உடன் உறையும் உன்னதம்

                                                    

இமைக்கும் நொடிப் பொழுதில்
 எழிலுரு மறைந்திடுமோ
இமைக்கா இருவிழிகள்
 எனக்கு தரக் கேட்டேன்

பூந்தளிர் நடையினால்
 பொன்னுடல் நொந்திடுமோ
பூக்கள் போர்த்திய
 புதுனிலம் நான் கேட்டேன்

கேளாமல் தரும் முத்தம்
 கண்ணீரை தந்திடுமோ
அன்பு பெருகுங்கால்
 அழாத மனம் கேட்டேன்

கரையும் மணித் துளிகள்
 காலத்தை கரைத்திடுமோ
உறையும் உன்னதமே
  ஓடாத நாள் கேட்டேன் - என்னுடன்
உறையும் உன்னதமே
  ஓடாத நாள் கேட்டேன்
                                                             
                                                                  - தாமரை யோகேஷ்

Sabudhana kichdi (ஜவ்வரிசி கிச்சடி)

         
              This dish is common comfort food in northindia during fasts. Me prefer this dish because it's free from onion & garlic, sounds more saathveegam on fasting days isn't it?  It's interesting that sabudhana is made from kappakizhangu / maravallikizhnagu (tapioca) in tamil, shakkar kandh in hindi. The roots of the tapioca is crushed & stored in the tank.  After few days it becomes like a paste. Then the paste processed through the machinery holes to attain the desired shape.The most available shape in the market is pearl sago. Salem city has a marketing center for sago, Tamilnadu is accounted for over 95% of the India's sago supply  hmm, lets go for the recipe

Ingredients:
                   Sabudhana (Javvarisi)       -    2 cup
                        Peanut                         -    1/2 cup  ( roasted & crushed)
                    green chillis                       -    5
                  curry leaves                        -    few
                  fresh cilantro                       -    handful
                  mustard                              -   1/2 tsp
                 Turmeric pdr                        -   optional
                        oil                                 -    2 tsp


Method:

• Soak the sago for overnight, drain it thoroughly in the morning
• Heat the pan, add oil, add musterd
• When the mustard begins to pop add curry leaves & green chillis
• Add the drained sago , when it turns transparent add the crushed peanut
• Saute for few more minutes finally add cilantro 
• Serve warm

About me

I am a mom of two kids, I hope cooking is  a wonderful art which needs an unique creativity & imagination.Still I remember the first chappathi I made for my husband,if you were able to bite that one I bet you have extremely strong teeth.Those are my worst kitchen nightmares..Now me somehow improved myself like I'm not testing his tooth anymore.So, this blog is a small step towards my passion. Welcome!

sweet potato poli

   

             My mom used to make polis either with chenna dhal or with coconut & jaggery. But me tried this one with sweet potato for karthigai deepam.  When i was a kid we used to preserve our crackers for karthigai deepam. Its like mini deepavali for us. We light up all places like windows, doors, varanda (patio) especially over the rangoli on the entrance. Here me not able to light up on the patio doors,  credit goes to the snow.

Ingredients:

For the dough
                             Maida  flour                  -                   1 cup
                           Wheat flour                     -                   1/4  cup
                            Ravai                              -                   1 tsp
                            salt                                 -                    a  pinch
                             oil                                  -                    2 tsp

For the stuffing
                           sweet potato                   -                   3 medium size  i.e. 11/2 cup ( Boiled & mashed)
                           shredded cocnut              -                   1/4 cup
                           sugar                               -                   1/2 cup
                           cardamom  pdr                -                   1/2 tsp

Method:

• For the dough add the ingredients one by one, kneed it well.
• For the stuffing mix everything together
• Take twice the amount of stuffing for the dough
• Roll the dough for 3"  -  fill the stuffing -  cover from all the side  & roll it again
• Heat the flat pan (thawa)  for high level , fry the poli  each side for 1 minute.
• spread some ghee while frying to enhance the flavor.

Sprouting

sprouted moong dhal, kala dhal & brown rice

  I am not able to visit India after my son born, when he started his solid we missed the sathu maavu kanji of mama's version. So I tried my own version using the available grains in here. Me sprouted all the grains before roasting. Sprouting is an excellent way to reduce the calorie and to increase the nutritional values. The process of sprouting also activates phytase, an enzyme that will help break the phytate bond and dissolve phytic acid. This releases phosphorus, calcium, iron, and other good minerals from their bondage inside the seed. Sprouts are the powerful source of antioxidants such as minerals, vitamins and enzymes. I think this is one of the best food  for our cute pies.

