Almond + Besan Wheat Holige

Almond  ( Badami in Kannada ) + Besan (Kadale Hittu in Kannada language)  Wheat Holige is a sweet dish and you can enjoy these holiges  (pooran Poli) at any time of the day and all age group will surely like it.
Normally Holige is done with Maida. Here I have used wheat flour.

Eating Almonds yield many benifits like they reduce heart attack risk. They lower the bad cholesterol. They protect artery walls from damage. Almonds help build strong bones and teeth. They provide healthy  fats. They nourish the nervous system. They help provide good brain function. Using almonds have many more benifits.
Besan is naturally higher in protein, Contain good amount of vitamins and minerals and it is gluten free.
Wheat flour contains vitamins, protein and fiber.
Almond Besan Wheat Holige  stuffing is prepared using milk, sugar, almonds,besan and cardamom.
Outer layer dough is prepared with wheat flour instead of maida.
Almond + besan Holige can be had for lunch during festivals and also you can have them for evening snack. You can also pack them for your kid's lunch-box as snack for the school going kids.

Things Needed : 

For the stuffing  
Milk :1 cups
Sugar : 1 1/2 cups
Almonds : 1 Cup
Besan :  2 Table spoons
Coconut : 1/2 cup
Cardamom : 6 to 8 pods

For the outer layer
Things Needed :
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Water : required
Salt : a pinch
Oil : 1 Cup

Method : 
For stuffing : Sweet mixture: (Hoorana)
1. Powder cardamom and Almonds, dry grind coconut and keep it aside.
2. Boil Milk and add sugar to it.
3. Add Almond powder to the milk and mix it well.
4. Keep stirring. Add dry ground coconut and besan to the mixture.
5. Stir continuously till it stars to leave the pan. Add a spoon of ghee.
6. Now remove the mixture and put it in a bowl. Let it cool.
7. Mix the mixture nicely when it cools and keep it aside.

Chapati dough ( The outer layer ) :
1. Take a bowl and put wheat flour and salt. Put required water and prepare chapati dough.

Now Almond + Besan wheat Holige.
1. Knead the chapati dough and divide them into small portion. (little bigger than lemon size).
2. Keep a small portion of  dry wheat flour in a small bowl.
3. Take a small ball and roll out to small papad size.

4. Keep a tablespoon of sweet mixture and cover the chapati from all side and bring it ball shape.
  ( like aloo stuffing).

5 Now take that sweet mixture ball and roll a little on dry wheat flour and roll like a chapati.

6 Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle little oil on the pan.
7 Now put the sweet chapati on the pan and cook on both sides. Use little oil on both sides.

8 Repeat the same with remaining dough.
9. Serve Hot Amond + Besan Wheat Holige with a teaspoon of ghee on the top.

Note : Do the whole process of sweet mixture on low flame. If you feel the mixture is still liquidy use little more besan and mix it nicely. No need to add more ghee or oil to it. Once the mixture is cooled it thickens. You can reduce or add the amount of the sugar as your wish.
Serves :  3 to 4
Time : 40 min.

Dhokla

Dhokla is a yummy dish from North India, especially Gujarat. Now a days most of the Indian dishes are very popular and available in any corner of the world I can say. Especially children love to have this Dhokla, even the elders do not fall behind to have this dish. This is a steamed snack and it is prepared with Besan  (chenna dal) flour, curd and very little spice. Dokla is a healthy dish and we can have this  food  for breakfast, snack in the evening or for dinner too.

Besan flour is made of Channa dal and it contain proteins vitamins minerals and it is gluten free. Besan has high nutritive value, good for weight loss and helps to control diabetes.
Medium sized Rava (Samolina) is also added with besan to give a good texture to dokla.
Rava is high in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and fibre with some iron, zinc, manganese and copper. It is very low insaturated fat, cholesterol and sodium and contains zero trans fatty acids. It is high in vitamin E and contains a fair amount of the B complex vitamins. (Especially folic acid). Samolina has a low glycemic index which is good news for people wishing to control or reduce their weight and blood sugar and diabetics.
This Dhokla recipe is very easy and can be prepared with little spices and definitely loved by all age group people. I have not added any cooking soda while preparing the dough. Eno salt should be added just before cooking. Remember to use sour curd to get good result.

