Navratri Appam for VijayaDashami !
Happy Vijayadashami to all of you!
Dusshera is also known as Vijayadashami and is a major festival that is celebrated at the end of Navratri every year. It is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
The Vijayadashami day is the tenth and final day of the Navratri celebrations and is considered auspicious for beginning learning in any field.
In Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and coastal Karnataka, Vidyarambham is a tradition observed on Vijayadashami day, where children are formally introduced to the learning of music, dance, languages, and other folk arts. It involves a ceremony of initiation into the characters of the syllabary. People across the country worship nine forms of the Goddess during Navratri. Mostly in Gujarat people play Dandiya and Garba during the nine days of Navratri while praying to the Goddess. However, in the eastern and north-eastern parts of India people celebrate Durga puja with much pomp and fervor.
Navratri Appam is a recipe that was shared with me my mother .She learnt the recipe from a friend of hers. It looks quite similar to the unniyappam the traditional snack in Kerala. This Vijayadashami this was what we kept as an offering to the Goddess.
Navratri Appam
1 and 1/2 cup of Raw Rice( soaked in water for about 1-2 hrs)
Jaggery syrup(for sweetness according to taste-I added about 1cup )
2 ripe plantains peeled and sliced
2 tbsp of butter
1 and 1/2 tsp of sesame seeds(black)
3 tbsp of coconut chips
2 tsp of ghee
Wash the soaked rice and add it to the blender. Add in the sliced plantains, butter and grind into a coarse paste. Transfer the mix into a bowl, pour in the jaggery syrup with regard to the amount of sweetness required. In a skillet fry coconut chips and black sesame seeds and pour into the batter. Mix and leave it to rest for about 4-5 hrs. If you really want to cut down the time mix in 1 tsp of baking powder.
Normally, I would prefer to let it ferment a bit on its own. Once the batter is ready, heat a pan with oil.I have used the Unniyappam pan here to have them all of the same shape and size. Once the oil is hot, pour in the batter and cook it on both sides . Once they turn golden in color, drain them of the oil into a colander or on paper towels.
Serve them warm!
This was my offering for Vijayadashami today for the Puja!
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A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Instant dosa for Dosa lovers!
Some mornings can be lazy driven when you just want to schedule out the breakfast with a quick fix. Dosa being a popular South Indian crepe is mostly made with fermented rice and lentils. Today I am sharing a variation of our traditional dosa recipe. The Instant Carrot Dosa is an ideal way to start your day.
Looking for a fuss-free breakfast idea? The Instant Carrot Dosa is an ideal way to start your day. This dosa is colorful, healthy, and needs no overnight preparation. Made with carrots and rice, this dosa is delicious and will be a delight for your tastebuds.
Carrot Dosa
Ingredients:
1 cup of cooked rice
1 cup of raw rice
1 cup of grated carrots
3 tbsp of sugar
Half a cup of thick coconut milk
Half a cup of water
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Wash the rice and soak for 10 mins.
Add cooked rice and grind with water.
Let the mixture grind into a smooth paste.
Add grated carrots, sugar, coconut milk, and salt.
Mix all the ingredients well into a batter of pouring consistency.
Heat a Tawa and pour batter on it.
Cook dosas with ghee.
Serve hot with any chutney.
I relish this dosa with chutney podi mixed with sesame oil. You can also serve them with Sambar and coconut chutney. If you wish to learn to make the gunpowder chutney or chutney podi click below on the link .
Do try this at home and please leave your comments and suggestions in the comments section below.
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Badam Kheer to celebrate Eid!
In this phase 4 of the lockdown that we are undergoing, hoping that all are safe at home. Be it any festivity ..there’s always a special craving for a dessert. Add a nutty sweetness to your Eid festivities tomorrow with this delicious badam kheer. A rich delicacy like this is a perfect way to celebrate the end of Ramzan. It is very healthy and extremely easy to make.
Follow this step-by-step recipe to enjoy badam kheer this Eid-ul-Fitr.
Badam Kheer
Ingredients:
6 tbsp of semolina
100 gm of sugar
700 ml of milk
20 gm of badam
6 pistas (chopped)
4 cherries (chopped)
Instructions:
Boil and peel the almonds.
Grind them into a paste.
Boil milk and sugar in a pan on low flame.
Add semolina and stir well.
Pour the badam paste into the mixture and stir.
Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the stove.
Pour the kheer halfway into a glass.
Add a layer of chopped pistas.
Now, fill up the rest of the glass with kheer.
Garnish with chopped badam, pistas, and cherries.
Serve warm 🙂
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Chutney podi for Dosa & Idli lovers!
Chutney Podi is known by many names-gun powder, idli podi and pappula podi. This dry powder is a staple in South Indian homes and is not only easy to make but also filled with protein, fiber, essential vitamins, and minerals. This is something that you can always store in cupboards in batches in airtight containers.
This versatile chutney podi can be enjoyed with idlis, dosas, hot rice, chapati or even parathas. In this simple video, I teach you to step by step, how to make this delicious powder at home. Do try this recipe at home and share your videos and pictures with me on Instagram(@nimisrecipes). In case of any queries or doubts, DM me, I would love to help you.
Chutney Podi
Ingredients:
1 TSP of oil
2 cups of chickpea lentils
1 cup of black gram lentils (without skin)
1/2 cup of curry leaves
10 Kashmiri dry chillies
2 TSP of asafoetida powder
1 & 1/2 TSP of salt
Heat oil in a pan .Toast chickpea lentils and black gram lentils.
Put in the curry leaves and mix well.
As the lentils start changing color, add the Kashmiri dry chilies.
Once the lentils start turning golden, add the asafoetida powder and stir well.
Blend all the ingredients until you have a coarse mixture.
Lastly, add salt to taste. Store in airtight containers. When serving , mix the chutney podi with oil(sesame or coconut oil) to make it into a paste and serve with dosas or idlis.
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Pineapple Sheera for Diwali !
Diwali or Deepavali the festive spirit always symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”. This was not a festival that caught a lot of attention in Kerala. But after marriage and relocating myself to Munnar the festive spirits have caught up. For the past many years have been making out a set of Indian sweets. This festive season I thought of sharing with you this quick sheera recipe.
- 1 Cup of Pineapple Puree
- 1 Cup of Semolina
- 1 Cup of Milk
- 3 TBSP of Ghee
- 1 Cup of Sugar
- A pinch of Saffron
- 2 Cups of Water
- A few Cardamoms
- Pour the Pineapple puree into a pan.
- Add 1 TBSP of sugar.
- Mix well and let it simmer for 4-5 mins.
- Keep this aside and heat some ghee into a pan.
- Add the semolina and saute for 5-7 mins.
- Now, keep this pan aside as well.
- Heat some water into a separate pan.
- Add one cup of milk and the sugar.
- Add the saffron and the crushed cardamoms.
- Add the sauted semolina next and mix well.
- Infact, keep mixing, till the mixture becomes thick.
- Next, add the pineapple puree and mix well.
- Transfer into a bowl greased with ghee and mould it on to a plate and garnish with
- pineapple pieces.
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Pepping Onam with the Parippu Payasam !
A harvest festival that is celebrated all over Kerala..a celebration that brings many hearts together .Its that time of the year again when the festive spirit is on. A festival that has no caste, creed or religion is Onam . A festival that is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali.Each day of Onam has its own significance.
My childhood memories take me to those joyful moments when I used to come to my ancestral home and get together with my cousins trying to pick flowers and decorate flower carpets. On the day of Thiruvonam is when the Sadya is laid out . But we all used to help out with the preps for the big day.
Payasam or the dessert is an inevitable part of the Sadya(the meal on the banana leaf). I am always a huge fan of the jaggery based puddings that is served after the meal. Thought of sharing a recipe that I learned from my mother. The traditional Parippu Payasam or Parippu Prathaman. This is basically made from the green gram split lentils or moong dal .
- 1 Cup of Moong Dal
- ⅛ Cup of Sago (Sabudana)
- 2 Cups of Jaggery Syrup
- 2 Cups of Thin Coconut Milk
- 1 Cup of Thick Coconut Milk
- 2-3 Cardamom (Crushed)
- 4 TBSP of Ghee
- 3 Cups of Water
- ¼ Cup of Coconut Chips
- 1 TBSP of Raisins
- Start by soaking moong dal for half an hour.
- Heat ghee in a pan.
- Fry the moong dal in the pan for 10 mins.
- Now, add water to the lentils.
- Cook until lentils are soft and add the jaggery syrup.
- Cook for some time till the mixture thickens.
- Next, add the thin coconut milk.
- Add the crushed cardamom and let the mixture simmer.
- Wash, boil and strain the sago (Sabudana)
- Add the sago to the pan and mix well.
- Simmer until mixture thickens.
- Next, add the thick coconut milk.
- Turn the flame off once the payasam starts simmering.
- Next, take ghee in a pan for tempering.
- Fry the coconut chips and add the raisins too.
- Once they start puffing, take them off the flame.
- Now, pour this on top of the payasam and mix well.
- Serve this warm !
Singing the traditional onam song ,
“Maveli Nadu Vaneedum Kaalam
Manusharellarum Onnupole
Amodhathode Vasikkum Kalam
Apathangarkkumottillathanum
Kallavum Illa Chathiyumilla
Ellolamilla Polivachanam
Kallapparayum Cherunazhiyum
Kallatharangal Mattonnumilla
Adhikal Vyadhikalonnumilla
Balamaranangal Kelppanilla
Maveli Nadu Vaneedum Kaalam
Manusharellarum Onnupole “
Wishing you all a wonderful Onam !!!!
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Gajar ka Halwa to pep up the festive spirit!
Sweets have always been an integral part of festivities in India. Today being Karthigai Deepam / Thrikarthigai -the festival of lamps which is celebrated in the states of Kerala and Tamilnadu, I thought of sharing a sweet recipe with you all. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol during this festival. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. On the day, all the houses, streets and temples are well lit with traditional oil lamps. After the floods, it has taken up quite some time to get things back in order. So
Carrot Halwa or Gajar ka halwa is one sweet pudding that you can easily whip up with the ingredients. This batch was made with homegrown carrots…so it was super yum 🙂
5-6 medium sized carrots (peeled and grated )
6tbsp of sugar
1 cup of milk
4-5 strands of saffron
2-3 cardamoms crushed and skin off.
1/4 cup of halved almonds, cashews and raisins
1/8 cup of ghee
Heat ghee in a pan, fry and separate the almonds, cashews & raisins on to a plate. In the leftover ghee, fry the carrots till it shrinks in size and darkens in color. Pour in the milk, add in the cardamom seeds and sugar. Cover and cook the mix till it thickens. Make sure to keep stirring it so as to avoid it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Garnish with saffron, almonds, cashews & raisins. Carrot Halwa is ready to be
May this festival of lights bring us brightened and enlightened life like that of lamps …Wishing all a Happy Thrikarthika / Karthigai Deepam!!!
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Mocha Kulfi for Coffee lovers !!
Kulfi is a super popular frozen Indian dessert. Its the Indian ice cream but is much denser and creamier than the regular ice creams. The word “kulfi” was derived from the Persian word for covered cup. Since kulfis are loved by kids, I had posted a Dates and Almonds Kulfi recipe earlier.
Coffee lovers are quite familiar with the cafe’ mocha. Being a true coffee lover, I just love trying out coffee flavored recipes. This was a recipe that I came across in a food magazine a few years ago and having a husband who is crazy on coffee …its quite fun to pop up with different flavors. So today’s recipe is Mocha Kulfi!
Here’s the video link to this frozen delight. Stay tuned and subscribe to my youtube channel for more recipes.
- 2 cups of milk
- 200ml of condensed milk
- 6-7 tbsps of sugar
- 2 tbsps of instant coffee powder or espresso powder
- (Instant Coffee Powder or Espresso Powder)
- 2 tbsps of cornflour
- Boil milk with sugar and stir in the coffee powder .Mix in the condensed milk.Add 3-4 tbsps of water to the cornflour to make a smooth paste .Pour it into the boiling coffee mix and continue stirring .Make sure to stick to stirring the mix as it can easily get quite lumpy .Once the mix starts thickening up , turn off the flame and pour it into kulfi molds or into a deep tray.Freeze the kulfis for about 4-5 hours .When you are trying to demold the kulfis , it best to slightly show it under hot water so that you can easily pull out the kulfi. In a tray you can slice them into cubes and dust with coffee powder before serving .
