Pori Urundai

Karthigai Deepam Wishes to you all.
Hope everyone havin fun lighting up Deepam, candles at home. It is an exciting festival for us in childhood (Even Now). We will be expecting this day from deepaavali and preserve some night crackers. And it is another Festival with lots of eatables. Mom will be preparing  "kozhukattai vilakku", rava appam,vadai, and other snacks to offer.

Though we cannot do much outside here, we are lighting few candles and Oil lit lamps at home safely. :)

Now lets move on to today's Recipe. No karthigai deeapam gets fulfill without these Pori Urundai.
It is really simple to make.

Ingredients:

Pori / Puffed Rice - 2 cups
Jaggery powder- 1/4 cup
Water - 1/8 cup or little less than 1/4 cup (just to immerse jaggery)
Elachi powder - 1 pinch
Dry ginger / Sukku powder - 1 pinch
Ghee - 1 tsp (to grease palms)

Preparation:

1. Check for any impurities in Pori, clean it and keep aside.
2. In a large pan/Kadai, add jaggery and water and let it boil.
3. In the mean time, heat another pan and slightly dry roast the Pori. Do not change color, just a min or two will be sufficient. Transfer to a plate and let it cool down.
4.Now check the consistency of Jaggery mix, If you put a drop of it in water, it should not dissolve, that is the rite consistency.
5. Add pori to the jaggery mix and switch off the flame. Stir well and quick.
6.Make sure the jaggery is coated well on the Pori.
7.When it is hot / warm itself, grease your palm with ghee and make balls.

Store them in air tight containers.

Notes:
1. You need to be real fast to make the balls, So if you are new making this, first make in little quantity as mentioned. If you have a helping hand to make balls, you can increase the quantity for sure. I am comfortable with this quantity so I go with this.
2.Adding Sukku powder is optional, But we used to add sukku in almost all Jaggery based recipes.
3.Frying pori is optional, but it gives crispiness for longer time.

Sweet Wheat Dosai

In my school days, sometimes mom prepares this dosai for evening snacks. This can be prepared quickly and easily with the ingredients available at home. Few days back I prepared this as after school snack for my daughter. she tasted it for first time and loved it.
It is rich in fiber and Iron as we add jaggery.

Lets see how to prepare it.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Jaggery powder - 1/3 cups
water - 1 cup
elachi powder - 1 pinch
Dry ginger powder / sukku powder - 1 pinch
cashew nuts - 1/2 tbsp ( chopped)
grated coconut -1 tbsp
ghee -2 tsp


Preparation:

1.Add Jaggery, sukku powder with water and bring to boil. (no need of string consistency)
2.Add elachi powder, flour and jaggery water and mix to a batter consistency
3. Now roast cashews, coconut in a tsp of ghee and add it to the batter.

4. Now heat the pan and make small and thick dosai (like oothappam thick)
5. Sprinkle little ghee on the edges and cook well on both the sides.

Serve Hot or warm.

Tips:
1.Always keep extra 1/2 cup of hot water ready. In case if the jaggery mixed water is boiled for little long time that wont be sufficient to have batter consistency.
2.Instead of grated coconut, tiny coconut pieces can be added.
3. The ratio given is medium sweet, adjust according to your taste.

Linking this post to Varada's event

Peanut Balls/ கடலை உருண்டை

GroundNut / Peanut - Ground nut / peanut balls- Another Back to school snack recipe.Which is healthy and easy to make in minutes. Peanuts are good source of protein, and rich in magnesium iron and calcium, which are playing essential part in our kids growth. We love to eat it in any form. weekly once I make Steamed Peanuts in season, and try to add in the recipes like upma, and variety rices. So some how, we consume these nuts more often.

Made these balls too for Ganesh Chathurthi this year. As we were starting to a long trip on the same night, I could not post the recipe. Even after coming back some how missed these to post. So here the recipe for you.

Ingredients:

Ground nut / peanuts(without skin) - 1 cup (roasted / non roasted)
Jaggery powder- 1/2 cup
elachi powder - a pinch

Preparation:
1. If you use the roasted ones, just roast it for a minute. Just to make sure it doesnt have any moist in it. and keep aside. If it is non roasted, roast it in simmer until the nuts are roasted well in all sides.
2. Let it cool down completely.
3. then add it to the mixer and make it to powder, when it is half done, add jaggery and elachi powder, and powder it.
4.Spread it in a plate and make balls out of it.
5.Store it in air tight container and serve

Notes:
1. Non- roasted means not the fresh ones in shell. It is the dry de-shelled peanuts.
2. I prefer roasted peanuts for this, as it gives a fine powder consistency.
3. I have used non roasted as the roasted ones were not in stock.
4. You can make it to a fine powder or leave some crunch to much as i did.
5.Jaggery quantity, 1/3 cups will be sufficient if you do not want it to be too sweet.. (Mine is sweet tooth as you know :)))

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Ellu Urundai / எள்ளுருண்டை

I was just checking the pics in my laptop today and found the pics of Ellu Urundai.. So thought of sharing it today.I have made these during Ganesh Chathurthi and dint get time to post it...  Ellu / Sesame is good for health if it taken in right quantity. Especially for children I prefer these kind of snacks instead of store bought ones.

You can consider ellu urundai for after school snack for kids. I still remember the ellu urundai which my aunt brings, when she visits us. Those were made using "ural - ulakkai" and the taste is unbeatable.

 I prefer making them in small quantities and making them fresh often instead of storing for more days.

Ingredients:

Sesame (black / white / brown) - 1/2 cup
Jaggery powder - 1/4 cup
Elachi powder - a pinch (optional)

Preparation:

1. Dry roast sesame and cool it down
2. In mixer jar add roasted sesame and pulse it for 10 seconds then add jaggery, elachi powder to mixer grinder and run for another few seconds or until they blend and powder well.
3. take the mix in a plate and make them as required sized balls, and store in air tight container.

You can just make these yummy balls in your afternoon leisure time and treat your family with Nutrients.
Notes:
1. Make sure to roast the sesame until it sputters, do not burn. roast in low flame
2. Let it cool down completly, otherwise when it mixed with Jaggery, it will start melting and the right texture would not be attained.
3.In-take in right quantity. Not suitable for pregnant ladies.

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Seeval / சீவல் / வறுவல்

This year Diwali is having more ribbon pakoda varieties at our home.  This is quiet famous snack in my hometown. Sevu( சேவு) & Varuval (வறுவல்) are like twins. When we visit our native, these two savory items will be in our list to get for sure.
Though there are several methods to prepare this, i feel this method is easy and promising. So i am stick to this.

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups
Friend gram - 1/2 cup
Red chilies - 2-3 (you can increase if you like it more spicy.)
Garlic - 2 gloves
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ajwin / omam -1 tsp
Pottukadalai - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per taste
perungayam - a pinch
Hot Oil - 3-4 tbsp
Oil  to deep fry

Preparation:
1. In grinder, add Red chilies and gloves and grind for 3-4 mins. (If it seems to get not grinding also no worries, it will be ok when adding rice)
2. Then add soaked rice, cumin seeds and grind as fine paste, by adding required water. Add salt, perungayam a minute before switching off the grinder.
3. in the mean time, grind Fried gram(pottu kadalai) in mixi into a fine powder and sift and keep ready. (it makes approx 3/4 cup of flour)
4. transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and add, Ajwin, sesame seeds, ground fried gram flour and mix well.
5.Add hot oil and knead well like murukku dough. (No need to be too tight)
7. Use the Ribbon pakoda disc, fill and press in hot oil.
8. Deep fry until the seeval stops the "hiss" noise in hot oil  . Make sure it is cooked well.
Store in Airtight container and serve.

