Category Archives: Sweets and Desserts

As children come back from school, the first thing to strike them is HUNGER. While some may have a whole meal, some prefer snacking. When we went to school decades ago (has it been so long??), school was done by 4.15 and we came back between 4.30 and 5.00, ready to run for other activities.

Then it wasn’t the muffins, fluffy cakes or croissants or the tetra pack juices and ready-made flavored milk that filled our tummies. We never knew white flour/maida based empty calorie – so-called goodies… What an inspiring name for unworthy junk food..(sigh).

Orthodox middle class didn’t know beyond bread and jam, which was white, soft and sugary. It was never a staple then, not even a meal. Bread was initially a sick man’s food – a substitute to kanji which is porridge. The light Kanji, which is still a breakfast delicacy in many countries in south-east Asia is definitely a healthier option. But soft bread soaked in milk offered a delightful change to the fever-stricken patient. Hence, the concept of brown bread, 100% atta bread and rye bread were all beyond comprehension. Good for us!

Coming to after-school snacking, different kinds of home-made urundais(sweet balls) and murukkus and other rice-lentil-millet based snacks were given as hunger busters. The beautifully shaped balls and the varied shaped fries offered distinct flavours with different ingredients each time. With the aesthetics and handwork incorporated into these true goodies, they can certainly be compared to an artisan’s handcrafted product.

Those gentle hands that caressed the young ones with warmth were strong enough to create these healthy snacks not only with pure love but with pure nei/ghee/clarified butter too!

kezhvaragu/finger millet

So, in honour of mothers and grandmothers who did their homework well to keep us healthy, fit and immune, this post is a millet based urundai/sweet ball. Since I had finger millet (ragi) and pearl millet (bajra) powders, I made the urundai with the both combined with roasted Bengal gram.

While winter is on the way, I also added nuts to it. Summer or Winter, Nuts definitely contribute to the higher nutrient value of the Urundais. Roasted bengal gram and roasted nuts are powdered here and they also help in better binding of the sweet balls with clarified butter (nei).

kambu/pearl millet

For nutritional facts of Kezhvaragu/Finger Millet please refer Kezhvaragu Dosai/Finger Millet Pancakes

For nutritional facts of Kambu/Pearl Millet please refer Kambu Dosai/Pearl Millet Pancakes
Kezhvaragu Kambu Nei Urundai/Nutty Finger Millet and Pearl Millet Sweet Balls

Ingredients (makes appr. 25)

nuts and sugar-

roasted gram and millet flours-

kezhvaragu/finger millet/ragi powder – 1 cup
kambu/pearl millet/bajra powder – 1 cup
pottukadalai/roasted bengal gram/chutney dal – 1/2 cup powdered
assorted nuts – almonds, pistachios, walnuts and cashew nut – 1/2 cup – roasted and powdered
sarkkarai/sugar powder – 2 cups
elakkai/cardamom/elaichi – cloves
chukku podi/dry ginger powder – 1 1/2 tsp
nei/ghee – 1 cup melted appr.

Method of Preparation

Dry roast finger millet and pearl millet powders together in a pan
Dry roast the assorted nuts and powder them in a blender
Powder the Roasted Bengal Gram with elaichi
Mix the roasted millet powders, powdered roasted bengal gram, powdered nuts, powdered sugar and dry ginger powder in a big bowl
Heat the nei/clarified butter in a separate pan
Pour a teaspoon of nei into the combined flour. If the ghee forms bubbles its hot enough to make balls
When the clarified butter is hot enough pour into the flour and mix well with a spatula
Start making medium-sized balls
Once done, let them cool and store in an air-tight container.

Notes:

Millet powders are readily available in super markets across India.
Powdered nuts are optional.
Another option is to coarsely grind the nuts fora crunchy taste in the Urundais/sweet balls.
Since I had powdered palm sugar, I used it. If one has unrefined cane sugar or very pure jaggery powder without mud, these can be used too. Easily available white sugar can be powdered and used.

Pathirpeni/Sugary Snow White Crisps

4 Replies

Pathirpeni is a very special sweet to me and to my brother! It was and is still a speciality signature sweet of Aachi my paternal grandmother. I do not remember having pathirpeni in any other house in the big clan that we belong to. The sole supplier to all near and dear ones was Aachi – helped meticulously by Amma – my mother.

I had my miniature ‘Puri kattai’ or the spherical puri maker in wood to specially make pathirpeni and also puris. This was handed over to my daughter who used to help me make rotis, but feels she is a grown up and uses my bigger puri kattai. She painted my dear little puri kattai though the newer roller is intact.

