MW Aviyal

MW Aviyal:

* Chopped Mixed Veg : 3 cups

Green chilly : 2

Grated coconut : 3 tbsp

Cumin Seeds : ¼ tsp

Fresh curd : ½ cup

Rice flour : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 2 pinches

Slat to taste

Curry leaves : few

Coconut Oil : 1 tsp

        In Microwave safe bowl mix all the chopped veg + turmeric powder + 2 tbsp of water and close with lid.  Micro for 8 mts in high flame, stirring once in between. 

        Meanwhile,  grind coconut + cumin seeds + green chillies to smooth paste.

Mix coconut paste + rice flour + salt  with cooked veggies.  Mix nicely.

Microwave for 2 mts in high flame .

Add Raw coconut oil + Curry leaves, whole arc.  Mix nicely.

Place a plantain leaf to cover the Aviyal Bowl and close the lid.  

Covering with plantain leaf gives a wonderful flavor to the Aviyal.

Let it cool.  Add churned curd and mix nicely. 

Serve with Adai or Mixed rice varieties .

 *   You can use any mixed veggies like Potato, Beans, Broad beans , Carrot, Peas, Drumstick, Raw Banana, Ash gourd, Brinjal etc.

 

Variation :

1. Use tamarind paste while cooking and omit adding curd at the end.

2. At the final stage , add curd and heat the Aviyal till it becomes warm.

Puli Inji / Ginger Pickle in tamarind sauce.

Puli  Inji / Ginger Pickle

Very very tasty tasty.

Yield:  3/4 cup Pickle.

 

Gingelly / Sesame oil : 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds : ¼ tsp

Green Chilly : 4 ( Finely chopped )

Red Chilly : 1 ( broken )

Ginger : ½ cup ( Finely chopped )

Tamarind Paste  : 3 tbsp ( or extract from lemon size tamarind )

Turmeric Powder : 1/4  tsp

Curry leaves : Few.

Fenugreek powder : 1 pinch.

Hing : 2 pinches or a small ball

Jaggery powder : 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Water : 1 cup

 

        In a tsp of water melt jaggery and filter it to remove sand and dust.

       In Oil temper with mustard seeds . When it stops popping reduce the flame to low and add red chilly, curry leaves and give a stir.  Add Ginger and Green Chillies and   stir fry for few mts without changing the colour of ginger or green chilly.   Ginger should not get fried too much as it may spoil the taste. Add all the other ingredients and cook with closed lid in low flame. 

When it is reduced to thick consistency … it may take 15 mts… Remove from flame.

When it’s cool store in  air tight container.

Serve with curd rice.

Shelf life :

2 days when kept outside

If refrigerated , it stays good for a week.

Sago Idly

Sago / Sabudana / Javvarisi Idly:

Sago ( big variety ) : 1 cup

Raw Rice : 1 cup

Idly Rice: 1 cup

Urad dal : 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp. ( Optional )

Wash and Soak everything together for 8 hrs in 5 cups of water.

Grind in the same water, which you used for soaking. Add water gradually. Add extra water, only if needed. Adding more water results in Flat Idly.  And if water is less, it may result in Hard Idly.

Grinding the batter in wet grinder gives the best result.

If you are grinding in Mixie , keep the excess water you got ( after soaking ),   in fridge and use this cool water for grinding.  

Keep the batter in tall vessel, giving enough space for the batter to raise.  Let the batter sit for atleast 10 hrs or overnight.

Steam cook Idlies using Idly Pan , for 8 to 10 mts.  

 Don’t stir the batter before steaming, it may affect the fermentation.  

Can use wet muslin cloth, by spreading it on the idly plate,  while steaming,  to give best pores Idlies.

Enjoy Super soft, White and fluffy Idlies.

Serve hot with  Sambar  /  Chutney /  Milagai Podi

 

I would like to hear from you...  Kindly share your thoughts here, as a 'Comment' . Thank You.

 

 

 

Idly

Idly  Batter is my  '  AABADH  BAANDAVAA   ANAADHA RAKSHAGA '  batter.

 

 

Idly

 

Idly Rice / Puzhungal Arisi : 3 + 1/2 cups

Whole white Urad dal / Black gram : 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds : 1 tsp

Salt : 2 tsp or according to your taste.

        Wash and Soak Rice and fenugreek together for 4 hrs.  Soak Urad dal for half an hr in 3 cups of water.  

In Wet grinder , grind dalfirst, using  water in which you soaked it ( use full qty of water used for soaking ),  adding gradually.....Grind for half an hr or till it  becomes fluffy and smooth batter.

Remove and set aside.

