Malai Parwal

This is an awesome recipe from Shanti Krishnakumar's cook book. Not many like Kovakkai in my house but everybody loved this dish and Kovakkai is a very healthy vegetable too.
 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Kovakkai (Parwal / dhondakkai) cut thinly, length wise
• 1 Tomato chopped
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1" Cinnamon Stick
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Cardamom
• 10 Cashews
• 1/4 cup grated Coconut
• 4 Red chillies

Method

1. In a pressure pan, heat oil and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. When the cumin seeds start spluttering, add the tomatoes and saute well.
2. Add the Kovakkai / Parwal, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well. Add 1/4 cup water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
3. Meanwhile, grind the cashews, coconut, and red chillies to a fine paste and keep aside.
4. When the pressure is released from the pan, take out the lid and add the ground paste and garam masala. Add milk and cook in low heat till the gravy thickens and becomes creamy.
5. Serve hot with any Indian flat bread of your choice. It goes well with rice too!

Jangiri

Jangiri is everybody's favorite and especially in Tamil Nadu. It was always thought to be difficult to make at home and generally made by the experienced cooks at the weddings. But actually it is not very complicated at all. This Diwali, lets make Jangiri and surprise our families. After checking out a lot of recipes, I zeroed in on this one. I used the ketchup bottle to squeeze out the jangiri.

Ingredients

For Jangiri

• 1 cup Urad Dhal
• A pinch of Salt
• 1 tsp Rice Flour
• 1/2 tsp Food Colour
• Oil for deep frying

For Sugar Syrup

• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Water
• A pinch of Cardamom Powder

Laddu

Laddu is a must have in our house for Diwali. My grandma and mom are experts in Laddu and here is the recipe for you to enjoy on Diwali!

Ingredients

For the Boondis

• 3 cups Gram flour (Besan)
• A pinch of yellow food colour and a pinch of kesar food colour
• 2 tbsp broken cashews and 2 tbsp Raisins fried in 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp small sugar candy in the shape of diamonds (diamond Kalkandu)
• Oil to fry

For the Sugar Syrup

• 3 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Water

Utensils required: Big Perforated spoon with round holes for making the boondis, laddle and a perforated spoon to remove the boondis from oil.