MULTIGRAIN METHI COINS

Yields: 30-35 coins(old 1 rupee coin sized)

Ingredients 

Multigrain atta/flour: ½ cup
Maida/all purpose flour: ½ cup
Methi/fenugreek leaves(chopped): ½ cup
Coriander leaves(chopped): ½ cup
Curry leaves(chopped): 10 leaves
Green chilli(chopped finely): 2 nos (or as required)
Ginger: ½ tsp(chopped)
Salt: as required
Ghee/oil: 2 tbsp(for binding the flour)
Water: as required
Oil: for frying

Preparation

1. Take a mixing bowl, add multigrain atta, maida, methi leaves, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilli, ginger, salt and mix it.
2. Add 2 tbsp of ghee/oil and mix properly. Now add water and bind into a soft dough(consistency should be like chapati dough).
3. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
4. Take ball sized dough and roll into chapati. Prick the chapati with a fork or a knife.
5. Take a cookie cutter or any bottle cap and cut the chapati into coin or any shape of your choice.
6. Now heat oil and fry the coins in medium to low flame till it is crispy and golden color.
7. A very tasty snack, ready to munch at any time of the day. 

Notes

• To reduce the bitterness of methi leaves, while washing squeeze the leaves well in the water and then drain it. This process will also help in removing the fine mud struck to the leaves.
• Instead of multigrain, wheat flour can also be used. 

 

CHITRANNA GOJJU/PULIYOGARE MIX/TAMARIND RICE MIX

Yields: Can be mixed with 2 cups of cooked rice 

Ingredients 

Gingelly oil/til oil: 4 tbsp
Dhaniya powder/coriander powder: 2 tbsp
Fenugreek powder/menthya powder: ½ tsp(dry roasted and powdered)
Hing powder: ¾ tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Salt: as required
Tamarind paste: 2 tbsp(thick paste)
Curry leaves: 10 leaves
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Udad dal: 1 tbsp
Chana dal: 1 tbsp
Peanuts: 2 tbsp
Jaggery powder/bella: ½ tsp (optional)

Preparation 

1. Take a pan and add oil. Once oil is hot add mustard seeds, after it crackles add udad dal, chana dal and peanuts.
2. Once dals and peanuts turn golden color, add curry leaves and then all the powders, mix.
3. Now add tamarind paste, salt, jaggery powder and keep stirring till the moisture is reduced.
4. When the oil starts leaving the pan, switch off the stove.
5. Poliyogare mix is ready for mixing with the rice.

CHUTNEY POWDER

Yields: 1-1½ cups

Ingredients 

Kadlebele/chana dal: 1 cup
Curry leaves: 10 nos
Guntur chillies: ¼ cup
Badige chillies: ¼ cup
Salt: as required
Tamarind: small ball size(cut into small pieces)
Hing powder: ½ tsp
Grated Dry coconut: 1 cup
Grated jaggery: 1 tsp (optional)
Oil: 2 drops

Preparation 

1. Dry roast kadlebele along with tamarind and curry leaves, till you get nice aroma and kadlebelle changes color, transfer into a bowl.
2. Add hing powder and salt to kadlebele while still hot and keep aside for cooling.
3. Roast chillies by adding 2 drops of oil to avoid burnt smell, transfer into a bowl and cool. Oil can be avoided if roasted in microwave.
4. Roast dry coconut till it turns light brown color, transfer to a bowl and cool.
5. Coarse grind kadlebele mixture and keep aside.(i)
6. Grind chillies into fine powder and keep aside.(ii)
7. Grind dry coconut into powder.(iii)
8. Grind (i), (ii), (iii) and jaggery together to mix properly. 
9. Can be relished with idli, dosa, or with hot plain rice by adding ghee.

Notes

• Red chilli powder can also be used instead of whole red chillies. In that case add ¼ cup, at a stage when hing powder is added. 

RAVA PAKODA/SUJI PAKODA/SEMOLINA PAKODA

Yields: 15 nos 

Ingredients 

Rava (medium)/suji/semolina: 1 cup
Capsicum: ¼ cup (chopped finely)
Cabbage: ¼ cup (chopped finely)
Curry leaves: 10 nos (chopped)
Coriander leaves: ¼ cup (chopped)
Ginger: ½ tsp (chopped)
Green chilli: 2 nos
Red chilli powder: ½ tsp or as required
Hing powder: ½ tsp
Salt: as required
Baking soda: ¼ tsp
Oil: for frying
Water: for binding the dough

Preparation 

1. Take a wide bowl, add rava, capsicum, cabbage, curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger, green chilli, red chilli powder, hing, salt and mix all.
2. Add baking soda on the mixed ingredients and a tsp of hot oil over it.
3. Mix properly, add water and bind into a dough(consistency should be like a chapati dough).
4. Make small balls and fry in a medium flame.
5. Once golden colour and crispy, drain oil and remove on a paper towel.
6. Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney or ketchup.

Notes

• Finely chopped onion and grated carrot can be added. It makes the pakoda even more tasty.

CORNFLAKES MIXTURE / MAKAI CHIVDA

Yield: 3-4 cups

Ingredients 


Raw Cornflakes: 1 cup  (to be fried)
Peanuts: ¼ cup
Avalakki puri: 1 cup  (store bought)
Curry leaves: 10 nos
Hing power: ½ tsp
Salt: as required
Red chilli powder: ¾-1 tsp
Oil: for frying


Preparation

1. Take a mixing bowl add avalakki puri and sprinkle salt, red chilli powder, hing all over it(add amount of spices required for avalakki puri).
2. Heat oil and fry cornflakes in batches, after every batch drain oil and add it to the bowl with avalakki puri. Cornflakes when fried, more than doubles in size.
3. Now sprinkle salt, red chilli powder, hing required for the cornflakes and mix.
4. Fry peanuts, curry leaves and add it to the mixture.
5. Mix all properly, cool and store in a air tight container.

