Mysore Pak (Hard) Recipe | Diwali Sweets

This post is almost a week late in making an appearance. When I think of some of those delicious recipes that are yet to be out, this is fine. I am sure many of you know about the melt in the mouth types of Mysore Pak that's sold in the shops. There is another version of this delicious sweet that's mostly done at home and that's the hard version of Mysore Pak, which has those characteristic honeycomb texture and design. What makes this recipe even more interesting is the fact that you can make this with the leftover sugar from the other sweets.

Imagine after helping Amma so many years in our Deepavali sweets and savories, this simple point somehow missed me. I was so surprised by the innovation our mothers come up with. The sugar syrup that was left out after preparing Kaja, was used to make this Mysore Pak. So you really don't have to worry about the Mysore pak being soft. Harder it is, it's better.

I know the weather right now is not really suitable for sweets, pakodas might be very inviting. It's been pouring non stop for the past week or so. It's been worse today and I came back home early. Riding through the rain, not bothered about getting drenched, enjoying every single moment, makes it so wonderful. Of course one shouldn't think about how unprepared the city is for rains. I wish govt takes some efforts to make things better.

Anyway with the rain lashing at the background, kids studying for their mid terms that's going to start next week, I will leave you with the recipe using leftover Sugar syrup to make Hard Mysore Pak. If you are in mood to savour something that lasts for a while, then this is something that you would choose rather than those melt in the mouth types of Mysore Paks.

This was part of our Deepavali Sweets this year.

Not only has Amma reduced the usage of ghee, she has replaced it with some cooking oil.

For making Mysore Pak, with step by step pictures you can check out the soft version.

Making hard Mysore Pak with leftover sugar syrup after making Kaja.

Mysore Pak (Hard)

Besan / Bengal Gram flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup

Method to prepare:

In a kadai heat ghee and oil together till it is warm. Simmer for couple of minutes.

In another non stick pan, roast the besan on low flame.

Melt the sugar by adding just enough water to cover and remove the impurities.

Continue boiling it for couple of more minutes. Soon you will have a one thread consistency.

Add the besan to the sugar syrup and mix everything together. Then slowly add the ghee oil mix little by little.

Grease a plate or a square tin ready with ghee.

When you are done with all the ghee, continue stirring briskly for another couple of minutes when you see the batter leaving the sides, it means the paak is done.

Immediately pour it on the greased plate. Wait for 10 minutes, before making marks on the top.

Allow it to cool completely before breaking it.

Notes: We had about 1 cup of sugar leftover, we added 1 more cup which needed to be cooked for removing impurities.

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Mini Kaja ~ Andhra Sweets | Diwali Sweets | Step by Step Recipes

After a week long holidays on account of Deepavali, the school reopened today for the boys. For Konda the school was closed because of the rains. Whatever was the reason, it so happened that all of them had a long vacation and it was tough for them to get back to school. Anyway one fun part was the fact that the boys were asked to wear colour dress, meaning non uniform. I remember my own childhood, when we all used to go to school in our Deepavali dress and used to check out everybody's new dress. Somehow the feeling is not the same now. It used to be a single dress for us, and we used to make sure we had the best accessories and enjoyed the day to the core.

Somehow I feel that kids these days don't really give much importance to what a festival dress would mean. Each of them get about 3 - 4 dresses and that really makes it very regular. At least the feeling that it's a new dress makes them very excited. Another thing that I noticed on the Diwali eve on the roads, was the fact that almost everybody were seen in new cloths. It was rather interesting factor. What with the insistent rains, it was a scene with everybody trying to cover themselves best.

Another interesting topic will be the movies that get released for the Diwali. Two high budget movies got released and we are waiting for the reviews to come in. Hubby dear is waiting for the booking to be opened, which may not be for another two weeks or so. We are not movie buffs but try to watch movies if they turn out to be interesting.

Coming to the recipe for today, it's another Kaja recipe on showcase. Rather it's the old recipe in new form. Couple of months back, when we eat at Hotel Bliss in Tirupati, I was served a sweet that I don't eat. I requested for a replacement and I was happy to see this treat being offered. It was a kaja in mini version, hot from the pan and such a delight to eat. Ever since then I was telling Amma about it and finally when she made her regular Kajas, I told her that I ought to make a mini version of the kajas, as I had to take for my colleagues.

Taking these mini Kajas were good as nobody has to share or break this delicious sweet. Just pop into your month to enjoy!

The recipe is very much the same as the Bombay Kaja. Only difference is the way you make it. Unlike the Andhra Kaja, where about 3 -4 layers are stacked and then rolled out, this is made with a single layer rolled out and then made.

Mini Kaja
Same as how Bombay Kaja is made.

