Phirni

This is a Lucknowi sweet dish made our of rice and sugar.  I  relish the ones Karims make( a restaurant in Gurgaon).  Thanks to my colleagues who have made it a point to get minimum 2 sikoras of Phirni for be whenever the go for lunch out to Karims. I have tried to make it similar and to some extend achieved it except the consistency.  Will try and get some improvement done next time.

 
Ingredients 

¼ cup basmati rice

1 ltrs whole milk (full cream milk)

1 cup sugar

¼ tsp elaichi (cardamom ) powder

2 tsp green pistachios powder

10 sikoras (earthenware saucers )

 

1. Soak the sikoras in water for a few minutes, wash, drain and dry.
2. Soak the rice in water for 5-10 min. drain, spread on a clean cloth for 20 min to dry out. Grind to a coarse powder (not very fine). When you rub between the fingers, it should feel grainy.
3. Note: Make sure you have everything measured and ready before hand because  you’ll be busy stirring continuously.
4. Put the milk in a large pan and bring to a boil. When it boils reduce to low and keep boiling for 5 min.  
5. Note: from this point onwards not stop stirring.
6. Tip in a tablespoon of ground rice, stirring constantly; repeat till all the ground rice has been added. Keep stirring on low boil for about 12 min.  At this point the rice will change to transparent swollen specks in the milk.
7. Add sugar and continue to cook for about 10min. The mixture thins slightly as the sugar dissolves. Eventually, it will become a uniform paste and bubble hard in the centre.  It should not leave the sides of the pan. ( Remember the mix will thicken further when cooled).
8. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in elaichi powder. Continue the stirring till cook.
9. Note: Don’t leave the mixture unattended, this is crucial.  
10. Pour into the sikori before the mixture has cooked and thickened too much.
11. Garnish with pistachio powder
12. Chill for an hour.



Broken wheat payasam / Nurukku gothambu payasam

This payasam was introduced to me by one of my aunt back in kerela. I like it specially because it is made of wheat. And the combination of coconut milk, jiggery and cardamom powder is heavenly.

The basic recipe is shared by my aunt  and a little bit of internet search. If I have to make her way she will only use freshly extracted coconut milk which is big process and I always have a fear of milk getting curdled with Jaggery. 

Anyway its healthy and I love it.

Serves : 6

Ingredients
 

½ cup broken wheat

250gm  jaggery

2 ½ cups water

2 cups medium thick coconut milk ( I used Dabur Hommade –Tetrapak)

3 tablespoon ghee

7 cashew nuts

10-15  cup raisins

1 tbsp cup bite sized coconut pieces (thengakothu)

¼  teaspoon dried ginger powder

¼  teaspoon cardamom powder

Method    
 

• Clean the broken wheat and pressure cook it by adding 2 cups water in high flame  for about 7-8 whistles.(make sure that the wheat is cooked well )
• Melt jaggery in a pan with ½ cup water and strain it.
• Combine the melted jaggery with the cooked wheat.
• Add 2 tablespoon of ghee to the melted jaggery and stir nicely for 4-5 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and mix well. 
• Allow it to boil and keep stirring in between until it attains a thick consistency.
• Turn off the flame and add dried ginger and cardamom powder.
• In a pan heat 1 table spoon ghee and fry coconut pieces.
• When it turns light brown colour add cashew nuts and raisins and fry it.
• Pour it on top of payasam.
• Serve hot.
• I like it cold and a day older.

Coco Atta Cupcakes

My little one all of a sudden has started showing tantrums while eating.  So this is something which I go from Aashirvaad Select site.  A cake with wheat flour, curd and oil.  It tastes good and my purpose was solved.
 

Makes : 5 cups

Ingredient
1tbsp coco powder
¼ tsp. instant coffee
¼ cup sugar (powdered)
¼ cup yoghurt
¼ cup oil
¼ tsp. vanilla essence
½ cup atta (wheat flour)
¼ tsp. bi-carbonate of soda/baking soda/metha soda
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. hot water
 

Method

·         Pre heat the oven to 180^o C
·         Mix cocopowder and instant coffee to hot water.
·         Add sugar, yoghurt, oil and vanilla essence to this .  Mix till sugar dissolves
·         Sift atta and soda
·         Add pinch of salt
·         Fold the atta to the coco mixture
·         Put  these mixture equally into 5 cupcake molds ( about 2tbsp)
·         Bake for 15 min