SOREKAI PAYASA..( KHEER )

Sorekai/Bottle Gourd Payasa/Kheer is a sweet dish and it is nice to have at any time of the day. Bottle gourd is loaded with healthy properties.
I have used bottle gourd, Avalakki, cardamom, coconut milk and jaggery for this payasa.

Lets see some benefits of eating " Cardamom " in our diet.
Cardamom helps to control cholesterol levels and improves blood circulation in the body. It is good for curing dental diseases and urinary tract infections. Cardamom contain some amount of anti inflammatory properties. It helps control and lower the blood pressure. It is rich with antioxidant properties. It is good for preventing cold and flu. Cardamom is rich in fiber. Cardamom is a good detoxify the unwanted things. It helps to clean out urinary tract, bladder and kidney  and removes excess water, toxins and salt. In Ayurveda, it is said that it helps to fight depression. Cardamom is used for bad breath, mouth ulcers and infections of mouth and throat.
Lets see the recipe Now.

Things Needed .

Sorekai/Bottle Gourd : 2 cups.
Avalakki/Poha/Flattened Rice : 2 Tablespoons

Jagery : 1 Cup.

Water : 1/2 cup

Cashew Nuts : 1 Fistful (small pieces)

Coconut :1 Cup.

Cardamom : 4 to 6 seeds.

Ghee : 1 Tablespoon.

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of bottle gourd and cut them into small pieces.

2. Cook cut pieces till they turn soft.
3. Great coconut and grind it with little water and squeeze out the milk. Grind it again and squeeze out the milk second time. Keep this milk aside.
4. Powder cardamom and fry cashews with 1 tablespoon of ghee.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked bottle gourd pieces.
6. Add powdered jaggery (used organic jaggery) and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 minutes.

7. Add the watery coconut milk (taken second time) and let it boil nicely for 2 minutes.
8. Add thin Avalakki and mix it well. Add the thick coconut milk and mix it well.

9. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Add cardamom powder and shift the Kheer to a serving dish.

10. Add ghee fried cashews and serve Sorekai Payasa cold or hot .

Note :
You can grind coconut into paste consistency and then add the ground coconut to payasa. (No need to add coconut milk). Remember that coconut should be tender.(not tender coconut). Jaggery should be reboiled to remove the dust particles. Keep 1/2 cup of water in a pan. Keep the pan on the stove. Let it melt and turn full liquid. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Sieve this content with a strainer. This way you can remove the dust particles in jaggey. Use the clean jaggery always. Adding avalakki/flattened rice is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5

COCONUT RICE VADA..

Coconut Rice vada is one of traditional and special dish from Udupi/Dakshina Kannada. It is prepared using raw rice, coconut, a very little jaggery and salt. The rice is soaked and ground it into paste and then added with little jaggery and salt.

It is nice to have it when it is raining heavily outside, you start eating this Kai Vada with a cup of coffee or Tea,  You will really just say WoW. This Wow does mean every thing that you have enjoyed the dish thoroughlly.
This is one of my earlier recipe and just thought would add some pics, which I have reacently captured while prepring the dish.
There is no onion or garlic in this dish. COCONUT RICE VADA  can be prepared at any time of the day and it is easy I can say. All we need is rice flower and other ingredients.
Lets us see the recipe now.

Things Needed:

Coconut : 1 cup ( fresh and grated )
Rice powder : 2 cups
Green Chillies : 2 to 3
salt : to taste
Oil : 1 cup
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Water : 1/4 cup

Method :

1. Grate coconut and grind jeera and green chilly. ( Add very little water while grind).
2. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.
3. Add rice flour to the coconut mixture. Add salt and jeera/cumin seeds.

4. Mix it well and prepare dough ( Poori consistency).
5. Keep a frying pan on the fire and add oil. Heat.
6. Divide the dough into small portions. Wet your palm and take one divided portion and pat it with fingers.

7. Fry this flattened vada on medium and low flame. (Both sides should be golden brown). 1 vada at a time.
8. Remove it from the pan and put it on a kitchen tissue.

9. Let the oil absored from the kitchen tissue.

10. Serve " Coconut Rice Vada " with a cup of tea/coffee.

11. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
12. You can prepare these vadas by adding little jaggery instead of chilly.

Note :

Do not grind coconut with more water. Then you will have to add more rice flour and it will not be tasty.  Adding very little jaggery adds to the taste. Do not use jaggery if you are using green chilly.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : At least 15 to 20 Vadas can be prepared. 

POTATO POHA ( POTATO AWALAKKI )

Avalakki is known as poha in Hindi. It is called in so many names in different parts of India. Aval, Avalam, Avalakki , Poha, beaten/flatten rice etc. We Kannadigas call this as avalakki and many sweet/savoury dishes are prepared using Avalakki. Avalakki is used on festival and feast days too. We can prepare payasam, pancha kajjaya unde are some sweet dishes and avalakki uppitu/upma, avalakki bisibele bath, palav are some spicy dishes. It can be fried in oil and mixed with mixture.

This is my one of the old post and now I am just adding some pics and would like to tell you how and where did I first had this food. It is one of the sweet memory. The memory goes back to 1989. I was due for the delivery of my second boy Rishikant. I was hospitalized for some reason and was in Al- Wasl Hospital in Dubai. I met a friend Latha who too was expecting her first kid and me a chatter box, I started to talk to her and we became very good friends. She delivered a baby boy and discharged went home. She is a gujarati girl and very sweet to me. I too had a baby boy and went home after 10 days since I had a cesarean I had to stay in the hospital for 10 days. But we kept in touch by talking on the phone. (Phone call used to be free those days with in the Emirate). In the later days I met her at the  temple and Latha and her hubby took us to their house. She prepared this "Potato Poha" within a short duration and it was yummy. Being Gujarati she had added potatoes instead of coconut. It was too good. I liked the dish and I have prepared this Potato Poha many times after that.
Recently we had been to Goregaon.to visit my son and his wife. We had a fantastic trip around Haridwar, Hrushikesh and Mussori on one side and Jaipur on the other side. One must visit these places in life time. Coming back food we had Aloo Poha most of the time we spent around there. Potato is the only vegetable we get in most of the time and it helps to keep our body warm during the cold winter days. So potato has become one of the must used vegetable in that places.
Lets see the benefits of eating " Potato in our " diet.
Potatoes are a very popular food source. Potatoes have good antioxidant, vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C manganese, phosphorus and dietary fiber. Potatoes helps to improve digestion, reduce cholesterol leves, boost heart health, manage diabetes and strengthen our immune system. They also help to protect the skin, increase the blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, maintain fluid balance and boost eye health.
 DO REMEMBER : Do not eat sprout potatoes because potato sprouting leads to the conversion of starch into sugar. Most of the nutrients in potato are just beneath its skin. One must consume potato with its skin or you might eat only carbohydrates.

I have used thick variety of beaten rice/flatten rice/poha, potatoes, fresh coconut and little spices with green chilly. It will be one of the good breakfast or snack dish and every one will surely love it because it has potato in it. (I love potatoes).

Things Needed :

To Cook : 
Thick Poha:2 Cups

Potato : 2 ( Medium sized)
To add : 

Ginger : a small piece

Coriander leaves : 3 to 4 sticks

Lemon extract : 1 Teaspoon

Salt : to taste

water : 1/2  cup

Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.( fresh grated )

Turmeric powder : A pinch
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon To Season : 

Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon

Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon

Green chilly : 2

Method :

1. Clean Poha and wash it nicely. Drain all the water from it.Add 1/2 Cup of fresh water and let Poha absorb water and turn soft.

2. Wash and cut potatoes into small pieces. (including the skin of potatoes). Cook with little water in a small pan. (low flame).

3. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves. Squeeze out the lemon extract from 1/2 Lemon and keep the juice aside.

4, Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Keep the pan on the fire and add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
6. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves. Add soaked avalakki. Add salt, turmeric powder. Mix it nicely. Add water if required.

7. Keep on stirring in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.
8. Add grated ginger and coriander leaves. let the flame be very low.

9. Keep a pan on the fire. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and heat. Add jeera and let it  turn as slightly brown. Add cooked pieces of potatoes and fry them on low flame for 1 to 2 minutes and add this friend potatoes to the ready Avalakki uppittu and mix it well. Add lemon extract and mix it nicely and slowly.
10. Put off the gas and add grated coconut, ghee and coriander leaves mix it well and serve with a cup of curd.

Note : 

You must use thicker poha to prepare this dish.

Adding channa daal and fresh coconut is optional..Can add onions.( Before adding potatoes. Potato can be chopped in bigger size and boiled before adding since boiled potatoes will not consume much time in cooking. It can be fried in oil and then added to Avalakki. you can add ground nuts while seasoning.
Time : 20 to 25 minutes.(Total time)
Serves : 3 to 4

Rice pudding .( Gudaanna ; Sweet Rice).

Rice Pudding is a sweet item and you can eat along with your lunch or dinner. This particular Rice Pudding is normally done to serve as prasaadam during Navaraatri Festival .

Things Needed....

Rice : 1 cup

jaggery : 1/2 cup

Coconut : 2 Table Spoon

Ghee : 2 to 3 Table Spoon

Salt : a pinch

Milk : 1/2 cup

Dry fruits : 2 Table spoon ( Cashew nuts , dry grapes( raisasns ) , almonds and dry dates. ( cut in to small pieces )

Cardamum : ( yalakki ) : 4 to 6 seeds .( Remove the skin and powder the seeds ).

Method:

Wash rice nicely and cook adding 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of milk together. Keep it aside.

Now take a pan and heat 1/2 a spoon of ghee. Roast dry fruits till golden brown and remove from the pan. Add jaggery to the pan and put little water . Let the jaggery melt ...Add cooked

rice and mix it thoroughly. Let it boil together for 2 minutes. Add remained ghee and coconut and stir well. Put off the gas. Add cardamum and mix thoroughly..and pour it to the bowl.

Rice pudding is ready to serve..Serve it with little ghee on the top.

Note: Cook the rice pudding on low fire. After mixing the jaggery not to cook for a long time

since it becomes to thick and hard. Adding more ghee gives better taste.

Serves 4 to 6

Green Chiily Poori

Pooris are fried dish and every one and all age group love to have them. I just tried this pootis with Green Chilly. It can be prepared for breakfast or as evening snack. It is good for kids party since it is green colour.

I have used green chilly, coriander leaves, ginger and some spices for this green chilly pooris.
It is easy, quick and as I always say Happy Tummy.

Ingredients :

Wheat flour :2 cups
Rice flour : 2 Tablespoons
Green chillies : 2
Ginger : A small piece
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves : One Handful.
Salt : to taste
Oil : 1 cup (To fry)
Water : 1/4 cup

Method :

1. Take a bowl and put wheat flour , salt and one spoon of oil. Mix it well and keep it aside.
2. Wash green chilly, coriander leaves and remove the outer layer of the ginger and wash it again.
3. Cut ginger and put it in a mixi jar.
4. Now grind green chilly, ginger, corander leaves, jeera and one or two pepper pods. (Use a mixi jar and add little water while grinding. (very little water).

5. Remove the ground mixture and add it to the flour bowl. Mix it slowly. Add a spoon of ghee/oil  and prepare dough. (Thicker than chapati dough).
6. Divide the dough into small ball size.  Roll all these ball size dough into circle shape.

7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and heat.
8. Once it is ready fry rolled spicy pooris on both sides.

9. Put it on a kitchen tissue when you remove poori from hot pan. (extra oil absorbed by kitchen towlel.
10 Repeat the same and fry pooris and serve hot pooris with a cup of curd.

11. You can also cut these pooris in to very small. (Use any water bottle top).
12. Small pooris can be packed to school in kids lunch box.

Note : 

Add minimum water to grind the ingredients. You can add water if required, while mixing all the ingredients and preparing dough. Adding more /less chilly is optional. Adding any other spice like garam masala, chat masala or even bav bhaji masala is also optional.
Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Simple Cucumber Saasive.(Mustard ) Pachadi.

Simple Cucumber Saasive/ Pachidi is prepared using cucumber. This is one of the traditional dish of Udupi style. Mangalore Southekai is used here.

Cucumber sasive is an easy dish and we can have them with plain rice, chapatis, poori, dosa etc.
Any type of cucumber can be used for this pachadi. Mullu Southe kai also suits very well.
No Onion OR  Garlic is used in this Cucumber Sasive Pachadi. 
Lets see the recipe Now:

Ingredients :

Cucumber : 1 Bowl
Mustard Seeds 1 tea spoon
Green chilly : 2
Fresh Coconut : 2 Table spoons
Salt :to taste
oil :1/2 tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 4 to 6
Yougart : 1/2 Cup ( 2 to 3 Tablespoons of curd)
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut cucumber nicely and remove the inner seeds and cut into small pieces.
2. Put the cut cucumber pieces into water filled bowl.
3. Grate coconut and add 1/2 Teaspoon of mustard seeds and 2 to 3 Gree chilly.

4. Grind  grated coconut, mustard seeds and chilly with very little water.
5. Grind it till paste and add ingh and cut cucumber pieces. Churn for 10 seconds.

6. Remove from the mixi jar to a serving dish.
7. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Add 1/2 Teaspoon of oil, 1/4 spoon of mustard seeds.
8. Add urid dal and ingh. Let mustard splutter. Add curry leaves and put off the fire.

9. Add this mustard seasoning to Cucumber Sasive. Add cure/yogurt and mix it well.
10 Serve with plain rice or chapati or roti

Note : 
You can grate cucumber instead of grinding. Do not add any water when you grind. Cucumber has lots of water init. You can use any kind of cucumber for pachadi/sasive. adding chilly is optional. Adding coconut oil is also optional. You can also add red chilly instead of green chilly or chilly powder. Remember Home made is always the best. Check the cucumber for the bitterness.
 Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .