Raw Mango - Sasive Avalakki

Avalakki/ poha/ aval is one of the handy grain that come into help for breakfast or snack. 

Avalakki is prepared using boiled rice.
I have seen this process in my Doddamma's house when I used to stay in my childhood days. Its all a precious memory that come as dream for now.
Here is Sasive Avalakki one of the famous dish from Udupi. Even in big functions they do prepare Sasive Avalakki (Avalakki prepared using mustard seeds).
Here I have used raw mango tokku instead of tamarind pulp and ground mustard with coconut and added it.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used here and is one of the traditional dish from Udupi.

Ingredients :

To Cook :
Avalakki /Poha /Aval (Thick) : 3 Cups
To Add :
Mango Tokku/Grated Mango : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Grated carrot : 1
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
To Grind :
Cut or grated coconut : 1 Cup
Mustard seeds : 3/4 Teaspoon
Red chilly /Byadagi chilly : 4 to 5
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Groundnuts : 1 Handful
Curry leaves :6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash avalakki, drain out all the water. Add salt and mix it.

2. Add turmeric powder, jaggery, mango tokku and mix it nicely. Add 1/2 Cup of water and leave it for 5 minutes.

3. Cut or grate coconut and grind it with mustard seeds. Wash and grate carrot.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal and 1 red chilly.

5. Add groundnuts and fry till it turns golden brown. Add curry leaves.

6. Add soaked avalakki mixture and mix it slowly on low flame.

7. Add 2 tbs of ghee and mix it slowly. Cover and cook for a minute.

8. Let it cook on low flame. Add ground mustard - coconut mixture and mix it nicely.

9. Add grated carrots and mix it nicely. Shift the ready avalakki to a serving dish.

10. Serve it with a cup of curd and banana.

Note :

It should be soaked well, so that avalakki cooked turns soft. You can use more oil instead of ghee. Use of more /less chilly is optional. You can adjust jaggery according to your taste.
Do not grind coconut and mustard into paste. Use the thick variety of Avalkki.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Carrot - Sweet Potato Avalakki

Avalakki/Beaten Rice/ flattened rice / P0ha /Aval is one of the handy food that can be prepared within a few minutes. I have prepared varieties of Avalakki and here is one more which has sweet potato and carrots. It easy, yummy quick, simple, healthy and energetic.

I have used Thick variety of Avalakki, sweet potato, carrot, lemon and green chilly for mild spicy.

Let us see some benefits of eating " Sweet Potato " in our diet.
Sweet Potatoes are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber. They are easy to digest. They are good content of iron, calcium, and B vitamins and Viamin C. They have good source of anti oxidants and good for our eye health.

No Onion or Garlic is used here in this : Carrot - Sweet Potato Avalakki ".
Carrot - Sweet Potato Avalakki is good for kids lunch box, travelling, some special fasting days and even for small gatherings .
I have used thick Avalakki.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Avalakki : 2 Cups
Carrot : 1 ( Medium sized)
Sweet Potato : 1 ( Medium sized )
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : 1 Teaspoon /Grated
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Turmeric powder : A little /1/4 Teaspoon
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Mustered Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10
Cashews : 5 to 6  /cut into small pieces. ( Optional ).
Lemon : 1 Tablespoon ( 1 lemon extract ).

Method :

1. Clean and wash avalakki and soak in 1/2 glass of water. Add salt, lemon extract, turmeric powder and jaggery. Mix it well and let it get set.

2. Wash and scrape out the peel of sweet potato and carrots. Grate carrots and keep it aside.
3. Cut sweet potato in to very thin pieces and wash it again.
4. Wash and slit green chilly, remove the outer layer of ginger and grate it.
5. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Cut a lemon and extract juice from it.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and Mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add cut cashew nuts.
7. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves. Add sweet potato pieces and fry till they turn soft.
8. Add carrots gratings and mix it well. Add soaked avalakki and mix it slowly. Add 1/2 Cup of water and cook till avalakki turns soft.  Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix it well.

9. Add required salt and mix it well. Add fresh grated coconut and mix it. Add lemon extract and mix it. Add a tablespoon of ghee and mix it well.

10. Shift the ready avalakki to a serving dish. Add cut coriander leaves.

11. Serve with a cup of curd.
12. Serve a banana with " Carrot - Sweet Potato Avalakki ".

Note: 

Use thick avalakki to get good taste. It should be fresh or you get a stale flavour. See that cooked avalakki turns soft. ( Not over cooked ). Use of carrots more or less is optional. More of green chilly is optional. Adding ghee is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Potato Balls

 These potato balls are yummy and easy to prepare. These potato balls can be good starters with some hot and spicy soups. Good for all age group because it is soft, filled with carrots and potatoes and flattened rice. I have tried this Potato balls for Recipe super stars group to cheer them up.

I have used boiled potatoes, carrots, methi leaves, ground nuts and some simple spices like chilly powder, garam masala.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Boiled potatoes : 2 to 3 ( Medium sized )
Carrots : 2
Methi /Fenugrik leaves : One small bundle. ( Only leaves )
Ground nuts : 3 to 4 tablespoons /1 Small bowl.
Flattened rice : Avalakki /Aval : 1 Small bowl.
Rava /semolina : 1 Small cup ( Medium size)

Spices :

Ginger : An inch
Green chilly : 1
Red chilly powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil to fry  : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and boil potatoes. Leave it for cooling. Peel off the outer layer.

2. Wash and grate carrots, cut coriander leaves, methi leaves and green chilly. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it. Keep it aside.
3. Dry roast groundnuts and remove its husk. Dry grind in to powder. Remove from the mixi jar and keep it aside.Keep rava in a plate.

4. Take a big bowl. Add potatoes and smash it. Add avalakki, grated carrots, chilly powder, garam masala powder and grated ginger.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of powdered groundnuts, cut coriander leaves and methi leaves. Add required salt and mix it well.

6. Now divide the mixture into small portions and turn them as small ball shape.
7. Roll them on dry rava. Arrange them in a plate.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Let oil get hot.
9. Fry potato balls in hot oil. ( Medium and low flame ).

10. Let it turn golden brown. Remove the potato balls from the oil and put it on a kitchen tissue

11. Cut a carrot as small stick and insert the carrot piece edge in  potato balls when it is hot Or the ball may break while inserting the carrot stick.
 Serve them as a starter with tomato ketch up or chutney.

12. We had it with coconut chutney and ketch up.

Note :

Do not use any water. Smashed potatoes will bind all the ingredients well. Use of more /less spice is optional. Small carrot pieces are done and inserted into potato balls. ( Just for fum )
Time : 30 Minutes.
15 to 20 Very small bondas can be fried.

Channa Dal Payasa / Kheer

Shravana the month of festival is here. It is a festival of nature. Naagapanchami , Nagara chowthi, Raksha bhandhan, Shri Krishna Janmastami, so and so many festivals in this month. It looks like almost all the days in this month people are busy with poojas, naivedya and pooja functions.

So every day you need to prepare some or the other sweet dishes for Neivedya to God/Goddess.
Here is one such sweet dish which is prepared for festivals, feast and other happy functions.
Channa dal/kadale bele payasa is one of the easiest dish which we can prepare and serve as neivedya.
I have used channa dal, avalakki/flattened rice, jaggery, cardamom and coconut
This Channa Dal Payasa is done during poojas, festivals and feast. It is cooked and then mixed with jaggery, coconut milk, cardamom, and avalakki./flattened rice. Some use cooked rice instead of avalakki.
This Channa Dal Payasa is one of the Traditional Dish from South Canara /Karnataka and we can prepare them for festivals, feast and parties.

Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Channa Dal : 1 Cup
Avalakki /Aval/Poha : 1 small cup./2 handful.
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods
Coconut : 1 Cup
Salt : A pinch.

Method :

1. Wash channa dal and pressure cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

2. Grate coconut and grind it with cardamom pods. Grind it nicely. Remove coconut mixture  in a bowl. Wash avalakki/flattened rice and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and put jaggery. Add a cup of water and mix it. Let jaggery melt and it turns as liquid. Sieve it with a siever and keep it aside.
. Let it get cool. Strain it keep cleaned jaggery aside.

4.Keep cooked dal on the fire and put cleaned jaggery water to it. Add washed avalakki and boil.
Let it boil nicely. Add a pinch of salt.

5. Now add ground coconut mixture and mix it well. Let it boil for at least 5 minutes.

6. Shift Channa Dal Payasa /Kheer to a serving bowl.
7. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Put a tablespoon of ghee and fry cashews and raisins till raisins get fluffy.

8. Add this ghee fried nuts to Payasa/kheer.
9. Serve ready payasa after a lunch/dinner as desert.

Note :
Channa Dal should be cooked softly to get the best payasa. Adding coconut milk instead of ground coconut is optional.
Use of fresh coconut milk is a must to get good taste. Use of more/less ghee is optional.
Using coconut milk adds to the taste. You can use cooked rice instead of avalakki. (Optional). You can also use little raw rice grains while grinding coconut. It adds to the thickness of payasa.
Adding boiled and cooled fresh milk to Payasa , just before serving is optional. It adds to the taste. Do not add hot milk. Payasa might get curdled.
Time : 30 Minutes 
Serves : 4 to 5 
Purely : South Canara Sweet Dish.