Notes:

• The Avalakki puri used in the recipe is not the same as puffed rice/regular puri. While puffed rice is made of rice, Avalakki puri is made of flattened rice. A single puffed rice when pressed gets powdered easily than avalakki puri. Avalakki puri may not be easily and readily available in all markets. If unavailable you can skip the ingredient and make cornflakes mixture even without using it.

 Avalakki puri              Puffed rice(regular puri)

• I have used Avalakki puri in this recipe because it can absorb the oil from the fried cornflakes making the mixture a little lighter.
• Mixture recipes, as the name suggests is just a mix of many ingredients, often crunchy and does not necessarily follow a strict recipe. You can customize mixture recipes based on your liking and the ingredients available on hand. Similarly cornflakes mixture can be customized to your liking but the most popular addition is to include dry fruits like cashews, raisins, almonds.  

CASHEW VANILLA COOKIES

Yields: 18-20 cookies

Ingredients:

Maida: 1 cup
Icing sugar: 1/4 cup
Vanilla custard powder: 1/2 cup
Salt: a pinch
Butter: 100 gms
Cashewnut pieces: 1 tbspn(for garnishing)

Preparation:

1. Take a bowl, add maida, icing sugar, vanilla custard powder, salt and butter.
2. Keep mixing, butter will melt with icing sugar and make a soft dough.
3. Make balls and roll into thick chappati. 
4. Shape it into cookies and garnish with cashewnut pieces
5. Place the cookies in a non-stick baking tray. 
6. Pre-heat microwave at 200° and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 180° and bake for 10 more minutes.
7. Once done leave it  in microwave for 10 minutes.

PANEER BHURJI [GRAVY]

Yields: Enough for 4 people
Time required: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Paneer: 1 cup(grated)
Onion: ½  cup or 1 big size
Tomato: 1 cup or 3 nos
Ginger: ½ tsp(chopped)
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp (chopped)
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 1 tsp
Ghee: ½ tsp

Preparation

1. Take a pan add oil, ghee, ginger and saute for a minute. 
2. Add onion, turmeric powder and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes or till tomato becomes soft.
4. Then add chilli powder, salt and mix.
5. Now add panner and mix. As per required consistency add water and cook for 2 minutes. 
6. Enjoy with roti, chapati, poori, kulcha or naan.
7. A very quick and easy to make recipe.

HAPPALA DA PAYASA/APPE PAYASA/POORI KHEER

Yields: Serves 4 persons 

Ingredients 

Chiroti rava: 2 tbsp
Milk: 2 cups
Sugar: ½ cup
Saffron: 3-4 strings(soaked in 2 tbsp of hot milk)
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Cashewnut pieces: 1 tbsp
Badam pieces: 1 tsp
Raisins: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Water: 1-1¼ cup or as required

Preparation 

1. Bind chiroti rava into a soft dough by adding water(like poori dough) and roll it into a chapati/poori.
2. Cut into small diamond shaped pieces, fry in the ghee and keep aside.
3. In the same ghee fry cashewnut pieces, raisins and transfer to a plate.
4. Take a pan, add water(around 1 cup), fried diamond shaped pieces and cook the pieces till it is soft.
5. Now add sugar to it and bring to a boil. Switch off stove and add milk, mix it.
6. Switch on the stove and boil for 5 minutes. If you need thicker consistency boil for a longer time.
7. Once done add soaked saffron, mix and switch off the stove. 
8. Add cardamom powder and garnish with dry fruits.
9. Serve hot or cold.

Notes

• It is always advisable to switch off the stove and then add milk. Adding milk to sugar may curdle the payasa, if the flame is on.
• Boiling the payasa for longer time will thicken the payasa.
• Poori is cut into small diamond shape so that we can use less ghee. If you are making any other recipe which requires more ghee/oil then full poori can be fried and then cut into pieces.

RAGI HITTU UNDE/MILLET FLOUR LADDU

Yields: 10 nos.

Ingredients

Ragi hittu: 1 cup
Powdered Sugar: ¾ cup
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Cashewnuts/ kaju, raisins/draksh: 1 tbsp

Preparation 

1. Heat a pan add 1 tbsp of ghee, fry dry fruits and remove it in a bowl.
2. Add remaining ghee and add ragi hittu. Fry till you get a nice aroma.
3. Remove from flame and add powdered sugar, cardamom powder, fried dry fruits, mix it and leave it for cooling.
4. Once cool, make unde/laddu and serve.
5. Can be stored for 10 days.
6. A very healthy and filling recipe. 

COCONUT CHUTNEY

Ingredients 

To grind:
Fresh grated coconut: 1 cup
Fried gram dal/hurigalle/pottukalle: ½ cup
Green chilli: 3-4 nos
Tamarind pulp: 1 tsp or small ball of tamarind
Curry leaves: 10 nos
Salt: as required
Hing: ¼ tsp

For tempering:
Mustard seeds: ½ tsp
Udad dal: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 4 nos
Red chilli: 1 no
Oil: 1 tsp

Preparation 

1. Grind all the ingredients in "to grind"  by adding little water to make a smooth paste. (Water can be increased or decreased as per the required consistency)
2. Transfer it to a bowl. 
3. Now prepare tempering by adding oil to a pan, when hot add mustard seeds. After it crackles, add udad dal, red chilli, curry leaves.
4. Once done, cool and add it to the chutney.
5. Enjoy with idli, dosa, pakodas or roti.

