Mani's Lunch Home

CARROT HALWA

INGREDIENTS:           

1) Carrot                                   0.500 gms.

2) Sugar                                    0.300 gms.

3) Ghee                                     0.200 gms.

4) Milk                                       0.500 ml.

5) Cardamom Powder                   1 tsp.  

6) Cashew nuts                           0.100 gms.

PREPERATION

Wash the carrots with clean water and peel the skin with vegetable peeler. Scrap and grate the carrot. Add milk to the grated carrot and cook thoroughly well. Add Sugar to the cooked carrot and mix well. Continue Stirring on heat by adding ghee till it becomes to thick consistency.  Fry Cashew nuts in one ieaspoon ghee and add to the above mixture. Mix well and remove from heat. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Serve hot or cold

RAVA KESARI (SHEERA)

INGREDIENTS:           

1)         Bombay Rava            0.250 gms.

2)         Sugar                      0.500 gms.

3)         Ghee                      0.250 gms.

4)         Cardamom Powder    1 tsp

5)         Food color      a pinch (Lemon Yellow)

6)         Cashew nuts             0.100 gms.

7)         Water                      2 ½ Cups

PREPERATION

Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a frying pan, add rava to it and fry till it roast.  Keep the roasted rava aside.  Boil 2 ½ Cups of water.  After the water get boiled well add the roasted rava to it. Stir well and boil for 10 minutes till the rava cooked well.  Add sugar andcontinue  stirring by adding ghee little by little. Mix a pinch of food color in a teaspoon of milk and pour drop by drop to the mixture till it reaches to your required colour to suit your choice. Remove from heat and add cardamom  powder. Fry ½ broken cashew nuts in 2 teaspoon of ghee and add fried nuts to the mixture. Rava kesari is ready to serve as hot or cold

BADAM HALWA

INGREDIENTS:           

1)         Almonds                      0.250 gms

2)         Sugar                          0.500 gms

3)         Ghee                           0.500 gms

4)         Saffron                        0.005 gms

5)         Milk                             1 cup

PREPERATION

Boil the milk, remove from fire and soak almonds over it for ½ hour.Peel off the skin of the almonds and strain the milk as to remove the peeled skin of the almonds. Grind the almonds in a mixer to a fine paste by adding the strained milk.

Melt the ghee and keep warm Boil the sugar with water to prepare string consistency in a heavy bottom pan. Add grinded almond paste in it stir the mixture on medium flame. When the mixture starts thickening add quarter portion i.e. 200 gms of ghee when the ghee is absorbed, the mixture starts leaving side.  Remove from fire. Continue stirring the mixture by adding the full reaming ghee little by little. Took Saffron on teaspoon hot milk and mix well with your finger and add the same to the mixture. Once all the ghee is fully absorbed the mixture leaves the pan to form a thick mass.

KAJU BURFI

INGREDIENTS:           

1)  Cahewnuts                         250 gms.

2)  Sugar                                500 gms.

3) Milk                                    500 ml.

4)  Cardamom Powder                  2 tsp.

5)  Pista                                 050 gms.

6) Ghee                                  500 gms                            

PREPERATION

1. Soak Cahewnuts in hot water for ½ hour.
2. Melt Ghee and keep warm.
3. Chop pista to fine pieces.
4. Grind the soaked Cahewnuts in a mixer to a fine paste by adding milk.

Boil the sugar with water to prepare string consistency in a heavy bottom pan. Add grinded Cahewnuts paste in it stir the mixture on medium flame. When the mixture starts thickening add ghee little by little. Once all the ghee is fully absorbed the mixture leaves the pan to form a thick mass. Remove from fire and put the mixture on a ghee spread plate or tray.  Decorate the top of the mixture with chopped pista and cardamom powder. Allow for cooling. When cold cut to square pieces.

WHEAT HALWA

INGREDIENTS

Whole wheat (wheat grains)

Sugar

Cardamom

Ghee

Saffron color – 1 pinch

Cashew nuts

Almond

Pistachio nuts

Wash and soak the wheat for 12 hours.Grind in a mixture adding sufficient quantity of water. Strain through a sieve to get thick milk. Grind again adding 1 more cup of water and strain again. You will be left out with only the husk in the sieve. Add enough water to squeeze out all the milk.Pour the milk in to a thick bottomed pan, add sugar and cook on a low flame. Keep stirring continuously. Add the ghee little by little. Once all the ghee is absorbed the mass leaves the pan and moves round and turns spongy. Add the cardamom powder and the saffron color, preferably of Orange-Red color. Mix well. Cook till you can roll the halwa into a ball with your fingers.

Remove the vessel from the fire and transfer immediately to ghee spread plate.

Garnish/decorate with chopped dry fruits. Allow to cool completely to room temperature and cut it on desired shape, preferably of square shape.

