Woohoo! What a day, what a day! India won the cricket match and what a match it was! Very proud to be an Indian!
It is definitely a good day for more than one reason. I am back to blogging! My back aches are gone, and I am feeling well. I thank you all for sending me your get well soon notes. It was very nice and I feel quite loved.

I can’t seem to keep my trail of thought today. It must be all the excitement from the “India winning cricket match.” My mind is so much on it that I fear I might keep going on unless someone gags me. Please allow me to say just one more thing around the topic of cricket. Thank you facebook buddies for keeping me company in cheering the Indian team! I had a terrific time! It almost felt like you guys were sitting next to me on the sofa, laughing and punching the air every time India scored or got a wicket. Thank you ;)


Again, where was I on the cooking scene!? Yes, I am back to blogging and I have Aval/poha recipe for you.  It is another favorite snack. I still remember the first time I had it.  Yes, I am big on everything first time, like how today was my first time watching cricket with virtual friends.  I warned you I cannot keep cricket out.  Focusing!  I was saying, my friend brought this poha snack on a family outing and since then I have been hooked.  And thankfully it is easy to make and I make them a lot now.  Believe me when I say it’s good!

Is there a phrase or idiom to explain having a good time close on the heels of another?  I can’t think of any but that is how I feel right now.  At the risk of being repetitive India won, I am back to blogging and spring is tangible.  The trees and plants are all bursting out their verdant glory.  Can it get any better!?  As for you, try this recipe that will be the icing on the cake for an otherwise perfect day you are having.  Love! J    


Ingredients:

Aval/Beaten rice- 3 cups
Peanuts- 1/4 cup
Dalia/ chana dal- 2 tbsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Red chili powder- 1 tsp/to your taste
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch

A strainer similar to the one in the picture
Oil for frying

Method:

1.Heat oil in a thick bottom deep pan.
2.Place the beaten rice 1/2 cup at a time on the strainer and dip it in the hot oil. It will be done in a couple of seconds.
3.Take out the fried beaten rice and spread on a paper towel.Repeat the same with the rest of the beaten rice.
4.In a similar way fry the peanuts and the channa dal.
5.Switch off the heat and keep the hot oil in a safe place.
6.Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wide pan,on low heat.
7.Throw in the curry leaves (or you could fry them in the same oil you fried the aval and nuts after switching off the heat, but if you are scared about them spluttering then you could do like this) and saute. Add in the chili powder,turmeic powder and asafoetida.Saute for a minute.
8.Throw in the fried aval,channa dal and peanuts and mix everything well.Switch off the heat and let it cool before you store in an airtight container.

Notes:

1.I used the brown aval and that explains the color :-)
2.If you don't have a strainer,don't try this method. Because by the time you take all of it from the oil, it will be over-done.

Contributor: Namitha

This is one of the simplest snacks ever, and makes me nostalgic. My granny used to make this as our evening snack. Out of the school bus my sister and I would fly up the stairs to our house, and right on to the dining table laden with snacks. Gee! Do you remember how hungry one is coming back from school? Oh! I would be so famished, I would grab any food in front of me forgetting I had not even washed my hands. Ok.. don’t tell my daughter I told you that.

Aval (beaten rice) used to be catered to my family by Muthu. He was a Tamilian lad, probably a young man now and if you reading it Muthu, thank you. How some food and flavors bring back memories of a different place and some people ceases to surprise me. I have never thought of Muthu until just now when I start to write about Aval.

A lot of brands now sell aval but while I was growing up it was a rarity. Muthu would come in his mundu and shirt just when we needed aval and it never went without a comment from my mom “I wonder how he knows that I have just finished my stock of Aval.”




It is best when you take this with some plantain.



Ingredients:

Aval/Beaten rice- 2 cups
Grated Jaggery- 1 cup
Grated coconut- 1 cup
Jeera/Cumin- 1 tsp
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp

Method:

1.Mix the grated coconut and jaggery well using your fist.
2.Throw in the jeera and cardamom and mix again.
3.Mix in the aval using your hands, as if you are kneading the dough, until everything is mixed well.
4.Keep it closed for some time till the aval absorbs all the moisture and becomes soft and puffs up.

Notes:

1.I used brown poha/aval.White one is fine too.
2.If you don't have jaggery, use white/brown sugar.
3.Do not add any water at all.If you are in a hurry just sprinkle a few spoons of milk.
4.Fresh grated coconut works best for this, since the moisture from coconut plays a major role in softening the aval.