Grind rice and fenugreek seeds in wet grinder, adding required  water gradually for 20 mts or till it is fine coarse batter.

Remove and pour the rice batter in a tall vessel ,... add Urad dal batter,  salt and mix it nicely with your hands.

Mixing with hands helps to ferment nicely.


Don’t add too much water as it may give flat idlies.
 

Idly batter should fill only half of the vessel to make sure there is enough room for the batter to raise and ferment nicely.

Leave it overnight or for 10 hrs.

Fermentation helps in digestion , so don’t skip fermenting idly or dosa batter.

     Spread wet muslin cloth on Idly mould and pour idly batter.  If you don't have muslin cloth , you can also pour batter on  mould directly , after spreading  a drop of oil. 
Keep the batter poured mould in Idly pan,  after the water in pan is hot.   steam cook it for 8 mts.

Give standing time of 5 mts and then open the Idly pan.    Now carefully take out Idlies from the muslin cloth.  

 If cloth is not used , allow the running water on backside of the idly mould before removing idlies, which helps in removing it easily from mould. Remove Idly using wet spoon  and serve hot.  

To get porus and fluffy idly ,Do not mix the idly batter heavily after fermentation.


Grinding Idly Batter in Mixie.

*  If you are grinding Idly batter in Mixie... use Idly rice : Flattened rice : Urad dal in the ratio of 3 : 1 : 1 .   

*  Using Beaten rice ( medium thick variety ) gives you soft idly. 

*  Soak the ingredients in water ( quantity equal to the cups of rice + flattened rice ) for 4 hrs in room temperature and soak for an hour in fridge. 

*   Soaking in fridge, avoid mixie to turn up heat easily.

*  Rest of the points are as same as grinding in wet grinder.  


 

 Using Idly batter we can prepare and present idlies in fashion with Sambar / Chutney .
 

Podi Idly ... using Milagai podi

 

Veg  Podi Idly  with steamed veggies and Milagai podi  .

 

 

Sambar Idly with Tiffin Sambar.

 

 

Fried Idly … frying idly batter in Appam Pan. Add little water with Idly batter to get soft and fluffy Fried Idly.

Idly  Chaat ... with fresh veggies and chaat masala.
 

 

Veg Fried Idly … frying Idly batter in Appam Pan with veg.  Add little water in Idly batter and use. 

 

Mini  Idly  ....  Steam idlies in mini Idly mould.

 

 

 

 

 

Pan Idly  Sandwich ... In Appam pan ,  spread idly batter half filled , sprinkle your  favorite podi covered by some more idly batter . Mix little water in Idly batter and use.   

Idly  Satay ....  Serve with Sliced salad Veggies , arrange like burger  with spicy chutney. 

Pepper  Idly ...  mix crushed pepper, crushed cumin seeds, dry ginger powder, hing powder ...And  steam cook ...

Replace Idly rice with Raw rice …. This gives soft and white idlies.  This Pacharisi Idly   is done during Ganesh Chathurthy.

Rasam Idly

Curd Idly

Sugar  Idly

 … and the list goes on.

We can also prepare dosa using Idly batter adding some water , which gives crispy dosa / Murugal dosa.

 

Variations:

1.  Add 1 cup of Raw rice along with ingredients.  This way you can prepare Idly or Dosa perfectly

2.  Instead of using Idly rice , use the Boiled rice which we use for eating i.e … saapatu puzhungal arisi.  This give white Idlies.

3.  Add ¼ cup of Beaten rice / Poha / Aval along with ingredients.  This gives soft idlies.

4.  You can skip adding Fenugreek seeds to get white idlies but adding fenugreek seeds not only helps to get soft & flavorful idlies but also it is good for health.


 

Dum Tea

Dum  Tea:

Milk – 1 cup

Black Tea powder – ½ tbsp.

Sugar – 2 tsp.

Ginger, grated – ¼  tsp

Cardamom powder – 1 pinch

Cinnamon powder – 1 pinch

 

Mix everything together in a vessel and keep it inside the pressure cooker . 

Cook for a whistle in medium heat 

 

Filter and serve hot . 

If you want , you can add a ladle of water while preparing tea.


 

Asafoetida / Hing / Perungayam

      

       Asafoetida is a spice,… has a fetid smell but in cooked dishes it delivers a smooth flavor.  This spice is used as a digestive aid, in  food and in pickle.  This is used to enhance flavor and aroma, in lentil curries like dal, sambar, rasam etc.

        It is also used as a medicine. It is used to aid digestion and also has other medicinal value.

