Tender coconut Tango (for those who do not prefer tender coconut as it is)

 Tender coconut water is a very good medicine for urinary disorders, body heat, indigestion  and helps the body to absorb the other medicines faster. It is an excellent tonic by itself but unfortunately many do not prefer the rather bland and sometimes not so sweet taste of Ilaneer mostly kids who would prefer a Mirinda which is Zero when compared to Ilaneer. This recipe is one of the  way kids could be made to drink Ilaneer . Some people call it Ilaneer Payasam but I have named it Tender Coconut Tango because for the kids to like it , it needs the combination of Ilaneer and Condensed Milk!!(Takes two to tango)

Ingredients :
Tender Coconut water with pulp - Water of 2 coconuts . (Tell the vendor beforehand that you want a "Pulpy" one .
Condensed Milk - 200 ml
Milk at room temperature- 1 cup
Elaichi Powder for flavouring.

Take about 1 tablespoon of the pulp and shred to fine pieces for garnish. Strain the Tender coconut water . Check the remaining pulp for any hard portion of husk sticking to it and remove the same. Put the pulp in blender and blend well to smooth pulp. Add the other ingredients and blend again. Pour in glasses and garnish with shredded "Vazhukkai" (Pulp). Serve chilled.
This may be a better energy booster for kids when they come home after school tired out and you do not need to declare to them about the base of the drink.
Try and let me know.

Thinai Payasam

Thinai is a millet which is widely available. It is called Foxtail Millet. It is a very delicious and tasty millet and I tried Thinai Payasam for Naivedyam during this Navaratri.  Take 1/4 cup of Thinai and soak for 1/2 hr. Cook in pressure cooker with one cup water. Thinai gives volume and so that much water is needed. Cookfor three to four whistles. Take out the cooked thinai from cooker and add to 3/4 lite of boiling milk. Simmer for 15 to twenty minutes. Add 1 cup sugar and 1/4 litre milk and wait till it starts boiling. Take off fire and add cardamom powder. Thinai Payasam is ready

Ubiquitous Idli with a difference

This is a recipe I recently tried . Instead of using Urad fully, I added 1/4 cup barley and 1/4 cup Urad and soaked them for 3 hrs . Soak the idli rice also (2 cups) separately. When grinding, grind all put together and ferment like normal idli batter. the idlis are much softer and spongy. try and see.

Some interesting facts about Barley. This grain has been there from time immemorial and it is learnt that sages like Vasishta and Viswamitra cultivated Barley and consumed the same. 

Paneer creamy spread (for Bread)

This is a yummy protein rich spread, easy to make and even store in the refrigerator and we mostly use it as a spread on Bread or use it instead of butter for Sandwich.

Ingredients :
Paneer 200 gms
Green Chillies 2
Mint leaves - few
Garlic - one or two pods (Optional)
Curd - 2 tablespoons (thick and NOT SOUR)
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1 tsp.
Method: Grate the paneer and grind it in the mixie along with the chillies , mint, garlic and sugar. Add the Salt and curd and whip once more. The creamy spread is ready for use. Children love the taste and it is much better than the ready made spreads.I have not tried this spread with any other dish. If you try, let me know.Enjoy!!

Koozh Kozhakattai (Rice Balls in Gruel)

The above name "Rice Balls in Gruel" was inspired by the fancy names I found in Five Star Hotels for humble recipes like Idli and Vada. Anyway, sounds good and fancy. It's an olden day recipe with minimal ingredients and is filling . It's nice to have them on a rainy day for dinner. I tried them out one day last year and then the recipe is a regular now in our house, at least once a month. Try this for a change.

Ingredients :
Rice Flour - 2 cups
Water  for the balls - 3 cups.
Water for the gruel - 6 cups
Mustard - 1 tsp
Chana dal (kadalaiparuppu) - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 3 to 4
Curry Leaves - few
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tsps
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Coconut grated - 1/2 cups (Optional)
Method :
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or pressure pan or iluppa chatti and  put the mustard seeds and asafoetida. When they crackle, add the chana dal and fry till light brown. Add the chillies and curry leaves and mix for a moment and pour the water meant for the balls (kozhakattais). Add required salt (11/2 tsp approx) and bring to boil. When the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and add the rice flour stirring all the while. When all the water is absorbed by the flour, remove from fire, add coconut and mix well  and let it cool for a while. Make lime sized kozhakattais of the flour. While making kozhakkattais remove the red chillies and keep aside.In the same or another kadai, heat the water meant for the gruel, with 1/2 tsp salt. When the water starts boiling, put the red chillies kept aside and  slip in the kozhakattais one by one. Bring to boil and let it simmer on medium heat till the balls are cooked, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Put off the fire and YIPPEE! THE RICE BALLS IN GRUEL IS READY!!!!.
This is best served in bowls rather than plates. If they are cold, that is eaten after a long time after preparation, it tastes good with buttermilk added to the gruel. It is very hard to resist but very very filling . If fresh coconut is added, it makes the kozhzkzttzis  softer .Try it on a rainy night for dinner and have it hot hot!! Enjoy! 

Side dish for Idiappam - Sodhi

This is one of the tastiest dishes my mother used to make. The main ingredient being coconut milk, in those days when coconut milk was not readily available, Sodhi still was made by my mom whenever "Sevai" was made. "Sevai" was an equally arduous dish to make with one struggling with the "irumbu naazhi" and the maavu had to be ground in the Grinding stone. My mother used to say that her mother picked up this recipe while they had been to Colombo. I have heard of the same dish but with a variation of adding Green gram and calling it "Sodhi Kuzhambu" in Tirunelveli District.
Now that we get "Instant sevai" and "instant" Coconut milk , we can instantly make "Sodhi"
Lets get started. You have to have three cups of very thin coconut milk (3rd extract), two cups of thin coconut milk (second extract)and one cup of very thick coconut milk (First extract) .Small Sambar onions peeled - one cup and potatoes diced into squares are to be added to the third milk along with two green chillies sliced and few curry leaves. Bring it to a boil and when the vegetable is half cooked, add second extract and a pinch of turmeric powder and continue cooking till the vegetables are fully cooked.Add salt to taste . Then pour the very thick milk and take it off from the fire. Add  thejuice  of 1 lime and fresh curry leaves and serve with "Plain Sevai". Very tasty and filling!! If Sambar onions are not available, use one big onion but Sambar Onions are the best bet.

Instant Vellaiappam

Have you ever tried this quick Instant Velliappam? Velliappam is the savoury Kuzhi paniyaram famous in Chettinad. The traditional recipe is made with soaking and grinding rice and urad dal like idli maavu and letting it ferment and making savoury Kuzhiappam. But the instant version is very easy to make when there are unexpected guests or when you suddenly feel like eating vellaiappam. Take 1/2 cup each of Rava (semolina), Maida and Rice flour. Mix them with about 1 cup sour curd and water to make idli dough consistency. In a pan heat three to four tablespoons oil and season with mustard,chillies(2),ginger (1/2 inch piece) and chopped onions (1 big) till the onions are lightly fried. Mix with the dough and prepare kuzhiappams immediately. You can add dessicated coconut also to make the appams softer. Try the recipe and let me know.For this quantity of ingredients, you can get about 15 to 18 appams of medium size.