Mysore pak

 Mysore pak is a sweet made with split chick pea flour (besan), sugar and clarified butter. This sweet is prepared in almost all the houses during Diwali and it is a hit with everyone except the calorie-conscious.
This sweet originated in Mysore or in the kitchens of Mysore palace to be precise. Interestingly, there are over 18 methods of making Mysore pak.  No wonder that Maddappa (the cook in the kitchens of Mysore palace) did not know how to name it. He simply said it as Mysore pak meaning sweet of Mysore (Pak means sweet in Sanskrit). 
The ratio of the three key ingredients (chickpea flour, sugar and clarified butter) decides the flavour, texture and taste of Mysore pak. The consistency of the sugar syrup is also equally important. Thicker the syrup, harder will be the Mysore pak.  Similarly, more sugar will absorb more clarified butter and result in the residue of the latter in the end.
The process of making this sweet is simple. Sugar syrup and the chickpea flour should caramelise along with the clarified butter. In fact, clarified butter would reduce the crystallization of sugar to give the Mysore pak a soft texture. 
Chick pea flour can either be dry toasted or fried in generous amount of clarified butter. The latter gives a better taste and flavour to the sweet.
Sometimes milk is also added to the chick pea flour to prevent it from forming lumps.
Sweets shops prefer to add edible soda ( sodium bicarbonate) in the end of the process. This results in a brown tinge in the middle, leaving the top and bottom with golden yellow colour.

Ingredients:
Chick pea flour - 1cup (levelled)
Sugar - 2cups
Clarified butter - 2cups
Water - 3/4cup


Method:
Grease a deep plate with clarified butter. Keep it aside. Heat 1cup of clarified butter. Reduce the flame and add the chick pea flour. Fry till it changes colour. Remove from flame.  Keep stirring for few more minutes.
In a heavy bottomed pan add the sugar and water. Place it on high heat and allow it to boil. Stir occasionally. When it reaches one thread consistency, reduce the flame and add the chick pea mixture. Keep stirring continuously, while adding small quantities of clarified butter. The mixture will turn thicker and absorb all the clarified butter. Keep stirring till it leaves the sides of the pan and starts swelling. At this stage remove the pan from flame and pour over the greased pate. Cut into desired shape after it cools for few seconds.

Note: Check the consistency of the sugar syrup by pressing a drop of the sugar syrup between two fingers. It should be stiff and show one thread.     

Vvazhakkai thoran

Raw plantains are referred to as vazhakkai in Malayalam and Tamil language, while thoran is a Malayalam word, which is referred to any dry side dish. Vazhakkai thoran is a simple high fiber side dish that goes well with sambhar and rasam. This is also very good for diabetics due to its high fiber content.

Ingredients:
1. Raw plantain -2
2. Turmeric powder -1tsp
3. Grated coconut -1/2cup
4. Green chillies -3
5. Red chilly – 1(broken into two)
6. Curry leaves - few
7. Mustard seeds -1tsp
8. Black gram -1tsp
9. Salt and oil – as required

Method:
Chop the green chillies finely. Mix it with the grated coconut. Keep it aside. Cut the raw plantain into small segments. Add turmeric powder, salt and cook in two cups of water. Drain the water. Set it aside. In a frying pan temper the mustard seeds and black gram in little oil. Then add the curry leaves, red chillies and boiled plantain.  Stir fry for few seconds. Then add the grated coconut mixture. Stir over a low flame till it is blended.

Peanut Sundal

Peanut or groundnut is part of the bean family. A 100gm of peanut gives 567 calories, but its glycemic Index is very low. Hence, it is highly recommended for diabetics. Peanuts also give quick energy boost because of the nutrient content in them.
In south India, sundal (snack) made of boiled peanut is an offering to the gods during navarathri.


Ingredients:
Raw peanuts -100gms
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Chilli flakes -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Soak the peanuts in water for about 7 hours.
Cook it along with the water in a pressure cooker, till it turns soft. Remove from the cooker and drain the water. Keep it aside.
In a frying pan, temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in little oil. Then add the boiled peanuts, salt and chilli flakes. Saute for few seconds. Garnish with grated coconut.

Festive offer

The price of the kindle version of this book has been slashed to Rs 100 in India and by 50% in other market places for this festive season. To download this book, here you go...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRX8APC

Happy reading and happy cooking.

Pineapple curry

When we need to try some mango delicacies during the non-mango season, then, pineapple comes handy. Of course the flavour will be that of pineapple. Pineapple can be used in the place of mango in all the recipes that use mango as the main ingredient. This curry is one that is similar to mango curry except that we use tamarind here instead of curd. 

Ingredients:
Ripe pineapple – 1 (250gms)
Grated coconut -1cup
Tamarind paste – 1tsp
Red chillies - 5
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Brown sugar – 2tsps
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt and oil- as required

Method:
Fry the fenugreek seeds and red chillies in little oil. Grind it along with grated coconut to a smooth paste. Keep it aside. Skin and cut the pineapple into cubes. Cook it in one cup of water along with tamarind paste, salt and turmeric powder. When the pineapples are cooked, add the ground paste, brown sugar, curry leaves and more water. Check the consistency. Simmer for few seconds. Garnish with mustard seeds tempered in oil.

Eggplant poriyal

Eggplants are of many types. My favourite is the bottle eggplant which lends itself nicely for stir frying.  This poriyal or stir fried vegetable is mildly spiced with dosa podi, curry leaves and grated coconut. It is a good accompaniment for sambhar and rasam rice.
 
Ingredients:
Bottle eggplant - 1 (250gm)
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Dosa podi - 2tsps
Grated coconut - 4tsps
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Cube the eggplant and place it in water. In a frying pan temper mustard seeds and black gram in little oil. Add the eggplant, turmeric powder, salt and one cup of water. Close and cook for five minutes till it is done. Open and stir in the grated coconut, curry leaves and dosa podi, Add little oil if necessary. Stir fry for few seconds till the water dries up.


Note: For dosa podi refer podi dosa recipe.

Happy Onam

                               Onam 2014 falls on September 7. On this occasion,  I wish all the readers a very happy and properous onam.Onam is  the only festival in Kerala which is celebrated by all irrespective of  any caste, creed or religion. The key to this ‘harvest festival’ of the state is the preparation of Onam Sadhya (grand vegetarian lunch served on a banana leaf). It also reminds us of the vamana avatar of lord Vishnu and the visit of  king Mahabali from patala (underworld).  Interestingly, the birthday of Sri Padmanaban (the presiding deity of Thiruvananthapuram temple ) also falls on this day -  (TheThiruonam day of Chingam)