Minced turkey puffs

Ingredients:

1. Minced turkey - 1/2 pound
2. Puff pastry sheets 
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Ginger minced - 1 teaspoon
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. Tomato - 1 small
7. Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
9. Red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste
11. Milk - 1 tablespoon for brushing puffs
12. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Defrost the puff pastry sheets as per the instructions in the package.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add minced ginger and curry leaves.
3. Add finely chopped onion and saute until onions turn translucent.
4. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, and garam masala and mix it for 30 seconds.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft.
6. Add the minced turkey and mix it all together. 
7. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the turkey is well done.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line the baking tray with parchment paper. 
9. Cut the puff pastry sheets into rectangular pieces(4 inches x 5 inches). Place the turkey filling on one side and fold it. Press the sides with a fork to seal the edges. Repeat for a required number of puffs.
10. Place the prepared puffs on a baking sheet. Brush with milk to get a glossy texture.
11. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Turn over halfway through. 

Notes: 

• Minced turkey can be replaced with minced chicken. 
• Baking time varies with the brand of puff pastry sheet you use. Always refer to the instructions on its packet.

Linking this recipe for the "Sshhh cooking secretly" event on Facebook. This month's theme is "Christmas Bakes" chosen by our group admins Renu and Mayuriji. My partner for this month Seema gave me onion and curry leaves and I gave her whole wheat flour and salt as her secret ingredients. Seema came up with beautiful Fruit mince pies which make perfect gifts for Christmas. She also has a detailed post on how to make fruit pies. Do visit her blog to check the recipe. 

Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients:

1. Chickpea flour/Besan - 1 cup
2. Fine rice powder - 1 cup
3. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tablespoon
4. Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves - 1-2 sprig
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Use a pestle and mortar or a small mixie jar to powder the fennel seeds. You can alternatively use fennel powder if you have that in hand.
2. Take a large mixing bowl and mix together chickpea powder, rice powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder, asafoetida, and salt. 
3. Add water a little at a time and mix together to make a smooth dough(like a chapathi dough).
4. Grease the inside of the mold and use the ribbon pakkoda plate. See the picture below.
5. Fill the dough in the mold and squeeze it directly into the hot oil. 
6. Turn it a couple of times and remove it from the oil when it turns golden brown in color. 
7. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
8. Wash and dry the curry leaves. Fry them in the same oil and mix it with ribbon pakoda.
9. Break the ribbon pakoda into smaller pieces. 
10. Enjoy with a cup of hot tea.

Note:

1. These can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for more than a week. 
2. I prefer to use coconut oil to get the authentic Kerala snack taste. But you can use any vegetable oil for deep frying.  

Mold with Ribbon Pakoda plate

Dry fruits Laddoo

Dry fruit laddoos are sugar free and contain dates as sweeting agent. These can be eaten guilt free during this festival season. I have added almonds and pumpkin seeds in this recipe. But I think you can include any other combinations of nuts as per your choice and likings. I have roasted the nuts in ghee which is an optional step. You can totally avoid it if you want to make this vegan.

They are very easy to make and can be prepared in less than 15 minutes. Try to make this dish during this diwali season and let me know your opinions in the comments section.

Ingredients:

1. Dates - 1 cup

2. Almonds - 1/2 cup

3. Pumpkin seeds - 1/4 cup

4. Ghee - 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Remove the seeds from dates and set aside. 

2. Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a wide pan. 

3. Roast almonds and pumpkin seeds for couple of minutes and set aside.

4. In the same pan, roast dates for a minute. 

5. Let the dates and dry fruits cool to room temperature.

6. First grind the dates in a mixer-grinder. Then add almonds and pumpkin seeds to dates paste and grind them all together.

7. Make small roundels and dry fruits laddoos are ready to eat.

"Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme is "DIWALI DHAMAKA" and it was chosen by admins Renu and Mayuri ji. Mayuri ji made a mouth watering Kalakand with cottage cheese. Renu made a easy milk powder chocolate ladoo which I think my kids would love it. 

My partner for Oct 2021 is Sasmita. She gave me pumpkin seeds and dates as my secret ingredients. I gave her chhena and cardamom as her ingredients. She made a traditional Odia sweet dish - Chhena Jhili. Her photography is spot on and please do visit her blog to see a huge  collection of Odia dishes. 

