ARACHUVITTA SAMBAR

Arachutvitta (or Araithuvitta) Sambar is usually prepared on special occasion with the freshly ground spices for sambar powder.It is so aromatic and flavourful.Vegetables that can added are usually drumstick, avaraikai,Parangikai(Yellow pumpkin),brinjal. Usually onions are not added to this sambar when cooking on special occasions.

Ingredients
Cubed Vegetables *: 2 cups
Toor dhal: 1/2 cup
Tamarind: lemon sized
Salt: 1 tsp
Hing: a pinch
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp


*Vegetables
Raddish/Yellow pumpkin/Brinjal/Drumstick/Avaraikkai/Chow chow

For Sambar powder
Channa dal(Kadala parupu): 1 tablespoon
Coriander seeds: 2 tablespoons
Red chilli (long variety): 6
Fenugreek seeds:1/4 tsp
Grated coconut: 3 tablespoons


For seasoning
Oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: a sprig


Procedure:
1. Peel and cut the vegetables into little large cubes (for raddish/pumpkin/chow chow)
    If using drumstick cut into 2 inch length
    For brinjal cut into 4

2. Soak the tamarind in water
3.Cook the toor dhal with enough water, turmeric powder and hing in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles

4.Mash the cooked dhal with a laddle (or even a whisk)
5. Fry the ingredients for sambar powder in little oil until it turns golden brown

Note:Fry all the other ingredients and then finally fry the grated coconut

6. Allow to cool and grind it to a powder

7. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add curry leaves and vegetables

8.Fry for a minute or two. Add 1/2 of water and cook for 5 - 10 minutes with the lid closed

9. Once the vegetable is half cooked ,dilute the tamarind extract with 1.5 cups of water and add to the vegetables

10. Add salt, turmeric powder and asafeotida as well

11.Close the vessel and cook for around 10 minutes

11. Once the vegetables are completely cooked, add the ground spices

12. Immediately add the cooked dhal and mix well. 

13. Switch off the flame. Do not allow to boil further after adding the spices and dhal

Notes:
First cook the vegetables in plain water and once half cooked add the tamarind water.If the tamarind extract is directly added, then the vegetables may not get cooked properly
Do not boil the sambar after adding dhal and ground spices

Baklava with pumpkin halwa filling

Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava


I have not tried Baklavas before and this was my first attempt.I have never tasted it as well.To stick to the theme of Blogging marathon I used Parangikai(Yellow pumkin) Halwa filling for Baklava.The fusion recipe tasted really good.

Ingredients
For phyllo sheets
All purpose flour/maida: 1 1/3 cups
Water: 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon
Salt: 1/8 tsp
White vinegar:1/2 tsp
Oil: 2 tablespoon
Melted butter: 1/4 cup (for brushing the phyllo sheets)


For filling
Grated yellow pumpkin: 1 cup
Almonds: 1 cup
Walnuts: 3/4 cup
White sugar/brown sugar:1/4 cup
White sugar: 2 tablespoons
Cardomom powder:1/2 tsp
Ghee: 1 tablespoon


For sugar syrup
Sugar:3/4 cup
Water: 1/2 cup
Cardomom powder:1/4 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp


Procedure:
Step1:
Combine flour and salt and mix well.Add all the wet ingredients (water, oil and vinegar) and knead to soft dough for about 15 minutes

Step2:
Cover it with a plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hrs

Prepare the filling
Step3:
Meanwhile prepare the filling. Pulse the almonds and walnuts in a food processor

Step4:
Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pan and fry the grated pumkin for about 5 minutes

Step5:
Add 2 tablespoon of white sugar and cook in low heat for 5 more minutes.

Step6:
Add cardomom and remaining ghee and mix well. Now we are ready with our own pumpkin Halwa

Step7:
Add the chopped nuts and brown sugar to this halwa

Make the phyllo sheets
Step8:
Make small balls out of the dough and roll them as very thin sheets as possible 
Note: This is the most toughest job.Allocate some dedicated time for this

Step9:
Trim them to the size of the baking pan


Assemble the Baklava
Step10:
Take a baking pan (I used loaf pan) and  brush it with butter


Step11:
Place the first sheet at the bottom of the pan and again brush with butter.Like this place 5 sheets

Step12:
Spread  1/3 of the filling and repeat the whole process of layering for 3 times 

Step13:
With a sharp knife cut the baklava into desired shape

Step14:
Bake for 1 hr in  a preheated oven of 350F


Step15:
Prepare the syrup while the baklava is baking. Mix water and sugar and boil until it reaches 1/2 string consistence.Add 1 tsp of lemon juice (to avoid crystalization) and allow it to cool


Step16:
Once the baklava is baked and still hot pour the cool syrup all over.Allow the syrup to be absorbed overnight

Check out what my other friends are doing: 

http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/p/blogging-marathon.html

Parangikai Poriyal

Ingredients
Chopped yellow pumpkin: 3 cups
Salt: 1 tsp
Oil: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: a sprig
Red chillies: 2
Hing: a pinch
Grated coconut: 2 tablespoons


Procedure
Step1:
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add urad dhal, curry leaves and red chillies.

