Cranberry is available from November to January in the U.S. The minute it enters Costco, I never forget to get a bag and make the thokku. Last year I made big batches for family and shared it with friends. I made it again this year and I decided to blog this for everyone to try. This thokku is easy and fast to make. Once it is ready allow it to reach room temperature, transfer it into 8 oz mason jars and seal them. It is very healthy and can be enjoyed throughout  the year. Great with curd rice, on toast, mixed with rice to enjoy cranberry rice and if  you dry them as small  vadais it tastes like elanda vadai, jujubee.

Gadgets:

Heavy bottom pan
Spatula
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Collander

Ingredients:

Cranberry - a whole bag from Costco
White Turmeric / Mango Ginger  grated or thin slices - 3/4 cup
Dry Chili - 12
Asafoetida - 1 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tbsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tbsp
Jaggery  big cubes ( achu vellam)- 1
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sesame Oil - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - a few strands

Preparation:

1.   Heat the heavy bottom pan with some oil. When the oil gets heated add some mustard seeds and
      allow the seeds to pop.

2.  Add dry chili's, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds and in a few minutes it would be roasted.

3.  Add curry leaves and cranberry to the pan and mix well. Add the grated mango ginger and mix
     well.

4.  Allow the cranberry to pop and cook well and get mushy.

5.  Add chili, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt and cook well until the oil slowly starts to ooze and
     comes together.

6.  Allow it to cool and can the cranberry thokku.

Sweet potatoes are very healthy and its one of the favorite side dish in our family. I make variations of it and it is best with kale. A slight bitterness from the kale goes very well with the sweetness of the potatoes. This is a basic recipe that I have posted below. You can add whatever spices to this recipe and make it resemble any cuisine of your choice. This is a fool proof recipe and can be made really fast.

Gadgets:

Wok
Spatula
Baking Sheet
Aluminium Foil
Cutting Board
Vegetable chopper
Knife
Measuring Spoons

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes - 5
Kale - with center vein removed and chopped - 1 bunch
Salt to taste
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 2 Tbsp

Preparation:

 1. Peal the sweet potatoes and slice 1/2 inch thickness. Using the vegetable chopper make cubes.

2.  Turn on the broil settings in the oven.

3. Line the baking sheet with foil add 1 Tbsp of oil.

4. Transfer the cubed sweet potatoes to the tray and mix the oil well. Flatten it evenly.

5. Keep the baking shelf one level below the top most option.

6. Once the broil setting is ready play the baking sheet and broil for 15 mins.

7. Once the sweet potatoes are done add the oil in the wok. When the oil gets heated add the sweet
    potatoes  and keep it roasting with addition of salt and chili powder.

8. Add the kale and cook it until it gets cooked.

9. Serve it hot as a side dish.           

Varuval or Chips is simple to make with any vegetable. When we deep fry there is a lot of leftover oil. It is not good to reuse the already heated oil and so I try to fry papadams, vathal, varuval and in the end make some sauted veggies. Today, in an attempt to use up the oil I made vazhakkai varuval. The mandoline is the most important gadget because it helps you make thin slices which in turn helps u fry the chips fast.

Gadgets:

Mandoline

Wok

Slotted ladle

Teaspoon

Paper Towel

Knife

Cutting board

Colander

Ingredients:

Vazhakkai - 2

Oil - 1 cup

Salt - a few Tsp

Pepper - Fresh ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in the wok. 

2. Cut the  two ends of Vazhakkai . Slice in the center and remove the thick skin.

3. Cut the vazhakkai into half, lengthwise.

4. Using the madoline slice the vazhakkai into thin slices and deep fry the chips.

5. When the bubbles in the oil stop or slow down, remove from oil and transfer to a paper towel placed in the colander.

6. Sprinkle salt and fresh ground pepper when the chips are hot. 

7. Allow to cool and store in airtight container.

Satyanarana Pooja is commonly performed on a full moon day. For the pooja some prasadam's are prepared which must be distributed to everyone attending the pooja. One of the prasadams's that is commonly prepared is the sooji halwa or kesari. When I was a kid my mom used to prepare this prasadam every month and take it to the Satyanarayana temple.This recipe was given to her by the punditji at the temple and my Amma taught me how to prepare it for the pooja many years ago.

Gadgets:

Heavy bottom Kadai or pan
Measuring Cup

Ingredients:

Butter - 1 stick
Coarse sooji/Rava - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Banana - 1
Nuts - optional

Preparation:

1. Heat the butter in the pan. Once it starts to become ghee add the nuts ( if needed) then the rava and roast until the raw smell leaves.

2. Add water and milk and allow for the sooja to get cooked well.

3. Add sugar and mix well.

4. Smash the banana and add.

5. Mix well and remove from flame. 

Paruppi sadham is probably the first food that we would have tasted as a baby growing up in the south. It is a comfort food for many people even now. Adding some rasam to the this paruppu sadham makes it divine. I often make this for my family as my daughter loves it. All these years I made the lentil separate and the rice separate, but recently I started making it mixed in the ipot. The texture of rice is fluffy and dal is super tasty and beings back memories of how enjoying it as a child. Enjoy!

Gadgets:

Ipot

Measuring Cups

Spoons

Ingredients:

Rice - 1/2 cup

Toor Dal - 1/3 cup

Ghee - 1 Tsp + 1 Tsp 

Salt - To taste

Turmeric - 1/8 Tsp

Water - 3 Tsp

Preparation:

1. Wash the rice and dal in water well and add it to the ipot along with water, salt, ghee and turmeric.

2. Set the ipot on pressure cook or manual mode for 10 minutes.

3. Once the ipot is ready to open, mix the rice and dal add another teaspoon of ghee and serve it hot with choice of sauteed vegetable. Add rasam if you like. 

This banana bread was the only one I could make because we were out of all purpose flour and eggs during the quarantine period. Though this one is similar to the banana bread I made with eggs, this one is egg less and is made with the whole wheat chapthi atta we have at home. It can be mixed in a food processor or any blender and it bakes a very moist banana bread. I had shared this recipe with my nephew and niece who are home from college. They enjoyed it a lot and it has became a popular bread to bake in my sisters household.  I thought it would be good to share this recipe with everyone.

Gadgets:

Blender, Food Processor or Kitchen aid.

Measuring Spoons and cups

Bundt Cake or Loaf pan

Oven

Ingredients:

Olive Oil - 1/2 cup

Very old and super ripe banana - 3

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

White sugar - 1/2 cup + 1 tsp for topping

Vanilla Essence - 1 Tsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 Tsp

Baking Powder - 1 1/2 Tsp

Whole Wheat Flour/Atta - 1 1/2 cups

Walnuts or chocolate - 1/2 cup optional. ( add 1/2 cup warm water if you are adding these)

Procedure:

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a blender that you own add oil, banana, sugars and vanilla and blend to a paste. 

3. Add baking soda, powder and atta to it and give it a light buzz until they come together. The batter must be like a cake batter. 

4. If using a bundt pan oil the pan well and sprinkle some flour than pour the batter. If you have a loaf pan line with some foil and then pour the batter,

5. Level it and then sprinkle the sugar on the top and bake for 50 mins in case of a bundt pan  and 1 hour in case of a loaf pan. 

6. Insert a skewer to check to see if the bread is baked. It must come out clean. 

7. Remove from oven, if  using a loaf pan remove the bread by using the foil sleeve. In case of bundt pan, pass knife around and make sure it has loosened. Invert into a wooden board and serve.