Things Needed :
Besan flour : 2 cups
Rava (medium size) : 2 Table spoons.
Sour curd : 1 Cup
Salt : to taste
Water : Required
Oil 1 Table spoon.
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Sugar : 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 8 to 10
Eno Salt: 1 Table spoon
Green chilly : 1

Method :
1. Take a big bowl and put besan, rava, salt and curd. Mix it nicely. Wash and cut green chilly and curry leaves and keep it aside.

2. Add water if required (idli dough consistency) and mix it nicely and keep it aside for 5 to 6 hours to ferment.

3. Now take the ferment dough, mix it thoroughly.
4. Keep ready the pressure cooker or Idli cooker on the fire. Put 2 to 3 cups of water at the bottom of the cooker and keep a bowl upside down. Keep a plate on the top of the bowl.
5. Apply oil to the dokla container and keep it aside. ( any bowl or plate can be used which is fitting inside the cooker. Pressure cooker container also will do).
6. Now keep the idli cooker or pressure cooker on the fire and heat.
7. Add Eno salt to the ready dough and mix it properly and pour this dough to the oil applied container and keep it in the idli cooker and cover the lid.
8. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes and put off the gas.

9. Now remove the ready dhokla from the container and place it on a plate.

10. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Put oil, mustard seeds and let it spurt.
11. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly to the spurt and put off the gas. Put a spoon of sugar to the spurt mixture and add 1 table spoon of water. Mx it well.
12. Put the spurt mustard mixture on the top of the Dhokla and spread it nicely . Cut them in to small pieces.

Serve this Dhokla with your choice of chutney .

Note : You must mix the dough nicely ( You can use an egg beater to smoothen the dough).
You can also use coriander leaves to decorate the Dhokla. Do not use lot of water either to prepare the dough or to the spurt mixture. Good texture dough will result in good, soft Dhokla. No need to add any extra bicorbonate Soda or cooking soda.

Cooking Time 20 minutes.
Preparation time :10 minutes.
Time to ferment : 5 to 6 hours.
Serves : 3 to 4

Capsicum Mini Dosas

Capsicum is one of the vegetable which is available plenty in the marker around the year. It has its own aroma and people like me love to add them in our food. Here I have done Capsicum Mini dosas using Patrode dough (One of the famous dish of South Canara) and little besan/Channa dal flour.

This Capsicum Mini Dosas can be eaten for breakfast, as a side dish with lunch or as snack.
I have used Patrode dough, and little besan flour and prepared the dough.
This is an easy dish and you can enjoy having them with a cup of coffee/tea/juice.
Things Needed:
Capsicum :  1 to 2 (Medium size)
Patrode dough : 1 Cup
Gram flour/besan/channa dal flour : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Chilly Powder : 1 teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt ; to taste
Coconut Oil. 4 to 5 Tablespoons.
Water : If required : (/4 Cup)

Method :
1. Wash capsicum and remove the seeds. Cut into circle shape.

2. Take a big bowl and add besan, Patrode dough, chilly powder, salt and jeera.

3. Mix it well and prepare dough. (Dosa consistency).

4. Keep a tava on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil around the tava.
5. Now dip the circle shape capsicum and place on hot tava. (Let it be on medium flame).

6. Cook for a minute. Sprinkle some oil on the top and turn the other side and cook.

7. Capsicum mini dosa is ready to serve. Add butter on the top and serve hot Capsicum Mini Dosa
8. Repeat the same with remaining dough and capsicum.
Note :
Add water little by little while preparing the dough. Use of any spice powder is optional. (Garam Masala, chat masala , jeera powder  or daniya powder). Use of any cooking oil is optional. Use of more/less spice is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .
Preparing Patrode dough :
Soak 2 cups of raw rice, 1/2 teaspoon of methi seeds and 1 tablespoon of urid dal for 2 to3 hours.
Grind it with coriander seeds (1 handful or 3 to 4 tablespoons), 6 to 8 red chilly (byadagi), marble size of tamarind, 1/2 cup of fresh grated coconut, 1 teaspoon of jeera and 2 tablespoons of jaggery.
First grind all the spices with coconut and then add soaked raw rice. (Wash it before soaking or before grinding). Add required water (little by little) while grinding. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and ingh while grinding. Add salt at the end and give a churn. Shift the ground paste to a clean bowl.
You can prepare capsicum, brinjal, potato, bitter gourd, raw banana, sweet potato and grated carrot and cut onions. Use one vegetable at a time to get the best taste.