Notes:

1. As the ribbon pakoda disc has the thin holes, it will get blocked if the cumin seeds are added,
So it is suggested to add the cumin seeds while grinding.
2.Using hand mortar, crush the ajwin seeds and add to avoid blocking the hole .
3. Do not miss to add the garlic, it gives the nice flavor
4. Try to grind the batter with less water. Add some extra powdered fried gram flour if the seeval absorbs more oil.
5. the dough need not to be too tight. It can be little flexible. So the seeval will be thin and light.
6. This one is crispy seeval, if you want a soft seeval, increase the fried gram flour ration to 1:1, or add gram flour.

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Olai Pakoda / Ottu pakoda (ஓலை பக்கோடா / ஓட்டு பக்கோடா )

Hope you all are busy preparing diwali snacks. I am also busy making the snacks, As I have less time, i am doing only the easy recipes. I am trying to share the recipes which are easy to make with less ingredients. Hope you have checked my Thukkada, Butter Murukku, Omapodi, Wheat Ribbon Pakoda recipes which i posted for this year diwali:) you can find the recipies here... Today I am gonna share Another Version of Ribbon Pakoda.

The disc which we use for this has little fat hole in it. This snack might have got this name by its shape.It is almost similar to the regular Ribbon pakoda / Seeval, except few steps and few ingredients.

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups (soak for 3-4 hrs)
Red chilies - 2-3 (you can increase if you like it more spicy.)
Garlic - 2 gloves (optional)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ajwin / omam -1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 or 2 tsp
Pottukadalai - 1/2 cup
Gram flour - 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup
Perungayam - a pinch
Salt - as per taste
Hot Oil - 3-4 tbsp
Oil  to deep fry

Preparation:
1. In grinder, add Red chilies and gloves and grind for 3-4 mins. (If it seems to get not grinding also no worries, it will be ok when adding rice)
2. Then add soaked rice, cumin seeds and grind as fine paste, by adding required water. Add salt, perungayam a minute before switching off the grinder.
3. in the mean time, grind Fried gram(pottu kadalai) in mixi into a fine powder and sift and keep ready. (it makes approx 3/4 cup of flour)
4. transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and add, Ajwin, sesame seeds, ground fried gram flour and mix well.
5. Now add the gram flour little by little and knead tight.(1/2 cup would be sufficient, in case if your batter is watery, it may need little more flour)
6.Add hot oil and knead well like murukku dough.
7. Use the Ottu Pakoda disc, fill and press in hot oil.
8. Deep fry until the pakoda turns golden brown. Make sure it is cooked well.
Store in Airtight container and serve.

Notes:
1. Try to make the straight press, avoid folding ones, as it wont cook evenly.
2. Adding garlic is optional but recommended, it gives a nice flavor, and good for digestion.
3. you can either add the cumin seeds while grinding or add them while adding ajwin and sesame seeds.
4. try to make the batter thick while grinding, so you can have the right ratio of rice, gram flour, or the gram flour will be dominating the taste.

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Wheat Ribbon Pakoda

Another Diwali Recipe is here. If you are looking for an alternate from Rice based snack it would really attract you. Wheat is most suitable for everyone, not only for Diabetic people,. it is good for all ages.  Wheat Ribbon Pakoda is an easy snack with less ingredients. You can try this for this diwali :)

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Ajwin seeds / omam - 1 tsp
salt - as per taste
ghee - 1 tbsp
Water - as required to knead dough

Oil - to deep fry

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except water and ghee and mix well
2. Add Ghee and mix with the flour
3. Now add water little by little and knead as chapathi dough.
4. Grease the Murukku press, and fill the dough in it. Use the ribbon pakoda disc.
5. Heat oil and press the ribbon pakoda, and deep fry until it turns slight brown and the "hiss" sound reduces in oil.
6. Store in Air tight container and use.

Notes:
1. As it is not spicy, kids will love it.
2. Suitable for all ages.
3. If you want this spicy, you can add chili powder while kneading. But while frying it will turn brown fast. So cook in medium to low flame.

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Omapodi (ஓமப்பொடி)

Another Diwali Recipe is here.. :) It is one of the easiest snack to make. Every time when we prepare Murukku kind of snacks, we prepare these crunchy omapodi also. It is most suitable for kids. Mostly this would be the first snack introduced to the kids in most of the families.

