TEA RECIPES - HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SOUTH INDIAN TEA

Milk powder Tea/ Milk Tea

Tea is the popular and all time favorite hot beverage to most of us.  In South India, each households has their own way for making Tea. Some prefer strong tea for a refreshing feel while some prefer very light tea. I guess majority of my readers are Tea lovers like me. A nice cup of tea must warm you up on a heavy rainy day.  A tea can really change my mood. I love to have a strong tea or strong chai ( Chaya) in the morning and in the evening for a refreshing feel.  Like so, some people love to have milk in their tea while some loves having milk powder instead. 

I used to make tea using milk powder and sometimes with fresh milk. Now a days you can see various types of plain or flavored tea powder. I prefer using Red label tea powder for making a nice cup of milk tea or milk powder tea ( chai ). Like so , I prefer using Nido milk powder, Anchor milk powder , Rainbow​ milk powder for making my tea. If in Kerala, I prefer using Amulya milk powder also. This recipe for tea calls for milk powder or Fresh milk,  sugar and tea powder for making the perfect tea. Some prefer creamy and frothy tea while some need their tea to be very light . So in that case, add  fresh milk alone for a creamy tea and add some water along with fresh milk for a light tea. Enjoying a cup of hot strong tea is one of the simplest pleasures in our life, I think. Some will think that making a fine and perfect tea is the easiest work in the pantry. But it's not that easy to prepare a nice cup of tea without knowing the correct measurement and proportion for tea powder, milk powder and water or milk. It is very important that the ingredients should be in proportion. Here are some tips for making the perfect tea. Do try this tea recipes at home and enjoy . Let's see how to make South Indian tea / Indian chai / street food stall tea/ tea stall tea/ milk tea etc..

INGREDIENTS ( FOR MILK POWDER TEA)

For preparing 1 cup of tea ( 1 cup =150 ml)

Tea powder ( red label) -  1 tsp , heaped 

Milk powder   - 2 tbsp, levelled or flat 

Sugar - 1 tbsp, levelled or flat 

Water - 1.5 cups

PREPARATION

Here is the video for making Tea

• Heat water in a steel pot . 
• Once it starts to boil, add tea powder. Boil it for a minute. 
• Meanwhile, add milk powder and sugar in a large steel cup.
• Once the tea powder is cooked very well, remove from flame. Pour the prepared tea to the large steel cup. 
• Pour the hot strong tea to the steel cup from top. 
• Repeat it a couple of times. This makes the tea creamy and frothy.
• I don't like to strain my tea. 
• Pour it to the serving cup. Serve hot. 

INGREDIENTS ( FOR MAKING FRESH MILK TEA)

For preparing 2 cups of Milk tea

INGREDIENTS

Milk  - 2.5 cups

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Tea powder - 2 tsp 

Water - 1 cup

PREPARATION

• Boil milk and water in a sauce pan. 
• Boil very well. Once it starts to boil, add sugar. Mix well.
• Then add tea powder and let it cook for a minute.
• Pour the prepared tea to a large steel cup from top.
• Repeat it a couple of times. 
• Pour it to the serving glass. Serve hot.

ELANJI - EASY KERALA SNACK RECIPE / SWEET COCONUT CREPES

KERALA SNACK RECIPE / KIDS SNACK BOX 

Snacks recipes, especially evening snacks recipes are favourite for most of us. Evening tea without any snacks are unimaginable. I prefer easy and delicious snacks to savour along with tea or coffee. Indian snacks, whether sweet snacks or  savory snacks are worth to try at home. But it must be simple to make with handy ingredients and it must be less mess recipes too. So here am with an easy and simple Kerala snack or Malabar snack - Elanji ( elanchi) which is also called as sweet love letter snack or Mayyathappam . The batter for making the  crepe is made by combining of grinding  All purpose flour ( maida ) along with egg, turmeric powder, salt and water. The consistency of the crepe batter must be thicker than Neer dosa batter and thinner than idli dosa batter. Moreover you have to make thin dosa or crepe out of this batter. The filling for this crepe is made of roasting scraped coconut along with sugar and cardamom. The filling must be very soft which tastes really outstanding. I used to prepare this snack daily to pack for my kids snack  box. But instead of All purpose flour, I prefer adding rice flour only....But you have to compromise slightly on its taste and softness. I bet, you all will crave for this yummy sweet snack for sure. Do try this snack recipe and let me know your feedback. Here is the recipe showing how to make ELANJI, the Malabar sweet snack/ Quick evening snacks/ yummy kids snacks/ snack box recipe for kids. 

