Friday, October 10, 2008

Jaggery rice (Sakkarai pongal)

Jaggery rice (Sakkarai pongal) - preparation time 30 mins
During pongal festival this rice is a must. My mom used to make candy rice along with jaggery rice. It will be very tasty my husband likes this rice. It goes well with masal vadai

I used to make in below method which will be quick and easy. My mother and mil used to cook rice separately in a brass pot and prepare which will be bit time consuming.

Also refer kalkandu pongal for pongal special recipes

Ingredients:-
Rice - 2 cup/200 gm (If you cook normally rice with 1:3 ratio of water cook with little more water for this 1:3.5)
Mung split dhal - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 150 gms
Cashew - 8 (finely chopped)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 6
Water - little to melt jaggery and prepare jaggery syrup.


Preparation method:
Pressure cook the rice with mung dhal with above proportion of water.
Melt the jaggery with water and filter it to remove the dirt/mud in it.
Boil the jaggery till it becomes thick (if you cool and press in hand one sting).
Now mash the cooked rice mix with the syrup and cook again. Slowly the rice will absorb the syrup and texture of the rice will become brown. Switch of the flame.
In a pan add ghee, cashew and raisin. Roast to light brown and add to sakarai pongal. Serve this hot with ghee and masal vadai.

Tamil names of vegetables, fruits, spices,etc

Tamil names of vegetables, fruits, spices,etc
We know the vegetable names either in English or in Tamil for certain vegetables or ingredients. I took the list from various sources and consolidated. This list might be very handy for you at that time.

Solanum nigrum - Manathakkali keerai
Amaranthus gangeticus - Mulai keerai
Curry leaves - Karuveppelai 
Cilantro leaf - Kothamali elai
Greens - Keerai
Mint - Pudina

Taro - Sepan kizhangu
Sweet potato - Sakaravalli kizhangu
Cassava - Kappa kizhangu

Potato - Urulai kizhangu
Yam - Karunai kizhangu

Tapioca - Maravalli kizhangu

(Daikon) Radish - Mullangi
Drumstick - Murungaikai
(Egg plant) Brinjal - Katharikai
(Banglore brinjal) Chayote - Chowchow

Tomato - Thakkali
Cabbage - Muttaikose

Turkey berry/Devils fig/Prickly nightshade - Sundaikkai
Okra (Ladys finger) - Vendakai
Bell pepper - Kudai millagai
Turnip - Noolkol


Bitter gourd - Pakarkai
Snake gourd - Pudalankai
Bottle gourd - Sorrakai
Ivy gourd - Kovakkai
Ridge gourd - Pirkankai
Ash gourd - Venn poosanikai

(Thin beans) Yard long bean - Karamani
(Broad beans) Lab Lab - Avaraikkai
Plantain - Vazhakai
Cluster bean - Kothavarangai

Garlic - Poondu
Ginger - Ingi
Tamarind - Puli
Dry ginger - Sukku
Lemon - Elumichai pazham
Pepper - Millagu

Coriander seed - Dhania
Chili - Milagai
Onion - Venkayam
Coconut - Thenkai
Galangal (Mango ginger) - Mangai ingi
Asafoetida - Perungayam
Mustard - Kadugu
Feenu greek - Venthayam
Cumin - Jeeragam

Saunf - Perun jeeragam
Poppy seeds - Kasakasa


Cucumber - Vellarikai
Winter melon - Poosanikai or Neer poosanikai
Pumpkin - Parangikai

Channa dhal or Bengal gram - Kadalai paruppu
Chick pea - Kondaikadalai
Toor dhal - Thuvaram paruppu
Mung dhal - Pasi payaru

Mung spilt dhal (without skin) - Pasi parupu
(Black gram) Urad dhal - Ollutham paruppu

Dolichos bean - Mochakottai
Red kidney beans - Rajma
Moth bean - Brown payaru
Cow pea or black eyed pea - Vellai karamani
Pigeon pea - Kancha pattani

Ragi (Finger millet) - Kelvaragu
Barnyard millet - Kuthiraivali arisi
Kodo millet - Varagu arisi
Little millet - Samai arisi
Foxtail millet - Theenai 
Pearl millet - Kambu
Proso millet - Panivaragu

Peanut (Groundnut) - Verkadalai
Corn - Sollam
Horse gram - Kollu
Wheat - Kothumai

Cinnamon - Pattai
Star anise - Anashuppu
Aniseed - Shombu
Cubeb (tailed pepper) - Vall milagu
Turmeric - Manjal
Long pepper - Kandanthippili
Ajwain or Bishop's weed - Omam
Nutmeg - Jathikkai
Acorus calamus - Vasambu
Alpinia galanga - Sitharathai
Marjoram - Maruvu
Pepper long - Tippili
Sweet flag - Vasambu
Cloves - Lavangam
Cardamom - Elakkai
Gooseberry - Nellikai

Almond - Badam paruppu
Sesame - Ellu
Cashew - Mundiri
Grapes - Thirachai


Saffron - Kumkumapoo
Custard apple - Sita pazham
Dates - Pericham pazham
Guva - Goiyya pazham
Musk Melon - Keerini pazham
Banana - Vazhai pazham

Pomegranate - Madulam pazham
Pineapple - Annasi pazham

Jaggery - Vellam

Celery - Ajmoda
Bael - Vilam pazham
Butter - Vennai
Ghee - Nei
Castor oil - Veelakkennai
Groundnut oil - Kadalai ennai
Aloevera - Kathazhai (or Sothu Kathazhai)
Fig - Athi pazham (if in big size it is seemai athi)