DOSAKAI PACHADI

Yet another mouth watering pachadi from my Mom. Crisp Indian- cucumber(dosakai) is made into pachadi with hot green chilies and crunchy tadka. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Dosakai                         1
• Oil                                  1 Tsp
• Chana dal                     1/2 tsp
• Urad dal                       1/2 tsp
• Mustard                       1/4 tsp
• Green chilies                3
• Coriander                     4-5 sprigs
• Tamarind                     small piece
• Salt                                to taste
• Sugar                            to taste
• Turmeric                       a pinch

PROCEDURE
Wash and peel the cucumber. Discard the seeds and cut it into bite size pieces. Taste the dosakai to make sure it’s not bitter.
Heat oil in a pan and add the dals, mustard. When the tadka is half done add the green chilies(slit the green chilies before adding to the hot oil). When the tadka is done cool it.
Not take the blender and add the tadka, green chilies, tamarind piece, salt, sugar, coriander leaves, few dosakai pieces.
Grind them to a fine paste. Now add the remaining dosakai pieces and pulse the blender twice.
The ground paste should mix with the dosakai pieces. The pieces should retain their shape and crunch. So do not turn the blender into the grind mode. Use the pulse button only.
Remove and serve hot with rice.
Additional tadka can be given to the pachadi if you like. 

ANDHRA STYLE MASHED POTATO CURRY FOR RICE

Potato is one such vegetable which is loved by every one. For many, cooking doesn’t end without potato. Mashed potato curry also called bangaladumpa mudda kura is purely an Andhra recipe. This is mostly served during marriages. This tangy and spicy recipe is very simple to make and is certainly a crowd pleaser. Give it a try. 
INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes                          3-4
• Green chilies                    1
• Curry leaves                    a few
• Coriander                        3-4 sprigs
• Salt                                   to taste
• Oil                                     2 Tsp
• Urad dal                           1/2 tsp
• Chana dal                        1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds                1/4 tsp
• Hing                                  a pinch
• Lemon juice                    2 Tsp

PROCEDURE
Boil and peel the potatoes. Mash them and keep  aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the dals, mustard, hing, curry leaves. When the tadka is done add the mashed potatoes.
Add the salt, finely chopped coriander, green chilies. Mix well and switch off the flame.
Finally add the lemon juice and mix well. Add the lemon juice once the curry cools a little bit.
Serve with hot rice.

BREAD BAJJI

A wonderful snack in the Indian Appetizer Menu is bajji. Aloo bajji, Plantain bajji, Vegetable bajji, Onion bajji, Mirchi bajji……….the list goes on and on. Bread bajji is one step ahead of these. This is a simple snack with a unique combination of the Westerners staple food- bread and the Indian bajji batter. Although it sounds weird, the recipe tastes very yummy. Try it for a change to your normal bajjis. The batter for this is same as the normal bajji batter. Give it a try.

  
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices                   3-4
• Besan                             1 cup
• Rice flour                      1/4 cup
• Salt                                 to taste
• Ginger garlic paste      1 tsp
• Green chilly paste        1 tsp
• Oil                                   for deep frying

PROCEDURE
Use a couple of days oil bread. Cut the pieces into required shape. I have cut them into 4 pieces, each piece into a small triangle.
You need not discard the edges. The edges become even more crispier and tastier after frying.
Heat oil for deep frying the bajjis.
Mean while, take besan in a bowl and add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilly paste, salt and mix well. Add a couple of spoons of hot oil and this helps in making the bajjis light and fluffy. Mix well after adding oil. Use a spoon to mix the besan.
Now add enough water and make the batter as the regular bajji  batter.
Coat each piece of bread with the batter and deep fry the pieces on a medium high flame.
Fry till golden perfection and serve hot wit any chutney.

