How to make outer cover for Kozhukattais

To make Poorana kozhukattai for Varalakshmi Viratham or Vinayaka Chaturthi one have to get the outer cover ready first.

 Ingredients:
Processed Rice Flour - 4 cups

Salt - 1 tsp
Water - 4 cups
Gingely Oil - 1 tbsp

 (Water should be taken equivalent to the amount of rice flour)

Method:
In a hard bottom pan add water, salt and gingely oil and when the water comes to a boil add the Processed Rice Flour  slowly stirring constantly. Let the flour not form any lumps. Keep stirring using the back of a laddle so that all lumps can be mashed. Keep stirring untill it forms a lump and when all the water gets absorbed.

Remove from flame and transfer it to a white cloth (preferably soft white kitchen towel or veshti piece) and wrap the whole flour. Wrap it and tie the top. When cold open the cloth and knead the flour again and make it 3 parts.

Take small lump of the dough and rub it to a fine ball. Rub gingelly oil in both the hands before making the ball. Make the ball as a cup. Any kind of Pooranam can be kept inside the cup and folded and steamed in pressure cooker.

Note: To make Thengai Poorana Kozhukattai (Coconut Poorana Kozhukattai), it can be made in the form of Modhakam. For other types of Kozhukattais, both the ends can be closed and sealed before steaming.

Cooked Kozhukattai mavu before it is kneaded well 

Cooked Kozhukattai maavu before it is kneaded well

Kneaded Kozhukattai maavu

Choppus made out of the kneaded cooked maavu

How to make Pulikaichal to make Tamrind Rice

Preparing and storing Pulikaichal will help in making Puliyodharai easily whenever needed.

Ingredients:
Tamrind - 1 tennis ball sized
Salt - (Better Rock salt) 1/4th handful or to taste
Vendhayam(Fenu greek) - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 10 to 12 nos
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece
Mustard seeds - 2 tspn
Gingely oil - 1/4th cup
Bengal Gram - 1/2 cup
Groundnut (Raw) - 1/4 cup
Curry Leaves - 1/4 cup

Method: 
Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract tamarind juice. The juice should be thick. This size of tamarind will give 2 to 3 cups of thick extact. (Alternatively around 12 to 14 tbspns of Tamarind Paste can also be used)

Dry roast methi seeds. Fry 1/4 cup of Bengal gram in 1 tsp of gingely oil along with 6 Red chillies. Grind bengal gram and red chillies together with methi seeds and asafodeita to a fine powder.

Heat pan and add gingely oil to it. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the groundnuts to it and fry it till it turns crispy. Add bengal gram and fry till it turns golden brown. Add the remaining red  chillies and curry leaves and saute it for a few mins.

Add turmeric powder and salt to Tamarind extract (add 2 cups of water to the Tamarind paste) and add it slowly to the pan. Simmer the stove and let the extract boil. When it becomes a saucy consistency add the methi seeds powder and boil it again. When the oil comes out remove from flame. Let it cool and store it in a dry container. If stored outside, it had to be used within 3 or 4 days. It can be used for almost a week to 10 days if stored in fridge.

How to avoid the knife getting blunt

After chopping or slicing tomatoes or pinapples or cutting limes, wash and wipe the knife immediatly so that the knife doesnot go blunt.

How to cook Mashed Rice for infants

One of the best weaning foods that is recommended by most peadiatricians is Rice Mash. It is easily digestible and more hygenic. Many a times, this mashed rice is ground to a fine paste in mixer which is not advisable. It have to be cooked very softly and mashed thoroughly and if it is the first food it can be diluted with breast milk too. 


Ingredients:
Rice - 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method: Wash rice thoroughly and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Remove from cooker and mash it with a flat bottom spoon along with ghee. It have to be of a very fine paste and smooth consistency. Feed it luke warm.

How to Caramalize Onions

Caramalized Onions can be used in any soup and especially French Onion soup. It can also be used in omlettes too.

Ingredients:
Onions big - 2 nos
Butter - 1 tbsp
Cooking Oil - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method to caramalize Onions
Slice the onions to thin strips. Heat a hard bottom pan and when it is very hot add oil and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot add the onions and sprinkle the salt and sugar over it. Keep stirring till the onion turns brown. The entire process will take about 10 to 20 mins.  Ensure that the onions dont stick to the bottom of the pan. When all the slices are brown remove from fire and immediatly transfer it to a plate or bowl to avoid over cooking.

How to make vegetable stock at home

It is one of the basics that every soup lover should know. Especially when it comes to creamy soups, the vegetable stock adds a good flavour to it. Vegetables need to be simmered for upto 45 mins to one hour depending upon the quantity and the number of vegetables used to make this stock. Though the choice of vegetables differ from person to person, there are certain vegetables that need to be added definitely to make a vegetable stock.

Vegetables that could be added to make a vegetable stock:
Onions, carrots, celery leaves, cabbage (if the cooked flavour is not liked, it can be avoided), turnips, pumpkins(white one), tomatoes, mushroom (if earthly taste is needed)

Vegetables that could be avoided
Potatoes, Yams, Red Peppers, Beetroots or any other root vegetables as this might make the stock cloudy and starchy.

