Home made Dark chocolate

Valentine's day is here. Are you ready to surprise your dear ones?? Lemme help you.

Why don't you try this easy, preservatives free Home made Dark chocolate recipe??

I have also added video recipe in Tamil.. check this out and surprise your kids who will be coming home tomorrow with their handmade valentine's day gifts from school.

Happy cooking..🎉🎊

Ingredients:

Powdered sugar      - 1 cup
Butter                        - 3/4 cup
Cocoa powder          - 3/4 cup
Milk powder             - 1/3 cup

You can check for video recipe in Tamil here

Preparatory works:

Powder sugar using a mixer grinder. Measure and take 1 cup of it .

Sieve cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk powder together .

See to that butter is in room temperature.

Grease chocolate mould or a deep plate for pouring the chocolate mix once it is done.

Procedure:

We are going to use double boiling method for preparing this chocolate.

 For this we have to take a pan and fill it 3/4th with water. We have to place a bowl above that pan. When we boil water in the pan, the heat transfers to the bowl and thus things in the bowl gets cooked.

 We are using this method, since chocolate requires only lower temperature for cooking.

Heat the pan which has water .when the bowl which is above the pan becomes hot, reduce the flame and add butter to the bowl.

After the butter has melted, add sieved dry ingredients in small instances and keep on stirring .

The mix will get thick in just seconds. Switch off the flame and transfer it to either greased moulds or plates.

If you are transferring to plates , cut it into required sizes using a greased knife before placing it in refrigerator.

Let it sit in fridge for 2 to 3 hours and your chocolates are ready  to enjoy.

Notes:

Taking exact measurement of ingredients is very essential in this recipe.

Since we are using butter, the chocolate mix will be thick only. If you want it to be free flowing ( so that  easy to pour in moulds ) then you have to replace butter with same amount of coconut oil. But coconut oil smell will be there in chocolates.  If you are using coconut oil, then see to that it is pure and hand pressed.

Since it's dark chocolate it will have slightly bitter taste. If you are looking for making milk chocolate  use cocoa powder - 1/3 cup and milk powder - 3/4 cup in the above recipe.

Pulungal Arisi Puttu (Parboiled Rice Puttu)

What is special there for Sivarathri?? I have prepared this Pulungal Arisi puttu to cherish the occasion.  This is our hometown, Virudhunagar special puttu. 

In our customs we used to also prepare Boiled Sweet potato (Cheeni kizhangu) and Boiled Field Beans (Mochai) on this day.  Happy Sivarathri!!! 

Yields : Around 12 small size puttu

Preparation time : 15 minutes + Time for making rice flour

Ingredients:

Pulungal Arisi          - 1 cup (Parboiled Rice)
Sugar                        - 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut        - 3/4 cup

Procedure:

• Wash well and soak Parboiled rice in water for 15 minutes. After that drain excess water and hang soaked rice in a muslin cloth for about 2 hours. This is done to absorb excess water from rice.
• Get the rice powdered from a Flour mill or alternatively you may also use Mixer-Grinder to grind the flour at home. I have used only a mixer-grinder to make the flour. Also make sure you grind the rice little coarsely.  
• You have to start making this puttu instantly after grinding the rice when the flour is little hot. 
• Take a wide plate. Add hot flour, sugar and grated coconut to it. Mix everything well. (The hot flour will help to melt sugar and to shape puttu as we like).
• I have used a bottom of a small box for making this shape. You may use kuzhikarandi ( a laddle which is deep) or orange juicer top. Shape as you like.
• Steam it in Idli plates for 10 minutes. Your tasty puttu is ready!!

Mysore Pak

Its a special day for BusyAtIndianKitchen!! Yes.. Its Our Blog's First Anniversary. Now we are standing with around 415 recipes and around 2100 followers. Thank you for all your support and love. Stay tuned for more interesting recipes. To cherish the occasion today's special post is Mysore Pak.

This recipe will help you to prepare soft Mysore Pak. It requires just  a handful of ingredients. A little patience is required for preparing this delicious sweet. I have also mentioned few tips for making the dish  fool proof. The recipe follows..

