Hayagreeva

Hayagreeva is one of the sweet dish, that is normally prepared for Shree Krishna Prasada / Naivedyam. Hayagreeva is prepared using Channa dal, lots of ghee, coconut and jaggery.
There is a story behind it about this sweet Hayagreeva.

My Mother used to tell this story to us and we would listen to her.
Guru Thirtha Vyasarayaru used to prepare this sweet praying Lord Vishnu and used to take it for Naivedyam. But the bowl used to be empty when it is kept in front of the God. Guru Vyasarayaru used to feel very sad but still continued preparing Hayagreeva and taking all the way to Naivedya. Guru always thinking of Lord, Lord Vishnu used to come in the form of horse and eat all the prasada, whitle walking behind Shree Vyasarayaru while he is taking the prasada bowl on his head. Lord used to eat and disappear. This sweet is arpitha for Lord Vishnu. Since Lord Vishnu used to come as Horse faced animal / Haya means Horse, Vadana means the face and since He came in the form of  Horse and ate all the sweet prepared by his bhakta, the sweet got its name as Hayagreeva.
We people from Udupi call this Hayagreeva as Maddi. Maddi means is mixed. Hayagreeva is prepared using Channa dal, ghee, coconut, jaggery and cardamom. Lots of cashews and raisins are used on the top. It is heavenly to eat. It is a must for Naivedya for  Lord Krishna in Krishna/Vishnu Temples.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Channa Dal : 1 Cup
Fresh Grated Coconut : 1 Cup
Jaggery 3/4 Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup or little more.
Cardamom : 3 to 4 Pods
Cashews and Raisins : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and cook channa dal in pressure cooker with required water.
2. Powder or crush cardamom seeds into small.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Now put cooked channa dal in a big pan and add jaggery. Take out the extra water from cooked channa dal before adding jaggery.

5. Jaggery starts to melt and mix dal nicely with jaggery.

6. Let jaggery turns as 1 string consistency.

7. Stir in between and add coconut and a tbs of ghee. Stir nicely.
8. Stir till all the moisture disappear. Fry cashews and raisins in a tbs of ghee and keep it aside.

9. Now add the remaining ghee and powdered cardamom and mix it well.

10. Shift the ready HAYAGREEVA to a serving dish and add fried raisins and cashews. Mix it nicely and serve.

Note :

You can also cook channa dal in a big bowl. (Without using pressure cooker). Optional.
You can add more /less jaggery according to your requirement.
Adding more/less ghee is optional.
See that coconut and jaggery is mixed well with channa dal to get a good taste.
Time : 30 Minutes

Serves : 4 to 5.

Jack fruit - Jaggery Kesari

Jack fruit is a seasonal fruit and we do make use of it and prepare varieties of Jack fruit dishes.
Here is a Jack fruit - Jaggery Kesari Baath and I am sure every one should love to have it.

Straight to the recipe since we all know about kesari baath, done using rava, sugar, ghee and cardamom.
Here I have used Medium size rava, instead of sugar I have used organic jaggery and jack fruit is added to the Kesari just like pineapple.
Try and enjoy and is not too late because jack fruits are still available in the market every where.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Rave/Rava /Semolina  : Medium sized : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Jack fruits : 10 to 12 fruits
Ghee : 1/2 Cup or little more ( I am fond of ghee).
Cardamom : 4 to 5 Pods
Cashews and Raisins : 1 Handful
Boiling water : 2 Cups
Saffron flakes : 4 to 5 rakes

Method :

1.  Powder cardamom and cut jack fruits into small.
2. Keep water for boiling.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 2 tbs of  ghee and fry raisins and cashews till they turn golden brown.

4. Add rava and fry nicely till the husky smell disappear. Add jack fruit pieces and mix it slowly.

5. Add boiling water to it. Mix it well and stir it turns thick.

6. Add jaggery and stir slowly and let the mixture get thick. Add little ghee and saffron rakes.

 7. Add powdered cardamom and mix it well. Add remaining ghee and mix it well.

 8. Shift the done Jack Fruit - Jaggery Kesari to a serving bowl and serve.

 Note : 

Cut jack fruits into very small pieces so that it cooks faster and soft. Adding more ghee is optional.
I have used organic juicy jaggery. You can powder jaggery if you are using normal jaggery which is available in the market.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5.

Carrot Holige

Holige / Sweet Chapati /Poli / Pooran Poli is a sweet dish normally done during festival, feast and marriage functions. There are many types of holige and here is Carrot Holige, done with carrot gratings and jaggery stuffed inside. The outer layer is with wheat flour and maida mix.