Step2:
Add the chopped yellow pumpkin and saute for a minute

Step3:
Add 2 tsp of water,hing and salt and close the pan and let it cook for 10 min

Step4:
Once it becomes tender(should not become mushy), add grated coconut 

Check out what my other friends are doing: 

http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/p/blogging-marathon.html

Yellow pumpkin Rabdi/Parangikai Kova

Parangikai (Yellow pumpkin) & milk is always a wonderful combo.This is a variation of Paal kootu recipe in fusion with Rabdi.It tasted somewhat similar to palkova with the enhanced taste and flavor of yellow pumpkin
This recipe is very easy to make unlike the traditional palkova recipe but looks so rich.

Ingredients
Grated yellow pumpkin: 1 cup
Milk: 1 cup
Ghee: 1 tablespoon
Sugar: 4 tablespoon
Cardomom powder:1/4 tsp
Cashews/Almonds: 1 tablespoon


Procedure:
Step1 :
Cook 1 cup of yellow pumkin in 1 cup of milk in a wide open pan in low heat for 15 minutes

Step2:
Add sugar and mix well. Add ghee little by little and keep in stirring for another 10 minutes

Step3:
Once the mixture thickens, switch off the flame

Step4:
Garnish with cashews/Almonds

Check out what my other friends are doing: 

http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/p/blogging-marathon.html

Parangikai Paal Kootu

This is a very simple authentic dish made with yellow pumpkin.It has mild sweetness and can be served in place of pachadi (Sweet accompaniments for rice) or just increase the jaggery and can be served as a dessert by itself

Ingredients
Parangikai chopped: 2 cups
Milk:1/2 cup
Grated coconut: 2 tablespoons (This can also be substituted with coconut milk)
Rice powder: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Grated jaggery: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Hing: a pinch


For seasoning
Ghee/oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal: 1 tsp
Red chillies: 2
Cashew nuts: 4 (Optional)


Procedure:
Step1:
Cook the chopped pumpkins in 1.5 cups of water for around 10 min in low heat

Step2:
Mix rice flour in 1/2 cup of water and keep it aside


Step4:
Once it becomes tender add rice flour mixed in water, milk, turmeric powder, salt , grated jaggery and boil for couple of more minutes

Step5:
Add grated coconut/coconut milk and mix well.Dilute with water if necessary

Step4:
Season with red chilli, mustard seeds and urad dal with ghee/oil

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#6 hosted by Srivalli

PARANGIKAI VATHA KUZHAMBU

Parangikai / Yellow Pumpkin is used in various South Indian dishes. The vegetable has a subtle sweet taste and is certain to tickle the tastebuds when used in Vetha Kuzhambu (Tamarind gravy)

Ingredients
Yellow pumpkin (parangikai) cubed: 1 cup
Tamarind: Lemon sized
Chilli powder:1.5 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Hing: a pinch
Grated jaggery: 1 tsp (optional)
Rice flour: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp


For seasoning
Sesame oil: 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Methi seeds (Fenugreek): 1/2 tsp
Channa dal (Kadala parupu): 1 tsp
Curry leaves: a sprig
Red chillies: 1 or 2


Procedure:
1) Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add methi seeds and channa dhal and fry till golden brown. Add curry leaves and red chillies (broken)as well

2) Remove the skin of the pumpkin and cut into cubes. Add the cubed pumpkin and fry for a couple of minutes

3) Extract the tamarind juice and add it to the fried pumpkin
4) Mix 1 tsp of rice flour in 1/2 cup of water and add it.
5) Now add, chilli powder, cpriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, hing and jaggery and bring the mixture to a boil

6) Then simmer and boil for 10 - 15 minutes until the gravy thickens a bit
7) Serve with hot rice and paruppu thuvayal/ appalam

Step by Step Pictures

Cut into cubes

Fry it slightly with spices

Cook in tamarind extract

Home made chocolates

Recipe Source: Palakad Chamayal 

Ingredients
Cocoa powder: 1/3 cup
Dry milk powder: 1.25 cups
Sugar: 3/4 cups
Butter: 1/4 cup(1/2 stick / 50 gm)
Water: 1/4 cup
Walnuts/Cashews: 1 tablespoon


Procedure:
Step1:
I used non fat dry milk powder available at walmart.It was little crumble.So I powdered it and then used it.

Mix the cocoa powder and milk powder together and keep it aside

Step2:
In a non stick pan mix sugar with 1/4 cup of water and bring it a boil.The lower the heat and keep stirring until one string consistency is reached

Step3:
Add butter and keep on stirring until all the butter is mixed well in the sugar syrup

Step4:
Now switch off the flame and add the cocoa milk powder little by little and stir well

Step5:
Line a pan with parchment paper (alternatively you can also grease the pan with butter) and pour the mixture

Step6:
Level it with a spatula and let it cool down for 5 - 10 min.Mark the cuttings when it is still warm

Step7:
Cut it to desired shape and refrigerate for 30min


Step8:
Now remove the chocolates from the pan and enjoy

Sending this to Book Marked Recipes event by Aipi and Priya