Quick Channa Palav

Palav is full meals food and it is easy to do it and it can be one pot meal, quick meal or tasty meal. Palav is prepared in many ways. This time it is Channa /Kabooli Channa Palav and is very easy to prepare and serve.

 Good for sunday brunch, or for packing kids lunch box or even for picnics.
I have used cooked channa, (Use of cooked channa helps in softening the hard pods to quick little more and easy to digest), coriander leaves, carrots, handful of cashews, garam masala and chutney powder, little spices like cinnamon pieces, 3 to 4 cloves, a little bit of sonf /fennel seeds or Aniseeds, green chilly, grated ginger and grated coconut.
Channa /Kabooli Channa helps you to keep you fit and provides proteins and energy. It helps to keep your body warm.
Channa helps in keeping your bones strong and fit. Channa is full of fiber and anyone can eat and enjoy.
It is my own creation and love the taste and aroma of this Palav.
No Onion or Nor Garlic is used here. "Quick Channa Palav" is yummy to have, filling and easy to prepare.

Things Needed :

Cooked Kabooli Channa : 1 Bowl.
Raw Rice : 2 Cups. (I used Basumathi Rice)
Carrots : 2 to 3
Cashews : 1 Handful
Saffron : 2 to 3 Rakes
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon (Grated).
Spices :
Cinnamon : An inch
Cloves : 3 to 4
Sonf/Fennel Seeds/Aniseeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chutney Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 2
Fresh grated coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Coriander leaves : 1 Handful
Ghee : 2 To 3 Tablespoons
Cooking Oil : 1Tablespoon
Salt : As required

Method :

1. Wash and cut carrots and keep it aside. Wash and slit green chilly.
2. Wash rice and drain the water completely and keep it aside. ( At least 10 minutes before you prepare Palavu).

3. Wash and grate ginger and keep it aside.
4. Wash and cut coriander leaves and cut into small pieces. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Now keep a pan/pressure cooker on the fire and heat.
6. Add oil and 1 tbs of ghee. Add sonf, cinnamon, cloves and fry for 10 seconds.

7. Add carrots, cooked channa, grated ginger, slit chilly and fry nicely for 1 minute.

8. Add cashews and fry till they turn slightly brown.
9. Add garam masala, chutney powder and stir just once or twice.

10. Add  rice and stir nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.

11. Add 4 cups of water and mix all the ingredients well.
12. Add  grated coconut, saffron and required salt.

13. Add cut coriander leaves close the lid and cook. Put weight after 2 minutes.

14. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Put off the fire and let the pressure come down.

15. Open the lid, add remaining ghee and mix it well. Shift the delicious palav to a serving dish.

16. Serve with your choice of Raitha. We had it with carrot raitha

Note : 

Any brand of Basumathi rice is optional. Use of Sona masoori is also useful. Use little more water if you use Sona Masoori Rice. Use of steamed rice gives different taste. Use of green chilly is optional.
Use of curry leaves chutney pudi adds to the taste. (Optional).
40 minutes

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Simple Raw Mango Rice

In Raw Mango season we do use raw mangoes. Varieties of raw mango preparation is done with it.
I have prepared Simple Raw Mango Rice with methi aroma.

 It is very healthy to use  seasonal vegetables and fruits according to the season, they will be rich in vitamins and minerals. Here I have prepared quick raw mango rice. It is yummy, easy and quick.
I have used raw mango, cooked raw rice, little rasam powder and the seasoning ingredients.

It is one of the simple and easy recipe. No garlic or Onion is added here in this Simple Raw Mango Rice.

Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Mango : 1 Medium sized 

Cooked Raw Rice : 2 Cups.

Rasam Powder : 1 Tablespoon

For Seasoning :

Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon

Curry Leaves : 8 to 10

Ground Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Dry roast :
Methi seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

To Add :

Salt : As required 

Turmeric powder : A little
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves and curry leaves.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Dry roast methi seeds and dry grind it. Keep it aside.
3. Wash and wipe out the moisture of mango and grate it.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and Methi seeds.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add ground nuts and fry till they turn golden brown.
6. Add curry leaves, jaggery grated raw mango, salt and turmeric powder. Fry on medium flame.

7. Add grated coconut. Add rasam powder and ground methi seeds powder.
8. Mix it slowly and cook on low flame. Add a tablespoon of ghee.

9. Add cooked rice and mix it slowly. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes. ( On low flame).

10. Shift it to a serving bowl and add cut coriander leaves. Raw Mango rice is ready to serve.

Note :
I have used Raw totapuri mango. It is mild savoury fruit. ( Raw ). Use of jaggery and ghee more /less is optional. Use of home made rasam powder taste better. Dry roasted methi seeds powder adds to aroma and health. It helps to reduce the cholesterol. Adding jaggery is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes. If you use already cooked rice. or + 20 minutes to cook rice.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Jeera - Pepper Huggi /Khara Pongal

Jeera - Pepper Huggi/Khara Pongal is one of the quick, healthy and easy Rice dish. It is one of the favourite dish of many South Indians.

I have used jeera/cumin seeds, green chilly, ingh/asafoetida as spices and moong dal and raw rice.

Let us see some benefits of eating Pepper Pods/Black Pepper in our diet.

Black Pepper is called as Kaali Mirch in hindi, nalla miriyalu - Telugu, Karumilaku - Tamil and Kari menasu in Kannada language. It is known as Kurumuluk in Malayalam.
Black pepper is known as king of spices. Black pepper is traded widely to other parts of the world,  even in ancient times.
Black pepper is used as spices and medicine.It is loaded with antibacterial and anti - inflammatory properties.Pepper helps in improving digestion, relieve cold and cough. It helps to boost metabolism. It helps in treating skin problems and weight loss. It is good for treating asthama, sinus, nasal congestion. Pepper pods helps to reduce memory impairment and cognitive malfunction. It is helps in treating Alzheimer patients and those who suffer from dementia. Very good for other age related problems. Black pepper benefits in easing gastric problems and peptic ulcers, since they are loaded with antioxidant and anti -inflammatory properties. It contain good amount of dietary fiber.
Black pepper is rich in minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium and small amount of protein. It has good amount of  vitamins like Vitamin K, Vitamin B6.

No Onion or Garlic is used in this Jeera - Pepper Huggi/Khara Pongal. It is very easy to cook, it is simple, delicious and protein rich food.
Let us see the recipe.

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Raw rice : 1 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
 To Season :
Jeera/cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper Pods : 2 to 3
Ingh/ Asafoetida : A pinch
Green chilly : 2
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
To dry roast :
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/ 2 Teaspoon
Pepper pods : 5 to 6
To Add :
Pepper and jeera powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Grated Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Grated Ginger : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Water : 3 Cups of water.
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Cashew Nuts : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and cook raw rice and moong dal in a pressure cooker.

2. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash curry leaves and green chilly. Slit green chilly and keep it aside. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger. ( An inch of ginger). Wash it again and grate it.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and dry roast pepper pods and jeera ( 2 minutes). Dry grind it and keep it aside.

4. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of ghee and put jeera, pepper pods and fry.
5. Add 3 to 4 pepper pods and 1/2 teaspoon of jeera. Fry them nicely for a few seconds and add green chilly.
6. Fry green chilly for a few seconds and add curry leaves. Add ingh.

7. Put cooked moong dal and rice mixture. Add required salt and ground jeera and pepper powder.
8. Add grated ginger. Mix all the ingredients slowly on very low flame. Let i t be on fire for 2 minutes.
9. Put off the gas. Add grated coconut.

10. Keep a small pan and put ghee. ( 1 tablespoon). Add cashews and fry nicely.
11. Add this fried cashews to ready Khara Pongal.
12. Serve with a cup of curd or coconut chutney with hot Jeera - Pepper Huggi/Khara Pongal.

Note :

Do not over cook rice. Adding more green chilly is optional. Adding more ghee is optional. It adds to the taste. Do not stir more . It might turn very soft.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5
Purely Karnataka Dish.

Coconut Milk Ganji / ಕಾಯಿಹಾಲು ಗಂಜಿ / Rice Porridge

Ganji is a Kannada word for Rice Porridge. It is one of the staple food which keeps your body and mind cool. I have tried this Coconut milk Ganji/Kanji and it tasted superb. The fresh coconut milk ganji is yummy and healthy simply good. Try and enjoy one of the traditional dish from South Canara/Udupi.

In South Canara and around this Kayi Halu Ganji is prepared during Dasara festival at our home. Paddy which is grown is just right to harvest and just before the harvesting we have a custom to prepare rice ganji and samarpan to God. 

The custom we follow @ my aunt place is called HOSATU/ಹೊಸತು ಊಟ . In one of the Dasara day the freshly grown paddy with along with its plant is brought home ( One handful) by a male person of the house and pooja is done. The paddy grass/ಕದಿರು ಕಟ್ಟುವುದು is tied to a pole in the front of the home. A few paddy  husk is removed and add it to cooking ganji. Ganji is nothing but rice porridge. Rice is cooked with more water and eaten as it is. ( Without removing the starch). 

I have used coconut, Sona Masuri raw rice to prepare this Ganji, as we call it in our language Kannada/Karnataka/ India. 

Let us see some benefits of eating fresh coconut milk in our diet.

Coconut milk is one of the healthier saturated fat product. The fat is said to be easily metabolized by the body. It is anti microbial, anti bacterial and anti viral. Coconut milk is good for our hair and skin. 

Coconut milk is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contain minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc. It contain vitamin C and E. 

Coconut milk contain lots of fat and one should drink or use it in minimum quantity.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 1 Cup

Water : 3 to 4 cups 

Coconut milk : 1 Glass. ( 1/2 coconut of small size coconut).
Salt : A pinch

Method : 

1. Keep water for boiling. ( 1 Cup Rice = 4 Cups of water. ( Raw rice : Sona Masoori )

2. Wash rice and put it into the boiling water and cook rice till it turn soft.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with little water. Remove from mixi jar and squeeze out the milk from ground coconut. ( Use a siever to take out the milk from the ground coconut). Keep the thick milk aside.

2. Grind coconut again with little water and take out the milk from it. ( Second time).

3. Let the rice cook till it is soft. Put off the fire and keep the rice bowl down. Add a pinch of salt and mix it.

4. Add fresh coconut milk and mix it well.  Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift it to a serving dish.

5. Now Coconut Milk Ganji is ready to serve.

6. Serve with pickle/Chutney, papad and ghee.

Note : 

Cook rice with exact amount of water. Do not cook ganji after adding coconut milk. Keep the ready cooked rice bowl down and then add fresh coconut milk to get the aroma and healthy properties.
Fresh grated coconut should be ground nicely with required water to get fresh coconut milk. Re grind the coconut mixture again to get the second quality of coconut milk. Do not add much water while grinding. The consistency of Coconut milk Ganji should be loose but not watery. ( It should not be running consistency ).
Time : 25 Minutes. 
Serves : 2 .