Happy Gowri Festival Celebration Dishes

Happy Gowri Festival to You All. Try and Enjoy these special festival dishes.

Gowri /Parvathi /Girije is mother of Lord Ganesha. She is also known as Adhi Shakti.
The beautiful story is like this according to Purana . Gowri created Ganapa, gave him life and asked him to guard the house. She went to bathe. Lord Shiva/Eshwara comes to visit her and Ganapa will not let him go inside. Shiva gets angry and cuts off his head. Gowri comes to know this and cries. Lord Shiva asks his people to search Ganapa's head. They were not able to find Ganapa's head. So Lord Shiva tells his people and orders them to get the head of anyone who laid his head on north direction. They could find only an elephant which laid its head on north direction. They cut the head of elephant and brings it to Lord Shiva. He puts the elephant head on Ganesha and gives life to him. He also gives power to Lord Ganesha. Ganesha is the lord that we should pray first before starting anything. Lord Ganesha is known as Vighna Vinashaka, Prathama Pooja is done for Lord Ganesha.
Gowri, Ganesha festival is on This thursday and friday.
Gowri comes to her parents house first and then son Lord Ganesha comes on next day. It might be like the married girl comes to her parents house. Simple food is done on first day and then Ganesha festival is celebrated in grand manner. On Gowri Pooja the ladies do pooja and give " Arashina kumkum" to the married women. It is called Bhageena. One should be happy and involve in doing pooja and blessed by God. Our traditions and culture is just beautiful and it gives life to dullness and  by doing poojas the positive energy flows in to your mind and body.
On the first day as I said it is a simple dishes with payasam or pooran poli. (Your choice of dishes).

No Onion or No Garlic is used on Festival Celebrations. 

I have prepared

1. Methi Leaves/capsicum dry curry ( Udupi special Palya).

2. Ginger/ Green Tamarind Tokku  Chithranna

3.Mango fruit chutney.

4. Ridge Gourd Huli (Curry).

5. Channa Dal Payasam/Kheer.

Let us see the preparation  One by One and enjoy eating these healthy, delicious dishes.

1. Methi leaves Dry curry

Things Needed :
To Cook
Methi/Fenugrik Leaves : 1 Bundle
Capsicum : 1
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A little
To Grind :
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Red Chilly : 2 to 3
Tamarind : Very little (Half o f one small marble)
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
To Season :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A little
Coconut Oil : 2 Tablespoos

Method :

1  Wash and cut methi leaves into small. Wash and cut capsicum into small pieces.
2. Grate coconut and dry grind it with red chilly (byadagi), mustard seeds and tamarind.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and put 1 tablespoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and ingh. Let mustard seeds splutter.
4. Add curry leaves and cut capsicum and methi leaves. Mix it well and let it cook on medium flame and low flame.
5. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and mix it well.
6. Let methi leaves cook on low flame or add half cup of water, cover and cook.
7. Let all the moisture disappear completely. Add salt and stir.
8. Add ground mustard seeds and coconut mixture and mix it nicely. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes. Shift the ready Methi leaves dry curry to a serving bowl.

Note :

You can use any brand of oil of your choice. Adding more spice is optional. You can fry this methi leaves on low flame. It taste better. Njoy this palya with hot rice and a spoon of fresh ghee.
Type : South Canara /Udupi Style.
Time : 15 to 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3  .

2 : Green Tamarind  Tokku Chitranna .

Things needed :
Cooked Rice : 1 Cup

To Add :
Tamarind Tokku : 1 Teaspoon
Dry Ginger Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder : A little
Salt : To taste
Coriander leaves
Grated coconut (fresh) : 1/2 Cup

Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 1
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of Coconut oil.
Add mustard seeds, urid dal and let urid dal splutter.
Add washed and slit green chilly and curry leaves.
Add tamarind tokku and fry it nicely.
Add cooked and cooled rice. Add turmeric powder.
Add ginger powder and required salt.
Mix all the ingredients nicely. Let it be on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix it well. Put off the fire.
Add grated coconut, washed and cut coriander leaves. Mix it well once again.
Green tamarind tokku chitranna is ready to serve.
Note :
To get green tamarind tokku, just remove the tender green tamarind outer hard layer.
Grind it with salt and green chilly. This Green tamarind tokku is hot and spicy.
You can use tamarind pulp instead of green tamarind tokku. Soak a small ball size of tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp and boil to make it thick content. Add green chilly paste and salt while tamarind pulp is boiling. Tamarind turns as thick paste. Use according to your requirement.
Time : Chitranna preparation : 10 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4

