Thursday, October 27, 2011

Ukkarai - My 100th Post



This is my 100th post! Can you believe that? I really can’t believe it. I still remember the day, I wrote my first post and waited eagerly for somebody to drop by and leave a comment, but then I was very naïve. I did not realize that for somebody to know that I and my space existed I had to visit others too. But as days went by I also learnt. Now I can boast of 100+ followers and a good readership. Let’s leave all the statistics aside.

 During the past 10 months I have learnt quite a few things, from taking better pictures, (though I have to still improve a lot on it) to writing better posts, and also a few technical aspects. Another good thing is that I have successfully tried out quite a few recipes which I thought I would never do. I would like to thank all my readers and blogger friends who have supported me by visiting my space and leaving their valuable feedback.

Thought of posting a sweet for my 100th post! So here is Ukkarai or Okkarai. This is a simple sweet dish very popular during Diwali. Though it is supposed to be a common Palakkad Iyer recipe, my grandmother and mother never made this. It was only after my marriage that I got introduced to this dish. A healthy protein packed sweet dish, made out of Channa dal/Bengal gram dal and jaggery. So here is the recipe.

  What you’ll need:

 1. Kadalai Paruppu/Bengal Gram Dal – 1 cup
2. Powdered jaggery - 1 cup
3. Cardamom – 4 to 5
4. Cashewnuts and raisins – few
5. Ghee/ Clarified Butter – 1 tbsp

Method

 1. Dry roast the Bengal gram dal in a Kadai, till the dal becomes light brown and a nice aroma starts emanating.
2. Soak this roasted dal in water for about ½ hour to 45 minutes.
3. Cook the dal with just enough water in a pressure cooker for about 2 whistles. Dal should be just cooked and not mushy.
4. After the pressure from the cooker is released, remove the cooked dal and put it in a strainer so that all the water is drained. Let it cool.
5. Powder the dal in a blender and keep it aside.
6. In the meanwhile, heat a Kadai and add the powdered jaggery with about 1/3 cup of water. Let the jaggery dissolve completely.
7. Strain for impurities.
8. Heat the jaggery water on medium flame till Kallupakkam is achieved.
9. To check for the pakam, keep a small bowl of water, add a drop of the jaggery syrup in the water, then gather it and roll it into a ball, now throw that into the bowl, you should hear a good sound.
10. Now add the powdered dal and stir well continuously for 5 to 7 minutes or till bread crumb like texture is obtained.
11. Finally, heat a small frying pan with ghee, fry the cashew nuts and raisins and add it to the ukkarai along with the ghee. Mix well.



That’s it, yummy ukkarai is ready.

 Linking this recipe to MLLA - 40 hosted by Suma started by Susan.

47 comments:

Radhika said...

Congrats to you Kaveri. 100. Wow. Wishing and awaiting many more recipes from you. This is a very traditional dish and you have made it very well.

Vineetha Sush said...

Congrats for reachig this mile stone so quickly,it took me nearly 4 yrs for my 100 th post..hats off to u :)

Santosh Bangar said...

CONGRATS ON 100TH POST TRADITIONAL DISH IS YUMMY

Tina said...

congrats on ur 100th post..waiting 4 more yummy yummy recipes dear...

MyKitchen Flavors-BonAppetit!. said...

Congrats Dear.Wishing U many more..BTW,Ukarai luks yumm.

Ambreen (Simply Sweet n Savory) said...

Congratulations Kaveri on your 100th post! The dessert looks so good and the picture is wonderful :)

Nalini's Kitchen said...

Congrats Kaveri for ur 100th post,Ukkarai looks yumm and delicious.

Suja Manoj said...

Congrats dear,waiting for more and more yummy recipes..
Ukkarai is new to me,healthy and yummy sweet

Sudha Sabarish said...

Congrats Kaveri for ur 100th post and wish many more to come.Ukkarai is too good.

Hari Chandana P said...

Nice and delicious recipe.. Congrats dear :)
Indian Cuisine

divya said...

looks so delicious and tempting...lovely clicks dear ...congrats ..

Suchitra Vaidyaram said...

Hey there, Congrats on your 100th post! I love visiting your blog becoz of the lovely pics and innovative recipes...so, keep inspiring :)

Simplyfood said...

Congrats on your 100th post.
awesome dessert I love the divas.

Sensible Vegetarian said...

Lovely one, Congrats on your 100th post. Hope you had a Happy Deepavali.

