Kalkandu/Sugar Candy Pongal

     Before going to today's recipe, i would like to wish all my friends, co-bloggers, viewers and family on this auspicious "Tamilnadu Thanksgiving day  to Sun god, Farmers and Family"
                                       "இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் "

     If this is Pongal festival, i would like to do a post related to this festival. Any guess ???!!! Yes, you guessed it right, obviously its a Pongal dish using "Sugar Candy or Kalkandu". Since i got a pack full of Sugar candy, i decided to empty it as soon as possible. When i was searching this i got a dish called "Kalkandu Rice". Suddenly flashed an idea and decided to make Kalkandu Pongal instead of Kalkandu rice. Now, its show time for your comments/feedback.

ALL YOU NEED:

Raw Rice	1 cup
Moong Dhall	1/4 cup
Sugar Candy/Kalkandu`	1 cup
Ghee	1/2 cup
Cashews	10 Nos.
Raisins	10 Nos.
Cardamom	2 Nos.
Salt	Pinch
Milk	1/2 cup
Water	3 cups

METHOD:
     Soak raw rice and Moong dhall for 30 mins in water. Drain it. Now take pressure cooker, add soaked raw rice and moong dhall. Pour 1/2 cup of milk, 3 cups of water, a tsp of ghee and 1 broken cardamom (u can also add 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder, instead of whole one) Cook it for 4 whistles. Meantime, heat a pan with less than quater cup of water, when it boils, add a cup of sugar candy and cardamom again, and stir it until all the sugar candy melts. Put off the flame. Make sure you do this syrup in medium flame. Once the pressure gets released, mash it well. If you see the full grains, add warm milk to bring it to pongal consistency. Now pour the sugar syrup, keep stir well by adding ghee. Once done, add ghee fried, raisins and cashews. Mix well. All done, its serving time.

Note: If you feel, melting down the sugarcandy it cumbersome process, you can powder the sugar candy and start mixing with the boiled rice mixture.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Thenkuzhal Mullu Murukku

     During diwali, me was trying new snack on daily basis. This is one among my newly tried murukku. Eventhough it have very plain taste. Thenkuzhal murukku is my moooossssstttt favorite but never tried at home. This was the first in my bookmarked recipe. Without any second thought, i tried this using store bought rice flour but using. Mullu murruku plate in murukku press.

ALL YOU NEED:

Rice Flour	1 cup
Urad dhall flour	3 tblsp
Jeera/Ommam	1 tsp
Oil/Butter	2 tblsp
Water	To Knead
Salt	To Taste
Hing	1/4 tsp
Oil	To Deep fry

METHOD:
     Take a wide bowl, add rice flour, urad dhall flour, hing, jeera/ommam, salt, mix all the ingredients. Now pour the oil/butter, mix well again. Now add water little by little until it forms a perfect dough consistency. Now heat oil for deep frying. Meantime, take the murukku presser, grease with oil. Now fill 3/4 of the presser with the dough. Check whether the oil is in perfect heat by adding a pinch of dough into the oil. When it comes up immediately, its the perfect time to deep fry the murukku in batches. Take a laddle or plate, grease it with oil, now press the dough in circle shape and put one by one into the oil. Deep fry on both sides. Transfer it to the tissue paper.

Note: You can also press directly into the oil but i feel pressing it in ladle is safe.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Cashew Burfi

     Actually i should name this post as "Kaju Katli" unfortunately named it as "Cashew Burfi". You like to know the reason, keep reading :) Recently bought a big tin of cashews from wholesale store. It looks sooooo fresh and with decent shape. Each time i see that, it was calling me to prepare Kaju Katli :P Being a NOT lover person of sweets, i was keep on hesitating its call. Finally, it was diwali season last week, thought of trying it. Even i tried but the outcome became burfi, instead of kaju katli, its all because of i missed a minute to put off the flame :( Eventhough there was a small disaster, taste was too gud !