MYSORE-PAK

INGREDIENTS:           

1)  Bengal gram flour                   250 gms

2)  Sugar                                      1 kg.

3)  Ghee                                       1 kg.   

PREPERATION

Sieve Bengal gram flour thoroughly well.Melt Ghee and keep warm.Took one plate or a deep tray and spread ghee uniformly

Boil the sugar with water to prepare string consistency in a heavy bottom pan.  Add sieved Bengal gram flour by sprinkling little by little.  Stir continuously and mix thoroughly to prevent lumping on medium fire.  When the mixture starts thickening add hot ghee little by little an intervals.  Once all the ghee is absorbed the mass leaves the pan and moves round and turns spongy. Remove the vessel from the fire and transfer immediately to ghee spread plate. The mixture sets very quickly within a minute or two. With a sharp clean knife cut into rectangular or square shape while hot.  Allow the plate or tray to cool in a slight slanting position so that excess ghee is drained off. On getting to room temperature remove the sliced Mysore-pak one by one slowly and arrange on another clean tray or plate for cooling.   

BHOONDI LADOO

INGREDIENTS:           

1)  Bengal gram flour                   0.250 gms.

2)  Sugar                                  0.750 gms.

3)  Ghee                                   0.500 gms.

4)  Cardamom Powder                  2 tsp.

5)  Cashew nuts                        0.100 gms.

6)  Kismiss                                0.050 gms.

7)  Food color        a pinch (Lemon Yellow)

PREPERATION

Make a thick batter with Bengal gram flour by adding 1 ½ cup of water and mixing thoroughly well. Keep this mixture aside.

Add ½ cup of water to the sugar and boil for about 20 minutes, till the syrup become string, sticky consistency. Remove from fire and keep the sugar syrup aside. Add Food color Lemon yellow to the sugar syrup to make it yellow.

Heat ghee in a frying pan and drop batter through perforated spoon, the ladoo-bhoondi spoon (a special spoon with small holes) little by little. Allow the bhoondi to get deep fried. Repeat the process till the entire batter is turned to bhoondis.

Heat 2 teaspoon ghee in a small frying pan and fry the cashew nuts and kismiss.

Put the entire fried bhoondi into sugar syrup.  Add cardamom powder and fried cashew nuts and kismiss. Mix well.

Took the mixture in your hand and prepare by shaping into lemon sized ball. Continue this till the entire mixture is turned into balls.

ADAPRADHAMAN

Recipe for 20 persons:

Ingredients

1. Raw Rice                             -  250 gms. To make Ada (Rice flakes)

2. Jaggery                               -  750 gms.

3. Cocoanut                             -     6 Nos.

4. Ghee                                   -  100 gms.

5. Dry Ginger Powder                -     2 gms.

6. Plantain leaves                      _     6 Nos.

Method:

1)         Preparation of Ada for the Adapradhaman:-

Soak the raw rice in warm water for an hour and strain the water completely. Grind the rice to a fine powder and sieve. Add water little by little to the rice powder and mix smoothly like fine paste. Add ghee and mix it well till it reaches pouring consistency. Cut the plantain leaves to the size of a handkerchief and wilt it over boiling water to become soft. Pour little batter into each leaf, spread and rollup. Place altogether all rolled leaves on boiling water or steam in a cooker. When cooked removed the plantain leaves and cut into very small square pieces. Wash in water thoroughly well and strain. Ada is ready for your Payasam.

Now at market in consumer stores readymade ada is available and can be used instead of making ada at home. Buy 1 packet of Ada.

2) Grate the cocoanut and extract the milk 3 times. The procedure though looks a bit tedious tastes better than the readymade cocoanut milk available in the market.

Milk No. 1.    Grate/blend the Cocoanut in a blender. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 1^st milk.

Milk No. 2.    Put the cocoanut residue back in the blender, add 1cups of warm water and blend. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 2^nd milk.

Milk No. 3.    Put the cocoanut residue back in the blender, add 2 cups of warm water and blend. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 3rd milk.

Melt the jaggery with a little water and strain to remove impurities. Boil the jaggery syrup in a wide bottomed non-stick pan and add the cooked ada pieces in it. Pour 3rd extract and boil well. Add 2nd extract continue boiling as to reduce approximately to one third. Remove from fire. Add the first milk and stir constantly. After adding the first milk, the pradhaman should not be boiled. Add dry ginger powder. Your Adapradhaman is fully ready to serve either hot or cold.

PALADAPRADHAMAN

Recipe for 20 persons:

Ingredients

Milk                          3 Lits.

Sugar                     750 gms.

