Actually I wanted to share Karnataka style Holige as Varamahalakshmi festival recipe. But unfortunately I couldn’t make it as I expected. Next to holige, people in Karnataka make this shavige payasa for most of the festivals. So I thought of posting this simple and quick fix dessert recipe, vermicelli kheer on this auspicious day. In Tamil nadu, we make paal payasam aka semiya payasam in a similar way but we make it slightly watery in drinkable consistency. But here, people make it thick like vermicelli pudding in spoonable consistency. But tastes so good. U can make it rich by adding condensed milk(milk maid) or khoya/ kova. Some of my friends here add MTR badam milk mix to give a nice flavor, color and richness to this kheer. Ok, Lets see how to prepare this droolable shavige payasa.
Wish you all a very happy Varamahalakshmi festival. May we all get the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi on this wonderful day.
Shavige payasa/Vermicelli kheer recipe
Shavige payasa/Vermicelli kheer recipe for Varamahalakshmi festival - Simple n yummy Karnataka delicacy
Cuisine:Indian
Category:Sweet
Serves:Serves 4
Prep time:5 Minutes
Cook time:20 Minutes
Total time:25 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 240ml
Roasted Vermicelli/Shavige/Semiya - 1/2 cup (100 gms)
Boiled milk – 2.5 cups
Water – 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Crushed cardamom - 2 nos
Cashewnuts and dry grapes - a fistful
Saffron threads - few (optional)
MTR Badam powder - 1 tsp (optional)
HOW TO MAKE SHAVIGE PAYASA - METHOD
Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan. Roast cashews & Dry grapes.When grapes turn bulgy, remove & keep in a plate.
In the same ghee, roast the vermicelli even if its roasted. It will enhance the taste.
Boil 1 cup of water + 1 cup of milk in a wide bowl. When it comes to boil, add vermicelli. Let it cook in low to medium flame.After its well cooked, add sugar.
Mix well and boil for few minutes till all the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining milk & MTR powder if using. Boil for few minutes.
Lastly add cardamom powder, roasted cashews & dry grapes. Switch off the flame. This payasa will thicken once its cooled down. So adjust the quantity of milk. Refrigerate, cool n serve OR serve warm as you like.
Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of milk as per the desired consistency.
U can also add 2 tbsp of condensed milk or khova to get a rich taste. In that case reduce the quantity of sugar.
Adding MTR badam powder is optional. But I have tasted in some of my friend’s houses. It tastes great with a nice flavor.
I am very happy to share my first post on Bengali recipes , Chaler payesh. Last month I posted a query in CAL group in Facebook to suggest me some yummy bengali lunch menu recipes. I got so many suggestions and recipe links to try. Thanks everyone for helping me in finding out some good Bengali vegetarian recipes. Sorry, as I was busy in travel and household chores, I couldn’t try them immediately. But I kept searching and bookmarking some yummy recipes from various websites. And finally I made a delectable Bengali vegetarian thali for the first time on last saturday. I prepared around 8 dishes which are a must & should recipes in an authentic Bengali lunch menu. We loved the thali very much and I had the same for dinner too!
Before sharing the entire platter, I just want to post all the recipes one by one here. To start with, here is an easy, tasty, simple Bengali chaler payesh recipe. This payesh is nothing but our Indian style rice pudding or rice kheer made by boiling thick milk with aromatic rice(Gobindo bogh) n sugar.
Traditional chaler payesh is prepared by adding date palm jaggery or Khejurer gur is used in Bengal. But I used sugar. Some people use condensed milk too. Its a very tasty, simple to make & flavourful Bengali dessert. This dessert is prepared in all Bengali homes for most of their festivals like Durga puja, Lakshmi puja etc. I had some doubts between this payesh & Nolen gurer payesh and its consistency.
Special thanks to Deepasri Deb for giving a clear explanation which helped me to make this payesh perfect. It turned out so delicious and very flavourful. We loved it a lot. I have made this twice within a week. Once with basmati and second time with jeera rice. The smell of basmati rice/Jeera rice, bay leaf and cardamom while boiling in milk was fantastic. One must feel this fragrance more than I say. So I would give 5* rating for this recipe and suggest everyone to try this yummy, easy Bengali sweet recipe if you are a beginner for this cuisine. U will love it for sure. And for this recipe, I referred many websites like Hamaaree rasoi, Cook like a bong and Sanjeev kapoor’s Video.
Chaler payesh recipe
Chaler payesh - Easy bengali dessert recipes
Cuisine:Indian
Category:Sweet
Serves:Serves 4
Prep time:5 Minutes
Cook time:30 Minutes
Total time:35 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
Milk - 1 litre
Basmati or Jeera rice - 1/3 cup (Use Gobindo bhog for best taste)
Sugar - 1/3 - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 4 pods
Nuts n dry fruits – to garnish
Ghee – 2 tsp (optional)
Bayleaf - 2 nos
Salt - A pinch
HOW TO MAKE CHALER PAYESH - METHOD
Boil milk in a wide bowl and when it starts to roll boil, add bay leaf and slightly crushed cardamom pods.
Wash the rice and add to the milk. Allow it to boil in low to medium flame till rice gets cooked well but it should be firm & soft without losing its shape. Generally rice takes longer time to cook. So keep mixing every now and then and make sure it is not burnt in the bottom.
When the rice is almost cooked, remove bay leaf(optional) & add sugar,a pinch of salt & mix well. Let it boil till the mixture thickens slightly.
Switch off the flame. Add nuts and ghee ( optional). Allow it to cool, refrigerate and serve chilled. Enjoy ! This payesh would thicken as it cools down. So adjust the consistency by adding little boiled milk before serving !
Note
Thanks to Ushnish Gosh ji for sharing few tips to make this payesh perfect. I have added them above.
The consistency of this payesh should be thick. So make it accordingly.
I removed the bay leaf before adding sugar by following sanjeev kapoor’s video. If you wish, you can keep it till the end.
I felt jeera rice gives more flavour than Basmati rice for this payesh. But its purely your choice.
Usually ghee & water is not used in this recipe. Milk gives the taste. You can add little ghee if you wish.
Enjoy this thick, chilled, creamy Bengali payesh. It tastes yumm !!
Coconut ladoo,called as Nariyal Ka ladoo in Hindi and Thengai Ladoo in Tamil.I have made this coconut laddu without condensed milk. When it comes to easy festival sweets recipes, my priority goes to ladoo recipes. This coconut laddu was in my try list for years I should say. I thought of trying this for last Diwali but I couldn’t. As Holi festival is nearing, I took this as a chance to try this easy sweet recipe. I know most of you make it in less than 5 minutes using condensed milk. As I din’t have milkmaid/condensed milk in hand, I used milk and it came out perfect! U don’t need any expertise to try this recipe.Even beginners can attempt this. It won’t disappoint you for sure. Do try this simple and easy laddu recipe for this Holi/Diwali and get appreciations from your family members .
Coconut ladoo recipe
Coconut ladoo recipe - Easy holi/Diwali recipes
Cuisine:Indian
Category:Sweet
Serves:10nos
Prep time:2 Minutes
Cook time:10 Minutes
Total time:12 Minutes
Ingredients
Desiccated coconut or freshly scrapped coconut- 1 cup
Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a kadai.Add the dessicated coconut and roast for 2-3 minutes in low flame till u get a nice aroma.
Now add milk and stir well till all the milk is absorbed by coconut.
After the mixture thickens,add sugar and mix well.Sugar melts and the mixture becomes a semi solid paste.
Keep mixing in medium flame till all the sugar is well combined with coconut and the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.Take a small piece and try to roll a ball.If u are able to do it,the mixture is ready.Add cardamom powder,mix it and switch off the flame.
When the mixture becomes warm,grease ur hands with a drop of ghee and make balls. Immediately roll in the desiccated coconut.Else it wont stick.Arrange the ladoos in a plate.Stays good for 2-3 days when refrigerated.
