Peppertrail

I have added water to a tight dough to soften it in my food processor. When I notice that the dough is tight, I immediately start adding water and it has always worked and the food processor has tolerated this very well. It still works! I usually process one and one quarter cup of wheat flour for dough. To this I add one half cup of water and salt. If I am making the dough for poori I also add a teaspoon of oil. This dough does not require any additional dusting of flour to roll out. I generally use golden temple brand wheat flour. When using other brands of flour, sometimes I have to adjust the amount of water. Ammini

Noel & Karen: First of all let me correct my typo. I apologize for the mistake. I wrote to combine the soaked rice with one cup of water and grind. That may be too much water. The rice batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add water slowly to the blender to get the right consistency. One more thing- always use a heavy bottomed pot for cooking paayasam. Now to answer your questions- Ada flakes are cut into very small pieces, approximately ½ a centimeter in length and width. Some brands of store bought ada flakes are slightly bigger in size. Personally I prefer small thin flakes. The cooked ada may not flake into thin pieces by itself. But it has a texture that can be easily cut into thin pieces. You may find many variations of this recipe. Some recommend different varieties of rice, others suggest using coconut milk instead of whole milk, and others suggesting use of spices like dried ginger and cardamom. This recipe is how it is made in my family. When you say red rice, I do not know if it is simply milled or converted rice. Par-boiled or converted rice is not suitable for making paayasams. Traditionally hand pounded rice is considered the best variety for making paayasam. It has a slightly reddish color (as bits of bran remain on the rice kernels while hand pounding), delicate flavor and a consistency that has just the right cling, and it cooks to perfect paayasam. I don’t think this rice marketed in the United States. Again, back in Kerala the pinkish color is obtained by cooking the paayasam for a longer time thereby allowing the milk to caramelize. Once the sugar is added, the rice stops cooking and the long, slow simmer will not make it a soggy lump. But the milk will condense and develop a reddish hue. A quick and easy way to get pinkish color is to use a can of condensed milk. It will also shorten the cooking time. Substitute a can of sweetened condensed milk for the cream and sugar. First cook ada in milk. When it is cooked, pour the condensed milk into the pot in a thin stream. Keep stirring continuously so that the condensed milk is properly incorporated. Simmer the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep stirring while it simmers. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if needed. Fresh ada may be prepared a day ahead. Spread it on a clean towel or paper towels to dry and then refrigerate. It would be better to bring it to room temperature before combining with milk. Yes the completed paayasam would stand chilling and reheating. It can be served either warm or at room temperature, or if you prefer cold. I hope I have answered all your questions. If you have more, please feel free to ask. Ammini

Noel: Thank you very much fo your kind words. Ammini

Glad to hear that your friend is preparing Onam Sadya this year. Here is my recipe for making Paal Ada Pradhaman. Onam is on August 28th this year. Enjoy your Onam Sadya. Ammini Paal Ada Pradhaman Paal Ada Pradhaman is an elaborate version of rice pudding; rice grains go through an intricate process and emerge as thin, light flakes. These flakes are simmered in whole milk and sugar for hours to a thick, creamy and luscious pudding. Use heavy bottomed pot for cooking. 1-cup long grain rice Several pieces of banana leaves cut into approximately six to eight inches in length 2 tablespoons of ghee 1-gallon whole milk 2 cups of heavy cream 4 cups of sugar Soak rice for 4 to 5 hours and rinse and clean till the water runs clear. Using a blender pulverize the rice with just enough water to a very smooth, thin paste. Add water slowly so that the paste does not become too thin. Rinse the banana leaves and toast them over the stove for a few seconds until the color turns dark and they become more pliable. Tear thin strips from a banana leaf piece and set aside for tying. Smear a little ghee on each toasted banana leaf piece and spread a thin layer of rice paste. Roll up into cylinders and tie with the strips. Bring water to a boil in a heavy bottomed pot. When it starts bubbling, add the rolled up banana cylinders to the water bath and cook over medium heat for a six to eight minutes. Remove form the water and drain. Open the cylinders and cool to room temperature. When it cools down, peel off the cooked ada and cut into thin flakes. Bring the milk to a boil and add ada flakes. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes till the flakes are cooked. Add the sugar and continue simmering. After thirty minutes add the heavy cream and stir well. Simmer for another 30 minutes and keep stirring periodically. Remove from the stove and keep it covered. Otherwise the milk will form a skin on the top. This can be served either hot or cold. Variation: Commercially processed rice flakes available in some Indian grocery stores may be substituted for homemade ada. However they will lack the softness of the flakes and fragrance from fresh banana leaves.

