July 30, 2016 No comments

July 27, 2016 No comments

RICE/ARISI UPMA KOZHUKATTAI

Rice/Arisi Upma Kozhukattai is one of the popular tiffin items in a Brahmin household. This is a simple recipe made with coarsely ground rice, which is called as NOI ARISI. The only work in terms of this tiffin item is soaking the raw rice, and then drying it indoor for a few hours until all the moist is gone, then pulsing it in a dry mixer grinder jar into a coarse rice powder a.k.a kurunai like texture. Once you have the coarsely ground rice/noi(small tit bits), then the job gets easier.

The coarsely ground rice is then cooked along with seasoning, once it is 3/4 cooked we need to make small balls out of it and then again it is steam cooked. This is a simple twist given to the classic brahmin dish Arisi Upma, where the Noi Arisi is well cooked and served as such. Arisi Upma Kozhukattai taste great with sambar and chutney. It is usually served as a breakfast item or as an evening tiffin. This is a simple dish, with very few ingredients. But the taste and flavour of this dish is quite unique.

I learnt this recipe from our neighbour aunty, Bhuvana's Amma. She prepares something for evening tiffin, almost every day, ammini kozhukattai, aval upma, pidi kozhukattai, mor kazhi - a long list of simple tiffin items. She always treats me with her specialties, every evening, along with her wonderful Filter Coffee. And this recipe is from her repertoire.

I need to mention Anu, my long forgotten friend and neighbour who also makes wonderful Arisi Upma Kozhukattai. Some recipes remind me of a few people, and this recipe reminds of Anu and Bhuvana's Amma.

For more TIFFIN ITEMS, Click here...

Cuisine : South Indian
Course : Main Course
Difficulty : Medium
Serves : 3-4
Yields : 15 No's
Author : SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Soaking Time - 15-20 Minutes
Drying Time - 20 - 30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

For more SOUTH INDIAN BREAKFAST RECIPES, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE RICE / ARISI UPMA KOZHUKATTAI

RICE / ARISI UPMA KOZHUKATTAI

INGREDIENTS:

To make Arisi:

Raw Rice - 1 Cup
Water (for soaking) - as needed

For Arisi Upma Kozhukattai:

Oil - 11/2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Bengal Gram Dhal (Channa Dhal) - 1 Teaspoon
Black Gram Dhal ( Urad Dhal) - 1 Teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1 Pinch
Green Chillies - 3-4 Nos.
Ginger - a Small Piece
Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
Coconut - 3 Tablespoons
Salt - To Taste
Water - 21/2 Cups
Ghee - 1 Teaspoon

RICE / ARISI UPMA KOZHUKATTAI

METHOD:

To make Noi Arisi:

Soak the raw rice for 15 mins in water.
After 15 mins, drain the water and spread the rice in a clean kitchen towel and allow it to dry completely.
Can dry the Rice indoor under a fan.
Once the rice is dry, grind the rice coarsely in a dry mixer grinder jar.
Just pulse it once or twice. It should not be ground into a fine powder.
Noi Arisi is ready for use.

For Arisi Upma Kozhukattai:

Boil 21/2 Cups of Water and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan, splutter Mustard seeds, Bengal Gram Dhal and Black Gram Dhal.
Fry them until they turn into golden brown colour on a low flame.
Add finely chopped Green Chillies, Ginger and Curry Leaves and sauté for a while.
Sprinkle asafoetida powder and give a quick stir.
Add grated coconuts and fry for a few seconds on a very low flame.
Pour the water into the above mix, add salt and mix well.
Add a Teaspoon of ghee to the water.
Add the coarsely ground rice gradually into the boiling water, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Lower the flame and cover the pan with a lid.
Cook the rice, stirring it occasionally.
Once the mix becomes thick and dry, switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
Make small balls out of the arisi upma mix and steam cook in a steamer for about 5-8 minutes or until well cooked.
Serve Arisi Upma Kozhukattai hot with Brinjal Gothsu, Sambar, Puli Kuzhambu or any preferred Chutney.

NOTES:

Do not grind the rice into fine powder, it should be ground coarsely like a kurunai. Just a pulse or two in a dry mixer grinder jar would do the job.
Adding some ghee or oil to the boiling water before adding the rice mixture helps to avoid forming lumps. Also, make sure to stir the mixture continuously.
Adding Coconut is totally optional.
The whole cooking process happens in two steps - 3/4 while it's cooked with the tempering and 1/4 of the cooking happens while the Arisi Upma Kozhukattai is steamed.

July 23, 2016 No comments

MUTTON ROGAN JOSH

   Mutton Rogan Josh is one of the signature dishes from the magnificent state of Kashmir -An Indian State with Snow Clad Valleys, beautiful lakes and meadows. History says that this dish originated in Persia. The flavours and cooking style have been brought into Indian Sub-continent during the innumerable invasions the country faced in its past.
    Mutton Rogan Josh is cooked in various ways around the country, but the traditional recipe comes in two kinds. One version is without the use of onion or garlic - the way it is authentically cooked by the Kashmiri Pandits. The other variation which is with Onions and Garlic along with the spices. But the secret behind its taste and flavour relies totally on the spices used - Asafoetida, Fennel Seeds and Dry Ginger Powder along with a combination of Cinnamon, Cloves, Green and Black Cardamoms.
    Traditional Kashmiri Rogan Josh has a thin sauce layered with a slick of oil on the top. The most striking signature of this dish is its striking Red Colour, which comes from a very rare spice called Ratanjot and Kashmiri Chilli Powder. Curd gives a slight tanginess and a rich texture to the curry. Slow cooking infuses the flavours of the spices into the meat, making them rich, soft and succulent - enhancing the overall taste of the dish.

