Phirni / Firni / Rice Pudding

Phirni is a thick and creamy pudding made from ground rice,milk, sugar and saffron. 

This traditional Indian dessert is worth trying for any special occasion! 

Try and enjoy with your loved ones.

Ingredients: Serves - 4 to 5 (approximately) 

Basmati rice - 1/3 cup 

Full cream milk - 1 litre 

Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 cup 

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp 

Saffron - few strands 

Nuts - for garnishing

Directions:

Wash and drain the basmati rice.

Add water and allow to soak the rice for 30 minutes.

Drain it completely and allow to dry in cloth.

Once it is dried, grind it into coarse powder using pulse mode.  Keep aside.

Add one liter of milk in a heavy bottom pan; allow to boil.

Take few strands of saffron in a bowl, add 1/4 cup of hot milk into that and allow to soak.

Add rice powder gradually into the boiling milk and stir well to avoid lumps.

Continue cooking in low to medium flame till the rice is cooked and milk quantity reduced to half.

This process will take approximately 15 to 20 mins.

After that add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron infused milk . Give a mix and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Switch off the gas.  Once it becomes warm ; Transfer to a serving bowl and top it with nuts.

Let it refrigerate for at least 5 hrs before serving for best taste!

Now tasty and creamy Rice Phirni is ready to serve.

Chocolate Paneer Burfi / Paneer Burfi

Chocolate Paneer Burfi is a delicious, rich milk based sweet.  It is prepared easily using few ingredients which are readily available at home.

I learnt this from my co-sister Guna. She is an expert in preparing sweets and North Indian dishes. 

It was a quick hit in my family when I prepared it the first time itself after learning the recipe from my co-sister. 

You can also try adding saffron instead of cocoa powder. Both tastes yummy.

Let's check the recipe now;

PREP TIME

15 min

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME 

30 mins

                                                                                                                                               

Recipe for Paneer Burfi / Chocolate Paneer Burfi

Recipe type: Dessert / Sweets

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 12 to 15 piece(approximately)

Ingredients:

Milk - 2 1/2 cups
Paneer / Indian cottage cheese - 1 1/2 cups
Cocoa powder- 1 1/2  tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 to 1/2 cup (adjust according to your taste)
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp

Directions:

Heat milk in a pan; allow to boil till it reduce to 3/4 of its quantity in volume and looks creamy;

Thaw / Defrost paneer and grind it into a coarse powder using mixer / grinder or you can mash with your hands.

Add sugar, cocoa powder and cardamom powder; mix well and keep aside. 

Keep stirring the milk at regular intervals.

When milk reduced , add the paneer cocoa mixture and mix well.

Add ghee and keep stirring continuously over medium flame until the mixture starts to leave the pan and become a thick mass; switch off the gas.

Pour the mixture into a greased plate and garnish with chopped / grated almonds, pistachios / cashews.

Allow them to cool 10 to 15 minutes and then cut into desired shapes.

Note:

Instead of cocoa powder , you can also add saffron for different taste.

You can also use home made fresh paneer.

Sesame Peanut Ladoo / Ellu Kadalai Urundai

Here is a nutritious,tasty and easy to make ladoo recipe; suitable for growing kids and adults.. Sesame contains good source of fat, fibre, iron and calcium. Peanut also has good quality fat, fibre and protein. 

When it is combined with jaggery; it will become wholesome and power packed snack.

Let's check the recipe now,

PREP TIME

10mins

COOK TIME

10

TOTAL TIME 

20mins

                                                                                                                                                  

Recipe for Sesame Peanut  Ladoo 

Recipe type: Snack

Cuisine - Tamilnadu

Serves - 10 to 12 balls(approximately)

Ingredients:

Black Sesame seeds / Ellu (in tamil) - 3/4 to 1 cup (black / white)

Peanut - 1/4 cup

Powdered Jaggery - 1/2  cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Directions:

Dry roast the sesame seeds in medium flame till it pop up. Switch off the gas and allow to cool.

Dry roast the peanuts in medium flame till become crunchy.

Add sesame seeds and peanuts in a mixer / grinder.  Grind it coarsely.

Now add Powdered jaggery & cardamom powder along with sesame seed powder and grind till it combine well.

