Count down to Due date of my Second Blessing

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Tamil Baby-toddler Songs

I was looking for lyrics for kai veesamma kai veesu, because I read online that it is good to play with babies with shaking of the hands and the legs to strengthen them. I got this post by Sukanya

A COLLECTION OF CUTE TAMIL RHYMES

 this posts by Maha , this collection by Nithya http://preciousmom.weebly.com/3/post/2011/11/easy-rhymes-for-ur-kids-in-tamil1.html

 Don't miss this site by Raja Thaatha http://rajathathacorner.awardspace.com/Rhymes.html a goldmine for me.
 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Making Modhakam Flour

Hi Readers,
I have taken to diligently watching tv in my enforced bed rest - 10 more weeks to go. My favourite programs are of course cookery programs. Today I watched Mrs Revathi  Shanmugams program on Jaya TV. Since vinayaka Chathurthi is coming in a few days, all shows concerning cookery are showing some form of Kozhukattais or the other. I usually note these recipes down by typing them simultaneously in a text file on my laptop, but today, our luch was late and we were having lunch while this program is on. I love the way Mrs Revathi Shanmugam explains the recipes and also what may go wrong if we try to take shortcuts, I like her simple sarees, sweet smile and matter of fact way of teaching things. She reminds me so much of my friends mother, who is also from chettinad (devakottai/naatarasangottai).
My hubby likes these kind of things. We used to get them almost an avalanche of sweets and Kaaram used to descend on us as we were the only Tamil Muslim Family living in the colony, so I never had to make these items at home myself, though I was usually there lending a hand when aunties were preparing these items.
For my mother in law it was a different situation, My FIL was a Forest officer, she had total 8 Children with 6 Boys. around ten families used to live in the middle of the forest. So the amount that would come as presents from the neighbours would be like a drop in the well with 6 growing boys. So every festival, she and my two sister in laws, prepared all the palagaarams being prepared in the neighbouring houses for every festival, be it hindu, muslim or christian. My husband says they also helped out, but I am skeptical seeing that making him cook is like pulling hens teeth. Anyway, enough of memories and coming to the procedure for Modhakam flour as told by Mrs Revathi Shanmugam.

Soak Raw rice for two hours
Drain water well and lay out to dry . The rice should be damp and not fully dried up
Use the whipper blade in the mixie to break the rice into rawa consistency.
Seive the rawa to seperate the flour and the rawa.
Taost the flour and rawa seperately and let them cool.
Mix together and keep for preparing modhakams.

I could not note the amounts, but heres the procedure for the actual modhakams.

Dissolve jaggery in water on low heat and strain through seive to remove impurities. Add to warm coconut milk and let it come to boil. Then add moong dal cooked till al dente. Coconut cut into fine pieces.
When it came to this stage itself, my husband was looking longingly at the TV screen and desperately at my bedridden condition, I was drooling though I was having Rice with sambhar and kovakkai poriyal - a favourite combo in my house.
Coming back to the recipe,
Add elaichi powder, then lower heat to medium low add the prepared modhakam flour and stir well with a wire whisk till there are no lumps.Lower heat to Sim and cover and cook for fifteen mins. After fifteen mins, switch off heat. While still warm shape the dough into Modhakam Shapes (like dimsum shape or like pidi kozhukattais - your wish). Arrange on a tray in the steamer and steam for another ten to fifteen mins.

For some specific points to be noted: Since the rawa is cooking in jaggery mix, it requires more time to cook than th other type of Kozhukattais. That's why first cooking is 15 mins and then again steaming for fifteen mins.
You can also add grated coconut instead of coconut pieces.
The water should be boiling in the steamer when you place the tray in it. It greatly improves the texture of the Kozhukattais this way.
To cook Paasi Paruppu (mung dal) al dente stage - dry roast 1/2 cup moong dal till a nice aroma comes, soak in water. add to boiling water and cook for not more than 5 mins. drain and keep in a tighly covered container so that it retains its steam. You will get perfectly cooked dal which does not stick to each other. You can use the same procedure to make Paasi paruppu sundal.
You can also used Chana dal or cashew nuts or badam instead of Mung dal, but the traditional and original recipe is with either mung dal or chana dal.
This is a good recipe for newbies who find it difficult to shape kozhukattais but want to do something for Vinayaka chaturthi.

So you can see why I like watching Mrs Revathi Shanmugams programs, all this information in around fifteen mins of tv time and there was another recipe also. red rice kozhukattai - I cannot type any more, my back is paining again.

This is for information only. Instead of storing in the personal laptop, I am sharing on my blog for everybody. So no Photos. I will upload the photos when I try out this dish, I can get the amounts from my friends mother. But if you have the recipe, do keep in minds the above tips given by Mrs Revathi Shanmugam.

