Wheat flour Sweet Guli Appa

Wheat sweet guliappa/Gundpongalu/small puffed dosas/ sweet paddu/ kuli appam what ever you call, it is one of the yummy sweet dish. Perfect for breakfast, as evening snack and even for kids snack box.

Healthy and yummy Guli appas are flavoured with ghee and banana, the aroma of jaggery spreads around and you are tempted to have some I bet.
I have used wheat flour, organic jaggery, two yalakki bananas and a pinch of salt and cooking soda.
Let us see some benefits of eating jaggery in our diet.
Jaggery has the ability to cleanse our body. It act as a digestive agent and sweeten our food in a healthy way. It provides minerals like iron, and mineral salts. It helps for good digestion and good for people who suffer from constipation. Jaggery provides energy to the body.
Sweet Guli Appa is nice to have as breakfast/snack .  

Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Coconut : Grated : 1/2 Cup
Banana :Ripen : 2
Salt : A pinch
Cooking Soda : A pinch
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom : 2 to 3 Pods.
Ghee/Cooking oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Guli Appa/paddu/Gunduponglu : mould pan

Method :

1. Remove the skin of bananas and put it in a bowl. Add jaggery and smash it in hand nicely.
2. Take a big bowl and add wheat flour, smashed banana jaggery mixture, salt and soda.
    Remove the pods from cardamom, powder and add it to the wheat flour.

3. Add milk and mix  it well. Add required water and prepare dough. (Dosa dough consistency).

4. Leave it for 5 minutes.

5. Keep Guli appa pan on the fire. Heat and put little oil/ghee to each mould.
6. Put a tablespoon of prepared wheat -banana dough and put little oil/ghee on the top.

7. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the cover and turn the other side of guli appa.
8. Put little oil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and serve with little ghee on the top.

9. Repeat the same with remaining dough.

Note :

Do not make the dough watery. Add required water. Adding milk is optional. (It adds to the taste).
Adding ghee instead of oil is optional. Any type of wheat flour is optional. (No need to be branded one, use the milled flour). Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding grated coconut is optional. You can add coconut pieces which gives a good taste while eating.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.

Field Beans - Pigeon Peas Vegetable Saagu (Curry)

Field Beans/Avarekai (Kannada word) and pigeon peas are still available in the market. So hurry up and prepare as many dishes as you can by using Avarekai. It the best choice to use the seasonal legumes, vegetables and fruits.

I have prepared Vegetable Saagu (curry) with these Pigeon peas. (Togari Kalu) and Avarekai (Field Beans) and some vegetables.
Saagu is one of the best dish to have and it is always loaded with vegetables. Poori Saagu, Rava Idli -Saagu, Capati -Saagu and Set dosa - Saagu are the yummy combinations which go hand in hand.
Let us know some benefits of having "Ginger" in our diet.
Ginger is one of the healthiest spice. It is loaded with medicinal properties and powerful benefits for our body and brain. Ginger helps to decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases. Ginger is good for easy digestion. Ginger is good for common cold, gastrointestinal irritations and in cold season. It helps to keep the body warm. Ginger is good for inflammation and pain reduction during the menstrual time for ladies. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ginger may lower the bad cholesterol and helps to improve the good cholesterol levels. Ginger is good for treating infections in our respiratory system.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onions OR No Garlic is added in this "Field Beans -Pigeon Peas Vegetable Saagu. (Curry)".

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Field Beans : 1 Cup
Pigeon Peas : 1 Cup
Chayote  Squash /Chow Chow/ Seeme Badane Kai : 1
Carrots : 2
Spices to Grind :
Fresh Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Roasted Chenna/Huri Kadale/Pottu Kadale : ! Tablespoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Ginger : 1 Teaspoon . (Grated)
Coriander seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Green Chilly : 3 to 4
Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander leaves : 1 handful (2 to 3 tablespoons).
To Add :
Cumin/jeera seasoning ( 1/2 Teaspoon jeera).
Ground spice mixture
Kasoori Methi (Raw Dried Fenugrik Leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Butter : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch

Method :

1. Remove the pods from Avarekai and Pigeon Peas and wash the pods.
2. Wash and remove chayote squash, carrots and remove the outer layer and cut it in to small pieces.
3. Cook Avarekai, pigeon peas and the vegetables til they turn soft.
    ( Pressure cook for 3 to 4 minutes).

4. Wash green chilly, coriander leaves and grate coconut. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
5. Soak a small marble size tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp after 5 minutes.

6. Grind grated coconut, jeera, coriander seeds, green chilly, roasted chenna, pepper pods, grated ginger, tamarind pulp and coriander leaves with little water.

7. Keep a big pan on the fire and put oil and jeera. Let jeera turn slightly brown.
    Add cooked  vegetables, salt and turmeric powder.

8. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add ground coconut - spice mixture.

9. Add water if required and boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
10.Add dried methi/fenugrik leaves. (Kasoori methi).

11. Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add  a tablespoon of butter and mix it well and serve.

12. Serve with chapatis or any other main dish you have prepared. We had " Field Beans - Pigeon Pes Vegetable Saagu " with Chapatis.

