Paravaannam - Rice Kheer/Payasam

Today is first Friday of Sravanamaasam. I made Paravaannam - Rice Kheer/Payasam. It's also called Annam Payasam or Paramannam. Whatever the name is...It's the most yummy and easiest sweet liked by everyone in my family. This is offered as Naivedyam to Perumal and Thayar during most of our festivals. Here is the recipe for my version of Paravaannam.

Ingredients:
100 gms Raw Rice
1 ltr Milk
3/4 Cup Grated Jaggery
3 Tbsp Ghee
1/2 Cup Nuts n Raisins
1 Tbsp Cardamom Powder

Paravaannam Ready for Naivedyam

Process:

1. Heat a Pressure Cooker, add 1 Tbsp Ghee and fry Nuts n Raisins and keep them aside. Add remaining Ghee, add washed Rice and fry till brown color stirring occasionally.
2. Add 3/4 ltr Milk to the Rice and bring to a boil on medium flame. Reduce the flame to low and cook up to 3 whistles.
3. Once the pressure is escaped, turn on the flame to low and add the remaining Milk. Bring it to boil by stirring occasionally and once the Milk is almost reduced to 1/4 turn off the flame and add grated Jaggery. Mix well and keep the flame on low and cook further till the jaggery completely melts.
4. Add Nuts n Raisins and Cardamom Powder and mix well.
5. Paravaannam - Rice Kheer/Payasam is ready to offer as Naivedyam. Serve hot or warm.

Paravaannam Ready to Serve

PS: To avoid Milk from splitting after adding Jaggery, add a pinch of Cooking Soda and mix well.

Happy Cooking!
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Aloo Mutter (Potato Green Peas Gravy)

Aloo Mutter is our family's most favorite sabzi. Potatoes and Green Peas cooked in tangy Tomato gravy with mild spices is a perfect gravy curry. It's very easy to make. Try it out!

Ingredients:
2  Big Potatoes
2 Tomatoes Chopped
1/2 Tomato Puree
1/2 Cup Green Peas (I used Safal Frozen Green Peas)
1 Small Carrot(Optional)
1 Tbsp Jeera
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
3 Green Chillies (Slit Long)
1 Inch Ginger (Grated)
1 Tsp Jeera Powder
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
Few Curry Leaves
2 Tbsp Chopped Coriander
1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to Taste
1 Tbsp Cooking Oil

Aloo Mutter

Process:
1. Wash, peel and cut Potatoes into cubes. Pressure Cook Potato cubes, Tomatoes, finely chopped Carrot,  Green Peas with a pinch of Turmeric Powder up to 2 Whistles.
2. Take a Non-Stick Kadai or wok, add Cooking Oil, Jeera, Mustard Seeds, slit Green Chillies, grated Ginger and fry for 2 mins. Add fresh Curry Leaves and fry for one more minute.
3. Now add Tomato puree, Coriander Powder, Jeera Powder, Garam Masala and cook for 2-3 mins stirring occassionally.
4. Once the pressure is escaped from cooker, transfer the cooked vegetables into the wok and mix well.
5. Add Red Chilly Powder and cook further for 2-3 mins with covered lid. Stir occasionally.
6. Once the gravy is cooked to the desired consistency, add chopped Coriander leaves and serve hot with Phulkas or Chapatis.

Happy Cooking!
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Instant Dosakaya Pacchadi (Malabar Cucumber Chutney)

Ingredients:

1 Medium Sized Dosakaya (Malabar Cucumber)
1/2 Cup Urad Dal (Minapappu)
1/4 Cup Mustard Seeds (Avalu)
1/4 Cup Jeera
1/2 Tbsp Fenugreek Seeds (Menthulu)
15-20 Dry Red Chillies (Adjust spice according to your choice)
1 Tbsp Tamarind Pulp
1 Tbps Asafoetida (Ingua/Hing)
1/2 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 Cup Cooking Oil
1/4 Cup Fresh Curry Leaves
Salt to taste

Instant Dosakaya Pacchadi

Process:

1. Wash, peel and deseed Malabar Cucumber and chop it into fine pieces and keep it aside.
2. Take a Kadai, add 2 tablespoons oil. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to low and add  Urad dal, Mustard Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds and Dry Red Chillies and fry till Urad dal turns to golden brown.
3. Turn off the flame and immediately add Jeera and Hing and mix well. Now add Curry leaves and let the seasoning cool at room temperature.
4. Add Tamarind paste to the seasoning and grind it to coarse paste.
5. Add this paste to Malabar Cucumber pieces along with turmeric and salt and mix well. Finally add remaining oil, mix well and store it in an air tight container.
6. Serve it with Steamed Rice and Ghee.

Instant Dosakaya Pacchadi (Malabar Cucumber Chutney)

PS: This instant Dosakaya Pacchadi can be preserved in Refrigerator for 3-4 days.

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Hot n Sweet Bread Fry - Simple n Quick Evening/Breakfast Snack

Ingredients:

6 Whole Wheat Bread Slices
2 Green Chillies
2 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/2 Tsp Mustard
1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
Pinch of Turmeric Powder

Process:

1. Cut Whole Wheat Bread  into small pieces and keep it aside.
2. Heat a Kadai or Non-Stick pan add Cooking Oil, Mustard and once they splutter, add finely chopped Green Chillies and fry for one min.
3. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Bread pieces and mix well. Keep the flame on low and keep stirring occasionally. Fry for 2-3 mins and add Tomato Ketchup (I used Maggi No Onion No Garlic Tomato Ketchup) and mix well.
5. Stir fry for 2 more mins on medium flame and serve hot.

PS:
1. No need to add salt as Whole Wheat Bread already has salt.
2. You may use fresh Bread or left over Bread(2 days old).
3. You may garnish with finely Chopped Coriander too.

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Eggless Chocolate Fruit n Nut Cake

Today is my darling's Birthday (Anuradha Suri)...so planned some surprise for her at Bandipur. I baked this cake @ 5:00 am as we were headed to our road trip around 6:00 am. This is a very simple and yummy recipe.

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour/Maida
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coco Powder
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Yogurt
1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tbsp Baking Soda (Cooking Soda)
1 Tbsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 Cup Nuts & Tutti Frutti (I used Almonds, Cashew nuts, Walnuts, Raisins & Tutti Frutti)

Eggless Chocolate Fruit n Nut Cake

Process:
1. Sieve All Purpose Flour (Maida) and Coco Powder together twice and keep it aside.
2. Add Sugar to Yogurt and beat till the Sugar dissolves completely. Add Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Vanilla essence and mix well. Leave it for 3 mins, you will notice bubbles. Add melted Butter and mix well.

3. Add Flour mixture in little quantities to the wet ingredients and fold it gently.

4. Once the batter is ready, add Nuts and Tutti-Fruti and mix well. Grease a baking tray and pour the batter and microwave it for 6 mins. Let it stand in the oven for 2 mins before taking it out.

5. Cool it for 10 mins (do not refrigerate) and then overturn on to a plate. Yummy Egg less Chocolate Fruit n Nut cake is ready to eat!

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