Nendra Baale -Wheat Halva

Nendra Bale - Wheat Halva is a sweet dish and it can be served or eaten as desert. Nendra bale -wheat Halva is always easy to prepare and it is one of the yummy dish to have.

I have used jaggery instead of sugar. Jaggery helps to add iron to our body. It boost energy and contain little carbohydrates
Nendra Baale -Wheat Halva is the perfect sweet for any Celebration. Fresh and Healthy sweets are more enjoyable and helps to be fit too.
Deepavali is celebrated for 4 to 5 days. First day Neeru tumbuva habba, the name it self reveals that neeru means water, tumbu means fill. So the first day eve is celebrated by performig pooja to water and fill the big Hande (the one which water is boiled) will be the done and Hande (big Pot) is decorated with rangoli. Next day early moring water is boiled and people get ready for oil bath. that is called Enne Snana. (Oil bath). After the bath the elder of the home is perform pooja and pray well ness of the whole family and all the members of the family gather in the pooja room. They take the ashirvad (blessings) of the elders, pooja and nevaidya (samarpane) is done. Early morning boiling water is a big process. Oil is put up to everyone's head and each one will bath and freshen them selves, wear new clothes. After the pooja is done and then Upahar. ( Morning breakfast) which is normally dosa and panchakajjaya. which is already made naivedaiyam to Lord.
Let us see the recipe now :
Wheat flour : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 1 Cup. (Grated)
Nendra Banana : 1
Cardamom  : 4 to 5 pods
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Cashew  and Almonds  : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Poppy Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Water : 1 Cup.

Method :
1. Dry roast wheat nicely till the raw smell goes off. Keep water for boiling.
2. Cut nendra banana into small pieces and keep it aside.

3. Grate or powder jaggery and keep it aside. Cut Almonds into small pieces and keep it aside.
4. Now keep a big pan on the fire and put roasted wheat flour. Add boiling water and mix it well.

5.Add powdered jaggery and mix it nicely. Add a spoon of ghee and stir nicely.

6. Add cut banana and mix it well. Stir till the halva leaves the pan and it turns as one whole.
7. Add cut almonds and mix it well. Fry cashews in a teaspoon of ghee and keep it aside.

8. Powder cardamom and greese the tray or plate. Fry cashews in a spoon of ghee.

9. Add little more ghee and mix the halva nicely. Add cashew and poppy seeds and mix it again.

10. Shift the ready Nendra Baale - Wheat halva to a ghee spread plate/tray.

 11. You can cut it into small pieces once it cools down.
12. You can also serve this halva when it is hot. Put a spoon of halva and  put a spoon of ghee and serve.

Note :
Adding ghee on the top of hot halva (when it is hot) adds to the taste.
Adding more ghee helps the halva to be more rich and tasty.
Needs to cook on  low and medium flame.
You can also add roasted cashews. (optional). Dry roasting /frying in ghee is optional. (Cashews). I have fried cashews in ghee. Added almonds as they are. (Did not fry or roast).
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves :  20 to 25 pieces.

Horlicks MysorePaak

Happy Deepavali to You all. Horlicks Mysore Paak is the special sweet prepared for this Deepavali. You get Holicks burfi (Sweet made of Horlicks), is available in the market and I have eaten the sweet

It is nice, ghee aromatic and just melts in the mouth. It taste very nice and I wanted to try it any way. Some months back Anupama Hegde (one of the friend from Paka Shale) had put up the pic and written the recipe too. So It gave me an idea and I tried it here. I have adjusted the ingredients according to my taste.
This is one of the recipe that should be very careful and must do it on low flame.
Let us see the recipe Now
Besan /Channa flour : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1. 5 Cup (1 and 1/2 Cup)
Sugar : 2 Cups
Milk Powder : 2 Tablespoons Full
Horlicks : 1 Cup

Method :
1. Roast besan nicely with a tablespoon of ghee. Shift it to a tray.

2. Put sugar and add 1/3 cup of water. Mix it well and stir. Let it melt.

3. It starts bubbling after a while. Stir continuously. Let all the sugar melt nicely.

4. Add roasted besan/channa flour when it turns into a thread consistency. (One string consistency).
5. Keep mixing and add 1/4 cup of ghee and stir.
6, Stirring should be done continuously. Add ghee in between.

7. Mysorepaak slowly changes its colour to slightly. Leave for a second and stir.
8. The content starts coming up. Add milk powder and stir.
9. Add horlicks and stir and mix it well.

10. Add the remaining ghee and mix it well and shift the content to ghee spread tray.
11. Just press it evenly with a spatula or a spoon.
12. Cut it according to your wish when it slightly cools down.

