Dry Gulab Jamun | Sukha Gulab Jamun

Dry Gulab Jamun | Sukha Gulab Jamun is nothing but a gulab jamun without sugar syrup. We can prepare jamuns following any recipe with  khoya, paneer, bread or even ready-made gulab jamun mix. I prefer these dry jamuns as they lack the sugar loaded syrup. By this way we can satisfy our sweet tooth by indulging in jamuns with less sugar compared to our regular jamuns.

Today I’ve used the MTR Gulab Jamun mix because I wanted to make something quick. At the same time, it had to be sweet for 2 reasons. One, my son’s b’day and the other one, to break the silence in this space for so many months!    

Let us go for the recipe.

Check out the recipe for Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun here.

Recipe for Dry Gulab Jamun | Sukha Gulab Jamun Using Instant Jamun Mix:

                          Cuisine : Indian

Category: Dessert

Preparation time : 10 Minutes

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

  yields –20-25 jamuns

Ingredients:

• Gulab jamun mix – 1 cup
• Sugar- 1 cup
• Water – 1 cup
• Cardamom powder – 1 tbsp
• Rose essence – 1 tsp
• Oil – to deep fry
• Powdered sugar| desiccated coconut – as required

Method:

1. Measure the jamun mix. Add in a broad dry mixing vessel. Break any lumps in the mix. Measure ¼ cup water and add this little by little to the jamun mix. Gently mix the powder with the water to form a smooth dough.
2. Make smooth, small balls out of this dough and keep them aside.
3. In a heavy bottom pan, add sugar and water. Bring it to boil while stirring in between. Make the sugar syrup in ½  string consistency, add cardamom powder and keep it aside. When the sugar syrup is warm, add drops of rose essence.
4. Heat oil in a deep bottomed kadai. Once the oil gets heated, turn the flame to simmer and add the jamuns carefully in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd them in the oil.
5. Fry the jamuns till they become golden brown and the sizzling sound subsides.
6. Take out these jamuns and dump them in the sugar syrup while it is hot.
7. Repeat the procedure for rest of the batch.
8. Allow the jamuns to soak in the sugar syrup atleast for an hour.
9. Check for the jamuns get soften inside with the tinge of sugar syrup.
10. Take out the jamuns from the sugar syrup, roll them in desiccated coconut or powdered sugar.
11. Refrigerate, arrange them in a serving plate  & enjoy!!!

Note:

• If you find the dough becomes watery or the jamun gets broken in the oil, add some ready mix/ Maida.
• Add the fried jamuns when the sugar syrup is hot.
• I didn’t use powdered sugar as I’ve got sugar with tiny crystals. This rolling part in powdered sugar, you can avoid if you want still less sugar. Usually I skip this!
• I always prefer brownish jamuns, if you want you can take out while it is golden brown in colour. But ensure that the jamuns get cooked completely before taking out.

Tags: easy diwali sweet recipe, Dry Gulab jamun recipe, Bengali sweet recipe, Gulab jamun using instant jamun mix, Recipe for sukha gulab jamun, how to make gulab jamun using ready mix?, other ways of making gulab jamun, gulab jamun recipe with ready to make powder, Dry gulab jamun with MTR gulab jamun mix powder 

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Cauliflower Egg Burji| Cauliflower Egg Stir Fry| Cauliflower Muttai Poriyal

Cauliflower Egg Burji| Cauliflower Egg Stir Fry| Cauliflower Muttai Poriyal is a tasty side dish suitable for rice as well as rotis. Cauliflower & egg is a super combo and both taste delicious in this recipe. This tastes good with sambar, rasam and curd.

Here we go for the recipe...

