Curry In Kadai ~ An Indian Cooking Blog

Have you ever craved for the Spicy Tangy Prasadam( Naivedyam ) which we get at any Indian Temple? Yes i am talking about Pulihora, Rice spiced with tamarind and simple spices. I am sure almost every South Indian temple serves Pulihora along with Daddojanam as naivedyam ( offering / prasadam ). We used to travel a lot during the holidays along with our grand parents and our vacation would cover a large number of temples and in every temple the most common and lip smacking prasad would be Pulihora. Pulihora is something you would definitely see in every South Indian Home during festivals. Grandma makes the best pulihora next to temple pulihora prasadam.


Oh this was the first thing i craved a lot when i was pregnant! My sister was so nice, when i told her that i was craving for pulihora( tamarind rice) , she mailed me a thick spicy Tamarind sauce aka Pulihora pulusu( secured with lots of tape ) along with Ravva Laddo, Kobbari Burfi etc., She asked me to refrigerate it and mix it with rice whenever required. It lasted for a month or so. Thanks sis!! So nice of her and we could never get enough Pulihora( at least for me and my sister ). We use tamarind for the sourness, peanuts , cashews and sesame seeds for nuttiness, jaggery/sugar for sweetness and of course chillies for the heat in this Pulihora. Cant ask for anything more in this pulihora( aka Tiger Rice., hehehe )


Ingredients required:

• 1 cup of tamarind juice ( extract from tamarind pulp )
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds powder
• 5-10 green chillies according to taste
• sugar or jaggery( gur ) to taste
• curry leaves
• cilantro
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 3-5 tbsp oil
  
• 16 cashewnuts

Preparing Rice For Pulihora:

• First cook the rice according to rice instructions. I would like to add a little less water than usual, as i nee the rice to be separate and not sticky.
• Once cooked let it cool on a mixing bowl or big plate, add turmeric and leave it to dry in open air.

How to make Pulihora Pulusu( Tamarind Spicy Sauce ):

• In a kadai/ heavy bottomed pan, do the tadka ( popu) with oil. Once the oil is heated add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal and peanuts and cashewnuts.
• When mustard seeds started to crackle and peanuts roasted add curry leaves, hing, green chillies followed by tamarind pulp and turmeric
• Once the pulusu ( sauce) starts to bubble and sesame seeds powder, salt, sugar/gur to taste.
• The sauce ( pulusu ) is done when oil starts to separate from the sauce. Add cilantro and the switch off the stove.

How to make Pulihora( Tamarind, Peanuts and Sesame seeds Spicy Rice )

• Once the tamarind sauce and rice are cooled, mix both of them together thoroughly. Adjust salt to taste. If you see that oil is not enough, heat oil in a separate pan and mix it with the rice. Please let the pulihora stand for at least one hour before relishing as this makes the rice absorb all the sauce completely.

I cant promise you the exact taste you get at the temples in India, but my pulihora would definitely satisfy your Pulihora cravings for sure!!! I am positive you cant get enough of this pulihora. The pulihora stays good for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and 1-2 days if left outside.
Dad likes to eat the pulihora with cooked chick peas( senagalu ) or boondi karas( chick pea fritters ). Grandma makes these urad dal vadas( lentil fritters ) along with pulihora. Oh an awseome combo!!

My grandmas Pulihora is on its way to:

• Cooking With Sesame Seeds
• APS-Rice
  
• The Combo Event

P.S. Everyone has unique taste palette, so please adjust the ingredients according to your taste.

Lakshmi Ksheera Samudra Raaja Tanaya
Sree Ranga Dhaameshvari
Daasi Bhootha Samasata Deva Vanithaam
Lokaika Deepankuram
Sreeman Manda Kataaksha Labdha Vibhava
Brahmendra Gangaadharam
Tvaam Trailokya Kudumbineem
Sarasijam Vande Mukunda Priyaam

Meaning: Goddess Lakshmi, who is the daughter of the king of the ocean of milk, whose abode is Srirangam (with Lord Ranganatha), who is served by all the divine ladies in heaven, who is the guiding light for the world, who has obtained the sustained (continued, everlasting) glance (Grace) from Brahma, Indra and Shiva, whose abode is the three worlds (Bhu, Bhuva, Suvaha) - I offer my prostrations to Thee, the beloved of Lord Krishna (Mukunda). Courtesy by Eaisai

