PuliAval

PuliAval:

Tamarind is a fruit which we get it from Tamarind tree. This tree is such a good friend of human beings because of its uses. To cook we can use its leaves, covered fruit when it was fresh, eat the fruit after peeling the skin. We can also eat the fruit when it is tender without removing the skin and also after peeling the skin by making them as lollipops by mixing them with salt and little chilli powder. But to get the fruit out of its cover lot of work needs to be done.

Kolar Grandma's 8 acre land

In summer holidays, that’s almost in Spring season we used to go to our grandma’s house in Kolar. We had a field which had one tamarind tree and other field had 3 tamarind trees. We had one more field which was of 8 acres agriculture land where we used to grow groundnuts, paddy, ragi, tomato according to the season. Then my mother and her sister brought up 4 acres land and planted mango plants in 1990. Definitely I guess by now the mango plants would have yielded good fruits and vegetables, no clue what happened to them after my marriage.

Well coming back to the topic of tamarind, tamarind used to be plucked and given to peel off the skin. We all used to sit beat the fruit with a stone or with hammer and peel out the fruit from it and take out the seeds from that. We used to play pallankuzhi/aali guli mane with the seeds. In Singapore it is called as congkak. Remove the hair like structure on the fruit and store it. Then my grandma used to pack all this fruit in different covers and send it to my house, our cousins houses, her brother house, as we all stayed in Bangalore. Instead of buying we used to get it from her and as there is a saying that tamarind is runa (credit), we used to pay her some money. Hmmm, gone are those days, today we have to pay money to get tamarind and we don’t get such a good quality one.

Game: Pallankuzhi/aali guli mane. This game is played by 2 players.

There will be 7 holes for each player and they will put 7 tamarind seeds into each hole and once it is over. From the 8th hole they will again take 7 seeds and put it into next 7 holes. Once they reach 8th hole and if it is empty they will put a hand into that and then take the 9th hole and its opposite hole seeds. One who has got more number of seeds is considered to be the winner. This is usually played in villages by two ladies after all their work for time-pass. Hope so I have not forgotten the rules.

aaligulimane

pallankuzhi

Tamarind Seeds: Grandma, used to tell these tamarind seeds are very poisonous and if anybody consumes it by powdering it they will die.









That's the story of tamarind, its tree, its fruit and the game and tamarind seeds.

I was browsing on Monday through “Dilse- Show me your breakfast round up“hosted by Divya in 2010 for some breakfast recipes. I found a variety of breakfast over there, and found quite a number of interesting recipes. Among them I used to always fail to  do PuliAval or huliavalakki or gojjuavalakki, its parched rice spiced with tamarind juice and other spices. Hence, I selected to do that for today’s breakfast. Finally, I found a recipe in Prathibha's blog.

Ingredients:

Tamarind – a lemon sized ball

Chilli Powder – 3 tsp (as spicy as it is required)

Salt – 2 tsp

Jaggery – gooseberry sized ball (better if its powdered)

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Parched Rice – 250 gms

For seasoning:

Onions – 2

Green chillies – 5 to 6 nos (again as spicy as required)

Salt – 2 tbsp

Curry leaves

Mustard Seeds – 1 tbsp

Cilantro

Oil – 2 tbsp

Groundnut Seeds – a little (roasted)

Cashewnut – a little

Method:

Soak the tamarind in luke warm water for sometime

Extract the pulp and use the skin in washing copper or brass vessels

In the pulp add salt, jaggery, turmeric, chilli powder and keep it aside

Soak the parched rice for some time and wash it for 3 times in the same manner, so that maximum husk and dust will come out

Pour the tamarind mixture on the parched rice and mix well. Watch out so that the water should be just enough to soak parched rice and should not be more. Keep it aside for 1 hour.

Did you guess what? I missed out to add jaggery and then mixed it with hot water and poured it on the washed parched rice. -:)

Seasoning:

Chop onions, green chillies, cilantro and keep them aside

Heat Oil in a kadai and when it is hot roast cashewnuts and keep them aside

Again add little more oil and when it is hot add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add curry leaves and allow it to fry

Put salt, green chillies, onions and fry the onions till they are translucent

Add groundnut seeds to the mixture and mix them well

Add parched rice to it and mix well allow it to cook for sometime

Garnish with cashewnuts and coriander leaves

Comments: My friend tasted it and said it is less spicy.
For the first time, my hubby told, you should have made some more. The taste was good. 

Thanks for Prathibha for her recipe and my little son, who helped me by sleeping while I was preparing and cooking this.

Appreciate your glance at Star of this month page and January recap page. I highly value your healthy comment or healthy criticism.

