Banana - Rava Guli Appa

Guli Appa or Gund Pongalu or Paddu is a healthy dish, usually prepared with rice, urid, beaten rice and little methi (Fenugrik seeds). There is a little twist, This Guli appa is prepared with medium size rava, coconut, jaggery, banana, sesame seeds and is a sweet dish.

Rava (semolina) is digested slowly and helps you feel full longer and prevents you from over eating. Semolina improves kidney function. It contains potassium. Semolina is a good source of two vital vitamins like E and B. These vitamins are essential for good immunity from disease. Semolina is a quick and nourshing source of energy. Semolina contain minerals like phosphorus, zinc and magnesium which are beneficial for the health of your bones and nervous system.

Jaggery is a great remedy for anemia, astama, joint pains and menstrual pains. It also aids in digestion, purifies blood and keeps the skin away from problems such as acnes and pimples. It is a great energy booster and provides us lots of energy.

Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Bananas have antiacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. Bananas protects the eyesight, help to build the strong bones. Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium and manganese.

Here is a recipe of Banana - Rava Guli appa. Banana guli appa is a sweet dish, and You can have them for breakfast or as snack or even for dinner.
You need a Guli appa pan to prepare Guli appa or prepare Banana dosa with same dough. This is a healthy and easy dish which all age group people will love to have them.

Things Needed :

Rava (Semolina) : 2 Cups (medium sized)
Ripe Bananas : 2
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Coconut : 1/2 cup
Sesame Seeds : 2 Table spoons
Oil : 4 to 6 Table spoons.
Salt : to taste (use very little quantiy since jaggery contain salt).

Method :

1. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
2. Grate jaggery or powder it.

3. Roast sesame seeds.

4. Now grind Bananas, coconut, cardamom pods and jaggery together.

5. Take a big bowl. Add rava, Sesame seeds and ground coconut and jaggery mixture.

6.  Mix it well and leave the dough for 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Add 1/2 Tea spoon of Eno salt and mix it well.

8. Keep guli appa pan on the fire. Heat and sprinkle oil to each mould (guli) in the pan.
9. Now take a spoon and put a spoonful of dough in each guli (deep area in the pan).

10. Cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Remove the cover and put little oil on each guli appa.
12. Turn guli appa and cook the other side for 10 to 20 seconds.

13. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
14. Serve Guli appa with any side dish you have prepared. Put little ghee on the top before serving.

Note : 

Mix the dough thicker than dosa dough consistency. Prepare Guli appa on medium and low flame. Add jaggery according to your taste.(more or less).

Time : 30 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 

Gooseberry Tokku & Chitranna

Goose berry (nellikai ) is one of the god's gift to the mankind. It has immense medicinal values. It is used in Ayurvedic medicines and according to Ayurveda, aamla balances all three doshas, like vata, pitta and kapha.

In South India Gooseberry is pickled with salt, oil and spices. Aamla is eaten raw or cooked into various dishes. It is used to prepare dal and aamla murabbah. (traditional sweet dish eaten after heavy meal).

Gooseberry contain lots of minerals and vitamin C. It helps to reduce the blood sugar levels and helps to reduces the cholesterol in blood.

Here is a recipe of Gooseberry Tokku and chitranna prepared using Gooseberry tokku. We can have this tokku with any type of food, as side dish. We can have them with idli, dosa, chapati or poori.
These Gooseberries are bought from Organic Mela in Bengalooru -Chamarajpet.

Ingredients:

Gooseberry : 1 Kilo
Salt : 4 to 5 Table spoons
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Chilly Powder : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Methi : 1/2 Table spoon
Ingh : Asafoetida : 1/4 Tea spoon (powdered)
Turmeric powder : 1/4 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon

Method :

1. Wash and dry goodberry and pressure cook them with out adding water.

Nellikau (Gooseberry bought from Organic Mela

2. Remove the seeds (de-seed) by cutting them into half.
3. Now keep a small pan and roast methi seeds nicely and dry grind when it is cool. Keep it aside.
4. Keep a bigger pan and heat. Add 1 table spoon of oil and put mustard seeds to it.
5. Let the mustard seeds spurt, add ingh and deseeded nellikai.
6. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it well. Keep on stirring.

7. Add dry grond methi and chilly powder. Mix it well and stir till it starts to leave the pan.

8. Add one more spoon of oil and mix it well.

9. L eave it for cooling and fill them in glass jars.

10. Serve with any main dish or with Chapatis as one of the side dish.

Note : 

Do not use any water while cooking.Put gooseberry in a bowl without water cover with a plate and keep in the pressure cooker and cook for 8 to 10 minutes  (with weights). Adding more or less chilly powder is optional. Roast methi on low flame. Adding more or less oil is also optional.
You can keep this Nellikai Tokku out side for a month. Keeping this in a fridge is better and you can use it for many days. (3 to 4 monts or more). You can grind gooseberry after deseeded. It makes the process easy. (I did not grind).

Time 30 minutes
Shelf life :  6 Months (Keep it in the Fridge)

 Nellikai Chitranna Recipe:

 You can also prepare Nellikai Chitranna, using this Nellikai Tokku.
Keep a pan and put 2 Table spoons of oil and heat. Add 1/2 tea spoons of mustard seeds and urid dal.

Add 2 green chilly cuts. Add curry leaves when mustard seeds spurt. Add Nellikai Tokku and mix it well and add cooked rice.  Mix it well and add 1/2 cup of fresh coconut. Add coriander leaves and mix it well.

Serve Nellikai Tokku Chitranna with a cup of curd.

 Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 10 minutes