Modaka ( With Rice Flour )

Modaka is a special dish prepared on God Ganesha Festival.......This Modaka is  a healthy sweet dish and can have it even as Break fast.

Things Needed:
Rice  Flour : 2 cups
Water : 2 cups
Jaggery : 1 cup
Coconut : 2 cups .( Fresh and grated)
Cardamom : 5 to 6 seeds.
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Method:
Grate coconut . Powder the cardamom and keep it aside. Keep a pan on the fire and heat . Put grated coconut and jaggery . Mix thoroughly and stir until the moisture disappear from the coconut mixture. Add cardamom and leave it for cooling.
Now boil water in a  bigger pan.  Pour  rice flour in a bowl and add boiled hot water slowly and mix the flour like chapati dough. Mix it well and Knead the dough thoroughly.  Now apply little oil or ghee to your palm take a ball size of rice flour dough and pat it and spread little and place a spoonful of coconut jaggery mixture and cover from all side and bring it to ball shape. ( You can bring up the top of Modaka little longer too).  Repeat and prepare modakas from remaining dough.  Arrange all the modakas in a tray or plate.
Keep a pressure cooker on the fire . Put some water (1 to 2 cups )  in the pressure cooker and place a small vessel down and  keep the arranged modakas on the top of that vessel and steam it for 10 to 15 minutes.  Modakas are ready to serve.
Note: Mix rice flour with required water.  So that the dough will be easy to prepare Modakas. You can also use idli stand to steam the Modaka. ( Same as idli prepared) . Do not use weight while steaming . Can cover the hole of pressure cooker with a glass.
15 to 16  Modaks can be prepared .

Dideer ( Quick ) Rasam..

Dideer Rasam can be done quickly and easily . can have as starter and with Rice too.

Things Needed

Tour Daal : 2 Table spoons
Red chillies : 4 to 6
Tomatoes: 2 to 3 ( medium size)
Coriander Seeds : 2 Tea spoons
Fenugreek Seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Jeera :  1/2 Tea spoon
Turmeric : 1 pinch
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : to taste
Coconut :  1 Table spoon ( Fresh )
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Asfoetida ( Ingh ) : a pinch
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves:  6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 4 to 5 sticks.

Method:

Keep a pan on the fire. Roast Toor daal until its brown.  Shift it to a plate. Now roast fenugreek seeds until its brown and add coriander seeds roast for 2 minutes add curry leaves and jeera roast for 1 more minutes . Put off the gas . Add coconut and mix well. Mix with roasted Tour Daal . Let it cool .
Grind all the roasted mixture with little water and keep it aside .

Now keep a vessel on the fire.  Heat for a minute and add oil.  Add Mustard seeds and Urd daal . Let it spurt.  Add curry leaves and cut tomatoes  and squeezed tamarind pulp. Add turmeric.  Mix well and leave it for boiling  for 2 minutes.  Add  ground mixture of  coconut and tour daal.  Add salt to Rasam and boil for 5 minutes.  Add coriander leaves and spoon full of ghee and  serve Dideer ( quick )  Rasam  with Hot Rice or as Soup..
4 to 5 Servings..

Modaka & Karchi Kayi. ( With Nuts )

Ganesha Festival is nearing. Some tasty Prasadam should be prepared for Lord Ganesha as Naivedyam..

 Ganesha is Modaka Priya, priya means likes and modaka is one of the traditional dish done either steamed or fried.
I have tried simple and healthy way of Fried modakas which are very crunchy, filled with jaggery,dry nuts and little jaggery. It is easy to prepare and nice to have them for festivals. In our place we do prepare this modak

Things Needed :

Chiroti Rava /Thin variety of Rava : 1 Cup
Maida (  Refined wheat flour) :1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 cup
Dry  Coconut: 1/2 cup
Dry nuts : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 1 cup ( For frying )
Ghee: 1 tablespoon
Cardamom : 3 to 4
Salt : a pinch
Mixed Nuts :  2 Tablespoons ( Almonds, cashew nuts and raisins).
Poppy seeds : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

 1. Take a big bowl, add maida, ghee, chiroti rava, salt, and mix it well. Add water and mix the dough nicely. ( Take care while adding water. Add water little by little).

2. Dry grind almonds and powder it. Cut cashews into small pieces.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Powder cardamom and keep aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery and coconut. Let it mix well. Add dry ground almonds and 

 raisins.

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5. Mix it well. Add cashews and poppy seeds and let all the moisture from coconut. No need to be mix till it gets thick. Keep the pan down and put off the fire. Let the sweet mixture get cool.
6. Kneed the mixed flour nicely and divide them into small portion.

7. Turn the small portion and turn as a ball shape and roll it flat with roller.
8. Now place a teaspoonfull of sweet conten/Hurana on flattened pooris.

