Puranache Dive

Dish type: Traditional Indian Dessert

Time taken: 15 min approx

Roasting time: 10 min

Quantity: 100 gms

Ingredients

Bengal gram dal                   125 gms

Jaggery                                 150 gms

Directions:

Cook dal in a pressure cooker with enough water (say twice the quantity of dal) till it is soft. Drain water completely. While dal is cooking….pound jaggery to powder form.

Mix both powdered jiggery and cooked dal in a kadai. Heat till jaggery melts. Continue stirring and heating the mix on low flame till water content disappears and mix turns into ball like consistency. It also starts leaving the sides of the kadai.  Grind this mass in a “puran yantra” or in a mixie. When done with a mixie, it becomes liquidy.  Keep it in the fridge for a few hours to allow it to cool down and become tight. Now shape them into diyas, place wick inside each of the diyas, fill diya with ghee . Use it to perform “Arati”

Tete – a – Tete:

Recipe Contributor Smitha Kiran Desai says “We pray to Goddess jivati to protect our children… on Friday of Shravan month. On Nagapanchami we Deshastha Brahmins make a recipe called Dinda. This is also made with puran. Puran is placed on a wheat roti. Roti is then folded into pocket shape and it is steamed. It is eaten with ghee.”

Rava Laddoo

Dish Type: Indian Traditional Dessert

Time required: 45 min

Yield: 30 nos. (approx. )

Ingredients

Sooji Rava                            2 bowl

PC: Sooraj Nair

Ghee                                       ¾ bowl

Cardamom                            4-6 nos.

Vegan sugar                         1 1/4 to 1 1/2 bowl, 
                                                        depending on how sweet you like

Mawa/khoya                        Made out of ½ ltr milk

Desiccated coconut or raw coconut 1/2 bowl

Broken cashews/badam and raisins 1/2 bowl

Milk for rolling

Directions:

Fry sooji rava on low flame adding ghee little by little. Towards the end add coconut, cashew/badam raisins. Continue frying for another 5 min

As you fry rava on the other stove, boil and reduce the milk to make khova ready.

Powder sugar and cardamom and add to rava mix and mix well

Add khova and mix well

Add hot milk and roll the laddoos. Rava Laddoos are ready.

Offer to Sun

Recipe Contributor: Ms. Sreeja M

Mysore Pak

Dish type: South Indian Dessert

Time required: 45 min

Yield: 35 to 40 pieces

Ingredients

Besan                                   400 gms

Brown Sugar                       500 gms

Pure Ghee                            500 gms

Cardamom                           2 nos. (powdered)

Sandalwood powder            ¼ tsp

Directions:

Fry besan till you can feel a nutty flavour. Mix this with cardamom powder, sandal powder, ghee and keep it aside. Boil sugar along with water (Sugar: Water = 1: 1.5) till it reaches 1 string consistency. Now pour besan-ghee mixture into this. Keep stirring gently and continuously till the mixture reaches a thick paste consistency and starts leaving ghee on the sides of the kadai. Now transfer it to a greased plate. It takes atleast an hour to set. Cut them to pieces of desired shape and size.

Soft Mysore Pak is ready.

Tete a Tete

Cardamom powder can be added either to sugar syrup or to besan mix.

Softness of Mysore Pak depends on the quantity of ghee (more quantity required than for rough looking textured type) as well as syrup consistency (1 string is must).

Recipe contributor: Ms. Sreeja M

Boondi Laddoos

Dish type: South Indian Dessert
Time required: 45 min

Yield: 12 nos. approx

Ingredients

For batter:

Besan                                  1 cup

Milk                                    Just enough to bring besan to idli batter consistency

Turmeric Powder                1/2 tsp

Sandalwood powder           1/3 tsp

Salt                                      A tiny pinch

For sugar syrup:

Sugar                                  3.5 cups

Water                                  Just enough to cover sugar in bowl

Cardamom                          2 or 3 nos.

Clove                                  5 to 6 nos.

Cashewnuts                        2 or 3 tsps (broken pieces)

Raisins                                2 or 3 tsps

For frying:

Pure ghee (or butter)          100 gms approx. for each batch of frying

Directions:

Mix milk (preferably Good Life milk), besan, sandalwood powder and turmeric powder. Bring it to idli batter consistency.

