Little Millet Pongal. (Saame Huggi)

Sankranthi is for this year is over. But still we do prepare ponal/huggi very often. Here is a recipe of Sweet Ponal/Chakkara Pongal which is prepared using Little Millet and Moong Dal.

I have used Moong dal, little millet, jaggery and ghee.
Eating jaggery and ghee is good for this cold season. Ghee helps us to get the moisture to the skin that is necessary. Jaggery helps the body to keep warm and energetic. Moong dal provides the carbohydrates that we need to do the daily chores.
Let us see some benefits of eating jaggery in our diet.
Jaggery provide good amounts of minerals and vitamins. It helps to cleanse our body. Helps digest the food easily. Jaggery provides energy to the body since it has carbohydrates. Jaggery is good for cough and cold. It is a rich source of iron.
Let us see the recipe:

Things Needed :

Little Millet : 1 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup (Powdered)
Cardamom : 2 to 3 Pods
Cashew and raisins : 2 Tablespoons
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Turmeric powder : Very Little (A pinch)
Water :1 1/2 to 2 Cups.

Method :

1. Clean and wash Moong dal and Little millet.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put a teaspoon of ghee and fry raisins.
3. Add washed moong and fry nicely for a minute. (On medium flame).
4. Add a glass of water and let it cook for a minute. Add washed little millet and cook till it turn soft.
Add more water if required.

5. Powder jaggery and cardamom. Keep it aside. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

6. Add powdered jaggery once the little millet is cooked.
7. Add turmeric powder and 2 tablespoons of ghee and stir slowly. Let it mix well and cook.

8. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.
9. Let jaggery melt and mixes with pongal nicely. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and powdered cardamom.

10. Mix the pongal well and let it cook for a minute. Shift the pongal to a serving dish.
11. Fry cashews with 2 Teaspoons of ghee and pour it on the pongal. Add coconut and mix it nicely.

12. Serve " Little Millet Pongal " along with other dishes, have it as a desert, or as you like.

Note : 

You should cook Little millet till it is soft. Frying moong dal helps the pongal to get aroma and it taste better. Add required water and cook well. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding coconut to pongal is optional. I did not use pressure cooker because the content gets smashed which does not taste good.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5.

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.

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 .

Curry Leaves Chutney - Spicy Rice

Curry Leaves Spicy Rice/Curry leaves Chitranna is a Rice dish and we can have them for breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Curry Leaves Chutney is used here with green mango gratings and mixed with cooked raw rice.
Lets see some benefits of having "Curry Leaves" in our diet.
Curry leaves adds natural flavour to our food. It helps the food to be healthy and tasty because it contain various good properties which is good for our health. They do have many anti oxidant properties. They help to control diarrhea. They are good for indigestion. They are good for diabetes and balancing cholesterol level. They are rich in carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, copper and Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B and Vitamin E.
In Ayurvedic medicine, curry leaves are believed to be having medicinal properties. It is considered and used as anti diabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and roots are used for body aches.
Curry Leaves Chutney is prepared by Prema Sundareshan is one of our closest friend, who lives in Kalpakam. I should mention her here because she is the one who inspired me to get interest in cooking. She does so many dishes within short time. We were all together in Nigeria and now Mr. Sundaresh and Prema Sundaresh are settled in Kalpakam with their Son Dr. Shrinivasa (who is a scientist) and Bhuvana (Dr. Shrinivasan's wife).
When we visited them in Kalpakam, Premakka prepared this chutney for me. This chutney goes well with curd rice or with hot rice and ghee.
Recipe for Curry Leaves Chutney :
Curry leaves chutney is done in this way. Wash fresh curry leaves and dry it in shade. Let it dry completely. Dry roast them till they turn crispy. Dry roast a tablespoon of Urid dal and channa dal. Dry roast a teaspoon of methi and powder it separately. Take some tamarind and soak in water. Keep a pan on the fire. Add a teaspoon of any cooking oil. Squeeze out the pulp from tamarind and add to the oil in the pan. . Let it boil. Add salt, turmeric powder and ingh. Boil the content for 3 to 4 minutes. Add powdered curry leaves and mix it well. Add powdered dals. Mix it well. Add required chilly powder and keep stirring. Add methi powder at last, mix the content nicely. Take it out from the fire. Let it cool. Store this content in a glass bottle. Better keep in a Refrigerator.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed : 

