Chocolate Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is a cold Italian dessert made with cream and gelatin. It literally means "cooked cream". [I'd never heard about a panna cotta until I started watching Masterchef shows ;-)] This is a recipe for chocolate panna cotta. We can substitute gelatin with agar-agar for a vegetarian version. Kids will absolutely love this creamy and chocolatey treat.

Ingredients :

200 ml cream
100 gm dark chocolate
200 ml milk
80 gm Sugar
2 tablespoons agar-agar (china grass)
1/4 cup water
a few drops of vanilla essence

Method :

Dissolve the agar-agar in water and heat on a low flame till it is completely melted.Keep aside.

Grease the moulds/cups with a little oil/butter.

Heat cream, milk and sugar till all the sugar is melted. 

Add the chopped chocolate to the milk mixture and mix till all the chocolate is completely melted and you get a smooth mixture.

Add the agar-agar and vanilla essence to this and mix thoroughly. 

Pour this into moulds/cups and refrigerate for 4-8 hours. Unmould or serve as it is in cups.

Puli Kajippu (More Kuzhambu)

"More Kuzhambu" is a popular South Indian dish prepared with buttermilk/curd. Here is a recipe of Udupi style More Kuzhambu called "Puli Kajippu". This is a very light dish and served with rice, papad and any spicy poriyal. It feels very refreshing to have this on a hot day.

Ingredients :

1 cup grated coconut
1 tablespoon poha
2 green chillies
2 cups curd/plain yoghurt/buttermilk
1/2 kg malabar cucumber
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon methi seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
10 to 12 curry leaves

Boil the vegetables and green chillies in enough water.

Soak poha for a few minutes and grind with coconut and curd.

Grind to a smooth consistency.

Add this mixture to the vegetables. Add more curds or water according to the consistency you prefer. Mix well and bring to a boil on a slow flame. (Switch off immediately when it comes to a boil).  Keep aside.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start crackling, add methi seeds, red chillies and fry till it turns brown. Add curry leaves now and switch off the gas.

Pour this on the Kajipu/Kuzhambu. 

Serve hot with rice or idlis.

Tamil New Year / Ugadi recipes

Here is a collection of recipes you should make this Tamil New Year / Ugadi. Wishes to all of you for a very happy and prosperous beginning.


1. Manga Pachadi

A must in every household in Tamil Nadu for the Tamil New Year.

2. Beans Poriyal

Healthy beans and coconut - a simple poriyal.

3. Lemon Rasam

A simple, light and tasty Rasam.

4. Nellikkai Thair Pachadi

Extremely healthy Thair Pachadi with Amla (Nellikkai).

5. Arachi Vitta Sambhar

The ultimate in taste and aroma - the best ever Sambhar.

6. Keerai Masial

Don't forget your greens !!!

7. Paal Paayasam

Here's your yummy dessert dose !!!

8. Iradye

A healthy  and light steamed dessert from Udupi.

Mango Chutney (Manga Pachadi)

Manga pachadi (Mango Chutney) is a dish which is prepared on Tamil New Year's Day. This dish welcomes the New Year with all it's tastes - sweetness from the jaggery, sourness from the mangoes, spiciness from the chillies and bitterness from the neem flowers. It represents the fact that your life will be filled with all kinds of emotions and you should embrace them with positivity.

Ingredients:

1 raw mango
2 green chillies
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
1 red chilli
1 teaspoon oil
2 tablespoons powdered jaggery
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon dried neem flowers (optional)
2 cups of water

Method:

Peel the raw mango and cut it into medium sized cubes. Slice the green chillies into 2 pieces.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. 

When they start crackling add curry leaves, mangoes, green chillies and water.  Let it come to a boil. 

Add salt and jaggery powder to this and let it simmer till it forms a thick mixture.

Fry neem flowers in a little bit of oil till it turns dark brown. 

Add the neem flowers to the pachadi/chutney and serve hot with rice.

Huli Avalakki

Beaten rice flakes ("Poha" in Hindi, "Aval" in Tamil, "Avalakki" in Kannada, "Bajil" in Tulu) is a very popular ingredient used in breakfast recipes throughout India. Poha is rich in iron and easily digestible. Poha made from red rice is better than the white one. You have to use the slightly thicker variety for this recipe. 

This recipe called Huli Avalakki /Gojjavalakki/Puli Bajil is a popular breakfast dish in Udupi district. It is very easy to make and kids will also love this.

Ingredients 

3 cups of beaten rice (poha)

1 lemon sized tamarind

1 tablespoon jaggery

1 tablespoon rasam powder

2 tablespoon coconut

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon split urad dal

2 to 3 red chillies

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method: 

Soak poha in water for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain water and squeeze excess water from the poha.

Soak the tamarind in water and make a paste. It should give you around ¼ cup of tamarind extract.

Heat oil, add mustard seeds and split urad dal. 

When it starts crackling, add tamarind extract, jaggery, rasam powder and salt. 

Once this starts boiling, add the poha and mix thoroughly. 

Check the taste and add more jaggery or salt as per your preference. 

Garnish with coconut and serve.

Cabbage Chutney (Sammandha)

Cabbage chutney known as Sammandha in Udupi cuisine and Thogayal or Thuvaiyal in Tamil cuisine is a popular accompaniment to rice, idli or dosas. You can even make this with chow-chow/chayote or ridge gourd peels. Traditionally, this recipe is made without onions, but you could add onions if you are making this for idlis or dosas.

Ingredients :


1 teaspoon oil

1 cup cabbage, finely chopped

1 cup onion, finely chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons urad dal
1 teaspoon channa dal
3 to 4 dried red chillies
a pinch of asafoetida
2 tablespoons grated coconut
1 small marble sized tamarind
salt to taste

for the seasoning (tadka)
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions and cabbage till the raw smell goes. Keep aside.

In the same pan, add red chillies, urad dal, channa dal and roast till it turns brown. Add asofoetida in the end. 

To this add the cabbage-onion mixture, coconut, tamarind and grind to a coarse paste in a mixer. 

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add curry leaves and  add to the chutney.

Serve with idli, dosa or rice.