Neer More - Refreshing Summer Drink !

Neer More (watered buttermilk) is a cooling summer drink which is very healthy and refreshing. It is made out of curd, with a high proportion of water. It is also called Chaas (i love the name chaas). 

Chaas is popular across Indian subcontinent. It is also written chhaachh. It is called moru in Tamil and Malayalam, in the Bengal region, it is called ghol, taak in Marathi, majjiga in Telugu, majjige in Kannada. It is often called laban in Bangladesh. In Indian English, it is often referred to as buttermilk. Nowadays, I am reading a lot of food related books and articles , learning about various cuisines and their originality (how they call and pronounce each dish), which is quite interesting. When I study diversity, I literally imagine myself living in that place. I love doing this and that's the reason I give this introduction to most of my recipes.

Buttermilk is made by churning curd/dahi and cold water together in a pot, using a whipper. This can be consumed plain or seasoned with a variety of spices. 

Although buttermilk can be made from fresh curd, it is more commonly made at home from
curd that is a few days old and has become sour due to age. Indeed, one of the purposes
for making chaas at home is to usefully finish off old yogurt that is lying in the fridge for long.
That's the reason, buttermilk has a tangy, slightly sour taste which is considered delicious.
A pinch of hing and salt is usually added to it for further enhancement of taste,
and other seasonings can be added also, as described below.

Buttermilk is very healthy but the taste is not relished by all. However, if proper seasonings
and spices are used, it can be delicious.

There are many variations of buttermilk. The one prepared from fresh curd without adding
water will be called as Lassi, the one prepared from the water that is left from churning butter
is another version of buttermilk (actually that is why the name buttermilk was born) and the
sour version along with the spices. Quite interesting right? Lot of facts and information
has been given by the people of those days.

Before moving on to the recipe, this neer more is one of the prasadham for Lord Rama
on Rama Navami (another one is Panagam) , the reason behind is the offerings should be
prepared without using stove and cooked food should not be offered to the lord on that day.
I will post the recipe for panagam soon. Now, let's move on to the Neer more recipe.

Preparation Time : 5 minutes

Cooking Time     : 5 to 10 minutes

Ingredients :

Full fat Curd (i used store bought for a tangy flavor) - 2 lb box

Cilantro - 1 bunch

Mint leaves - few

Curry leaves- few

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Tempering :

Coconut Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp

Wash the leaves and ginger twice or thrice to remove the sandy particles.

Grind Cilantro, curry leaves , mint leaves, ginger, hing and salt adding water to a
running paste. 

Now whisk the curd using a whipper adding water. 

Add a little curd to the running paste and grind again to ensure the leaves are grinded properly.

Now add the running grounded green paste to the whisked curd.
Again whisk it nicely for 5 minutes adding enough water. Ensure the lumps are removed. 

There is no measurement for water. I added approximately 1.5 litres of water.
Neer more - the name says it all. It should be really watery. Some people might prefer it
thick. It totally depends on your convenience. We like it watery. So I added more water.

Finally do the tempering. 

Enjoy the refreshing drink. It is very good for ulcers and helps in digestion. 

Notes:

1. You can use green chilli for a spicy version, I skipped it.

2. You can chop the ingredients and add it to the whisked curd. Personally, I
don't like it. So, I grinded everything and added it to the curd.

3. You can add a pinch of roasted methi powder to increase its nutrition. I skipped it. 

4. Do not skip curry leaves, cilantro, ginger and hing. 

5. The tadka enhances the flavor of the buttermilk and gives a crunchy feeling while
drinking. Try not to avoid this step.

Storage :

Store it inside the fridge for a week or two. Whenever using it, the water will get
settled at the top. Mix well and add more water if required while consuming.

If you have an earthen pot, store it in that. Awwww... it definitely increases the taste...
மண் பானை நீர் மோர் ..... It took me to a village lifestyle where patis make this
drink during summer. 

Enjoy the refreshing cold drink during the tiring summer!! I hope you will like it!

Peanut Chutney using Sesame Seeds - Version # 1

Chutney is a wonderful side dish to any Indian tiffin, just make a quick chutney to give the whole meal a lovely flavorful spice kick. There are so many varieties of chutney. I am posting the first chutney under the label - "Peanut Chutney" because its always my favorite. I make so many versions of Peanut Chutney, will be posting one by one soon. This version uses sesame seeds as the another main ingredient.

