Basundhi

Whenever i try something different outside i either get the recipe from the person who made it or search for the recipe in various blogs.This is one such recipe that i got from my friends mother but with a few variations here n there,but the outcome was similar to hers.



Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1 tin evaporated milk
1 tin condensed milk
1/2 tsp elaichi pwd
10 almonds
few strands of safforn or yellow color.

Method:

Soak the almonds in warm water n remove the skin and grind them to a coarse powder.

In a wide deep bottom pan add the whole milk on keep on low heat(atleast 3 or 4).

Keep mixing it so that it doesnt stick to the pan,now for once increase the heat to medium but still keep mixing it.

When it comes to a boil add the evaporated milk n condensed milk n again reduce the heat and keep mixing.do this for 15 mins.

Next add the almond powder and elaichi powder n few saffron strands or yellow color n mix.

Keep stirring for 10 mins,u will notice the mixture becoming thick.

Switch off the stove n remove to a bowl n let it cool.

When it comes to room temperature garnish it with few saffron strands,slivered almonds or pistachios n refrigerate it for 4 hrs or more

Serve chilled

Note:U should be patient with the whole procedure though it takes some time around 30-45 mins.Usualy it takes more time but since we are also useing already evaporated milk we reduce the time to half.

U can aslo use heavy whipping cream instead of the evaporated milk.

Rava kesari,Boorelu N Pulihora

Rava Kesari:-

1 cup sooji/rava(that we use for upma the thin variety)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup ghee
1/2 cup nuts(cashew,khismiss,almonds)
pinch of orange food color/saffron soaked in 3tbsp warm milk
pinch salt(optional)

• Melt ghee in a pan on low heat
• Add the nuts when they turn light brown add the Khissmiss(raisins)
• When the Kismiss puff up a bit add the sooji and on low heat roast it
• When it turns light brown ,add the sugar and mix it up.
• Add water and the orange color and keep stirring continously.
• Add pinch of salt
• When the kesari starts leaving the side of the dish remove, n serve hot or cold

I used a non stick pan so everything was made easy...remember to keep the flame on low or medium low.

Boorelu(Poornalu) N Pulihora

I picked this recipe from my favorite site sailusfood so all credit goes to her.Till now all the recipes i try from her site just turn out perfect n more or less remind me of my mothers cooking.

so here are the links to her site

Boorelu

http://www.sailusfood.com/2007/01/08/boorelu/

Pulihora

http://www.sailusfood.com/2008/10/30/pulihora-andhra-tamarind-rice/

Ugadi n Ugadi pachadi

First n foremost wish u all a HAPPY UGADI


As you savour Ugadi Pachadi
Here's wishing that your
New Year is filled with all
The rich flavours of life!!!!!
HAPPY UGADI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year Ugadi falls on March 27th 2009.Now lets see its significance



Ugadi (Kannada: ಯುಗಾದಿ, Telugu: ఉగాది from yuga+aadi, yuga is era, aadi means start. the start of an era) is the new year's day for the people of the Deccan region of India. While the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh use the term Ugadi for this festival, the people of Maharashtra term the same festival, observed on the same day, Gudi Padwa. Sindhis, people from Sindh, celebrate the same day as their New Year day Cheti Chand.
Ugadi is celebrated on a different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar calendar. The Saka calendar begins with the month of Chaitra (March/April) and Ugadi marks the first day of the new year.


It is believed that the creator of the Hindu pantheon Lord Brahma started creation on this day - Chaitra suddha padhyami or the Ugadi day


It is a season for raw mangoes spreading its aroma in the air and the fully blossomed neem tree that makes the air healthy. Also, jaggery made with fresh crop of sugarcane adds a renewed flavor to the typical dishes associated with Ugadi. "Ugadi pachchadi" is one such dish that has become synonymous with Ugadi. It is made with a mixture of

1.Neem Buds/Flowers for bitterness
2.Raw Mango for tang
3.Tamarind Juice for sourness
4.Green Chilli/Pepper for heat
5.Jaggery for sweetness
6.Pinch of Salt for saltiness

This mixture with all six tastes (షడ్రుచులు), called "Ugadi Pachhadi" (ఉగాది పచ్చడి) in Telugu and "Bevu-Bella"( ಬೇವು-ಬೆಲ್ಲ ) in Kannada, symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) , which should be accepted together and with equanimity.

Later, people traditionally gather to listen to the recitation of the religious almanac (Panchangam) of the coming year, and to the general forecast of the year to come. This is the Panchanga Sravanam, an informal social function where an elderly and respected person refers to the new almanac pertaining to the coming year and makes a general benediction to all present. The advent of television has changed this routine, especially in the cities. Nowadays, people turn on the TV to watch broadcasts of the recitation.

Preparations for the festival begin a week ahead. Houses are given a thorough wash. Shopping for new clothes and buying other items that go with the requirements of the festival are done with a lot of excitement. The celebration of Ugadi is marked by religious zeal and social merriment. Special dishes are prepared for the occasion. In Andhra Pradesh, eatables such as "pulihora", "bobbatlu" and preparations made with raw mango go well with the occasion.

With the raw mango available in abundance only during the two months (of April/May), people in Andhra Pradesh make good use of mangoes to last them until the next season. They pickle the mangoes with salt, powdered mustard and powdered dry red chilli and a lot of oil to float over the mangoes. This preparation is called "avakai" and lasts for a whole year.
Mangoes and summer season go hand in hand. Ugadi thus marks the beginning of the hot season which coincides with the school vacations.

My menu for Ugadi

Ugadi pachadi,Pulihora,Boorelu,Kesari,mangoe dal, kakarakaya vepudu,tomatoe rasam,papad, n curd .

Ugadi Pachadi

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp tamarind paste
2 small pc's of jaggery
few neem flowers/for people outside india where neem flowers are unavailable use tsp of methi pwd
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp chilli pwd
3 tbsp of chopped finely raw mangoe pcs'
few coconut pc's chopped fine
few sugarcane pc's chopped fine.
1 glass of water


Method


Mix all the above ingredients,adjust the sweetness,sourness according to ur taste.


Here in US staying in chicago we get lot of indian stuff....one such thing is i was able to get the dried neem flowers in one indian grocery store, and was also able to get a raw mangoe n sugarcane as well.....Ugadi Pachadi is prepared in many variations accross andhra pradesh but the basic 6 ingredients are always the same .Mine is more of a Andhra version,some people even add putnala pappu(channa dal) n banana pc's as well.