VENNUNDALU (SAVORY)

I have already posted the recipe for the vennundalu…….sweet version. For those who like the savory snacks, I bring the savory version of vennundalu. They also form the best combination to the sweet vennundalu.  Here I have made the cube shaped vennundalu, as available in sweet shops. The shape doesn’t matter, if you like you can make them round too.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice flour                             2 cups
• Maida                                  1/4 cup
• Butter                                 1/4 cup
• Salt                                      to taste
• Baking soda                       a pinch
• Jeera                                    1 tsp
• Red chilly powder             to taste
• Water                                  to make the dough
• Oil                                        for deep frying

PROCEDURE
Mix the maida, rice flour and baking soda. Now add the salt, chilly powder, jeera.
Add the room temperature butter and mix well till a crumbling flour mix is formed.
Just sprinkle little amount of water and make a stiff dough.
Knead the dough and rest it for 20 minutes.Now make small balls out of the dough.
Deep fry them on a medium flame till golden brown.
Cool them and store in a air tight container.

DATES HALWA

A healthy and nutritious sweet which can be made with very little ghee and sugar is dates halwa. The very healthy dates are combined with good amount of milk and cooked till the great tasting yummy halwa is formed. As the naturally sweet dates are used very little amount of sugar is used. You can also skip the ghee which I have used in my recipe. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Pitted Dates            1 cup
• Milk                         2 cups
• Sugar                      1/4 cup 
• Ghee                        2 Tsp
• Nuts                        of your choice
• Cardamom             a pinch

PROCEDURE
Soak the dates in one cup of milk for an hour.
Grind the dates to a fine paste.
In a non stick pan add the milk, dates paste, sugar.
Keep the flame high and let the mixture cook. Keep on stirring.  
When the mixture tends to become thick(in about 15 minutes) reduce the flame and add the ghee.
Keep stirring till the halwa leaves the edges of the pan.
Finally add the ghee fried nuts and the cardamom. Serve hot or cold.
TIPS

• Can use honey instead of sugar.
• You can also reduce the ghee or even skip the ghee totally.
• Initially the mixture will be light in color, at the final stage the halwa becomes dark.

CARROT KURMA

Carrot….a slightly sweet and healthy veggie. This enhances the taste of every dish in which it is included. Many of us use this as one of the veggie in vegetable kurma. But kurma prepared only with carrots is also tasty. If you like the Kashmiri dishes which are slightly sweet, then you will certainly enjoy this kurma also. This goes well with any Indian Bread or even the South Indian dosa. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

1. Carrots                          1/4 kg
2. Onions                           2(medium)
3. Tomatoes                      2 (medium)
4. Sugar                             1 tsp.
5. Salt                                 to taste
6. Oil                                   2-3 Tsp.
7. Coriander                      3-4 sprigs
8. Ginger                            1 inch piece
9. Garlic                             3-4
10. Cloves                             3
11. Cardamom                    2
12. Cinnamon                      1/2 inch piece
13. Coconut                         1 Tsp. (grated)
14. Red chilies                     2
15. Khus-Khus                    1 Tsp.
16. Coriander seeds           1/2 Tsp.
17. Jeera                              1/2 tsp.
18. Cashews                        8(optional)

PROCEDURE
Chop the onions and tomatoes very finely.
Chop the carrots into tiny pieces and cook them.
Grind the ingredients from 8-18 to a fine paste.
Heat oil in the pan and add the masala paste. Fry the paste till the raw flavor disappears and the oil oozes out.
Now add the finely chopped onions. Fry till they become transparent.
Now add the chopped tomatoes. Fry till the tomatoes become soft.
Mash 1/3rd of the carrot pieces and add all of the cooked carrots to the tomatoes and onions. Add enough salt and a tea spoon of sugar and half cup of water. Mix well, cover and cook for about 15 minutes on a slow flame.
Serve hot with roti or puri or dosa. 

