KANJI AND VENNI

This year Vishu is on 14th April 2014. New Year day of Keralites and Tamilians.

Kanji and venni is made during the New Year Day by Keralites and Tamilians.  It is a  traditional simple food relished on the day of Vishu.

In the month of Chitirai, (April) mango and neem trees will be full of flowers and fruits (In the spring season).  On the day of Vishu i.e New Year day, we make a curry with sweet, bitter, sour, salty and spicy.  It symbolizes the fact of our is a mixture of sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust etc which we have to digest and come out of all these problems accepting the fact of life and still live happily through  our life.

In Kerala, we celebrate "Vishu"  On the day of Vishu, "Kani Kannal" is a tradition.  On the previous night, in front of the God, in a thambalam or plate or big banana leaf, we keep broken coconut filled with coins and gold, a mirror with a golden chain in it, a vellarikka (madras kakadi), flowers, fruits, all the vegetables, jackfruit, lime, rice, dhal, mangoes jaggery, banana, vettilai, paku etc to seek the blessings of God and pray that through out the year, we should get all these things abundantly.  In this Kani, a special flower called "Konnapoo" or Amaltas or Indian Laburnum is must.  On the day of Vishu, elderly women wake up all the members of the family one by one to see the Vishu Kani and Kai Neetam ( giving money by the elderly person in the family to all the younger ones) is given.  Then celebrate the whole day and nice feast is also made and enjoyed. by all the family memebrs together.  It is really fun and I really enjoy at Kerala only and not in Metro.

Kanji and Venni

Kani Konna poo,  Indian laburnum

Kanji and Venni Youtube

INSTANT GOOSEBERRY PICKLE, AMLA PICKLE, NELLIKKA PICKLE

Pickles are always relished by us  especially it is part of Indian Meals.  Pickles are made by using various methods in different regions and every pickle has got its speciality.  Red chili powder, rai dana, saunf etc. are part of the pickles.

Here I have taken amla today for making the pickle.  I have used the instant method to make this pickle so that as soon as you make it, you can consume.  But the real taste in pickle is when you store it for a longer period.

VADU MANGAI, TENDER MANGO PICKLE, KADUKU MANGA, BABY MANGO PICKLE

Summer has started and the market is flooded with tender mangoes, bigger mangoes for pickle.  Jackfruit ripe and raw has started flooding in the market too.  Pickle is a part of our Indian meal and everyone likes it.  This vadu mangai is heavenly with curd rice.  I used to have it with sambar rice also.  

The vadu mangai is prepared and kept it in the Bharani/Jar and used next year.  Though I have been asked not to consume pickles, when I went to market today, I could not resist myself when I saw the tender mangoes.  Initially thought of buying only  1/2 kg but the quality of mango was too good, I picked up around 2 kgs of mangoes and the recipe is here.

Hurry up before the season gets over and enjoy.

Watch youitube: vadu mangai, tender mango pickle

SWEET TAMARIND CURRY, CHINCH CURRY, KODUKAPULI CURRY

Locally known as Chinch, it is called Guamachil, Manila Tamarind, Kodukkai Puli/Kodi-kai-puli, Sweet Tamarind, Thai-Sweet Tamarind, Madras Thorn, Monkey Pod, Jungle Jilebi, Bilayati Imli, Seema Chintakayalu (Foreign Tamarind), Kona Puliyankai (Twisted Tamarind).

It is not so - common fruit in market.  Is often sold by vendors going around  streets and in front of school, or in the prime markets where the local vendors sell it.

During our school days, we have seen it hanging on the tree which was looking so beautiful but never ventured to find out what exactly it is.  \

Recently, when I went to Jambli Naka, I happened to see this and checked with the lady who was selling this what is the use of it.  She said it is just to be eaten like that.  I bought it only  for Rs.10/- since I never tasted it.  I opened the pods and found some whitish thick pulp in it with black seeds.  The seeds had the resemblance of the normal tamarind seeds.

