Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Wheat Ravai Kheer

 Lapsi kheer / Fada kheer / Godhumai payasam / சம்பா கோதுமை பாயாசம் 

Desserts are a 'must to cook' for all happy occasions. But after cooking all those main courses and side dishes a smart woman would always look for an easy dessert recipe.
Here is a 10 minute dessert payasam. If you have the wheat rava at hand, then it is an easy breeze.

A quick dessert to celebrate all the festivals with more energy ! 


Wheat Ravai Payasam



Ingredients:
Wheat Ravai - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cashew - 2 Tbsp
Almond - 10
Water - 2 cups
Milk - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup (or) 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp

Method:
Slice the almond into thin slices. Chop the cashew.
Heat a 2 Liter capacity vessel. Add 1 tbsp ghee. 
Fry the nuts to golden brown color.
Take out the nuts leaving behind the ghee.
In the same vessel, add the wheat ravai. Fry for 2 minutes or till a nice aroma rises.
Add 2 cups of water and cook it till soft.
(We can do this in a pressure cooker also. 
After 1 whistle reduce flame and cook 3 minutes).
After the ravai is completely cooked, add the jaggery.
The jaggery I use is a 'soft jaggery' variety. That means this jaggery doesn't have any impurities.
If using South Indian jaggery (hard jaggery that comes in square or cone shapes), dissolve it and filter to remove any sediments.
After adding the jaggery heat the payasam and melt the jaggery. (see my video).
Then pour 1 cup of milk, cardamom powder, fried nuts  and bring to a boil. 
Switch off.
After adding milk do not over cook this.

Serving Suggestion:
Serves four.


Friday, May 22, 2026

Instant Pot Mexican chicken Rice with Rotisserie chicken and Goya Rice

A delicious rice with chicken in Mexican flavor.


Ingredients: (for 4 servings)
Goya Yellow rice - 1 cup (1 sachet)
(or) Any plain uncooked white rice / brown rice - 1 cup
Rotisserie chicken (white meat) - 200 gm
Green beans - 15
carrot  - 1 
corn - 1/2 cup
Red onion - 1/2
Garlic - 3 cloves
Tomato - 1
Lime - 1/2
salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder- 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala / curry powder - 1/2 tsp
Peanut oil / Evoo - 2 tbsp

Method:
Cube the chicken white meat.
Chop the vegetables.
Mice garlic.
Press Saute button in Instant pot. 
Add oil. Add minced onion, garlic.
Saute 2 mins or till onion is soft.
Add chopped tomato. Saute till it is soft.
Add cooked chicken cubes and mix well for 30 secs.
Add the diced vegetables.Saute 1 min.
Add the spice powders, salt.
Add rice.
Pour 1 1/4 cup water.
Press cancel.
Press pressure cook. Cook time is 3 minutes for white rice. Brown rice 4 mins.
Close the lid. Put on pressure valve.
Instant pot will finish cooking and switch off itself.

Serving suggestion:
Serve with cucumber raitha or white saue / hot sauce.
Serves 3- 4
I serve this with omelet.

Note
Protein in 200 gm of chicken white meat - 60 gm
Protein in 1 egg - 6 gm
Water ratio for white rice is always Rice:water = 1:1.25
(means multiply the number of cups of rice with the water ratio number 1.25
eg, 1 cup rice needs 1.25 cups water, 2 cups rice needs 2.5 cups water)
Pressure cook time in Instant pot 3 mins (high pressure)