BASUNDI

Basundi- this is a very famous recipe from Maharashtra. This resembles rabdi, yet another milk based dish. Milk is boiled on a very slow flame and the cream layers formed are removed time to time. When the milk reduces to one forth of the quantity, the cream layers collected are added and your basundi ready to be served.
INGREDIENTS

• Milk                       2 liters
• Sugar                    1 cup
• Nuts                       of your choice
• Saffron                  a pinch
• Cardamom            a pinch(optional)

PROCEDURE
Take the milk in a wide and thick bottom pan.
Once the milk boils, reduce the flame and stop stirring. Now you will find cream layer forming over the milk.
Remove the layer and set it aside. Repeat the process(collecting the cream layer) till a considerable amount(may be 1/4-1/2 cup) of cream is collected.
Now increase the flame and keep stirring.
Let the milk reduce to one forth of the quantity.
Now add the sugar and again let the milk reduce to a thicker consistency.
The milk should not form into kova but be of pouring consistency. Now add the collected cream. Mix well.
Finally add the saffron, cardamom and the nuts.
Chill and serve.

BEERAKAYA KOOTU

Kootu is a dal and vegetable based dish especially made in South Indian homes. It should not be confused with the normal dal. Many ingredients are included along with the dal and veggies. My Mom used to make kootu with Beerakaya or sorakaya or Bengaluru Vankaya(chow-chow). Mixed veggie kootu can also be made with beans, carrots, peas etc. Today I give the recipe for the Beerakaya kootu(ridge gourd kootu). You can add any veggies of you choice to choose your taste.
INGREDIENTS

• Ridge gourd                    1
• Toor dal                           1 cup
• Green chilies                   1
• Tamarind pulp                2 Tsp(thick pulp) 
• Chana dal                        1 Tsp
• Urad dal                          1 Tsp
• Coriander seeds             1 Tsp
• Fresh coconut                2 inch piece
• Red chilly powder         1 tsp
• Coriander leaves           4-5 sprigs
• Salt                                  to taste

for the tadka

• Oil                                  1 Tsp
• Chana dal                     1/2 tsp
• Urad dal                       1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds             1/4 tsp
• Hing                               a pinch
• Curry leaves                   a few

PROCEDURE
Peal and cut the ridge gourd into 1 inch cubes.
Cook the toor dal and ridge gourd, green chilies and keep it aside.
In a pan add a teaspoon of oil. Heat the oil and roast the chanadal, urad dal, coriander seeds.
Make the masala paste with the roasted ingredients, tamarind pulp, coconut.
Now in another pan heat the oil for the tadka. Add the tadka ingredients, when the tadka is done add the cooked dal to the tadka.
Reduce the flame to low. Add the ground masala, half a cup of water. Cook till the masala is mixed with the dal.
Finally add the salt, chilly powder, chopped coriander.
Serve hot with rice or roti.
TIPS

• Other veggies such as chow chow,  bottle gourd, carrots, potatoes etc. can also be used in kootu.
• Khus Khus(gasagasalu) can be added to the ground masala to enhance the taste.

HEALTHY POHA MIXTURE

South India is famous for many tea time snacks. Mixture is one of the such snack which is loved by every one. A sweet along with the mixture and coffee is the best snack combination, served to guests in South India. Although the snack is simple, many don’t prefer it as basen is the base and moreover deep fried. For such people Poha chivda or mixture is the best alternative. Today I made the poha mixture even more healthier by skipping the deep frying of the poha. I have rather baked the poha until crisp and golden, mixed it with other ingredients. Give it a try.  
INGREDIENTS

• Poha                           2 cups
• Ghee                           1 Tsp
• Peanuts                     2 Tsp
• Roasted chana         2 Tsp
• Curry leaves             a few
• Salt                             to taste
• Red chilly powder    to taste

PROCEDURE
I have used the thin variety of poha. Thick poha needs extra baking time
Pre heat the oven to 400 ^O F.  Layer the poha on the baking tray. Make sure the poha forms a thin layer.
Bake the poha for 20 minutes. Mix the poha for every 5 minutes so that there is a even baking.
When the poha turns golden brown remove and set aside.
 In a pan heat the ghee and fry the peanuts, roasted chana(putnalu), curry leaves. Mix them to the poha.
Also mix the salt and chilly powder.
Combine them well and enjoy.
You can use cashew nuts also.