Happy Diwali everyone!! Diwali( Deepavali ) is a festival of lights, which is a popular festival celebrated in pomp and show in India. Parents are busy with the pooja and cooking and the kids are busy with the crackers. So during Diwali both kids and adults have fun in their own ways. This is one special festival where kids actively take part in, be it in firing the crackers or finishing up all the yummy Diwali sweets and savories. I remember the fire crackers shopping we used to do when we were kids. We get all the crackers we want first, then distribute between us, so everyone gets their own share, let them dry under the sun and then hide them secretly so that no else takes them.

You can definitely make your family berry favorite with my blueberry almond yogurt smoothie. Blueberries are excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. Blueberries are my favorite out of the all berries and are very delicious eaten out of hand. Choose blueberries that are firm and indigo blue. Wash them with water and relish immediately, or you can store in the waterproof container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Also you can freeze these cuties to enjoy all year long. First freeze them in one layer on a plate right out of the carton and once frozen transfer them to a freezer bag. Be sure not to wash them before storing.

Ingredients you need:

• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries / frozen berries
• 1 cup yogurt
• some ice
• sugar / honey to taste
• light whipped cream ( optional )
  
• 5-6 whole soaked Almonds

How to make healthy blueberry smoothie:

• Soak the whole raw almonds in water for 5-6 hours. I usually soak them at night, so that they will be ready to go into the smoothie the next day. Once soaked overnight these almonds become pulp and the skin comes off very easily.
• Put all the above ingredients along with the almonds in a blender and run it until smooth. You can add some whipped cream ( if you don't mind those extra calories )
• I like some chunky blueberries in my smoothie, so i add a few more blueberries at the end and run the blender under pulse setting

This blueberry almond yogurt smoothie can easily boost your nutritional needs is a healthy way to start your morning. Try having it along with your breakfast and you'll see the difference. So light, tasty and healthy and the best part you can control the calories.

My smoothie is off to the events:

• Food In Colors - Express your mood started by Sunshinemom
• Click - Bi Color
• Show me your Breakfast

Looking for something sweet to be served for the unexpected guests? Here's something quick and easy that can be ready to be relished in a very few minutes with very few ingredients, my favorite Semiya Kesari, aka vermicelli sweet. This recipe is from my sister's MIL. This is a regular item in her kitchen every week, as bava( Brother in law ) loves it. Usually mom makes only Payasam( kheer ), Upma with vermicelli or semiya, but this Kesari is new to us. Toasted Raisins and Cashew nuts in butter add that extra flavor and nuttiness to the Kesari. Vermicelli Halwa tastes so good when hot and stays good in the refrigerator for up to a week.

The other day i was introduced to Persimmon fruit by Indira in her post Pecan Persimmon Cake and fallen in love instantly. To quench the Jihva to try it, i rushed to Fresh Farmers Market and bought some. Yes, the fresh fruits were resting there and i couldnt stop myself staring and taking them home. The bright orange color was so appetizing to the eyes and my journey cooking the persimmon started there.


I wanted to do something with Persimmon, and Indiras recipe came to my rescue, and i made this persimmon and dates cake tweaking her recipe a bit. I added Dates and Walnuts instead of Pecans, and everything else i blindly followed her recipe.


What you need:

• 1 cup Pancake mix ( i used whole wheat pancake flour which doesn't require eggs)
• 1 Small Persimmon fruit chopped
• 1/3 cup Walnuts
• 1/4 cup Dates
• 1/4 cup Maple
  
• ghee or butter 1/8 cup
• a pinch of baking powder

How to:

• In a mixing bowl whisk flour and baking powder
• Add melted ghee(butter), maple syrup and mix in about 1/2 cup water
• Toss the chopped up fruit, walnuts and dates
• Grease cake pan and fill in the cake batter
• Cook in the preheated oven at 350F for about 15-20 mins until the toothpick comes out clean.

This will be my entry for A Fruit of A Month (AFAM): Persimmon hosted by Trupthi.

Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of hot toasted spicy cashews( cashew nuts ). This a very special savoury snack back home which is a classic recipe passed down from generations! Gifting with a small pack of these cashew nuts makes someone feel so special and important. My mom showers her love towards my dad just by making these and serving them hot! All i can say she is an expert doing this. Cashewnut is the king of all nuts( at least for me ) since this is dear hubby's favorite. These spicy cashews are perfect kodak moment for CLICK . Hence this will be my entry for the beautiful CLICK : NUTS event hosted by Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi.



The nuts are so crunchy with the special zing from red chili powder and amchur powder, Frying them in ghee( neyyi aka clarified butter ) makes them so rich in taste( who wouldn't love butter ) . This is a perfect SNACK anytime of the day with a cup of hot tea! Once tasted your guests will leave asking for more and Yes they go real fast!!


You need:

• 1/2 pound whole cashew nuts -- I prefer to use whole cashew nuts ( jeedi pappu bollalu )
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp dried mango powder( amchur powder )
• 2-3 tbsp butter or ghee( clarified butter )
  

How to make spicy cashew nuts:

• Heat butter/ghee in kadai or pan and fry the cashew nuts under low flame
• As the cashew nuts turn into golden hue, drain them on to paper napkins and sprinkle salt, chili powder, black pepper powder and mango powder immediately
  
• You can adjust salt and spice to taste.
• Once cooled store in an airtight container. This stays fresh at least up to 10 days.
  

Wrap up these spicy, nutty and crunchy cashew nuts in a glass jar and voila simple yet delicious gift is ready! This spicy pan fried cashew nuts recipe is on its way to Spoonful Of Christmas, hosted by Zlamushka!

Deepavali Subhakankshalu! Wish you all a very happy and delightful Diwali. Diwali as the name suggests is ' array of lights ' and you see light coming from deeyas in almost every house in India. The day before Diwali is Narakachathurdasi, when the lord Krishna killed the deamon Narakasura. Diwali is also being celebrated for the return of the god Rama after 14 years of exile. It is the festival for the triumph of good over evil. The festival of lights ( diwali ) insists on shedding the darkness of the mind with the light of Gnana( Knowledge )


Diwali takes me to a walk down the cherishable memory lane. I remember this is the one such festival packed with so much excitement for the D day, where we can fire the crackers all night long, relish delicious food, take part in the lakshmi pooja and never forget new clothes and jewelery. I would do anything for those days. I was always a silent spectator when it comes to fireworks (bombs) like lakshmi tapas, vankaya bambulu, rockets, parachutes etc, I would be on the safer side with kakarathulu, chichu buddulu, venna muddalu, nela tapakayalu, paamu billalu, Bhu chakram,Vishnu chakram and my most favorite Aggipettalu. I remember my grandma asking us to lit the diya( lamp) outside the house during the whole month of diwali and recite this sloka for the sandhya deepam( evening lamp).

Usually this would come first in my list when we expect someone for lunch/dinner. Almost everyone who tasted this asked for the recipe and were really surprised to know how easy, delicious and light this was.



You need:
1 - 8oz cool whip or home made whipped cream
1 - 20 0z crushed pineapple can in its own juice
1 - 14 oz sweetened condensed milk or milkmaid
A big fistful of almonds( badam )
A big fistful of cashewnuts( kaju )
25 pistachios( pista )



Preparation:
Keep the cool whip whipped cream outside for 20 min until it becomes spreadable. For fresh cream you can avoid this step
In a blender or chopper chop the nuts coarsely and keep aside
Drain the crushed pineapple and keep it aside
In a big bowl mix in whipped cream, condensed milk, pineapple and chopped nuts
Freeze it for 6-8 hours or overnight
Tada! pineapple dessert is ready to serve!!



This pineapple dessert is neither too sweet nor too sour, Its just right.Be generous and Never forget the nuts which add crunch and so much flavor to the dessert. I am gonna make this again for the Diwali potluck this weekend. Hope the magic works again!!

This will be my post for JFS:Diwali hosted by Vee of Past,Present and Me. Also this will be going to WYF: DESSERT hosted by Hima of Snackorama.

Tags: Badam kaju and pista. nuts and cool whip, Deepavali, Diwali, Pineapple Dessert, Sweets