MODAKA

PRANAMYA SHIRASADEVAM

GOURI PUTRAM VINAYAKAM ll

BHAKTAVASAM SMARE NITYAM

AYUSHKAMARTH SIDDAYE ll

It was Sankashtahara Chaturthi (Special day to worship Lord Ganesha) on 25th March, Tuesday. When it falls on Tuesday, it is considered to be auspicious and called as "Angaraka Sankashti". Usually this sankashti vratha is done for 21 months, but if it is done on Angaraka sankashti day, they say it is equal to 21 vrathas. On this day, i did fasting, pooja and then prepared Lord Vinayaka's fav sweet "Modaka". 21 modakas are made for naivedya. In one modaka, a pinch of salt will be added and whoever gets it, they say he/she is lucky. Lucky me, i got the salted modaka this time.

This is my mom's version of modaka. For outer layer i have used wheat flour and steam cooked, rice flour can also be used and they can be deep fried in oil.

Ingredients:-

Wheat flour- 1 cup

Powdered dalia/Huragadale- 1 cup

Cardmom pwdr- 1/2 tsp

Jaggery- powdered 3/4 cup

Grated dry coconut- 1/2 cup

Ghee- 1tbsp

Procedure:-

• Prepare the dough with wheat flour just like chapathi dough.
• For stuffing: Mix powdered dalia,jaggery,cardmom pwdr,coconut and ghee.
• Make small dough balls and roll them.
• Fill this stuff inside and make garlic shape by twisting at top.
• Steam cook (place them in idli stand) for 10 minutes.

ALOO BONDA

Usually i make these aloo bondas with left over aloo sabzi/palya. Just take a cup of basin flour, and 1 tsp hot oil, 1 or 2 tsp red chilli pwdr, mix it well. Make small balls out of left over palya, dip them in batter and deep fry in oil. Garama garam aloo bonda ready.

BALEKAYI (GREEN PLANTAIN) BONDA

Ingredients:-

Green plantain/balekayi - 1 no. sliced
Gram flour/ besan- 1 cup
Red chilli pwdr- 2 tsp
Tymol seeds/ ajwain- 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
Oil to fry

Procedure:-

• Mix besan with 2 tsp hot oil, red chilli pwdr, ajwain, salt and water.
• Batter consistency shd not be thin.
• Dip Sliced plantain in batter, make sure that plantain slice is fully covered with batter.
• Deep fry in oil.
• Serve hot with tea/coffee.
  
  

BASSARU AND PALYA

Those nine months are most cherished months in every women's life. Those were the days when I used to get so much pampered, cared, get to eat whatever I desire. One of my cousins Shubha invited us for baby shower dinner. She had made Bassaru and mudde combo. Gosh! It was awesome!!!. Then and there I took recipe from her, as if am gonna make it next day....did not try it. (Now my dotty is going to turn 2 yrs next month lol!!!!!!!!!). Last week I made this bassaru, palya and mudde, it turned out very tasty just like shubha's.

Bassaru is prepared by using Tur dal/ Whole green lentil cooked and drained water/ broth.
Bassaru and Palya is a combo. So the below listed ingredients are for both.

Ingredients:-
Whole green lentil- 1 cup
Beans - chopped 1 cup
Dill/sabsige soppu-1 bunch
Onion-1 medium sized
Green chillies- 8-10 nos.
Garlic- 4 cloves
Shredded coconut-1 cup
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Pepper -2-3 corns
Chopped coriander-1 cup
Curry leaves -2 strings
Tamarind juice- 1 tsp
powdered jaggery-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to saute
Mustard-2 tsp

Procedure:-

• Pressure cook (2 whistles only) dal/lentil, chopped beans and chopped dill.
• Strain and collect the cooked water in a bowl, which is used for bassaru.
• Keep 2-3 tbsp of cooked dal, beans and dill separately, which is used in Saaru.

