Varathuaracha Kadala / Bengal Gram Curry

Kadala /Bengal gram / kala channa curry is a roasted coconut based curry, varathuaracha means roasted paste, some use fresh coconut paste i prefer roasting  the coconut....Serving with puttu is the best combination for breakfast :) Can also be eaten with appam or noolappam....
Here's the traditional Kerala style Kadala curry!!!

Ingredients :
Serves  : 4

• 1/2 cup / 100 gm Kadala / Bengal gram/ kala channa.
• 1/2 cup / 50 gm grated coconut.
• 30 gm shallots / sambar onions sliced.
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds.
• 5 garlic cloves.
• 5-6 red chilies ( according to your taste ).
• 1/2'' cinnamon.
• Few curry leaves.
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds/jeera.
• 1/2 tsp tea leaves.
• A pinch of hing / asafoetidia.
• 1 tsp oil.

Seasoning : 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 4 shallots/ sambar onions, few curry leaves & 2 red chilies.

Method :

• Wash & soak the bengal gram overnight.
• Tie 1/2 tsp tea leaves in a muslin cloth.( using tea leaves enhancing the color & flavor of the gram,you can also tea bags in place of tea leaves).

• Pressure cook the soaked gram with tied tea leaves pouch, hing & enough water & cook for 4-5 whistles,off the flame & let the pressure cool down.Meanwhile....

1                                                        2

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan add the grated coconut,shallots / sambar onions, garlic & saute, when the coconut is about to change the color....
2. Add the curry leaves, coriander seeds & saute till light brown. 

3                                                       4

• Add the jeera/ cumin seeds,cinnamon & saute till brown, off the flame.
• Add the red chilies & turmeric powder & continue  stirring till it cools down.
• When it's cold add to the blender & grind to a fine paste.
• Once the pressure is down open the lid & add the ground masala, salt & let it boil till the raw smell goes & the gravy is thick .
• Next let's season it.

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds when it stops popping add the sliced shallots / sambar onions when light brown add the curry leaves & the red chilies saute for a sec & add to the the kadala / bengal gram curry stir it, cover with a lid keep aside.

• Serve with puttu or idiyappam!!!! :)

FRUIT & NUT SHEERA

Sheera one of the popular sweet dish & i'm sure everybody  have some memory attached to it...The name brings me nostalgic memories...:)
 I remember  on Sundays when dad comes back from his morning walk he used to get hot  sheera & poori from the famous sweet shop the taj mahal in Mangalore wrapped in banana leaf , when opened imparts a lovely aroma & the ghee oozing out wow!!! it was awesome hmm, those were the days... :)
Even now as soon as i finish cooking the sheera i immediately wrap it in a banana leaf for 5 min...
So here is the way i cook sheera when my nephews or guests come home  by adding lot's of dates, figs, apricot & nuts...This festive season try  fruit & nut sheera & enjoy with poori 😋

Serves : 4
Ingredients :

• 1/2 cup rava / sooji.
• 1/2 cup sugar.
• 1 & 1/2 cup water + 1/4 cup milk.
• 1/2 cup ghee + 1/4 cup ghee.
• A few strands saffron.
• 1 tsp cardamom powder.
• 1/4 cup chopped dry fruits & nuts ( 6 dates,2 fig / anjeer, 2 apricots,6 almonds,6 cashew nuts, handful of  raisins).

Method :

• Soak the saffron  in 2 tbsp hot water.
• Chop the dry fruits & nuts ( except the raisins )   

• Heat 1/4 cup ghee in a pan or kadahi,add the dates, figs,apricots saute for a sec, next add the almond & cashew nuts saute till light brown add the raisins when they puff up remove all the dry fruits & nuts from the ghee & keep aside.

• In the same pan add the rava / sooji if you want add more ghee. Meanwhile in another pan add the water, milk & let it boil.

• Fry the rava / sooji till u get a nice aroma in low flame make sure it doesn't get brown. 

• Pour the hot combined water & milk slowly  over the fried sooji.

• Add the saffron & cook on low flame stirring continuously . 

• Let it simmer & keep stirring.

• When the mixture thickens add the sugar, cardamom powder & mix well. 

• Add the fried chopped fruits & nuts & keep stirring till it slightly thickens.

• Add 1/4 cup ghee or more if you like mix well & take off the heat.

• While still hot wrap in a banana leaf for 5 mins.

• Serve warm with poori or upma!!!! 😋

Macaroni In Jack fruit Payasam

Jack fruit is a treat to jack fruit lovers...:) Jack fruit is a native to part of south & jack fruit payasam is a dessert being served @ the tail of a meal :) Jack fruit has become a trend its used in ice-cream & cakes though i never tasted it.....
You'll find lot's of jack fruit trees in kerala & @ every house they will have a jack fruit tree & there are a few jack fruit tree @ my hubby's house also...While coming back from Kerala my co-sis add kept a whole bulk of ripe jack fruit in our car :) Waited for three days to become ripe & enjoyed eating the ripe sweet pulp....

It was too much for two of us so i stored the pulp in the freezer before it gets spoiled...I was thinking how to make use of it then it striked  me to make jack fruit payasam with a twist so that i can add in my blog...
 Payasam is usually made by grinding the jack fruit & some add marble size rice dumplings to the payasam.. To make it easier i decided to add macaroni ....I always used to wander why not make something sweet with macaroni than the usual pasta i thought to give this a try....
All these days macaroni means savory pasta now i found a sweet pasta yup that's it....
The day i made this payasam my nephew was with us staying & after tasting he gave me a thumbs up !!!
 Try this yummy macaroni floating in jack fruit payasam  & impress your family :)   

  

Ingredients :

• Ripe jack fruit pulp - 300 gm.
• Marconi - 40-50 gm.
• Jaggery / molasses  - 130 gm.
• Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cup
• Coconut or copra slices - 1/4 cup.
• Ghee - 2 tbsp.
• Pinch of salt.
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
• Dry ginger powder - 1/2 tsp.
• A pinch of salt.

Method :

• Extract 1 cup thick milk, 1 cup thin milk & 1 1/2 cup thinner milk from the grated coconut.

      How to make coconut milk click here > USEFUL TIPS

• Cut the jack fruit in bite size pieces.

• Boil the Marconi in lots of water till done. Drain the water & keep aside. 

• This is  the jaggery i used, melt the jaggery with 1/4 cup water in a microwave,  break the lumps & keep aside.

• Heat ghee in a pan when hot add the coconut pieces, when golden brown remove from the oil & keep aside.

 

• In the same pan add the jack fruit & saute for 3-4 min..

• Add the thinner coconut milk & let it boil till the jack fruit is done & the milk is reduced.
• Take a few cooked jack fruit pieces in blender add 2-3 tbsp thin milk & grind to a fine paste & add it back to the pan ( this is to thicken the payasam)

•  Add the thin milk once it start boiling add  the melted jaggery & keep simmering.

•  Add the cooked macaroni,dry ginger powder, cardamom powder & let it cook on medium flame ,when it's semi thick.....

• Add the thick milk & let it simmer on medium flame for 5-8 min.

• Add the fried coconut pieces mix well. Take off flame,now add a pinch of salt & stir well.
• Serve warm in monsoon season or serve it chilled in summer:)