Festive cooking

Kayi Burfi/ Coconut Burfi:

October 25, 2024

Coconut burfi, a sweet much requested by my daughter, is a delightful and traditional Indian sweet that has been enjoyed for generations. Known for its rich, creamy texture and aromatic flavour, this dessert celebrates simplicity and taste. Made from freshly grated coconut, sugar, and a hint of cardamom, it’s a treat that perfectly balances sweetness with the nutty richness of coconut. Often prepared during festivals, special occasions, or as a thoughtful homemade gift, coconut burfi brings a touch of elegance to any celebration. This recipe will guide you through the steps to create this delectable confection in your kitchen, ensuring each bite is a culinary joy. The essential sweet, which I forgot to add to my blog, will take place today.

Ingredients:

Fresh Coconut gratings – 2 cups (Tightly packed and only white part)

Sugar – 1 cup

Water – ½ to ¾ cup

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp (powdered)

Ghee – 2 tsp (optional)

Milk – 1 tsp

Method:

-Put all the grated coconut in a mixie jar and pulse a little to get a powdery texture.

-Put sugar and water (sugar should immerse) and boil. Add 1 tsp of milk when the sugar dissolves completely and wait to accumulate the impurities at the top centre.

-Remove all the impurities until you see white bubbles.

-When the sugar starts to bubble, you will see that the sugar has reached a one-thread thick consistency.

-Add pulsed coconut and start mixing for a while. Add ghee and powdered cardamom and continue cooking until the mixture becomes bubbly and white and becomes like a mass.

-Pour the mixture into the applied thali. Put some ghee on the back side of the spoon and pat it nicely till it turns smooth.

Leave some time, mark it with the knife and store it in an air-tight container after it turns firm.

Tukudi/ Savoury Shankarpali:

October 21, 2024

Who doesn’t love a diamond-shaped savoury snack with many names such as Thukdi, Tukudi, Spicy Diamonds, and savoury Shankarpali. Tukdi is a beloved snack in our region during Deepavali. Its crispy texture and rich flavours characterise this delightful treat, often enhanced with spices and occasionally with a slight sweetness. Traditionally prepared with flour, red chilli powder, salt, and ghee, Tukdi is deep-fried to achieve its signature crunch. Each household has its unique combination of flour and spice.

Amma used to prepare airy, light-textured Tukdi, and I relished it during my childhood. Today, I am sharing my version, almost like what Amma used to make.

Ingredients: I have used a 200ml steel tumbler as a cup here.

Maida /All-purpose flour – 2 cups

Whole wheat flour – 3 cups

Besan – 1 cup

Ghee – 5 tbsps.

Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Hing – ½ tsp

Cumin – 2 tsp

Sugar – 2 tsp

Salt- 2 tsp

Method:

-Put everything from besan to salt and dry mix thoroughly. Then, make a pliable dough by adding the required amount of water. Close and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

-Take lemon-sized dough, roll it into thin discs, run a Shankarpali wheel or pizza cutter to make a diamond criss-cross and deep fry.

-Store it in an air-tight container and enjoy it whenever you want.

Appa kajjaya/Sweet Guliyappa:

September 6, 2024

Appakajjaya, also known as sweet Guliyappa or sweet Paddu, is a cherished delicacy in the coastal regions of Karnataka and Kerala. This traditional offering holds a special place in the rituals associated with Lord Ganesha, particularly during Gana-homa and Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations.

The preparation of Appakajjaya typically involves a blend of ground rice or rice flour, jaggery, banana, and coconut, resulting in a sweet, soft treat often served as Prasada in temples after offering to the deity as a naivedyam (offering). This dish represents the region’s culinary heritage and symbolizes devotion and gratitude towards the god.

In temples, devotees partake in “Appa Seve,” where they offer these delicious sweets to God, enhancing the spiritual experience of the occasion. The unique flavour and texture of Appakajjaya make it a beloved choice among devotees, reinforcing its significance in the cultural and religious practices of the area. In this blog post, we will explore the reparation method of Appakajjaya in the vibrant traditions surrounding Ganesha worship.

You can smell these beauties in any Ganesha temple in our region, cooking early in the morning or evening, and it was a trip down memory lane to my childhood to gobble these exquisite, ghee-soaked “treats” in no time.

