Sunday, December 30, 2018
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Pottu Kadalai Marzipan - Roasted Gram Marzipan
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 4:51 PM
Labels: marzipan, Pottu Kadalai, roasted gram, Sweet Christmas Post your Comments (0)
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Pavakkai Gojju - Bitter Gourd in Sweet and Spicy Tamarind Gravy
A combination of Gojju and steaming hot rice topped with a spoon of ghee is one of the best finger-licking meals suitable for a cold day. Pavakkai/Bitter gourd activates the digestive juices resulting in good digestion. Ginger, chillies, sesame seeds and tamarind used in its preparation have heat generating properties which are important for improving metabolism and keeping the body warm. The spice, the tang and the sweetness of jaggery help to camouflage the bitter taste of the healthy vegetable.

INGREDIENTS
Bitter gourd/ Pavakkai - 2
Tamarind - 1 lemon size ball
Salt - 2 tsps
Sambar powder - 2 tsps
Jaggery ( powdered) - 2 tbsp
Sesame oil - 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds - 1 pinch
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram dal - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 2 ( broken)
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Fresh ginger - 1'' piece (chopped lengthwise)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Roasted and powdered sesame seeds - 2 tbsps
METHOD
1. Wash and chop Pavakkai/ Bitter gourd into small pieces.
2. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the juice and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds.
4. When the mustard seeds splutter add fenugreek seeds and Bengal gram dal.
5. When the dal starts to turn golden in colour add the peanuts and stir till they crack.
6. Turn down the heat and add red chillies, followed by slit green chillies and ginger.
7. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder and curry leaves.
8. Stir the seasoning well, increase flame and add the chopped bitter gourd.

9. Stir fry for five minutes and then add the tamarind juice, salt, sambar powder and powdered jaggery.

10. Cover and cook on medium heat till the gojju becomes thick emanating a very pleasant aroma.
11. See that the vegetable is cooked and then add the roasted and powdered sesame seeds.

12. If you do not need a very thick gravy, make a paste with one teaspoon of rice flour and water and blend it into the gojju while still watery as soon as the vegetable is done.
Enjoy the bitter- sweet, spicy - sour Pavakkai Gojju with rice or relish it with dosas or chapaties.
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 3:57 PM
Labels: Bitter gourd., Pavakkai Gojju, Sweet and spicy tamarind gravy Post your Comments (0)
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Ellu Podi and Ellorai - Spicy Sesame Powder and Rice Mixed With Sesame Powder
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 6:16 PM
Labels: Ellorai, Ellu Podi, Heat generating Sesame, Winter food Post your Comments (0)
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Vegetable Noodle Dalna - Noodles In A Traditional Bengali Gravy
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 2:05 PM
Labels: Bengali Dalna, Fusion Noodles, Vegetable Noodle Post your Comments (3)
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Deepavali Special - Mundiri Paruppu Chocolate Nokkal - Chocolate Coated Cashew Nuts
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 8:40 PM
Labels: Chocolate coated cashew nuts, Chocolate Nokkal, Deepavali Special Post your Comments (0)
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Kaadaikanni Payasam - A Festive Oats Porridge, and Samba Godumai Rava Payasam - A festive Broken Wheat Porridge
Offering Payasam as Neivedyam is an integral part of Deity worship. Different types of Payasams are prepared by cooking different grains in milk or coconut milk and sweetened with jaggery or sugar. Some Payasams are better left plain while some others are garnished with dry fruits and nuts. Goddess Shakti is offered a Payasam a day on all days of Navaratri along with the Maha Neivedyam/the main food offering. Here are recipes for two Payasams which can be prepared for the celebration. The first one is called Kaadaikanni Payasam in Tamil and Tokkegodhi Payasa in Kannada. Kaadaikanni and Tokkegodhi are the not so familiar Tamil and Kannada words which mean Oats. The second one is Samba Godumai Rava Payasam (Tamil) or Godhi Tari Payasa ( Kannada) meaning Broken Wheat Porridge.
KAADAIKANNI PAYASAM

SAMBA GODUMAI RAVA PAYASAM

KAADAIKANNI PAYASAM
INGREDIENTS

Rolled Oats/Kaadaikanni - 1/2 cup
Milk - 4 cups
Powdered jaggery - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Raisins and cashew nuts - a few
Saffron strands - 1 pinch
Powdered cardamom - 1 pinch
METHOD

1. Soak the saffron strands in one tablespoon of warm milk and keep aside.
2. Heat one teaspoon of ghee and roast the oats till the colour changes.
3. Add milk and cook till the oats become soft.
4. Add powdered jaggery and cook till it melts and blends with the cooked oats emanating a very pleasant aroma.
5. Add the soaked saffron strands along with the milk.
6. Mix in the cardamom powder.

7. Heat the remaining ghee and fry the cashew nuts to a golden colour, add the raisins and roast till they bloat.
8. Garnish the thick Kaadaikanni Payasam with the ghee fried nuts and raisins.
INGREDIENTS

Samba Godumai Rava (Fine)/ Broken Wheat - 1/2 cup
Powdered jaggery - 3/4 cup
Thick coconut milk - 4 cups
Powdered cardamom - 1 pinch
Powdered edible camphor - 1 pin head
Ghee - 1 tbsp
METHOD

1. Heat ghee and roast the broken wheat till it emanates a pleasant aroma.
2. Add four cups of boiling water and cook the broken wheat till it becomes a thin
3. Add powdered jaggery and cook till the jaggery blends well with the cooked broken wheat.
4. Gently add in the coconut milk and switch off flame before the Payasam boils.

5. Mix in the cardamom powder and the powdered edible camphor into the creamy Payasam with flowing consistency. Garnishing with nuts and raisins is optional.
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 3:38 PM
Labels: Festive Porridges, Kaadai kanni, Navaratri., Payasam, Samba Godumai rava Payasam Post your Comments (0)
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Gudannam / Jaggery Rice and Chitranna / Lemon Rice to celebrate Navaratri
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 2:56 PM
Labels: Lemon rice, Maha Neivedyam, Navaratri, Sweet Rice Post your Comments (0)
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Tondekayi Tomato Masale Gojju - Ivy Gourd and Tomato Spicy Gravy
Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 3:49 PM
Labels: gojju, Ivy Gourd, spicy gravy, Tondekayi Post your Comments (0)
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Rajgira Roti - A Flat Bread with Amaranth Seeds Flour

Posted by Chitra Amma's Kitchen at 7:01 AM
Labels: Indian Flat bread with Amaranth seeds flour., non glutenous, Rajgira Roti Post your Comments (3)