Elaneer Payasam (aka) Tender Coconut Pudding

This is indeed my favorite payasam and was a special highlight in my "Kalyana Sapadu".For a long time I thought it is tedious job to make this payasam and a secret recipe too. But after seeing a cookery show by Revathy Shanmugam last week I made up my mind to try it immediately and it resulted in a mouth watering  dish

Ingredients

• Milk - 500 ml / 1/2 ltr packet
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Coconut milk - 200 ml (I used the tetra pack)
• Tender coconut pulp - 3/4 cup (cut into small flakes)

Method

• Boil milk and switch off the stove.Leave it for 5 minutes
• Now transfer the boiled milk into a big pan and stir it in a low flame for 20 minutes exactly.Sir continuously without taking out your hand to prevent burning
• Add sugar and stir it for 5 minutes in low flame
• Switch off the stove and refrigerate it. Take it out after 1/2 hour

• Divide coconut milk into two parts.Dilute one part with 1/2 cup of water.
• Add the undiluted coconut milk to the chilled milk.Mix well (should not heat it)
• Also pour in the diluted coconut milk and mix well
• Finally add the chopped tender coconut flesh 
• Serve it chilled

Note

• After refrigerating the boiled and condensed milk "No Heating" is involved while adding and mixing coconut milk and tender coconut flesh

Lemon Rice

This is infact the simplest variety rice that can be prepared within 15 minutes - including rice cooking time.It can be served during festive days, packed for lunch box also

Ingredients
Preparation of  Rice

• Rice - 1 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - 1 teaspoon

Seasoning

• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dhall - 1/2 teaspoon
• Channa dhall - 1/2 teaspoon
• Fried gram / potukadalai - 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves - few (according to your preference)
• Green chillies - 2 or more (slit it)
• Dried red chillies - 2
• Peanuts - little
• Cashews - little
• Hing - a pinch
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Lemon - 2 nos

Method

• Cook rice with 2 cups of water and salt for 2 whistles.The cooked rice should not be mashy.Keep it aside.Separate the grains using a fork

• In a separate kadai do seasoning with the items mentioned.Do not add lemon now

• Squeeze out lemon in a separate cup and remove its seeds.Add it to the above saute / tadka
• Take the cooked rice in a broad basin

• Add the seasoned items to the cooked rice and mix well.Do not use your hand
• Serve it with roasted potato, applam and vadams

Note

• You can also fry appalams, crush it and mix with lemon rice

Semiya Payasam / Vermicilli Kheer

Ingredients

• Semiya / Vermicilli - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 - 1/2 cups
• Milk - 2 cups
• Elachi Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Pachai Karporam (Edible Camphor) - a pinch
• Ghee - as required
• Cashews, Dry Grapes - as required

Method

1. Roast cashews and dry grapes in 1 tablespoon of ghee and keep it aside
2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons more ghee and roast semiya
3. Boil 2 cups of water and add roasted semiya to it.Close it with the lid and cook the semiya in medium flame.This will hardly take about 3- 5 minutes.Stir it in between twice
4. Add sugar to it and dissolve the sugar.You can do this in low flame.Generally after switching off the stove it will be still hot which is optimum for the sugar to get dissolved
5. Now add elachi powder edible camphor and mix with milk
6. Add the roasted cashews and dry grapes
7. You can serve this hot or chilled

Note

• If you buy roasted vermicelli / semiya you can skip step 2

Easy Peas Gravy

After a big outing I was feeling extremely tired to cook dinner.Then I opened my fridge I luckily had frozen peas and tomato puree so it saved my day

I incorporated this dish under "Beginners Section" because it can be made in a jiffy with the available ingredients at home

Ingredients

Frozen or Fresh Peas - 200 g
Onion - 1 (finely chopped - optional only)
Tomato Puree - 100 ml (half of the tetra packet available in stores)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
Garam Masala Powder - 1 teaspoon
Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard and Jeera Seeds - together 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh Cream - as required (optional only)

Method

1. Pressure cook peas for 1 whistle and keep it aside.Drain the water from it but do not discard

2. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and splutter with mustard and jeera seeds
3. Add onions and fry till translucent. Add GG paste and sprinkle little water.Saute for a minute

4. Add tomato puree along with masala powders (garam, chilly and coriander) along with turmeric.Pour around 1/2 cup of water (drained from the peas) and heat it for 5 minutes
5. Add the boiled peas to the above mixture along with half cup of water (drained from the peas). Add salt and boil for 3-5 minutes

6. Finally add around 1 tablepoon (or more) butter and mix well when it is still hot (after switching off the stove)

7. Serve it with phulkas or even normal bread that we get it in shops

Malai Parwal

I know only to make Parwal/ Kovakkai / Dondakai roast. This is a different and yummy side dish which I learnt it  from another inspirational blog.It is a "Jain Recipe" meaning without onion and garlic in the original version.But I did add them and altered it according to our need

The link for the orginal recipe is Malai Parwal

Ingredients

Dondakai/ Kovakai/ Parwal (Indian Ivy Gourd) - 1/4 kg (Cut them into thin slices)
Tomato -2 (finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Green Peas - handful

Paste and Powders

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - small pinch
Corainder Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
Coconut Powder (optional) - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Salt - 1 teaspoon or as required

Tempering

Oil - 1 tablespoon
Cumin / Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon Stick (pattai) -1 small piece
Cardomom - 2

Dairy

Milk - 1 cup
Fresh Cream - 3 tablespoons or as required

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter with mustard seeds first and then add jeera/cumin.Allow it to splutter again

2. Add cinnamon stick, cardamom (split open) and cloves

3. Fry the finely chopped onions till translucent and add tomatoes.Fry till raw smell diffuses

4. Add ginger garlic paste.Sprinkle little water and fry for 2 minutes
5. Add peas and dondakai along with the powders mentioned (except coconut powder).Saute well

6. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and pressure cook for 1 whistle
7. Now add coconut powder and mix well for 2 minutes
8. Add milk and boil well in low flame

9.Finally add cream and mix well

10. Serve it with Phulkas

Eggless Multigrain Banana Bread Cake

As the name indicated I made this using "Multigrain" flour.The original recipe consists of maida.

