Sugar High Friday August 2011 Round up: Rice Sweets

I was so excited about hosting Sugar High Friday  the sweet blogging event created by the awesome Jennifer, The Domestic Goddess. I had chosen the  theme Rice , since it hadn't been done before on SHF, and had grand plans to try out many South Indian rice based sweet snacks and desserts for the event. But before I even realized it, the deadline was already here and I am filled with regret at all those rice sweets I had planned to make but didn't! Blame it on the farmer's markets and grilling, and picnics, and my mom visiting and the plain fact that its SUMMER ( for only a little longer! ) I hope to make and post those sweets on my to- do list soon.


But for now, I am so happy to present some wonderful rice treats from these awesome people who took the time out to meet this challenging them. Rice as a sweet is not too common outside some communitites, so its great to learn about these. Rice sweets are also usually gluten-free (But not always, please check other ingredients and possibilities of cross contamination) and so a great option for those with allergies. 


Thank you so much for sending these goodies in :) I so wish you could attach a sample along with your entries :)

Sugar High Friday Aug 2011 - Rice Sweets Round up 

 Vijitha of Spices n Aroma sent in some delicious Paal Payasam (Tamil for Milk pudding) is a popular dessert cooked with rice and milk with or without spices. This is Vijitha's aunts recipe, which is her all time favorite for festivals and celebrations, especiially birthdays when its tradition to make it.

Jar dee ling,  sent in some Nutella filled Mojis and has mailed me her recipe, scroll down to the end of this post see it.  Thank you Jar dee ling! 

 Smitha of Smitha's Spicy Flavors sent in Belam Taalikalu / Rice Noodles in jaggery a dish that is especially made for the Ganesh Chathurthi festival 

 Smitha also sent in Paramaannam as Naivedyam / Sweet Jaggary Rice with nuts / Sweet Pongal This is a very popular sweet dish in Tamil Nadu, made with rice, jaggery, nuts and spices and sometimes lentils too. A spicy version of Pongal  liberally spiked with peppercorns is also very popular

Smitha also sent in Modakamlu / Modak / Steamed Coconut jaggery Rice dumplings, said to be a favourite of Hindu God Ganesh

Smitha also sent in  Kesari Baath / Sweet Saffron rice which is similar to the very popular sweet dish Rava Kesari, but made with basmati rice instead of rava ( semolina)  

Sarah of Spoonful Of Delight  sent in Kumbil Appam ( Malayalam for Steamed jack fruit parcels )  She describes them as a  really easy and common sweet dish in Kerala, made with ripe jackfruit and roasted rice flour. They are traditionally wrapped in the fragrant Malabathrum (Elamangam / Edana) leaves and steam cooked. Malabathrum leaves have a lovely cinnamon-like fragrance. This fragrance is imparted to the dish when it is wrapped in these leaves and steam cooked.

Here is a delicious Halwa Bismati cupcake: Small carrot and rice cupcakes, spiked with all the flavours of India, topped with a sweet yogurt sauce that Courtney  of C & C Cakery  baked to celebrate her "non-wedding" to her Mr. C. Head on over to her lovely blog to congratulate her and also drool at her other awesome creations! 

Corina of Searching for Spice sent in Coconut and Apple Rice Pudding  with a creamy texture of the rice merging with the crunchy apples and coconut -I am sure it was a treat! 

We also have a lovely Coconut Rice Pudding made only using natural sweeteners (no processed ingredients) and a Vanilla Honey Rice Pudding  (I just have to say YUM! ) from  Kristen of  Mind Your Bees and Trees 

Pavithra of Dishes from My kitchen  sent in Milk Rice and Coconut Delight  where the Creaminess of the milk and crunchiness of nuts makes a divine combination This is her aunt's recipe.

here is my grandmother's recipe for andi unda a traditional Kerala snack made with roasted rice, coconut, jaggery and cashews 

and here is my bourbon and roasted peach ice cream with rice crispies cereal  I made this with a DIY ice cream maker since I don't own one but was craving ice cream! The rice crispies in lieu of the waffle or cone add crunch and texture and fun :)

Thank you for your delicious entries once again everyone. Hope you all have a sugar high weekend!

P.S: If I have left out anyone's entries please do mail or leave a comment and I will add it asap. My brain  is addled with antihistamines today and seems to have gone awol :( 

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Jar dee ling has mailed me the Nutella moji recipe and I am posting it here since she doesn't have a cooking blog (Yet. Although she really should!).

Nutella Filled Moji 

Ingredients:

For the moji -

16 oz bag of glutinous rice flour

20 oz water

5 oz granulated sugar

For the nutella filling - 

ratio is 2 - 1 - 1

nutella - cocoa powder - powdered sugar

For the powder -

ratio 2 - 1

2 parts cocoa powder to 1 part powdered sugar

Instructions:

In the rice cooker bowl, add the rice flour, the water, and sugar.  Mix well.  Steam it in the rice cooker until the moji dough is translucent.

While the rice flour is cooking, mix together the nutella filling and set aside.  Mix together the powder and place it in a shallow bowl or small plate.

Once rice flour is done, take it out of the rice cooker and stir vigorously. You want to let out the steam from the dough.  Continue stirring vigorously until it is cool enough to touch but not so cold. The consistency should be like sticky chewed gum.

Pull off an unshelled walnut-sized ball of dough, pat into a circle, with the middle being thicker than the edges.  Place about a scant teaspoon of the filling in the center of the dough; bring in the sides to the center to close the filling. Once closed, toss the moji in the powder to cover it and keep it from sticking to other moji or the plate.

Repeat until all you use up all the dough.

Makes a couple dozen or so, depending on the size of the moji