Mentya Hittu ( Fenugreek Powder ).

Mentya Hittu is made of mixed daal and spices....and eaten with Hot Rice and ghee in the beginning . Some people use Ground nut oil instead of ghee...This recipe is from North Karnataka...and its good to have Mentya Hittu since its made of pulses and cereals ....and spices...

Things Needed :
Channa Daal : 4 Cups
Rice: 1 Cup
Whole Wheat : 1 Cup
Urd Daal : 1 Cup
Coriander Seeds : 1 Cup
Jeera: 2 Table spoons
Fenugreek Seeds : 1 Table spoon
Asafoetida or Ingh : a pinch..
Pepper Seeds : 1 or 2 Tea spoons .( According to Your wish).
Red Chilly : 4 to 6 ( Optional).
Salt : To Taste

Method :
Roast all the above ingredients except salt on low flame until raw smell disappear. Leave for cooling and then dry grind . Add salt and mix it well and store it in an airtight box. Serve Mentya Hittu with Hot rice and ghee..

Note : Roast the ingredients one by one on low flame. Adding pepper or red chilly is optional .
You can add both if you wish or can add only pepper or red chilly. Can also add Whole moong 1/2 a cup to this mixture. (Roast whole moong until the raw smell disappear). Add little salt and then You can add the needed salt while serving ..

KASHAYA. POWDER ( HEALTHY DRINK..).

 Kashaya is a healthy drink You can have this special drink instead of coffee or tea. Kashaya is very helpful when You catch cold and it eases body pain , running nose and sore throat.

India is famous for its spices even in good old days. Indian Spices have their history. Indians used to travel to different countries with their spices and trade them for gold and pearls.  By reading the history we will know the importance of the Indian Spices. Many spices are used in Kashaya Powder.  It contain spices like, pepper, jeera, dry ginger, cardamom, coriander seeds, methi seeds (fenugrik seeds) and red Kallusakkare. (Rock Candy). All these spices are very good for the body to keep fit.
Lets see some benefits of eating coriander seeds, jeera, (cumin seeds) pepper, dry ginger and Almonds.
Coriander seeds are good for digestion and are rich source of Vitamin C. It contain iron and helps to prevent anemia and good for ladies who have menstrual irregularities.
Black pepper help to clear sinuses. It is used to cure cough and flu. It contain anti bacterial properties and builds up immunity.
Cumin Seeds are high content of Vitamin E which helps to keep our skin healthy and glowing. It is also an excellent detox that helps to flush out the impurities from our body.
Dry ginger is good for stomach irritation and cures headache and good for chest pain caused by gas. Dry ginger powder contain anti inflammatory properties and it can soothe arthritis. It can also used for curing common cold..Dry ginger powder is useful to burn fat and treat obesity.
Almonds are a source of Vitamin E, copper, magnesium and high quality protein. They also contain healthy unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are good source of antioxidants.
Here is a recipe of Kashaya  a very healthy drink, good for kids and the whole family.Have a habit of drinking this Kashaya at least once in a day which will helps to keep the cold and cough away and boost your energy and keep your body warm and healthy.

Things Needed...

Black Pepper :1/2 cup
Jeera :3/4 cup
Kallu Sakkare : (Rock Candy) : 1 Cup
Almonds : 1 Cup

Poppy seeds: 1/2 cup ( 3 table spoons).
Fenugreek seeds : 2 Tea spoons
Coriander Seeds : 1 cup
Cardamom : 6 to 8 pods (optional)
Dry Ginger Powder : 1 Table spoon

Method :

1. Dry Roast all the spices one by one on low flame except Kallu sakkare and dry ginger.
2. Allow it to cool.

3. Dry grind all the ingredients including Kallu Sakkare and dry ginger. Dry grind it in a small quantity.

4. Allow the dry ground mixture to cool. Mix it well.

5. Store it in a glass bottle and use it .

 Note :
Dry roast all the ingredients one by one on low flame. Do not add too much of methi seeds since it gives a bitter taste. Adding cardamom is optional. ( Here I have not added). Adding cardamom gives to a good aroma and taste.
You can also add jaggery or sugar instead of Kallu sakkare. ( Jaggery should be added while preparing kashaya). Prepare in small quantity and make use of it. It is best when it is fresh. You can keep it in the fridge too.
Time : 30 minutes.:
 Method to prepare Kahsaya.:Things Needed :
Milk : 1 Cup
Water : 1 Cup
Kashaya powder : 2 Tea spoon or little more.
1. Boil water and add kashaya powder to it . Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes .

2. Put off the gas and add hot milk . Filter the drink and pour it to the glass and serve hot Kashaya.

Note :

You can  use jaggery . Add jaggery while the kashaya mix is boiling. Allow it to boil nicely and then sieve.o the mixture.
Better to use jaggery since it is Iron contain. 1 table spoon of jaggery can be used at times.
You can even take a 1/2 a spoon of this kashaya mixture and a spoonful of honey mix thoroughly and eat it when you have sore throat...Doing the same for 2 to 3 times a day will help you to recover fast.

Serves : 2 to 3

Time : 5 minutes

Uddina Hittu ( Using powdered raw Urid dal)

Uddina Hittu or Urid dal majjige gojju is one of the famous and favourite dish of many in South Canara.

Here I have used raw urid dal powder and fresh butter milk. I do prepare butter milk at home using my mixi jar. It churns out butter and after collecting butter the butter milk is used for preparing sweet/salt lassi and some time tambuli or other preparation of using butter milk.
Uddina hittu /Urid dal powder and curd curry goes well with plain raw rice and chapatis or rotis.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed:
Powdered Urd Daal : 1Tablespoon
Green Chilly : 1
Butter milk : 1 Cup
Ginger : An half inch
For seasoning :
Ingh : or Asafetida : a pinch
Maggige menasu ( Sandige Menasu ) :2
Oil: 1 Tea spoon
Mustard Seeds: 1 /2 Tea spoon
Urd Daal 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves: 4 to 6
Coriander Leaves : 1 Table spoon
Edible Coconut Oil: 2 Table spoons

Method : 

1. Dry grind a tablespoon of urid dal till powder and remove from the mixi jar. Put it in a big bowl.
2. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
3. Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and put it with urid dal powder.
4. Add salt, cut green chilly   and coriander leaves. (Cut in to small pieces).
5.Add butter milk and mix it well.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add one teaspoon of coconut oil.
7. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard seeds splutter.
8. Add curry leaves and ingh. Add sun dried green chilly and fry till it turn slightly black.
9. Pour this seasoning to the ready Uddina hittu.  Serve with plain raw rice.

Notes :

Do not eat this mosaru bajji/Gojju continuously. (Every day)
Adding of more chilly is optional. Use of butter milk is good for health. Use of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves :2 to 3.

Gojju Ambode..( Vada in Coconut Curry ).

Gojju Ambode is made of Channa Daal and put in to the coconut gravy. It taste yemmy and can be eaten at any time of the day.
Ingredients :
Channa Daal : 1 cup
Green Chilly : 3
Coriander Leaves : 2 Table spoons
Curry Leaves : 2 Table spoons
Ingh or Asafoetida : a pinch
Salt : to taste
Ginger : An inch
Oil : 1 cup ( to fry)
Coconut: 1 Cup
Coriander seeds : 1 Table spoon
Red Chilly : 3
Jeera: 1/2 Tea spoon
Tamarind pulp: 1 Table spoon
Water : 1 Cup

Method :

Wash and soak Channa Daal in water for 1 hour. Drain all the water and grind with ginger , curry leaves , coriander leaves and green chillies. Add salt according to the taste .
Remove dough from the jar and place in a bowl.
Keep a pan on the fire. Put cooking oil and heat . Take a little portion of the ground dough and pat slightly on your palm and then fry in the oil until its done. ( Both side should be cooked).
At time you can fry 4 to 5 Vadas. Fry on medium heat so that it will be cooked properly.
Keep the Vadas in a plate or bowl.

