Kachil Puzhukku

KACHIL PUZHUKKU

  Ingredients:

• Kachil/Greater yam/purple yam-250g
• Turmeric powder-a couple of pinches
• Water- as required
• Coconut grated-1/2cup
• Green chillies/bird's eye chilly-4(as per your spice level)
• Small onion-4-5
• Curry leaves-2 sprigs
• Mustard seeds-1/4tsp
• Dry red chilly-2(halved)
• Salt to taste
• Coconut oil-as required

Kachil/Grater Yam

Method:

• Peel off the skin and wash well.Cut into medium size cubes.
• In a pressure cooker add kachil pieces,turmeric,salt and enough water to cook.
• Open the cooker after it cooked well and the pressure settle down.
• Mash the cooked pieces with the back of the ladle.
• Grind grated coconut,green chilies,2-3 curry leaves and 2-3 small onions into a coarse mixture or you can crushed it in a mortar and pestle also.
• Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds.Add sliced small onions,curry leaves,dried red chillies and stir for few minutes.
• Add ground/crushed coconut mixture,a pinch of turmeric and stir well.
• Add the mashed kachil pieces to this and stir well for few minutes.Adjust the salt.
• Switch off the heat.Drizzle coconut oil on top of it.

NOTES:

•  You can cook them in a vessel also.But it may take longer time than the yam.So its best to cook them in a pressure cooker.
• In some places,coconut oil and curry leaves are added instead of seasoning.
• You can add cumin seeds while grinding the coconut mixture,if you likes the taste. 

   
 
Serve warm with Rice and Enjoy.....

Happy Cooking!!!
 
 
           

Paneer Veg Pizza with Homemade Sauce

PANEER VEG PIZZA

I have recently joined the Home Bakers Challenge,a monthly baking event for blogger and non bloggers hosted by Priya from Priya's Versatile Recipes and some of her blogger friends.We can learn baking techniques  from other members.Every month one of the team members select a recipe and all the members have to bake it and reveal it on the said date.
This months baking challenge Divya picked pizza and given us four pizza recipes with different sauces.I chose pizza base from Martha Stewart's recipe.I tried home made sauce with some Indian spices to get an Indian flavour.


Recipe for Pizza Sauce:

Ingredients:

1. 2 tomatoes-blanched,skin removed,chopped
2. 2 tomatoes-pureed
3. half capsicum-finely chopped  
4. garlic-2-3tbsp,minced
5. sugar-1/2tsp
6. salt to taste
7. fennel seeds powder-1/2tsp
8. pepper powder-1/2tsp
9. oregano-1tsp
10. dry basil-1/2tsp  
11. Olive oil-1tbsp

PANEER VEG PIZZA

 

Method:

• Blanch the tomatoes and removed the skin.Chop  half of the tomatoes into small pieces and half of them are pureed.
• Heat olive oil in a pan.Add chopped garlic and saute a while.Add capsicum pieces and saute for few minutes.
• Add sugar and salt.Mix well.Add fennel seeds powder.
• Add dried oregano and basil.Mix well.Cook for 10 more minutes or till it reaches the right consistency . 
• Sprinkle pepper powder and switch off heat.  
• Allow to cool.Grind the mixture and make a fine paste.

Recipe for paneer veg pizza:

For Pizza Base:

 Ingredients:

• warm water-1/4cup
• active dry yeast-3/4tsp
• sugar-1/2tsp
• milk-1/4cup
• semolina or coarse grain corn meal or corn flour-for dusting
• all purpose flour(maida)-1cup
• salt to taste
• olive oil or ghee -1tbsp

 For Topping:

• pizza sauce
• capsicum-1/2,
• paneer cubes-7-10 cubes
• onion-1/2
• tomato-1/2chopped,de-seeded
• garam masala powder-1/2tsp
• chilly flakes
• coriander leaves
• cheese(any kind of cheese)-preferably mozarrella and Parmesan

Method:

• Dissolve sugar in luke warm water and yeast.stir well and cover and keep it aside for 10 minutes till it becomes frothy.
• Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl.Add the yeast mixture and knead.
• Add olive oil or ghee.Add milk and knead to make a smooth dough.
• Brush the inside of the bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl,smooth side up.
• Keep covered with a wet cloth for 2 hours.The dough would have acquired double the size after the time.
• Punch down the dough to remove air and roll it out to make 1cm thick pizza base.I spread the dough with my fingers leaving the edge around a little thicker,about a half inch wide.Do not press the dough all the way to the edges.
• You can prick the base with fork to make sure of getting cooked everywhere.
• Arrange the pizza dough into a circle on top of the cornmeal dusted peel.
• Spread the sauce over the dough leaving the raised edge uncovered.Sprinkle the toppings in the list in that order ending it up with cheese toppings.
• Preheat the oven to 210 deg C.Bake the pizza for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts and the pizza base turns golden brown.
• Check the pizza often to make sure it doesn't overcook or burn.   
• Remove from the oven.
• Cut the pizza with pizza cutter/knife and make wedges and Enjoy hot,spicy and yummy pizza.

PANEER VEG PIZZA WITH HOMEMADE SAUCE

I started baking recently only and really enjoyed the baking a lot now,so even if you are a beginner,or new to baking,please do not hesitate to try this one.Its very easy,easier than to our day to day cooking.....Thank you so much Priya and Divya for this Home Baker's challenge.

NOTES:

• Any toppings can be used.
• You can replace all purpose flour with wheat flour.
• Make thin pizza base instead of thick one.
• You can replace ordinary cheese with mozeralla and Parmesan.
• I used my nonstick pan to get the round shape.You can even use the pizza tray.  

   

I am sending this to'' Home Baker's Challenge '' started by Priya from Priya's versatile Recipes and with Divya Prakash.

Happy Baking !!!
   

Mango Payasam / Mango Dessert

Today the members of the Potluck Party are again celebrating a cyber potluck party at their space.This event is hosted by Jagruti in her blog Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey.
I have made a dessert for this party.This dessert is prepared from mangoes and it is an excellent dessert for all.
I can assure you that if you are a mangoes fan you will definitely will enjoy my dessert. 

  Ingredients:

1. Ripe mangoes-2,large
2. Jaggery -150gm(depends on the sweetness of mangoes)
3. Coconut milk(thin)-3/4cup
4. Coconut milk(thick)-1/2cup
5. Dry ginger powder-1/2-1tsp
6. Salt-a pinch
7. Cardamom-3-5,crushed with 1/2tsp sugar
8. Cashew nuts-a handful
9. Raisins-a handful
10. Ghee-as required
11. Coconut pieces-5tbsp,small slices

   Method:

1. Wash and peel the mangoes.Cut into small pieces and pureed in a blender.
2. Melt jaggery with enough water and cook until it gets well dissolved.Switch off the heat.Strain this jaggery syrup to remove the dust and use. 
3. Now add the mango pulp to a heavy bottomed pan.Add jaggery syrup to this mango pulp.Stir well.Add 1tbsp of ghee to this and cook in low flame,stirring continuously.
4. Cook until it reaches a thick consistency.Now add dry ginger powder and mix well.Stir for a few seconds.
5. Now add thin coconut milk slowly while stirring.Add a pinch of salt to adjust the sweetnes.Cook till it reaches a thick consistency.
6. Now add thick coconut milk along with cardamom powder.
7. Do not allow it to boil after adding thick coconut milk,otherwise it will curdle.Remove from heat.   
8. Heat ghee in a pan.Add the coconut pieces and fry until golden brown.Drain on to a paper towel.
9. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins also.Pour the fried items over the payasam and mix well.Close the lid for at least 10 minutes. 
10. It is better to serve cool than hot.

TIPS: 

1. Select the mangoes which has more juice and without any fiber.
2. Try to use very less Ghee.If you add more ghee,the taste of mango will be less.
3. Chop the coconut into very thin small pieces. 

 Serve warm or chilled.....Enjoy your payasam.....  

 Happy Cooking!!!
 

   


              I am linking this to Potluck Party Cyber Style