9. Bring all the sides and give a shape of modak or karchikai/sweet fried kadabu.

 
10. Arrange the modakas in a plate or tray.

11. Keep a pan and heat. Put oil and heat. ( Low flame).

12. Fry the modaks one by one on low flame till they turn golden brown.

13. Take it from oil once it is done, put it on a kitchen tissue.

14. Repeat the same with remaining dough and stuffing.

15. Healthy and yummy Modakas are ready to serve.

Note :

Do not stir the sweet content till thick. Let the moisture disappear. Stirring coconut - jaggery mixture helps the ingredients to bind well. Use of more maida is optional. Remember use of chiroti rava/Thing variety of semolina is always better and healthy. Use of sugar instead of jaggery is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 12 to 15 Modakas/Karchikais can be prepared.

Roasted Horse Gram Rasam ( Huruli Saaru )

Horse Gram is called Huruli in Kannada, Horse gram helps to strenghen the bones.

Horse gram is is very good for horse, he buffaloes, animals that are used for carrying loads.
Horse gram is cooked in loads and put it to the he buffaloes during the  land ploughing season,. So they stay fit and fine during rainy season when ploughing the land process goes on.

Lets come back to the Horse gram/Huruli Saaru. It is healthy and provide needed minerals and vitamins to our body, keep our body warm.Not only Horse gram Rasam, chutney, idli dosa, Usuli/Sundal also can be prepared. Sweet Laddu made by Horse gram is very famous.

There are different ways to prepare rasam. Here I have just dry roasted and used horse gram.
Horse Gram Rasam goes well with Hot plain rice. It also can be served as soup.
Lets see the recipe now .

Things Needed :

Horse Grams :  2 Tablespoons
Tomato : 1 Medium size
Turmeric Powder:  a pinch
Tamarind : Lemon Size
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 8 to 10
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Ghee : 1 Table spoon
Asfoetida ( Ingh )  a pinch
Salt : to taste.
Coriander leaves : 2 Table soon ( cut it in to small )
Fresh Coconut : 1 Table spoon
Rasam Powder : 3 Tablespoons

Method:

2. Dry roast horse gram till the raw smell disappear. Do it on a low flame. Leave it for cooling.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash and cut tomato. Keep it aside.
4. Grind coconut, roasted horse gram, rasam powder and lemon size tamarind together with little water. (Consistency according to your wish).
5. Remove from the mixi jar, put the ground mixture to a big bowl or pan. Add required water and cut tomatoes.

6. Add salt, turmeric powder and boil for 5 to 6 minutes.

7. Season with mustard seeds, urid dal, ingh and curry leaves.
8. Add a spoon of fresh ghee and coriander leaves and serve.

Note :  

Horse gram should be roasted well. Do it on a low flame. Use of rasam powder is optional. I have used home made rasam powder. It is always better to use home made spices. Use of tomato is also optional. (You can skip tomato). Using Garlic Seasoning is optional. Garlic lovers do love the aroma and enjoy. ( I normally do not use garlic and here too I did not use).
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 

Almonds and Wheat Flour Halva

Almonds and Wheat Flour Halva is a sweet dish and you can have them any time of the day..

Things Needed:
Wheat Flour: 1 cup
Almonds : 1/2 cup
Sugar : 11/2 cup
Cardamom: 5 to 6
Water : 1/2 cup
Ghee : 1/2 cup
Cashew Nuts: 5 to 6

Method:

Dry grind Almonds and cardamom together in to powder and keep it aside. Boil water and keep it aside. Cut cashew nuts in to small pieces and keep it aside.
Keep a pan on the fire. Put one table spoon of ghee . Roast cashew nuts and wheat flour nicely in that ghee. Put boiling water to the roasted mixture and stir . Now add powdered Almond and cardamom to the paste. Mix well. Now add sugar and mix thoroughly. Stir nicely until it leaves the pan. Now add the remaining ghee and stir for 5 minutes and remove the Halva from the pan and spread it in a ghee applied tray.
Leave it for cooling and cut according to your wish. Tasty Halva is ready to serve.

Note: Roast wheat flour on low flame so that it does not get burnt. Roast until the raw smell disappear. Can add food colour to the halva when it is cooking . Adding Kesar (Saffron) or turmeric powder will also give beautiful colours . Can add Ripe Bananas to this halva while cooking.

Serves :5 to6

Channa -Dhahi ( Yogurt ) Chat.....

Channa -Chat is good to eat in the evenings. Its prepared using boiled channa, carrots and carrots gratings. You can use your own fillings and enjoy this chat. You can have it as it is, use it as palya or add curd and sweet and spicy chutney.

I have used channa, carrots and gooseberry. Add the toppings of your desire. Add a spoon of thick curd and enjoy.

