THINAI PONGAL - FOXTAIL MILLET PONGAL

    The arrival of January reminds me of the Pongal Season. When you say Pongal, it is both the Harvest Festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu & it is also a Dish. The Festival & the dish commemorates each other. When we say Pongal cooked for the harvest festival, then it is mostly the Sarkkarai Pongal or the Sweet version, where Rice & Moong Dhal is cooked & then sweetened with Jaggery, flavoured with cardamom and garnished with Nuts & Raisins fried in Ghee. 

    Once my husband's colleague asked, is there anything at all as a Savoury Pongal? But a savoury version of the same exists which is a popular South Indian Tiffin item - the one & only "Ven Pongal alias Khara Pongal". Commonly served in most of the restaurants and it is also one common dish served as a breakfast item during functions & weddings. Though the ingredients remains the same as for a Sweet Pongal, the savoury version that is Ven Pongal is seasoned with mild spices like Pepper & Cumin seeds and cooked with a copious amount of Ghee. A good dose of Ven Pongal or Khara Pongal for breakfast is good enough to doze you off. My son used to say it is as "Potha Potha Pongal", maybe a kid's words for the heaviness and dizziness it creates. I mostly cook Ven Pongal for dinner, and hence the dizzy effect does not give much of a trouble. But trust me it is a comfort food, mild to your stomach & a distant relative of North Indian Khichdi.  

    This Ven Pongal recipe is a twist given to the traditional Pongal where Millets are used instead of Rice. I have used Thinai or the Foxtail Millet in this recipe. The cooking method remains the same, with just a mild adjustment in Millet Water ratio. I felt that Pongal made with Millets turned out to be softer with a perfect melt in the mouth like texture. It was tastier than the Rice version, and obviously, a healthier version as Millets are rich in Fibre.

    You can make this Millet Pongal with any type of Millets(Siru Dhaniyam) like Kodo Millet(Varagu Arisi), Little Millet(Samai), Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali). I have cooked this Millet Pongal in a Pressure Cooker. Thinai Water Ratio is 1:3 for this Millet Pongal, and the ratio remains the same for Moong Dhal. And I substitute 1/2 Cup of Water with Milk which yields you with a softer Pongal and yah, don't forget to add an extra bit of Ghee. Can follow the same ratio for Little Millet(Samai) & Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali) too. These Millets are nutritious & it is truly a comfort dish that is so easy to make, healthy and can eat it for any meal of the day.  

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Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Main Course
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2-3
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes


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HOW TO COOK THINAI PONGAL - FOXTAIL MILLET PONGAL 

THINAI PONGAL - FOXTAIL MILLET PONGAL

 

INGREDIENTS:

For Thinai Pongal:

For Tempering:

METHOD:

• Dry Roast Moong Dhal on a low flame for about 5 minutes until the colour changes slightly and it turns fragrant. (Do not over roast the Dhal).
• Wash Moong dhal & Thinai(Foxtail Millet) for at least 3-4 times or until water runs clear.
  Drain any excess water from it.
• Pour in 31/4 Cups of Water & 1/2 a Cup of Milk to Thinai (Foxtail Millet) and Moong Dhal.
  Pressure Cook on a high flame for a whistle.
• Lower the flame and cook for another 2 whistles and switch off the flame.
• Once the pressure is released, open the lid. 
• Then slightly mash the cooked Thinai (Foxtail Millet) and Moong Dhal.
• Heat ghee in a pan, fry Cashew nuts in it, splutter Cumin seeds, whole Peppercorns and give a quick stir.
• Cumin seeds should not burn, so immediately add Green Chillies, finely chopped Ginger and Curry Leaves and give a quick stir.
• Add the cooked Thinai (Foxtail Millet) and Moong Dhal to the above and mix gently until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Can add 2-3 tspns of extra ghee to this Millet Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal at this stage, if preferred.
  Switch off the flame.
• Can serve Thinai(Foxtail Millet) Pongal hot with Sambar, Puli Kolambu, Khara Kolambu or any Chutney of your choice.

