Pumpkin Flower Tava Fry

Pumpkin Flower Tava Fry is an side dish and favourite dish of  Dakshina Kannada, especially Konkanis. Pumpkin flowers are loaded with healthy properties.

I have used besan, jeera/cumin seeds and chilly powder and salt. No added cooking soda or eno here.

Let us see some benefits of having these pumpkin flowers in our diet.

Pumpkin flowers are good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Pumpkin flowers are known to be full of health benefits. They are good for strengthening immunity system in our body. Good for treating for common cold and they are good for bones. They improve our vision since it contain Vitamin A. They are rich source of vitamin B9. The intake of pumpkin flower helps to improve the sperm quality and helps in infertility issues. It has vitamin c, vitamin B2 and vitamin B3. They  are good source of minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorus.
 iron, phosphorus,
Pumpkin plants bear two types of flowers. One is male which has no fruit under the flower and the female bear the fruit. (Small pumpkin).
Male flower which has no fruit under the flower.

Female flower which has fruit under the flower.

This Pumpkin Flower Tava Fry is simple, quick, yummy and easy to prepare.
I have used pumpkin flowers which grew in our pots, salt, chilly powder, cumin seeds and
besan./Channa flour .
Pumpkin flowers should be checked, cleaned and washed nicely. There will be ants inside the flowers.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Besan /Channa flour : : 1/2 Cup
Pumpkin flowers : 4 to 5
Red chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash pumpkin flowers nicely.

2. Take out the end part completely.  It is only the petals are used.
3. Check the petals to make sure there are no ants or any worm is hid in the petals.

4. Take a bowl and add 1/2 cup of besan, required salt, jeera/cumin seeds and chilly powder.
5. Mix all the ingredients nicely and add water to prepare bajji batter. It should be like dosa batter consistency.

6. Keep a dosa pan on the fire and heat. Add little oil to it. Let the fire be low.
7. Dip each pumpkin petal in besan batter and place it on the tava. Sprinkle some oil on it.

8. Cook on low and medium heat. Put some oil on the top and turn the other side and cook till they turn slightly golden brown.

9. Now Pumpkin flower Tava fry is ready to serve.

10. Serve as one of the side dish with lunch.

Note :
You can also prepare pakodas, dry palya, mosaru bajji and other side dishes with this Pumpkin flower.
Adding little rice flower to the batter while mixing is optional.
Adding little more chilly powder is optional.
Adding more oil helps the food to be tasty.

Time : 15 minutes.
Serves  : 2.

Almond Mysore Pak

Mysore pak - Yes Most of the sweet lovers love to have Mysore Pak.  It is delicious sweet, no doubt it has its fame and name. Preparing Mysore Pak one has to do it very slow and with lots of patience.

I do prepare yum yum yummy Mysore Pak and all my friends and relatives pour loads of love and appreciation, sweet words after eating Mysore Pak.
Here I have prepared Almonds Mysore Pak 

 Here I have tried " Almond Mysore Pak " and its super good I can say. You try and taste and You do agree my words.

Let us see what all I used and how did I do this Yummy, delicious Sweet " Almond Mysore Pak".
All I used is Almonds, besan/channa flour, ghee, sugar and little cardamom.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Besan / Channa flour : 2 Cups
Sugar : 1 3/4 or 2 Cups
Ghee : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Almonds : 1 Cup
Water : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Dry roast besan till the raw smell disappear.

2. Powder almonds and keep it aside.

3. Remove the seeds from cardamom pods and powder.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and put sugar and half cup of water.

5. Let sugar dissolve in water completely. Add a tsp spoon of ghee.
6. It starts to bubble. Let it boil for 2 minutes. See that it gets one string consistency.

7. Add roasted besan /channa flour and powdered almonds. ( Let the flame be very low)..

8. Stir nicely and see that there are no lumps. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee and stir.
9. The ghee you pour mixes well with besan and sugar mixture. Continue stirring and adding ghee in between. 5 to 6 minutes or little more.