Almond - Besan Burfy

Sweets are always yummy to munch. Small piece of any sweet after food is always welcome. Most of the people have the habit of eating little sweet after lunch or dinner. So there should be little sweet at home right. I do prepare some or the other sweet at times. Here is such one Almond - Besan Burfy.
I have used some almond flakes on the top also.

Let us see the recipe now .
I have used besan/channa flour, sugar, almonds and ghee. Remember to prepare this burfy on low flame. and cut it only when it is completely cooled. I had some guest and did not wait for burfi to cool.
Let us see the recipe.

Things Needed :

Almonds : 1/2  Cup.
Besan : 1 cup
Sugar : 2 Cups
Ghee : 1 Cup
Milk : 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Dry grind almonds with its skin and keep it aside.
2. Keep a pan and fry besan on low flame. ( For 5 minutes).
3. Add milk and mix it well. Add sugar and stir slowly and let it mix well.

4. Add little ghee and stir. Mixing the mixture is very important. It should not be stopped.
5. It starts to mix well and slowly it starts to bubble.

6. Stir continuously till it leaves the edges of the pan. Add ghee in between.
7. Add powdered almonds and keep stirring.

8. It thickens well and starts to come up. Stir slowly for another 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining ghee and stir, shift it to the tray or plate. ( plate/tray should be greased before).

10. Leave it for cooling. Spread almond flakes on the top.(Optional). Cut it according to your wish only when it cools.

Note : 

Do the whole process on low flame. Cut the burfy only when it completely cools down. You can add more ghee (optional). Use of almonds are optional. You can also use cardamom powder to get good aroma. ( I have not added).
Time : 20 minutes.
20 Pieces : According to size .

Besan Laddu

Besan laddu/laadu/ Unade is a sweet dish, you can have them any time of the day. Besan laddu is very easy and quick to prepare. This yummy, delicious sweet just melts in your mouth and gives energy too.

Besan/Channa flour/Chick Pea flour/ Kadale hittu, sugar and ghee are the main ingredients that are used in Besan Laddu.
As I said it it energetic because channa flour is loaded with carbohydrates and suger adds to the calories. Some people do have a habit of having besan laddu for breakfast along with their normal food. It goes well with Upma, Avalakki/ Beaten Rice Upma or khara bath, puliyogre and bisibele bath.
It is very precious prasadam to prepare during Gokulastami/Shree Krishna Janmastami, may because people do fast the whole day and have their limited prasadam after midnight. It is good to take this besan laddu for travelling, kids party, kids snack box and ladies parties.
Lets see the recipe now:
Things needed:
Besan _ 2 cup
Sugar -1  cup ( dry grind and powder it)
Ghee - 1 cup
Cardamom - 5 to 6 pods
Dry fruits - 1/4 cup ( Cashew ( cut in to small ) and raisens )+ Almonds (Optional)

Method :
1. Keep a pan on the fire, put 1 table spoon of ghee and fry cashew and raisens and remove them. 
2. Add besan and fry in that ghee until raw smell disappears. (Approximately  6 to 8 minutes). Put off the fire and shift the roasted flour to a big bowl.
3. Powder the sugar along with cardamom seeds. Melt the ghee and keep it ready.
4. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Divide the mixture into small portion.
5. Add ghee (Little by little) to one portion and mix it well and prepare laddus.
6. Once that portion of mixture is done, add ghee to the next portion and repeat the same.
7. Prepare laddu and shift them to a serving tray and serve or keep it in a air tight box.

Note :
Fry besan on slow flame so that it does not get burnt. Do not add ghee immediately . let it cool a bit . Then add ghee. Dividing the mixture into small portion helps you too prepare laddu easily. Mixture does not get dry very soon since it is small portion. You can also add some hot boiled milk instead of ghee and prepare laddu. But not only the taste differ, the shelf life of laddu prepared with ghee will be more. (At least 15 days) and milk used laddu will be only 3 to 4 days.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 15 to 16 laddus. (According to the size).