CAPSICUM PAKODA

Yields: 15 nos 

Ingredients 

Capsicum: 1 no (big, chopped finely)
Besan/Kadalehittu: ½ cup
Rice flour/akki hittu: 2 tbsp
Salt: as required
Red chilli powder: ½ tsp
Hing: ½ tsp
Curry leaves: 5 nos (chopped)
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp (chopped)
Baking soda: a pinch
Oil: for frying


Preparation

1. Take a mixing bowl add kadalehittu, akki hittu, capsicum, chilli powder, salt, hing, curry leaves, coriander leaves and mix well.
2. Add a pinch of baking soda and a tsp of hot oil over it. Mix it properly.
3. Add water (approximately 2 tbsp or just enough to hold the dough together) and knead into a thick dough.
4. Heat oil and add small portions of the mixture (irregular shape) to the oil.
5. Fry in medium flame. Remove once it is crispy and golden color. 
6. A very tasty evening snack is ready to be enjoyed. 
7. Can be had as it is or with tomato chutney, tomato sauce, coconut chutney. 

AKKI ROTI/RICE FLOUR ROTI

Yields: 4 nos (5"diameter)

Ingredients 

Rice flour: ¾ cup
Cooked rice: ½ cup
Green chilli: 1 no  (chopped finely)
Curry leaves: 6 nos (chopped)
Cumin seeds/ jeera: ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp (chopped)
Carrot: 2 tbsp(grated)
Fresh grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 1 tbsp
Butter paper

Preparation 

1. Take a mixing bowl add cooked rice and mash it properly.
2. Add rice flour, green chilli, curry leaves, cumin seeds, coriander leaves, carrot, fresh grated coconut, salt to the cooked rice and mix it. 
3. Sprinkle warm water and knead into a soft dough (may require 2 tbsp of water).
4. Give it a rest for 15 minutes.
5. Take the dough of tennis ball size and tap it into shape of chapati on a butter paper.
6. Transfer it to a hot tawa and cook on a low flame by adding oil on both the sides. Cook till lightly golden color.
7. Akki roti is served best with coconut chutney.

Notes

      Chopped onions, chopped capsicum can be added for making it more tastier.

BADAM/ALMOND BURFI

Yields: 16 nos (of 1.5 inch each)

Ingredients 

Badam/almond: 1 cup
Sugar: 1 cup
Milk: ¼-½ cup (as required for grinding)
Badam/almond pieces: ½ tsp

Preparation 

1. Soak almond for 15 minutes in hot water and remove the skin.
2. Grind the almond into paste by adding milk. Use as little milk as required to grind the almond into a paste. Lesser the milk used in grinding, quicker the cooking process.
3. Take a pan, add almond paste, sugar and cook till it comes together or leaves the pan.
4. Grease a square plate, transfer the mixture and garnish with almond pieces. The output will be thick enough for you to draw marks/lines on it for cutting later.
5. Once cool cut into pieces.

KALLE SUNDAL

Ingredients

Brown Kalle/Kala chana: 1 cup(soaked overnight)
Salt: as required
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Water: as required
Oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Green chilli: 2 nos(cut into pieces)
Ginger: 1 tsp(chopped)
Curry leaves: 5-6 leaves
Hing powder: 1/4 tsp
Fresh grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp (chopped)


Preparation

1. Pressure cook kalle by adding salt, turmeric powder and water(kalle should be fully immersed in water). Once done drain water and keep aside.
2. Make tempering by adding oil, mustard seeds to a pan. After mustard seeds splutters, add green chilli, ginger and saute for a minute. Add curry leaves, hing powder and mix.
3. Now add cooked kalle to the tempering, mix it and cook for couple of minutes(till water evaporates fully).
4. Switch off stove and add lemon juice.
5. Garnish with fresh coconut and coriander leaves.
6. A healthy evening snack is ready to serve.

TOMATO SABJI/TOMATO PALYA/TOMATO CHUTNEY

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

Tomato: 6 nos
Green chilli: 1 no
Curry leaves: 5-6 leaves
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp(chopped)
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: ½ tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Fenugreek powder: ¼ tsp(dry roasted and powdered)
Hing powder: ¼ tsp
Salt: as required

Preparation

1. Cut tomatoes into small pieces, slit green chilli into half and keep aside.
2. Take a pan add oil and mustard seeds. After mustard seeds crackles, add green chilli, saute for a minute and add curry leaves, hing powder, fenugreek powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix it.
3. Add cut tomatoes and salt. Mix and cook for 10-15 minutes, till tomatoes become soft.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves. 
5. A very tasty side dish for dosa, chapati, poori.
6. Can be mixed with rice as tomato rice.

BESAN LADDU/KADLEHITTU UNDE

Yields: 10 nos 

Ingredients 

Besan/Kadlehittu: 1 cup
Powdered Sugar: ¾ cup
Ghee: 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Cashewnuts/kaju: 1 tbsp

Preparation 

1. Take a pan add ½ tsp of ghee fry cashewnuts to golden color,transfer to a plate and keep aside.
2. Add remaining ghee to the same pan and add Kadlehittu, fry till it changes color and can smell the aroma.
3. Remove from flame and add powdered sugar, cardamom powder, cashewnuts, mix and keep for cooling.
4. Once cool make balls and serve.
5. A very quick and easy to make sweet.

