orema

POLI WITH CHANNA DAL POORNAM

Puran  Poli |Holige Obbattu is a traditional sweet generally we make during Aavani avittam, Bogi pandigai and some people make during Ganesha Chathurthi too. I have posted the recipe of THENGAI POLI already. During my mom’s visit here 2 weeks back i asked her to make puran poli for me and i wanted to learn the procedure of making kadala paruppu poornam which when i tried first time went wrong. My mom is a super expert in making polis and i still remember my childhood days, she and my grand mother used to make polis in bulk and they happily share with our neighbours too. Me and my sister with our friends used to sit outside the kitchen with plates in hand and hot polis smeared with ghee are served on our plates. Those days we never care about the weight and eat heartily.
But now a days we are so diet conscious and nobody want to stuff themselves  with sweets.  This recipe yields 11 puran polis and finally i learnt the recipe of making kadalai paruppu poornam from mom , which you have already seen in my MODAKAM -WITH CHANNA DAL POORNAM post.



INGREDIENTS: MAKES 11 POLIS
FOR OUTER DOUGH

MAIDA | ALL PURPOSE FLOUR	3/4 CUP
SALT	A PINCH
TURMERIC POWDER	A PINCH
OIL	1/3 CUP
WATER	1-2 TBLSP

FOR STUFFING (POORNAM)

CHANNA DAL |KADALAI PARUPPU	1/2 CUP
JAGGERY	1/3 CUP
COCONUT ( SCRAPPED)	1/2 CUP
CARDAMOM POWDER	A PINCH
GHEE	1/2 TSP ( OPTIONAL)

 
METHOD FOR MAKING OUTER DOUGH

• Combine the maida, salt and turmeric powder. Add oil and start kneading the dough.
• If needed add 1-2 tblsp of water. The dough should be soft not too tight.Do not reduce the amount of oil mentioned, else you will not get soft polis.

• Keep it covered for 4-5 hours. The more the time it is kept aside the polis will be softer.

METHOD TO MAKE POORNAM:

• Dry roast the channa dal for 5 minutes. Take care not to get it burnt.
• Soak it in water for 1/2 an hour.

• Pressure cook till 2-3 whistles. Completely drain the water.
• Let this cool. Once cool, grind this in mixer along with coconut and cardamom powder.

• Grind this smoothly. Add jaggery in the last and pulse once or twice.

• Poornam is done. If you feel the mixture is bit watery, don’t worry. Add ghee in a pan and saute for 5 minutes in a low flame. The poornam will come to the right consistency.
• When it is cool, divide it into 11 equal parts.

Method to make polis

• Divide the dough into 11 equal parts.

• Take a banana leaf , yes banana leaf works out well for polis. If not available use a zip lock, but you have to be careful while transferring it to the tawa., grease the banana leaf and place a portion of the dough on it.
• Spread it with your fingers into a small disc and place the poornam on it.

• Close the edges.
• With your fingers greased generously with sesame oil gently make polis and make it into a disc shaped one.

• Heat a tawa and keep it in a very low flame.
• Slowly transfer the banana leaf onto the tawa and take it out gently.

• Cook on both sides and smear a tsp of ghee and repeat the same for rest of the dough and poornam.

• I have taken video from a mobile as i am not satisfied with the quality of the video.
• Handling phone in one hand while making poli was too tough for me. And amma was bit scared to take the video too.

VIDEO FOR MAKING POLI

NOTES:

1. Do not compromise with the quantity of oil. Else polis will be hard and dry.
2. The dough should  be bit loose, else it will be difficult for you to make polis.
3. Let the poornam be stiff , if watery it will come out while making polis.

As mentioned in my previous post of Basil Walnut pesto i am posting today the recipe of the basil walnut pesto pasta, that is pasta made with pesto. Before going to the post i want to share with you all that Jeyashri’s Kitchen has been featured in India today (tamil weekly magazine) . I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for  all your support  and your continuous encouragement.

INGREDIENTS

PASTA (I used penne)	1 cup
OLIVE OIL	1 TSP
TOMATO OR CHEERY TOMATOES	1/2 OR 2
BASIL LEAVES	2-3
WALNUTS	1-2 TO GARNISH
BASIL WALNUT PESTO	1/4 CUP
CHEESE	1 TBLSP (TO GARNISH)

METHOD:

• Cook the pasta as per the instructions.
• In a pan, add olive oil and the basil leaves. Half the cherry tomatoes or if using normal tomatoes, cut them lengthwise.

• Saute for a  minute. Let the tomatoes be crunchy.
• Add in the pesto and saute for few seconds.
• Add the cooked pasta and mix evenly. Let the pesto be evenly coated with the pasta.
• Garnish with walnut bits.

• Just before serving add the cheese and always serve hot.

