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In my earlier post I had given the pooja procedures for Vinayaka Chathurthi.Now to the Neivediyam recipes.

According to the Panchagam each day of a month is reffered as Thidhi.The days after Amavasai is known as Valarpirai Thidhi and days after Pournami are Theipirai Thidhi.The fourth day is Chaturthi and the Valarpirai Chaturthi in the Tamizh month of Avanni is celebrated as Vinayaka Chaturthi,But this year we had two Amavasai,so is being celebrated in the Tamizh month of Puratasi on September 19th.

The Neivediyam for the pooja comprises of Kozhukattai,Sundal,Payasam,Aval,Pori..Here in Tamilnadu it varies with every household except that some basic ingredients are the same.I have given the recipe of how it is done by me.

KOZHUKATAI/MODHAGAM

INGREDIENTS

For Modak
Raw rice flour-1 cup
Water-1 cup
Salt-as required

For puran
Coconut grated-1 cup
Jaggery powdered-1cup
Channa dal-1 cup
Cardamon powder-1 tsp



METHOD

For puran/filling

Pressure cook the channa dal with just enough water and drain the water completely
Grind the coconut and dal a little coarsely
Dissolve jaggery in very little water and strain it.If it is clean you can directly add to the coconut mixture
Take a heavy bottomed vessel and cook this just till it leaves the sides and add cardamon powder
This is the puran/filling



For modak

Soak rice for 30 mins
Drain off the water completely and powder it in the mixie until fine
Here in Tamilnadu we have flour mills to grind wet rice
Sieve the flour
Boil 1 cup of water add the sieved 1 cup of rice flour to the boiling water,simmer and saute till the flour becomes a soft dough and this should be done continously
Remove from fire,allow to cool
Make balls with the dough and using your thumbs just press in the middle and using the other fingers just make a cup shape
Make a ball of the puran and keep in the centre and close the puran with the outer layer
Steam the modaks in idli maker for 10-15 mins





Note
We can use the regular rice flour,puttu flour,kozhukattai flour available in supermarkets also.
If you are using the wet rice grind and refrigerate it.
Another method is to soak rice for 30 min,dry it in cloth in shade completely and then grind the rice.
In either method seive the flour to avoid lumps.
Instead of adding the flour to the boiling water we can add the boiling water to the flour as required to get the soft dough
Make balls out of the puran and keep it ready
Steam the modak till the colour of it changes


KARA KOZHUKATAI

INGREDIENTS

For modak
Same as the above

For filling
Urad dal-1 cup
Green chilli-3
Salt-as required
Mustard,urad dal,asafoetida,curry leaves,oilfor seasoning





Method

For filling
Soak the urad dal for 15 mins
Drain the water completely and grind it with salt and green chillies coarsely
Steam this till it is cooked/changes colour
Cool and make crumbles out of it
Heat oil add the seasoning,and also the urad dal crumble and saute for 10 min and cool
For modaks
Make modaks using the dough keep a spoon of filling and just fold and join the edges
Steam these in idli maker for 15 min or till done

RICE PAYASAM

INGREDIENTS

Raw rice-1/2 cup
Yellow Moong dal-a handful
Jaggery-1 cup
Cardamon powder-1tsp
Cashews-a few
Ghee-2tbsp
Water-11/2 cups
Boiled milk-1 cup
Coconut-2 tbsp

Method

In a kadai dry roast the rice and keep aside
Roast the moong dal seperately
Dry grind both together coarsely
In a pressure cooker boil water,simmer and add the powdered rice slowly stirring so that lumps are not formed
Close and pressure cook till done
Dissolve jaggery in little water and strain it
Add this to the cooked rice-dal and boil for few mins and allow to cool
Add cardamon powder,roasted cashews,coconut and milk to it

SUNDAL

INGREDIENTS

Black channa dal-1 cup
Salt-as required

For seasoning

Mustard-1tsp
Urad dal-1 tsp
Grated coconut-1/4 cup
Asafoetida-a pinch
Red chilly-1
Green chilly-2
Ginger- a small piece chopped
Curry leaves-a few
Coriander leaves-a few
Oil-for seasoning

Method

Soak the channa dal for minimum 8 hrs
Pressure cook with salt and drain the water
In a pan pour oil and season with the ingredients except coriander leaves
Add the cooked channa and saute for a few mins
Garnish with coriander leaves

With just two days to go hope you all enjoy making the neivediyams.

Cooking and Baking has always been my passion though it changes according to my mood fluctuations.The last one week had been full of trial recipes which were pending to be tried for long,so I skipped new posts and concentrated on my recipes.

BLACK FOREST CAKE has always been a tricky one for me.I've tried this recipe several times and it had always been a flop-unable to get fresh cream,cherries at the same time,the cream would curdle etc.After nearly 2 years I wanted to make this special cake and it was a success though I had to make it twice to get the exact taste.