Pathirpeni is for those with that extra sweet tooth – which might be god sent genetically or amma fed affectionately… We siblings have both – hence not one but two extras to successfully acquire that ‘happier the healthier’ plump look!

These are deep-fried crisps dipped/rubbed immediately in powdered sugar to get the snowy white finish. It is a simple sweet with minimal ingredients but one should be ready for some interesting variety of work. The sugar that melts in the mouth first is followed by the crispy crunch of the deep-fried discs.

These also involve an efficient team work. Since the count was always in hundreds, amma or aachi would knead the dough; they would take turns in pressing the spheres and frying in oil – the last quintessential part of rubbing the powdered sugar would be ours – mine and my brother… I think I did the rubbing and he contributed more into something which can also be decently termed as tasting!

So I did the rolling and frying and my 6-year-old did the sugar-coating! She wanted to make her own pathirpeni and then I was a proud mother!!

she started off like this….

and then graduated with flying colours!! – special seven that the little hands made!

These can be stored in air tight containers after cooled for a week – that’s not a concern as its life ends too quickly! Yet the tastiest crisps are those which directly come out of the oil and are delicately transferred for one’s taste buds to relish, sprinkled/rubbed very quickly with powdered sugar.

One cup of flour (about 150 gms), would yield 20-25 crisps. After a no maida/all-purpose flour and no white sugar life for many years now, this one has been an exception. Might be I try next time with whole wheat flour and brown sugar – but have to sacrifice on the colour as wheat flour would result in brown crisps and then we might call it brownie crisps!

Now to the recipe –
Pathirpeni/Sugary Snow White Crisps

Ingredients (makes 30-35)

maida maavu/all-purpose flour – 1 1/4 cup (200 gms)
cheeni/sugar – 1 1/4 cup (200 gms)
thanneer/water – as needed
uppu/salt – a pinch
nei/clarified butter – 1 tsp
arisi maavu/rice powder – 1 tsp
yennai/oil – for deep frying

Method of Preparation
1. Sieve all-purpose flour, add a pinch of salt and mix enough water to make a tight dough

2. Finely powder the sugar and keep in a wide bowl or plate; the deep fried crisps would directly land inside this bowl to have a sugar bath
3. Heat oil in a pan, keep in sim position
4. In a small bowl, mix clarified butter and rice powder

5. Make three even balls of the dough

6. Spread into flat breads – chappatis/indian roti size – not too thin, not too thick

7. Do not place rotis one on top of the other before spreading the mixture as they would stick to each other and one would have to make the three flat breads again. Make one and place on a plate; spread the butter rice powder mixture, make the second one and place on top of the first; spread the mixture and make the third; now place the third on top of the second. It had become messy as I had placed before spreading – I had to do it all over again. So be cautious on this

8. Roll this triple layered roti . Now it is time to pull the rolled roti as long as possible without spoiling or breaking the texture

pulled long

9. Then cut into very small bits, size enough to make small circular crisps

these are little big, i had to make them smaller

10. Roll into thin crisps – while rolling, see the side which was cut by knife – make thin puris/crisps pressing the knife cut edge into a circle. This helps the butter mixture to stay intact. Otherwise it would ooze out from the puris.

11. When the oil is ready, roll one by one and fry till crisp. We do not want a fluffy soft puri – make really thin and flat ones that come out crisp
12. Immediately drop it inside the sugar bed and apply well; the powdered sugar must have coated evenly

13. Tap the crisps slightly to reduce the excess sugar
14. Taste one to enjoy the true taste of pathirpeni – this is the most important step in my opinion; having identified the flaws (making thinner or thicker; right shape; less sugar coating; more sugar coating and so on), proceed with the next
15. Make all the crisps and let them cool
16. Store in an air tight container and enjoy.
17. Do not hesitate to help yourself with more – you won’t get those hot crisps after they are cooled – cannot be microwaved or reheated by any means!
Note:

This is a simple one – yet, some caution on important steps would make it easier
Try one and feel the crispness of it and accordingly try to make corrections on the thinness and crispness of the pathirpeni
Each time, tap a little to take away the sugar if one doesn’t prefer so much sugar
Adding cardamom powder to the powdered sugar might add some aroma and flavor though it is not added normally.

Ukkarai/Okkarai – Lentil Halwa for Diwali

2 Replies

The festival of lights is back again! No need for long paragraphs saying Diwali brings in joy and happiness and teaches the traditional values to the younger generation….. Whatever said and done, not said and not done – Diwali or Deepavali in Tamil, brings in loads of sweets and tonnes of savouries – to relish and eat and ofcourse over eat!

