Mysore Pak

This one I totally dedicate this post to my Chachi (Chitti) who told me the exact recipe of how it is made.

Mysore Pak is one my favorites to make during festivals.

Ingredients:

Good Quality Besan/Chana Dal flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 1/4 cup + Garnish
Ghee - 2 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Milk - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Grease a steel tray with Ghee
2. Heat a Kadai and dry roast Besan till its raw aroma goes
3. Sieve the roasted Besan for no lumps
4. Take a small kadai & keep on heating the Ghee on low flame
5. Take a Heavy Bottom Kadai (not a non-stick), add Sugar and water till it boils.
6. Add milk & allow it to boil & remove the dirt of sugar which forms on the corner.
7. Heat till you have 1/ 1.5 string consistency of sugar syrup.
8. Slowly add the Besan to sugar syrup with no lumps
9. Add heated ghee to the Besan Sugar mix, one ladle at a time, mix the ghee & then add another ladle till the ghee is finished and the mix starts leaving sides
10. Just before the entire mix starts frothing, add one last ladle of ghee & slightly mix
11. Immediately pour the mix on the greased tray. DO NOT TAP the tray. Just move it. Sprinkle sugar on it.
12. Cut into pieces when it is slightly cooled off. Store it in an air tight container when it is completely cooled.

Tips:

• The Measurement is very important.
• Quality of Ghee & Besan will surely affect the taste of Mysore Pak
• String 1.5 in Sugar syrup means there will be one string & another string will  not be a complete on when you press & open your index finger & thumb with Sugar syrup

 

Pista Kalakand

I made lot of variety sweets & savories this Diwali.. My daughter also loved all the snacks..
 
This one I made as instant Pista Kalakand which you can make in a jiffy..

 

Ingredients:
 
Khoya/Mawa - 200 gms
Paneer - 200 gms
Powdered Sugar - 200 gms
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp
Pista - 2 tbsp. (powdered) & some for garnish
Ghee - 2 tbsp. + greasing
 
Method:
 

1. Heat Ghee in a Kadai, add crumbled Khoya and let it sauté till the raw smell goes off. But you need not change its color
2. Add crumbled Paneer to it and again sauté till they are well combined and do not change color.
3. Add Cardamom Powder & Pista Powder & stir for two mins.Turn of the heat & allow it to cool
4. Grease a plate & keep it ready.
5. You need to add powdered sugar when the Kadai is slightly above room temperature but the mixture of Khoya-Paneer is still warn & you can touch with hands
6. Mix the sugar well & pour the mix on the greased plate. Garnish the mix with pista & slightly press.
7. Refrigerate the plate for 2 to 3 hrs
8. Warm the base of the plate by immersing in warm water & cut it into pieces. Store in Box in fridge.

 Tips:

• Step 5 is very important as it will determine if your Kalakand has come out well or not.
• Allow the mix to cool in natural way to the right temperature
• You can add Saffron-Milk, Almonds, Cocoa Powder etc. to enhance taste & create different versions of Kalakand
• This will last for a week if refrigerated.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Brunch Menu - Variety Rice Platter

As the prices of Onions are rising, I thought of making Variety Rice Platter which has no onion but tastes very good.. it is a perfect menu for Kanupodi (day after Pongal) when all variety rice is made.

The Variety Rice Platter includes:

1. Lemon Rice
2. Coconut Rice
3. Pudina Rice
4. Curd Rice
5. Raw Banana Chips

Raw Banana Chips

Raw Banana Chips are easiest chips you can ever make at home... It is an all time snack as sides for Variety Rice or Just like that with tea or coffee..

Ingredients:

Raw Banana - 4 nos.
Salt to taste 
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Water as required
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Oil for frying


Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai till it is really hot
2. Peal raw bananas & soak in water
3. Mix salt & asafoetida in water to make a salt solution
4. Slice banana on the hot oil directly using a Chipser
5. Sprinkle salt solution on the hot oil with chips frying
6. Fry till the sound of bubbles goes & the raw banana starts changing color.
7. Sprinkle red chilli powder after taking it out of oil.

Creamy Curd Rice - Heavenly Treat

This is one of the rice which is my all time favorite. Curd Rice is the heat buster during summers..

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice: 2 cups
Thick Curd: 1 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Fresh Green Coriander - few sprigs (Chopped)
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig (Chopped)
Pomegranate for garnish

For Tempering:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Grated Ginger (optional) - 1 tsp
Green Chilli (optional) - 1 (Chopped)

Method:

1. Take Cooked Rice in a wide bowl, add salt, chopped coriander, curry leaves
2. Heat oil in a tempering kadai, add mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal
3. Once the dals start turning brown, add asafoetida, grated ginger and green chillies.
4. Let it cook for 20 to 30 secs, add it to bowl of Rice
5. Add Curd & Milk & mix thoroughly.
6. Serve Chilled and Garnish with Pomegranate Seeds

Pudina Rice

Typically this kind of rice has lot of variations both with/without onions... I made a typical south indian one.. hope you like it

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
To Grind:
Fresh Mint/Pudina - 1 cup
Fresh Coriander leaves - 1/ cup
Green chilli - 1
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 
Urad Dal - 1 tsp 
Channa Dal - 1 tsp 
Red Dried Chillies -  2 Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Grind all ingredients in "To Grind" to a fine paste.
2. Heat oil in kadai,  add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal & red chillies
3. Once the dals, turn brown, add curry leaves
4. Pour the ground mint/coriander paste & cook for 2 mins
5. Add lemon juice & rice, mix till the rice is thoroughly mixed. Serve hot with chips.

 Tips:

• Use Basmati Rice for better taste.

Lemon Rice

Hey this one is one of my favorite variety rice.. this reminds me of my school days when I used to take Lemon Rice to school in Lunch Box and it is finished by my friends in no time.. whether hot or cold.. this is always a tummy filler...

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Lemon - Juice extracted from 1 lemon
Salt
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Cashews - 4 to 5 ( broken into pieces)
Asafoetida - a generous pinch  
Green Chillies - 2 (cut into slits)
Red Dried Chillies -  2
Ground nuts - 10 to 12  
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig Coriander Leaves for garnish 
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp  
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal, green & red chillies, cashews and ground nuts.
2. Once the dals, ground nuts & cashews turn brown, add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
3. Pour this tempering over warm cooked rice (in a wide bowl).
4. Add salt and lemon juice & mix till the rice is thoroughly mixed.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot with chips.

Tips:

• You may used preserved lemon juice as well. But the lemon rice tastes best with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Try using Basmati Rice, it will taste even better.