Sesame seeds have so many health benefits. It has anti-ageing properties, boosts dental and bone health, helps in digestion and Stabilizes your blood pressure.

I adapted this recipe from https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/peanut-chutney/. This recipe is completely a healthy version. I modified the quantity and the ingredients based on my taste preference.

Lets move on to the recipe.

Peanuts (Raw/Roasted) - 1 cup (I used salted roasted peanuts).
Channa dal - 1/2 cup
Urad dal (White whole or split black) - 1/4 cup (I used split black urad dal for health benefits as well as a different taste)
Black sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Red chilies- 7 to 10 (Low to Moderate spice levels)
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece (I used homemade ginger paste 1 tsp)
Curry Leaves - Handful
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Gingelly Oil- 3 tsp
Salt - as per taste , i used 1.5 tsp since i used roasted salted peanuts

Tempering :
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - Few

Preparation Time          : 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking Time              : 15 minutes
Cooling and Grinding Time : 15 minutes

Soak black sesame seeds in water for 5 minutes. The sand will get deposited down and filter it and drain the water. This process is done only for black ones. I learnt this from my mom.

Soaked sesame seeds

Start the soaking process when you start roasting the ingredients. As i already mentioned, sesame seeds needs a hot pan to crackle. So roast it after channa dal and urad dal.

In the mean time, add channa dal and the urad dal together , roast it adding a tsp of oil. Roast it in a medium flame to ensure the dals doesn't get burnt. Once done, keep it aside in a wide bowl to cool down.

Channa and Urad dal

Similarly, add peanuts. Do not add oil while roasting peanuts. I used roasted peanuts, still i roasted it for a couple of minutes. Because, i felt the raw smell of it when i made the chutney without roasting it. If using raw peanuts, roast it until its completely done.Keep it aside in the same wide bowl.

Peanuts

Now, add the soaked and drained black sesame seeds.Roast it until it crackles and also ensure it doesn't get burnt. Again, once done, transfer it to the wide bowl. The video plays the crackling sound of sesame seeds. I love to capture the crackling sounds of sesame seeds and mustard seeds (my simple joys).

Sesame seeds

Now, add a tsp of oil and add red chilies. Fry it.Transfer it to the same bowl.

Red Chili

Now, finally, add a tsp of oil, add ginger (i used 1 tsp of paste)  , few curry leaves, hing. Just 30 seconds is enough. Turn off the flame. Leave it in the pan for a couple of minutes. Then transfer it to the same bowl.

Add salt to the ingredients and allow the roasted ingredients to cool down. Then grind it in a mixi adding cold water so that it doesn't get hot. This increases the life of the motor.

Cooled down

Add the coconut oil tempering. I did not use coconut. So for getting the flavor of it, i tempered using coconut oil.

Tempered Peanut Chutney!

Enjoy the mixed flavors of peanuts, sesame, curry leaves and the coconut oil flavor. This is a healthy chutney and i am sure you all will like it.

Note :

1. You can add White urad dal instead of black urad dal, if you want a light color.
2. I love sesame seeds. If you are not a sesame seeds lover, you can reduce the qty to 0.5 to 0.75 tbsp.
3. Do not skip ginger and curry leaves.
4. Coconut oil tempering will definitely provide a unique flavor to the chutney.

Idli Podi - Version 1

Idli Podi , also known as milagai podi is a very important staple in a south indian pantry. It's a tasty, slightly coarse and a crunchy powder which i can never run out of because it's my family's favorite for idli and dosai. I try many versions of this podi. That's why i mentioned in the title as Version 1. Podi Idli is usually the common dish that south indian people pack for travelling purposes.

I have mentioned all the tips and tricks to make this. The ingredients are pretty standard , i personally adjusted as per my family's taste. So there is no specific source. This version is the standard recipe. My mom always uses black sesame seeds, since it is more flavorful and tasty compared to white sesame seeds. My athai (dad's sister) used to make it using white sesame seeds and i always loved the light color of the podi when i was young. When i started making these staples, i tried many versions and started liking both white and black. This recipe calls for white sesame seeds. 

This podi is a healthy one too.I prefer dry roasting it without using oil except for red chilies. This crunchy (due to coarsely ground), spicy (due to red chilies) and sweet (due to the addition of jaggery) version is a perfect dry condiment that pairs well with hot soft fluffy idlis. Please read the points to note and try this out. Give me your feedback and suggestions.