Paneer Pulao

This Paneer Pulao is a one-pot dish that is very easy to make and can be done in less than 30 minutes. You can replace the paneer with soya chunks. Also, we can also add other veggies like carrots, green peas, and potatoes. But for this recipe, I have kept it simple with just paneer as the main ingredient. 

Ingredients:

1. Jeeragasala rice or basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Paneer - 200 gms 
3. Onion - 1 medium 
4. Tomatoes - 2 medium 
5. Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tablespoon 
6. Mint leaves - 1 handful 
7. Cilantro - 1 handful 
8. Chili powder(Kashmiri) - 1-2 teaspoon 
9. Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
10. Garam masala  - 1/4      teaspoon
11. Cardamom - 3 nos.
12. Cinnamon - 1 small stick
13. Cloves - 6 nos.
14. Bay leaves - 2
15. Salt to taste
16. Ghee - 1 tablespoon
17. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. 
3. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves and saute till it turns aromatic.
4. Add thinly sliced onions and saute till they turn translucent.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and mint leaves. Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes away.
6. Add chili powder and salt to taste. 
7. Drink 2 tomatoes and add the paste to it. Cook till the oil separates.
8. At this stage, add cubed paneer and drained rice and mix for a couple of minutes.
9. Add 3.5 cups of hot water to this and put the lid on.
10. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
11. Let the pressure subside manually and open the pressure cooker.
12. Serve this paneer pulao with cucumber-yogurt salad and pickle.

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Exotic Biriyani and Pulao" and it was chosen by Swaty Malik who blogs at Food Trails. She made a very exotic Jackfruit Biriyani for this theme. Also, I can't wait to try her Zafrani Pulao. My partner for Sep 2021 is Kalyani Sri. She gave me fennel seeds and onions as my secret ingredients. I gave her saffron and ghee and she made an Instant Pot vegetable biriyani. Do check her blog for a large collection of recipes. I cant wait to try her Avalakki Bisibelebhath.

Lebanese Chicken Seekh Kabab

I got the recipe for Lebanese Chicken Kofta Kabab from YouTube. It was made by Mark Weins himself, a Youtuber who got the recipe during his travel to Baalbek, Lebanon. This authentic recipe is made using ground lamb, but here tried using chicken. Parsley is one of the key ingredients in this dish. I have tried with both Curly parsley and Falt leaf parsley and both taste equally good. The Lebanese 7 spice seasoning is a mixture of black pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg. If you cannot find one, you can replace it with garam masala. 

I have had this recipe of Lebanese Kofta kabab on my to-do list for a long time. Incidentally, the group which I follow on Facebook, "Sshhh Cooking Secretly" had a kabab theme for the month of August, and no doubt I wanted to make this dish. 

This month's theme was chosen by Sujata Roy who blogs at Batter Up With Sujata. I can't wait to try her Veg Galouti Kababs. My partner for Aug 2021 is Narmada from Nam's Corner. She gave me onion and lemon juice as my secret ingredients. I gave her cumin powder and beans and she made Veg Seekh Kabab. Do check her blog for the recipe. Also, I cant wait to try her whole wheat bhatura recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 1 pound/1/2 kg
2. Onion - 1 large
3. Garlic - 4-5 cloves
4. Parley - 1 bunch
5. Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
6. Lebanese 7 - spice seasoning or garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Salt to taste
9. Olive oil - 1 tablespoon for brushing 

Method:

1. Wash the chicken pieces and drain off the water completely by placing it in a colander. 
2. Use a food processor to mince the chicken. 
3. Add the minced chicken to a large mixing bowl and add finely chopped onion, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, garam masala, pepper powder and salt.
4. Mix well until everything is well combined. 
5. Roll and place the chicken mix around a skewer and grill them.

Note:

1. If you think the minced chicken mixture is not holding well on a skewer, add a little chickpea flour/besan to make it thicker. 

 

Punugulu

Punugulu is an Andhra dish made using leftover idli/dosa batter. The fermented batter is mixed with rice flour and semolina to make it a thick batter. Flavoring agents like onion, ginger and green chilies are added and then the batter is deep-fried in oil. This can be served with chutney or it can be eaten as-is. It is one of the easiest tea-time snacks one can make. 

Ingredients:

1. Idli batter - 2 cups
2. Rice flour - 2 tbsp
3. Rava/Semolina - 2 tbsp
4. Onion - finely chopped - 1/4 cup
5. Ginger - grated - 1 tsp
6. Green chili - 2 or as per your spice level
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
9. Salt - to taste
10. Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Take the fermented idli batter in a large mixing bowl and add rice flour and rava.
2. Add finely chopped onion, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and salt.
3. Mix well until everything is well combined. Make sure there are no lumps of rice flour and rava.
4. Heat oil in medium flame and drop small lemon-sized balls in oil.
5. Fry on medium flame until it turns golden brown in color.

Serve hot with a cup of tea. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Monsoon treats" and it was chosen by Shobha Keshwani who blogs at ShobhasFoodMazaa. She made Drumstick leaves soup for this theme. Also, I can't wait to try her Rice and Mixed Dal Dhoklas. My partner for July 2021 is Aruna SarasChandra. She gave me ginger and onions as my secret ingredients. I gave her thuthuvalai(SOLANUM TRILOBATUM) and curry leaves and she made a very popular rasam from Tamil Nadu - Thuthuvalai rasam. Do check her blog for the recipe. Also, I cant wait to try her homemade chocolate recipe and Schezwan chutney. 

Uluva Kanji | Karkidaka Kanji | Fenugreek seeds Congee

Uluva Kanji is a  traditional dish made in Kerala during the monsoon season. This dish made with rice and fenugreek and flavored with lots of coconut and jaggery. The bitterness of the fenugreek is hardly noticeable in this delicious dish. 

In Malayalam, the word "Uluva" means Fenugreek, and "Kanji" refers to congee, hence the name. This dish is also known as Karkidaka Kanji because it is usually made during "Karkidaka Masam".  Karkidaka Masam is a month in Malayalam Calendar while in the Gregorian Calendar it corresponds to the months of July to August. The nutrients in the fenugreek are believed to ward off any ailments that are typically seen during the rainy season. 

The fenugreek is believed to be rich in nutrients. It is good for controlling diabetics, menstrual cramps, high cholesterol, and many other conditions(Reference: WebMD) It is also known to increase milk production in lactating mothers. This dish is also taken during the "Post-delivery care" in Kerala.

Ingredients:

1. Fenugreek seeds/ Uluva/ Methi seeds - 3 tablespoon
2. Raw rice(see notes below) - 1/4 cup
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Grated jaggery - 1/2 cup
5. Salt - 1/8 teaspoon

Method:

1. Wash and soak fenugreek seeds in 2 cups of water for at least 5 hours. 
2. Wash the raw rice and pressure cook along with soaked fenugreek seeds for 4-5 whistles. Do not discard the water used for soaking fenugreek, use the same for pressure cooking.  
3. Once the pressure subsides, open the pressure cooker and add grated jaggery, grated coconut, and salt. 
4. Allow the mixture to boil for a couple of minutes and try off the stove.

Uluva Kanji is ready to serve.

Notes:

1. Typically red raw rice is used for making this dish. But it can be replaced with other varieties of raw rice like the sona masoori or jeera rice.
2. People with diabetes can omit jaggery altogether and make the savory version by adding salt. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Fear Not The Bitter" and it was chosen by Seema who blogs at MildlyIndian. I can't wait to try her Mulberry Breakfast Parfait and Black Rice Ladoos.

My partner for June 2021 is Preethi Prasad. She gave me jaggery and fenugreek as my secret ingredients. I gave her neem flower and amchur and she made a very unique and delicious curry - Neem flower and chickpea curry. Do check her blog for the recipe. Also, I cant wait to try her Beetroot Corn Bites and Quinoa Beetroot patties. 

Odia Manda Pitha

Manda Pitha is a traditional sweet dish from Odisha. It is a coconut jaggery dumpling made with rice flour. It is very similar to dishes like Modak from Maharashtra, Kozhukatta from Kerala, and Kozhukattai from Tamil cuisine. 

This steamed dish is prepared during festivals falling on monsoon and post-monsoon seasons like Manabasa Gurubara, Durga Puja, Kumar Purnima, or Rakhi Purni. (Reference: wiki)

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour (fine) - 1 cup
2. Jaggery grated- 1/2 cup 
3. Coconut grated - 3/4 cup 
4. Cardamom pods - 2-3
5. Black pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Salt - 1 pinch

Method:

1. Boil 1 cup of water and add a pinch of salt. 
2. Add rice flour to boiling water and turn off the stove. Mix it thoroughly until all the water is absorbed. 
3. Cover it and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, knead it thoroughly until it forms a smooth non-sticky dough.
4. Mix grated coconut, jaggery powder, black pepper powder, and cardamom powder and set aside. If you think there are impurities in your jaggery, melt it with a couple of tablespoons of water, strain it and transfer the liquid jaggery back to the stove. Boil it till it thickens and add grated coconut, black pepper powder, and cardamom powder.
5. To make the pitha, take a small lemon-sized dough. Flatten it on your palms, add around 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle and roll it back into a ball as shown in the picture. 
   
6. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough. 
7. Use a steamer and boil water in the bottom vessel. Place the pitha balls in the steamer rack and steam for 15 minutes.
8. Turn off the stove after 15 minutes and keep it covered for 5 minutes before serving. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Odia Pitha Series" and it was chosen by Sasmita Sahoo Samanta who blogs at First Timer Cook. Do check Sasmita's blog for a huge collection of Odia dishes and some of them worth mentioning include Chandrakanthi Pitha and Chaula Khiri. 

My partner for May 2021 is Poonam Bachhav. She gave me jaggery and cardamom as my secret ingredients. I gave her jaggery and black pepper and she made Suji Kakara Pitha. Her blog has a wide collection of delicious healthy recipes. Some of them which I want to try to make include Karachi Fruit Biscuits and Whole Wheat Nankathai.

Chocolate Ice cream - No milk or sugar recipe

This is one of the easiest and guilt-free ice cream recipes. This does not contain milk, eggs, or sugar. My kids are always super excited about this ice cream. They always like to eat it even before I freeze it.

I used Chiquita banana for the recipe but you can replace it with a small variety but make sure to increase the number to 5-6. Almonds can be replaced with cashews. I used Tunisian dates but you can use other varieties as well. Depending upon the size of the dates and your sweet preference, you can change the numbers used. 

Ingredients:

1. Banana - 2 large(Chiquita)
2. Almonds - 20 nos.
3. Cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon
4. Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon
5. Dates - 10

Method:

1. Cut banana into thin slices and freeze it for at least 8 hours. 
2. Soak the almonds in water for 2 hours.
3. Once the almonds are soaked, peel the skin off and set aside.
4. Soak the dates for 5 minutes in warm water.
5. Take a blender/grinder and add frozen bananas, soaked and peeled almonds, cocoa powder, dates, and vanilla essence. Grind them into a fine paste by adding 2-3 tablespoons of water.
6. Transfer the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 8-10 hours.

Serve the ice cream in a cone or bowl. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. 

This month's theme was "Frozen Treats" and it was chosen by Pavani Gunikuntla who blogs at Pavanis Kitchen. I am so glad she chose this theme for hot summer days. Do check Pavani's blog for "Easy Oreo Ice Cream". It looks super delicious and very easy to make. 

My partner for April 2021 is Mayuri Patel. She gave me bananas and dates as my secret ingredients. I gave her passion fruit and cream. She made a very unique 'Passion fruit and Tree Tomato Ice Cream'. Please do check her blog for the recipe and to read the interesting write-up about the history of ice cream and her memories associated with it. Her blog has a wide collection of delicious recipes. Some of them which I want to try very soon include "Mango and Vanilla Panna Cotta" and "Vanilla Pudding". 

Paska - An Easter Bread from Ukraine

Paska bread is commonly made during Easter in countries of Eastern Europe. Paska is made with flour, milk, butter, egg, and sugar. The name Paska(Ukrainian) comes from Pesakh or Passover from Hebrew.

This bread is very soft and mildly sweet. The cardamom powder turns the bread very aromatic and flavorful. We enjoyed eating it for breakfast and as a tea-time snack.

Ingredients:

1. All-purpose flour - 2 cups + few tbsp more
2. Milk - 1/2 cup
3. Unsalted butter (softened)- 8 tbsp + 1 tsp (for brushing on baked bread)
4. Sugar - 1/4 cup
5. Egg - 1
6. Instant Yeast - 1 tsp
7. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Raisins - 1 cup
9. Salt - 1 tsp
10. Oil for greasing the baking dish

Method:

1. Microwave the milk for few seconds to make it lukewarm. Care should be taken not to overheat the milk. 
2. Add yeast and sugar to the milk and set aside for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
3. Take softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Add an egg and mix well. 
4. Add the activated yeast mixture to it and whisk well till everything is well combined.
5. In another bowl, mix in the dry ingredients - flour, cardamom powder, salt and raisins.
6.  Add the dry ingredients to the yeast-butter mixture and fold it gently. 
7. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. 
8. Grease a round baking pan(6 inches) with little oil and transfer the dough into it. Allow it to rise for 3 hours.
9. Bake it at 350° F(180°C) in a preheated oven for 45 minutes. 
10. Cool the cake for 15 minutes and remove it from the baking pan. Apply a teaspoon of butter on baked bread to keep it moist. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. 

