Easy aval kuzhachathu recipe ( sweet poha)

Easy aval kuzhachathu recipe ( sweet poha)

It was one of those days when I was confused as to what to make for kids snacks, I had a packet of organic beaten rice so thought of making something quick with it. There is a typical Kerala snack of beaten rice cooked in jaggery and coconut and flavoured with cardamom powder. I took a shortcut since I already had melted jaggery. 

Hence this recipe :)

My kids were new to this so I was not sure how they would take it. But convinced the younger one saying about Sudama- aval- krishna story which she is familiar with since she is an avid reader of mythological stories and yes she gave a thumbs up for the dish ..happy meee :)

Ingredients

Brown beaten rice - 2 cups
Jaggery syrup - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Milk - few spoons
Cashew bits
Ghee

Method
Pick the beaten rice for any foreign particles and spread out in a large bowl.
Sprinkle the milk and gently mix the poha with the milk.
Grind the coconut and jaggery syrup together coarsely.
Mix the coconut jaggery mixture into the beaten rice 
Sprinkle the cardamom powder and mix well.
Heat the ghee and fry the cashews and garnish the poha.

Serve with some tea or warm milk.
No cook and enjoy.. yes its a no cooking recipe :)
Thanks
Chaithanya

Dried rose petals and vanilla bean panacotta recipe

Dried rose petals and vanilla bean panacotta recipe

Ordered for dried rose petals with my online grocer on impulse, the house smelled nice when it was delivered. But the problem starts when you have no idea how to use it up!.. yes , the story starts there. Posted my query in a cooking group where I got few suggestions and panacotta was one among it. Checked for recipes but nothing satisfied me, so just read few recipes and came up with one of my own. That's what earning is about , right? Anyway ..the result is here though it got a bit scratched when I was un moulding it into a plate. Never mind, will be more careful next time and i guess this can be pardoned as long as it tastes good too. 

But wait..there is a saying 'the dessert needs to be spectacular because it is served then the gourmand is no longer hungry' . In that case this is not to the mark. ;)

Coming to the recipe

Ingredients

Milk - one cup

Fresh cream- one cup

China grass/ agar agar - 5 gms dissolved  in 50 ml water

Sugar - 3-4 tbspn

Vanilla bean - half of one bean or few drops of essence.

Dried rose petals - 3 tbspn packed

Method

Keep ready 4 small bowls or ramekins smeared with a little oil.

Mix the milk, cream, the petals and scrape out the vanilla bean and warm it up

Melt the china grass in water in microwave.

Pour a little of milk cream mixture into the melted china grass and then mix well and then add this to the whole of the milk and cream mixture.

Sieve this mixture into prepared moulds and let it sit in the fridge for few hours. If you want a firm panacotta, let it rest overnight.

Slowly remove the panacotta from the sides and unmould it into a plate or scoop and eat from the mould itself. Either way you wish.

Make and enjoy 

thanks!

Chaithanya 

Strawberry preserve in jaggery syrup

Strawberry preserve in jaggery syrup

Bought strawberry with so much enthusiasm but was confused as to what to do with them. Couple of ideas went through my mind but thought will do this experiment.

Once I finished making this dear husband entered the house and was curious to know what was cooking as the aroma was divine! I gave him a spoonful of it to taste, he just loved it and when I said its of jaggery he praised more. Oh yea my experiment passed and now have clicked a picture , not a great one, unable to avoid that glare falling in the preserve and have a three lines recipe too for you all :) Yea as usual short and simply ! ;)

Ingredients

Strawberry - 500 gms

Jaggery syrup ( thick) - 1 cup

a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Method 

Wash the strawberries well in salt water and rinse well.

Cut each berry into four and put it a thick bottom pan.

Add the jaggery syrup and keep the pan on the stove. The berries will release water and then gradually the syrup will start thickening. 

Remove from stove once you see the syrup coating the wooden spoon well and the freshly grated nutmeg and mix well

Once the preserve is slightly cool transfer into a sterilized jar and close it airtight.

Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy :)

thanks!

Chaithanya

Beetroot and potato salad in homemade egg less mayo dressing

Beetroot and potato salad in homemade egg less mayonnaise.

Been exploring couple of salads these days, recently tried making homemade egg less mayonnaise which came out pretty good. Since I am slightly hesitant in eating raw vegetables I tried making this beetroot and potato salad in which vegetables have been steamed. My husband was quite curious and unsure about how the beetroot would turn out, no concerns about potato though ;)

Before getting into the recipe of the salad let me get into the recipe of egg less mayonnaise.

Ingredients for the egg less homemade mayonnaise 

Hung curd - one cup
Vinegar - 2 tspn
Salt - 1/2 tspn
Pepper - 1/4 tspn
Mustard paste - 1/2 tspn
Sugar - 1 tspn
Olive oil - 1- 2 tspns ( optional)

Mix all the ingredients well and adjust the seasoning. 

Once you get the mayo ready set up the ingredients for the salad

Ingredients

Beetroot - 2 med size

Potatoes- 2 med size

Onion- one med size

Lemon - 1

Salt and pepper 

Coriander leaves - finely chopped

white and black sesame seeds - for garnishing/

Method

• Wash , peel and cut into half and pressure cook the beetroot and potatoes for 1-2 whistles or just until it is cooked.
• Slice the onions thinly and squeeze the lemon and sprinkle some salt and let it rest.
• Once the potatoes and beetroots are cooked cut into cubes and add it to the onions. Add few spoons of mayo and mix well. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves, and sprinkle some white and black sesame seeds.
• You may let the salad rest in the refrigerator for sometime 

Enjoy making this easy, healthy and filling salad :)

Easy Broccoli and Mushroom soup

Easy mushroom and broccoli recipe

This is a very quick, easy and healthy recipe of having a filling broccoli and mushroom soup. Been thinking of making this soup and coincidentally it was a 'soup theme' week in one of the cookery groups I am in. Hence just experimented with this recipe of my own.

Wanted to write this recipe as soon as possible before I forget the measurements :)

Ingredients

Broccoli florets- 2 cups

Button mushrooms - 1 cup

Onion - half of one med size 

Garlic - 2-3 cloves

Water - 1 cup

Celery sticks - 1-2 small ones

Salt, pepper, herb seasonings

Milk - 1 cup

Olive oil- 1 tspn

Butter - 1tspn

Flour - 1 tspn

Method

• Wash the broccoli and mushrooms well and measure out the required proportions and keep aside.
• Saute the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil until soft in a pressure pan.
• Add roughly chopped mushrooms and saute until the water is removed from the mushrooms.
• Add chopped broccoli ,water and celery sticks and close the lid, cook it in the pressure cooker for one or 2 whistles.
• Remove the celery sticks and discard and then liquidize the mixture
• Make a thin white sauce by heating a spoon of butter in a pan, add a spoon of whole wheat flour and pour in the milk, whisk well and pour this into the soup.
• Season the soup with salt, pepper and herbs of your choice.
• I threw in some bagel chips instead of croutons for that perfect crunch in the soup :)

enjoy!