Transfer to a plate and add ghee;  roll them to lemon sized balls using your palm.

Sesame seed peanut ball is ready to serve.

Note:

You can store this for 3 to 4 days in room temperature.

சர்க்கரை பொங்கல் / Sweet Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal

"Pongal" is harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, southern state of India.

On the day of festival, traditionally we make sweet pongal / Sakkarai Pongal, a sweet dish using rice, moong dhal, jaggery and ghee which is given as offerings to the Sun god.  It taste delicious and divine!

Though traditionally, my mom used to prepare it in a pot, here I have given an easy method using pressure cooker! 

Let's check the recipe now,

                               

PREP TIME

25 min

COOK TIME

20  mins

TOTAL TIME 

45 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Sweet Pongal

Recipe type: Main course

Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Serves: 6 to 8 (approximately)

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 1 cup 

Moong dhal – ¼ cup
Jaggery – 1 to 1 ½ cup
Water – 4 cups
Salt - a pinch
Ghee- 3 to 4 tbsp

Cardamom powder- 1 tsp 

Cashew nuts  - 10 (broken into pieces)
Raisins - 1 to 2 tsp

Carrot Semiya Payasam / Carrot Vermicelli Kheer

My best wishes to you for good health, happiness, prosperity & peace to prevail on your life during this new year 2017 and beyond.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for those who have encouraged me throughout the year by their likes and comments which indeed is a booster for any blogger. 

Here is a tasty treat to celebrate your successes of 2016 and to welcome another successful year 2017.

Though I prepare carrot kheer quite often, addition of vermicelli is a twist that really gives a nice bite to this dish.

                                            

PREP TIME

15 min

COOK TIME

25 mins

TOTAL TIME 

35 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Carrot Semiya Payasam / Carrot Vermicelli Kheer

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 6 to 8 (approximately)

Ingredients: 

Carrots - 6 to 8 (medium sized)
Vermicelli (semiya) - ¼ cup
Sugar - ¾ to 1 cup (Adjust according to your taste)
Milk – 3 to 4 cups
Cashew nuts - 15 to 20
Raisins – 5 to 10 pieces
Cardamom powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 to 2 tbsp
Water - to cook vermicelli (Amount of water will vary according to the variety of vermicelli used)

Black Eye Bean Sweet Sundal / Karamani Sweet Sundal / Karamani Vella Sundal - Navarathiri Recipes

Black Eye Bean Sweet Sundal is one of the "easy to make" recipes and a favourite of mine. For those who have seen my previous post of Green Gram Sweet sundal, here is a variation of seasoning with red chillies. Try this; you will like the mild spice taste along with sweet.

Black eye bean / Karamani (in tamil) is a nutritious legume especially high in fibre and rich in B-vitamins. Include in your diet for a healthy living.

Check also my other Sundal recipes:

Sweet Corn Sundal
Black Chick Peas Sundal / Kala Channa Sundal
Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal / Beach Sundal
Kollu Sundal / Horse Gram Sundal
Pasi Payaru (Green Moong) / Green Gram Sweet Sundal
Channa Sundal / Kondakadalai Sundal / Chick Peas Sundal
Navadhaniya Sundal / Thengai Mangai Navadhaniya Sundal / Mixed Sprouts Sundal

                                                        

PREP TIME

25 min

COOK TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME 

35 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Black Eye Bean Sweet Sundal

Recipe type: Snacks

Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Serves: 3 to 4 (approximately)

Ingredients:

Black eye bean / Karamani - 1 cup
Jaggery – ½ to ¾ cup

Grated Coconut - 2 to 3 tbsp
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp(optional)

Salt - to taste

For Seasoning:
Oil - 2 to 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Red chillies - 2
Curry leaves - few

Tri colour jelly - Oman (45th) National Day Special

November 18th is a very special day in the Sultanate of Oman; the day which is celebrated as ‘National Day’!

This year, both citizens and expatriates are in upbeat mood celebrating the 45th National Day, as a mark of their love & loyalty to the country and to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the most beloved leader of the country.

The air is festive and the atmosphere colourful, dominated by the national hues of red, green & white.  The display of patriotism and love for His Majesty is on almost every vehicle.  Streets and buildings in Oman have been decked up with national flags & decorative lights to mark the occasion. 

