Jalebi

 

 

                                                          Jalebi 

 

     Jalebi, also known as Jilapi, zalabia is an Indian and Arabic sweet snack popular all over South Asia and Middle East. This recipe was brought to medieval India by Persian speaking Turkish invaders. In India this sweet is usually served with sweetened condensed milk dish, rabri or eaten with kachori in the northern parts of Indian Subcontinent. In our home, the hot jalabi is a favorite. This should be crisp, juicy and slightly tangy. Corn flour gives it the crispness and curd and lemon juice gives it sour taste. Coming to the recipe.

 

 

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Resting Time: 15 minutes

 

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour or maida: 150 gms

Curd (well beaten): 4 table spoons

Corn Flour: 4 table spoons

Baking Soda: 1/4 tea spoon

Water: 25 ml

Orange food color: 1/4 tea spoon

Cooking Oil: As needed for frying (200 ml)

For Sugar Syrup:

Sugar: 150 gms

Water: 300 ml

Cardamom: 2 pods well crushed

Lemon Juice: 3 tea spoons or half of a lemon

 

Method:

1) Take a bowl, add maida, corn flour, baking soda, curd and mix well.

2) Add water little by little and mix it into a smooth batter, with out any lumps.

3) Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.

4) In the meantime, prepare the sugar syrup.

5) Place a wide and deep bowl on the stove over high flame, add sugar and water. Mix well.

6) Let the syrup boil for 7 to 10 minutes.

7) Add lemon juice and cardamom and put off the fame.

8) Fill the batter into a ziploc and seal it well.

9) Cut it in one end, like a piping bag.

10) Place a wide frying pan, preferably pressure pan on the stove over medium high flame, pour oil and heat it.

11) When the oil is hot, take batter filled in ziploc and squeeze it in a circular way, like concentric circle for 3 rounds.

12) Likewise, make the jalebis and fry them until crisp and when done, take it out and soak it in the warm sugar syrup, for not more than 2 minutes. Take it out and serve hot.

 

                              

 

Note:

1) The recipe, I have given is an instant one, traditionally the batter is fermented for 8 hours before it is fried into jalebis. These instant ones tasted similar to the traditional one. 

2) The batter should not be too thick or too flowy, the consistency of the batter makes good jalebis. If it is, too thick, the jalebis turn out soft and thick. If the oil is not hot enough, you have flat jalebis. If over fried or fried on low heat, jalebis shrunk. So the batter should be in right consistency and oil should be hot. 

3) Always use a wide pan or else jalebis may shrunk and becomes clumsy.

4) The syrup should be warm, otherwise jalebis won't absorb syrup.

5) The optimum time for soaking the fried jalebis is, let it soak, till next batch is fried ready for soaking.

 

Orange Cookies in Pressure Cooker

                                 

                                 Orange Cookies in Pressure Cooker

        Tangy orange flavor is a favorite for many, during my childhood days, my mom used to buy orange cookies, the taste still lingers in mind. Recently I  happened to taste, orange cookies it was kind of similar. I derived a recipe from my basic cookie recipe, using orange juice, zest and orange flavor, it really came out well. So posting the recipe here.

 

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour: 1 Cup (200gm)

Orange juice concentrated: 2 table spoons

Orange Zest: 1/4 tea spoon

Softened Butter: 75 gm

Food Color Orange: A pinch (Optional)

Milk: 1 table spoon

Baking Powder: 1/2 tea spoon

Baking Soda: 1/4 tea spoon

Method:

1) Sieve the flour well and take it in a wide bowl.

2) Add the concentrated juice, butter, grate in some orange zest, baking powder, baking soda, milk and mix well, adding food color is optional.

3) Make it into a soft dough, gather the entire dough and make it into a cylinder. Wrap it in the cling film or any plastic sheet or Ziploc cover and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

4) Take an old pressure cooker or pressure pan and pour in the salt (table salt). Preheat it over medium flame for 15 minutes.

5) Now take dough from fridge after 30 minutes, it would have been set by now and cut it out into discs like cookies.

6) Grease a plate or tray and place the cookies leaving space in between.