Cuisine : Kashmiri
Course : Side Dish
Spice Level : Medium - High
Difficulty : Medium
Serves : 6
Author : SM

Preparation Time : 15-20 Minutes
Marinating Time : 20-30 Minutes
Cooking Time : 13/4 Hours

INGREDIENTS :

Mutton (Lamb Meat) - 1 Kg

For Marinade :

Cinnamon - 1 Stick (1/2" Piece)
Green Cardamoms - 3 Pods
Black Cardamoms - 1 Pod
Cloves - 5-6 Nos.
Fennel Seeds - 1/4 Tspn
Pepper Corns - 1/4 Tspn
Dry Kashmiri Chillies - 5-6 Nos.

For Gravy :

Cinnamon - 1 Stick (1" Piece)
Black Cardamoms - 3 Pods
Green Cardamoms - 5 Pods
Cloves - 7 Nos.
Fennel Seeds - 1 Tspn
Asafoetida Powder - 1 Tspn
Dry Ginger Powder - 1 Tspn
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 Tbspn
Rattan Jot Infusion -1 Tbspn
Yogurt (Curd) - 2 Cups
Salt - To Taste
Mustard Oil - 4 Tbspns

METHOD :

Grind the spices mentioned in 'To marinade' to a smooth powder.
Marinate the Lamb Meat with the ground spices and leave it aside for 20-30 minutes.
Heat Oil in a heavy bottomed pan over high flame and allow the oil to smoke-off.
Reduce the heat and add Cinnamon Sticks, Green and Black Cardamoms and saute for a while.
Follow it with Cloves and Peppercorns.
Finally, add Fennel Seeds and fry them until they are aromatic on a very low flame.
Add marinated Lamb Meat to the above and saute until the meat changes its colour and cook them until they caramelize.
Sprinkle Kashmiri Chilli Powder, Asafoetida Powder, Ground Dry Ginger, Salt and mix well.
Pour the Rattanjot infusion and mix well.
Finally, whisk in the curd and mix until it is well incorporated.
Slow cook the meat on a low flame for about 1 - 11/2 hours, alternatively it can be cooked in a pressure cooker.
Cook until the oil separates from the gravy and the meat turns soft and succulent.
Serve hot with any type of rice dishes or rotis.
Goes well with Roti, Naan, Kulcha, Parathas and Chappatis.

NOTES :

Usually, the meat used for this dish is not lean, as the fat in the meat enriches the dish.
If you are health conscious, use lean meat.
Can use any type of vegetable oil for the recipe.
Slow cooking is more advisable for the dish.
If you are in short of time, you can cook the meat in pressure cooker.
I have not used a Ratanjot infusion, as I couldn't get the spice here.
Alternatively Kashmiri Chilli Powder or Paprika can help you get the red hue in the gravy.
Kashmiri Chilli Powders are less spicy but have bright red colour.
Can use Red food colouring to do the job, if preferred - which I would suggest not to...
I have not used onions, garlic or tomatoes in this dish.
The true flavour of Mutton Rogan Josh comes from the intense flavours of dried ginger powder, fennel and asafoetida.

A QUICK TIP :

Use raw papaya to tenderize the meat. It is a natural 'MEAT TENDERIZER'.
Raw papaya contains an enzyme called Papain. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with Papain. Papaya is one of the preferred tenderizers for red meats (Lamb, Mutton & Beef).
Use few pieces of Raw Papaya while cooking the meat. This will tenderize the meat, making it more soft and succulent, without changing its taste and flavour.
Yoghurt (Curd), Lime Juice, Vinegar, Soda-bi-carbonate all have softening and tenderizing effects on Red Meats.

July 20, 2016 No comments

KULCHA

Kulcha is a popular Indian flat bread specifically from North India, It's a typical Punjabi recipe. The whole credit for this Indian bread goes to the city of Amritsar, where Amritsari kulchas and Naans are famous for. It is famous in Pakistan and Kashmir too. Also, it is the most sought Indian bread next to Naan.

These soft textured & fluffy Kulchas are very easy to prepare. Kulchas can be made in the Tandoor or on a griddle. It can also be baked in an Electric Oven. Kulcha is quite similar to Naan, but from what I know, the difference between the both is that yeast is not used in Kulchas, unlike Naan. Curd, Soda-bi-carbonate and Baking powder does the leavening job for Kulchas. It is usually served with Amritsari Chole.

Traditionally, Kulchas are cooked in a Tandoor. They give the perfect texture and flavour to the bread. But these Kulchas can also be cooked on a griddle as we do for Chapatis or can be cooked on direct flame, or they can even be baked in an Oven. I have given all the three methods here.

Cuisine : North Indian (Punjabi & Kashmiri); Pakistan
Course : Main Course
Difficulty : Medium
Serves : 4
Yields : 12 Kulchas
Author : SM

Preparation Time : 15–20 Minutes
Leavening Time : 3–4 Hours
Cooking Time : 20 - 30 Minutes

KULCHA