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup

Overripe banana – 1 big or 2 small sized

Jaggery – ½ cup

Cardamom – 1

Fresh grated Coconut – 1 small cup

Ghee – as needed

Method:

-Soak Rice for 3 to 4 hrs. Drain the rice while grinding the batter.

-make a jaggery syrup with very little water and boil nicely until the jaggery melts completely and its raw smell vanishes. Sieve the syrup, remove all the impurities, and keep it ready.

-Now, dry grind the rice, add jaggery syrup, banana, coconut, and cardamom, and grind it into a not-so-smooth batter. Mix in 2 tsp of ghee and mix well or beat well and

-Allow the batter to ferment for at least 2 to 3 hrs. It results in the porous and soft Appakajjaya.

-Prepare the guliyappa in Paddu tawa by heating it and using ghee. Offer these guliyappa to lord Ganesha or have it as a snack.

Padenji -Bajil / Whole moong dry curry with Poha:

May 7, 2024

Bajil/ Avalakki is a default name for seasoned paper-thin poha, with added chopped onion or plain. It is a speciality of our native, Mangalore.

When Bajil/poha is paired and served with Whole moong curry, it is known as Padenji – Bajil. It is a nutritious, protein-rich combo breakfast option that fills our tummies. It is two straightforward dishes combined to make a pair. If you prepare without onion, an appropriate breakfast option for any day is feast / Vrat.

Even though many people would have tasted Avalakki oggarane in any of our temples, this combo is almost extinct in today’s world. Hence, I wanted to share it with you all.

First, we would prepare Padenji/moong curry:

Ingredients:

Whole green moong – 1 cup

Onion – 1 (optional) (chopped)

Green chillies – 2 to 3(chopped)

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Coconut – 1 small cup

Salt

For seasoning: Coconut oil, mustard, hing, curry leaves.

Method:

-Soak green gram overnight. The next day, wash properly, put sufficient water in the pot, and cook in an open vessel.

-When it starts boiling, all the scum comes to the top and remove that by using a spatula. It indeed increases the taste of the final dish.

-Switch off the gas and prepare the seasoning when the moong is cooked well (it should be soft but hold the shape).

-Take one kadai, heat coconut oil and splutter mustard, add hing, curry leaves, green chillies, and onion, and fry until the onion is translucent.

-Add the required amount of salt, cooked moong, and whatever water remains. Garnish with fresh coconut and cook until salt absorbs and the remaining water evaporates.

Now we would how to prepare Seasoned Poha/ Avalakki Oggarane:

If you want a pictorial guide, please click the highlighted section above.

Ingredients:

Freshly grated coconut – 1 cup

onion – chopped (optional)

Salt

Rasam powder OR Roasted coriander, cumin, red chilli, little hing.

Little tamarind

Jaggery – ½ tsp to 2 tsp (acc to your preference)

Paper thin poha – as needed.

For seasoning:

Mustard – 1 tsp

Urad dal – ½ tsp

Red chilli -1

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-At first, dry grind coconut, Rasam powder or roasted masala, jaggery, tamarind, and salt.

-Add seasoning to this mixture and mix it nicely by hand.

-Add the required amount of poha, mix nicely with your hand, and serve with Chana and Sweet potato curry.

-Relish the Age-old filling breakfast with your near and dear ones.

Navane -Hesarubele Payasa / Foxtail millet and moong dal payasam:

September 18, 2023

Foxtail Millet Kheer is a delicious addition to the festive menu, including the fasting menu, to the traditional kheer we usually make with rice. This millet, also known as Navane in Kannada & is rich in protein, minerals & dietary fibre.
I have mixed nutty-flavoured Foxtail millet and a little moong dal to enhance the rustic taste.

Soaking millet makes it easier to digest and allows your body to absorb more nutrients. I usually do it overnight.

Foxtail Millet – ½ Cup
Moong dal – 2 Tblsp
Water (to cook Thinai) – 2 ½ Cups
Jaggery – ¾ Cup to 1 cup
Cardamom powder ½ tsp
Coconut milk – 1 Cup (you can add whole milk as well)
Ghee – 2 tsp
Cashew – 10 nos
Method:

-Soak millet for overnight. Morning, drain the water and leave the millet to air dry on a colander.

