Capsicum - Awalakki (Beaten Rice) Pongal (Kichidi)

Kichidi is normally, rice cooked with Moong or Toor dal  and with some spices, Kichidi fills the stomach and it is a healthy dish. We can prepare Kichidi in many ways. For example rice+ moongdal and spices, broken wheat and Moong Dal or the whole moong together, Medium sized Semolina (Rava) and Moong dal together ...etc.

Kichidi can be eaten for breakfast, Lunch , Brunch ( breakfast + Lunch ) , or even dinner.
I have used Awalakki (Beaten Rice)  instead of rice. Moong dal, Awalakki and some spices are used to cook Kichidi. Capsicum is fried and mixed with kichidi to make the kichidi more tasty.

I have not used any garlic or onion in this recipe and you can have this food on special days and even when you are sick too. It is one of the healthy and comfortable food.

As I said before you can prepare " CAPSICUM -AWALAKKI KICHIDI"  for breakfast , lunch or dinner and it is good to pack for your and kids lunch box.

Here is a recipe which is easy and all you need is Awalakki and Moongdal + Capsicum. I am sure that each and every one will surely love it. 

Things Needed :

Moong Dal : 1 Cup
Awalakki : 2  cups (Thick Variety)
Green chilly : 4
Ginger : an inch
Jeera (cumin seeds) : 1 Tea spoon
Pepper pods : 6 to 8
Cashew Nuts : Full fist (one handful)
Ghee : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Oil : 1 Table spoon
Capsicum :  1 to 2
Salt : To taste
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10
Asafoetida : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : a little (1/4 Tea spoon)

READY TO SERVE CAPSICUM -AWALAKKI  PONGAL

Method :

1. Wash and cook moong dal in a pressure cooker. Leave it for cooling.

2. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves and grate ginger. Wash and cut capsicum in to small.

3. Wash Awalakki (Beaten Rice) drain all the water from it.

 4. Put Beaten rice and cooked moong dal in a big pan or pressure cooker. Mix it well.

5.Add cut chilly, grated ginger and sufficient water. Add salt and mix it well.
6.Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix it nicely.
7.Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 Table spoon of oil and put cashew nuts and fry. Remove them when they turn slightly brown.
8. Add jeera, pepper pods and fry them for 1 minute. Add ingh, curry leaves.

 9. Add cut capsicum and fry them for 2 minutes. Add this fried mixture to cooked Moongdal - Awalakki Pongal.

10. Add cut coriander leaves and  ghee and mix it well.
11. Shift it to the serving bowl

 12. Serve with  a cup of curd and Papad.

 Note:

You can use little more water and use it as kichidi or prepare the thick pongal . (Use less water and see  that extra water is drained).
You can also add coconut along with the fried capsicum.
You can also use onions and garlic  if you are in favour of onions and garlic.Fry them along with capsicum and add it to the pongal.
You can also add some vegetables like tomatoes, carrots and beans.(Optional).
Do not fry capsicum in the ghee. Using oil for frying is a healthy way. Adding more ghee is also optional. ( You can use more ghee to make the dish more tasty)
Time : 25 minutes.
Servings : 4 to 5

Date Nuts Unde (Laddu)

Date Nuts Unde is nothing but dates and nuts Laddu. Date nuts Unde is prepared without extra sugar, coconut or even ghee. It is a healthy laddu and you can enjoy eating Date nuts laddu at any time of the day. Date nuts is full of Nutrition.

Eating handful of nuts in the morning make us strong and healthy is a known fact and most of the people do practice this habit. Children definitely do not like eating almonds. I have seen people go behind their kids to feed. So the thought came up of preparing laddus and here they are.

I have used Dates, Figs, Almonds, Cashew Nuts and Poppy seeds. As i said earlier I have not used sugar or jaggery or any other sweetness.Laddu gets  sweetness from Dates and Figs. No ghee is added. The nuts are not roasted. It is easy and healthy and anyone can munch this Date nuts laddu any time of the day.

Let s see some benefits of  eating Nuts and Dates.

Nuts are a part of healthy diet. They offer key essential nutrients and play a role in disease prevention by keeping us healthy as we grow old. Nuts are full of minerals, vitamins and fiber rich. They contain healthy fat.

Almonds are rich in calcium and contain bone building mineral. Almonds are also high in Vitamin E, a nutrient which helps to improve the condition and appearance of skin. Almond skin is full of heart protecting compounds called flavonoids.

