Easy Besan Ladoo-Festival Special

Its festive season now with upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi,Diwali,Dasara! and much more.You can make this easy sweet and enjoy these special occassions.I  love festivals as they are so special with special prayers to God, special varieties of food/prasad,special Costumes.And with kids its even more special!

Besan laddoo is one of the  traditional famous festival sweet.

 Ingredients
1.5 Cups Besan(Kadale hittu)/Gram flour/chickpea flour
1/2 Cup Ghee/clarified butter(melted and warm)
3/4 Cup powdered sugar
1/2 tspn cardamom powder
1 Tbspn coarsely ground cashew
1 Tbspn sliced Almonds
1 tspn pistachio pieces(optional)
1 Tbspn fine sooji

1)Lets combine besan,warm melted ghee,sooji and mixwell without lumps

2)Place a Thick bottom non stick pan on low heat with the above mixture.Fry it for 14 min ,now add pieces of sliced almonds,pistachio,cardomom powder and coarsely ground cashew.Fry it for another 2-3 min till u get nice aroma.

3)Let it cool down a bit,Add powdered sugar when its still warm.

4)Mixwell.

5)Wet your hands with ghee and make ladoo

 



Storage
When I make ladoo,i usually make the them a lot and store them.

1)You can store it in airtight container for 2 weeks.

2)Its always best to refridgerate due to weather fluctuations.Put them in ziplocks or airtight container and let it stay in refridgerator for couple of weeks.When you are ready to eat,just microwave them for 16 seconds.

About Besan

1)Besan is the flour of yellow lentils called channa dal- A pale yellow flour you can gt in any indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi grocery store in USA.I even saw in amazon.com recently.

2)If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, you must avoid flours containing gluten like wheat flour.Besan is gluten free and can substitute for wheat flour in gluten free diets.

3)1 cup besan contains about 20.6g protein,4.5g of Iron.

4)Besan contains more protein than in wheat flour!

Masala Puri Chaat-Bangalore street snack!

I guess many people might not have heard of masala puri chaat? This is a tasty chaat from the streets of Bangalore.My evenings were never complete until I visit these cute chaat cart and order 1 plate masala puri then 1 more plate masala puri:-).Nice aroma from these colorfull chaat carts are filled in Bangalore streets.They make masala puri,pani puri,bhel,sev puri,dahi puri and much more creative chats with lots of variations.

Masala puri is a perfect combination of boiled dry peas,ragada(masala),crispy puris topped with chuteys,sev & chopped onion,tomato.

Cool evening breeze of bangalore and this warm masala puri!Huh!I miss it:-).I don't remember eating less than 4-5 plates of different chaats ! masala puri being my all time favourite.

We all must have loads and loads of memories attached with your family,friends,loved one's when we think of these chaat corners.

Above is the cute little colorfull chaat cart(chaat wallah,chaat gaadi(kannada)) that I  was talking about.A big pan of boiling peas,big crispy packets of puri,huge container filled with masala/ragada and much  more arranged in this small mobile cart & serving lots of snacks.Some people usually push it from street to street so they get to serve many people.

Next comes the pics of Chaat corners (stores)

Coming to the recipe part:

Masala(Ragada)

11/2 cup dry green peas soaked overnight and boiled
1 tspn roasted chana dal
1/2 tspn poppy seeds
1 Tbspn oil
1/2 tspn cumin seeds/jeera
2 bay leaf
3 pods star anise(not whole flower)
1 marati moggu
1/4 tspn fennel seeds
2 Tbspn cilantro(kothambari soppu)
4 dry red chilli(u can also use redchilly powder-add this directly while grinding)
1 green chilly
2 inch piece cinnamon
3 cloves
2 garlic pod

Looking at the ingredients now you know why its called masala puri! rite ,lots of spices...

1)Add oil in a pan,when medium hot add jeera,bay leaves,cinnamon,cloves,star anise,marati moggu fry for few seconds,add the fennel seeds.Then add red chilly,poppy seeds fry it and keep it aside.

2)Combine the boiled peas,above tempering and the remaining ingredients in the list.Lets blend it to a smooth puree by adding little at a time.You can use water while grinding to ease the process.

3)Add  2 cups water and bring it to boil in medium for 15-20 min and simmer it for 15 more min.Adjust water as it tend to thicken once boiled and cooled.While serving add 1 cup water and then heat up again.

4)If possible,refrigerate and  use it next day for best results.

Puri

For best results use puris used for pani puri.You can also use papdis.

