Kozhukattai with Stuffed Peanut

Kozhukattai is the favourite dish of Lord Vinayaka which we offer during the puja .My MIL makes different varieties of kozhukattai stuffed with sesame seeds,coconut and peanut .This is stuffed peanut version I learnt from my MIL.Here is how she makes it...

INGREDIENTS U NEED:
1.Rice flour-3cup
2.Peanut-1cup
3.Jaggery-1/2 cup(Grated)
4.Cardomom-2(Crushed)
5.Salt-Pinch

UTENSIL:
Idly cooker

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• Mix the rice flour with enough water, and a pinch of salt together without any lumps, till it forms a dough consistency,knead it into a soft dough.Make small balls out of this.
• For the filling fry the peanuts and remove the skin and make into powder. 
• Then mix powdered jaggery,peanut powder and cardomom together and make small balls and keep it aside.
• Place a plastic sheet on top and bottom of the riceflour ball and press with a small plate or bowl(round and flat). Place the filling and close it. Seal the edges or mark lines with a fork.
• Steam the kozhukattais in pressure cooker using idli plates for 10-15mins and serve hot.

Channa with Peanut Sundal

INGREDIENTS U NEED:

1.Channa/Garbenzo beans-2cup
2.Peanuts-1cup
3.Onions-1(Sliced)
4.Green chilli-2(Slit)
5.Seasoning-Mustard,Urad,Curry leaves
6.Coconut-1cup(Optional)
7.Salt as needed
8.Oil

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• First Soak channa beans in water over night and Add 5 cups of water in a pressure cooker or vessel and pressure cook it  for 3 whistles or untill cooked and drain the water from the beans and keep it aside.
• Secondly soak peanuts for 1hr  and cook it untill done and keep it aside.
• Heat the pan with some oil. Add mustard,urad dhal  allow it to pop, add green chillis, and curry leaves.
• Then add onion saute it for few mins,now add boiled channa and peanuts,enough salt and saute it for few more mins.
• Finally add grated coconut and mix it well. and check for salt and add more if needed.

GOES WELL WITH:

     Curd rice

Rava Kesari

Rava or sooji kesari is a simple sweet dish that can be made in jiffy. Here is how i make it...

INGREDIENTS U NEED:

1.Rava-1cup
2.Sugar-1cup
3.Water-3cup
4.Cashew nuts -15
5.Raisins-10
6.Cardomom-2(Crushed)
7.Orange food color -Pinch
8.Ghee

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• Heat 2tbs of ghee in a pan, fry the broken cashews and raisins and keep it aside. 
• Now Add another tbsp of ghee and fry the rava to a light pink color and keep aside. 
• Heat 3 cups of water in the another pan when it comes to boil , add the rava slowly, constantly stirring, and mix well. Allow the rava to be cooked at medium heat. The rava has to cook well. 
• When it is fully cooked, add the coloring and add sugar and stir well. When the sugar is fully dissolved, add the boiled ghee or oil. Keep stirring until the rava starts leaving the sides of the pan. 
• Garnish with the fried cashews and raisins and cardamom powder mix well and serve hot or cold.

Bobattu/Puran Poli with Moong dhal

Bobbattu or poli are prepared in almost every Telugu home during ugadi festival.This is One of my favourite sweet which we prepare every year during the festival.Bobattu which is also known by the name of Puran Poli in Tamil or Bhakshalu in Telugu.Its basically a bread with sweet-lentil stuffing prepared with refined flour,sugar or jaggery and Moong dhal or split bengal gram lentil.My MIL makes excellent bobattulu and here i am posting her recipe on how to prepare them….

INGREDIENTS U NEED:

1.Moong dhal or chana dal -2cups soaked in water for 2 hours and drained
(split gram lentil)
2.Jaggery -1cup(you can adjust the sugar or jaggery according to your choice)
3.Maida or All purpose flour-2 cups
4.Turmeric powder-1/4tbs
5.Baking soda-Pinch(Optional)
6.Cardamom powder -1/4tbs
7.Salt as needed
8.Oil

UTENSIL:
Tawa or Flat pan 

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• First Mix maida flour,pinch of salt,turmeric powder,soda,2 tbsps oil and enough water to make a very soft and sticky dough.Knead well and leave it and let it sit down for couple of hours.
• Secondly Cook moong dhal  with enough water in a pan or pressure cooker till it becomes soft and mushy.Cool.Grind to a fine paste with jaggery and pinch of salt till they blend and form a lump such that you can prepare small balls for stuffing.
• Add cardamom powder and pinch of salt and mix well.Turn off heat and cool.Prepare small lemon sized balls with this lentil mixture and keep aside.
• Now Grease your hands with oil to knead the dough and take a small portion of dough and flatten it into a disc of the size of your palm. Place a ball in the centre and draw the edges of the dough from all sides to cover the lentil ball completely.
• Take a sheet of transparent plastic wrap or a plaintain leaf and gently flatten each ball carefully with your fingers to form a 6″ to 8″ diamater flat circular bobattu/poli (grease your hands while flattening).
• Fry it on low flame on a hot griddle or tawa.Roast both sides till brown spots appear.
• If u want Smear with ghee on both sides when done.Serve warm or cold.

