Shrikhand ( India's sweet yogurt dessert)

Yogurt cheese also known as  hung yogurt/ chakka is just yogurt from which most of the water has been removed. It then resembles a thick, creamy paste. This paste is mixed with fruit paste, sugar and flavouring to prepare  Shrikhand, a sweet very popular in north India, especially Maharashtra and Gujarat. Though primarily a dessert, it  is also served as a ‘curry’ with pooris. Shrikhand forms a part of many North Indian wedding feasts. It is befittingly prepared to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, the divine cow herd.

Indian desserts can be split into four major classes.

1.       Desserts soaked / cooked in sugar syrup ( jalebis, katli, mysorepak, burfi, halwah,… )

2.       Desserts based on cooked down milk ( rabri, payasam, kheer, peda, kulfi,… )

3.       Desserts based on milk solids ( rasgulla, rasmalai, kalakhand, ..) and

4.       Yogurt Desserts (Shrikhand & Bengali Mishti doi).

Vary Yogurt : Though common yogurt made from cow / buffalo milk is used to make traditional shrikhand, a variety of yogurts made from goat/ other milk can be used. Flavoured yogurts or even soy yogurt can be used to make fusion shrikhand.

 

Making yogurt cheese (Chakka) : :: Line a colander/ sieve with a cloth. Pour in  2 cups( 400 ml) of yogurt. Keep colander raised so that water can drain away overnight ( or gather edges of cloth & hang the bag of yogurt to let water drain).

Making fruit puree : Skin and deseed ripe fruit. Mash them to a coarse / smooth paste as per your taste.

Making yogurt : Boil two cups of milk. Let cool till lukewarm. Stir in  a spoon of yogurt. Rest in a warm place for 3 -5 hours.

Making flavoured yogurt : Boil two cups of milk. Let cool till lukewarm. Stir in  a spoon of yogurt. Mix in a pinch of cardamom / cinnamon / nutmeg / mace / dry ginger powder or mix in a drop of your favourite essence. Rest in a warm place for 3 -5 hours.

Making Mishti Doi ( sweet yogurt) : Bring four cups of milk to a boil. Reduce flame and simmer on low flame  till milk is reduced by half. Mix in a cup ( or less, to taste) of powdered jaggery. Let cool till lukewarm. Mix in two spoons of yogurt. Rest covered for 3 - 5 hours in a warm place.

Using Yogurt cheese : In middle east yogurt cheese is popular as labneh and is served as small balls steeped in olive oil. Yogurt cheese is mixed with chopped garlic, cucumbers & olive oil to make the Greek dip Tzatziki. It can be used as a dip / spread / cake icing / in parfaits.  Yogurt cheese made from fat free / low fat milk is  a low fat substitute for cream cheese. It has a rich taste and a creamy mouth feel without being laden with calories. It is also a good source of calcium. 

For detailed recipes and great pictures, check out the model recipes from fellow bloggers below : 

Kesar Shrikhand

Berry Shrikhand

Mango Shrikhand

Kesar Pista Shrikhand

Gojju varieties ( Karnataka's sweet and sour stews)

Gojju is a  classic Kannadiga curry. It  is a flavoured sweet and sour thick stew where the sourness is balanced by the sweetness of jaggery. It is the closest equivalent to the kulambu of Tamilnadu and pulusu of Andhra. 

Gojju is eaten mixed with rice or  with sorghum / rice flatbreads ( jolada roti / akki roti). It is also mixed with in flattened rice  ( poha / aval)and served for breakfast as Gojju avval / Gojju avalakkai. Due to its high acidic content, a Gojju lasts for 2-3 days without refrigeration. Nowhere in India would you see a pineapple curry, but in south Karnataka, where Pineapple gojju is much loved and is an essential part of the  wedding feast. Gojju need not be limited to local vegetables / additives listed above. Feel free to use your favourite vegetables. 