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PudinaRice

Pudina Rice:

Pudina is nothing but mint leaves or also called as Mentha. They are good in aroma and healthy too. The colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow while the flowers are white to purple. The fruit is a small dry capsule containing one to four seeds.

Cultivation: All mints prefer, and thrive in, cool, moist spots in partial shade. In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun.

They are fast growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of runners. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use.

Culinary: The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams.

Medicine: Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains, and it is commonly used in the form of tea as a home remedy to help alleviate stomach pain. In Rome, Pliny recommended that a wreath of mint was a good thing for students to wear since it was thought to "exhilarate their minds".(Source: Wikipedia)

Ingredients for Pudina Chutney:

• Pudina or Mint leaves - 1 bunch
• Green Chillies - 6 
• Salt to taste
• Water for grinding - a little
• Oil - as required
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

• Separate the mint leaves from its stem, wash it well in cold water
• Add pudina, green chillies (washed), salt and water for grinding 
• Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds to it, once it splutters add curry leaves
• Now add the chutney and fry well so that the rawness in mint goes away and a good aroma comes out
• Keep it aside.

Pudina Rice:

Once the chutney is ready add rice to it and mix it.

Submitting this to:

 

"Cooking with Leftover Kitchen Chronicles" - Jan2012 series was hosted by Veena which was started by Kalyani. 

 

"Lets cook with leftovers" by Nayna Kanbar.

Lily Greene visited this post and here is her version.Balance Me Beautiful.

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PuriUrandai

Puri Urandai:

I couldn’t believe myself that I could make a sweet that fast. Thanks to the Blogging Marathon team and to the host who started this, that’s none other than Srivalli of spicingyourlife.

Today being the last day of second week of Blogging Marathon, I am glad to say that I have learnt very good sweets which can be made with less or more time. Thanks for my family and friends who had been very supportive.

Thanks for all the exciting comments which made me jump high on the air.

Puri Urandai is made up of beaten rice and jaggery. I was shocked to see this sweet getting ready just in 10 minutes and I cooked keep my lovely little angel my little son on my hip and then do this, but needed help of somebody while making it rounds. This is a must sweet made by Tamilians during “Karthika Deepam”.

Ingredients:

• Beaten Rice – 1 1/2 cup
• Jaggery – 1 cup
• Cardamom Powder – 1 tbsp
• Poppy Seeds – 1 tbsp
• Chopped Coconut – as you desire
• Fried Gram Dhal – as you desire

Method:

• Put jaggery and water in a thick bottomed vessel to make jaggery syrup.
• When you feel the syrup is almost ready put a drop into a small cup/vessel which has water, you should be able to make a round or small dough.
• Once you are able to make, add cardamom powder and poppy seeds.
• Pour it into the vessel where your beaten rice is ready along with fried gram dhal and chopped coconut. Watch out it would be hot, make your hand wet and start mixing dry ingredients with jaggery syrup.
• Keep it on a plate, take a snap, and eat it with family members.

Submitting this to:Blogging Marathon @ Spice your Life by Srivalli

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12

This also makes an entry to

Kid's Delight - Something Sweet at Edible Entertainment by Kavitha Iyengar and this series were started by Srivalli in her blog.

New "U" event hosted by Vardhini.































Cooking with Love event hosted by Saraswathi Iyer.

Cooking Challenge - Flavours of Tamilnadu.

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TenkaiKarjikayalu:

Tenkai-Karjikayalu:

Tenkai Karjikayalu is my 5^th day post for 2^nd week of Blogging Marathon. My theme for this week is Kids Delight – Something Sweet.

I had done it on Saturday, 28^th Jan 2012 when I cooked lunch for my family. Lunch comprised of Methi Dhal, Tomato Rasam, Rice and curds. Special entry was my sweet Tenkai Karjikayalu (tenga kolakottai or coconut rolls). Our breakfast for that day was Puri and after everybody having breakfast there was wheat flour (atta) remaining. It flashed my great brain why don’t I do this sweet. I asked my mom-in-law she told once lunch is ready I could make them; she said and went to sister-in-law’s place who stays nearby.

I was eager to make so I couldn’t wait, moreover my little son was sleeping, so it was a good time for me to do along with lunch. I kept sugar and water to become sugar syrup, and blended coconut in blender. Once sugar syrup was getting ready I added poppy seeds, cardamom powder, baby saffron and mixed well, add blended coconut to the mixture. I hope you remember I made little almond powder last week, I added them into this. As almond contains oil, it’s better to utilize them at the earliest.

