker base (I used cooked to create the gravy quickly and to save time) Reduce 1 tbsp oil if you feel there is too much oil. You may also cook this gravy in a kadai. Splutter the mustard seeds, methi seeds, and curry leaves. Add the small onions and garlic cloves and sauté until the onion turns translucent.
• Add the masala stuffed brinjal pieces along with the remaining masala and cook well till the brinjal shrinks somewhat. Add finely chopped tomato pieces and mix well for a minute. Mix in the tamarind essence, 1/2 cup additional water, and the salt. Allow it to come to a rolling boil. Cover and cook for one whistle on very low heat. Allow the steam to escape naturally before opening the lid.
• If cooking in a kadai, cover with a lid and heat until the brinjal softens and the gravy thickens to your liking. The gravy thickens and the oil spills out. Serve with plain rice and papad!

Note: 

• Do not lower the amount of dhania powder because it helps to thicken the gravy.
• Sambar powder can be used in place of the red chili powder and dhania powder.
• You can also add a small amount of jaggery if desired.
• If you want your kuzhambu spicy, add additional chili powder.
• Because we’re adding additional oil, this gravy will keep for a week without refrigeration.

Karupatti Paniyaram Recipe

Recipe for karupatti paniyaram with step-by-step photos. Karupatti paniyaram is made for Pillayar Nombu in Chettinad. I love the flavor of karuppati (palm jaggery) and this is the first time I am making this karupatti paniyaram so wanted to try the authentic way and it turned out soo perfect. By now I am sure you all know that I don’t take any easy short routes at least when trying for the first time.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Raw Rice 
• 1/2 cup Karupatti (Palm Jaggery) neatly packed 
• a good pinch Dry Ginger Powder 
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder 
• Oil to deep fry 
• 1/4+1/4 cup Water as needed 

Instructions

1. Drain the raw rice fully, then lay it out on a soft towel to dry for 45 minutes. This should just be slightly damp. Transfer to a mixer.
2. In stages, grind it to a fine powder in a food processor, then sieve it. If you find little balls, break them up and filter them.
3. I use a hand mortar and pestle to smash the palm jaggery. Transfer the crushed palm jaggery to a pan.
4. Add 1/4 cup water and mash it thoroughly with a potato masher.
5. Cook for a few minutes until the jaggery melts entirely. Strain to eliminate impurities and cool fully.
6. Put the flour in a mixing bowl and gradually add 3/4 of the syrup.
7. Mix well with a laddle, then gather to form a dough. Refrigerate it for a day, traditionally the dough is held for a day to rest. But I kept for 2 hours before proceeding.
8. Add about 1/4 cup water, followed by the remaining palm jaggery syrup.
9. Mix thoroughly to make a smooth batter with no lumps, similar to dosa batter. Add cardamom and dried ginger powder and mix well.
10. Heat the oil in a skillet, then drop a laddle full of batter into the heated oil.
11. When it’s golden, flip it over and cook until it’s reddish-brown on both sides.
12. Drain on tissue paper. You can also make it in a paniyaram pan. Serve hot or warm.

Notes 

• It is preferable to allow the dough to rest for an extended period of time. The traditional recipe calls for the dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
• The borders are a little crunchy, but the middle is mushy.
• Palm jaggery is the star of this recipe, so don’t look for substitutes.
• The rice flour and palm jaggery syrup can be made the day before.
• You can try using ready-made rice flour, but the taste will not be real.

Steps: 

1. Soak raw rice in water for at least 2 hours. Drain water completely and rinse again.
2. Spread the raw rice in a soft towel and allow it to dry for 30-45 minutes. It will be slightly moist only and a few rice will stick to your hands when touched and seen, this is the perfect stage. Then transfer this to a mixer.
3. Grind to a fine powder. Transfer to sieve. Sieve well. How to make rice flour at home – Step2 Crush palm jaggery, I use my hand mortar and pestle. Transfer crushed palm jaggery to a pan.
4. Heat it up and cook for a few minutes, or until the jaggery melts completely. Strain to remove impurities.
5. Hot to create Sweetners for Baby Food – Step3 Place the flour in a mixing basin and gradually add 3/4 of the syrup.
6. Mix thoroughly with a laddle, then gather to form a dough. Refrigerate it for a day, traditionally the dough is kept for a day to rest. But I kept for 2 hours before proceeding. Now shred the dough.
7. Add about 1/4 cup water, followed by the remaining palm jaggery syrup.
8. Mix thoroughly to get a smooth batter without any lumps, it will resemble a dosa batter. Mix in the cardamom and dry ginger powder.
9. Heat oil in a pan – take a laddle full of batter and pour it in the heated oil. Slowly it will come up, the sides will fold inwards giving it a flowery edge.
10. When it’s golden, flip it over and cook until it’s reddish-brown on both sides.
11. Drain in tissue paper. Alternately, you can make it in a paniyaram pan.
12. Serve hot or warm.

Soft paniyarams are ready with this Karupatti Paniyaram Recipe!!

Vazhaipoo Vadai

Chettinad unique Vazhaippoo Vadai, Banana flower, and dal deep-fried as patties have a crispy, delightful flavor. Everyone enjoys fritters, so treat your guests to a range of Chettinad delicacies.

Banana blossom also has numerous health benefits. Some people shun it because of its sour taste, but in this vada, it provides an amusingly unusual flavor to appreciate, making vazhaipoo vada a unique one to offer.

