Onion Chutney and Idli

It is fall now. Never know what to expect weather wise, earlier in the week it was 80F and felt like summer, by mid week it was 50F and felt like winter Phew.... This morning woke up to slow drizzling cold rain and overcast and gloomy skies. What to do you on such a day look to food ofcourse to brighten up the day.



Spicy onion chutney and hot idlis it was for breakfast. Usually back home onion chutney is made with small red onions but here though we get the small red onions frozen, it is never as tasty as using fresh onions. The big red onions work just as well.

Onion Chutney
Ingredients
1. Big Red Onion cut into chunks
2. 2 tbsp ural dal(or 1 tbsp channa dal)
3. 1/2 tsp cumin
4. 1/4 tsp pepper (increase or decrease as per taste)
5. 2 Red Chillies
6. 1/2" piece tamarind
7/ 1/4 tsp turmeric powder


Method
1. In a pan dry roast urad,cumin,pepper, red chillies and tamarind till the dal turns slightly brown, transfer.
2. Add oil to the pan and saute the onions with the turmeric till they turn brown, add salt, towards the end add 4tbsp of water and boil for a few minutes(the water is to make blending easier)
3. Transfer to a blender and blend to a paste.



Serve with Idlis but will taste good with dosai or even Chappathis. Keep a bowl of yogurt because this is really spicy.

Paal Alva (Milk Pudding)

Saraswathi Pooja
Today is Saraswathi Pooja the day we offer our prayers to Goddess Saraswathi the Goddess of Learning and the Arts. Children's books and artistical instruments are put in front of the goddess during pooja. Saraswathi Pooja is preceded by Ayudha Pooja the day we offer prayers at our place of business.

On the occasion of Saraswathi Pooja I made Paal alva, simple but a rich dish. Gets done in a jiffy. You might wonder how this is different from Kesari, I had the same doubt too, but once you taste it you would understand how the two are totally different.

Paal Alva
Good times are always invariably linked to good food. As soon as I mentioned Paal Alva my daughter connected her visit to my grandmothers house and the occasion for which she had the dish came to her mind almost instantly.

I have made slight alterations in the measurements from my grandmothers recipe especially the ghee. I reduced the ghee from 2 cups to 1/2 and increased the milk from 3 cups to 4, but tasted just as delicious



Ingredients
1. 1 Cup Ravai (Cream of Wheat)
2. 4 Cups Milk (I used 2%)
3. 1/2 cup ghee
4. 2 1/2 cups sugar (or as per taste)
5. 1 pod of cardamom powdered
6. 2 tbsp Cahsews broken into pieces ( or any nuts you prefer)
7. 2 tbsp of raisins

Method
1. In a heavy bottomed pan, fry the Cream of wheat till slightly brown, set aside.
2. In the same add a tsp of ghee and fry the nuts and raisins, set aside.
3.Pour the milk into the pan and bring to a boil.
4. Now add the cream of wheat, keep stirring adding the cream of wheat slowly.
5. When the cream of wheat is cooked add the sugar and mix well.
6. Add the ghee and the nuts and raisins and the powdered cardamom.
7. Keep stirring till the liquid is evaported but the texture should be like that of rice pudding.