Navarathiri special: Check out some recipes you can try at home

CHENNAI: Nine nights, nine colours, and countless flavours—Navarathiri recipes capture the very essence of festivity. Every dish is a reminder that food is devotion served warm, to celebrate the taste of simplicity

Thavala vadai

Ingredients

1/2 cup Parboiled rice/Idli rice

1/4 cup Chana dal/ Kadala paruppu

1/4 cup Toor dal/ Thuvaram paruppu

1/4 cup Moong dal/ Paasi paruppu

1/4 cup Urad dal/ Uluntham paruppu

1/4 cup Sago/ Javarisi

8 Red chillies

1 sprig Curry leaves

2 tablespoons Coriander leaves chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh coconut bits

1/8 teaspoon Asafoetida

Salt

How to make

Soak rice, dals, and sago separately for three hours. First, grind the red chillies. Then, add the soaked rice with a little water and grind to a fine, rava-like consistency.

Add the soaked and drained dals, and grind again to a coarse paste. The batter should be thick.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the soaked, drained sago, chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves, asafoetida, grated coconut, and the required amount of salt.

Heat oil, and pour the batter using a small ladle.

Cook on medium flame until golden on both sides (flip once during cooking).

Drain on a paper towel.

=====================================================

Malai kofta

Ingredients

For the kofta:

1 cup paneer, grated

4 potatoes

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon chaat masala

1/4 teaspoon pepper powder

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Oil, for deep frying

For the gravy:

1 cup tomato puree (from 3-4 tomatoes)

1 tablespoon oil or ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 small piece of cinnamon

1 cardamom

1 clove

2 teaspoons chopped ginger

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cooking cream

How to make

Prepare the kofta:

Pressure cook the potatoes with a little water for 3 whistles. Drain, cool, peel, and mash them.

Boil water and immerse paneer cubes until soft. Drain, cool, and crumble.

(You can do this in a mixer by pulsing once, or with your hands. If using block paneer, thaw and grate it finely.)

Mix all the ingredients listed under Kofta to form a smooth dough.

Make small, equal-sized balls from the mixture.

Heat oil in a deep pan. Deep fry the koftas in batches over medium flame.

Fry until golden brown, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Drain on a paper towel.

Prepare the gravy:

Puree 3 large tomatoes to get about 1 cup of tomato puree. (Adjust the number of tomatoes as needed.)

Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and clove.

Add chopped ginger and sauté briefly.

Add the tomato puree and cook on medium flame, covered (as it may splutter).

Add garam masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, and coriander powder. Mix well.

Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Once the water evaporates, cook uncovered.

Add more oil if needed and cook until the masala thickens and oil separates.

Reduce flame to low and add milk gradually, stirring continuously.

(Do not add all at once; add little by little to prevent curdling.)

Add cooking cream in the same manner, slowly and with constant stirring.

(Never boil the gravy on high flame, as it may curdle.)

Finally, add chopped coriander leaves and gently place the koftas in the gravy.

(Do not stir after adding the koftas, let them sit as is.)

=================================================

Millet gulabi kheer

Ingredients

3 tablespoons little millet

3 cups milk

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon rose water (a few drops)

1 pinch salt

10 pistachios

1 teaspoon ghee

Instructions

Soak the pistachios in water for at least 30 minutes. Once soaked, peel off the skin, chop finely, and set aside.

Wash the millet thoroughly and drain using a metal strainer.

Heat a pressure cooker and add ghee. Roast the millet for two minutes on medium flame.

Add the milk and a tiny pinch of salt. Mix well.

Pressure cook for four whistles on low flame. (Reduce the heat to low just as the first whistle is about to come.)

Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker. Add 3/4 cup water and sugar. Cook on medium flame for three minutes.

Add rose water and (optional) food colouring. Mix well and switch off the flame.

Garnish with the finely chopped pistachios and serve warm or chilled.

Recipes shared by Rajeswari Vijayanand, food blogger at rakskitchen.net