THINAI PONGAL - FOXTAIL MILLET PONGAL

NOTES:

• Dry roasting the Moong Dhal enhances its aroma and gives an even texture while cooking.
• Dry roast the dhal on a very low flame. Do not to burn the dhal.
• Can crush pepper and cumin seeds slightly, which would enhance the flavour. 
• Crushing the spices is a good idea if you do not like to bite into whole peppercorns.
• Fry the Cumin Seeds on a very low flame. It shouldn't splutter or burn, which will alter the taste of the Millet Pongal. 
• Temper all the ingredients on a very low flame.
• Can cook the same recipe with Little Millet(Samai) & Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali) too. 
• Thinai Water Ratio is 1:3 for this Millet Pongal, and the ratio remains the same for Moong Dhal. 
• And I substitute 1/2 Cup of Water with Milk which yields you with a softer Pongal.
• Can use the same ratio for Little Millet(Samai) & Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali) too.
• We need the Millets and dhal to be well cooked(slightly mushy) for Pongal.
• Adding extra ghee is strictly optional. 

HOMEMADE WINES

    As & how I got busy this year, is a big question and rather with a feeling that I was equally a bit lethargic & all the more occupied with overall twists & turns going around. Making a new wine each year and toasting it for Christmas & New Year had been a routine at home for years & this year I skipped it. One reason is laziness and the other one was that a whole lot of Homemade Wines right from Raisin Wine, Grape Wine, Banana Wine, Ginger Wine are lying in my pantry. Some bottled and matured over the years, new bottles lined up with fresh brew as & when each wine gets over. As I am writing this post( just as the year 2020 is nearing to its last day), I had started to brew a batch of Apple Wine & sure it is going to be ready for next year. I love well-matured Wines, so I can wait with patience even for a couple of years.

    It seems as though when we think of winemaking, we think of grapes. But what about wines made from fruits other than grapes? When winemaking at home became a hobby around the world, it has become very easy for the individual home winemakers to make wines from affordable fresh fruits of the garden variety. Not only fruits, but the truth is also that wine can be made of a wide variety of Flowers or… even Honey. But the fact that a Honey Wine needed for at the least, a minimum of 10 years of the maturing period made me wince a bit. I am not sure whether I had that much patience or life span, as a matter of fact, to wait for it. At this point, I would like to say, don’t equate these wines to back-shed hooches. If perfectly brewed, these homemade Wines turn out to be tremendously tasty and can even rival the complexity of a Chardonnay or a Merlot.

    I think, it is very unlikely to find these special wines in any of the liquor stores as a matter of fact. But no one stops you from brewing your own wine varieties. So, with the current collection of 5 delicious homemade wines, I am sure that you will certainly be able to find perfect homemade wine recipes for your taste. Have quite a few Wine Recipes in mind, Pineapple Wine, Pineapple Peel Wine, Orange Wine, Dates Wines...to name a few.  I am sure it would take years for me to perfect it and post all these Wines in my blog.

HOMEMADE WINES

    When talking about Homemade Wines, Grape Wine had been a default Wine made by my MIL, her mother & family. It had become a family tradition to brew a "Grape Wine alias Munthiri Wine" when there is a call for a festival or a function at home. My MIL had brewed a fresh batch of Beetroot Wine this year and yet to try that too. Years back, when I got a classic recipe collection of 100 Wines, made me try a few other variations and I am still trying out new homemade Wines from the collection. 

    Homemade Grape Wine & Rich Fruit Cake is a default when it comes to a family function or a festival in our family. So always they brew Wines far ahead of a celebration. But instances of celebrations pop out suddenly & time becomes a constraint. Then, I have seen the ladies running helter-skelter when the proposed Wine had not matured or didn't taste as expected. To blurt out the fact, just the day before my SIL's engagement, my MIL & her sister trios found that the Wine had not matured and didn't have the required peppiness in it. The solutions or at least to make it up to taste like wine rather than a Grape Juice was falling out of nowhere that the suggestions to add Coca Cola to Brandy lined up the suit. I was awestruck by the ideas that I moved out of the place not wanting to be an accomplice for the crime. Finally & to my relief, I found that they had sourced out Grape Wines from Diana Aunty who is popular for her homemade wines in our circle. So are the stories behind all homemade wines.  

    When you have ample of time & patience and if you can plan it ahead, then Homemade Wines are the best when you are toasting a Family Party. All the more you can even store it for a long time. Matured Wines have a longer shelf life. So here are a few Homemade Wines from my repertoire and sure you can see a few more in the coming years. All of these Homemade Wines use simple Wine Making technique even a beginner can follow and all the more you wouldn't require any special equipment or utensils for the purpose. 

    Also, I couldn't source Campden Tablets and have been sterilizing the water & the Jars perfectly for winemaking & storing purposes. If you can get hold of Campden Tablets, don’t forget to add a few Campden tablets to all the recipes. These are used as water sterilizer, just drop a couple of crushed tablets into the water, and you’re good to go.

    So here I am with a few of my best homemade Wines repeatedly made and stored for years at home. And let's raise the glass and toast for the New Year, for a new beginning and a more auspicious 2021. Any excuse is good enough when it comes to drinking wine. 

     So, let's enjoy making Wines at home & Let's enjoy our own wines with pride.

     Now enjoy the list!

HOMEMADE WINE RECIPES

 

HOMEMADE WINES

• Grape Wine

• Raisin Wine

• Banana Wine

• Ginger Wine

• Ginger Ale

Grape Wine: The Most Popular Wine

GRAPE WINE

 

    Grape wine is famous. It is loved all over the world and can be literally found anywhere! 

It seems as though when we think of home winemaking, we think of grapes. Walk into your local liquor store. The racks are filled with countless wines produced from Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet and other notable grapes.

    So why should you brew your own? Well… just for the fun of it! Whether the grapes come from the local vineyard or your own backyard, you can make impressive grape wines with remarkable flavour, body and character – tremendous homemade wines that are worthy of recognition by friends and family. And above all, you can create these bottles of wine for a fraction of what they would cost you at the store. 

Raisin Wine: Delicious and Versatile

RAISIN WINE

    A very simple recipe for an old-fashioned wine made out of Raisins. The better the raisin, the better the wine! In the making of fruit wines, raisins are often used to add body to the wine. Dark Raisins will make a dark, somewhat brownish wine. White or golden raisins will make white or golden wine. This is a simple Raisin Wine recipe with simple home-made winemaking technique, but the results are really awesome.

This the best wine I have ever made.

Banana Wine: A Drink that will Surprise Everyone

BANANA WINE

    We know it might sound odd, but banana wine exists. And it is delicious. Surprise your guests with this homemade Banana Wine recipe. Banana winemaking is no more difficult than making wines from Grapes. The basic process is the same, given to the same aspects as when preparing Grape Wine. But patience is much appreciated while brewing this wonderful homemade Banana Wine, as it takes a bit of a long time to get a clear looking Wine.

Ginger Wine: Easy to Make, Easier to Drink

GINGER WINE

    Ginger Wine is something quite warming, with a wonderful aroma, soothing and satisfying flavour. Fresh Ginger Roots give a wonderful aroma to the Wine along with a note of Spiciness from the dry chillies added to the Wine. Some recipes even call for adding Raisins and Yeast, but this ginger Recipe is prepared without adding Yeast. Also adding Caramelized Sugar to the Ginger Wine gives a fullness with a slight bitter note and yields a wonderful colour to the Wine.

Ginger Ale: Not so much of a Wine

GINGER ALE

    Though not a Wine, this Ginger Ale Recipe is a combination of Homemade Ginger Wine which yields a naturally fermented and fizzy Ginger Ale. For a total non-alcoholic fix, I have also added a recipe of Ginger Ale with homemade Ginger Syrup. A refreshing and rejuvenating drink. A simple recipe which is surprisingly easy to make at home. Ginger Ale is nothing but a mixture of Ginger Syrup, Carbonated Water, Sweetener, and it has added flavours from Lemon/Orange. Within no time you can get hold of one of the most refreshing drinks - Sweet, spicy and slightly tart with a citrusy note.

