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“Naivedyam … Green Peas ~ Sabudana Kheer garnished with Almond Slivers” … Today is Prathistha Poornima Mahotsava at Shree Venkatarama Temple, Mulky an auspicious day for GSB’s in and around Mangalore and also Datta Jayanthi an auspicious day for all Hindus … Tried for the first time a kheer with a twist, by addition of green peas for Prasadam to Lord Narasimha … Sharing here with all my friends with Best wishes …......
** Preparing of Naivedyam / Prasadam has always been one of my favorite duties and trying out different types, giving them new twist pleases me a lot, specially when the sweet dish turns out delicious and gets appreciated by all. Hindus, have so many festivals / occasions to celebrate and preparing of Naivedyam is always a challenge to me. Through the initial days of my marriage, I stuck to the traditional preparations, I was always vary of eating the same and felt God’s also must be feeling the same. In temples or at traditional / auspicious functions the rituals has to be followed. But I felt at home, we could be a little flexible on normal days of festivals, I could try something new and my husband always supported me in my attempts. He always put in new ideas in my head, some good, some blizzard. But that set the ball rolling and I would have a sleepless night thinking what could be the new twist that would appeal to all.
** Today is Prathistha Poornima Mahotsava at Shree Venkatarama Temple in Mulky a town in the outskirts of Mangalore City. This is one of the holy temple’s for all GSB’s and I grew up with my parents taking us to visit this holy temple often, specially on this day to seek blessing on the auspicious occasion when the temple is decorated in grand decor and the festival is conducted with great pomp. My Father’s Maternal Cousin sister was residing on the premises round the temple, so we spent the whole day with them and enjoyed a lot with our cousins. It has been over 30 yrs now since I attended this festival, though I do visit the temple whenever I go to Mangalore. But the memories of this festival are still afresh and I always make it a point to prepare Naivedyam and offer to Lord Narasimha the presiding deity of the temple, here in my own sweet home.
** My quest for preparing new type of Naivedyam gives me immense joy. I know it’s sort of funny, but deep in my heart, I have a feeling that it pleases God too, coz. he puts new ideas in my head always. My faith in God makes me believe that it’s his desire that makes me do these twists and turns in my dishes. He is my inspiration and I feel so blessed to share it in the Blog with all of you and when I get feedback of how your family enjoyed the dishes, that itself is my most priced blessing from God to me. Today too I was wondering from early morning, what different could be done as Naivedyam. It’s the season of green peas and I had come across many kheer with green peas on net. But I did not want to make the kheer with only green peas, as I had never tasted it and was a little be skeptical. So, I gave my own twist by adding in sabudana along with green peas which is in season now and its always there in my fridge. Awesome and delicious dessert, do try this out and enjoy with family and friends. You can prepare the same for any occasion too.
** Here is the Recipe for “Green Peas ~ Sabudana Kheer garnished with Almond Slivers” ..
** Ingredients :
Green Peas : 1 heaped cup (fresh one’s)
Sabudana / Tapioca Pearls : 1 cup (Large Sized)
Sugar : 2 cups (+/- depending upon individual taste)
Milk : 2 cups.
Cardamom Powder : ½ tsp
Almond Slivers or Corsely powdered Almonds : 2 tblsp
** A Little Bit about Cooking of Sabudana / Tapioca Pearls : There are many ways in which sabudana can be cooked. I for myself found this one to be the best method for kheer, where I get the sabudana cooked to mirror effect without turning mushy and staying separate too. Soak the large sized variety sabudana in a large bowl adding about 4-5 cups of water. Leave this covered aside for about 2 hours. Drain off the water completely and leave it aside to swell on its own for another 2-3 hours. You can prepare this in advance and keep it in the fridge and use as and when necessary. It remains good for 2-3 days.
** Sabudana should swell properly and look like small white pearls for you to get the best spongy effect. So soaking and resting period is very important. You can not add the sabudana directly nor the soaked one immediately as that will not give you the above softness. But, yes if in a hurry and have no much time for soaking. Soak it in hot boiling water double the quantity of the sabudana taken. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes, stirring 2-3 times in between to loosen the sabudana and then cook on low heat, you can use the Microwave Oven too. I have always got successful results with MW.
** Here is how I prepared this delicious Green Peas ~ Sabudana kheer today ….
** Soak the sabudana in hot water (double quantity) and keep aside for 30 minutes. Stir 2-3 times in between to separate them gently. If you find that it needs more water add in another half cup of hot water. The sabudana will soften and gets doubled in size.
** To Cook the sabudana : You can either microwave it in a microwave proof glassware for 6-8 minutes stirring often in between by stopping the mw oven. Or you can cook it in a kadai on slow fire till done. You will get soft textured sabudana. It may not completely have the mirror finish now, but do not worry, you will get it later. Read on and you will know how.
** Wash and cook the green peas in just a little bit of water til it is cooked to soft consistency. Again you can either microwave it for 4-5 minutes in a microwave dish or on gas top in a thick bottomed kadai on medium to low flame. The green peas should be completely cooked.
** Now that, both the sabudana and green peas are cooked. Keep them ready aside and proceed with making of the kheer.
** Retain a few cooked green peas aside for garnishing and then with a potato masher mash all the cooked green peas well. It should be really mashed well. Again here if you want it fine paste you can use mixer. But the texture I retained was like that of kanik rava / bani rava and not very smooth as I wanted the green peas to be seen and be eaten too.
** Mix the cooked~mashed green peas and the cooked sabudana in a thick bottomed kadai and add in the milk and bring to a boil. If you find it necessary add in a little bit more of milk. You can use both full fat or skimmed milk. I always use skimmed milk, but full fat milk if added gives creamier and thicker kheer which turns out more delicious. So you can use whichever is suitable for you.
** Note : Keep the kheer thick and do not make it too thin by adding on water or extra milk unnecessarily. It does thicken on resting, but you can always add in hot milk and mix later on if need be. So go easy on water or milk.
** Once the green peas and sabudana come to boil, lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes. All the time, keep stirring in between and see to it that it neither sticks to the bottom nor to the sides of the vessel. Now add in the sugar and mix well. Let the sugar melt and cook a little bit till the kheer thickens.
** Done. Add in the cardamom powder and the almond slivers or coarsely powdered almonds along with the whole cooked green peas reserved for garnishing and mix well. Remove from fire and keep it aside covered with a tight lid for 2-3 hours. Best kept in casserole if you have one, the heat gets sealed within and in an hour or so the sabudana starts getting the mirror effect now.
** Note : Always prepare kheer 2 hrs ahead of serving time. That resting time gives the sabudana the glaze and mirror effect. You can then put it in the fridge and serve chilled or you can reheat it carefully or on a double boiler or in microwave and serve hot as desired. Remember, the sabudana will definitely have cooked, so you can serve immediately, but if your want that mirror glaze effect the way I do then you should allow it to rest for 2 hours after fully cooked.
** “Green Peas ~ Sabudana Kheer garnished with Almond Slivers” is done and ready to be offered as Naivedyam to God and then to be shared with your family and friends. Always make a habit of preparing Naivedyams and offering the same to God, whichever religion you belong to. This little habit you make will instill the good habit in children for lifelong. There is nothing wrong in being a little faithful towards God who has bestowed us with so much. But if you want you can always prepare these delicacies for guest or at any other functions and enjoy the same too.
** An earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey ....
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