Boondi ladoo

Boondi Ladoo is a traditional sweet of India prepared with chick pea batter and sugar syrup. Chick pea batter is poured over hot oil through a perforated ladle. This results in crispy small pearls which are soaked in sugar syrup and rolled into balls. There are many types of ladoos. In South India it is known as boondi ladoo, while in the North is known as mothi choor ladoo. Then, there is this special ladoo or Triupathi ladoo, which is rich in taste and flavour sans any colouring.
Boondi ladoos are served on various occasions including weddings and festivals like Diwali.



Ingredients:

For the batter:
Chick pea flour -1cup
Rice flour -1tsp
Eating soda -1pinch
Oil for frying

For the sugar syrup:
Sugar -2cups
Water -1cup
Orange food colour -1/4tsp (optional)

For garnishing:
Cashew nuts -2tsp
Raisins -1tsp
Clarified butter -1tsp

For flavourings:
Green cardamom -2
Cloves  -1
Nutmeg -1 pinch
Edible camphor -1pinch


Method:

Pulverize the items listed under flavouring into a smooth powder. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in clarified butter.
Combine sugar, water and food colour. Heat it over a medium flame  to prepare half thread consistency syrup.


    batter poured on the perforated ladle and tapped

Mix the chickpea flour, rice flour, and eating soda in little water and prepare thick batter of pouring consistency. Heat oil in a wide frying pan. Place a perforated ladle over the frying pan. Pour a ladle full of batter on the perforated ladle. Gently tap it so that the batter falls into the oil to form small pearls or boondi.

                          fried boondis

 Fry them in batches to finish the entire batter. Soak the fried boondis in the prepared sugar syrup. Stir in the flavourings. Close and keep it a aside for 5 minutes. Then, mash them lightly and add the garnishing. Roll into small balls while it is still warm. Allow it to cool. Store in  airtight jars.

Foxtail millet pongal

Foxtail millet is known as Thinai in Tamil, Thina in Malalyalam, Korra in telugu and Navane akki in Kannada. It is is rich in dietary fibre (6.7 per cent), protein (11 per cent) and low in fat (4 per cent). It releases glucose steadily without affecting the metabolism of the body. Hence is usually recommended for diabetics. 

                                Foxtail millet

Ingredients:
Foxtail millet -2cups
Husked split green gram -1cup
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Black pepper -1tsp
Asafoetida powder -1/2tsp
Curry leaves -few
Clarified butter -3tblsps
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Soak the green gram in water for two hours. Dry toast the millet till it emanates a sweet smell. In a pressure pan/cooker temper cumin seeds,  black pepper, asafoetida powder and curry leaves in little oil. Add the soaked green gram and toasted millet. Add six cups of water and salt. Close and cook under pressure for 15 minutes. When the pressure has released open the pan and stir in the clarified butter. Serve it along with Orange peel pulikachal.


 

Lemon sevai

Sevai or string hoppers is a steamed food that is easily digestible as it is made with less oil or no oil. It is a popular breakfast and dinner food in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.  It is known as santhakai in the western parts of Tamil Nadu and shavige in Kannada. 

Traditionally, sevai is prepared by pressing steamed rice batter into noddles. However, today we get ready made sevai that can be prepared by soaking in boiled water. The prepared sevai is then given different flavours like lemon, tamarind and coconut. It is also eaten with vegetable stew or with sweetened coconut milk.  

Traditional method of making sevai:

Parboiled Rice - 2 cups
Water and salt - as required

Soak rice for 8 hours. Grind it to a smooth paste. The batter should be thick like dosa batter. Add salt and steam it in idli mould. Press each idli into noodles through the perforated press that is specifically used for this purpose. These noodles are cooled little before adding flavours to them. 
Read made sevai are sun dried rice sticks, which has to be placed in boiling water for few minutes and drained.

Ingredients:
Prepared sevai - 4cups
Lemon juice - 2tblps
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Chopped green chilies -2tsp
Chopped coriander leaves -1tsp
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Black gram -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Oil and salt - as required

Method:
In a frying pan temper mustard seeds and black gram in little oil. Then add the turmeric powder, chopped green chilies, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Remove from flame and add the prepared sevai. Mix in the salt and lemon juice. Serve it along with any chips of your choice.  





 

Chickpea sundal

This sundal requires very few ingredients and tastes great when eaten alone. It is also an offering to the god during the nine days of Navarathri.

Ingredients:
Chickpea -2cups
Grated coconut -1tsp
Chili flakes -1/2tsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Soak the chickpeas in water for 10 hours or overnight. Wash and add sufficient quantity of water and little salt. Cook in a pressure cooker till soft. Drain the water. Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in little oil and add to it. Garnish with grated coconut and chili flakes.

Happy Navarathri

This is the assembly of dolls for Navarathri in our house. It  is called Kolu in Tamil language. Every evening,  sundal (boiled pulses in salt or in sweet flavour ) is offered to the gods. Later, ladies are invited to part take in the celebrations that follow. It is singing and a mini get together. For me, it is usually catching up with my friends and family.  However, the mornings are hectic with prayers and sweet offerings to the goddess - Shakti, Durga and Saraswati. In fact, it is a healthy celebration as there is healthy eating (sundal), lot of exercise (garba dancing and celebrations in itself), enhanced lung power (singing).  Thanks to Indian culture that has a festival like this.

Banana jamun

This jamun is made using Kerala banana/nenthra pazham and is mildly sweet unlike the regular gulab jamun that uses milk powder or milk solids. It is easy to make as it neither cracks while frying nor swells when it is soaked in the sugar syrup. It also does not require any flavouring as it has the natural flavour of the banana.

Ingredients:
Half ripe Kerala banana/nenthra pazham -2
Sugar -1 cup
Oil for frying

Method:
Add one cup of water to the sugar and prepare syrup of one thread consistency. Keep it aside.
Steam the Kerala bananas/nenthra pazham with the skin. Cool and skin it. Slit it length wise and remove the string of seeds from the middle. Mash it well with the hand or in a blender. Divide and roll it into equal balls. Deep fry them in small batches in medium hot oil. Drain it over a tissue paper. Soak them in the prepared syrup for 15 minutes. Then, boil for few seconds over a low flame.

                      String of seeds removed from the middle

                      rolled into equal balls
Note:
Selection of banana is important to this recipe. Use only half ripe and firm bananas. Ripe bananas can become mushy when steamed and also stick to the pan when fried. The syrup may be  flavoured with cardamom powder to give a rich taste.

Pazham morekuzhambu

  
This is a traditional dish from the state of Kerala that uses Kerala banana(/Etha pazham/nenthra pazham) and curd. Morekuzhambu is usually prepared using left over sour curd. However, pazham morekuzhambu uses fresh curd to retain the sweetness of the banana. It is mixed with  steamed rice and eaten along with any stir fried vegetable.

 Ingredients:

 Kerala banana – 2
 Brown sugar – 2tbsps
 Pepper powder- 1 pinch
 Turmeric powdered- 1 pinch
 Grated coconut - 5tbsps
 Green chillies- 3
 Cumin seeds- 1/2tsp
 Beaten curd- 1 cup
 Mustard- 1tsp
 Red chilly- 1(broken into two)
 Curry leaves - few
 Oil and Salt - as required

Method:
Grind the grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds to a smooth paste. Keep it aside. Skin the banana and cut into one inch long pieces. Place it in a pan along with salt, brown sugar, Pepper powder and turmeric powder. Add one cup of water and cook the bananas. Mix the ground paste and beaten curd to the boiled bananas. Check for salt and consistency. Bring it to a boil. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chilly in little oil and garnish the morekuzhambu.