VELLA AVAL / SWEET POHA

Here is a tasty and simple dessert straight from my Grandma's kitchen....

It is delicious and filling and  can be prepared in less than 15 minutes...

This dessert is a tasty and healthy alternative to the modern day pastries ...

Usually it is prepared on Gokulashtami /Sri Krishna Jayanthi / Janmashtami day and offered to Lord Sri Krishna  to symbolically remind us of Kuchela's offering aval to Sri Krishna who partakes it happily and showers Kuchela with wealth, joy and prosperity...

INGREDIENTS

• AVAL /RICE FLAKES /POHA-2 CUPS
• POWDERED JAGGERY-1 3/4 CUP
• POWDERED ELAICHI-1/4 TEASPOON
• GRATED COCONUT -1 CUP
• GHEE-3 TABLESPOONS
• FRIED CASHEW NUTS-  8 - 10

METHOD

• Dry roast the aval in a kadai for a minute.
• Powder it coarsely for 1/2 a minute in a mixer.
• Soak the powdered aval with just enough water  for 7-8 minutes if the aval is the hard variety.(If it is the thin aval this stem may be skipped  or you may soak it for just 30 seconds).

•  Heat the powdered jaggery  with just enough water cover it.
• Dissolve and boil till you get a nice aroma .

• Now ,add the soaked aval and grated  coconut to the jaggery syrup.
• Continue stirring till the syrup is absorbed and it leaves the sides of the pan.
• Now add the elaichi and fried cashew nuts and garnish.
• Serve hot or a little cool.

• This dessert is usually home made of offered in temples and is not usually available in restaurants or sweet shops.

VELLA DOSAI /SWEET PANCAKE

Here is a dosa 

A dosa with a twist...

A sweet dosa ...So delicious and so to prepare...

INGREDIENTS

• RICE FLOUR-1/2 CUP
• WHEAT FLOUR -1 CUP
• POWDERED JAGGERY -3/4 CUP
• POWDERED ELAICHI-1/2 TEASPOON
• SALT -1 PINCH
• GHEE-FOR COOKING

Here is a dosa 

A dosa with a twist...

A sweet dosa ...So delicious and so to prepare...

INGREDIENTS

• RICE FLOUR-1/2 CUP
• WHEAT FLOUR -1 CUP
• POWDERED JAGGERY -3/4 CUP
• POWDERED ELAICHI-1/2 TEASPOON
• SALT -1 PINCH
• GHEE-FOR COOKING

METHOD

• Mix the flours.
• Dissolve the jaggery in hot water and filter the solution.
• Add the salt ,elaichi and flours to the filtered solution.
• Add some more water and make a batter of pouring consistency.
• Heat a tawa. Grease it slightly.

• Pour a ladle full of batter in a dosa/pancake form.
• Add some ghee on the sides.Cook till done.Flip and cook till the other side is done too .You may add some more ghee if you wish.
• Remove from the tawa and serve hot.

LAUKI HALWA / SURAIKKAI HALWA

A deliciously healthy halwa ...so easy to prepare ...loaded with the goodness of bottlegourd (Lauki /Suraikkai) and full cream milk...



INGREDIENTS

• BOTTLEGOURD /LAUKI/SURAIKKAI(Grated)-4 CUPS
• GHEE-3/4 CUP
• FULL CREAM MILK-4 CUPS
• KHOVA-1/2 CUP
• SUGAR-11/2 CUPS
• POWDERED CARDAMON-1/2 TEASPOON
• BROKEN CASHEWNUTS-FEW
• RAISINS-FEW
• GREEN FOOD COLORING- A PINCH

METHOD

• Skin the bottle gourd .Remove the seeds.
• Grate the gourd.Squeeze out the juice with your hands .Drain.
• Heat the ghee.
• Fry the raisins and broken nuts.Drain and keep them aside.
• Add the grated bottle gourd/lauki and fry well .The remaining water will ooze out .Boil well stirring continuously till it is almost evaporated.
• Now ,add the milk and sugar and cook stirring continuously in a heavy bottomed pan till it is reduced to  a thick mass.
• Add the  food color.Stir well.
• Add the crumbled khova ,cardamom powder and fried nuts and raisins.
• Serve hot or chilled.
• Instead of khova,you can also add condensed milk to add to its richness.

Linking to
http://zestysouthindiankitchen.com/2014/11/hearth-soul-blog-hop-november-1-st-week.html

SIGILI URUNDAI / CHIMILI URUNDAI/SWEET TIL LADDOO

Here is a traditional dessert-

An ethnic dish  made in South Indian homes ...

(mainly Tamil Brahmin homes)

Usually ,this one is not available off the counter

in sweet shops and restaurants...

It is a very healthy dish which has the goodness 

of jaggery and sesame seeds...

In the days of yore this dish 

called for a lot of physical  effort 

like rubbing, pounding etc...

but now,we can prepare them effortlessly...

INGREDIENTS

SESAME SEEDS( DESKINNED) -     2 CUPS
(You can get deskinned ones off the shelf)

JAGGERY (POWDERED)-1 1/2 CUPS

METHOD

• Powder jaggery in a mixer.
• Roast the sesame seeds/ellu/til in a hot pan till they splutter.
• Now powder the sesame seeds in a mixer.
• Mix the powders well.
• Now, shape  1 inch sized balls/laddoos /urundais with the mixture.
• You need not add any ghee/oil etc because sesame seeds themselves have oil in them and this binds the laddoos.