Oats - Corn flakes - Walnuts Laddu

Happy Deepavali to One and all. Let us celebrate together and enjoy the festival of lights. 

Deepaavali is one of the National Festival of India and people do celebrate all over the world where ever they live. This Deepaavali I have prepared Oats - Corn flakes - Walnuts Laddu/laadu/Unde.

This Oats - Corn flakes - Walnuts Laddu is good for health and you can munch on any time of the day.

This Year  Deepavali starts from 6 - 11 - 18. The preparation of sweets and savouries is already started. I was just thinking of some thing healthy, easy and energetic laddu/ laadu/ Unde to prepare. So tried laddu with cornflakes, oats, walnuts and dates.

This laadu can be kept for many days and You can distribute to your friends, neighbours and take it for travelling too.

Let us see the recipe Now : 

Things Needed :

Oats : 400 Gr pack 

Corn Flakes : 1 Big Bowl 

Walnuts : 1 Small Cup

Raisins : 1 Cup 

Jaggery   250 Gr or little more 

Ghee : 1 Cup

Roasted Chenna /Huri Kadale /Putani : 1 Cup

Dry Coconut /Kopra / Kobbari : 1 small one 

Cardamom : 8 to 10

Method :

1. Dry roast oats on low flame for 5 to 6 minutes. Dry roast corn flakes for 3 to 4 minutes. Let it get cool.  Dry grind oats and corn flakes into powder.

2. Dry grind copra and cardamom pods. Dry grind roasted chenna in to coarse powder. ( Just give a churn). Do not turn them as powder.  Remove from the mixi jar and keep it aside.

3. Dry roast corn flakes and dry grind it with walnuts.

4. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Add jaggey and put some water. (1/4 cup).

5. Let jaggery melt completely. Sieve jaggery with a siever. Keep the clean jaggery mixture aside.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery mixture and stir continuously.

7. Let it get into one string consistency. Add dry ground coconut.

8. Now add all the powdered ingredients one by one. Dry ground oats, corn flakes.

9. Mix all the ingredients nicely and put off the fire. Now add coarse powdered chenna and mix it.

10. Put the pan down ,add ghee and raisins. Mix it nicely.

11. Take a handful of Oats - Corn flakes -  walnuts and coconut mixture and press it tightly, closing your hand. Try to give a round shape and prepare laddu.

12. Prepare the rest of laddu and keep it in a big bowl. Let it be there for at least 20 to 30 minutes.

13. Put them in a air tight boxes and  cover the lid. Store and serve these Corn flakes - Oats and Walnut laddu. 

14. Serve these Laddus in the evening or any time of the day. Store it in air tight box.

Note :

You need to roast it nicely so that the raw smell disappear and it taste so good.

Adding raisins more /less is optional.

Adding a cup of ghee adds taste to Laddu. Adding more /less ghee is optional.

Add little more ghee / little fresh boiled milk if you are not able to give a ball shape abd then prepare Laddu. Frying raisins in a tablespoon of ghee is optional. ( I have used it as it is ).

Time : 30 Minutes.

30 Laddus can be prepared. ( According to size ).

Mangalore Cucumber Mustard Curry / Sasive.

Mangalore Southekai/bannada southekai/ Mangalore cucumber is handy vegetable for many people like me.
We can prepare lots of yummy dishes and it is a healthy vegetable.

