Jackfruit payasam

பலாபழம் பாயசம்

Ingredients

1. Jack fruit cut into small pieces (or pulp) - 4 cups
2. Jaggery - 3 cups
3. Water - 1/2 cup
4. Coconut milk - 3 cups
5. Cardamom powder - 2 teaspoons
6. Broken cashew nuts - 5 tablespoons
7. Dry ginger powder - 1 teaspoon
8. Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Procedure

• Pressure cook the jack fruit pieces for 20 minutes
• Remove and grind it in a mixer for 5 minutes
• Keep it aside. Melt the jaggery with 1/2 cup of water to double thread consistency and strain it to remove the dust
• Now mix jackfruit mass with jaggery syrup and keep it on stove
• Keep stirring for 30 minutes
• Now the mixture will become thick like idly batter
• Then keep a pan on the stove
• Add ghee and roast the cashewnuts to golden color
• Now add the coconut milk to the jackfruit mixture with cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and allow it to summer for 5 minutes
• Never allow it to boil for a long time
• Over boiling will cause curdling of coconut milk
• Garnish with the roasted cashewnuts to serve
• Note: To increase the taste of payasam, roast 2 tablespoons of moong dhal and pressure cook till it becomes soft. Then add this along with the jackfruit mix and stir well

Ladies finger poriyal (Okra Poriyal)

Ingredients:

1. Ladies finger or Okra - 500 gms 
2. Chopped onions - 1 cup
3. Coconut scrapings - 4 tablespoons
4. Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon
5. Garlic - 3 pods (optional)
6. Mustard - 1 teaspoon
7. Urad dhal - 1 tablespoon
8. Curry leaf - 10 leaves
9. Salt - to taste
10. Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
11. Chilli powder - 3/4 teaspoon
12. Oil - 2 tablespoon
13. Curd (Yogurt) - 1 tablespoon

Procedure:

• Wash and cut the okra to 1 inch length pieces. 
• Heat oil in a pan and add the seasonings one by one
• Then add onions and the cut okras with salt and turmeric powder
• Mix well and sprinkle the yogurt on the top to avoid the vegetable sticky 
• Close with lid and reduce the flame to minimum temperature for 10 minutes
• Keep stirring occasionally 
• Meanwhile grind coconut and cumin seed coarsely without adding water and add this to the cooked okras
• Now add the chilli powder and curry leaves. 
• Mix well and keep on the stove for 10 more minutes at the same heat
• Now remove and serve with your rice and sambar, rasam or other gravy
• NOTE: For diabetic people you can add the diabetic kootu powder instead of coconut

Beans Paruppu Usili

பீன்ஸ் பருப்பு உசிலி

Ingredients

1. Beans (finely cut) - 3 cups
2. Toor dhal -  3 Tablespoons
3. Channa Dhal - 1.5 tablespoons
4. Chilli powder- 1.5 teaspoons
5. Salt to taste
6. Turmeric powder - 3/4 teaspoon
7. Mustard - 3/4 teaspoon
8. Urad dhal - 2 teaspoon
9. Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Curry leaves - 12 nos
11. Oil - 3 tablespoon

Procedure

• Soak toor dhal and channa dhal for about 2 hours
• Wash and grind coarsely with chilli poweder and salt by adding 3 tablespoons of water
• Never add excess water to avoid the mass becoming sticky
• Now heat 1 tablespoon of oil and saute the ground mixture for 5 minutes by stirring constantly
• Remove and steam for 10 minutes
• Cool and grind it in the mixture for 3 minutes without adding water
• Now the content will be a very soft powder. keep it aside
• Wash and cook the beans in 1 cup of water with little salt and turmeric powder till it becomes soft
• Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and season with urad dhal and mustard
• Add curry leaves and put the soft dhal powder and stir for 3 minutes. Now add the cooked beans without water and stir well to get a uniform mixture
• Now the colorful tasty paruppu usili is ready to eat.

Simple Chukku Coffee (Dry Ginger Concoction)

சுக்கு காபி

Ingredients:

1. Tulsi or Mint leaves - 12 leaves with stem
2. Dry Ginger - 100 grams 
3. Coriander Seeds - 50 gms
4. Black pepper - 25 gms
5. Karuppatti (black jaggery) - 500 gms

Procedure:

• Dry grind and store the dry ginger, coriander seeds and black pepper  in an airtight container.
• Boil 6 cups of water and add 6 to 8 teaspoons of ground powder.
• Add black jaggery approximately 8 teaspoons or according to the individual taste
• Allow it to simmer for 20 minutes
• Now 3 cups of chukku coffee is ready
• 1/4 cup of warm milk can be added if required just before drinking
• Note: Always prepare the chukku coffee as fresh as possible. Never reheat it once milk is added since milk will get curdled. This is a stimulant for the digestive system.