3. Mango Fruit Chutney:

Things Needed :
Ripe Mango : 1
Red chilly : 2
Ingh : A pinch
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Coconut oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

Wash and squeeze out the pulp from ripen mango.
Grate coconut and keep it aside.
Fry red chilly in a drop of coconut oil for 1 minute.
Now grind all the above ingredients with a pinch of ingh/asafoetida. Use water if required.
Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a serving dish.
Add mustard seeds, ingh, curry leaves seasoning with a teaspoon of coconut oil.
Time : 10 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

4. Ridge Gourd Toor Dal Curry :

Things needed :

To Cook :
Ridge gourd : 1
Toor dal : 2 Handful

To Grind :
Fresh grated coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Tamarind pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Rasam powder : 2 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coconut oil : 1 Teaspoon

To Add :
Green Chilly : 1
Required Salt
Mustard seasoning
Washed and cut coriander leaves.

Method :

Wash and peel off the outer layer (hard skin) of ridge gourd and cut into desired size.
Wash and cook toor dal in a pressure cooker for  8 to 10 minutes and let it cool.
Wash curry leaves, coriander leaves and cut into small.
Keep a pan and put cut ridge gourd and cook with 1 cup of water till it turns soft.
Grind coconut, tamarind, jeera/cumin seeds, rasam powder with little water. Remove it from mixi jar.
Add cooked dal to ridge gourd pieces. Add a pinch of turmeric powder, salt and required water.
Mix it well and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well.
Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift Ridge gourd curry to a serving dish.
Add mustard seasoning and cut coriander leaves. Ridge gourd curry is ready to serve.
Note :
Do not over cook ridge gourd pieces. Adding any brand of rasam powder is optional. I used home prepared rasam powder.  ( Use of MTR, Mayya;s Rasam powder gives good aroma).  Adding any cooking oil is optional. Adding a teaspoon of ghee just before serving is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4

5. Channa Dal Payasa/Kheer

Things Needed :
Channa Dal 1/2 Cup
Thick Avalakki /Poha/Flattened rice : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Dry fruits : Cashews and Raisins : 1 Tablespoon or little more
Coconut Milk : 1/2 Coconut (1 Cup)

Method :

Wash and pressure cook channa dal for 18 to 10 minutes and let it cool.
Powder jaggery. Keep a big pan on the fire and put jaggery and little water. Let it melt completely. ( 1 or 3 boils).
Sieve with a strainer and keep the jaggery aside.
Grate coconut (1/2 coconut) and grind it with cardamom pods. Add l/2 cup of water and grind.
Take the ground coconut and sieve and separate coconut milk. (1 st time coconut milk).
Grind coconut again with little water and sieve with a strainer. (2nd time coconut milk).
Keep a big pan on the fire and put jaggery water. Add cooked channa dal,
Wash and add Avalakki/Poha /Flattened rice to boiling jaggery mixture.
Add 2 time's coconut milk. Let it boil nicely. Add the first time's coconut milk.
See that it is just about to boil. Put off the fire and shift the Channa dal kheer to a serving dish.
Keep a small pan on the fire. Add a spoon of ghee. Add cashew nuts and fry.
Add raisins and fry till it fluffs. Add this nuts fry to payasam and serve.

Note :

Adding more coconut milk is optional. Add a cup of boiled fresh milk is optional. (Just before serving). Adding more /less jaggery is optional. Adding Avalakki helps to thicken the payasam.
You can grind coconut with  a teaspoon of rice till paste and adding instead of coconut milk is optional. Adding ghee fried cashew and raisins adds to the taste.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5 .

Avalakki Chakkuli /Flattened Rice Chakli

ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ /Flattened Rice/Aval/ Poha or Poa is prepared using the rice. Avalakki chakli/chakkuli/muruku is one of the quick crispy, crunchy fried snack and chakli/chakkuli/muruku is loved by most of us.

