Susiyam

Susiyam is a fried sweet dish popular in South India. In Tamil it is called as Susiyam / Sugiyam /Sooyam/ Suzhiyam, in Malayalam Sukhiyan or sugiyan or Susiyam , in Telungu Poornalu. 

In whatever name it is called, it is one of the top favorites for my hubby and me. In my childhood we all believed that susiyam was something that could be made at home only (I mean it was not sold in stores anywhere), but nowadays it can be bought from any SouthIndian sweet shop. Still homemade susiyam is my huby's favorite so I prepare it during important festivals. 

I have given 2 variations for outer covering. My favorite is using maida flour , as it is very easy and quick. But traditional one calls for the urid dal version. So choose as per your need 😍

🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸Happy Varalakshmi Poojai 🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸

🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸 Eid Mubarak 🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸

Ingrdients:
Poornam (Sweet Core): 

channa dhal (Kadalai paruppu)- 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/4 cup - 200 gms (equal wt of dal)
cardamom- 6.
coconut - 1/2 cup shredded
oil - 300 ml (to deep fry)

for outer covering / dipping:
maida / All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
rice flour- 2 tbsp
salt - 1/4 tsp.
baking soda - 1/4 tsp
tumeric powder- 1/4 tsp.

Jus before frying , mix everything above with 3/4 cup water to get a thick batter (like dosa batter).

Traditional covering / dipping:

Urid dal - 1/4 cup 

raw rice (pacharisi) - 1 cup

salt - 1/4 tsp

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Soak the rice for 2 hours, drain water and dry it inside house for 1/2 a day. Powder the rice and keep aside.

We can make this rice powder and keep in fridge for few days too.

Soak the urid dal for 1 hour and grind it to fine batter in a mixer. Add this to rice powder and mix with other ingredients above. It should be thick like dosa batter. Dip is ready for frying.

Method:
(1)Soak the channa dhal for an hour and drain the water. Cook the dhal with 1 cup water  till it is 3/4 th cooked.  Cook it in stove top only, as it is the best way to avoid mushy dal. 

Grind the coconut with cardamom in a mixer grinder. 

 Drain water , let cool and grind the channa in mixie along with coconut , cardamom.
(2) Add 1/4 cup water to jaggery and heat it. wait until it dissolves. Strain the jaggery solution and discard any sandy leftover at the bottom.
(3) Now add the jaggery solution to the mashed dhal and heat them in a vessel , until the mixture loses any moisture and becomes easy to handle.
(4) After the dough becomes cool, make small balls of the size of a "small Key lemon" or gooseberry.
In the mean time prepare the outer covering / dipping batter. (as said above).

(6)Heat peanut oil  / coconut oil in a frying pan . Take a ball , dip in the batter , deep fry the coated balls by flipping once . Take care not to char the balls.

Serving suggestions:
Makes 25 susiyam. It can be served as a dessert or a festive time snack.

Bellpepper Raitha

I always have a 'thing' for raitha. For some people it is the 'rasam' that gives the zing, but for me it is the raitha 😀😀😀. So I make it quite often. Some raitha like onion raitha are very simple, just chop onion and mix with yogurt and salt, you got it ! (We can jazz it up with some more steps too). Still I love 💕 it anyways !

For people who may not know what a raitha is ? Raitha is an Indian yogurt based side dish, accompanied with rice or roti.

Raithas tastes better when made using, thick whole milk Indian plain yogurt, aka curd (தயிர்). But I use a fat free milk only to prepare curd.  This bell pepper raitha needs a tempering and some cooking time along with fresh ground masala too. So it's a special one in my dictionary.
We can use any bell pepper for this. For more Indian flavor use a green one. A tiny capsicum is more than enough to give that punch. I have used orange capsicum, as I had that from that colorful big pack of peppers from Costco Instacart that week. I was finding all possible ways to incorporate them in my cooking 😀. So feel free to use any variety you get. It will surely taste great. Bell pepper and Capsicum are same (as far as I know, 👋 I am not a botanist, still in love with Botany 😍). 
I am typing this in Tamil too, as per some of my friend's request.  There may be many versions for this, but this is recipe is my creation.

Capsicum raitha

Capsicum raitha, chicken koftha, chapathi 

Ingredients:
Any color Bellpepper (capsicum குடைமிளகாய் ) - 1
onion -(நறுக்கிய வெங்காயம் ) - 2 tbsp
Indian yogurt (தயிர்) - 1 cup
salt - to taste
To grind:
shredded coconut (துருவிய தேங்காய் )- 2 tbsp
cumin (சீரகம்)- 1/2 tsp
ginger (இஞ்சி)- 1/2 inch
green chili (பச்சைமிளகாய் )- 1
turmeric powder (மஞ்சள் தூள் ) - 1/4 tsp
To temper:
coconut oil / any oil (தேங்காய்எண்ணெய் ) - 1 tbsp
mustard , urid dal (கடுகு, உளுந்தம்பருப்பு  ) - each 1 tsp
hing (asafetida) - a pinch
curry leaf (கறிவேப்பிலை)- few
cilantro (மல்லித்தழை)- few

Method:
Chop the onion, bell pepper into 1/4 inch cubes (tiny). Keep aside.
Heat oil in wok. Add mustard, urid dal and let mustard splutter.
Then add hing, Curry leaf, cilantro and then add the chopped capsicum, onion and cook closed with a lid on , till it gets half cooked.
Let it cool a bit. Keep it in a serving bowl.
Grind together everything said above.
Mix with the sautéed items and add salt, plain yogurt. Mix well.
Keep refrigerated or serve immediately.
Garnish with karaboondhi (காராபூந்தி ) , if desired.

Serving suggestions:
Serve along with any chapathi or rice.
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செய்முறை:
வெங்காயம் , குடைமிளகாயை பொடியாக நறுக்கவும்.
வாணலியை சூடாக்கி, எண்ணெய் கடுகு , உளுந்தம்பருப்பு சேர்க்கவும் .
கடுகு பொரிந்தவுடன் கறிவேப்பிலை , மல்லி தழை, நறுக்கிய வெங்காயம், குடைமிளகாய் சேர்த்து வதக்கவும்.
மூடி போட்டு சிறிது வேக விடவும். அரைப்பதம் வெந்தால் போதும்.
தீயை அணைத்து, வதக்கியவற்றை ஒரு பரிமாறும் கிண்ணத்தில் மாற்றி வைக்கவும்.
அரைக்க வேண்டியவற்றை அரைத்து சேர்க்கவும்.
தயிர், உப்பு சேர்த்து பரிமாறவும்
விருப்பப்பட்டால் காரபூந்தி யை தூவி அலங்கரித்து பரிமாறவும்.
இந்த குடைமிளகாய் ராய்தா,  சப்பாத்தி, சாதம் உடன் பொருத்தமாக இருக்கும்.