Karuppu kavuni rice laddu (Black rice laddu)

‘Karuppu kavuni’ name sounds different right? It’s Black rice , also known as” the forbidden rice” 🤔

Ok... according to google.... in ancient China a black variant of rice was consumed by Chinese kinsmen for betterment of kidneys ,liver and stomach and the public was withheld from consuming or  growing  them and that’s the story behind this  so called“ forbidden rice” , which is supposed to be loaded with anti -oxidants especially anthocyanin which is good for diabetics and heart patients. Also the vitamin E content and high fiber and iron makes it special among nutritionist to suggest this as healthier option like brown or red rice and quinoa.

 Regarding formation of this story meaning ‘ the recipe ’ my dad usually  when he sees some recipe interesting  will tell me when  we speak .. similarly last week he told me he read this recipe in some news paper ( not sure if it’s Tamil one English or name of the news paper)

So I tried it for this Diwali and it was liked by many for its nutty flavor and taste .

 Having told about the history  or flash back of our hero “ karuppu kavuni/ black rice” of our recipe

Let’s come to the main story .. our recipe and the supporting artists ‘ Ingredients’

  INGREDIENTS:
Black rice / karuppu kavuni -1 cup
Palm sugar-1 cup( he said jaggery but since I didn’t have that I used palm sugar)
Peanut-1 cup
Coconut-1/2 cup ( he said one cup but  I just had little ,anyway hope that would not have made much difference )
Cardamom-1/4 tsp. ( he just said add cardamom powder)

METHOD:
1) Wash rice  and soaked for about  5 min (he just said wash but to be on safer side I soaked)
2) Drained the water completely and fried in a dry pan  in medium heat till I got nice aroma and rice started spluttering .
3) Cooled it and powdered it along with peanut and cardamom.
4) Added palm sugar and coconut and powdered again  as the rice was bit coarse.
5) Transferred this to a plate and made balls .


Tada.....

Laddu was ready for the release and it was a success 

Kambu murukku/Bajri chakli

I have been trying dishes without rice for quite sometime since some of my friends keep complaining that  Indian,specially South Indians use rice in almost all their snacks and also their regular meals and they are advised to avoid rice  for health reasons....( which I totally disagree and it’s a different topic to write on in my health blog soon.)Anyways ..this is one such recipe, which avoids rice.

It’s been a craze these days for millets and their health benefits all over the web .O e of such wildly know millet is Pearl millet/Bajri/Kambu.Its one among the millets that’s grown in Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times.

According to India today and  NDTV  it’s rich in Protein,Phosphorus,Magnesium,Iron ,essential vitamins  and amino acids  which adds to its nutritional, therapeutic value.( that’s yet another topic to be discussed later in my health blog) now let’s stick to the taste buds alone 😉

Ingredients:

Bhajri/Kambu flour-2cups

Peanut-1/2 cup

Garlic pod -2(optional)

Butter-1tbs

Asafoetida-1/4 tsp

Sesame/kalonj /cumin-1 tsp

Salt and chilli powder - to taste 

Oil - to fry

Water- to make dough

Method:

1)Grind peanut and garlic to smooth thick paste adding little water.

2)In  large bowl add 2 cups of the Bajri/ kambu/Pearl Millet flour.

3)Add  butter,asafoetida, kalonj/ cumin/sesame ,salt,chilli powder and mix well.

4)Add water little by little and make murukku dough .

5)Add the dough in murukku press and make murukku in a hot oil ( but cook it in medium flame )

6)When golden brown remove from oil .

ENJOY CRISPY RICE FREE MURUKKU

                                            CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

AVAL LADDU(FLATTENED RICE BALLS)

It’s a very easy ,simple yet tasty sweet with a bit of crunch .The ingredients used are readily  available at home and can be prepared quickly.

My mom taught me this when I was in college. Though I have been doing for many yrs for some reason or other did not think of post this in my blog .My really say sorry for my FB page readers since I posted the photo  longggggggg back but did not post the recipe. In Tamil they say ‘எல்லாத்துக்கும் நேரம் காலம் வரனும்’ meaning every thing has a time and season.. anyways...

Let’s come to the recipe as told by my mom

INGREDIENTS :

Aval(flattened rice/poha)-1 cup

Pottukadalai(roasted bengal gram/ dalia)-1/2 cup

Sugar or palm sugar or jaggery -1 1/4 cup( this is my mom’s measurements but I use one cup or according to your taste. And if using jaggery you may not need more ghee too as it will be good binder. But the taste and color will change )

Cardamom -1 or 2 pinch

Ghee- as needed To make balls and also to fry cashew

Oil- to fry Aval/posh/flattened rice ( if using store bought readymade You may not be needing this)

METHOD:

1) Fry Aval/ Poha/Flattened rice in oil. ( skip this step if you have store bought ready to eat Aval/ Poha/Flattened rice.

2) Powder dalia/pottukadalai/roasted bengal gram.

3) Powder sugar.

4) Coarsely powder Aval/ Poha/Flattened rice.

5) Fry cashews in ghee.

6) Mix all the above well.

7) Melt ghee and add to this and make balls.( warm ghee helps making balls easy using less ghee. And also if using jaggery ,it will reduce  use of ghee .but taste and color and texture will change)

THE PHOTO BELOW IS MADE USING  PALM SUGAR...THE COLOR IS DARK AND TASTE HAD NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE.

ENJOY YOUR DIWALI WITH THIS SWEET CRUNCHY EASY LADDU
                                             

                                  HAPPY DEEPAVALI

PEPPER VADAI(Milagu Vadai)

                                       

Very easy tasty crunchy Vadai made during Hanuman Jayanthi .I used to love to visit Hanuman temple during my school days just to taste this Vadai given as parasad during festive days .

Couple of years back when I visited India one of my dad's patient told me how to make this Vadai and since then I have been making this for Hanuman jayanthi .

INGREDIENTS:

   Urad dhal -1 cup

   Pepper corn -Coarsely powdered according to taste

   Salt - according to taste

   Oil- for frying

METHOD :

1) Soak urad dhal with enough water to cover for about 1 hour (Dhal will absorb all the water )

2) Grind dhal without water little Coarsely  ( if necessary add just few drops of water )

3) Add Coarsely ground pepper and salt mix well.

                    

4)  Make small balls .

                   

5) Apply little oil on plastic sheet and make discs with fingers ( either apply some oil in hand or little water. I felt wetting gingers with water is easier to work)

                

6) With tooth pick make a small hole in the center.

           

              

7) Heat oil in a pan and fry till golden brown in medium heat.

           

8) To make malai inserting thread in the fried Vadai for pooja .

           

           

  Enjoy the crispy tasty pepper Vadai along with lord Hanuman 😋
   

COOKED URAD MURUKKU (CHAKKLI)

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Just a week before deepavali my neighbour told me about this murukku.I was skeptical, yet wanted to give it a try so tried using just 1/2 cup of urad and the out come was amazing...it was soooooo very crisp  and I tried immediately for this deepavali and everyone ,who tasted it were so surprised when I told it had absolutely no butter in it... So why don't you give it a try just like I did,with half cup of urad and plz don't forget to give your valuable comments.

Ingredients:

Urad dhal -1 1/2 cups

Rice flour - 2 1/2  to 3 cups

Salt- to taste

Chilli powder- to taste

Jeera- 1/2 tsp

Sesame seed -1/2 tsp

Asefotida - 1/4 tsp

Oil - to fry

Method:

1)Soak urad for about 1/2 hr and pressure cook with water(about 3cups) for 6-7 whistles.

2)When cool mash it well(or give a quick mix in mixi)

3)Add rice flour , salt, chilli power,jeera,sesame and asefotida and mix will to form murukku dough.( adjust rice flour according to need)

4)Fill the murukku pess and make murukku in hot oil.

Store in a air tight container when cool.

(Never store it when hot)