Unlike the Tamil kulambu, which is often cooked with meat, it would be uncommon to find meat in a Gojju. The Tamil word Gothsu, a thick sour curry, is probably derived from Gojju.

 

Naming Gojjus : Gojjus can take their name from either the base used ( eg: Pineapple Gojju),  from the flavouring used (eg: methi gojju,) or from  the additves used (eg: Bendekai Gojju). They are also named after the dish it is eaten with ( eg: Pongal gojju) or after a combination of all the above (eg: Kumabalakayi Mosaru Gojju).  Gojju has the consistency of a thick soup. If your gojju is thin,  dissolve 2-3 pinches of rice / gram flour in a spoon of water and mix into the simmering gojju to thicken it.

 

For detailed recipes and great pictures, check out model recipes from my fellow bloggers below :

 RV’s Radish Gojju

Anu’s Shallot Gojju

Sushma’s Gojju with Karnataka’s speciality additive Colocasia leaves.

Krishnaveni’s Eggplant Gojju which could as well be Tamilnadu’s Kathirikkai Gothsu, her  Eggplant Mosaru Gojju which uses yogurt as a souring agent and an interesting gojju made from turkey berry.

Ramya’s Pineapple Gojju

Saagu Variations ( Karnataka's Coconut stews)

Saagu, a classic Kannadiga curry is a flavoured coconut stew in which vegetables are simmered. It is the closest equivalent to the kuruma of Tamilnadu and Kormas of North India. Saagu is eaten mixed with rice, flatbreads ( poori / chappati), rava idli or set dosa. Saagu can be cooked with any vegetable, but the ones listed here are the most common.

 Like any curry cooked with coconut / coconut milk, cooking saagu for long makes it split into solid and liquid portions. The goal is to have a creamy saagu. So cook it on low heat with constant stirring for as short a time as possible. Using boiled vegetables greatly shortens the cooking time and reduces the risk of the saagu curdling. 

Naming Saagu : Saagu can take their name from either the base used ( eg: Baadami saagu),  from the flavouring used (eg: Masala saagu,) or from  the additves used (eg: Batani Saagu). They are also named after the dish it is eaten with ( eg: Rava Idli saagu) or after a region ( eg: Malenadu saagu) or after a combination of all the above (eg: Baadami masala potato saagu).

Saagu has the consistency of a thick, chunky soup. If your saagu is thin,  dissolve 2-3 pinches of rice / gram flour in a spoon of water and mix into the simmering saagu to thicken it.:

 
Though traditionally eaten with rotis or rice, a saagu goes equally well as a sauce with pasta or noodles. Being very mild, it serves an excellent introduction to south Indian cuisine.

 The base : Saagus  are cooked with a variety of  bases , though a blended mixture of coconut, poppy seeds, chilies are found in most  saagus. As listed in column 1, a variety of goodies are blended in to create different classes of saagus.

The flavouring : The common south Indian flavouring of fried mustard, curry leaves and asafetida is used in most saagus. Different combinations of common south Indians flavourings are also used as listed in column 2.

Additives used.: Almost  all vegetables or a mixture of them are used in saagu. The most common ones are listed in column 3. Most vegetables can be boiled and added to saagu. Vegetables can also be stir fried and then mixed in.

Cooking vegetables beforehand greatly shortens saagu cooking time.

 Stir frying : Heat a spoon of oil. Add a handful of chopped vegetables. Sprinkle some water and stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes.

Boiling :Bring a liter of water to a boil. Add a spoon of salt. Add a handful of chopped vegetables. Cook for 5 - 8 minutes. Pour in a colander to drain water.

Microwaving : Add a handful of chopped vegetables to a microwave safe cup. Sprinkle a bit of water. Cover loosely and cook on high for 2 - 4 minutes.

 Pressure cooking : Add two handfuls of chopped vegetables to a pressure cooker. Add half a cup of water, Pressure cook on medium heat for 1 whistle.