Happy Vinayaka Chaturthi to all my friends.
 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Blogging Break- Bed Rest By Doctors Orders

Hello Friends, just when Ramadaan has started and I was fully prepared to join many of the wonderful events during this festve season, my lifr has gone upside down. Due to Pregnancy related health complications, I have been ordered strict bed rest till delivery. My thanks to the almighty that the right people were around me to save my baby. Also a thanks to my wonderful hubby who is taking care of me inspite of fasting for such long hours and working full time. My daughter is showing me how grownup she is. I will not be able to post any recipes anytime soon. But uff! its only one day since I have returned from the hospital and already I am itching to get out of bed. how will I last till november end?
Please pray for me.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Ramadaan Kareem - Mutton Sukka Masala (Dry Curry)

Today night starts the holy month of Ramadaan this year. Ramadaan Kareem to everybody. May this blessed month bring to you all the blessings, forgiveness and prosperity to you and your loved ones.

Our standard menu for suhur like lunch menu on any other day and dinner has breakfast items. For Iftar we normally have Nonbu kanji, Bajji's or pakoras or similar item, rose milk, some sweet variety, Fresh fruits and fruit juice. I will be posting my recipes soon. Today I am starting with a dry mutton curry. The pieces are well cooked, spicy, and keep upto four days in the fridge. And my hubby dosen't mind having this everyday for three days in a row. So for the first few days of Ramadaan when my body is adapting to the changed schedules, it is a great recipe for me.



This is a dry curry, great as a side dish for plain rice and curry or as a filling for chappatis, naan, khubz etc..It is a standard first suhur dish for each ramadaan in my house as it is difficult to have an apetite for the first few days till our bodies get used to eating before sunrise. Such spicy dishes help to get the rest of the food inside. Nowadays experts are recommending that people should have a light suhur, light iftar etc. It is not practical in our family as my Husband is a hard working man and needs the energy to work through out the day on one meal. Inspite of our diet we always loose around four kg of weight every ramadaan. It may be different for you, so take care during ramadaan and keep an eye on the calories consumed. Drink a lot of water to rehydrate your body after iftar.

Ingredients:

Mutton - 1/2 kg cut into 1 inch cubes
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Salt - 2 tsp or to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2-3 tsp
Sesame Oil - 3 tbsp
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Mix all the items except coconut oil and put in a pressure cooker. Add 1/4 cup of water and cook till done. Open the cooker, Check for salt and chilli level. If required add more at this stage.Let it simmer till all the liquid is dried up. Add coconut oil and stir to mix well and remove from heat.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Repost: Strawberry Dates Milkshake

I am reposting this recipe for the event Ramadan Friendly Foods  hosted by The Halal Foodie
For the recipe please click Strawberry Dates Milkshake


Repost: Chicken Cutlets

I am reposting this recipe for Ramadan Friendly Foods event hosted by The Halal Foodie

For teh recipe please click .http://simplewomansimplelife.blogspot.com/2012/03/chicken-cutlet-and-womans-day.html

Gulab Jamuns (Using Milk Powder)

GULAB JAMUN


Gulab Jamuns are everybody's favourite desert as far as I know. Recently my daughter had food festival in her school. Students we re supposed to take their choice of prepared dish to the school. All the dishes are arranged as  a buffet and the teachers and the students help themselves to what they want. My daughter wanted me to make Chicken Cutlets but in my current condition, getting up early in the morning and frying a big batch of cutlets is a definite no-no, so I made Gulab jamun, which can be made the previous night and taken to the school in the morning. I also sent disposable bowls and spoons to fascilitate self serving.  It was a hit and the whole batch around 60 jamuns were polished off in notime. My daughter returned with a big grin on her face.

So here's the recipe:
For the jamuns:

Milk Powder - 1 cup
Egg - 1 nos
Ghee - 2 tsp +1 tsp
Milk -  2-3 tbsp
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 pinch
Salt - 1 pinch
Maida - 3 tsp

For the jeera (Sugar Syrup)
Sugar 1 cup
water - 2 cups
cardomom - 3-4 crushed
Rose Water (optional) 2-3 tbsp

First make the jeera - Dissolve sugar in the water and bring to boil with crushed cardomoms and add rose water and keep covered till the jamuns are ready.

For the jamuns : In a bowl put the milk powder, add maida, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk dry with a whisk or fork to mix the ingredients thoroughly. In another bowl break the egg, add two tsps ghee and 2 - 3 tbsp milk. whisk well to a creamy colour, but not frothy. Pour this into the milk powder mixture and mix with a fork first, then bring together with your fingers greased with a little ghee to a smooth ball. With the help of a little ghee or oil make small marble sized balls and keep aside on a greased plate.

Heat oil to medium heat and fry the jamuns on low to medium flame till golden brown. Add the jamuns to the syrup and let them soak in the syrup for a minimum of 1/2 hour.

You can serve as such warm or chilled or with Vanilla Ice cream or Poli.

One cup milk powder will give you around 30 jamuns 4 cm diameter.

Soft Syrupy Little Balls of Delight

As you can see from the cut peice, the jamuns are evenly cooked and even grained - no lumps, uncooked portions.

I am sending this to The Halal Foodies Ramadan Friendly Recipes event



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