So, let’s plunge into some special sweets and savouries one after the other in the coming week. Today it is Okkarai or Ukkarai – a Halwa with two/three lentils and jaggery.

Some make it with all the three basic lentils of an Indian kitchen – red lentil, dehusked green gram and bengal gram or a combination of two of these or just bengal gram. Though amma does not make okkarai, I was re-introduced to this exquisite sweet by my friend Lakshmi in Chennai. When my daughter was very small and we lived in the same locality as theirs, we used to be treated with Okkarai very often and it became one of my daughter’s favourites. The beautiful brown colour, the aroma of clarified butter with the fried nuts added and the flavour of lentils mixed jaggery is just exotic with no words to explain.

Lakshmi, I never knew the effort that was involved in Okkarai until I made it now. So, it is a rekindled, more respectful thanks for the strain you put yourself to!
Recipe adopted from-

In Rajasthani cuisine, Moong Dhal Halwa occupies a special place. To me, it is one of best desserts of Indian Cuisine. I should confess, anyone can swap their home made moong dhal halwa/dehusked green gram halwa – rajasthani style – with the best of my pattu/silk sarees (or my husband’s favourite suits)!!
Okkarai/Ukkarai – Lentil Halwa

Ingredients (serves 4)

kadalai paruppu/bengal gram – 1/2 cup
paasi paruppu/dehusked green gram – 1/2 cup
thuruviya thengai/grated coconut – 1/2 cup
vellam/jaggery – 3/4 cup
elakkai podi/cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
nei/clarified butter – 1/2 cup
mundhiri paruppu/cashew nuts – 4tsp
ular thiratchai/raisins – 4tsp

Method of Preparation

Dry roast kadalai paruppu and paasi paruppu till golden brown
Wash and soak for two hours
Grind into a coarse paste with no water – the same as dry grinding but the lentils are wet as they were soaked – but no water please
Make small balls and flat discs and steam in a greased tray/mould for about 15 minutes
Dry grind the balls again for an even end product of halwa without lumps
Keep aside the lentil powder
Grate the coconut and keep aside
Heat a little clarified butter in a pan and fry the cut cashewnuts and raisins and keep aside
In a pan slightly heat jaggery in little water until jaggery dissolves completely
Strain it well and place in low heat for a thick syrup – Even if the syrup is not too sticky like a single string consistence, do not bother. There is enough time while the jaggery gets mixed with lentil powder- but just be careful not to get it burnt
In the same pan, when the jaggery is ready, add the lentil powder to it and start stirring well
Heat the clarified butter into a pourable consistency and add to the jaggery, lentil mixture while getting cooked. This helps the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan
Add the fried cashews and raisins
Stir well till jaggery is completely absorbed by the lentils and a smooth halwa consistency is arrived
In the end add the grated coconut and mix well till the raw smell and juiciness of coconut is gone
Tastes best when served hot.

roast the lentils together

after soaking, grind and steam the mixture

then, dry blend to avoid lumps

mix well with fried nuts and grated coconut

Notes:

Quantity of jaggery depends on each family
As mentioned above, addition of red lentils is another option
I used banana leaves to steam the lentil mixture for some extra aroma
Add the lentil powder to syrup jaggery or pour in the jaggery syrup into the pan of lentil powder – either way the halwa would come out the same
Quantity of nei/clarified butter can be altered. I love nei in my sweets – hence this quantity. If one prefers lesser clarified butter -feel free to reduce it. The texture of ukkarai would be slightly powdery – like Puttu (steamed rice cylinders) and hence, okkarai is also called ‘Paruppu Puttu’, I learnt it now.

Inippu/Vella-k-kozhukkattai/Jaggery Rice Dumplings – Steamed

Entering Year 3! Paasi Paruppu Payasam/Dehusked Green Gram Pudding/Kheer

2 Replies

paasi paruppu payasam

The second year of blogging has not been a continuous writing affair… though there was no end to cooking affair! Too much into packing, shifting places, entering new places and faces, unpacking and settling has been quite tedious. When I look back, the previous year has been a slow-paced one… sometimes out of sight for a couple of months too. But I feel overwhelmed by the support I have received in spite of those long intervals.

NANRI – Thanks a ton – for understanding my absence for short periods!

During this period of settling down, the new subscribers that joined hands with me and my old friends who have been continuously keeping pace with my posts, have made me feel more guilty of not having settled sooner and not having posted more. I shall surely try to compensate on that this year.