10. Slowly the colour changes  in to slight golden brown.  Leave the mixture for 10 seconds and stir again slowly but do not allow the mixture  to burn at the bottom.
11. Let the mixture slowly come up slightly. Stir again. Do this process at least 4 to 5 times. ( Strictly on low flame ). Add powdered cardamom and mix it again. It starts to leave the edges.

12. Allow the mixture to slowly come up again and pour this mixture to a ghee spread tray or plate.

13. Spread it nicely and leave it to cool.  Cut Almond Mysore Pak once it is completely cooled.

14. Serve or enjoy eating these delicious Almond Mysore Pak pieces. Store it in a airtight box.

Note :
The sugar should melt completely before it gets in to syrup consistency. One should prepare this Almond Mysore Pak on low flame. Adding more ghee is optional. Almond Mysore Pak should be cut in to pieces only when it cools completely.
Time : 30 Minutes.
25 to 30 pieces can be made : According to size and shape.

Watch the process : 

Soft Mysorepak

Mysore Pak is one of the yummy sweet that most of us like it. 

Celebrating this sweet with festival is a divine thought too. 

Let us celebrate this Deepavali 2018 with Soft MysorePak.

There is a story about this Mysorepak How it has got its name Mysore pak.

The story goes like this.  This Sweet Mysore pak was first time prepared during Shri Krishna Raja Wadiyar Rule in Mysore. 

Shree Krishna Raj Wadiyar was ruling Mysore that time. He was fond of sweets they say. He asked his palace cook Mr. Kakasura Madappa to prepare some thing nice, tasty and delicious. Madappa just prepared the mixture of sugar, ghee and gram flour/channa flour/besan flour. The sweet turned so nice as golden colour. King Krishna Raja Wadiyar ate this sweet,  which melted so easily and it was delicious. He was curious to know the name of this sweet. When he asked Madappa, he did not know what to say/ because he never thought of the name for this sweet. He suddenly uttered Mysore pak. It is done in Mysore first time and the pak means pakam /cooking. The name Mysore pak got its name in this way.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Channa flour /besan /gram flour : 1 Cup

Sugar : 2 Cups

Ghee : 2 1/2 Cups

Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods.

Method : 

1. Dry roast channa flour till the raw smell disappear. 

2. Remove the pods from cardamom and powder it.

3. Melt the ghee into liquid form and keep it aside.

4. Apply ghee to plate /tray and keep it aside.

5. Now put sugar in a big bowl and keep it on the fire. Add 1/3 of water and melt it completely.

6. Stir in between and mix it well. Sugar liquid starts to bubble. 

7. Check for 1 string consistency. Le the flame be very low.

8. Slowly add roasted besan and stir. Add ghee in between and should stir continuously. 

9. Keep on adding ghee and stirring. It slowly change its colour. Stir and put each time a tablespoon of ghee and stir.

10. Leave the stirring for few seconds and stir again. You can see the content turning golden colour.

11. Leave it for few seconds and stir again. It starts to come up. Stir and let it come up again. Add cardamom powder. 

12. Again leave it for 2 seconds and shift the Mysore pak content to a ghee spread tray /plate.

13. Cut it according to your wish when it is hot. But do not try to remove it when it is hot. 

14. Let it cool down. Now remove the pieces slowly and put it in a air tight box.

15. Soft Mysore pak is ready to serve.

Note :

Do not allow the content to get hard. The proportion should be the same as mentioned above. You can remove the ghee which oozed out from Mysore Pak while shifting it to a plate. Do not go on stir till it hardens. Just stir twice or trice after it changes its colour 

Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 12 to 14 Pieces. ( According to size ).

Kharada Kaddi /Kaara Sev

Karada kaddi/ Khara Shev is a spicy munching savoury and it can be munched any time of the day. I love all these fried savouries and do prepare at times. Using different ingredients and making these traditional savoures is fun too.

Here I have prepared Khara Sev/Karada kaddi (as we call it in Kannada/Karnataka). It is crispy, crunchy and healthy. I call this healthy munch because it is home made.
I have used rice flour, besan, Oma seeds/Carom seeds/Caraway seeds), chilly powder and salt. Not to forget butter.