Procedure of Coconut Curry : Grind coriander seeds , coconut , jeera , red chillies and tamarind pulp together with little water. Remove from the jar and add required water and salt
and boil it thoroughly . Add a pinch of turmeric powder to the curry while its boiling . Let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes and then add the fried Channa Vadas to the Coconut Curry and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Now remove the Gojju Ambode from the vessel and place in a bowl . Add cut coriander leaves and serve Gojju Ambode ...

Note : Add only little water to grind Channa daal . The dough should be thick and rava consistency . Add only required water to the coconut curry also . It should not be watery. Boil the coconut curry nicely and then add the Vadas.

10 to 12 Vadas can be served.

Ginger Tambuli .

Tambuli means Tampina Huli. (Cooling For the body) and its very healthy curry. Tambuliis one of the side dish. It is normally prepared using savoury butter milk. It is served in the beginning and should be eaten with rice. (first few spoons). Eating tambuli helps to digest the food easily. It is one of the traditional dish. We can prepare so many types of tambulis. Here is a recipe of Ginger (Shunti) tambuli.

Lets see some benefits of having ginger in our diet. 
Ginger is loaded with nutrients and bio active compounds which are loaded with benefits for our body and brain. Ginger can be used as fresh, dried, powdered, oil or juice. It is very common ingredients in Indian cooking.
Ginger has anti inflammation, anti-oxidant and anti-emetic properties. It is good for common cold and help to resolve respiratory problems. It is good for morning sickness, nausea and vomiting. It helps to digest the food easily. Its juice is a good remedy for headache.
Lets see the recipe now and there is no onion or garlic in this "Ginger Tambuli". It can used as one of the side dish and goes well with all most all the main dishes.

Things Needed :

Ginger : a small piece
Butter milk : 1 cup ( Can use 2 table spoons of curd( yogurt or dahi)
Jeera: 1 Tea spoon
Pepper : 1/2 Tea spoon
Fresh Coconut : 1 Table spoon
Salt : to taste
Red chilly or Green chilly : 1
Ghee : 1 Table spoon
Curry leaves: 6 to 8 leaves
Ingh or Asafetida : A pinch

Method:

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger.( skin). Wash again and cut into small pieces.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put some drops (1/4 Teaspoon) of ghee, black pepper, jeera/cumin seeds and fry for 10 seconds.

3. Add ginger and fry for a minute.  Put off the fire, add ingh and curry leaves.  Let it cool down.

4. Grate or cut coconut.

5. Grind fried ginger mixture and 1 tablespoon of grated coconut with very little water or butter milk.

6. Grind till fine paste. Add required salt and churn once or twice. Remove from the mixi jar.

7. Put it in a bowl. Add butter milk or curd. Add water if you use curd and make into thin watery consistency.

8. Keep a pan again on the fire and put 1/2 teaspoon of ghee. Add jeera and ingh to it. Fry for 10 seconds. Add 2 to 3 curry leaves and put this jeera mixture to tambuli. Mix it well.
9. Serve with hot rice along with other side dishes.

Note :

Do not add more water while grinding. Add required water later. Do not add lot of pepper or chilly. Tambuli should be mild. Adding more ghee is not required. Grinding fried mixture with curd turn creamy. It may not taste good even if you add water. So use little water to grind if you are using curd.
Time : 10 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

Moong Daal and Lemon Rasam

Moong dal Lemon Rasam is a simple Rasam. It is an easy and healthy dish. We can have it as soup, with rice. It taste very good with tangy taste especially when you are sick.
I have used Moond dal, green chilly, lemon and ingh.

Things Needed :

Moong Daal : 1/2 Cup
Green Chilly 3 to 4
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons (cut in to small)
Ginger: 1 Tablespoon( Grated ).
Lemon : 1 ( Medium sized).
Salt : to taste
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Urud Daal: 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida  : a pinch
Jeera: 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder: a pinch

Method :

1. Wash Moong Daal and cook with 1 cup of water.

2. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves (into small pieces).
3. Wash and cut lemon and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire, add ghee and heat. Add mustard seeds and urid dal.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh. Add cooked dal.

6. Mix it well and add required water. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add green chilly.
7. Let it boil nicely. Put off the fire and add lemon extract. ( 1 lemon ). Add cut coriander leaves.
8. Now shift the ready Moong Dal Rasam to a serving bowl.

Note :

Moong dal should be cooked well. Adding more chilly is optional. Use of ghee to season is optional.
Add required water. You can use tamarind instead of lemon juice. Use of more lemon is optional. Adding garlic to Rasam is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3..

Rice - Cucumber Akki Rotti

Rice Rotti is always loved by most. I just thought of using Cucumber ( Manglore soute kai ) instead of onions to rice flour and prepare Rotti. It turned soft and tasty. Rice cucumber rotti is good for breakfast, snack and for dinner too.

Mangalore Southekai/bannada southekai or Saambar southe kai (Curry cucumber) is largely used in South Canara or Dakshina Kannada.
Rice flour, Mangalore Southekai, coconut, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilly and salt is used  for this rotti.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Rice Flour -: 2 cups
Cucumber : 1/2 ( medium size).
Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Curry Leaves : Handful
Coriander leaves : Handful
Salt : to taste
Oil: 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves, coriander leaves.
2. Wash and remove the outer skin of Mangalore southe kai and put in water for 5 minutes.
3. Now grind southekai, coconut with little water. Remove from the mixi jar.

4. Now take a big bowl and put rice flour, ground southekai mixture and salt.
5. Add cut coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix it nicely.

6. Keep a tava on the fire. Heat it. Sprinkle oil (half teaspoon) on the tava.
7. Take a handful of rotti dough and spread it nicely and thin.
8. Sprinkle little oil on the top and cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on low and medium flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook for 1 minute. Turn the other side again.

10. Just sprinkle little chutney powder if you like.

11. Remove from the pan and put it on a serving plate.
12. Add little ghee on the top and serve.

Note :

You can prepare this rotti by grinding raw rice. (Wash and soak 2 cups of rice in water and grind it after an hour into rava consistency. Then use it as rotti dough). No need to add any chilly to the dough. This rotti should be soft and without any masala. Adding chutney powder on the top of rotti is optional.

Time : 30 minutes if using rice flour. If soaked raw rice is to be used it takes  1 : 30 minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Almond - Besan Burfy

Sweets are always yummy to munch. Small piece of any sweet after food is always welcome. Most of the people have the habit of eating little sweet after lunch or dinner. So there should be little sweet at home right. I do prepare some or the other sweet at times. Here is such one Almond - Besan Burfy.
I have used some almond flakes on the top also.

Let us see the recipe now .
I have used besan/channa flour, sugar, almonds and ghee. Remember to prepare this burfy on low flame. and cut it only when it is completely cooled. I had some guest and did not wait for burfi to cool.
Let us see the recipe.

Things Needed :

Almonds : 1/2  Cup.
Besan : 1 cup
Sugar : 2 Cups
Ghee : 1 Cup
Milk : 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Dry grind almonds with its skin and keep it aside.
2. Keep a pan and fry besan on low flame. ( For 5 minutes).
3. Add milk and mix it well. Add sugar and stir slowly and let it mix well.

4. Add little ghee and stir. Mixing the mixture is very important. It should not be stopped.
5. It starts to mix well and slowly it starts to bubble.

6. Stir continuously till it leaves the edges of the pan. Add ghee in between.
7. Add powdered almonds and keep stirring.

8. It thickens well and starts to come up. Stir slowly for another 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining ghee and stir, shift it to the tray or plate. ( plate/tray should be greased before).

10. Leave it for cooling. Spread almond flakes on the top.(Optional). Cut it according to your wish only when it cools.

Note : 

Do the whole process on low flame. Cut the burfy only when it completely cools down. You can add more ghee (optional). Use of almonds are optional. You can also use cardamom powder to get good aroma. ( I have not added).
Time : 20 minutes.
20 Pieces : According to size .