As usual, let’s enter another year with a sweet dish. This is one of my favourite payasams, of course next to Adai Pradhaman (https://dosaikal.com/adai-pradhaman-ada-pradhaman).J aggery and coconut milk make a sweet dish heavenly! This is one such payasam/pudding/kheer, with dehusked green gram. Generally, in payasams or any sweet dish, nuts are roasted or fried in nei/ghee to add richness and flavour. Here, traditionally, thinly cubed coconut pieces are fried in nei/clarified butter and added to the completed payasam. The coconut pieces can be added with fried cashewnuts. But, they can taste good all alone without the nuts too! Here, I have avoided the nuts and added fried coconut pieces alone.

I have seen aachi and amma always use chukku podi – dry ginger powder when jaggery is used in sweets. Adding dry ginger to jaggery helps in avoiding acidity and gastric problems. When the dish has coconut milk to make it a heavy intake, chukku podi/dry ginger powder would aid in easy digestion too!

Paasi Paruppu Payasam

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

paasi paruppu/dehusked green gram – 3/4 cup
vellam/jaggery – 1/2 cup
water – 1/4 cup to dissolve jaggery
thengai pal/coconut milk – 1 and 1/2 cup
chukku podi/dry ginger powder – 1/2 tsp
elakkai podi/cardamom powder – 1//2 tsp
thinly cubed coconut pieces – 3 tblsp or lesser as per preference
nei/clarified butter – 2 tblsp

Method of Preparation

In a pan, roast dehusked green gram till golden brown, no oil or butter needed
In the same pan, fry coconut pieces in clarified butter till golden brown
Cook the gram in pressure cooker with enough water till done; do not overcook
While the green gram is getting cooked in the pressure cooker, dissolve jaggery in just enough water (1/4 cup). Strain it to avoid impurities
Now on, the preparation is really easy and simple – Strain jaggery into the pressure cooker with cooked lentil
Add dry ginger powder and cardamom powder and bring the mixture to a slightly thick consistency; if the cooked lentil is already thick and with very less water and the addition of jaggery has made it thicker, not to worry – add very little water if needed. This might help blending jaggery well with the lentil
When jaggery is well blended with cooked lentil, add coconut milk. I used canned coconut milk
If the payasam is too thick in consistency, add 1/2 cup water to dilute it. If one likes the thicker version, can avoid adding more water
After coconut milk is added, too much cooking and boiling might make coconut milk curdle due to the presence of jaggery
Bring to a single boil and switch off the stove
Transfer to a serving bowl and mix the fried coconut pieces with nei/clarified butter
Serve hot.

Note:

Do not roast the lentil too dark as the payasam would lose perfect colour.
Coconut pieces should be really thin.
Keep track of the amount of water in cooking the lentil and soaking jaggery… too much water would result in too much cooking time in reducing the lentil-jaggery mixture before adding coconut milk.
The quantity of jaggery here is for a mildly sweetened payasam. Those who prefer more sweetness in their payasam can add a little more jaggery
The most important thing is the coconut milk. Adequate care should be taken not to curdle the milk.
REHEATING: Do not reheat the payasam directly on stove as it may curdle or the lentil would get burnt at the bottom. Heat slightly in microwave or Boil water in a vessel and place a steel bowl of payasam to heat up.

Wait..Wait…

This is not as complicated as the points mentioned above! But actually, just take care of the coconut milk alone.

If one notices, I have emphasised a bit too much on water. It is just to say that one need not panic if lentil has less water or more water. Add more water wherever needed and incase of excess water, boil it to bring to required consistency. Just one thing to remember, all alterations of boiling should be before coconut milk is added.

If lentil is overcooked, not to worry. This payasam tastes good with overcooked lentil too! Personally to me, doesn’t make big difference. The taste of coconut milk with jaggery takes care of everything.

One last thing….
Forgot to reduce water before adding coconut milk…… not to worry again! Instead of a bowl, serve in a tumbler/glass as we do at home in Tamilnadu!!

Share this:
X
Facebook
Print
Like Loading...

This entry was posted in Generations to Generations, Jaggery Based Sweets, Sweets and Desserts and tagged coconut pieces, dehusked green gram payasam, festive payasam, jaggery, jaggery sweets, paasi paruppu, paasi paruppu payasam on June 22, 2013 by dosaikal.

Ravai/Rava Kesari – Semolina Pudding

2 Replies

kesari

When we start anything new, we always start with a sweet. Now, when ‘dosaikal’ is stepping forward into another new year, let us enter with a sweet. Birthday of any member of the family or Marriage Anniversary is celebrated with the person/couple’s favourite payasam (of course cakes for youngsters in the evening); Entry into a new house – ‘pudhu manai pugu vizha’ in tamil or the house-warming ceremony is started in the new kitchen by boiling milk with sugar/jaggery flavoured with cardamom; Festivals begin with specific sweets of the occasion early in the morning. So, where does this Ravai/Rava Kesari come in ….?

It is a simple and quick sweet dish which accommodates itself on all occasions.

In marriage ceremonies, the morning breakfast served for guests in the ‘Thirumana Mandapam’ – Marriage Hall, would start with kesari;

In some families, during the ‘bride seeing ceremony’ – when the family of the bridegroom visits many of those ‘expected eligible brides’ to choose a perfect life partner for their son – sojji (kesari) and bhajji (vegetable fritters) are served. Kesari is also known as ‘sojji’ – (must have come from the hindi word for ravai/semolina – sooji);

Sudden guests? – there is always the simple Kesari – quick and pleasing;

To start a breakfast feast menu, to go with a snack and filter kaapi (https://dosaikal.com/2011/08/18/the-morning-cup-of-coffee) for evenings or as and when to satisfy the urge of the extra sweet tooth – the versatile ravai/rava kesari is certainly a show stealer – and one of my favourite sweets.

The name Kesari

Kesar denotes Saffron.

The name saffron comes from Arabic, where the spice is known as za’fran that name derives from a Semitic root signifying “be yellow” or “become yellow”. Almost all European and several non-European languages have loaned that name.

Several superficially similar Indic names of saffron (Sanskrit kesaravara, Hindi kesa, Urdu kisar) are, however, not related but derive from Sanskrit kesara “hair”, which refers to the thin, almost hairlike saffron threads. (http://kesarwani.net/Pages/Etymology.aspx)

In Tamil, saffron/kesar is called kungumapoo – combination of kungumam and poo. Kungumam/Kumkum is the red coloured mark applied on the forehead, by women in India (mostly Hindus) and religiously by both men and women; Poo means flower. So, Kungumapoo means the vermilion coloured flower.

Kesar – kungumapoo – saffron is grown in Kashmir, a state in northern India. In the south of India, the world’s most expensive spice is used in rarity – I think mostly expecting mothers add to their glass of milk.

In North India, Semolina Pudding is called Sooji ka Halwa – literally translated as semolina halwa/pudding. Sooji ka Halwa does not have the touch of saffron – it has the subtle colour of roasted semolina in clarified butter. But, the south indian version of semolina pudding has the colour of saffron and hence it must have got its name KESARI. Nowadays, generally, orange food colour is added to Kesari for the colour. In many households, kungumapoo/saffron is added to give Kesari the original saffrony colour.

Now, to the making of Kesari!

Kesari

Ingredients (serves 6)

Ravai/Rava/Semolina (sooji) – 1 cup

sarkkarai/sugar – 1 1/2 cups (

thanneer/water – 4 cups

elappodi/cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

nei/clarified butter – 1/2 cup

mundhiri/cashewnuts – 2 tbsp

kungumapoo/kesar/saffron – a few strands

Method of Preparation

1. In a broad pan, roast ravai/semolina till it gives out a roasted aroma and starts turning golden brown (should not be completely golden brown)

2. Spread in a plate and keep aside

3. In the same pan, boil 4 cups of water, sugar, saffron strings and cardamom powder

4. Close the pan with lid to bring to a boil quickly

5. Simmer stove at this stage

6. Slowly add roasted ravai- be careful with constant stirring as lumps form very easily (Add ravai with one hand and keep stirring with the other)

7. Keep stirring till ravai/semolina absorbs all water and comes to a thick consistency

8. Do not forget to stir continuously till the whole mixture thickens

9. As soon as the mixture is thickened, immediately in another stove, fry the cashew nuts in nei/clarified butter (let the stove be in sim position only)

10. Pour this into the nearly done kesari and mix well

11. Close the lid and cook for nearly five minutes

12. After the addition of nei/clarified butter, the texture of kesari reaches the much awaited ‘melt in the mouth consistency’

13. Serve hot for a heavenly taste

14. Alternatively, cool kesari and cut to required pieces and garnish with almonds.

or serve as you wish!

Note:

Though Ravai Kesari is a very easy sweet – lumps form very easily when ravai/semolina is getting cooked. To avoid this, stirring continuously is the only remedy

While roasting, be cautious not to let ravai brown too much

Generally, 3 cups water is taken for 1 cup ravai; I find this level insufficient for a super soft kesari. So, I use 4 cups of water, which lets ravai/sooji/semolina cook well and would not let semolina thicken before getting cooked

Though quantity of nei/ghee/clarified butter can be reduced as preference, the above mentioned ‘melt in the mouth’ consistency would be compromised…so, the choice is yours

If the last method of frying cashew nuts in nei seems complicated with kesari in one stove, one may roast cashewnuts separately and then heat the nei separately to add to kesari

Always pour hot nei/ghee/clarified butter into cooked kesari to bring out the best consistency.