Ingredients:

• CopraPak Laddoos – 18 (I could get 18)
• Small dough/puri – 12

I had to eat 6 laddoos directly and myself, my son, and sis-in-law son, sis-in-law and co-brother it was over in no time.

Method:

Make small puris and keep coprapak laddoos in the center

Cover the dough properly so that laddoos doesn’t come out

Heat oil in a kadai and once it is full hot, keep it into medium flame and fry the rolls

Put it onto a vessel where the oil can be drained

Submitting this to:Blogging Marathon @ Spice your Life by Srivalli

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12

This also makes an entry to

Kid's Delight - Something Sweet at Edible Entertainment by Kavitha Iyengar and this series were started by Srivalli in her blog.

New "U" event hosted by Vardhini.

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DatesKheer

Dates Kheer:

Kheer is nothing but payasa, sweet which is made either of semolina or of any other ingredient with milk. It can be made instantly and ingredients are also too short. I just added dates to it.

On account of yesterday holiday and tomorrow holiday I am on leave today also. J Hence made dates milk shake, but as I had to take Aditya to doctor due to some allergy plan got changed. Suddenly it flashed, I can just do kheer in the afternoon adding dates milk shake. Yummy, it gave me very good company in my children lunch today.

Ingredients:

• Semolina – 1 cup
• Sugar – 1 cup
• Milk – 2 cups
• Dates – 5 to 6 nos (used fruit not the dried ones)
• Ghee – 2 tsp

Method:

• Soak dates in water for an hour
• Add milk, sugar and dates and blend it together to get a milk shake
• Add ghee in a thick bottomed vessel
• Roast semolina and keep it aside
• Add dates milk shake and allow it to boil
• Add roasted semolina and allow it to become soft/cooked
• Serve it

Submitting this to:Blogging Marathon @ Spice your Life by Srivalli

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12

This also makes an entry to

Kid's Delight - Something Sweet at Edible Entertainment by Kavitha Iyengar and this series were started by Srivalli in her blog.

New "U" event hosted by Vardhini.

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UradDhalHalwa

Urad Dhal Halwa:

I came across this sweet in Nayna Kanbar's blog (simply.food) I had bookmarked this sweet for a longer time. When I had paired with Nayna during Blog Hop Wednesday ver 2.0 started by Radhika on her blog (tickling palates) for Jan 2012.

Only modification I did to this is the shape, rest all remains the same.

Ingredients:

Wet Halwa

• Urad  Dhal - 1cup
• Chopped Coconut - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1cup
• Cardamom Powder - 2 tsp
• Saffron - 3 num
• Milk - a little
• Ghee - 4 tsp

Method:

Fry urad dhal till reddish brown and allow it cool

Add roasted urad dhal, chopped coconut and sugar and blend it

Add ghee in a kadai when it melts add the ground powder

Urad Dhal Halwa

Roast it well so that we can get nice aroma

Add milk to it and put it on a greased plate

Once its warm cut it into pieces

Put it in an airtight container and eat it

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Yielded: 20 pieces

Submitting this to:Blogging Marathon @ Spice your Life by Srivalli

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12

This also makes an entry to

Kid's Delight - Something Sweet at Edible Entertainment by Kavitha Iyengar and this series were started by Srivalli in her blog.

New "U" event hosted by Vardhini.

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Onion Chutney

Onion-Chutney:

"Weekend Herb Blogging" was started by Kalyn and after 3 years Haalo took over to continue this. This series is on and continuing since 7 long years and it has reached #318 series this week. This week series is hosted by Cindystar here.

Onions are often chopped and used an ingredient in various hearty warm dishes, but are often used as a main ingredient in their own right, for example in French onion soup or onion chutney. They are also used raw in cold salads. Onions pickled in vinegar are eaten as a snack. These are often served as a side serving in fish and chip shops throughout the United Kingdom and Australia, often served with cheese in the United Kingdom, and as "pickled onions" in Eastern Europe. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion)

Ingredients:

Onion - 2

Oil - 2 tsp (for frying)

Oil - 1 tsp (for tadka)

Tomato - 2

Groundnuts (roasted) - 1 handful

Green Chillies - 4

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated)

Salt to taste

Curry leaves - few

Cilantro - few

Method:

Fry onion, tomato, green chillies and ginger in a kadai with hot oil

Allow it to cool for sometime

Using a blender blend all fried ingredients along with roasted groundnut seeds, coconut, salt and cilantro or coriander leaves

Heat little oil, once it becomes hot, add a tsp of mustard seeds and wait till it splutters

Add curry leaves and pour this tadka on to the onion chutney.

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