Doodhi Sorekai Carrots VEGGY HALVA

VEGGY HALVA  is a sweet dish.  Veggy Halva is a combination of Bottle gourd (Sorekai), Local Carrots and White Pumpkin. These vegetables are grated and mixed with sugar, milk, ghee and cardamom.

White Pumkin or  Doodhi or boodu kumbala kai (Kannada language) is highly nutritious and it is low in calories and high in vitamins A, C and E. It contains minerals like magnesium, phosphorus and iron. It also lowers the cholesterol, Antidepressant and good for eyes too.
Carrots are notably rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. Carrots contain Beta carotene which is powerful and natural anti oxidant and it helps to protect body from any harmful injury.
Bottle gourd or Lauki (Hindi) or Sorekai (in Kannada) has many good qualities. It is good for weight loss. (especially the juice). It helps to reduce the high blood pressure and keeps the heart healthy. The fiber and the minerals in the bottle gourd supports healthy digestion and helps to overcome constipation problems.
Veggy Halva can be prepared for parties, festivals or to celebrate some thing special. It can be eaten at any time of the day too.

Things Needed :
Bottle Gourd : 1/2 Portion.
Carrots : 2 to 3
White pumpkin 1/4 potion of the medim size
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Sugar : 1 to 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom :  6 to 8 Pods.
Milk Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Cashew Nuts : 2 Tablespoons

Method : 
1. Wash and remove the outer skin of the vegetable and grate it. Keep it aside.

2. Powder the cardamom with a spoon of sugar and keep it aside.

3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 Teaspoon of ghee and fry cashew nuts and remove the nuts when it turn reddish.

4. Now squeeze out the extra water from pumpkin. Keep the juice aside.
5. Put grated carrots, bottle gourd and pumpkin. Keep the flame medium.

6. Fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar and stir niely.
7. Put a tablespoon of ghee while stirrring. Stir the mixture till it leaves the sides. Add ghee in between while stirring. (Littlt by little). Continue stirring.
8. Add milk powder and mix it well. When the halwa starts to leave the pan stir for another 2 to 3 minutes and put off the gas. Add the remaining ghee and the fried cashew nuts and mix again.

 9. Shift this sweet Veggy Halwa to the serving bowl.

10. Serve Halwa after dinner or along with breakfast.

Note : You must be very careful while stirring. Do not allow the Halva to get it burnt. Even Bottle gourd also will leave out the its water. You can use this for curry or juice. You can also try this halva in the micro wave oven. Every 2 minutes you need to mix the mixture until its done. You can also use more sugar and ghee if you like. Use of milk powder helps to absorb the moisture. Use of jaggery is optional. Taste may differ. This halva is good for kids.
Time :

Preparation : 20 minutes
Cooking : 25 to 30 minutes
Serves : 6 to 8.

Awarekai Bisibele Baath

Bisibele  baath is prepared using rice, dal. vegetables, cooked with special spices and coconut. It is eaten piping hot and enjoy the meal during the festival, gathering or pooja time. I have used Awarekai and bulgar (broken or cracked wheat) with toor dal and prepared this perticular dish. Baat means the rice item. Some type of rice items are also called as baat, specially in Karnataka. Example Vanghi baath, Khara baath, Bisibele Baath, Masala baath etc.

Awarekai is known as flat bean or field beans in English. We get plenty of Awarekai during the winter monts. Awarekai is used in many of the main dishes during Awarekai season. We get Awarekai in Southern States like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Awarekalu is used in Upma, Rice items, Akki Rotti or even Masala Idli. It is good to eat the pulse during winter since it helps to keep the body warm and provides the needed vitamins.

Bulgur is nothing but the broken or cracked wheat. Using cracked wheat helps to reduce the weight. Cracked wheat is a good source of magnesium. Using cracked wheat lowers the risk of high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

Awarekai Bulgur Bisibele baath is a spicy dish. It can be eaten at any time of the day like, you can have this Bisibele baat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bisibele baat is a  very famous dish in South India. Normally done with white rice, toor dal and lots of vegetables and peas. Here I have used Bulgur or broken wheat instead of white rice and used Awarekai instead of vegetables. Spices are good during the winter and it helps to keep the body warm.

Things Needed:

To Cook :
AwareKai (flat beans) : 2 cups
Bulgur : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 1 Cup

To Roast : 
Channa dal : 1 Table spoon
Urd Dal : 1 Table spoon
Dhania Seeds : 1 Table spoon
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Cineman piece: 1/2 inch
Cloves : 3 to 4
Cardamom  : 2
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10 Leaves.
Coconut :  2  to 3 Table spoons
Tamarind Pulp : 3 Table spoons.
Salt : to taste

For the spurt:
Oil  : 1/4 cup  (3 Table spoons)
Mustard Seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urd dal: 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves :  8 to 10 leaves
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch

Method :
1. Wash and cook toor dal, Awarekai together and bulgar separately in a pressure cooker.

2. Dry roast or fry all the spices one by one.

3. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put a tea spoon of oil and fry channa dal and urd dal till they turn brown. Add coriander seeds,chilly, cloves, cardamom and cineman. Add jeera and put off the gas and allow the fried spice to cool down.
4. Soak tamarind in warm water and squeeze out the pulp after 5 minutes.
5. Grate coconut and grind the fried spice with coconut using required water till it is soft.

6. Now keep a big pan or vessel on the fire. Put cooked bulger, avarekai, toour dal and required salt.
8. Add turmeric powder and tamarind pulp to the boiling mixture.
9. Now add ground coconut mixture and let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir inbetwen to avoid get it burnt. Now Awarekai bisibele baath is ready. You need to add spurt mustard mixture to the cooked Awarekai and bulgar bisibele baath.

10. Now keep a small pan on the fire. Put oil (3 to 4 table spoons) and heat.
11. Put mustard seeds and urd dal. Let it spurt. Add Curry leaves and ingh when mustard seeds spurt.
12. Put this spurt mixture to the cooked Awarekai bulger bisibele baath, mix it nicely and serve with potato chips or Khara boondi.

Note.
 1. You can use M.T.R. Bisibele baath powder instead of fring all the ingredients. Remember Home done recipe taste better.
2. Grind coconut and MTR powder together with required water till paste.
3. You can also add cashew nuts to the Awarekai Bisi Bele bath while frying mustard seeds.
4. Adding a Table spoon of fresh ghee adds to the taste.
5. You can add vegetables like carrots, beans and capsicum to the bath.
6. You can dry grind the fried spices along with coconut instead of grinding.
7. Add required water to Bisi Bele Bath.
8. You can also grind tamarind along with coconut and spice mixture.
9. You can dry roast or fry the spices with a tea spoon of oil (Optional)
10. You can also fry some onions and capsicum and top it up on the Awarekai Bisibele bBaath.
       Use of Onions are optional.

Serves :  5 to 6 
Time :  40 to 45 minutes. (altogether)  

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