Ingredients:

Gram flour (kadalai mavu) - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Omam - 1 tsp
Butter / oil - 2 tsp (in room temp)
Water - as needed
salt- as needed
Oil - to deep fry

Preparation:

1. Sift gram flour, rice flour , salt together and keep aside.
2. In a hot pan dry roast Omam seeds until the aroma comes, then soak in 1/4 cup of water for few mins.
3. Then Drain and mix the omam water with Gram flour mix.
4. knead well adding butter.
5. Using omapodi/idiyappam disc, press in a circular motion and fry the omapodi in oil.
6. Drain in kitchen towel and store in air tight container.

Notes:

1. Do not press for more layers, it may burn the lower layer soon. press 2-3 layers, flip and fry.

Butter Murukku

In childhood days, love to watch these murukkus in the bakery thro those glass jars. My parents wont buy murukku from shops, as my father was so good in making them at home. It was his interest to learn new varieties of snacks to make at home. It used to be so perfect in shape as well as taste. Even if something goes wrong while trying new recipes, he used to handle it well. During diwali snacks preparation, we all used to help mom to make more varieties. Dad used to take care of these savories, and i help mom to prepare rava ladoo or other sweets. Those are sweet memories. :)

This specific butter murukku doesn't need more ingredients as well as no need to spend much time in preparing.  Even I used to prepare this for weekend / evening snacks.

Ingredients:

Rice flour / Idiyappam flour - 1 cup
Gram flour / powdered fried gram - 3 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
jeera, ajwin, sesame seeds - 1.5 tsp each (optional)
perungayam / hing - a pinch
Oil - to deep fry
salt - to taste
Water - as needed

Preparation:

1. In a vessel, sift the rice flour, gram flour , salt, perungayam and keep aside
2. Add butter and mix with the flour.
3. Add Jeera, ajwin, sesame seeds and mix with the flour.
4. add water little by little and mix as idiyappam dough.
5. Heat oil in kadai, Using murukku press and star shape disc, Press on heated oil and deep fry murukkus.
6. drain in paper towels and store in a airtight container

Perfect tea time snack as well as diwali snack is ready to taste.

Notes:
1.When the murukku reduce bubbling and flots on top, you can remove from oil.
2. While kneading the dough i prefer to use warm water. But even with normal water it comes out well.

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Thukkada (துக்கடா)

Hey folks, You must be busy with Navarathri Golu and pooja. We do not have a custom of having golu at home, so we used to visit temples or our friends house where golu is arranged. It is so exciting experience for kids. Last year I shown my daughter for the first time how golu looks, here in temple. She was so excited to know that again it is golu time :))) We used to just make some pooja on saraswathi poojai and vijayadasami days.

So I thought of moving to Deepavali recipies. Here is my first Deepavali snack Thukkada.
Yes, you are reading it right, it is thukkada. One of my childhood favorite it is. We used to get it from one of the bakery in my native. It used to taste awesome. We easily get addicted to its taste. Making this snack is also quiet simple with just a few ingredients. Also it doesn't need much of preparation ahead. Perfect for after school snack or festive snack.

Ingredients:

Maida - 1 cup
salt- as per taste
Chili powder  - 1 tsp (adjust according to your taste)
Water - about 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tsp
Oil   to deep fry

Preparation:

1. Mix maida, salt, chili powder, by adding water little by little like chapati dough.
2. At last add a tsp of oil and kneed well.
3. Make small balls out of it and roll them into thin chapathi.
4. Cut the rolled chapathi as diamonds and fry them in hot oil until they are puffed, crispy and golden color.

Store them in a air tight container and use.

Notes:

1. Make sure to roll them into thin chapathis. Thick ones will not be crispy and puffy

Linking this recipe to Beulah’s First Blog Anniversary Give away @ FullScoops

Eggless Banana Walnut Cake

Banana walnut cake is enriched with goodness of Banana and Walnut. If the kids are troubling to eat banana, definitely you can try this recipe for them... And This is my first try in egg-less baking.