Note :
You should do the whole process on a low flame. You can dry roast instead of frying the besan flour at first. Melt the ghee just before using. The content starts to leave out the ghee you put. That indicates Mysorepaak is ready. One should be very careful or it turns as chocolate. (Hard). You can use your choice of horlicks. (I used plain horlicks). It is better to cut it once it is slightly cooled.
Time : 25 to 30 Minutes.
Serves : According to your wish. (25 to 30 Pieces can be made).
 Do watch the video for complete recipe.

Crunchy Kodubale (Fritters)

Kodubale/fried crunchy fritters are the best to have with Deepavali sweets.Though Deepavali is known as festival of lights it is also loaded with varieties of sweets and crunchy spicy fritters.
Here is an easy way of preparing " Kodubale " one of Karnataka special munch.

There are different ways of preparing kodubale. I have prepared kodubale using roasted channa (Hurikadale), steamed maida and rice flour  and the spices.
Here I have used Rice flour, maida (all purpose flour ) and medium size rava. 
As I said it is an easy recipe and any one can try and enjoy any time of the day. Kodubale goes well with cup of coffee/tea/fresh juice.
Lets see the recipe now.

Ingredients :

Fine Rice flour : 1 Cup
Maida (All Purpose flour) : 1/2 Cup
Rava/Semolina (Medium size) : 1/2 Cup
Chilly powder : 2 Teaspoons
Sesame seeds/Thill/Ellu : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Butter : 1 Tablespoon
Dry coconut/Kopra/Kobbari : 1 Tablespoon (Optional)
Oil : To Fry (1 Cup)

Method :

1. Put rice flour, Maida and rava in a big bowl.

2. Add chilly powder, salt, sesame seeds and jeera.
3. Add butter and mix all the ingredients nicely.

4. Dry grind coconut and add it to the flour mixture.
5. Mix it well and add water. (little by little) and prepare the thick dough.
6. One needs to kneed the dough well or kodubale might break while preparing.

7. Now divide the dough in to small portion.
8. Take each small portion and roll it with your finger like a big thread.
9. Join the two ends and press a little slightly and arrange them in a plate.

10. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Let it get hot.
11. Fry kodubale on low and medium flame on both sides.

12.Remove from the pan and put it on a kitchen tissue. So that it absorbs extra oil.
13. Repeat the same with remaining dough. At time you can fry 4 to 5 kodubales

14. Let the kodubale cool. Put them in a airtight box or bottle and serve as you wish.
15. Serve with cup of coffee or tea.

Note :

You should be careful while preparing the dough. Do not make the dough too soft or watery. Kodubale might turn soft and it may absorb more oil. Adding spices more/less is optional. No need to add more butter. Adding hot oil instead of butter is optional. Adding coconut to the mixture is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes
20 to 25 Kodubale can be prepared. (According to the size).

Dry fruits -Rock Candy Laddu

Dry Fruits laddu with Rocky Candy is a healthy dish and can be munched on any time of the day.
I have used dried figs dried and fresh dates, little almonds and cashews

Deepavali is here and its nice to prepare some sweets which can be distributed to friends and relatives. Lets think of our health and turn the sweet which we prepare to be less of sugar. Let the       love fill with sweetness. So here is one such try. As I say always Dry fruits -Rock Candy Laddu is an easy dish and anybody can try it. Nothing to roast or fry. Almost no fire dish is this Laddu.
Lets see the benefits of Using Rock Candy in our diet.
Rock candy is loaded with healthy benefits and it is widely used in sweet preparations. It is used as mouth freshener. It is unrefined form of sugar and considered as healthy. It is good remedy for running nose (cold) and sore throat. Rock candy is widely used as refreshing drink. It helps to relax our body and mind. It provides energy.
Lets see the recipe Now : These laddus are healthy to have and good for kids.

Things Needed: 

Dried Figs : 10
Dried Dates : 10
Fresh Dates : 10 to 15
Almonds : 10 to 15
Rock Candy (Kallu Sakkare) : 3 to 4 Pieces.
Cashew pieces : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Remove the seeds from figs and dates.

2. Dry grind all the dry fruits except cashew pieces.

3. Now put all dry ground powder in a big bowl.
4. Add cashew pieces and mix it nicely.

5. Divide the mixture into small quantity.
6. Now take a small portion and prepare laddu  (round shape)

7. Healthy Laddus are ready to serve or eat.

Note :

No need to add any ghee or butter while preparing laddu. Fresh laddus helps to prepare the laddu easily. Roasting or frying nuts are optional. (I have not roasted or nor fried the nuts). You can add any dry nuts of your choice. Adding more Rock candy is optional. I have added only 3 to 4 small pieces.
Time : 20 Minutes.
15 Laddus can be prepared . (Small size).