CAPSICUM CHUTNEY

A really delicious and mouth watering chutney can be prepared with the vitamin rich- nutritive capsicum. Your body needs whole lots of vitamin c(immunity booster), when you are always easily attacked with cold or flu. Capsicum and chilies are one of the best home remedies to cure your cold symptoms. A hot capsicum chutney not only provides vitamin c, but also stimulates your taste buds. It is easy to make, good for health, delicious to eat. 
INGREDIENTS

• Red capsicum                1
• Red chilies                      3-4
• Salt                                  to taste
• Tamarind                       1 inch piece
• Oil                                    2Tsp
• Urad dal                          1 tsp
• Mustard                           1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves                    a few

PROCEDURE
Heat a table spoon of oil and add the chopped capsicum, red chilies, salt, tamarind. Sauté till the capsicum turns soft.
Grind them to a fine paste.
Heat some oil in a pan and add the urad dal, mustard and curry leaves. When the tadka is done add it to the chutney.
Mix well and serve hot with rice or dosa or idly or any South Indian tiffin.

VEGETABLE KURMA

Vegetable kurma is an easy and tasty side dish for Indian Breads or any rice preparation. This is very popular in South India. Different vegetables are mixed with fresh and homemade masala and cooked on a slow flame till the veggies absorb all the flavors of the masala. Taste enhancers such as cashews, cream can also be added. During the days when the North Indian dishes such as palak paneer, paneer butter masala, kofta curry etc are not so popular in South India, this vegetable kurma was the only dish served along with chapathi. Even till today this is the only dish which is served widely along with chapathi in every household and restaurant  in South India. Here I give a simple version of this recipe. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

1. Potatoes                         3 large
2. Carrots                           2
3. Green beans                  5-6
4. Green peas                     1/4 cup
5. Cauliflower                    1/4 cup(chopped)
6. Onions                            2
7. Tomatoes                      2
8. Turmeric                        1/4 tsp
9. Cashews                        10-12
10. Cream or whole milk   1/4 cup
11. Oil                                    1/4 cup
12. Salt                                  to taste
13. Red chilies                       4-5
14. Sugar                               1 tsp.
15. Coriander                       4-5 sprigs
16. Ginger                            1 inch piece
17. Garlic                             5-6 cloves
18. Coriander seeds           1 Tsp
19. Jeera                              1 tsp
20. Cinnamon                      1 inch stick
21. Cloves                           4-5
22. Cardamom                   2
23. Khus-khus                    1 Tsp..
24. Fresh Coconut             3 Tsp(grated)
25. Kasuri methi                1 tsp(optional)

PRE-PREPARATION

• Boil all the veggies(carrots, potatoes, beans, green peas, cauliflower) and roughly mash them. Don’t mash them to a paste. Large chunks of veggies makes the dish  attractive.
• Chop onions and tomatoes finely.
• Soak the cashews in water for half an hour and grind them to a paste.
• If you want the dish to be in natural red color, soak the red chilies in hot water for 15 minutes and make the paste.
• Grind the ingredients from 16-24 to a fine masala paste.

PROCEDURE
Heat oil in a pan. Add the grinded masala paste. Fry till the raw flavor disappears and the oil oozes out.
Add the onions and fry them till they are soft. Add the tomatoes and fry till they become soft and mushy.
Now add the red chilly paste, turmeric, sugar, salt.
Fry for two minutes and add the boiled veggies. Fry for another two minutes and add a cup of water.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes, mixing intermittently.
Add the cashew paste and cream or whole milk. Mix well. You can also skip these ingredients to make the kurma more healthy.
Cook for another five minutes, add the chopped coriander and kasuri methi(optional).
Mix well and serve hot with any Indian bread or flavored rice.
TIPS

• Adding cashew paste and cream(half and half) makes the kurma silky and smooth and enhances the taste. The natural red color of the kurma disappears once the cream and cashew paste are added. Fry the cashew paste along with masala, and skip the cream to retain the gorgeous red color of the kurma.
• Other veggies of your choice can also be added.
• Add paprika to the masala paste to enhance the color of the dish.   