Raw Rice               250 gms. (To make Ada/Rice flakes)

1)         Preparation of Ada for the Adapradhaman:-

Soak the raw rice in warm water for an hour and strain the water completely. Grind the rice to a fine powder and sieve. Add water little by little to the rice powder and mix smoothly like fine paste. Add ghee and mix it well till it reaches pouring consistency. Cut the plantain leaves to the size of a handkerchief and wilt it over boiling water to become soft. Pour little batter into each leaf, spread and rollup. Place altogether all rolled leaves on boiling water or steam in a cooker. When cooked removed the plantain leaves and cut into very small square pieces. Wash in water thoroughly well and strain. Ada is ready for your Payasam.

Now at market in consumer stores readymade ada is available and can be used instead of making ada at home. Buy 1 packet of Ada.

Melt the Sugar with a little water and strain to remove impurities. Boil the milk in a wide bottomed non-stick pan and add the cooked ada pieces in it. Keeping on boiling by stirring well. Add the sugar syrup stir well and continue boiling till it reaches sandal colour. Remove from fire. Your Adapradhaman is fully ready to serve either hot or cold.

Note: Minimum cooking hour 1 hour to prepare

NEIPAYASAM

A most favourite one at temples and special pujas.                                                                                            Recipe:

Ingredients

Rice                            -           200 gms.

Jaggery                       -           1 kgs

Ghee                           -           250 gms

Cardoman Powder        -           1 Spoon

Cashew nuts                _          50 gms.

Preparation:

Clean the rice thoroughly well and boil it with water. Keep adding water as and when required for it to boil. When the rice is cooked well, add Jaggery and stir and stir constantly. Add Ghee little by little and continue stirring as to avoid scorching. When the consistency becomes thick remove from fire. Roast the cashew nuts on a 2 spoon of pure ghee to light brown colour and pour the same on it. Your Neipayasam is ready to serve. This Neipayasam can be kept and stays for weeks.

WHEATPAYASAM                                                                                                                               Recipe for 20 persons:

Ingredients

1) Broken Wheat                   -           250 gms.

2) Cocoanut                          -              3 Nos.

3) Jaggery                            -           750 gms.

4) Cashew nuts                      -             50 gms.

5) Cardamom                        -              5 gms                         

6) Dry Ginger Powder            -           10 gms                                                                                                                                               7) Ghee                               -           50 gms.

Preparation:

1) Grate the cocoanut and extract the milk 3 times. The procedure though looks a bit tedious tastes better than the readymade cocoanut milk available in the market.

Milk No. 1.    Grate/blend the Cocoanut in a blender. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 1^st milk.

Milk No. 2.    Put the cocoanut residue back in the blender, add half a cup of warm water and blend. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 2^nd milk.

Milk No. 3.    Put once again the cocoanut residue back in the blender; add 2 cups of warm water and blend thoroughly well. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep this 3^rd milk aside.

Roast the broken wheat to light pink colour in little ghee, cook well and strainexcess water.

Melt the jaggery with a little water and strain to remove impurities. Boil the jaggery syrup in a wide bottomed non-stick pan and add the cooked wheat and boil on the third milk until the mixture is thick. Add the 2nd coconut milk and boil again to reduce the water content. Stirring well, until well blended. Remove from heat. Add the first milk and stir constantly. After adding the first milk, the Payasam should not be boiled. Roast cashew nuts on ghee to light brown colour and pour the same on the Payasam. Wheat Payasam is ready to serve.

CHATHACHATHAYAM (IDICHU PIZHINJI) PAYASAM

The most favoured Payasam among Keralites and it is also the main neyvedyam in Kerala temples and on poojas. 

Recipe for 20 persons:

Ingredients

1) Raw Rice                           -           250 gms.

2) Jaggery                             -           750 gms.

3) Cocoanut                           -           5 Nos.

4) Dry Ginger Powder             -           20 gms.

5) Banana                              -           2 Nos.

6) Ghee                                -           25 gms

Preparation:

1) Grate the cocoanut and extract the milk 3 times. The procedure though looks a bit tedious tastes better than the readymade cocoanut milk available in the market.

Milk No. 1.    Grate/blend the Cocoanut in a blender. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 1^st milk.

Milk No. 2.    Put the cocoanut residue back in the blender, add half a cup of warm water and blend. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep aside this 2^nd milk.

Milk No. 3.    Put once again the cocoanut residue back in the blender; add 2 cups of warm water and blend thoroughly well. Squeeze and strain the milk. Keep this 3^rd milk aside.

Wash the raw rice and cook well and strain excess water.

Melt the jaggery with a little water and strain to remove impurities. Boil the jaggery syrup in a wide bottomed non-stick pan and add the cooked rice. Boil in the 3^rd milk until the mixture is thick. Add the 2nd coconut milk and boil again to reduce the water content. Stirring well with a long handle ladle, until well blended. Remove from heat. Add the first milk and stir constantly. After adding the first milk, the Payasam should not be boiled. Cut banana into round or half round pieces and put the same on the Payasam and add ghee and dry ginger powder. Chathachathayam is ready to serve.