Ingredients Needed

Maida - 1 & 3/4 cup
Baking Soda - a pinch
Ghee (solid and firm) - 1 tbsp

For Pathir

Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Oil for deep frying

For Syrup

Sugar - 1 & 1/4 cup
Water - just enough to cover the sugar

How to make Mini :

For the dough:

Sieve the maida with baking soda in a wide bowl. Add the ghee and rub well. Slowly add water and knead to a stiff dough. Let it rest for a while with a wet cloth. By the time we got back to the dough, it was almost 15 - 20 mins.

For the pathir:

In a bowl, add the rice flour and ghee, beat well. When you add more ghee it becomes more flaky.

For the Sugar:

Add the sugar with just enough water to cover. Heat it till the sugar melts. If there are any impurities, remove. Then continue cooking to rolling boil. After 5 -7 mins, take a drop and check if it's reached 1 thread consistency. When you touch between thumb and index finger, you should get a single thread. Switch off the flame.

Rolling out the dough

Divide the dough into equal balls. Take one ball, cover the rest with wet cloth.

Dust the dough well and using a rolling pin, roll out to a medium thickness discs the size of a regular chapati. Spread the pathir all over the surface. Then starting from one side, roll inside as you get a rope. Press well to make sure the rope doesn't get off.

Then cut into small pieces. Again press these small pieces into a slight longer size using a rolling pin, as shown in the picture.

Have everything ready for frying together.

Heat a kadai with oil. When the oil gets hot, simmer. Add the rolled out kaja and cook on both sides.

When it turns colour and cooked on both sides, drain using a spatula and put into the sugar syrup. Let it be for 5 mins, remove to another plate.

Notes:

This variety of Kaja doesn't require resting time. Make the kajas into small shape so that it's easy to make and giveaway.

If you add little more ghee for the pathir, the kajas will be more flaky.

If the sugar syrup gets thick, you can add little more water, bring to boil. Make sure the syrup is thick.

Andhra Special Kaja
Bombay Kaja

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Bombay Kaja | How to make Bombay Kaja | Diwali Sweets ~ Step by Step Recipe

It's raining heavily and kids are still asleep. Boys have Diwali vacation until Friday, whereas Konda has school today. Though because of the rains, the school are closed. The rains have unusual spoiled the Deepavali fun this year. It's been raining the past three days because of the depression. Still people have managed to do the firecrackers when there was a lull in the rains.

Amma decided to make her regular Deepavali fare in both Sweets and savories, though she was upset that she couldn't make the Ribbon Pakodas and Mixture. The kajas turned out very well, though the Rava laddo was still soft. Knowing that I got to take sweets and savories for my colleagues, I told Amma that I will have to make some kajas myself. So we ended up scouring the books. I had the Samaithu Paar / Cook and See books with me, so checked them out and landed in Bombay Kaja. The recipe sounded very simple as it didn't require any resting time and just suited me fine.

Also there was no mention of butter, shortening or much ghee. The original recipe was with 7 cups of All purpose flour/ Maida. We reduced it to 1 and 3/4 cup.

So we settled to make it. For the next four days you will be reading about the Deepavali dishes that we made.

Step by Step Picture Recipe
For the Dough:

For the Pathir

 For the sugar Syrup

 

 

Rolling out the Kajas

 

 

Bombay Kaja

Ingredients Needed

Maida - 1 & 3/4 cup
Baking Soda - a pinch
Ghee (solid and firm) - 1 tbsp

For Pathir

Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Oil for deep frying

For Syrup

Sugar - 1 & 1/4 cup
Water - just enough to cover the sugar

How to make Bombay Kaja:

For the dough:

Sieve the maida with baking soda in a wide bowl. Add the ghee and rub well. Slowly add water and knead to a stiff dough. Let it rest for a while with a wet cloth. By the time we got back to the dough, it was almost 15 - 20 mins.

For the pathir:

In a bowl, add the rice flour and ghee, beat well. When you add more ghee it becomes more flaky.

For the Sugar:

Add the sugar with just enough water to cover. Heat it till the sugar melts. If there are any impurities, remove. Then continue cooking to rolling boil. After 5 -7 mins, take a drop and check if it's reached 1 thread consistency. When you touch between thumb and index finger, you should get a single thread. Switch off the flame.

Rolling out the dough

Divide the dough into small balls. Cover the other balls with the cloth. Pinch out small balls, the size will have to be smaller than your regular pooris. Dust with flour and roll out. Roll out into small discs, spread the pathir, fold into half moon shape, again spread the pathir and make into triangle shape. Press on the sides to make sure it doesn't open up. Continue with the rest and keep it ready to be fried together.

Heat a kadai with oil. When the oil gets hot, simmer. Add the rolled out kaja and cook on both sides.

When it turns colour and cooked on both sides, drain using a spatula and put into the sugar syrup. Let it be for 5 mins, remove to another plate.

