Sweet & Khara (Spicy) Kadabu.

Happy Ganesha -Gauri Festival to one and all.
It is nice to celebrate festivals with traditional dishes, poojas and Sambrama. (Festival Mood). 

Ganesha likes Kadabu/Kadubu. It is good to have some thing heatlthy too. Ganesha's Eating Kadabu on the day of his festival has some interesting story too.
Ganesha was very very happy on his day. He ate loads and loads of Kadabu and other yummy dishes like kajjaya, panch kajjaya, etc. Rat is his vehicle (Vahana), he was slowly moving front sitting on Mooshika Vahana. (Sittiing on the rat). Suddenly a snack appeared infront of the rat. Rat was schared and it ran away, putting Ganesha down. Ganesha fell and his big stomach broke. He got angry and pulled the snake and tied it around his stomach. So you can always see snacke around his stomach.
We used to sing this special poem when we were small.
Ganesha banda (Ganesha has come), Hotte mele gandha ( gandha on his big stomach), Kai kadabu tinda. (Ate Kai kadabu, that is sweet kadabu made on the day of Ganesha Festival). Chikka kereli bidda. (Fell on the small pool of water). Dodda kereli edda. (Stood up on bigger pool.)
The above lines shows our life circle too. Ganesha is made of mud, (soil). and going back to put him in water and it turns into soil again.
The festival of Ganesha is very famous in India, many Ganesha Statues are put up in each street, some or the other musical programmes are held and people do enjoy Ganesha festival very much.

I have used Turmeric Leaves to prepare these Kadubu. We love the aroma of Arasina ele (Turmeric leaf) and it helps to keep your body warm in rainy season. You can use Banana leaves if you don't like/or don't get these turmeric leaves. Banana is also one of the healthy leaf.
Two types of Kadabus are prepared on this special occasion. One is Kara Kadabu and the other one is Sweet Kadabu. This is Traditional dish of South Canara. Some people prepare these kadabu on Nagara Panchami Day.
Khara Kadubu is prepared using Urid dal, and some spices and Sweet Kadubu is done with raw rice, coconut and jaggery mixture.
Let us see the recieps Now.
1. Khara Kadubu.

Things Needed :

Urid Dal : 1 Cup
Raw Rice : 1 Fist (2 Tablespoons)
Green chilly : 1
Pepper Pods :  5 to 6
Jeera/cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Ginger : An inch
Ingh :A little
Salt : As required
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 or little more

Method :

1. Wash and soak Urid dal and rice together for 2 hours. Wash and keep turmeric leaves aside.

2. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves into small.
3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and grate and keep it aside.
4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Now grind urid dal, rice, jeera and pepper with little water and till they turn rava consistency.
6. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.
7. Add cut curryleaves, coriander leaves, grated ginger, coconut and salt. Mix it well.

8. Now take a handful of Urid dal mixture and spread it on the leaf.

9. Fold the leaf and keep it aside. Arrange all the kadubus the same way and keep it on a plate.

10. Keep a Idli cooker /pressure cooker on the fire. Put some water. Place its plate.
11. Place a Banana Leaf on the plate. Arrange the folded kadubus in the idli cooker.

12. Cook for 25 to 30 miunutes. Put off the fire and remove the cooked kadubus.

13. Remove  kadubu from the leaf. Put it on a serving plate.
14. Serve with coconut oil or ghee and coconut chutney.

Note : 

Do not add more water while grinding. You will not be able to spread the dough on the leaf.
Do not grind Urid dal, rice mixture nicely. ( Do not grind it like a paste). Grind it coarsely.
Use of more/less green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves is optional.
6 to 8 Kadubu can be prepared.

Sweet Kadubu :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 1  1/2 Cups
Jaggery : 1/4 Cup
Coconut : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash and soak raw rice in water for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grate coconut, powder jaggery and cardamom pods. Mix all the ingredients well.