Things Needed :

Whole Channa  (Cooked) : 1 Cup
Carrots: 2 ( Medium size)
Green Chillies : 1
Gooseberry : 1 to 2
Garam Masala :1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : to tasate
Coriander leaves : 1 Table spoon
Coconut gratings : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer layer of carrots. Grate it. Cut green chilly and grate ginger.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, jeera and cut green chilly.

3. Add curry leaves and grated carrots and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add cooked channa and mix it well. Let all the moisture disappear. (Cover and cook).

5. Add salt and mix it well. Put off the gas and add grated coconut and coriander leaves.
6. You can serve this as Dry curry and you can have this as chat with your desired toppings.

Note : 

Soak a cup of channa for over night and then cook  with required water. You can store cooked channa in the freezer and use it whenever you need it. Use of spice is optional. You can also use the cooked channa as they are and prepare this channa chat.
Serves : 3
Time : 15 Minutes.

Recipe for Channa - Dahi Chat:

Whole Channa  (Cooked) : 1 Cup
Dahi/Curd : 1 Cup
Green chutney : 1 Table spoon
Sweet chutney: 1 Table spoon
Onions : 2
Carrot : 2 ( Medium size)
Green Chillies : 1
Garam Masala :1/4 Teaspoon
Chat Masala : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : to tasate
Coriander leaves : 1 Table spoon
Method :

Method:

 1. Put cooked channa in a bowl.
2. Add cut onions, coriander leaves, green chilly and mix it.
3. Add grated carrots and mix all the ingredients nicely. Add a pinch of garam masla.
4. Add salt, Add dahi/curd and mix it well. Top up with onions, carrots, coriander leaves.
5. Adding Sev / Potato chips on the top just before serving is optional.
Preparation of Sweet and Spicy Chutney.
Sweet Chutney :
Soak handful of dates, grind it with little jaggery and tamarind. Sweet chutney is ready to serve. Add a pinch of salt and mix it well just before serving.
Spicy Chutney :
Grind Green chilly, coriander leaves, little jeera/cumin seeds with required water. You can use Sonf (fennel seeds) instead of jeera. Grind it thick with required water and add water if required whenever you use it.
Add desired topping on the top of this ready channa, add dahi, chat masala and Enjoy.

Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5 

Urd Daal Kadubu

Urd Daal Kadubu is nice to have for breakfast and its also normally done during Nagara Panchami festival.

Things Needed:
Urd Daal : 2 Cups
Rice : 1 Table spoon
Green chilly : 3 to 4
Ginger : 1 inch
Ingh ( Asafoetida) : a pinch
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons ( cut into small pieces)
Curry leaves : 8 to 10 leaves
Salt : to taste
Coconut : 2 Table spoons ( fresh grated coconut)
Water : 1/4 cup

Method:
Wash and soak Urd Daal for 1 hour . Remove all the water and grind with very little water in to rava consistency adding a spoon of rice . Remove from the jar. Add salt cut green chillies , grated ginger , coriander leaves , curry leaves , ingh and coconut. Mix thoroughly .
Now apply oil to idli plates and place a spoonful of Urd mixture and steam it in a pressure cooker or Idli cooker for 8 minutes. Remove Urd Kadubu from Idli plates and serve with coconut chutney and little ghee on the top of hot kadubu.
Note : The dough should not be watery . It should be thick. You can also use banana leaves instead of Idli plates . Put a spoon full of urd dough in a banana leaf and close the ends while keeping them in a cooker. It gives better aroma...to the kadubu.
Serves: 4 to 5

HaaluBai ( Rice Coconut Halva)

Haalubai is a sweet dish normally prepared during Nagara Panchami festival in Dakshina Kannada region. The pieces of Haalubai looks like thin and may be we call it as haalu(milk)baayi.(thinner tongue). This is one of the traditional dish of South Canara.

It is prepared using raw rice, coconut, jaggery and little cardamom. Rice is soaked for 2 to 3 hours and then ground with coconut into thin paste. Jaggery is added to it. You keep this mixture on the fire and stir till it gets thicker and cooked well. Then spread on the ghee spread plate/tray and cut into your disired shape.
It is easy to prepare. Use of water should be taken care. Do not make it very watery. It takes longer time to get thicken. Let it be like dosa dough.
It can be eaten with lunch as sweet dish or in the evening as snack.
Let us see the recipe

Ingredients :

Raw Rice : 1 cup
Coconut: 3 to 4 Table spoons ( Fresh grated coconut )
Jagery : 1/2 cup
Salt: a pinch
Cardamom Seeds : 5 to 6
Ghee : 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in water for one hour. Grind rice and coconut together nicely.
2. Remove the skin of cardamom and grind it along with rice mixture.

3. Add jaggery at the end and give 2 to 3 churn.
4. Now remove the paste from the jar and pour it to a pan.

5. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Pour the ground mixture. Let the flame be medium.
6. Stir this mixture till a thick paste. Add ghee and stir until the paste starts to leave the side.

7. Stir for another 4 to 5 minutes and pour it to a ghee spread plate and spread the mixture

8. Spread it as thin layer. Cut it according to your wish. Serve them with little ghee.

Note: 

You can add 1 cup of water after you grind the dough. Use very little water while grinding  Use of more jaggery is optional. Stirring should be done continuously, so that it does not get burnt at the bottom. Use of more ghee adds to the taste. (optional).  You can disslove the jaggery with little water. Boil nicely and strain it with strainer. So that all the dirt in jaggery can be removed. Then you can add the ground rice mixture and then stir. (Some time jaggery contain unwanted dirt like small stones, thread etc). It should be boiled, filtered and used.
Time : 
Soaking rice : 3 Hours
Ginding and preparing : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 15 to 20 pieces. (According to the size).

Pakoda chilly dry curry.....(Thick Green chilly )

Pakoda chillies are little fatter than green chillies , normally used for making Mirch Pakodas.
This curry is very spicy and good to eat with chapatis and pooris and plain rice too..

Things Needed:
Pakoda Chillies : 5 to 6
Channa Powder ( Besan ) : 2 Table spoons
Salt : to taste
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon
Curry Leaves: 5 to6 leaves.
Coriander Leaves : 2 Table spoons .
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Jeera 1/2 Tea spoon
Fenugreek Seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Lemon 1/2 rind

Method:
Wash and cut Mirch chillies in to small pieces. Cut coriander leaves and curry leaves.
Keep a pan on the fire. Put oil and heat for 10 seconds. Put jeera and fenugreek seeds . Add curry leaves and ingh and The big chillies and fry nicely on slow fire for 3 to 5 minutes. Add jaggery, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and fry again . Add channa powder and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes. Let it cook nicely. Now add coriander leaves and lemon juice to it and remove the curry from the pan and serve with hot chapatis.
Note : Cut chillies in to small pieces so that it cooks faster. Cook on the slow fire so that no need to add water to it.
Serves : 2 to 3

Moong Dal - Lemon Rasam.

Lemon Rasam is spicy liquid gravy. It taste savoury aromatic and yummy. 

Lemon Rasam is done normally when you have some problem with digestion or when do not feel hungry because of fever.

Lemon Rasam can be served as soup or you can have them with plain rice. This Lemon Rasam is very easy to prepare, healthy to have and simple ingredients to use.When you are really tired, a glass of rasam refreshes you and provides and boost energy. I have added moong dal because moong dal helps the rasam to be bit thick and it provides and boost energy.
Let us see some benefits of having " Lemon " in our diet.
Lemon helps in treating fever, obesity, respiratory disorders, cholera and high blood pressure. It also helps to treat indigestion and constipation problems.  Lemon helps in strengthening our immune system, cleanse our stomach and it is a good blood purifier. Lemon contains potassium and it helps to control blood pressure, dizziness and nausea and provides calms down both mind and body. It also helps to reduce mental stress and depression. Lemon has natural antiseptic properties and good skin care qualities. It cure skin related problems. It helps to reduce the pain of sunburns and remove the wrinkles and black heads. It has a rice source of many vitamins and minerals like, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folate and minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and protein.
Let us see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Moong Dal : 2 Tablespoons
To Add : 
Lemons : 1
Green Chiily :3 to 4
Coriander Leaves : 2 Table spoons .( Cut it into small pieces).
Salt : As Required
Roasted spice powder :
Water : 2 to cups
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon (Optional)
To Season :
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/3 Teaspoon
Jeera: 1 Teaspoon
Ingh ( Asfoetida ). A pinch.
Curry leaves : 8 to 10 Leaves.
To Dry roast :
Pepper : 6 to 8 pods
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

Method :

1. Wash and cook moong dal till soft.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and add a spoon of ghee
3. Add mustard seeds and jeera. Let it splutter
4. Add curry leaves and ingh. Add cooked dal and water.
5. Add salt and turmeric powder.

6. Let it boil nicely.
7. Dry roast 1/2 Teaspoon of jeera and pepper pods. ( 5 to 6 ) and dry grind once it is cooled.

8. Add jaggery and powdered spice mixture. Mix it well and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Put off the fire and add lemon extract. ( 1 full lemon juice).

10. Shift the lemon rasam to a serving dish and add coriander leaves and serve.

Note :

Boil Moong dal nicely. So it can be smashed well. Adding more chilly is optional. Adding tamarind instead of Lemon is optional. Adding a little bit jaggery is optional. (1 Tablespoon). This Lemon Rasam can be served as soup too.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.