Recipe for Cauliflower Egg Burji| Cauliflower Egg Stir Fry| Cauliflower Muttai Poriyal:

Cuisine : Indian| South Indian

Category: Side Dish

Preparation time : 10 Minutes

Cooking time : 15 Minutes

Serves  – 2-3

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Florets – 1 cup
• Egg – 2 Nos
• Ginger (finely chopped) – 1 tsp
• Onion (finely chopped) – 1 No.
• Green chilli (finely chopped) – 1 No.
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Pepper powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander| cilantro (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For seasoning:

• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Cut cauliflower into florets and soak in hot, salted water for 10 minutes.
2. Wash the florets  in running water. Drain them from water & keep aside.
3. In a kadai, heat oil and season with curry leaves.
4. Add finely chopped ginger, onion & green chilli, one by one and sauté till onion becomes translucent.
5. Add turmeric powder & mix everything. To this add the cauliflower florets & ½ of the salt required for the recipe and  mix very well. Sprinkle little water and cook the cauliflower covered for about 5 minutes.
6. In the mean time, beat eggs with  salt required for egg alone and keep aside.
7. When the cauliflower is ¾ th cooked, slide the cauliflower to the edge of the kadai and add the beaten egg in the centre. Allow to cook egg without disturbing for a while.
8. When the egg is cooked,  just scramble the egg into pieces and mix with cauliflower.
9. Add pepper powder, mix everything well and allow to cook for 2 minutes.
10. Finally add coriander leaves and switch off.

Tasty cauliflower muttai poriyal is ready to enjoy with hot steamed rice!!

Note:

• Don’t overcook  cauliflower.
• Carefully add salt as we are adding it in different stages.

Tags: Cauliflower egg bhurjee recipe, Cauliflower stir fry with egg, scrambled cauliflower & egg recipes, cauliflower recipes, egg recipes, cauliflower muttai poriyal, gobi anda fry recipe, side dish recipes, Side dish for rice, Side dish with cauliflower, Side dish with egg, Side dish for roti, cauliflower stuffing for bread

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Indian Style Pasta | Quick Pasta | Easy Masala Pasta

Indian Style Pasta | Quick Pasta | Easy Masala Pasta is a simple pasta recipe and it is really a blend of many tastes. This is ideal for any meal with some salads or can be served as it is for light meal. I love pasta for its beautiful shapes and its versatility to adapt to any kind of flavours & tastes. Of all I like the bow-tie shaped called Farfalle, but I couldn’t find any in nearby stores which I frequently. At last I got this Elbow shaped (Chifferi Rigati).

Coming to my pasta recipe, I tried this pasta on last Sunday for breakfast. Normally I prefer Sunday breakfasts to be simple to make them ready in a few minutes. Most of the times, it would be some toast, sandwich, upma, porridge etc. Because, only during Sundays, my son & hub will have the privilege of waking up at their own time. I too have my own time, only on Sundays, enjoying every sip of my hot tea while reading the newspaper without any disturbance since I keep following my regular wake up time even on Sundays.. J So as per Sunday breakfast standards, I thought of making this pasta quite simple with minimal ingredients. I boiled the pasta and kept it ready. When everyone was ready for their breakfast, I started preparing the dish & got it finished in 10 minutes. My son & hub enjoyed it hot but I had to take it cold due to photo session. Anyways, I liked it cold. I’m sure this mild sweet, spicy version of pasta will frequent my Sunday breakfast menu. What about you?

Ingredients:

To boil pasta:

• Pasta  – 1 cup
• Water – 3 cups
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp

To prepare simple pasta:

• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Garlic (crushed) – 1 tbsp
• Green chilli (finely chopped) – 1 No.
• Onion (finely chopped)  – 1 No.
• Tomato (finely chopped) – 1 No.
• Carrot (chopped) – 1 No.
• Red chilli paste – ½ tsp
• Sweet & sour sauce – 1 tsp
• Spring onion – 3 stalks
• Pasta mix – 1 tbsp
• Salt –to taste

Method:

1. Boil 3 cups of water, bring it to boil.  Add  a pinch of salt, oil & pasta and cook until soft. Drain in a colander,  run through cold water and keep aside. You can keep ¼ cup of pasta boiled water for future use.
2. Keep the veggies ready. Chop the white part of spring onion finely & keep aside.  Roughly chop the green part for garnishing.
3. In a non stick pan, heat oil and add crushed garlic. Sauté till the garlic becomes golden brown in colour.
4. Add the finely chopped onion & sauté till it becomes translucent.  Add the white part of the spring onion and sauté for a while.
5. Add tomato and sauté until it becomes mushy & creamy.
6. Add carrots, salt  and sauté in high flame for 2 minutes.
7. Add the red chilli paste & sauce and sauté for a while.
8. Add ¼ cup of  plain water or reserved pasta boiled water and stir well.
9. When everything comes together, add the pasta and toss everything well.
10. Finally add pasta mix and garnish with spring onion green stalks.

Hot, spicy pasta is ready to eat with sweet & sour taste…

Note:

• If you don’t have pasta mix, add some oregano and pepper powder. If you don’t have both, don’t worry, add some chopped cilantro & pepper powder.
• If you like this to be sweeter, add some honey/ sugar while adding sauce.
• You can add any veggies of your choice.

Tags: simple pasta recipe, sweet pasta recipe, sweet & spice pasta recipe, Pasta using sauces, pasta with Italian spice mix, how to cook pasta?, Breakfast recipes, simple breakfast recipes, Breakfast recipes with pasta, sweet & sour pasta recipe 

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Coconut Rice | Thengai Sadam | Grated Coconut Rice | Kobbari Annam

Coconut Rice | Thengai Sadam | Grated Coconut Rice | Kobbari Annam is one of the traditional variety rice in South India. It is prepared by seasoning the cooked rice with fresh coconut gratings. It is one among the variety rice like tamarind rice/pulihora/puliyodharai, lemon rice, curd rice and usually prepared for festivals like Kaanum Pongal, Aadi Perukku, Valai Kaappu/Seemandham, etc. All these   are not only festival rice varieties but ideal for lunch box & lazy holidays too. On the whole, coconut rice takes a special place as it is easy to prepare for moms and tasty to relish for kids when paired with suitable spicy curry.

My son also loves this flavourful rice and prefers to have this not only in his lunch box but sometimes on Sundays too. I would happily accept his offer whenever I have a stock of fresh grated coconut on hand.

Last Sunday, he suggested making coconut rice on seeing me grating the coconut and here comes the recipe.

Ingredients:

Cooked rice – 2 cups

Ghee | Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Ghee | Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Bengal gram dhal | Kadalai Paruppu | Channa dhal – 2 tbsp

Green chillies (Finely chopped) – 2 Nos

Red chilli (break into 2) – 1 No.

Curry leaves – few

Coconut gratings – ¾ cup to 1 cup

Cashew nuts / Groundnuts– as needed

Salt – as  needed for seasoning

Method:

Wash rice and cook with enough water & salt until soft but not mushy.

Allow the cooked rice to cool. When it is warm to handle, sprinkle ghee/coconut oil and mix well without breaking the grains.

In a kadai, heat ghee/oil and splutter mustard seeds.

Add channa dhal & cashew nuts/ groundnuts and fry till they become golden brown. 

Then add both chillies, followed by curry leaves.

Finally add coconut gratings and sauté till the moisture in the coconut dried up without changing its colour. Switch off.

Add required salt to the seasoning, mix everything well. Remember we’ve added salt while cooking the rice too. Add accordingly.

Add the cooled rice to the seasoning and mix everything well.

Tasty, flavourful Coconut Rice is ready to enjoy! We had this yummy coconut rice with spicy potato fry and tasted divine.

Note:

I’ve used Ponni boiled rice, you can use any good quality raw rice too.

It is always good to eat fresh coconut and hence I prefer the coconut gratings to be sauted for few minutes without changing much of its colour. If you plan to have it after some hours,  it’s better to sauté for more time to avoid spoiling of coconut.

Adding ghee/coconut oil gives a nice flavour to the rice. You can also use any cooking oil.