Heat 100 gms of ghee / butter in an iron kadai.

(to check if ghee is hot enough for frying, drop a drop of besan batter into hot ghee. If it flattens, it means batter is dilute. Add 1 sp of besan to adjust the consistency. If it forms a tail, it means batter is thick. Add 1 sp of water to adjust its consistency)

Before you begin to fry boondis, fry broken cashews and raisins, remove and keep aside.

Start preparing boondis using a boondi ladle. Using one hand, keep boondi ladle a little above the kadai. Using the other hand, pour batter on to the ladle so that it falls into the hot ghee in the kadai through the holes in the ladle. Wipe the ladle clean and dip it back into the batter. Use another ladle for frying and not the one dipped in batter.

Fry the boondis normally, don’t let it brown or burn. Ideally it is to be fried with sufficient ghee so that boondis have space to float. If you are comfortable using the extra ghee, do in small batches with lesser ghee. When boondis are in the last stage of frying, separate stuck boondis with light pressure.

Towards the end of boondi preparation, prepare sugar syrup to one string consistency and transfer fried boondis to sugar syrup.

Preparing Sugar Syrup:

Boil sugar in 500 ml water. Let sugar dissolve and boil for a few minutes till the syrup reaches a light thread consistency.

Add fried boondis, raisins, cashews, cardamom and clove to the boiling syrup. Let it boil for 2 to 3 min. When ladle starts getting sticky or stiff, switch off the flame. If syrup quantity is more, continue frying for another 2 to 3 min.

Let it cool down, enough for you to handle. .Add pinch of camphor and mix well. Transfer it to a wide basin, make portions and then form laddoos. Start making rough balls from these portions. Press well, but don’t squeeze out all the sugar syrup. Laddoos will become dry. Repeat 3 times. At this stage, it will be a well formed laddoo.

Boondi Laddoos are now ready. Offer to Guru/Jupiter

Tete – a – Tete:

For perfect round and dense laddoos, take out a ladleful of soaked boondis, powder them in a mixie and add it back to the rest of soaked boondis before forming them into laddoos.

Cardamom powder can be added either to sugar syrup or to besan mix.

It is important that sugar syrup reaches light thread consistency.

If batter is too thin or if ghee is not yet hot, boondi will absorb more ghee.

It is better to heat just the required amount of ghee for every batch of frying rather than heating larger than required quantity of ghee at a time.

Adding milk to besan softens the boondis.

Recipe contributor: Ms. Sreeja M

WHEAT FLOUR HALWA

Figure conscious folks, here’s a boon grown just for you! A type of grass grown the world over, say 2’ tall, can even shoot up to six when measured in quarters of meters. Long stalk with beardly bristly spikes enclosing a tight well-formed kernel cluster, nutrition packed food ingredient culled into a class called grain, called by the name of wheat. The flour of this milled using the whole of wheat, when used in various dishes imparts a “filling” feeling, chasing away that extra weight. Worried that it can’t hold you tight, this flab will simply flee! Feels fab…right?

Despite our eyes on weighing scale, once in a way don’t we wish to indulge. Here’s a dish, a dessert made using wheat flour that grants us both: Our wish to indulge and that extra weight to expunge.

Tempted by its taste when offered as Prasadam on Rathasapthami day, a couple of days ago at Bimba Art Ashrama, I wasted no time in trying it out and needless to say, share this recipe with you.

Dish Type: South Indian Dessert

Time taken: 45 mts
Yield: 12 nos. approx.

Ingredients

Wheat flour     250 gms

Sugar               125 gms

Water              250 ml

Cardamom      1 or 2 nos.