Retail giants have started promotional sales; hotels and airlines have also come up with special offers to join hands in the National Day festivities.  Shops are stocked with National Day mementos.  Sales are at its peak.

Aligning with the national mood in Oman on the eve of the country's 45th National Day, here is a special ‘Tri Colour Jelly’ to try & relish on this special occasion.

Yield - 6 individual cups (large)

Ingredients:

For green layer:
Lemon flavoured jelly packets - 1( 85 gram)
Green food colour - (optional)
Hot water - 1 cup
Cold water - 1 cup

For red layer:
Cherry flavoured jelly packets - 1( 85 gram)
Hot water - 1 cup
Cold water - 1 cup

For white layer:
Condensed milk - 1 tin
Chinagrass - 5 grams
Water - 2 ½ cups

Rava Ladoo / Rava Laddu using Condensed milk

Try this easy to make, delicious rava ladoo using condensed milk; you can prepare without any tricks / tips to follow! This is the perfect sweet for beginners to try and relish for any special occasion and can me made within 15 to 20 minutes.

Try and share with your loved one for this Diwali!

Yield : 12 to 15 ladoos approximately 

Ingredients:

Semolina / Fine rava - 1 ½ cups
Condensed milk - ¾ cup
Milk - 3 to 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder - ¾ tsp
Cashew nuts - 10 to 15 pieces (broken into pieces)
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Black Chick Peas Sundal / Kala Channa Sundal

This is a healthy and traditional sundal preparation using black channa / chickpeas flavoured with aromatic spice powder.  I learnt this from my brahmin friend Divya vijay.

Try this protein rich sundal for kids snack box and also it is perfect to be offered as prasadam during South Indian Hindu festivals especially during Ganesha chathurthi, Navarathri.

Ingredients:

Black channa / chick peas - 1 cup

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Salt - as required

Dry roast and  grind:
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - ½ t tsp
Sesame seeds - ½ t tsp
Red chillies - 2 to 3

For Seasoning:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dal - ½ tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Sweet Corn Sundal

Sweet corn sundal is a delicious, healthy and easy to make recipe to serve as a prasadham / offering to god during Navarathiri festival. As sweet corn don't need soaking like other legumes (chick peas, Rajma), this can be prepared within 15 to 20 minutes and perfect recipe to try for beginners!

I am sure your kids and family members will love this sweet and tangy corn recipe with South Indian seasoning!

Check my other sweet corn recipes too:

Sweet Corn Payasam / Sweet Corn Kheer

Sweet Corn Vadai (Vada) / Sweet Corn Masal Vadai

Ingredients:

Sweet corn - 1 cup (I have used frozen)
Lemon juice – juice from ½ lemon
Salt – to taste

To Grind:
Green Chilies – 1 or 2
Fresh grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Ginger – 1 '' inch piece

For Seasoning:
Oil - 1 or 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Urad dhal - ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Asafoetida - a pinch

Ellu Urundai / Sesame Seed Balls

Here is a tasty, easy to make and healthy Ellu urundai / Sesame seed balls that is suitable for special occasions; particularly for Vinayaga / Ganesh chaturthi.

Even beginners can prepare this without any confusion; Do try and give your feedback!

Yield : 5 to 6 medium sized balls

Ingredients:
Sesame seeds / Ellu (in tamil) - 1 cup (black / white)
Jaggery -  ½ cup
Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

Sago Vermicelli Payasam / Sago Vermicelli Kheer / Javaarisi Semiya Payasam - My 300th post

My Heartfelt Wishes to you all on this wonderful occasion of  Tamil New Year  and Vishu!!!!

This recipe is very special to me as this is my 300th post and it coincides with the start of Tamil new year!

Sago Vermicelli payasam is easy to prepare traditional dessert suitable for all occasions and festivals.  

Try this payasam and share with your loved ones on this special occasion!

(Serves 5 - 6)

Ingredients: 

Sago / sabudhana - ½ cup
Vermicelli (Semiya) - ¼ cup
Sugar - 1 to 1¼ cups
Milk – 4 to 5 cups
Cashew nuts - 15 to 20
Raisins – 5 to 10 pieces
Cardamom powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 to 2 tbsp
Water - 2 cups ( to cook sago)

Chocolate Fruit Cake / Chocolate Christmas Cake

As Christmas is around the corner  I am here, with the Chocolate Fruit Cake recipe to celebrate this occasion, perfect alternative for traditional fruit cake/ plum cake.

