Garelu or Vada

GARELU or VADA

For any festival occasion gare or vada is offered to god in South India - Dasara, Diwali /Deepawali, Sankranthi, Ganesh Pooja, Ugadi (New Year)  .... also this is a very popular South indian Breakfast, often it is served with Sambar, Chutneys like Peanut Corriander, Ginger and or Coconut chutney. 


I made Garelu for my boys birthday as he likes GARE so much ...

INGREDIENTS: 

• Urad Dal ( Mina Pappu) - 2 cups
• Oil for frying 
• curry leaves / corriander leaves
• Ginger
• Green chillies
• Salt as per taste
• Onions ( optional) - for festivals i do not use onions

PREPARATION:

• Wash the urad dal and then Soak dal in water over night
• Remove the water and then Grind the dal in the morning, try to add as much little water as possible
• After grinding you will need to find it to be soft as paste and add little soaked dal for texture
• Add Ginger, Salt to the grinded dal - this is as per taste
• Chop green chillies and curry leaves to the dal mix
• Heat oil in a pan
• Take small amounts of dal and make nice rounds and a hole in the middle
• Fry till they turn golden brown in color 

Serve hot Vada / Gare with Sambar , Peanut Corriander Chutney, Ginger Chutney and or Coconut chutney - have a fun filled breakfast or add to it to your meal and enjoy it heartily with your friends and family

Try this great yummy recipe that melts in the mouth and let me know how it came - Leave your comments!!!!

Spicy Rice Pongal

RICE PONGAL 

This is spicy pongal recipe, there is also sweet rice pongal often made for Sankranthi / Pongal festivals - both the dishes are festival delicacies. 

The taste is really good and those who like the taste of rice would know why this is so special in south india .... nutritious, divine and comforting food

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice 1.5 cup
• Black pepper
• Ghee - 2 spoons
• Moong Dal 0.25 cup
• Red Mirchie
• Green chillies( optional ) 
• Cashew nuts ( optional ) - i like to grind cashew nuts and mix the powder in this recipe
• Oil and other Seasoning stuff
• Curry leaves/corriander leaves

PREPARATION:

• Mix Rice and Moong dal, wash it well 
• Add water and boil them well in pressure cooker 
• Remove the cooked rice, moong dal and mix it well when hot
• Add salt, chopped green chillies, seasoning stuff 
• Add cashew nut powder 

Server the rice pongal with spicy powder or corriander chutney / Tomato chutney or any other chutney. Some like raita/yogurt chutney with this - again tastes very well. Add urad dal papad to the rice pongal. For kids add one more spoon of ghee on top when you serve - very healthy and nutritious ...

Try this rice pongal recipe at home, and let me know how it came out - again do not forget to leave your comments. 

KAJA sweet recipe / Madatha Kaja

KAJA sweet - this sweet is very popular in ANDHRA, it is a "Special" delicacy - it is also popularly known as "Madatha Kaja" or Layered sweet - tastes yummy, very easy recipe, When you have festivals moments, special occasions with friends and family - DO NOT forget to add this sweet dish. A good "Kaja" just melts in the mouth and taste is all in the layers of the sweet, i bet the taste will stay for few days ....

It was my little boy 2nd birthday and i made Kaja sweet on that day- he likes sweets so much and  BTW our family name is "KAJA" too  ... it is a place near  Guntur, AP, India and is also the popular sweet name. My Father-in-law used to gift friends n family with "KAJA" sweet boxes for all Festive occasions(especially the grand kids used to like them so much ... ) .... we are continuing the same and it became our family traditional sweet dish .. sharing the "KAJA" sweet recipe ....

INGREDIENTS:

• Maida - All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Baking Soda - 0.5 spoon
• Ghee - 2 spoons
• Rice Flour - 2 spoons
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 1.25 cup
• Oil for frying
• Elaiche powder ( cinnamon powder if you like)

PREPARaTION: Time : 20 minutes

• Mix the all purpose flour with 1 spoon of Ghee and 1 cup of water. 
• Keep it aside for about 10 minutes or so
• Prepare the Sugar Syrup by adding water and sugar - you need to get a "single" string for the sugar syrup
• Make small balls out of the dough and roll them thin like how we do pressing chapathis
• Take 2 Chapathis at a time, place one on top of the other and add little ghee in between and roll them like a mat ..
• Take a knife and cut the roll into fine pieces about 1 cm size
• Press the cut rolls in the center so they come out nice, long elongated
• Add oil in a pan, heat and add these rolls slowly into the oil
• Occasionally stir in between and so take them out when you see the color of the rolls turning golden brown and then you can take them out
• Add the fryed KAJA rolls directly in the sugar syrup
• Remove from Sugar syrup and serve the sweet 
• Some even add a clove and press the kaja well so that it won't split at the ends - even for presentation it looks very nice
• Chitti Kajas are the ones that are small in size, same recipe - cut the kaja rolls as 0.5 cm or less ... 

This Awesome layered Kaja sweet and make sure the sweetness is in all layers of the sweet ... i bet will lasts till the last bite of it - Try this mouth watering delicacy at home and let me know how it came out - do not forget to post your comments.

