Mysore Paak

Mysore Paak is a popular sweet from Karnataka. It got its name Mysore Pak since this sweet is done in Mysore first time and named as Mysore Pak.

Mysore Pak is prepared using ghee, besan/channa flour and sugar mainly.
Preparing Mysore Pak is really easy but one needs lots of patience. The procedure is slow and should be taken care.
I always use fresh ghee to prepare Mysore Pak because it adds to the taste and aroma. Nandini butter is melted into  ghee and the ghee is used here. Ghee should be in the form of liquid.

Ingredients :

Besan Flour.( Channa flour ) : 1 Cup
Sugar : 2 Cups
Ghee : Two cups.
Cardamom : 2 to 3

Method :

1.Roast besan flour for 3 to 4 minutes in low flame. Cool it.
2 Take a pan , put sugar and half cup of water and boil it to make sugar syrup. ( low flame )
3. Stir in between . When sugar syrup starts bubbling add besan flour slowly and stir continuously. 4. 4. Add half cup of ghee in the beginning. Stir and go on adding the ghee in between.
5. After 2 to 3 minutes it starts to change the colour and the mixture slightly comes up .
6. Just wait for 10 seconds and stir .Add powdered cardamom.
7. Repeat the same for some time. it starts to leave the pan and slowly comes up.
8. Then leave it for 5 seconds and pour the mixture to a greased tray.
9. Level the Mysore Pak content by just shaking the tray.
10. Cut it according to your wish.  Leave it for 2 minutes and remove the pieces and serve.

11. You can keep this Mysore Pak at least for 15 days. (The smell does not change even for a month).
12. Store in a airtight box once is it cooled.

Note:
The whole procedure should be on low flame. You can add a tablespoon of ghee while roasting the flour . Ghee shoould be liquid. Keep the hot ghee aside and it helps to add ghee little by little.
Stirring is very important. Otherwise down part can be burnt. Advice to use a bigger pan or a slightly bigger utensil.
Use of fresh ghee results the best Mysore Pak.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 15 to 20 pieces.

Salads

Salads..
are normally prepared with raw vegetables and pulses like whole moong or whole channa and fresh corn.

Simple Green Vegetable Salad.

Things Needed :
Carrot : 1
Cucumber : 1
Lettuce leaves : 2 to 3
Capsicum : 1
Tomato : 1
Onion : 1
Cabbage : 5 to 6 leaves.
Coriander leaves: 5 to 6 sticks
Lemon : 1/2 portion
Olive oil : 1 /2 tea spoon
Salt : to taste

Method:

Cut all the vegetables in to small pieces and mix them in a bowl . Add salt and olive oil . Mix well.
Keep it in the fridge for 5 minutes and serve cold.

Note : You can add green chillies or pepper powder to make it more spicy .
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Sprouted Whole Moong Salad.

Wash and soak whole moong for overnight and then remove all water from the bowl and keep it in the bowl or tie it in small cloth for about 6 to 8 hours to get sprouted moong.

Things needed:

Whole Moong : 1 cup
Cucumber : 1
Carrot : 1
Salt : to taste
Coriander leaves : 4 to 5 sticks
Lemon juice: 1 tea spoon

Method :
Grate cucumber and carrot and cut coriander leaves in to small pieces and mix them in a bowl. Add Whole Sprouted Moong to the mixture and add salt. Squeeze 1/2 lemon juice and mix well Your Whole Moong Salad is ready to eat.

Note: You can add vegetables like capsicum and tomatoes also.( Cut into very small pieces).
Can add pepper powder or green chillies too. Can use sprouted whole channa instead of whole. moong.

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Boiled Beetroot Salad.
Things Needed :

Beetroot : 1 ( boiled )
Kidney beans : 1 cup ( boiled )
Onion : 1
Tomato : 1
Pepper powder : 1/2 tea spoon
Coriander leaves : 5 to 6 sticks
Lemon juice : 1/2 tea spoon.
Salt : to taste

Method :

Cut boiled beetroot, onion and tomato and coriander leaves in to small pieces and put it in a bowl. Add boiled kidney beans , pepper and salt to the mixture. Add lemon juice and mix it properly and beetroot salad is ready to serve.

Note: You can add 1 spoon of olive oil to the salad. Can add Parsley leaves also. ( Cut in sto small
pieces. Soak kidney beans in water for over night and cook it in pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes.

Chakkuli or Murku.

Chakkuli or Murku is a fried  fritter that can be munched on any time of the day. There are varieties of chakkuli made from different ingredients. This particular chakkuli is prepared using moong and urid dal with rice.

Lets see the recipe Now
Things needed :
Rice powder: 3 Cups
Urd Dal : 1 Tablespoon
Moong Dal : 1 Cup
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Sesame seeds( Till seeds) : 1 Teaspoon
Red Chilly powder : 1 Teaspoon
Oil : To fry
Salt : to taste
Butter : 1 Tablespoon

Method:
1. Wash Urid dal and moong dal and  pressure cook with required water. ( 8 to 10 minutes). Let it cool.