Tamarind Chutney

Click here for the tamarind chutney recipe

Preparation

1)Add 6-7 pani puris/papdis in a plate.Crush them

2)Add 5 Tbspn boiled  salted dry green peas.Then big serving spoonful of  hot masala/ragada

3)Add 1 tspn tamarind chutney.Top it with sev,chopped onions,tomato,1 tspn yogurt.

4)No one can eat just 1 !:-)

And finally I always end up my chaats with a bowl of homemade mango ice cream.Remember those juice and chaat corners!Lets make this chaat and ice cream and enjoy evenings:-)

Bangalore has a lot of juice and chaat corners  and always used to order some milk shakes or ice creams after chaats . I usually end up with a bowl of super easy and yummy Mango Ice cream

  CLICK HERE FOR EASY MANGO ICE CREAM RECIPE



Cabbage Rice

I usually don't shop for cabbage a lot.That is the last item which comes out of my refridgerator.If there are no other vegies then I use cabbage:-)....But things are changing after I started to make this delicious rice.Good for officebox,lunchbox or easy and fulfilling for lunch potlucks!

Cooked Rice-made with 2 cups rice(I use rice cooker) don't cook it mushy let it be grainy.
2 cups chopped cabbage
11/2 Tbspn Bisibelebath/vangibath powder(you can get this in any indian grocery)
2 Tbspn tamarind juice
1 chopped tomato
4 Tbspn grated frozen/fresh coconut

Tempering 
3 Tbspn oil
1 tspn chana dal
1/2 tspn urad dal
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
2 pinch turmeric
2 pinch hing
3 string curry leaves

Procedure
1)Lets start by adding tempering to a wide pan.

2)Add oil,when hot add mustard seeds allow them to pop,add chana dal then urad dal.Then goes turmeric,hing,curry leaves.Fry till dals are golden brown.

3)Add the chopped cabbage and fry till half cooked

4)Add salt and cook till till 3/4th done.Then add tomato.

5)Add vangibath or bisibelebath powder,tamarind juice,mix well and cook it for 3 min.Add grated coconut and cook it for 3 min.Adjust salt and spice.

6)Mix the cooked rice(make sure its grainy and in room temperature).Enjoy

Note:Sometimes I add cinnamon,clove for tempering and use sambar powder or try the same recipe with sambar powder .I always have vangibath powder to make these delicious easy ricebaths and even vegetable fry(palya).Will post the recipe of vangi/bisi powder soon so u can make in bulk and store it.



 

Kosambari- festival prasada,healthy salad!

Salad made with soaked  yellow moong dal,cucumber,coconut and tempering.Usually offered to God,had as a part of meal in weddings ,festivals & special occoasions in south indian homes.

Kosambari has lots of memories attached, part of full course meal in any kannadigas wedding,festival food is never complete without kosambari.As a child,i used to get ready with new dress in the festival evenings call my neighbour aunties and serve this!Everybody must be having these sweet memories rite? Its  Festival season & common lets do this with our kids n recollect those sweet memories:-)

Varamahalaksmi festival  around the corner and this will be perfect Prasad for evening and for your part of lunch.

1/2 cup moong dal soaked
1 cup finely chopped cucumber(peel the skin)
1/4 cup fresh/frozen grated coconut
1 tspn lemon juice
salt to taste

tempering
1 Tbspn oil
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
1/4 tspn hing(if its strong use less)
2 string chopped curry leaves.
2 Tbspn chopped cilantro
2 greenchillies finely chopped

Heat oil in pan,add mustard seeds allow it to pop,add hing,greenchillies.Then cilantro and curry leaves atlast ,fry for few seconds.

1)Lets combine soaked split yellow moong dal(hesaru bele in kannada),cumcumber,coconut.
2)Add the prepared tempering,lemon juice,salt
3)Mix well
4)Enjoy kosambari with your family and friends.You can serve on banana leaf or jackfruit leaf for a traditional feel

NOTE:
1)Add salt when you are about to serve otherwise kosambari will leave a lot of water.Add it initially if you are like me as I love that water portion in kosambari
2)I usually add 1/2 or 3/4 cup coconut as I like that way.Try it if u like coconut.
3)You can make this with variations like replacing cucumber with grated carrot or with moong dal alone.I even add 2 tbspn grated raw mongo. Be creative n try your variation and let me know!:-)



 

Chivda-Tea time snack!

Do u love munching snacks in between meals?I usually make this crispy chivda and store it in air tight container so I can munch:-) .Goes very well for tea time!