HOMEMADE WINES

These are a few of my best Homemade Wines repeatedly made and stored for years at home. And let's raise the glass and toast for the New Year, for a new beginning and a more auspicious 2021. Any excuse is good enough when it comes to drinking wine, especially HOMEMADE WINES!!!

     So, let's enjoy making Wines at home 

                                & 

     Let's enjoy our own wines with pride.

Wishing You all a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021!!!

 SM

Piña Colada

    I am a big fan of  Piña Colada, whatsoever Pineapple & Coconut always has a special place in my taste buds.  But it is not my forte when it is a Cocktail, what I love is its non-alcoholic counterpart Virgin Piña Colada. When my husband got a bottle of Malibu, a coconut flavoured liqueur which is literally a flavoured Rum, I was eager enough to mix up a Cocktail out if. A simple Cocktail with Pineapple Juice, Malibu and Coconut Cream. This is a simple 3-ingredient Piña Colada, a Cocktail which can be fixed within in no time.  Quick and easy to make, no added sweeteners, and it’s as refreshing and delicious as ever. 

    Piña Colada - A simple Cocktail recipe, creamy, refreshing with a punch of Coconut Liqueur in it. Traditional recipes call for adding Rum in it & I have added Coconut flavoured Rum, Malibu for the punch. It's a sip of paradise in every glass which will surely help you dream yourself sitting under a shady palm tree on a beach, relaxing to the monotonous sound of the waves. An absolute sneak-in for a party -  Pina Colada a wonderful Cocktail, so rich and tasty.

     This  Piña Colada is one of the easiest drink you can ever make.  It’s literally few chunks of Pineapple and cream of Coconut (Coconut Milk) & a dash of Malibu, distinct and uniquely flavoured ingredients when combined together that they complement with each other so perfectly. Throw the ingredients into a blender along with few ice cubes, blend it up into a smooth, rich and creamy drink. Piña Coladas can be made either blended or shaken with ice.  Both are delicious, but I prefer the slushier blended version.  The traditional Piña Colada is garnished with either a Pineapple Wedge, a Maraschino Cherry, or both. Follow your whims and fancy to garnish your Piña Colada, add a small paper umbrella to make it look fancier.

      Piña Colada is a Spanish word which means "Strained Pineapple". It was created in Puerto Rico in the 1950s.  It has actually been the national drink of Puerto Rico since 1978!  The Traditional Piña Colada Cocktail is made with Rum, Cream of Coconut, and freshly strained Pineapple Juice. Rum gives a distinct taste and flavour to the drink.  But if you are for a non-alcoholic version then you can simply skip the Rum & convert it into Virgin Piña Colada, a simple Mocktail recipe.  This is for the ones who want to skip the booze.
    

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Recipe Type - Cocktail
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2
Author - SM  

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes.


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HOW TO MAKE PINA COLADA - COCKTAIL RECIPE

 

Piña Colada

INGREDIENTS:

For Pineapple Juice: 

For  Piña Colada:

To Garnish:

To Decorate:

METHOD:

For Pineapple Juice: 

• Add few chunks of Fresh Pineapple along with Sugar and Water in a blender.
• Blend the ingredients until well combined.
• Strain the Pineapple Juice and keep it aside.

For Piña Colada:

• Pour the Coconut Rum(Malibu), Pineapple Juice, Cream of Coconut along with ice cubes into a blender.
• Blend the ingredients until smooth, creamy and well combined.
• Pour the Piña Colada into serving glasses.
• Garnish the Piña Colada with a Pineapple Wedge and top the drink with a Maraschino Cherry. 
• Served chilled, immediately.

Piña Colada

 

NOTES:

• Grinding the ice cubes with the Rum, Pineapple juice and Cream of Coconut yields a perfectly chilled and thick Piña Colada.
• Can substitute Sugar with Honey.
• Adjust the amount of Sugar/Honey to suit your taste preference.
• Can substitute Cream of Coconut with fresh home-made thick Coconut Milk.