Sweet Jaggery balls (using wheat flour)

I m back after a long uninformed break with sweet wheat flour balls, perfect for weekend breakfast.  When it comes to weekend cooking, I will be bit slow in cooking & finally, it will arround 3 when we have our lunch.  So, I prefer to cook something very heavy for the breakfast.   

Very healthy & heavy  perfect for kids.  Addition of cardamom powder & nuts are totally optional but I would recommend it for ultimate taste.  This dish needs to be served immediately otherwise it will become hard & difficult to eat.

Ingredients :

1. Wheat flour - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 3/4 to 1 cup (Depending on ur sweet)
3. Water - 1 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Cashew nuts (Roasted) - 1 tbsp
6. Ghee - 1 tbsp

Direction to Cook :

1.   Dry roast the wheat flour till light brown in color.

2.   Melt the jaggery in water over low flame & filter it.  

3.   Bring the dissolved jaggery water to boil & add the roasted wheat flour in the middle of the pan.  Do not stir it.

4.   Over a low flame, allow the wheat flour to cook & finally mix it together till u get the required consistency. 

5.   Add the cardamom powder & roasted nuts.  Switch off the flame.

6.   Apply some ghee in the palm & make little balls.  

Serve immediately.

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Sweet & sour mango chutney with cinnamon flavour

I bought some raw mangoes last week.  This time, I wanna to try something new but sweet.  And, finally found some recipes with little modification my dish turned out really superb.  Sweet jaggery, sour mango with a pinch of cinnamon tasted delicious.  I had this with curd rice, rotis & with bread as well.  

Ingredients :

1. Sour raw mango - 1 no
2. Jaggery to taste ( I used little more than 1/2 cup)
3. Water to cook the mango
4. Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Direction to cook :

1.   Peel the skin of mango & cut them into cubes.

2.   Cover & boil the mango in the water till done.

3.   Add jaggery powder & cook for 5 more mins on medium flame.

4.   Finally, add cinnamon powder (or cardamom powder / cloves) & cook till the sauce is thick.

Serve it warm or cold.

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Dried Sundakkai Vathakuzhambu

Vathakuzhambu is most frequently made south indian dish either with fresh / dried sundakkai or with vegetables.  Tangy dish best served with appalam (papad).  Sometimes, I like to have it with curd rice.  Amma makes it with fresh sundakkai & freshly ground vathakuzhambu powder.  Rarely, I make this dish & prefer to use sambar powder for this preparation.  It taste awesome with homemade vathakuzhambu powder.  

Ingredients :

1. Dried sundakkai - handful
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Jeera - 1/4 tsp
7. Onion (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup
8. Garlic - 3 pods (optional)
9. Tomato - 1 no (finely chopped)
10. Tamarind (soaked in water) -  golf sized ball
11. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
12. Chilly powder - 1 tsp (to taste)
13. Sambar powder - 1 tbsp (or vathakuzhambu powder)
14. Salt to taste
15. Jaggery - a pinch

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, jeera (cumin seeds) & curry leaves.  Add finely chopped onion & saute till tender.  Add garlic (optional).

2.   Add finely chopped tomato, turmeric powder, chilly powder & salt to taste.

3.   Add tamarind pulp & water (approx 1/2 cup).  Cook till done.

4.   Finally, add sambar powder, dried sundakkai & jaggery.  Cook for 5 more mins.

Serve with rice.

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Moong dal payasam (paruppu payasam)

My husband likes inviting his relatives to home frequently.  And this time he informed me just half an hour before.  Menu ideas started overflowing & finally I decided to make ghee rice, kuruma & this delicious moong dal payasam.  It never took me more than one hour for my whole preparation yet it tasted great. Moong dal can be substituted with channa dal or combination of both. Addition of condensed milk will makes this dessert more tasty :)

Ingredients :

1. Moong dal - 1/2 cup
2. Water - 1 cup plus  1 tbsp
3. Jaggery - 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Nut meg powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Nuts (Cashewnuts, almonds, raisins) - 1/4 cup
7. Milk -1/2 cup (depending upon the desired thickness)

Directions to cook :

#   Cook the moong dal in water.  Keep aside.

#   Dissolve the jaggery in a tsp of water & filter it.  Keep aside.

#   Heat the pan, add the jaggery & allow it to boil on a lower flame.

#   Add the moong dal & milk.  Allow it to boil. (adjust the quantity of milk based on the consistency you are looking for)

#   Add the cardamom powder, nut meg powder & fried nuts.

Serve warm or cool.

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Sweet pongal (Sakkarai pongal)

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Sweet pongal is the famous Indian sweet prepared during pongal festival. Sprinkling the nuts roasted in the ghee, makes the perfect starter for the special occasion. And, I made this to celebrate my parents anniversary today. There are many variations of sweet pongal and this how my amma makes it. In most of the temples in south India, this type of sweet pongal is served after pooja.

Happy Anniversay dad & mom :)

Ingredients :

1. Rice - 1/2 cup
2. Milk - 2 cups
3. Jaggery - 1/2 to 3/4 cup ( to ur sweet level)
4. Water - 2tbsp
5. Cardamom powder -1/2 tsp
6. Nuts - 1/4 cup (Cashew nuts, raisins)
7. Ghee - 2 tbsp
8. Edible camphor - a pinch

Directions to cook :

# Clean & wash the rice well, add 2 cups of milk & pressure cook them.

# Heat the water in the pan, add the jaggery. Keep stiring continously. Once the jaggery melts, strain them to remove the sand if any.

# In the non-stick pan, add the strained jaggery & cooked rice. Cook on medium heat for 5 min till it becomes thick.

# Meanwhile heat the ghee & fry the nuts. Keep aside.

# Add the cardamom powder, edible camphor in the rice & stir. Switch off the flame & add the roasted nuts and ghee. (Dont stir immediately - standing time : 15 min)

Serve them warm.

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