Rice Flour - Moong - Urid chakkuli

Chakkuli ..chakkuli yummy yummy chakkuli. Crispy Chakkuli, Crunchy Chakkuli .

Oh, chakli, chakkuli, muruku, is one of the fried fritters from Karnata since ages. We have read about the pregnant women wants to have chakkuli, the kid wants chakli in her snack box, when the son in law arrive, there will be loads of snack but he likes chakli very much. We want to pack chakkuli while travelling to touring, picnic or even International visit, where son or the daughter waiting to see what all snacks are sneaked and traveled so far.
I am writing all this above because Chakkuli has so much importance in our Indian culture. For Gokulastami /Shree Krishna Janmastami we prepare chakkulis, Ganesha Festivals we do prepare and How can we forget our Deepavali, festival of life has to be have chakkuli. It is easy to prepare and pack, yummy to have and it has a long shelf life.
In Olden days or the days gone, chakkuli used to prepared with using urid dal and rice flower only. Days have gone and so much experiments, different ingredients also used for making chakkuli. Rava chakkuli, Same /little millet chakkuli, palak chakkuli, potato chakkuli, cashews chakkuli, Aval/Poha chakkuli, ragi chakkuli, jolada chakkuli, so the list goes on.
For the festival I have tried here one of the yummy chakkuli recipe and I am sure you too will surely like it, prepare it and enjoy it. It is soft, crispy, crunchy and of course easy.

Just remember you do not use much of roasted chenna, only 2 tablespoons.
I have used rice flour, cooked moong, urid dal, sesame seeds, roasted chenna, little jeera and butter.
The butter also should be minimum or chakkuli might absorb more oil while frying.
No need to roast any thing. Just cook dals separately and then mix it nicely.

Here is the recipe :

Ingredients :

Fine Rice Flour :  3 1/2 to 4 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Moong dal : Little less than 1/2 cup. 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Roasted Chenna /Huri Kadale /Pottu Kadale : 2 Tablespoons
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Red chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Sesame Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Oil : 2 Cups (To Fry)
Salt : As Required
Chakli Mould

Method :

1. Wash and cook urid dal and moong dal separately with required water. (Pressure cook).
Let it cool.

2. Dry grind Roasted Chenna / Huri Kadale / Pottu Kadale and keep it aside.
3. Put cooked dals in a big bowl. Smash it nicely. Add salt, rice flour, jeera, sesame seeds, chilly powder and butter.

4. Add dry ground Roasted Chenna and mix all the ingredients nicely.
5. Now add required water and prepare chakli dough. (Add water little by little).

6. Divide the dough into small portions.
7. Take a handful of dough and insert it inside the chakli mould.

8. Press the chakli on the clean cloth.

9. Keep Oil on the fire and heat.

10. Fry chakli in hot oil on medium flame. Fry on both sides.
11. Remove from the hot oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.

12. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare the remaining chakkuli.
13. Keep it in a big bowl and let it cool.

14. Store crispy chakkuli in a airtight box or bottle.

15. Serve with a cup of coffee/tea/juice anything of your choice.

Note :

Remember the chakkuli will be so soft while preparing./pressing. Do it carefully or it might break while leaving in oil.
Moong dal adds to the taste. You can dry roast a little and then use it. I have not done it. Let the moong be lesser than urid dal. Adding roasted chenna is optional. Adding hot oil (2 to 3 tbs), instead of butter is optional. Keeping more oil for frying is optional. Adding  more red chilly is optional.
Time 40 to 60 minutes.
Serves : As per your desire

Shelf life : Nearly 2 Weeks.

Cucumber Sasive Chapati

Cucumber Sasive Chapati is done with using the left over of Cucumber Sasive which is prepared for lunch. The remaining Sasive is used for preparing chapati. It is yummy and soft. You will really enjoy having mild spice Cucumber Sasive Chapati.

I have used little Cucumber Sasive, jeera, salt and wheat flour for Cucumber Sasive Chapati or You call it as Parata.
We had this Cucumber Sasive for lunch. And then the remaining Sasive is kept it in the fridge. I did make use of it while mixing the chapati dough and added some garam masala and jeera powder to it.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Cucumber Sasive : 2 to 3 Tablespoons. (The left over portion).
Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Jeera powder : 1/2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder  : 1/2 Tsp
Salt : As required
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tbs

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add Southekai sasive, wheat flour, salt, garam masala, and jeera powder.

