Jaggery - Wheat Halva

Jaggery - Wheat Halva is a sweet and healthy dish. It is good for any age group and any time of the day.

I have used jaggery, wheat flour, cardamom and ghee.
Let us see the recipe
Jaggery  - 1 Cup
Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Cardamom - 6 to 8 pods.
Water - 1 Cup
Haladi or Saffron  : a pinch.
Ghee : 1/2 cup (or little more.)

Method :
1. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of ghee and raisins and cashews.

2. Fry them nicely and add wheat flour and fry them nicely.

3. Keep water for boiling.
4. Fry wheat till it gets the nice aroma. (Raw smell should disappear). Add boiling water slowly and mix the fried wheat flour nicely.

5. Add jaggery to the flour and stir. It should be mixed well and get thickens.
6.Add ghee in between and stir it starts leaving the pan. The ghee starts to leave the halva.

7. Add the remaining ghee and stir. Apply ghee on a tray/plate and keep it aside.
8. shift the ready halva to a tray or plate. Leave it for a while till the halva cools down.

9. Cut them in to short pieces and serve.

Note  : The whole process should be done on low flame so that it does not get sticky or ball kind of paste. You can use more ghee if you wish .You can fry Cashew nuts in ghee instead of roasting. It will be tasty. Wheat flour must be roasted well.
5 to 6 servings.
20 Minutes. 

Aloo - Carrot and Oats Cutlets.

Aloo , Carrot and Oats  Cutlets are  nice to eat as snack...in the evening.


Things Needed  :
Potatoes : 2 to 4 ( Medium sized ).
Carrots : 4 to 6 ( Small ones).
Beetroot : 1 ( Medium size).
Oats : 1 cup
Bread crumbs : 1/2 cup
Green chilly : 2
Garam Masala : 1 Tea spoon
Jeera: 1/2 Tea spoon
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon ( grated)
Coriander leaves: 2 to 3 Table spoon. ( cut into very small).
Salt : to taste.
Oil : 1/2 cup

Method: Boil Potatoes and remove the skin and smash it nicely and keep it aside. Grate beetroot and carrots and cut green chillies and coriander leaves in to small pieces.  Roast Oats for 5 minutes on low flame and keep it aside.
Now keep a pan on the  fire and Put 2 tea spoons of oil and heat. Put jeera ( cumin seeds)  and ginger and fry for 10 seconds.  Add grated carrots, beetroot and green chilly. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes let all the water disappear .  Now add smashed potatoes and oats.  Add  garam masala  and salt to this mixture and stir thoroughly.   Add cut coriander leaves and leave it for few minutes. Prepare small balls of the Potato mixture and keep it aside.
Now keep a frying pan on the fire Sprinkle oil  around the pan.  Take a ball of  Potato - Oats mixture and flatten on the palm or give a shape according to your wish. Roll it on bread crumbs both sides and fry on low flame until its brown.  Use a spoon of oil for both sides and  shallow fry these cutlets one by one...Serve Hot Cutlets with  green chutney or tomato ketch up...
Note : You can add two slice of bread to this mixture.  Remove all the sides of the bread and add it to the potato mixture and   mix well.  Can add more chillies if you like spicy....Can add boiled Pea to this mixture. ( Fresh peas can be boiled nicely and smashed to add it to the mixture).
10 cutlets can be prepared. ( Medium size).

Pathrode Uppittu....

Pathrode Uppittu is prepared with cooked Pathrodes..... can have them for break fast or as snack in the evening too...
( For Pathrode recipe glance at  Kesu Pathrode Recipe).
Things needed :
Cut Pathrodes  : 3 to 4 cups .
Jaggery : 2 Table spoons
Fresh Coconut : 3 to 4 Table spoons.
Red chillies : 2 to 3
Çurry  leaves : 6 to 8
Oil: 2 Table spoons.
Mustard : 1 Tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1 Tea spoon

Method : Cut or make small pieces of  cooked Pathrodes ( 5 to 6 cooked Pathrodes) and keep it aside.
Now keep a big pan on the fire and put oil and heat for 10 seconds. Add mustard seeds and urd daal to it. Let it spurt.  Add curry leaves and mix thoroughly and put pathrode pieces to the mustard mixture and mix well.  Add jaggery and mix again until it mixes well.  Now add  grated coconut and put off the fire. Serve plateful of Pathrode uppittu when its hot.
Note : Using jaggery is an option.  Can use more coconut if you like coconut.
Serves : 3 to 4

Pathrode Gasi ( Patrode with Gravy).

Pathrode is a very famous dish in Dakshina Kannada. Patra means leaves ode means some spicy bite. Patrode is prepared using colocasia/Kesu leaves. These leaves are very healthy and helps to take care of the body temperature during rainy season and winter. The leaves grow nicely during rainy season and varieties of dishes prepared using this leaves. Patrode, patrode seasoned, tava patrode (kallu patrode), fried patrode and curry patrode ( Gasi ). Patrode is prepared and dipped in the coconut gravy and cooked as curry and eaten. This spicy dish is very yummy to eat and this fills the stomach.It is normally done for lunch or as snack or even for dinner. Patode can be done using Palak /Spinach leaves too. (They will turn little more soft).
Gasi means thick. Patrode gasi is eaten as they are cooked in the thick gravy. This is one of the traditional dish from Udupi, Mangalore and Malnad.

No Onion or Garlic added in this recipe. 

Things Needed :

Cooked Pathrodes - 2 to 3 cups ( 4 to 6  Cooked pathrodes should be cut in to small pieces).
Oil : 2 Tea spoon (Coconut oil)
Coconut : 4 To 6 Table spoons.( Fresh and grated).
Coriander Seeds : 3 Tea spoons
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Red Chillies : 5 to 6
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Table spoons ( Soak Tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp).
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves _ 6 to 8 leaves
Asafotodia or Ingh : a pinch
Salt : to taste.

Method :

1. Cut cooked patrode in to pieces and keep it aside.

2. Grate coconut and grind it with tamarind, coriander seeds, jeera and 3 to 4 red chilly.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and put coconut oil. Heat and put mustard seeds, urdi dal. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh.
 Add ground coconut spice mixture. Add required water make it little liquidy. (like gravy).

4. Add required salt, turmeric powder and let the gravy cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add cut patrode pieces and mix it well. Let the curry cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Shift it to the serving dish.

Add coriander leaves and serve.

Note : 

You can  also use roast spices and then grind it along with coconut. The taste differ.   ( Roast 1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds and add coriander seeds chillies  and roast nicely. Add jeera at the end and grind this mixture along with coconut).  See that methi seeds do not get burnt while roasting . Roast on low flame. Using coconut oil is optional. You can use any kind of edible oil. Adding jaggery to the gasi is optional.
Time : 10 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Patrode Preparation

Things needed :

Kesu /Colocasia leaves : 8 to 10.
Coconut : 1/2 cup
Toor dal :1/2 cup
Raw rice : 2 cups
Red chilly 6 to 8
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind : a small lemon size
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : to taste

Method :

Wash all the leaves and remove the stem behind the leaves and keep it aside. Soak rice , urid dal, toor dal. methi seeds for 2 hours and grind them with coconut, daniya seeds, jeera, red chilly and tamarind.
Add jeggary, salt and grind at the end and remove from the mixi jar. Add salt and mix it well.
Just spread one leaf and spread the dough on it nicely. Add one more leaf on the top of the first one and spread the dough. Repeat the same on one more leaf.  (not more than 4 leaves ).
Fold the sided to the center and roll them like chapati roll.
Arrange them on a plate and steam cook in Idly cooker or pressure cooker for 25 to 30 minutes.
Prick it a knife edge to know that is cooked well. Patrode is done if the dough does not stick to the knife edge.
Patrode is ready to serve.

Beet Root Milk Shake...

Beet Root is good for increasing Hemoglobin in blood.  You can have this drink any time of the day.

Ingredients:
Beet Root :  1 ( Medium size)
Sugar : 2 Table spoons
Milk : 1/2 Litre
Cardamom : 2 to 3 Pods.
Almonds : 4 to 6
Water : 1 Cup.
Method :
Wash Beetroot  and remove the skin and cut it in to small pieces.  Pressure cook beetroot pieces for 8 to 10 minutes.   Leave it for cooling.  Boil Milk and leave it for cooling. Remove cardamom skin and keep the seeds  aside.  Soak Almonds in hot water for 3 to 5 minutes and remove the skin  and keep the Almond Pods aside.
Now Put boiled  Beet Root and cardamom seeds and Almond pods in a mixi jar. Add 1/2 cup of water and grind till paste.  Add 1 cup of milk  and sugar to it and grind again for 1 minutes. Remove the mixture and put it in a big bowl.  Add remaining milk  and  water (if needed)  and mix thoroughly and serve Beet Root Milk Shake in a glass.  ( You can also keep this milk shake in  Fridge for 1 hour and then serve cool  Beet Root Milk  Shake.
Note :  Can Add  More Beet Roots ...It gives a thick texture .   Can Add more milk too. Do not put Ice cubes  .....while serving ...since it changed the taste.    Can use Honey instead of  sugar.     Add honey while grinding Beet Roots.     Beet Root Milk shake looks pink like Rose milk......No need to add any other flavour since  it does not go well with Beet Root.  
Serves :  3 to 4   

Kesu Pathrode ...

Pathrode is one of the traditional dish from Dakshina Kannada/South Canara. Kesu/Colocassia leaves grow nicely during the rainy season and these leaves are used for Patrode.
Pouring Rain from the sky makes the weather so chill. The whole atmosphere turns cool and the moisture in the weather brings the cold wind. In this season  the spicy patrode helps the people to keep the body warm.
The ingredients used for patrode is mainly the raw rice, little urid dal and methi. People do use little bit of toor dal which helps patrode to be bit hard. Or it turns soft when it is piping hot.

I have used raw rice, urid dal, toor dal, a teaspoon of methi/fenugrik seeds with tamarind and other spices.
There are two varieties of Kesu Leaves. One is purely green which is purely green and the other one is slightly brown and the stem is little blackish. The blackish leaves are better to use and do not itch much and it is said that they are more healthy.
Pathrode can be eaten as breakfast and evening snackwith tea or coffee too...Patra Means leaves ..Vada means  Vadaas....Its tasty and   spicy....

Lets see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Kesuvina yele ( Kesu Leaves) : 10 to 15
Raw Rice : 3 Cups
Red Chillies : 8 to10
Coconut : 1/2 Coconut : Fresh and grated.
Coriander Seeds: 3  Tablespoons
Jeera Powder/jeera : 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric powder: a  pinch
Tamarind :  A big lemon size
Jaggery : 5 to 6 Tablespoons
Salt : to taste.
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 Teapoon.
Urd Daal: 1/3 of the cup. (3 Tablespoons)
Ingh ( Asafotoda) : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and soak Dosa rice , Fenugreek Seeds and Urd Daal for 3 hours.
2. Soak  Tamarind in water. ( 2 lemon size will do ). Soak jaggery with little water. (It turns soft and easy to grind). Or you can powder jaggery and keep it aside. (No need to soak in water).

3. Grate coconut and  Add  coriander seeds,  jeera, ingh, Red chillies  and Turmeric powder and grind it to the paste consistency with very little water. (Grinding spices first help the things churn nicely).

4. Drain water from the soaked rice and grind with coconut mixture until paste. Add required water. The dough should be thick.
5. Add Jaggery and salt at the end and grind for few minutes so that they mix well with rice paste. Remove from the jar and keep it in a bowl .

6.Take washed and cleaned Kesu leaves and remove the thick part from ( behind ) the leaves.
7.Keep a leaf flat. The back part should be for up.

8. Take a handful of ground dough and spread it evenly on the leaf. Keep another leaf on the first leaf. Again take a handful of dough and spread. At least 3 to 4 leaves should be one above the other.  (Use the bigger leaves at down and choose smaller ones to the top).

9. Now roll the edges in and roll the leaves round and tight.  Repeat the same and arrange these rolls on a plate.
10. Keep idli cooker on the fire. Put some water in. Keep its plate and arrange rolled patrode rolls nicely.

11.It should be cooked for 30 to 40 minutes. Prick a stick or knife edge to know patrode is done. (It should not stick to the pricked stick).

12. If using pressure cooker put some water at the bottom. Keep an bowl upside down and then keep a plate and arrange the rolls.
13. Do not use weight.
14. Serve with butter/coconut oil/ghee and jaggery. .

 Note : 

Do not add lots of water while grinding ...since the rice paste should be thick and you should be able to apply this on the top of the Kesu leaves. ( Little thicker than idli paste).
Use of tamarind should be proper or you might get itchy feeling while eating.
Use of jaggery more/less is optional.
Use of spices should be proper. or It does not taste good.
Use of toor dal is optional. Its one;s choice to use. Without adding toor dal also the patrode taste soft and good.
Preparation time :  40 Minutes for cooking. + Soaking rice, dals and methi - 3 to 4 hours + grinding - 20 to 25 minutes in grinding machine. 10 to 15 minutes in Mixi Jar. (Best to use grinder ). 
Serves : 5 to 6.

You can prepare  Patrode Upma, Vada, Kallu Patrode, Gasi Patrode from the same patrode which is already cooked. .

Cashew Burfi…

Cashew Burfi /Kaaju Katri is one of the favourite sweet of all the kids and almost all age group people. It is soft, melts in the mouth and you can just enjoy munching it.

Here is a simple and yummy Kaju burfi which can be prepared easily with out much hastle and very important is not much of ghee either. Ideal sweet for kids school snack box and it provides energy to kids.
I have used cashews, milk powder, sugar.
Lets see the recipe now:

Things needed :

Cashew Nuts : 1 cups
Milk :1/4 Cup
Sugar : 1
Ghee : 1 Tablespoons

 Method :

1.Roast Cashew Nuts a little ( until warm ) . Let it cool. Dry grind it and keep it aside.
2. Keep a pan on the fire and put sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let it melt. Let it be on low flame.
3. Dry grind cashews in to powder form.

4. Mix the sugar nicely with milk. Mix it well. Let it boil and get bubbles.

5. Stir nicely and let it get one string consistency.

6. Add powdered cashews and mix it well.
7. Keep stirring. Let it be on low flame.

8. Stir continuously till it starts to leaves the pan.
9. Add a tablespoon (full) of ghee and mix it nicely.

10. Stir for another 1 to 2 minutes and shift the content to a ghee spread plate

11. Let it cool completely. Cut only when it cools down completely.

12. Cut the burfi according to your wish and serve whenever you wish to.

Note : 

This Burfi  should be done on the low flame. Cashews are loaded with energy and it is good for kids. You can also add little almonds along with cashews. Adding more ghee adds to the taste. (I have not added).  Cut the burfi when it is completely cools down. (You get real good shape once it completely cools down).
Time : 10 to 15 Minutes
Serves : 15 Pieces (or according to the shape and size).