7) Place a wire stand in the cooker and put the tray over it and close it with cooker lid, removing the gasket and wait. Bake it for 20 minutes or until nice aroma comes out.

8) Take the tray out of the pressure cooker and let it cool to room temperature.

9) Once cooled the cookies will be crisp and crunchy.

10) Store it in a air tight container.

 

 

Note:

1) Cookies will be chewy when hot,but once it cools down, it becomes crispy.

2) The Cookies stays well for about a week.

3) Never use the cooker lid with gasket and wait, as the high heating melts down the gasket.

4) Always use the exact measurement given.

Coconut Roti - A Srilankan delicacy

 

 

 Coconut Roti - A Srilankan delicacy

 

      Srilanka, an island nation in the south east Asia. The country is very beautiful, very rich in flora & fauna.While browsing the food trail of Srilanka, I learnt that it looks very similar to Kerala cuisine, usage of coconut oil and coconut milk, etc.  Coming to the recipe

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Wheat flour:  2 cups

Finely chopped onion: 2 nos (big ones)

Finely chopped green chillies: 3 nos

Grated Coconut: 3/4 cup

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking as needed

Water as needed

Method:

1) Take a wide bowl and add in all the ingredients one by one and give it a through mix.

2) Once it is mixed well, add water little by little and knead it into a soft dough. 

3) Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

4) Divide the dough in equal size roundels.

5) Roll out the roundels into thick chapati.

6) Place a tawa on the stove over medium high flame and cook the chapati until nice golden spots appear on it. Take it out and serve hot.

7) Taste best with onion sambal or any pickle.

Note:

1) Do not rest the dough for more than 20 minutes, as the onions may leave water and the dough becomes soggy.

For Onion Sambal:

1) Take 2 onions, 2 red chillies, 1/ 2 cup grated coconut, salt, oil 2 tea spoons and 1 lemon.

2) Grind all the above except oil and lemon to a coarse paste.

3) Heat oil in a kadai, temper with currey leaves, mustard seeds and saute the paste for 10 minutes till it becomes dry and squeeze lemon juice. Mix it well and serve.

4) Tastes best with plain rice and coconut chapati.

Aloo Kulcha

                                                      Aloo Kulcha

       From the time we visited Amritsar back in 2016, my son has been asking for this aloo kulcha. He happened to taste from the famous "Kulwanthsingh Kulcha" near the golden temple. He says "Punjab - the food heaven", he likes no.. no... he loves Punjabi food be it kulcha or paratha or naan or any subzi's. 
       He had buttery aloo kulcha with chole masala for breakfast at the food outlet. So i tried to replicate the flaky, buttery, yet very soft kulcha. I passed my son's quality test. So i am confident in posting the recipe.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 to 7 minutes per kulcha and 30 minutes for aloo filling

Ingredients:
All purpose flour or maida: 2 cups
Butter: 50 gs to 75 gms
Water: as needed
Salt as per taste
Curd well beaten: 1/2 cup

For Filling:
Big boiled potato: 3 nos
Finely chopped onions: 1 no
Green chilli finely chopped: 1 no
Ginger: 1 inch piece
Coriander leaves (Finley chopped): 1 teaspoon 
Salt as per taste
Oil: 2 tea spoons
Jeera powder: 1/2 teaspoon 
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Garam masala: 1 teaspoon

Method:

For Stuffing:

1. Pressure cook the potatoes for 5 to 6 whistles and when the pressure  subsides, take the potatoes out and cool it to room temperature. Mash it well.
2. Finely chopp the onions, green chillies, coriander, ginger and keep it ready.
3. Place a pan and add 1 teaspoon of oil and heat it. When it is hot, add chilies, ginger and onions and fry till onions caramelize. Now add the mashed potatoes and mix well.
4. Add cumin or jeera powder 1/2 teaspoon, turmeric powder and garam masala. Mix thoroughly and add the remaining oil and mix well.  
5. When all the ingredients are mixed up, put off the flame and let it cool to room temperature.