Many women experience pain during menstruation. Some women experience severe PMS symptoms, while others bleed profusely. A cup of cooked banana flowers can aid in the resolution of these issues. Cooked banana flowers with curd raise progesterone levels in the body and prevent bleeding. Calculated banana flower consumption lowers blood sugar levels. It also raises the body’s overall haemoglobin levels.

Banana blossoms are high in vitamins such as A, C, and E. They are also high in potassium and fiber. As a result, they are a wonderful source of nutritious nutrients and a good source of healthy food.

It takes a long time and effort to clean flowers but tastes delicious. Because this is a tedious and time-consuming job, the floral nerve part must be eliminated and chopped or cut into very small pieces before squeezing out superfluous water. If you have the patience to complete all of this, you will be rewarded with a tasty dinner.

Ingredients:

• Banana Flower (vazhai poo) – 1 1/2 cup (chopped squeeze and remove the juice from the flower) Toor Dal – 1/2 cup 
• channa dal one tbsp soak and set aside 
• Red chili – 4 
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp 
• Garlic-3pods 
• Onion-1 big size finely chopped 
• Curry leaves 1 
• chopped Salt – 1 tsp 
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

To Make Vazhaipoo Vadai:

Grind the red chile, fennel seeds, garlic, and soaked toor dal coarsely. (drain all of the water from the soaked dal) 

1. Do not add water when grinding (if necessary, use 3 tsp of water or squeezed juice from the chopped flower). 
2. In the ground to dal mixer, combine chopped banana flower (flowers can be ground to a coarse mixture), chopped curry leaves, soaked channa dal, and chopped onion.
3. Mix in the salt and turmeric powder thoroughly. Make lemon-sized balls and put them on a platter.
4. Now, using your palm, flatten the balls into patties.
5. Heat the oil over medium heat and fry the vada 5 or 6 at a time until golden brown. Drain the oil, set the vada on a paper towel, and serve.

Chettinad Ukkarai Recipe | Ukkara recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup moong dal 
• 1/8 cup Rava 
• 1/8 cup rice flour 
• 1/8 cup coconut grated 
• 1/8 tsp cardamom powder a very tiny pinch of salt 
• 1.5 tbsp cashews broken 
• 1 tsp oil 
• 4 tbsp ghee around 2 cups + 1/2 cup water 

For jaggery syrup:

• 1/2 cup powdered jaggery 
• 1/4 cup water 

Instructions

1. To a saucepan – add jaggery and water
2. In a tadka pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and fry cashews until golden brown, then leave aside. Dry roast moong dal until golden, then add 2 cups water.
3. Cook till soft, dal should look whole but easily mashable. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. If there is any water, strain and set away.
4. 2 tbsp ghee – add Rava and fry for a minute, then add rice flour and fry for another minute.
5. Cook for a minute after adding the coconut. Then add the cooked dal and combine well. Finally, add 1/2 cup water to allow the flour and rava to cook.
6. Cook until the mixture is thick, then drain and add the jaggery syrup.
7. Cook till it rolls well. Add cardamom powder, salt, and fried cashews and mix well.

Notes: 

• The consistency of Chettinad ukarai is more like halwa, but if you wish, you can cook it for a few minutes longer to make it more like puttu.
• It was salted to bring out the sweetness.
• Only after the rice flour and sooji have completely cooked, add the jaggery syrup.
• Moong dal can also be pressure cooked for 2 whistles.
• If there is extra water after cooking the moong dal, drain it and use it in sambar or soups.
• The oil gives the sweet a velvety feel.
• Reduce a tbsp of ghee if desired, but don’t reduce too much or the texture will be off.

Vathal Kuzhambu:

To make the meal Maharaja, South Indian meals include a variety of Kuzhambu combinations, desserts, and vegetables as a side dish. Vathal kuzhambu is a tangy, sweet, sour, and slightly spicy curry that can be refrigerated for 3 to 5 days and eaten with plain-cooked rice. It goes well with Idli dosas as well.

This method can be used to make curries with sun-dried berries (manathakkali vathal) or Sunda vathal, Thakkali (Tomato)kuzhambu, Poondu (Garlic)kuzhambu, and kara kuzhambu. This kuzhambu has fans all around the world because it provides the delicious feeling of a full dinner with tongue-tickling delicacies.

Ingredients:

Vathal-1tsp powder

Onion-1/2 cup 

Garlic 7 pods 

Tomato-1 

Tamarind-lemon sized ball 

Chilli powder-2 tsp 

coriander powder-2 tsp OR 

sambar powder-3 tsp 

To season: 

Oil-2 tbsp 

Vathal (sun dried berries) (manathakkali vathal) or Sunda vathal – 2 tablespoons 

Fennel seeds-1/2 

Cumin seeds-few 

Methi seeds-few 

Curry leaves-2 twigs 

sesame oil-1 tsp 

Preparation: 

1. Pearl onion, garlic, and tomato, peeled and sliced
2. Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 30 minutes to extract the pulp.
3. To achieve the added flavor of vathal infused kuzhambu, roast 1 tsp of vathal and grind it to powder.
4. Pour 2 cups of water, salt, tamarind extract, chili masala powders, and turmeric powder into a mixing basin and set aside.

The first half of the preparation is now complete.

Method:

Heat oil in a skillet and add “To season item” Vathal to proceed with other things after spluttered add curry leaves and sliced vegetables simmer for 3 minutes until you get a wonderful aroma.

Now add the combination that we made in step 4 above, along with the roasted crushed vathal powder.

Allow it to boil until it reaches a semi-liquid consistency; you’ll see the oil gradually floats to the top at this point, and it’s time to add the jaggery and sesame oil.

Stir thoroughly and leave to simmer for 2 minutes.

Place in a serving bowl.