Points to Note:

1. Measurements for Channa dal, Urad dal and sesame seeds are to be followed exactly.

2. Dry red chillies can be adjusted according to your spice levels. Mine will be moderate as we are not too much spice lovers.

3. Salt - perfect measurement, not too salty and too low. Adjust based on your preference.

4. Jaggery - i used less, because my husband doesn't like the sweety taste. You can use brown sugar (naatu sakkarai) too. I used both.

Let's move on to the recipe.

Ingredients : (Makes around 2.5 cups)

Channa dal – ½ cup

Whole white Urad dal – 1 cup

Whole red chilies – 0.75 cup

White sesame seeds – ¼ cup

Hing Powder – ½ tsp

Jaggery – 1.25 tbsp (you can use brown sugar as well)

Salt – 0.5 tbsp

Oil – 1 to 2 tsp for frying red chili 

Ingredients before roasting

Please follow the same order to roast , channa dal --------> urad dal -------> sesame seeds -------> dry red chili. Dry roast everything separately and cool down separately. Please keep in mind that we are going to grind it separately for the first time.

    

In a heavy bottomed vessel, add channa dal. Dry roast it on medium low flame. Ensure they doesn't get burnt. Otherwise, the podi will have a different flavor.  

Check the image for the before roasting and after roasting picture. Remove from the pan, once the channa dal attains that color.

Repeat the same process for urad dal.

Now , i will mention why i used sesame seeds as the last but one. Sesame seeds has to crackle , and it crackles only in high heat. So, it needs a hot pan. Also, it gets burnt easily if left in the pan without noticed. So, keep stirring it so that it doesn't get burnt and also crackles. Look at the picture as to when it needs to be removed.

Finally, add a tsp or two of oil, add red chilies. Roast it for a couple of minutes. Turn off the flame.

Now comes the grinding part.

Please follow this order to grind, red chili --------> channa dal -------> urad dal --------> sesame seeds. Grind separately for the first time. Then, mix everything including salt, hing, jaggery. Grind again to a coarse powder. Coarsely ground powder will be tasty.

Allow the roasted ingredients to cool down completely and separately. 

Ingredients after roasting

Part 1 Grinding :

Grind the red chili first.

Red chilli first!

Then add channa dal to it and give a pulse. Don't grind it fully. Give a pulse or two. Transfer it a wide stainless steel or a glass bowl. Now add urad dal. Give a pulse or two. Transfer it to the same bowl. Add sesame seeds, salt, hing, jaggery. Give a pulse and transfer it to the same wide bowl. Now gently mix the ingredients. 

Part 1 Grinding

Part 2 Grinding :

Add the already ground mixture to the jar. Blend it coarsely. Don't grind it too coarse, just for a crunchy feel.If you are making a large quantity, add in batches, then transfer it to a single wide bowl and mix well. 

Part 2 Grinding

Allow it cool down completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Cool it down!

Serve it it with hot, soft and fluffy idlis.. Yum! :)

The shelf life of this is long if maintained properly.

Room Temperature : 1 month.

Freezer                    : 3 to 4 months.

Avocado and Raw Mango - # Salad 1

Salad - a dish containing mixed vegetables and fruits.

There are various types of salad. Nowadays, I am trying so many types of salad because my husband is a huge fan of it.

Easy and quick to make, a healthy option to munch upon. This pairs well with the evening tea.

I used black chickpeas and raw peanuts for this salad. You can use any lentil of your choice. Ensure not to exceed 1/2 cup altogether, otherwise they will nullify the essence of avocado and the raw mango.

Soaking time of lentil  :  4 to 5 hours

Preparation Time         :  20 minutes

Serves                          :  2

Ingredients : 

Avocado - 1

Raw Mango - 1

Cucumber - 1

Apple - 1

Boiled Chickpeas - 1/4 cup

Boiled Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Carrot - 1

Tomato - 1

Jalapeno - 4 tbsp (i used canned pickled ones)

Baby Spinach - handful

Dates - 6 to 7 

Pistachios  - 3 tbsp

Pepper Powder - 1 tbsp 

Chat Masala - 2 tsp

Salt - as per taste

Lemon Juice - 3 tsp

Whipping Cream (Optional)

Method:

Soak and pressure cook black chickpeas and raw peanuts.