For Kulcha:

1. Take a wide bowl, add the maida, 25 gms of butter, 1/2 cup of beaten curd, salt and mix well. 
2. Sprinkle water and knead it well to soft dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes. 
3. After 30 minutes, take the dough and divide it into equal parts (Lemon sized balls).  
4. In the meantime make the stuffing into lemon sized balls and keep it ready. 
5. Take the dough ball and roll it into round disc and smear 1/2 teaspoon butter and then fold it back to lemon sized ball, likewise make all the dough and keep it ready.
6. Now take the buttered ball and roll out into small disc and place the stuffing in the center.
7. Lift from one end of the edge and start pleating and folding and forming the pleats one by one towards the end. Join the pleats in the center and slightly flatten it. 
8. Like wise make all the kulcha"s. 
9. Now roll it into chapathi carefully.
10. Place a tawa on the stove over a high flame, put the kulcha and apply butter or oil over it. Cook it,till small brown spots began to appear, cook it on both the sides, till appears flaky. 
11. Take it out and slightly crumble it between your hands. Serve it hot with punjabi chole masala, pickle and with dollop of butter over the kulcha.

Note:
1. The stuffing can be from panner or cauliflower or aloo.
2. Kulcha's are made using maida and lots of butter. If you are diet conscious, relish this dish once in a year during winter.
3. For the chole masala i have already posted the recipe previously.

Pirandai Thuvayal

                                                     Pirandai Thuvayal

            The "Pirandai" belongs to the creeper variety, it has a lot of medicinal uses, it soother ulcer, indigestion. Usually pirandai thuvayal is served during festive lunches.
            I happened to taste this pirandai thuvayal at my husband's cousin's house, they made this for their Father's "Devashom" ( Death anniversary). So i thought it has to be made only for devashom. Later when talking to my friends, they said it is not so and consumed regularly.
           So after that I started making pirandai thuvayal regularly ie, 10 days once. This pirandai is favorite for my nephew. He likes it very much that he refuses to share this thuvayal with anyone. Cleaning the pirandai is very trickish, one has to discard the nodes & take of the vines as we do for french beans. But before all  this apply sesame oil generously on your palms and do, otherwise the pirandai may cause persistent itching in your palms, which may last for a day. 

Preparation Time: 1/2 an hour
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Grinding Time: 5 minutes
Yields: Serves 4

Ingredients:

Pirandai Stems: 3" inch piece 4 to 5 nos
Urad dhall: Equal portion to pirandai or may be 1 tablespoon
Tamarind: Gooseberry or Marble sized ball (as per you)
Coconut: 1/2 tablespoon of tiny pieces
Red chilli: 2 to 3 nos
Salt as per taste
Sesame Oil: 1 tablespoon 

Method:

1. Apply sesame oil generously on your palms before cleaning pirandai. Cut all the nodes and discard it.
2. Remove the thread-like structure from the sides of the stem, as we do for broad-beans or french beans.
3. Cut into small pieces and wash it well. Pat it dry using soft cloth.
4. Cut the coconut kernel into tiny pieces and keep it aside.
5. Place a heavy bottomed pan or kadai on the stove over a medium flame.
6. Pour 1 tablespoon of sesame oil into the pan and heat it.
7. When the oil is hot, add the pirandai and fry it till it becomes brown and crisp. Drain excess oil.
8. Take it out of the pan and place it in a plate to cool.
9. In the same remaining oil fry the urad dhal till it becomes golden brown and  nice aroma comes out.
10. Place it in the same plate to cool.
11. Now add coconut pieces and fry till becomes golden brown and place it on the same plate to cool.
12. In the same pan fry the tamarind and red chilles for less than a minute. Place on the plate to cool, add salt as per your taste.

13. When everything has cooled down completely, grind it a mixie jar to a fine paste. Sprinkling  water in between.
14. It should be very thicky.
15. Place a small pan over the stove on a medium flame, add sesame oil and heat it.
16. When it is hot, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter and  a few curry leaves.
17. Add this tempering to the pirandai thuvayal, mix it well.
18. Serve it along with hot rice. 
19. Stays well for a week, when refrigerated.

Note:

1. The quantity of tamarind depends on your taste, some may like it sour, while others may not.
2. Fry the pirandai to golden brown and crisp, otherwise it may cause you an  itchy-tongue.
 

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.