Karthikai Deepam and Neyyappam – Version 2
Today is Karthikai Deepam. From Wikipedia: Karthikai Deepam is a festival of lights celebrated by Tamil Hindus on the full moon day of Karthikai month (November/December), which is observed in every home and in every temple. This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Karthigai (Pleiades) and purnima. This constellation appears as a group of six stars in the firmament in the shape of a pendant from the ear. Many legends and lyrical poetry have grown round this star. The six stars are considered in Indian mythology as the six celestial nymphs who reared the six babies in the saravana tank which later were joined together to form the six faced Muruga. He is therefore called Karthikeya, the one brought up by the Karthigai nymphs. Houses and streets are lit up with rows...
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Chakka Payasam – Jack Fruit Kheer
Jack fruit kheer or Chakka Payasam is a popular sweet in Kerala. The main ingredient of this kheer is Chakka Varatti or Jack fruit Jam. This jack fruit jam is made by cooking steamed ripe jack fruit , ghee and jaggery. It lasts for over an year without loosing its taste. We make Chakka Varatti during the jack fruit season and use it through out the year for making Elai Adai, Chakka Payasam and other sweets. This Chakka Payasam is a simple yet delicious sweet for any occassion or an auspicious day. Here you go… Preparation Time: 15 mins (with ready made chakka varatti) No. of Servings: 4 to 5 Check here for the recipe of Chakka Varatti or Jack fruit jam. Ingredients: Chakka Varatti or Jack fruit jam – 3 tbsp Powdered Jaggery – 1/4 cup Coconut Milk –...
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Raw Mango Pickle
This is one of the easiest mango pickle recipes from my mom. I love mangoes and especially mango pickles. It goes well with curd (yogurt) rice and sambar (lentil) rice. Preparation Time : 20 minutes Spice Level : 3 out of 5 No of Servings: 8-10 Ingredients: Raw Mango : 1 Oil : 2 tbsp Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp Urad dal : 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves : 5-6 Asafoetida : a pinch Red chili powder : 1 tbsp Salt : to taste Method Of Preparation: Chop the mango into cube like small pieces. In a wide bowl add red chili powder, salt and cut raw mango. Shake it well so it will mix together evenly. Heat oil in a small pan add mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Once the seeds sputter remove from heat and add it...
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Idichakka Thoran – Unripe Jackfruit dry Curry
Jackfruit is a fleshy, starchy, fibrous fruit. This is commonly used in Indian Cuisine. ‘Idichakka’ means unripe jackfruit and ‘Thoran’ means fry. Both ripe jackfruit and unripe jackfruit are used for making delicious dishes. Ripe jackfruit can be eaten uncooked. Here in the U.S., fresh and frozen Jackfruit are available in most of the Asian or Global market. From Wikipedia: The young fruit is called Polos in Sri Lanka, and ‘Idichakka” in Kerala. It is a wonderful dish with spices to replace meat curries in Sri Lankan cuisine. The skin of unripe (young) jack fruit must be pared first and discarded and then the whole fruit can be chopped into edible portions and cooked to be eaten. The raw young fruit is not edible.[24] Young jackfruit has a mild flavour and distinctive texture. The cuisines of India, Nepal, Bangladesh,...
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Carrot & Beans Stir Fry (Poriyal)
Carrot and Beans stir fry is one of the easiest stir fries to cook. It’s healthy and you can make it real quick. In South India it’s must to have porial (Stir fry ) in your meal. It’s really easy to make and good for your health too. This stir fry is one of my favorites and I make it atleast once in a week. It goes well with sambar rice, appalam poo kozhambhu etc.. Preparation Time : 30 mins No of servings : 3-4 Spice level : 2 out of 5 Ingredients : Carrot : 3 (chopped into small pieces ) Beans : 200gms (Chopped into small pieces) Green Peas : 1/2 cup (optional) Onion: 1(medium) (Finely chopped) Green Chilies : 3-4 (According to your spice level) Coconut : 1/2 cup (shredded) Oil : 1 tbsp Mustard seeds...