Preparation Time : 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Besan Flour       - 1 cup (Kadalai Maavu)

Sugar                 - 3 cups

Ghee                  - 1 cup

Oil                      - 1 cup

Water                 - 1.5 cups

Procedure:

• Mix 2 tsp of oil to Besan flour and sieve it. This is done to prevent lumps while adding flour to sugar syrup.
• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Add Sugar and water to it. Cook the syrup in medium flame till it reaches one string consistency. To check One string consistency, touch sugar syrup between your thumb and forefinger. When you extend your fingers, it must form a string in between.
• After sugar syrup reaches one string consistency, slowly add Besan flour to sugar syrup and mix rapidly so that no lumps are formed.
• In the mean time, heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. The oil should be really hot, when adding to flour mix.
• Now start adding little oil+ghee to flour mix in small instances and keep on stirring . Keep on adding oil+ghee till mixture becomes frothy and ghee separates from it.  You won't be needing all the oil+ghee which we have taken earlier, It depends on flour and temperature. So just stop adding after mixture becomes frothy and start changing its color. I was left with around 3 tbsp of oil+ghee when i prepared. It will be leaving sides of pan. Its consistency will be thickened. That's the perfect time to stop cooking
• Switch off the flame and spread the mixture in a greased plate. The mixture will start cooling immediately. So start cutting with a greased knife after 10 minutes.Cut it into rectangle shapes. Let it rest for 30 minutes. You will be getting 15 to 20 Medium size Mysore paks in this recipe. Your mysore pak is ready to enjoy!!

Homemade Milk Powder - Cocoa Powder Chocolate

This is the recipe for preparing Original Home made chocolate with Milk powder and Cocoa powder. You can prepare it in just 10 minutes. Try these Chocolates at home and surprise your kids!!

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Milk Powder          - 100 gm ( Little less than 1 cup)
Sugar                      - 1/2 cup
Water                      - 1/4 cup
Butter                      - 1/4 cup
Cocoa Powder         - 2 tbsp
Vanilla Essence       - 1 tsp

Procedure:

• Sieve well Milk powder and Cocoa powder together. Grease chocolate molds with Butter. Even if you don't have chocolate mold, just grease a deep plate with Butter.
• Take a heavy bottom pan. Add sugar and water to it. Cook it in medium flame till it reaches one string consistency. To check One string consistency, touch sugar syrup between your thumb and fore finger. When you  extend your fingers, it must form a string in between. 
• After it reaches one string consistency, add  butter and Vanilla essence to the pan.
• Switch off the flame after butter melts.
• Add sieved milk powder and cocoa powder to the pan immediately after switching it off. Mix it well and transfer it to greased molds or plate.
• Let chocolates cool and set completely. It will take around 2 hours to set. If you are using deep plate for setting chocolates, be sure to cut it into chunks with greased knife while chocolate is cooling. Enjoy your melting Home made Chocolates!!!

Jalebi

Traditionally Jalebi batter needs to be fermented for about 24 hours. We are simplifying the process, by adding yeast to it and hence jalebis can prepared instantly. And i prepared as small jalebis for my kid. The tasty recipe follows...

Yields: Around 8 mini Jalebi

Ingredients:

Maida                     - 1/2 cup
Corn Flour              - 1/2 tbsp
Lemon Food color  - a pinch
Sugar                       - 1 cup
Instant yeast            - 1 tsp
Yogurt                     - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

• Take a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of  lukewarm water to it. Add also 1 tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of instant yeast to it. Mix everything well and keep it aside for 10 minutes. The water should be only warm. It shouldn't be neither too hot or cold.  
• Take another bowl. Add maida, corn flour and lemon food color to it. Mix it well.
• After 10 minutes, you can see that the yeast has foamed. Now add foamed yeast mix to dry ingredients in small instances. Add also yogurt and mix everything well together. Cover the pan with a lid and set it aside for an hour.
• In mean time, take a sauce pan. Add 1 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of water to it. Cook in high flame, till sugar dissolves and after that reduce the flame to low and cook till it reaches one thread consistency. To check one string consistency ,touch sugar syrup between your thumb and fore finger. When you extend both your fingers, you could see it form a string in between. That is the needed consistency.
• After an hour, add enough water and make a watery batter. The batter should be in free flow consistency. For making jalebi, you can use either sauce bottle or zip lock bag. If you are using sauce bottle, add batter to it and use it as such. If you are using zip lock bag, add batter  to bag and close it. Make a tiny hole at the end and use it.
• Heat oil in a pan. The oil heat should be moderate. Now add batter to hot oil in circular motions so as to make jalebi. If the oil heat is low,  jalebis won't  get the needed spiral shape, instead they will become flat. If the oil heat is more, your jalebis will get broken. So see to that oil heat is as needed. 
• Your jalebis will get cooked in very less time. Now add cooked jalebis directly to sugar syrup and take it out immediately. You can also add saffron strands to increase the flavor and taste. Enjoy your Jalebis hot!!

