Dates - Nendra Bale Halva

Dates - Nendra Bale Halva is a sweet dish. It is prepared using Nendra bale and dates with some dry fruits. It is soft and delicious sweet which you really relish it with your calm mind.

I have used Dates, Nendra bale and elakki banana with raisins, a few cashews and jaggery. I have also used poppy seeds on the top and it gives a yummy taste and you really enjoy having them.
Let us see some benefits of eating Poppy Seeds in our diet.
Poppy seeds are good content of calcium and magnesium. Calcium helps our bones and teeth to be strong and it helps the nerve and muscle function well. Magnesium helps in providing energy to the body. Poppy seeds have good source of anti -inflammatory properties. It helps to treat sleep disorder/insomnia. It is a good source of dietary fiber, minerals like calcium, magnesium andiron, vitamins and omega 6 fatty acids. Poppy seeds are used in Ayurvedic medicines. It is said to be a great pain reliever. It improves immunity in our body. It helps to improve digestion and prevent kidney stones. It is also used in cosmetics.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Nendra banana /Nendra balehannu : 2
Yalakki Banana : 2
Corn flakes : 1 Bowl ( Medium sized bowl)
Jaggery : 1 Cup
Almonds : 10 to 12
Raisins : 1 Handful
Ghee : 3 to 4 Tablespoons. / Little more than 1/2 cup
Dates :  250 Grams
Chiroti Rava /Thin variety of rava : 3 Tablespoons
Poppy Seeds/ Gasagase : 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Remove the seeds from dates and remove the outer layer of bananas.

2. Dry grind almonds /cut almonds into thin slices.
3. Grind dates and bananas together and remove it from the mixi jar.

4. Dry grind cornflakes and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and add jaggery. Add an half cup of water and let it melt completely.
6. Remove it from the pan and sieve it with a siever and keep the clean jaggery aside.
7. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cleaned jaggery and ground banana -dates mixture. Add powdered corn flakes. Mix all the ingredients well.

 8. Stir nicely and let it cook on low flame. Add ghee in between and keep stirring the mixture.

 9. Slowly the mixture starts to thicken and it starts to leave the pan. Add ghee and stir nicely.
 10.  Add small size rava/semolina and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. See that rava mixes well with halva.

11. Let the flame be slow and medium. It changes its colour and starts to leave the ghee.
12. Apply little ghee on a plate /tray and keep it ready. Add raisins and powdered almonds.
 13. Put the ready Dates - Nendra Banana to the ghee greased plate and spread it evenly with a help of spoon.

 14. Let it cool completely. Add poppy seeds on the top. Press a little on the top.

 15. Cut Dates - Nendra Bale halva , according to your wish. ( Small / Big/diamond shape or a round shape.

16. Serve them once it is cooled completely.  

 Note.

Halva is soft and delicious. Adding more nuts is optional. Adding more jaggery is optional. Do not add much semolina though it helps to thicken fast, it taste differ. Adding more ghee is optional.
Time : 30 to 35 Minutes.
Serves : 25 to 30 Small sizes. 

Wheat flour Aloo Naan / Indian Bread

Naan, a type of Indian bread which is very famous and goes well with delicious curries is well known. I saw some one preparing Naan in the T. V. channal. Wanted to try some thing similar to it, but in a healthy way. So Here it comes Wheat flour Aloo Naan.

Norrmally Naan is prepared in Maida. / All purpose flour which is not a healthy to use it. So I replaced Maida with wheat flour, added boiled potatoes stuff and prepared yummy Aloo stuffed Naan.
 Wheat Flour Naan and it is cooked on tava.. ( Not on gas burner, which is bad for our health).
Potato stuff should be prepared first, so that you need not to wait to roll the naan.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

For the dough :
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Millet flour : 1/2 Cup
Baking Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Baking Soda : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curd /Yogurt : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : A little /As required
Oil : 2 Tablespoons + 2 Tablespoons
Black Sesame Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon ( Optional/To sprinkle on the top).
For Stuffing :
Potatoes : 3 ( Medium sized )
Garam Masala powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds/1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required : 1/2 Teaspoon

Method :

Aloo/Potato Stuffing
1. Wash and pressure cook 2 to 3 potatoes for 5 minutes and let it cool.
2. Peel off the outer layer and put them in a bowl.
3.Add required salt, garam masala powder, little jeera powder.
4. Wash and cut coriander leaves and cut into thin pieces. (Remove the leaves from its stick).
5. Smash them nicely and take a small portion and make like bonda (round ) shape.
6. Keep them aside.

