Sweet Aval (Jaggery Aval / Sweet Poha)

Sweet Aval (Jaggery Aval / Sweet Poha)

 Traditional recipe of South India is Sweet Aval, which is called as Vella Aval or jaggery aval. Aval is nothing but beaten rice flakes / chuda or chivda. 

This is specially prepared during Navaratri, Krishna Jayanti or during any fasting or Vrat.
We can use red aval or chuda or chivda, it takes hardly 15 min to prepare this recipe.

Ingredients.
Beaten Rice Flakes / Aval - 1 cup
Jaggery / Vellam / Gur - 3/4 cup
Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoons
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Cashew's - 7-8 nos
Cardoman powder - 1 tsp

Method:
# Wash aval / beaten rice flakes and squize extra water and rest it for 5-10 min.
# Dissolve jaggery in very little water, strain it.

# Fry cashew's in ghee and keep aside.

# In the same pan, pour dissolved jaggery, let it boil well.

# once the jaggery becomes thick like (dosa batter) add beaten rice flakes / aval and simmer the stove.

# In 2 min it will come together, add grated coconut, cardoman powder, fried cashews and mix well.

# In 10 min sweet aval is ready to serve.

Pl. do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Peas Pulao / Matar Pulao

Peas Pulao / Matar Pulao

Green Peas Pulao/Matar Pulao is one of the authentic recipe of North India, which is served as main course with raita or papads or with any side dish. This is a simple and easy recipe, which can be served for lunch, get-together, parties, dinner or for lunch box. 

Ingredients:
Green peas - 100 grms / 1 cup ( soaked overnight)
Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin / Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Chopped onion - 2 nos
Green chillis - 3-4 nos
Tomato - 1 medium size
Coriander leaves - handful
Ginger - 1 inch
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 2 nos
Clove - 2-3 nos
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardoman powder / Cardoman - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Method:
# Wash rice and keep aside.

# In a mixie....grind tomato, ginger, green chillis, coriander leaves to a smooth paste.

# In a pressure cooker....add oil once heated add bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon and onions and saute well.

# Add soaked peas / matar, grinded paste, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, cardoman powder, corriander powder and saute well.

# Add washed basmati rice, add water accordingly. (For 1 cup rice - 1.5 cups - 2 cups....no need to add extra water for green peas)

# Pressure Cook for 2 whistle and switch off the stove.
# Once pressure is released....give a resting time for 10-15 minutes then mix well....serve with raita or papads.
Hope you all like it!
Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Jackfruit Rice Payasam

Jackfruit Rice Payasam

In South India we call pudding or kheer as Payasam or a dessert recipe. This is one of the authentic recipe of Palakkad Iyer. As we all know we can prepare number of recipes with jackfruit such as Chakka Pradhaman, Ela adai, Chakka Varati, Kheer, Nei Appam etc... 

One of the most delicious recipe is jackfruit Rice Payasam, which is my Grandfather's favourite.

Ingredients:
Jackfruit - 7-8 bulbs
Raw Rice - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
Dry ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
Cardoman powder - 1 tsp
Coconut bits - 1 tablespoon
Cashew's - 4-5 nos
Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Method:
# Wash rice and cook well.
# Dissolve jaggery in water and strain it.
# Chop jackfruit bulbs.
# Once rice is cooked well, add jaggery syrup and chopped jackfruit  bulbs and boil well on medium flame.

# Once it comes to porridge consistency, switch off the stove.

# Add cardoman powder and dry ginger powder and mix well.

# Fry coconut bits and cashew peices in ghee and add to the payasam.

Payasam is ready to serve.
Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Potato Masala

Potato Masala / Aloo Masala
Potato Masala or Masala for poori is one of everyone's favourite. In South India, this recipe is prepared for breakfast or during tiffin time.

The same recipe, if you make it thick, it can be served like masala dosa.

Ingredients:
Boiled Potatoes - 4 nos (medium size)
Onion - 1 big
Tomatoes - 2 nos
Green chillis - 2-3 nos
Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafatedia - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Refined oil - 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves few
Coriander leaves  for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method:
# Heat a pan, add oil, once oil gets heated add mustard, channa dal, chopped onion's, ginger saute well.