Notes:

This variety of Kaja doesn't require resting time. Make the kajas into small shape so that it's easy to make and giveaway. 

If you add little more ghee for the pathir, the kajas will be more flaky. 

If the sugar syrup gets thick, you can add little more water, bring to boil. Make sure the syrup is thick.

Andhra Special Kaja

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Akkaravadisal | How to make Akkaravadesil Step by Step Recipe | Navaratri Recipes

Happy Vijayadasami to all my readers.

Today marks the last day of the Navaratri Pooja. The last 9 days have been such an exciting experience for me, in terms of cooking new neivedyams for Maa Durga. We don't keep the Golu but have been performing special poojas on all 9 days, followed by Vijayadasami.

This year we had two "Thithi" coming on one day, which caused lot of confusion and making it appear like only 8 days of Navaratri. Some families in Tamil Nadu started  Navaratri 2011 started on 28 Sep and ends on 5th Oct, with 6th being the Vijayadasami. We celebrated Ayudha Pooja yesterday and Vijaya Dasami today. Along with this, we also did the 9th day special pooja.

 

Unlike yesterday, I was better planned in what I was going to make for today. Still even after knowing and being prepared I missed out making one dish from the list. Will be making it soon for next neivedyam. Also I thought I must cook from my blogger friends as a way of celebrating Vijayadasami. I had bookmarked Lathamma's Akkaravadisal / Akkaravadesil and Maddur Vada. Though I am not that familiar with Akkravadisil, I heart Maddur Vada.

Akravadisil, a traditional Iyangar Festival food, is mostly cooked during Pongal or special festival day. Reading through the recipe I realised it's very much a ven pongal converted into a rich sweet. The taste is unparalleled though. Lathamma said this is traditionally prepared in a vengalapanai, though as expected I resorted to pressure cooking.  Then though it is supposed to be roasted in ghee, I simply added it directly and pressure cooked it. I must say this itself made it so rich and dense, I am sure roasting the rice and dal must make it even more rich. But I do suggest you must try that when you make it yourself.

Apart from this sweet dish, I prepared Dhal Poori, Mixed Vegetable Korma, Maddur Vada, Lemon Rice. I had eyed some festival cooking by Priyanka, but couldn't find what I was looking for. So settled with this. I had also wanted to make Aparna's Neiappam, which I had plans to make during the T&T, however I find I couldn't make it.

Though I have been posting all the recipes on the same day, I think I need a break with so many new dishes for today. Plus as I know I need to give special attention to each of these delicious dishes. It's like a big examination. Even though I don't normally taste during cooking, when it's not allowed you fear and wonder if the dish has come out well.

I have been so happy knowing that each dish I made for the first time during these celebrations, really turned out so well. I almost rush to office and everybody eats the food either after I leave or for lunch. So I have been very curious and restless until then.

So it delighted me no end to know that all the dishes today passed through the test, each dish got good reviews..:).. I was planning to make Dal Stuffed Poori, so had to make some Kurma. I remember Siri making a vegetable Kurma for the Dussehra celebrations. The recipe sounded so good, I tweaked it for our style. The dish came out so well and delicious. I am so glad we celebrated today virtually by cooking dishes from my blogger

Step by Step picture Recipe for making Akkaravadisal or Akkaravadesil
 

Akkaravadisal or Akkaravadesil

Lathamma says her Iyer friends always insisted that she make this dish for them. I can imagine why they must have asked, after tasting the dish.

Cooking Mode: Pressure Cooker
Time : 30 mins
Makes - 1 & 1/2 litre payasam

Ingredients Needed:

Rice – 1/2 cup (little less)
Moong dal – 1/4 cup
Ghee – 2 - 3 tsp
Milk – 1 litres
Jaggery – 1 cup (powdered)
Cardamom a pinch
Cashewnuts handful
Dry grapes handful

How to make Akkaravadisal | Rice Moong Dal porridge

Wash and soak the rice and dal together.

Take this mixture in a pressure cooker, add 1 cup water and 3 cups boiled milk. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Once the pressure falls down, add the remaining milk and cook on low flame, mash the cooked rice and dal.

Melt the jaggary with water and remove impurities if any.

Add 1 cup water and cook the jaggary to a syrup.

Heat another pan with ghee, roast the cashew nuts and raisins. When the raisins baloons up, pour this on the simmering pasayam.

Note: 

Traditionally, after soaking the drained rice and dal is sauteed in ghee
Cooking this in pressure cooker, made this an easy task. I don't think I compromised on taste much, though cooking directly always makes a difference

Will be updating the other recipes in the following posts.

Have a great day.

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Paruppu Podi Sadam, Thengai Sadam, Khus Khus Kheer | Navaratri Recipes | Step By Step Recipes

For the Navaratri Pooja Day 7, the neivedyam was a mix of white (Thenga Sadam), spicy mixed rice (Parruppu Podi Sadam) paired with a intoxicating payasam made with Gasagasa.

