My mother was a working woman and so am I. During her old age she would try these recipes and I would back home at aroun 9.30 p.m. only to eat them. Even If i wished I had no time to sit and and learn from her. Luckily I have learnt to cook, still exhorbitant recepies are a miles far away from me, but, I am interested. On Sundays, I would take up the cleaning of the house. changing drapes, washing the kitchen etc.. and cook for the entire family, try out recipes from punjab, rajasthan etc.. They would come out delicious.That way I was giving my mom a break, she would still come to make rotis etc.. Mom is Mom you know..... Maids in Mumbai are queens. They do only certain jobs and walk away. No amount of money can make you do the extra work. But, I am determined to learn and experiment. Since I live alone, even if I mess nobody will know.... Yes,I will be honest to tell you. Like I told Chitvish that I messed up with the Idli maav.........
Thiratu pal (2) Ingredients: 1 tin Milk maid 1 sp curd Method: This is the easiest method to prepare 'Threatu pal'. Open the tin and pour it in a microwave vessel. Add curd and mix well. Keep it in the oven and keep it in high and keep it for 2 min. REmove and mix well. Again keep it for 2 more min. Remove and mix, again keep it for 1 more min. Remove and mix well. Check thickness and store. In this type also you will get a very good pink colour.
Aval Payasam / Poha keer Ingredients: 1 cup thin/ thick aval 3/4 cup full cream milk 1 cup sugar 2 sp ghee 2 sp crushed cashew nuts 2 sp dry grapes 10 - 12 strings saffron Method: In a pan pour 1 sp ghee and fry cashew nuts and kiss miss. Remove them and keep aside. In the same pan fry aval well by adding 1 sp ghee. Add milk and cook the aval. Add sugar and mix well. Add fried cashew nuts, dry grapes and saffron. Remove from the fire.
Akkaravadisal / rice Kheer This is also an important item in our houses. (Iyanger) Ingredients: 1 cup rice 1 sp channa dal 1 sp moong dal 3/4 cup jaggery (grated) 1 cup full cream milk 4 - 5 sp ghee 2 sp crushed cashew nuts 2 sp kis mis 10 - 15 strings of saffron 1/2 sp cardamom powder Method: Wash and clean rice. Allow it to dry by spreading it on a clean cloth. In a pan pour 2 sp ghee and fry rice in low flame. Allow it to fry well and add dals and fry well. Pour 1/2 cup milk and water. Cook well and smash it like a thick paste. Put saffron in one spoon milk. Add grated jaggery and mix well. In another pan pour the balance ghee and fry cashew and dry grapes. Add them in the 'akkaravadisal' . Add saffron milk and cardammon powder. Mix well. Add the balance milk. Remove from the fire. This 'Akkaravadisal' must be thick and it should be like 'thick dosa dough'. If you want add some more ghee before serving.
Pal Payasam From these three you can select any one and do for Krishna Jayanthi. Ingredients: 1 lt full cream milk 400 gms sugar 2 tsp crushed cashew nuts (optional) 2 tsp 'sarai parapu' (i dont know in English:tongue ) 2 - 4 table spoon rice (wash and dry and keep it ready) 2 - 4 sp ghee saffron strings Method: Pour 2 sp ghee in a pan and fry rice. Add half milk and water. Cook the rice in that and allow the milk to reduce. Keep the flame less. Have an eye on that. When the rice mashed and cooked well add the rest of the milk and again allow it to reduce. When it starts thick, add sugar and mix well. It will become light pink or cream in colour. Remove it from the fire and add fried 'sarai parrapu' in that. Note: generally we add only 'sarai parrapu' for 'pal payasam' but if you want you can add cashew, kismis, 'pachai karpuram' or cardamom powder as per your taste. You can add jaggery instead of sugar. (old people / aacharamana people wont use sugar even now a days) Instead of adding the 1/2 lt milk again with the cooked rice, you can add 'evoprorated milk' or 'milk maid' to reduce the time and increase the taste. But be careful when you are going to add 'milk maid' because it is sweetned already.
Aval with sugar & coconut This is one important item in This function Ingredient: 100 gms aval (thick / thin) 1/2 cup coconut 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 sp cardamom powder Method: Clean and wash aval squeez & drain. Add coconut, sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. That is all. Keep it as 'Naivedium'
Other Naivediums Usually I prepare 1. Butter and Sugar 2. Powdered (suku) dried ginger + jaggery 3. 'Kala Jamun' - 'Naga palam' 4. Many fruits as much as you can. 5. Tambulam 6. Coconut 7. Flowers