FILTER 'KAAPI'

It's 'Kaapi' Time


Filter 'Kaapi' might sound new to the young generation as they better know it as Coffee.

Addicted to espresso, mocha, cappuccino, etc they gulp down plentiful of it at coffee bars, shelling out the hard earned money.

But least do they realise about a filter kaapi's aroma and taste. If not ready to risk it outside, then try it out in your kitchen.

THINGS YOU NEED:

A kaapi filter (a double deckered container) is used. The upper portion has a lid, perforated bottom, and a plunger which fits snugly inside. The lower container collects the dripped decoction.

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 6)
Filter kaapi powder - 20 gm
Water - 250 ml
Sugar - 6 tbsp
Milk - 250 ml

METHOD:
Heat 3 cups/250ml of water in a bowl.
Put 3 spoons of filter coffee powder in the upper container.
Pour the boiling water to the coffee powder and close the container with a lid. The decoction gets collected at the bottom.
Let the decoction settle down for 5 - 10 mins.
Pour the decoction in a glass.
Add milk to the decoction according to how mild or strong you prefer.
Add sugar according to taste.

SERVING:
Serving is one of the most amusing parts of Chennai filter kaapi. The kaapi is poured back and forth between the davarah (a wide metal saucer with lipped walls) and the tumbler in huge arc-like motions of the hand. Kaapi is drunk from the tumbler. Pouring the kaapi between the davarah and the tumbler cools the hot kaapi down leaving a thick layer of froth on top. You are now ready to enjoy the flavour of the Tamil culture with hot filter kaapi.

WHEAT RAWA SWEET (karnataka special)

WHEAT RAWA SWEET
This is a karnataka sweet dish made of wheat rava and jaggery.

Ingredients:
1 cup wheat rawa
3/4 cup jaggery
1 cups water
1 tbsp clarified butter

Preparation:

1. In a wok, heat butter and roast rava for 10 mins approx and keep aside.
2. Boil water in the wok, add rava and jaggery to it.
3. Keep stirring till it becomes dry like upma.
Serve hot.

FRENCH FRIES

French Fries

Ingredients:
250 gm potatoes- peeled and cut into 'fingers'
1 tbsp salt
oil for deep frying


Method: Boil enough water, so as to cover the potatoes (about 4 cups) with the salt.

When water comes to a boil, add the potatoes, shut off the heat and leave thus for 5-6 minutes.

Drain well and wipe dry with a cloth, if in a hurry.

Heat oil and when a piece of potato thrown in comes up at once, add some potatoes (they should not touch each other too much).

Lower the heat to medium and fry till almost cooked but not brown. Remove from oil and drain.

Just before serving fry over high heat, till a golden brown and srinkle some salt, chilli powder or pepper powder over it.

Serve with tomato sause

MODAK (KOZHUKATTAI)

Modak (kozhukattai)
Ingredients: For the filling
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup grated jaggery
a pinch of cardamom powder

For the shell:
1 cup of water
2 tsp ghee
1 cup of rice flour

Method:
For the fillling
Heat a pan, add the grated coconut and jaggery. Stir for about five minutes.

Add the cardamom powder, mix well.

Cook for another five minutes and keep aside.


For the modak:
In a deep dish, boil water with ghee.

Add the salt and flour. Mix well.

Cover the dish and cook till its half done.

Spread some ghee on the base of a steel bowl and while the dough is still hot, knead it well.

Now take a little dough, roll it into a ball, flatten it well, shape the edges into a flower pattern.

Put a spoonful of the filling onto the dough and seal it.

Put the dumplings in a muslin cloth and steam them for 10- 15 minutes.

Serve.

DUM ALOO

Dum Aloo
Ingredients:
1/2 kg potatoes - medium sized
oil
5 tbsp oil
water
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp saunth
1 tsp saunf powder
2 green cardamom
3-4 tsp of curd
salt - to taste

Method:
Cut the potatoes in half, deep fry them and keep aside.

Prick the potatoes with a toothpick and keep aside.

Mix all the dry powders in a bowl. Add enough water to the bowl to make a paste.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cardamom. Pour in the paste and stir for about 4-5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and mix well. Then mix in the curd.

Cover and cook for five minutes. Serve hot with rice.

