Ingredients
Sugar - 2 cups
( Colour of the syrup is dark because i have used unrefined organic sugar)
Water - 1 cup Method
Take a sauce pan add sugar and water.
Stir it in medium heat for 3 minutes till the syrup is transparent and slightly thick.
Do not over boil as your syrup will thicken when cooled.
Switch off the stove,cool and filter the syrup.
Store it in a clean jar in fridge. Note:
a) There are 3 different kinds of simple syrup thin,medium and thick.
For thin syrup the ratio is water - 3 cups and Sugar -1 cup.
For medium syrup water - 2 cups and sugar - 1 cup.
For thick syrup water - 1 cup and sugar - 1 cup.
Today we have made the medium syrup which is added as a sweetener for all juices and beverages.
b) Add required syrup to sweeten your beverages.
(This is called whole spice) Garnish
Fried onions-little
Mint leaves-few
Yellow food colour diluted in 1tsp of lime juice
Mutton Biriyani
Method.
Marinate the mutton with all the above ingredients for 1 hour. Heat oil & ghee in a pressure cooker add whole spices,add onions fry till golden brown,now add tomatoes,mint,ginger/garlic paste,green chillies fry till the oil separates. Now add the marinated mutton,don't add any water,cook till the mutton is soft. Cook the rice with the whole spice till 3/4 done. In a wide vessel pour the gravy at the bottom,on top spread the rice,garnish with fried onions,lime juice & mint/coriander leaves. Close it with a tight lid ( use a aluminium foil so the steam does not escape).Keep it in low flame for 10 minutes.Mix & serve it hot with onion raita.
Tips
Biriyani is a dish made for an occasion,Pl. don't compromise for any ingredient,if so you may loose the taste.Onions must be fried golden brown.Keep it in dum for at least 15 mins.Marinate the meat for at least 5 hrs.This will tenderise your meat.These simple tips will give you good result. Tried Mutton Dum Biriyani in Instant Pot
Tempering ingredients
Oil-2 tsp
Mustard-1/2tsp
Urad dal-1/4tsp
Channa dal - 1/4 tsp
Hing-a pinch
Curry leaves-few
Red chillies - 2 Other ingredients
Chopped avarakkai / Broad Beans -2 cups
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Grated coconut-2 tbsp Method
Heat oil in a pan & temper it with above ingredients.
Add the avarakkai,turmeric powder,salt & fry for a minute.
Reduce the flame sprinkle very little water.Cover it with a lid & cook the avarakkai till done.
Sprinkle the grated coconut,toss well.
Switch off the stove garnish with curry leaves & serve as side dish for rice.
Ingredients
Horse gram/Kollu - 1/2 cup
( soak it over night in water)
Chopped onion - 1/4 cup
Chopped cucumber - 1/4 cup
Chopped tomato - 1/4 cup
Chopped capsicum - 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander leaves - a handful
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Kollu Salad
Method
Pour water in a pressure cooker add some salt and horse gram,pressure cook till done.Do not over cook.Strain out the water and keep the horse gram in a bowl.Do not discard the water use it in making Rasam or for any gravy.
Add all the above ingredients to the horse gram,gently mix till everything is combined.
Serve immediately!
Note:
a) Instead of boiled kollu you can also use sprouted kollu.
b) Use any combination of vegetables to more your salad more interesting.
c) Do not discard the kollu water make rasam with it or pour it in any gravy.
Thanks Arizona Tamil school ( Arizona Tamil Sangam) for giving this opportunity to be one of the Judges for the cooking competition.The theme was Unave Marundhu loved the creation of all the participants.congrats to the winners.
Cooking competition judge at Kanada Sangam. Happy to be one and taste yummy sweets. Thanks kanada sangam to give me this opportunity.- 2016
Ingredients dry roasted and ground to a smooth paste
Ground nuts/Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 3
( I added 1/2 tsp chilly powder as my chillies were not that hot)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Onions fried till light brown in few drops of oil - a handful
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp
( Today i did not add)
Semi thick tamarind pulp - 1/3 cup
Oil few drops
Method
Heat few drops of oil in a pan and roast peanuts,poppy seeds,sesame seeds,red chillies and coconut till light brown.
Switch off the heat and add the fried onion & dry masala powder.Pour the tamarind juice and grind to a fine thick paste.Add water if needed for grinding. Other ingredient
Brinjals - 6
( make a slit on top like a cross and soak it in salt water for 10 minutes.Heat some oil and fry the brinjals till soft and outer skin is well roasted.Keep it aside)
Oil - 1/4 cup
Coriander & curry leaves for garnish
Method
Heat oil in a pan temper it with mustard and methi.
Add onion & green chillies fry till light brown now add the ground paste and saute till oil separates the pan.Pour water cover and cook till the gravy is almost thick and masala has separated the oil.
Put the fried brinjals and cook for few more minutes.
Switch off the stove garnish with curry and coriander leaves.
Best served with plain rice.
Pavakkai / Bitter gourd / kakarakaya - 2 medium size
(cut into thin circles)
Salt to taste
Hing-little
Turmeric powder-little
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder-1/2tsp
Besan-2tsp
Oil-to fry
Method
Put the cut bitter gourd in a bowl,add salt and turmeric powder,mix well and leave it for 5 minute.
Gently press and squeeze out the excess water from the bitter gourd,this step is optional but i do to reduce the bitterness.Discard the water.
Add all above mentioned ingredients to the vegetable and mix everything well till all sides are coated with the masala.
Water is not required,if needed sprinkle very little water.Heat oil in a pan & shallow or deep fry in batches till crisp & brown on all sides.Remove it on a kitchen paper and serve.
Tandoori tofu ingredients
Thick curd-1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder-1/2tsp
Coriander powder-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Roasted & powdered jeera/cumin powder-1tsp
Garam masala-a pinch
Crushed kastoori methi-1tsp
Ginger & Garlic paste-1tsp
Firm tofu -14 oz pack one
(cut into big cubes)
Besan / chickpea flour - 1 tsp
Oil-2 tsp
Method
Take a bowl add all the above ingredients and marinate for 20 minutes.
Arrange the tofu along with the marinate on a baking tray,at 375 deg. F bake for 8 to 10 minutes,turn the tofu and then broil it for another 10 minutes till the top is brown.
Don't bake it too brown,otherwise they may get burnt or become hard.
Each oven is different so keep an eye while baking,keep these aside.
Stuffing ingredients
Rice papers-4
Vegetables cut into thin strips
(Cucumber,carrot,red bell pepper or any vegetable of your choice)
Lettuce or Kale - 4 leaves
Basil leaves few
Tandooro Tofu Soft Spring Rolls
Method
Soften the rice papers by immersing them in water for 2 seconds.
Place it on a plate,place the kale leave then the vegetables and top it with tandoori tofu lastly place a basil leaf on top.
Tightly roll them as you roll for the spring roll.
Cut into half & serve it with any dip you like.
Note:
Use your imagination to make your filling more interesting.
Chopped carrot-1 cup
Sliced garlic-6
Chopped jalapeno chilly-4
(seeds removed)
Lime juice-1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder-3tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp Dry roasted till just hot & powdered Mustard-3tsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds-1tsp
Tempering
Oil-1/2 cup
Mustard-1tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds-1tsp
Red chillies-4
Hing-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-little
Method
Take a clean bowl add all above mentioned ingredients & the dry roasted powder and mix. Heat oil in a pan & temper it,cool the tempering, pour it into the bowl. Mix well till everything is well combined,cover it with a lid and keep it outside overnight. Next day mix once and put it in a dry jar and store it in fridge. Your crunchy cauliflower & carrot pickle is ready to serve. Note: a) Dry roasting methi and mustard seeds are optional. b) Keep this pickle in refrigerator.
( chopped apple,grapes,pear,mango,strawberry,blueberry or any fruits of your choice)
Pepper and Salt - to taste
Lime juice-2 tsp
Chat masala-1 tsp
Chilly powder a generous pinch
Roasted and powdered jeera/cumin powder - a generous pinch
Kala namak / Black salt - 1/2 tsp
Method
Add the chopped fruits into a bowl,keep in refrigerator for 20 minutes ( this step is optional). Just before serving mix all above mentioned ingredients and gently toss. Serve them immediately!
