Singada Flour Halwa/Kesari for Navaratri Vrat. (Indian Dessert with water chestnut flour.)

Navaratri festival season has began...every home is busy celebrating different rituals ,pooja's and fasts are observed for all nine days. This singada flour halwa can be offered as Prasadam as well as enjoyed as Vrat food. I was amazed at the end result...absolutely tender soft texture that gently melts in mouth.One must try one time this delicious Halwa.



Ingredients:-

1. 1 Cup Singada flour.
2. 1 Cup Ghee.
3. 1 Cup Sugar.
4. 10 whole cashews roughly crushed.
5. 20-25 Golden Raisins
6. 8 Almonds roughly crushed.
7. 10 Cardamom finely powdered.
8. 2 Cup water.

Cooking Process:-

1. Take thick gauge pot.Anodized metal gives best results.Add half cup Ghee and One cup Singada flour.Mix well and keep stiring on medium flame for 12 minutes.Flour will turn little brownish and aromatic.
2. Now add crushed Cashews,Almonds,Raisins and Cardamom powder. Mix well and stir for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
3. Add one cup sugar and stir for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.Add remaining half cup Ghee.
4. Add one cup water and mix well by stiring on medium flame. At this stage it will appear like thick gravy.As it start to get drier in consistancy add one more cup of water.Mix well and reduce flame to low and cover it with lid and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
5. Open the lid and check the consistency...increase flame to medium high and stir till Ghee shine appears all over..shut the gas off and let it stand covered for few minutes.. shape it with mould or just enjoy in bowl.
   
   

Note:- Shingada flour is very delicate so always keep stiring and be attentive while preparing Halwa. Don't let it burn.

Always serve this Halwa warm.

Kappa/Tapioca/Yuca curry

Tapioca curry/stir fry is one of the popular food from Kerala.It is enjoyed with spicy fish curry.One must try this delicious Kappa curry or stir fry.

Ingredients:-

1. Three medium size Tapioca 8-10 inch long duly cut into pieces.
2. 2 Tb.Spoon cooking oil.
3. 1 chopped small size onion.
4. 1 T.spoon mustard seeds.
5. 5-6 Slit green chillies.
6. 1 T.spoon turmeric powder.
7. 1 Cup fresh grated coconut.
8. 3 Stems of fresh curry leaves.
   

Cooking Method:-

1. Heat 2 Tb.spoon oil in big size heavy gauge Pot. As oil heats throw in 1 T.spoon mustard seeds...hear them splatter for 15-20 seconds then add chopped oinions.Stir it for five minutes on medium flame.
2. Add turmeric powder/one stem of curry leaf/and slit green chillies.Stir and Mix.
3. Add cut Tapioca and mix all well...stir it on high heat for 5 minutes. Now add two cups of water and salt. close lid and let it cook on medium flame for 10-12 minutes.
4. Open the lid and add remaining two stems of curry leaves and half cup grated fresh coconut..Stir it well.At this stage if you wish to have more gravy then add one more cup of water and cook it for another 3-4 minutes on low flame.Lastly garnish with remaining fresh coconut.
   
   Enjoy this with fish curry.
   

NOTE:- Tapioca is very hard to clean and cut.Use potato peeler and peel till you see clean white part..use heavy knife to make pieces.If you find non white stained portion then just chop it out.You will find one hard string in middle..remove it as you make pieces.

Grain Enriched Methi Roti.

This is Methi Roti enriched with multi grain flours,herbs and spices.It is absolute healthy and tasty delight to enjoy as complete meal or snack.

Ingredients:-

1. 4 Cup wheat flour.
2. 1/4 cup flaxseed meal.
3. 1/4 cup corn meal.
4. 1/2 cup Ragi flour.(finger millet)
5. 1/2 Barley flour.
   ---------------------------------------------------
6. 10-12 cloves of big size garlic( finely crushed)
7. 2 cups of chopped or frozen methi. (Fresh methi use 3 cups)
8. 7-8 Green chilli.(finely crushed)
9. 1 T.spoon Turmeric powder.
10. 2 Tb.spoon Corriander powder.
11. 3 Tb.spoon Kasuri Methi.
12. 4 Tb.spoon Oil.
13. Salt.
    

Preparation Method:-

1. Add all flours (ingredients 1-5) in the food processor and add salt.Run food processor for 30 seconds.
2. Add Rest all the ingredients in the food processor and run for one minute...now slowly start adding water... run for 40 seconds..Check if the dough started to form together into ball...touch and see the softness....If you find it hard or not merged then add little more water and run food processor.At this stage add very little oil so that Roti dough will smoothly move inside food processor.Check for salt and adjust quantity.
3. Make approximate 25-30 balls from the dough and roll like chapati sizing 5-6 inch in diameter and fry on Thick gauge Griddle with touch of little oil above each Methi roti.
   
   Enjoy with Yogurt/sour cream or cream cheez.
   

Zesty Tomato Salsa - Indian Style

This is very simple and absolutely zesty Indian style Tomato Salsa.You may call it Tomato stirfry or chutney too.

Ingredients:-

1. 3 Tb.spoon cooking oil
2. 1 T.spoon mustard seeds.
3. 1 Big Onion chopped.
4. 4-5 green chillies.
5. 2 inch piece of ginger finely crushed.
6. 7-8 cloves of garlic finely curshed.
7. 3 strands of curry leaves.
8. Three extra large size tomatoes chopped.
9. Salt
10. One cup chopped fresh cilantro.
    

Cooking Method:-

1. Take big size heavy bottom pot.Heat 3Tb.spoon cooking oil.Add mustard and as it starts to splatter pause for 15 seconds and add all chopped onions and one strand of curry leaf.
2. Adjust gas heat to High and fry onions for 7-8 minutes.keep stiring.
3. Add crushed garlic and ginger and green chillies.Fry for one minute.
4. Add chopped large three tomatoes. Add salt and one stem of curry leaf.On high heat keep stiring for 6-7 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium and let it cook for another 5 minutes.At this stage if you see any excess watery gravy then increase heat.. stir and let all water evaporate.When it appears shiny and thick your zesty Tomato stirfry/chutney is ready.Add last stem of curry leaf.Add fresh chopped cilantro.
   
   Enjoy this with rice or roti.
   

Thoran - Indian style stir-fry with Cabbage+carrot+green peas.

This is one of my favorite mix veggie stir-fry from everyday cooking. It is very simple to cook and definitely one good healthy item in daily meals.

Cabbage +Carrot +Green peas Stir fry
Ingredients:-

1. Half cabbage (pick small size) give long strip cut
2. One cup frozen green peas (I always use petite green peas for tender sweet taste)
3. 3 Carrots - give stick cut.
4. Two green chillies.
5. Two strips of curry leaves.
6. Cilantro.
7. 1 tb-spoon Oil of your choice.
   

Method:-

1. Take any big size broad open pot....add one tb-spoon oil. Do not heat oil too much...add one strip of curry leaves...green chilli....fry it for 30 seconds.
2. Add carrots first - Stir for 2 minutes on medium high flame.
3. Add cabbage and green peas - Stir for 5 minutes. Add some salt and little cilantro...reduce flame to medium low....stir for another 5 minutes.
4. Add another strip of curry leaves and little more cilantro and mix well. It is that simple to make.
   
   Note:- You may add half tsp jeera while you add curry leaf and green chilli.Also garnish with little fresh grated coconut.
   

Here is similar stir-fry with addition of french cut frozen green beans.