Ingredients needed to make Vegetable Stock
Onions - 2 or 3 large
Pumpkin - 1/4 kg
Turnips - 1 nos
Carrots - 3 nos
Garlic pods - 4 nos
Leek - 1/2 piece
Celery stock - 4 or 5 nos.
Sugar - 1 pinch
Salt - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 litre

For masala sachet
Ajwain (Omam) - 1/2 tbsp
Black Pepper corns - 1 tbsp
Clove - 1 or 2 nos
Bay Leaf - 1 nos
Parsely Stems - 2 nos

Method
In a muslin cloth add the products for masala sachet and tie it up tightly. (Better to use cheese cloth). Cut all the vegetables in larger chunks rather than small pieces. In a heavy bottom pan add oil and when hot add garlic pods and thinly sliced onions. When the onions become transparent add all the vegetables and water. Simmer the stove and let the water boil and all the vegetables get cooked to a very soft consistency. Strain through a seive and store it in fridge. This can be used within 4 days. If wanted to use it for longer time, then can be stored in freezer bags and be used.

How to make Tomato Gravy - Basic Gravy Recipe

Almost all North Indian gravies use Tomato gravy as the base gravy. Once this is done adding other ingredients to it and making different kind of gravies or subjis is very easy.

Ingredients :

Tomatoes - 6 nos ripe

Onion - 2 nos

Garlic pods - 6 nos

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Green Chillies - 4 nos

Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Salt to taste

Cloves - 4 nos (optional)

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Method :

In a flat bottom pan add oil and when it is hot add cloves, cardomom and cinnamon. Add finely chopped onions and chopped garlic and fry till it becomes golden brown. Chop the tomatoes and add to the oil. Slit the green chillies into half and add it to the tomatoes along with chilli powder and turmeric.

Heat oil and add cloves, cardomom and cinnamon. Keep the stove sim and let the gravy thicken. Add salt to it. When the gravy becomes deep red in colour and oil starts floating remove from flame.

Alternatively tomatoes can be pureed and added to the onions to make a thicker and even gravy.

Recipe for Chettinad Masala Powder - How to make it at home

Ingredients: 

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Red Chillies - 4 nos

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Ginger - 1/4 inch piece

Garlic - 2 pods

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Cardamom - 1 no

Cloves - 15 nos

Black Kalpaasi (stone flower) - 1 inch

Anise seed -1 no.

Black pepper - 2 tbsp

Curry Leaves - 1/4 cup

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:
In 1 tsp of oil shallow fry the coconut, red chilly, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, kalpasi bark, anise seeds, pepper corns, curry leaves. Grind it to a thick, fine paste along with turmeric powder.

How to make processed rice flour at home

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 2 cups

Water - 1 cup

Method: 
Wash and soak rice for about 20 to 30 mins. Drain the water and spread the rice on a clean cloth under fan. Let it dry for almost 4 hours. Dry them in a mixie to a fine powder. If the powder is not fine, use a sieve to get a fine raw rice powder. One can make about 1 1/2 to 1 34th cups of flour.

This powder can be used to make Karadai, bakshanams like Murukku, Thenkuzhal etc 

Processed Raw Rice flour

Soaked raw rice spread in shade

Photos by Vasan Srini 

Bananas - How to select them and store them

It is always better to choose Bananas that are greenish yellow which will ripe in a few hours, rather than choosing the fully ripe yellow ones. If one wish to choose bananas to keep for 2 or 3 days better get the greener ones. Bananas whether it is the greener ones or the ones that is semi ripe should be firm. The skin should be bright and the peel should not be crushed or soft or cut. Never buy bananas that have their stems or tip cut. Though the size of the bananas does not really matter much, when it comes to certain quality of bananas one should be conscious enough.

The semi ripe or the green bananas should be stored in a place where they will not be affected much and where they will not get crushed. The green bananas should be stored in the room temperature untill they ripen completely. (The greener bananas should not be stored in fridge as they will not help in ripening). But the ripe bananas can be refrigerated.Though the skin will get browned up, the banana will not get mashed or crushed. Once it is removed from fridge, keep it in room temperature before eating.

To store bananas for longer, for more than 2 months, it is better to keep them in ziplock bags. To prevent the pieces from discolouration, it can be sprinkled with lemon juice.

How to make Tomato Puree

When it is tomato season and when they are available in large, one can make tomato puree at home and store it to be used in different gravies, especially North Indian Gravies and also can be used while making Rasams (South Indian Soups which is eaten with rice)

Ingredients:
Ripe Tomatoes - 1/2 kg or 6 nos

Method:
Boil 2 cups of water. When the water boils add the tomatoes. Remove from flame and cover it.
When cool add it to juicer blender (which have the option of straining the waste). Do not add water while grinding. Get a thick paste.

This can be made in large quantities and stored in freezer too for future use.

How to make Chilly Garlic Paste at home?

