Poli

It is known by different names in different regions - "Poli" , Obattu, Holige....I love all the sweets made out of jaggery. This is one of my favorite. i think it would be apt to say "Poli" by any name tastes sweet and awesome!!

I have made it many a times before I got married....but Amma was always there to give a helping hand in this lengthy process. We make Poli mainly on the day of Bhogi. So I made this for this year's Bhogi. Maiden attempt but it came out pretty good. if you are planning to make this...you need to decide well in advance. The dough (the outer layer) requires 3 to 4 hours of soaking before you can roll the Poli's out.



The quantity given below will get you a dozen Poli's.
Ingredients for Outer Layer -
Maida - 1 Cup
Ghee - 2 Tsp
Oil - 1/2 Cup
Turmeric or yellow food color - a pinch

Ingredients that go into the Poornam (Filling)
Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Jaggery Grated - 1 1/2 Cup
Cardomom - 2 powdered

Mix the flour, ghee and turmeric or yellow food color. Add water little by little and knead the flour. After you are done with kneading the flour well. Cover the flour with a moist cloth and leave it for an hour.
After an hour, take the dough and again knead it well until it becomes soft (repeat this until it comes like rubber).
Add the oil to the dough and mix it well until it absorbs the oil. Leave it for 3 to 4 hours.
In the mean time, presurre cook the channa dhal (maximum 2 whistles). It should not get too much mashed.
When the channa dhal is cool. Grind it along with jaggery and cardomom.
Do not panic if the channa dhal - jaggery mixture gets liquidy. You can take some ghee and add this mixture. This will help it thicken.
Make balls of this poornam.
Take the maida dougn that has been sitting for 4 hours. Make balls with this too.
Take the maida ball and slightly flatten it. Keep the filling and cover it from all sides. Repeat this process with the maida dough and the filling.

This will help you to roll the poli's all at once.

If you have plaintain leaf, lightly spread oil on this and pat the balls with your hands evenly.

I used the wax paper for making the poli's (In India it is called butter paper).

Heat the tava and make the poli. Spread some ghee and cook it on both sides.

If you follow this exact method...you will get soft and yummy poli.

Mango Pulp Fruit Salad

I was asked to prepare a desert item for a get together recently. I was contemplating on what to make. I came up with an item everyday since the day I accepted to make the desert. I was the only person making desert for the entire group...so had to think of something that can be had by everyone

I always have stock of mango pulp and canned fruits in my pantry..it always comes in handy...hence ventured into making the custard...(but not with the usual custard powder but using the mango pulp).

Choose the kesar mango pulp (it tastes better than any other canned puree)

Pineapple - tit bits canned
Apples - 3 cut into pieces
Grapes - 2 cups
Mangoes - cut into pieces (if in season)
Mandarin Oranges - use the canned ones. They are peeled and ready to use Sugar - 1/2 cup (optional) Whipped cream - 1 or 2 cups
Saffron - few strands
French Vanilla Ice cream - 1 cup

Take the pineapple tit bits and add sugar to it and boil it. This will help in taking of the tingling taste when it is added to the custard. You can this in advance and refrigerate.Take the mango custard and whipped cream and blend them together. Freeze it for an hour. you may alternatively refrigerate it too. I allowed it to freeze since I did not want it getting watery for the get together.
Cut the fruits and add sugar. Set it aside. If you are going to make and serve it immediately. You may omit this of adding sugar. The sugar from the fruits, whipped cream, ice cream and mango pulp is good enough. This is needed if you are preparing up front and to keep the fruits from tarnishing.

Take the mixture from the refrigerator and mix it by adding the fruits and french vanilla ice cream.

Add saffron to the fruit salad mixture(Note: Add Saffron to warm milk and nicely rub it before adding it to the fruits).

Refrigerate it again. If you have a sweet tooth...you may add the extra cup sugar.

Before serving top it off with finely chopped pecan and almonds. Topping it with a Cherry.

(Note: Avoid fruits that will give out color - like strawberry, pomegranate etc

This is a very simple to make yet a rich desert.

Almond Cashew Burfi

I am back after a while....Lot of my friends and relatives have been enquiring about "Yenn Samayal" missing in action!! I have taken a break from work. When I was working I used to meticulously spend time every weekend since I wanted to think something outside of work..now have I started getting lazy or what....no thats not the case.....I am at home enjoying time with my two year old that is the reason. I am trying new recipes but not finding time to sit in front of the lap top!! I have been thinking of finding some time to post the recipes...but when I get free time I end up cleaning and not blogging!! I saw the movie Julie and Julia couple of weeks ago and this movie rekindled my spirits to cook as well as write. I loved this movie...planning to read the book "Not sure when??!!"... I did not want to disappoint my dear friends and relatives....so here I am back to the world of blogging...

At long last I found sometime to sit for couple of hours in front of the lap top!! So wanted to start with a sweet note after the long break!! But it has been sweets galore ....this is the third sweet recipe for today!!

This was also one of the sweets I prepared for Diwali...



Ingredients -

Almonds - 1 cup
Cashew - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 to 2 Cups
Water - 2 cups

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Turn off the gas and add the almonds.

Soak the cashews separately in hot water. After half an hour peel off the skin from the almonds.
Grind cashew and almonds together to a nice smooth paste.
Dissolve the sugar in 1 cup of water and then turn on the gas. Bring it to boil till it gets one string consistency. Add the cashew almond paste to the sugar syrup. When it starts sticking to the pan. Slowly start adding the ghee to it and keep stirring by preventing it from sticking to the bottom.

You will know it is ready to be transferred on to a greased plate when it starts forming a frothy stage (the way it gets for mysore pak). You should not keep it too long since it will start forming into crystal. When you pour into the greased plate and make pieces it should be soft.

When it is ready transfer it to a greased plate. You need to cut them into pieces when they are warm (not after they get cooled down).

You may decorate the piece with cashew and almond alternatively (when they are warm press the nut) and make into pieces.

Condensed milk burfi

This is one of the burfi which I love to eat. I am not a sweet lover but love this burfi. When I was a kid I never waited till it was made into burfis...I would just scoop the boiling chocolate mixture in a cup and eat it. Back home we were never allowed to touch until the sweet was made and offered to God ( I started following the same now!!).

Whenever my aunt used to make this sweet....she would just make it into a ball and just roll it on the kitchen counter top and cut into squares!! I am not that adept at making this...make it the traditional way -"pouring the contents in to the greased plate and then cut it after it sets".

This cocoa burfi when made with roasted nuts.....even the people who do not like sweets will start loving it!! Even as I write my mouth is watering..I make this sweet very often. My husband loves it and my two year old who is not that fond of sweets loves it too.

This was one of the sweet I made for Diwali.



Items needed:

Condensed milk - 1 tin
Sugar - 1/2 tin
Cocoa - 2 to 3 tsp (as per your taste)
Water - 1/2 tin
Butter - 100 gms ( 1 slab)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp (optional)
Chopped nuts - almonds, cashew and raisins
Ghee for frying the nuts

Method -

Take a tsp of ghee and roasts the nuts and keep it aside. Always grease a plate before starting on the burfi.

In a heavy bottom pan mix condensed milk, sugar, water and bring to a boil. Add cocoa powder and keep stirring.

When it starts dividing add the butter. Keep it on stove till it starts leaving the sides of the vessel. Add the roasted nuts and mix well.

Pour it on to a greased plate. Make pieces after it gets cooled.

The yummy cocoa burfi is ready to be served....

Ricotta Cheese Milk Sweet

I wanted to make something different for my son's second birthday. But at that time I was working and work load was heavy hence was contemplating on what to make without messing up with whatever I was trying - "if it happens to be a maiden venture". I was talking and my friend mentioned about the sweet and passed on the recipe to me. She mentioned that she had made it for Sri Jayanthi and that too it could be made in microwave..!! It sounded simple and easy. I have tried milk sweets in microwave using condensed milk...the idea of trying milk sweet with ricotta cheese sounded novel....hence I ventured out...but not on microwave but our "Stove TOP" (this can be made in microwave too,,,but you need to stir it up every few minutes inbetween and repeat the process till you get this consistency of pouring it onto a greased plate).



Ingredients:

Ricotta cheese ( 15 oz) – measures 1 1/4 cups
Dry milk powder – 3/4 cup
Milk – 1/2 cup
Sugar – 1 cup
Butter – 1 block

Grease a plate before you start making this sweet.

Take a heavy bottom pan or nonstick pan. Heat milk for some time when it starts boiling add the dry milk powder (make sure it does not form lumps),sugar and ricotta cheese. Blend well. When it is starting to getting thicker add the butter slowly. Stir it till it comes to the consistency of turning to the greased plate and comes like a ball when you turn it.

Take it off the stove and pour it on a greased plate. Make pieces after it cools for sometime.

(Note: You may add cocoa powder it inorder to make chocolate burfi. This should be added along with the dry milk powder)

It takes less than half an hour to make this milk sweet...enjoy!!