Pavakkai Chips (Bitter-guard Chips)

               
                                 Pavakkai Chips (Bitter-guard Chips)

       Many desist eating bitter-guard, because of its bitterness. Elders in the family often tell us it is very good for health. This bitter-guard is my "FIL's" (father-in-law) favorite vegetable, i used to wonder how a person would love, a thing which is very bitter. But he says you should enjoy or eat a vegetable as it comes in nature.

Ingredients:                                                                  Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Bitter-guard: 2 Nos , big ones                                          Resting Time: 10 Minutes
Rice flour: 1 tablespoon                                                  Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Besan flour: 2 table spoons                                             Yields: Serves 4
Chilli powder: 1/2 teaspoon 
Garam masala:  1/2 teaspoon
Ginger Garlic paste: 1 teaspoon (Optional)
Salt as per taste
Water for sprinkling
Oil for frying

Method:
1. Wash bitter-guard well and dry it using a soft cloth.
2. Cut the vegetable into thin roundels, discarding the seeds.
3. Smear salt over the bitter-guard roundels and rest it for 20 minutes in a bowl.
4. Now take the roundels and squeeze the extra water. Put it into bowl.
5. Add chilli powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, besan flour & rice flour to the bitter-guard. Add salt as per taste.
6. Sprinkle very little water so that the flour and masalas coat well over the bitter-guard.
7. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan over a medium flame, when the oil is hot, fry in batches.
8. Fry it till golden brown and drain excess oil and keep.
9. When it is cooled completely, store it in a air tight container.

Note:
1. Stays well for a week.
2. Smearing salt to bitter-guard before frying takes away the bitterness and makes it less bitter.
 

Paal Payasam

                                    Paal Payasam

 

 

    It has been a very long time since i posted a recipe in my blog, so after a break, let me start with a sweet, that too a traditional one "Paal Payasam". This is my first try with paal payasam recipe. It came absolutely delicious, all thanks to Vidhya (my friend), who gave this recipe.

   I tasted this paal payasam when we visited her kolu, so the next day i called her to get the recipe. She was happy to share and asked me to publish in my blog.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 4 

Ingredients:

Raw Rice: 3 tablespoons

Moong Dhal: 1 tablespoon

Ghee: 2 tablespoons

Jaggery: 3 & 3/4 tablespoons

Cardamon: 3 to 4 pods finely crushed or powdered

Full Cream Milk: 1/2 litre ( Boiled and Cooled)

Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon (Optional)

Water: 2 cups

Saffron: a few strands

Broken Cashews: a handful

Raisin: 1 teaspoon

Pacha Karporam: a pinch (Optional)

Method:

1. Wash the rice and moong dhal together well. Drain the water completely. 

2. Place a heavy bottom pan on the stove over a medium flame.

3. When the pan is hot, add the rice and moong dhal. Dry roast it till aroma comes. Put off the flame and let it cool.

4. Take a heavy bottomed thick vessel and add the roasted rice and moong dhal to it. Add 3/4 of the boiled milk and 2 cups of water. Put it over the stove on a simmer flame. Let the rice and dhal cook well.

5. When it is completely cooked, slightly smash it with a ladle, so that mixture looks like sago- balls, at this stage add saffron and cook.

6. Mix jaggery with 2 table spoons of water and heat it till it becomes frothy. Put off the flame and filter it. Add this to the payasam.

7. Let the payasam boil for 5 minutes after adding jaggery, add cardamon powder and mix well. At this time you can add either nutmeg powder or pacha karporam. I used nutmeg as i didn't have pacha karporam.

8. Heat ghee in a small kadai, add the cashews and raisins till it becomes golden brown, add these to payasam. Mix well.

9. Put off the flame and serve hot or chilled as per your choice.

Note:

1. You can always replace jaggery with sugar, I used jaggery.

2. This payasam thickens once it cools down, you can add milk to adjust the consistency.

3. Never boil more than 5 minutes after adding jaggery. If you do so, it may curdle.