Appam for Karthigai Deepam

It was the month of Karthigai according to Tamil calendar and the New moon day of this month marks the birthday of Lord Karthikeyan the six heads god. People in Tamil Nadu light lamps in their house and make Pori urundai which is jaggery balls using puffed rice and appam a jaggery sweet. There are many appam recipes using rice / rava / wheat flour / maida. I had made appam using wheat flour and its quick and easy preparation.

Ingredients :

1 cup wheat flour ( any atta flour or whole wheat flour can be used )
1/2 cup rice flour
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup grated coconut ( optional )
1 tsp. cardamom powder
1 cup jaggery ( powdered )
pinch of salt ( to bring out the sweetness of appam )

Method :

1. Grind coconut, bananas, cardamom and jaggery in a mixie or blender.

2. Add the paste to the flours and a pinch of salt. Add just enough water to make into a batter of bajji or dosa batter consistency. The batter should be pourable, but thick and not watery.

3. Heat oil at medium in a round bottom kadai and when it is quite hot, pour a tablespoon or a small ladle of the batter in the center of the kadai and fry till both the sides puff up and become brown in colour. ( Alternatively it is easy to make in a appam kuzhipaniyaram pan. As I did not have one, I made in a normal kadai ).


Krishnaarpanam

Broccoli Paruppu Usili

After knowing the health benefits of Broccoli which is an unknown veg. in India, I found it very difficult to get it into my daughter's diet. She refused to take it in any form that I tried to make. I came upon this Broccoli Paruppu Usili in Saffron Hut's blog and wanted to give it a try. Paruppu Usili and Moar Kuzhambu are the all time favourites of my family. I was surprised that my daughter liked this paruppu usili and she said " Mummy, if you want me to eat broccoli, then this is the way that you should make it". Anyway, atleast there is some way for me to get this wonderful vegetable into her.

Ingredients :

1 pound broccoli ( 2 medium size florets )
3/4 cup channa dal
1/4 cup moong dal
3 - 4 red chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

For seasoning :
1 - 2 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
a few curry leaves
1/2 tsp. asafoetida


Method :

1. Soak the channa dal, moong dal and red chillies together in water for nearly 45 mins. to an hour. Drain the water completely and grind the dals and chillies along with turmeric powder and salt to a coarse paste. Steam this paste in a steamer or you can microwave the paste covered in a glass bowl for 3 - 4 minutes. Cool and crumble with your fingertips.
2. Wast the broccoli and chop into medium size florets and microwave along with salt and a handful of water for 3 mins. on high or till the florets are cooked.
3. In a kadai, heat oil, add mustard and when it splutters, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and then the dal paste and saute till all the water from the dal is evaporated.
4. Then add the cooked broccoli without any water and mix well and saute for a few minutes. Serve hot with rice and moar kuzhambu ( buttermilk stew ).



Krishnaarpanam