Thanks to my little niece who encouraged me this time to make it by getting the fresh cream and cherries after hunting for it in many stores in my place,of course she is madly in love with this cake and she was fully satisfied with it and relished it too

This recipe is from one of the books I have which is also an eggless recipe

Ingredients
Milkmaid-400gms(used Nestle)
Maida-225gms
Butter-125gms
Cocoa powder-3 to 4 tbsps
Aerated cola drink-200ml(used Pepsi)
Baking powder-1tsp
Soda-bi-carb-1tsp

For decoration
Fresh cream-1cup(used Amul)
Tinned cherries-1 small tin(Kaytis)
Chocolate bar/cooking chocolate-min 5/as required(used Cadbury)

While the cake is cooling keep the following ready

• Whip the cream to spreading/piping consistency and keep in the fridge(do not overwhip as it would curdle)
• Make sugar syrup with 100ml water and 100gms sugar,not very thin and not thick consistency
• Grate the chocolate either with knife or a big grater and refrigerate
• Seperate the cherries from the syrup and deseed them

Method
Lightly grease and flour the baking tin
Preheat oven at 150 C
Melt butter in a double boiler and allow to cool
Add milkmaid to it and mix
Sift together maida,baking powder,soda and cocoa powder
Mix maida with milkmaid-butter mixture alternating with cola till maida and cola are over
Immediately pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 mins at 150 C or till done
Cool and slit horizontally into two
Sprinkle the syrup liberally on the two halves of the cake
Use also the syrup in the cherry tin on the cakes
Spread the whipped cream on the lower part of the cake
Deseed the cherries and arrange them liberally on the cream
Place the other part on top
Spread the cream liberally on the sides and top
Sprinkle the grated chocolate on the sides and top and arrange some more cherries on top
Refrigerate and serve it cool

The word PAROTA itself makes everyone hungry.One of the kids favourite food is parota.When we go out to hotels we find our children ordering parota as their first choice.It is actually a travel food for the people in Tamilnadu.You can see lot of people especially the bus and lorry drivers queing up the Night Kadais,as they are popularly known and the sound of making the Kothu Parota on the large sized tawas is a sight to watch.But the surroundings and the oil they use to make them will make us,health freaks forget parota.Everyone in my house loves this special dish and making them at home has become like making idlis.I thank my dear friend Tasneem for giving us(a group of friends)a demo.I would like to share this method so that your children can also boast to their friends with parota packed lunch box.
Parota is also my entry for Vanamala's KID'S FOOD EVENT



Ingredients
Flour/Maida-1cup or as required
Salt-as required
Cooking soda-1tsp
Oil-1tbsp

Method
Sieve maida with salt and cooking soda
Add water and knead to a smooth dough
Add oil and keep it covered with a wet cloth for minimum 3 hours
Just follow the steps as in pictures below

THE KNEADED SOFT DOUGH


ROLLING OUT


A SPOON OF OIL


SPREAD THE OIL


FOLDING


FOLD LIKE SAREE PLEATING



THE PLEATING COMPLETE


TAP AND STRETCH SLOWLY


THE STRETCHED DOUGH


ROLL INSIDE


ROLLED IN DOUGH


ONE SIDE ON TOP OF THE OTHER


READY TO BE MADE LEAVE FOR 15 MINUTES


ROLL OUT AGAIN


THE LAYERS ARE SEEN


PAROTA ON TAWA


PAROTA ON TAWA ADD OIL AS REQUIRED TILL DONE


LOOSEN THE PAROTA


THE LAYERED PAROTA


READY TO BE SERVED


KURMA
This is the recipe which I make for parota

Ingredients
Onions-2 cut length-wise
Tomatoes-3 finely chopped
Coriander leaves-to garnish
Turmeric powder-1tsp
Salt-to taste

To season
A few pieces of cinnamon,cloves and cardamon

To grind
Garlic-a few
Ginger- a small piece
Fried gram dal-2tsp
Green chilly-2
Khus-khus-2tsp

Method
Heat oil and season with the ingredients
Add onions and saute for 5 min
Add tomatoes and saute well,add tumeric powder and salt
Now add the ground paste and saute for a while
Pressure cook by adding required water
Garnish with coriander leaves
Serve parota hot with onion-tomato kurma or chicken gravy
If you want to make parotas for lunch box prepare the dough the previous evening and finish upto the pleating step one side on the other,just roll them out in the morning

KOTHU PAROTA
Just make pieces of the parota
Spread on the tawa
Pour some kurma on top
Use the dosa laddle and just mix well and serve hot
Eggs also can be added in the process
Just break in the eggs and mix

Iam sure this is an easy way of making parotas with very less oil and when done two or three times you will get used to the procedures and it would become a weekly menu

This popular and favourite food for many is also my entry for Jai and Bee's Click-Flour Event