Channa Dal - Ridge Gourd Tovve/ Dal

Tovve /Dal is one of the must dish served in the beginning of the food. tovee is full of dals and is normally with very little spices.

Tovve is eaten with ghee and it provides minerals and vitamins.
I have prepared Heerekai/Ridge Gourd with channa dal/Kadale bele and it goes well with almost all the main dishes.
Tovve is filled with proteins, because we do use lots of dal while preparing it. Adding vegetables helps to digest the food we eat.
Different types of dals can be used for preparing Tovve. Moong dal, Toor dal, Masoor dal and even pulses like pea pods, cow pea, black eyed bean and whole moong  are used preparing tovee.
Let us see some benefits of eating channa dal in our diet.
Channa dal/split bengal gram is one of the nutritious dal . We indians use this channa dal for many dishes.It is filled with nutrition and minerals.
Channa dal is low in fat and it helps to lower the cholesterol. It is good for diabetes. It has minerals like zinc, folate and proteins. It helps to boost our energy and immunity. It is good good for weight loss. It is good for people who suffer from high blood pressure. It protects from digestive problems.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Channa Dal - Ridge Gourd Tovve/Dal.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Channa Dal : 1/2 Cup
Ridge Gourd : 2 ( Medium sized )
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
To Add : 
Green chilly : 2
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Lemon Extract : 1 Tablespoon
Ginger : An Inch
Salt : As required
Fresh grated coconut : 2 Tablespoons
To Season : 
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 6 To 8
Oil/Ghee : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and cook channa dal with required water.

2. Wash and remove the edges and the outer layer of Ridge Gourd and cut it in to small pieces.
( Use the outer layer to prepare chutney) .

3. Cook ridge gourd pieces till they turn soft.
4. Wash and slit green chilly, cut coriander and curry leaves.. Extract lemon juice from lemon. (1 lemon).
6. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add ghee/oil and put mustard seeds and jeera.
8. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves. Add ingh.
9. Add cooked dal and  ridghe gourd pieces. Add little turmeric powder. Add grated ginger.

10. Add required salt and water. Mix it well and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add Lemon extract.

11. Shift " Channa dal - Ridge gourd Tovve to a serving dish.
12. Add little  grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve with the main dish of your choice.

Note :

Channa dal must be cooked well. It is better to cook in pressure cooker. Do not allow it to over cook or it turns fully powdered grains.
Adding green chilly is your choice. You can use red byadagi chilly. Seasoning with ghee is optional. I have done with coconut oil and I top up the tovve with a tablespoon of homemade ghee.
Adding any other spice is your choice.
Time : 20 to 25 minutes.
Serves : 2 to  3 .

Jaggery Gulkand/ Rose Petals in Jaggery

Gulkand /Rose petals jam is very healthy extract from Rose petals.
Particular rose, ( light pink)  petals are dipped in jaggery or sugar and the rose scent is absorbed by jaggery/sugar and the petals starts to melt with jaggery. This syrup is known as Gulkand.

I have seen people go to eat gulkand as a sweet dish after their food. I also have seen Pan makers/Beetle leaves Paan use this gulkand to add the sweet taste. Now there are so many other essence available in the market.
We are very lucky to  have these pink rose plants in our home garden. ( Rose Plants are in the pot). We had been to one of our relation's house to see their terrace garden. They had beautiful flowers. They get the plants from a nursery which is very close to their house. We too thought of visiting the nursery and insisted our relatives to show the nursery. After seeing so many healthy plants we wanted to buy some flower plants Thats how we purchased these rose plants from that particular nursery.
The plants that we bought were so healthy and they still flower daily. The rose plants started to flowered and they are spreading the aromatic flavour around them.
Seeing these flowers I got this particular idea to prepare Gulkand. I got some  organic jaggery remaining in my kitchen. I used this jaggey ( Joni bella).
One has to wash the flowers nicely and check out for the worms before washing. Let it dry completely. ( The whole moisture should be evaporated ).