I have prepared Mangalore Cucumber Mustard Curry /Sasive here. Mustard seeds are used with coconut to grind thats how it is called as Sasive. 
Let us see the recipe now:
It is easy, simple, yummy and bit spicy.
No Onion or NO garlic is used in this  Mangalore Cucumber Mustard Curry/ Sasive.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Mangalore Cucumber : 1/2 of one medium size cucumber.
To Grind :
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Tamarind : Marble size
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch
To Add :
Ground Mustard - Coconut mixture
Mustard seasoning
Salt : As required
To Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch

Method

1. Remove the outer layer and the inner part/pulp completely and cut it into small.
2. Put the pieces in water and leave it for 5 minutes. ( Any bitter in the vegetable will wash off).
3. Now pressure cook this cucumber pieces for 3 to 4 mintues and put off the fire.
4.Grate coconut and grind it with Tamarind,   3 to 4 red chilly and mustard seeds.
5. Keep cooked cucumber pieces in a pan and keep it on the fire.
6. Add required salt and put water if necessary. Add  a pinch of turmeric powder.
7. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Put ground masala and mix it well. Cook on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add mustard seasoning and serve with plain /any main dishes.

Note :

Cut the cucumber pieces bit small. Do not add much water to cook. Curry should be thick to enjoy with hot plain rice and ghee. Adding curd instead of tamarind is optional. Adding more coconut helps the curry to be tasty. Use of more/less chilly is optional. Use of any other cooking oil instead of coconut oil is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

Aralu hittina Unde/Gundittu Unde

Aralu Unde is specially made for Gokulastami /Shri Krishna Janmastami. It is one of the must laddu prepared  and do arpan as Navaidyam for Shri Krishna.

Aralu Hittu /Gundittu is special flour prepared with puffed rice. Dry roasted puffed rice /a type of avalakki is ground to make flour and then used for preparing Laddu.
Udupi Shri Krishna temple is in Udupi and I am very proud that I belong to that region. I have seen Shri Krishna's Astami Sambrama so many times in Ratha beedi./Car street, the street around the Asta Matt.
Varieties of Eatables are prepared for Shri Krishna and it is kept as Naivedyam at night. According to  to the star Rohini, Shri Krishna's birth. People fast whole day on that day, ( Shravana Masada Shukla pakshada 8 ne dina ). Then only people eat. The very next day whole of Udupi and around Udupi the celebration starts in the morning. People decorate themselves different Vesha/Costume and visit houses and get some money. It is fun to watch these and you do enjoy seeing many people with different costume. Huli Vesha / People in the costume gather and dance according to the beat as tigers it is really fantastic. All these people go to Udupi Vitla Pindi Utsav, they do take part in the celebrations and processions with Lord Shri Krishna and Lord Mukya Prana/Hanuman/Hanumantha /Maruthi.
The Golden  Chariot is pulled around the Car Street , Shri Krishna sitting in it. The whole place is filled with people around the world to watch Shree Krishna's Utsav. Number of Huli Vesha groups dances and the instruments like drums and other musical instruments are played and move with Shri Krishna's procession. We say our janma pavana by seeing the Utsav. 
Laddus prepared by Mutts, distributed to the whole large group which do take part in processions andsome schools, near by offices, banks also will get the prasads from Shri Krishna Mutt.
This is about Shri Krishna Astami/Gokulastami celebrations
Even at home different varieties of laddus are prepared for naivedyams and Aralu Unde is one of it.
This Aralu Hittu is available only during Astami time.
I have been to Udupi just before Shri Krishna Janmastami and brought some flour and prepared this laddus.
This puffed rice is already roasted and no need to roast the flour again. You can add ghee according to your requirements. Adding more ghee helps the laddu to be tasty. Less ghee turns the laddu hard after a day and you need to break a laddu and have it. ( It means its hard to eat).
 Aralu Hittu is good for health and it helps to keep your body warm.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Aralu Hittu /Gundittu : 3 Cups
Ghee : 1/2 Cup or little more
Jaggery : 1 1/2 Cup ( Powdered)
Cardamom : 6 to 8 Pods
Cashews : 2 Tablespoons ( Cut into small)
Raisins : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Coconut : 1 Cup
Sesame Seeds :  2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Powder jaggery and keep it aside.

2. Grate coconut and dry grind it, keep it aside. Dry roast sesame seeds and powder it.

3. Remove the pods from cardamom and powder it.
4. Keep a small pan and put 2 tablespoons of ghee. Fry cashews and
5. Keep a pan and put jaggery and 1/4 cup of water. Let the flame be low.
 Let jaggery melt and bubbles starts and it starts to bubble.

