How to Pressure cook Rice and dhal in pressure cooker, for pongals

Earlier I used to keep an inner vessel in Pressure Cooker, and cook for pongals.
recently I have found out a very very easy fail proof method....
Nothing sticks to the cooker....
Nothing oozes out of the Cooker....
Similar way, we can cook for dhals too.

                                                         Ven Pongal & Chakkarai Pongal 

Here is the easy, quick way. After cooking the rice and dhal this way, you can proceed to make which ever pongal you want to.

METHOD

Soak the rice and dhal in hot water, for minimum 30 minutes, measurement is Rice - 1 cup; Moong dhal - 1/4 cup; Water - 4 cups(11/4x3=33/4 +1/4 cup)

Keep it on stove, let it come to a boil.

Immediately, flames to the lowest, put the weight on

Set your timer for 10 minutes. 2 whistles might come.

Switch off, let the pressure release by itself, taking its time, then open, this is how it will look

See! Nothing sticking to the bottom! Nothing burnt!

Add milk and hot water to the required consistency, mashing the rice-dhal mixture nicely.

Thats it!

Make pongal the simplest way, and enjoy!!!

For dhal fry, or any other dhal too, you can cook the same way!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

BAKED CHAKLIS, how to make healthy baked chaklis

These baked chaklis........
They are in no way less....equally tasty, crispy and crunchy...like the deep fried ones...when I made these, I realised what amount of oil which would have gone inside our stomach has been saved!!!
This is a recipe of Tarla Dalal

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 cup

Fresh curds - 1/2 cup

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 - 3/4 tsp

Salt to taste

White sesame seeds - 2 tsps

Cooking oil - 1 tsp

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Snacks

Prep time: 5 mts; Baking time: totally 30-35  mts, for one batch(I baked in 2 batches)

Yields roughly 20 chaklis

Rice flour and curds taken in a bowl(By cup I mean, the standard US measurement cup)

Hing powder, salt to taste, sesame seeds and chilli powder added

1 tsp oil added

Everything mixed well, rather crumbled well

Then carefully sprinkle water little by little, and knead to a soft dough. Let it rest till the Oven is pre heated to 180 degree Celsius/350 degrees F

This is the murukku press with which I made...somehow I feel more comfortable with these than the modern ones, though the modern ones are very easy to operate

On a greased tray, chaklis made in swirls

Shoved inside the hot oven and getting baked for 30-35  minutes, but remember to flip them over after 20 minutes...

Taken out after 30 minutes, and let outside to cool for 5 minutes

Look at the golden color, they were really so good!!!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

MALPAT'S THAALIS - Lunch thaali - 43

Menu:

Tamarind rice

Curd rice

Cabbage peas mixed curry

Orange peels kuzhambu

Store bought vadams

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FRESH TURMERIC GOJJU, how to make a tangy and sweet fresh turmeric gravy

Turmeric , like ginger, is a rhizome, which grows under the ground. Actually, in my maternal home, in the backyard, they used to grow like a forest, but at that time, people were not aware of this golden Turmeric's health benefits...

Turmeric is always called the "Queen of Spices" and its scientific name is Curcuma Longa.

*Turmeric is a common spice used in Asian, Indian and Central American Cuisine.

*This Golden Turmeric contains Curcumin which is highly anti oxidant.

*The Turmeric is dried, powdered, and  is used in tea, drink, and capsule forms. 

*You can say, in South Indian cuisine, rather most of the Indian cuisines, hardly you can find a recipe without the usage of turmeric.

*Promotes skin health, fights the development of skin tumors.

*Aids digestion, but people with gall bladder diseases should not take turmeric.

*Controls diabetes, improves glucose control.

*Provides a great relief for arthritis

*Heals wounds, because of its anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties.

*Controls weight

*Prevents Alzheimer's disease.

*Prevents periodontal diseases.

My 2 best recipes of  turmeric are 

1. Turmeric ginger pickle

2. Malpat's miracle powder

Now, about this recipe....

I learnt to make this from @shrikripa.7 on Instagram, and I am thankful to her for this recipe.

This is an ideal side for all dosa varieties,  tiffin varieties and tastes good as side for koottu varieties

Ingredients

Fresh turmeric - 2 rhizomes

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Jaggery - 2-3 tsps

Curry leaves a handful

salt to taste

For roasting and grinding

Gingely oil - 2 tsps

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

White sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tsps

Solid hing - a small piece

Red chillies - 3-4

Grated coconut - 3 tsps

To season

Gingely oil - 2 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Recipe cuisine: South indian;  Category: side

Prep time: 10 mts;  Cooking time: 15 mts

Serves 3-4

2 rhizomes turmeric, washed, wiped well and skin peeled

then grated

Heat a pan with oil, add the ingredients given above for roasting and grinding, and start roasting them, flames on the lowest

After they turn golden, switch off, then add coconut, and mix well

mixed

Now, take a vessel, add oil, season mustard seeds, 

and saute the grated turmeric and curry leaves, flames on the lowest

Now pour 2-3 cups water, add tamarid paste and jaggery

salt to taste

roasted ingredients cooled and ground to a fine paste

water level has come down, turmeric and tamarind have lost their raw smell, now add the ground paste

allow to simmer on low flames for 2-3 minutes

Serve this very tasty gojju with rice, dosas, idlis, upmas, or any tiffin. This can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and used.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

MALPAT'S THAALIS - 42 - TIFFIN THAALI

Menu

Carrot halwa

Raw banana paneer kababs

Vegetable semiya

Coconut  chutney

Tomato ketchup

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IRU PULI KUZHAMBU/IRU VELLI KUZHAMBU, how to make a tangy yogurt based kuzhambu

This is a unique Kuzhambu, which is not made in many households. Recently my daughter sent me this recipe, which she learnt from a close family relative, and I too made it, and we liked it so much. This is a nice side dish for Sevai varieties
and also goes well with paruppu usilis
and all kinds of potato roasts , colocasia/seppamkizhangu roast or bhindi roast go well with this kuzhambu. Please check my South Indian curries

Ingredients

Thick and fresh curds - 2 cups, whisked well without lumps

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Chow chow - 1, cubed

Salt to taste

To roast in oil and grind

Tur dhal - 2 tbsps

Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Red chillies - 4=5

Methi - 1 tsp

Grated fresh coconut - 2 tbsps

To season

Coconut oil - 2 tbsps

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 13/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves a few

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch/dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 15 mts

Serves 3-4

Pan heated with oil, urad, tur dhals, methi seeds and red chillies getting roasted

After they turn golden, switch off, then add coconut

and mix well

After the roasted ingredients cools down a bit, grind to a smooth mixture

Curds whisked and kept, chow chow cubed and pressure cooked

Chow chow taken in a cooking vessel, tamarind paste added, 

2 cups water added, , little bit turneric powder

Salt to taste

After it boils and reduces a bit, the ground mixture added, and let to boil for 5 minutes on slow flames.

Now the whisked curds added, flames on the lowest, after 3-4 minutes you can switch off too. Take care, lest curds might curdle

Perfect!!!

Above mentioned seasonings done in coconut oil

Notes

* Any vegetables like ash gourd, Okra, malabar cucumber , yellow pumpkin etc can be used.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com