Ingredients
Garlic Peeled - 100gms

Chillies - 100gms (red or green)

Salt - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Method
Heat oil in a hard bottom Kadai. Add garlic and chillies to the oil when the oil is hot. Fry all of them for 2 mins. Switch off the flame and cover it. Let it cool. Use a small grinder and grind it to a fine paste. Let it cool and store it in an air tight container. This can be kept in fridge and can be used whenever required.

How to make Tamarind Paste at home

Though now a days, we get ready made Tamrind pastes from brands like Homemade or Mallika Home Products, still it is better to prepare our own Tamrind Paste at home. This tamrind paste is helpful for south Indian dishes like Sambar, Rasam, Puli kootu etc.

Ingredients
Tamarind - 1/4 kg
Hot water - 1/2 ltr

Gingely oil - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Method
Soak the tamarind in hot water for half an hour. And when the water is warm enough, use the mixer and grinder to extract the tamarind juice. Don't add more water to grind but grind the tamarind so that you get thick water. Heat a hard bottom pan, add the oil add add turmeric and salt to it and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame and leave till the water is evaporated and till the tamarind becomes thick and is in a paste form. Remove from flame, let it cool. Store it in an air tight container. The extract can be stored in fridge for about half a month. 

How to extract coconut milk?

Coconut milk form one of the main ingredient for many of the Kerala dishes. Coconut milk is not the water that is found inside when it is broken, but it is the extract of the fluid that is obtained by grinding the white pulp.

Coconut milk is served as a side dish for Appam and Idiyappam as a side dish. It is also used to make curries and Biriyani to give an enhanced taste.

Ingredients:
Whole matured coconut - 2 no
Warm water - 6 cups

Method:
Break the coconut into two. Cut the white flesh into small pieces using a knife. Grind the pieces . Add 1 1/2 cups of water and grind for about 3 to 4 mins. It will be better if a juicer extractor is used to grind them if not it have to strained using a strainer. Keep it seperately.

Put the extracted pulp again into the grinder and add 2 cups of water and grind it again. Strain the milk again. Grind the remaining pulp again in the blender adding another 2 cups of water and strain it again.

Keep all the 3 milk extracts separately. Do not mix. The 2nd and 3rd extract are used as an ingredients in soups, curries etc. The first milk  extract acts as a side dish.

Never grind the coconut more than thrice and throw away the waste.

How to make Mango Ice cream at home?

Summer is here and so is the craving for ice creams. And this is the season for mangoes.

Ingredients:

Mango puree - 2 cups
Lemon juice - from one big size lemon
Orange Juice - from two big oranges
Sugar - 1 cup
Fresh cream - 1/2 cup

Method:
Blend sugar, lime juice, orange juice together with mango puree. Refrigerate this mixture for about 15 mins. Blend in the whipped fresh cream and mix it well. Freeze it for about 1 hour. After an hour remove and beat it again. Freeze it again for another 20 mins.

Serve it with ripe mango pieces decorated on top.

How to make Paneer at home

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 ltr
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup

Method:
Bring the milk to boil, while doing so warm the water and after removing from fire add the lemon juice to it. When the milk comes to a boil, pour the lemon juice to it and sim the stove. Keep stirring constantly, to ensue that the entire milk is curdled. Remove from fire and let it cool. Strain through a clean muslin cloth. Keep the muslin cloth under running water and then squeeze out the remaining water. Hang the cloth so that all the Whey drains out. Donot throw the whey. It is rich in proteins. It could be used to make gravies or can also be added instead of wate while making Chappatis.

When you feel that all the water have come off then place the muslin cloth in a plate and keep a heavy weight over it. After 2 to 3 hours it can be removed and sliced. Refrigerate it and use it whenever needed. Make sure you dont store the Paneer more than a week.

How to make Mango Halwa (Using Microwave)

Here comes the summer and also comes the Mango Season. Let me start my recipie list with one of my favourites.
The time taken to prepare and cook this Halwa is 45 minutes. The quantity that I have given here will serve 12 people. Increase the quantity proportionately for more people.

Ingredients:
Ripe mango peel skin and cut into small pieces or mashed into a pulp - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 Cup
Ghee - 1 Tbsp

Method:
Take the mango pulp and sugar in a micro proof casselore or a shallow glass dish and cook in a micro high for 4 mins. The bowl should not be closed. Remove from the oven, mix well and cook in micro medium for 16 mins. Keep stirring in between. Let it cool for 2 mins and mix it well and micro high for another 3 mins. This will help the halwa to thicken. Add the ghee and mix well and let it stand for another 2 mins.

How to make baby corn masala in microwave

Ingredients:
Baby Corn - 1 cup
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 1 no
Onion - 1 no
Onion - 1 big
Jeera - 1 tsp

Method to make Baby Corn Masala in Microwave
Grind coriander leaves, ginger, green chilly, onion and jeera to a fine paste.


In a microwave bowl add the oil and the ground paste and heat it in microwave high for 1`min. Add babycorn, salt and 2 tbsp of water and mix everything well. Cover the bowl with lid and cook for about 6 mins on micro high.

Remove from microwave and add lemon juice. (Add sugar if you like it). Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.