I use cusinart food processor for kneading whole wheat dough. It has a metal blade and does a great job. In fact I still use the cusineart I first bought in 1978. Ammini

Edward: It was fascinating to read about your entusiasm to learn and teach Indian cuisine. Wish you continued success. Ammini

Suman: No, I don't cook the apples. They will soften a little bit in the hot oil, but will remain crunchy. Probably that is why the pickle don't stay fresh over a week. Ammini

Tart and crunchy green granny smith apples make an excellent substitute for raw mangoes in making this fresh mago (apple) pickle. Core, but do not peel, 2 apples and slice them into small pieces. Sprinkle with salt and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice per apple, and let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare the spice mix. In a skillet, heat 1/2 cup of oil, preferably sesame oil, and add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add ½ cup cayenne (or less if you prefer a milder pickle), 2 tablespoons of toasted and powdered fenugreek seeds, 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida, and a few curry leaves. Reduce the heat to low, add the salted apple pieces, and mix well. Remove from the stove and let it cool. Store in glass bottles in the refrigerator. It remains fresh for a week. Ammini

Suman: I like a hint of fresh rosemary in parathas. Fresh sage leves fried in ghee with potato. Ammini

I like them roasted with ghee and brown sugar. Ammini

Frozen version of these parathas are available in Indian grocers in the New York area. Ammini

Probably it is conditioning over the years, I prefer parboiled (converted rice) rice with most south Indian curries, especially Kerala curries with lots of coconut in the sauce. When the curries I serve are north Indian I do want the rice to be Basmati. With idli and dosa the chutrney must be made with fresh coconut (another Kerala obsession, I admit). With Pulihara (tamarind rice) I want tomato rasam, papad and booralu. Ammini

I remember my family observed different types fasting days- some partial fasting, others total fasting till sundown. And as Suman observed only vegetariam food cooked without any garlic or onions was served. Tthe eleventh day of month on the lunar calendar —Ekaadashi—was a day of special observance for my mother and aunts. During certain months of the year there were important ekadashis like Guruvayoor Ekadashi when even children were made to observe partial fasting. On those days no rice was cooked at home. Other grains, such as wheat, finger millet and wild rice were cooked at lunch time. Supper was always light, either uppuma with cracked wheat or dosa made with wheat flour (I am talking about pre-chappathi days in Kerala). To coax children to oberve this fast my aunt used to offer to make a sweet with wheat flour on these days. Unmarried girls used to observe total fating, not even water, on Mondays and ate after the evening prayers at Siva temples. They were served tender coconut water and finger bananas offered at the temple. I was not able function without my glass of decoction coffee in the morning, and have never observed this fast. The month of Dhanu on the Malayalam calendar falls between mid -December to mid-January. On the day when the new moon and the star named Tiruvathira coincide in the month of Dhanu we celebrate Tiruvathira festival. On makeeram, the day before Tiruvathira, mothers observe partial fasting for the well being of their children. A special dish, Ettangadi, is prepared as an offering to goddess Parvathi. Eight different kinds of root vegetables and plantains are fire roasted to prepare this dish. Later it is served to all the women and girls of the extended family. Tiruvathira is a day of partial fasting for women and girls. They observe this for the well being of their husbands and would-be husbands. They consume only dishes prepared with grains such as chama and wheat and vegetables, bananas and coconut. Certain special dishes—both sweet and sour Koova Varattiyathu, Tiruvathira Puzukku, Tiruvathira Koottu, and Koova Paayasam, are also prepared on this occasion. Although I prepare some of these special dishes I have not tried to keep up these fasts in the United States. Ammini