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Thakkali Rasam – Spicy Tomato Soup
Rasam is a comfort food in south India. It’s a very traditional dish and everyone in south India almost used to make it everyday. It is considered as a second main course and can be eaten with white rice. It’s very good for health, because lots of different spices are used in it. You can just drink it like a soup or as an appetizer too. Rasam can be cooked in different ways. Milagu (pepper) rasam, Dal(Lentil) rasam. Preparation Time: 30 mins No of servings : 3-4 Spice level : 2 out of 5 Ingredients : Tomatoes : 2 Coriander Leaves : a handful ( chopped finely) Green chilies : 2-3 Garlic : 2-3 Peppercorns: 10 Cumin seeds : 2 tsp Fennel seeds : 1 tsp Curry leaves : 6-7 Tamarind : lemon sized ball ( if you using...
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Elai Adai – Jack fruit Dumpling
Elai Adai is one of the popular sweets in Kerala. Elai adai is made of jack fruit jam which is called as “Chakka Varatti” in Kerala. This is made using plantain leaf which gives a special flavor to the adai. Jack fruit by itself is tasty. When it is prepared as a jam and added to coconut puran, it is divine. My mouth waters when I think about it. Recently I went to Kerala for a wedding. Such a beautiful place it is. I spent a week there and had a good time. I tasted their food, specially the sweets. It was yummy!!! The Pazha Payasam (Fruit Kheer), Paladai Pradhaman (Milk Kheer), Chakka Pradhaman (Jack fruit kheer), Elai adai, the list goes on…My mother in law makes awesome sweets. She made this Elai Adai specially for me today and...
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Coconut and Rice Kheer – Thengai Arisi Payasam
Kheer or Payasam is an Indian dessert made for festivals and special occasions. Coconut and Rice kheer is popular in South India and I love this kheer just for the combination of rice and coconut cooked in milk. To sweeten this dish, we can add either sugar or jaggery. I prefer sugar to jaggery for this payasam. Finally enhanced with the flavor of cardamom and fried cashew nut. It is a bit time consuming but very simple procedure. Try this and let me know how it turns out. Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours No. of servings: 6 t0 7 Ingredients: Basmati rice – 4 tbsp Shredded coconut – 1/2 cup Milk – 8 cups Sugar – 3/4 cup Cardamom pods – 4 Broken cashew nut – 2 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tsp Method of Preparation: Soak...
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Morkuzhambu
Morkuzhambu (Yogurt and Spiced Coconut Curry) is a popular dish in Tamil Nadu and Kerala (South India). It plays an important role in the traditional wedding menu and festivals. It can be prepared quickly and easily. Vegetables such as okra, colocasia, chayote, squash, winter melon are generally used for making this dish. Cook the vegetable accordingly before adding it to the sauce. Yogurt or buttermilk can be used to make this dish. If you want it to be thick and creamy use yogurt (2% or whole milk). For a less fat version, use low fat butter milk or yogurt. This dish is served with cooked rice and papad or thogayal (chutney). Preparation time: 30 minutes. No. of servings: 6 Spice level: 2.5 out of 5 Ingredients: Plain yogurt – 4 cups Shredded coconut – 3/4 cup (preferred fresh or frozen)...
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Semiya Payasam
Preparation Time : 40 minutes No of servings : 5-6 Spice Level : 0 out of 5 Ingredients: Semiya (Vermicilli) : 1/2 cup Milk : 2 cups Cashewnut : 10 (Crushed) Cardamom (Elachi) : 1/2 tsp Ghee : 1 tbsp Sugar : 3/4 cup For Grinding: Grated Coconut : 1 tbsp Cashews : 6 Method of Preparation: Roast Semiya in a 1/2 tbsp of Ghee and when its turn in to Golden Brown remove it from heat and keep it aside. Heat 1 1/2 cup of water in a heavy Bottomed Vessel and add roasted semiya in to it. When it comes to a boil add sugar, milk, ground coconut and cashew mixture, boil it for 5 minutes and remove it from heat. Fry the cashews in remaining ghee and put it in the above mixture add Elachi/cardamom in...
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