Rice Kheer

I am starting the new year with an usual sweet, that I had prepared to share with neighbors and friends around. This is one sweet that we don't get bored with, so most festivals and occasions run on this dessert. 

Ingredients:

1. Milk - 1 lt

2. Water - 1/2 lt

3. Salt - 1 pinch

4. Jeera rice - 1 1/2 cups

5. Sugar - 1 cup

6. Melon seeds - 4 tbsp

7. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Step 1: Wash and soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Bring to boil half a liter milk mixed with half a liter water with a pinch of salt.

Step 3: Simmer the stove and add the drained rice and let it cook; stir occasionally. This may take 20 minutes time approximately.

Step 4: Once the rice is cooked well, add sugar and melon seeds. You can roast the melon seeds in ghee if you want, I prefer to add them raw.

Step 5: Let it cook for more 5 minutes and then turn off stove. Mix in cardamom powder. 

Step 6: Serve hot or chilled.

TIPS:
* The consistency thickens on cooling, you can dilute with milk while serving.
*. My mom does not add cardamom as jeera rice has its unique flavor. Flavoring is optional, and rose flavor also suits well for this kheer.
* Basmati rice can be used if jeera rice is unavailable.
* Nuts like almonds or cashews can be slivered and replaced for melon seeds. As few desserts use melon seeds, I use them wherever applicable.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Actually, this is an uncomplicated thick soup probably would fall under bisque category. I prefer accompanying this with light or no dinner. There are few dishes I like to add cooked carrots and this is one of them that brings out a wonderful flavor, taste and color of carrots.

Ingredients:

1. Carrot - 5

2. Ginger - 2" piece

3. Milk - 1/2 cup

4. Olive oil - 1 tbsp

5. Pepper crushed - 1/2 tsp

6. Salt to taste

Method:

Step 1: Peel and slice the carrots and ginger.

Step 2: In a pan, toss sliced vegetables with  olive oil in medium heat. 

Step 3: Saute them until tender. Let it cool down.

Step 4: Grind them fine in a mixer jar with some water as required.

Step 5: Heat milk in the same pan that is used to saute, stir in the pureed veggies and season with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency with water or milk.

Step 6: Garnish with fresh cream and serve it hot or warm.

Kathirikai kaarakuzhambu

Kaarakuzhambu is a thick spicy curry that is eaten with steamed rice. Coming from a village background, I have grown up seeing peasants and laborers consuming this almost everyday for supper. This is a preferred curry for mass cooking as it is simple, economical and quite filling. Even today, while I stand in the balcony or terrace, I see in the construction sites here and there someone cooking with small stoves making rice in pots and karakuzhambu in sattis, the aroma appetites me in no time. More than the taste of the dish itself, it is the love and gratitude I've seen these people eating it with after the whole day's exhaustion, they celebrate the mere satisfaction of hunger for food; sometimes they stay far away from their families for work yet become family with people around. I really envy their attitude of living in the present.

Ingredients:

1. Brinjal - 5

2. Onion - 1

3. Tomato - 1

4. Garlic - 1/2 pod

5. Gingelly oil - 2 tbsp

6. Vengaya vadagam - 1/4 ball or 1 heap tbsp 

7. Curry powder - 2 tbsp

8. Tamarind - gooseberry size or 2 tbsp store bought pulp

9. Salt to taste

Method:

Step 1: Wash and chop brinjal, tomato, onion and peel the garlic cloves.

Step 2: If using tamarind, soak the tamarind in water and squeeze out pulp and keep aside.

Step 2: In a kadai heat the gingelly oil and add vengaya vadagam to it. 

Step 3: Once the spices splutters and browns well, add onion, garlic to saute until soft; then add tomato and finally the brinjal. Saute for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Add curry powder, salt and water and let it boil for 10 minutes in low flame.

Step 5: Add the tamarind pulp and stir to boil for 5 more minutes.

Step 6: Serve with hot steamed rice along with papad.

TIPS:

* Vengaya vadagam is a mixture of spices along with onion that are soaked in castor oil and then sun dried; it is said to have lot of medicinal properties in addition to the strong flavour it renders to the curry. 

* If vengaya vadagam is not available, you can splutter the spices like mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek, asafoetida, red chilies, curry leaves and urad dal seperately before adding the vegetables.

* Kaarakuzhambu can be prepared with other vegetables like potato, ladies finger, radish, colocasia or drumstick also.