Avalakki Chakkuli can be prepared whenever you want it.  

I have used flattened rice, rice flour, salt and curd. 

Chakkuli is one of the famous snack dish that loved by many. It can be munched any time of the day. It goes well with all the time. Kids love to eat chakkuli and is a perfect snack for their tiffin box.Ladies can enjoy this chakkuli during their get together or kitty party, one dish party, picnic and travelling too. Avalakki Chakkuli is good for kids snack box. 

Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients 

Thick Avalakki/Poha/Aval/Flattened Rice : 1 Cup
Thick Curd/Yogurt : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Rice flour : 2 Cups or little more
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ellu/Sesame seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : To taste
Butter : 1 Tablespoon
Cooking Oil : 2 Cups

Method :

1. Clean and wash Avalakki/flattened rice and soak mix it with thick curd for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Grind it in dry grinder with out using water.

3. Put the ground avalakki mixture in a big bowl. Add rice powder, chilly powder, jeera, sesame seeds and salt.

4. Add butter and mix it nicely and prepare dough. Add water if required. Kneed the dough nicely.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and let it get hot. (Medium flame).
6. Now put a small portion of the dough and press it in circle shape. Prepare 3 to 4 chakkuli on the plate.

7. Put this chakkuli and fry on both sides. Remove it from the pan once it is done.

8. Put it on a kitchen tissue and let the extra oil absorb by kitchen tissue.

9. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
10. Serve hot Avalakki Chakkuli with a cup of coffee or tea. Store it in a airtight glass bottle.

Note : 

Let the dough consistency be like normal chakkuli dough. Not so hard or very soft. Adding spice more /less is optional. No need to add more butter. It might turn soft and absorb more oil.
Time : 30 Minutes.
20 to 25 Chakkuli can be made. (According to size).

Karchikai

ಕರ್ಚಿಕಾಯಿ, karchikai is one of the traditional sweet dish.

There are varieties of preparations of  Karchikai. The stuffing can be with, coconut, khoya (khova), paneer, semolina, dry fruits etc.

karchikai, a sweet dish is normally done during Ganesha festival, Deepavali and other festivals too.
It is called in different names in different places.
Karchikai - Karnataka,  ghughra - Gujarat, Karanji - Maharastra, Karachika - Tamilnadu, Nevri in Goa. It is also known as Gujias.
 I have used chiroti rava ( thin variety of semolina) and copra (dry coconut), sugar, raisins and cardamom. One has to kneed the dough well to get good crispy karchikai. You can just put them on the kitchen slab and beat them with chapati roller slowly. So it helps the dough to be soft.
Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

For the outer layer :
Chiroti Rava/Thin variety of Semolina : 2 Cups
Maida / Alpurpose flour : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : A Pinch
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
For Stuffing :
Dry Coconut /Copra : 1 (Small one)
Sugar : 1/2 Cup
Raisins : 2 Tablespoons
Cashew Pieces : 1 Tablespoon
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
To Fry :
Cooking Oil : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Put Chiroti Rava in a big bowl. Add maida, ghee, salt and mix it well.
2. Put required water and prepare dough. Keep it aside.

3. Dry grind coconut, sugar and cardamom.

4. Put dry ground ingredients to a pan. Keep the pan on the fire. Mix all the ingredients nicely.
5. Let it get bit thick. Put off the gas and add raisins, cashews and leave it for cooling.

6. Now take the dough and knead it well.
7. Divide them in to small portion.

8. Roll them as small chapati and place a tablespoon of coconut mix.

9. Fold and join the ends and close it well. (Press a little at the edge and give a desired shape).

10. Keep oil on the fire and heat. Fry Karchikai on low and medium flame on both sides.

11. Remove from the oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

12. Put them in a airtight box once it is cooled. Serve crispy crunchy Karchikai.

Note :

The outer layer dough is prepared with chiroti rava. It has to be kneaded well. Place the dough on chapati rolling board and hit it slowly with the help of rolling pin. It helps the dough to be soft and you can roll the outer layer as thin as you like. You can add less/more sugar to the stuffing. (Optional). Adding dry fruits helps the Kachori to be tasty.  Use of cooking soda is optional. ( I have not added). Adding maida is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes
25 to 30 Karchikai can be prepared.

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.