Sweet Shavige

Shavige is nothing but vermicelli. I use Anil Shavige for many preparations. Here  I have a Recipe for you " Sweet Shavige ". This Sweet dish recipe appeared in " Vijaya Next "  Food Court. Thanks to F.B. friend  Babitha Salian, who motivated me to write up the recipe.
Sweet Shavige is a sweet dish as the name says and it is really very tasty dish and we can prepare it for festival or feast. Any quick parties or eve.

 Shavige is a type of thin noodle and we can prepare many dishes as I said earlier. Payasam, burfi, different types of Shavige baat ..so on the list goes on. Here I have tried this sweet shavige with jaggery and an apple which adds the taste and flavour to the Shavige.
Lets straight get into to the recipe which is easy to prepare and tasty as well as healthy too. Since jaggery is used instead of sugar and not much of ghee. It will be loved by all the age group and the all the family members.

Things Needed : 

Shavige  :  2 Cups .( Used Anil Shavige )
Jaggery : 3/4  Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup ( or less )
Apple : 1
Coconut : 2 Table spoons
Cardamom : 4 to 5
Cashew Nuts : Handful ( as you wish _
Saffron : a pinch or 2 to 3 rakes (small sticks)
Water : 4 Cups 

   Method : 

1. Keep water for boiling .
2. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire , put a table spoon of ghee and fry cashew nuts nicely till they turn slightly brown. Take it out and keep it aside.

 4. Add shavige to the ghee and fry nicely. Grate apple (with its skin) add it to the shavige and fry again for 2 minutes.

5. Add boiling water and cook shavige till the water dry and shavige softens. (2 to 3 minutes )

6. Add jaggery to the shavige mixture. It again turns watery. Stir slowly and let jaggery mix with Shavige.

7. Add another table spoon of ghee and stir slowly. Add saffron rakes . (you can soak them in warm milk and then add saffron).
8. Now put off the fire and add coconut and cardamom mixture to cooked Sweet Shavige , mix it well and shift it to the serving bowl.

Top up with fried Cashew nuts and serve " Sweet Shavige ".

 Note 

You can add more or less jaggery according to your wish. Adding more ghee adds to the taste. You can add a pinch of turmeric powder instead of saffron
Time : 15 minutes
Serves : 4 to 5.

Dates - Banana Rasayana

Rasayana is a sweet dish, which is normally prepared using Banana or Mango or both together. It is one of the traditional quick dish, and can be eaten with dosas , neer dosas, idli, poori and chapatis. Some people call this as Shikarane also. There are many ways to prepare this Rasayana.

Normally Dakshina Kannada people (Udupi , Mangalore or Malenaadu ), We take a fresh coconut, grate it and grind it with little water to get its fresh coconut milk, then add jaggery and cardamom, mix it well and serve with holige (Pooran Poli), Kadubu, Neer Dosa, Shavige (Home made Rice Vermicelly) and even it goes well with Uddina Dosa. During the mango season we add ripe mango pulp to fresh coconut milk and prepare Mango Rasayana. We can use ripe banans also instead of mangoes or use both the fruits and make it more delicious. Believe me this is the way how the Traditional Rasayana prepared in our homes.

Now a days  it should be quick, easy and bit of on the healthy side dishes are more famous and good for office goers and the house wives too.This dish can be prepared easily if you have ripe banana and the normal fresh boiled and cooled milk. Eating sugar one has to think twice.

Adding jaggery that is what I prefer but this time used Dates and Honey instead of jaggery. It is still easy, you do not have to think whether the jaggery melted and combined with the Rasayana well. Think of preparing when you have lot of  well ripened bananas. Children and even all age group will love to have this " Dates -Banana Rasayana ", and 100 % healthy and do not have to worry about the sweetness.
Lets see a few benefits of eating Dates in our diet.
Dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall well being. Fresh dates are soft, easy, digestible and simple sugar. When eaten they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL, cholesterol absorption in the gut. They contain anti oxidants, anti infective, anti inflammatory. They are moderate sources of vitamin A. Dates are excellent source of iron and potassium. Date fruits are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper and magnesium.

Here is a recipe of Simple, Easy, Quick and Tasty  "Dates Banana Rasayana"  recipe which will fit into all age group taste and health.

