Making of Kosthupodi

Making of Kosthupodi
For making of kosthu this podi is very important. This podi give kosthu the unique flavour, taste and texture. If small family you can make this podi and keep for a month. But for any occasion you freshly prepare and add this podi because the kosthu will taste very good.

Ingredients:-
Coriander seed (kothamalli vethai) - 4 tbsp
Red chili (Kaintha Milagai) - 4 or less
Pepper (Milagu) - 1/2 tsp
Bengal gram (kadalai parippu) - 1.5 tsp

Preparation method:-
In a low flame roast coriander, chili, pepper, bengal gram till color changes to brown and nice aroma comes.
Cool the roasted ingredients and ground to coarse powder.
Store in airtight container and use.

Manjal poosanikai or Parangikai Halwa

Manjal poosanikai or Parangikai Halwa (Yellow pumpkin Halwa) - preparation time 25 to 30 mins
Dad brought some parangikai from our native home. Usually i will make adai with tender parangikai and puli kuzhambhu with mature parangikai. This time it was a big piece. Even after distributing to my neighbours i left out with one small piece of mature parangikai. I thought of making halwa using parangikai. It came of well my neighbours liked it. It will be in natural yellow colour.

Ingredients:-
Sorakkai - Grated 2 small cup
Milk - 1/2 cup (i used boiled milk)
Sugar - 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup according to your taste
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashew - 5 (break to small pieces) 
Cardamom - 2 pinch

Preparation method:-
In a heavy pan add the sorakkai along with 1 tbsp of ghee and roast till the raw smell goes off.
Now add the milk and boil the sorakkai. Cook in slow flame so the water evaporates and becomes solid. Add sugar and mix well. 
When all the ingredients is cooked and come to halwa consistency add the ghee and chopped cashew.
This will be in natural yellow colour parangikai halwa. This will taste as rich sweet. Switch of the flame when ghee slightly come out of halwa. It will taste good when served hot.

Aval kesari (Flattened rice sweet)

Aval kesari (Flattened rice sweet) - Preparation time 15 mins or less
When I visited my mom's home she served aval kesari it was gud. I asked how to prepare she told that they converted aval payasam to kesari by adding more sugar, ghee and cooked till it became to kesari consistent. But I thought of trying kesari directly. Actually it came out well. The cooking time is also not much. Required only less amount of ghee. I tried in less quantity.

Ingredients:-
Aval - 1 cup (cleaned, roasted in 1/2 tsp of ghee to brown. When cool ground to coarse powder)
Sugar - 1.5 cup
Water - 2 cup.
Cashew - 5
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Kesari colour - as required

Preparation method:-
In a kadai roast broken cashew with little ghee and transfer to a bowl. In same kadai add roasted and coarsely ground aval, measured water.
Cook till all the water is absorbed by the aval. Now add the sugar and cook. It will become thick.
Add kesari colour and mix well. Finally add the ghee and mix.
Garnish with roasted cashew and serve hot. It is easy to make and tasty recipe.