ALL YOU NEED:

Cashewnuts	1 cup
Sugar	1/2 cup
Water	1/4 cup
Salt	Pinch
Ghee	To grease

METHOD:
     Take a dry mixer, add the cashews (should be in room temperature for a while) and grind it to a fine powder in a single shot i.e. without opening the lid of the mixer. Its because, if you give a gap, the powder will stick to the mixer. So, please take a care on that. Suppose, if it is sticky, not a problem but it will take some time to mix up with sugar syrup by forming lumps. Once grinding the cashew, now take a heavy bottomed, add sugar and water. Keep stirring until it reaches syrup consistency. To check that, take some water in a small bowl, add a drop of sugar syrup, when it form a string shape, its the perfect consistency. Now add the cashew powder, give a hard stir until it mix up with the sugar syrup. Let it be in flame for 5 mins and put off the flame. Grease a plate with a spoon of ghee, now pour the cashew mixture to the plate and cut as per your desired shape. Same procedure to be followed for "Kaju Katli" but you should put off the flame, when you can make it as small round balls.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Kaara Bhoondi

     I should definitely say this to you all. This term "Kaara Bhoondhi" is a big magical word to my kid. Yes, she is the most addicted person for this tea time muncher. She was bugging me all these days to prepare it at home. Since i don't have bhoondhi karandi at home and even i can buy one in my current place, it was dragging. Suddenly and finally i got this from my friend and tried my kids favorite snack. Now it comes for your views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Besan Flour	1 cup
Rice Flour	1/4 cup
Chilly Powder	1/4 tsp
Bakind Soda	Pinch
Garlic Extract	1 cup
Hing	Pinch
Salt	To Taste
Oil	To Depp fry

To Garnish:

Chilly Powder	1/2 spoon
Pepper Powder	1/4 spoon
Crushed Garlic	7 Nos.
Peanut	1/2 cup
Cashews	1/2 cup
Curry Leaf	3 Twigs
Salt	Pinch
Oil	2 spoons

METHOD:
     Sieve Besan flour and rice flour. Place it in a wide bowl, add chilly powder, baking soda, hing and required salt. Mix it. Once done, add garlic extract/water (Grind garlic in a mixer by adding some water and filter it. This is to add some aroma) Mix well without any lumps. You can also add water, if garlic extract is not sufficient. Actually it should be bit thinner than bhajji batter consistency. Meantime heat oil for deep frying, once done, take the bhoondi ladle and a normal ladle to spread the batter. Take a ladle of batter and pour it on the bhoondi ladle and spread it. Turn the bhoondi evenly and let it be in flame until it comes to golden brown. Place it on tissure paper. Repeat the process until you finish off the batter.

     Now take a frying pan, heat 2 spoons of oil, add crushed garlic, curry leaf, cashews and peanuts. Saute until the garlic and curry leaf becomes crunchy. Now add chilly powder, pinch of salt, pepper powder to the kaara bhoondhi and also add the garlic, curry leaf and peanuts. Mix well, without breaking the bhoondi shape.



Note: Actually i made a mistake in my batter consistency. Thats why most of the bhoondi are with tails :P

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Cashew Murukku

     Long long ago soooooooo long ago, this term "Murukku" was like a big jargon, thought this can be prepared only by experts chefs. But nowadays being a full time housewife, me started trying many variants of savories. You can checkout my thattu vadai, Omapodi, Ribbon Pakoda for samples. In that queue, recently tried this rich, tasty, easy murukku that too with simple in house ingredients and now its for your views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Rice Flour	1 cup
Red Chilly Powder	1 1/2 spoon
Garlic extract	1/2 cup
Cashewnuts	10 Nos.
Cumin Seeds	1 1/2 spoon
Hing	1/2 spoon
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 tsp
Oil	To Deep fry

METHOD:
     Soak cashew with some water in mixer, grind it after 5 mins. Meantime, take a wide bowl, add rice flour, red chilly powder, hing, salt and cumin seeds. Mix it well. Now pour oil, garlic extract (which adds nice aroma to the murukku) and cashew mixer. Knead it nicely by adding required water. Make sure, it shouldnot sticky. Now take murukku press and grease it with oil and set it with your favorite shape plate. Heat oil for deep frying, now fill the murukku press with the kneaded dough. Press it when the oil is in perfect hot for deep frying. Keep repeat the same procedure and fry murukku in batches with medium flame. Enjoy with a cup of hot tea.

Note: To prepare garlic extract, add 5 to 6 nos. of garlic cloves, grind with little water and strain the extract.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Apple Halwa

    As i already told in all my previous sweet posts, we all don't like sweet much. But still, will try sweets once in a while. Its one among them. Few days back i got a dozen of apples sitting untouched. I don't know how to empty that,at the same i don't feel like eating it as plain fruit and even as juice. Suddenly this got flashed my mind and here comes for ur views.

ALL YOU NEED:

Grated Apples	1 cups
Thick Milk	2 cups
Food Color	Pinch
Mixed nuts	1/4 cup
Sugar	To Taste
Ghee	5 spoons

METHOD:
     Peel the skin of apples. Grate it well and squeeze it by hand to take off the water. Its not mandatory to squeeze all the water. Now take heavy bottomed pan, add a spoon of ghee, now fry cashews, raisins, badam etc. Transfer it to another bowl. Now add grated apples with a cardamom and food color. Now pour 2 cups of milk with required sugar. Keep stiring until the apple gets cooked. Now add a spoon of ghee, keep on stirring until it reaches halwa consitency and add on the fried nuts and garnish with nuts if required.

I am sending this recipe to Lets cook with apples event by "Simplyfood"

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Semiya Kheer

    Can you think of any kheer/payasam without ghee ?! This is one among them. All time, infact till now, i was bit sceptical to try any dishes with Semiya/Vermicelli and Rava/Sooji. Yes, for sure it will end up as disaster mission. Actually this is my second try. Click here for traditional version. This version is very simple without any garnishing work. Its very easy and at the same time aroma and taste will be like yum yum ! Do try this and let me know your comments. With this note, i would like to convey this is my 3000th post..... Hurrrrrrraaaaayyyyyyy !

ALL YOU NEED:

Roasted Semiya	1 cup
Thick Milk	2 cups
Mixed Nuts	1/2 cup
Cardamom	1 No.
Sugar	To Taste

METHOD:
    Take heave bottomed pan. Heat 2 cups of milk along with sugar and cardamom. Let it boil well, until it become much thicker. Now add on all the nuts and stir well. Let it boil for 5 mins. Now add roasted semiya, put the flame in simmer. Stir it well. Since we are using thick milk, keep an eye on milk i.e. it should not get burnt. Let it be in flame, until the semiya gets cooked. Once done, adjust with salt if required and transfer to serving bowl and enjoy !

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Kaima Idli

     Its my long term wish(!) to try Kaima idli at home. Have googled many sites for the recipe, finally got the best recipe from one of my co-blogger's site. Luckily i got some left over idlies immediately by next day. But still i was in hesitation and a thing which pulled me back was, i thought idly will absorb lot of oil. But its 100% FALSE. Quantity of oil which i used for deep frying was in same quantity, even after frying it. Thanks God ! Finally, i prepared my very favorite dish and it was yummylicious too !!!

    OMG! its my 275th post ! How did i forget it :-( very bad memory !!!

ALL YOU NEED:

Left over idlies	7 Nos.
Sliced Onion	1 No.
Chopped Tomato	2 Nos.
Chopped beans	1/2 cup
Ginger Garlic	1 spoon
Tomato Ketchup	1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder	1 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Diced Capsicum	6 Nos.
Coriander leaf	1/4 cup
Mustard	1 tsp
Salt	To Taste
Oil	Deep Fry

METHOD:
     Dice the left over idlies and deep fry it till it turns golden brown. Keep a pan, heat a spoon of oil and add mustard. Once it splutters, add sliced onion, saute it well. Now add ginger garlic paste, do fine sauting until raw smell goes off. Its time to add chopped tomato. Saute it well with red chilly powder, coriander powder and pinch of salt. Now add chopped beans and let it get cooked. Now add diced capsicum and tomato ketchup, fry for just 2 mins. Add the fried idlies just 10 mins before you serve and do a soft stir. If you like to have crunchy feel, add idli just a min before you serve. Garnish with coriander leaf and serve hot with raita.

    Can you see the nice golden brown colored omapudi in the image, in general i love the little browned snack all time, which is 100% false, actually i burnt it slightly :P

Note: Leftover idlies should be refrigerated, just to avoid oil absorption. Actually the original recipe has green peas instead of beans.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Ribbon Pakoda

     There was none who loves sweet recipes at home including me. At the same time, if it is savory dishes, it will get vanished within fraction of seconds. So, most of the time i used to prepare savory snacks at home. Nowadays am getting lot of time to enjoy in kitchen by preparing many new dishes. In that order, i have tried "Ribbon Pakoda" which is our all time favorite snack. Just of thought of sharing my method... Here you go....

ALL YOU NEED:

Rice Flour	1 cup
Besan Flour	1/2 cup
Urad Dhall Powder	3 tbsp
Chilli powder	2 tsp
Garlic Extract	3 tsp
Peanut Powder	3/4 tbsp
Butter	1.5 tbsp
Hing	Pinch
Salt	To Taste
Oil	Deep Fry

METHOD:
     Dry Roast and grind urad dhall. Now take some 5 garlic cloves and grind it in mixie by adding some water and filter the water and keep it aside. Now take a wide bowl, add rice flour, besan flour, urad dhall powder, coarsely grounded peanut, salt, chilly powder and hing. Mix all the dry ingredients well. Now pour the wet ingredients like butter and garlic water, mix well. If required add water until it comes to soft dough. Keep a wide kadai, add required oil for deep frying.

    Meantime take the press grease it with some butter or oil, now add the dough into the press. Once the oil gets heated, press the dough starting from the corners and to the centre. Let it cook for 2 mins and toss it to other side. Once it gets cooked, place it on a tissue paper. Now our favorite snack is ready !!

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Rava Ladoo

     I should say this is We are not sweet lovers so its very rare to see sweet post in my blog. Once in a while i use to prepare sweet at home, think today is that "Once in a while" day, that too its "Hot from the stove" post :P Yes, am posting this immediately i prepared the ladoo ! so that i'll not forget the preparation method :D Here's my method !

ALL YOU NEED:

Rava/Sooji	1 cup
Sugar	1/2 cup+2sp
Chopped Cashew	3 tbsp
Elachi	2 nos.
Ghee	1/4 cup
Milk	1/4 cup
Raisins	2 tbsp

METHOD:
     Take a wide tawa, add 2 spoon of oil, roast chopped cashew and raisin (i used dried cranberries) Once done, take off from the stove. Now add the rava, fry it until nice aroma comes.DONT BURN IT. Once done, allow it too cool. Now add sugar, mix well. Powder the rava mixture coarsely along with elachi in mixer. Now place the powdered mixer in a wide pan, add roasted nuts, raisins and ghee. If the mixture is still seperating, sprinkle required milk, mix well and make round balls by pressing tightly. Once all done, taste your yummilicious ladoo. :-)

Note: You can also substitute milk with ghee, which will help you to keep ladoo stocked for a week.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Pumpkin halwa

     Nowadays i feel like am a long mile away from yhis blogging world. Eventhough i have quit my job, its very difficult to manage my blog with my kid. Actually she is letting me to touch my laptop, all time she is owning that :-( but still i dont want to leave my space just like that. So finally got my laptop free'd and planned to post a sweet which i prepared/tried on diwali :-)

ALL YOU NEED:

Grated pumpkin	5 cups
Elachi powder	Pinch
Food color	Pinch
Ghee	4 tbsps.
Sugar	To taste
Nuts	1/2 cup

METHOD:
     Take a wide tawa, add 2 spoons of ghee, fry the required nuts and keep aside. Now, add grated pumpkin, let it boil until it gets raw smell goes off. Add a pinch of food color and the required sugar. Keep on stiring it by adfing ghee inbetween, make sure it should not get burnt or stick to the pan. Quantity of the added pumpkin will get reduced. Though i added 5 cups, got only a small cup of halwa :-( Once you are reached halwa consistency, add the roasted nuts and put off the flame.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

Feast to ur eyes !!!

    Each year will celebrate our Pongal Fest in my hubby's hometown and they follow some traditional way by decoring the entrance with color kolam, mango leaf, Garlands and so on. Also, they prepare pongal in our very own traditional way using earthern pot in firewood. Are you thinking, why suddenly telling Home town stories ??!! or thinking am going to post a Sweet Pongal recipe ??!! My answer is NO. Just to have a change, instead of sharing usual feast to ur tongue by posting a recipe, am going to share a feast to ur eyes today. Yes, As i did last year, i alloted or dedicated this post for my Pongal Fest Kolam which was done by me during Main Pongal day and Mattu Pongal day. Usually we put 2 kolams on each day. So, totally am going to share my four Kolam designs. Here is the color feast for ur eyes. Click here for my last year kolams.

Main Pongal Day - Kolam :1

Main Pongal Day - Kolam :2

Mattu Pongal Day - Kolam :1

Mattu Pongal Day - Kolam :2 (Specially done for my kid)

     IS IT LIKEY ???!!!

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

2013 - The Rumour Breaker !!!