 

 

 

 

 

Asafoetida / Katti  Perungayam / Solid Hing

After buying a small bar of Katti Prungayam, pinch out them into small pieces, using sharp scissors or paakku vetti.

Arrange these pieces in microwave safe plate and micro on high for 1 to 2 mts depend upon the size of the hing pieces.

Hing should puff up nicely but make sure , it should not get burnt.

You can use as it is in Sambar, Rasam etc.  Or , you can powder it in mixie and keep it handy.  Your pure hing powder is ready to use.

Store it in air tight container.

Keep a particular container for exclusively storing hing and avoid storing any other spices or ingredients in this container, as it may get hing smell.

Microwaved hing doesn’t need oil frying, as we are already dry frying hing.  We can use it directly in dishes . If you want to add it while tempering , add it at the final stage.

Hing pieces can also be get dried , just by spreading them on big plates …. Let it get dry on its own. If it is well dried , the pieces will not stick with each other and is easy to use while cooking.  

Home made hing solid or powder gives more flavor and aroma to dishes.

Sweet Kozhukkattai / Mothagam

Kozhukkattai is a popular South Indian sweet dumpling made from rice flour, with a filling of grated coconut and jaggery, which looks like coconut, in shape.   

This sweet is prepared as offering/ Neivedhyam ,for Lord Ganesh on Ganesh Chathurthy  and also on special occasions.   

 

Sweet Kozhukkattai / Mothagam.

Yield   : 108 Small Kozhukkattai

Shelflife:  Within a day. ( Cannot be refrigerated )

Outer Covering:

* Raw Rice ( Maavu Arisi ) :  2 cups

Water : 4 Cups

Salt : 1 Pinch

Gingelly Oil / Til oil – 4 Tsp

        Soak rice in water for 2 to 3 hrs.  Grind it in wet grinder using as much little water from 4 cups.  Grind for half an hr or till it becomes nice. Add salt  . 

In heavy bottom Pan add oil & add the remaining water .  When it comes to boiling stage add the rice batter and  Cook it stirring continuously till it absorbs all the water. Switch off and Close the lid ….

Allow it to become warm.

 Knead it well without any lumps.  You can use water+ oil mixture to grease your hands while kneading.

Keep it in hot pack till you are using.

For stuffing / Coconut Poornam:

Finely Grated Coconut : 2 cups ( packed tightly)

Jaggery Powder : 1 cup

Green Cardamom : 4 ( make into powder)

Ghee : 1 tsp

   In non-stick pan, using 1tbsp of water , melt jaggery and strain to remove sand and dust. [ you can , Microwave for 2 mts to melt and strain]

         Add grated coconut, ghee and cook till it solidifies in low flame. [you can,  Micro on high for 12 mts , stirring once in between ].   Add cardamom powder and let it cool.

Make them into small balls for easy stuffing.

 Now.....Take kneaded rice dough and roll them into logs.  This step is not compulsory but just for our convenience .

             Pinch out small portion from the dough to make a small disc , small size enough to cover poornam .  Disc should be as much thin as possible to get soft kozhukkattai.  Keep water+ oil mixture in a small cup and apply this on your fingers  while shaping disc.
        Keep the poornam in center of the disc and cover rice disc from all the sides and bring together on top and press gently to make a small tower ( overall shape of the kozhukkatai should be in the shape of Coconut ). 

Before Steaming

Repeat the process for atleast to make 20 to 25 kuzhukkattai.  After stuffing don’t keep it outside for longer as it may become dry.

Steam cook the kozhukkattai for 5 to 7 mts using Idly Pan on stove top.

After Steaming

Your First batch of Sweet Kozhukkattai is ready.

While your first batch is getting ready,  you can prepare stuffing for the next batch.)

And repeat the process of steaming. … till all the poornam and outer cover finishes.

For the above quantity , you can prepare 108 small sweet kozhukkattai. You may get extra rice dough , which you can use to prepare Ammini Kozhukkatai  or  Ammini Kozhukkattai ( No Oil Version ).



[Note :  *  Use Maavu Arisi for Preparing Kozhukkattai.  Don't use the regular Raw rice, which we use for cooking rice.  The type which I know for Maavu Arisi in north India is '  Ambemohar rice ' In South India, you can just refer and buy for ' Maavu Arisi' .

**  If you are using Store Bought Rice flour, choose  ' Idiyapam Flour ' , which is readily available in stores.  If you are using readymade flour, take equal portion of water or may be little bit extra.  Heat water and when it comes to boiling point add flour and cook till it absorbs all the water .  Rest of the procedures are same. . 

I would like to hear from you...  Kindly share your thoughts here, as a 'Comment' . Thank You.