Curry Leaves Chutney : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Cooked Rice : 2 Cups
Raw Mango Gratings : 2 Tablespoons
Capsicum : 2
Fresh Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ground Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Red chilly : 2 (Byadagi variety)
Salt : As required
Ingh : A pinch

Method : 

!. Wash and cook rice and keep it ready.
2. Wash and cut capsicum and keep. Grate coconut.
3. Wash and grate raw mango ( any variety of your choice).
4. Now keep a pan on the and add oil. Heat and put mustard seeds, cut red chilly and urid dal.
5. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh. Fry for a second.
6. Add cut capsicum and fry till they turn soft.

7. Add grated mango and fry nicely. Add little salt, turmeric powder and mix it well.

8. Add "Curry Leaves Chutney " and mix it nicely. Put off the fire.

 9. Add little salt and grated coconut and mix it well.
10. Now add cooked rice and mix it with capsicum and other ingredients.

11. Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix it nicely.
12.Shift to a serving dish and add fried groundnuts and serve.

Note : 

Preparing Curry Leaves Chutney in small quantity helps to retain the aroma. (Optional). Adding Sesame oil as cooking oil adds to the taste. (Just a teaspoon will do). Adding any variety of raw mango gratings is optional. Adding ghee helps to enhance the taste.
Time : 20 Minutes. + Cooking Rice (20 Minutes).
Serves : 4 to 5 

Methi Aloo Dry Curry

Methi Aloo curry is a simple dish that can be done in a few minutes. It is a side dish and goes well with almost all the main dishes like, plain rice, chapatis, rotis, dosas, poori etc.
I have used methi/fenugrik leaves, potatoes and some spices.

Let us see some benefits of eating " Jeera/Cumin Seeds" in our diet. 
We South Indians never used the jeera in every thing like North Indians. But it has become a habit that when you season you automatically put some jeera to the seasoning and feel happy. The fried jeera aroma spreads all the corner and refreshes you, makes you hungry. I think you all agree with me for the above words. Jeera /Cumin seed has an important role in Indian cooking. It helps to digest the food easily, adds aroma to the food and adds the taste too. Lets see some benefits of eating jeera in our diet.
Cumin seeds helps to easy digest, improve immunity and treats piles. It is good for asthma, common cold and anemia. It is good for lactation, helps the body to keep the body cool and boils. It helps to boost overall health. Cumin seeds helps to relief stomach aches. Cumin seeds contain dietary fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. It contain magnesium, iron, calcium, copper and sodium. It has Vitamin E which is very good for skin care and helps to prevent premature aging symptoms. It also helps in keeping the skin young and glowing. It contain Vitamin A and Vitamin B6.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Potatoes : 2 (Medium size)
Methi/Fenugrik leaves : 1 Bundle
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Green chilly : 1
Rasam Powder/Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Oil :2 Tablespoon
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon (Optional).

Method : 

1. Wash and cut potatoes into small. Wash and slit green chilly.
2. Wash and cut methi leaves, curry leaves and coriander leaves into small
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and put mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add jeera, green chilly and fry for a second. Add curry leaves and cut potatoes. Add turmeric powder.

5. Fry nicely and let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes.(Stir in between).

6. Add methi leaves and mix it.
7. Add 1/2 cup of water and let it cook on low flame. It should be soft. Let all the moisture disappear.

8. Add salt, rasam powder and garam masala powder.
9. Mix it slowly and add remaining oil and mix it slowly. Shift the ready curry to a serving dish.

10. Add cut coriander leaves and serve.

Note : 

Removing the potato skin helps the potato to cook faster. (Cooking potato with skin is always healthy). Adding more oil is optional. It adds to the taste. Adding spice of your choice is optional. Adding more water is optional. (Taste differ). Garam masala, chat masala or any other masala powder can be used. I Have used MTR Garam masala powder and Rasam powder. 
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .