Nameless Payasam

Onam, the Harvest festival of the southern state of India, also marks the homecoming of Mahabali, the Asura King from 'Patal', the underworld. As he loved his subjects very dearly, he would come to visit them every year. His visit was celebrated as Onam.

As all indian festivals,payasams are made. This one does not have a name in our home. Mom used to make it on occasions and has always been one of my favourites. I took the recipe from her and made it after a long time for Onam this year.

Simple and easy, this sweet dish comes together in minutes.

You Need:

• 2 tbsps rice soaked in water for about an hour
• 8 cashew nuts soaked with the rice
• Grated fresh coconut - 3 tbsps
• 1 cup grated jaggery
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsps ghee / clarified butter
• Few chopped cashews
• Few small pieces of fresh coconut
• Two pinches of cardamom powder

Steps:

• Grind the rice along with the cashews and grated coconut to a paste.
• Melt the jaggery in one cup of water and strain to remove any sediments.
• Add the jaggery syrup to the rice paste and stir it well. Add one more cup of water to it. On a medium low flame heat it. Stir it continuously till it slightly thickens, about 10-12 minutes. It will start looking glossy. Take it off the heat and let it cool.
• In a small pan heat the ghee on a low flame and roast the cashew nut pieces till slightly brown. Strain it out of the ghee. Then add the coconut pieces and fry till slightly brown.
• When it cools, add the milk and stir well. Stir in the cardamom powder, fried cashews and coconut pieces into the payasam.
• Enjoy the payasam warm or chilled.

Notes:

• You can make cardamom powder by grinding a few pods of the cardamom along with half a teaspoon of sugar and sieving it. Use the fine powder for your sweet dishes. The remaining husk can be added to your tea leaves for cardamom tea. 
• It makes about 8 small servings.
• You can use two cups of milk and one cup of water for a richer taste.
• Always stir in the milk when the payasam has cooled down, else the milk may split.
• If you like your Payasam very sweet, add a quarter cup more of jaggery. 

If anyone knows the name to this Payasam, please let me know :)

Spinach Lentil Curry / Palak Dal (South Indian style) / Keerai Molagutal

I try to include spinach in our meals on a weekly basis. We told our daughter it's the vegetable that Hulk eats to get his strength, and yes, it worked :)

This is a simple curry that goes well with steamed rice.

You need:

• 1 big bunch spinach washed well and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup split and husked green gram / moong dal
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 5 tbsp fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• A big pinch mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves

For the seasoning:

• 2 tsp Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Split skinned black dal / split urad dal

Steps:

• Wash the moong dal. Add 1 and 1/4 cup water along with the chopped spinach and turmeric powder.
• Pressure cook till the dal is well cooked.
• Grind to a paste the coconut, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves with a little water.
• In a pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the urad dal and fry till its slightly brown.
• Add the coconut paste and a 1/4 cup water and let it boil.
• Add the dal and spinach which has been slightly mashed with the back of a ladle.
• Season with salt. Let it come to a boil.
• Serve hot with steamed rice and lime pickle.

Notes:

• The curry in my picture looks slightly greenish as I had blended some blanched spinach prior to making the coconut paste. The curry would originally look more yellow.
• You can also blanch the spinach, purée it and add it with the cooked dal to the coconut paste.