Traditional Huggi - Udupi Style

Huggi is a traditional dish prepared during Dhanurmasa / From December 14 to January 14. This is mid winter season in India. The food we intake is based on Indian culture and is connected with healthy food habits.

Huggi /Pongal is traditionally prepared using raw rice, moong dal and jaggery. Eating rice and moong dal helps to digest the food easily. Rice is full of fiber and moong dal is loaded with proteins. And jaggery helps in taking care of digestion, acidity gas and other things. In olden days people used the food according to the seasons. Seasonal food help us stay healthy because they do loaded with vitamins and minerals. More over it takes care of our body with its nutritional values.
Udupi style of Huggi is not that sweet or loaded with ghee. Raw rice and moong dal is cooked separately or together, then added little ghee and little jaggery. Cardamom, nutmug and clove is powdered and added to huggi. It helps the food we eat, to digest well.
Let us see the recipe Now :
Sweet Huggi is normally prepared with rice and moong dal. Once upon a time Udupi region people used to grow the paddy a lot. So rice must have become the main grain. Rice is digested easily and the hot weather helps us to stay fit.
Huggi is normally eaten with Huli Gojju ./ Tamarind - Jaggery mixture.

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : ( Any good quality rice ) : 1 Cup
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : A little
Cardamom : 4 to 5
Cloves : 2
Nut Meg : Jaikai : A little

Method :

1. Wash and cook raw rice and moong dal together or separately. Let it cool. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery. Melt it with little water. Once it is boiling and completely melted sieve it and keep the clean jaggery aside. Powder cloves, cardamom pods and nut meg.

3. Keep another pan on the fire and put moong dal and rice together to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and cleaned jaggery. Mix it well and let it cook nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Add a tablespoon of ghee and powdered spice mixture. ( cardamom pods, cloves and nut meg).
5. Stir slowly and mix all the ingredients nicely. Add grated coconut on the top.

6. Shift ready Traditional Huggi to a serving dish. Add little more coconut on the top.

 7. Serve with Huli Gojju  /Tamarind - jaggery mixture .

Note :

Adding cashews and raisins is optional. I have not added.Adding more ghee is optional. I have added ghee just before serving. No need to add more jaggery. Traditional Huggi does contain less sweet.
Time 30 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5.

Baragu /Prosso Millet Sakkaare /Chakkara Pongal.

Huggi / ಹುಗ್ಗಿ /Shakkara /chakkara  Pongal  is a sweet dish with Rice and Moong dal.

Huggi is normally prepared during the month of Dhanurmasa, that falls in between mid of December to mid January. This month is chill ( Cold ) winter. So as the food helps to keep our body warm and healthy. Eating dals is a good option and our Ancestors knew to take care them selves by adopting the good food habits.

Huggi is known as pongal in some parts of India. The sweet huggi is known as Shakkara/Chakkara pongal and is very famous in Tamil Nadu /Andra Pradesh. Though they use jaggery  This Pongal is known as Shakkara/Chakkara ( Sugar ) Pongal. They do not use coconut here or may be some ghee fried coconut pieces to be added. As you desired.

As I said this Pongal is prepared with Raw Roice and Moong dal. 

Here I have tried using Prosso Millet/Baragu instead of rice and Moong dal. Shakkara Pongal came out well and I can say it is delicious.

Baragu /Prosso Millet is one of the grain in Millet family. Millet is a healthy grain which has no gluten and it helps to control blood pressure and good for people who suffer from diabetic. It is full of fiber and keeps you full for a long time. Millet helps to control our cholesterol level.

I have used Prosso Millet / baragu, organic joni jaggery (jaggery in liquid form ).

December is here and the month of Dhanurmasa starts from 15th of this month and it ends on 15 of January. That day is celebrated as Sankranthi/Pongal. Sweet Pongal is special on that day to celebrate the festival. 

Let us see the recipe Now:

Things Needed :

Prosso Millet : 1/2 Cup

Moong Dal : 1/4 Cup 

Jaggery : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Cardamom : 3 to 4 Pods

Cashews and Raisins : 2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and drain the water of moong dal and Prosso Millet. No need to soak them in water. 

2. Keep a pan and put washed Prosso Millet and moond dal and dry roast. 

3. Put dry roasted prosso millet and moond dal to a bowl. 

4. Add 1 Cup of water and pressure cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Let it cool. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.

5. Keep  a pan on the fire and put cooked prosso millet and moong dal. Mix it well.

6. Add jaggery and mix it again. Add a tablespoon of ghee. Mix it well and let it cook on low flame.

7. Add one more tablespoon of ghee and mix it slowly. Let it cook for 2 minutes. 

8. Stir in between. Add powdered cardamom and mix it. Stir it slowly and let it get thick.

 Shift the ready pongal to a serving dish.

9. Add ghee fried cashews and raisins to Baragu/Prosso Millet Shakkara /Chakkara Pongal and serve.

Notes :

Dry roasting prosso millet and moond dal adds to the taste. It does not become too soft. Taste good.

Adding more /less ghee is optional. Use of any type of jaggery is optional. Adding 1 or two cloves powder to pongal adds to the taste. I have used very little quantity of Prosso Millet and moong dal. You can double the quantity if you are preparing it for more people. 

The measurement is like 

1 Cup of Prosso Millet :

1/2 Cup of Moong dal. 

You can use the same quantity of each grain. ( Optional ).

Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 2 to 3.

Avalakki Spicy Huggi

Avalakki/Aval/ Poha/Flattened Rice is good for health and easy to digest, quick to prepare. Here is Avalakki Spicy Huggi/Pongal that we can prepare for breakfast/brunch/snack or dinner.

It is very close to kichidi ( mixed with dal), very good for all age group. Kichidi is normally prepared for dinner so that it is very soothing and healthy. This Avalakki Spicy Huggi is bit thick and is loaded with spices and little ghee which helps to be full for a long time and it can be eaten for breakfast/brunch. It is always better to have this Avalakki Spicy Huggi in the mornings, so that it is easy to digest. I have used avalakki, moong dal, green chilly, ginger, pepper and coconut.
Let us see the recipe now.

Things needed :

To Cook :
Thick Avalakki : 2 Cups
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
To Add :
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Black Pepper pods : 5 to 6
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon (Grated)
Turmeric powder : A pinch
 Salt : As required
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Season :
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Curry leaves : 8 to 9 leaves

Method :

1. Wash and drain water from avalakki. Wash and squeeze out lemon extract and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut green chilly into big pieces, peel off outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Take a big bowl, add washed avalakki, cut green chilly,  grated ginger and required salt.
4. Mix all the ingredients with avalakki and keep it aside.

5.Grate coconut and keep it aside. Crush pepper pods and add it to avalakki.
6.Wash moong dal and drain all the water and keep it aside.

7. Keep a big pan and add a tablespoon of ghee. Add jeera/ingh and  2 to 3 pepper pods. ( Whole).
8. Add ingh/Asafoetida and let jeera turn little brown. Fry. nicely.

9. Add washed and drained moong dal and fry for 2 minutes. ( On medium flame).
10. Add a glass of water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Be careful it may over flow. ( Better keep a big pan).
11. See that moong dal turns soft. Mix it well. Add washed avalakki,  Grated ginger and crushed pepper.

12. Mix it well and let it cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Let all the moisture disappear.

13. Mix it again and add grated fresh coconut, Lemon juice. Add remaining ghee. Mix it well again. Add cut coriander leaves.

14. Shift the Ready Avalakki Spicy Huggi to a serving bowl. Serve with your choice of side dish or a cup of curd.

Note :

Dry roasting moong dal helps the dal to evenly. ( Will not be over cooked ). Adding slit green chilly gives nice aroma to Huggi. You can use more/less of green chilly. Use of pepper pods adds aroma to Huggi and it helps the food to digest properly. Adding more less coconut is optional. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Thick avalakki must be used to get good consistency.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 

Sweet Rava Huggi (Samolina sweet Pongal)

Huggi as we call is also known as pongal/kichidi. It is healthy and protein contain energetic dish. Huggi is done using rice/broken wheat/rava/semolina etc. I have prepared this Huggi with medium size rava, jaggery and moong dal.

 Huggi is normally done during the month of Dhanurmasa (December 15 to January 15). For Makara Sankranthi day " Huggi (Pongal) " is prepared using the fresh rice which is ready to harvest. Celebrating Pongal is to say thanks to God for taking care of the grain and people who are depend on the grains.
There are two varieties of Huggi. One is Khara (Spicy) and the other one is sweet huggi/pongal.
Normally Raw rice is used to prepare Huggi. I have used rava/semolina and prepared this Huggi.
It is an easy and yummy dish and helps to satisfy your  sweet taste bud I am sure.
Let us see the recipe Now:

Things Needed :

Rava : 1 Cup .( Medium sized).
Moong Daal : 1 Cup.
Jaggery : 1/2 cup.
Ghee : 4 to 6 Table spoons.
Cardamom : 6 to 8 pods.
Cashew Nuts ; 2 table spoons. ( cut ones).
Raisins : 1 Table spoon.
Coconut: 1 cup. ( fresh and grated ).
Water : 2 cups.

Method:  

1. Wash and boil Moong Daal with required water and keep it aside.
3. Powder cardamom and keep it aside. ( Remove the outer skin before powdering).
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 2 table spoons of ghee and put cashew nuts , raisins and fry.
4. Now add rava and fry  until raw smell disappears. ( At least 5 minutes on medium flame).
5. Add boiling water to it and mix it thoroughly, leave it for cooking for 1 minute.
6. Add jaggery, boiled moong daal and mix until  the whole mixture thickens.

7. Add coconut and put the remaining ghee and serve hot Sweet Rava Pongal .

Note : 

Must fry Rava on a low flame.  Easy way to powder the cardamom is to  dry grind  cardamom with little sugar. ( Do not forget to remove the outer skin of the cardamom). Adding coconut is an optional, but it helps to give a better taste and aroma to the sweet huggi.  Grate or powder jaggery before adding . This helps the jaggery to be mixed well with rava and moong daal .   Can use  cooked raw rice instead of Rava.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.  

Spicy Rava Huggi ( Spicy Rava Pongal)

Spicy Rava Huggi is a healthy  food and  we can have for break fast, lunch or dinner. Its light and easy to digest. Rava is also called as Sooji, or Samolina .

Ingredients :
Rava : 1 cup .( Medium size Rava)
Moong Daal :1/2 cup.
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Pepper seeds : 5 to 6
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon.
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ginger : 1 Table spoon .( grated)
Turmeric powder : 1/4 Tea spoon.
Ghee : 3 to 4 Table spoons.
Coconut : 1 cup ( fresh grated).
Water : 2 cups.
Salt : to taste.
Method:
Wash Moong daal and boil or pressure cook for 5 to 8 minutes and keep it aside. Cut curry leaves, green chillies and grate coconut and ginger. Powder the pepper seeds.  keep water for boiling.
Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 2 spoons of ghee and  put jeera and pepper powder to it . Put curry leaves and green chilies and fry for 1o seconds. Add rava ( samolina) and roast until the raw smell disappears.  Fry on low flame. Add boiled water slowly and mix nicely. Add ginger to the mixture and add cooked moong daal and mix thoroughly. Add remaining ghee and coconut to it and put off the fire and cover the lid and leave it for 2 minutes. Then  shift , cooked Huggi to a serving bowl and serve HOT RAVA PONGAL  with a spoon of ghee on the top with   curd or coconut chutney.
Note : Roast rava on low flame.   Can add cashew nuts while frying curry leaves. After adding moong daal to rava cover the lid  and cook the mixture for one or two minutes. Good for people who are fasting on special days too.

Serves 2 to 3 .