Avalakki Spicy Huggi

Avalakki/Aval/ Poha/Flattened Rice is good for health and easy to digest, quick to prepare. Here is Avalakki Spicy Huggi/Pongal that we can prepare for breakfast/brunch/snack or dinner.

It is very close to kichidi ( mixed with dal), very good for all age group. Kichidi is normally prepared for dinner so that it is very soothing and healthy. This Avalakki Spicy Huggi is bit thick and is loaded with spices and little ghee which helps to be full for a long time and it can be eaten for breakfast/brunch. It is always better to have this Avalakki Spicy Huggi in the mornings, so that it is easy to digest. I have used avalakki, moong dal, green chilly, ginger, pepper and coconut.
Let us see the recipe now.

Things needed :

To Cook :
Thick Avalakki : 2 Cups
Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
To Add :
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Black Pepper pods : 5 to 6
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon (Grated)
Turmeric powder : A pinch
 Salt : As required
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Season :
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Curry leaves : 8 to 9 leaves

Method :

1. Wash and drain water from avalakki. Wash and squeeze out lemon extract and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut green chilly into big pieces, peel off outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Take a big bowl, add washed avalakki, cut green chilly,  grated ginger and required salt.
4. Mix all the ingredients with avalakki and keep it aside.

5.Grate coconut and keep it aside. Crush pepper pods and add it to avalakki.
6.Wash moong dal and drain all the water and keep it aside.

7. Keep a big pan and add a tablespoon of ghee. Add jeera/ingh and  2 to 3 pepper pods. ( Whole).
8. Add ingh/Asafoetida and let jeera turn little brown. Fry. nicely.

9. Add washed and drained moong dal and fry for 2 minutes. ( On medium flame).
10. Add a glass of water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Be careful it may over flow. ( Better keep a big pan).
11. See that moong dal turns soft. Mix it well. Add washed avalakki,  Grated ginger and crushed pepper.

12. Mix it well and let it cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Let all the moisture disappear.

13. Mix it again and add grated fresh coconut, Lemon juice. Add remaining ghee. Mix it well again. Add cut coriander leaves.

14. Shift the Ready Avalakki Spicy Huggi to a serving bowl. Serve with your choice of side dish or a cup of curd.

Note :

Dry roasting moong dal helps the dal to evenly. ( Will not be over cooked ). Adding slit green chilly gives nice aroma to Huggi. You can use more/less of green chilly. Use of pepper pods adds aroma to Huggi and it helps the food to digest properly. Adding more less coconut is optional. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Thick avalakki must be used to get good consistency.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 

Chiku - Nendra Banana- Dates Milk Shake

The summer is usually hot and we need to take care of our body and mind from screeching hot. One should drink sufficient water to escape from dehydration. We can also have some fruit juice, milkshake, fresh cool drinks like tender coconut, jeera water or butte milk, eat mild food. etc.

Here is a Chiku/Sapota, Nendra Banana and a few soft dates and  fresh milk.

I have used above said ingredients and very little honey to add sweet.

Let us see some benefits of having Chiku/Sapota fruit in our diet.

Chiku / Sapota is rich in Vitamin A and C. Vitamin A is helps to take care of eye health and Vitamin C helps to keep us strong, take care of our skin in good condition and prevents heart disorders etc. Chiku/ Sapota helps as energy booster. It is rich in tannin. A good natural anti-inflammation curer. It is rich in fiber and good for easy digestion and good for people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrom. It helps to ease constipation problems. The fruit is good for pregnant women and good and helps to build strong bones. Sapota is good for our skin and hair also.

Instead of sugar I have added dates and honey.

Things Needed :

Chikku/Sapota : 2 to 3 (Medium sized)
Nendra Banana /Nendra bale : 1
Fresh boiled and cooled milk : 2 cups/Glasses
Cashew nuts : 2 to 3
Dates : 6 to 8
Honey : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Remove pods from dates and cut into small pieces.
2. Remove banana skin and cut the fruit into small pieces.
3. Remove the outer layer of chiku fruits and remove the pods.

4. Now put all the ingredients to a mixi jar. Add a cup of milk and grind it into nice paste consistency.

5. Add another cup of milk and churn for a minute.
6. Put the ready milk shake to a bowl.

7. Add a tablespoon of honey and mix it well.

8. Put to the serving glass and serve.

9. Adding ice cubes just before serving is purely optional. (I have not added).

Note : 

Adding more water /milk to dilute the milk shake is optional. If you do add little more honey. Adding jaggery /sugar instead of honey and dates is optional. Adding more chiku fruits is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes 
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Rava Urid Dal Dosa

Rava Urid dal dosa is god to have for breakfast, snack time or even dinner. It is easy and even you can prepare it with out fermentation. 

Varieties of  dosas with same batter

 I have prepared dosa without fermenting the batter, adding little curd and prepared spicy dosa, as set dosa and even thin and crispy dosa. Varieties of dosas can be prepared with this Rava urid dal dosa batter.
Let us see some benefits of using Rava/rave/semolina in our diet. 
Rava/Sooji/Semolina is rich in calcium, phosphorus,  potassium, iron, zinc, carbohydrates and proteins. They do contain vitamins B and E. It helps to loose weight. It is filled with fiber and good for digestion and easy bowel movement. It is low in cholesterol and sodium and is called as balanced food. Rava is digested slowly and keeps you full for a long time. Rava is good for people who suffer from diabetics. They help in building strong immunity system in our body. They also good for healthy metabolism and healthy muscles, nerves and bones.
Let us see the recipe now:
As I said earlier you can prepare dosas immediately as soon as you grind, then ferment and then use the batter for set dosas, thin dosas and spicy dosas.

Ingredients :

Urid dal : 1 Cup
Rava : 3 to 3 1/2 Cups.
Salt : As required
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method : 

1.Wash and soak urid dal for 2 to 3 hours and then grind it with required water.

2. Remove it from the mixi jar to a big bowl.

3. Add a glass of water to rava and then mix it well. Add this wet rava to ground urid dal batter.
4. Add salt and mix it well.
5. Let it ferment for over night or 6 to 7 hours.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put little on the tava and clean it with a kitchen tissue.

 7. Mix the ferment batter nicely and take a ladle of dosa batter and spread it on hot tava in a circle shape. (Let the flame be low while spreading dosa batter).

 8. Cover and cook for a minute. Sprinkle little oil on the top. Turn the other side and cook for 10 seconds.

9. Remove dosa from the pan and serve hot dosa with curry /chutney/pickle.

10.Repeat the same with remaining batter.
Crispy Dosa ( From the same batter)

Note :

Do not make the batter very  watery. The consistency of the batter should be normal dosa batter consistency.

Preparing spicy dosa :

Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves and green chilly to dosa batter and prepare thick /set dosas.
Dosa with out fermenting the batter.
Mix dosa batter nicely and prepare dosas as normal dosa.

Preparing dosa with out fermenting the batter.