7 Cup Sweet

For every Diwali one of the sweets will be this 7 cup cake. As the name suggests, the ingredients used are taken in such a proportion of 7 cups.


Ingredients:

Milk Powder- 1 cup
Besan Flour or Gram flour - 1cup
Sugar - 3 cups
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Ghee  - 1 cup

Method:
In a pan heat sugar with just 1/4 cup of water and bring it to a string consistency. Heat ghee, add besan flour, milk powder and grated coconut to it and make a fine paste of it. Add the paste to the sugar syrup mixing it slowly, ensuring no lumps are formed.

Keep stirring untill the whole mixture turns soft and bubbles and comes out of the sides of the pan without sticking.

Keep a greased plate ready. Pour the mixture in the plate and spread well. Make pieces when warm. Delicious 7 cup cake is ready.

Recipe for simple and easy cashew cake

Ingredients:
Cashew Nuts - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups(can alter it according to one's taste)
Milk - 1 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 4 tsp

Method:
Grind cashewnuts to a fine powder. It should not be sticky or oily so have to leave some gaps while grinding it. Mix sugar in water untill it dissolves thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add milk which will remove the impurities from sugar, remove the impurities and reduce the flame. Sprinkle the ground cashewnut powder slowly into the sugar syrup constantly stirring it. Never leave it unattended. Keep mixing and stirring till it comes to a thick form and doesnot stick to the sides of the vessel. Add 2 tsp of ghee and mix well.

Grease a plate with ghee and pour the mixture into it. Spread evenly. When it is cold cut into square or diamond shape as desired.

Mullu Murukku / Magizham poo Thenkuzhal recipe

Ingredients:
Processed Rice Flour - 4 cups
Bengal Gram Dal - 3/4 cup
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Salt - 8 tbsp
Asafodeita solid piece - 1 inch
Butter - 100 gms (unsalted)
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch
Oil for frying

Method:

Mullu Murukku Achchu

Fry moong dal and bengal gram dal separately, till they become golden brown in colour. Grind them to a fine powder and if needed seive them. Mix them together and grind it again so that they blend finely. Soak salt in 1/2 cup of water and let it dissolve completely. Soak asafodeita in 1/4 cup of water.

For 2 cups of rice flour, 1 cup of dal mixture powder is needed. In a shallow bowl add rice flour, dal flours, salt water, asafodeita water, butter, cardamom powder and make a soft dough. Heat oil and squeeze the dough into it using mullu murukku achchu. Turn it to the next side and fry it till it becomes golden brown in colour.

Drain it in tissue paper. Store it in airtight container.

Recipe for Thenkuzhal

For this Urad dal is used.

Ingredients:
Processed rice flour - 4 cups
Urad dal - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Salt - 6 to 8 tbsp
Asafodeita piece - 1 inch
Butter - 100 gm
Oil for frying

Method:

Then Kuzhal plate

Soak salt in 1/2 cup of water and wait till it dissolves completely. Add asafodeita to 1/4 cup of water. In a shallow vessel add rice flour, urad dal, cumin seeds, butter along with salt water and asafodeita water. Make a soft dough by adding water little by little. The dough should not be thick or liquid. It should be soft enough so that it can be easily squeezed using the Thenkuzhal plate.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the dough into the cylindrical tube of the Murukku achchu. Use the thenkuzhal achu to squeeze the thenkuzhal. Donot squeeze the thenkuzhal so close but spread it over the pan. Use the given quantity of butter or ghee.

Never store the mixed dough for a long time. The thenkuzhals will become red if the dough is left for a long time. So mix the dough whenever needed.

Ribbon Pakoda - Recipe for a crispy south Indian savoury

Nada Pakada, Tape are the other names given to this south Indian savoury.

Ingredients:

Processed Rice Flour - 2 cups

Besan Flour - 1 cup

Butter - 100 gms

Oil to fry

Salt - 2 tbsp

Hing - 1 inch piece

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp

Method:

Soak hing in water. Add water to salt to make 1/5th cup of salt water.

In a shallow mixing bowl, add rice flour, besan flour, butter, hing water, salt water and red chilly powder and make it a dough. Heat oil in a shallow pan, reduce the flame when hot and squeeze the ribbon using the ribbon achu. Turn it to the other side. Fry both the sides till they become golden brown in colour. Remove from flame and spread it on kitchen towel to remove the excess oil. Store it in airtight container. 

Note: Do not add salt directly, it will make the ribbon pakoda to splutter and break.

Badam Burfi|Almond Burfi

Very quick and easy to make sweet, if the ingredients are kept ready.

