Captured in a rare moment of extreme cooperation from Shri. :)
I think, she was distracted by her own reflection, in letting me click away to glory, without a whimper or a scowl! The young lady is quite happy with the results too !!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Navratri Puttu Recipe
Another Navaratri, has come and gone.Not one, not two but nine days and nights of gaiety and piety.
The tastes of the variety of sundal prasadams ,smells of jasmine and the chants from Lalitha Sahasranamam are still wafting in the breeze.
And before they get swept away from my limited memory cache, I want to record this very tasty snack which is usually offered to the Goddess on a Navaratri friday.Its a sure-fire hit with kids and all age groups.
This is my mother in law's version of making the traditional puttu, and it is so wonderful and tasty, that I am here to share the recipe.I will be saying it in as many pictures as words, so you can have a clearer understanding of the process.
Ingredients
1. Dry roast the rice flour in a heavy bottomed kadai , using medium heat( You can also use raw rice, which can be dry roasted and powdered in a mixer) till it turns golden.Allow to cool
2.In a separate vessel boil some water, adding a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to it.
3.Add the water to the rice flour slowly (sprinking should be enough), stirring all the while.It should result in a damp powder, like bread crumbs. You may find lumps,which can be sieved to give a uniform texture.
4.In a clean muslin cloth ( a south Indian veshti cloth cut to the size of a scarf will do), add the flour, and tie it up loosely like a bundle and place it to steam in a pressure cooker( in idli plates or a steamer) for about 10 mins.Do not use the cooker weight.
5.When done, remove from cooker and decrumble it, remove lumps (can be seived again) and keep aside to cool.The resultant texture is fluffy and grainy.It should flow freely when allowed to fall from the hand.
6.Meanwhile add the crushed jaggery to 1/2 cup water, and heat it till it dissolves.Jaggery usually has some fine grit,which should be removed.Filter the jaggery water, and place it back on the stove.
8.Heat the jaggery syrup till it reaches the required consistency.i.e As the syrup starts to thicken , drop a bit of the syrup into a small bowl of water .The syrup should soilidify and can be rolled into a small ball.Try dropping the ball back into the water, and you should hear a 'clang' sound.
9.Now add the rice flour to the jaggery syrup, mixing all the while.Its better to ask someone to help, in adding the flour while you concentrate on mixing it thouroughly to form a homogeneous mixture.(Before you start mixing, it would be wise to keep some of the syrup aside for mixing later, if required)
10.Fry the cashews and grated coconut in ghee.Add the cardomum powder, cashews and grated coconut.
Delicious puttu is ready.Can be stored for about 4 days.It is extremely nutritious, and very tasty, though it can be quite a laborious process for first timers.
More to come on the Navarthri magic this year.Hopefully I dont get lathargic and do it by the next year navarathri!
The tastes of the variety of sundal prasadams ,smells of jasmine and the chants from Lalitha Sahasranamam are still wafting in the breeze.
And before they get swept away from my limited memory cache, I want to record this very tasty snack which is usually offered to the Goddess on a Navaratri friday.Its a sure-fire hit with kids and all age groups.
Ingredients
- Rice flour - 1 cup
- Jaggery (crushed) - 1 cup
- Elaichi powder - 2 tsp
- Ghee - 1 tbsp
- Cashew nuts
- Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
- Salt - 1 pinch
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
1. Dry roast the rice flour in a heavy bottomed kadai , using medium heat( You can also use raw rice, which can be dry roasted and powdered in a mixer) till it turns golden.Allow to cool
2.In a separate vessel boil some water, adding a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to it.
3.Add the water to the rice flour slowly (sprinking should be enough), stirring all the while.It should result in a damp powder, like bread crumbs. You may find lumps,which can be sieved to give a uniform texture.
4.In a clean muslin cloth ( a south Indian veshti cloth cut to the size of a scarf will do), add the flour, and tie it up loosely like a bundle and place it to steam in a pressure cooker( in idli plates or a steamer) for about 10 mins.Do not use the cooker weight.
5.When done, remove from cooker and decrumble it, remove lumps (can be seived again) and keep aside to cool.The resultant texture is fluffy and grainy.It should flow freely when allowed to fall from the hand.
6.Meanwhile add the crushed jaggery to 1/2 cup water, and heat it till it dissolves.Jaggery usually has some fine grit,which should be removed.Filter the jaggery water, and place it back on the stove.
8.Heat the jaggery syrup till it reaches the required consistency.i.e As the syrup starts to thicken , drop a bit of the syrup into a small bowl of water .The syrup should soilidify and can be rolled into a small ball.Try dropping the ball back into the water, and you should hear a 'clang' sound.
9.Now add the rice flour to the jaggery syrup, mixing all the while.Its better to ask someone to help, in adding the flour while you concentrate on mixing it thouroughly to form a homogeneous mixture.(Before you start mixing, it would be wise to keep some of the syrup aside for mixing later, if required)
10.Fry the cashews and grated coconut in ghee.Add the cardomum powder, cashews and grated coconut.
More to come on the Navarthri magic this year.Hopefully I dont get lathargic and do it by the next year navarathri!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
