Nei Appam

Watch in you tube here: http://youtu.be/DV9DC4wwhfo

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup jaggery you can adjust this more or less according to taste (jaggery is also called gud or vellum)
1/4 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup sliced coconut bits
1/2 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
ghee or clarified butter as needed
water as needed

Preparation:  Heat a pan on medium heat with 1/4 cup of water add the jaggery and cook until the jaggery has melted.  Turn the heat off and let it cool to room temperature.  Sometimes the jaggery has small stones in it, in that case you will have to strain it through a clean cloth.

After the jaggery has cooled to room temperature add the rice powder and mix, add the mashed banana and mix add water as needed to make a flowing batter which is lump free.  Add the coconut bits and crushed cardamom seeds mix.  Keep it aside.

Heat a paniyaram pan on medium heat.  Add about 1/2 a teaspoon of ghee into the moulds and let the pan warm up.  When the pan is warm, fill the moulds with the prepared batter reduce the heat to low and let it cook until the sides loosen.  When the sides loosen turn it around and let it cook on the other side.  Check to see if it is cooked by inserting a skewer in the middle, if it comes out clean it is cooked and is ready to come out.

This dish originates from Kerala.  This is one of the dishes that is prepared to celebrate Karthigai Deepam.  

Ridge Gourd, Turai or Peerkangai Thogayal or Chutney

Ingredients to prepare ridge gourd:
2 1/2 cup ridge gourd peeled (350 gm)
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 salt

Ingredients for grinding:
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon urad dal
1 tablespoon channa dal
4 red chilies or to taste
a pinch of asafoetida
a few curry leaves (or use cilantro leaves or dhania leaves)
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
a small piece of jaggery (1/2 teaspoon)

Seasoning Ingredients:
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon urad dal



Preparation:  Wash and discard the skin of the ridge gourd.  Chop the ridge gourd flesh into smaller bits.  Heat a pan with one tablespoon of oil add the chopped ridge gourd and cook until the water contained in it has evaporated.  Keep it aside.

Prepare the dal for grinding:
To a pan on medium heat with one teaspoon of oil add urad dal, channa dal and red chilies and saute until the dals have turned brown and a wonderful aroma is given out.  Turn the heat off add a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves mix and let it cool.

When it is cool grind it to a powder.  After the dal has been ground to it add the cooked ridge gourd, grated coconut, tamarind, salt and a piece of jaggery and grind the mixture to a smooth paste.

To Season:
Heat a pan with 1 teaspoon of oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal and whole red chili.  When the mustard seeds pop add it to the thogayal and serve.

Serves 2.  Serve as a side with rice or chapati.  It can also be served with dosa, idli or rice.  It can be used as a chutney.

This is my mother's recipe my brother remembered it and passed it on to me.  It used to be so delicious when she made it.

Cracked Wheat Puliogare

Ingredients:
1 cup cracked wheat (Tuta Genhun, Gothum rava)
2 cups water or as needed
3 tablespoon sesame oil (also called til oil or nalla ennai)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon channa dal
4 whole red chilies or to taste
1/4 cup roasted and unsalted peanuts
1 teaspoon dry methi leaves (kasoori methi)
a few curry leaves or cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 pinch of asafoetida
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup grated carrots

Preparation:Heat a pan with water add the cracked wheat and cook until it has become soft and cooked.  Takes about 15 minutes.  After it is cooked keep it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

To Season: Heat a pan with 3 tablespoon of oil, add mustard seeds, channa dal and whole red chilies and wait for the mustard seed to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the turmeric powder, asafoetida, dry methi leaves and curry leaves saute for a few seconds, add water and salt and let the water come to a boil.  When the water starts boiling add the cooked cracked wheat mix thoroughly and serve.  As a option you can add grated carrots at the end.

Puliogare is normally made with rice.  This recipe has be adapted to use cracked wheat.

Serves 4.  Serve as a side dish.  Goes well with chutney, raita, pachadi.

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh grated coconut
1 cup whole milk
1 cup raw sugar (or white sugar)
2 tablespoon milk powder
3 drops rose flavouring
1/2 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds

Preparation:
To a pan on medium heat with one cup of milk add sugar and cook until the sugar has melted.  When the sugar has melted add the milk powder.  Mix and remove the milk powder lumps that form as much as possible.  It is ok if a few small lumps remain.  Add the grated coconut and stir and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and the contents leave the side of the pan and form a mass in the middle.
Takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  Turn the heat off add the rose flavor and crushed cardamom seed mix well and pour the contents onto a greased plate, flatten the top surface.  When it cool cut it into squares and serve.