Here is my list of Indian cookbooks- not in any particular order. 1. The Indian Vegetarian by Neelam Batra 2. Chilis to Chutneys - Neelam Batra 3. Curried Flavors - Maya Kaimal MacMillan 4. Savoring the Spice Coast of India - Maya Kaimal 5. Turmeric Trail - Raghavan Iyer 6. Indian Regional classics - Julie Sahni 7. Classic Indian Cooking - Julie Sahni 8. Art of South India Cooking - Alamelu Vairavan & Patricia Marquardt 9. Healthy South Indian Cooking - Alamelu Vairavan & Patricia Marquardt 10 Aharam - Sabita Radhakrishna 11. Samayal - Viji Vardarajan 12.Laxmi's Vegetarian Kitchen - Laxmi Hiremath 13. The Indian Spice Kitchen - Monisha Bharadwaj 14. A taste of Madras - Rani Kingman 15. Amma's Cookbook- ammas.com 16. Dakshin - Chandra Padmanabhan 17. 101 Kerala Delicacies - G. Padma Vijay 18. Modern Kerala Dishes -Mrs.K.M. Mathew 19. Fresh Flavors of India - Das Sreedharan 20. The Cooking of India - Santha Rama Rau 21.The art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking - Yamuna Devi 22 - 24. Cook and See- Traditional South Indian Vegetarian Recipes (three volumes) by S. Meenakshi Ammal 25. Tasty 200 - Kuppammal G. Nayagam 26. Tasty treats from South India - Krishna Kannan 27. Southern Delights- recipes to Remember from Palakkad - Parvathy Akhileswaran 28- The Spice is right - Monica Bhide 29.The Everything Indian Cookbook - Monica Bhide 30. Curries and Bugles - Jennifer Brennan 31The Essential Kerala Cookbook - Vijayan Kannampilly 32. Cuisines of India - Smita Chandra Cookbooks in Malayalam: Grihalakshmi- Nalini Sreedharan Paachaka Kurippukal – Rugmini Veeraraghavan Nammude Nadan Karikal – Suma Sivadas Indian Food related books: The story of our Food – K.T. Achaya Indian Food – A Historical Companion – K.T.Achaya A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food – K.T.Achaya The Hour of the Goddess – Chitrita Banerji Bengali Cooking- Seasons and Festivals – Chitrita Banerji Anthropology of Sweetmeats - Anil Kishore Sinha I also have a collection 120 International cookbooks. Ammini

Her last name sounds very Punjabi. I believe she is from Tamil Nadu. Her book Indian Regional Classics is dedicated to her father Dr. Venkataraman Raghunathan Iyer. Ammini

South Indian vegetable curries are often garnished with a large pinch of asafoetida sautéed in a spoonful of oil or ghee. When asafoetida is added to hot oil, it changes from its strong and powerful smell to an oniony-garlicky aroma. Strict vegetarian diets of India forbid the use onions and garlic, and asafoetida is used in their place for its distinct aroma. It is used in the cooking of various pulses, beans and certain vegetables, certain savory snacks, pickles and chutneys. It is considered a digestive aid and it helps to neutralize flatulence. Asafoetida resin comes from certain species of giant fennels. These perennial plants are native to the region between the Mediterranean and Central Asia. Three different species are used in the production of asafoetida, each of which shows slight differences in color and properties. Both ferula assafoetida and ferula foetida are native to Iran and Afghanistan and ferula narthex is a native of Afghanistan. Even though most of the world’s production of asafoetida comes from Iran and Afghanistan, India is the major consumer of this spice. It is sold either as lumps or in powdered form. The lump asafoetida is the most common form of pure asafoetida. In making commercially ground asafoetida the resins are combined with small quantities of rice, barley or wheat flour to prevent lumping and to reduce the strong flavor. Processed asafoetida often varies in color and texture because of the difference in additives. It is available as either mustard yellow powder or sandy brown coarse powder. Asafoetida has remained a part of the Indian spice box for centuries and continues to be used both in cooking and in medicine in India. The ancient Sanskrit text Kashyapa Samhita (circa 200 BC) mentions about the import of asafoetida from Afghanistan. Asafoetida’s use as a tenderizer and preservative for meat was known centuries ago. Iranian cuisine uses it for flavoring meatballs and in Afghanistan it is used in the preparation of dried meat. Although this spice is practically unknown in modern western cuisines, it is used in the United States and Europe in commercially prepared flavorings. The strong smelling and sparingly used asafoetida has an interesting history. Its predecessor silphium (also known as silphion or lasar), the wonderful spice from the region of Cyrene (now in modern Libya) was in great demand in the classical kitchens of Ancient Rome and Greece. However, true silphium became extinct by the end of 1st century A.D. Asafoetida, as a substitute for silphium emerged into prominence during Alexander the Great’s invasion of Asia that began in the spring of 334 AD. While crossing the northeastern provinces of the Persian Empire, his soldiers discovered a plant that was almost identical with silphium. Although not quite so good, it made a perfect substitute for silphium in tenderizing hard meat. Asafoetida was cultivated for both medicinal purposes and for the use as a spice. To read more about silphium and asafoetida please go the following link on my web site - http://www.peppertrail.com/php/displayCont...&parent_link=10 Ammini edited for typos

Lalitha: Here is a recipe for ellu saadam. Haven't tried the recipe with sevai. Ammini Ellu Saadam 1 cup long grain rice For spice mixture: 1/3 cup sesame seeds 4 to 6 hot red chili peppers 1 teaspoon urad dal For seasoning: 2 teaspoons of corn, canola or vegetable oil 4 teaspoons of ghee 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon urad dal 1 hot red chili pepper, broken into pieces A few curry leaves One tablespoon dry- roasted cashew nut pieces Salt to taste Cook one cup of rice, spread in a glass or metal baking pan and let it cool. Dry roast the ingredients for spice mixture. Remove the skillet from the stove once sesame seeds start to pop. Cool and grind into a coarse powder. Combine the oil and ghee in a skillet and heat. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and red chili pepper. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add curry leaves and remove from the stove. Pour the seasoning over the rice, sprinkle salt, powdered spice mixture and cashew nuts on top. Mix well.

Sevaka Rice Noodles Sautéed with Green Chilies, Ginger Mustard Seeds, cashews and Toasted Dals Sevaka is seasoned rice noodles - south Indian style. Dehydrated rice noodles, available in Indian and other Asian grocery stores, may be substituted for sevaka noodles made from scratch. Dehydrated noodles must be soaked in hot water for a couple of minutes to make them pliable. Then steam them for 10 to 12 minutes and then break the cooked noodles with a spoon into 1/4 inch to ½ inch pieces. Sevaka is served as a snack; it also makes a good brunch dish. ½ pound rice noodles, steamed and broken into small pieces 2 tablespoons of corn, vegetable or canola oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1-teaspoon urad dal 1-teaspoon channa dal 1 table spoon toasted cashew nut pieces (or peanuts) 2 hot green chili peppers, thinly sliced (reduce for milder taste) 1 or 2 hot red chili peppers, broken into pieces or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper A few curry leaves 1 table spoon chopped cilantro leaves In a heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, and channa dal. When the dals start turning golden brown and the mustard seeds start spluttering, stir in the cashew nuts, green and red chilies and the curry leaves and fry for a couple of minutes. Reduce the heat to low, combine the broken rice noodles and stir. Remove from the stove, sprinkle cilantro leaves on top. Serve with coconut chutney. Makes 4 to 6 Servings Variations: 1. Thayir Sevaka: Mix the steamed noodles with one and a half cups of thick yogurt before combining with the above spice mix. 2. Lemon Sevaka: After combining the cooked noodles with the spice mix, sprinkle three tablespoons of lemon juice on top and mix well. 3. Puli Sevaka: Another variation is to combine a tablespoon of tamarind paste with 1 cup of water and salt to taste and boil the mixture until it is reduced to ½ cup. Mix the steamed noodles with the cooked tamarind juice before combining with the above spice mix. To make sevaka noodles from scratch: Soak two cups of long grain rice for 4 to 5 hours and drain. In a blender, pulverize it with just enough water to make a very fine batter. Heat a heavy pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Pour in the batter, add salt to taste, and reduce the heat to low. Stirring continuously, cook the batter until it thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the batter cool. At this point the batter would have turned into a dough-like consistency. Heat about 3 inches of water over medium heat in a pot fitted with a steamer insert. Line the steamer insert with clean, wet cheesecloth. Fill a snack press fitted with the thin-holed sev disc with the cooked dough. Press the dough onto the cheesecloth in the steamer insert. Move the press around in a circular motion over the cloth so that the noodles are distributed evenly. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat until the noodles are cooked. Remove the sevaka from the heat and let it cool. Break the cooked noodles with a spoon into 1/4 inch to ½ inch pieces.

