Khadi Pakoda

Khadi Pakoda is a special dish of Punjab, Gujarath and Rajastan. Here I have tried this Yummy curry with my style.

Khadi means curry made of butter milk and besan and pakodas are with simply besan and coriander leaves and spices. Onion Pakodas are also dipped in Khadi and enjoyed it thoroughly with Hot Rice, Palau or Rotis. 

I have seen one of our friend from Delhi who is an expert cook and ideal home maker. Mrs. Gupta done most of the dishes with yummy taste and with out onions. They belong to Baniyas group and have loads of customs and traditions. We knew them from Nigeria and they too shifted to Dubai like us. Mr. Gupta was a Maths lecturer and Mrs. Gupta a beautiful home maker. I have eaten Khadi Pakoda many times in their house. I was just watching her making Khadi Pakoda. I was not that interested because I never liked curd or butter milk those days.

I just thought of that now and tried this recipe. Luckily I had some butter milk which I got from the process of making butter. 

Not much of spices added here and it is very mild. First prepare the Khadi and then prepare pakodas and dip them in the khadi for at least 10 minutes and then serve with the main dish of your choice.

Lets see the recipe Now: Always make it simple when you cook. It helps you to enjoy your cooking.

No Garlic or No Onion is added in this Khadi Pakoda. 

1. Khadi Preparation :

Things Needed :

Butter Milk : 1 Bowl (At least 2 to 3 cups of butter milk)

Besan/Kadale Hittu/Channa flour : 1 teaspoon full

Salt : As required 

Red chilly : 2

Green chilly : 2 

Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch

Turmeric powder : a little

Ginger : An inch 

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Great it and keep it aside.

2. Wash coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilly and slit green chilly. 

3. Take a bowl and add a spoon of besan. Add 1/4 cup of water and mix it well. Keep it aside.

4. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Put oil, jeera and let it fry for 10 seconds.

5. Add red chilly and slit green chilly. Fry a little and add curry leaves and ingh.

6. Add buttermilk/majjige and mix it nicely. Add required salt. Add ginger. 

7. Add the besan (which is already mixed and kept) and mix it nicely. 

8. Keep stirring so that it does not get burnt at the bottom. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

9. Let it be on low flame for 2 more minutes. Stir in between.

10. Shift the ready Khadi to a serving bowl. 

Pakodas :

Things Needed :

Bottle Gourd : 1/2 of  1 Bottel Gourd 

Bean/Channa flour : 3 to 4 Tablespoons 

Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon

Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Salt : As required 

Oil to Fry : 1 Small Cup

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of bottle gourd/sorekai and grate it.

2. Put bottle gourd gratings in a big bowl.

3. Add besan, chilly powder, jeera, salt and cut coriander leaves.

4. Mix it nicely and prepare the dough. Do not add any water. Bottle gourd helps the flour to bind nicely.

5. Keep a frying pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Let it be hot. (Medium flame).

6. Now take a small portion of dough and leave the dough little by little in oil. 

7. Let it fry on both sides. ( Turn the other side and cook till they turn golden brown).

8. Remove the pakodas and put them on a kitchen tissue. 

9. Repeat the same and prepare all pakodas. 

10. Put the fried pakodas in ready khadi and leave it for 10 minutes and then serve. Add little coriander leaves before serving. 

Note : 

Adding any spice is optional. (Even for Khadi). You can add a clove and cinnamon piece. Adding onions or garlic is optional. (I have not added). Do not add water to pakoda dough. The batter turns loose and absorb more oil. You can use onions instead of bottle gourd gratings. (Optional). You can add more/less chilly according to your taste. You can dilute curd and make butter milk if you do not have butter milk. (Add 1 to 1 1/2 cup of water to 1 cup of curd and churn in the mixi for 2 minutes. Your butter milk is ready to use. Adding garam masala/chat masala to the curry and pakoda is optional. (I have not added).

Time : 40 Minutes 

Serves : 4 to 5 

Nendra Bale - Walnuts Halva

Nendra Bale is one variety of banana mostly eaten in Southa Canara and Kerala. I have prepared Halva using Nendra bale/Banana.  This variety of banana is full of carbohydrates and healthy properties. Halva prepared using this banana tastes excellent and keeps you hog the halva again and again.
I have used Walnuts, cashew nuts, jaggery and Nendra bale. I have used jaggery instead of Sugar which is a healthy concept.

