MASALA PAAL/MASALA MILK

As everyone of us know that Mahima speaks more by her photographs than by her words. After seeing her Masala Milk, I was so tempted to try that. She was remembered about this by Priya of priyaeasyntastyrecipes. Thanks both for posting a wonderful and delicious recipe. I tried at home shortly. It was a hit at home and nowadays this has become a must at home on weekends. Of important note is that my little demon also liked this very much and is drinking the whole cup of milk without giving a pause for breath!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Milk - 3 cups

Sugar – 3 spoons

Condensed milk – 1 tsp

Cinnamon – 1

Cloves – 3

Cardamom – 2

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Badam and Cashews (sliced in strands using the grater) –5 each

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp (optional)

METHOD:

· Heat milk in a heavy bottomed vessel. Once it starts boiling, add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, sugar, and a pinch of turmeric powder to the milk and heat it for a while in low flame. Add condensed milk in between and keep stirring for sometime. Adding condensed milk will give a unique taste to the masala milk.

· Discard the spices by filtering and add the almonds and cashews strands. As I had sore throat, I added pepper powder at the end. It was also good.

· Serve hot. This is usually taken after dinner which will give a good sleep.

MOM'S TOMATO THOKKU

Hi buddies, thanks for all your good wishes. I felt very cheered up to see your heartfelt love through your comments. I have come out of the blues and doing pretty good now though I get tired very soon then and there while doing the routine chores. Hope I will be back to normal soon!!!

After seeing Sanghi’s fall in love with tomato event announcement, my brain had forced me to travel back in time and reveal those cherished moments once again, albeit with a sigh!!

During my childhood days, I was not a liker of tomatoes and I hate that yucky tangy taste tomatoes. Whenever, I get tomatoes accidentally served in sambar/rasam, I avoid the whole part. I can remember even a petty fight with mom for preparing tomato rice for lunch. I donno exactly what made me to hate tomatoes to that extent…

During my class V, there was an Anglo Indian boy who joined my school due to his father’s job transfer. My school is a normal English medium standard school and not a very posh one like convent or matriculation type. The lessons were taught and explained in my native language, though the medium of education is English. The new boy does not know my native language and he insisted teachers to explain everything in English. His pronunciation was also of very high, obviously it would have been as he is an Anglo Indian product. Until his addition to my class, I had always been the topper and he took my place in every class tests and examinations then. He has become a pet to the teachers too because of this. Whatever effort I put in, I could not beat that guy in any examination. After school time is over, me and my brother used to wait for my father to get picked up. Till then, I will be doing my home works and my brother will be playing in the ground. That new guy will also be waiting for his mom to get picked up and he insists me to teach the native language. He taught me the basics in English and I taught him Tamil…He used to narrate stories too sometimes. He always ends up telling stories on tomatoes like tomatoes were going here and there, fighting with this, became juicy..some blah blah blah…..He must be craze on tomatoes, I think now.. Slowly, I too got interested in eating tomatoes after hearing repeated nonsense stories from that guy daily…Finally, I have landed here today saying that “I fell in love with tomatoes there.”

I am craze of tomatoes now and without tomatoes, I can hardly manage the kitchen/menu once and I will go mad after that. Whenever I want something refreshing, I always take tomato juice served chill. See, how taste changes in life!!!!

Coming to the recipe, this tomato thokku is again my mom’s signature dish. I learnt this from my mother. Whenever I got to go there or she comes to see me, she will always prepare and bring this thokku for me. My little demon also likes this. I can easily feed him the idlys and dosas in no time if this is the side dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Tomatoes – 1 kg

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Hing – a small piece

Tumeric powder – 1 tsp

Red Chilly powder – 5-6 tsp (depending upon the spiciness level)

Asafoetida – a small piece

Fenugreek– 1 tsp

Oil – As required

Red color kesar powder – a pinch (optinal)

METHOD:

· Heat kadai and dry fry fenugreek until it turns brown and grind this to a fine powder. Keep it aside. You will get more flavor out of it when dry frying them.

· Cut tomatoes into small pieces and make it juicy with the help of processor/juicer.

· Heat kadai/pan with oil (liberally), add mustard seeds and asafoetida and when it splutters, add the turmeric powder and tomato juice. Add necessary salt. Keep stirring then and there until the consistency becomes thick. It takes at least 45 minutes to an hour for the juice to dry up.

· Add red chilly powder, fenugreek powder, and red color kesar powder (optional) when the oil starts to separates from the thokku.

· Keep stirring now until the oil starts to float. Remove from fire and store in an airtight container. This will stay good for 15 to 20 days if refrigerated.

Am dedicating this to my mom as she taught me this authentic recipe and to my Class V friend (I donno where he is now, Haha) who made me to taste tomatoes.

BREAK

After all the previous week's disasters, I finally fell down in bed with temperature spike over 101 degrees starting from the week beginning and its still persisting..I am told to give a blood test for Typhoid. I managed to blog hop then and there, but I think I need badly a break now...I could not post anything nor do any reciprocations to all of you buddies..Sorry if I have missed commenting on any of your lovely recipes, please don't mistake me, i will surely catch up everything when I am back.

Till then, bye and take care dears..

TWO IN ONE RICE (CAPSICUM AND CLUSTER BEANS) WITH AN ARRAY OF AWARDS

It has been a week long I posted the earlier one. Last week fully, work was occupying me more and could not have time even to sit relax for a second. With increased office work, servant maid got abscond without any prior information, toddler’s caretaker took leave for two days, each day was more hectic than the previous day. Weekend also went somehow fast as there was a function to attend.. Got up early, disturbed toddler’s sleep and hurried him to finish his morning routines, dressed him up, pestered hubby dear to get ready, finally when we reached there, there was a disappointment looking forward…Seems the function was postponed to another day considering that as more auspicious one and we have not been informed about this…..OMG!! Mind flashbacked a second quickly about the efforts taken…Sunday is the only day I can sleep relaxly for some extra time but that is also gone.. With so much of morning disappointment, the headache started and it persisted for the whole day… Am too tired now and exhausted and lethargic to start another week now.. With the hope that blogging will give me some energy by seeing all the colorful dishes and awards, deliberately sat now in midst of all the necessary chores.

Coming to the recipe, both capsicum rice and cluster beans rice are made using vangi bhat powder and is a perfect lunch box item. During the initial days of marriage, my hubby was not in much interest with capsicums and cluster beans but right from the first time I prepared both of these, he started liking both these veggies.. So, if you are not a much-liker-of capsicum/cluster beans, try this once and definitely you will start liking this

INGREDIENTS:

Cooked Basmati rice – 2 cups

Capsicum/Cluster Beans – 250 g

Onion - 1 medium size

Green peas – 1 cup (optional)

Clove/cinnamom – each one

Bay leaf – 1

Green chilly – 1

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tsp

Ghee – 1 tsp

TO MAKE POWDER:

Asafoetida – a small piece

Red chilies – 8-10 (adjust according to your spiciness level)

Bengal gram – 4 tsp

Urad dal – 2 tsp

Coriander seeds/dhaniya – 3 tsp

SEASONING ITEMS:

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few

METHOD:

· Wash and drain the basmati rice and keep aside for 10 minutes.

· Heat pan with ghee, add the spices and bay leaf, then add turmeric powder, onion and sauté well until the onion becomes light brown. Then add the rice and salt and double the amount of water to the rice. Pressure cook for two whistles.

· Heat kadai with little oil, fry the ingredients given in the list “to make powder” one by one, and grind to a fine powder.

· In the same kadai, after removing the ingredients, add some more oil if required, add the seasoning items one by one, then curry leaves, then the capsicum/cluster beans and peas. Add little salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Close with a lid and let it get cooked in medium flame for sometime. Stir in between else the veggies will be overburnt. Once the veggies have become tender and cooked well, add the ground powder, mix well. Keep it in low flame for 2 minutes stirring in between.

· Add this to the cooked and cooled rice and mix gently with a ladle. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. If you wish, you can also add a teaspoon of ghee for a good aromatic flavor.

· Serve hot with any pappad or side dish of your choice.

AWARDS SECTION:

Sanghi and Shama has honored with not just one award but an array of awards!! I feel very happy and energetic dears.

I would like to pass this all my blogger friends as am sure these awards will make one feel very brisky and energtic..

KADHAMBA KUZHAMBU/KOVIL KUZHAMBU WITH A TOUCH TO MY ANCESTRAL ORIGIN

The name itself suggests that it’s a mixed vegetable kuzhambu prepared in temples for prasadham. This is a no onion recipe as prepared mostly for divine purpose. Whenever I think of this Kadhamba Kuzhambu, my mind suddenly traces back to my ancestral origin, Srirangam.

Though I have been there only for short periods during festivals and vacations, it has always occupied a special place in my heart.

Being an ancient temple town, Srirangam is formed as a square. With the Ranganathar temple as the central feature, there are 12 streets marking 12 months of tamil calender around the temple which you cannot find anywhere in India. Festivals and utsavams are regular phenomenon here.

Most houses on these streets are quite old and have a distinct architectural style. The houses are long, really long. The breadth differs, from just five feet across to fifty feet across. A huge verandah or a Thinnai in the front is a common feature. The roads are broad and the houses have open spaces jutting the road. This is usually reserved for decorating with massive but intricate kolams.

I love evenings in Srirangam. Mami’s (Aunty’s) of Srirangam finishes all their house chores and sit in the verandah and used to talk blah-blahs…We can also see groups of people doing Veedhi pradakshinam (procession) reciting slokas and mantras. Srirangam often reminds me of RK Narayan’s Malgudi Days.

Vaikunda Ekadasi is observed here with great fervor and fantasy. Lacks of devotees line up to worship Lord Ranganathar during that time. this festival is celebrated for 20 days as 10 days Pagal patthu (before Ekadasi) and 10 days Rapatthu (after Ekadasi). During that time, temple provides food for the people who comes from other places, however, Srirangam people too will have that food as they consider having that food as divine.

On one such occasion, I visited my granny’s place during Ekadesi festival, we joined my granny to have the divine food. There, I was served this Kadamba sadham (rice). It was really divine, I should say. Such a great food I have never tasted in my life after that. There my love started on this kuzhambu. After that I have insisted my mom many times to prepare this. Whenever she prepares, I definitely do not know how much quantity I intake.

After I have got married, luckily my hubby also got attracted to this kuzhambu and he insists me to prepare this nowadays. I will be preparing this mostly during vritha/festive/amavasai (fasting) days.

Letz go for the recipe now..

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin – 100 g (Cut into cubes)

Beans – 50 g (cut in 1 inch long)

Carrot – 50 g (cut in 1 inch long)

Cluster Beans – 50 g (cut in 1 inch long)

Potato – 100 g (peeled and cut into cubes)

Peas (optional) – 1/2 cup

Avarakkai (Valor/Broad Beans) – 50 g

Tomato – 1 medium size (optional)

Tamarind – 1 lemon size (cut into medium 1 inch strips along the width)

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few

Green chilly – 1 or 2

Tumeric powder – 1 tsp

Salt – To taste

TO GRIND

Asafoetida – a small piece

Red chilies – 10 (Adjust according to your taste)

Bengal Gram – 3 tsp

Urad dal – 2 tsp

Toor dal – 2 tsp

Coriander seeds/Dhaniya – 3 tsp

Peppercorn – 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1 tsp

METHOD:

· Heat kadai with little oil and fry the ingredients given in the list “To grind” one by one carefully. Grind this to a fine powder.

· Heat the same kadai with some oil, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add the curry leaves and green chilly.

· Then add the veggies, salt, and turmeric powder. Mix well and close the kadai with a lid.

· When the veggies are half cooked, add the tamarind extract and let it boil.

· When the veggies have become tender, add the ground powder. Make sure no lumps are formed while adding this to the kuzhambu.

· Mix well and keep it in low flame and let it boil for sometime, say for about 5 minutes.

· Once the kuzhambu has become thicken, remove and serve with hot steamed rice. You can also mix this with cooked rice adding little ghee. A teaspoon of gingely oil while mixing will add a yummy taste to it.

I even add Ulunda Vadais to this kuzhambu whenever I prepare this kuzhambu and Vadai together.

AWARDS:

Anusriram of Chandrabhaga , Malar of Kitchen Tantra - tease your palate have passed “Circle of Friends” Award. Thatz so wonderful to think that I’m in their circle even though 1’m new to blogging world. Thanks dears and I will be in your circle always.

Shama Nagarajan of EASY2COOK RECIPES has passed me the “Blogging with Purpose” Award. So cute that she thought about me and have passed this. You can find the purpose of my blog in my “About Me” buddies…

I would like to pass both these awards to
Viki Xavier, Yasmeen, Sanghi, Adlak’s, Vidhas, Mahimaa, n33ma,, Deesha, Madhu ,., Raji, Madhumathi, sowmya, jeyashrisuresh, and Jaishree.

I would like to contribute this award to my kid, Harivatsan, as when he grew up he will definitely be happy that his mom’s recipes and writings will be with him ever…Of course, thatz the purpose of my blogging..