I used ripe avocado, raw mango that had sweet as well as a sour taste.

Cut Avocado, Raw Mango and Apple into small cubic pieces.

Cut carrots in a circular shape.

Peel the skin of cucumber and slit it vertically long (as shown in the picture).

Cut the tomato into thin parallel slices working from the top of the tomato to the bottom, leaving the top to remove the stem.

Chop dates into thin round pieces for sweetness. Remove the shells of Pistachios. 

Mix everything into a bowl, not to forget spinach and jalapenos. Add Pepper powder, salt, chat masala and Lemon Juice. Mix well.

Add whipping cream (optional). 

Serve it with hot tea or coffee!

  

Blog's Logo - Reason behind ?

I was working on creating a beautiful and a unique logo for my blog. I always love to play with animated images, making collages out of it, drawing in paint, using the illustrator and so on. I took so much time to do this but i really enjoyed seeing the final image. I am not good at doodle art, so i went with animated images and made collages out of it. 


I have created so many designs (for my personal purposes) , starting from my marriage invitation card, my son's birthday party decorations, our house warming invitation etc.. I never get the satisfaction until i reach that perfection. 


So, initially I decided the theme. I had quite a few points in mind. I did not want to change the picture frequently and that's the reason i mentioned the title as Logo.  Khana Priyam's permanent logo ! The simple idea behind - i wanted to include all the tiny things that i love related to food, the ingredients that create magic, those essentials without which cooking and it's subsidiaries cannot be imagined, etc....


K :


For the letter 'K', i used Nuts (FAT). 


Nuts are good sources of fat, fiber and protein. Most of the fat in nuts is monounsaturated fat, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. Nuts also pack a number of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium and vitamin E. It goes without saying , nut's sister - dry fruits are equally healthy. I always store nuts and dry fruits in my pantry, include them in chutneys, porridge, etc.. I can never deny the fact that it has little effect on weight. So, i can mention the tamil proverb here : "அளவுக்கு மீறினால் அமிர்தமும் நஞ்சு".  Anything when consumed beyond prescribed quantity, it will become poison.


H :


For the letter 'H', i used Chillies (SPICE).


Chilli (both red and green) is an important ingredient to alter the spice levels. There are numerous varieties of chilli in terms of shape, spice levels and infact the taste. As i already said, i love to play with animated images. I love animated images of mexican chillies. In fact, i have a red and green chilli family magnet from New Mexico (a state known for chillies). I like both the colors and i wanted to include both. So, love for the state and the animations made me chose this image for letter H.  


A :


For the letter 'A', i used Water and Fire (ESSENTIAL).


Can you imagine life without the 5 great elements? I need not mention how important they are in our day to day activities. Water and fire especially, are very important for cooking. The first capital 'A' in khana is made of water and the small 'a', which is common to both khana and priyam is made of fire. I am thankful for using them abundantly in my everyday chores. My blog will definitely give an airy, natural and a pleasant background (air, space and earth) for the readers.


N :


For the letter 'N', i used Nature and Greens (ESSENTIAL).


I love plants and trees, a green atmosphere, even though i have very limited knowledge in gardening. I am on the learning phase now. There are numerous varieties of plants, indoor and outdoor, serving different purposes. They really give me immense positive energy and i am working on filling my house with as many plants as possible. This is a vegetarian blog, supporting nature, greens, organically grown vegetables and fruits. Once again, i am thankful for my everyday food.


P :


For the letter 'P', i used Indian spices and Herbs (AROMA).


The mix of sweet and savory smells, each region of India has its own palette of spices. Most Indian spices are used individually, although in some regions, they are mixed together in different amounts to form other spices. Each spice gives a unique taste to the mix, creating an aroma that makes you salivate. So, Love for my motherland made me chose this for the alphabet P. 


R :


For the letter 'R', i used Hot Beverage (ENERGY).


Obviously, my love for Tea made me chose this. Before starting the design, i decided to provide a space for my favorite tea. The alphabet R will have a hot cup of beverage. My choice is tea. Readers can assume their favorite ones. Every individual will definitely have their own favorite beverage that gives them energy and happiness after drinking.


I :


For the letter 'I', i used Fruits and Vegetables (FIBRE).