3. Grind soaked rice with 2 tablespoons of coconut with little water. Remove from the mixi jar.
4. Add  a pinch of salt and mix the dough nicely. It should be thick like idli batter.

5. Now take a washed turmeric leaf. Put a big spoon of ground raw rice dough.
6. Spread it slightly and place a tablespoon of coconut jaggery mixture. Fold at at the edges.

7. Repeat the same and arrange kadubu in a plate with remaining dough.
8. Now place these folded kadubus in the idli cooker/pressure cooker. (follow the above rules to keep kadubu in the idli cooker).

9. Let it cook for 25 minutes. Remove the cooker lid and remove the kadubus from the leaf.

10. Serve with little ghee on the top of kadubu.

Note :

It is always better to eat hot kadubus. You can cook sweet and khara kadubu together (If the quantity is less). Prick a knife edge to know the kadubu is cooked. The content do not stick to the knife ede if it is cooked).
Remember that Khara and Sweet Kadubu can be cooked together. (It saves time and gas too).
Time 30 minutes
Serves : 6 to 8 Kadubus can be prepared.

Urid Dal Kadubu

Urid Dal Kadubu is a traditional Kadubu, normally done using banana leaf. Urid kadubu is normally prepared during Nagara Panchami Day along with Sweet kadubu. Kadubu is a kind of idli, prepared using banana or turmeric leaves. The aroma of the kadubu will be enjoyed thoroughly and is healthy snack too. We can have this kadubu for breakfast or as evening snack. We can have  this Urid Kadubu  with chutney.  More of Urid quantity and very little rice ground together and immediately we can steam this kadubu. No need to be fermented. Used green chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves. ginger and pepper as spices. We from Dakshina Kannada ( Udupi side) Eat this Kadubu with fresh coconut oil and coconut chutney.

Let us know the benefits of having Urid dal in our daily diet.
Urid Dal is rich in vitamins, minerals and free of cholesterol. It is a store house of calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. Urid dal contains dietary fibers. It is high potassium content and helps to reduce high blood pressure. Consuming urad dal regularly increases our energy. Urid dal does not contain high calories and fat. Urid dal is popular amongst vegetarians as acts like a rich protein source.

Here is a recipe of  "Urid Dal Kadubu " which can be done in 30 minutes if you have already soaked Urid Dal .

Things needed :

Urid Dal or Whole Urid : 2 Cups.
Raw rice : 2 Hand ful or 1/4 cup. (I have used red rice).
Green Chilly : 1
Curry Leaves : 1 Hand ful
Coriander leaves : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Ginger : 1 Table spoon  ( Grated)
Pepper : 5 to 6 (crush and powder )
Salt : to taste.
Coconut : 2 Table spoons.
Ingh : a little

Method : 

1. Wash and soak Urid dal and rice for  2 to 3 hours.

2. Wash and cut green chilly, curry and coriander leaves.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Now grind Urid dal with rice using little by little by water for 4 20 to 25 minto 5 minutes.( Do not grind till paste).

5. Remove from the liquidizer and add salt, cut coriander, ingh, curry leaves, green chilly, coconut and ginger. Mix it well.

6. Take two plates or container and apply oil or ghee in the plate.
7. Keep the cooker or Idli cooker on the fire. Put two  glasses of water and heat. Keep a small bowl or plate in it.

8. Pour ground Urid dal dough in to the ready oil spread containers and keep the containers in the cooker and steam for 20 to 25 minutes.

9.  Remove from the cooker and leave it for cooling . Serve ready Urid Kadubu with coconut chutney or any other side dish you have prepared.

 Note :

Do not grind the dough till paste. Then Kadubu turn hard. Do not use lots of water. It should be idli consistency. Adding any other ingredients is your choice. You can add cut coconut pieces instead of grated coconut. No need of using any Eno or cooking soda.
Time : 30 minutes (Excluding the soaking time).
Serves : 4 to 5