Ingredients:
Badam (Almond) - 250 gms
Ghee - 1 cup
Condensed milk - 1 tin (250 ml)
Milk - 1/5th cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup (optional)

Method:
Soak Badam in hot water for about 10 to 15 mins. Peel the skin and grind it to a fine paste along with sugar and milk. Heat ghee in a hard bottom pan. Mix condensed milk and badam paste together and add it to the hot ghee. Keep stirring till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.

Pour it on a ghee smeared plate and let it cool. Cut into diamond shapes or square shapes.

Badam Halwa|Almond Halwa

Ingredients:
Almonds - 1/2 kg
Sugar - 7 cups
Cashew Nuts - 25 to 30 nos
Cardamom - 12 nos
Pachai Karpooram (edible camphor) - a pinch (optional)
Saffron strands - a pinch
Kesari colour - 1 pinch
Ghee - 1 1/2 cups

Method:
Soak and peel the skin of almonds. Grind it to a very fine paste. Wash the mixer with 1/4 cup of water and add it to the badam paste and make it to a batter consistency. In a hard bottom pan, add sugar and 1/4 cup of water and make a thick 1 string consistency sugar syrup. Add the badam paste to it and keep stirring till both mixes well. In a tbsp of water mix saffron strands and kesari colour and add it to the paste. When the whole mixture starts hardening, add the ghee slowly. (The entire quantity of ghee might be a bit too much, so it have to be added little by little). 

Break the cashewnuts into pieces and fry them in ghee. Add it to the hardening paste and mix well. Grind cardamom to a fine powder and add it to the pan. Crush the edible camphor into fine powder and sprinkle on top of the mixture and mix thoroughly so that it blends in evenly.

When the ghee starts separating from the sides of the pan, remove from flame and spread it in a ghee smeared plate and let it cool. 

Note: The almonds can be ground to a fine paste using 2 cups of water too to enhance the taste. 

Recipe to make Badusha

The name itself suggests that this is the king of sweets. (Badusha means king in Persian).

Ingredients:
Maida - 1 cup
Butter - 50 gms
Ice Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Oil - to deep fry

Method:
Add the butter to maida and knead it to rawa or bread crumb consistency. Add ice water to maida slowly and knead it again. Make fine balls with it (care should be taken so that no cracks are formed in the ball). Make thin chappatis out of the balls. Place 3 chappatis one over the other. Spread butter in between the chappatis. Spread butter on the top chappati and sprinkle 1 tbsp of maida over it. Roll the chappatis to form a cylinder. Seal the ends and cut into pieces. Keep the cut pieces in fridge for 30 mins.

Make balls of the cut pieces and press them and flatten them. Make a hole in the middle and fry it in oil in medium heat. (Care should be taken that the Badusha is immersed thoroughly in oil for consistent frying). 3 to 4 pieces can be fried at one time. Turn them constantly so that both the sides are puffed up and are cooked completely.

In the mean time, in a hard bottom pan make sugar syrup of 2 string consistency. This have to be kept ready before the Badushas are fried. Remove the Badushas from flame and immerse them in sugar syrup. The Badushas have to be well coated with syrup. Remove the Badushas and spread them on wire sheet to avoid sticking to the plate. While the syrup is still sticky a cherry or a raisin or a badam or a cashew nut can be placed for decoration. 

Kaju Kathlee - A very rich recipe made out of Cashew nut

Ingredients:

Cashew Nuts - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Method:

Soak cashew muts in water for about 15 to 20 mins. Grind it to a fine paste. In a hard bottom pan, add water and sugar. Boil sugar and keep stirring to make one string consistency of sugar syrup. Add the cashew paste to it. Add 1 tbsp of ghee. When it forms a dough consistency lump and doesnot stick to the sides of the pan, then remove it from flame and spread it on ghee smeared plate. When cold cut into desired shapes. (Normally it is cut into diamond shape).

How to make Diwali Legiyam

Every Diwali it is a must to take Diwali Legiyam as it will ease out the stomach after eating a lot of sweets and savouries. Though now a days it is readily available in the market, it is something very easy to be made at home too.

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 6 tbsp
Sukku (Dried Ginger) - 1 inch piece (or) 2 tbsp of dried ginger powder
Pepper - 6 tbsp
Thippili (available in shops) - 5 gms
Saunf - 4 tbsp
Ginger Juice - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 2 cups
Ghee - 1/2 cup

Method to make Diwali Legiyam
Fry saunf, cumin seeds, pepper and thippili in dry pan one by one and powder them to a fine powder. Soak coriander seeds in water and grind it to a fine paste. Drain the juice alone using a muslin cloth. Mix that coriander juice with ginger juice and ground powder.

In a pan add 1/4 cup of water and jaggery to make jaggery water. Strain jaggery water so that it is free of impurities. Heat the jaggery water again in the same pan and when it comes to a boil add the mixture and keep stirring. It will harden and start to come out from the sides of pan. Add ghee to it and mix well again.