Let us see the other name for Oma seeds in some of the Indian Languages
Oma seeds are known as Ajwain seeds/Caraway seeds/Carom seeds also. In English it is called as Carom Seeds, Hindi - Ajvan, Arabic Kamme Muluki, Tamil - Asamtavoman, Telugu -Vamu. In Malayalam it is Omum, Kannada - Oma, Marathi - Onva and in Gujarati Yavan.

Let us see some benefits of eating Oma /Caraway seeds in our diet.
Oma/Carom seeds are very good for digestive system. They are rich in anti bacterial, anti-fungal and anesthetic properties. They have good amount of vitamins, minerals, fibers and anti-oxidants. Oma seeds are used in curing indigestion, infections and headache and common cold. They also help to ingrease appetite and maintain the health of the uterus. Oma oil is used in treating ear infections. It is said that Oma seeds are good for curbing desire for drinking alcohol. They are good remedy for abdominal gas, vomiting, travel sickness and nausea. Gargling Oma water helps to reduce the sore throat.  

Kara Sev goes well with a cup of coffee/tea/juice or even you can have them as one of the side dish like papads and enjoy your meal. Good to take it for travelling, picnic, kids snack box, ladies Kitty party.
I have used the medium size of karasev/kharada kaddi plate.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Rice Flour : 3 Cups
Besan : 1 Cup
Oma Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Butter : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : Required Salt.
Cooking Oil : 2 Cups (To fry)
Water to mix

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add rice flour, besan/channa flour, jeera/cumin seeds, oma seeds. salt, chilly powder and butter. Mix all the ingredients nicely.

2. Add water little by little and prepare dough. Kneed the dough nicely.
3. Keep a frying pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Let it get hot.
4. Take a small portion of the dough stuff in the Kara Sev mould.
5. Close with the top and press the mould on the top straight to the hot oil.
6. Fry on both sides. Remove from the oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

7. Hot Kaara Sev is ready to serve . Repeat the same with remaining dough.

8. Store Kara Sev in a dry bottle or airtight box.

Note :

One must use fine rice flour to get the best product. Use of hot oil instead of butter is optional.
Use 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot oil. Use of any spice is optional. Example : coriander powder, garam masala powder, jeera powder etc. Use of chilly powder quantity is optional. More/less. Use of garlic is optional. Grind garlic with little water, sieve it with a strainer and use the water to get garlic aroma.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : As You Use.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Mixed flour Spicy Chapati

It is just boring to eat the same food. I think you all agree with me. It should be bit different and should be on healthy side. That is my opinion and I do follow. It turns me in to do bit experiments, twists, changes and it is one of the best hobby for me now.
Mixed flour Spicy Chapati is ready to serve.

Here I have tried spicy chapati using wheat flour, rice flour, besan and chiroti rava. I have used curd and some simple spices.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Wheat flour  : 2 Cups
Rice flour : 2 Tablespoons
Besan/Channa flour : 1 Tablespoon
Chiroti Rava : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Jeera /Cumin Seeds powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add all the flours,salt and spices. Add curd.
2. Mix it nicely and prepare dough. Kneed the dough nicely.

3. Divide the dough into small portions.
4. Take a small portion of the dough and roll it as chapati. (Dip the ball size dough in dry wheat flour just before rolling).

5. Keep a tava/pan on the fire and heat. Put the rolled spicy chapati and cook on both sides.
6.At first do not add oil. Press it with the spatula on the sides of chapati. It fluffs up. Add little oil now.
7. Turn the other side and cook for 10 to 20 seconds..

8. Sprinkle some oil on the top of the chapati while it is cooking.

9. Mixed flour chapati is ready to serve. Serve it with the side dish you  have prepared.

10 We had it with basale/malabar leaves and kesu/colocasia  huli/sambar and Amaranth leaves dry curry.

Note : 

Mix the flour nicely with ghee and then add curd. Mix it well and if need add water.  Be careful while adding the curd. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Adding oil instead of ghee is optional. Adding more spice is optional. You can use your choice of brand. I have used MTR and Mayya's spice powders. I feel it fits into our taste bud and also its healthy. The dough should be soft.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 8 to 9 Chapatis can be prepared. ( It depends on the size of the chapati).