Channa Dal Payasa / Kheer

Shravana the month of festival is here. It is a festival of nature. Naagapanchami , Nagara chowthi, Raksha bhandhan, Shri Krishna Janmastami, so and so many festivals in this month. It looks like almost all the days in this month people are busy with poojas, naivedya and pooja functions.

So every day you need to prepare some or the other sweet dishes for Neivedya to God/Goddess.
Here is one such sweet dish which is prepared for festivals, feast and other happy functions.
Channa dal/kadale bele payasa is one of the easiest dish which we can prepare and serve as neivedya.
I have used channa dal, avalakki/flattened rice, jaggery, cardamom and coconut
This Channa Dal Payasa is done during poojas, festivals and feast. It is cooked and then mixed with jaggery, coconut milk, cardamom, and avalakki./flattened rice. Some use cooked rice instead of avalakki.
This Channa Dal Payasa is one of the Traditional Dish from South Canara /Karnataka and we can prepare them for festivals, feast and parties.

Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Channa Dal : 1 Cup
Avalakki /Aval/Poha : 1 small cup./2 handful.
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Coconut : 1 Cup
Salt : A pinch.

Method :

1. Wash channa dal and pressure cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

2. Grate coconut and grind it with cardamom pods. Grind it nicely. Remove coconut mixture  in a bowl. Wash avalakki/flattened rice and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery. Add a cup of water and mix it. Let jaggery melt and it turns as liquid. Sieve it with a siever and keep it aside.
. Let it get cool. Strain it keep cleaned jaggery aside.

4.Keep cooked dal on the fire and put cleaned jaggery water to it. Add washed avalakki and boil.
Let it boil nicely. Add a pinch of salt.

5. Now add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Let it boil for at least 5 minutes.

6. Shift Channa Dal Payasa /Kheer to a serving bowl.
7. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Put a tablespoon of ghee and fry cashews and raisins till raisins get fluffy.

8. Add this ghee fried nuts to Payasa/kheer.
9. Serve ready payasa after a lunch/dinner as desert.

Note :
Channa Dal should be cooked softly to get the best payasa. Adding coconut milk instead of ground coconut is optional.
Use of fresh coconut milk is a must to get good taste. Use of more/less ghee is optional.
Using coconut milk adds to the taste. You can use cooked rice instead of avalakki. (Optional). You can also use little raw rice grains while grinding coconut. It adds to the thickness of payasa.
Adding boiled and cooled fresh milk to Payasa , just before serving is optional. It adds to the taste. Do not add hot milk. Payasa might get curdled.
Time : 30 Minutes 
Serves : 4 to 5 
Purely : South Canara Sweet Dish.

Huri Hittu - Jaggery Unde /Laadu / Laddu

Huri Hittu is a preparation of Ragi/ Roasted finger millet's powder.
These Huri Hittu laddus are yummy, healthy and it is easy to prepare.

I have used Ragi Huri Hittu which was given by my son Ravi, he buys the organic flours and other day today groceries straight from farmers. This Huri hittu pack was bought from one of the organic former's shop.
I have not cooked or roasted anything on fire. It is just a mixture of all the ingredients, like finger millet ragi flour, jaggery, cardamom and almonds. I have used Joni Bella/ Organic jaggery. This Joni bella/ jaggery is is bit watery, it is done in that way. We normally use this jaggery, while drinking water. ( In hot summer, you put some little quantity of jaggery in mouth and drinking water. As the jaggey is already in your mouth, the water tastes sweet.
My memory goes down the lane for this Huri Hittu. ( Huri/ Roasted and Hittu flour). In our school days we used to see the kids eating this Huri hittu in the evenings as snack. It was simple and heavenly food. I too have tasted and it was hundred percent Yummy. They used to ( some of our friends mothers' used to wash and dry the ragi/finger millet in shade. ( In side the home). Then slowly they dry roast the ragi and it used to turn as slightly fluffy. Then when it is cooled they powdered in the mill. Store this flour in airtight boxes or tins or good container. Whenever they wanted to prepare the huri hittu, they remove the flour from the box, grated coconut, powder jaggery and mix all the ingredients nicely after adding ghee. Turn them as small lemon size balls or give the ragi coconut-jaggery ghee mixture as it is. Some has to pour milk and give. It was superb snack for the kids in the evenings during those days.
Here is a Huri Hittu laddu which is not at all needed to cook. This Ragi Huri hittu pack is available in the super market / organic shops and some people do prepare at home and sell the flour. But make sure you get the good quality of flour and enjoy eating this laddu.
I have used Alemane Bella/ fresh organic jaggery that is called Jone bella / fresh jaggery/ liquid jaggery which is available in Jaggery preparing place/Organic shops and markets.
Huri Hittu Unde/laddu can be packed for kids snack time. You can take them when you are travelling. It is one of the best snack in the evening.  It fits into all age group category.
Let us see the recipe now;

Ingredients :

Huri Hittu : 2 Cups
Almonds : 1 Cup
Jaggery/Joni bella : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Cardamom : 5 to 6
Coconut : Dry copra/ Kobbari : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Raisins : 2 Tablespoons.

Method :

1. Dry grind almonds into powder form./Rava consistency. Keep it aside.
2. Grate  cocomut/kobbari and dry grind it. Let it be powder form.

2. Take a big bowl and put huri hittu, jaggery, cardamom powder, powdered almonds, dry coconut
 and Ragi Huri hittu.

3.Mix all the ingredients nicely by adding ghee.

4. Mix it nicely and take a small portion of the mixture and prepare

6.Prepare rest of the laddu in the same way and arrange them in a plate.

7. Serve them whenever you want to. Store them in a airtight bottle or box.  Shelf time One OR two days.

Note :

Huri hittu can be prepared at home with little care. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding ghee should be little or more. You can use fresh coconut instead of dry copra/ kobbari. Dry roast coconut gratings and then dry grind once it is cooled.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves  15 to 20 Laddu/Laadu/Unde .
Shelf Time : 1 or 2 Days
Purely South Indian Dish.