It is always better to use salt while cooking rice for preparing any variety rice as it adds taste to the rice grains. If you don’t want, you can skip and add the required salt for the dish at the last step.

Tags: Coconut rice recipe, How to prepare authentic coconut rice at home?, Rice variety, Festival recipes, Traditional coconut rice recipe, rice with coconut recipe, Thengai choru recipe, Thengaai saadham,  kannum pongal recipes, Aadi perukku recipes, Aadi 18 recipes, valaikaappu recipes, Seemantham recipes, Variety rice recipes, traditional variety rice recipes, Lunch box recipes, Yummy lunch combo, Coconut rice with potato fry, Easy lunch box recipes, easy rice variety, simple coconut rice, coconut rice with coconut gratings, Kobbari Annam recipe, Ugadhi recipes

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Karasev | Karachevu | Easy Diwali Snacks Recipe

Karasev | Karachevu is a easy snack which could be made in a jiffy without too much of efforts. It is a South Indian deep fried snack  and can be made with store bought flours.

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 1 up
• Besan flour | Bengal gram flour – ¾ cup
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Asafoetida | Hing – ¼ tsp
• Jeera | Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Butter – 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil – for deep frying

Method:

1. Sieve both the flours with a fine sieve.
2. Add all dry powders i.e. sieved flours, chilli powder, pepper powder, asafoetida, jeera, turmeric powder  & salt and mix well.
3. Now add butter at room temperature and crumble this with the flour.
4. Add water little by little and make a soft dough like chapatti dough.
5. In the mean time, heat oil in a broad kadai  and check by dropping a pinch of dough into the oil. If the dropped dough comes up quickly, then it is ready for frying.
6. Grease the murukku press (with Thenkuzhal Achu)  with oil and fill it with the dough. Press the murukku press  directly into oil  in circles.
7. Once the bottom is done, flip it to other side and take out when the sizzling sound subsides.
8. Once it is cool, break into pieces  and store in an air tight container.

Spicy, crispy karasev is ready to enjoy with hot tea!

Note:

• If you like to use baking soda, then you can add while sieving the flours.
• Frying has to be done in medium heat.

Tags: Easy savoury recipe,  Deepavali snacks recipe, Easy Deepavali Recipes, Easy Diwali Snacks Recipe, Festival recipes, easy snacks recipe, Kara sev recipe, Karachevu recipe, Sattur Karachevu recipe

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Easy Rasam Recipe | Rasam | Charu

Rasam | Charu  is a South Indian specialty and no  feast is completed  without this tangy, spicy delicacy. It can be had with hot steamed rice or can be had as soup | appetizer. Rasam is good to have during winter season. It is very good in treating common cold, fever and it aids digestion. Everyone have their unique way of preparing this rasam and this is my way J..

Ingredients:

• Tomato – 1 No.
• Tamarind – gooseberry size
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida | Hing – ½ tsp
• Coriander Leaves | Cilantro – 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

To grind:

• Pepper – 1 tsp
• Jeera – 1 tsp
• Garlic – 5 pods

For seasoning:

• Ghee | oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
• Red chilli – 1 No.
• Curry leaves - few

 Method:

1. Soak tamarind in a cup of water and keep aside.
2. Mash tomato well in a cup of water. Bring this to boil with asafoetida and turmeric powder.
3. In the mean time, grind coarsely the items given For Grinding, without adding water.
4. When the tomato water boils, add the ground powder, tamarind extract and required salt.
5. In a kadai, pour oil and season the items given “For Seasoning” and pour the seasoning over the rasam. When the rasam becomes frothy on top,  switch off.
6. Add chopped coriander leaves, close it with the lid for 15 minutes and then serve.

Hot & peppery rasam is ready to be enjoyed with rice & any  veg | non-veg side dish of your choice!

Note:

• Don’t allow the rasam to boil at the final stage.

Tags: Easy rasam recipe, South Indian Rasam recipes, Tomato-Tamarind rasam  recipe, How to make rasam without ready-made rasam powder?, Rasam Varieties

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