Samo Rice Kheer

Friday! special prasad/ offering for Goddess Laxmi. Samo or moriyo or bhagar as it is called is similar to rice, grows in paddy fields just like rice but it is not rice. As a result it is eaten during Hindu fasts or Ekadashi. This Samo kheer/ porridge is often made during Janmashtami which is the Birth of Lord Krishna. That reminds me...this year Janmashtmi falls of August 28 :)  So will put up more sweet recipes before the grand celebration. This Kheer/ porridge is so easy to make and tastes so good that you will not miss your rice kheer that day.

Boil 1 1/2 cup milk with 3 tbsp. sugar (or as desired)

My new robot stirrer, a battery operated device that stirs the food and prevents it from sticking at the bottom. Specially while boiling milk or making custards when you constantly have to stir the food. This will help you multitask :) I love it.

This is what samo seeds look like! Take 1 1/2 tbsp. of samo seeds.

Pour water in the container. Let samo seeds settle at the bottom and unwanted particles float at the top. Discard this water.

When milk starts to boil, add washed samo seeds and allow it to cook.

It needs constant stirring to avoid it from settling at the bottom.

While samo seeds cook, add cardamom seeds, cardamom powder, slivered almonds and pistachios.

This is what my robot stirred looks like. Silicon base and a scraper to avoid food from sticking at the bottom.

As samo seeds cook, they swell in size and thicken the milk.

Serve in a container and enjoy hot or chilled.

A tulsi/basil leaf before we offer any sweet to our God. It is said That a basil leaf purifies the environment around and it also has anti bacterial property.

Strawberry Jam

California has such a pretty climate for strawberries and to top it all there are strawberry farms to select and pick your own strawberry and eat as many as you can. This was a big attraction for my parents while they visited us from India. Although they have seen strawberry farms in Mahabaleshwar, India, there is nothing like being able to pick you own. It was a fascinating experience for all of us. Pictures speak for themselves!

We carried 13 pounds of freshly picked strawberries back home!

 We deserved Alloo Kulche, chole, pickle, onions and raita after a brilliant pick.

Totally Indian way of picnicking. Super windy climate...see how Snehanshu weighs my plate down while he lost his kulcha in the wind!! :)

So now that strawberries were home, cleaned and washed them to start preserving not only the strawberries but all the fun we had together and to share the sweetness and freshness with everyone back in India.

This is how you could make your Jam!

Puree strawberries. Keep it chunky or non chunky as per your choice.

Snehanshu as well as my sister both love it non chunky :)

Love this new set of measuring cups, a gift from one of my students. :)

In a heavy bottom pan mix 1 cup pureed strawberries with 1 cup sugar. Mix well and start heating it. 

Add 1 tbsp. lemon juice to prevent sugar from crystallizing when cooled. 

Bring it to boil.

Love my another great tool...Candy thermometer. Bring the sugar temperature to 220F. which would take around 15 minutes to reach the desired temperature.

If you do not have a candy thermometer...  chill a plate in a freezer. Pour a spoon full of boiling jam and let it cool.

 Tilt the plate. If the jam is set well it will not flow much. You can always select the desired consistency. Remember it is going to continue to cook and thicken and set when cooled. This is a jam made without using pectin or any preservatives. It has a touch of freshness and homemade!

Pour in clean sterilized bottles. I placed these bottles in a microwave for 15 minutes at 220F temperature. 

 Jam bottles ready!

Although Snehanshu is not a big fan of Jams, he enjoyed this freshly picked homemade Jam on his morning toast :) A great success! 

Bubble wrapped the bottle to send it to my sister in India. 

She clicked these snaps and this is what she wrote on my FB timeline.

"Thanks to you I ended up tasting the worlds best strawberry jam. I don't think I will spread it on the bread. It tastes perfect as is it.. Love u for making it."

:) I so love you and miss her too Deepu!!

When are you making yours?

Dehydrated Guvarphalli Chips

 Although most of the veggies are available throughout the year, it is an experience to sun dry/dehydrate them and preserve them! That is what we did this summer. Few of my favorite Indian veggies;  guvar/guvarphalli (cluster beans), bhindi (okra), karela (bitter gourd), fansi (green beans) were dehydrated and store for later use. (Will put all recipes and pictures.)

Guvarphalli/clusterbeans are mostly available is summer due to its cooling properties. When dried and then fried makes a great accompaniment with rice and curries.

Start with clean whole guvarphalli/cluster beans.

Spread them on a metal tray and place the tray in the sunniest spot of the balcony or backyard. 

Depending on the amount of heat it may take 3-4 days to completely dry. Do not store in the jar with any moisture.

Bring the tray of veggies indoor to prevent dew. moisture or precipitation to settle on it the next morning 

You could also dehydrate them using your over. preheat the oven to the lowest temperature. The lowest temperature I set my oven to was 180F. Place the tray with cluster beans in the preheated over. It may take around 6-7 hours for cluster beans to dehydrate. 

REMEMBER..you do not want to bake them, you are just dehydrating them.

Store in airtight container in dry place for the entire year.

Heat oil in a pan containing a lid. Fry 5-6 cluster beans at a time. While you add cluster beans in hot oil, immediately cover it. 

Why?? these cluster beans have seeds in them when you fry it without making a slit in them, they tend to pop and splatter oil around. Be careful!!

it just take 5-7 seconds to be fried. Over frying may change the taste and color.

Remove on a paper towel and sprinkle salt. Red chilli powder/ pepper powder/ chat masala is all optional.

Serve as a side with rice, vegetables and curries.

 And, Enjoy this crisp, delicious Condiment!