Lets see some benefits of eating Walnuts in our diet.
Walnuts originated in the Mediterraneat regin and Cental Asia. They have been part of the human diet for thousands of years. They are rich in Omega 3 fats
Walnuts are rich in Omega 3 fats and high in antioxidants. Eating walnuts everyday may improve brain health. They are rich in copper, Phosporus, Manganese Folic acid which is also known as Vitamin B 9, Vitamin B 6 and Vitamin E. They help to lower the bad cholesterol and reduce the inflammation. They also help in functioning of the blood vessels well.
Let us see the recipe now.

Things Needed :

Nendra Bale (Nendra Bananas) : 2
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Walnuts : 6 to 8 pieces
Cardamom : 3 to 4 Pods
Chenna/Hurikadale : 1/2 Cup
Milk Powder : 2 Tablespoons (Optional)
Ghee : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Powder or cut walnuts into small pieces. Powder hurikadale/Chenna with cardamom pods.

2. Steam cook nendra bale and let it be soft (3 to 4 minutes). Remove the outer layer once it is cooled.

3. Now mix cooked nendra bale, jaggery and keep it on low flame. (Powder jaggery before mixing with fruit).

4. Keep stirring until it mixes well. Now add ground chenna/hurikadale and mix it well.
5. Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix it. Add milk powder and mix it well. Add powdered or cut nuts.

6. Keep stirring till it leaves the pan. Stir nicely for another 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Apply ghee to a plate/ tray.

8. Stir once again and put it to a ghee applied plate. Make it evenly by using a chapati roller. Let it cool. Spread some cut cashew nuts on the top. 

9. Cut Nendra Banana Halva once it is cooled. Cut it according to your wish.

10. Serve or store in a airtight bottle or container.

Note :

You can grind banana as they are and then mix it with jaggery. Steaming helps the banana to be thicken quickly. No need to use more ghee. Adding little more jaggery is optional. Adding milk powder is also optional. Adding chenna/hurikadale/pottu kadale helps to give a good binding to halva.
Time : 4o to 50 Minutes
Serves : 20 to 30 pieces (According to the size). 

Dry Jamoon

Happy Yugadi Each and Every One. This April 8 is Chandramana Yugadi (According to lunar Calendar ) and each one will have their own way of celebrating it. Try this Dry Jamoon for the festival and enjoy.
Dry Jamoon is a sweet dish and a perfect desert at any time of the day. You just eat one and then you feel like having one more. That is what happened to me. Dry jamoon recipe which was shown in one of the T. V. Show inspired me to prepare this sweet dish. I am sure that you also will surely give a try and enjoy. Njoy this Yugadi with Dry Jamoons.

Let us know about Yugadi festival and its importance.
It is said that Shree Krishna left this world on this day (End of Dwapara Yuga) and Kali Kala (Kala is year) started from this day.
Yugadi/Ugadi is here. Yugadi means starting of new year. Yuga : Year...Aadi : starting. We have a beautiful song like,
Yuga Yugaadi Kaledaru Yuga Yugaadi Barutide .
Hosa Varushake  hosa harushava hosedu hosedu tarutide...
That does means the new year comes again and again and it is loaded with Joy and Happiness.

According to Hidndu Panchangam The New Year starts on Yugadi/Ugadi Day. We have two types of Panchangams. One Panchanga is done according to Chandra's  (Lunar Calendar)(Moon) movements and the other one is done according to Soorya/ Sun's movements. People of Karnataka (A part of Karnataka), Andra Pradesh and most of the places in North India celebrate Chaandramaana Yugadi.
It is called in different names like, In Maharastra it is known as Gudi Padwa ( in Marati ). The Marwari of Rajastan celebrate Yugadi, the same day as their new year and they call it Thapa. In Sindh, Sindhis celebrate it as Cheti Chand, beginning of their new calendar year. The Manipuris call it as Sajibu Nongma Panba. (New Year Day). The Hindus of Bali and Indonesia also celebrate their new year on the same day as Nyepi.
In Karnataka and other parts of South India people prepare the prasadam with Jaggery and Neem flowers mix.  This is called Bevu (Neem) Bella ( Jaggery - Sweet ). After Special Pooja every one will eat this special prasada. Bevu -Bella is a symbol of difficult and happy days in the life.
I just read about special pachadi done on Yugadi Day and liked it too.