Since I had over ripped bananas I didn't add sugar also which is ideal for diabetic people too

The link for the original recipe can be found here Eggless Banana Bread

Ingredients
Part 1
Multigrain flour - 1 1/2 cups

Powdered Sugar or Honey - 3/4 cup (optional only - I left it out)
Salt - 1 pinch
Baking Powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons

Part 2
Vegetable Oil - More than 1/4 cup (I used Cardialife which is Cholesterol free)

• Whipped Curd - 1 1/4 cup
• Milk - More than 3/4 cup
• Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoon

Part 3

• Over ripped bananas - 5 (peel the skin and mash it)
• Finely chopped Walnuts and Almonds - 1/2 cup (optional)

Method


1. Mix all the items given under part 1 and sieve it.If you are using honey omit it add this stage

2. Peel the banana skin and mash them well.I used potato masher

3.Add the items mentioned under part 2.If you are using honey add it at this stage and beat well using a hand beater or electrical beater.

4. You may also run it at a slow speed using a mixer so that the batter will be smooth

5. Add chopped walnuts and almonds to the batter
6. Grease a baking dish and pour the batter into it

7. Baking

• If you are using a "Microwave Oven" bake it in high power for 12- 15 minutes
• If you are using a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and bake it for 45 minutes
• If you are using a cooker follow the instructions given in the link Baking in a Cooker

Baking time may be more or less.It depends upon the oven.So adjust it accordingly or take it out in between and see

8. Check whether the bread cake is complete by inserting a tooth pick into it.It should come out clean, if not bake it for some more time

9. Invert the baking tray onto a clean surface and allow it to cool.Cut the bread cake into slices

Eggless Moist Chocolate Cake

My 50-th post for the year 2011 - A Special Post

Ingredients
Part 1

• Maida - 1 cup (heaped)
• Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Cocoa Powder - 1 teaspoon

Part 2

• Butter - 1/2 cup
• Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Milk - 3/4 cup
• Whipped Curd - 1/4 cup

Part 3

• Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoon
• Dry Fruits (Grapes, Dates) - as required (optional)

Method

1. Sift the items given under part 1

2. Beat butter and sugar together first. Add milk and curd and beat well once again.You can also use a mixer for this purpose

3. Add this batter to sifted maida, baking powder and cocoa.Run it in mixer once (optional)

4. Add vanilla essence and dry fruits.Mix well
5. Grease a baking tray/mold and pour the batter into it

Baking

1. If you are using a "Microwave" bake it in "Medium Power" for 4 minutes and then in "Medium High" for 3 minutes. It depends on the microwave
2. If you are baking in Cooker follow the instructions given in the link Baking in Pressure Cooker
3. Insert a tooth pick inside the cake and it should come out clean.If not bake for some more time
4. Invert the cake mold and allow it to cool
5. Do icing if desired

Baking in a Cooker

Instructions to Bake Cake in a Cooker

• Heat a tawa in medium flame for 10 minutes
• Spread around 1 cup of salt in an aluminum cooker and place it on the preheated tawa.Salt will prevent the cake from burning and it was also maintain the temperature constantly

• Heat it for 5 minutes and then place the cake pan inside.
• Remove the casket from cooker lid and close the cooker.Do not put weight also
• Bake it in low flame for 45- 50 minutes
• Switch off the stove and leave it for 5 minutes and open the cooker lid.Allow the steam to escape
• Insert a tooth pick / spoon / knife into the cake, when you take it out it should come out clean
• If not bake it for another 5-8 minutes
• Take out the cake pan/ mold from the cooker and invert the pan
• Allow the cake to cool

Phulkas

What should I say about Phulkas?

Completely oil free chapathis.I don't even add a drop of oil while kneading the dough also
Its very good for diabetic people and for weight watchers
Apply butter / ghee while serving it to children
To make phulka on Tawa see this link Tawa Phulka

Ingredients

• Whole Wheat Flour / Multigrain Wheat Flour - 2 cups
• Water - around 3/4 cup (rough estimation only)
• Salt - 1 teaspoon or more

Method
Kneading the Dough
Please refer to this link Dough for detailed explanation of kneading the dough with pictures

• 1. Mix wheat / multigrain flour and salt in a large bowl
• 2. Make a small hole / well in the center and add little water in it
• 3. Knead the dough by sprinkling water little by little and beat the dough 5 times
• 4. Cover the dough and leave it for 30 minutes

Alternatively you may see this link for Kneading Roti Dough with pictures

Preparation of Phulkas

• Now divide the dough into small balls
• Roll out each and every dough flat using a rolling pin.(If it is not in circular shape use a sharp lid - dabba mudi as a mold).Use flour for dusting 
• Heat a Tawa and when it is hot place the rolled phulka on it.You will see bubbles appearing

• Carefully flip the phulka into the open flame directly on both the sides.You may use a griddle for this .Make sure it is not burnt.burnt. Phulka will puff up as seen in the pic below

• Phulkas are ready apply ghee/ butter / oil for kids
• Serve it with any gravy of your choice