POTATO SABJI/POTATO GRAVY/POTATO CURRY

Yields: 3-4 servings 

Ingredients 

Potato: 3 nos (large, boiled and skin removed)
Tomato: 1 no (large, cut into pieces)
Green chilli: 2 nos(cut into pieces)
Ginger: 1 tsp  (chopped)
Curry leaves: 6 leaves
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp(chopped)
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing powder: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Preparation 

1. Cut potatoes into desired size and shape. I prefer cutting it to about ¾ inch cubes.
2. Take a pan add oil, mustard seeds after mustard seeds crackles add green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, hing powder, turmeric powder and tomato.
3. Cook for 5-6 minutes till tomato becomes soft. 
4. Add cut potatoes leaving 5-6 pieces aside. Add half glass of water and bring it to boil.
5. Mash the left over 5-6 pieces of potatoes and add to the boiling potato gravy. Adding the mashed potatoes will thicken the otherwise watery gravy.
6. Cook for 5 minutes in low flame or till you get a desired consistency.
7. Switch off the stove and add lemon juice, mix it.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Relish with chapati, poori or dosa.

Notes:

1. This recipe is very mild in spice/heat. However those who prefer their sides to be spicy can add desired quantity of red chilli powder while cooking.

INSTANT CAPSICUM PICKLE

Yields: 1 small bowl(5 servings)

Ingredients 

Capsicum(cut into small pieces): 1 no (big)
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Fenugreek(dry roasted and powdered): 1/2 tsp
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Gingelly oil: 2 tsp
Salt: as required

Preparation 

1. Take a mixing bowl and add cut capsicum, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder, hing, chilli powder, lemon juice, gingelly oil, salt.
2. Mix all the ingredients and transfer it to a glass jar.
3. Serve after an hour.
4. Can be stored for 5-6 days in a cool place.

KALSAKKARE AKKI PAYASA/KALKAND PAYASAM

Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients

Cooked rice: 1/2 cup
Kalsakkare/kalkand/rock candy/mishri: 1/2 cup
Dry fruits(kaju/draksh/badam): 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Saffron: 2-3 strings(soaked in 1 tbsp of hot milk)

Preparation

1. Take kalsakkare in a pan, add 2 tsp of water and dissolve by heating.
2. Remove from flame, add rice and mix properly.
3. Bring it to boil. Switch off stove, add soaked saffron, cardamon powder and mix.  
4. Take another pan add ghee and fry dry fruits till golden color.
5. Garnish with dry fruits.
6. While boiling hot the consistency of the payasa will be semi solid. As the payasa cools it gets very thicker and drier. It can be enjoyed both ways based on your preference.

Notes 

A very handy recipe, when we have lot of kalsakkare accumulated by the way of prasada from temples.

OMPUDI/SEV

Ingredients 

Kadlehittu/Besan: 2 cups
Akki hittu/rice flour: ¼ cup
Omaha/ajvain powder: 1½ tbsp
Salt: as required
Hing: ½ tsp
Butter: 2 tbsp
Water: for binding dough
Oil: for frying

Preparation 

1. Take a mixing bowl, add kadale hittu, Akki hittu, omaha powder, salt, hing, butter and mix properly.
2. Add water and knead into a soft dough. Consistency should be soft enough to come out of the ompudi machine(softer than chapati dough).
3. Heat oil(don't over heat) and put the dough into the ompudi machine. Now directly press into the oil.
4. Flame should be medium. Flip over the ompudi, fry till golden color, drain oil and remove.
5. Cool and store in an air tight container.

Notes

1. Fry in low to medium  flame. 
2. It gets cooked fast so after flip over do not keep for long.

PANEER STICKS

Yields: 20 sticks(1½"length-½"width)

Ingredients

Paneer: 100gms(store bought)
Salt: as required
Pepper powder: ½ tsp
Chilli powder: ¼ tsp
Hing: ¼ tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Corn flour: 1 tbsp
Oil: as required for shallow frying

Preparation

1. Cut paneer into sticks of desired length.
2. Take a mixing bowl, add cut paneer, sprinkle salt, pepper powder, chilli powder, hing.
3. Add lemon juice and mix. Give it a rest for 15 minutes for marination.
4. Dust the paneer with corn flour and keep aside.
5. Take a pan and shallow fry the paneer sticks till golden color on all the sides by turning it in intervals.
6. Once done remove from pan and serve hot as it is or with tomato ketchup.
7. A very quick and tasty evening snack.

PATTANI SUNDAL/PEAS SUNDAL/MATAR SUNDAL

Yields: 3 servings 

Ingredients 

Dry pattani/dry peas/matar: 1/4 cup(soaked overnight)

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Salt: as required 

Oil: 1 tsp 

Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp 

Hing powder:  1/4 tsp 

Green chilli: 2 nos

Curry leaves: 5-6 nos

Ginger: 1 tsp(chopped)

Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp(chopped)

Fresh grated coconut: 2 tbsp 

Lemon juice: 1 tsp 

Preparation 

1. Pressure cook soaked peas by adding salt, turmeric powder and water(water should  be enough to soak the peas completely). Once cooked drain water and keep aside.
2. Take a pan, add oil, mustard seeds. After mustard seeds crackles add green chilli, ginger and saute for a minute. Add curry leaves, hing powder and mix.
3. Add cooked peas, mix for couple of minutes and switch off stove. Add lemon juice and mix.
4. Garnish with fresh coconut and coriander leaves.
5. A very healthy evening snack is ready to be enjoyed either hot or cold.

SWEET APPAM/ELIAPPAM

Yields: 12-15 nos

Ingredients

Broken wheat: 1/2 cup
Beaten rice/avalakki/poha: 1/4 cup
Jaggery/bella: 1/2 cup
Cashewnuts pieces: 1 tbsp
Fresh grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp

Preparation

1. Soak broken wheat for 2 hours. Soak avalakki separately for half an hour.
2. Add soaked broken wheat and avalakki to a mixer jar and grind.
3. Add jaggery to the broken wheat-avalakki mixture and grind it into a fine paste(do not add water).
4. Add cashewnut pieces, fresh grated coconut and cardamom powder and mix it.
5. Take an appam vessel and add few drops of ghee. When ghee heats up, add batter till the rim of the appam holes. After one side is cooked, turn and cook the other side, so that its crispy outside and soft from inside. 

KAI HOLIGE/COCONUT HOLIGE/

Yields: 10 nos.

Ingredients

For making dough(kanaka)
Maida: 1/2 cup
Chiroti rava/fine rava: 1/2 cup
Salt: pinch
Ghee: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

For stuffing(hoorana)
Grated fresh coconut: 2 cups
Powdered jaggery: 1 cup
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Jaiphal/jajikai powder: 1/4 tsp

Others:
Oil: 4 tbsp
Butter paper: 1 no(for making holige)

Preparation

1. Take a bowl and add all ingredients for making dough. Mix and add water to make a soft dough. Add 2 tbsp of oil on it, cover and give it a rest for 2 hours. Consistency should be little softer than chapati dough.
2. For making hoorana, grind fresh coconut and jaggery together. (Do not add water for grinding)
3. Once done put in a pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes till the mixture becomes little dry. Consistency should be such that balls can be made easily.
4. Add cardamom powder, jaiphal powder and mix it.
5. Make hoorana balls and keep aside.
6. Take small portion of kanaka(half the size of hoorana balls) and stuff the hoorana balls  into the kanaka by pulling the kanaka from all sides so as to cover the hoorana completely. 
7. Take a butter paper and grease it with oil.
8. Now take stuffed balls and press/tap the stuffed balls with your greased fingers and palms and flatten it into the shape of holige.
9. Transfer the holige to a hot tawa and roast both the sides (flame should be low to medium). 
10. Ghee can be added while roasting the holige (optional).

Notes

1. The size of the stuffing balls should be double the size of the kanaka balls.
2. After making each holige, apply oil both to your hands and the butter paper.
3. Holige can also be made by applying oil to the chapati roller and rolling the stuffed balls on the greased butter paper.
4. Thick plastic can also be used for tapping holige. My grandmother used to make holige on banana leaf.

UPPAPPA/KARA APPAM

Uppappa is a traditional savoury dish prepared during Navratri festival on Moola Nakshatra day. Traditionally uppappa is prepared as a fried wheat dumpling but here I present to you a healthier low-oil consuming version of Uppappa which I have been preparing for years. The traditional version of Uppappa was much flatter because it used to be deep fried in oil, one at a time. Crispy at the edges and soft in the center, this time consuming dish was reserved only for that particular occassion during Navratri. However, the same Uppappa in this current version is much easier, quicker and healthier and most importantly doesn't compromise much on the taste.

Yields: 20 nos

Ingredients

Broken wheat: 1 cup
Beaten rice/avalakki/poha: 1/2 cup
Red chilli: 2 nos
Green chilli: 2 nos
Ginger(chopped): 1/2 tsp
Pepper seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 15-20 leaves
Coriander leaves(chopped): 2 tbsp
Fresh grated coconut: 2 tbsp
Hing: 1/4 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 2 tbsp

Preparation

1. Soak broken wheat, red chilli, pepper seeds, cumin seeds for 2 hours. Soak avalakki separately for half an hour.
2. Add all soaked ingredients along with ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut,  hing and salt to a mixer jar and grind to a fine paste. Consistency should be like idli batter.
3. Take a appam vessel and add few drops of oil. When oil heats up, add batter till the rim of the appam holes. After one side is cooked, turn and cook the other side, so that its crispy outside and soft from inside.

AMBODE/DAL VADA/PARUPPU VADA

Yields: 10-12 nos.

Ingredients

Kadale bele/Chana dal: 1 cup
Red chilli: 2 nos
Green chilli: 3nos
Ginger: 1 tsp(chopped)
Curry leaves: 20-25 leaves
Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup(chopped)
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: for frying

Preparation

1. Soak kadale bele/chana dal, red chilli for ½ an hour.
2. Drain water completely by leaving it in the strainer for 10 minutes.
3. Take a mixer jar, add both types of chillies, ginger, curry leaves, hing, salt, half of chana dal and grind without adding water.
4. Add remaining chana dal to the jar and coarse grind it.
5. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add coriander leaves and mix it.
6. Keep a pan with oil for frying on the stove, by the time it gets heated, make medium sized balls from the chana dal mixture.
7. Once oil is hot enough for frying, apply few drops of water to the palm and tap the balls lightly on the palm with the other hand and add it to the oil. 
8. At a time 6 to 7 vadas can be added depending on the quantity of oil kept.
9. Fry till the vadas are cooked inside and crispy from outside. 

Note 

1. While making vada do not press it hard instead tap it very lightly. 
2. Do not over boil the oil. Fry the ambode in medium flame.
3. Grind the dal without adding water.

ATTAE KI KHEER/GODIHITTU PAYASA/WHEAT FLOUR PORRIDGE

Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

Wheat flour/godihittu: 2 tbsp
Sugar : ½ cup
Milk: ½ cup
Water: ½ cup
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Cashewnuts: 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp

Preparation 

1. Take 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan, fry cashewnuts and keep aside.
2. Add 2 tbsp of ghee in the same pan and add wheat flour, roast it. 
3. Once its roasted add water and cook for 5 minutes by stirring continously so that lumps are not formed.
4. Add milk, cook for 2 minutes and switch off the stove.
5. Add sugar, mix and bring it to boil. Simmer and cook for 5 minutes and bring it to the consistency of idli batter.
6. Once done add cardamom powder and garnish with cashewnuts. 

Note

1. If you need thinner consistency, after adding sugar just bring it to boil and switch of the flame. Cooking on simmer for extra time will only thicken it.
2. If the amount of ghee is more than the wheat flour and roasted till it releases a fragrance then lumps won't be formed.
3. 3-4 strings of saffron can be added for flavor and color.

CURRY LEAVES CHUTNEY POWDER

Yields: ½ cup

Ingredients

Udad dal/uddina bele: ½ cup

Pepper seeds/menasu/meri: ½ tsp

Cumin seeds/jeera/jerige:½ tsp

Curry leaves:1 cup(washed and dried)

Red chilli: 2 nos.

Hing: ½ tsp

Salt: as required

Preparation

1. Dry roast udad dal, pepper seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilli separately, as each ingredient requires different temperature to get roasted.
2. Udad dal to be roasted till it turns light brown color, pepper seeds till crackles, cumin seeds till you get nice aroma, curry leaves and red chilli after roasting you should be able to break with hand.
3. Add hing powder and salt to it. Mix and keep aside for cooling.
4. Once cooled grind it into a fine powder.
5. Store in a air tight container.
6. Enjoy it with idli, dosa or just with hot plain rice and a little ghee.

BELLADA AVALAKKI

Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

Gatti avalakki/thick poha/aval: 1 cup
Grated Jaggery/bella/vellam: 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp
Cashewnut: 1 tbsp
Ghee: 4 tsp
Water: 2tsp
Fresh coconut: 1 tbsp(grated)

Preparation

1. Coarse grind avalakki into powder.
2. Wash the powdered avalakki and remove excess water (by putting in muslin cloth and squeezing the water out). Keep aside.
3. Dissolve jaggery by adding water and  heating. Remove impurities.
4. Take a pan, add the jaggery water and make paaka/syrup. When bubbles start appearing switch off the stove.
5. Now add the soaked avalakki powder and mix it properly. Switching off the stove in the previous step makes it easier to mix the avalakki without lumps. However with experience you can mix the avalakki powder in the jaggery syrup even without switching off the flame.
6. Switch on the stove, keep stirring till it gets cooked and gets separated from each other.
7. Add 2 tsp of ghee and mix it.
8. Take another pan, add 2 tsp of ghee and fry the cashewnuts.
9. Add cardamom powder, fresh coconut to avalakki, mix and garnish with the fried cashewnuts.

Notes:

1. One can use any thin porous cloth as an alternative to muslin cloth for squeezing out the excess water out of the avalakki.
2. Most jaggery will contain impurities in the form of mud. So any recipe which requires making jaggery syrup will need to involve a process of removing the impurities before making the syrup. You can use a fine sieve/strainer to remove the impurities. What I do however, is to transfer the jaggery water from one vessel to another slowly, leaving the muddy particles below. Repeat this process for 4-5 times till you see no muddy residue in the water. This ensures even the finest of muddy residue is eliminated, which might not be the case if you use a sieve.

EGGLESS VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE TOPPING

Ingredients

For cake:
Maida: 2 cups
Powdered sugar: 1 cup
Curd: 1/2 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Butter: 100 gm
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence: 1/2 tsp

For topping:
Chocolate: 100 gm
Hershey's syrup: 2 tsp

Preparation

1. Sieve maida, baking powder, baking soda together twice and keep aside.
2. Take mixing bowl  add butter, powdered sugar and blend it properly with a blender or beater.
3. When butter sugar mixture turns fluffy then add curd and beat again till mixed properly (for 4-5 minutes).
4. Add maida mixture, vanilla essence and mix properly.
5. Add milk little by little and keep mixing. Bring the batter to a consistency similar to that of idli batter.
6. Pour the mixture in a greased baking tray and tap it so that batter spreads evenly.
7. Preheat oven at 180° and bake for 50 minutes.
8. Leave the cake in the oven for couple of minutes, then remove and place on the rack.
9. Let the cake rest for 3 to 4 hours or till it has cooled completely.
10. Now unmould the cake  from the baking tray.
11. For topping, melt the chocolate by double boiling (boil water in a big vessel when boiling keep a smaller vessel with chocolate and keep stirring till it melts).
12. Now pour the melted chocolate on the cake and spread it evenly.
13. Decorate it with hershey's syrup.

Note

1. Always use fresh baking powder and baking soda.
2. All the ingredients should be at room temperature. 
3. Timer for baking may vary from oven to oven(35 to 55 minutes). 

BELE HOLIGE/POLI

Yields: 5-7 nos.

Ingredients

For making dough(kanaka)
Maida: 1 cup
Chiroti rava: 1/2 cup
Salt: pinch
Ghee: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

For stuffing:
Kadalebele/Chana dal: 1 cup
Jaggery/Bella: 1.5 cup(grated)
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Jajekai/jaiphal powder: 1/4 tsp

Others:
Oil: 4 tbsp
Butter paper: 1 no(for making holige)

Preparation

1. Take a bowl and add all ingredients for making dough. Mix and add water to make a soft dough. Add 2 tbsp of oil on it, cover and give it a rest for 2 hours. Consistency should be little softer than chapati dough.
2. Dry roast chana dal (just make it warm, do not over roast) and pressure cook by adding water.
3. Remove excess water, cool and grind  it for a while. Once coarsely ground add Jaggery to it grind into paste (do not add water at any stage while grinding) 
4. Transfer the mixture into a pan and cook till the cooked mixture doesn't  stick to the pan(thick enough to make balls). This cooking process will help take out the moisture from the stuffing mixture. 
5. Add cardamom powder, jaiphal powder and mix.
6. Make balls of the mixture and keep aside.
7. Take small portion of the kanaka and stuff it with the Chanadal stuffing balls. Pull the dough from all sides so as to cover the stuffing completely. 
8. Take a butter paper and grease it with oil.
9. Now take stuffed balls and press/tap the stuffed balls with your greased fingers and palms and flatten it into the shape of holige.
10. Transfer the holige to a hot tawa and roast both the sides (flame should be low to medium). 
11. Ghee can be added while roasting the holige (optional).

Notes

1. The size of the stuffing balls should be double the size of the kanaka balls.
2. While pressure cooking chana dal, water should be 1" above the dal.
3. After making each holige, apply oil both to your hands and the butter paper.
4. Holige can also be made by applying oil to the chapati roller and rolling the stuffed balls on the greased butter paper.
5. Thick plastic can also be used for tapping holige. My grandmother used to make holige on banana leaf.

PLAIN SAMBAR POWDER/HULI PUDI

Yields: 5 tbsp

Ingredients

Dhaniya/Coriander seeds: 3 tbsp
Chana dal/kadale bele: 1 tsp
Methi/Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 10-12 nos
Guntur chilli: 3 nos
Bedige chilli: 2 nos


Preparation

1. Dry roast all ingredients separately, as each ingredient requires different temperature to get roasted.
2. Roast methi seeds and chana dal till it turns light brown color, curry leaves and chilli  should be roasted till you are able to break with your hands. Dhaniya to be roasted lightly till you get aroma. Transfer all roasted ingredients to a plate as it gets done.
3. Add hing powder, mix and cool.
4. Grind into fine powder.

Notes

1. Chilli powder can also be used instead of whole chillies, in that case 1 tsp of chilli powder can be used.
2. Before making sambar add fresh coconut to the sambar powder and grind it into paste, which gives nicer taste. This powder can be used for making Sambar Rice or Bisibele bath.
3. Ingredients can be proportionately increased, when made in large quantity and can be stored for more than a month.

SAKKARE HOLIGE

Yields: 5 nos.

Ingredients

For making dough(kanaka):
Maida: 1/2 cup
Chiroti rava: 1/4 cup
Ghee: 1/2 tsp
Powdered sugar: 1 tsp
Salt: pinch
Water: as required for binding

For stuffing:
Kopra/kobri/dry coconut: 1cup(grated)
Powdered sugar: 1/2 cup
Almond powder/Badam powder: 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder/elakki powder: 1/4 tsp
Ghee: 5 tsp

Preparation

1. Take a bowl and add all ingredients(for making dough) and make a soft dough by adding water. Give a rest for 2 hours. Consistency should be little harder than chapati dough.
2. Take a pan and dry roast kobri till it is golden color. Cool and grind into powder.
3. Take a bowl and add powdered kobri, almond powder, powdered sugar, cardamom powder, ghee and mix properly.
4. Now take rested dough and knead for a minute. Take small balls and roll it like a poori.
5. Take stuffing(medium sized ball) and keep in the poori/kanaka, fold the kanaka over the stuffing completely and make balls like you would for stuffed paratha. 
6. Dust the ball with maida and roll it like a chapati.
7. Roast it on the tawa (both sides) on low to medium flame by adding little ghee while roasting.
8. Once completely roasted/cooked take it off the stove and let it cool a little before you store it
9. Sakkare holige can be eaten plain without any accompaniments, or relish it with ghee and/or by pouring hot milk over it.

Notes

1. Almond powder can be skipped, but it gives good taste and color when added. If skipped then replace it with an increased amount of powdered dry coconut and sugar mixture. 
2. Resting the dough gives more smoother texture.
3. Can be stored for 10 days, so holige can be pre-made and served during festivals provided it is not kept as prasada(naivedya).

MILK MYSORE PAK

Milk mysore pak is one of the most liked sweet in our house. Normally I make it as a prasada(naivadya), as it can be quickly and easily made in large quantities. Milk mysore pak can be eaten by young and old, as its soft enough to be broken with hand.


Yields: 40 pieces

Ingredients

Besan/Chana dal flour/Kadlehittu: 1 cup
Milk: 1 cup
Ghee: 1 cup
Sugar: 2 cups

Preparation

1. Take a pan add all the ingredients and mix properly without lumps.
2. Switch on the stove and keep stirring till bubbles starts coming and the mixture does not stick to the pan.
3. Switch off the stove and pour in a greased square or rectangle plate.
4. Make marks for pieces and keep for cooling.
5. Once cooled, separate the pieces and serve.

Notes

If  you use a non-stick pan, stirring the mysore pak will be easier. 

PULSES SABJI/DAANIYA DA KOOTU

Ingredients

Kabuli chana: 2 tbsp
Dry peas: 2 tbsp
Moong: 2 tbsp
Chana: 2 tbsp
Sambar powder: 2tbsp
Curry leaves: 20 nos
Coriander leaves: 3 tbsp(chopped)
Fresh coconut: 2 tbsp(grated)
Hing: 1/4 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Tamarind Pulp: 1 tbsp/ as required

Preparation 

1. Soak all pulses overnight or 7 to 8 hours. Pressure cook by adding little turmeric and salt.
2. Grind sambar powder, coconut, curry leaves,  into a paste.
3. Take a pan, on the stove and add oil, mustard seeds, hing, ground paste. Cook till paste leaves the pan.
4. Add the cooked pulses, tamarind pulp, salt, mix and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water for required consistency.
5. Switch off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves.
6. Serve with roti, chapati, poori, naan or kulcha.

