PHIRNI

Kheer is perhaps one of the most common dessert dishes made in north indian homes... smallest of occasion or celebration kheer would be there with puris ... Phirni's though are not so common.. i first tasted phirni at rajputana shereton courtesy my chef friend... and the way they serve it as an individual portion in a miiti ka bartan makes it yummier.. later when i tried the recipe at home it turned out even easier..

The most difficult part is getting the rice to be ground into grainy consistency.. the problem was solved when i found packets of ground rice rawa in local super markets.. this made the whole recipe a matter of minutes..( okay almost 60 min still easy..)

YOU NEED

1 liter milk

60 grams rice rawa

60 grams sugar

elaichi powder

saffron leaves 3-4

kewra essence

Method

Put milk for boiling in a heavy bottom pan. let it boil till it is reduced to 2/3 rd of actual quantity.

Add 60 grams rice rawa and keep stirring occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom.

Add saffron and elaichi for flavour. Cook till the rice granules are almost translucent.

Take off the flame. Let it cool a bit.

Add sugar to the slightly cooled phirni. Mix well. Add Kewra essence.

Garnish with finely chopped pista..

RASAM

The easiest way to eat is to order idli sambhar from the neighbourhood place.. hehehe... yes till you discover the joy of homemade Rasam and Sambhar.. honestly i find most restraunt sambhars very spicy.. would anyday prefer homemade to it..
on one of these visits to Crosswords i had casually picked up a south indian cook book.. Simply south by Chandra Padmanabhan.. and it turned out an excellent book. it had vegetarian recipes from all southern states.. and very simple.. it was a delight to try them..
the recipe of rasam given below is hers with very smallish changes suiting a north indian pallate.. the powder can be made and stored in a jar for quite some time..

• Rasam Powder
  1 1/4 cup dried red chillies
  2 1/2 cups coriander seeds
  1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
  1/2 cup black peppercorn
  2 sprigs curry leaves
  3/4 cup tuwar daal
  1/4 cup chana daal
  1 tsp tumeric powder ( do not roast)
  
  Dry roast invidual masalas, leaves and daals in low heat..
• The daals will turn light golden and masalas fragrant..
• Grind into a fine powder..

Simple Lentil Rasam

1 1/2 teaspoon tuvar daal
1 lime sized ball of tamarind
2 tsp rasam powder
1/2 tsp hing
salt to taste

1) Soak daal in water for 30 min and grind into a fine paste.. add about 1 cup water to the paste..
2) Soak tamaring and strain the juice/ pulp.. add about 3 cups of water to it ..
3) Add rasam powder , hing and salt to tamarind water and bring to boil uncovered for a few min till raw aroma of tamarind disappears..
4) Add the daal paste and cook till frothy..
5) Temper with ghee, mustard seeds, dried whole chillies, and curry leaves..

Serve...:)