BREAD BONDA

A real simple snack which is very tummy filling is- Bread Bonda. No much preparation is needed for this recipe. A couple of days old bread is good for the recipe. As the fresh bread absorbs more of the oil, I prefer old bread. It’s for sure that the bondas absorb more of the oil, but if you like to taste the ultimate tasting bread recipe, then go for it once a while. If you want it to be low calorie, try baking the bondas in the oven. But I say, enjoy the high calorie foods once a while.
INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes                 3(boiled, peeled and mashed)
• Onions                    1, finely chopped
• Ginger                    1 inch piece, chopped
• Green chilies          2 chopped
• Garlic cloves         3 chopped
• Oil                            2 Tsp
• Jeera powder         1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1 tsp
• Bread slices             8
• Oil                             for deep frying

PROCEDURE
Heat a couple of spoons of oil in a pan. Add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies. Fry for a minute and add the chopped onions.
Fry till the onions change color and become golden brown.
Now add the mashed potatoes, salt, cumin and coriander powders.
Mix well and the stuffing is ready. Cool it for a while.
Now take each bread slice, remove the edges(optional). Dip each piece in  water and remove them immediately. Squeeze out the water and now place some of the stuffing inside the wet bread.
Close all the edges so that the bread covers the stuffing from all the sides. Make sure the stuffing don’t come out while frying.
You can either make the bondas round or oval. Rolling the wet bread into oval shape is easy.
If you are a beginner in making such recipes, remove the edges from the bread and keep the stuffing on one end, roll the bread gently as a mat. Pinch the edges to give the bonda an oval shape.
Now heat oil in a pan and deep fry the bondas on a medium flame to a crisp golden perfection.
Serve hot with any sauce or chutney.
TIPS

• If you are using the fresh bread then be careful while squeezing out the excess water. Be gentle, otherwise you will end up with bread paste in your hand.
• If you feel that the bread layer over the stuffing is very thin, then try this trick. Make a very thin paste(almost liquid ) with a spoon full of maida  rice flour and water . Dip the bonda in the paste and now deep fry the bondas.
• The edges of the bread makes it difficult to roll, so discard the edges. On practice you will know how to roll along with the edges.
• Fry the bondas on a medium flame in very hot oil. It takes under a minute to fry the bondas. So be careful.
• Fry a couple of them at a time and not more than that. 

VENNUNDALU (SWEET)

Vennundalu…….this reminds me Bandar road in Vijayawada. A sweet shop in Vijayawada makes the perfect tempting vennundalu. I don’t know weather this sweet is made every where in Andhra, but this  is very popular  in Vijayawada and Guntur. As the name itself suggests….vennundalu……these small marble sized balls just melt away in your mouth. The are so light and soft that you will keep on munching one after another.
Most of the sweets(specially the deep fried sweets) are made with maida. But this sweet is made with the rice flour. Here I have used a combination of rice flour and maida.  I have made the cube shaped vennundalu, as available in sweet shops in Vijayawada. The shape doesn’t matter, you can make them round too. Try this simple and delicious sweet for the next festival.  
INGREDIENTS

• Rice flour                        2 cups
• Maida                              1/2 cup
• Butter                              1/4 cup
• Cooking soda                 a pinch
• Oil                                    for deep frying
• Water                            to make the dough
• Sugar                            2 cups
• Water                            1 cup(for syrup)

PROCEDURE
Mix the rice flour, maida, cooking soda, butter. Mix all the ingredients till the butter is well incorporated with the flours.
Now add just enough water and make a stiff dough. Knead for 10 minutes and set aside. Let the dough rest for 20 –30 minutes.
Now make small balls out of the dough. Alternately you can roll small amount of dough into a long thin cylindrical strip and cut it with a knife.
Now make a sugar syrup with 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water. The syrup should be of 2 thread consistency.
Heat oil in the pan and deep fry the dough balls. Fry them on a medium flame to golden brown color.
Drop the fried balls into the sugar syrup. Wait for 2 minutes and remove them onto a plate.
Once cooled you can store them in an air tight container.
TIPS

• Usually the recipe is made only with the rice flour without maida. You can try it.
• Don’t compromise with the butter. Use butter liberally to get mouth melting vennundalu.

