Creme Caramel

Milk-250ml
Cream-1/2cup
Eggs -2
Sugar-4tbsp
Vanilla essence-1/2tsp
Sugar-1/3cup
Water-1/4cup

• Pre heat oven to 150 degree C

• Boilsugar and water in a sauce pan over medium heat.Stir until the sugar has transformed into dark brown color.Quickly pour caramel into the baking dish.

• Put milk and creme in a sauce pan over medium heat.Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved.Remove from heat

• Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl.Gradually add hot milk and beat until just combined

• Pour the creme mixture into the bowls.
• Place these bowls in an oven safed pan which has enough boiling water to come half way up the side of the bowls.

• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until  a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Vanpayar Curry / Red gram Curry

1.Redgram (Vanpayar)-1cup
2.Onion (sliced) -1  
   Pearl onion-1/2cup
   Tomato (sliced) -1
   Ginger (chopped)-1tsp
   Garlic (chopped) -1tsp
   Green chilly-2
   Coconut flakes (thenga kothu) -1/4cup
4.Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp  
   Chilly powder-1tsp  
   Coriander powder -2tsp  
   Garam masala -½tsp
5.Coconut oil -2tbsp  
   Dry red chilly -2  
   Mustard seed -1tsp  
   Curry leaves -a few  
   Pearl onion(chopped)-3

• Soak redgram in water for 5-6 hours. 
• Pressure cook it adding enough water,turmeric powder onion ,pearl onion,tomato ,ginger ,garlic,green chilly,coconut flakes and salt. 
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.When they splutter,add red chilly,onion and curry leaves. 
• Fry till brown and add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garammasala .
• Add cooked chickpeas along with water .Mix well and adjust salt and water.
• Cook until thegravy thickens.
• Serve with puttu, chapathi, upma,etc.

Easy Palappam

Raw rice/Basmati rice-2 cups
Cooked rice-3/4 cup
Thick coconut Milk-3/4 cup/Coconut milk powder-3tbsp
Water
Yeast-1/2 tsp
Luke warm water-1/4cup
Sugar-2-3 tbsp 
Salt 

• Soak rice in water for 2-3 hours.

• Soak yeast in luke warm water for 10-15 minutes.

• Grind all the  ingredients together to a fine paste.Add water if needed.

•  Allow the batter to ferment for 6-8 hours.

• Heat a non sick appachatti.Pour a laddleful of batter and swirl the pan around,spreading the batter to the sides of the pan.

• Cover with the lid and cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Slowly remove the appam from the pan.
• Serve with stew,kadala curry,chicken curry,etc

Nadan Mushroom Curry

Mushrooms-200 gms
Onion(sliced)-2medium
Ginger(chopped)-1tsp
Garlic(chopped)-1tsp
Green chilly(sliced)-2
Tomato(sliced)-1
Turmeric Powder-1/4tsp
Chilly Powder-1/2tsp
Coriander powder-1tsp
Pepper Powder-1/2tsp
Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
Thin coconut milk-1/2 cup
Thick coconut milk-1/2 cup
Coconut oil-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Curry leaves    

• Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.Add onion,ginger, garlic,green chilly and curry leaves.Fry onions till translucent
• Add masala powders and fry for a minute.
• Add chopped tomatos ,mushrooms ,thin coconut milk and salt.Cover and cook on medium flame for 6-8 minutes. 
• Add thick coconut milk and allow it to a boil.Remove from heat.
• Serve with appam,chapathi,rice and paratha.

 

Soft Ghee Mysore Pak

Besan flour/Gram flour/Kadalamaavu-1&1/2cup
Ghee-2cups
Sugar-2 cups 
Water-1/2 cup 

• Sift the flour.Add 1 cup ghee to the besanflour and mix well without any lumps.Set aside

• Heat sugar and water in a thick bottomed pan and boil till it forms a single thread consistency..

• Now slowly add the ghee-besan mix to the pan and cook over medium heat while stirring it continuously.

• Add the remaining ghee to the mixture little by little and continue stirring.

• When it starts leaving the sides of the pan but is still in liquid state (10-12 minutes) spread into a greased tray.Cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife.

• Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Happy Diwali

Gujiya (Pastry Stuffed with Coconut and Semolina)

For the Pastry
Maida-1&1/2 cup
Ghee-2 tbsp
Salt
Water


For the Stuffing

Semolina/Rawa-1/2cup
Shredded Coconut-1/2 cup 
Broken Cashewnuts-1/2 cup
Sugar-1/2-3/4cup
Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp

• To make the pastry, mix the flour and ghee, adding water little by little to make a semi-stiff dough. Cover and set aside.

• Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashewnuts and raisins.Add semolina and fry until light brown and aromatic. Add coconut and fry for a minute. Remove from heat and add sugar,cashewnuts,raisins and cardamom powder.Mix well and set aside.

• Divide the dough into lemon sized balls. Flatten each ball into a round disc using a rolling pin.  Spread a spoonful of stuffing on to one of the rolled discs. Fold and seal the edges with a fork.
• Heat oil in a kadai, fry  gujiyas till golden brown on both sides. Store in an airtight container when cooled.

Thenkuzhal Murukku

Raw rice-1cup
Black gram dal(uzhunnu parippu)-1/4cup
Butter-2tbsp
Cumin seed-1tsp
Black sesame seeds-1tsp
Asafoetida powder(kayapodi)-1/4tsp
Warm water-1/2-3/4cup
Salt
Oil

• Soak rice in water for 3-4 hours.Drain and spread on a cotton cloth to absorb the excess moisture.
• When its dry, grind them in a mixer into a fine powder.
• Heat the powder in a pan for 5 minutes and keep stirring it while its heating.Cool the fried rice flour.
• Fry the black gram until light brown.Grind it into a fine powder.
• Make a firm dough with rice flour,black gram flour,butter,cumin seeds,black sesame seeds,asafoetida powder,salt and warm water.Cover and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 4-5equal parts.Fill the murukku press with this dough ( use 3 hole round plate)

 

• Prepare murukkus in a circular motion on the back side of slightly greased ladles.

• Heat oil in a kadai.Drop the murukku carefully into the hot oil.Deep fry over medium-flame till crisp and golden in color.
•  Drain and place in the kitchen tissue.Store in an airtight container when cooled..

 

..

Kala Jamun with milk powder

 1.Milk powder-1cup
    All pupose flour-3tbsp
    Baking Soda-1/4 tsp
    Ghee-2 tbsp
    Milk-1/2cup
2.Sugar-1&1/2cup  
   Water-1 1/2cup  
   Crushed Cardamom seeds-5
3.Cardamom powder-1/2tsp
   Sugar-1tsp
   Green food color-a pinch
4.Refined oil/Ghee

• Mix sugar,water and crushed cardamom seeds in a pan.Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.Set aside.
• In a bowl,add milk powder,all purpose flour and baking soda.Mix well.Add 2tbsp ghee and mix it with dry ingredients.
• Add milk little by little and make a softdough.
• Take one fourth portion of the dough in another bowl.Add cardamom powder ,sugar and green food color.Mix well.
• Cover and keep it aside for 25-30 minutes. 
• Divide each dough into 10 equal portions.Shape into smooth balls.
• Flatten white dough with your palm and fill it with green dough.Cover it and roll it into a cylindrical shape.
• Heat refined oil/ghee in a kadai and fry jamuns till the color becomes dark brown. 
• Add fried jamuns into the warm syrup.The balls should soak in the syrup for at least 2 hours before serving.

.

Moong dal Ladoo

I have adapted this recipe from Chithra's blog -Ratatouille-Anyone can cook


Moong dal-1/2 cup
Sugar-1/2cup
Ghee-1/4 cup
Cardamom-3 

• Dry roast moong dal on medium flame till you get a nice aroma.
• Grind moong dal with sugar and cardamom into a fine powder.Sieve the flour and set aside.
• Melt ghee and add to the mixture .Make balls tightly when it is warm.
• Store in an airtight container.

Avalunda (Rice flakes Ladoo)

Rice flakes-1&1/2cup
Shredded coconut-1/2 cup
Jaggery-150gms
Water-1/4cup
Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp
Dry ginger powder-1/2 tsp

• Heat a heavy bottomed pan and dry roast rice flakes until crispy.
• In the same pan roast coconut until crispy and light golden..
• Grind coconut and rice flakes into a fine powder.
• Melt jaggery in water and cook till it thickens (one thread consistancy)
• Remove from heat and add ground rice flakes coconut flour,cardamom powder and dry ginger powder.Mix well with a wooden spoon..
•  When the mixture is touchable yet still warm ,shape into lemonsized balls.
• Store in an airtight container.