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September 6, 2020

Semiya Javvarisi Payasam–Sago Vermicelli Kheer Recipe

semiya javvarisi payasam
My aachi and mom makes semiya javvarisi payasam / sago vermicelli kheer adding nylon javvarisi very often. It can be prepared instantly without soaking and it cooks quickly too. She makes this yummy Indian dessert recipe for all the celebrations, occasions, festivals at home and specially for guests. I have never seen them making semiya payasam without javvarisi. My mom says addition of sago in semiya payasam helps to give more yield and also gives an appealing look to see the transparent tapioca pearls swimming with vermicelli in milk. You would have seen this kind of watery payasam in marraige feast and hotels. They serve in a small cup in drinkable consistency. In my house, both aachi and amma use nylon javvarisi (crystal, small sago) which is commonly found in Tamilnadu. But I have never tried kheer in this combination as I don’t get nylon javvarisi here. I can get white, big, pepper sized sago which we call as maavu javvarisi in Tamil. I thought javvarisi semiya payasam can be prepared only with small sized javvarisi.

Recently when I was talking to my mom and MIL, they told me to try semiya javvarisi payasam using this white sago itself. They told me the method and measurements clearly along with some tips. So I prepared it yesterday for my Thursday Guru pooja. Usually I make white, big sago payasam by soaking it at least for 4 to 8 hours or overnight. But yesterday I prepared this payasam by soaking the sago in hot water for just 15 minutes. It came out so well. I was so happy with the end result. Soon I will try to share this payasam recipe in a pressure cooker easily. For variations, you can use condensed milk / milkmaid instead of sugar.

Friends, now you too can make this yummy semiya javvarisi payasam irrespective of the sago variety by following this recipe with step by step pictures. I have also taken a video but iam yet to edit it. I will try to add the video soon.
Sago vermicelli kheer


Semiya javvarisi payasam


Semiya javvarisi payasam

Semiya javvarisi payasam / sago vermicelli kheer in Tamilnadu style.


Cuisine: Indian
Category: Dessert
Serves: 3
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS

  • Semiya / Vermicelli – 1/2 cup (roasted)
  • Javvarisi / Sago – 1/4 cup (big ones or nylon)
  • Hot water – to soak javvarisi
  • Water – 2 to 2.5 cups ( to cook javvarisi and semiya)
  • Boiled Milk at room temperature – 2 cups
  • Sugar – 3/4 cup
  • Cardamom -3 (crushed)
  • Cashew nuts - 5 (whole)
  • Dry grapes - 10
  • Ghee - 1 tbsp
HOW TO MAKE SEMIYA JAVVARISI PAYASAM
  1. Wash and soak javvarisi in hot water for 15 minutes.
  2. In the mean time, heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai.
  3. Roast cashew nuts and dry grapes till golden. Remove in a plate.
  4. Roast semiya for 2 minutes. Remove in a plate.
  5. Roll Boil 2 cups of water in a vessel. Add the soaked javvarisi.
  6. Cook in medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes till its semi transparent.
  7. Add the roasted semiya and cook for another 10 minutes.
  8. Both semiya and javvarisi will be well cooked, soft and transparent.
  9. Add sugar, cardamom powder, roasted nuts. Mix well and boil till sugar melts.
  10. Switch off the flame once payasam becomes thick.
  11. Add boiled milk at room temperature to the hot payasam. Add half the quantity of milk for thick payasam.
  12. Mix well and serve!
METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • Take a bowl and add the sago (I used white ones). Add hot water till 1 inch above the sago. Soak it for 15 minutes.

    semiya javvarisi payasam recipe


  • In the mean time, heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai. Roast cashews till light golden in color. Add the dry grapes and roast till bulgy. Remove cashews and dry grapes in a plate. Set aside. 
  • Add semiya / vermicelli to the remaining ghee. Roast for 2 minutes. If you use unroasted semiya, roast till it turns light golden in color. It takes 5 to 7 minutes in low flame. I used roasted semiya. So I did it for 2 minutes.
    semiya javvarisi payasam recipe
  • Take 2 cups of water in a pan. Let it roll boil. Add the soaked sago pearls. Mix well. Let it cook in low to medium flame for 10 minutes. You can cover and cook it. Stay nearby and keep an eye on it. Stir it twice in the middle to avoid sticking to the bottom of pan. Cook till it becomes semi transparent. You should see less white parts in sago.
    semiya javvarisi payasam recipe
  • Once the sago is 3/4th cooked, add 1/2 cup more water and add the roasted vermicelli. Cover and cook till its done. It takes another 10 minutes in low to medium flame.
    semiya javvarisi payasam recipe
  • After the semiya and javvarisi are well cooked, add sugar and crushed cardamom. Mix and boil till sugar melts. Payasam becomes thick. Now switch off the flame. semiya javvarisi payasam recipe
  • Add boiled milk at room temperature to the hot payasam. Add milk according to the consistency you like. Do not boil the payasam after adding milk. It may give a curdled look. For thick, spoonable payasam add 1 cup milk. For thin, drinkable payasam, add 2 cups milk. Lastly add the roasted nuts. Mix well and set aside.semiya javvarisi payasam recipe



  • This payasam will remain in the same consistency for few hours. It won't become thick as we are adding milk at room temperature. It will thicken if you add hot milk or less milk. I made in a drinkable consistency like the ones served in marriages and hotels. You can enjoy drinking hot or refrigerate and serve cold as per your wish.  Enjoy !

Note

  • For less sweetness, add 1/2 cup sugar.
  • Do not add more javvarisi than the mentioned quantity because adding more sago gives a porridge look to the payasam I feel.
  • While cooking javvarisi, stay nearby and keep checking it else javvarisi dissolves in water.
  • If you are using nylon variety sago, you have to dry roast it till puffy and white. Then cook it along with semiya because it takes lesser time to cook than the white, big sago.
  • Do not roll boil the payasam after adding milk. If you want to heat it, do in very low flame.
  • For variations, you can add a tbsp of badam milk powder at the end. 
Try this easy, yummy semiya javvarisi payasam and enjoy !
Semiya javvarisi payasam

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September 1, 2020

Beans Mezhukkupuratti - Kerala Style Beans Stir Fry Recipe

Beans mezhukkupuratti
Beans mezhukupuratti is one of the easy and yummy Kerala style side dish for rice. Its a stir fry recipe without coconut. I have tried many side dish recipes for every Onam sadya menu. But I love this one as the onion garlic masala adds a nice flavor and taste to this mezhukupuratti. I have been following this recipe for the past few years. I have also tried with red chilli ans chilli powder. Both comes out well. But mezhukkupuratti with chilli powder is my personal favorite. You can follow the same recipe and use raw banana, potato or long beans instead of green beans. Friends, do try this yummy Kerala style beans mezhukupuratti / beans stir fry recipe following the step by step pictures and share your feedback.

Check out my other Kerala recipes too.

Beans mezhukkupuratti recipe

Kerala style beans stir fry - Beans mezhukkupuratti


Kerala style beans stir fry - Beans mezhukkupuratti

Kerala special stir fry for rice - Beans mezhukkupuratti recipe


Cuisine: Kerala
Category: Side dish
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
  • French Beans - 2 cups (cut into 1cm length)
  • Salt and water - as needed
To grind to coarse paste
  • Small onions- 8 
  • Garlic cloves – 5 
  • Chilli powder or red chilli – 1 tsp or 2
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
To temper
  • Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves - few
HOW TO MAKE BEANS MEZHUKUPURATTI
  1. Wash and chop beans to 1 inch length. Cook till soft and firm. Set aside.
  2. Grind onion, garlic, chilli powder and turmeric powder to a coarse paste without adding water.
  3. Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves.
  4. Add the ground masala and saute for few minutes. Add cooked beans and mix gently.
  5. Cook till it raw smell vanish, beans look dry and shiny.
  6. Switch off the flame and serve with rice.
METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • Wash and chop the beans to 1 inch length. Pressure cook in high flame for 2 whistles adding less water or cook in a pot till its soft but firm in shape. Drain the excess water and set aside.
  • In the mean time, grind onion, garlic cloves , red chilli powder or red chilli to a coarse paste without adding water. Wipe the sides of  mixie and grind again till you make a coarse paste. Set aside.
    Beans mezhukkupuratti recipe
  • Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
  • Add the ground masala, cooked beans and saute for few minutes. If its sticking to the pan and looks too dry, sprinkle few drops of oil or water.
    Beans mezhukkupuratti recipe
  • Add required salt, turmeric powder and mix well in low flame. Sprinkle little water if needed and cook till raw smell of onion garlic masala vanish.
    Beans mezhukkupuratti recipe
  • Saute till beans looks dry and shiny. It gives a nice smell too. Now switch off the flame. Rest for sometime and then serve with rice, sambar. Enjoy !

Note

  • For variations, you can use raw banana, potato, long beans and follow the same procedure.
  • You can use red chilli powder or red chilli while grinding.
Easy, yummy Kerala style beans stir fry is ready to enjoy with rice.
 Beans mezhukkupuratti kerala style

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August 26, 2020

Cabbage Thoran - Kerala Style Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe

cabbage thoran recipe
Kerala style cabbage stir fry / cabbage thoran with coconut is our family favorite side dish for rice. This sadya style cabbage thoran is a very easy recipe that is prepared with simple ingredients like coconut, cumin, ginger, small onion and green chilli ground to a coarse paste, mixed to the finely shredded cabbage and stir fried to cook it. It tastes so good and tastes much better than my regular cabbage poriyal. Even cabbage haters would love this  Kerala thoran recipe.