Rasagulla

Rasagullas at home?? Yes!! you can prepare it instantly. You will need just 3 ingredients and you can prepare it in an hour. Give a try to Rasagullas this Diwali, and surprise your dear ones.. The recipe follows..

Yields : Around 8 Rasagulla

Preparation Time : 1 hour

Ingredients:

High  Fat Milk        - 500 ml
Sugar                       - 1.5 cups
Water                       - 5 cups
Lemon Juice            - 1.5 tbsp

Procedure:

• Boil milk. After it boils, switch off the flame ,add lemon juice to it and mix well. You can see milk start curdling. Let it sit for 10 minutes and after that strain curdled milk. The lemon juice specified would be enough for making the milk curdle. But if the milk dint curdle yet add some more lemon juice. Transfer the curd to a cloth which can absorb water.. here in my case i have used a cotton cloth.Squeeze out water, Tie the knot and hang on to a high place. leave it for 30 minutes.
• You needn't hang paneer for a longer time for making rasagullas. The paneer should be little wet only. Keep on kneading paneer, until all of it joins together. It took 15 minutes for me to achieve the required consistency. Kneading paneer plays an important role in this recipe. If you didn't knead paneer well, chances are there that rasagullas will get broken when it boils in sugar syrup.
• After kneading well, make small balls out of kneaded paneer.

• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Add 1.5 cups of sugar and 5 cups of water to it. You can increase the sugar quantity according to your taste. You can taste sugar syrup and conclude on the amount of sugar needed.Cook it in high flame. You will see sugar has dissolved and when the sugar syrup boils, add paneer balls to it. Cover with a lid and cook in medium flame for about 15 minutes. The sugar syrup should always be boiling. Keep on stirring in between in 5 minutes interval. 
• After 15 minutes, you can see your rasagullas are ready. It should have doubled the size. You will be left out with lot of sugar syrup. Use it for any other sweets. Adding lot of water to sugar syrup is mandatory since you are cooking rasagullas directly in sugar syrup, otherwise you will end up with rasagullas sticked to the bottom of pan.   Transfer rasagullas along with enough sugar syrup to a bowl and let it sit for atleast 6 hours. It wold have soaked well after 6 hours. Enjoy your Rasagullas!!

Boondi Laddu

Rather than telling the recipe for making Boondi laddu, I can very well say the reasons why your laddu fails. I could make perfect laddus only in my third attempt. These are the reasons because of what my laddu had failed out earlier.

1. The First and foremost thing to be taken care is Sugar syrup consistency. Just add enough amount of water and cook till it reaches one string consistency.  If you keep on cooking still after reaching one string consistency, sugar will start crystallizing. If you stop cooking sugar syrup  before reaching  its consistency, Boondi will become soggy and you won't be able to shape it out.
2. You needn't cook Boondi for a longer time. Take it out immediately as soon as you add it to oil and oil should be really hot, when you add boondi to it.
3. Always buy Gram flour only when needed. Laddus made with fresh and new gram flour always taste good.

Just take care of above things. You will be able to make super delcious laddus in just 20 minutes. Over to the recipe..

