Sarkarai-Pongal/Sweet Rice

I have Mentioned in my last post, that i made sarkarai pongal and urad dal vada for Neivedhiyam for Purattasi Saturday. Here is my Recipe for Sarkarai Pongal.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Raw Rice

1/4 cup Moong Dal

1/2 cup powdered Jaggery (tightly packed)

2-3 tbsp of Ghee

1 1/2 cup of Milk

1 1/2 cup of  Water

Cashews and Raisins for Garnishing

Method 

In a Heavy-bottom Pan, roast rice and dal together. It gives out a nice aroma while roasting. Once done, add milk and water, and simmer the flame. 

Let the Rice and dal get cooked well. to a mushy state. 

At this stage add the jaggery and mix well. When the jaggery melts and mixes well with rice and dal, add ghee and mix well.

Once the mixture starts turning dry, Put off the flame. In another pan, add some ghee and roast cashews and raisins and add it to the Sweet Rice. Serve Hot

Sending this to Festive Rice Event @ Torview.

With this post, i m happy to announce My Blog's Birthday. Actually i should have Celebrated this last week, but i was busy with some personal work. A Big Thank You to all my Friends who encourage me. by visiting my blog, taking their time out and reading my every single post and giving their valuable comments. Every Single Comment of yours means a lot to me. Hope to Keep this Hobby turned passion Going!!! Happy Blogging Fellas!!!! Have a Great Day!!!

Urad Dal Vada

Tamil Month Purattasi Began Last week (sep 17th). The Month of Purattasi is closely associated with Lord Venkateshwara. Normally in my Mom's Place we used to do 'Maavilaku' on First Saturday of Purattasi Month. But My MIL's place they dont follow such tradition.
But for my Satisfaction and for the Love for my Lord Balaji i do a small pooja and make Neivedhiyam for the Lord. It is actually very hard to find a saturday for the pooja, if you miss the first Saturday of the Month, Coz Next Saturday Maalaya Paksham or Pitru Paksham starts, and then the Brahmotsavam @ Tirupathi Begins and Navrathri Begins. So, it is always better to do the Purattasi Pooja for Lord Balaji during the First Saturday of the Month.

Luckily, My Mom Called up on Friday and reminded me of Saturday. The Next day made some Chakkarai Pongal and Urad Dal Vada as Neivedhiyam and Happily performed the pooja.

Here comes the recipe for Urad Dal Vada.

Ingredients (Makes 11-12 vadas)

1/4 cup Urad Dal

1/2 tsp Methi seeds

1 green chilli

1 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp grated ginger

2 sprigs of curry leaves

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method

Soak urad dal with methi seeds for 1hr. Drain the excess water, add the rest of the ingredients and grind it to a smooth batter, without adding water. Excess water makes batter loose, so dont add water, if necessary add only 1 or 2 tbsp. 

Let the batter sit for 10minutes. Heat oil in a Pan, Wet your hands, take a small ball of the batter, place it on the other palm and flat it using ur fingers and make a small hole in the center and slide it down in the oil. 

Keep the Flame in Medium and Fry both sides. Drain on a Paper towel. Serve hot with any Chutney or some Tomato Sauce. First person to taste this even before the Neivedhiyam was my Son, since it was his Favourite "DoughNut Vada".

Sending this to MLLA-27 @ Susan's and Srivalli's Kids Delight - Finger Food 

Vadam Thair Pachadi - Rice Wafers in Curd

VADAM THAIR PACHADI

Thair pachadi is a cooling side dish relished along with a wholesome south indian meal. The basic ingredient is of course 'thair' - curd - which is thick, fresh and not sour . When a vegetable, fruit, nut , herb or a savoury is added to the curd and garnished or seasoned with spices it transforms into a delicious thair pachadi.

Cucumber (vellarikai) thair pachadi effortlessly fits into any menu plan and is most commonly included in our every day cooking. With a little more thinking and a little more effort many other interesting thair pachadis can be prepared.

Vadams or Vadagams in Tamil also known as Sandige in Kannada are rice wafers or crispies prepared with rice flour during the summer months.

One portion of sago - javvarisi - is cooked like a gruel and is left to cool overnight. The next day four portions of rice flour is cooked in eight parts of water. Previously cooked sago, green chilly paste,asafoetida, salt and lime juice are blended smoothly into the dough. The dough is cooled and pressed through the vadagam press called 'nazhi' into small circles on a clean cloth spread out under the sun. Once the vadams are dry they are stored in air tight containers. These vadams are deep fried and savoured like chips.

My mother's easy to prepare vadam thair pachadi is considered a delicacy among family members and we love to prepare it on special occasions.



INGREDIENTS

Vadams ( Ready made vadams are easily available in the stores) - 6
Fresh and thick curds - 1 cup
Oil - for frying

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a kadai and drop two vadams at a time.
2. When the vadam puffs up ( usually two or even three times its size) , remove with a perforated ladle and drain on a paper towel.
3. Ten minutes before serving arrange the vadams in a single layer in a shallow bowl and slightly crumble them with the back of a ladle.
4. Beat and pour the thick curd over the vadams and let them soak for ten miutes before you serve.

No salt or other spices are necessary as the vadams already contain them. Enjoy the flavoursome vadam thair pachadi with any meal.