Ingredients:

All purpose  -1.5 cups
Banana - 4 big (ripen)
Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup (tightly packed)
Oil - 1/4 cup
vanilla essence - 1 tsp
baking soda - 1 tsp
Elachi powder - 1/8 tsp
Walnuts- 1/2 cup chopped.

Preparation:
1.Preheat the oven to 375F.
2.In a bowl, smash the banana with fork.
3.Add sugar,oil and mix well to it.
4.Add vanilla essence, elachi powder and give a gentle stir.
5.in another large bowl, Mix/sieve flour, baking soda.
6. Pour the wet mix of banana, sugar, oil and vanilla essence, and elachi powder to the flour bowl and mix gently.
7. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and bake for 25-30 mins. (mine took 28 mins).
Insert a toothpick and check whether it is coming out clean.

Notes:

1. If you are using white sugar, use 3/4 cup of it.
2. You can substitute the whole wheat flour or bread flour instead of maida.

Stuffed balls- Left over recipe

These stuffed balls are made with bread and leftover Rava upma. Few days back had some leftover upma, as my husband doesn't like upma, I knew I cannot ask him to have it again. Still I dint not want to waste it and prepare anything else. When I was checking my pantry, what I can make with these left over, I found half a pack of sour bread which we did not like actually...  So thought of trying something new for my family with both...

And the results were good. The sour breads gave some nice taste along with the upma. Finally I had finished both the bread and upma without wasting any of those... :)))

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 4-5 (I used sour bread)
Upma - 1 cup
Oil - to deep fry
Water - 2 cups in a wide bowl

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in Kadai
2. Make the upmas as small balls (about a big gooseberry size)
3. Remove the hard part of bread and slice them into two halves.
4. dip the bread slices quickly in water and squeeze it in between the palms and remove the water.
5.place the ball in the middle of the bread and cover it.roll like a ball. Repeat steps for the remaining also.
6. fry them in oil until they turn golden brown.

Enjoy with tomato and chili sauce.

Notes:
1. While squeezing the water, make sure not to tear the bread, at the same time try to squeeze the water as much as possible, Or else, it will take more oil.
2. Even you can use bread crumbs to coat it.
3.You can make it as oval shape also
4. Any Bread varieties can be used.

Linking to Dish it Out hosted by Full Scoops and organized by Vardhini of Cooks Joy

Strawberry cup cake

Strawberry season starts here, and we get lots of fresh strawberry in stores and we can directly go to the farms and pick it. Last year we had a strawberry picking and enjoyed a lot. Eagerly waiting to visit the farm again this year. My daughter loves strawberry and I often used to get this fruit for her.

Last time when I got strawberry i thought of making some cakes with it, and ended up making these delicious cup cakes.

Ingredients:

Strawberries - 4-5 large (the puree should be 1/3 cups)
Strawberries - 1-2 large cut them into small pieces
APF - 1 and 2/3 cups &1 tbsp
Butter - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
sugar- 1 cup
milk- 3/4 cup
egg - 1
yogurt/curd- 1/4 cup
vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 345F and line the cupcake mold with the liners.
2. In a blender add the cut strawberries and give a quick pulse and make it as puree (preferably chunky puree)
3. Cut the remaining strawberries and keep aside
4. Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda,  and keep aside.
5. In a pan melt the butter, transfer to the mixing bowl, add sugar and mix well
6. then add, milk, yogurt,vanilla extract and mix well
7.Now add the sieved flour mix and mix.
8. Add the Strawberry puree and give a quick mix.
9. At last add the cut strawberry pieces to it. and mix gently
10. Pour them into the cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes
11. Check with toothpick whether it is done or not. if the toothpick comes out clean, then remove from oven and cool then in cooling rack.

Notes:
Instead of making puree, you can just cut them into small pieces and add.
The given quantity makes about 15-18 cup cakes.

sending this recipe to Rafee's baking fest event  Bake fest May 2014