This month's theme was "Easter bread" and it was chosen by Renu who blogs at Cook with Renu. Do check her blog for a wide variety of healthy and guilt-free dishes. Even Renu made Paska bread, and then she decorated them with white chocolate and sprinkles. Do check her blog for the recipe.

 My partner for March 2021 was Pavani Gunikuntla. She gave me cardamom and yeast as my secret ingredients and I made Ukrainian Bread. I gave her egg and yeast. She made a sweet braided Easter bread. Do check out her blog- Pavanis Kitchen for the recipe.

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paska_(bread)

http://www.aashpazi.com/paska

Peanut Coriander Chutney

Peanut coriander chutney served with pesarattu and sambar.

Peanut Coriander Chutney is yet another no-coconut chutney in my blog. Some others include Radish chutney, Spring Onion Tomato chutney, Carrot Peanut chutney, Ridge Gourd chutney, and Tomato chutney. 

Ingredients:

1. Coriander leaves/Cilantro - 1 small bunch
2. Peanuts - 1/4 cup
3. Garlic - 3-5 cloves
4. Green chilies - 2 or as per your spice level
5. Tamarind - a small piece
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Oil - 1 teaspoon
8. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and roast peanuts till they turn crisp. Remove the peanuts and set them aside.
2. In the same pan, add washed coriander leaves, garlic cloves, and green chilies. Saute till coriander leaves wilt.
3. Let the mixture cool down completely.
4. Grind the coriander mixture, peanuts, curry leaves, tamarind, and salt into a fine paste. 

Serve as is or you can add tempering with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Serve as a side dish for dosa or idli. Here in the picture, I have served it with Pesarattu. 

Note:

• You can replace tamarind with lemon juice.

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. 

This month's theme was "Chutneys" chosen by Priya Vijaykrishnan who blogs at Sweet Spicy Tasty. Do check her blog for a wide variety of vegan dishes. I would love to try her Oats Tikki. My partner for February 2021 was Sujata Roy. She gave me tamarind and garlic and I made his chutney. I gave her walnut and sesame seeds. She had a very unique "Almond Walnut chutney with Mango Ginger". Do check out her blog- Batter Up with Sujata for a collection of delicious dishes. I would love to try her Mango Kalakand and Cake Sandesh.

Kadala Mittai | Peanut Chikki

 

Ingredients:

1. Peanuts - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 3/4 cup
3. Ghee - 1 teaspoon
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

Dry roast the peanuts on medium flame until they are crisp.

Allow the peanuts to cool for a while and rub them against your palm to remove the skin. Separate the peanuts from the skin. 

Lightly break the peanuts into half by pressing the peanuts with the base of a steel bowl.

Grease the marble countertop or wooden chopping board with little ghee. Also, grease a rolling pin(chappati roller) and spatula with ghee and keep it ready.

In a heavy bottom pan, melt the jaggery along with 1/4 cup water. Boil it till the jaggery melts. At this stage, you can sieve the syrup to remove any impurities. 

Transfer the syrup back to the stove and keep boiling on low flame.

Drop few drops of syrup in a bowl of cold water and it should crystalize and become brittle immediately. This is the desired consistency. You should keep checking for the right consistency when the syrup starts to bubble. Initially, the syrup will be elastic and soft and if you keep boiling for some more time it becomes brittle. Getting this syrup consistency is very crucial in chikki making. 

Once the desired consistency is reached, add the cardamom powder, a teaspoon of ghee, and crushed peanuts.

Give it a quick mix and transfer it to the greased surface. Gently press the mixture with a rolling pin and give it a rectangular shape with a spatula.

Cut the chikki into the desired shape while it is still hot.

Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.

