Arka Millet / Kodo Millet Mango Rice )

Siri Dhanya - Millets are known for their wonderful healthy qualities. Millets are gluten free and take care of our health. Arka or Haraka /Kodo Millet is one the millet family grain and used in our food dishes. I have prepared Haraka Mango Rice and it taste yummy.

Kodo millet is known as Varagu in Tamil, Arkalu in Telugu, ಅರ್ಕ / ಹರಕ in Kannada 

Let us see some benefits of eating Arka/ Harka Millet in our diet.

Millet grains are good to have because they are rich in nutrients, B - Vitamins and Calcium, iron, protein, zinc, magnesium. They are rich source of essential fats in our body. They contain high level of protein and dietary fiber. 

Millet helps to protect our heart, prevent diabetes, improve the digestive system. Eating millet helps to detoxify the body and improve our respiratory health. They also boost the immune system and gives energy and helps in nerve and muscle health.

Let us see the recipe now 

No Onion OR No Garlic is used in this Arka / Kodo Millet Mango Rice.

All you need is raw mango, green chilly, Arka millet and seasoning spices. 

Ingredients :

Arka /Kodo Millet : 2 Cups

Grated Mango /Any raw mango : 1 Small Cup (  3 to 4 Tablespoons).

Green chilly : 3 to 4 

Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 or little more 

Salt : To taste 

Coconut Oil/Ghee  : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method : 

1.Clean Arka millet and wash. Pressure cook and keep it aside.

2. Wash and grate mango and keep it aside.

3. Wash and slit green chilly, cut coriander leaves and curry leaves.

4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil. Put mustard seeds and urid dal.

6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves. 

7.  Add grated mago and fry for 2 minutes. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it well.

8. Add cooked Arka millet and mix it nicely. ( Let the flame be very low).

9. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and mix all the ingredients. 

10. Add grated coconut and mix it slowly. Shift the ready Arka Millet Mango Rice to a serving dish.

11. Add cut coriander leaves.

12. Serve with a cup of curd.

Note :

The proportion of water to cook Arka :  1 cup Arka : 2 Cups of water.
Use of onion or garlic is purely option. Use of any kind of cooking oil is optional. Adding Ghee to Arka Mango Rice adds to the taste. Use of more/less chilly is optional. Cooking Arka helps you to mix with mango mixture nicely. It should be cooled after cooking
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Banana - Wheat - Rava - Gulkand Cake

Banana - Wheat - Rava Gulkand Cake is the special cake prepared for my dear hubby's Birthday. We had planned for family lunch get-together.

The cake has come out very nicely with excellent flavour of home made healthy Gulkand, soft and fluffy. No egg is used here and it is very simple.
It is always a pleasure to prepare some special dish for people who are near to your heart.
I have used wheat flour ( Ashirvaad ), chiroti rava /thin variety of semolina, banana, gulkand which is done using organic jaggery, normally jaggery, curd, milk, cooking soda and baking powder.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Wheat flour : 1 1/2 Cup
Chiroti Rava / Thin variety of semolina : 1/2 Cup
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Well ripe banana : 1 ( Small  Elakki banana).
Baking soda : 1/4 Teaspoon ( Two pinches)
Baking powder : 1 Teaspoon
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Gulkand : 2 Teaspoons ( Optional)
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Sieve wheat flour, chiroti rava, salt,baking powder and cooking soda. ( 2 to 3 times.)

 2. Put curd, milk, butter and jaggery, banana to a mixi jar . Grind it nicely till it starts to get small bubbles. /Use egg beater and mix all the ingredients nicely.
3. Add two tablespoons of gulkand/any essence of your choice. Grind for another 2 minutes.

4. Remove from the mixi jar to a big bowl.

5. Add sieved wheat, rava, baking powder, salt and cooking soda.
6. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Move your hand on one direction while mixing the batter.

7. Heat the oven for 5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle some wheat flour in the baking tray.
9. Put ready cake mixture to the tray and tap the tray. Let the cake batter spread it equally.