Unless it has changed in the past five months. On New year's eve when asked for a jin and tonic we were told at a Taj group Hotel at Cochin, Kerala that new year's eve was alcohol free day and they could't serve jin at the bar. But the waiter added that he would be happy to bring it to our room. When he brought it the bill was for just tonic! He said that they will bill for the jin next morning.

There is a type of medium grain rice in Kerala that is used for making many temple offerings, especially neyypaayasam, that has a texture similar to that of Italian risotto. In Malayalam we call it unakkalari, which only identifies how the rice is processed - it is not a brand name. Could it be Ponni?

How true! I prefer Basmati for pulav and biriyani, long grain rice for south Indain flavored rices like tamarind rice or lemon rice and palin old par boiled (converted) medium grain or rosametta (if available) with coconut infused Kerala curries.

Should I try this recipe for the pineapple rasam? -Richie Richie111: I just checked the recipe for pineapple rasam on the link you had posted. My recipe is a bit different. Somehow I do not like to add garlic with pineapple. But if you enjoy the taste, that is fine. One teaspoon red pepper powder, four green chilies and the chili pepper in the rasam powder are fine for anyone who enjoys spicy hot. If not, you may want to reduce those. I hope you enjoy pineapple rasam.

Another favorite of mine - Pineapple rasam.

Ripe plantain bananas, mangoes, jackfruit, and pineapple are used making various curries as well as desserts in Kerala. Milagai already mentioed kalan and pachadi made with ripe mangoes. We also make kalan with ripe plantains and pachadi with pineapple. Ripe plantains are sliced, batter dipped and deep fried. ripe bananas combined with rice flour and brown sugar to make a batter for pancakes Kerala style. Ripe plantains, jackfruit and mango are cooked with jaggery and ghee to make a homemade jams. These jams are the base ingredients in desserts (pazza pradhman, chakka pradhaman and manga pradhaman) where they are further cooked in coconut milk. Small ripe bananas are used in making a temple offering Neyyappam. Ripe bananas are mashed and combined with kandasari sugar dates,raisins, sugar candy, cardamom and ghee to make panchamridam, a sweet offered at Subrahmanya temples all over South India. Another temple offering thrimadhuram is made with ripe bananas, raisins and honey. Mago pulp is combined with jaggery, salt and chili powder to make a dreid preserve called mangathera. Of course raw plantains and jackfruits are deep fried to make chips - favorite snacks in Kerala.

I stick with walnuts for baklava. I remember trying pineapple baklava once. The recipe sounded good, but the baklava was not crispy when it came out of the oven. May be a combination of chocolate and nuts might work?