DONDAKAYA VEPUDU

Dondakaya, as called in Telugu, is available throughout the year in India. This ivy gourd or Tindola fry is one of my favorite recipes. The recipe which I am posting is commonly seen in the Andhra marriage menu. Cashew nuts and/or peanuts are liberally used in this recipe. You can choose whatever you like. 
INGREDIENTS

• Dondakayalu(Tindola)                1/2 kg
• Onion                                              1 large
• Oil                                                    1/4 cup
• Peanuts/cashews                         a hand full
• Jeera                                              a Tsp
• Coriander powder                        a tsp
• Curry leaves                                  a few
• Red chilly powder                        1 tsp
• Basen                                              1 Tsp

PROCEDURE
Cut the tindola and onion into very thin long pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the peanuts or cashews and remove them.
In the same oil add the jeera and curry leaves.
Now add the tindola pieces. Initially you can cover and cook till the pieces become soft. Once the pieces become soft remove the lid.
Now add the onion pieces. Fry them without the lid. After adding the onions you can add the salt too.
When the tindola and onions are totally fried and they change color add the previously fried peanuts or cashews.
Fry for another minute and add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, basen.
Mix well and remove into a serving dish.

SPONGE DOSA

As the name suggests, these are very spongy and fluffy. Also called as poha dosa or atukula dosalu. This would be the special breakfast recipe made by my Grand Mother in my childhood. No much dal is used in these dosas. Sour butter milk is used, so these dosas fluff-up very well like the idlies, be porous textured,  the taste will be ultimate. Unlike the set dosa or regular dosa, the fermentation time is less. So you can make these dosas on the same day i.e start the preparation in the morning and make dosas in the evening.  Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Urad dal                1/4 cup
• Rice                        2 cups
• Poha/ atukulu      1+1/4 cups(1 cup packed)
• Sour butter milk   2 cups
• Salt                          to taste
• Baking soda           a pinch

PROCEDURE
Soak the dal and rice in water and poha in the butter milk for at least 3 hours.
Grind the rice, dal and poha. The consistency should be thicker than the regular dosas.
Add enough salt and a pinch of baking soda.
Cover and set the batter aside for another 3 hours.
Now you are ready to make the dosas.
Heat the tawa and pour a laddle full of batter. Let the batter spread by itself.
When you see the holes appearing on the dosa, pour a spoon full of oil on the dosa. Now cover and cook for one minute on a medium flame.
Flip and cook for another half minute and serve hot with any chutney. You can also skip this step and cook on only one side.

DADDOJANAM

Daddojanam

Every South Indian meal ends with curd rice. Curd rice is had with a simple pickle and good for a hot summer day. Daddojanam is a small variation to curd rice. Give a tempering for curd rice with ghee add cilantro, green chilies and salt and ur Daddojanam is ready.

INGREDIENTS

• Cooked rice            2 cups
• Fresh cold curd       2 cups
• Cold milk                 1/2 cup
• Salt                         to taste
• Ghee                       2 Tsp
• Chana dal                1tsp
• Urad wash               1 tsp
• Mustard seeds         1/2 tsp
• Jeera                       1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves             5-6
• Green chilies           1 (finely chopped)
• Cashews                  2 Tsp
• Hing                        a pinch
• Coriander                3-4 sprigs

PROCEDURE
The cooked rice should be completely cooled add the curds, milk, salt, green chilies and  finely chopped coriander. Mix well and see the consistency. If serving immediately it can be thick, if serving after an hour or so, it should be liquidly. Rice absorbs the curd very quickly. Now for the tadka add the ghee in a pan, heat it and add the chana dal, urad wash,mustard seeds,jeera,cashews,hing,curryleaves in the order mentioned. When it is done add to the rice and serve the mouth watering tempered curd rice(daddojanam) with Buttermilk chilies(oorumerapakayalu)
TIPS

• Do no add the green chilies to the tadka, you will end up with burning your mouth.
• A little bit of turmeric can be used for color.
• Green grapes and pomegranate seeds can be used in the daddojanam for a different taste.
• If the daddojanam become dry just add curd or milk.
• This tastes heavenly  if had on a summer afternoon.