 Easy Saagu powder : Take three pinches of cumin, a clove, a small bit of cinnamon,a pinch of pepercorns, half a handful dry coconut flakes, two dry red chilies, four pinches of poppy seeds, two pinches of rice or roasted gram and two pinches of salt. Blend all to a powder. For instant saagu, just mix the powder with the base, add boiled vegetables, simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

 For detailed recipes and great pictures, check out the model recipes from my fellow bloggers.

Roopa’s Rava idli Saagu

Rashmi’s mixed vegetable saagu

Vaani’s vegetable saagu

Nags’ masala saagu

Sushma’s Bombay saagu

Prathiba’s potato saagu

10 Simple no-cook Kiwi recipes

Click the image on the left to see the cookbook. This cookbook lists 10 simple no cook Kiwi recipes listed below : 

1.:  Kiwi fruit salad 

2.:  Kiwi Raita

3.:  Kiwi Parfait

4.:  Kiwi Smoothie

5.:  Kiwi Chutney

6.:  Kiwi Pickle  

7.:  Kiwi Lassi

8.:. Kiwi Milkshake   

9.:  Kiwi Salsa 

10.:Kiwi Adult Popsicle

Yang tao ( Chinese : sunny peach) - the kiwifruit, or kiwi, is a berry of a vine native to China.   There are more than 400 different varieties of kiwi fruit in China where they have been used for over 700 years.The kiwis, which have now gained world acceptance are as large as an hen’s egg, with a fuzzy brown skin and green / pale yellow flesh with tiny edible seeds. Kiwi has a sweet/tart flavour, a combination of gooseberry with a hint of strawberry. No wonder it was called the Chinese Gooseberry. Missionaries took the seeds to New Zealand early this century. Newzealand realised its potential, exported it to US and renamed this berry as Kiwi, to appeal better to US consumers.  In just 25 years,  the sales went from almost nothing to over 35 million pounds in US alone. Current world production is around 1 million ton, produced mostly by New Zealand and Italy. California is America’s largest Kiwi producer.  

Kiwi has actinidin,  the protein-dissolving enzyme. If you use kiwi in milk / yogurt  preparations, serve them immediately or the enzyme will start digesting milk proeteins. Even in salads, Kiwi would turn other fruits mushy when stored for long.  This is why kiwifruit could also be used as a natural meat tenderizer. Chopped kiwi can be mixed with meat and in about 15 - 30 minutes it would have tenderised the meat.

Kiwifruit also serves as a natural blood thinner and is believed to reduce the risk of stroke. The skin is edible and so kiwis can be eaten unpeeled. The skin is rich in fiber and peeling results in the loss of many vitamins stored directly beneath the skin. 

100 gms of Kiwis have around 50 calories.  This is the amount you’ll burn up by walking for 15 minutes.

 Buying & storing Kiwis :

1. Ripe Kiwis are firm but should yield when you press them gently.

2. Kiwis can be stored for over two weeks refrigerated

3. Unripe kiwis ripen at room temperature in 3-5 days.Or stored in a paper bag with an apple, they ripen even faster.

4. Choose a fruit that is plump, has no wrinkles or bruises and intact skin. Size does not matter.

5. Kiwi slices freeze and thaw well.

6. Kiwi can also be sun dried into fruit leather.

Simple Paruppu Thogayal Varieties

Click the image to view and print the cookbook. This cookbook lists variations of the following Paruppu Thogayals ( roasted and ground lentil - chili paste)  from Tamil cuisine 

0.: Ver Kadalai Thogayal

1.: Pattani Kadalai Thogayal

2.: Uppu Kadalai Thogayal

3.: Paasi paruppu Thogayal

4.: Kadalai paruppu Thogayal

5.: Tuvaram paruppu Thogayal

6.: Kollu Thogayal

7.: Ulutham paruppu Thogayal

8.: Mysore Paruppu Thogayal

 Paruppu Thogayal :
When roasted lentils are ground into a powder with dry red chilies , we get a podi. When they are ground to a paste with water, we get paruppu thogayal. Mung dal, Tuvar dal and Chana Dal are most commonly used for traditional paruppu thogayals. But a variety of other paruppu can be used to cook up delicious thogayals. Unlike a podi, a paruppu thogayal cannot be stored for long. Refrigerated, they last for a week. They can be eaten mixed with rice and ghee / sesame oil. They also serve as an excellent side dish for Milagu rasam / Milagu kulambu / Vatral Kulambu / Kaara Kulambu  & kootu. Rasam, Parupu Thogayal and sutta appalam is a very popular combination. 

·   After roasting lentils, soak in water for 10 minutes for a softer thogayal.  

·   Heat a spoon of oil. Add two pinches of mustard and 3 curry leaves. Mix in with thogayal for an extra burst of flavour.

·   Ver Kadalai / Uppu Kadalai / Pattani are available in shops  selling puffed rice. These are already roasted and so can be used to create instant thogayals.

·   If you make paruppu thogayal without coconut / tamarind / garlic / other strong flavourings, it becomes a pathiya thogayal, and can be served  to  invalids.

·   Instead of roasting lentils, you can also stir fry them with a bit   of oil to create thogayals with a different taste. Fried mung dal / Chana dal / Peanuts are available as snacks and you can use them to make instant thogayals.

Check out detailed recipes and great pictures from fellow bloggers.....

1. Rajeswari's Tuvaram Paruppu Thogayal

2. Vibass' Tuvaram paruppu Milagu Thogayal

3. Kribha's Poondu Paruppu Thogayal

4. Vidhya's Kadalai paruppu Thogayal

5. Ulutham paruppu Thogayal

6. Komala's Pasi paruppu thogayal

Since Paruppu thogayals are built on red chiles & lentils, the chili part of them take them to  Kitchen Chronicles' "Think Spice- Red Chilies", an  event  started by Sunita Bhuyan, and the lentils take them to Mosoon spice's MLLA, an event started by Susan.

Top 10 uses for a Microwave in a South Indian Kitchen

Click the image on the left to see the cookbook. This cookbook lists 10 simple recipes designed to be cooked in a microwave, graded from easy to tough. The following recipes are listed : 

1.: Make Papad

2.: Reheating Rice / curries   

3.: Making Soup   

4.: Cooking eggs

5.: Making Idli  

6.: Roasting nuts 

7.: Cooking Noodles   

8.:.Cooking Vegetables 

9.: Reheating Bread

10.:Boiling milk 

 Microwave cooking – A Primer :

Microwaving is one of the easiest ways to cook. No smoke, heat, no need for constant stirring or watching. It is easy to
use and can dramatically reduce your cooking time. Understand the basic principles and you need not fear a microwave !

 

Unlike all other forms of cooking, microwave cooks from inside out. Heat is generated inside the food – not transferred from the outside. Microwaves vibrate water molecules in food. This vibration produces intense heat. This heat cooks food.

Microwave cooking generates steam. So if you cook food in a tightly sealed container, it will explode. Always use a loose cover and never use a tight lid while microwaving.

For the same reason, eggs, potato, egg yolk can explode because their outer layer acts as a tight cover. Do not microwave eggs with their shells and prick a few holes in potato & scramble the yollks before microwaving,

Metals reflect microwaves. So metal vessels cannot be used in a microwave. Plastic, earthenware, paper plates / cups can be used.

Remember the cooking times, especially for liquids. Heating water / milk for a long time might cause them to splash up when you take them out.

Timing would vary for each microwave. So keep these timings as rough guidelines. Note down the time your microwave takes and follow that exactly.

And this goes to Srivalli's Microwave easy cooking event.

Tamil Thokku ( Thick, sour curries)

The logic behind  thokku : Stir fry chopped veggies till dry, blend to a paste with tamarind, red chilies and salt. 

Thokku is halfway between a thogayal and a pickle. Like a thogayal, goodies are blended to a paste with tamarind, but like a pickle, no water is added and the water content of ingredients used is reduced by slow cooking. The reduced water content and the acidic environment inhibit spoilage. Most thokku last for a week un refrigerated and for over a month refrigerated. Follow a few simple rules to make your thokku last long:
1. Use fresh, unblemished vegetables.
2. Wash and completely dry vegetables, bottles and spoons.
3. Never use a wet spoon or your bare hands to touch the thokku. Even a tiny bit of water can spoil it.
4. Aluminum, plastic or brass vessels react with the acid in thokku and should be avoided. Use glass / stainless steel  / porcelain jars.
5. Salt always has moisture in it. So dry roast it / dry it in sun for a day before using it.
6. Refrigerate thokku to make them last much longer.
7. Have a layer of oil over thokku to seal the surface. 

Tips :

1. Thokku can be used as a dip, spread, curry or a pickle. You can eat it with flatbreads, with Idli / dosa /upma, curd rice, spread it over bread or eat it mixed with hot rice and ghee.

2. Almost all vegetables without too much water content can be turned into Thokkus. Experiment with exotic vegetables as long as you remain true to the spirit of the recipe.

3. When using sour stuff as the base, you need not add tamarind. If you do not have tamarind paste, just add a bit or raw tamarind (with the seeds / fibers removed)

4. Experiment using a variety of souring agents like mango / vinegar / lemon juice in place of tamarind.

5. Mix in a pinch of preservatives like sodium benzoate / citric acid to make your thokku last longer.

 Replace the vegetables with cooked meat and a variety of non veg thokkus like chicken thokku, mutton thokku, fish thokku or prawn thokku can be produced. The principle is the same – reduce moisture, add a souring agent and cook into a thick gravy.

 The variations of the following thokkus are listed in this cookbook

Onion thokku / Shallot thokku / Garlic thokku

Cilantro thokku / Pudina thokku

Thakkali thokku

Milagai thokku

Nellikkai thokku / kilakkai thokku / manga thokku /

Inji thokku

Chenai thokku

Mahali kilangu thokku

Sundaikkai thokku 

Fusion thokku ( Zucchini thokku, Cranberry thokku, Celery thokku, Bell pepper thokku..)

Since thokkus are built on red chiles, they are perfect for  Kitchen Chronicles' "Think Spice- Red Chilies", an  event  started by Sunita Bhuyan.

What people say - 2

• "I discovered a cookery site I like a lot:  One Page Cookbooks.  Choose one from column a, one from column be, and then add in column c.  It’s that simple - my kind of cooking.  My favorites are the muesli and rolls (the latter being ten types of flatbread paired with ten sauces and ten fillings - to create 1000 different quick meals).  I need to print these out and post them on my refrigerator, and I’ll never be hungry again". Jean,San Francisco

• "I like this concept: One page "cookbooks" focused on Indian cuisine. These are more like one sheet formulas, or Cooking for Engineers meets Ruhlman's Ratio. At the very least, a quick way to jog your brain out of a culinary rut. The latest one for biryanis will go in my recipe file, as will this one for traditional Bengali/Oriya sweets." Alaina Browne. General Manager, Serious eats 
  
  
• " Thank you thank you thank you for One Page Cookbooks! I'm loving that half to death this week." Sarah 
  
  
• "Your one-pagers are fun and ingenious"! Harold McGee ( Author, On Food & Cooking)
  
  
• "I liked your book a lot and it has been a boon to me! I have tried the various combinations and each has turned out to be a delicious fare. I have been married for the last two years but cooking was always a chore to me! Your book has simplified it a lot! I have taken a print and kept it as my kitchen bible now". Shilpa, Bangalore
  
  
• "One of the most intriguing sites I've seen in a while. Every post is a one-page grid of various ingredients that can be combined together into a large number of recipes. Literally a one page cookbook. I could stare at these posts all day long". Daniel Koontz,   Casual Kitchen.