Bitter Gourd / Maadu Haagala Kayi Pakoda

Maadu Haagala Kayi / One of the Indian Type of Bitter Gourd is grown in Indian Karaavali / South Indian Vegetable. I got this from here in Bangalore in Our Mangalore Store. Though bitter gourd is normally bitter this variety is not at all bitter. We do use this for curries and other Bajji / Pakodas.

Here is a simple Pakoda, prepared with Maadu Haagala/ Bitter Gourd.
Maadu Haagala /Bitter Gourd (a variety of bitter gourd), which is normally grown on the top of housed in village. It is a climber and spreads nicely on top and so it is called Maadu Haagal Kayi.
 I have used Maadu Haagala Kayi, besan/chenna flour/gram flour, rice flour, jeera, chilly powder and salt. No soda or baking powder is used. I use Safola Oil for frying.
Let us see the recipe Now :
Things Needed :
Maadu Haagala Kayi : 3 to 4

Besan/Gram flour/kadlehittu/ Channa dal flour : 1 Cup
Red Chilly Powder : 1 Tsp
Rice flour : 2 Tbs
Jeera/Cumin Seeds :
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tbs
Oil : To Fry : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer layer in thin layer of Maadu Haagalakayi.
2. Cut into circle shape.

3. Take a big bowl, add a cup of besan/gram flour, chilly powder, salt and mix it well.

4. Add rice flour, add required water and mix it well. The batter should be like idli dough consistency. Add washed and cut coriander leaves.

5. Keep frying pan and add oil. Heat oil.

6. Dip the pieces in ready batter and put it slowly in hot oil.

7. At time you can put 4 to 5 pieces and fry. Fry on both sides.

8. Take it out and put it on a kitchen tissue.

9. Serve Hot Maadu Haagala kayi Pakoda with your choice of dip.

Note :

Let the batter be bit thick, so that it turns fluffy and nice to eat. Adding any other spice like garam masala, chat masala etc is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Rava - Dals Ade / Dosa

Rava /Semolina - Dals dosa is rich in protein and good for breakfast or dinner.

Rava /Semolina dosa is very easy to prepare and you can prepare dosa with just ground batter or You can ferment the batter and then prepare crispy and yummy dosa.
I have used Moong dal, channa dal, toor dal, urid dal and a cup of Rava/semolina. I did not use any  soda or Eno salt. It is full of healthy breakfast and it keeps you full for a long time no doubt.

Let us see some benefits of Dals in our diet.

Dals are rich in protein and very essential for vegetarinas. Moong dal is full of protein and filled with nutrients. It is filled with manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, potassium, zinc and Vitamin B. Moong dal is easy to digest and low in cholesterol. It helps in regulating the blood sugar level and good for weight reducers.
Urid dal is filled with fiber. It improves and strengthen bones. It helps to boost energy and control blood sugar level. It is good for our skin. Urid dal is a good source of protein, potassium, iron, and Vitamin A and C.
Toor dal has good source of folic acid and good for pregnant women.It is filled with fiber. It contain proteins, potassium, iron, folic acid, magnesium and Vitamins.
Channa dal provides energy and good source of fiber. It is diabetic friendly and regulate the blood pressure level in our body.
 It is full of B Complex vitamins like Vitamin B 1 , B 2, B 3 and Vitamin B 9.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Channa dal : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 1 Cup
Moong Dal : 1 Cup
Urid Dal : 1 Cup
Semolina /Rava : Medium sized : 1 Cup
Salt : As required
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tbs

Method :

1. Wash and soak urid dal, toor dal, moong dal and channa dal for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Grind it with required water.

3. Take out the batter to a big bowl.

4. Add a cup of medium size rava/semolina.

5. Add required salt and mix it well. Let it set for 10 to 15 minutes.

6. You can prepare dosa / adai with out fermenting the batter.

7. Or you can ferment the batter and then prepare dosa.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Clean the tava with a tissue.

9. Add a ladle full of dosa batter and spread it in round shape. Add little oil and cook on both sides.

  8. Both the types of dosas ( with non ferment and ferment batter) dosas comes out nicely.

9. Enjoy with your choice of side dishes.
10 We like honey and had it with honey and pickle and chutney .

Note :

Do not add much water to grind the dals. You can add it later while mixing rava with dals.
Adding little pepper adds to aroma and taste. Good for health too.
Adding Vegetables like grated carrots and onions is optional.
Fermented batter turns the dosa crispy. You need to be little careful since it cooks up quickly.
Adding more or less oil while preparing dosa is optional. Adding more ghee or oil adds to the taste.
Serves : 3 to 4
Time : Dals : Soaking time : 4 Hours - Grinding + 5 Minutes (Mixi), preparing dosa : 20 minutes.
(Without fermentation) and fermentation 3 to 4 hours .

Tava Roasted Sweet Potato Snack

Sweet Potato is one of the healthy carbohydrate filled vegetable. It is said that eating sweet potato is good for our health. We do use sweet potato for many dishes. Here is a simple snack which fits to all aged group and good to have in the evening and believe me it is yummy. Try and enjoy this easy, quick, healthy and simple Sweet Potato Snack.

I have given the name as tava/pan roasted, because I did not use much oil. Only drizzled some oil and cooked on low flame to taste better. Try and Enjoy.
All You need is sweet potatoes, carrot, and if you are an onion lover, onion pieces and little chat masala to add some spice to the chat.

Let us see some benefits of Eating " Sweet Potato " in our diet.

Sweet Potatoes are filled with vitamins and minerals. They help to boost our immunity system. They are fiber rich. They are good for controlling diabetes and people who suffer from blood pressure. They are rich in potassium. Potatoes help to digest the food easily since they are rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. It is rich in iron and Vitamin A which is essential for hormones and fertility. Sweet Potato is filled with anti - inflammation and anti oxidant properties.
Sweet potatoes are good for eye health. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B3 Vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium and copper.
Let us see the recipe Now.
Tava Roasted Sweet Potatoes are good for kids and all the age group people. They are soft, turned crisp at the outer layer and taste yummy.

Things Needed :

Sweet Potatoes : : 2 to 3 ( Medium sized )
Carrot : 1
Onion : 1 ( Optional )
Green chutney : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 1
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Chat Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required :
Curd : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer layer and grate carrot and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut green chilly and coriander leaves. Crush them with little salt. Keep it aside.

3. Remove the outer layer of onion and cut into small pieces.
4. Wash and cook sweet potatoes and remove the outer layer and cut them into small ( according to your wish).
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil and place the small pieces of sweet potatoes on the pan. Roast them on low flame. Sprinkle some oil on the top.

6. Turn the other side and cook them till they turn golden brown. Sprinkle little salt, garam masala and chat masala and let it fry slowly.

7. Remove them to a plate. Repeat the same with remaining pieces.

Now Plating :

1. Without Onion :
   Take a serving plate and spread some carrots and place roasted sweet potatoes on it.
 Sprinkle some more carrots and crushed green chilly and coriander mixture. Serve.

2. With Onions :

Take a serving plate. Spread carrot gratings. Place sweet potatoes. Add carrot gratings and cut onions. Put crushed coriander - green chilly mixture.  Serve.

3. With Curd : Adding onion is optional. I have not added onions.

Take a plate and spread carrots and place roasted sweet potato pieces.
Add some carrot gratings and coriander leaves - green chilly mixture.
Add curd on the top and serve.

Note : 

Do not over cook sweet potatoes. It does not taste good. Adding more oil and shallow frying sweet potato pieces is optional.
Use of onion is optional. Sprinkle some salt on the top is optional.
Let the spice be minimum. Crushed green chilly and coriander leaves adds to the taste.
Time : 15 Minutes if you already cooked sweet potatoes. To cook sweet potatoes another 5 to 6 minutes and to cool 10 minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

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.