2. Add a spoon of ghee and mix all the ingredients well.
3. Add required water and prepare chapati dough.
4. Kneed the dough well and and divide them in to small portions.

5. Take a small portion and dip in dry wheat flour and roll them as chapatis.
6. Sprinkle some oil/ghee on the top and fold it again.
7. Dip the done and roll in dry flour.
8. Now roll as chapati again and put it on hot tava and cook.

9. Add oil on both sides while cooking and remove the partata when it is done.

10. Repeat the same and prepare all the parata /chapati and serve.

11. Serve hot chapati / parata with a cup of curd and the curry you have prepared.

12. You can have them with curd and pickle also.

Note :

Strictly do not add spoiled Cucumber Sasive. You might get sick or have some problems of stomach upset. Use fresh and good Sasive.
Adding any spice is your choice. Adding oil instead of ghee is optional. Use of more spice and oil is optional.
Cook parats on medium and low flame. You can take these paratas for travelling. It is tasty and healthy too.
It is good for people who are dieting. Use of less oil while preparing is a must.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Simple Laddu

Lovely laddus are good to have to boost your energy. I try and make it as simple as they are but a healthy way. These laddu is filled with soft dates, lots of raisins, almonds and cashew pieces with poppy seeds. They are real energy booster, healthy filler and delicious crave builders.

There is no cooking here to prepare these laddus. It is as simple as it is. No cooking on fire, no ghee, no jaggery or sugar or any other forms of sweets except the soft dates.
It is good for kids snack box, good to take it for travel, good energetic when you feel tired. It is good for people who diet and it is diabetic friendly.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Dates Soft and fruity dates : 500 Gr
Raisins : 2 Cups or 200 Gr
Almonds : 200 Gr.
Cashews : 100 Gr.
Poppy Seeds : 50 Gr.

Method :

1.Remove the pods from dates and keep it aside.
2. Cut almonds and cashews into small pieces and keep it aside.
3. Now put dates, almonds, cashews, raisins in a big bowl.
4. Kneed them together. Add poppy seeds/ gasgase to the dates mixture.
5. Mix all the ingredients nicely and prepare laddu.
6..Take a handful of the almond, dates, raisins and cashew mixture and make small round ball shape laddu.

7. Laddu is ready to eat /serve.

8. Keep them in a steel box or air tight container.

Note :

Use very soft dates. Smash them nicely and then add all the other dry fruits you use. You can powder the nuts instead cutting. But you can relish the bigger pieces. No sugar/jaggery or any other sweet content is not added. Use of more raisins helps to add the sweet to laddu and good for health. You need to kneed them well to get the perfect taste. no ghee or oil is added here.
 Time : 30 Minutes.
15 to 20 Laddus  or according to the size you prefer.

Little Millet - Corn Flakes Laddu

I have prepared laddu using Little millet flour and corn flakes. One might ask Why always laddu?
I have the answer here to tell you that Laddu is an easy, healthy and delicious food to prepare.
Here is one more laddu recipe and is with little millet flower and corn flakes this time.

Laddu /laadu/unde is a sweet delicious ball shape ( normally ) sweet dish and it you can gobble it at anytime of the day. It is filled with vitamins, minerals, energetic food and keeps you energetic whole day. You can add this laddu to your breakfast food list. Along with your regular breakfast you can eat this laddu, it helps to full for the long time. It provides minerals to body and take care of your health in proper way.
Let us see the recipe  :
I have used little millet flour, jaggery, coconut, cardamom and corn flakes.

Ingredients :

Little Millet flour /Store bought flour : 2 Cups
Corn flakes : 3 to 4 Cups
Jaggery : 1 Cup /250 gr
Mixed Nuts 1 /2 Cup /Cashew pieces , almond pieces, raisins and dates.
Coconut /Fresh : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1 Cups
Dates : 100 Grams
Cardamom : 6 to 8 Pods

Method :

1. Soak jaggery in a cup of water and melt it completely and sieve it. Keep the clean jaggery aside.
2. Take a tablespoon of ghee and put it to a pan. Keep the pan on the fire and fry nuts including dates.
3. Shift it to a small bowl. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Dry roast or fry little millet flour nicely till the raw smell disappear. ( Low flame ).

5. Remove the seeds from cardamom. Dry grind corn flakes, cardamom seeds and keep it aside.

6. Keep clean jaggery in a big pan. Put the pan on the fire. Let it boil and get one string consistency.
7. Let it boil for another 1 to 2 minutes. Let the flame be low. Add grated coconut and mix it well.
8. Now add roasted little millet flour and mix it well. Add powdered corn flakes and cardamom.

