Aval Payasam and Cashew topped oatmeal cookies for the arusuvai food chain

I was pondering what to prepare with my favourite cashews and the aromatic cardamoms Dhivya had mailed me for the arusuvai food chain...We stay closeby and Dhivya came home this week..Wanted to prepare these dishes the day she came home..But could'nt make it...
I add both these exotic spices in almost any variety rice and sweet I prepare because they add extra flavor and richness..But I wanted to prepare something different..I love sweets and decided to make these two quick recipes..they came out really well..

          

This Aval Payasam is an excellent dessert after any heavy lunch..We had these cookies along with Cardamom Tea and they were really good..

Aval Payasam

          

Ingredients

Aval/Beaten Rice - 3/4 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar -1/2 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cashews - 8
Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon
Raisins - 6
Ghee/butter - 2 teaspoons

Directions

Add 1 teaspoon of ghee and fry the cashews and raisins until you get a nice aroma..Keep them aside seperately..
In the same vessel add 1 teaspoon of ghee and the aval and roast it until they turn to a nice golden colour..The aval absorbs the ghee and this adds more flavour..Remove the aval from the vessel and keep it aside..
Now add the water to the vessel and bring it to a boil..Add the aval to the water and keep stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes..the aval gets cooked and becomes soft..Now add the sugar and mix until it has combined well with the aval..
Then add boiled milk and simmer until you get a thick consistency..During this process keep stirring occasionally as it might form a layer on the top..
Finally, add the roasted cashews and raisins and the cardamom powder and mix well..
Serve hot or cold..

         

Sending this to Think-Spice:Cardamom hosted this month by Easycrafts


Cashew topped oatmeal cookies

After much of googling I decided to make these chewy,spicy oatmeal cookies sprinkled with cashews..They made my kitchen smell wonderful while they were baking..Here is how I prepared these cookies..

          

Ingredients
Makes 10 cookies

Butter/Ghee - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
White sugar - 2 tablespoons
Egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 1/4 teaspoon
Maida/All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Ground cinnamon - 1/4 teaspoon
Ground cloves - 1/4 teaspoon
Baking soda - 1 pinch
Salt - 1 pinch
Oats - 1/2 cup
Cashews - 3 or 4 powdered coarsely

Directions

In a large vessel mix together 
softened butter,brown sugar,white sugar,egg and vanilla extract until they form a smooth mixture..
Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt..
Stir these dry ingredients into the sugar mixture.. Stir in the oats...
Take this mixture and drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets...

         

Sprinkle the coarsely ground cashews over these cookies..
Preheat oven to 350 degrees..
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they turn into a light and golden colour..Do not overbake them..
Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in an airtight container..

        

I also made refreshing cardamom tea with the cardamoms sent by Dhivya..
Thanks a lot Dhivya..It was indeed great fun participating in this arusuvai chain..