Brigadeiro

Brigadeiro is the Brazilian chocolate truffle (or candy). It's the national truffle prepared for kids' parties and other celebrations. The sweet is made with cocoa powder, butter and sweetened condensed milk. In Brazil, people use Nesquik chocolate powder and this product isn't available here. So, I used Cadbury's cocoa powder and drinking chocolate powder. The cocoa powder I used is the unsweetened type. For more information about brigadeiro, click here.


I had some condensed milk left after making Limonada Suíça and prepared this chocolate candy according to OUR TASTE.

Ingredients:
Sweetened condensed milk - 3/4 can
Cadbury's cocoa powder - 1 tsp.
Cadbury's drinking chocolate powder - 3 tsp.
Butter (unsalted) - 1 tsp.

For decoration:
Chopped almonds
(You can also use chocolate jimmies, shredded coconut, powdered sugar, or any other nut, grated chocolate, mini M&Ms and so on...)

Method:
1. In a thick bottomed pan, add condensed milk, cocoa powder, drinking chocolate powder and butter. Mix well.
2. Start to stir continuously in low-flame or medium-low flame.
3. Stirring continuously is done to avoid the burning of chocolate.
4. When it becomes thick, remove from heat (at this stage, the choco mixture should be bubbly)
5. Pour it in a butter-greased plate. Cool completely or till it becomes easy to handle the mixture.
6. Grease your hands with butter. Take a spoonful of the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands.
7. Roll them on your desired decorating ingredients. Enjoy this soft and gooey chocolate candy.

Note:
I used chopped almonds and drinking chocolate powder for decoration.
You can even eat them with a spoon without rolling them.
This can be used as a topping for muffins, cakes and brownies.
If the mixture is removed from heat early, then it becomes difficult to roll up.
If too late, then the chocolate becomes too hard.
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Sent off to "AWED-Brazil" hosted by Sara and started by DK.

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Ragi Puttu

Ingredients:
Ragi flour/kezhvaragu maavu - 1.5 cup
Salt - 2 pinches
Grated coconut - as per taste

Method:
1. In a bowl, add ragiflour and salt. Mix. Pour required water little by little and mix with your hands. Mix till the ragi resembles like bread crumbs.
2. I steamed ragi flour in a puttu maker. In the base (puttu kudam) of puttu maker, pour water till it fills half of the kudam. Bring it to a boil. Meanwhile fill the cylindrical vessel with ragiflour, then coconut, again ragi flour, coconut and so on......Continue this process till it reaches the brim (don't press).
3. Cover and place the cylindrical vessel in the puttu kudam. Steam for 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove and enjoy with chana masala or with banana or mix with sugar and cardamom powder or your choice. :)

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Mysore Rasam

Ingredients:
Arhar/Toor dal - 1/2 cup (boiled & mashed)
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Salt (to taste)
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp.
Whole dry chillies - 4
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Black peppercorns -1/2 to 3/4 tsp.
Coconut pieces - 1.5 tbsp.
Oil
Ghee
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)

Method:
1. Soak tamarind in required water for a few minutes. Strain the tamarind to get tamarind water.
2. In a pan add tamarind water, salt and asafoetida and bring to a boil. Boil till the raw smell fades away.
3. Meanwhile in a small pan, heat oil and roast the coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds and peppercorns.
Grind into a paste along with coconut pieces by adding little water.
4. Add the ground paste, turmeric powder to the tamarind water. Stir.
5. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the mashed dal and required water. When the rasam starts to boil, (when the foam/froth appears on the top of rasam) remove from heat.
6. In a small pan, heat ghee and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour this on the rasam. Add the coriander leaves and enjoy with white rice.

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Brazilian Lemonade/Limonada Suiça

Brazilian lemonade is a beverage prepared with lime (not with lemons). Limonada suiça (lemonade in Portuguese) is also known as "Swiss lemonade" in Brazil. It is prepared with sweetened condensed milk. Instead of condensed milk, another drink named "Caipirinha" (the national drink) is prepared by adding "cachaca". Caipirinha is a cocktail and cachaca is a distilled white alcohol prepared from sugarcane.

Ingredients:
Limes - 2
Sweetened condensed milk - 4 tbsp.
Water - 3 cups
Sugar - ACCORDING TO TASTE
Ice cubes

Method:
1. Cut each lime into 4 wedges. Remove seeds and white piths.
2. Add all ingredients in a blender and pulse for 3 to 5 times or till the froth appears on the top.
3. Strain the rinds and pour the lemonade in the glasses, drop 2 ice cubes in each glass and gulp it immediately.
4. Do not store in the refrigerator. It tastes bitter when kept for a long time.
5. While filtering, the froth too gets filtered. Another method is there to prepare this.
6. Blend water and lime wedges for few seconds. Strain. Now add the juice, sugar, condensed milk and ice cubes in the clean blender and pulse it. Enjoy immediately.

Sent off to "AWED-Brazil" hosted by Sara and started by DK.

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Veg Hakka Noodles

Ingredients:
Hakka noodles - 1 packet
Cabbage (shredded) - 1/2 cup
Green capsicum - Half (cut into long strips)
Carrot - 1/2 (cut into matchstick-like shape)
Spring Onions (leaf)- 2 (chopped)
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Garlic (optional) - 2 (crushed)
Ginger - 1/2 inch (julienne)
Red chilli sauce - 1/2 tsp.
Soy sauce - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli vinegar - 1 tsp.
White pepper - 1/4 tsp.
Salt - 1/4 tsp. (or according to taste)
Oil

Method:
1. Cook noodles as per instructions.
2. Heat oil in a wok and add onions and saute till translucent. Add ginger and garlic and saute for a few seconds.
3. Add cabbage, carrot and green capsicum and fry for a minute in high heat.
4. Now add the noodles and toss.
5. Add red chilli sauce, soy sauce, salt, white pepper and finally add the chilli vinegar. Saute in between.
6. Add spring onions and mix. Remove from heat and enjoy with Manchurian.

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Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 2 (peeled and grated)
Green chilli - 1 (finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Yogurt - 1 cup (or according to taste)
Salt (to taste)

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Oil

To Grind:
Coconut (grated) - 1/3 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Green chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 pinch

Method:
1. Heat oil and add the tempering ingredients. When the seeds splutter, add onions and green chillies. Saute till translucent.
2. Add grated beet root and little water. Cook the beets till it becomes soft. Meanwhile grind the given ingredients with little water into a smooth paste.
3. Add this paste to the beets and saute till it becomes dry. Remove from heat and keep aside.
4. Beat the yogurt and add it to the beets and add salt also. Mix well.
5. Serve as side dish for rice.

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