2 cups Thin Poha/Paper avalakki(u can also use nylon  avalakki/poha)
3 strings curry leaves
2 garlic pods
1 Tbspn sliced dry coconut pieces
1 Tbpsn peanuts
1 Tbspn roasted chana dal/hurigadale
1/2 tspn jeera/cumin seeds
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
4 Tbspn oil
2 pinch hing/asafetida
1 pinch turmeric
1/2 tspn red chillipowder
1 dry red chilly
1/4 tspn sugar
1 Tbspn sev
salt to taste

1)Microwave high thin poha for 2-3 min(gently stir after every 1 min).You can even spread it in wide bowl in sunshine or just dry roast it in pan.

2)Heat oil in pan,add mustard seeds,when it starts to pop add jeera,then turmeric and hing.Then add  garlic,peanuts,dry red chilly when its almost done add  curry leaves,sliced dry coconut then add roasted chana dal (add this atlast as it tends to burn soon).Everything should be golden brown.

4)Add chilli powder fry for few seconds then add crispy poha,salt and sugar,sev.

5)Mix well and enjoy!



 

Quick Goli Bajji/mangalore bonda-perfect evening snack

 Easy to make evening snack.This goli bajji is crispy,spongy,shiny & your kids will love it.



 1 cup allpurpose flour/maida
 1/2 cup curd(plain yogurt,better if it is sour)
 1-2 greenchillies finely chopped
 2 strings curry leaves finely chopped
 3/4 teaspoon eno fruit salt
 1/4 inch ginger grated
 1/4 teaspoon sugar
 1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera
 Oil for deep fry
 salt to taste

1)Lets mix maida,salt,greenchillies,curry leaves,jeera,ginger.Then add curd and mixwell without lumps.Add sugar(u can add more if u like it sweetish)
2)Adjust water if u feel its thick,add abt 2-3 tbspns
3)Leave it for 5 min.
4)Lastly add the magical eno fruit salt.Mix it to get the foamy batter.
5)Drop them in medium hot oil and fry till golden brown

Mangalore bonda is best if served with chutney CLICK HERE FOR CHUTNEY RECIPE

Allpurpose Chutney- For idlis,dosa,rotti,poori & much more

This chutney goes well with most of the dishes.Idli,Upma,Dosa,Akki rotti,Ragi rotti,Poori,Rava idli,pongal and much more.

1/2 cup frozen or fresh grated coconut
1/2 cup roasted chana dal/hurigadale
2 greenchillies
1/2 tspn tamarind
salt to taste
1 tbspn cilantro
2 tbspn mint leaves

Lets grind it with little water to a  paste.
 
Tempering/seasoning

Heat 1 tspn oil in a pan.When hot add 1/4 tspn mustard seeds and when it pops add 1/4 tspn urad dal and fry till light golden brown.Now add 1/8 tspn hing and immediately add this tempering on the chutney .

Instant Rava Idli-Bangalore darshini style

Instant,healthy and yummy!...This rave idli comes out really soft and spongy and tastes like the one you get in Bengaluru darshini/café.Usually served with bombay sagu/potato gravy and chutney.Healthy and yummy breakfast idea!.We love these kind of quick fixes rite?:-)

You can also cut them into pieces and enjoy your evening snack.

I would say this is one of the best kids recipes/lunch box idea

Common lets try this steamed semolina cakes- soft and healthy





 11/2 cup Rava/Sooji
 11/2 cup plain yogurt/curd
 1 tbspn cashew pieces
 1 String curry leaves chopped
 11/2 tspn  eno fruit salt
 2 tbspn grated carrot
 tomato slice for topping
 1 tbspn oil+1/2 tspn ghee
 1 tspn  mustard seeds

1) Heat oil and ghee in a pan,when hot add mustard seeds,curry leaves,cashew pieces.Then add carrot and semolina.Fry in medium heat for 5 min.

2)Once the mixture is comes to room temperature add salt,curd leave it for 5 min.

3)Add little water(abt 1/4 cup or couple of tbspns) so u get right idli batter consistency.

4)Main step is to add eno fruit salt.This makes idlis soft and fluffy (increase it to 2 tspn if u need more soft)Add it just before u put the batter to idli stand.

4)Grease idli stand with oil,place whole cashews in each and a tomato slice and little cilantro.Then add the batter.Steam it in high for 12-13 min

Tips:Once the idlis are done,leave it in stand for 1 min,then dip spoon in cool water & take off from the moulds(repeat this to all idlis) so it comes off easily without sticking to the idli stands.
4)Enjoy with chutney(click for the recipe) and Bombay sagu(click for the recipe).