Cashew nuts contain a good level of protein and useful source of minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium.

Dates are cholesterol free and contain very l ow fat. They are rich in Vitamins and minerals. They are rich source of protein and dietary fiber. Dates helps to improve the digestive system. They contain soluble and insoluble fibers. They are great energy boosters. They are rich in potassium and Iron.

Figs(Anjeer) helps to reduce the cholesterol. They help to prevent the high blood pressure and heart attacks. Figs helps to cure diabetics. Figs are rich in calcium and it is an excellent alternative for the therapeutic treatment for people who are allergic to dairy products.

Here is a recipe of Date nuts Unde and eating one laddu in the morning will definitely keeps you fit. I am sure Date nuts laddu will be liked by all.age group and every one in the home.

Things Needed :

Dates  : 1 Pack (500 Gr Lion dates)
Dry Figs : 25o Gm (1/2 of 500 grams)
Almonds : 1 Big bowl (250 grams)
Cashew Nuts : 1 Small bowl (100 grams)
Poppy Seeds : 50 Grams. ( 2 Table spoons)

Method :

1. Remove seeds from Dates and cut it into small pieces.
2. Cut figs also in to small pieces.

3. Now dry grind dates and figs till they turn into smallest pieces.

4. Put these powdered dates and figs in a big bowl.
5. Now dry grind 1/2 bowl of almonds into powder and put it in the dates mixture bowl.

5. Dry grind remaining almonds into bits. (just churn the mixi slightly for 2 minutes)

6. Put coarsely ground almonds in the mixture bowl.

7. Cut cashew nuts into small pieces by hand.

 8. Add poppy seeds and mix all the ingredients nicely.

9. You need to kneed the mixture very well. The whole mixture needs to be soft.

10. Take a handful of datenuts mixture and prepare ball size unde(Laddu).

11. Prepare laddus with the remaining mixture.

12. Serve these laddus as snack or pack it in kids lunch box( for munching).

Note :

If you find the mixture is bit dry, make use of more dates, dry grind and add it to the nuts mixture and prepare laddu.
This laddu has only natural sweets from dates. Either coconut or ghee is used. I have not roasted or fried dates or nuts.
You always turn your laddu as you want. The options are make use of sugar or jaggery or kally sakkare ..if you want more sweet. You can also use dry coconut.(Copra). You can use ghee. Mix ghee with the nuts mixture and then prepare laddus.
Time : 30 minutes
25 to 30 laddus can be prepared.

Raw Banana Dry Cuury + Paratha...

Raw bananna can be cooked into varieties of dishes. It is one of the most used vegetable in South India. From banana chips to curries like Sambar, dry curry . banana fry, Banana Curd Curry (Majjege Huli or Moru Kolambu, Chutney from its skin, Kootu, the list of dishes go on. I do myself use these Raw bananas very often. It is not only to easy to cook raw banana, it is full of nutrients.

Raw banana dry curry is a side dish and we can have them with plain rice or and masala rices, chapatis, rotis, pooris and dosas.

Let see some health benefits of Raw Banana.

The green banana is good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. They contain a starch that many help to control blood sugar, manage weight and lower blood cholesterol levels.

Here is a recipe of "Raw Banana Dry Curry" and as I said earlier we can have them this dish with chapatis, rice, pooris or even with dosas. One more way of using this  curry is to prepare "Parathas". Yemmy Parathas can be prepared with it. I am sure each and every one will love to have and enjoy. This curry is with out onions and garlic and we can have them even on special days or during fasting time. It is easy and simple to prepare.

Things  needed:

Raw Bananas : 2
Green chilly : 2
Jeera : 1/2 Spoon
Methi Seeds :1/4 Spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 spoon
Curry Leaves :  5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Salt : to taste
Oil : 2 Table spoons.
Coconut : 3 to 4 Table spoons.
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Lemon juice : 1 Table spoon

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer skin of raw bananas, cut into pieces and soak in normal water till you cook them.
2. Wash and cut coriander leaves, green chilly and keep it aside.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Now keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put oil. Put mustard seeds and methi seeds.
5. Let the mustard seeds spurt. Add jeera and cut green chilly and fry. Add curry leaves.