The pods contain a thick, sweetish, acidic pulp that is eaten raw or made into a drink similar to lemonade.  The plants can be seen on highways and plenty near Powai lake route.

When I get something new, if it is edible, I always try some cuisines with it.  I made salad, a curry with radish and a drink out of it. shall upload one by one.

NEEM FLOWER RASAM, VEPAMPOO RASAM, RASAM

Neem flower rasam is made during the Tamil, Telugu New year day.  Sour,  bitter, sweet, salt & spice  everything is mixed and the same should continue in the following days that is why on the new year day, these kind of dishes are made

Neem flower can be purchased form the Tamilians stores or if you have the tree nearby, can collect the flowers.  Yesterday, I had been to the market to buy certain things for the GUDI PADVA, i.e. the New year day of Maharashtrians, I happened to see the bunches of neem leaves full of flower and could not resist myself from buying the bunch as the New Year is on April 14, Monday, 2014, I wanted to make the rasam or raita or thogayal  or pachadi out of it.  

Neem flower, vepampoo

This recipe is lying in my folder since last year and I forgot about it.  I thought I had already posted it.  when I was checking it today, found that I have not posted it.  Hence sacrificing my sleep, I decided to upload the same and then go to sleep.

If you put them in a paper, pack it tightly and keep it in fridge and forget.  you will get the dried flowers.  there is no need to keep them in the hot sun for drying or you can use the fresh flowers too.

neemflower pachadi, vepampoo pachadi     neem flower raita       neem flower and leaves

Vepampoo rasam, neemflower rasam

IDLI

Idli is basically made with rice and urid dal.  It is a South Indian dish, however, made all over the world now.  It is served normally with coconut chutney, sambar, milagai podi.  It is a very tasty and healthy dish as the doctors recommend to give the patients this for breakfast as it does not do any harm since  it is steamed and no oil.  However, I have been advised not to eat this since I have some stomach related issues as fermented food does not suit me.  I used to take proportion 3:1 or 4:1 depending upon the combination of rice. If I am using only raw rice I used to put 3:1 and boiled rice 3 cups boiled rice, 1 cup raw rice and 1 cup urid dal.

GREEN CHANA CURRY

Green chana curry is made with green chana or cholia it is known as like the normal choley or Kadala Curry, brown chana curry.  A good combination  with Puttu, Aappam, roti, chapati etc.  Very easy to prepare and tasty to relish.

Green Chana curry, Cholia Curry

CORNMEAL DOSA

corn meal dosa is very easy to prepare.  I adapted this recipe from www.simpleindianrecipes.com but slightly modified it and there is difference between my recipe and the original one.  It can be prepared quickly and serve hot with any kind of chutney.  I served it with green chutney and sauce and it was awesome.  Thanks to Dahlia for this wonderful recipe.

watch youtube: cornmeal dosa

NENDRAN PAZHAM PULISSERY, COCONUT, CURD BASED BANANA CURRY

Nendran pazham pulissery is a coconut, curd based curry which goes well with plain rice, idli, dosa, adai, sevai etc.  I like to have it with chapati too.  We can replace the pazham (banana) with pineapple, ripe mango.  I even make this with vegetables viz. drumstick, ash gourd and mango.  During the mango season, almost every second day,we used to make it as we all used to love this curry along with plain rice (red boiled rice) especially.  It is very easy to make, enjoy it.

BESAN PUDA

Besan puda is made with besan or chickpea flour or gram flour it is known as along with rice flour.  Some veggies are also added to it and can be instantly made and served with chutney.  If you have sudden visitors at home, this one is an ideal breakfast or evening snack for them.

This item I tasted when we went for a picnic.  I was attracted to it when I saw the board and checked with the boy who was on the counter.  He said it is basically made with besan and rice flour.  I though to trying it and liked it.  since then, I wanted to make it but I could make it only recently.  Here is the recipe for you.

Watch youtube: Besan puda 2   besan puda 1