Coconut Rice

COCONUT RICE

Dasara is one of the famous festivals in India, on Maha Navami day(9th)  Devi Saraswathi is worshipped, she sits on white lotus / white swan ... the nineth day as such symbolizes white color so thought of making White dish and thought of Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS

• Basmati Rice ( long grained)  - 2 cups
• Coconut - 2 cups
• Cashew nuts
• Curry leaves
• Urad dal
• Oil - 2 table spoons
• Salt for taste
• optional - Green chillies and Ginger

Seasoning stuff - Cumin, mustard seeds, Red mirchi and Curry leaves,
•   

PREPARATION

• Cook Basmati rice sepearately and allow it to cool
• Heat Oil/Butter in a pan & season it with above mentioned stuff
• Add Curryleaves and Cashew nuts
• If you want to make it spicy add ginger, green chillies (optional)
• Add salt as per taste
• Now add coconut to the rice and mix well.

 Thai Style Coconut Rice - for Thai style you will need coconut water and use it to add to water while cooking the rice, donot add red chillies. The coconut water gives rich flavor and amazing taste.

This is a party special, festival delicacy, quick meal, very easy recipe, healthy and tastes great with very less effort.  Serve the dish hot !!!!

Rava Kesari

RAVA KESARI

Rava Kesari is a very popular south indian sweet dish - very easy to prepare. Not only this is a festival dish but also for every occasion.

 

INGREDIENTS

• Bombay Rava (Sooji) - 1 cup.
• Sugar - 2 cups.
• Ghee - 1 cup.
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
• Water 2 cups
• Cashew nuts / Almonds / Raisins

  
  

  PREPARATION

  • Add rava and 1 table spoon of ghee and fry the rava till the smell of the rava goes away
  • Tke 2 cups of water and boil and add sugar to it
  • Add Roasted rava and let it boil for about 7 to 8 minutes
  • Stir well and to this now add ghee in small quantities and stir well till the mixture becomes solid.
  • Add Cardomom powder, chopped cashew nuts and other nuts

  

   

  
  

  Rava Kesari tastes well either served hot or cold - Try this easy recipe and let us know how it tastes 

  

Mysore Pak

Mysore Pak

Sweet dish originally from Karnataka is very popular in south india is a delicious, rich, yummy dessert. Love the golden yellow color, nice diamond shaped, Mysore Pak ... this sweet dish should just melt when put in mouth ... It goes well for festivals or any party occasion ...warn you the high calories though. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Gram flour (Besan chickpea flour ) 
• 1/2 cup Ghee ( Clarified butter) 
• 2 cardamon pods powdered 

Prepartion:

• Make sure you get good quality Besan flour for the dish to taste perfect and also it needs to be sift to aerate and to remove any lumps. 
• First we need to prepare the Pak, in one cup of water, add sugar to it. - mix well 
• Boil the sugar syrup till it reaches one string consistency. 
• Reduce the flame
• Now add ghee and Besan to the Sugar syrup 
• Add cardomom powder to the syrup
• Mix well without lumps
• Prepare a plate/tray with light greasing 
• Pour immediately into the greased plate/tray
• While it is still hot, cut into nice diamond pieces(2 cm) 

Are you going to try Mysore Pak today and let me know how it tastes !!!

Corn Flakes Rava Laddu

 For special occasions or Festivals this is a very easy recipe - kids and all will love these Corn Flakes Laddus!!!

 

LADDU

I made Corn Flake Rava Laddu on the first day of Durga Pooja - also called as Nav Ratri, the first day of Dasara /Dusserah is called as Mahalaya. On this day Hindus believe that divine mother Goddess Durga will descend earth.

INGREDIENTS

• Corn Flakes - 1/2 cup
• Fine Sooji (wheatlets) - 1.5 cup
• Water - 1 1/4  cup
• Milk /cream - 1 cup 
• Sugar - 1 cup ( you could use no calorie sugar sweetner if you do not want sugar)
• Ghee - 3 tablespoons
• 3/4 cup finely chopped dried fruits - cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins
• 1 1/2 tsps cardamom powder (made from green cardamoms)

PREPARATION

Heat the ghee on a medium flame till hot, add dried fruits

Grind the Corn Flakes in food processor and make it medium to fine.

Roast the Sooji (stirring frequently) in 1 tablespoon of ghee, till it begins to turn a very light golden color

Add the sugar and mix well.

Add 1.5 cups of water in a deep pan and boil.

Now add Corn Flakes (grinded one), Sooji, you will get a thick batter, whisk to ensure all lumps are removed and the batter is very smooth.

Now gently add the milk, stirring all the while to prevent lumps from forming.

Add the dried fruits,nuts and raisins now and mix well.

Allow the mixture to cool down.

Now form the mixture, a little at a time, into small balls (Laddus). Press gently but firmly with lightly greased palms to ensure they have no cracks and are firm and smooth.

Allow the Corn Flake Laddus to cool to room temperature before serving

Corn Flake Laddus can be made ahead of time and stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for about a week.

 Enjoy home made yummy laddoos with friends and family for any special occasion !!!!