PANAKAM

Panakam is an authentic South Indian drink offered to Lord Rama on the occasion of Sri Ramanavami. It is a refreshing cooler during Summer.

INGREDIENTS:  (Serves 4 people)

Jaggery - 50 gms

Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 2 tsps

Tulasi leaves - 5-6 leaves, finely chopped

Elachi - 3

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Dissolve jaggery and filter the impurities.

2. Mix in the ginger powder, lemon juice and crushed elachi to it.

 

DRIED GREEN PEAS MASALA SUNDAL

INGREDIENTS :

• Dried Green peas - 1 cup
• Onion - 2
• Tomato - 2
• Curry leaves
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder -1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard and Jeera - 1 tsp each

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Soak peas overnight.Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and keep aside.
2) Heat oil in a kadai.Add mustard and jeera. Once it splutters, add chopped onion and tomato saute till tender. 

4) Add cooked peas, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook till it gets mixed well and dry.

Serve hot.

SABUDANA VADAI

INGREDIENTS :

Sabudana/ Javvarisi/ Sago - 1 cup

Rice flour - 2 tsps

Onion -1 big

Chillies - 6

Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION: 

1) Soak Sabudana overnight. Drain the stock the next morning and clean with cold running water.

2) Grind it coarsely with little salt and transfer it to a bowl. Mix in a tsp of Rice flour, chopped onion,Turmeric powder, Jeera, Chillies and mix it well.

3) Roll balls of it and deep fry them till golden brown.

Serve hot.

 

SWEET POTATO HALWA

Diwali is the festival of lights. But for children, it is the festival of Sweets and Snacks. They kept tempted to taste and indulge in variety of home made sweets and snacks. Let's start the sweet series this year with the Sweet Potato Halwa.

INGREDIENTS :

Sweet Potatoes/ Sakkaravalli Kilangu - 250 gms

Sugar - 200 gms

Ghee and Cashews - as required

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Boil Sweet Potatoes and mash it well. It should be too watery.

2) Prepare thick sugar syrup for halwa consistency.

3) Mix in the mashed sweet potatoes to it and mix well. Add a ladle of ghee and ghee fried cashews to it and cook till reaches proper mix and halwa consistency.

Serve hot.

 

BROKEN WHEAT KESARI

INGREDIENTS :

Broken Wheat - 1 cup

Karupatti - 200 grams

Milk - 1/2 cup

Cashews, Raisins, Almond - few

Ghee

METHOD OF PREPARATION: 

1) Pressure cook broken Wheat with 2 cups of water and keep aside. Allow the steam to leave.

2) Open the lid , stir it once and add milk. Mix it up well .

3) Dissolve karupatti in 1 1/2 cups of water , strain the impurities. Add in the karupatti syrup and mix it up well. Cook till it thickens. 

4) Add in 2 ladles of ghee and garnish with ghee roasted dry fruits.

Serve hot.

KALKANDU SADAM

INGREDIENTS :

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup

Milk - 1 cups

Kalkandu/Candy sugar - 1 cup

Ghee

Cashews,Raisins, Almonds

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Cook rice little soft and keep aside.

2) Prepare thick kalakandu syrup of proper consistency.

3) Mix in rice and milk. Mash it up well. Garnish with ghee roasted cashews and raisins.

Serve hot.

 

VERKADALAI PODI SUNDAL

Navarathiri is celebrated for 9 days with various offerings to god. 

Sundal is one of the widely prepared offering during Navarathiri.

INGREDIENTS :

Verkadalai/ Peanuts - 1 cup 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3

Grated coconut - 1 1/2 tsps.

Sundal podi - 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Hing - a pinch

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Pressure cook peanuts for 3 whistles and keep it aside.

2) Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add mustard, jeera and Urat dal. When it splutters, add green chillies.

3) Add in the boiled Peanuts to it. 

4) Finally, mix in the Sundal Podi and grated coconut. Remove from the flame after 3 minutes.

Serve hot.

KONDAKADALAI PODI SUNDAL

Navarathiri is celebrated for 9 days with various offerings to god. 

Sundal is one of the widely prepared offering during Navarathiri.

INGREDIENTS :

Black Channa Dal/ Kondakadalai - 1 cup 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 3

Grated coconut - 1 1/2 tsps.

Paruppu podi - 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Hing - a pinch

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1) Soak the kadalai overnight, drain the water and boil it for 3 whistles in Pressure cooker and keep it aside.

2) Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add mustard, jeera and Urat dal. When it splutters, add in red chillies.

3) Add in the boiled kadalai to it. Add paruppu podi and salt. Mix it well.

4) Finally, mix in the grated coconut and remove from the flame after 3 minutes.

Serve hot.

 

AMMINI KOZHUKATTAI

INGREDIENTS : 

Rice flour - 2 cups

Coconut pieces - few

Warm water

Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION : 

1) Knead rice flour soft with water.

2)Roll small balls of it and steam cook them in an idli pan .

BAKED PARUPPU VADAI

INGREDIENTS :

Channa dal/ Kadalai Paruppu - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1 cup finely chopped

Jeera - 2 tsp

Green chillies - 10 finely chopped

Curry leaves - few chopped

Salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION :

1. Soak dal for 2 hours. Grind it coarsely with very little water.

2. Mix in jeera, onion, green chillies, curry leaves and salt.

3. Apply oil in evenly in the bun tray.

4. Roll small balls of the batter and flatten it, fill in  the tray.

5. Heat oven to 200 deg centigrade, preheat for 5 minutes, then place the tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes till crispy.

6. Flip to its side, once in the middle.

7. Serve hot with chutney.

SWEET AMMINI KOZHUKATTAI

INGREDIENTS:

Rice Flour - 1 cup 

Palm Sugar / Karupatti-200 gms

Gingelly oil

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

METHOD PREPARATION:

1) Prepare palm sugar syrup and filter the impurities . 

2) Knead rice flour with the filtered syrup and oil, like you make chapathi dough .

3 ) Make balls of the dough.

4) Steam cook it in Idli pan for 10-15 minutes.

It is ready to serve . Garnish it with Grated coconut.

 

VINAYAKAR CHATHURTHI AND ITS IMPORTANCE

Vinayakar Chaturthi is one of the important Hindu festivals celebrated in India, marking the birthday of Lord Ganesh. 

Lord Ganesh is the symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. People bring idols of Lord Ganesh to their homes and do prayers and give offerings. In few states ,it is celebrated for 11 days. On the last day of the festival the idols are immersed traditionally in water. It is considered as Lord Vinayakar is one who removes obstacles and grants intelligence. 

INGREDIENTS : 

• Roasted dry fruits mix powder - 1 cup (Please click the link to see its preparation)
• Country sugar/ Sugar - 2 cups
• Ghee

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1) Prepare sugar syrup of one string consistency. For 2 cups of sugar, I added 2 cups of water. Boil it, till it thickens to string consistency.

2) Then, mix in the roasted dry fruits mix to it with 2 ladles of ghee. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool down for few minutes. Roll out balls in luke warm consistency.

Serve as offerings.