Note:
  You can store the ‘bobattulu’ for a few days in an air tight container or in the refrigerator. 
 

 
GOES WELL WITH:
    Banana mixed with ghee

Panchamritham

Panchamritham is a very famous Prashadham in all the Indian Temples.It is simply delicious and we offer this as  Naivedhyam.I make this Prashadham especially during the Puratasi Masam festival for Balaji which comes around the month of  November.You can also make this when u have leftover fruits and it has a lot of nutrition in it.Here comes  the receipe..

INGREDIENTS U NEED:

1.Jaggery-1cup(powdered)
2.Milk-1cup(boiled)
3.Ghee-3tbs
4.Honey-2tbs
5.Fruits-2cup(banana is must,guave,grapes,apple or any fruits)
6.Kalai-2tbs(make smooth powder)
7.Rice flour-1tbs

GRIND:
Rice flour
Kalai powder

UTENSIL:
Big bowl

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• First wash the fruits well and chop into pieces 
• Now in a bowl add all the fruits mash it using coarsly by using  hands or folks.
• Then add  powdered jaggery,milk,grinded powder,honey and ghee and combine altogether well
• Its ready to serve or offer now.

Vadapappu

Vadapappu is made during the Telugu new year called Ugadi.It is  normally offered as a prasadham made with just the dal and then seasoned and it is eaten raw.Here is how my MIL makes it...... 

INGREDIENTS U NEED:

1.Split moong dhal-1cup(soak in the water for 1/2hour and drain the water)
2.Green chilli-2(choped finely)
3.Curry leaves-few
4.Onion-1(chopped finely)
5.Seasoning-1/4spn(mustard)
6.Oil-1tbs
7.Salt-as per taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• Heat oil in a pan, add seasoning let it splutter ,then add green chilli ,curry leaves,onions fry it nicely and switch of the gas and let it cool down for a while
• Finally add soaked moong dhal and combine it together well
• This dhal is eaten raw and cooked

Sweet Sakarai Pongal

We make this sweet pongal made with jaggery or sugar during pongal time in the month of january or any occasion .There are several ways to make sweet pongal this is how my MIL makes it  which is very easy to make and tasty to eat here goes the recipe....

INGREDIENTS U NEED:

1.Raw rice-1cup
2.Moong dhal-3/4cup
3Jaggery-1cup
4.Milk-1cup
5.Ghee-5tbs
6.Cashewnut and Raisins -2tbs(fried in ghee)

UTENSIL:
Bottomed pan

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• Boil raw rice and moong dhal together in a pan with a pinch of salt untill cooked soft
• Add boiled milk and jaggery mix it well untill jaggery melts
• Then  fry cashewnuts and raisin in the ghee and add it into the rice and mix well.

Rava Laddu

Rava laddu is a one of the simple sweet snack which is very easy to make sweet which i never made it before but whenever my MIL comes here she will make it so often. I am not a big fan of rava laddu but my husband loves it .Here how she makes it...

INGREDIENTS U NEED:
1.Rava/Semolina/Sooji - 1cup
2.Sugar-11/2cup
3.Boiled milk-1/2cup
4.Cardomom powder - pinch
5.Cashewnuts-1cup
5.Ghee-3tbs

UTENSIL:
Nonstick pan

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• In a pan add little ghee, rava fry it untill nice and brown
• Add sugar ,cardomom and mix it and fry it well with the rava
• Add boiled milk mix all together nicley untill thick let it cool  down and add cashewnuts fried in the ghee. 
• Make a small balls and store in the airtight container for couple of months.

Simple Brinjal Kara Kuzhambu

This kara kuzhambu is also called as puli kuzhambu which is very tangy and spicy which we all cook this dish in all auspicious events during our native place which i adopted from my  MIL.Here is the receipe...

INGREDIENTS U NEED:
1.Brinjal/Kathrikai/eggplant-5(cut into big pieces)
2.Garlic-4cloves(crushed)
3.Onions-1(chopped)
4.Tomato-1(chopped)
5.Turmeric powder-pinch
6.Chilli powder-2tbs
7.Corriander powder-1tbs
8.Fenugreek powder-1/4tbs
9.Tamarind extract-2cup
10.Sesame seeds-1tbs(fried and make powder)
11.Salt-as per taste
12.Oil-5tbs
13.Seasoning-(1/2tbs(muard,fenugreek seeds)curry leaves

UTENSIL:
Deep bottomed pan

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

• Heat oil in a pan,add seasoning,garlic,onions,kathrikai and salt saute it until half cooked
• Now add tomato,turmeric powder,chilli powder,corriander powder,fenugreek powder and tamarind pulp mix well let it cook for 10mins
• Finally add sesame powder and garnish with corriander leaves. 

GOES WELL WITH:
    Plain rice