Note :

Do not over cook the veggies. Do not add much spices. Adding roasted chenna helps the curry to be thick and adds to the taste. Adding red chilly is optional. Adding onions and garlic to the curry is optional. Adding more/less chilly is optional. You can use fresh Peas/Whole Green Grams or any other legumes instead of Pigeon peas
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5.

Ridge Gourd Peel Green Chilly Chutney

Ridge gourd green chilly chutney is spicy chutney. Ridge gourd is used in varieties of curries and the outer layer can be used for chutney/dip. It tasty yummy with plain rice, dosa, idli and any type of rotis.

I have used Ridge gourd pieces and its peel, green chilly and coconut.
This is one of the traditional dish done whenever we use ridge gourd. Ridge gourd peel also has the same healthy properties that the gourd contain.
Please remember to wash Ridge gourd nicely if you are buying from the market. Wash it nicely and then soak in salt water for at least 30 minutes and then wash it again before using it. It helps the
chemicals to wash off, which is used while growing Ridge gourd.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onions or No Garlic is used in this " Ridge Gourd Peel Green Chilly Chutney ".

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Ridge gourd pieces and its peel : 1 Bowl
Tamarind : 1 small marble size
Coriander seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ingh/Asafoetida : a little
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
To Grind :
Coconut ( Fresh) : 1 Cup
Cooked Ridge gourd mixture
Water : Required
Seasoning :
Mustard Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash Ridge Gourd nicely and scrape out the edges of it.
2.Wash it again and remove the peel of ridge gourd.
3. Put it in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of water.
4. Wash and add tamarind. (Remove the seed if any ).
5. Add 1/4 Teaspoon of coriander seeds, salt and turmeric powder.
6. Pressure cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Let it cool.

7. Grate coconut and grind it with cooked ridge gourd mixture. Add water if required.
8. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a serving dish.

9. Keep a pan and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and ingh. Let mustard splutter.

10. Add curry leaves and add the seasoning to Ridge Gourd Chutney and njoy...

Note : 

No need to fry the peel. You can directly cook in a big pan instead of pressure cooking.
Adding more chilly is optional. Better check the hotness of the chilly before using.
Adding red chilly to the seasoning is optional. Take care while grinding. Use water if require. Cooked Ridge gourd contain water. Watery chutney do not taste good.  You can use ridge gourd also (I have used some pieces).
Time : 20 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Whole Moong (Black Moong) Kachori

Kachori is a famous snack from Rajastan and other part of North India. It is as famous as Samosas everywhere.  It is loaded with dals/legumes and herbs.
I have tried this Kachori with Wheat flour,  Whole Moong (black moong) and some spices from the kitchen shelf.

Black whole moong is one variety of moong that is grown especially in our Southern part of Karnataka. It is said that this black moong  helps to cool the body and keeps you healthy.
Normally we prepare " Moong Oggarane" (Usali/Kannada). Moong Oggarane means seasoning the boiled moong with mustard seeds, red chilly and then add jaggery, salt and coconut to it. The moong which is seasoned is nice to have as snack. It is also called as "Sundal" in Tamil.
We had this seasoned whole moong just like dry curry as side dish for lunch. I have added very little jaggery so the sweetness did not dominate the curry.
I have used the same " Whole black Moong" for the Kachori for filling and used roasted wheat flour for the outer layer. One has to deep fry with low flame to get the crisp in the Kachori.
I have used black whole moong, coconut and seasoned with mustard seeds, urid dal, red chilly and curry leaves.
You can use Whole Moong instead of black moong.
No Onions or No Garlic is used in this Kachori.

Things Needed :

Seasoned Black whole moong/Green Moong/  : 1 Cup
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Salt : As required
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Oil : One cup (To fry).

Method :

1. Dry roast wheat flour for 2 to 3 minutes on low flame and let it cool.
2. Take a big bowl and add roasted wheat flour, jeera and chilly powder. Add ghee and salt. Mix it nicely.
3. Add required water and make thick chapati dough. Divide the dough into small portion.

4. Smash the seasoned whole moong and keep it ready for using.

5. Take a small portion of the dough and prepare small chapati.
6. Place a tablespoon of the whole moong in the middle of the chapati and bring all the sided together.

7. Fold the edges together nicely and just flatten it slightly.

8. Keep a small frying pan on the fire and heat. Once the oil is hot drop the ready kachori in hot oil.
9. Fry on both sides of the kachori. (Let the flame be low and medium).

10. Remove from oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

11. Repeat the same with remaining dough and moong stuffing.

12. Serve Hot Kachoris with any chutney/ketchup/Sour and Sweet chutney.

Note :

You can add little garam masala to the whole moong and mix it well. It adds to the taste. You can use  Maida/All purpose flour instead of wheat flour. (Wheat flour is healthier). Roasting wheat helps the kachori to be crispy. .
Time : 30 Minutes. (If cooked whole moong is ready). 
Serves : 4 to 5 

You can also serve Seasoned Moong/Usli/Sundal as Snack. 

Preparation of Usli/Sundal/ Moong Seasoning :
Soak a cup of whole moong for 4 to 5 hours and then cook for 4 to 5 minutes (In pressure cooker)
Let it cool. Season this cooked and cooled moong with mustard seeds, urid dal, red chilly, ingh and curry leaves. Add coconut and coriander leaves and them mix it well.
Your Stuffing will be ready