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)

Thinai Sakkarai Pongal ( திணை சர்க்கரை பொங்கல் ) / Foxtail Millet Sweet Pongal

A healthy variation to South Indian special Sweet pongal using Thinai / Foxtail Millet instead of rice.

Also check my Thinai / Foxtail Millet recipes which I have posted earlier:

Thinai Dosai / Foxtail Millet Dosa
Thinai Payasam / Foxtail Millet Kheer / திணை பாயசம்

Thinai Adai / Thinai Paruppu Adai / Thinai Masala Adai

Ingredients:

Thinai / Foxtail millet – 1 cup
Moong dhal – ¼ cup
Jaggery – 1 ¼ cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Water – 4 cups
Salt - a pinch
Ghee- 2 to 3 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 10
Raisins - 1 to 2 tsp

Karupatti (palm jaggery) Paniyaram / Sweet Paniyaram Using Palm Jaggery / கருப்பட்டி பணியாரம்

Karupatti paniyaram is a traditional sweet made during festive seasons using in Southern India especially in Tamilnadu.

In this recipe for sweetness karupaati vellam (palm jaggery) is used instead of sugar. 

Karupatti vellam or panai vellam is made from the sap extract of Palm Trees. The process of making palm jaggery, does not involve any chemical agents and it is also rich in calcium, iron and other vitamins and minerals. 

Palm jaggery is a healthy alternative for sugar to increase sweetness in many desserts and coffee too. 

Include this in your daily routine for a healthy living.

Sweet kuzhipaniyaram / Banana kuzhipaniyaram

Kuzhipaniyaram is a traditional south indian snack variety. This can either be made sweet or spicy.  Here what I have given is the sweet version! It is known by many names Unniappam (malayalam), Guntha Ponganalu (Telugu).

Ingredients

Wheat flour – ½ cup

Maida – ½ cup

Rice flour – ¼ cup

Ripped Bananas – 3 medium sized

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Dry ginger powder – ¾ tsp (optional)

Cashew nuts – 5 to 6 (broken)

Baking soda – a pinch

Salt – a pinch

Jaggery  - ¾ cup

Water –  (to  prepare batter)

Directions

In a pan, mix jaggery and water and  boil till the jaggery melts and filter to remove impurities if any. Keep aside. 

In a separate pan, mash the bananas; start adding all the ingredients except jaggery syrup and water. 

Pour filtered jaggery syrup  over the flour and banana mixture to prepare a batter (the batter should be in semi thick consistency like dosa batter). 

Add water if necessary.  Heat the kuzhipaniyaram pan; add 1 to 2 tsp oil or ghee into each hole.

Pour the batter in each hole and allow to cook in the medium flame. Turn on the otherside using a tooth pick or a stick.  Allow to cook till both sides turn golden brown colour. Serve hot. 

Note:

If you don’t have kuzhipaniyaram pan just deep fry . 

Heat oil in a pan, drop spoonfuls of batter in the oil and fry till it gets golden brown and crisp (cook this in medium flame).  

Remove from oil and place on a tissue to drain out the excess oil.  Serve hot. 

Sweet / Sakkarai Pongal (using Broken Wheat / Udaitha Godhumai)

"Anaivarukkum yen iniya Pongal Nal Vazhthukkal" "Wish you all a Happy Pongal"

"Thai Pongal" is a harvest festival to thank sun god, celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state.  

On the day of festival, we make Pongal, a sweet dish using rice, moong dhal and jaggery.  Here I have used broken wheat instead of rice for variety and also to increase the nutritive value of the dish.  It tastes good and also remains soft for longer period. 

Ingredients:

Broken Wheat – 1 cup
Moong dhal – ¼ cup
Jaggery – 1 ¼ cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Water – 3 cups 

Milk – 1 cup
Salt - a pinch
Ghee- 2 to 3 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 10
Raisins - 1 to 2 tsp

Directions:

Fry broken wheat and moong dhal separately in a dry kadai till you get the aroma and Keep aside.

Pressure cook both the ingredients by adding 3 cups of water and 1 cup of milk for 4 to 5 whistles or till it becomes soft.

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

In a same pan, mix jaggery and water by adding very little water. Boil till the jaggery melts and filter to remove impurities if any.

Again place the pressure cooker on flame; add the melted jaggery to the cooked wheat and dhal mixture. Mix well and add the remaining ghee in between.

Add cardamom powder, raisins and cashews to the above mixture.

Mix well and allow to cook till it comes to semi thick consistency and switch off the gas. Serve hot.

Note:

Colour of the pongal depends on the quality and colour of the jaggery.

I am sending this recipe to Cutchi's Kitchen 100th post Giveway event.

Dry Fruits Appam / Dates Paniyaram / Dry Fruits Paniyaram

This is a South Indian snack made in a nutritious and healthy way.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - ½ cup
Maida or All purpose flour - ½ cup
Dates, cashew, almond, pista paste - ½ cup
Cardamom powder- 1 tsp
Crushed jaggery - ½ cup
Desiccated coconut- 1 tbsp
Oil - For deep frying

Directions:

Soak the nuts and dates in water for nearly ½ hour and grind into a paste.   Keep aside. 

Soak the jaggery in half cup of water till it dissolves in it.  Filter that and keep aside.

Take a bowl add dates nuts paste, wheat flour, maida, cardamom powder and desiccated coconut.  Mix well.

Pour jaggery water over the flour mixture to make into  batter (the batter should be in semi thick consistency like dosa batter).

Heat the kuzhipaniyaram pan; add 1 to 2 tsp oil or ghee into each hole.

Pour the batter in each hole and allow to cook in the medium flame.

Turn on the other side using a tooth pick or a stick.

Allow to cook till both sides turn golden brown colour.  Serve hot.

If you don't have Kuzhipaniyaram pan, try this

Heat the oil for deep frying.  When the oil is really hot, drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil. Fry till it gets golden brown and crisp.

Remove from oil and place on a tissue or on a vessel with tiny holes to drain out the excess oil.

Serve Hot.