Needless to say, i love fruits and vegetables. Can you imagine a kitchen without them ? Please include them in your diet for getting enough vitamins and minerals.


Y :


For the letter ‘y’, i used Chocolate (TASTE). 


Who doesn’t love chocolate? Sometimes, it’s okay to break the rules and become childish? Relishing the childhood memories. My love for chocolate will never fade-away.


M :


For the letter ‘M’, i used Mom Serving Food (LOVE).


Whom you get reminded of when you get hungry? Obviously it’s mom ! Not only she relives you from hunger, the food served is always cooked out of love and affection. All moms are the best. So, my love for her made me chose this design for the letter M.

Please provide your comments in the comment section below (along with your name) about the logo. Feedbacks and suggestions are always welcome.

Happy COOKING .. !

Stay HEALTHY.. !

Enjoy LIFE .. !

One Pot One Shot (OPOS) Tamarind Paste!!

Tamarind is a tropical fruit used as an additive flavor in cooking. Harvested from the brown, crescent-shaped pods of the tamarind tree, the sticky pulp inside is removed from around the seeds. Also known as tamarindo and Indian date, tamarind is high in tartaric acid which adds a tart, sweet, or sour taste to dishes and drinks. From tangy soups to sweet chutneys to juices and carbonated drinks, it is a versatile ingredient used to heighten flavor in both sweet and savory dishes. The fruit comes from the tamarind tree and is cocooned inside seed pods. Indigenous to Africa, tamarind is grown in tropical climates around the world, particularly in India ( புளிய மரம் ). In remote villages, people grow this tree and sell it. The Indian tamarind will really have a different taste.

It has a date-like texture and is crushed to make tamarind paste or a less-diluted tamarind concentrate. The fruit can also be extracted from fresh pods or purchased in chunks. It is a culinary staple in the Caribbean, India, Thailand, and Mexico.

This technique is really beneficial in terms of time and wastage.

Before moving on to the technique, i wanted to mention that this technique is incorporated from OPOS. I learnt this from the group. This is kind of a staple that makes life easier. Thanks to Ramakrishnan sir for introducing OPOS !

I used my Instant Pot (Electric Pressure Cooker in USA). One can use the regular pressure cooker too.


Preparation Time : 5 minutes

Cooking Time      : 30 minutes


Ingredients :

Tamarind  - 1 kg

Water        - 6 cups


First, break the tamarind into smaller pieces.

Deseed the tamarind. If you have seedless tamarind, you can skip this step. It’s hard to find seedless ones here in USA, so i have to do it. Few might be missed. That should not be a problem.

Once you finish removing the seeds from the tamarind, put the broken tamarind pieces into the pressure cooker. Add water.

If you are using

Instant Pot :

Use 6 quart or a 8 quart. Set the IP to Steam More option and set the pressure to High. Now, set the timer for 10 minutes. Pressure valve should be set to sealing.

Once the above process is done, IP will do its job. You have to just wait for the pressure to settle down. Then open the lid.

Regular Pressure Cooker:

Put the tamarind inside the cooker. Add water. Pressure cook it for 4 whistles. Let the pressure settle down. Then open the lid.

After adding it in the cooker

Once cooked and the pressure is released , ready for mashing

Use a stainless steel scooped utensil ( karandi ) to mash it. After mashing, leave it open for a hour. If there is water that is left over, they will get absorbed. Again, mash it nicely.

Last stage is the blending. So, this step is somewhat complicated (atleast for me). I try to skip this step because of the hassle associated with it.  Sometimes, i do this step if the mashed paste still has more fibers. If it doesn’t and if you feel its perfectly mashed, then blending is not at all required because the tamarind would have been perfectly mashed and even if you blend, it won’t be of use. The result would be the same. But if you think there are more fibers left, either hand blend it using an immersion blender or use a mixi.

I prefer an immersion blender because i) no need to wait for the paste to cool down and ii) do it in a go without the hassle of doing in batches in a mixi; larger the quantity , the mixi heats up and sometimes the seeds might damage the lids of the mixi jar (has happened for me). If you don’t have an immersion blender, use the mixi carefully without any damage. After blending, transfer it to a glass jar safely without using your hands.  I prefer a glass jar because of its long storage life.

This paste can be stored for a couple of months in refrigerator and 3 to 4 months in freezer. Use a dry spoon every time when you use.