IDICHU PIZHINJA PAYASAM, CHADHACHADAYAM, RICE KHEER WITH COCONUT MILK

This kheer or payasam is very special during Shasta preeti.  Shasta preeti is conducted in praise of Lord Ayyappa  during the Sabarimala season.  The pilgrimage begins in the month of November and ends in January.   Mandala pooja and Makaravilakku are the main events during the piligrims.   The Makarajyoti coincide with Makar Sankrant.   

The blend of coconut milk with rice and jaggery  is mouth watering and one cannot forget the taste of it.  I love this kheer as it has got a very special aroma comes in especially when it is made during the pooja.

I always prefer to make the same with fresh coconut milk, but due to lack of time to go through the tedious process involved in it, I use the short cut i.e. prefer to use the store bought ones. 

WOOD APPLE JUICE

As I have already prepared three dishes like wood apple chutney, wood apple pachadi and wood apple rice,  out of one wood apple by dividing into four portions, the fourth post is  juice.  After preparing the three items, i did not get time to try this hence had kept the pulp in the fridge.  When my neighbour came, I asked her whether she would like to taste it, she agreed.  I had some water in a bottle in the fridge so prepared it and was awesome.

PALAK PAPAD

Papad is served with rice, sambar combo and pulao, raita combo, rice, vattal kuzhambu combo.  It is also served as Masala Papad.  Varieties of papad are available like urad, garlic, masala, rice etc.  Ila vadam, rice papad made by South Indians.  Here is a slight variation of that by adding palak in it.  You fry it or roast it, it is liked by everyone.   thattai vadam.   Killu Karuvadam, So enjoy.

WOOD APPLE RICE, BEL FRUIT RICE, ELEPHANT APPLE RICE, MONKEY FRUIT RICE

We all prepare lemon rice, curd rice, dill rice, vegetable rice, mango rice, amla rice, tomato rice,  pulao and the varieties are endless.  Here is another variety of rice with wood apple.  Since I purchased a wood apple which was raw and was tasting sour, I decided to make wood apple chutney, wood apple pachadi , wood apple juice etc.  Here I am presenting the wood apple rice recipe.  It tastes like lime rice since it has got the sourness in it.

WOOD APPLE PACHADI, ELEPHANT APPLE PACHADI, MONKEY FRUIT PACHADI, BEL FRUIT PACHADI

I have already posted wood apple chutney.  This is yet another recipe with bel fruit, sweet pachadi.  This pachadi can be served with molagootal, curd rice and for ven pongal, dosa, idli too.  wood-apple-rice. wood apple juice

It is made with the pulp of bel fruit, chilli powder and jaggery without much hassle and easy to prepare.

WOOD APPLE CHUTNEY, BEL FRUIT CHUTNEY, ELEPHANT APPLE, MONKEY FRUIT

Wood apple is also known as bel fruit, elephant apple and monkey fruit.  It has got a hard shell somewhat similar to coconut and pulp inside.  It is used for curing various diseases.  It is also used in culinary purpose. It acts as blood cleanser, helps in digestive problems and also removes the worms from the intestine, good for diabetes also.

I happened to the market last time and picked up one but could not make it and got spoiled.  Today when I went to the market, I  saw this and picked up one.  Fortunately or unfortunately, it was a raw one, tastes bit sour.  Hence I decided to make three to four items with the one wood apple pulp as except me no one will eat this stuff.  I made sweet  wood apple pachadi, wood apple chutney, wood apple juice  and wood apple rice from this.

We  must select the one which has got a  sweet smell.  If it is hard,keep it under the sun for two to three days, it will ripen.  Sometimes, there is chance of getting spoiled too if it is not a matured fruit.

video: wood apple chutney

BHAGAR MILK KHEER, SAMO RICE MILK KHEER

I have already posted 3-4 items of  vari tandul or sanwa or samo rice or bhagar or chama ari or moriyo it is called.  Bhagar sarkara pongal  moriyo-ven-pongal, moriyo-dosa bhagar dosa etc.   Now I am presenting the Bhagar milk kheer.  Very easy to prepare, healthy and  a nice dish for fasting day.

BHAGAR SARAKARA PONGAL, SANWA SWEET PONGAL

Pongal festival is falling on 14th January this year.  Normally everyone make the pongal sweet and savoury with rice.  I am presenting the sweet pongal with samo rice.  Already posted  the savoury version.

This rice is used to prepare varieties of dishes during fasting.    Today is Vaikunda Ekadasai and my son's date of birth.  So thought of making this sweet dish for the neivedyam as well as for the birth day.  I made Bhagar sarakara Pongal as well as  bhagar milk kheer.  I have also posted Moriyo ven pongal and Moriyo dosa.   Here is the recipe of Sarkara Pongal.

MORIYO VEN PONGAL, SAMA RICE VEN PONGAL, CHAMA ARI VEN PONGAL

Ven Pongal is a light and healthy dish made out of rice and moongdal.  I have already posted the Dalia Ven Pongal.  Now I am presenting the Moriyo Ven Pongal or Sama rice ven pongal, chama ari ven pongal, bhagar ven pongal called by various name in different languages.  This dish is served hot with sambar and chutney.

VEN PONGAL

Ven pongal is made usually by Tamilians for Pongal.  It is served as breakast too.  For wedding and all, this is compulsory in Tamil Nadu for Breakfast as I have observed with medu vada, chutney and sambar.   This is named as Kichadi in North India. and served hot with Kadhi, papad and pickle.   It is made with rice, moongdal, pepper corns, cumin seeds etc. The ghee and fried cashewnuts adds flavour to it.  I have also prepared this with Samo rice or Moriyo rice.  
I have also posted Dalia Ven Pongal. &   moriyo-ven-pongal-sama-rice-ven-pongal.html