Usually cabbage thoran can be prepared without onion too. But some people use onion, carrot for variations. Some also make it without coconut. I will try to post that version too. Here is the most popular, Onam sadya style cabbage thoran recipe with step by step pictures.

Cabbage Thoran Recipe


Cabbage Thoran Recipe Kerala Onam Sadya style cabbage thoran recipe / Cabbage stir fry for rice.

Cuisine: Kerala
Category: Onam recipes
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes



INGREDIENTS
1 cup = 250ml
  • Shredded or finely chopped cabbage - 3 cups (I used half of medium sized cabbage)
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Salt - as needed
  • Water - Few tbsp ( optional, use only if needed)
To Grind
  • Grated coconut - 1 /2 cup
  • Green chilli - 2 to 3
  • Small onion - 6 or big onion - 1
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Ginger - 1 inch piece
To Temper
  • Coconut oil - 1.5 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Urad dal - 2 tsp
  • Red chilli - 1
  • Curry leaves - Few
HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE THORAN RECIPE
  1. Wash and shred/ chop the cabbage finely or slice it thinly.
  2. Grind coconut, green chilli, ginger and cumin seeds to a coarse paste without adding water.
  3. Take the chopped cabbage, ground coconut paste, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
  4. Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves.
  5. Add the cabbage mixture and saute in low to medium flame.
  6. Cover and cook in low flame till cabbage turns soft. Remove and serve hot with rice.
METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES
  • Wash and remove the thick white, central part of cabbage. Shred / finely chop the cabbage or chop into thin slices by cutting in the corners.  Collect in a big plate or bowl.
  • cabbage thoran recipe

  • Grind coconut, green chilli, ginger and cumin seeds to a coarse paste without adding water.
  • cabbage thoran recipe

  • Add this coarse paste to the finely chopped cabbage, turmeric powder and required salt. Mix well and set aside.
  • cabbage thoran recipe

  • Heat oil in a kadai and when it gets heated, splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves. Add the cabbage mixture and saute in medium flame for few minutes. Cover it with a lid and cook in low flame till its soft and well cooked. (If necessary you can sprinkle little water and cover cook it).
    cabbage thoran recipe cabbage thoran recipe
  • Switch off the flame and serve with rice, sambar. Enjoy !

Note

  • For variations, you can crush onion, cumin seeds and green chilli and add to cabbage. In that case, you can add grated coconut at the end and mix it.
  • You can also try sauting onion, green chilli and then add shredded cabbage to make this thoran.
  • To make it more colorful, you can add some finely chopped carrot along with cabbage.

Try this easy, yummy Kerala style cabbage thoran recipe and share your feedback with me.
cabbage thoran recipe
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August 19, 2020

Kozhukattai Varieties – Kozhukattai Recipes List For Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

Kozhukattai recipes for festivals

In this post, I have shared the list of different types of kozhukattai recipes / kozhukattai varieties that can be made for Ganesh chaturthi / Vinayagar chaturthi and other festivals like Varalakshmi vratham, during Tamil month Aadi, Karthigai deepam and other occasions at home. For Ganesh chaturthi, people make varieties of kolukattai / mothagam / modak across South India and North India as Lord Ganesh loves modak and he is fondly called as Modakpriya /Mothagapriyan.

In Tamil nadu, it is called as kozhukattai. we make mothagam @ kolukattai as the major naivedyam recipe for Vinayagar chaturthi. Other than kozhukattai we make sweet appam, sundal, payasam and ladoo too. Kozhukattai varieties like sweet poornam kozhukattai, uppu kozhukattai / ulundu kolukattai and ellu kozhukattai is offered for Ganesh chaturthi. 

Some people also make paal kolukattai and thengai poorana kozhukattai instead of kadalai paruppu pooranam kozhukattai. Apart from the traditional kozhukattai recipes, beginners can easily try ammini kozhukattai in sweet and spicy versions.

In North India, Ukadiche modak and fried modak are very popular. Apart from this Khoya modak, dry fruits and nuts, khajoor modak can also be prepared. In this post, I have shared all the traditional kolukattai recipes and few beginner friendly kozhukattai recipes with no cook stuffing.  I have also shared some links on different methods of making kozhukattai / modak dough along with some useful video links. 

Hope you find this collection helpful for making kozhukattai varieties for this Ganesh chaturthi.I will try to add more kozhukattai varieties like peanut kozhukattai, vegetable kozhukattai, ilai kolukattai in future and update this list. Ok, lets move on to the list of kozhukattai recipes.

Check out my full Ganesh chaturthi recipes collection HERE !

Here is a detailed video of making 3 different types of Poorana kozhukattai




























Hope you find this list helpful to choose and prepare kozhukattai for this Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Do try and have a great celebration. Share your feedback too !

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