Sprouted moong dhal

Method :

• Wash & soak the dried whole grains in the water for 12 hrs
• Drain the water completely then cover the grains with wet muslin cloth for 3-4 days
• Warm place is good for sprouting..so i prefer conventional oven to keep
• You can see the sprouts even after next day, if you want the tender one, continue the process for few more days.
• Dry roast the grains in the large pan with low flame for 3 to 4 hrs or until it gets crispy. ( I have read that we can use oven @ 35 deg to dehydrate the grains but me not tried yet. You can use the professional dehydrator also )
• Grind it in the mixie then keep it in the air tight container.

Apple tart

  Yesterday my sweet tooth asked me to make some snacks for it,  then only i realized it has been a while since i last tried something new . So me decided to bake something sweet for him. I love baking, they fill my house with the fresh, heart filling smell. Yesterday I bought some apples from formers market, so its a tart day i think. It is easy to make, if you don't have time you can use defrosted pastry as a base. I used honey instead of apricot jam. If you use apricot jam you will get amazing glaze which is missing here.

For the pastry

                             All purpose flour   2 cups

       salt  1/2tsp

      sugar 1tsp

          butter 1stick

                         ice water ,reg amount

For the apples 

                                Apples 4, peeled & sliced

               sugar 1/2 cup

                 butter 1/4 stick

                             apricot jam /honey 3tsp

                

Method

For the pastry mix all blend it until the butter is in the size peas, pour water to get the dough. Kneed & refrigerate for 1 hour.

     Pre heat oven for 400 deg. Place the apple. Sprinkle the sugar & butter. Bake for an hour until the edges of the apple starts to brown

                       When its done remove from the oven & spread the honey/jam. Serve warm or cool

My bead works !

                                                                                                     

As a girl me always fond of  beads.. especially pearls wow they are so adorable. Here are a  few bead works that I have done !

Fruit idly

Ingredients :
                    Idly batter   -   1/2 cup
                         Apple    -   1/2
                       Banana    -    1/2
                        Dates     -    4
                      

Method :

• Peel the apple & banana
• Cut the fruits & grind it
• Mix with the batter 
• Apply gee to the idly pan
• Pour the batter with desired consistency

Fruit paniyaram

Ingredients :
                    Idly batter   -   1/2 cup
                         Apple    -   1/2
                       Banana    -    1/2
                        Dates     -    4
                       Jaggery   -    4 tsp (grated)
                 Cardamom   -    a pinch

Method :

• Peel the apple & banana
• Cut the fruits & grind it
• Mix with the batter 
• Add melted jaggery & cardamom to the batter
• Apply gee to the kuzhipaniyara kal
• Pour the batter with desired consistency

Note : You can add mango, sweet potato, pineapple etc.

Dinner Rolls

These dinner rolls are easy to make & most of the ingredients are handy. i love these pav with my tea if  you like it crispy, preheat oven to 325 deg  bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until it turns light brown. You can try these with any type of burger buns but not with regular breads.

Ingrediants :

                          Yeast                     -     1 pkt (activated)
            All purpose Flour                 -     1 cup
                        Milk                         -    1 cup
                        Egg                          -    2 eggs
                         Salt                         -    1 tsp
                        Sugar                       -    2  tsp
                     Olive oil                      -    3  tsp

Method :

• Activate  yeast by adding 3 tsp of lukewarm water. Set aside for 10 minutes
• Stir with  rest of the ingredients except flour
• Finally add the four
• knead until smooth, let stand for 2-3 hrs to raise double the amount
• Divide in to equal portion keep with 2 inch apart
• Cover it & let it raise again ( 45 min to 1 hr )
• Place in preheated 400 deg oven. Back for 30 minutes.

   
                
                    
                  

Tipz..

• Once bought from the store clean & keep the cilantro in the dried container before refrigerating. Wash it while cooking. 

• Mix 1 tsp oil with ginger garlic paste & keep it in the clean, dried container then refrigerate. You can store it upto two weeks.

• To boil the eggs pressure cook for one whistle.

• While grinding cardamom add 1tsp of sugar to make a fine powder.

 

Rava kheer

Ingredients :

                       Roasted rava                 -    1/4 cup 

                         Jaggery                        -      5   tsp

       Roasted & powdered almond       -      1   tsp

       Roasted & powdered cashew       -      1   tsp 

                         Powdered elachi         -      1   pinch

                                      Ghee              -      1  tsp

Method :

·      Boil 1 cup of water in the pan. Add the jaggery.

·      Once the jaggery melted filter the water ,  keep aside

·      Heat the pan add ghee, add rava fry it slightly

·      Pour the jaggery water add rest of the powders one by one

·      Stir up to the desired consistency

·      Serve with warm.