- Wash and soak the moong dal for 3-4 hours. Blanch the almonds in hot water, remove skin and soak the almonds too. Drain all the water after soaking and add the dal to a blender jar without water and grind to a coarse paste. To this add soaked almonds and grind to a smooth paste, adding very little water.
- Mix half of the ghee(1/4 cup) with the ground paste. Add this to a non-stick pan and heat the pan on low flame. Continue to cook on low flame till the dal mixture looks roasted and the raw smell of dal disappears.
- The mixture turns to a lump and is nicely roasted. To this, add the milk and break the lumps. Cook on low flame to cook the dal again. Scrape anything to the bottom each time so that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom.
- Then add the saffron soaked milk and cardamom powder. Once saffron is added, the colour of the halwa mixture turns to golden yellow colour (which I loved the most).When the mixture looks dry, add the granulated sugar and give a quick mix. The dal mix then turns thin and sugar dissolves. Cook again till the mixture again starts to leave the pan and forms a lump. Add the sliced pistachios and almonds (half), mix well.
- Now keep adding a tsp of ghee, continue stirring with a wooden spoon on low flame. Biceps gets a good work when making this halwa, but the end result is worthwhile. Keep adding a tsp of ghee till the bigger chunks break into smaller lumps and the smaller lumps to granule form. By then, the ghee starts to show up or the mixture starts to give out the added ghee. At this stage, stop adding ghee and mix to get the fine granular halwa. Takes one hour to get granules, so have patience to stir continously.
- Finally, garnish with left over sliced pistachios and almonds. Enjoy warm or cool. Refrigerate leftovers, thaw before serving.
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Rajasthani Style Danedar Moong Dal Badam Halwa | Cherupayar Parippu Badam Halwa
Monday, August 08, 2022
Dosa Wraps | After School Snacks < 30 minutes
What do you usually prepare for snacks, or what do you feed kids as after school snacks? My kids take lunch to school, and so they expect a snack when they return from home. But am not a person who would like to feed the packet snacks as those snacks are not filling at all for my kids age. They just grab a pack of snacks and finish in no time and still feel hungry.
I always try to make things with left over dosa batter, left over idiyappam or make something else that's filling and healthy. This is one such snack that you can prepare in a jiffy, and they totally enjoy. Am also happy as I finish up the dosa batter too. I have added totao chutney in one quarter, salad in anothe, corn fritters in the third and grated cheese to finish the fourth quarter. You can always add a chicken fritter or paneer fritter for a variation. Also, tomato chutney can be replaced with mayonaisse or ketchup or a spicy green chutney. Chat masala can be added to spike it up a little. Give this a try and enjoy !!
- I have used frozen corn. Thaw and use. Pulse half of the corn kernels in a mixer to crush and add the remaining half just like that in a bowl.
- To this add fine chopped onion, garlic, coriander leaves. Add corn flour, pepper powder and salt. Mix well and add water little by little to make a thick pakora like batter.
- Heat oil in a pan and add tbsp full of batter to the pan. Spread lightly with the spoon and shape. Once one side is cooked, flip the other side and cook till lightly browned. Drain from oil and keep aside.
- Add salt to the dosa batter. Mix well.
- Heat an iron griddle, make regular dosas. Keep aside to cool lightly.
- Then place a dosa on a plate or cutting board. Using a pizza cutter, cut from the center on one side (check video for better understanding). Then place tomato chutney on one corner of the dosa, spread in that corner. Place corn fritter on second quarter. Place sliced cucumber and sliced tomato on the third quarter. Finally, place grated mozarella cheese on the fourth. Starting from the tomato chutney corner, fold the dosa in quarters and make a wrap.
- Heat the iron griddle, apply ghee or oil and place the wraps. Press gently and cook. Flip both sides till crisp and cheese is melted. Remove on a plate.
- Similarly, make all other wraps and enjoy with ketchup.
*overcooked rice-crispy rice balls, Uthappam
*left over dosa batter-kuzhi paniyaram, Punugulu
*left over idlis-idli upma, Baked Idli fry, mushroom idlis
*left over cooked rice-lemon rice, egg fried rice,
Saturday, August 06, 2022
Fried Peanuts | Quick Snacks
- Heat a kadai and add oil. When oil is hot, add the peanuts and fry till crisp. Add chilli powder and salt. Mix well and drain from oil in a plate.
- Add the crushed garlic and curry leaves. Fry till crisp and add to the fried peanuts.
- Add the asafoetida powder, chilly powder and salt. Mix well.
- Enjoy with tea !!
Onion Pakoras(Ulli vada)
Vazhapoo(banana flower) pakoras
Spinach pakoras
Parsley Pakoras
Bread Pakoras
Milagu Bajji(Banana Pepper Fritters)