     
NOTE:

1. always saute the tomatoes and pesto in a low flame.
2. I used penne pasta. You can use Fuseli , spaghetti or any other pasta of your choice.

BASIL WALNUT PESTO
Whenever i make pasta i make with the usual tomato sauce or with the white sauce. Few months ago, i have tasted basil walnut pesto pasta in a friend’s place. Long time i have been thinking to make this but some how i have never come across Basil leaves when i visit the local super market. They say it be available after 11 am and gets immediately sold off too. Last week when i visited a cold storage here, i saw a fresh box of basil leaves. I picked it up and after coming home called my friend and noted down the recipe. This basil walnut pesto is a easy one to make and i loved the fresh smell of basil too.

INGREDIENTS:

WALNUTS	5-6
BASIL LEAVES	1/2 CUP (TIGHTLY PACKED)
SALT	TO TASTE
CHEESE	2 TBLSP
GREEN CHILLI	1-2
OLIVE OIL	2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Wash the basil leaves and pat dry them. Keep aside 3-4 leaves for making the pesto pasta.

• Grind the leaves along with rest of the ingredients into a fine paste.( basil leaves, salt,green chilli,cheese,walnut and olive oil)

• With clean dry hands or spoon transfer it to a container and use it up within 3 days.  Basil walnut pesto is ready.

Stay tuned for the Basil pesto pasta recipe. Coming up tomorrow.

Thengai podi recipe is a simple recipe which comes very handy when i make simple rasam and curry for a weekend lunch. In our house we all love Thengai podi. with hot steaming plain rice smeared with sesame oil and mixed with Thengai podi and a simple roasted papad and a kootu will taste divine. Over to the recipe of Thengai Podi.

INGREDIENTS:

COCONUT | THENGAI (SCRAPPED)	1 CUP
URAD DAL	1/4 CUP
RED CHILLI	7-8
SALT	AS NEEDED
ASAFOETIDA	1/4 TSP
OIL	2 TSP

METHOD:

• In a pan add oil and add in the urad dal and roast it till it becomes golden brown.
• Be careful not to get it burnt.
• Transfer it to a plate when done. Add in the red chillies and nicely roast them.

• Dry roast the scrapped coconut till it gets evenly  golden brown color.
• Keep it aside and switch off the flame and saute the salt and asafoetida in the same pan for few seconds.

• Allow everything to cool and grind it into a fine powder.
• Let this cool and store this in a clean dry airtight container.

• Mix with hot rice along with ghee or sesame oil. A simple sutta applam (fire roasted papad) will be a great combo for this.         Note:
• Always roast the dal and coconut nicely. Else it will not stay fresh longer.
• This can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Always clean dry spoon to take the podi.
• My mil makes the same with channa dal instead of urad dal.

Godhumai dosa or Wheat dosa is made at my mom’s place almost 2-3 days a week. Those days we don’t make much of chapathis and even it is made once a month. My dad hates to eat rotis and being a diabetic and also a die hard fan of these wheat dosa, my mom makes this often. After i got married at my in laws place, they don’t make wheat dosa more but chapathis are made often. So i have never tried Godhumai dosai after marriage. Last week when my mom was here i suddenly remembered about this Instant wheat dosa and asked my mom to make for me, so that i can also learn from her. She gave the instructions and i made the batter and she showed me how to make godhuma dosai and after few trial and error i also made Crispy wheat dosais. We had with Onion chutney and it was a perfect combo.

INGREDIENTS: MAKES APPROX 10- 12 DOSAS

WHEAT FLOUR	2 CUPS
WATER	4 CUPS
JEERA	1/2 TSP
RED CHILLI	2
SALT	AS NEEDED
MUSTARD	1/4 TSP
ASAFOETIDA	A PINCH
OIL	AS NEEDED
CURRY LEAVES	FEW (OPTIONAL)

METHOD:

• In a vessel add the wheat flour. With your fingers mash the jeera, curry leaves and salt and add it to the flour. Amma always does this as it will bring our the flavours of jeera and curry leaves . If you want u can add the jeera as it is and chop the curry leaves and put.
• In a small pan, add a tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds,asafoetida and red chillies.when it splutters put off the flame an add it to the wheat flour.

• Add water to this slowly and mix without any lumps. the batter should be bit thinner than the regular dosa batter.

• Heat a tawa , i used my non stick tawa. Pour the batter in a circular motion and smear some oil around it.
• Cook in a medium low flame else it if kept in high flame it will get burnt. and will not get cooked.
• Flip on the other side and cook till it becomes crispy.

• Always serve hot. Else it will be bit soggy.

Note:

1. If you want you can add very finely chopped onions to the batter before making the dosa.
2. Always ensure that the batter is thin, else the dosa will be thick like adai.
3. You can add 1/4 cup of rice flour or idli |dosa batter to this .