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Monsoons and Aloo tikkis !
Growing your own vegetables for your daily needs makes food so much tastier. Organic farming is so much into these days. Making use the soil to grow your own vegetables and fruits make cooking much more divine. Born and raised in Abu Dhabi, living a city life, I haven’t actually had a great exposure to farming or growing food during my childhood days. The vacation visits to Kerala to my parent’s ancestral homes always excited me so much. I really awed the moment s when the whole family gets together spending time chatting, cooking, eating …It was a real fun to do things that you were not used to doing. Going fishing in ponds, picking fresh veggies, helping my mother and grandmother in cooking. There’s a flush of memories that flow in when I look back.
After marriage, now a mother to two boys and living in Kerala … I also want to instill in my kids the value of growing their own food. I have a small backyard to the house where I live and every season it’s a different set of veggies that are grown.A few months back I had asked one of our staffs to buy a batch of potatoes for home and the person wasn’t very good at picking up the right potatoes and I ended up having slightly sprouted ones. In two days’ time I had to travel to my in-laws home for family reasons and by the time I was back in my kitchen, it was pretty much all sprouted up. They were all cut up and shoved into the soil. Last week as my husband and kids were plucking some fresh tomatoes from our backyard, I noticed the potato plant and pulled out one to find the potatoes were all ready to be taken out of the soil. We got about 2-3 kilos of potatoes which pretty much a good amount to use up for our home cooking. And yesterday I used some of those to make some really crispy “Aloo tikkis” for my children as a snack for tea time. The rains have started off pretty quick this year round….So it’s pretty much very satisfying to have some hot snacks with chai.
- 3-4 medium sized potatoes boiled and peeled and mashed
- 3-4 green chillies chopped
- ½ tsp of cumin seeds
- ½-1tsp of chilli powder (u can vary it according to your spice preference)
- ½ tsp of turmeric powder
- 2 tsps of coriander leaves chopped
- ¼ tsp of dry mango powder or ½ tsp of lemon juice
- 2 tbsps of rice flour
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
- In a bowl mix in potatoes, green chillies ,cumin seeds, chilli powder , turmeric powder , coriander leaves , rice flour ,lemon juice or dry mango powder and salt . Pinch golf ball sized small portions, roll and flatten to make patties .Once shaped in to patties, heat oil in a wok and deep fry them till they are golden brown in color. Serve with green chutneys
- 1 cup of fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup of fresh coriander leaves
- 2 green chillies
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/4 inch piece of ginger
- 1 teaspoon of lime juice
- 1/2 cup of yoghurt
- salt to taste
- Grind mint leaves , coriander leaves , garlic , ginger and lime juice into smooth paste in a blender.Mix in the yoghurt and salt .Serve it with the aloo tikkis !
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Koki- The Sindhi bread & my food journey !!
India being a country with remarkable diversity has always been the abode to a rich culinary heritage .As a child I always fancied our motherland not sure if it was of me being born and brought up outside India . The vacations were always days that I would wait for our trips to India . Indian cuisine in itself is so vast that you can never get tired exploring .The huge regional diversities from states , to borders to homes is just unbelievable .
With this new post I would also like to share the officially launch my you tube channel “Nimi’s Recipes “.This is an attempt to give a breath of life to some of the recipes that I have loved trying ..Hoping to have your support !!
The recipe that I wanted to introduce today is a Sindhi bread -“Koki”. This Sindhi breakfast is a really good combination with green chutney .
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 large onions chopped
- 4 green chilies chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2 tsps cumin seeds
- 2 tsps pomegranate seeds
- Salt to taste
- Oil for shallow frying
- In a bowl mix all ingredients except for oil and add water to knead it into a firm dough .Cover the bwl and set aside for about 10-15 minutes .
- Divide the prepared dough into small balls and shape into thick flat patty .Place patties on a warm griddle and roast both sides on a very low heat .Roll these patties into slightly thick round discs and shallow fry in oil , turning to cook both sides.Serve the koki roti with green chutney .
A homemaker who fell head over heels in love with food -an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, award-winning culinary demonstrator
Hi! I am Nimi Sunilkumar…an award winning cookbook author /culinary demonstrator/freelance writer / food photographer/food blogger …spiced with the flavors of food..
