Happy Ganesha Chaturthi

Wishing All A Happy Ganesha Chaturthi.

For those who still keeps my feed, I am really sorry to take an unannounced break. I skipped a whole season (summer). Hope you had a wonderful summer time with your family. I missed many sizzling summer foods from your kitchen. Soon, I will catch up all your posts.

Ganesha Chaturthi was yesterday, I prepared pidi kozhukattai and Sundal. We usually does the semolina Kozhukattai which is our tradition. But this year, I tried with cream of raw rice (rice rava). In olden days, it is prepared at home, now it is widely available in grocery stores. But be cautious, the cream of rice (idli rava/sooji) is different. Idli Rava/sooji is made with parboiled rice (partially boiled rice)/ idli rice- the purpose is to make soft idlis.

The raw rava rice is made with white rice, cooking process is quicker and need less water compare to idli rava. Very easy to make at home and store well for future use of upma, kozhukattai (salt and sweet), can be used as a cereal for toddlers too.

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How to make Cream of raw rice/ raw rice rava?

Ingredients
Short grain rice (I used sona masuri): 2 cups

 Method
Rinse the rice until the water turn clear.
Soak with enough water for 30 min.
After 30 min, drain and dry in kitchen towel for 30 min to 40 min.
The rice should be dry by touch but still moist.
Grind in mixer into medium to fine semolina consistency.
Sieve the fine grain through a strainer
Run the bigger grain in mixer once again to bring the desire consistency or store it to make rice upma.
Dry thoroughly in cloth under shade before storing. 

My cream of rice is fine - a stage before it turns rice flour.

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Sweet pidi kozhukattai.

 Ingredients
Raw rice rava/cream of rice: 1 cup
Grated Jaggery: 3/4 cup (loosely packed)
Green cardamom: 4 to 5- crushed into powder
Green gram dhal (husked): 1 tbsp
Grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Water: 2 cups

Method:
Prep before:
Soak the green gram dhal for 15 min


Boil the water, reduce the heat and mix the cream of rice with a whisk. Let it cook completely.
Add the jaggery once the rice is cooked , followed by green gram dhal, coconut and cardamom powder.
Mix everything together until they start to form a mass in bowl .
Take out of the bowl and cool slightly.
When the mixture is slightly warm, grease the idlis plates and hands.
Take a small portion and clutch it between your palms to make the dumplings (kozhukattai)
Arrange in a steamer or idli cooker and steam it for 10 min.

It can be enjoyed , hot or warm :)

Usually made with rice flour which is chewy but this one is soft and crumbly by texture.

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Chickpeas Sundal:
Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas
I opened an organic garbanzo beans can (if you are purist go with dry beans/soak/cook), rinse under cold water.
Seasoning:  Heat a tsp of oil , add hing, mustard seeds, broken two red chillis and few curry leaves, add the drained beans and sauté for a minutes, adjust the salt and sprinkle some  shredded coconut.
Enjoy as a light snack!