Special Pachadi Recipe for Yugadi/Ugadi Day.
These are the ingredients used in preparing the Special Pachadi. Each ingredient is related with one guna (nature) and eating this symbolizes that One should face the world with courage and lead a good life. (That is the message it spreads).
Ingredients to prepare Special Pachadi.
Neem buds/flowers for its bitterness, signify sadness.
Jaggery for sweetness, signify happiness.
Green chilly/Pepper for its hot taste, signify anger.
Salt for saltiness, signify fear.
Tamarind juice for its sourness, signify disgust.
Unripened Mango for its Tang, signify surprise.
After knowing the significance of this pachadi I am surely prepare this along with other dishes.
One more importance of this Yugadi Day is " Panchanga Shravana " in temples. The head priest read and convey the phalaphala ( That year's happenings (Good and Bad ) according to the panchanga. Many people are really curious to know about their future too.
Lets celebrate and enjoy and pray God that keep all of us in good health and take care.

" SARVE JANA SUKHINO BHAVANTUH ".

Now coming back to the dish I feel this is something you can prepare and keep it. It taste better next day. It can be served with breakfast/lunch.
In the original recipe they have added sugar powder in the dough also.  But I don't think so that is needed. They have used paneer, kova, curd, sugar powder so and so on. Ghee was used for frying jamoons. I have set my self with minimum ingredients and of course no to adding sugar powder to the dough. I used oil to fry the jamoons.
I have used, home made paneer, bread, a little curd and milk powder. Fresh copra (dried coconut) is used here.Copra from our Birthi mane Brahmavara and sugar. (to prepare sugar syrup).
Lets see the recipe Now.

Ingredients :

For dough
Paneer : 2 Tablespoons (1/2 litre milk)
Bread pieces ( Used brown bread) : 2 to 3 pieces.
Milk Powder : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Curd : 1 Tablespoon
For stuffing :
Cashew pieces : 8 to 10
Candy sugar : 8 to 10
Cardamom seeds : 3 to 4 pods.
For the syrup
Sugar : 1/2 Cup or less than 1/2 Cup
Water : 1/4 Cup
Cardamom powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
For coating 
Dry coconut/Copra / Desiccated coconut : 1/2 Cup ( 1/2 Copra).
Remaining Sugar syrup
To Fry :
Oil/Ghee : 1 Cup (I have used oil )

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and put bread and powder it by hand. Add paneer, milk powder and curd.

2. Mix it nicely. Divide the dough into small marble or little bigger than marble size.

3. Keep cashew pieces, candy sugar and cardamom seeds in a tray or plate.
4. Powder 2 pods of cardamom and keep it aside. Grate dry coconut and keep it aside.
5. Keep a bowl on the fire and put sugar and 1/3 of water and let it boil . Mix it in between so that sugar melts nicely and quickly.

6. Let the sugar syrup gets into one string consistency. Keep on low flame.

7. Now take a small size of divided dough and flatten a bit. Keep a piece of cashew, a sugar candy and a cardamom seed.
8. Bring all the sides to middle and form a small ball again.
9. Repeat the same and prepare cashew , sugar candy stuffed balls.
10. Arrange these balls in a tray/plate.
11. Keep oil on the fire, let it heat. (Low flame).

12. Fry jamoons on low flame till they turn golden brown. (You can fry 4 jamoons at a time).

13. Put this fried jamoons in ready sugar syrup and just turn them to get the sweet content on their outer layer. Let it be in sugar syrup for 3 to 4 minutes.

14. Now remove the jamoon to a plate.
15. Pour the remaining content of sugar syrup to the coconut gratings. Mix it nicely.
16. Roll the fried and sugar syrup dipped jamoons on dry coconut mixture slowly turn them around.

17. Arrange the Dry  Jamoons in a tray.
18. It is bit crispy when they are just made. Taste better on next day.

Note :

Do not use fowl coconut gratings. It might smell bad. Do not add more curd, you may not be able to form thick balls. Do not add any ghee or oil while preparing the dough. Do not add more water while preparing the sugar syrup. It takes longer time to be string consistency. Adding more sugar is optional. Keeping a small sugar candy helps amoon to get good taste. 

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes (Including sugar syrup). 
15 Dry Jamoons can be prepared

Linking this to : Yugadi Special :  Jayashree Trao - http://www.evergreendishes.com/