Today’s is a recipe that took shape in 1960’s or maybe even earlier in my family.

It has been a while since we posted old recipes, hasn’t it? Hopefully, this one will change that and intrigue you enough to be included in your collection of ‘antiquities’. Valiyachen (my maternal grandfather) handed down this recipe for payasam to my father. Well, there is no hand-written-yellowed copy of this recipe to boast. However, like all Indian recipes learned by observing. My father learned it from –Valiyachen- and my sister and me from our father. And now, it makes me quite happy to share this treasure with you. Life cycle of a recipe! Huh!

I cannot help but say a little more about Valyachen. He was an avid cook. He was so good; I think he was better than my granny or mom. (I will have to convince my mom I don’t mean that). Valiyachen's industry is well known; running a business, laboring in the paddy-fields with the workers, cultivating thil/gingely/ellu and beans (urad) as in-between crops (crops done in-between paddy season), and cooking too. He was multi-talented. The thil (sesame) yielded from his fields he made into ellundas(jiggery sweetened sesame balls). From the yard – kitchen- mouth, can you imagine! Oh! The taste!
We lost him to cancer when I was just knee high. His memory thankfully is still fresh in my mind. Conversely, his image flashes in my mind like a framed painting; young man standing tall in his white dothi and plaid shirt, both hands busy with totes brimming with goodies, like ellunda,achappam ,upperi etc. His smile was the brightest growing ear to ear spotting us running to him when he visited. He adored and spoiled us and we loved him back with equal strength. I tell you, it amazes me even today how, in a male dominated society he was such a gentleman helping granny in the kitchen and being so adorable all at once.
My mom says grandpa made payasam, whenever it took his fancy. He never bothered to have a reason to celebrate (which is generally when payasam is made). My father takes this cue and does the same these days. I encourage you to do the same.

During my vacation in Kerala we cooked some together, reminiscing about Valiyachen and had a pleasant time. Whilst my children were making their childhood memories I refreshed some of mine!

I agree there is no need for a reason to make payasam but this post coincides with my sister and her daughter’s birthday. Therefore I take this opportunity to wish them both all the love and happiness. Chechi (as my sister calls me) is sharing this payasam with you all to celebrate my lil sister.



On a different note, there was a big wildfire in Boulder 2 days back. Some of you might have seen it on tv.Many families lost their houses though almost everyone is safe.About 3,500 acres is burned,8 people are missing and 90 structures are charred. All good thoughts and wishes to those who are affected and the firefighters who worked continuously for 2 days.

Ingredients:

Aval/Poha/Rice flakes-100g/1cup
Jaggery/Sarkkara- 200g/1 1/2 cup(1 medium sized ball)
Ghee-1 Tbsp+1 Tbsp
Coconut milk(first pressed milk)-From one med size coconut
Coconut milk(second pressed milk)-From one med size coconut(~4 cups)
Cumin/jeera powder-1 tsp
Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp
Dry Ginger powder-1 tsp

For Seasoning:

Cashews-2 Tbsp
raisins-2 Tbsp

Method:

1.Heat ghee and fry the aval till it turns golden brown by stirring continuously.
2.Melt jaggery after adding 2-3 Tbsp of water and sieve it n another pan.
3.Keep a thick bottom pan and pour the melted jaggery into it. Once it is heated up, add the fried aval and stir it continuously for about 20-25 minutes. Add a little more ghee in between.This is to combine aval and jaggery well.
4.Add the second pressed milk and cook well, stir continuously.This may take about 5-6 minutes.The consistency should be sightly on the watery side. Otherwise it gets thicker after you add the first pressed milk and the spices.
5.Meanwhile mix together the first pressed milk and all the spices without any lumps.
6.Switch off the heat and add the coconut milk mixture and mix well.
7.Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and add into the payasam.



Notes:

1.We used the Brown aval, but you could use the white one too,but use the thicker one.
2.You could replace a part of the coconut milk with the regular milk.
3.If you have never made fresh coconut milk, this note is for you :-).You have to squeeze so hard to take out the fresh first pressed coconut milk without adding any water. Once you are done with this, add a few spoons of warm water and grind it in a mixer or blender and press out the second coconut milk through a sieve.

Contributor: Namitha