Carrot Holige / Pooran Poli is easy to do and yummy to eat. It fits all age group and festival will be full of colours too.
Let us see the recipe

Things needed : 

To Stuff : We call it as Hoorana or Hoorna 

Carrots : 2 to 3
Jaggery :  2 Cups. /Powdered
Rava /Semolina : 1 Cup
Salt : A pinch

To Outer layer/ We call it as Kanaka 

Wheat flour : 1 1/2 Cups
Maida : 1/2 Cup
Salt : A pinch
Turmeric Powder : A little
Oil :  3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. In a big bowl add,  wheat flour, maida, salt and turmeric powder. Mix it nicely and add required water. Prepare the dove. The texture should be soft.

2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil on the top and cover it. Leave the dough to rest for 1 hour.

3. Keep a big pan on the fire and put jaggery. Add 1/2 Cup of water and let jaggery melt completely.

4. Sieve the jaggery with siever and keep the clean jaggery aside.

5. Wash and grate carrots. Powder  6 to 8 cardamom and keep it aside.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and put cleaned jaggery. Let it get slightly thick.
7. Add grated carrots and mix it nicely. Add rava / semolina and mix it well. It starts to turn thick.

8. Add powdered cardamom. Put off the fire and shift the hoorana to a bowl. Let it cool.

9. Kneed the dough nicely and divide them in to small portions.

10. Take a small portion of the dough and spread a little by on your palm.
11. Now stuff 1 tablespoon of sweet carrot mixture and close the dough nicely bringing all the edge at the center.

12. Put little wheat flour in a big plate/bowl.
13. Now take stuffed dough and dip in dry flour and roll it slowly and make holige /round shape.

14. Keep tava on the fire and heat. Put holige on the tava and cook on both sides.

15. Holige is ready to serve.  Put ghee on the top just before serving.

16. Eating hot holige is such fun.

 Note :

The holige dough should be soft. Put oil at the end and then let it rest. Kneed the dough well. Do not put weight on roller while rolling holige. No need to use oil while rolling. Dip in dry flour and then roll it. Use of oil while preparing is optional. I have not used it.
Time : Mixing 10 Minutes + resting dough 1 hour + preparing 40 Minutes. 
Serves : 12 to 15 Holige can be prepared. 

Almond Mysore Pak

Mysore pak - Yes Most of the sweet lovers love to have Mysore Pak.  It is delicious sweet, no doubt it has its fame and name. Preparing Mysore Pak one has to do it very slow and with lots of patience.

I do prepare yum yum yummy Mysore Pak and all my friends and relatives pour loads of love and appreciation, sweet words after eating Mysore Pak.
Here I have prepared Almonds Mysore Pak 

 Here I have tried " Almond Mysore Pak " and its super good I can say. You try and taste and You do agree my words.

Let us see what all I used and how did I do this Yummy, delicious Sweet " Almond Mysore Pak".
All I used is Almonds, besan/channa flour, ghee, sugar and little cardamom.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Besan / Channa flour : 2 Cups
Sugar : 1 3/4 or 2 Cups
Ghee : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Almonds : 1 Cup
Water : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Dry roast besan till the raw smell disappear.

2. Powder almonds and keep it aside.

3. Remove the seeds from cardamom pods and powder.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and put sugar and half cup of water.

5. Let sugar dissolve in water completely. Add a tsp spoon of ghee.
6. It starts to bubble. Let it boil for 2 minutes. See that it gets one string consistency.

7. Add roasted besan /channa flour and powdered almonds. ( Let the flame be very low)..

8. Stir nicely and see that there are no lumps. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee and stir.
9. The ghee you pour mixes well with besan and sugar mixture. Continue stirring and adding ghee in between. 5 to 6 minutes or little more.

10. Slowly the colour changes  in to slight golden brown.  Leave the mixture for 10 seconds and stir again slowly but do not allow the mixture  to burn at the bottom.
11. Let the mixture slowly come up slightly. Stir again. Do this process at least 4 to 5 times. ( Strictly on low flame ). Add powdered cardamom and mix it again. It starts to leave the edges.

12. Allow the mixture to slowly come up again and pour this mixture to a ghee spread tray or plate.

13. Spread it nicely and leave it to cool.  Cut Almond Mysore Pak once it is completely cooled.

14. Serve or enjoy eating these delicious Almond Mysore Pak pieces. Store it in a airtight box.

Note :
The sugar should melt completely before it gets in to syrup consistency. One should prepare this Almond Mysore Pak on low flame. Adding more ghee is optional. Almond Mysore Pak should be cut in to pieces only when it cools completely.
Time : 30 Minutes.
25 to 30 pieces can be made : According to size and shape.

Watch the process :