DHARWAD PEDA / DHULIRAM PEDA

Yields: 20 nos

Ingredients:

Plain Mava/Khova: 250 gm
Powdered sugar: 5 tsp +2 tsp 
Ghee: 4 tbsp (approximately)

Preparation:

1. Roast the mava till it changes colour by adding ghee little by little, ensuring not to make it dry.
2. Once done add sugar powder (5 tsp) and mix.
3. Add elaichi powder, mix and cool. Make balls and roll it in powdered sugar.

CHOLE

Yeields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Kabuli Chana: 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Potato: 1 no. (medium sized)
Onion: 1 no. (big sized)
Tomato: 2 nos.(medium sized)
Jeera: 1/2 tspn
Garam masala: 1/2 tspn
Coriander powder: 1 tspn
Jeera powder: 1/2 tspn
Khas khas: 1/4 tspn
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tspn
Chilli powder: 1 tspn
Tej patta (bay leaves): 2 nos.
Salt: as required
Oil: 3 tbspn
Coriander leaves: 2 tbspn (chopped)
Lemon juice: 1 tspn
Cream: 1 tbspn

Preparation

1. Pressure cook kabuli chana(add little turmeric and salt) and potato.
2. Grind onion, tomato, khas khas into a paste.
3. Take a pan add oil. When oil heats up add jeera, tej patta stir and add the ground mixture.
4. Stir for 5 minutes and add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, garam masala and little salt. Keep stirring till the paste does not stick to the pan and oil starts leaving the pan.
5. Add boiled kabuli chana and mashed potato, add water if needed. Simmer and  cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Once it becomes thick add cream and switch off the stove.
7. Add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with roti, paratha, naan or kulcha.

HEALTHY RAGI HITTU PAYASA/MILLET PORRIDGE

Here comes a healthy and easy dessert not too common yet very tasty. I made this for the first time today as I was quite bored of making the traditional payasas and wanted to make something different. I was quite surprised by how such a simple preparation made of Ragi (which many do not like) turned out to be so good. It encourages me to make this payasa more often. Ragi is a health fad currently and rightly so. The use of Jaggery instead of sugar in this recipe makes this suitable for diabetic people too.

Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients

Store bought Plain ragi hittu/powder: 2 tbsp
Jaggery: 5 tbsp(powdered)
Water: 1 1/2 cup
Milk: 1 1/2
Almond/Badam powder: 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Almonds/Badam pieces: 1 tbsp

Preparation

1. Take a pan, add ghee and roast ragi powder in it for 4-5 minutes.(till it releases a flavorful aroma)
2. Add water and mix it without lumps. (if needed switch off stove and mix to avoid lumps)
3. Add jaggery, mix it and bring it to boil.
4. Add milk, badam powder, mix and cook for 1- 2 minutes.
5. Switch off the stove and add cardamom powder and mix it.
6. Garnish it with badam pieces.
7. Serve hot or cold.

Notes

1. Quantity of Milk can be increased or decreased depending on desired consistency.
2. This payasa thickens fast and doesn't need much of cooking time, since the ragi powder is already roasted. If left to cook for a longer duration, the end result will be of very thick consistency, almost halwa-like.
3. Badam powder is added for added flavour, however it is not a necessary ingredient and can be skipped too.
4. Cashewnuts can be added instead of badam pieces. I used almonds just to make it different.
5. Instead of jaggery, dates can be added to make it more healthier (soak dates for 1/2 an hour, grind by adding milk and add it at the stage when milk is added).

GOJJU AVALAKKI/HULASEHANNU AVALAKKI/TAMARIND POHA/PULI AVAL

Gojju Avalakki is another variation of Avalakki preparation made for Krishnashthami. It is a favourite among people who like slightly tangy food. This dish along with Avalakki uppittu serves as the main course for dinner on Krishnashthami. The tanginess from the tamarind with the crunch from fried groundnuts works as a perfect combination and makes this a complete dish in all sense.

You can refer to the blog for other Avalakki recipes like Avalakki payasa, Mosuru avalakki. Further you can find  Krishnashthmi special fried snacks like Uppicheede, Bellada cheede, Chakli, Tengul, Ribbon Pakoda, Thatte in this blog too.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Medium Avalakki/poha/aval: 2 cups
Tamarind: lemon sized(soak and remove pulp)
Coriander powder: 2 tbsp
Chilli powder: 3/4 tsp
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt: as required
Oil: 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Udad dal: 2 tsp
Chana dal: 2 tsp
Groundnut: 2 tbsp
Curry leaves: 10-15 nos
Fresh coconut: 2 tbsp

Preparation

1. Coarse grind avalakki, wash and drain water (put in a muslin cloth to remove water completely).
2. In a mixing bowl, take the avalakki and separate it properly. 
3. Add tamarind pulp, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder, hing, salt and mix all.
4. Take pan, add oil. When it becomes little hot add mustard seeds, udad dal, chana dal, groundnut and fry till golden colour.
5. Add curry leaves and avalakki mixed with spices and tamarind. 
6. Mix and fry in low flame till avalakki is separated. (approximately 20-25 minutes).
7. Once done garnish with fresh coconut.