   

WHEAT FLOUR HALWA/GODHUMA HALWA

Traditionally godhuma halwa is made with wheat grains soaked in water ,grinded and the milk is extracted. With the milk of wheat the halwa is made so delicately so that it turns into a delicacy.This halwa is famous in Andhra as bandar halwa. This halwa is as famous as the bandar ladoo. The aroma of the halwa from the halwaiwala's shop will be so tempting that you cannot move without buying. As a child I remember my uncle bringing the halwa to our home when ever he went to bandar. My grandmother was a great cook. She was an expert doing traditional sweets and especially this halwa. As kids me and my sister used to call this halwa as "Ammamma halwa".
Now, the process of making this is so elaborate so my mother found a easy way of doing this with wheat flour. The taste of this is similar to the traditional halwa, but not exactly the same. This process is more simple and can be made at any time you like.

INGREDIENTS

• Wheat flour               1+1/4cup
• Jaggery                      1+1/2 cup(grated)
• Water                        1/2 cup  
• Ghee                          1 cup
• Water                        1 cup
• Cardamom powder    a pinch
• Dry fruits                   cashews,almonds,raisins.

PROCEDURE
First combine the wheat flour and 1 cup water without lumps. The consistency should be pouring consistency. Leave this aside for 45 minutes. Now keep a non stick pan on the stove and make a syrup with  jaggery and 1/2 cup water. When the syrup attains the one thread consistency, slowly add the wheat flour mixture by continuously stirring and keeping the flame in medium.This is the crucial step in halwa making. Slowly add the flour mixture otherwise you will end up forming lumps. Now start adding ghee little by little and continuously stirring. At the beginning the halwa completely absorbs the ghee and a point is reached when the halwa starts oozing out ghee. Now add the cardamom and the dry fruits(fried in ghee). Keep stirring for another 3 minutes and transfer into a serving bowl.
TIPS

• The halwa can be made with only jaggery or only with sugar.
• Can use food color if the jaggery is white in color.
• Use the melted ghee.
• The whole process should be done on medium flame.
• The raw flavor of the wheat disappears only when the halwa is cooked on the flame for a longer time.
• If a larger amount of halwa is to be made blend the flour and water mixture in a mixer so that no lumps are formed.
• The halwa tastes yummy with excess of ghee and nuts.

NIMMAKAYA PULIHORA/LEMON RICE

A simple and easy recipe which can be made in jiffy is Nimmakaya pulihora. There is no much preparation for this recipe as the traditional pulihora. Just squeeze some lemon juice in cooked rice, give it a tadka with some turmeric and green chilies. You are done. When you want to include an extra and special dish in the menu on weekends or for your guests, go for this simple recipe. This is also a Naivedyam dish to God on all special occasions.
INGREDIENTS

• Cooked rice                 3 cups
• Lemon juice                 2 Tsp
• Green chilies                2
• Turmeric                      a pinch
• Oil                                 2 Tsp
• Chana dal                    1/2 tsp
• Urad dal                       1/2 tsp
• Mustard                       1/4 tsp
• Hing                              a pinch
• Peanuts                        2 Tsp
• Curry leaves                a few
• Red chilies                   2-3

PROCEDURE
First chop the green chilies into very thin slices. Wash them and soak them in the lemon juice for 15 minutes. Washing and soaking them makes the chilies milder and you can eat them with pulihora.
Heat oil in a pan and add the peanuts, chana and urad dals, mustard, hing, red chilies. When they are done and the dals turn brown add the curry leaves, turmeric and hing.
Now add the tadka to the cooked and cooled rice. Add the lemon juice with green chilies, salt.
Mix well and leave it for half an hour. By now the rice will absorb all the sourness from lemon juice and will be ready for serving.
TIPS

• Adding turmeric to tadka will not give raw flavor of turmeric to the rice.
• You can also fry the green chilies in oil, but do not use that oil in pulihora, otherwise you will end up with very hot pulihora.
• If you are making this in a large quantity, fry the peanuts first and remove them. Then fry the remaining tadka.
• Use fried cashew nuts to enhance the taste.

