Coconut Barfi - Happy New Year!!!

Wish you all a very happy & a prosperous new year! 
It's time to celebrate yet another beginning!! 
Kuch meetha ho jaye :)




Quick & Easy! Made very often at our place.

Ingredients:

• Milk - 1 ltr
• Grated Coconut - 2 cups
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Powdered Cardamom - 1/2 tsp
• Dry fruits - Optional

Method:
Take a pan & heat milk on medium flame. When it starts boiling add the grated coconut & lower the flame. Let it cook for sometime. You will see that boiling makes the milk thicker with layers of cream forming on top. Stir it once in a while to avoid settling of coconut at the bottom of the pan & getting burnt. Add sugar after 10 minutes.Keep stirring till the milk & coconut become thick & stick together. Now, add the powdered cardamom & the ghee.You can choose to add some chopped dry fruits to make it nutritious & rich.
When done pour it in a greased plate & you can cut them in the shape you desire. The most common shape is  of a diamond.

Note:

• The sugar can be put according to taste. 
• Many recipes will make you fry the grated coconut & add it to a sugar syrup & may be just  2-3 tbsps of milk only. But I stick to my mother's recipe given above.

Sweet & Tangy Thick Tomato Preserve

My Grandma used to prepare this for me each time I went to Chennai during my summer vacations. She is no more! But my mother makes it every time I demand for it. This is mom made which I picked up when I had gone home to see my parents. 

It's delicious & simply irresistible!

Ingredients:

• Ripe Tomatoes - 1  kg
• Red Chilli Powder - 3 tbsps
• Jaggery - 100 gms
• Asafoetida - A pinch
• Tamarind - 25 gms
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - 100 gms

Method:
Grind the tomatoes & the tamarind to make puree. On low flame keep a wok & pour the tomato puree, add salt, asafoetida & red chilli powder. Cover the wok with a lid for 2 minutes. Now take off the lid & pour some oil. Break the jaggery into small pieces & add it to the puree. Do not pour all the oil in one go. Slowly once in a while keep adding 2-3 spoons & cover it with a lid for a few minutes again repeat the process till all the oil is consumed. Now let it cook on low flame till it gets thick & starts leaving the wok. It should not stick to the wok. Your tomato preserve is ready within 1 hour if prepared on gas stove. In a microwave it will take around 15 minutes only.

Note:

• The red chilli powder can be used according to your tolerance to its taste
• The shelf life of this preserve is over a month
• You can use it as a jelly/jam on toast or with rolls & chappatis
• I enjoy it with Idlis & Dosas too

Tomato

Adai - Karthigai Poornima

I am back from my vacation so its time for me share with you all my pending recipes for 

Karthigai Poornima.

ADAI - Is a salty pancake similar to dosa. 

Ingredients:

• Rice - 2 cups
• Arhar Dal - 1 cup
• Black Urad Dal - .5 cup
• Dried Whole Red Chillies - 4
• Green Chillies - 4
• Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
• Curry Leaves - Few 
• Black Peppercorns - 5
• Salt - As per taste

Method:
Soak the rice, arhar dal & urad dal for 3 -4 hours. Now Grind them in a mixer/grinder along with all the other ingredients till the consistency of the paste becomes a little coarse. When I say little kindly ensure that it is only little coarse rest batter should be smooth enough to make the pancakes. You can check it by taking a small dab between your fingers & rubbing it. Don't worry if the paste comes fine as the adai can still be made.
Now, either you can start preparing it now or else wait for a few hours for the batter to ferment & then start preparing them.
It is to be made similar to dosa on the hot griddle while brushing it with some oil so it cooks well & comes off easily if not using a non stick pan.

Variations:

• You can use white urad dal instead of the black ones too
• I have tried mixing both black & white together also & even that tastes great

Note:

• Adai can be eaten as a snack or even for breakfast
• It is high in protein as we use lentils in it
• It can be served with Jaggery pieces, tomato sauce or any sweet & tangy chutney
• You can add chopped onions to the batter also