Yields : Around 8 medium size laddu

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Gram Flour             - 1/2 cup (Kadalai Maavu)

Sugar                       - 1/2 cup

Baking Soda            - a pinch

Food Color              - a pinch

Cashew Nuts           - few

Raisins                    - few

Cardamom Powder - a pinch

Oil                           - for frying

Ghee                       - 2 tbsp  

Procedure:

• Take a bowl. Add Gram flour, Baking soda and food color to it. i didn't add any food color. You can add if you wish. Add water to bowl in small instances and start preparing the batter. The batter should be of Dosa batter consitency i.e it should be free flowing. Heat oil in a frying pan. A special Boondi ladle is available for making laddus. You can use either that or any other ladle with holes. Place boondi ladle above hot oil. Add small amount of boondi batter to the laddle and tap it so that boondi falls down in oil. If the batter is too watery, boondi will absorb much oil.  Take boondis immediately as soon as you add it to oil or else it will turn crispier. It will get cooked in some seconds itself.  Drain excess oil from boondis and keep it aside. In the same oil fry Cashew nuts, raisins and add it to boondi. You can also use ghee instead of oil for frying boondis.
• Take a sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to it. Add also 1/4 cup of water  and cardamom powder to it.  Cook sugar syrup in high flame till sugar dissolves and after that cook in medium flame till it reaches one string consistency. To check one string consistency, touch sugar syrup between your thumb and fore finger. When you extend both your fingers, you could see it form a string in between. Thats the needed consistency. Let the sugar syrup cool for 2 minutes and after that add ghee, boondi to sugar syrup. Mix everything well and after that take it out in a plate.
• Let boondis cool for 2 minutes. Start making laddus when boondi is still hot itself. Grease your palms with ghee and start making laddus. Take little boondi in your palm and shape it out to a ball. Let it cool for 30 minutes. Your Boondi laddu is ready to eat by now. Enjoy your laddus!!!

Saraswathi Poojai Celebration

How did your today's celebrations went on? We prepared Pineapple Kesari and White Chickpeas sundal today. I have added pineapple kesari recipe in this post.. The recipe follows..

Pineapple Kesari:

Recipe For : 4

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Rava                             - 1.5 cups (Sooji)
Chopped Pineapple      - 1 cup
Brown Sugar                - 2.5 cups
Food color                    - a pinch
Water                            - 5.5 cups
Cashews & Raisins       - As required
Ghee                              - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

• Dry roast rava till it leaves nice aroma and after that take it out in a plate.
• Chop Pineapple into medium size chunks.
• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Add 5.5 cups of water to it.  Add cut pineapple chunks and cook in a medium flame till pineapple is cooked and its soft. After that increase the flame. Add food color to water.
• When the water boils add roasted rava to it in small instances. Make sure no lumps are formed.
• When the water is fully absorbed by rava, add brown sugar to it.  You can also replace brown sugar with usual white sugar.
• Mix sugar well with rava and switch off the flame.
• Roast Cashews and Raisins in ghee and add it to kesari.
• Your delicious pineapple kesari is ready..

Madurai Special Jigarthanda

As our home town is nearer to Madurai, Jigarthanda has become one of my favorites from my childhood. Our visit to Madurai always ends with Jigathanda.. This is the true and original recipe as i have seen myself how they prepare Jigarthanda many times..

Two important things play a major role in this Jigarthanda..
                                    1. Badam Pisin (or) Almond Gum which is available in many stores.
                                    2. Paal Icecream (or) Custard powder Icecream which is prepared by using only milk and custard powdr. The real taste of Jigarthanda lies with this Ice cream. I have posted this recipe some days before. You can check  by clicking the link..

No more waiting.. Here the recipe follows..

Recipe For : 4

Preparation Time : 10 minutes + soaking time 12 hrs.

Ingredients:

Badam Pisin         - 1 tsp (Almond Gum)
Milk                      - 4cups
Paal Icecream       - 4 scoops
Nannari Sarbath    - 1 tbsp

 Procedure:

• Wash and soak Badam pisin in enough water overnight. You will need 1/3 cup of water for soaking. After soaking, Badam Pisin  will increase in its quantity. So adding 1 tsp of Badam Pisin itself very enough for 4 persons. 

