Jaggery Karchikai

Karchi Kai /Karanji / Sweet fried Kadubu is one of the traditional dish prepared for Ganapati and Deepavali. It is one of the easy dish and can be kept for a long time ( At least a week).

Varieties of stuffing can be done according to your imagination. The outer layer is done with chiroti rava and maida. The filling/stuffing is like coconut, jaggery or sugar, dry fruits, dates and candy sugar etc.
Here I have used roasted chenna, jaggery, thin variety of semolina and little maida.
Use of ghee helps the outer layer to be crispy and crunchy.
It is easy, simple and jaggery is used instead of sugar. Chiroti rava in a al
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

For Outer Layer/Cover/Kanaka 
Chiroti Rava : 1 Cup
Maida : 1/2 Cup or little less
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : A little
Hoorana /Stuffing
Roasted Chenna /Huri Kadale : 1/2 Cup/ 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Dry coconut : Cup
Cardamom :  5 to 6 Pods
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup (Powdered)
Oil : to Fry : 2 Cups

Method :

1. Dry grind dry coconut and keep it aside.

2. Dry grind jaggery, roasted chenna and cardamom pods nicely till powder.

3. Take a big bowl and put coconut powder, jaggery mixture and mix it well.

4. Take a big bowl, put chiroti rava/thin variety of semolina and maida/All purpose flour.

5. Add required salt, a tablespoon of ghee and mix all the ingredients nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add water ( little by little ) and prepare the dough.
7. Kneed the dough nicely and divide the dough into small portion.

8. Roll each small portion and stuff some sweet mixture and fold the karchikai and press it at the edges. So that it does not get open while frying in oil.

9. Arrange the done karchikai in a plate or tray.

10. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Let it get heated.  (On low flame).
11. Put folded karchikai/karanji one by one and fry on both sides.

12.Remove it from the pan and put it on a kitchen tissue.

13. Repeat the same and prepare rest of karchikai.

14. Let it cool. Serve them with as snack.

Note : 

Do not add any water while dry grinding. No need to heat sweet mixture on the pan. Roasted chenna helps to take away the moisture. Use of more / less jggery is optional. Use of more ghee while preparing the dough helps the dough to turn crispy. Let the flame be low while frying also. It helps the kachori layer to be crunchy
Time: 30 to 40 Minutes
Serves : 15 to 20.

Amtekai Palya /Hog Plum Dry Curry

Amtekai/Hog plum is a savoury vegetable and is used in curries, pickles and it is added in curries instead of tamarind. I have prepared Amtekai Palya /Hog plum Dry Curry.

These Hog plums are from my sister Viji's House in Kadiyali. They have Hog Plum plant at their home. She has specially sent it for me with her son who was coming to Bangalore. 
Here I have tried Amtekai Palya which is very tasty. Hot plain rice, Amtekai Palya and a spoon of fresh home made ghee, you can imagine the tttttt taste.
I have used hog plum, home made rasam powder, roasted sesame seeds, jaggery and dry coconut./Kopra.
Let us see some benefits of eating Hog Plum in our diet.
Hog plum is rich in antioxidant properties. It is full of Vitamin C. It is rich in Iron and it helps to take care of our good blood cells./hemoglobin. It is rich in calcium and full of fiber.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Hog plums : 6 to 8
Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Sesame Seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves :  1 Tablespoon (4 to 5 sticks).
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and cut amtekai into small piece. Keep the pod aside. You can use the pod too.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

3. Keep a tava and dry roast sesame seeds till they pop up.
4. Put off the fire and shift the roasted seeds to a plate. Let it get cool.
5. Dry grind rasam powder, dry roasted sesame seeds and dry coconut till it turn powder.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
7. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard splutter.
8. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add cut Amtekai/Hog plum.
9. Stir for a while and put a glass of water. Add jaggery and salt. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.

10. Let Amtekai cook till soft. Allow the all the moisture get disappear. Reduce the flame low.
11. Add ground coconut - spice mixture and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Stir in between. Add cut coriander leaves.

12. Shift Amtekai Palya /Hog plum dry curry to a serving bowl. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :
You can add the pods while cooking. It is fun to chew the pods while having the food. I have used home prepared rasam/saaru powder. (Optional). Use of cooking oil is optional. Use of more/less jaggery is optional.

Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Fresh Cow Peas Spicy Curry. / ಹಸಿ ಹುಳಿ

Fresh Cow Peas/ ಅಲಸಂದೆ is available during winter. It a seasonal pod and filled with proteins. I have prepared Fresh Cow Peas Spicy Curry, which is very traditional curry in Udupi region. /South Canara region and Malnadu in region.

Raw curry has the aroma from spices which are used in the curry. It tastes yummy with any main dish. It is a good combination for plain rice, dosa or idli, chapati or poori, any type of rotis and even with bread.
I have used Fresh Cow Peas, coriander seeds, green chilly, tamarind and jeera/cumin seeds.
Coriander seeds are filled with nutrients. They are rich in high level of dietary fiber, antioxidants and B Vitamins and Vitamin C. It helps in treating inflammation, good for digestion and it helps to improve the skin. It also helps to control diabetes. It is good for ladies who suffer from their menstrual stomach ache. Drinking Boiled coriander seeds water helps in reducing the pain that cause during the monthly period.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Fresh Cow Peas/ ಅಲಸಂದೆ ಕಾಳು : 1 Cup
To Grind :
Coriander seeds : 2 Teaspoons
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2

Fresh Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons. ( 1/2 Cup)
Tamarind Pulp : Very small marble size.
Soaked Moong dal : 1 Teaspoon
To Add : 
Ground coconut - spice mixture
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder/Haladi/Arashina : A pinch
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly 1
Pepper pods : 3 to 4
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1.  Separate Alasande pods from its skin and wash it. Cook with required water. Keep it aside. ( You can pressure cook for 3 to 4 minutes).

2. Grate coconut and grind it with 2 to 3 green chilly, coriander seeds, jeera and tamarind pulp.

3. Put cooked cow peas in a big pan and keep the pan on the fire. Add little water, required salt and turmeric powder.
4. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground coconut and spice mixture. Mix it well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Add seasoned mustard seeds mixture done in coconut oil and shift the curry to a serving bowl.

6. Add cut coriander leaves and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Do not make the curry very watery. It taste good when it is thick. Adding more /less chilly is optional. Adding soaked moong dal helps to thicken the curry. ( Optional : You can add soaked raw rice or soaked channa dal instead of moong dal). Adding more coconut taste better. Add little tamarind since it does not need  much savoury.
Note : I have added 3 to 4 pepper pods to the curry. ( Optional). Normally this curry does not have any pepper. Remember pepper helps to reduce the gas content in the food. 
Time : 25 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .

 How to prepare Coriander Kashaya :

 ( Remedy for ladies monthly period/ menstrual stomach ache).

 Ingredients :
Glass of water
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon

Method : 

Boil water and put cleaned coriander seeds. Let it boil till it reduces to 3/4 th glass.
Add jaggery and boil for 2 minutes. Sieve this Kashaya and drink hot or cold as you like it.
It is better to drink kashaya when it is hot.

Aralu hittina Unde/Gundittu Unde

Aralu Unde is specially made for Gokulastami /Shri Krishna Janmastami. It is one of the must laddu prepared  and do arpan as Navaidyam for Shri Krishna.

Aralu Hittu /Gundittu is special flour prepared with puffed rice. Dry roasted puffed rice /a type of avalakki is ground to make flour and then used for preparing Laddu.
Udupi Shri Krishna temple is in Udupi and I am very proud that I belong to that region. I have seen Shri Krishna's Astami Sambrama so many times in Ratha beedi./Car street, the street around the Asta Matt.
Varieties of Eatables are prepared for Shri Krishna and it is kept as Naivedyam at night. According to  to the star Rohini, Shri Krishna's birth. People fast whole day on that day, ( Shravana Masada Shukla pakshada 8 ne dina ). Then only people eat. The very next day whole of Udupi and around Udupi the celebration starts in the morning. People decorate themselves different Vesha/Costume and visit houses and get some money. It is fun to watch these and you do enjoy seeing many people with different costume. Huli Vesha / People in the costume gather and dance according to the beat as tigers it is really fantastic. All these people go to Udupi Vitla Pindi Utsav, they do take part in the celebrations and processions with Lord Shri Krishna and Lord Mukya Prana/Hanuman/Hanumantha /Maruthi.
The Golden  Chariot is pulled around the Car Street , Shri Krishna sitting in it. The whole place is filled with people around the world to watch Shree Krishna's Utsav. Number of Huli Vesha groups dances and the instruments like drums and other musical instruments are played and move with Shri Krishna's procession. We say our janma pavana by seeing the Utsav. 
Laddus prepared by Mutts, distributed to the whole large group which do take part in processions andsome schools, near by offices, banks also will get the prasads from Shri Krishna Mutt.
This is about Shri Krishna Astami/Gokulastami celebrations
Even at home different varieties of laddus are prepared for naivedyams and Aralu Unde is one of it.
This Aralu Hittu is available only during Astami time.
I have been to Udupi just before Shri Krishna Janmastami and brought some flour and prepared this laddus.
This puffed rice is already roasted and no need to roast the flour again. You can add ghee according to your requirements. Adding more ghee helps the laddu to be tasty. Less ghee turns the laddu hard after a day and you need to break a laddu and have it. ( It means its hard to eat).
 Aralu Hittu is good for health and it helps to keep your body warm.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Aralu Hittu /Gundittu : 3 Cups
Ghee : 1/2 Cup or little more
Jaggery : 1 1/2 Cup ( Powdered)
Cardamom : 6 to 8 Pods
Cashews : 2 Tablespoons ( Cut into small)
Raisins : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Coconut : 1 Cup
Sesame Seeds :  2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Powder jaggery and keep it aside.

2. Grate coconut and dry grind it, keep it aside. Dry roast sesame seeds and powder it.

3. Remove the pods from cardamom and powder it.
4. Keep a small pan and put 2 tablespoons of ghee. Fry cashews and
5. Keep a pan and put jaggery and 1/4 cup of water. Let the flame be low.
 Let jaggery melt and bubbles starts and it starts to bubble.

6. Let it get one string syrup consistency. Keep stirring for another 2 minutes.

7.  Add grated coconut and mix it well. Take out the pan on fire and put off the fire.

8. Add Gundittu/ Aralu flour and mix it well. Add ghee fried cashews and raisins.

9. Add remaining ghee and mix it slowly.  Add powdered cardamom.

10. Take a handful of mixture in your palm and fold the palm tightly and turn the flour in round shape.

  

 11. Repeat the same and prepare laddu /unde and arrange them in a tray or bowl.

12.  Put them in a serving bowl. Let it cool. Store them in a air tight box or bottle and serve as you wish.

 Note :

Let the syrup consistency be just little more thicker than one string consistency.  Check the consistency with your finger tips. It should be slightly sticky. Not watery. Let the mixture be bit cool to turn them as laddu. The hot mixture burns the hand because of the heat. Add little ghee if you feel that, the mixture is completely dry. You can add hot milk also, but you can not store them for a long. Milk used Laddu get fungus. So better use melted ghee. Adding more jaggery is optional.
If dry roasted avalakki is available you can buy and powder the avalakki and use it for laddu.

Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3o to 40 Laddus/Unde.