    Hah !! Its 2013 finally........ Yyyyyyyyiiiiiiiipppppppppeeeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!! After so many disbeliefs roamed across the globe, finally the GREAT 2013  has born. Huuuurrrraaaayyyyyy !!!! I am so happy in welcoming 2013 which came out after a big struggle :P Whole heartily wishing each and every person in this world a very very very Happy, Prosperous, Rumourless and Fun-filled "NEW YEAR - 2013". Have a great and fantastic year ahead with my Bhonda Feast :P

Courtesy - Image : Google|Text: Sangeetha (ME :P)

     This is my hubby's all time favorite. If its my hubby's favy obviously YESSSSSSSS !! Its my hatred one :P. I dont like this much because its taste so plain even-though i add pepper and coconut. This is very rarely prepared snacker in my home. So, after a BIGGGGGGGGGGG LOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG gap thought of giving surprise to my hubby by preparing his favorite tea time muncher. Instead of being surprised, he was quietly enjoying it with a smile on his face but I got a surprise there i.e. even my lil joined her dad's way and she was enjoying !!!! i was just sitting as an ODD MAN OUT. I am a helpless poor girl :( He he he... Jokes apart... Here comes the my hubby and lil favorite tea time muncher.

ALL YOU NEED:

Urad Dhall	1 cup
Coconut slices	1/4 cup
Pepper Corns	1 spoon
Chopped Ginger	1 spoon
Corn Flour	1 spoon
Curry Leaf	2 Twigs
Rice Flour	2 spoons
Salt	To Taste
Oil	To Deep Fry

METHOD:
     Soak Urad dhall for 2 hours. Drain the water and grind it smoothly by adding corn flour, rice flour and required salt. Heat oil for deep frying in a frying pan. Meantime, now take out the grinded mixture in a wide bowl, add pepper corns, coconut slices, chopped curry leaf, chopped ginger, give hard stir until all the ingredients combines together. Check whether oil gets heated by adding a pinch of batter into it. Once it pops out, take some batter in bonda shape and fry it in batches. Now serve this with some hot chutney.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬

For a Change ! :)

    Generally Human need/seek change in each and every work they do. Even am the BIG ONE among them. Apart from the usual recipe post, Thought of posting couple of "Kolams" for a change which was drawn by me during this "Pongal Fest" in my MIL's place.

    

    I love to draw kolam forever. As am too picky/choosy in selecting different kolam and color powders(especially UNIQUE), i started asking my neighbours for their kolam note a week before Pongal and this time just had a walkthrough over internet. OMG ! i got lots and lots. As i didnt get time to take print or draw it in my kolam note, just saved all my browsed kolams in my laptop, need to try those only during next Pongal :D

And when it comes to color powder, which add more beauty to kolams, i searched so many shops and so many different dark shades like Orange, Red, Blue, Yellow etc etc. Really it added more beauty to my kolam :P So, check out my kolam and let me know ur comments :)

முதல் தமிழ் பதிவு - எதற்காக ??!!

என்னுடைய முதன் தமிழ் பதிவு இது ! எதற்காக ? என் வாழ்த்துக்களை பகிர்ந்து கொள்ள தான். ஆம் !

என்னுடைய அனைத்து சக சமையர் கலை தோழிகள் அனைவர்க்கும்
என்னுடைய இதயம் கனிந்த தமிழர்/உழவர் திருநாளாம் பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

இனிக்கும் கரும்பை போல உங்கள் வாழ்வும் இனிதே இனிக்க என் மனமார்ந்த தை திருநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள் :)

பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்..........



Have a great fun filled "PONGAL WISHES" to all my co-bloggers. May this year brings sweetness to your life like a sugarcane.

DIWALI - A LIGHT FESTIVAL

     DIWALI 2011 count down is nearing. Yes, its just a day ahead. Diwali is also meant as "Row of Lights", A Colorful and bright festival.It is celebrated as a victory of god against the Evil which is India's most traditional and significant celebration. This is celebrated not only in India, i can say even for all Indian communities across the world.


INGREDIENTS
Oil Bath
New Dresses
Pooja
Sweets
Crackers
Relatives
Friends
Hometown Visit

WISHES
     On Diwali, we can see people bursting crackers, wearing new clothes, enjoy by sharing sweets and visiting to their relatives and friends. Its a most awaited festival for all kinds of people from Toddlers to old age especially for Newly married couples, who celebrates their most awaited "Thala Deepavali" (First Diwali after their marriage).. So just thought of wishing all my co-bloggers and their family a lovely, colurful, happy and very safety Diwali.Have great and safe fun with your beloved ones.

♥ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♥