This cake doesn't require prior soaking of dry fruits and  a perfect treat for chocolate lovers.

The combination of dry fruits, mixed spices and chocolates gives a nice, rich taste and giving moist texture to the dense cake.

Try and enjoy this yummy cake with your family and friends.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour -2 cups
Dark brown sugar – 1½ cups
Butter -1 cup
Eggs - 3
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Salt - ½ tsp
Cocoa Powder - 3 tbsp
Dark Chocolate - 100 g
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Mixed Spice - 1 tsp
Mixed dried and Candied Fruits - 2 to 2½ cups (Sultanas, Tuitti Fruitti, Raisins, Glazed cherries(chopped), Dates(pitted and chopped)) 
Mixed nuts – ¾ to 1 cup (chopped) ( cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios or walnuts)
Orange -1 (Grate the rind from one whole orange and juice from ½ of the orange and keep aside)
Lemon -1(Grate the rind and keep aside)
Rum or Brandy - ½ cup (optional)

For spice mix:
Cinnamon – 1 medium stick
Cloves- 10 pieces
Dry ginger – 2 small pieces

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkles are deliciously soft, brownie-like cookie that are coated in a generous coating of confectioners sugar. The name "Crinkle" probably refers to how the powdered sugar "crinkles" or "cracks" as the cookies bake, revealing a little of the chocolate underneath. This recipe is adapted form Simply recipes.

This cookie is perfect for to celebrate Christmas; we all especially my kids love these delicious snack!

Try this and enjoy with your family and friends!

Yield: 18 to 20 cookies medium sized cookies

Ingredients:
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Cocoa powder – ½ to ¾ cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Instant Espresso powder – ½ tsp(optional)
Cinnamon powder - ½ tsp (optional)
Salt – ¼ tsp
Sugar – ¾ cup
Eggs – 2
Vegetable oil – ¼ cup
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

For coating:
Confectioner's (Powdered or Icing) sugar  – ½ cup

Black Rice Payasam / Kavuni Arisi Payasam

Try this delicious creamy payasam / kheer using Black Rice (Kavuni Arisi).

Check my Chettinad special Kavuni Arisi Pongal which I posted earlier.

Ingredients:

Kavuni Arisi / Black rice - ½ cup
Full cream milk - 6 cups
Water- 2 cups
Sugar - ¾ - 1 cup (Adjust according to your taste)
Milkmaid - ½ cup
Cardamom powder - ½ tsp
Cashew nuts (Optional) - 10 (Broken into pieces)

Akkaravadisal / Akkara Adisal (Sweet Milk Rice Pudding)

Akkaravadisal is special south indian sweet which is usually offered as a prasadam to god.

I prepared this sweet for event Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge started by Priya suresh.   I am paired with Shilaja reddy of sahasra recipes  and ingredient given by her was rice and milk.

I am happy to prepare this delicious sweet which is in my to do list for a long time.

Try this delicious sweet which is prepared with milk, rice, dhal (lentils), sugar, ghee, saffron and cardamom powder. 

Rajasthani Lapsi (with Jaggery) / Broken Wheat Sweet

Here is a special recipe on my 175th post; this is also my first post to the International Food Challenge, administered by Saraswathi Tharagaram and Shobana Sekar.

I have selected this traditional sweet of Rajasthan for this challenge. This yummy sweet is easy to make with simple ingredients and a perfect choice for nivedhyam / prasadham that can be prepared in a short time. 

The combination of wheat with jaggery and ghee gives a nice rich taste and moist texture to the this dish.  Try and enjoy this sweet with your family and friends.

A big thanks to Manjula Bharath of Desi Fiesta for hosting this month's challenge and for introducing us to a wide variety of delicious food from Rajasthani Cuisine.  To know more about international Food Challenge click here.

Ingredients:

Broken Wheat – ½ cup
Jaggery – ½ cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Water – 2 cups
Ghee- 2 to 3 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 10
Raisins - 1 to 2 tsp  

Directions:

Roast the cashews and raisins with ghee in a separate pan and keep aside (reserve some for garnishing).