2. Take a big bowl and add rice flour, cooked and cooled dals, chilly powder, salt, sesame seeds and jeera.
3. Add butter and mix all the ingredients nicely. Let butter mix with all the ingredients.

4. Add water carefully (little by little) and prepare thick dough. Kneed the dough nicely.
5.Divide the dough in to small portions.

6. Take a chakkuli mould and put one portion and cover its lid.
7. Keep a frying pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and heat.

8. Press chakkuli to hot oil (Medium heat) and fry them till they turn golden brown or crispy.

9. Cook on both side and remove from the pan and put it on a kitchen tissue.

10. Put it in a glass jar or airtight box once it is cooled. Serve with a cup of coffee or tea.

Note :
You can not prepare the round Chakkuli. It is better to press the chakkuli to the hot oil. Do not add more butter. It might turn soft or curdle in oil. Adding more chilly powder is optional. Remember mild spicy chakkuli taste better. Adding urid dal is optional.
Time : 30 to 40 Minutes + Urid and Moong dal cooking  10 to 15 Minutes.

Rava (Semolina) & Peas Upma

Uppituu/ Uppuma/Upma is an easy and simple breakfast dish. It is favourite of many. On a cold morning day having spicy upma is fun. It goes well with a cup of coffee or chai(tea).
I have used medium sized rava, onion, peas as main ingredients.

 Rava Peas Upma is stomach filling and you do not feel hungry for a long time. Rava/Semolina helps to shed extra weight and it is an energy giving grain. It is full of carbohydrates. It helps you to stay long for healthy way.

Ingredients:

Rava (Samolina : 2  cup
Curry leaves: 6 to 8 leaves
Oil: 4 table spoons
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Peas : 1 Cup  (Frozen peas)
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
green chillies : 2
Salt: to taste
Water: 2 cups
Mustard seeds: 1 tea spoon
Urd Dal: 1 tea spoon
Water : 4 cups

Method:

1, Dry roast rava till the raw smell goes off. (Roast on low flame).
2. Wash and cut green chilly and curry leaves. Wash frozen green peas with fresh water boil for 2 minutes and keep it aside.

3. Wash ginger and remove the outer layer, wash it again and grate it. Keep it aside.
4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Keep a frying pan on the fire, heat and put oil. Keep 4 cups of water to boil.
6. Put mustard seeds, urid dal and fry them. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
7. Add curry leaves, cut green chilly and fry.

8. Add roasted rava and mix it well. Now add grated ginger and salt.

9. Add 4 cups of boiling water and mix it slowly. (Let the fire be on low flame while adding hot water to Upma. Add peas. Mix it well.
10. Be careful and mix it slowly. Cover the lid and cook Upma on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

11. Put off the fire and add grated coconut and shift the ready upma to a serving dish.

12. Serve with a small bowl of curd along with upma. (You can serve with any thing you like, fruits, sugar, chutney, chutney powder or curd.

Note:

Using different size of rava is optional. Ratio of rava and water is 1 = 2 (1 rava and 2 cups of boiling water). It differ  when you chose the size of rava. Thinner variety of rava does not take much water. The ratio is 1= 1 1/2 .
Adding onions is optional. Adding peas is also optional. I have added frozen peas. Just wash it before using frozen peas or vegetables. You can use dried peas. (Soak for at least for 5 to 6 hours and then cook before using the dry peas). Adding ghee is optional. One should roast or fry semolina nicely to get good taste and consistency of Upma.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5 

BRINJAL DRY CURRY

Brinjal or eggplant is loaded with iron. Brinjals are used in curries, sambar, bhatha (a type of gojju) and even in rice. Vanghi baat is very well known dish which is prepared using brinjals. 

I have prepared brinjal dry curry using fresh masala. Fresh spices are roasted and dry ground to powder and then added. The freshness and the aroma of the powder makes the curry more tasty.
There is no onion or garlic added in this curry.
Lets see the recipe now.

Things needed;
Brinjal: 3 to 4
Channa dal : 1 tea spoon
Urd dal :1 tea spoon
Red chilly : 4 to 6
Curry leaves: 5 to 6
Coriander Seeds :1 tea spoon
Fenugrik seeds: 1/4 tea spoon
Asafotodia: a pinch
Salt : to taste.
Oil : 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tea spoon.
Tamarind: small ball size.
Turmeric : a pinch

Method :
1. Cut brinjal in to small pieces and put in a bowl of water.

2. Roast methi seeds, coriander seeds and red chilly one by one and powder it. Keep it aside.
3. Keep a frying pan on the fire and put oil put mustard seeds, 1/2 a spoon of urd dal

4. Let the mustard spurt. Add curry leaves, ingh and cut brinjals. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

5.Stir slowly and let it cook on low flame. Add a pinch of turmeric powder. Add little water and let it cook. (2 minutes).
6.  Add powdered masala ( spices ) and  tamarind pulp and salt. Mix it well nicely. 

7. Cook for  2 minutes on the fire. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.
8. Shift the curry to a serving bowl. Spicy brinjal dry curry is ready to serve.

