Kabooli Channa - Potato Curry

Kabooli Chenna or White Channa is one of the pod comes in handy when you boil it and store in freezer. I do cook kabooli channa, freeze and use it whenever I need it. It is not that I keep this cooked channa for months together. I do use it regularly at least once in 20 days and use the frozen ones as early as posssible. The above said Kabooli Channa Curry is such  one of it. 

Poori - channa goes hand in hand. Channa helps you keep your tummy full for a long time. It has all the minerals and vitamins you need for a day. It is protein rich, fiber rich and full of carbs.

I have used Kabooli channa, tomatoes, aloo/potatoes and some spices which are easily available at home.

No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Kabooli Channa Curry

Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Kabooli Channa : 1 Big Cup ( Cooked )

Potatoes : 2

Curry Leaves : 1 Handful

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Tomatoes : 2 to 3 

To Add : 

Lemon : 1 Lemon extract

Salt : As required 

Dry Methi leaves/kasori methi  :  2 Tablespoons

Rasam Powder : 2 Tablespoons

Jeera Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon

Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon

Ginger : An inch 

Seasoning :

Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons

Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon

Green Chilly : 2 

Curry Leaves : 1 Handful

Method :

1. Wash and cut potatoes into small pieces. (Peel off its outer layer). 

2. Wash and cut tomatoes, curry leaves and slit green chilly.

3. Wash and peel off outer layer of ginger, wash it again and grate it. Keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and let it get hot. Add jeera/cumin seeds. Add slit chilly.5. Fry for 10 seconds, add cut potatoes and fry nicely for 2 minutes. Add a cup of water and cook.

5. Add tomatoes, grated ginger, when the potatoes turn soft. Mix it well. Add cooked Kabooli Channa.

6. Add salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Mix it well and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Add rasam powder, jeera powder and garam masala.

 Let the curry boil for 3 to 4 minutes.Add Kasori Methi / Dry Methi Leaves.

8. Add a teaspoon of butter on the top and let it get melt. Add lemon extract.  Mix it well and put off the fire.

9. Shift Kabooli Channa Curry to a serving dish and serve.

10. We had Kabooli Channa Curry with Hot Pooris.

Note :

Cook potatoes till they turn soft. Soak kabooli channa for  5 to 6 hours before you cook. Adding any spice is your choice. You can use any brand of channa masala, pav bhaji masala or simple chilly powder. I have added home prepared rasam powder and garam masala.  Adding methi seeds helps to digest the food well. It reduces the cholesterol level in the food and is fiber rich.

Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Wheat flour - Dry Fruits Laddu

Hello Every one ..Happy New Year 2019.
Let us pray and wish this New Year Brings all of us Happy Thoughts, Health and Wealth and Prosperity.
Let us begin the year with simple, healthy and quick Wheat Flour - Dry Fruits Laddu.

Laddu/Laadu / Unde all are the different names for sweet roundels.
Here I have tried wheat flour and dry fruits like anjur /figs, walnuts, raisins and coconut.
Added jaggery to give more sweet taste because wheat flour needs little more sweets. Dates do adds sweet and nutritious properties. I have added dates also.
These Wheat Flour Laddu is good to have at any time of the day. It is good for  kids snack box or as evening snack. Good for taking it for tour or when you are travelling. It is good for elders and diabetic people. ( Reduce the sweetness if you are serving to diabetic people.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Dry fruits like figs, dates, raisins : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup or more
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup ( Powdered )
Coconut : Fresh : 1 ( Small One )
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Jaggery soaked rose petals.
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery and 1/2 cup of water. Let it melt. Sieve it and keep cleaned mixture aside.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and put 2 tablespoons of ghee. Fry wheat flour nicely till the raw smell goes off. ( At least 5 to 6 minutes on low flame).

3. Grate or cut coconut into pieces and dry grind it.
4.Remove the cardamom seeds from pods and dry grind it with nuts.

5. Now keep cleaned jaggery in a big pan. Let it boil nicely and turn a string consistency.
6. Add grated and ground coconut and add it to jaggery. Stir nicely.
7. Jaggery - coconut mixes well and starts to get thick.

8. Add fried wheat flour and mix it well. Fry raisins in 2 tablespoons of ghee and add it to wheat - jaggery mixure.

 Add fried raisins and ground dry fruits and mix all the ingredients nicely. Add 2 tablespoons of rose petals with jaggery.

9. Put off the fire and keep the ready mixture down. Mix it well. Add remaining ghee and mix.

10. Take a handful of the sweet mix and prepare laddu/laadu/unde .

11. Repeat the same and prepare laddu/Laadu/Unde.

12.Store these laddu in a airtight box or bottle and serve or eat as you wish.

Note

Dry roast or fry wheat flour nicely till the raw smell disappear. Let the jaggery syrup consistency be 1 thread consistency in the beginning. Adding coconut to jaggery turns as coconut burfi./Thick. Then add wheat flour and other ingredients. Adding more ghee is optional. Add more ghee if you find to make laddu. ( If it turns dry ). Adding rose petals adds to the taste and aroma. It is healthy to eat pink rose petals.
I have kept some rose petals dipped in jaggery to use it in sweets. Rose grows in our terrace pots.
Time : 30 to 40 minutes.
Serves : 30 Laddu can be prepared.

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.

Chutney Rava Rotti

Chutney Rava Rotti is prepared using Chutney and Rava/Semolina.

I prepared this chutney for afternoon lunch and used the left over chutney to prepare crispy, yummy rava rotti
Rava rotti turned yummy. It is easy, yummy, quick and simple. You can prepare this rotti very easily and quick. You can add the vegetables of your choice. All the ingredients are already mixed in the chutney and it adds taste to rotti.
I have used coconut, green chilly, ondelaga /Gotu kola leaves and little tamarind for chutney.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Rava /Semolina Medium sized : 2 Cups
Chutney /Any chutney : 1 Small cup
Carrots : 2
Salt : As required
Curd : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add curd, required salt, rava and mix it well.

2. Add chutney and required water.

3. Wash and scrape out the outer layer of carrots and grate it.
4. Put grated carrots to rava and mix it well. Add water if required.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put a teaspoon of oil on the top.
6. Spread the oil around the pan with the help of spatula.

7. Now take a handful of rava rotti mixture and spread it with your finger. ( As thin as you like ).
8. Add little oil on the top of rotti and let it cook on medium and low flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook for a minute.

10. Now Chutney Rava Rotti is ready to serve.

11. Serve with your choice of side dish like chutney powder, chutney or sambar/curry.

12. We had Chutney Rava Rotti with coriander - coconut chutney and chutney powder. Added a teaspoon of fresh home made ghee on the top while serving.

Note :

Do not use stale chutney. You might get sick. Use of any vegetable of your choice is optional.
Use of more /less oil is optional. Adding curd to rotti mixture adds to the taste. ( Optional ).
Adding onions to rotti is optional. Chutney is filled with all the ingredients. Adding extra coriander leaves, curry leaves and coconut is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Ondelaga / Gotu Kola leaves Chutney :

Wash and remove the stem from Ondelaga if they are very hard. Grate coconut. Grind coconut, cleaned and washed Ondelaga /Gotu Kola, tamarind pulp and coriander leaves. Add required salt and grind it with required water. Add mustard seasoning with curry leaves and ingh. Your Ondelaga chutney is ready to serve. I have used this chutney for preparing Rava Rotti.
Time :
Rotti Preparation : 20 Minutes
Coconut chuteny : 10