6. Let it get one string syrup consistency. Keep stirring for another 2 minutes.

7.  Add grated coconut and mix it well. Take out the pan on fire and put off the fire.

8. Add Gundittu/ Aralu flour and mix it well. Add ghee fried cashews and raisins.

9. Add remaining ghee and mix it slowly.  Add powdered cardamom.

10. Take a handful of mixture in your palm and fold the palm tightly and turn the flour in round shape.

  

 11. Repeat the same and prepare laddu /unde and arrange them in a tray or bowl.

12.  Put them in a serving bowl. Let it cool. Store them in a air tight box or bottle and serve as you wish.

 Note :

Let the syrup consistency be just little more thicker than one string consistency.  Check the consistency with your finger tips. It should be slightly sticky. Not watery. Let the mixture be bit cool to turn them as laddu. The hot mixture burns the hand because of the heat. Add little ghee if you feel that, the mixture is completely dry. You can add hot milk also, but you can not store them for a long. Milk used Laddu get fungus. So better use melted ghee. Adding more jaggery is optional.
If dry roasted avalakki is available you can buy and powder the avalakki and use it for laddu.

Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3o to 40 Laddus/Unde.

Crunchy Chakkuli ( Rice flour - Besan - Roasted Chenna).

Chakkuli/Chakli /muruku what ever you call it, it is one of the most favourite snack for most of us. It is said God Krishna, Lord Ganesha loved to have chakkuli on their festival. Varieties of chaklis available and prepared. some traditional, some twisted.

Here is Crunchy Chakkuli which comes out perfect and not to mess up your whole time.
Ganesha Chaturthy /Ganesha festival is here tomorrow. You can prepare this chakkuli for prasadam /neivedya and then enjoy eating this Crunchy Chakkuli later with festival feast.
Let us see the recipe now :
All You need is Fine rice flour, besan/channa dal flour and roasted chenna/Huri kadale/pottu kadale, some simple spices and oil to fry. 

Things needed :

Rice flour : 3 Cups
Roasted Chenna /Hurikadale :1/2 Cup
Besan/ Channa dal powder : 1/2 Cup
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Chilly Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Till/Sesame seeds /Elllu : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Oil : To Fry : 2 to 3 Cups

 Method :

1. Dry grind roasted chenna and keep it aside.
2. Take a big bowl and add rice flour, roasted chenna flour, salt, besan.channa dal flour, red chilly powder and butter. Add jeera/cumin seeds and til/Yellu/Sesame seeds.

 
3. Mix all the ingredients nicely and then slowly add water and prepare chakkuli dough.
4.Kneed the dough nicely and divide it as small portions.

5. Wash and clean the chakkuli mould and insert the chakkuli plate inside.
6. Put a portion of chakkuli dough into the mould. Close the lid and keep aside.
 7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add two cups of oil and let it get hot. ( Medium flame).

8. Now press chakkuli mould straight to the pan. Let chakkuli fall slowly in hot oil and it starts to fry and turn golden brown. Turn chakkuli to the other side and fry.

10. Now remove the done chakkuli to a bowl and put them on kitchen tissue.

11. Repeat the same and prepare remaining chakkuli.
12. Store in air tight box once the chakkulis are cooled.
13.Serve Hot Chakkuli with a cup of coffee, tea, juice or any other drinks.

14. We had it with a cup of tea.

 Note :

Remember that fine rice flour gives the best result. Adding more/less chilly powder is optional. Adding more butter dissolves chakli while frying. So do not add more butter. Adding only jeera/cumin seeds or sesame seeds is optional. Adding more roasted chenna will turn chakli very soft and it cuts into very small pieces or turns into powder while frying. So be careful while adding roasted chenna.
Time : 40 Minutes.
Serves : According to your serving.