PASSION OF COOKING

In India, tea is a very popular beverage and Indians love their cup of tea. The importance of tea drinking in India cannot be confined to words, they have their cup of hot steaming tea first thing in the morning in order to stimulate their senses and refresh themselves. 

Most of them drink tea with milk and sugar. Traditionally, a guest in any Indian home is welcomed with a cup of tea.

India is the world’s largest producer of tea and the three prominent tea-growing regions in India are Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri. 

International tea day is observed annually on May 21.

INGREDIENTS:

Water - 1 cup

Tea powder - 2 tsp

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 2 tsp

METHOD:

1. Heat the tea pot with 1 cup of water. 

All purpose flour - 1&1/2 cup

Chopped cashew nuts - 1/4 cup

Black raisins - 1/4 cup

Golden raisins - 1/4 cup

Mixed dry fruits (dates - 1/2 cup, glazed cherry - 1/4 cup, prunes - 1/4 cup, cranberries - 1/4 cup, crystalized ginger -2 tbsp)

Orange peel - 1tsp

Orange juice - 1  to 2 cup (approximate)

Powdered sugar (for cake batter) - 1/2 cup

Sugar (for caramelizing) - 3/4 cup

Butter - 3/4 cup

Egg -3

Spice powder( 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 2 clove, 1 cardamom, 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder) - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Pinch of salt

Dry fruits preparation:

Chop dry fruits into bite size pieces. Soak the dry fruits, black and golden raisins, orange peel in the orange juice for overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours. Ensure that the contents are completely immersed in the juice. 

Heat a heavy bottomed vessel  and add the sugar with a tbsp of water on medium high heat. You will find that the sugar will melt and start to change color. Don’t stir, you can swirl the vessel, once or twice. When you find that the color has changed to a dark golden brown, turn off heat. Immediately, pour half cup of  boiling water very carefully into the caramel and stir and mix well. Just boil the syrup for 1 min. Cool the caramel before adding to the cake batter. 

Note: Be careful, the liquid will splash when you pour the water into the hot caramel. The color of caramelized sugar is the key to the color of the cake.

The main prasadh made for ganesha festival/ Ganesh chaturthi is modak/modakam. These dumplings are prepared and relished with great enthusiasm all across the country and assume great significance during the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha. Every state in India has its own version, many sweet and savory varieties can be prepared as kozhukatta /Modakam. Sweet kozhukkata/Modakam are steamed rice dumplings with coconut and jaggery stuffing. 

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

Making Modakams:

A sour and spiced rice recipe, mainly prepared in south India (Tamil Nadu) especially in hindu temples. It is offered as prasadam or nivedyam and then served to devotees. It is also prepared during special occasions and festival seasons and served during celebration feast. 

A creamy dish of vermicelli and curd/yogurt. This can be prepare at a short time. Instead of having the usual curd rice, try this curd semiya for a change. In this recipe, cooked vermicelli is mixed with seasoned, curd and optionally garnished with sweet pomegranate seeds or with crunchy cashew nuts. I love to add pomegranate seeds to this semiya as it gives a refreshing and a sweet crunchy texture to the smooth vermicelli.

For the seasoning:

Oil – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – a pinch

Green chili – 1 finely chopped

Cashews - 5 to 6

For Garnishing:

Pomegranates

Cilantro

1. Bring 3 to 4 cup of water to a boil. Add the vermicelli to the boiling water.

2. Let this boil on medium heat till vermicelli is cooked.

3. Drain the excess water and keep it aside.

4. In a bowl,  add curd and beat till it turns smooth.

5. Add the cooked vermicelli and salt. 

6. Add water (around 3/4 cup) as per your consistency.

7. Mix well and keep it aside.

8. Heat oil in a pan for the seasoning. 

9. Add mustard seeds, when it splutter, add asafetida,  cashews, curry leaves and green chillies.

10. Saute for a few seconds and switch off the flame.

11. Add the seasoning to the prepared vermicelli curd mixture and mix well.

12. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

13. Curd semiya is ready to be served with yummy pickles………

Vegetable saagu is a very simple Karnataka style dish prepared with mixed vegetables, coconut and few spices. It goes well with poori, chapathi, set dosa and Idiyappam. The rich creamy texture of the curry makes your breakfast complete.

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 2

METHOD:

1. Wash and chop all the vegetables.

2. Grind all the ingredients given under “For grinding” , to a fine paste. Keep it aside.

3. Pressure cook the vegetables with turmeric powder, salt and little water for just 1 whistle.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaf and curry leaves.

5. Add the masala paste and saute on low heat for 5-6 minutes or until it leaves oil.

6. Add the cooked vegetables and 1/2 cup of water.

7. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. You can adjust the consistency according to your like.

8. Delicious Vegetable saagu is ready……

9. Enjoy it with poori, set dosa, neer dosa or chapathi.....