•  This is that Badam Pisin before soaking. After 12 hours you can see that it has increased in quantity and it looks like sago. Remove Brown color impurities. Filter if there is any excess water. Gently smash Badam Pisin so that it doesn't stick to each other.
• Boil milk. After the milk has boiled take half of the milk in a bowl and let it cool. Boil the remaining milk in low flame till it reduces to half.
• Nannari Sarbath is also available at all the stores.  You have to use it as such without adding water.
• Now we have everything we need for Jigathanda.
• Take a Glass in which you are going to serve. Add 2 tsp of Badam pisin to it first, followed by Ice cream. Then milk reduced to half, after that Boiled milk and top everything with  Nannari sarbath. Mix everything well. Top with Nannari Syrup and enjoy your Jigarthanda.
• Sugar which was in ice cream itself was okay for us. If you wish, you can add some more sugar while boiling milk.

Arisi Payasam (Rice Payasam)

Arisi Payasam (Rice payasam)

Arisi Payasam or Rice Payasam  is a rich delicacy prepared with Milk and Rice.. It takes little time to prepare.. But the taste is extra-ordinary. Try this mouth watering payasam and surprise your dear ones.. 

Recipe follows...

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice          - 1/4 cup

Boiled Milk              - 5 cups

Brown Sugar               - 1/4 cup

Cashew Nuts            - 6 or 8

Raisins                     - 6 or 8

Ghee                        - 3 tbsp

Procedure:

• Wash Basmathi Rice... Heat little oil in  a heavy bottomed vessel. I normally use my heavy bottomed cooker. Add rice to the cooker. Saute well.
• Add boiled milk to the rice. Cook it in medium flame.
• I would suggest to drop a small plate in the payasam while its cooking, so that milk won't overflow and come out.
• Keep on stirring in between.
• When the rice is half-done, add brown sugar. If you don't have brown sugar, can use plain sugar as well
• Keep on stirring in between. When the rice is completely cooked, we are done with our payasam.
• If you want the payasam to be more thick, cook it for some more time and if you want the payasam to be little watery, add some more milk.
• Saute Cahew nuts and Raisins in Ghee and add to Payasam.
• Your delicious payasam is ready..

Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

Sweet Pongal is the first thing, which comes to my mind during festivals.. Its my husband's favourite sweet too.. Its easy to prepare..  Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:

Raw Rice               - 1 cup   (Pachharisi)

Moong Dal             - 1/4 cup  

Jaggery                   - 1.5 cups

Water                      - 4.5 cups

Chopped Coconut   - 3 tbsp (Optional)

Cashew Nuts          - A handful

Ghee                       - 3 tbsp

Procedure:  

• Wash Raw rice and Moong Dal and soak both in water for some time. I have used 3.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice and moong dal. So i have used around 4.5 cups of water.
• Wrap Jaggery in a plastic bag. Tap it with a stone, so that Jaggery breaks up.. 
• Cook Rice and Moong Dal in a cooker. Cook it on high flame for 1 whistle. After a whistle, reduce the flame and cook it for 10 more minutes.
• After the pressure subsides, open the cooker and add Jaggery. Mix it well in low flame, till all the Jaggery melts down.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cashew nuts to it. Fry it well and add to the pongal. Add also the chopped coconut.
• Serve it hot.. Its best, when eaten hot..
• Adjust Jaggery according to your taste. And Jaggery sweetness differs from area to area. I would suggest you to slowly add the Jaggery. So that you can justify sweeteness with the pongal color..  If the pongal is too dark in color, it means you have added more Jaggery. If the pongal is very light in color, add little more Jaggery. 

Sandesh

Sandesh

Sandesh is a high calorie milk sweet which is prepared using paneer. This is a slight variation from original recipe . we are using condensed milk to reduce the manual effort of keep on continuously stirring the milk and you can prepare this sandesh easily in minimum time and with minimum effort. The recipe follows.. 

Ingredients:

Paneer                                                  - 1 cup

Sweetened Condensed milk            - 1 cup

Ghee                                                    - to Grease

Grated Pistachios                             - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Take a plate. Grease it with ghee and keep it aside.
2. In a non stick pan add Paneer and Condensed milk and heat it.
3. Once it gets heated reduce the flame and keep on stirring until it loses all the water.
4. Once it becomes dry transfer it to the already greased plate and allow it to cool.
5. Add pistachios to the top of it.
6. Cut it into desired shape when its still warm using knife or using any cookie cutter.