Cranberry Thokku

Cranberry Thokku

Ingredients:

Cranberry-2 cups

Sesame Oil - 5/6 tsp

Jaggery- 4/5 tsp

Salt as per taste.

Dry roast and grind the below ingredients into almost fine powder.

Methi-1 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 2 tbsp

Black pepper- 1 tbsp(as per taste)

Dry red chilies-4/5 number.

Dhania/ corriander seeds- 4/5 tbsp

Dry roast each separately.

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan heat oil.

To the hot oil, add whole cranberries and cook for 8-10 minutes or until they are soft and mushy.

To this add turmeric and dry roasted ground powder and continue to cook. Keep stirring it often, so the bottom doesn’t burn.

If the mixture thickens, add little water to allow it to cook further and let all the ingredients combine well which may take 6-8 more minutes. 

Finally add jaggery, salt and asafoetida and let it simmer for few more minutes, oil starts to separate from sides, thokku is ready.  

Kollu Idli/ Horse gram Idli

 A healthy variant of Idli, and easy to make!

Ingredients :

Idli Rice: 1.5 cup

Horse Gram: 1 cup

Urad Dhal: 1 cup.

Method:

Soak all the three ingredients separately for up to 3-4 hours, and horse gram needs a longer soaking time for up to 8 hours.

Once soaked, grind the urad dhal into a smooth buttery batter with little water, followed by Idli rice that can be ground slightly coarse, and then finally horse gram into a smooth batter.

Mix all the three together and add salt per taste.

Allow it to ferment for 6-8 hours. The batter will have a pungent smell from horse gram and that is normal.

Steam it in an Idli steamer for 10-12 minutes in medium flame and enjoy with any spicy chutney or Sambar.

Mango Ice Cream

Summer always calls for Ice creams.. and  mangoes are readily available in summer, but this recipe does not need fresh mangoes, we can always make mango ice cream in any season! I have been making this ice cream for many years and it always turns out yummy!!

Ingredients:
Heavy Whipping cream- 2.5 cups
Condensed milk- 1 cup ( adjust according to taste)
Mango pulp  - 1 cup ( ready made store bought canned pulp)

Method:
In a glass bowl take heavy whipping cream, and beat it using an electric beater till see stiff peaks.
To this heavy cream,  add ready made mango pulp and condensed milk and mix them gently.
We can whip this mixture after adding the condensed milk and pulp for 1-2 minutes until it is mixed well! You get a light yellow smooth cream...
Transfer it into a container with a lid and freeze for 6-7 hours or overnight! Delicious mango ice cream is ready to be enjoyed 😋

Tavala Adai

This dish instantly transports me to my childhood days!! Blessed were those days when kids used to spend quality time with grandparents. My grandma, lovingly called Pati used to make this dish that would be so filling and yummy, not to miss that they were rich in protein with all the pulses used!

Ingredients:
Idli Rice- 2 cups
Toor Dhal- 3/4 cup
Chana Dhal- 1/2 cup
Urdh Dhal- 1/2 cup
Pepper corn- 1 table spoon
Cumin- 1 table spoon
Dry red chilies- 2 numbers
Asafotida- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt.

For tempering

Oil- 2 tbsp.
Chana Dhal- 1tsp
Urdh Dhal- 1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Method:
Measure the ingredients and dry grind them to a coarse powder using a mixer( use the whipper mode)
To the coarse ground mixture, add warm water so that it forms a thick batter,  and let it sit for 3 hours.
In the mean time add the tempering to the mixture along with salt and asafotida.


Tempering
Heat up the oil in a pan and add Chana, Urdh Dhal and mustard seeds, wait for the Dhals  to change color to golden brown then add the mustard seeds, it will start to splatter. Remove them form the heat and add them to the batter.

After three hours, look for the consistency of the batter it should be think, if too thick and dry add some more water and adjust the consistency.
Heat up a wok/ vanali with a thick base, once hot add oil and pour the batter into small round pancakes.
Let it cook in medium flame for 3-4 minutes with a closed lid. Turn the Adai and cook the other side by adding some oil, this may take 2 more minutes, the Adai turns out crispy and yummm!! Enjoy the Adai with coconut chutney or podi.