Note
If u want to make a quicker version,use condensed milk in place of milk and sugar.The ratio of dessicated coconut and condensed milk should be 1:1.
Its better to use mature ones if u want to use fresh coconuts.scrape the white part & use it instead of desiccated coconut.In that case,fry coconut for more time till all the moisture completely goes off !
Do not keep the mixture for long time in flame as it changes the color of balls.
Also stay nearby and complete this sweet.U can finish it within 10 minutes.
Initially the balls will be yellow in color.After u coat them in coconut,its color changes to half white.
Yummy,quick coconut ladoo after a bite by my daughter Raksha
Uppu seedai / Uppu Cheedai / Salt seedai is the most important prasadam for Gokulashtami. People in Tamil nadu never fail to make this for Krishna Jayanthi festival. Many people especially beginners worry about bursting of seedai. So I have shared all the possible tips and tricks to avoid bursting. I have given my MIL’s traditional recipe of making uppu cheedai with homemade processed rice flour and urad dal flour. I follow this recipe every year. It comes out very well without bursting. Along with the normal round seedai we also make 2 small rod shaped “Seepankuzhal” for baby krishna. Do refer my fail proof sweet seedairecipe too !
I know seedai must be the favorite snack for everyone just like murukku. Yes, Uppu cheedai / salt seedai is my family's favorite snacks. Whenever we visit Adayar Anandha Bhavan hotel, we buy a packet of seedai without fail. I am trying to make white colored seedai just like shops. I will share that recipe once I get it right.
Friends, do try this easy uppu seedai recipe for Gokulashtami or during weekends for your kids. Do not worry about bursting. Just follow this recipe and make perfect seedai.
Watch out the full detailed video recipe for uppu seedai making with homemade processed flour and roasted urad dal flour preparations before you start. Hope you will find it useful :) Lets see how to make this Gokulashtami special recipe uppu seedai with step by step photos and video !
If you want to make seedai using store bought rice flour, please check THIS POST !
Uppu seedai - Video recipe
Uppu seedai recipe / Salt seedai
Uppu seedai recipe / Salt seedai for Gokulashtami / Krishna jayanthi festival
Grind the grated coconut in a dry mixie jar and make a powder.
If you are using homemade rice flour, first you should dry roast the flour for few minutes in low flame till vapour starts to come. Its a must & should step to get seedai without bursting.
Take the roasted rice flour and urad flour in a bowl. Sieve once or twice. Add sesame seeds, hing and ground coconut powder. Lastly add the butter and blend it well with the flour using your fingers. Do not give too much of pressure to the flour.
Add water and make a non-sticky dough. Make sure there are no cracks. Roll the dough into small balls roughly in a paper or cloth. Do not roll very tightly. Use first three fingers to make balls.
Allow the balls to dry for 15 to 20 minutes before frying. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them in batches in medium flame. Keep tossing the seedai to get a uniform color.
Remove when all the bubbles cease. Store in a box after it cools down. Stays good for a week.
NOTE - TIPS AND TRICKS TO AVOID BURSTING OF SEEDAI
Dry roast the wet rice flour for few minutes slightly if you are using homemade processed rice flour.
First important thing to avoid bursting is to “SIEVE” the flour once or twice. U should sieve all the flour ( urad dal flour , rice flour and fried gram flour if u use). Sieving the flour properly reduces 90% of bursting.
Secondly u should not roll the seedai very tightly. U should roll it to a loose ball using three fingers. No problem if its not a proper round.
Dry the seedai in a paper or towel for 30 minutes before frying. If you want to deep fry immediately, prick the seedai with a small needle to avoid bursting. Most of the time pricking may not be necessary because by the time you finish rolling all the seedai, it would have dried.
Beginners can try deep frying few seedai in “small tempering kadai” . If it comes out well , proceed in a big kadai. Color variations may be there slightly. But you can check whether it bursts or disperses in oil..
If this seedai breaks or dissolves in oil, it means fat ( ghee / butter) content may be more or oil temperature is too high or too low.
If seedai bubbles too much after you drop into oil , it shows the ghee or butter or oil content is more. So add more rice flour to the dough and make again.
The color of seedai depends on the color of urad dal flour. If you roast the dal to golden brown, seedai will also turn brown.
Uniform heating is also important. In my observation, low to medium flame is sufficient to get a well cooked, nice color seedai. Keep tossing every now and then.
Vella Seedai / Sweet Seedai recipe with jaggery ( updated with video and step by step photo) is a must and should neivedyam recipe for Gokulashtami in Tamil nadu houses. I never knew about vella seedai till my marriage and now this has become my favourite. Every year I follow my MIL’s traditional and authentic recipe for vella cheedai and uppu cheedai using homemade rice flour. It comes out very well without bursting.
Please refer the “Note” section for tips to avoid bursting. Usually we make the size of this sweet seedai bigger than uppu seedai. We also make 2 “Seepaankuzhal “ (small rod shaped) in each variety which is specially meant for baby Krishna. I give this to my daughter every year. Every year I make seedai with homemade processed rice flour . This year , for a change I tried with store bought rice flour which I use for making idiyappam. I followed same recipe for both and I didn't find any big difference in taste and color. Deep frying part is important to get a nice color and uniform browning. I have given in detail under “Method”. But cracks are unavoidable.
First picture is with home made rice flour and the second one with store bought rice flour . I have made a full video on how to make vella cheedai just for beginners. Please watch it before you start doing. Hope you find it useful :)
In a pan dry roast the flour till vapor comes out lightly. Do it in low to medium flame. Do not over roast the flour. Sieve and set aside.
In a bowl , take 1 cup of roasted rice flour and 2 tsp of urad dal flour. Sieve them once or twice. (This step is very important to avoid bursting) . Grind the grated coconut finely to a coarse powder.
In a pan take the grated jaggery & add little water to cover it. Heat & melt it to make a thin syrup. No need to boil it. Remove & filter the syrup to discard the impurities.
Strain & add this syrup to the flour , cardamom powder, sesame seeds & grated coconut, softened butter. Mix well to make a dough. Make sure the dough should be not be sticky. It should not have cracks. It should be thick. Add syrup accordingly. Sometimes syrup itself would be sufficient to make the dough OR you may have to add little extra water to make the dough.
Make small balls out of the dough. Prick the balls with a needle or toothpick to avoid bursting. This is for additional safety. Allow the balls to dry in a cotton cloth or paper for 15-20 mins before frying.
Before deep frying check the heat of oil by dropping a pinch of dough. If it rises immediately, oil temperature is just right. Lower the flame to low & drop the seedai 4 to 5 at a time.
After you drop the seedai , do not disturb it for few seconds.( stand 2 feet away from the kadai for safety, luckily it didn’t burst for me so far). If you start to stir immediately, seedai may break and dissolve in oil. After few seconds, turn it once to prevent sticking. (For beginners, try to fry one or two seedai with little oil in a mini tadka kadai to check if it disperse or burst. Then you make in large batches.)
Always deep fry in low to medium flame to get a nice color. Keeping the flame high turns the seedai black & inside portion will not be cooked properly. U don’t have to wait till all the bubbles cease. Once the seedai turns golden brown, remove & drain in a tissue paper. Cracks are normal in vella seedai. Don’t worry.
Initially sweet seedai tends to be soft, but it hardens & becomes crispy when it cools down.
Crunchy Sweet seedai is ready !
NOTE
First important thing to avoid bursting is to “SIEVE” the flour once or twice. U should sieve all the flour ( urad dal flour , rice flour & gram flour if u use). Sieving the flour properly reduces 90% of bursting..
U must roast the flour slightly for few minutes in low flame if you are using homemade rice flour.
Secondly u should not roll the seedai very tightly. U should roll it to a loose ball using three fingers.No problem if its not a proper round.
One more tip is to prick the seedai with a small needle or toothpick to avoid bursting. Dry the seedai in a paper or towel for 20 mins before frying..
Beginners can try deep frying few seedai in “small tempering kadai” . If it comes out well, proceed in a big kadai. Color variations may be there slightly. But you can check whether it bursts or disperses in oil.
If sweet seedai breaks or dissolves in oil, it means jaggery may be more or oil temperature is too high or too low.
If Seedai bubbles too much after you drop into oil, it shows the fat ( ghee or butter or oil) content is more. So add more rice flour to the dough & make again.
The color of seedai depends on the color of urad dal flour. If you roast the dal to golden brown, seedai will also turn brown.
Uniform heating is also important. In my observation, I feel low to medium flame is enough to get a nice color and crispy seedai.
This is an instant version of Nei appam recipe (ghee appam). Traditionally nei appam is prepared using raw rice and jaggery. Usually I make sweet appam using wheat flour & banana in paniyaram pan. My MIL also makes an sweet paniyaram using raw ricewhich is our family favourite. But I wanted to try a quick sweet appam recipe without soaking rice and without banana. Yes this sweet appam is prepared without banana but still it comes out soft and spongy.
This recipe uses rice flour, wheat flour, jaggery and rava/sooji. When I was going through my cook books, I got this recipe given by Mrs. Mallika badrinath. I tried the recipe as such but I was not happy with the result. It came out crispy & tasty but it looked dry & a bit hard. So I just added little cooking soda & it made a great change to the recipe. It came out super soft n fluffy with crispy outer layer. I was very happy & thought of blogging it for gokulashtami and Karthigai deepam festival.
With superb flavor of ghee, it was awesome. If you are ghee conscious like me, use cooking oil or gingely oil for frying. It tasted good for both. I used paniyaram pan for shallow frying. U can also try deep frying it looks like chettinad vellai paniyaram with flower edges. U can see that picture in step by step pictures. Friends, do try this easy, instant nei appam recipe for krishna jayanthi & Karthigai deepam and let me know your feedback.
Fine Rava or Upma Rava/ sooji – 1/2 cup ( use fine rava for nice texture)
Wheat flour OR Maida – 1/3 cup
Grated jaggery – 3/4 cup
Grated coconut – 3 tbsp
Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Cooking soda / Baking soda – 1/4 tsp
Salt – a pinch
Cooking oil or ghee – As needed
Water –As needed ( I used 1 cup water)
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT NEI APPAM
In a wide bowl , take all the ingredients mentioned above except cooking soda & mix well adding required water.The consistency of batter should be semi thick & pourable. (If the jaggery has impurities, you should boil and melt it adding 1:2 ratio of water and jaggery. Then strain it through a metal filter and add that water to the mixture.)
Add cooking soda 10 minutes before making appam. Mix well and let it sit.
In a paniyaram pan , add 1 tsp of ghee in each hole & pour the batter. Cover cook for few minutes in low to medium flame. Flip it using a spoon or a small stick like thing. Cook again for few minutes till you get a nice golden brown color.
If u want to deep fry , heat a pan with little oil & pour the batter using a small ladle. Deep fry one by one to get a nice shape.Splash the oil over the appam while it cooks to get a nice flower shape with frills in the sides.
Remove & serve hot or cold.
Note
Consistency of batter is important. It should not be too thick or thin.
U can also use cooking oil instead of ghee. I used ghee for my daughter & oil for ourselves. But add it generously.
Always cook in medium flame else it will be burnt. I felt the color of appam turned darker for ghee than oil.
This appam stays soft for long time. It tastes crispy when hot & soft when cold..
If you want to skip baking soda, you have to add 1 ripen mashed banana OR you should mix the batter in the morning and make appam in the evening so that batter gets fermented.
If you want the appam to be crispy, cook in low flame for long time. You can also try skipping soda. But you should eat the appam really hot otherwise it will look dry.
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