CINNAMON EGGLESS CAKE

Cinnamon eggless cake

Ingredients: 2 cups wheat flour (atta)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cups jaggery
1 1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup of curd
3/4 cup of water
2/3 cup of cooking oil
walnuts/raisins - for garnishing

Method: Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Blend the curd, water and oil together in another bowl. Then mix the dry ingredients into this bowl and blend well.

Bring it to dripping consistency, adding more water if needed. Oil the bottom of a baking dish and bake for one hour.

Cut and serve when cool

GREEN RICE

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
8-10 leaves of spinach chopped
½ small onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
Few cashew nuts
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp red chili powder preparation:

METHOD:
Cook the rice and keep it aside.
1. Heat butter in a pan, add cumin seeds. Add cashews and roast them till they turn light brown.
2. Sauté onion till they are translucent. Add garlic and sauté.
3. Add spinach and cooked till it reduces its Quantity.
4. Add cooked rice to it. No lumps should be formed.
5. Add garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and lemonjuice and mix well.

Serve Green rice with coriander chutney and carrot raita.

COCONUT BURFI

Coconut burfi

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen coconut
1 tsp cardamom powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup whole milk or condensed milk
1 tbsp ghee
almonds coarsely powdered

preparation:
1.Heat ghee in a pan, add coconut to it and roast till its completely dry.
2.Add sugar and milk to the coconut and mix well.
3. Let it boil on a low flame till its done. Milk evaporates and the coconut becomes sticky.It should be thick mixture but soft.
4.Grease a plate with ghee, spread the mixture on the plate evenly and let it cool down.It becomes easy to cut into pieces after its dry.
5.sprinkle cardomom powder and almond powder on it.

BANANA HALWA

Banana Halwa

ingredients:
2 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz whole milk
1 tbsp clarified butter
chopped cashews n almonds

preparation:
1. Heat butter in a pan, fry cashews n alomonds and fry till brown.
2. add mashed banana and cook for 5 mins.
3. Add sugar and milk and mix well. let it boil till all the milk gets evaporated. keep stirring so that halwa doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan.
4.Sprinkle cardamom powder on the halwa.
Refrigerate. Serve cold.

DAL PALAK

Dal palak

ingredients:

1 bunch Spinach (Palak) finely ch0pped
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch asafetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
salt
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 inch jaggery

preparation:

1. cook dal in a cooker.
2. heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, asafetida, garlic and saute till garlic emits strong aroma.
3. add spinach to it and saute till spinach reduces to 1/5 of its original quantity.
4. add dal to it and let it boil.
5. add salt and jaggery in the end

MINTED FRUIT SALAD

MINTED FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients:

Sugar, 1/2 cup
Orange juice, 1/3 cup
Lemon juice concentrate, 1/3 cup
Water, 1/3 cup
Peppermint extract, 1/4 tsp
Chopped assorted fresh fruits, 8 cups
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the fruit and stir
until the sugar dissolves.

• Place the fruits in a large shallow dish and pour the lemon
juice over it.

• Cover the dish and refrigerate it for three hours. Stir
occasionally. Finally garnish with mint leaves before serving.
It’s yummy when it is cold.

LAYERED FRUIT SALAD

LAYERED FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients
Cubed fresh pineapple- 2 cups
Fresh strawberries hulled and sliced- 1 cup
Kiwi fruit peeled and sliced- 2
Medium bananas sliced- 3
Oranges peeled and sectioned- 2
Seedless grapes- 1 cup
Blueberries- 1 cup

Sauce:
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
Fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup
Brown sugar, 1/3 cup
Grated orange peel, 1/2 tsp
Grated lemon peel, 1/2 tsp
Pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp

Method

• In a sauce pan, bring to boil all the ingredients for sauce
except vanilla; simmer for five minutes. Add vanilla and cool.

Meanwhile, in a large clear glass salad bowl, arrange fruits
in layers in the order listed. Pour the sauce over the fruits.
Cover and refrigerate till it is chilled.

BADAM PISTA BURFI

BADAM PISTA BURFI

Ingredients

Khoa,
1 kg Castor sugar,
1/4 kg Almonds,
1 cup kewra essence,
2 drops Pistachio nuts,
1/2 cup Medium silver leaves, 4 (optional)

Method


• Prepare khoa by boiling litre of buffalo milk briskly in a heavy pan . Stir all the time until it dries up (takes about half an hour) and see that the fire burns well, as slow heating turns the khoa creamy in colour. The finished product should be white if properly prepared. Keep aside and allow it to cool.

• Add castor sugar to khoa and mix thoroughly. Then cook for 10 minutes, taking care not to let the mixture stick to the bottom. Mix minced almonds and pistachios; stir for 2 to 3 seconds, remove from the heat and allow it to cool; add kewra essence.

• Invert a thali or a tray and grease its back; put the mixture over it and roll out as neat and as straight as possible. Decorate with silver leaves. When it cools down and becomes firm, cut into diamond pieces. Store in an air-tight container.

Your delicious Badam Pista Burfi is ready.

KADAMBA SUNDAL

KADAMBA SUNDAL

Ingredients

Oil, 2tbsp Red chillies, 2 tsp Cumin, 2 1/2 tsp Urad dal, 1tbsp Mustard seeds, 2 1/2 tsp Green chillies (slit), 6 Turmeric powder, 1tsp Curry leaves, 1/2 cup Almonds (Blanched), 1 cup Peanuts (boiled), 1 cup Double beans (boiled), 1 cup Butter Beans (boiled), 1 cup Asafoetida, 2tsp Salt to taste Water, 1/2 cup

Method


• Heat oil pan; add red chillies, urad dal, cumin, green chilli and mustard seeds and cook till mustard splutters.

• Add turmeric powder, curry leaves and asfoetida and sauté or stir fry for a minute

• Add boiled peanuts, double beans, blanched almonds. Stir fry for 2 mins.

• Add water, salt and bring to boil and cook on high flame till dry and well cooked

• Remove and serve hot

JAIN CHOLE

JAIN CHOLE

INGREDIENTS:
Kabuli channa-1 cup
Coriander seeds- ¼ tsp
Tomatoes-2
Green chillies- 5 to 6 nos
Jeera – ½ tsp
Coriander leaves- ½ bunch
Jaggery- little bit
Curd- 2 tsp (optional)
Ginger- small piece
Potato- 1 large

Method

Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook it for about 8 to 9 whistles and set aside.

For the gravy, grind all the ingredients except channa, jaggery and potato. Make into fine paste.

Heat the oil in a kadai and fry the potato pieces. When done add the ground gravy. Then add the channa and salt and mix well.

Keep it on sim for about 10 min. finally add jaggery.

Pour the whole thing in a serving dish. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Finally add spoon of butter. Serve with Rotis, Nans or Rice.

CAPSICUM WITH PEANUTS

CAPSICUM WITH PEANUTS

Ingredients:
Big capsicum-4
Roasted peanuts-5 tsp
Grated coconut-4 tsp
Tamarind paste-2 tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds)-2 tsp
Oil-3 tsp
Garam masala-2 tsp
Red chilli powder-1 tsp
Turmeric- a pinch
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak the roasted for 10 min. cut the capsicum into pieces.

Put the oil in a pan, add jeera and allow it to split.

Then add capsicum pieces cook until it becomes soft.

Grind the peanuts with grated coconut and tamarind paste with little amount of water.

Add this paste to the capsicum and allow it to cook for 2 min.

Add salt, chilli powder, garam masala and turmeric. Cook until the oil floats on the gravy.

Sprinkle some coriander. Serve hot with chapatti or fried rice. Hope you will enjoy this recipe.

IDLY

IDLY

Preparation method:

Grease the idly mould with little gingelly oil.

Pour the idly batter to it.

Steam it in the idly cooker for 12 to 15 minutes.

Your spongy IDLY is ready.

Serve hot with coconut chutney, idly milagai podi, sambhar, etc.,

IDLY BATTER

IDLY BATTER

INGREDIENTS:

Idly rice – 4 cups
Urad dhal- 1 cup
Vendhiyam (methi seeds)- 1 tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Soak the idly rice & vendhayam for 4 hrs and urad dhal for 45 minutes.

First grind the urad dhal in the grinder to a fluffy batter by adding water. keep it aside.

Then grind the idly rice and vendhayam .Add salt to it.

Mix well the rice batter and urad dal batter together. Keep it aside for 7 to 8 hrs for fermentation.

Now the batter is ready for preparing idly.

You can use the same batter for preparing dosa also.