9. Add ghee and fried nuts and mix all the ingredients nicely.

10 Take a handful of laddu mixture and prepare ladddu. Prepare laddu the same way with remaining mixture.

11. Laddu /Laadu Unde is ready to serve.

12. Serve or Eat whenever you feel like ...and store it in a air tight bottle or box. ( Better to use glass or steel box ).

Note:

Dry roast millet on low flame till it turns slightly golden brown ( Do not burn the flour). Adding more ghee makes the laddu tasty. Use of more or less ghee is optional. Use of coconut is optional. Clean the jaggery if you are using shop bought jaggery. Adding more or less dry nuts is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes

Serves : 35 to 40 Laddu can be made.

Baked Cucumber Sweet Kadubu /Rice Cake

Baked Cucumber Sweet Kadubu is one of the traditional dish. Normally we prepare steamed sweet kadubu. This time I tried baking the same ingredients. It is like a cake and we can have it with cup of coffee/tea/juice. The choice is yours.

Some time back I have seen this Rice Cake/ Baked Kadubu /Baked Rice Cake in Foodie Group page.
My friend and foodie group admini Shri Kripa has prepared this baked cucumber sweet kadubu and I really wanted to try. I told her that it looks yummy and I am going try the dish. It is one of the North Canara dish. They call this dish as Kendathadya and it is normally done in fire wood oven.
   To tell about Shri Kripa, she is an excellent cook and very active person too. She is a good gardener and good adviser and she will definitely put her effort to provide clarification and guide people with her knowledge. She is a kind hearted friend.
       Coming back to my story, I got too busy with my routine, visiting places, going to dramas, music concerts, my tuition classes, attending marriages and the list goes on. We were too busy with deepavali festival etc,etc,etc. I did not get the time to try this Baked Cucumber Sweet Kadubu.
     
Yesterday we had the plan of visiting our elder son Ravi and his wife Vidya. Normally I do prepare some thing and take it to them. Mother's love you see  ☺  I had some cucumber n the fridge. So thought of giving a try. I had an idea and  I have watched a cookery show some time back. She had baked rava idli with dil leaves. Just the same way. I was pretty sure what to do. Believe me the " Rice cake " was an excellent out come and every one at home liked it. That is more important that what ever you do should fit into every one's liking.
I soaked the raw rice, then grind with jaggery and coconut, and then baked it.
This is exactly the way we do Our Southekai Kadubu. Instead of steaming I tried with baking the kadubu/Rice Cake.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice /Dosa Rice : 2 Cups
Grated Coconut : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6
Cucumber : 1 Medium
Ghee : 2 Teaspoons
Salt : A pinch
Eno Salt : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and soak the rice for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grate coconut.
3. Wash and peel off the outer layer of cucumber. Cut into thin pieces.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery. Add 1/4 cup of water and let the jaggery melt completely.
5. Sieve jaggery mixture with a siever and keep cleaned jaggery mixture aside.
6. Remove the pods from cardamom and keep it aside.

7. Remove the water from soaked rice and grind it with coconut,cardamom, cucumber pieces.
8. Use very little water to grind. Let the batter consistency be like rava/semolina.
9. Now add cleaned jaggery and grind it for a minute.

10. Remove the batter from mixi jar and put it to a bowl.

11. Greece the tray with little ghee.

12. Heat the oven for 5 minutes before you keep the Rice cake batter.
13. Add 3/4 teaspoon of Eno salt and 1 teaspoon of ghee to the batter and mix it well.
14. Pour the batter to the tray and keep it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes @ 180 degree C.

15. Insert a knife edge and check. If it does not stick to the knife edge its done.
16. Remove the tray from the oven and keep it above the oven for 10 minutes.

17. Cut the rice cake when it is completely cooled.

18. Baked Cucumber Sweet Kadubu/Rice Cake is ready to serve.

 Note :

Do not add more water while grinding the batter. You can use jaggery mixture instead of water to grind the ingredients. Grinding smaller quantity is always better. Use of more / less jaggery is optional. No need to use more ghee. Cut the Rice Cake once it is completely cool.
If the batter turns bit watery  add 2 to 3 tablespoons of medium size rava/semolina. Thae batter turns bit thick.
Time : 
Preparation time : 10 Minutes.
Rice soaking time : 3 hours
Grinding time : 5 Minutes.
Baking time : 40 Minutes.
Cooling time : 10 Minutes.