Saturday, June 9, 2012

JANMASHTAMI - THENGOZHAL, CHEEDAI, NEYYAPPAM, VELLA AVAL


‘Janmashtami’ / ‘Gokulashtami’ celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Any festival is an excuse for exotic delicacies in the Indian household. The Palakkad people prepare ‘murukku’, ‘cheedai’ and ‘vella cheedai’ on this occasion and offer ‘neivedhyam’ in the late evening – closer to night – though strictly speaking it has to be done at midnight when Krishna is supposed to be born! I remember my sons issuing me strict orders that my puja should be over by 5.30 pm – when they’d land up after school – the aroma pervading the home would be too tempting to the starved boys to wait any longer. So ‘Krishna’ would ‘arrive’ at our house much earlier!

I have to admit that I have modified my offerings – my mom would make wonderful ‘murukku’ – twisting the rice dough between her fingers to make the cute creation. It was my sister or me who’d fry them carefully in oil till golden brown. In spite of my mom repeatedly insisting that we try out making ‘murukku’, we never resorted to it – and so we make ‘thengozhal’ instead – the ingredients are the same (not really - we need freshly-made rice flour from still-a-bit-moist rice & fine, dry urad dal powder - in a different proportion) – and more importantly, easier to make – requiring no special skills!

When we feel like eating 'murukku', we buy from the reputed Grand Sweets / Ananda Bhavan!

I also love the yummy ‘vella cheedai’ my mom and grandma used to make – I was also aware of their nervousness every time – wondering whether they would turn out well or disintegrate or ‘burst’. So I’ve chosen not to take the risk – I make ‘neyyappam’ instead. I wonder how many of us still make 'vella cheedai'!
Some ladies make ‘vella aval’ (Krishna’s favorite– remember – Krishna’s ‘poor’ friend Kuchela brought a little bagful of aval when he comes to meet him?) ) and ‘paal payasam’ as well.

NEIYYAPPAM
For the recipe on ‘Neiyyappam’ / ‘Appam’, please refer to the recipes of ‘Karthigai’ festival.

THENGOZHAL



‘Thengozhal is one of the ‘murukku’ (chakli) varieties popular among Tam Brahms. It is made out of rice flour and urad dal powder. In earlier days, rice flour would be made fresh at home as also urad dal powder. Raw rice would be soaked in water for a couple of hours, drained and then powdered in a mixer after an hour or so and sieved. This fresh powder can be used while still damp for making thengozhal but it would be equivalent to half the quantity of dried rice flour. Urad dal powder can be made by dry roasting urad dal to a light brown and powdering in a dry grinder and sieving well so that you get fine urad dal powder. My mom would do that. And she'd always make with 2 1/2  cups (her cup was 250 ml). If she wanted to make more, she'd make a second batch of dough - she'd say that if the dough stood for long, the 'thengozhal' would absorb more oil. I have reduced the labor and use the powder I get ground at the flour mill; and I do make  2 1/2 cups alright but my cup size is 200 ml! In the modern day, we can use the dry rice flour and urad dal powder available in the stores in India and abroad. The recipe given below uses the powders available in the market. You can try by making with half the quantity mentioned in the recipe!

Makes 10-12 nos.

Preparation time - 15 minutes
Cooking time - 50 minutes

Ingredients –
Rice flour – 2 ½ cups
Urad dal powder – ¼ cup
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
White sesame seeds – 1 tsp
Asafetida – nearly ¼ tsp
Butter – about 2 -3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water
Oil for frying

Method –
Mix the rice flour & urad dal powder, adding salt, cumin seeds, white sesame seeds and asafetida. Add butter and mix well without any lumps.
Next add water to it and make soft dough. (Test for the consistency by putting a tablespoon of it in the chakli-maker and try pressing it down – if it requires you to put too much pressure, sprinkle a little more water and make the dough softer.)
Heat oil in a frying pan, squeeze the ‘thengozhal’ in circles in the oil and fry to a golden brown.
Drain off the oil and place them on tissue paper and store in a dry jar when cool.

Tips
I usually store my 'thengozhal powder' - it lasts for 3-4 months. You too can prepare this powder if you are in India. Dry roast 1 cup of urad dal (without oil) on medium heat till very light brown. Mix this with 4 glasses of raw rice. Get it finely ground from a flour mill – mentioning specifically that it should not get mixed with wheat flour. Sieve and store this powder and use whenever you want to make 'thengozhal'. Convenient if you are ready to take a little bit of initial trouble!

CHEEDAI


The same 'Thengozhal'powder / rice flour & urad dal powder in the same proportion as mentioned above (5:1) can be used for 'cheedai'.

