Junnu

After a long break in blogging I'm back with my guest post series "Something Sweet". For my second guest post I have invited "Smitha Joga of Smitha's Spicy Flavors" to share a sweet recipe with all of us. I'm so happy that she accepted my invite even with her busy schedule & had sent me a delicious sweet which is my all time favorite. 

In Smitha's Words: 

This is my first guest post. Sreevalli of Ammaji's recipes was so kind to ask me to do a guest post long back. But due to my computer problems I didn't get a chance to get to it till now! Thanks Sreevalli for asking me to do it! :)

I chose this simple sweet recipe for this special post called "Junnu". I am sure whoever has tasted this in the past would really like to revive this memory yet again.

The first milk of cattle after delivering a calf is called 'Junnu paalu' in our language, 'paalu' standing for milk.
This is steam cooked with some jaggery and black pepper to make is awesome pudding known as 'Junnu'.
Because of the thickness and creaminess of this milk, it forms a delicate pudding with a creamy texture without the addition of any other ingredients.
Well this was in the times when the 'first milk' was readily available like in the villages or even in the city, when your milkman would bring 'Junnu paalu' and offer it to you for a nominal price.
I have probably eaten the actual Junnu only once or twice in my lifetime, but the delicate taste has forever made a mark in my brain!
Now during present times, its very rare that we can get 'Junnu Paalu'. So I tried to make this delicacy using the ingredients readily available to us and I think it came out perfect, absolutely just like the actual 'Junnu'.
But I had to use eggs and so its not eggless like the actual and real 'Junnu'. Maybe some day that also will be possible. :)
Its a very simple recipe which churns out this amazing and delicious Milk Pudding. The combination of jaggery and pepper in  the real junnu is perfectly compensated by the sweetness is condensed milk and black pepper. The eggs bring out the right texture in the pudding, very close to the real one.

Ingredients:
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz)
2 cups milk
2 eggs
pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Method:
Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl along with eggs
Grease a steel bowl ever so lightly with oil.
Steam cook it in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes. 
Remove and cool before flipping over onto a plate. 
Flip it twice to bring it right side up.
Serve warm or cold.
Enjoy!!!

I once again want to thank Smitha with those beautiful flowers for sharing this yummy sweet with all of us.. :)

Sweet & sour apple salad

Summer is starting here in US & I'm craving for some cool dishes rather than normal ones. You can enjoy it on any part of the day & to me it's for dinner... :)
I had some apples hanging around in my refrigerator & wanted to put them on a good use. I mixed lettuce with apples & believe me it's a sweet combination. 

Ingredients
1 Apple 
1/2 Lettuce
For sauce 
1 Tbs non-fat yogurt 
2 Tbs non-fat milk 
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 Tsp sugar
1 Tsp pepper powder
Pinch of salt 

Chop apple & lettuce. Keep them aside. Take a bowl & mix all the sauce ingredients in it.

Take a bowl & place a layer of lettuce & add apple on to of it. Pour some sauce on them & top it with some more lettuce. 

Finally mix them smoothly in the bowl & salad is ready to serve. 

Serve it chilled & it tastes awesome.. :)

Tindora Curry

This is a simple & delicious recipe which goes well along with rasam.No doubt that the combo makes your tummy happy... :) 

Ingredients: 
3 cups sliced tindora
1 Tbs cumin coriander powder
2 Tbs coconut powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder ( Adjust it acc. to your spice level)
1 Tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbs oil
2 Curry leaves
1&1/2 Tsp salt ( Adjust acc.)

Heat pan with oil. Add mustard seeds to it. Once they start jumping add curry leaves & tindora to pan. Sprinkle salt and close it with a lid. Allow it cook for 10 mins. ( In general Tindora takes a little more time to be cooked) Once the tindora is cooked well add chilli powder, cumin corriander powder & coconut powder to pan. Fry them for 5mins & switch off heat. 

Curry is ready to be served with rice.

Note: Add onions to curry for more flavor....