10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes with 180 degree celsius.

11. Take out the cake and keep it on the oven for 5 minutes.

12. Cut and serve or decorate once it is cooled.

Note :

Egg is not used in this Banana - Wheat  - Rava - Gulkand Cake. Use of jaggery and the rest of the ingredients are healthy ingredients.  You can use sugar instead of jaggey. Use of curd has turned the cake very soft and fluffy. Use less cooking soda. I have topped dates and they look like as if they have burnt. No they haven't burnt. Brown and black baked dates taste awesome. I do not like topping the cake with sugar and butter. So I left it as it is. Instead of butter you can use ghee or normal cooking oil. But butter taste the best. Add only very little butter. It gives nice aroma and is healthy too. You can use egg beater or any other modern equipment to mix, instead of grinding. I like it because you will not have that energy. I have added some dates on the top. (Optional).
Time : 40 Minutes. ( All included , sieving, mixing, grinding and baking.
Serves : 8 to 10.
Some pictures of family gathering .  Birthday Boy Mr. Jayarama Somayaji and His family ..

COLOCASIA STEM CURRY .( ಕೆಸುವಿನ ದಂಟಿನ ಹುಳಿ ).

ಕೆಸುವಿನ ಎಲೆ / Colocasia leaves grow nicely during the rainy days. These leaves are used for Patrode, and chutney, dry curry or even spicy dosas, The stem of the leaf is also so good to use in cooking. We do prepare chutney, saasive  (Curry using mustard seeds) and curry. Here is one such curry which is very traditional and healthy to have at any time of the day.

I have used colocasia stems, some spices and coconut.
Let us see the benefits of Colocasia stems.
Colocasia stems are rich with numerous health benefits. It  can help, treat and prevent different types of diseases. It is good for reducing high blood pressure, controls blood sugar levels, protect the skin and good for digestion and improve the vision. It helps in preventing heart diseases, boost our immune system and strengthen our muscles and nerves.
They contain good amount of dietary fiber and good for constipation, excess gas and over all health of our body. These colocasia leaves are from our native Udupi. I used the leaves for patrode and these stems for curry. Colocasia leaves, stems are good to use during rainy season because they grow nicely with rainy water, they are fresh. They also helps to keep our body warm.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :These

To Cook :
Colocasia Stems : 1 Big bowl
Tamarind Pulp : 1 small bowl. (Big marble size tamarind).
Jaggery :  Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
To Fry  spices :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Red byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Jeera/cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A little
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
To grind :
Fried spices
Grated fresh coconut : 1 Small cup
To Add : 
Ground masala
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves
Mustard seeds seasoning

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of the stem (hard part around the stem).

2. Now cut the stem into small pieces.

3. Soak a big marble size of tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp.
4. Grate/ cut coconut and keep it aside.

5. Put pieces of colocasia stems in a pressure cooker, add tamarind pulp, required salt.
6. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and a tablespoon of jaggery. Cook all these for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat.
8. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil, methi seeds and fry till golden brown. Add urid dal and fry till it turns golden brown.

9. Add coriander seeds and fry for 20 seconds. Add byadagi chilli and fry little.
10. Put off the fire and add Jeera/cumin seeds, curry leaves and ingh. Let it cool.

11. Grind coconut and fried spices with required water. Remove from the mixi jar to a bowl.
12. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked colocasia stems. Let it boil. Add salt if required .
13. Add ground coconut and fried spices mixture. Mix it well and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

14. Shift Colocasia Stem Curry to a serving dish.

15. Prepare mustard  seeds, ingh, curry leaves seasoning with coconut oil. Add this seasoning to a serving dish. Serve Colocasia Stem curry with the main dish.

Note : 

You should use right amount of tamarind while cooking stems or it may start itching the tongue while eating the curry. Adding more jaggery is optional. Adding any sambar /Rasam powder to the curry instead of fresh fried spices. Use of fresh fried spices adds to the taste.
Time : 25 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4.