Green Channa - Mango Tokku Rice

Green Channa /Kadale kalu ( Kannada language/Karnataka/India) is available from December till February. I tried this channa with mango tokku which was prepared last year. It tasted yum.
You can try this dish with dried green channa too.

Lets see some benefits of eating Green Channa in our diet.
Green Channa is filled with fiber. They are good for controlling the blood sugar levels. It helps to keep you full for a long time. They are good for people who diet to loose weight.They are rich in protein and low in sodium. They  are rich in antioxidants. They contain vitamin B 9, vitamin A and C. They are rich in iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. These minerals helps to keep our blood and bones strong.
I have used Mango Tokku, Green Channa, cooker rice and simple spices which are available in the kitchen store.
Green Channa - Mango tokku Rice is good for one pot meal, lunch box, travelling, brunch or dinner.
 Let us see the recipe :
No Onion or No Garlic in this  " Green Channa - Mango Tokku Rice ".

Things needed :

Cooked Rice : 2 Cups
Green Channa : Fresh /dried : 1 Cup
Mango Tokku : 2 Tablespoons
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Groundnuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : One Handful
Green chilly : 2
Salt : As required
Coconut :Fresh : 1 Cup ( 3 to 4 Tablespoons).
Coriander Leaves :  2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and cook rice and let it be cool.
2. Remove the pods from channa plant and wash it once.
3. Cook till they turn soft.

4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Wash curry leaves, coriander leaves and green chilly. Cut coriander leaves and green chilly.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard seeds splutter.
7. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly. Add ground nuts and fry till they turn crispy.
8. Add cooked green channa and mix it well. Add Mango tokku and mix all the ingredients nicely.

9. Add cooked rice and mix it well. Let the flame be very low while doing the whole process.

10.Add required salt, little turmeric and a tablespoon of ghee. Mix it well.
11. Add coconut, cut  coriander leaves and mix once again. Shift the ready " Green Channa - Mango Tokku Rice to a serving dish.

12. Serve with a cup of curd and papad.

Note :

Use of any raw rice is optional. Water quantity should be
Basumathi Rice : 1 Cup : Water 2 Cups
Sona Masuri or any other kind of rice : 1 Cup Rice :Water : 3 Cups or little less.
Soak Green Channa if you are using dried ones.( Over night)
Drain water after cooking Green channa.
Use of more or less ghee is optional.
Use of fresh mangoes instead of Mango tokku is optional.
Use of chilly, more/less is optional.
Type : South Indian 
Time : 10 Minutes. (If cooked rice is done already) or Cooking rice : 20 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.
 Mango Tokku /Chutney

Quick Raagi Pulka (Finger Millet Chapati )

Raagi/finger millet Pulka is an easy and perfect dish for dinner. It is soft and fluffy and fits into all age group.

I have seen this pulka in my favourite cookery group " FOODIE ". The moto of the web page is share and care attracts most of us. The adminis are so helpful and caring. Sadashiva Rao Mailankody, Shri Kripa, Madhura Pradeep and others are doing a great work. You can learn many dishes and the information they provide is really helpful to all of us.
I have used Ragi flour/Finger millet flour and wheat flour to prepare this Pulka.

Let us see some benefits of having Ragi in our diet. 
Ragi is known as one of the best Millet in the millet family. Millets are known as Siri Dhanya means rich content of minerals and provide good health if eaten regularly.
Ragi/Finger Millet is an excellent source of calcium and helps in strengthening bones for kids and aging people. It has a good source of antioxidant property. It is good for controlling blood sugar level in diabetes. It is full of fiber and slow in digestion. It has higher level of nutrition and good for people who follow diet food. Ragi has good source of natural iron and eating ragi is good for who suffer from anemia.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed : 

Ragi/Finger Milelt flour : 1 Cup
Wheat flour : 1/2 Cup
Boiling water : 1/2 Cup
Ghee/Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : A little

Method :

1. Keep water for boiling.
2. Put Ragi and wheat flour in a big bowl.

3. Add salt and pour water. (Boiling water).
4. Add a teaspoon of ghee. Leave it for 5 minutes.

5. Now mix all the ingredients and prepare dough. Add water if required.
6. Keep 1/2 cup of dry wheat flour in a small bowl.
7. Mix the dough nicely and divide them in to small ball quantity.

8. Take a small ball size of dough and dip in dry wheat flour.
9. Roll and make chapati.

10. Keep a tava/pan on the fire and heat. Put led ragi chapati on hot tava. It starts to bubble up.
11. Turn the other side and cook on low and medium flame.

12.Now Ragi pulka is ready to serve. Apply little ghee on both sides of  Ragi Pulka.

13.Repeat the same with remaining dough.

14.  Serve Ragi Pulka with the choice of your curry and cup of curd.

Note :

Ragi flour should be fresh to get good pulka.  If the dough turns too soft add little more flour. Take care while adding water. Do not add more water, which turns the dough very sticky. Adding oil instead of ghee is optional. Do not add any oil while cooking pulka. I have cooked pulka on tava. Cook on low and medium flame.
Time : 20 Minutes 
Serves : 2 to 3 . (According to size).

Shanka Pushpa - Lemon Juice.

Shanka Pusha is a flower. I have used this flower and prepared lemon juice. This flower adds natural colour to water when it is slightly boiled.

Shanka Pushpa is known as clitora tematee, commonly known as Asian Pigeonwings. It is also known as bluebell vine or blue pea, butterfly pea, condofan pea and Darwin pea. This plant species belongs to the fabaceae family. The latin name of this genus is " Clitoria ", from clitoris.
Since this flower gives out the natural colour and it is used in many dishes mainly in Asian Countries.
I first tasted the juice that prepared by my sister in Udyavar. She added lemon and was too good.
Then I saw Shri Kripa one of the FOODIE group admini putting up the pic of the juice.
I brought this plant seeds from Udyavar and planted it in a pot. It did not come up. One day I suddenly noticed a flower that grew by the side of the compound wall on the terrace. Saw the plant in a mud bag and removed the plant and replanted it in a pot. For my bad luck the plant died. I brought some more seeds in my next visit to sister's house and planted it in a pot. It has come out nicely and Here we go  :)  me a happy person to see the plant growing and flowering.

Let us see some benefits of Flower Shanka Pushpa.
Shanka Pushpa plant is known for years for their healthy properties in them. They are used in Ayurvedic medicines from ages. They are good for hypertension. They contain the properties that are good for control the production of body's stress hormones and helps in reducing anxiety and stress.
They are the good remedy for improving memory power. The plant has anti -ulcer properties and is very good for fighting against any type of ulcer which is formed in the body. It also helps to improve the nerve tissue. Shanka Pushpa herb helps and controls cholesterol level in our blood. They help in flushing out the fatty acids which are harmful to our body.

Note : One who is suffering from hypertension and low blood pressure must consult the doctor and get his advise. Since it has a quality of decreasing the blood pressure level it might cause problems.
I have used this flower for preparing the juice and added jaggery which turned its colour slightly golden and the other time I used salt and very little sugar. It was ok with  less sugar and good too
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Shanka Pushpa flowers : 5 to 6
Water : 2 Glasses
Jaggery /Sugar  : As your requirement.
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash Shanka Pushpa flowers nicely and separate the petals.

2. Keep water for boiling. Add Shanka Pushpa flower petals.
3. Let the water boil. The flowers start leaving their colours and the water turns colourful.

4. Put off the gas and sieve boiled water. Throw away the remained flower pieces.
5. Let the water turn cool.

6. Wash and squeeze out the lemon extract to the bowl. ( 1 to 1 1/2 lemon extract).

7. Add a pinch of salt and required sugar. Mix it well.

  8. The healthy drink is ready to serve. Serve the juices that you have prepared.

Note :

Let the water boil nicely. Clean the flower nicely so that no harmful worms go off.
Adding sugar /jaggery / or honey is your choice. I have used Kama Kastorri seeds which I collected from our home garden. Using these seeds helps to cool the body and mind safe and cool.
I have added some kamakasturi seeds/sabja seeds. Remove the husk nicely and clean it. Soak the seeds in little water. Add this water to the juice. Using Sabja seeds helps to cool the body.

Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3  (According to the requirement).
Shanka Pushpa Juice with Jaggery
Followed the same above mentioned method. The change is, used jaggery instead of sugar.