Chenna - Parota...

Chenna or kadale is a famous pod and mostly used in curries, dal , huli and palya also. Here I have done Kadale Curry and Parota. Its easy to do and I have not used onions and garlic so that you can prepare this item during the fasting time too.

Things needed:
Channa ( Kabooli or black ) :  2 Cups.
 Ginger :  1 Table spoon (grated)
Green Chilly :1
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Chenna Masala :1/2 Tea spoon
Methi Seeds (Fengrik seeds) : 1/4 Tea spoon
Cloves : 2 to 3
Urd Dal : 1 Table spoon
Salt : Required
Oil : 1 Table spoon
Butter:  1 Table spoon
Tomatoes : 2 to 3 ( Medium sized )
Potatoes : 2 Miedium size
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons.
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Lemon Juice : 1 Table spoon. ( 1 lemon juice )

Method :
1. Wash and soak chenna for overnight or 6 to 8 hours.
2.Wash and cut tomatoes, green chilly, coriander leaves and grate ginger. Keep it aside
3. Now pressure cook soaked chenna and urd dal and potatoes ( remove all the soaked water and use fresh water to cook ) for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Peel the skin of potatoes and smash the potatoes when it is cooled and keep it aside.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and put cloves and jeera. Add cut tomatoes and ginger. Fry them nicely.
6. Add  chenna masala to the tomato mixute and mix it well. Add cut green chilly.
7. Add cooked chenna, salt and turmeric powder and boil for 5 minutes.
8. Now mix smashed potatoes and mix it nicely .
9. Put 1 cup of water and mix it nicely and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
10. Shift the chenna curry to a serving bowl and add coriander leaves, lemon juice and butter on the top.

Note : Channa should be cooked softly to get the good taste. You can add carrots to the curry at the end. Since the curry is with no garlc or onion no need to add them. Adding urd dal is an optional. You can also also use tamarind pulp instead of lemon. Lemon adds to the flavour.
Serves : 4 to 5
Time : 30 Minutes :(Soaking time separately)

PAROTA

This particular Parota is prepared using Maida  ( all purpose flour ) and taste good.
Things Needed:
Maida : 2 Cups
Milk :1/4 cup.
Curd : 1 Table spoon
Butter or Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Salt : required

Method :
1. Take a big bowl and put maida .
2. Add butter or ghee and mix it nicely.
3. Add curd and milk and mix it well and prepare dough. The dough should be soft. ( You can also use water if required )
4. Keep the dough for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Now divide this dough in to small portions. Make  small ball size and roll them as chapatis.
6. Fold this chapati and make a round shape and roll them again as chapatis and cook them on medium heat.
7. Sprinkle a spoon of oil and put the parota on the other side to cook.  Remove after 1 to 2 minutes and serve the Parota with Chenna.
Note: Folding the chapatis again and again will turn the chapati soft and layers keep the chapati smooth and soft. Prepare the dough little lloose to get the good parotas. You can spread little oil or ghee to get a crisp Parota.  You can also use 1/2 amount of wheat flour.
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 30 Minutes..

Mysore Pak

Mysore Pak is a famous sweet and normall done during festival season. This sweet contain Besan that is channa dal powder, fresh ghee, sugar and little cardamom.
Things Needed:
Besan : 1 Cup
Sugar : 2 Cups
Fresh Ghee : 2 1/2  to 3 Cups
Water : 1/2 Cup

Method:
1. Dry roast besan till the raw smell disappear. ( 3 to 4 minutes on low flame )
2. Now allow the roasted besan to cool.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and put sugar. Add 1/2 cup of water and mix well.
4. Keep stirring the sugar till it boils and forms the bubbles, Do this process on low flame.
5. Let the sugar syrup boil for 2 minutes. Add roasted besan and stir and mix it thoroughly.

6. Add 1/2 cup of ghee slowly to the besan sugar mixture and stir slowly and mix it well.
7. Add the remaining ghee slowly in between the stirring.
8. Must keep stirring the mixture. It starts changing its colour. Now leave for 5 seconds and stir again.
9. Once it changes its colour you must give 2 to 3 seconds gap and stir for 2 to 3 times and  pour this mixture on a tray or plate.
10. Leave it for 1 to 2 minutes after you pour the mixture to the plate and cut according to your wish.

Note:  The ghee should be in the liquid form when you measure it. Must add ghee in between the stirring. Mysore Pak should be prepared very carefully or it will be very hard. Use fresh ghee or home made ghee to get the best Mysore Pak. You can also add cardamom powder to the mixtrue. You can pour out the extra ghee which comes out while shifting the mysore pak to a tray or plate. The sugar syrup should be thread consistency.
Time : 25 to 30 Minutes.
20 to 25 Mysore Pak pieces can be made.