Capsicum Paruppusili

Go to any traditional celebration like a wedding or an upanayanam in Chennai - you are bound to be greeted by the famous paruppusili, staring at you from the vaazha yelai (banana leaf). Paruppusili is basically a dry curry which is an amazing combination of lentils and vegetable tossed together with minimum tempering. A prominent hing signature adds a brilliant aroma to this dish. This paruppusili is mostly had with Mor Kuzhambu (the tamilian kadhi) or venthiya kuzhambu (a non-dal tamarind based gravy).

The procedure to make paruppusili is slightly longer than most south indian dry curries. But believe me, the effort would definitely be worth it. The most common vegetable used in paruppusilis is beans. But, any vegetable would actually go well with the legumes. This recipe is from my mother. I just substituted beans with capsicum.

Ingredients (serves 2 – 3)

• Toor dal: ½ cup
• Red chillies (long): 3
• Capsicum (deseeded and chopped): 1 and a half cups
• Oil: 4 – 5 tbsp
• For the tempering:
• Mustard: 1 tsp
• Urad dal: ¾ tsp
• Curry leaves: 15 – 20
• Hing: ½ tsp

Method:

•Wash and clean the toor dal. Soak for a minimum of 2 – 3 hours along with the red chillies
•Drain all the water. In a mixie, make a coarse dry mixture (without water) of the dal and the red chillies adding the required salt
•Now, steam them in the cooker for about ten minutes. I use idli plates to do it. But, it is upto you to use them or not
•Once steamed, let them cool. Crumble them into pieces. Now, run it in the mixie for exactly one whip. This removes all the lumps in the steamed mixture
•Now, a kadai
•Add about 1 – 2 tbsp of oil and fry the vegetable very well. Add a little salt so that it cooks faster. Once it is done, keep aside
•Now in the same kadai, add the remaining oil
•Finish off with tempering and add the dal mixture and fry very well. This requires tossing and turning of the dal constantly on medium flame
•Once this is done, add the cooked vegetable
•Toss it repeatedly so that the two blend well
•Hing should be prominent. So, adjust it to the point that it casually dominates the dish but not to the point of making the curry bitter. Adjust salt also
•Once you feel the two are blended, switch off the stove
•Serve with hot rice and ghee
•Done!

Capsicum paruppusili is my contribution to ‘My Legume Love Affair – 17’, created by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook and hosted by Sra

Rava Ladoo

I have a feeling ladoos are always the easiest sweets to make. Make a mix - of anything, drizzle some hot ghee over it and lo! Yummy ladoos are ready in a matter of minutes. And during diwali, this is one of the reasons why ladoos secure a definite place among the list of sweets-to-do in most households.

One of the diwali sweets this year at my home was - the easy rava ladoo. This is a popular diwali sweet in Chennai. Despite its tremendous popularity, each home has its own ways of making the rava ladoo. I have never tasted rava ladoos of two homes being similar. Well.. this recipe is from my mother and this yields about ten medium sized ladoos.

Ingredients:

• Bombay rava (suji): 1 cup
• Sugar: 1 cup
• Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp
• Ghee: 1/3 cup
• Cashews (broken into bits): 7 - 8
• Raisins: 10 - 15
• Grated coconut: 1/3 cup (optional)

Method:

• Take a heavy bottomed kadai
• Add 2 tbsp of ghee to it. Once hot, fry the cashews and raisins till golden brown. Keep aside
• Add the rava and elaichi powder. Fry till a yummy aroma arises and it turns golden brown. Do this on a low flame. Let it cool down
• Once it is cool enough for the mixie, run the rava and elaichi powder in the mixie till it becomes a reasonably fine powder. Run it a couple of times if the rava is stubborn. Empty into a large basin
• Now, powder the sugar. Add it to the rava in the basin
• Introduce the cashews, raisins and the grated coconut into the basin
• Mix very well.
• Heat the remaining ghee. Pour on top of this mixture
• Make firm ladoos quickly
• If making of the ladoos are a trouble, add a little more ghee to it. Else, sprinkle some warm milk on the mixture and try again. In a couple of trials, the ladoos should be done
• Enjoy!

My Rava Ladoos are my contribution to "Sunday Snacks: Festive snacks of Navarathri and Diwali", hosted by Indrani

Potato Halwa

What?? Halwa with potatoes?? Was my first reaction when I first saw this recipe. But, at the back of my mind I had resolved to make it whenever an opportune moment presented itself. Such a moment came few days ago. My in-laws had come to stay with us for a couple of days. So, I thought of trying this Potato Halwa. I had my own sweet share of anxieties, hows, what-ifs and buts before getting in. But, I took the plunge (thankfully!). What came out was a serious piece of dessert that can be served with your head held high even for the best of parties.

However, one area of caution (for people like me) is that while the dish cooks, it emits a certain natural smell of potatoes. Personally, I don’t like it. I was also scared this smell might remain in the final product. Fortunately, the halwa did not have even a trace of it. It is advised to add a slightly extra dose of cardamom, edible camphor and saffron so that this smell is camouflaged perfectly. My overall verdict: A very impressive dessert.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Potatoes (peeled and grated): One and a half cups
• Sugar: ½ cup (or more or less depending on how sweet you want the dish)
• Milk: 1 cup
• Ghee: 1/3 cup
• Water: ¼ cup
• Cardamom (powdered): 1 tsp
• Saffron: few strands
• Edible camphor: one pinch
• Yellow colouring: one pinch
• Almonds: Chopped fine (to garnish)

Method:

• Heat a heavy bottomed or a non-stick kadai
• Add 2 – 3 tbsp of ghee
• Add the potatoes, water, milk, sugar on medium flame
• Keep stirring occasionally
• After about 15 minutes, the potatoes would almost be done
• From now on, pay close attention to it. Simmer the flame
• Add the cardamom powder, camphor, saffron, and yellow colouring
• Keep stirring it
• It would solidify further
• Now add the remaining ghee
• After cooking for some more time, the halwa would completely comes off the sides of the kadai
• It would be sort-of semi-solid in consistency. It would not stick to your fingers and you would be able to make an unsticky slightly hard ball out of it
• This is when it is called complete
• Pour the halwa into greased moulds of desired shapes
• Serve warm or cool garnished with almonds
• Done!