Dry Palya:-

• Heat oil, add mustard, curry leaves, saute green 3-4 chopped chillies, 2 clove garlic and onion.
• Add the pressure cooked stuff to this, stir well.
• Sprinkle half cup shredded coconut, chopped coriander.
  

Bassaru:-

• Grind cumin seeds, green chillies, pepper, 2 garlic cloves, half cup shredded coconut, 1 tsp cooked dal, tamarind juice, jaggery and salt together into a fine paste.
• Saute mustard, curry leaves in oil.
• Add the collected dal cooked water(/veggie stock/ broth), cook for 5 minutes.
• Add ground masala paste,When it starts boiling add saved cooked veggie which was kept separately.

Serve bassaru and dry palya with Ragi mudde & white rice.

SEEMEBADANEKAYI PALYA

Ingredients:-
Seemebadanekayi/Chayote squash- 3 nos.
Chana dal/ bengal gram- 1/2 cup
Onion- 1 no.
Ginger, garlic paste- 2 tsp
Tomato- 1 no.
Cinnamon- 1" pc
Clove- 2 nos.
Shredded coconut- 1/2 cup
Curry leaves- 1 string
Coriander leaves- fistful
Red chilli pwdr- 2 tsp
Water- 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil to saute

Procedure:-

• Grind cinnamon, clove, shredded coconut, curry leaves, coriander leaves, red chilli pwdr, and salt together, keep it aside.
• Heat oil in Cooker pan, add ginger garlic paste.
• Add chopped onion and fry till they turn soft.
• Add diced choyate squash fry for 2 minutes.
• Add tomato and washed, drained bengal gram, fry for 2 minutes.
• Add ground masala, one cup water and cover the lid of cooker, cook till 2 whistles.
• Serve with chapathi/roti.

CHILLI FRY

Chilli fry goes well with rotis and naans. Take long chillies ( wont be that hot) and chop them. Fry chopped chillies in 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tsp besan flr and stir it until besan blends with chillies. At the end add salt and 1tsp lime juice.

AVAREKAYI PALYA

Avarekayi is one among the many Indian stuff which I miss here in US. (Avarekayi is known as Bean seeds in English and Papdi Lilva in Hindi). Avarekayi season starts from November- ends in Feb. I was craving to eat Hithagavare with Puri. During that season, Hithagavare saaru is prepared in everyones kitchen. It is made by removing the pulp of avarekayi, very time consuming and needs many helping hands to separate seed from pulp. Last weekend when I went for grocery shopping in Desi store, found this papdi lilva in frozen food section, it was like finding a oasis in desert, just grabbed 2 packets. Yesterday made avarekalu palya as side dish with akki rotti. I will try Hithagavare next time.

Ingredients:-

Papdi lilva/ avarekayi- 2cups

Onion- 1 chopped

Green chillies- 5-6 nos.

Curry leaves- 1 string

Coriander leaves- fistful

Garlic- 1 clove

Cumin seeds- 1tsp

Garam masala pwdr-1 tsp

Shredded coconut- 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil to saute

Mustard - 1 tsp

Procedure:-

• Grind shredded coconut, chillies, garlic, cumin seeds, salt, coriander , garam masala powder together into a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard, curry leaves, chopped onion fry till soft.
• Add avarekayi cook until they become soft.
• Then add ground masala paste, cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Serve hot with chapathi/roti.

AKKI ROTTI

Everyday I have to pack lunch for my hubby, Usually I give him chapathi. He is bugged up with chapathi and asked me to make something else. Shortly I am going to decide on a menu frm Mon thru Friday, Two days chapathi, two days rice variety and one day akki rotti. Making Akki rotti takes more time, cant make them in the morning, i mean before my DH leaves to office. If i make them at night and keep, they turn hard by the time he eats. My aunt gave me an idea of rolling roti and keeping them in fridge, Just roast them on the tava when needed. Now i am doing the same thing. I roll rotis at night and keep them in fridge, next day morning I roast them and pack. Rotis will be fresh and soft.

To make 10 Rotis:-

Ingredients :-
Rice Flour -1 lb
Water - 2 cups
salt - a pinch

Procedure:-

• Pour water in a vessel, add salt, bring water to boil.
• Add 1/2 lb of flour, allow it to bake for 10 mins.
• Stir properly to break lumps, remove the vessel from heat.
• When it is warm, add remaining flour and knead well.
• Make even sized dough balls.
• Dust the rolling board with flour and roll the balls with roller pin.
• Put roti on a hot tava/ griddle, brush the top surface with water.
• Roast for few seconds until the top begins to puff.
• Turn the roti and again roast until it puffs , then remove from tava.
• Serve hot/cold with palya and chutney.

UPPITTU / UPMA

Most of us hate eating Rava uppittu/upma. If Semolina/rava is mixed with seviya/vermicilli and lots of veggies, upma will be very tasty. Here I am using equal qty of rava and vermicilli and abt veggies - its your wish, whatever you like you can add.

Ingredients:-
Rava/ Semolina- 1 cup
Vermicilli- 1 cup
Onion- 1 no.
Carrot - 1 no.
Beans- chopped one cup
Potato- 1 no.
Tomato- 1 no.
Green chillies- 5-6 nos.
Shredded coconut- 1/2 cup
Oil to saute
Mustard - 1 tsp
salt to taste
Water - 3 cup
Curry leaves- 1 string
Chopped coriander - 1/2 cup

Procedure:-

• Fry rava and vermicilli separately till turn golden colour.
• Heat oil in a vessel add mustard, curry leaves, green chillies and chopped onion, fry till soft.
• Add chopped carrot, potato, beans and at the end add tomatoes fry for 5 minutes.
• Add water, salt when it starts boiling add rava and vermicilli, stir until all the veggies blend with rava/vermicilli .
• Cover the vessel with a lid , cook for 5 more minutes.
• Sprinkle chopped corinader and shredded coconut.
• Serve hot.

PAV BHAJI

Ingredients:-
Dinner rolls/ Pav
Potato- 2 nos.
Peas- 1/2 cup
Onion-2 medium sized
Tomato- 1 chopped
Capsicum- 1 no.
Cauliflower- 1 cup
Coriander - chopped 1/2 cup
Ginger paste- 1tsp
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to saute
Butter-1 tbsp
Everest Pav bhaji masala- 2 tsp
Red chilli pwdr- 1 tsp

Procedure:-

• Cook potato, cauliflower,capsicum, peas in cooker and keep it aside.
• Fry ginger garlic paste in oil, then add chopped onion, fry till soft.
• Now add chopped tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, chilli pwdr and salt.
• Add cooked and mashed veggies to this, mix well.
• Add a blob of butter, sprinkle coriander leaves and finely chopped onion.
• Serve hot with buttered pav/dinner roll.

DOSA

Ingredients:-

Rice- 3 cups
Urad dal- 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds- 2 tsp
Chana dal - 1tbsp
Poha- 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Procedure:-

• Soak rice separately and urad dal+ chana dal+fenugreek seeds separately for 7-8 hrs.
• First grind ural dal, chana dal and fenugreek seeds to get fine batter.
• Then grind rice and poha.
• Mix both and keep it overnight.
• Next day morning add salt and stir the batter well.
• Take a ladle ful of batter and pour it on the hot gridle, make round shape.
• Turn dosa upside down.
• Remove from gridle, serve hot with potato palya, chutney.

ALOO PALYA:-

Ingredients:-

Potato-4 nos.

Onion-2 nos.

Green chillies- 5-6 nos.

Turmeric pwdr- 1/2 tsp

Oil to saute

Curry leaves- 1 string

Chopped coriander - 1/2 cup

Shredded coconut- 1/4 cup

Mustard- 1 tsp

Salt to taste.

Procedure:-

• Boil potatoes in cooker and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a pan,add mustard, curry leaves, green chillies , saute for 2 mins.
• Add chopped onions , saute for 5 minutes.
• Add turmeric pwdr and mashed potatoes.
• Garnish with coriander and shredded coconut.
• Serve with dosa.

PANEER JALFREZI

Ingredients:-
Orange/ Red bell pepper- 1 no.
Green bell pepper- 1 no.
Green chillies- 3-4 nos.
Paneer- 100 gms
Onion- 1 medium sized chopped
Tomato - 1 medium sized chopped
Garlic paste-1 tsp
Ginger paste- 1 tsp
Besan/ gram flour- 2 tsp
Yogurt- 2 tbsp
Garam masala- 2 tsp
Haldi/ turmeric pwdr- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli pwdr- 1 tsp
Cilantro- chopped 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil to saute.

Procedure:-

• Heat oil in a vessel, add ginger garlic paste.
• Then add green chillies, chopped onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Now add red chilli pwdr, garam masala pwdr, turmeric pwdr and yogurt.
• Keep stirring until all the pwdrs mix well.
• Add cubed/ diced bell peppers and half a cup of water.
• Cook until peppers become soft. Then add chopped tomato.
• Mix besan/ gram flr with quarter cup of water, remove lumps, pour into vessel.
• Add salt, chopped cilantro and fried paneer cubes.
• Serve hot with roti/naan/chapati.

PULKA

Ingredients:-
Wheat flour- 2 cups
Oil- 2 tsp
Water to make dough
Salt - a pinch

Procedure:-

• Mix the flour with water and knead to a smooth dough.
• Keep closed for 1 to 2 hours.
• Divide the dough into even sized balls and roll them like chapathi.
• Heat the griddle and put pulka. When small bubbles appear on top, turn over immediately.
• Turn over to direct flame. (or use a wire mesh on top of the stove)When it puffs up, remove from fire.
• Apply little ghee or butter on one side of Pulka.
• Serve hot with vegetables/ curry/ chutney.

SAGO/ SABUDANA KHICHADI

Sago is also known as Sabudana. It was in my knowledge that on the day of Ekadashi many ppl make n eat this sago khichadi. I thought of making it on shivaratri.But i was not knowing how to make. Googled and got the recipe, sabudana khichadi is Maharashtrians fav food. I tried it for the first time, it came out very tasty.

Ingredients:-

Sago- 1 cup
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Fried pea nut pwdr- 1/4 cup
Green chillies- 3-4 nos.
Shredded coconut- 1/4 cup
Chopped coriander-1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tbsp

Procedure:-

• Soak sago for 6-7 hrs, drain it.
• Add pea nut pwdr and salt to sago.
• In a vessel heat oil, add cumin seeds and green chillies.
• Then add sago cook for 6 minutes by covering the vessel.
• Sago becomes a bit translucent.
• Now open the lid, add shredded coconut, coriander.
• Cook for another 5 minutes without covering the lid to avoid stickyness of sago.
• Serve hot.

NAAN WITH PALAK PANEER

Palak/ spinach is very rich in iron content. Palak paneer is delicious and also nutritous.

NAAN:
Ingredients:
Maida/ All purpose flour- 2 cups
Yogurt/ Curd- 2 tbsp
Baking soda- pinch
Oil- 2tsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:-

• Prepare the dough by mixing maida, yogurt, oil, soda and salt.
• Keep it aside for 3-4 hrs.
• Divide the dough into even sized balls.
• Roll them and put it on griddle.
• Turn the naan upside down on the griddle.
• Bake both the sides.

PALAK PANEER:-

Ingredients:-

Palak/ Spinach - 1 bunch

Onion -1 chopped medium sized

tomato- 1 no.

Ginger paste- 1 tsp

Garlic paste- 1 tsp

Poppy seeds- 1 tsp

Cashews- 6-7 nos

Cinnamon- 1" pc

Clove- 2 nos.

Coriander pwdr- 1 tsp

Red chilli pwdr- 1 tsp

Paneer cubes- 1 cup

Oil- 1 tbsp to saute

Salt to taste

Procedure:-

• Soak cashew and poppy seeds for half an hour.
• Boil spinach till it becomes soft, add a pinch of sugar to retain green colour.
• Grind onion, tomato, cashew, poppy seeds, cinnamon, clove together.
• Grind spinach separately.
• Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic paste.
• Then add ground masala, cook for 5 minutes.
• Now add coriander pwdr and red chilli pwdr.
• Then add ground palak and salt, cook till it starts boiling.
• At the end add fried paneer cubes.
• Serve hot with naan/chapathi/roti.

RAVA LADDU

"Shivaratri " is the important festival for Hindus. Everybody does fasting on the day of shivaratri. ( Though we eat a lot of fruits, sweets, snacks n all , we call it fasting). It is my first shivaratri in USA,back home my MIL/mom used to make many sweets and snacks. I made rava laddu, sago khichadi and fruit salad.

Ingredients:-
To make 30 Laddus

Fine Sooji/ Chiroti rava- 1.5 cups
Surgar - 2 cups
Boiled milk- 1/2 cup
Cardmom pwdr- 1 tsp
Fried raisins, cashew- 1/2 cup
Ghee- 1tbsp

Procedure:-

• Fry rava in ghee until it turns golden colour.
• Remove from heat add sugar and cardmom pwdr.
• Add milk , cashews and raisins.
• Mix thoroughly, make even sized laddus.

IDLI SAMBAR

Idli- Sambar is South Indians all time fav. Here i have made rice idli some ppl use rava instead of rice with urad dal. But i prefer rice idli as it comes out very soft and more tasty. There are many ways to prepare sambar but i like the way my maternal aunt prepares. I used to visit her place on sundays to eat Idli-Vada-Sambar. Lalitha aunt is a gr8 cook, though her cooking is bit tedious but tastier.

Idli
Ingredients :-
Rice- 3 cups
Urad dal- 1 cup
Cooked rice- 1/2 cup
salt a pinch

Procedure:-

• Soak rice and urad dal for 7-8 hrs.
• Grind dal, rice and cooked rice into a fine batter.Mix them together.
• Keep it overnight.
• Morning add salt and stri the batter.
• Grease the plates of idli stand.
• Pour the batter in idli stand, steam cook for 10 minutes.

SAMBAR:-

Ingredients:-

Tur dal- 1 cup

Moong dal -1/4 cup

Onion- 2 chopped

Tomato -1 no.

Carrot- 1 no.

Beans- chopped 1 cup

Cinnamon- 1 small pc

Clove- 3 nos.

Poppy seeds- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Coriander - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder- 2 tsp

Grated coconut- 1/2 cup

Tamarind juice- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil to saute

Mustard- 1 tsp

Asafoetida- 1 pinch

Coriander leaves - chopped 1/4 cup

Curry leaves- 1 string

Procedure:-

• Pressure cook carrot, beans, tomato, one chopped onion, tur dal, moong dal.
• Fry cinnamon, clove, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, coriander one by one.
• Then fry one chopped onion, add red chilli pwdr to it.
• Grind all the fried ingredients add grated coconut, tamarind juice and salt to it.
• Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard, curry leaves, asafoetida.
• Then add the pressure cooked dal and veggies.
• Cook for 5 minutes then add ground masala.
• When it starts boiling, put off the heat.
• Serve hot with Idli/vada.

CHANADAL CHUTNEY

I learnt this chutney from my Kerala friend Ajitha. We get bored eating coconut chutney always so try this for a change. It goes well with chapathi, idli, dosa and also with rice.

Ingredients:-

Chana dal/ Bengal gram - 1/2 cup
Dry red chillies- 6-7 nos
Medium size onion -1 no.
Medium size tomato - 1 no.
Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
salt to taste

Procedure: -

• Fry chanadal, red chillies, chopped onion and chopped tomato separately.
• Grind all the ingredients together to get tasty chutney.