Ingredients
Thengozhal powder - 1 1/2 cups
Coconut (grated) - 2 tbsps
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
White sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Butter - 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method
Grind the coconut, jeera and pepper together with a little water.
Mix the flour well with butter, salt, and sesame seeds.
Add the ground coconut mixture and mix well.
Add water little by little to form a still dough.
Roll the dough gently and lightly into small marble-sized balls (making surethere are no cracks in the balls).
Heat oil in a kadhai and fry them in batches till golden brown.
Drain off onto a tissue paper.
Store in an airtight container on cooling.

Tips
Be careful when you roll out the marbles - don't roll tightly - they might'burst' while being fried!
Make sure the flour is sieved well - a coarse grain can also trigger off the 'cheedai burst'!
So ladies who have had a bitter experience with 'cheedai' are hesitant to try it out again! Remember - you have been warned!

VELLA AVAL

Ingredients
Aval (puffed rice) (thick variety) – 2 glasses
Jaggery – ¾ glass
Grated coconut – 2-3 tbsp
Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Cashew nuts – 8
Pottu kadalai (chutney dal) – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 2 tsps

Method
Wash the aval and squeeze out the water gently and leave in a colander for 10 minutes.
Heat ¼ glass water in a kadhai, add the jaggery and stir.
Make a thick syrup after straining impurities if any.
Add the poha and mix well till dry. Remove from stove.
Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews till golden brown and remove.
In the same ghee, fry the pottukadalai till golden brown.
Add these fried stuff along with the ghee to the aval. Also add grated coconut and cardamom powder and mix well.
This dish is ready for ‘neivedhyam’ for Lord Krishna.

Tips
This is also a quick tea-time snack – nutritious and tasty.

This is prepared in some households.For the recipe, click on 'PAAL PAAYASAM' above for the link.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.






Friday, June 8, 2012

LEMON RICE


Lemon rice, also known as 'elumichambazha chadham' is a part of grand Palakkad feasts. It is an ideal packed lunch item many used to carry during train journeys. Nowadays many choose to fly and those who travel by train prefer to buy meals. 
This is a quicky. When I used to have leftover rice, my lunchbox would contain light yellow, tangy and tasty lemon rice which would disappear in no time with my friends yearning for more and suggesting that I bring the same everyday! If you want to tuck in some veggies, you are most welcome to do so!
At home, we call it 'nimbu chadham' (Hindamil) - that's how cosmopolitan our family is! Actually if you want to know the real reason, my family is more comfy with the term 'nimbu' than 'elumichambazham'. 

Serves 4

Ingredients
Rice – 1 glass
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Chana dal / chutney dal – 1-2 tbsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Green chilli – 2 – chopped
Curry leaves – 10
Coriander leaves – 1-2 tbsp
Juice of 1- 11/2 big lemon
Oil – 4-5 tbsp
Cashew nut pieces / roasted peanuts – 2 tbsp


Method
Cook the rice, making sure it is not overcooked. 
Spread it on a plate and allow it to cool.
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a nonstick pan add mustard seeds, urad dal and chutney dal followed by a pinch of asafetida. Add chopped green chilli and curry leaves and turmeric powder and stir.
Lower the stove and add the rice. Add salt and stir gently.
Turn off the heat.
After 5 minutes, add chopped coriander leaves and the juice of 1 lemon and mix well.
Garnish with roasted groundnuts or roasted cashews.
Serve hot / cold with papads / fryums.


Tips
Traditionally sesame oil is used. But if you are not used to its taste you can use your regular oil.
Basmati rice / Kolam rice / any good quality rice can be used - it should not be overcooked or squishy.
Lemon rice comes in handy for travel – pack it after it is cooled to room temperature.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.

THAYIR CHADHAM



'Thayir chadham' (curd rice) is a must in South Indian homes where  yogurt is a part of every meal. It is a great item to carry during travel - soothing and easy-on-your-stomach. It  tastes good with 'thayir molagai' / maangakary / pickle. 
The recipe given below is for 'thayir chadham' to be used after some 5-7 hours, so more milk is used than curd (the hours in between will see that the milk will get fermented). If you want to prepare this item for immediate consumption, add more curd and less milk and check its taste.


.
Ingredients
Rice – 1 cup
Curd – 1 cup
Milk – 3 cups
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Green chilli – 2 (chopped fine)
Ginger – 1” – chopped fine
Mustard seeds – 1 ½ tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Oil – 2 tsp

Method
Cook the rice. Cool it a bit.
Mash it a bit when still hot and allow it to cool.
Add the curd, salt, sugar and 1 1/2 - 2 cups of milk and mix well.
Add ginger pieces and mix well.
If you are going to use the curd rice soon, add more curd.
If it is for later use (after 4-6 hours), add more milk – it will have the right taste by then.
Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, asafetida and green chilli pieces and add it to the curd rice.
Mix well.
Check the taste and serve with pickle / thayir molagai.


Tips
If you are packing curd rice for travel, just add 2 tbsp of curd and add enough milk to make the curd rice – it will turn sour and tasty with the passing hours.
It will also turn thick and solid in due course – you can add buttermilk / water later to loosen it to the right consistency.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.