-wash moong dal and drain that as well.

-Make jaggery syrup by – Add Jaggery and water in a pan and heat it till the Jaggery melts completely. Use a filter to remove the impurities and extract Jaggery syrup. Keep aside

-Now, take a thick-bottomed vessel or kadai, heat ghee, fry cashew bits, and remove it; keep aside.

-Add moong dal and fry it until light brown; add foxtail millet and fry for 2 minutes.

-Add hot water or 3^rd extract of coconut milk or whole milk. Cook until millet and dal turn soft and mushy. (it should hold the texture but turns mushy between your thumb and forefinger while pressing it.)

-If you are using clean Jaggery, here I have used Nolen gur (date palm jaggery); add directly and boil until the raw smell of Jaggery vanishes.

-Add thick coconut milk cardamom powder and allow to boil once. Switch off the stove. Garnish with fried cashews and serve.

Karjura Payasa/ Dates kheer:

December 5, 2022

I can’t believe it has been six years of blogging and four hundred-plus recipes since I started Shrikripa.in

At first, I intended to restore my recipes to my daughters, near and dear ones. Then, it gave me great learning opportunities, memories, growth, and many beautiful bondings with amazing people.

Today, I want to share our homely recipe of Karjura Payasa, which is nothing but payasam using dates, jaggery and coconut milk, which is a perfect way to end your meal!

Ingredient:

Thank you to all of my readers, who have stood by me, read my recipes, prepared and enjoyed with your near and dear ones, and made an extra effort to write back with beautiful feedback.

Dates – 1 to 1 ½ cups ( chopped)

Jaggery – ¼ to ½ cup ( according to the sweet level)

Coconut milk – 1 tin

Coconut – 1 (To extract milk)

-OR-

Thin coconut milk – 2cups

Thick coconut milk – ½ cup

Salt – ½ tsp

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Ghee – 1 tbl sp

Cashew – 1 to 2 tbl sp (Roasted )

Method:

-Take a thick vessel, add ghee and fry chopped dates until it is flavourful.

-Add jaggery, salt, thin coconut milk or plain water and boil the content until the raw smell of the jaggery vanishes.

-Add a thick extract of coconut milk or if you are using tinned coconut milk, add it now. Add powdered cardamom and give one boil and switch off.

-garnish with ghee-fried cashew bits and serve.

Sajjige ladoo/ Rava laddu:

October 24, 2022

Happy Deepavali wishes to dear readers.

Sajjige is semolina or Rava in our mangaluru, coastal region of Karnataka. Rava ladoo has never made an appearance in my blog. Hence, I made the ladoo for this Diwali and here I am, sharing a mouth-watering super soft laddu of our region. To make this ladoo, we need minimal ingredients and don’t need any milk or coconut, and it has a good shelf life when stored in an airtight container.

This laddu recipe is an age-old recipe I learned from my friend’s mom.

Method:

Medium Rava – 4 cups (also known as Uppittu rava/Bombay rava)

Ghee – 3 to 4 tablespoons

Cloves -4 (crushed)

Saffron strands – 8- 10

Cardamom – 1tsp

Cashew bits – 3 to 5 tablespoons (fried)

Raisins – 3 tablespoons (use as it is)

Sugar – 3 ½ cups

Water – 1 ¾ cup (just enough to cover the sugar)

Method:

-Take little ghee and fry cashew bits and keep it aside.

-Put Rava, saffron, and crushed cloves, and roast everything until it is grainy and white by adding ghee.

-In a saucepan or thick-bottomed pan, make a sugar syrup of half-thread consistency. Now, this is very important to get soft, melt-in-a-mouth laddu.

(To make sugar syrup, heat sugar and water until it boils and becomes shiny. To test the half-thread consistency, touch the sugar syrup between your forefinger and thumb, and when you open those fingers away, the sugar thread should break).

-Now, mix roasted rava, cardamom powder, roasted cashew, and raisins and mix everything properly. Mass would look watery, no worries. Close the lid and keep it aside for some time ( it takes 1 hour or more) until the mixture dries up.

-start binding the roundels and keep them aside to cool and dry properly. Store it in an airtight container and enjoy.

Hagalakai Melara / Bitter gourd Majjige Huli :

September 7, 2022

Bittergourd always comes under the Love or Hate category. People are fond of this veggie or hate it at the core. Bitter gourd is an acquired taste. All four of us in our family love it and Bitter gourd Melara is synonymous with the Chowthi celebration at our home. As a kid, I relished Chakli dunked in this Melara, and the custom continues with my daughters.

In Mangalore, we always use pale/white bitter gourd the most,taste-wise less bitter and loved by many.

Method:

Ingredient:

Bitter gourd – 1 big

Salt- as needed.

Green chillies – 2

tamarind – one gooseberry size (soak in 1 cup of water)

To grind: Fresh Coconut – 1 ½ cup

For Seasoning: Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon, mustard – 1tsp, red chilli – 1 (optional), curry leaves- 1 spring.

Method:

-Wash the bitter gourd, slice roundels, and if seeds are hard, remove seeds.

-Boil little water, add tamarind pulp, slit green chillies, salt, and Bitter gourd roundels and cook until it is soft and perfect.

-Now, grind the coconut into a fine paste, add the paste to the cooked veggie, adjust the consistency, and boil for 2 minutes.

-Add buttermilk or beaten curd, and switch off when it starts to boil.

-Prepare seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, add red chilli and curry leaves, fry and pour over Melara. Serve with Rice.

The best way to have this Melara is during festivals when Chakli is made. That too Chakli immersed in a pool of bitter gourd Melara. Try this if you have not tried it yet.

Sajjige idli/ Urad and Rava idli:

August 29, 2022

It is a no rice, fermented idli using ground urad dal and steamed rava. The outcome is pillowy soft idlies. We avoid rice before the main pooja, which is taboo in our customs. Hence, it is a default breakfast option in our family, especially in our community, on festival days or any auspicious day.

Here is the recipe, which we follow

Urad dal – 1 cup

Upma Rava / Bombay rava – 2 cups

Salt

Method:

-Wash urad dal and soak it for 3 to 4 hours.

-Grind soaked urad dal into fine paste by adding sufficient water.

-Now, take one cotton cloth, pour rava, and tie it like a potli/ packet.

-Take one idli steamer with water at the bottom. When water starts boiling, place the tied towel with rava and steam cook for 10 to 20 min in low heat.

-After 20 min, remove the towel, loosen the knot, spread the rava and cool it.

-Add cooled rava and required salt to urad dal paste and make a batter by mixing and adding sufficient water.

-Batter needs to be like regular idli batter and allow it to ferment acc to your climate.

-next day, prepare idli like regular idli or by using banana leaf or steel tumblers etc.

-If you are following the procedure like me, use wilted banana leaf, pour the batter and steam for 30 minutes or more, according to the thickness.

-Serve with chutney, thovve, sambar or menthe kodilu (methi sambar).

Haalittu Payasa / Rice Noodle Kheer :

August 23, 2022

It is an age-old recipe and an almost extinct dessert in our region/ community. Haalittu, the name itself, suggests the softness of the rice noodles.

Here, freshly prepared rice noodles are cooked in boiling jaggery-laced water, enriched with coconut milk, and flavoured with freshly ground cardamom powder.

The method is straightforward and not so complex.

Ingredients:

Dosa Rice – 1 small tumbler

Jaggery – ½ to ¾ tumbler or more

Salt- ½ tsp

Fresh Coconut – To extract milk or Coconut milk – 1 pack

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp (freshly ground)

Method:

-Wash and soak the rice for 3 to 4 hrs with sufficient water.

-Grind the soaked rice with salt into a smooth paste.

-Take one thick Kadai, pour the batter, heat on a low flame and cook until it forms a smooth pliable dough, with constant stirring.

-When the mixture cools down, take a chakli presser, fix a multi-hole plate, press the noodles and keep it ready.

-In another thick-bottomed vessel, take jaggery, and sufficient water or if you are using freshly extracted coconut milk, take 3 rd and 4^th extract of thin coconut milk and boil until the raw smell of the jaggery vanishes.

– Now, drop the rice noodles and boil further. When noodles are well cooked, add thick extracted coconut milk or open the tetra pack, pour, and give one boil.

-Garnish with cardamom powder and serve hot. Here, we don’t use any ghee-fried dry fruits.

-if you wish to add, you can add and serve.