Little Millet / Saame & Moong Dal Sweet Pongal

                          Little Millete/Saame & Moong Dal Sweet Pongal

Ready to serve Little Millete/Saame & Moong Dal Sweet Pongal

Little Millet/Saame is one of the healthy millet and millets are on the healthy wave these days. Though it is said even in those days may be thousands of years ago in India people used to only millets as their daily food not rice. Millets  are grown easily and they do not need much water either.
I have prepared Little millet Huggi and of course it is one of the easy dish that you can cook when you are expecting some guest. No one can say no to this yummy dish I know.
I have used Moong dal, little millet, jaggery, ghee, cardamom and some dry fruits. The fresh coconut adds to the taste.
Little millet is full of fiber and gluten free. It is easy to digest and keeps you full for a long time. It is good for diabetic patient and helps to maintain the blood sugar level.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Little millet : 1 Cup
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Fresh grated coconut : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods
Salt : A pinch
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Milk : 1/2 cup

Method :

1. Wash and cook little millet and moong dal. Add 1/2 cup of milk while cooking.
( 1 Cup little millet : 2 cups of water + 1/2 cup of moong dal : 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk. All together 3 cups ).

2. Now keep jaggery in a pan and put some water. Let it melt completely. Sieve this jaggery water and keep the clean jaggery water aside.

3. Keep  a big bowl on the fire and put cleaned jaggery and cooked little millet with moong dal. Add a tablespoon of ghee, so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.
4. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Add salt. Let it turn bit thick. (Let it be on low flame).
5. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Powder cardamom and add it.

6. Grate coconut and add it.

7. Keep a small pan on the fire and put remaining ghee. Fry dry nuts in it. ( Raisins, cashews).

8. Shift the ready Little Millet/Saame & Moong dal Sweet pongal to a serving dish.
9. Put fried nuts and serve hot Little Millet/Saame & Moong dal Sweet Pongal.

Note :

Adding milk while cooking adds to the taste. Add milk along with water. It is better to cook in pressure cooker because it turns soft and nice. Or you might feel the millet grain bit hard. Adding less or more jaggery is optional. Adding more/less ghee is optional. You can add one or two cloves along with cardamoms. It gives nice aroma and good for digestion.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5 .

Wild Mango Spicy Curry /ಕಾಟು ಮಾವಿನಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಮೆಣಸುಕಾಯಿ

Ready to serve Wild Mango Spicy Curry/ಕಾಟು ಮಾವಿನ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಮೇಣಸುಕಾಯಿ

Wild mangoes are sweet and tangy. We have a this mango tree in our Birthimane near Udupi. We do love to eat this fruit, though it is bit tangy. Whenever I visit our home here during mango season I make a point to bring these mango fruits to prepare dishes like mango curry, jam, gojju, saasive etc.
This time I just wanted to try one of Udupi Special - Mango Menasukai/Mango curry.
Normally Menasukaayi is prepared using fresh coconut. It is full of spice and taste savoury, sweet and hot. Lots of spices are used  and the long procedure too.
I have used fresh roasted spices, mango pulp, jaggery and salt. Coconut is not added so that Mango curry can be kept for many days.
Wild Mango Spicy goes well with dosas, idli, kadubu, rotti, chapati, roti and plain rice. It is good to have with curd rice.
Let us see the recipe Now:

Ingredients :

Wild Mango Fruits : 10 to 15 ( Wild mangoes are normally small in size ).
Jaggery : 1/4 Kg.
Salt : As required.

Spices to roast :
Dry chilly /Byadagi : 10 to 15
Channa Dal / Kadale bele : 1 Tablespoon
Urid dal/Uddina bele : 1 Tablespoon
Methi seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 3 to 4 Tablespoons. (One handful)
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Sesame seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh/Asafoetida : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : One handful

Seasoning:
Coconut oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10

Method : 

1. Wash and wipe out the moisture of mango fruits. Let it be aside for 10 minutes. ( Wipe out the complete moisture).

2. Now cut mangoes and squeeze out pulp. Put the mango peel in a glass of water and squeeze out the pulp from peels and seeds.
3. Put all the mango pulp in a big bowl and keep it on the fire. Add jaggery and mix it nicely and let it boil. Let it get thick. Add salt.

4. Dry roast methi seeds, sesame seeds, channa dal, urid dal, red chilly/byadagi chilly, coriander seeds ,jeera and  curry leaves one by one. ( Dry roast on low flame till they turn golden brown). Let it cool.
5. Powder all the ingredients once it get cooled.

6. Add little turmeric powder and let the pulp turn bit thick.
7. Add ground spice powder and stir it well. Let it cook and turn thick consistency.

8. Keep a small pan on the fire and put coconut oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
9. Add curry leaves and ingh /Asafoetida and put this seasoning to the cooked mango spicy curry.

10. Shift it to the serving dish and let it cool. Put it in a airtight bottle or any other container and use it whenever you want.

Note :

It should be cooked to thick consistency. No need to add coconut to it. If coconut is added it might get spoiled. Keep the Wild mango fruit spicy curry in a fridge. ( Shelf life at least 2 months). Adding any cooking oil is optional.  Adding garlic is optional. This is one of the traditional dish of Udupi/Malenaadu. Fresh roasted spices adds to the taste.
Time : 40 Minutes
Serves : 1 Big or 2  Small bottles. 
Shelf life : At least 2 months if kept in the fridge. 

Musk Melon & Nendra Bale Fruit Juice/Milkshake

The hot summer is here and we need to take care of our health from the heat. The weather is so hot that you feel like drinking more and more water. Though the water is the best way to quench our thirst, it is always better to have some thing which helps to keep you cool. Fruits and vegetables are the best friends in summer. They not only keeps you full, they do helps to keep your mind and body cool.

Fruits, fresh juices and salads, smoothies and many varieties of drinks can be prepared at home. Home prepared drinks are most healthiest and the best.

I have used Musk Melon, Nendra bale ( Nendra banana/A type of banana variety, jaggery and milk.
Eating Nendra Bale in our diet and its benefits. 

Nendra bale / a type of  banana is mostly used in Dakshina Kannada and Kerala. This banana can be eaten when it is fully ripe, prepare so many dishes like curry, fried fritters, dosas, jamoons, etc etc. 

Nendra Bananas are having good amount of fiber and anti oxidants. It helps to digest the food easily.
Banana is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, folate, Vitamin B 6 and Vitamin C. It is filled with carbohydrates. It is very good for people who are dieting, it keeps you full for a long time and filled with minerals and vitamins. It is very good for kids who wants to gain weight. It is good for pregnant women.

It is an easy and superb drink any time of the day. It provides not only energy it also helps to take care of your body because the fruits contain full of vitamins and minerals.

Things needed :

Nendra Bale/Nendra Banana : 2
Musk Melon : 1 Small size
Jaggery : 2 Teaspoons
Milk : Boiled and colled : 1 Glass
Water : 1 Glass

Method :

1. Wash and cut Musk Melon and remove the outer hard layer and the pulp. Cut the fruit into small pieces.

2. Remove the outer layer of Nendra bale and cut them into small circle shape.
3. Now Put Nendra bale, Musk Melon pieces, milk and jaggery to liquidizer.

4. Churn them in to fine juice. Add a glass of water and churn for a minute. Let all the ingredients mix it well.

5. Put this Musk Melon - Nendra Bale Fruit Juice to a bowl. Mix it well.
6. Pour it to serving glasses and serve.

7. You can chill it fridge and then serve.

8. Add ice cubes and then serve.

Note :

Adding more milk instead of water, is optional. It turns as smoothie and you can have them by eating.
It fills your stomach so that you can skip your meal. Adding honey instead of jaggery is optional.  Use of more /less jaggery is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes 
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Wild Mango Fruit Juice

You call as panaka/juice/drink whatever it is, the fruit drink is always good to haveto keep your mind and body.

In the hot summer you need to keep your body cool and quench your thirst. The amount of water we drink is not just enough to keep our selves healthy. The fresh fruit drink refresh our mind and body and helps to take care of our health.
I have prepared wild mango (more on sweet taste) juice and  used very little spices.
Wild Mango Fruit Juice is one of the best juice to quench your thirst in summer. It also helps in keeping you fit and provide the energy that is lost during the hot summer.
Wild mangoes are plenty during summer season and we do get many varieties of these mangoes. Use of sweet mangoes are always preferable for this type of juice or else you need to add more jaggery to the juice. Jaggery helps to bring back the energy you lost when you out during the summer. It helps to cool the body and boost our energy.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Wild Mango fruits : 3 to 4
Water : 2 to 3 Glasses
Jaggery : 1 to 2 Teaspoons (Optional).
Salt : Very little / A pinch

Method :

1 Wash and clean the mangoes and remove the outer skin. Squeeze out the pulp to a bowl.

2. Put the mango skin /outer layer to a bowl. Put 1 glass of water and squeeze out the pulp 

completely. Add this water mixed pulp to a main bowl. 