Let us see some benefits of having Gulkand in our diet.
Gul Means Rose Kand means sweet.
Gulkand is nothing but rose petals jam, a sweet preserve of rose petals. It is good for acitdity, gastritis, skin care, indigestion, ulcer and nosebleed, stress etc. Gulkand helps to reduce the excess heat in the body. It is good for people who suffer from itching, boils, blisters, Wrinkles and acne. It is a natural anti - aging treatment. Gulkand is rich in antioxidants, energy booster. Taking gulkand regularly helps to reduce severe ulcers, constipation and heart burning.  Use of gulkand in summer helps in preventing sun strokes, nostril bleeding and dizziness. Gulkand is good for excessive bleeding during menstruation. It also helps in providing glucose to our body and keeps us energetic. It prevents anemia. Gulkand is one of the health tonic and it keeps our metabolism healthy and fit. It helps in reducing acidity and a very good blood purifier.
Note :
Gulkand can be given to children every day. It provides energy and minerals.
 People who are diabetic do not consume this Gulkand every day.
Gulkand can be used while preparing sweets. It adds aroma (rose essence) and taste to the dish.
I have used this home made Gulkand to prepare Ragi Huri Hittu and Oats and Nuts Laddu.
They turned out to be a greater hit. I have distributed Oats - Nuts - Gulkand Laddu to some of our friends and relatives.

Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Pink rose petals : 5 to 6 Rose flowers
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and separate rose petals and check . Put it on a plate or tray. Let all the moister disappear
from the flowers.

2. Now take a glass bottle and fill a teaspoon of jaggery and fill handful of rose petals.

3. Add little jaggery and then add some more rose petals. ( It should be done 2 or 3 times.

4. Take a bigger spoon and mix jaggery and rose petals slowly.
5. Cover the bottle with its lid and keep it in a corner or in the sunlight for 3 to 4 hours everyday. At least 2 to 3 hours a day till the petals turn soft. Mix it every day with a clean and dry spoon.
6. You can place it in fridge. Use it only after 8 to 10 days.   Or keep it out in the sun light for 3 to 4 days. And then you can use it. Use a clean dry spoon.
7. Rose Gulkand is ready to use and you can use it for sweets or you can also give this gulkand to people who are very weak, kids and elderly. It helps in boosting energy.

Note :

You should go on adding rospe petals and jaggery ( in small quantity.
Time : Adjust your time to prepare home made gulkand.
Recipe for Oats - Nuts - Gukand Unde / Laddu / Laadu

Oats Laddu :

Dry roast 5 to 6 glasses of oats on low flame slowly until the raw smell goes off. Let it cool.
Dry grind it. Dry grind  one full copra /kobbari. (Medium size).
Dry grind a cup of almonds and keep it aside.
Dry grind or cut figs, cashews, apricots,  walnuts into small pieces.
Add a handful of raisins.
Keep a pan and add 1 cup of grated jaggery. Add 1/4 cup of water and let it melt and starts to boil.
Sieve this jaggery water with a tea siever. (Filter it ). Keep the clean jaggery water on the flame.
Let it boil and turn 1 string consistency. Add dry ground oats, almonds coconut,  and cut/dry grind figs, cashews, walnuts and a handful of raisins. Mix it well nicely. Stir for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add  1/2 Cup of ghee. (or little less ), a tablespoon of  gulkand and stir again, mix it well. Put off the fire.

 Now mix the sweet mixture again and take a handful of mixture. Prepare laddu and arrange in a tray.
Keep them in a glass jar /bottle  or air tight boxes once they are cool.
These Laddus were distributed to our friends.

Shelf stay : 1 Week . (If dry coconut /copra is used). 
OR 
2 to 3 Days. ( If fresh coconut is used). 
Time 30 Minutes.

Huri Hittu Unde :

Take 2 cups of f huri hittu ( Dry roasted ragi/finger millet), fresh coconut , some dry fruits/nuts
Put all the above ingredients in a big bowl, add grated coconut, 2 to 3 tablespoons of jaggery powder, 1 to 2 tablespoons of gulkand and 1 tablespoon of ghee. Mix all the ingredients nicely and prepare healthy Ragi Huri Hittina Unde. (Finger millet Laddu/Laadu/Unde).

Time : 10 to 15 minutes
Serves : As you wish. (15 to 18 Laddus can be prepared.
You can add this Gulkand to so many Sweets and give a teaspoon of  Gulkand to children every day that helps them to build strong bones and provide them energy.