Things Needed :

Bananas : 4 to 6
Dates : 6 to 8
Honey : 2 Table spoons
Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods.
Milk : 1 to 2 Glass  (Boiled and Cooled).

Method 

 1.Remove the skin of cardamom and powder it. Keep it aside
2. Cut dates in to small pieces and keep it aside.
3. Remove the banana skin and cut the fruits into small. Put them in a big bowl.7.

4. Pour 1 table spoon of honey on the top of banana. Put cut dates and add milk.

5. Mix all the ingredients nicely with the help of a big spoon or use hand. Squeeze bananas and dated in hand and let all the mixture mix it nicely.
6. Add cardamom and mix once again and shift  Dates - Banana Rasayana to a serving bowl.

7. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

 

8. We had " Dates - Banana Rasayana " with Neer Dosa.

 Note : 

You can use more bananas. Use of jaggery or sugar instead of honey and dates also an optional. You can add dry nuts to Rasayana.You can add grated coconut to the  Rasayana mixture. ( It adds to the taste). You can prepare Banana Dates Milk Shake with this mixture. Use boiled and cooled fresh milk.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 1 to 2.

Karchikai

Happy Gowri -Ganesha Festival to you all. Karchikai is a sweet dish and many sweet dishes are prepared during festival time. Karchi Kai, Karjikai or Karanji will be a perfect sweet dish which can be prepared for prasadam. Karchikai is prepared using Maida (all purpose flour), rava (used medium sized), jaggery, copra (dry coconut), poppy seeds and cashew nuts. And the twist I gave is adding an apple while mixing jaggery and coconut.

Here is a recipe of " KARCHIKAI " which will be liked by all the age group and every member of the family. You can also take them for picnic and outings. You can pack them in your kids munching box as snack.

Things Needed :

Maida : 1 Cup
Rava (Semolina) : 1 Cup (used medium sized rava)
Jaggery : 3/4 th cup
Apple : 1
Poppy Seeds : 2 Table spoons
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Cashew Nuts  : 10 to 12
Salt :  a pinch
Cooking Oil : 2 Cups ( to fry ).

Method :

1. Dry roast Maida  and Rava for 2 to 3 minutes. Leave it for cooling.

2. Cut cashew nuts into small and keep it aside

3. Dry grind the coconut along with cardamom.

4. Put maida and rava in a big bowl. Add  pinch of salt and a table spoon of ghee. Mix it well. Add water (little by little) and prepare dough. (Poori consistency). Cover the dough and keep it aside.

5. Now keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery and little water. Let it melt completely. Now sieve melted jaggery and keep it aside.
6. Now keep the sieved jaggery on the fire and add dry ground coconut, cardamom mixture. Mix it well.

 8. Grate apple (with skin) and add it to the coconut mixture.Add cut cashew nuts to the mixture.

7. Add poppy seeds (no need to roast) and mix it again.

9. Stir it till the mixture is thick. Now remove the mixture from the pan. Let it cool.

10. Take the prepared dough and divide them into small balls.

11. Roll them as pooris and place the sweet mixture in the middle and bind the edges with fingers. Prepare the same with the remaining dough.

12. Keep a pan and add oil and heat. Fry ready Karjikaion low flame till they turn brown on both sides.
13. Remove from the oil and put it on kitchen tissue, so that it absorbs extra oil.

14. Arrange them on a tray and serve them as Prasadam.

Note : 

Roasting maida and rava will help to get the crispness and also you can use less oil or ghee while preparing the dough. It does not absorb much oil. It stays crispy for 2 days.

Eggless Mango Cake

Mango Eggless Cake is a sweet dish and  I just thought of baking a Mango cake. That too with out eggs. I have prepared cakes many times and it has come out really well most of the time. This time thought of preparing Mango Cake since it is a season of  King of the fruit "Mango". Cakes can be eaten at any time of the day. It is best for evening Tea or for kids snack box for school, or even for outings, picnics it is the best dish to wrap.

Now Lets see some benefits of eating Mangoes.
Mango is called as  "The King of Fruit ".  They are one of the most nutritious and delicious fruits. They are full of Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Mangoes contain  Vitamin A,  Vitamin E and help to guard against heart disease other illness. They are great source of potassium which helps to regulate blood pressure. Mango contain high Iron and is beneficial to people with anemia and pregnant women. Eating mango fruits help to easy digestion and good for acidity. They have high amount of fiber and helps to prevent constipation. They are good for high blood cholesterol level.


