Paradi Payasa (Rice Payasa)

Paradi Payasa is a Kannada (Karntaka) name for this Payasam. This is one of the traditional Payasam prepared during festivals, feast especially when pregnant woman is invited to home for lunch. I just love this payasam. Payasam is a sweet dish that every one knows. There are different types of payasam and preparations also differ from place to place.
Paradi Payasam is prepared using rice, jaggery and coconut. Some prepare it with maida (plain flour) also. It is always better to use rice for a healthy choice. It is some thing like Ade Prathamam (another type of classic traditional Payasam).

Lets see some benefits of having coconut milk in our diet.
Coconut milk contain antioxidant, antiseptic and cooling properties. It contain abundance of nutrients. They are rich in Vitamins C, E and many Vitamin B. Vitamin C helps to boost the immune system and Vitamin B provide energy to the cells. Coconut milk is rich in magnesium, phosphorous and iron. Coconut milk is rich in lauric acid. It helps to reduce cholesterol. They contain germ fighting, anti fungal and anti vital properties.
Paradi Payasam is prepared by using white rice. Rice can be soaked and ground into thin paste consistency or finely powdered rice flour. It is always better to use soaked and ground rice flour. It taste better and texture is very fine. The problem with rice flour is like it is not fresh and some time the flour is rough like rava.
Lets see the recipe now

Things Needed :

White Raw Rice : 1/2  Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Coconut : 1 Cup (fresh)
Cardamom : 3 to 4 pods
Milk : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and soak rice for an hour and grind it nicely till paste consistency. (Use of water should be less). Add a pinch of salt to the dough.
2. Grate coconut and grind coconut and cardamom pods with little water and squeeze out the milk. ( Grind it again with little more water again and squeeze out the milk and keep it separately.
3. Now keep glass of water on fire and boil. Add jaggery and let it melt nicely.
4. Let it boil nicely. Now take boondhi preparing spoon and keep it above the boiling water.

5. Pour slowly the ground rice dough through the holes in the ladle and let it fall in boiling water. (let the flame be medium).

6. It forms a ball shape and starts cooking in the jaggery syrup.
7. Add the coconut milk which you got in second time.(little thinner than the first one).

8. Boil it for 2 minutes. Add the thick coconut milk. When it is about to boil put off the gas.

9. Add Fresh milk and serve Paradi Payasa with lunch or dinner.

Note :

You can filter jaggery syrup and then use it.(Helps to remove the dirt from jaggey). You can also make use of rice flour as I said. Just mix required water and a pinch of salt to prepare the dough. It should be like dosa dough. Adding a spoon of ghee adds to the taste. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Any type of White can be used. For example ..dosa rice, sona masoori or basmati etc...
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 5 to 6 ( According to the serving quantity).

Tomato Mishal Chat

Mishal means mixed. Whole legumes/pulses/beans  are cooked together and added with spice and other ingredients and served as chat. This Mishal takes me back to Dubai once again, because I had this Mishal mixture in one of our friends house. Until then I had no idea, these legumes can be cooked like this and served as chat. We had these types of chats again and again and it has become our favourite. Chat means a little snack at any time of a days. It has no particular time to eat chats now a days. I have seen many kids having chats at chats center either in the morning or at lunch time. It has become so popular and there are so many chats shops or a corner selling chats. But definitely I prefer to eat chat mostly in the evening time.

Different types of chats have derived now a days. Papdy chat, pappad chat, dahi chat, poori chat, etc etc etc. I too have given a twist to the original recipes and enjoyed my own cooking style. Here is a recipe of such one chat and I gave a name as Tomato Mishal Chat.
Tomatoes are the base here and spicy pulses are spread generously on the top of tomatoes. Green and sweet chutney added and some crispy mixture on the top. The plate is full and you can enjoy your chat.

 Lets see some benefits of eating Tomatoes in our diet.
Tomatoes are full of nutrients, antioxidants and keep our health in good shape. Tomatoes are low in calories and it does not contain any starch. It helps to improve vision. It is rich in Vitamin A and helps to improve our eye sight and prevent night blindness. It helps to maintain blood health. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C, potassium an iron which are essential for maintaining normal blood health. It is full of fiber and helps in digestion and prevents constipation. It also helps to remove toxins from our body. Tomatoes are good blood purifiers and clean up urinary tract infections.
Please not that Some people may be allergic to tomatoes and they might get itchy feeling on their body or it have breathing problem and the person who is suffering from kidney stone should take care.
No onion or garlic is used in this Tomato Mishal Chat. Mild spice and little sev is used. You can add your choice of toppings on the top of the chat.
I have used whole moong, moth bean (mataki kaalu), Kabooli chenna (white kabooli chenna) and cowpeas (Alasande kaalu/ Avade Kaalu) for Mishaal.

Things needed :

For cooking
Cooked mixed Beans of your choice : 2 Cups
Tomatoes : 3 to 4 (small ones)
Boiled Potatoes : 2
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : an inch 
Red chilly Power : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Butter : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
For arranging :
Tomatoes : 3 to 4  ( Medium size)
Ready to serve Mishal mixture
Any type of Sev
Hot and sweet chutney
Onions or carrots to top up

Method :

1. Wash and cook whole moong, cow pea, kabooli chenna and moth bean. ( 1/2 Cup each ) in a pressure cooker and leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and cook potatoes and remove the outer skin, smash it and keep it aside.
3.Wash and cut tomatoes, green chilly and coriander leaves into small. Wash and grate ginger. Keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, jeera and let it fry till golden brown. Now add cut tomatoes, green chilly and fry.

5. Let tomatoes turn soft and mix it well. Add red chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt.
6.Add little turmeric powder and mix it well. Let it cook for a minute.
7. Add cooked beans/ legumes and potatoes cook nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of butter. Mix it nicely.

8. Add Cut coriander leaves and remove the ready mishal from the fire.

Mishal is ready to serve

For Plating :

1. Wash and cut tomatoes into slices.

2. Spread a ladle full of ready to serve mishal in a plate.
3. Arrange circle cut tomatoes on the mishal.
4. Put little sweet and hot chutney

5. Put some grated onions/carrots on the top of chutney.
6. One more ladle of ready to serve Mishal on the top.
7. Any kind of sev according to your wish. Less/More

8. Tomato Mishal is ready to serve now.

Note :

You can soak the legumes/beans overnight and then cook it. Use of spice according to your wish. More/ less. Use of onions and garlic is purely optional. I have not used it. Use of butter/ ghee is optional. Use of sev also optional. I have used very little sev.I cooked all the legumes directly. (Not soaked). You can use legumes/beans of your choice. Thin layer of butter is used. (to reduce the chilly taste and butter surely adds to the taste.
Time : Mishal cooking time  :20 minutes + Preparing Mishal + 15 minutes. Total time : 35 to 40 minutes.
Serves " 4 to 5