Sweet Potato - Poppy Seeds Payasa / Kheer.

Sweet Potato Payasa is one of the traditional Payasa/kheer done during the harvest of sweet potatoes.  You get plenty of fresh sweet potatoes during winter season.
It is normally during winter and sweet potatoes helps the body to be warm and energetic.

 I normally prepare sweet potato payasa without poppy seeds and use coconut milk.
I thought of using poppy seeds and wanted to try and enjoy this payasa. Anyways it is an easy dish and it taste delicious.
Normally we do use coconut milk in payasa and this time I have used poppy seeds/gasgase with coconut and use the whole ground paste. Use of poppy seeds helps us to get rid of gas in food.

Let us see some benefits of eating Sweet Potatoes in our diet.
Sweet Potatoes help us to lose weight. Eating sweet potatoes helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure. It is high in fiber and helps to prevent constipation. Sweet potatoes helps to improve immunity. It helps to control diabetes.
Sweet Potato contain no fats and filled with antioxidants. It is rich in carbohydrates and proteins. It contain Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and potassium. It contain minerals like Vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.
Sweet Potatoes are good for diabetic people. It helps to improve the digestion and reduces the inflammation. It helps in reducing the stress and strengthens the body immunity.
I have used sweet potatoes, jaggery, coconut, cardamom and poppy seeds.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Sweet Potatoes : 3 to 4 ( Small in size ).
Jaggery : 1 Small cup  ( Powdered jaggery 4 to 5 tablespoons ).
Fresh grated coconut : 1 Cup
Poppy Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Avalakki :2 Tablespoons ( Optional )
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Keep a pan and put jaggery and 1 cup of water. Let jaggery melt nicely. Let it boil for 2 minutes after it melts. Sieve this mixture and keep the clean jaggery aside.
2. Wash and peel off the skin of sweet potatoes and cut in to small. Wash it again and soak in clean water for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Now cook sweet potato pieces with required water till they turn soft. Wash and soak a tablespoon of avalakki / flattened rice.
4. Grate coconut and remove the seeds of cardamom. Grind it with 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds with required water till it turn as paste.

5. Add jaggery water to cooked sweet potato pieces and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to boiling mixture.

6. Now add ground coconut and poppy seeds - cardamom mixture. Mix it well.

7. Add soaked avalakki /flattened rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. It helps to bind the payasa nicely.

8. Shift Sweet Potato payasa to a serving dish. Add a cup of fresh milk just before serving.

9. Serve delicious Hot or cold " Sweet Potato Payasa /Kheer " and enjoy.

Note :

Cut sweet potato pieces into small to relish the taste. It helps to cook sweet potatoes fast. Adding flattened rice/Avalakki helps to bind the payasa well. You can use a teaspoon of soaked raw rice instead of avalakki. Wash and soak raw rice for at least for 5 minutes. Use of poppy seeds is optional. Use of coconut milk instead of coconut paste is optional. Adding more / less jaggery is optional. Use of sugar instead of jaggery is optional. Adding fresh milk adds to the taste. Add it once the payasa turns slightly cool.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves :  5 to 6.

Doodhi Sorekai Carrots VEGGY HALVA

VEGGY HALVA  is a sweet dish.  Veggy Halva is a combination of Bottle gourd (Sorekai), Local Carrots and White Pumpkin. These vegetables are grated and mixed with sugar, milk, ghee and cardamom.

White Pumkin or  Doodhi or boodu kumbala kai (Kannada language) is highly nutritious and it is low in calories and high in vitamins A, C and E. It contains minerals like magnesium, phosphorus and iron. It also lowers the cholesterol, Antidepressant and good for eyes too.
Carrots are notably rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. Carrots contain Beta carotene which is powerful and natural anti oxidant and it helps to protect body from any harmful injury.
Bottle gourd or Lauki (Hindi) or Sorekai (in Kannada) has many good qualities. It is good for weight loss. (especially the juice). It helps to reduce the high blood pressure and keeps the heart healthy. The fiber and the minerals in the bottle gourd supports healthy digestion and helps to overcome constipation problems.
Veggy Halva can be prepared for parties, festivals or to celebrate some thing special. It can be eaten at any time of the day too.

Things Needed :
Bottle Gourd : 1/2 Portion.
Carrots : 2 to 3
White pumpkin 1/4 potion of the medim size
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Sugar : 1 to 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom :  6 to 8 Pods.
Milk Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Cashew Nuts : 2 Tablespoons

Method : 
1. Wash and remove the outer skin of the vegetable and grate it. Keep it aside.

2. Powder the cardamom with a spoon of sugar and keep it aside.

3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 Teaspoon of ghee and fry cashew nuts and remove the nuts when it turn reddish.

4. Now squeeze out the extra water from pumpkin. Keep the juice aside.
5. Put grated carrots, bottle gourd and pumpkin. Keep the flame medium.

6. Fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar and stir niely.
7. Put a tablespoon of ghee while stirrring. Stir the mixture till it leaves the sides. Add ghee in between while stirring. (Littlt by little). Continue stirring.
8. Add milk powder and mix it well. When the halwa starts to leave the pan stir for another 2 to 3 minutes and put off the gas. Add the remaining ghee and the fried cashew nuts and mix again.

 9. Shift this sweet Veggy Halwa to the serving bowl.

10. Serve Halwa after dinner or along with breakfast.

Note : You must be very careful while stirring. Do not allow the Halva to get it burnt. Even Bottle gourd also will leave out the its water. You can use this for curry or juice. You can also try this halva in the micro wave oven. Every 2 minutes you need to mix the mixture until its done. You can also use more sugar and ghee if you like. Use of milk powder helps to absorb the moisture. Use of jaggery is optional. Taste may differ. This halva is good for kids.
Time :

Preparation : 20 minutes
Cooking : 25 to 30 minutes
Serves : 6 to 8.