This can be stored in fridge and used for 20 days.

Recipe for Pumpkin (Damroot) Halwa

A very famous sweet dish. I dont think this is something specific to any particular region of India. But have to do some research.

Ingredients:
White Pumpkin - 2 cups (grated)
Milk - 2 cups milk
Milk Maid - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Khoa- 1/2 cup grated
Cardamom Powder - 1 pinch
Cashew Nuts - 10 to 12 nos
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Kesar Powder - 1/2 pinch

Method:
Squeeze out the excess water from the Pumkin. In a flat hard bottom pan boil milk and when it comes to boil add grated pumpkin and cardamom powder. In 1 tsp of water mix kesar powder and add it to the pan. Keep stirring till the milk gets absorbed by the pumpkin. Add sugar and cook in low flame. Add 2 tbsp of ghee and stir continuously till the ghee gets separated. Add grated khoa to the cooked halwa. The halwa will turn dry when cooked fully.

In ghee fry the cashewnuts till golden brown. Add it to the halwa

Sago Murukku for ICC contest

I am adding this recipe for the ICC contest by Srivalli for the month of March.

I normally make murukku with bengal gram and rice flour. The ingredient that is given is slightly different from what I normally make. But still, I added the extra ingredient to my regular murukku recipe. The extra ingredient is sago which is to be soaked in curd for about 2 hours (I got the bigger variety). My mom said, that instead of using it in the flour mixture grind the soaked sago so that it wont get struck while squeezing the murukku.


Ingredients used as given by Srivalli
Rice Flour  2 cups
Besan flour  1/2 cup
Fried gram flour - 1/2 cup
Sago - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste (rock salt 1 tbsp soaked in 1/4 cup of water)
Curd - 50 gms (half of half cup)(unsour curd)
Chile powder - 1/2 tsp or as per taste (I avoided it)

Ingredients I added:
Moong Dal flour - 1/2 cup
Jeera - 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Butter (unsalted cooking butter) - 1/4 cup
Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece(soaked in water)salt water, asafodeita water


Used Sundrop lite oil for frying.


Method to make Sago Murukku:

In a shallow basin, I added rice flour, bengal gram flour, fried gram flour, moong dal flour, Cardamom Powder,Jeera, Salt water, Asafodeita water, butter and blended all together. Then I added the ground Sago paste. Added a little more water to make the dough to a soft ball like. Using the Mullu Murukku achu I squeezed the murukkus in hot oil. When they were golden brown I removed from flame.

Usage of butter and the curd bought out crispy murukkus.

Recipe for coconut Burfi

Ingredients:
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 cup
Cashewnuts - 12 cut into small pieces and fry it in 1 tbsp of ghee.

Method:
     In 1/2 cup of water dissolve sugar and let it boil, Bring it to thick one string consistency. Add the grated coconut to it slowly. Keep stirring and add the ghee little by little. Both the sugar and coconut should get mixed up well and should get hardened. Bubbles should form on the top and the mixture should leave the sides of the vessel. Before removing from flame add the cashewnuts and mix well. Remove and pour it in ghee greased plate. When warm cut into pieces. When cold remove the pieces and store in a clean dry container.

Recipe for Rabadi

Tired of making the regular payasams for Diwali? Try out this Rabadi, which will sure become a great hit in your family.

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 ltr
Sugar - 100gms
Badam - 20 to 25
Melon seeds (Saarai Paruppu) - 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder from 4 to 6 nos
Saffron Strands - a pinch

Method:
Soak the Badaam in warm water and peel the skin. Grind the Badaam along with cardamom. Add it along with milk and sugar and boil it. When thick remove from flame and let it cool. Refrigerate it and serve it cool. Sprinkle Melon seeds and saffron strands and serve.

Recipe for Carrot Burfi

Ingredients:
Grated carrot - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 cups
Milk - 2 cups
ghee - 1/4 cup
Besan flour - 1/2 cup
Khova - 100 gms
Cardamom Powder - 2 pinches

Method:
    In a hard bottom pan, add carrot, sugar and milk and when the mixture comes to a boil add the khova and stir well. When the khova gets mixed thoroughly, add the besan flour (heat ghee in a vessel and add the besan flour to it and make it a fine paste) and when everything gets hardened up and leaves the sides of the vessel, remove from flame and spread on a ghee greased plate. Cut into pieces when cold.

Mysore Pa or Mysore Pak recipe

Ingredients:
     Besan Flour - 1 cup
     Ghee - 2 cups
     Sugar - 2 cups
     Water - 1 cup

Method:

      Heat 1 cup of ghee in a vessel and add the besan flour to it and make it a paste. In a hard based pan, add 1 cup of water and when warm add the sugar to it and stir well till it reaches thick one string consistency. Add the besan ghee paste to it and keep stirring without taking hands off. Keep adding the remaining one cup of ghee little by little. When it starts bubbling and changes into white in colour and leaves the sides of the vessel, pour it in a ghee greased plate and spread it evenly. When warm cut into square pieces. When cold remove and store it in a clean and dry container.

