Semiya Payasam

Onasamsakal!!! Last week was Onam.. Kerala's biggest festival of all.. One of the National festivals of India... This time for Onam, I made Semiya payasam (kheer) for the Sadya (lunch feast) and here is the receipe for the payasam..

Preperation Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients
Vermicelli - 2 cups
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Cashew Nuts - 10 gms
Raisins - 10 gms
Milk - 1 litre
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2 (optional)
Sweet Wafers (Banana/Vanilla flavour) - 2 (this will add additional flavors in the payasam)

Preperation Method
1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry vermicelli until it turns golden brown in color.
2. Fry cashew nutsand raisins in ghee and keep aside.
3. Boil milk in a vessel. When milk starts to boil, add sugar, crushed wafers, cloves and cardamom to it.
4. Add vermicelli to milk and allow it to boil. Stir occassinally and make sure that the mix does not turn too much thick.
5. Add the fried nuts and raisins to mix.

Sweet semiya payasam is ready to serve.. Can be served hot or cold. :-

Chocolate Mango Lassi

Preperation Time: 5-10 min

Ingredients
Sweet Mango - 3 nos
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Curd (thick) - 1 cup
Ice cubes - 6-10
Chocolate Chips - 1/2-1 cup or Chocolate syrup

Preperation Method
1. Blend the mangoes, yogurt, sugar and ice cubes into a thick mix.
2. If using chocolate syrup, take 1 tbsp of syrup and drop it on top of Lassi.
3. If using choco chips, then double boil the chips in water to make the syrup and drop the syrup on top of the Lassi.

Serve the chilled drink :-

Gobi Manchurian

Preperation Time: 35-40 min

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 med size
Spring Onion - Small bunch
Garlic - 5 to 7 nos
Onion - 1 medium
Capsicum - 1/2 cup
Green Chilly - 4 to 5
Soya Sauce - 1 1/2 tsp
Green Chilly sauce - 2 tbsp
Tomato Ketchup - 2 1/2 tbsp
Vinegar - 3/4 tsp
Coriander Leaf for garnishing
Oil
Salt for taste

For batter:
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Corn flour - 1/4 cup
Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Egg - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Red chilly pwdr - 1/2 tsp
Soya sauce - 1/2 tsp

Preperation Method:
1. Cut cauliflower into medium size pieces
2. Mix all the ingredients listed for making batter and make a thick batter.
3. Add the cauliflower pieces into the batter. Then fry them in oil until the pieces turn golden brown in color.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add white part of the spring onions, green chilly, ginger, garlic, capsicum (small cube sizes) and onion (small cube sizes) and saute them for a while.
5. Add all sauces and vinegar to the pan and mix them well.
6. Add the fried gobi pieces and mix them well until the gobi pieces are well coated with the sauces.
7. Garnish with green part of the spring onions and coriander leaves.

Note: If you want gravy, mix 1 tbsp corn four with 1 cup water and add to Gobi manchurian.