Karthigai Pori / கார்த்திகை பொரி

Karthigai Wishes to All the Readers of Nithu's Kitchen. The recipe today is obviously "Sweet Pori / Vella Pori / Karthigai Pori" which is prepared specially during Karthigai for pooja. The recipe is straight from my aunt (Chithi). She prepared the pori for us this time. Thanks to her efforts. 

Ingredients :

 1. Aval Pori / Puffed Rice -  4 cups

2. Jaggery - 1 Cup (Powdered)

3. Fried Gram / Pottukadalai - 3/4 Cup

4. Coconut  - 1/2 Cup (Chopped to thin small pieces)

5. Cardamom - 4 Pods (Crushed)

6. Dried Ginger Powder / Sukku Podi - 3/4 tsp

Procedure :

1. Combine Pori and Fried gram. Keep aside.

2. Now, in a pan dry roast coconut pieces till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.

3. Dissolve jaggery in half- a-cup of water and strain to remove dust. Now, add  crushed cardamom pods, dried ginger powder and fried coconut pieces. Mix well.

4. Allow the syrup to thicken well.

5. Once the syrup is thick, switch off the stove. (You should be able to make a ball from the syrup and when you throw it on a vessel, it will produce a metallic sound. That is the righ consistency)

6. Take Pori and Fried gram in a dry large vessel. Add syrup little by little while mixing the contents.

7. When the syrup is finished, once combine the contents well.

8. Now, transfer the pori to an air-tight container.

9. You don't have to make it to balls as for Karthigai the pori is supposed to be loose in nature.

Aval Thenga / Sweet Poha

Amma used to prepare this quick snack often during my school days. The preparation of this healthy breakfast is very very simple. You don't have to cook any thing.  You can serve this sweet poha as evening snack as well. 

Ingredients :

1. Thin Poha - 1.5 Cups

2. Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup

3. Sugar - 1.5 tbs or adjust to your taste

4. Cardamom powder - A pinch

5. Nuts of your choice - A few

6. Milk - A little quantity

Procedure :

1. Combine poha, grated coconut, cardamom powder, nuts and sugar in a bowl.

2. Now, sprinkle a little quantity of milk to the contents in the bowl.

3. Mix well so that poha becomes moist and soft. If needed add a little more milk or water.

4. Keep aside for few minutes.

5. If you want, you can add chopped banana. This will enhance the taste.

6. Serve as breakfast or evening snack.

Who tried this recipe?
1. Priya Satheesh
2. Sharanya

Roasted Peanuts

Last week my best friend "N" from Cheyyar, a place near Kanchipuram visited us. She gave us a bag full of peanuts. "N" & her husband "S" came all the way to our house to give us these healthy peanuts. This shows their love for us. Thanks to them. Mom roasted the full bag of peanuts and stored them in an air-tight container. These healthy peanuts is our evening snack for last one week:-) 

Ingredients :

1. Unshelled Peanuts

Procedure :

1. Heat a heavy bottomed pan.

2. Medium the flame. Place the unshelled peanuts.

3. Constantly stir the peanuts.

4. Take care the shells are not burnt.

5. After about 20-30 minutes, remove from pan.

6. Eat while the peanuts are warm.

7. If you prefer to store, let the peanuts cool. Then store in an air-tight container.

Note :

1. Roast peanuts in batches.

2. You can roast them in oven also.

Who tried this recipe?
1. Priya Satheesh

Rice Flour Sweet Puttu - with step-by-step pictures

This is a delicious snack/breakfast dish made out of rice flour, sugar and coconut. This puttu and Corn & Green Onion Rice makes their way to PJ's Tried & Tasted - Priya's Easy & Tasty Recipes, an event started by Lakshmi. Check out Priya's recipe here.

Ingredients :

1. Rice flour - 2 Cups

2. Sugar - 1 Cup

3. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp (Optional)

4. Salt - 1/2 tsp

5. Water - To sprinkle on the flour

6. Grated coconut - 1 Cup (Grated)

7. Ghee - (Use freshly prepared ghee. This gives a nice flavour.)

Procedure :

1.Roast the rice flour for few minutes.

2. Let it cool. Now, add salt and mix well.

3. Sprinkle a little water.

4. Mix and see, whether you are able to form balls from the flour mixture. At the same time you should able to crumble it back.

5. Once the flour is ready, steam cook the flour for 20 minutes in a idly cooker.

6. Once cooked, transfer to a larger container, mix well with wooden spatula to break the small lumps formed.

7. Then add sugar, cardamom powder, ghee, grated coconut. Mix everything well.

8. Serve with a dollop of ghee on the top.

This also participates in Akheela's "Food Palette Series - White"

Masala Pori / Spicy Puffed-Rice

Masala Pori is a perfect tea-time snack. This is an easy and quick to make snack.

Ingredients :

1. Pori - 4 Cups

2. Ground nuts/Peanuts- 1 Cup(Roasted)

3. Garlic - 5 Cloves(crushed)

4. Curry Leaves - A Handful

5. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

6. Salt - 1/2 tsp(Optional)

7. Mustard - 1 tsp

8. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

9. Red Chillies - 4 or adjust to your taste

10. Oil - 1 tbs

Procedure :

1. Take oil in a wide pan. Heat and splutter mustard. Medium the flame, then add asafoetida, red chillies, curry leaves, garlic cloves and turmeric powder.

2. Add Pori and peanuts. Mix well.

3. Switch off the stove.

4. Once cooled, store in air-tight container.

5. Serve as tea time snack.

You may be interested in :

Masala Peanuts

Other Snacks

Who tried this recipe?
1.Priya Satheesh

Plantain Fry / Vazhakaai Varuval - With Step-by-step Pictures

Ingredients :

1. Plaintain - 2
2. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Sambar Powder - 1.5 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
6. Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
7. Salt - Needed Qty
8. Oil - 3 tsp

Procedure :

1. Peel and slice the plaintain round and medium thick pieces.

2. In a bowl mix all the ingredients except the oil.

3. Mix them well, so that the plaintains are all well coated.

4. Cover the bowl and keep it as such for about 15-30 minutes.

5. Heat a non-stick dosa pan and add 2 tsp of oil.

6. Place the masala coated plantain pieces. Medium the flame.

7. Cover with a lid. Allow the plantains to cook for about 10 minutes.

8. Now, turn to the other side. Add a tsp of oil and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

9. This can be served as a snack or can be served as a side dish for rice.

Who tried this recipe?

1. Priya Satheesh

Masala Peanuts

Masala peanuts is one of my favourite tea time snack. This crispy and spicy peanuts can be prepared in less time and can be stored for longer time.

Ingredients :

1.Peanut - 1.5 Cups

2.Besan Flour - 1/4 Cup

3.Rice Flour - 1/4 Cup

4.Chili powder - 1.5 tsp

5.Chat Masala or Garam Masala - 1 tsp

6.Salt - Needed Qty

7.Curry Leaf - Few (Dry roasted and crushed)

8. Oil - For Frying

Procedure :

1. Roast peanuts in a pan for few minutes or keep it in microwave high for 1 minute.

2. Mix besan flour, rice flour, red chilly powder, chat masala and salt together.

3. Add little water and make a thick paste. (should not be runny)

4. Add peanuts and mix till the peanuts get coated well.

5. Heat oil and then drop the peanuts gently.

6. Medium the flame and fry till the flour coat becomes crisp.

7. Drain excess oil on a kitchen towel.

8. Garnish with dry roasted and crushed curry leaves.

9. Cool and store in air-tight container.

Who tried this recipe?
1. Priya Satheesh
2. Sharanya