OATS CHAPATI

Chapathi- Indian bread is the staple food for many. With the growing number of health concerns with rice many are switching to chapathi as the main diet. No doubt chapathi is low in calories, rich in fiber. The goodness of the chapathi can be enjoyed only with the whole wheat flour(husk or barn included) and not the refined flour that every one uses. Well, we rarely find the whole wheat flour, especially in India. Oats form the best alternative- oats do not undergo any refining process and hence retains the goodness and nutrition of whole grains. More over they contain more soluble fiber and lowers cholesterol, increases the digestion process. Some people face the constipation problem with the normal wheat chapathi. Oats chapathi is a best alterative for such persons. Also if you are on a diet control plan, including oats in most of your diet recipes can bring you quicker results.
Many of you might have heard of oats chapathi and many of you might have been using a couple of spoon of oats powder while making the chapathi. But today I give a recipe which has more of the oats powder and less of wheat flour. My recipe turned out a hit and believe me, no one can identify that the chapathies are made with oats flour. I have used olive oil for making the chapathi, this not only increases the taste, but also helps in getting smooth chapathies.  
INGREDIENTS

• Oats powder           1 cup
• Wheat flour             3/4 cup
• Salt                           to taste
• Water                       to make the dough
• Oil                             for dough, for frying chapathi

PROCEDURE
If you are having the oats as is, make the powder in a mixie.
Now combine both the flours, salt. Add a couple of teaspoons of  oil and mix well. Now using water little at a time make a soft dough. Add one more spoon of oil to the dough and knead it well for 5 minutes.
Rest the dough for at least 2- 3 hours.
Take a small amount of the dough and roll it into a circle.
Smear some oil onto it and fold it into half and again fold it into half so that a triangle is formed.
Now roll the triangle into 1/4 inch thick chapathi.
Fry the chapathi on a tawa with some oil.
For detailed recipe of chapathi click here
TIPS

• Resting the dough for more time yield softer chapathi.
• You can skip oil while making the dough, but use oil while rolling the chapathi. This makes the chapathi puff-up while frying.
• You can also make the regular roti or pulka with the same dough.
• Use the refined wheat flour in this recipe. This way you can get much softer chapathi.

BRINJAL WITH METHI LEAVES

Methi is one such green veggie which is very healthy. Although it is bitter, a best cooking process can bring out all of its taste and flavor. Methi combined with brinjal makes the best tasting dish. Give it a try. Believe me, you will want to make this dish every time you cook brinjal.
INGREDIENTS

• Brinjal                  1/2 Kg
• Methi leaves        1 Bunch
• Oil                          3 Tsp
• Onions                   1 large
• Mustard                1/2 tsp
• Jeera                     1/2 tsp
• Ginger                   1/2 inch piece
• Green chilies        2
• Fresh coconut      2 inch piece
• Coriander              4 sprigs
• Turmeric                a pinch
• Salt                         to taste

PROCEDURE
Green chilies and ginger can be used as small pieces or paste. Here I made a paste with green chilly and ginger.
Grate the coconut and set aside.
Wash the methi leaves and chop them finely.
Chop the onions finely and cut the brinjals into small pieces and keep brinjal pieces in salt water( otherwise they will turn black).
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard and jeera.
Now add the onions. Add the turmeric. Sauté the onions for two minutes. Now add the ginger and chilly paste(or add them finely chopped).
Now add the finely chopped methi leaves. Add some salt(just for onions and methi) and fry the methi till the leaves become soft and the moisture from leaves evaporate.
Now add the brinjal pieces. Add some more salt, cover and cook. 
Add some more oil if needed. Reduce the flame and cook uncovered till the brinjals turn soft and changes color.
Finish-off by adding chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut.
Add a teaspoon of red chilly powder to make it spicier.
Serve hot with rice or roti.
TIPS

• Make a paste with green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves, coconut. You can also add this paste at the end.
• Frying the methi leaves before adding the brinjal pieces is a must to bring out the flavor of methi.