INGREDIENTS

For the crepe 

All purpose flour / maida - 1 cup

Egg - 1 

Water - half a cup

Turmeric powder - half tsp

Salt to taste

For the filling

Scraped coconut - 1.5 cups

Sugar - quarter a cup or more

Cardamom - 3 nos

Cashews - as required, chopped, optional

Ghee - 1 tsp , for roasting cashews

PREPARATION

Pls watch the video given below 

• First let's prepare the sweet filling. For that heat a pan with ghee. Roast the chopped cashews until golden over low flame. Add the scraped coconut along with sugar and cardamom. Combine well until sugar melts completely. The filling must be soft, so do not roast it for long as it will turn crispy. When done, set this aside.
• Now let's make the batter. Grind together all those ingredients given under for making crepes until smooth. When done transfer it to a bowl. Do not add more water. The batter must not be too thick nor too thin. 
• Now heat a non stick pan. Grease it slightly with ghee. Pour a ladle full of this batter. Spread it evenly using that ladle, same like we make ghee roast dosa. You have to make thin crepes.
• Flip the dosa when one side is done. Cook for few seconds and again flip it. Transfer it to a plate. Place two teaspoon of the prepared coconut filling. Roll it tightly. Set it aside. 
• Repeat the same with the remaining batter and filling. 
• Serve hot along with a nice cup of tea. Or can pack this for kids lunch box. You can also use rice flour instead of All purpose flour. 
• Watch the video for ELANJI here.

EASY COFFEE PUDDING RECIPE

EASY PUDDING RECIPES / COFFEE PUDDING 

Pudding recipes especially easy pudding recipes are favorite for everyone. I am not fond of sweets much but I love to make some desserts or puddings for my guests and often for my family as my kids crave for puddings especially chocolate flavored pudding recipes. Tea and coffee are the most refreshing drinks which can be served either hot or cool and it comes in a variety of flavors too. We can make a variety of sweets and desserts with coffee flavors. Here am going to share the recipe for coffee pudding which is really very easy to make. Yes, you can make coffee pudding in different ways like steamed coffee pudding, biscuit and coffee pudding, creamy coffee pudding, eggless coffee pudding, coffee custard pudding like so. In this pudding recipe, coffee powder along with cocoa powder is added which gives a special refreshing taste to the pudding.  When coffee is combined with milk and condensed milk it tastes amazing and pretty refreshing too. This yummy and easy pudding will give you such a refreshing treat for sure. Let's move on to the recipe showing how to make easy coffee pudding. 

INGREDIENTS 

Coffee powder -  2 tsp

Cocoa powder   - 1 tsp optional

Milk     - 1.5 cups

Sweetened condensed milk  - half a tin

Sugar   - quarter a cup

Chinagrass  - 8 gms

Choco chips - for decoration only 

PREPARATION

Here is the video showing how to make coffee pudding 

• Set aside the pudding bowl or mold ready before preparing the pudding mixture. For that grease the mold or bowl sparingly with butter. Stick the choco chips inside the bowl or mold. Keep it in the freezer until we prepare the pudding mixture.
• LET'S MAKE THE PUDDING MIXTURE - Heat a pan with half a cup of water. Once it starts to boil, add coffee powder to it. Prepare a strong black coffee and set aside.
• Then cook the chinagrass along with half a cup of water until melts to a clear liquid. 
• Meanwhile, you can boil the milk in another pan. When it starts boiling, add cocoa mixture(mix cocoa powder with some water and make a paste ). Combine very well. Add condensed milk and sugar. Mix again. Add the prepared strong coffee and combine. 
• Now add the melted china grass and cook well for a minute or two. Remove from flame.
• Strain it and transfer this pudding mixture into another bowl. 
• Allow it to cool slightly(just for 2 minutes).
• Now take out the prepared mold and bowl from the freezer. Pour the pudding mixture gently. 
• Keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours or until it sets.
• When done, invert the pudding to a plate.
• Yummy creamy Coffee pudding is ready.