Jaggery Adhirasam

Jaggery Adhirasam

                             Adhirasam is a Traditional south indian sweet prepared on diwali. we can use sugar instead of jaggery. Sugar/Jaggery Adhirasam both will be very tasty. Let see how to make jaggery adhirasam. I have learnt this form my mom .She used to teach me how to take paagu .she is well expert in doing adhirasam. Because, making adhirasam is not quite easy to prepare. Follow the below steps correctly. Then , you wont go wrong i'm damn sure about it. One of my favourite recipe from my mom for diwali.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 2 1/2 cup (or) 1/2 kg

• Jaggery/(Paagu vellam) - 350 grams

• Water - 1/4 cup

• Cardamom Powder - 2 pinch

• Ghee - 1 tbsp

• Oil - For deep frying

Preparation:

How to make Rice Flour :

• Soak the  rice in water for for 2 hrs, drain the water completely and spread it in a cloth to few minutes. Then grind it in a mixer into fine powder.

• Sieve it and keep aside.

• Have to use this fresh flour with in 2 hrs. (Note : Next day you shouldn't use this flour for preparing adhirasam)

Method:

• Grate the jaggery and keep aside.

• In a kadai / Metal vessel is an best chioce, add water and grated jaggery into it. Bring to boil and switch off the flame and Filter it to remove any impurities.

• Next second switch on into low flame. Stir contionuosly until you get small ball consistency.

• Take water in a bowl, pour a tsp of jaggery into the water and check whether you getting ball consistency. If not preceed in stirring continously.(Note : have to very careful while take jaggery in paagu consistency or else you wont get perfect adhirasam)

• When your getting a ball consistency in water.Then it is in correct stage. Swithoff the flame.

• Shouldn't delay the timings. Next second should add rice flour and cardamom powder into an jaggery(paagu) and stir continously. Apply Ghee on the top of metal vessel. Rest for 2 to 3 hours. (You can use this paagu for next day to prepare adhirasam it will be good).

• Take the dough and divide into an equal balls. Use a banana leaf or plastic sheat , apply oil on it and flaten the ball with your hands.

• Heat the oil in kadai, take the flaten dough carefully and slip it into an oil. Fry on both the sides in an medium flame. Remove from the oil.

• Use two lids, Press the adhirasam with the lids to avoid oil form it.

• Proceed the same step for other dough. 

• Store this adhirasam for nearly 20 days.

Cocunut Burfi/Thengai Burfi

Cocunut Burfi/Thengai Burfi

                               Cocunut burfi is very easy to prepare. I used to prepare cocunut burfi for krishna jayanthi celebration. Fresh cocunut gives rich color and very chewy to taste it. My very special recipe to serve for my friends. They love my burfi and very addicted to my taste. Try my version and enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• Grated Cocunut - 2 cup (Tightly filled)

• Sugar - 2 cup

• Milk - 1 cup

• Milk maid - 3 tbsp

• Ghee - 3 tbsp

• Cardamom Powder - a pinch (if needed)

Method:

• Take a kadai/ pan (non stick preferable) add one tbsp ghee and grated cocunut. Let them suate it for 2mins.(Note : should use fresh cocunut otherwise burfi will be changed into brown in color).

• After that add milk and suate it for 5mins.Then, add sugar into it. In a low flame allow sugar to get melts completely.

• When the sugar melts and started boiling, add ghee and cardamom powder.

• Simmer and cook stirring often. Atlast, add milkmaid into it.

• Cocunut mixture start foaming and leaves the sides of the pan. Take a small mixture and if u able make a ball of it. Then switch off the flame.

• Pour it in a greased tray or plate. After it cools a little cut into desired shapes.

• Store it in an air tight cointainer.

kritikakitchen.blogspot.com

Paneer Tikka masala - gravy

Paneer Tikka Masala-Gravy

                            Paneer tikka gravy recipe with stepwise pictures for beginners. This dish will very delicious with marination paneer cubes.Its is an beat combination with naan and roti.Wow ,it wll be awesome. Try it and taste it.

Ingredients:

For marination:

• Paneer - 200 Grams

• Capsicum - 1 (Remove the seeds)

• Tomato - 1 Big (Remove  the seeds)

• Hung curd - 1/2 cup (see the below notes)

• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

• Ginger-garlic paste - 1/4 tsp

• Kasthuri methi - 1/4 tsp

• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

• Salt - As needed

• Oil- 1 tbsp

Paneer Shallow Frying:

• Oil - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

For the Gravy:

• Oil - 1 tbsp

• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 

• Onion - 1 big (Finely Chopped)

• Tumeric Powder - a pinch

• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

• Maida - 1/2 tsp

• Tomato puree - 1 cup

• Coriander Powder - 2tsp

• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

• Red Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp

• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

• Fresh Cream - 1/4 cup

Preparation For hung curd:

• Hang the curd in a clean muslin cloth for 3 to 4 hours.

• Drain all the water form the curd

• Nearly 1 1/2 cup of curd to get 1/2 cup of hung curd.

Preparation for Marination:

• Cut the paneer into cubes,remove the seeds from tomato and capsicum and cut into square pieces.

• In a bowl ,mix all the above marination ingredients and mix well and keep aside for more than a hour for marination.

• After marination, Heat the oil in tawa or pan shallow fry all the paneer cubes, capsicum ,tomatoes separately and keep aside. 

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds when it get splutters, add the onion and suate it till it becomes golden brown color.

• Add the ginger -garlic paste , turmeric powder, maida and suate it for 2 mins.

• Add tomato puree ,cumin powder, chilly powder , coriander powder, garam masala podwer, salt and suate it untill oil oozes out. Now Add a cup of water brings to boil for 5 to 8 mins.

• Atlast add the shallow fried paneer and vegetables and cook in low flame for 2 to 3mins.

• Add Fresh cream(optional) switch off the flame and garnish wih coriander leaves.

• Serve hot with roti , naan or chapati.

• Enjoy the real taste of panner tikka.

kritikakitchen.blogspot.com

Egg plant curry / Brinjal curry

Eggplant curry / Enna katharikai / 

Bagara Bainghan

                           Eggplant/Brinjal curry is the best combination for biriyani in all over the world. It is commonly knowns as Enna katharikai in south and bagara bainghan in north. It gives rich taste and very colouful. This is goes well with white rice and chapathi too.try and enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• Small egg plants - 8 to 10

• Onion - 2 (Chopped)

• Tomato - 1(Chopped)

• Tamarind - bi amla size (soaked in one cup of water)

• Sambar Powder - 1/2 tbsp

• Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

• Ginger-  garlic paste - 2 tsp

To Roast and grind:

• Peanut - 2 tbsp

• sesseme seeds - 1 tbsp

• Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

For Tempering :

• Whole garam masala - (Bay leaves - 1 no, Cloves  - 1 no, Green cardamom - 1 no, Cinnamon stick - 1 inch)

• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

• Whole pepper - 1 tsp

• Curry Leaves - 1 Spring

• Coriander Leaves - few

• Oil - 1/4 cup

Method:

• Dry roast the sesseme seeds , Peanuts and methi seeds until it all turns brown and gives out a good aroma. After it cools , grind it into a coarse powder and keep aside.

• Make deep slits in brinjal and do not cut through. fry it in the oil until the skin color changes and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a pan, add whole garam masala , cumin seeds, whole pepper , curry leaves.

• Now add the onion fry till golden brown. After few mins add the ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes and suate it for few mins.

• Now add sambar powder and chilly powder. suate it for 3 mins. after the raw smell goes then add the tamarind water into it .

• After 5 min add the ground paste and fried egg plants. Until the oil oozes out boil in simmer and switchoff  the flame. 

• Serve this gravy with biriyani and it is commoly known as Enna katharika in south and Bagara bainghan in north.

• This is also goes well with white rice and chapathi.

Go to mutton biriyani recipe

http://kritikakitchen.blogspot.in/2014/11/mutton-biriyani.html

Mutton biriyani

Mutton Biriyani

                   Biriyani is one of the best non veg cuisine. I guess no one will hate biriyani whatever, may be either mutton or chicken. One of my very fav recipe, i love to cook and eat. It gives good aroma and very delicious to taste it.

Ingredients:

• Basmathi rice - 2 cup

• Water - 4 cups

• Onion - 4 no's (cut length wise)

• Tomato - 2 no (chopped)

• Green chilli - 3 no

• Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tbsp

• Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

• Turmeric Power - 1/4 tsp

• Mint leaves - 1/2 cup

• Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

• Lemon juice or Curd  - 1 tsp

• Ghee - 1 tbsp

• Oil - 2 tbsp.

• Salt - 2 tbsp.

Preparation for mutton:

• Mutton - 1/2 kg

• Tumeric power - 1/4 tsp

• Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp

• Ginger- garlic paste - 1 tsp

• Water - 1 cup

• Salt - to taste

      Pressure Cook:

• First wash the mutton thoroughly and the excess water.

• Add all the above ingredients together in a pressure cook and you can pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistle and keep aside.

Spices:

• Bay leaves - 2 no

• Cloves  - 2 no

• Green cardamom - 2 no

• Cinnamon stick - 2 inch

• fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Methods:

• Soak the Basmathi rice in water for 20 mins .In that mean time proceed to the below procedure.

• In a pressure cook , heat oil and add all the spices. Let them fry for few seconds.

• When they crackle, Add the Onions and saute till it turns transparent.

• Then , add ginger & garlic paste and saute it for 2mins.

• Add green chillies, tomatoes, mint leaves, chilli powder , tumeric powder, salt and saute it for 5 mins.

• Add the pressure cooked mutton and suate it for another 5 mins.

• Atlast, add the drained basmathi rice and saute it for 2 mins , then add 4 cups of hot water and lemon juice  . 

• let them boil for 3mins (now taste the water, if needed add salt as per your taste) , mix well and cover the pressure cook with the lid and leave pressure cook for 2 whistle and 5min simmer. 

• Open the pressure cook when the steam completely releases. mix it well without breaking the rice.

• Serve hot with Raita and Eggplant curry/Bagara bainghan .

Go to Brinjal curry recipe

http://kritikakitchen.blogspot.in/2014/11/egg-plant-curry-brinjal-curry.html

Almond/Badam Halwa - Version - 1

ALMOND / BADAM HALWA  VERSION - 1

                            Badam halwa is a rich and tasty indian desert prepared with almonds and ghee. This is one of my fav halwa. This is very delicious and yummy to taste it.

Ingredients:

• Almonds/Badam - 200 grams

• Sugar - 400 grams

• Ghee - 200 grams

• Milk - 200 grams

• Saffron - 1 pinch

• Kesari color (Yellow) - 1 pinch (Optional)

Method:

• Soak almonds in water for 2 to 3 hours and peel the skin. Alternatively boil them in hot water for 5 mins and peel the skin.

• Grind the almonds with 50 grams of milk.

• In a kadai, add the remaining milk let them boil with saffron for few mins. then , add the ground paste in the kadai.

• After few minutes add sugar and kesari color. Once it starts thickening and the sides start getting little dry. add half of the ghee and cook stirring continously on low flame.

• The ghee will be completely absorbed in that stage add the other half of ghee. halwa will start leaving the sides of the pan. Now switchoff the flame.

• Once it cools the halwa will get thicken.

• Serve warm or at room temperature in bowls. Garnish with pinch of thin almond slivers.