Enjoy the crispy murukku😃

AVAL(POHA/FLATTENED RICE) PONGAL

Month of Margazhi is considered as one of the auspicious month among tamil months.I believe In Bhagavat Gita lord Krishna has mentioned"Maasanam Margashershoham", meaning" among the months i am Marghazhi". So we can guess its importance - not just because lord krishna said so.. but , the scientific importance of this month .... During this month The ozone layer will be lowered a little and so keeps us healthy, thats the reason why the  ladies  were supposed to wake up early and have bath and pray god .
Any way all these are followed by very few in this Fast, Modern world.
Ok.. let me come to my post.. Since this month is auspiciuois for lord krishna/ vishnu, being the first day of this month I wanted to make something for Lord, something that veryone say is his favorite... Aval and venpongal... so Combined both and made Aval Pongal . To be frank not much difference in taste from Usual Venpongal,thats prepared with rice. But this was quicker to prepare.
INGREDIENTS:
Aval(poha/Flattened rice)-3/4 cup
Pasi paruppu(Moong dhal)-1/4 cup
Water-1 1/2cups
Salt- to taste
Turmeric-1/ tsp
Pepper corn-1/4tsp Coarsely crushed and 1/4tsp Whole(Adjust according to taste)
Jeera-1/4 tspCoarsely crushed and 1/4tsp Whole(Adjust according to taste)
Curry leaf- few
Oil-1tsp
Ghee-1tsp(optional)
Cashew-3-4 chopped(optional)
Asefotida-1/4 tsp
Ginger-1/4 tsp finely chopped
METHOD:
1)Wash Aval and dhal.
2)Heat oil and Add Crushed pepper and jeera,whole pepper and jeera, ginger,cury leaf, asefotida and cashew(optional) and fry for till cashew turns golden brown.
3)Add the above ingredients to washed Aval and  dhal, add turmeric,salt and water and pressure cook for 3 Whistles.
4) Add Ghee before serving with Sambar or chutney
Sending this Instant Poha pongal to Fast food event by Shama

LEMON AMMINI KOZHUKATTAI

The name Ammini... sounds sort of weird for me... Have never asked a word about this name to my amma. but while talking to my DH the other day that i was going to do this for navaratri  he laughed.. so asked his what was funny about the name he said its ammukini Kozhukattai(since its small in size we keep gulping this its called by this name )wonder if this is true??!! or what the real meaning for the name was....
This also very simple snacks or tiffin , which is some what similar to kaara/uppu kozhukattai and kozhukattai 
INGREDIENTS:
Rice flour-1 cup
Water- about 1 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
For seasoning:
Mustard-1/2 tsp
Urad shal-1 tsp
Green chiil or red chilli( finely chopped)3-4 according to taste.
 Asefotida- pinch
Oil -1 tbs
Lemon juice- 1 or 2 tbs
METHOD:
1)Boil water in a vessel add salt and oil.
2)Add  rice flour slowely to this or you can do other way round meaning pour water to rice flour and mix well without lumps( keep the flame in low) to nice dough consistency.
3) Remove from  flame and keep it closed to let it cool for some time.
4)Once its warm enough to knead . knead this dough once.
5) Make small  balls and  Steam them. and keep aside.
6)Heat oil in a pan and season it with mustard, urad, Asefotida, curry leaf,chilli and little bit of  Turmeric powder.Add the steamed Rice balls.
7) Mix well for few seconds and Add lemon juice and switch of the flame.Mix well . and serve.

RICE SUNDAL

It must be surprising for many of us to hear about rice sundal !!It was for me when my mother in law first showed me this. i have never heard of this before that or tasted this...but now its one of my favorites.
For me its a hybrid of Venpongal and Upma.
 Well the reason for doing this for this navaratri was Monday- Navagraha Thingal/moon is associated with rice  so as i normally do sundal according to days/ navagraha
Sunday-Sun(sooriyan)-Wheat
Monday- Moon(chandiran)-Rice
Tuesday-Mars(sevvai)-Tuvar dhal
Wednesday -Mercury(Bhudan)-Green gram dhal
Thursday-Jupiter(Guru)-Channa
Friday-Venus(Sukkaran)-Mochai(Kidney or field bean)
Saturday-Saturn(sani) Till
Other grahas being Rahu and Kethu -Urad and Horse gram respectively and they are treated similar to saturn and mars respectively.
Now coming to my post
 It was the turn for Rice on last monday. So i made 2 dishes for Moon god...being a lover of moon..yeah love to look at full moon... it has always fascinated me... not just me many...any ways. Here is this simple and tasty different recipe which my mother in law told was Tanjore special.
INGREDIENTS:
Rice -3/4 cup
Moong dhal-1/4 cup
Oil for seasoning
Urad dhal- for seasoning
Green or red chilli for seasoning , to taste
 salt to taste
Asefotida -pinch
Turmeric -pinch(optional)
Curry leaf- few
Water- about 2 cups

Ummmm that's it... lets start cook ..
METHOD:
1) Heat a pan and dry fry rice and dhal till nice aroma comes.(do not make it brown)and keep aside.
2)Heat a oil in a pan and season with mustard,urad chilli, asefotida,curry leaf.
3)Add water and salt.(turmeric if preferred) and bring it to boil.
4)Now add the rice and dhal and reduce the flame to medium and cover and cook.
Serve with coconut chutney.