Raisins             2 tsps  

Cashewnuts     2 tsps

Ghee                2 tbsps            

Directions:

Dry fry wheat flour in a kadai over low flame till it turns golden brown and emits a nice aroma. Transfer it to a plate. In the same kadai, fry cashewnuts and raisins in 1 - 2 tsps of ghee. Transfer them to a plate. Pour water and sugar into the kadai. When sugar melts and water starts bubbling, add roasted wheat flour slowly into the boiling syrup. Keep stirring while adding. Continue to stir till the flour with syrup turns into a mass. Start adding ghee little by little, keep stirring and when the mass leaves the sides of the kadai, add fried raisins, cashewnuts and cardamom powder. Mix well. Switch off the flame. Make round balls and keep them on a plate. Let it stand for a few minutes.

Wheat Flour Halwa is now ready to be served.

Tete - a - Tete

Whole wheat flour contains bran, germ and endosperm of the grain and is more nutritious than refined flour wherein bran and germ are removed during milling.

Whole wheat flour contains iron, thiamin and niacin, is rich in fibre and provides an earthy taste.

Recipe contributed by septuagenarian Smt. Uma Nagaraj, mother of my dear friend Smt. Deepika Dorai

Also view:
Gulipaavate (Wheat flour - Semolina Laddoos)
Banana Fritters (Yeridevu/Suttevu)
7 Cups Barfi
Red Rice Laddoos
Bun Gulkand Sandwich
Chocoats Ragi Malt Porridge

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog  

Gulpavate - Quick Version

On this auspicious occasion of Gowri – Ganesha festival, Mangala’s Potluck begins with the offering of a “Prasadam” recipe.

Come Mangala Gowri Vratha (every Tuesday of Shraavana Maasa), Amma would rush to the kitchen just before start of our puja and return in no time, with a plateful of brown balls moulded, cup shaped, space created in the centre to hold oil and bathi (wick) all set for Mangalaarathi.

On finishing the puja, she made sure to give this as “prasadam” to all. Hmmm, this was one bait, for sure, we never minded the wait!

Dish type: Traditional Sweet

Time required: 10 min

Yield: 12 nos.

Ingredients

Wheat flour              125 gms

Sooji Rava               100 gms (sooji rava/chiroti rava/semolina)

Jaggery                     225 gms

Raw coconut            125 gms (or 1/2 coconut medium size)

Ghee                        1 tbsp

Directions

Keep jaggery in a vessel with just enough water for it to dissolve.

Meanwhile, saute wheat flour and sooji rava in a dash of ghee, separately, in a pan till you get a pleasant smell – a sure sign that something delicious is on its way. Keep them aside. Into the same hot pan, put freshly grated raw coconut and saute for a short while. No need to switch on the stove. Heat in the pan is enough to warm coconut.

Boil jaggery water in a kadai till it melts completely. Sieve if required.

Transfer coconut from the pan into the kadai. Let it boil for a while.

Now add fried wheat flour and rava into the kadai. Mix them and saute till they blend well. Switch off the stove.

Add a tsp of ghee. Make round balls while still hot or warm enough for you to handle. Keep them on a plate. Let it cool.

Gulpavate prasadam is now ready.

Tete a Tete

Dry grated coconut may also be used in place of raw coconut

Gulpaavate recipe tried by Sri Nagesh Sidhanti

Cardamom and nutmeg may be added to get higher taste (Yes, I fully agree with you Sri Nagesh Sidhanti). Not included here in this "quick" version

Few types of jaggery: Palmyra jaggery, Date palm jaggery, sugarcane jaggery

Jaggery of any type is better for health than refined sugar
Gulipaavate can also be served as snack

The longer version of Gulpavate will be posted later.

Recipe contributor: My sweet big sis Shyla H Rao on behalf of our dear mother, Late Smt. Indira Jagannatha Rao (Kaveri)
Gulpavate is also known as Wheat Thambittu

Also view in this blog:
Red Rice Laddoos
7 Cups Barfi
Banana Fritters / Yeridevu
Bun Gulkand Sandwich

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog 

NAVAGRAHA - NAVADHANYA TABLE: READY RECKONER

IAll information pertaining to the above table contributed by my dear friend Ms. Sreeja M

You may also view in this blog:
Side Dish Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Rice Varieties
Gojju Varieties
Dessert Recipes
Spice Powders
Sambar Varieties
Snack Recipes

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog  

SAJJIGE FOR SATHYANARAYANA PRASADAM

Dish type: Sweet Pudding / Dessert

Time required: 40 mts

Serves: 12 persons approx. (1 scoop each)

Ingredients

Chiroti Rava    1 cup (chiroti rava/semolina/fine sooji)

Sugar               1 cup

Ghee                1 ¼  cup

Milk                 2 cups

Banana            1 ¼ cup (riped ones, fine chopped to pieces)

Method of preparation

Roast rava in a pan on low flame using the whole quantity of ghee mentioned above till you get a very nice aroma. Make sure it doesn’t turn brown. Switch off the flame. Then keep the pan aside. Mix this well with thoroughly boiled milk. Make sure there are no lumps. Now keep this mix for boiling.

Note: Milk can be boiled in advance and mixed later with roasted rava.

Add sugar, start stirring at intervals and let it continue to boil for 10 to 15 min. Now add fine chopped ripe banana pieces, mix well and stir for 2 to 3 min. more. Switch off the flame.

Sajjige Prasadam is now ready.

Tete - a - Tete:

Recipe Contributor Smt. Yashodamma, a regular cook for preparing Prasadam recipes as offering in Jambul Ganapathy temple, 5th Main, 5th Cross Malleswaram, Bangalore (where her son Shri Venkataramana is a priest) has this to say:

“Top up ingredients like raisins, cashewnuts, saffron and elaichi generally used for sajjige are not used when I prepare as Prasadam for offering to God”
This dish is prepared as offering to Lord Satyanarayana Swami for Satyanarayana Puja performed on every pournami at the temple

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog  

ARAVANA PAYASAM

Payasam popular naivedyam of Lord Ayyappa at Shabarimala.

Sharanam Ayyappa! Let’s start

Dish type: Traditional Desert

Time required: 45min

Yield: 1 bowl (200 ml approx.)

Ingredients

For boiling:

Rice                                        60 gms

Jaggery                                 120 gms

Water                                      150 ml

Ghee                                        45 to 50 gms

Edible Camphor (paccha karpoora) tiny pinch

Cardamom                            2 or 3 nos.

For garnishing:

Dry coconut  finely chopped   4-5 tsp (few small pieces)

Black til                                ½ tsp

Cashewnuts                            1 tsp

Raisins                                 2 tsps.

Directions:

Dry fry organic handpound raw rice for two mins. Stop when grains start spluttering. Add a tsp of ghee. Do not allow rice to splutter too much or turn crispy. Now add water and let it soak for 15-30min depending on the rice which you are using. Close with a lid. Let it boil. When rice is cooked, no water should remain and you should be able to mash the cooked rice with mild pressure between your fingers. Transfer rice from kadai to a vessel. Add half portion of ghee. Let ghee coat the rice well.

Now put jaggery into the kadai. Add water (quantity enough to dissolve jaggery). Boil till jaggery melts. Open or lightly crush the cardamom and add. When the syrup starts frothing, add cooked rice to it. Keep stirring till the contents in the kadai thicken (not too thick, as it will further thicken when it cools). Let the payasam cool down in the kadai a bit say 10-15 min. In the Naivedyam offering bowl, add remaining ghee, camphor. Mix well. Now transfer the payasam to offering bowl.

Now, let’s garnish. Let it look stylish!

Fry chopped dry coconut pieces in ghee. Let it turn golden brown in colour. Now add black til, cashewnuts and raisins. Add it to the payasam and mix well. The real aroma is in the garnishing !

Aravana Payasam is now ready for offering. Leave the payasam for 1-2 hrs and the ghee will thicken back. Best tastes this way.

Tete a Tete

Red rice, handpound rice, Rajamundri rice or any raw rice can be used.

Blackest possible variety of jaggery is preferred. (paak bella)

Important : Best tastes when cooked in an iron or brass kadai / pan

When jaggery melts completely on boiling, sieve if required to filter out any impurities and pour the filtered jaggery syrup back into the kadai and resume boiling.

In case too much water is left out after cooking rice, drain out the water

Can reduce the ghee, if you can compromise the taste a bit

Rice can be pressure cooked, provided it doesn’t get smushy

Recipe contributed by my dear friend Ms. Sreeja M

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog