Sarkara Upperi

   

Ingredients

2 no Raw Plantain (raw kerala banana)

¾ cup Jaggery

¼ cup Water

1 tsp Dry Ginger Powder

½ tsp Cardamom Powder

½ tsp Roasted Cumin Powder

1 tbsp rice flour

Oil for deep frying

 

Preparations

 

Peel raw banana, cut it into half moons. Deep fry in medium heat oil till super crispy. It will take around 20 to 30 mins to get it crispy. Drain and set aside.

Take jaggery and water in a sauce pan and boil till liquid and melted. Strain this using a sieve. Pour this back in the pan. Boil till it gets syrupy.

Add in fried raw banana pieces and coat it well with the syrup. Cook it in the syrup till the banana is coated well. Lower the heat, and add in rice flour and mix well. Stir till it gets coated all over the banana pieces. Spread this on a plate. Let it cool completely. Store in an air tight container. 

 

 

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Pineapple in Sweet-Tangy Coconut Yoghurt- Pachadi

Ingredients

• Pineapple, cubed — 1¼ cups
• Green chilli, chopped — 2
• Turmeric powder — ¼ tsp
• Grated coconut — ¼ cup
• Cumin seeds — ½ tsp
• Curd (yoghurt), whisked — ½ cup
• Coconut oil — 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds — ¼ tsp
• Dried red chilli — 2
• Curry leaves — 1 sprig
• Salt — to taste

Method

1. Cook the pineapple with green chilli, turmeric powder, salt, and a little water until soft.
2. Grind the coconut and cumin seeds into a smooth paste with a little water.
3. Add the coconut paste to the cooked pineapple.
4. Mix well and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
6. Stir in the whisked curd.
7. Heat coconut oil in a small pan.
8. Add mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and curry leaves, and let them splutter.
9. Pour the tempering over the pachadi.

Tip: Add the curd only after the pan is off the heat — boiling curd can cause it to split.

 

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Kerala-Style Bitter Gourd Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• Bitter gourd (pavakka), deseeded and cut into thin half-moons — 2 medium
• Shallots (sambhar onions), thinly sliced — 8–10
• Garlic cloves, crushed — 4–5
• Fresh coconut bites (thenga kothu), thinly sliced into slivers — 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder — ¼ tsp
• Kashmir red chilli powder — 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder, freshly cracked — ½ tsp
• Coconut oil — 1½ tbsp
• Mustard seeds — ½ tsp
• Curry leaves — 1–2 sprigs
• Salt — to taste

Method

1. Toss the sliced bitter gourd with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Let it rest for 5–7 minutes so the spices coat evenly.
2. Heat coconut oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or uruli. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add the coconut slices (thenga kothu) and sauté for a minute until they turn light golden.
4. Add the sliced shallots, crushed garlic, and curry leaves. Sauté on medium flame until the shallots soften and turn translucent.
5. Add the spiced bitter gourd slices into the pan and mix well with the aromatics.
6. Sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons of water, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, until the slices turn tender.
7. Remove the lid, turn the heat to medium-low, and stir in the black pepper powder. Continue to roast uncovered for another 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges turn crisp and lightly caramelised.
8. Turn off the heat and serve warm alongside rice, parippu, and ghee.

Tip: Sautéing the coconut pieces until golden first releases sweet nuttiness into the oil, which balances the natural bitterness of the gourd throughout the slow roast.

 

 

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Peri Peri Masala At Home

 Originating from African and Portuguese culinary traditions, Peri Peri (or Piri Piri) is centered around the African Bird's Eye chili. While the original recipe relies on a wet marinade made from crushed fresh peppers, garlic, and citrus, the dry spice seasoning version has taken the global food scene by storm. The seasoning has become a staple for everything from crispy French fries and buttered popcorn to grilled chicken, roasted veggies, and paneer. 

 Ingredients
2 tbsp Kashmir red chilli powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp black salt

1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp citric acid powder
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper  

 

Preparations

Ensure all your powdered ingredients and mixing bowls are completely dry to prevent the seasoning blend from clumping during the storage process.

 Combine the Kashmir red chilli powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black salt, caster sugar, citric acid, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Now, transfer the mixed spices to a small blender jar and pulse briefly for ten seconds to ensure all the herbs are finely ground and uniformly integrated. 

Store the freshly made Peri-peri masala in a dry airtight shaker and keep in a cool pantry up to 3 months. 

 

 

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Methi Mathri

 Mathri is usually made with flour or refined flour (maida) and flavoured with spices. While making it is simple, getting that perfect crispiness can sometimes be tricky. The key lies in the dough, the amount of ghee and the way the mathri is fried. Here are the tips to help you get that halwai-style texture at home.

Ingredients and Preparations

Take two cups of refined flour and sieve it well. Add salt to taste, half a teaspoon of ajwain rubbed between your palms, two tablespoons of kasuri methi, half a teaspoon of black pepper powder and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Add half a cup of slightly lukewarm desi ghee or refined oil. The recipe notes that around 300 grams of ghee is used for one kilogram of refined flour while kneading. Mix everything well and gradually add water to prepare the dough. 

 The dough should be slightly stiff rather than soft and smooth. Roll it out similar to a samosa dough, but do not knead it until completely smooth. Simply bring the dough together and keep it firm. According to the recipe, more cracks in the dough can help make the mathri crispier. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for around 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, lightly knead the dough again and divide it into small portions. Roll each portion into a round ball, similar to how you roll laddus. Place the balls on a rolling board and press them gently in the centre with your palms. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

  

 You can also flatten the mathri using a rolling pin, although the recipe notes that the shape may not be as perfect as the halwai-style method. Heat oil in a pan until it is slightly hot, then place the mathris in it. Do not stir them immediately. Give them some time to fry. Once they rise to the surface, stir them gently and allow them to cook properly.

 After about two minutes, gently stir the mathris and keep the heat low. Flip them only after one side is thoroughly cooked, then allow the other side to cook slowly. It takes at least six minutes for the mathris to cook on both sides. Remove them once they turn slightly golden, making sure the colour is even.

 

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https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

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Beetroot Paratha For Kids

 Ingredients: 

1 cup whole wheat flour, 

½ cup beetroot (finely grated), 

2 tbsp curd, 

1 tbsp ghee or oil. 

½ tsp cumin seeds, 

¼ tsp turmeric pdr, 

¼ tsp red chilli pdr, 

salt as per taste

water as needed

 

Preparations

combine the whole wheat flour, grated beetroot, spices, salt, and ghee in a large bowl.  

Next, cover and let the dough rest for about 10 to 15 minutes to ensure that it rolls more easily.

Divide the dough into equal parts and roll each of them to make medium-sized paratha.

Now, heat the tawa and cook each paratha nicely from both sides until golden spots appear and they seem cooked enough. 

You can pair the beetroot parathas with curd, chutney or any gravy, tomato ketchup.  

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

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How to Effectively Kill Germs on Your Kitchen Sponge

Are you ready to hear something extremely gross? According to research, the average kitchen sponge is home to around 350 different types of horrible bacteria that could potentially make your family very ill. Cleaning your sponge is not as simple as merely rinsing it with soap and water, so if you really want to banish bad bacteria from your sponges, then follow these tips and make sure to use one of the following methods:

1. The Bleach Method 

Grab a bucket and add 3/4 of a cup of bleach to an entire gallon of water. Then, throw your sponge in and let it soak up the liquid for at least 5 minutes. Finally, remove the sponge from the bucket and rinse it well. This method has been found to remove around 99.9% of bad germs. 

2. The Microwave Method 

Place a saturated sponge in the microwave and cook it for a full minute. Then let it cool before removing it from the microwave. This method has been found to remove around 99.9% of bad germs.

3. The Dishwasher Method 

Place your sponge in the dishwasher and turn on the regular cycle. Make sure to finish it on the 'heated dry' option. Like the other methods above, this one has also been found to remove around 99.9% of bad germs. 

4. The Vinegar Method 

To use this method, simply soak your sponge in vinegar for around 5 minutes before taking it out and rinsing with cold water. While not as effective as the other methods, it has still been found to kill 99.6% of harmful germs.

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs