Sweet Somas

Sweet Somas also known as Karjikaayi in Kannada and Gujjiya in Hindi. Somas is a mildly sweet deep fried delicacy. 

This sweet dish is mainly made during Ganesha Chathurthi you can often see garlands made with Karjikaayi and offered to lord Ganesha as neivedhyam. Sweet somas is also kept in "thattu varisai" (Row of plates containing fruits, sweets etc kept during functions in Tamil nadu) during seemandham(Baby shower) and child's ear piercing ceremony along with all other sweet and savoury delicacies like murukku and ladoos.

Nowadays you can find these sweet somas in shops but in my opinion its not that good when compared to home made. I know its a long and difficult procedure but once you start doing it you will enjoy doing the same. My suggestion is please try not to do it on a festival day as its a time consuming process you can always prepare it one or two day before and store it in a air tight container.

The stuffing I have used is dry coconut+sugar+fried gram but there are n number of choices for stuffing. 
Some of the other stuffing ideas I have come across are Khoya/dry fruits/fresh coconut/sesame seeds/jaggery.

The outer covering(outer pastry) is generally made with maida but one can use wheat flour also to make it a little healthy.

Ingredients

For Outer Covering

Maida/All purpose flour 1Cup

Rava/Semolina 1Tbsp

Hot oil 1Tbsp

Water 1/4 Cup

For Stuffing

Sugar 1/4 Cup

Fried Gram 1/4 Cup

Dry coconut (grated) 1/4 Cup

Method

Combine flour, oil and semolina in a wide bowl, Add 1/4 cup of water and make it in to a tight dough. Keep aside for 2-3 hours close it with a damp cloth to retain the moisture.

  

Grind Sugar and Fried gram separately in to a fine powder and keep aside, combine both with the grated coconut your stuffing is ready.                                                                            

Take little dough and flatten it like chapati and cut using a small bowl which is having sharp edge.

If you are making a very big chapati you will get around 3 rounds as shown here. 

Put 1 Tbsp of mixture on each of the circle as shown below. Gather the stuffing neatly so that it wont break the   outer cover while folding. 

Apply little water on the opposite side of the somas stuffing as marked, fold to form a semicircle as shown Press and seal nicely and cut the edges using a pizzacutter or zig zag spoon cutter or   just seal it with a fork(Like how do for ravioli)

Keep all the somas ready for frying. Heat oil in a medium flame and once oil gets heated gently drop these somas.Fry until a light   golden brown. Remove from oil, once it gets cooled store it in a air tightcontainer.

Notes

l Salt may be added for outer covering dough but it makes the outer covering a bit on the darker side when deep frying.

l Very little water is required to make the outer covering(1/4 cup of water for 1 cup maida)

l Hot oil used while preparing outer cover gives crispy somas please don't omit that.

l Keep the dough, stuffed somas(before frying) always covered to retain moisture or else you will end up a very dry somas.

l Since we are using very less water to knead the dough its a bit difficult to make chapatis out of it.

Corn Flour Halwa

I know I know its been since ages i updated my blog regularly(almost a year) :(
So with the start of new year planning to update my food blog regularly without fail... have set a target So i will work towards that
Please wish me luck with that.

Coming to the post lets start with a sweet dish
The recipe for corn flour halwa it is also known as Karachi halwa or Bombay halwa.
The WWW is flooded with recipes of this particular sweet however all are same with the ingredients and the measurement.
Don't do any mistakes in measuring the ingredients and I am sure you will get a delicious halwa in 20 Min's flat.

Makes 15-20 pieces of 1-2" cubes

Ingredients

Corn flour 1/2 Cup  
Sugar 1 1/2 cup
Water 1 cup(for sugar syrup)
Water 1 1/2 cups(to be mixed with corn flour)
Ghee 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts 1/4 cups, chopped finely
food colour of your choice(I used turmeric powder) 1/2 tsp

Method

Mix cornflour along with 1 and 1/2 cups of water in a mixing bowl(add the water slowly at regular intervals to avoid lumps).Then add food colour and mix well.Keep aside.

             

                                   

Fry the cashew nuts until golden brown and keep aside.

                                    

In a pan take sugar and add 1 cup of water. Let the sugar dissolve completely and become slightly thick.

When the syrup starts boiling vigorously,  pour the corn flour liquid(keep stirring on a low flame)

Keep on stirring the liquid at the beginning you will notice small lumps here and there but within a few minute(2-3 min) the whole liquid becomes gooey and glossy in no tome.

               

At this stage you can add ghee and fried cashew nuts.

Keep stirring for 10 Min's or until it becomes a whole mass and starts leaving the sides of pan.

Turn off the heat and transfer it to a greased plate

Let it rest for 1 hour

cut in to desired shape and serve

Note:

DON'T alter the quantity of ingredients as it may result unexpected results

I used turmeric powder since i dint have any food colour you can use any food colour available(using turmeric powder does not result in any variation in taste)
The shelf life 2-3 days under refrigeration

At Last HAPPY NEW YEAR :D Have a great 2015

Carrot Halwa-slow cooking method

Ingredients

Carrot 1/4kg
Sugar 200 gms(adjust according to taste)
Condensed milk 5 tbsp
Milk 1/2 ltr
Ghee 1 Tbsp
Raisins and Badam for garnishing

Preparation
*Peel and grate carrot.
*Fry raisins and badam in ghee and keep aside.

Method

*Heat milk, once it starts boiling add the grated carrots and let it cook for 20 to 30 mins.
*Once the milk is reduced add sugar and keep stirring(at this stage it will be further diluted).
*Once all the milk has been vapourised add condensed milk and cook for 3 to 5 mins.
*Add raisins and badam and serve refrigerated.

Note:Use heavy bottom pan to avoid burning of the halwa and to get uniform cooking.