# Add chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, green chillis, turmeric powder, asafatedia, salt to taste.... simmer the stove until onion and tomatoes are mashed well.

# Add boiled and mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup of water and boil well, till it becomes a thick gravy.

# Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with poori, chapati, dosa or idli.

Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Vegetable Masala Rice - Lunch Box Special!

Vegetable Masala Rice - Lunch Box Special!

Vegetable Masala Rice is an excellent lunch box special recipe. A simple and quick recipe with very few ingredients.

In this recipe I added vegetables like potato's, beans, carrots and capsicum....but you can add vegetables of your choice or vegetables which is available in your kitchen.

Ingredients:
Vegetables - 1 cup
(Carrots, beans, potatoes, capsicum)
Cooked Rice - 1.5 cups
Masala powder - 1.5 tsp

(Bay leaf - 1,
Poppy seeds / kasakasa - 1 tsp

Clove - 2-3 nos

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Red chilli - 2-3 nos
Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 4-5 nos)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Asafatedia - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Refined oil / Gingerly oil - 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Method:
# Chop vegetables of your choice.

# Dry roast one by one the masala's which I have mentioned in the ingredients.

# Make a fine powder. ( can store this powder in an airtight container for few weeks)

# Heat a pan add oil, add peanuts once roasted add mustard and, urud dal (once mustard splutter) add vegetables, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafatedia, salt to taste and sprinkle water and cook well. 

# Add the vegetables mixture with cooked Rice and add masala powder and mix well.

# Add some gingerly oil and salt and mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with raita or papads.

* You can add chopped onions, if you wish.
* While boiling rice, add salt.
Hope you all like this recipe. Please do try this recipe and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Eggless Semolina Mango Cake

Eggless Semolina Mango Cake!

 Today I am sharing an eggless semolina /rava cake with well ripped mangoes. I am going to bake in pressure cooker or pressure pan. We need very few ingredients to prepare this mouth watering, aromatic mango cake.

Before I move on to this recipe, would like to share some tips....which will be helpful for you....if you are a beginner.
* When you add nuts or tutti-fruti to your cake, there are chances that it might sink down....to avoid this mix 1 tablespoon of flour to your nuts or tutti-fruti and mix well then add to your batter. ( maida or whole wheat flour)
* When you are preparing semolina cake, add the baking powder and baking soda at the end( semolina needs 5-10 min of resting time, once you mix all wet ingredients together).
* Grease your cake tin well with butter or oil, before you start mixing you ingredients.
* When you bake cake in pressure cooker, never use gasket or whistle.

Ingredients:
Semolina / Rava - 1 cup (125 gms)
Well Ripe Mango - 1 medium size
(Puree)
Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cup (80-85 gms)
Refined Oil - 1/2 cup (120-125 ml)
Curd - 1/2 cup
Cardoman powder - 1.5 tsp
Baking powder - 1.5 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Tutti-frutti - 2 tablespoons
Finely chopped nuts for garnishing

Method:
# Mix mango puree, powdered sugar, refined oil, cardoman powder, curd, semolina together.

# Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
# In a pressure cooker, add salt for 1/2 inch, place a ring mould and preheat on medium -low flame for 15-20 minutes.

# Add baking powder and baking soda to the cake batter and mix well. ( You can see froth will start)

# Add tutti-frutti to the cake batter and mix well.

# Grease your baking tin with oil or butter.

# Pour your semolina mango cake batter in cake tin.

# Place your cake tin in pressure cooker and close the lid, without gasket and without whistle on medium flame for 40-45 min.

# Check by inserting a knife or toothpick in the centre....if it comes out clear...then your cake is baked well.

# Switch off the stove and allow it to cool.
# Loosen your cake tin with knife and demould the cake.
Once it comes to room temperature, can serve.

You can bake this cake in :
Otg - 170'c for 30-35 minutes.
Microwave convection mode - 170'c for 18-20 min.
Airfrier - 180'c for 20 minutes.
Hope you all like it!
Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!