Sweet Pongal

Ingredients:

1. Sona Masoori Rice/Raw Rice - 1/2 cup
2. Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
3. Jaggery grated - 1 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Ghee - 2 tablespoon
6. Cashews - 10 no.
7. Raisins - 2 tablespoon
8. Salt a pinch

Method:

1. Rinse rice and moong dal in water. Strain the water completely.
2. Heat a pressure cooker and dry roast rice and moong dal for around 5 min until it turns out aromatic.
3. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
4. Meanwhile, take a saucepan and add grated jaggery and 1/2 cup water. Boil till the jaggery melts and turn off the stove.
5. Strain the jaggery syrup to remove any impurities. 
6. Once the pressure subsides in the cooker, slightly mash the rice and dal mixture.
7. Add the jaggery syrup and mix thoroughly. Add cardamom powder and a pinch of salt to balance the sweet. Simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a small pan and roast cashews and raisins. Add this mixture to pongal and serve hot. 

"Warm Desserts" was the theme for the January 2021 "Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" event. The theme was suggested by Rafeeda who blogs at "The Big Sweet Tooth". Do check her blog for a collection of delicious recipes. Some of the eye-catching ones include: "Easy Lime Cake", "Apple Crisp" and "Eggless Fruit Cake"

My partner for this month is Priya Iyer who blogs at 'The World Through My Eyes'. Check out her 'Carrot Kheer' and 'Omapodi'. Priya suggested jaggery and rice as my secret ingredient and I made this sweet pongal. I gave her raisins and sugar and she made a delicious Strawberry Rava Kesari. Do check visit her blog to get the recipe. 

Lemon Rasam (without store bought rasam powder)

Lemon Rasam is one of the many varieties of rasam made in South India. This recipe does not use any store bought rasam powder instead we will be using fresh ingredients to make the rasam mix. The sourness in rasam is generally got by adding tamarind, but in this variety we replace tamarind with lemon juice. Always add the lemon juice to rasam after turning off the stove and setting aside rasam for 5 minutes. Boiling the lemon juice will lead to bitter taste and also removes the nutritional benefits of lemon. Cooked and mashed tur dal is optional in rasam. I prefer to add them since it gives a slightly thicker consistency.

Lemon rasam is perfect for cold winters. The pepper corns, garlic and lemon are very soothing for you when you are suffering from cold and cough. They are light for your stomach and perfect after you had a heavy holiday meal.

Ingredients:

1. Tur dal - 1/4 cup
2. Tomato - 3 no.
3. Garlic cloves - 5
4. Green chili - 2 
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
6. Pepper corns - 1 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Coriander leaves/Cilantro - 5-7 sprigs
9. Lemon - 1 
10. Salt to taste

For Tempering:

1. Sesame oil - 1 tablespoon
2. Dried red chili - 2
3. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Hing/Asafetida - 1/8 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak tur dal in water for atleast half an hour. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Once taken out from the cooker, mash the dal well to a smooth consistency and set aside.
2. Take a teaspoon each of cumin seeds and pepper corns in a pestle and mortar and crush to form a rough powder. If you do not have pestle and mortar, you can even use a chutney jar of mixer grinder to crush it. Pulse it for 3-4 times to get the right consistency.
   
3. Heat a saucepan and add a tablespoon of sesame oil, splutter mustard seeds followed by 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, dried red chilies, hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves.
4. Then add the crushed garlic, slit green chilies and diced tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy.
5. Add the cooked and mashed dal, stems of coriander leaves and salt to taste.
6. Boil the rasam for 5 minutes. 
7. Add the crushed pepper and cumin powder and turn off the stove. Leave it covered for 5 minutes.
8. Finally add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. 

Serve hot lemon rasam with boiled rice.

"Hot Pot" was the theme for the Dec "Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" event. The theme was suggested by Priya Iyer of "The world through my eyes". Do check her blog for a collection of delicious recipes. I have bookmarked her "Indian Style Burger | Burger with Sweet Potato Patty" to try it soon.

My partner for Dec month is Renu Agrawal Dongre who blogs at 'Cook With Renu'. Her blog is a collection of healthy guilt free recipes. Checkout her 'Spiced Candied Mixed Nuts' and 'Whole Wheat Kale Brownies' for some of the nutritious snack recipes. Renu suggested lemon and garlic as my secret ingredient and I made this lemon rasam. I gave her Spring Onion and garlic and she made a delicious and creamy Vegan sweet corn soup. Do check visit her blog to get the recipe.