 6. Put cut banana pieces and fry on low flame. Stir in between. 

7. Put turmeric powder and mix it slowly.
8. Put 2 to 3 table spoons of water and cook on low flame till the water dries.
9. Now add salt and mix it well. Leave it for 10 seconds.
10. Add lemon juice, cut coriander leaves and coconut. Put off the gas.

11. Stir it slowly and shift the ready banana curry to a serving bowl.

12. Serve with any main dish you prepared.

Note

You must cook on l ow flame. Adding more water will turn the bananas in to very smooth it may become too soft and you may not be able to get the pieces. Adding coconut is optional. You can use red chilly powder or garam masala instead of green chilly.  You should soak cut banana pieces or they may turn black.
Time  : 20 Minutes
Serving : 4 to 6

RAW BANANA PARATHAS

Things Needed:

Raw banana dry curry : 1 Bowl.
Garam Masala: 1 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1 Table spoon
Salt : required
Coriander leaves : 3 to 4 Table spooons.
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Oil : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Water : required

Method : 

1. Put banana dry palya in a bowl, add garam masala, coriander leaves and salt. Smash the pieces using a palm or a spoon.

2. Put wheat flour, salt and oil in a big bowl. Mix the flour nicely and add water little by little and prepare chapati dough. Leave it for 10 Minutes.
3. Now divide the dough in to small portions and roll into small balls.

4. Divide the wheat flour dough also into small portion and keep it aside.
5. Take one portion of chapati dough and flatten on your palm.
 6. Place a ball size Banana dry curry mixture inside and cover the whole and make ball.

7. Roll them on the dry flour and flatten on the rolling pin like chapati. (Do it slowly).

8. Keep a pan on the fire. Sprinkle oil on the tava and cook Raw Banana Parata on both sides.

9. Repeat the same with the remaining dough and prepare Parathas.

 10. Serve Hot Raw Banana Parathas with a cup of curd and a curry you prepared.

Time : 30 minutes
Servings : 2 to 3

Note : Do not prepare the dough too hard. (Chapati consistency). Adding more or less chilly powder to the dry curry is optional. Using more oil also is optional.

Simple Banana Cake

Baking a cake without eggs is the excellent idea for me. 

I have gone through many recipes, browsed many blogs and I did try and baked the cake very recently. Thinking of Easter I thought of trying to go for baking once again and yeppy the cake came out very well and we the whole family liked it very much. Last time it was with oil and this time it is with butter more richer and better taste.

It is simple and not much of ingredients required. The ingredients are like Maida (all purpose flour), ghee, sugar, banana, curd, cardamom and baking powder and Soda .

Maida is a refined wheat and normally used to bake bread, cakes, cookies etc. Maida is also used in Indian cooking and so many sweets and other dishes are prepared using Maida.
Banana cake can be munched any time of the day, goes very well with tea time and we can eat with any kind of ice creams.

Ingredients :
Maida : 1 1/2 Cup
Melted Butter : 1/2 Cup
Sugar : 3/4 Cup
Cardamom Pods : 5 to 6
Curd : 1/3 Cup
Baking Soda : 1/2 Tea spoon
Baking Powder : 1 Tea spoon
Salt : a pinch
Banana : 1

Method :
1. Sieve maida, baking powder and baking soda. Remove the outer cover of cardamom and keep it aside.

Baking powder

Sugar

2. Dry grind sugar and grind this with ghee or melted butter.(I used ghee).

3. Add curd and cardamom  to the sugar mixture and grind for 2 to 3 minutes. Add banana and grind.for one minute.

Curd

4. Now remove the ground sugar mixture from the jar and put it in a big bowl. Dust the container or tray with some dry maida and keep it ready.

5. Add sieved maida slowly and prepare dough. If you feel its thick add little milk.

6. Preheat the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Now pour the ready cake mixture to a baking tray or a container and bake for 35 to 40 minutes 350 degree C.

8. Insert a spoon or tooth pick to make sure the cake is baked well.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.

10. Serve cake with Hot cup of coffee or tea or with a scoop of  ice cream.

Note :
You can use clarified butter or oil instead of ghee. You can also use vanilla or any other essence of your choice. Adding nuts to the cake adds to the taste. Roll nuts in dry maida and then add it to the mixture.
The point we must know :
The difference between Maida and All purpose flour is that Maida is refined many times flour and All purpose flour is mixture of Maida and Barley flour.

Preparation time : 10 Minutes
Cooking time : 35 Minutes
Servings : 4 to 6.