Here is a recipe of Eggless Mango Cake and its easy to prepare. It is a perfect snack with cup of Tea or Coffee.

Things Needed :

Mango Pulp " 1 Cup
Maida (All purpose flour ) : 1 1/2 cup
Curd and Milk : Each 1/2 cup
Bicarbonate Soda (Cooking Soda) : 1/2 Tea spoon
Baking Powder : 1 Tea spoon
Ghee and Oil : Each 1/4 Cup
Cardamom : 1/2 Tea spoon (Powdered)
Salt : a pinch
Sugar :3/4 Cup

Method :

1. Sieve Maida, baking powder and Cooking Soda together . Add a little salt and keep it aside

 

2. Now powder sugar and put oil and ghee and grind for 2 to 3 minutes.

 
3. Add curd, milk, mango pulp and cardamom pods or powder to the sugar mixture. Grind nicely till it is soft and fluffy.

4. Now  remove the ground sugar - curd mixture to a bowl and add sieved maida mixture slowly.

5. Mix all the ingredients nicely and keep it for baking. \

6. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes and remove baked cake and allow it to cool.

7. Cut it into small pieces and serve with cup of tea or coffee.

Note :

Do not add lots of mango pulp. It turns the cake very soft. Adding sugar more or little less is your choice. You can also use only oil or only ghee according to your wish.  Do not add more soda since it may turn the cake very soft and it many break. You may feel very soft after the cake is baked. But once it is baked it is done. Check with a tooth pick to check out its done. (insert a tooth pick or a edge of a spoon. You can add any essence of your choice instead of cardamom.
Preparation time : 10 Minutes.
Cooking time : 45 Minutes
20 ieces can be done.

Almond -Carrot Kheer

Almond - Carrot Kheer is a sweet dish, prepared using jaggery and fresh milk. It is easy, tasty and we can have them at any time of the day. Cold or Hot both taste delicious. Fresh almond drink is always better as you know.  Here I used jaggery instead of sugar to make it completely healthy. You can use jaggery as you like more or less according to your wish. I used to prepare this kheer with using sugar for the sweetness. When I was just thinking to make the kheer little more healthy side, it flashed in my mind is that better use jaggey, that too with small portion.

This is a healthy drink for the whole family. Almonds, carrots and milk have lots of beneficial values in them. Lets see some benefits of eating Almonds.

Almonds help to lower the bad cholesterol. They protects artery walls from damage. Almonds help build strong bones and teeth. They provide healthy fats and aid in weight loss. almonds lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after meals. They also help provide good brain function. They nourish the nervous system.

Milk  provides calcium which helps to maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is also important for blood clotting and wound healing maintaining normal blood pressure. Milk is also one of the important nutrient found that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Milk is rich in potassium and Vitamin D. Milk also provides magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12.

Here is a recipe of  " Almonds -Carrot Kheer " as I said it will be liked by all age group.

Things Needed :

Carrots : 2 To 3 (Medium sized)
Almonds : 15 ti 20 (or One Handful )
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6
Milk : 2 Cups

 

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer skin of carrots and cook with a cup of water.

2. Uncover the cardamom pods and powder it.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and put a cup of water. Put jaggery and let it melt nicely. Sieve the jaggery and keep the cleaned jaggery aside.

4. Put almonds in hot water and leave it for 10 minutes. Remove the almond skin.

5. Now grind almonds, crardamom pods and cooked carrots till paste. Remove the mixture from liquidizer and keep it aside.

6. Keep a big pan on the fire and put ground mixture and  cleaned jaggery . Mix it well and let it boil nicely.

 7. Now shift the boiled kheer to a serving bowl. Cool it and mix it with fresh milk when it is cooled a bit.

8. Serve ready "Almond -Carrot Kheer " at any time of the day.

Note :

Do not add more carrots since it overtakes the flavour. Using sugar is optional. It taste differ. Do not add any ghee or butter to it.Adding Cashew nuts will enrich the taste. I have not added it. Adding more or less jaggery is also an optional. Adding more water is also an optional. But it does not taste that good. Adding coconut milk is also an optional. It adds to the taste and richness to the kheer.

Time  : 20 minutes.
Serves :  5 to 6