3 Add required water. Add jaggery. Mix it nicely. Sieve this mixture to a clean bowl.

4. Add a pinch of salt and put to the serving glasses.

5. Wild Mango Fruit Juice is ready to serve.

Note :

Use of sweet wild mangoes are preferable. Use of jaggery is optional. I have used Joni Bella.( Jaggery which is bit liquid type/Organic and healthy). If you are using normal jaggery, powder the jaggery and melt it with little water, sieve it and then used it. Use of salt helps to add the taste and the loss of water/sweat in our body. Use of more mangoes are optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3. 

Shanka Pushpa - Lemon Juice.

Shanka Pusha is a flower. I have used this flower and prepared lemon juice. This flower adds natural colour to water when it is slightly boiled.

Shanka Pushpa is known as clitora tematee, commonly known as Asian Pigeonwings. It is also known as bluebell vine or blue pea, butterfly pea, condofan pea and Darwin pea. This plant species belongs to the fabaceae family. The latin name of this genus is " Clitoria ", from clitoris.
Since this flower gives out the natural colour and it is used in many dishes mainly in Asian Countries.
I first tasted the juice that prepared by my sister in Udyavar. She added lemon and was too good.
Then I saw Shri Kripa one of the FOODIE group admini putting up the pic of the juice.
I brought this plant seeds from Udyavar and planted it in a pot. It did not come up. One day I suddenly noticed a flower that grew by the side of the compound wall on the terrace. Saw the plant in a mud bag and removed the plant and replanted it in a pot. For my bad luck the plant died. I brought some more seeds in my next visit to sister's house and planted it in a pot. It has come out nicely and Here we go  :)  me a happy person to see the plant growing and flowering.

Let us see some benefits of Flower Shanka Pushpa.
Shanka Pushpa plant is known for years for their healthy properties in them. They are used in Ayurvedic medicines from ages. They are good for hypertension. They contain the properties that are good for control the production of body's stress hormones and helps in reducing anxiety and stress.
They are the good remedy for improving memory power. The plant has anti -ulcer properties and is very good for fighting against any type of ulcer which is formed in the body. It also helps to improve the nerve tissue. Shanka Pushpa herb helps and controls cholesterol level in our blood. They help in flushing out the fatty acids which are harmful to our body.

Note : One who is suffering from hypertension and low blood pressure must consult the doctor and get his advise. Since it has a quality of decreasing the blood pressure level it might cause problems.
I have used this flower for preparing the juice and added jaggery which turned its colour slightly golden and the other time I used salt and very little sugar. It was ok with  less sugar and good too
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Shanka Pushpa flowers : 5 to 6
Water : 2 Glasses
Jaggery /Sugar  : As your requirement.
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash Shanka Pushpa flowers nicely and separate the petals.

2. Keep water for boiling. Add Shanka Pushpa flower petals.
3. Let the water boil. The flowers start leaving their colours and the water turns colourful.

4. Put off the gas and sieve boiled water. Throw away the remained flower pieces.
5. Let the water turn cool.

6. Wash and squeeze out the lemon extract to the bowl. ( 1 to 1 1/2 lemon extract).

7. Add a pinch of salt and required sugar. Mix it well.

  8. The healthy drink is ready to serve. Serve the juices that you have prepared.

Note :

Let the water boil nicely. Clean the flower nicely so that no harmful worms go off.
Adding sugar /jaggery / or honey is your choice. I have used Kama Kastorri seeds which I collected from our home garden. Using these seeds helps to cool the body and mind safe and cool.
I have added some kamakasturi seeds/sabja seeds. Remove the husk nicely and clean it. Soak the seeds in little water. Add this water to the juice. Using Sabja seeds helps to cool the body.

Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3  (According to the requirement).
Shanka Pushpa Juice with Jaggery
Followed the same above mentioned method. The change is, used jaggery instead of sugar.