Dough Preparation :

1. Take a big bowl and add 2 cups of wheat flour, 1/2 cup of millet/jola/jowar/Sorghum flour.
2. Add a teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda/cooking soda to the flour.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of curd/yogurt and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Mix all the ingredients.

4. Prepare the chapati/naan dough. Add water only if required. The dough should be soft.
5. Allow the dough to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Now kneed the dough nicely and divide them into small portion.
7. Take a small portion of the dough and stuff aloo mixture and cover it from all sides.

8. Roll them on dry flour and roll it as chapati. It should done slowly without putting weight on it.
9. Keep a chapati tava/pan on the fire and heat. Wet your hand and press is it slightly on the rolled naan.
10. Take out the rolled naan slowly and place the wet side on the tava. Sprinkle a few sesame seeds
and coriander leaves on the top and press it slightly. So that it sticks to the Naan.
on the top.

11. Cook on both sides with low and medium flame.

 12.Wheat flour Aloo Naan is ready to serve..
13. Apply butter on the top and serve with a cup of curd pickle or any curry of your choice.

 14. Repeat the same and prepare the rest of naans.
Note :
The dough should be very soft. Adding millet flour makes the dough soft. Do not add more millet flour. You may not be able to roll them. Adding oil on the top of naan while cooking is optional. I have not added. I added butter on the top of Naan while serving. Cook on low and medium flame.
So that it does not get burnt. No need to rest the dough for a long time. Baking powder and baking soda turns the dough very soft.
You can cook this naan on the gas just after heating the naan on the tava you need to pace it on gas burner and cook. These days it is said cooking food on the gas burner is not a healthy option. So I decided to cook this Wheat flour Aloo Naan on the tava. (Both the sides).
Time : 40 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.
Indian Rotis.

Roasted Chenna - Avalakki Chakkuli

ಚಕ್ಕುಲಿ/ ಚಕ್ಲಿ ಚಕ್ಕುಲಿ/Chakkuli is a famous fried crispy and crunchy munching snack. 

There are many ways to prepare this Chakkuli/Chakli. I have tried and tasted varieties of chakkuli.
Here is one more way that you can prepare yummy, crispy chakkuli and you can enjoy then at any time of the day.
All you need is fine variety of rice flour, avalakki/thick variety of poha, roasted chenna and little butter. Red chilly powder, sesame seeds, jeera / cumin seeds and salt.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Rice Flour : 3 Cups
Avalakki/Thick Variety of Poha : 1 Cup
Roasted Chenna/Huri Kadale /Putaani : 3/4 Cup.
Salt : As required
Sesame seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 2 Cups ( To Fry chakkuli ).
Chakli Mould .

 

Method : 

1. Clean sesame seeds and keep it aside. ( I have used black sesame seeds).
2. Clean and powder avalakki in a dry mixi jar. ( It should be fine powder).
3. Powder roasted chenna and keep it aside.

4. Take a big bowl and put rice powder, ground avalakki, ground roasted chenna, butter, rice flour, salt, sesame seeds, red chilly powder and mix it nicely.
5. Add water ( little by little) and mix all the ingredients nicely and prepare chakkuli dough.

6. Keep a frying pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, let it get hot. ( On medium flame).
7. Divide the chakkuli dough into small portions.
8. Wash chakli mould and fill in small portion of the dough and roll the top portion of the mould.

9. Squeeze out chakli dough in hot oil and fry on both sides till they turn slightly golden brown.

 10. Remove the done chakkuli and put it on a kitchen tissue, so that extra oil will be absorbed by the tissue.

11. Prepare chakkuli with remaining dough.

12. Let it cool. Put them in a air tight box and serve/eat.

  Note :

The chakli dough should be soft, you need to kneed the dough nicely. It should not be watery. ( It might absorb more oil). Adding chilly powder is optional. Adding white sesame seeds is optional. Do not add more butter. The dough will turn very soft and it will be curdled in oil while frying.
Time : 40 Minutes.
Serves : 2 Medium sized bottles.