MOONG DAL GREEN CURRY

This posting is about poonnanganni greens that are rich in Iron contents and protein. It is good for lactating mothers, kids and youngsters and adults. It promotes the fair complexion, good healthy eyes and clear vision and supports for the healthy glow of the hair. 

We never miss these greens when we see the greens with the street vendors, market or any vegetable section of departmental stores.

It tastes excellently with lentils. I am sharing the fantastic side dish using these greens with moong dal.

Ingredients:

Moong dal 100 gms

Ponnanganni greens leaves two cups

Ghee one tablespoon

Cumin seeds one spoon

Shallots peeled off and chopped half cup

Curry leaves one sprig

Green chillies two split

Tomato half

Sesame oil one tablespoon

Turmeric one spoon

Procedure:

Dry roast the moong dal and cook in a pan with water.

Add water more whenever necessary to cook without burning.

Please be in the kitchen and take care to cook this dal without burning.

Add turmeric and few drops of castor oil.

Clean and wash the green leaves and chop them.

Add these greens, tomato half, green chillies and salt.

Stir gently and allow to cook for ten minutes.

Temper with mustard seeds, shallots and curry leaves in sesame oil as usual, in a tempering pan.

Transfer the fried ingredients into the dal green mixture.

Add one tablespoon of ghee and transfer the curry into a serving bowl.

You can have this curry with hot steamed rice, chappathies.

Do try out and welcome your esteemed feedback.

CRISPY VARAGU DOSAI/KODO MILLET CRISPY DOSAI

Kodo millet /varagu can be used to make dosai and idlies and other south Indian main dishes like our normal idli rice dishes. Its taste is the same as our rice idlies, dosais and so on. Hence rice can be replaced with this little millet. 

We are going to try varagu arisi dosai in this post.

We are going to use the same proportions of ingredients as for the regular rice dosais. 

Ingredients:

Kodo millet/Varagu  400 gms

fenugreek seeds 

deskinned urad dal 100 gms

Sesame oil to drizzle  5 ml

Procedure:

Rinse the Kodo millet with water several times and soak in water for one hour.

Soak urad dal with fenugreek seeds in water for half an hour

Blend urad dal and fenugreek seeds in a mixer to a smooth consistency by adding water little by little.

collect in a vessel.

Blend the Kodo millet into a fine consistency by adding water little by little.

Transfer the Kodo millet batter into the urad dal batter.

Add rock salt and mix well.

Cover with the lid.

Allow to ferment overnight.

In the morning. heat the dosa griddle smearing the peeled and cut shallot.

Mix and pour the Kodo millet dosa batter on the dosa pan and spread the batter into a fine circle. Cover it with the lid.

Allow to cook in medium flame.

Lift the lid and drizzle one spoon of sesame oil around the dosa.

Smear with dosa evenly using stapula .

Flip the other side.

Allow to cook both sides golden brown.

Transfer it to the serving plate.

Repeat the process as per your need.

Crispy and lacy varagu dosai is now ready.  You can have it with any accompaniment of your choice.

We prefer tomato kuzambu with this yummy dosas.

GLOSSY RAVA SWEET PONGAL

Rava Vella Pongal is posted today. It is an alternative of Sarkkarai pongal. Its taste is great. No food colour is added. The colour of organic jaggery is enough. 

Ingredients:

Jaggery 150 gm

Rava or semolina/suji 75 gm

Cardamom three

Cashews and  raisins one tablespoon

Milk  (Optional) 200 ml

Boiling water 300 ml

Ghee two tablespoons

Procedure:

Heat a wok with one tablespoon of ghee

Add broken cashews and raisins to fry

Add Rava/sooji/semolina and roast in ghee to a cream colour.

Heat the water in a separate vessel.

Bring to boil.

Add Water to rava .

Stir gently. 

Allow to cook for 5 minutes.

Add jaggery and stir gently to dissolve completely.

Let the flame is in low level.

Add milk and stir well so as to combine together.

Sprinkle the crushed cardamom seeds.

Pour the remaining ghee and stir gently.

Switch off the flame.

Delectable  Rava Sweet Pongal can be served warm .

It will be heavenly tasteful when served in a banana leaf.

This Pongal can be offered in pooja.

CRUNCHY CASHEW PAKODA

Cashew pakodas are very tasty and crunchy. Cashews embedded in this pakoda are making the difference of rich taste in this snack. 

How to make?

Ingredients:

Cashews 200gms

Besan flour 100 gms

Raw rice flour 100 gms

Hot oil one tablespoon

water 100 ml

Cooking soda one pinch

Finely chopped Bellary onion one cup

Finely chopped green chillies four

Ginger flakes one tablespoon

Cilantro leaves finely chopped one cup

Curry leaves finely chopped half cup

Mint leaves finely chopped one cup

Salt required

Fennel seeds one tablespoon

Asafoetida half pinch

Procedure:

Mix the salt, cooking soda, besan flour and raw rice flour well in a dry bowl.

Add water little by little to make a rough dough.

Add hot oil.

Incorporate all the ingredients i.e., onion, green chillies,  ginger flakes, fennel seeds, curry leaves, cilantro leaves and mint leaves.

Knead them gently.

Heat the cooking oil and drop rough portions of pakoda-mix dough with your hand as seen in the image.

Allow to deep fry until the pakodas get golden brown and the bubbles subside.

Repeat the process to deep fry in several batches.

Transfer them into a dry serving bowl.

You can place them in a tissue paper to absorb oil.

Serve hot with hot frothy tea.

A perfect snack for the monsoon days.

STUFFED SWEET KOZHUKKATTAI..

Happy Shri Ganesh Chathurthi to everyone ..!

Today is a very special festival 'SHRI GANESH CHATHURTHI'.  Kozhukattai  is the main offering to Lord Ganesh. This is very simple and easy to make. 

Ingredients:

Jaggary 150 gms

Raw rice flour 200 gms

Coconut fresh flakes one cup

Cardamom 8 pods

Hot water two cups 

Sesame oil one spoon

Salt half teaspoon

Procedure:

Bring to boil two cups of water with salt and one teaspoon of sesame oil.

Mix the raw rice flour with boiling water using a spatula.

Keep aside for few minutes to get warm condition.

Knead with hands until the dough gets nonsticky texture.

Set aside.

Bring to boil little water and jaggery.

Allow to boil until the jaggery dissolves completely.

Add Fresh coconut flakes and mix with sugar syrup.

Allow to cook for few more minutes until the mixture gets ball consistency.

Divide the dough into equal portions.

Spread the portion of raw rice in the palm.

Place the jaggery coconut mix in the centre.

Cover by closing all the sides and make a  ball.

Press gently on four sides of the ball so as to get mothak shape.

Make the mothaks with the remaining dough.

Steam it in a wet white cloth using Idli pot for ten minutes.

Stuffed sweet kozhukattais are ready to offer to lord Shri Ganesh First.

Then Serve to all and enjoy..