Sangeetha M said...

congrats dear and wish you many more...ukkarai looks so delicious n well presented...awaiting for many more recipes from you :)
My blog title was changed to "Spicy Treats"

Priya Suresh said...

Congrats Kavi on ur 100th post, lovely diyas dear..Btw love ukkarai very much,havent had it since a long..

Sravs said...

congrats kavi on ur 100th post !! Ukkarai looks YUM !!

Ongoing Event - Festive Food

Neha said...

Congrats Kaveri...Ukkarai looks yummy....

R said...

congrats on ur milestone, the traditional sweet looks so delicious!

Unknown said...

Hi Kaveri, Congrats. Keep your good work. Still we are expecting more more old age traditional palakad recipes from you.

Cheers,
Uma

Unknown said...

Many Congrats to you dear - Lovely blog and hearty recipes :) wish you many more milestones and you made my hubby's family's most fav dish :) My mother in laws specialty!

Gayathri NG said...

Congratz Kavari on ur 100th post & keep on rocking dear...Authentic recipe...

aipi said...

Congrats my dear, wishes for many many more to come!
I love your presentation the recipe sounds so very festive n delectable!
USMasala

Vidhya said...

Congrats on your milestone and wish you many more.I love Ukkari but didn't have a recipe to try making it,thanks to you I have one.Tried your chivda recipe for Diwali and it was easy and yum.

Swathi said...

congrats on your 100th post, Ukkarai looks delicious. My favorite.

Kalyani said...

congrats on ur 100th post ...... ukkarai loos yummy .......

Padhu Sankar said...

Dear Kaveri
Congrats on ur 100th post.Ukkarai looks delicious

Unknown said...

congratulations for your 100th post. Wish you good luck in all your efforts.

Jayanthy Kumaran said...

congrats on your milestone kaveri...wishing you all success..;)
recipe sounds scrumptiously tasty..
Tasty Appetite

Raksha said...

Congrats on the 100th post. The dish looks yummy and great presentation too.

Julie said...

Congrats on your mile stone...Ukkarai looks delicious!!
Thanx for dropping by n I hope you will follow my space publicly ;-)

Priya dharshini said...

Yummy ukkari...this is my fav one..

Pushpa said...

Congrats Kaveri.Sweet looks delicious,hope you had an awesome Diwali.

Shylaja said...

Congrats on your 100th post Kaveri.Looking for more recipes from you..

Rani acharyulu said...

Congrats Kavaeri on your 100 th post,Ukkarai looks delicious and yummmy:)

Rekha shoban said...

hi kaveri, first time to ur blog....all recipes looks gud n neat presentation...im really glad to follow u dear...

rekha
http://www.rekhasrecipe.com/

sesh said...

This is superb. Thanks for introducing a simple but relatively healthy sweet, very traditional and very tasty. Keep up the great work. Nothing succeeds like success.

Sunita Sriram said...

you wont believe it i wanted this recipe so badly and was not satisfied till i saw yours!
Keep blogging and don't rest on a century:)
All mouths are gaping open for a variety of lip smackers from you!

Rajani Vijayakumar said...

Hey Kaveri!!

Congratulations!! wow, this is the first time I'm coming to your blog and it's just gr8! I literally depend on such blogs when I have to cook :)

Suma Gandlur said...

Congrats on your 100th post. The dish sounds yummy and intersting.
Thank you for sending such a lovely entry.

notyet100 said...

This is new for me,,,looks perfect for the festival,beautiful clicks too,..

Kavita said...

Great Blog Awesome Recipes.1st time i have visited and im floored...keep up the great work...luved ur presentation and recipes


Looking forward to see more n more recipes n awards to you..

Have mentioned my blog address...do visit if u find it worth a shot..i pen my thoughts..:)no recipes as of now....:)

Happy Cooking

Luv
Kavi

Hema said...

Hi Kaveri. I like ur posts, But as far as I know Okkarai is not a palakkad sweet. Me and my sis we both got arried to Palakkad families, and when I prepared Okkarai it was new to them.

Uma said...

Thank you Kaveri,for the excellent receipes

Unknown said...

My wife is trying this out today as tomorrow is avaniavittom

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing such lovely palakadu recipes. I am happy to know that what I cook too is as same as you have given here. I wanted this ukkarai recipe thanks. All your posts are worth saving and sharing.

Regards
Rajshree

Anonymous said...

Nice to see this receipe. My mom makes it for Diwali every year and I learnt it from her. Her ukkarai is very tasty and she makes it excellently. We are also from Pallakad. All the best to you.

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