Share this:
X
Facebook
Print
Like Loading...

This entry was posted in Sugar Based Sweets, Sweets and Desserts and tagged kesar, kungumapoo, rava kesari, ravai, saffron, semolina pudding, sooji ka halwa on July 2, 2012 by dosaikal.

The Tricky Athirasam!

2 Replies

***Updated on 03rd November 2016

Deepavali as we know is marked by the sweets and savouries made for the occasion. The day of Deepavali starts with the early morning oil bath, new dresses, poojai with the – ever tricky athirasams. Athirasams are fried delicacies made of rice flour and jaggery. The texture of athirasams depend on the jaggery syrup and quality of rice flour. Generally, raw rice is soaked and dried at home and powdered, then used with jaggery syrup to make this exotic sweet. But rice flour from the store (fine quality) can also be substituted. The result might not be the best. I have used rice flour from shop – the shop did not have raw rice but had rice flour – hence I opted to settle with that.

Athirasam as the name suggests means very tasty or might be ‘x’ factor in taste! It certainly has it. All other sweets and savouries are prepared the day before Deepavali and Athirasams are a morning poojai affair. At my parent’s home on the Deepavali morning, as children we would be busy trying the new outfit/outfits and enjoying sparklers and crackers. So, I did not really have the experience in helping or making athirasams – it was restricted to tasting alone.

After marriage, specially at my husband’s granny’s (paatti) home, I could be part of the athirasam making team of youngsters! The chief cook is always the octogenarian or nonagenarian granny – she doesn’t know her age – but calculating through her first son’s age, she could be in her nineties, but by her active cooking abilities – this is difficult to admit. She makes flat athirasams on banana leaf, and guides her helpful daughter-in-laws to fry them to perfection, and other grand-children would be pressing excess oil out of the hot athirasams… This was thoroughly a watcher’s delight! First time, I joined the children’s gang to press out oil (atleast a hundred athirasams would be fried); Next deepavali, I graduated or got a double promotion sitting near paatti (grandma) to make flat athirasams on banana leaf. She wouldn’t allow me in front of the oil stove to fry!

Making athirasam was so easy this way…but to make it alone for the first time is quite a difficult one. Making the dough for athirasam is a very delicate work which has to be done with caution. If the consistency of the jaggery syrup is not right, the athirasams might break inside oil or turn out strong enough to break your enemys’ teeth! Being a high level optimist, I felt I was quite lucky this time – (oh, I don’t mean breaking anyone’s teeth but talking about athirasams) though not perfect as amma’s or picture perfect as paati’s athirasams – they tasted good enough though didn’t look the most perfect!

They were not hard but surely lacked the oily glow, one of the special features of athirasams. I didn’t know whether I should be happy about the less oil texture or worry about the missing originality… Then, I decided I would worry about the latter. The reason behind the not-so-good outcome might be the quality of rice flour or the more likely culprit – consistency of jaggery. I am going to try and rectify these known mistakes. Suggestions regarding this are always welcome. But since this is the proven right recipe by amma and paatti for making athirasams…might be you get it better than mine! Next time, I am going to try with raw rice from scratch…ofcourse when it is available in the Indian grocery shop (better athirasams in the near future).

***Updated on 03rd November 2016
***The next time of good Athirasams arrived recently, from Athai/Aunt, who gave me a perfectly done dough to be stored for months. This has been a loving way of making Athirasam available all the time, when you are out of your home town. The prepared dough has been stored in the refrigerator. I follow these simple steps for the true joy of Athirasam.

a. I take the required dough out

b. place it in a warm place to bring it to normal temperature

c. Mix very little warm milk to make a smoother dough

d. Fry in hot oil

e. Squeeze the oil out

f. Serve and enjoy tasting every bit of it.

I have certainly graduated with my paagu – syrup in making perfect groundnut or sesame or dry fruit brittles. Athirasam shouldn’t be very far off. But, when I had the opportunity of relishing Athirasam through the caring hands of Athai, didn’t miss the chance.

Nanri Athai.***

Athirasam

Ingredients (makes approximately 10 athirasams)

arisi maavu/rice flour – 1 cup

thuruviya vellam/grated jaggery – 1 cup

Elakkai podi/cardamom powder – 1 tsp

chukku podi/dry ginger powder – 1/2 tsp

yennai/oil – for frying

Method of Preparation

Heat jaggery with 1/4 cup water in a vessel to dissolve

Filter when jaggery is dissolved and make a syrup

The syrup should be single string consistency – When the jaggery is boiling well in the vessel – keep a bowl of water and add a few drops of the syrup. The drop should settle in water and one should be able to make a soft ball out of it – it should not be too sticky. This is the right consistency of syrup.

Turn off the stove.

Making dough

Add rice flour to jaggery syrup and mix with a ladle. There should be no lumps

Do not wait for the dough to become stiff. One can stop adding rice flour if the dough becomes pasty

Jaggery stiffens the dough after a while and hence the dough should be a little sticky

Keep the dough closed overnight.

Frying Athirasams

Next morning, heat oil in an iruppu chatti/kadai

Apply little oil on an aluminium foil, take a small ball and press it even into flat discs with greased fingers

Deep fry one by one till golden brown

Depending upon the colour of jaggery, athirasams can also be dark brown – mine was done from the darker variety of jaggery

Soon after athirasam is removed from oil, place it on a dabara/kattori and press it with another dabara/kattori to squeeze out excess oil. This helps in flattening the athirasams

Store in containers. Athirasams become softer after a while.

Tip:

If the dough thickens or is stiff after 12 hours – add 1 or 2 tsp of curds/yoghurt and knead well to bring it a soft dough consistency.

Some might also add milk instead of curds.

If one finds the sweetness of athirasams less or more, texture of athirasams soft or hard, can be altered in the next attempt! There is always another chance!!

I wish everyone a very HAPPY DEEPAVALI!

Share this:
X
Facebook
Print
Like Loading...

This entry was posted in Deepavali Sweets and Savouries, Jaggery Based Sweets, Sweets and Desserts and tagged athirasam, deep fried sweet, deepavali sweet, festive sweets, jaggery sweets, rice flour and jaggery on October 25, 2011 by dosaikal.

Sweet and Special Somasi!

2 Replies

Somasi is certainly a special traditional sweet – Why special? Because it is also international in the making process. These may very easily be mistaken for puff pastries – deep-fried but just a little different in shape. Whenever I try baking ‘dutch apple flappen’ with pastry sheets – I am reminded of somasis. The filling, (of course with different ingredients) – which goes into all-purpose flour rotis instead of the pastry sheet, sealed – then deep-fried for somasis and baked for apple flappen!

Somasi is usually cut with a special somasi cutter. At present, I do not possess one… It is a spoon with a wheel like cutter at the other end – somewhat like a pizza cutter with a spoon at the handle position – (another proof of its international appeal!) I used a knife to cut the extra dough and my daughter helped in making the edges intact with a fork. By the time I made nearly 20 somasis, I felt quite tired.. Might be because this was the first time I made it all by myself! I know the next time it is going to be easier.. After completion, it seemed to resemble another all time favourite ‘f’rench pastry – the croissant’ (especially in the photo down below)!

I once again remembered and missed the joy of making sweets and savouries together with two generation of experienced hands as a kid. One to roll the dough and keep the filling, we the kids to cut it to proper shape and the other elder member to deep fry in oil – with filter coffee by our sides to keep the energy intact… But thambi (brother) would only need those somasis or already made murkkus to keep up his energy!

Somasis

Ingredients (makes approximately 15-18 somasis)

freshly grated coconut/desiccated coconut – 1/2 cup

ghee – 2 tsp to roast coconut

pottukadalai/roasted split chick peas – 1/2 cup

white sesame seeds – 3 tsp

sugar – 1/2 cup

cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

all-purpose flour – 2 cups

salt – a pinch

water – just enough to make a dough

oil – for deep-frying

Method of Preparation

The filling

Roast grated coconut with 2 tsp ghee. I used the desiccated coconut from the super market – the dryness in it helped roasting easier and quicker

Dry roast sesame seeds till golden brown

Powder pottukadalai and sugar separately

Mix roasted coconut, powdered pottukadalai, roasted sesame seeds cardamom powder and sugar and keep aside

The dough

Mix all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt with enough water to make a smooth dough to be rolled into rotis

Making somasis

1. Make small balls out of the dough and roll them to round medium shaped rotis or puris

2. Keep 1 tbsp of the filling on the rolled rotis

3. Fold the roti into a semi-circle

4. Cut the folded semi-circle clean in the edges, with a knife or a pizza cutter or with a somasi cutter if one has it

5. Mix the removed excess dough with the basic dough

6. If cut with a knife or pizza cutter, seal the edges with a fork

7. If done with a somasi cutter, the cutter would take care of the edge design

8. Heat oil in a chatti/kadai

9. Gently drop the raw somasis into oil

10. Fry till golden brown and take them out in a kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil

11. Let them cool and store in an air-tight container.

Note:

Sugar can be increased if needed

If there is left-over filling, it can be stored and used within a week to make somasis again or any other sweet.

Share this:
X
Facebook
Print
Like Loading...

This entry was posted in Deepavali Sweets and Savouries, Sugar Based Sweets, Sweets and Desserts and tagged coconut and sugar, coconut filling, deepavali sweet, festive sweets, somasi on October 22, 2011 by dosaikal.

Post navigation

← Older posts

Newer posts →

Search for:

translate dosaikal post
Blog Stats

585,394 hits

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address:

Join 142 other subscribers

This slideshow requires JavaScript.
January 2026

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

« Sep

Recent Posts

Storage Rules… Go Green !!

100% Whole Wheat Fish Pizza

100% Whole Wheat Paneer Pizza

100% Whole Wheat Pizza Basics – Dough and Pizza Sauce

Nellikkai Thakkali Thuvayal/Gooseberry Tomato Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

NO COCONUT- Nellikkai Milagaivatral Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Red Chilli Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

Nellikkai Thengai Milagaivatral Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coconut Red Chilli Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

Nellikkai Pudhina Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Mint Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

Nellikkai Malli Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coriander Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

Nellikkai Thengai Milagai Thuvayal/ Gooseberry Coconut Greenchilli Chutney (Gooseberry Chutney Series)

Top Posts & Pages
A Visit So Special!
Puli Kuzhambu - The Exceptional Tamarind Curry
The Traditional Rice Varieties of Tamilnadu
Entering Year 3! Paasi Paruppu Payasam/Dehusked Green Gram Pudding/Kheer
Navaratri and Nostalgia - Karuppu Kondaikadalai Sundal/Stir fried Black Chick Peas
Almond flour and Whole Wheat Flour Bread
Thai Pongal - The Harvest Festival and Sarkkarai Pongal
Mullangi Kuruma/Raddish Kuruma
Moongil Arisi Payasam/ Bamboo Rice Payasam
Aadu/Mutton Urundai Kuzhambu/Meat Balls (lamb) in Spicy Gravy
Good to be an IndiBlogger!

Tags

100% whole wheat cake

Abu Dhabi

banana leaf

butterless oil cake

butterless wheat cake

cakes without butter

chutney

chutney for dosai/dosa

coconut

coconut and jaggery

coconut filling

coconut sweets

deepavali savoury

deepavali sweet

diwali

diwali sweets

dosa

dosai

dosai/dosa

Dosai/Dosa Varieties

eggless cake

festival sweets

festive snacks

festive sweets

gooseberry

gooseberry chutney

healthy bakes

healthy breakfast snacks

healthy cake

healthy food

healthy snacks

home made jam

idli

idli/dosa batter

jaggery

jaggery based sweets

jaggery sweets

karuppatti/palm jaggery

laddu

lentil dosai

lentil salad

Less Oil Dry Curries

maatu pongal

millet Idli

mint

murukku

native rice varieties

navaratri

nellikkai

nellikkai thuvayal

palm jaggery

palm sugar

pancakes

payasam

pongal

power packed pancakes

royal orchid Abu dhabi

sarkkarai pongal

simple meal

South Indian Cuisine/Tamilnadu Traditions/ The Tamils

Spicy Chutneys

steamed rice cakes

steamed rice dumplings

sundal

sweet balls

tamilnadu

tamilnadu sweets

thai cuisine

thuvayal

Vaazhai ilai

wheat cake

whole wheat

whole wheat bread

whole wheat cake

whole wheat pizza

Dosaikal

…..Peeping into grandma's kitchen and more…

Category Archives: Sweets and Desserts

Thirukkaarthigai and Pori Urundai/Festival of Lights and Puffed Rice Sweet Balls

Pottukkadalai-Nilakkadalai Urundai/Roasted Channa-Groundnut Laddu

Kezhvaragu Kambu Urundai/Ragi-Bajra Laddu/Nutty Millet Sweet Balls

Pathirpeni/Sugary Snow White Crisps

Ukkarai/Okkarai – Lentil Halwa for Diwali

Inippu/Vella-k-kozhukkattai/Jaggery Rice Dumplings – Steamed

Entering Year 3! Paasi Paruppu Payasam/Dehusked Green Gram Pudding/Kheer

Ravai/Rava Kesari – Semolina Pudding

The Tricky Athirasam!

Sweet and Special Somasi!