 Note :
 You can use lemon instead of tamarind. You can use coriander leaves also. You can also use little jaggery if you like sweet taste. Adding coconut is optional. Using rasam powder or sambar powder is also and optional. Remember fresh spice smells better. Adding onions and garlic are option. You can also add little jaggery.  (optional).
Time : 15Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3

Tomato Rice.

Tomato Rice is a rice dish. Tomatoes are available plenty in the market around the year.
This is an pretty easy and simple dish and you can create tomato Rice according to your taste.
I have used tomato, onions. green chilly and some simple spices.

 Tomato Rice is good for breakfast (rice lovers), or for lunch or dinner.  There are different types of tomato rice, using vegetables and tomatoes, tomatoes and onions and only tomatoes and green chilly and tomatoes and coconut together. So you can prepare this dish with your favourite vegetables or spices or Ready to eat rice bath powders.
Lets see some benefits of having tomatoes in our diet.
Tomatoes are good for digestion, it helps to stimulate blood circulation, reduce cholesterol levels in our body. It protects the kidneys, detoxify the body, reduce inflammation. It is a rich source of antioxidants. They contain rich source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C and K. They contain Vitamin B6. They are good source of potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous and copper. They contain good amount of fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation.
Tomatoes helps to reduce the cholesterol and protects the heart. It helps to improve he vision. They also helps in preventing night blindness. Tomatoes help in maintaining healthy teeth, bones, hair and skin.
I have used tomatoes, onions and some spices. It is an easy dish and every one surely enjoy having this tomato dish. We can prepare this tomato rice for one dish (one pot meal), parties , kitty parties.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things needed :

To cook :
Raw Rice : 1 Cup (Sona Masoori or Basmathi)
To Fry : 
Tomato : 2 ( small )
Onion: 1 ( big )
Green Chilly : 1
Ginger : an inch
Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Garam Masala/Pav bhaji Masala ; 1 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
For the seasoning :
Oil : 2 table spoon
Mustard seeds " 1/2 tea spoon
Urd Daal :1/2 tea spoon
Cashew Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
curry leaves : 6 to 8
To add : 
coriander leaves : 4 to 5 sticks.
Salt: to taste
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon (Optional)

Method :
1. Wash and pressure cook rice for 6 to 8 minutes. ( 1 cup Sona Masoori = 2 1/2 cup water or 1  Cup Basmathi Rice = 2 cups of water).  Let it cool after it is cooked.
2. Wash and cut tomatoes (remove the seeds while cutting), green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Remove the outer layer of onion wash it and cut it into small pieces.
3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.

4. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard seeds splutter.

5. Add cut onions and fry nicely. Add tomatoes, green chilly and grated ginger. Fry all the ingredients nicely till tomatoes turn soft and gravy becomes little thick.

 6. Add turmeric powder, rasam/sambar powder/garam masala/Pav bhaji masala and salt. Let it cook for a minute. Let it get thicken.


7. Now mix cooked rice to this gravy and stir slowly. Let rice mix well with tomato gravy.
8. Mix it well and add a tablespoon of ghee and cut coriander leaves.

9. Shift the ready tomato rice to the serving dish. Add a spoon of fresh coconut on the top and serve with a cup of curd/ Yogurt.

Note :

Rice should be cooked soft but not watery or over cooked. (Over cooked rice may not taste good). Add spices according to your wish. More/Less. Use of coconut is optional. Use of ghee is also optional. You can use any brand of rasam or sambar powder and garam masala powder.
Time : 30 minutes (including cooking rice).
Serves : 2.

Sweet Pongal ( Huggi )

Happy Shankrathi to you all.
Shankranthi is a Harvest Festival in some places and Sun is moving from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana.. A special occasion to celebrate. Yellu Bella Tindu olle Matadu ..this is kannada saying. People in Karnataka have a tradition..they mix up roasted jingly seeds with roasted ground nuts adding jagary and dried coconut. (Both cut in to small pieces) This specialy made eatable is served to all houses nearby and near ones and dear ones.
This tradition brings up a good harmony in the area around...live happily with oneness.

Things Needed
Rice: 1/2 cup.
Moong Dal 1/2 cup
jagary: ( Bella in Kannada): 1 cup
Ghee : 2 to 3 Table spoon
Cashew nuts : 4 to 6 ( cut in to small)
Cardamum: 2 to 3 seeds

Method: 
1. Wash rice and moong dal and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Leave it for cooling. Powder cardamum and keep it aside.
2.Keep a big pan on the fire and heat.
3. Put a spoon of ghee and heat. Fry cashew nuts in that ghee till they are brown. Remove them from the pan.
4. Now put jaggery  in that pan and put cooked rice and moong dal.
5. Stir until water disappears. Add cashew nuts cardamum and ghee.
6. Cook until it mixes with jaggery and put some ghee and fried cashew nuts
7. Shift the ready pongal to the serving bowl.
8.Serve this sweet pongal during the lunch or dinner.

Note : 
Cook on slow fire. You can add coconut if you like. Add coconut just before serving.
Time : 30 minutes.
Serving: 3 to 4