I love cooking with Khus Khus as it renders a nutty taste when you bite on it. However much you try to grind this, you will still have some left as whole. A decade ago, we had those traditional stones for making masalas, chutneys. Every home had those stone grinders, which gave the masala an unquie taste. However we try with modern blenders, mixers, the masala never tastes as how it used to taste. Anyway for folks who never tasted food made with those grinders will never know the magic it created.

One example of how different an ingredient can lend will be Poppy seeds. These days we roast in bulk and refrigerate in powder form. It's so much better than struggling to grind 1 or 2 tsp of this nutty spice. We make it either on it's own or blend with coconut for using in non veg gravies or veg kurmas.

The other new dish that was prepared today was the Paruppu Podi Sadam. I was told to make Paruppu Sadam. Well I wasn't sure what exactly was referred when this rice was quoted. But the essence being that the rice ought to be shades of white, I decided to go ahead with Paruppu Podi Sadam. Let me just say I am floored with this dish. Though it might very well resemble the Podi Rice that I make with Amma's Podi, it very much differed in taste and texture.

The third dish was the traditional Thengai Sadam. I love Thengai Sadam and have been missing it as I hardly make it these days. Hubby dear doesn't like it and well naturally if 1 out of 2 doesn't prefer a dish, makes no sense in bothering to make it. But today it is different, as it's to be offered as neivedyam, one can't say no for it.

Since both rice requires for cooked rice, I cooked rice separately and used 1 & 1/2 cups for each rice.

Parrupu Podi Sadam | Rice with Lentils

For the Rice

Rice, cooked - 1 & 1/2 cups

Curry leaves few

Dry Red Chilies - 3 - 4 long

Bengal Gram / Channa dal - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds, Urad dal - 1 / 4 tsp

Cashew nuts few

For the Paruppu Podi:

Toor Dal - 2 tsp

Urad Dal - 2 tsp

Bengal Gram - 1 tsp

Grated Coconut - 3 tsp

Salt to taste

Dry Red chilies - 3 -4 long.

How to make Paruppu Podi Sadam:

Wash and soak rice for 15 - 20 mins. Pressure cook and once done, let the pressure fall down. Take 1 & 1/2 cup cooked rice, allow it to cool.

For the Spice Powder:

Dry roast all the ingredients till the lentils start smelling good. Remove and allow it to cool. We mostly roast these ingredients separately but when pressed for time, roast them together, making sure none get burnt or over roasted.

Once it's cooled, add salt and grind to an almost fine powder. Keep it aside.

For seasoning the rice:

Heat a non stick pan with oil. Once hot add the mustard, urad dal, cashew, red chilies, curry leaves. Saute well. When they are sauteed for couple of mins, add the cooked rice and mix well. Simmer for 2 mins and remove to a bowl.

Now add 3 - 4 tsp of the spice powder and mix the rice. Add more if required.

Since this is offered to God, I didn't taste it. There was a time when I was of the opinion that there is no wrong in tasting the food offered to God, just to make sure that it's fine. Well with time and age, I have come to believe that one need not taste, for one, the dish turns out perfectly delicious as it's food for God. Second with experience one gets to knows how much to add what.

Thengai Sadam was prepared the same way I normally make.

 

Khus Khus Kheer | Gasagasal Payasam

 

While there are many ways this Gasagasal Payasam is made at home, this version is entirely new as it's more like a Phirni, where Raw rice is added to give body. Adding rice makes it thicker much faster than you can notice, so one fact to remember, is to add little of rice and more of milk, if you want it thin.

Ingredients Needed:

Poppy Seeds - 3 -4 tsp

Raw Rice - 2 tsp

Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup

Jaggary - 1 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Cardamon a pinch

How to make the Khus Khus Kheer

Heat a pan and dry roast the poppy seeds. This takes about 3 -4 mins. Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool.

Soak rice in water for a while. 10 - 15 mins is more than enough. Take the poppy seeds, drained rice, grated coconut and blend to a smooth paste using water. Once you get a smooth consistency, remove and keep it aside.

Melt the jaggary and remove impurities if any, then add 1 cup water and bring to boil. Add the poppy seed paste and simmer for 5 mins. By this time the content would've got really thick.

Add boiled milk and slowly bring to boil. If you feel the payasam will be less in sweet, add 2 tsp of sugar. Else it's fine.

Let it boil, by looking at the texture you can say if the payasam will thicken to a porridge or not. So if needed add more milk or water depending on your preference.

Finally garnish with chopped nuts.

There is really no need to add ghee to this, as the poppy seed will have it's unique taste and it will be really heavy.

We are looking forward to tomorrow for the Ayudha Pooja

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