Chakkari Paagu

Besan Flour mixed in Ghee

Besan flour poured in the pan

Keep stirring till it comes out of the sides

Poured in ghee greased plate

Ready to pour

Badam Kathlee

Ingredients:
Almonds - 1/4 kg (soak overnight and peel the skin)
Powdered sugar - 1/4 kg
Milk - 2 tbsp
Saffron Strands - a few

Method:
Wash the almond throughly after peeling it to remove the brownness. Grind it to a fine paste using milk. Mix the sugar powder to the ground paste and in a hard bottom pan cook the mixture stirring constantly using a large spatula. Do not stop stirring even if it splatters. Keep the stove in low flame, and keep stirring untill the mixture forms a soft lump and leaves the sides of the pan. Spread the cooked mixture in a ghee greased pan and roll it with a rolling pin. When warm, put slices. Decorate each slice with one or 2 strands of saffron. Can also place one or a half of badam on each piece. Remove and store when cold.

One can also make Burfi and Rolls using Badaam.

Home made Choclate

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 ltr or 1 small tin milkmaid
Maida - 1/2 cup seive well
Butter - 1/2 cup
Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 kg or Powdered Sugar (1/2kg)

Method:
    Powder the sugar mix it with butter thoroughly to make a paste. Mix maida and cocoa powder and add it to milk. In a hard bottom vessel, pour the mixture and keep stirring until the mixture leaves the sides of the vessel. Pour it in a ghee smeared plate and when cold cut into pieces. 

Recipe for Badam Cake (பாதாம் கேக்) in Tamil

இந்த முறை தீபாவளிக்கு வழக்கமான ச்வீட்டன mysoorepakஇல்லாமல் வேறு எதாவது செய்யலாம் என யோசித்த பொழுது பாதாம் கேக் செய்யலாம் என தோணி அதற்கு தேவையான சாமான்களையும் வாங்கி வந்தேன். பாதமை ஊறவைத்து தூள் உரித்த அப்பறம் தான் நான் செய்ய நினைத்திருக்கும் முறை சரியா என சந்தேகம். அதனால் உடனே என்னுடய ஒர்படிக்கு போன் செய்தேன். அவர் சொல்லி குடுத்த முறையில் செய்து பார்த்தேன். நானே எதிர்பார்க்காத அளவிற்கு நன்றாக வந்தது.

தேவையானவை:
பாதாம் - ஊற வைத்து தோல் உரித்தது 300 கிராம்
முந்திரி - நூறு கிராம் (ஊற வைக்கவும்)
தண்ணீர் - ஒரு கப்

செய்முறை:
முந்திரி பாதாம் இரண்டையும் நன்றாக மையாக அரிது கொள்ளவும். அரைத்த விழுதை அளந்து கொள்ளவும். ஒரு கப் விழுதிற்கு முக்கால் கப் சர்க்கரை எடுத்து கொள்ளவும். சர்க்கரையை அடி கனமான பாத்திரத்தில் போட்டு தண்ணீர் ஊற்றி கொதிக்க விடவும். கம்பி பாகு பதம் வந்ததும், அரைத்த விழுதை சேர்த்து கை எடுக்காமல் கிளறவும். அந்த கலவை பாத்திரத்தில் ஒட்டாமல் வரும் பொழுது இரண்டு ஸ்பூன் நெய் ஊற்றி கிளறவும். அடுப்பை அனைத்து அந்த கலவையை நெய் தடவிய தட்டில் கொட்டவும். மைசூர் பாகு, தேங்காய் பர்பி போல் சூடாக இருக்கும் போது வில்லை போட வரவில்லை. சிறிதளவு ஆறின பிறகு வில்லை போட வந்தது. சுவை அபாரம்.

You will not be able to put pieces untill it hardens.

Recipe for Easy Badaam Halwa

Badam Halwa is always regarded as the king of sweets. Here is a very easy method to make it at home

Ingredients:

Almonds, soaked, peeled - 200 gms
Powdered Sugar - 120 gms (or as per your taste you can increase or decrease it)

Method:

Grind the almonds into a very fine paste using 1 or 2 table spoons of milk. (The paste should not be liquidy. In a shallow heavy pan mix the sugar and almond paste and put it in heat and cook.Stir continuously. Add two tablespoons of ghee. Make sure that it does not stick to the bottom. The entire paste should become soft and form lumps. When the lump leaves the sides of the pan remove from fire and let it cool and set.You can make this into balls, or spread in a plate and cut them into pieces.