Spicy Poha/Aval Ven Pongal

Ingredients:
1/2 cup moong daal
1 and 1/2 cup poha/aval
1/2 teaspoon whole pepper
1/2 teaspoon cummin
1 tablespoon cashew broken to pieces
1 tablespoon dry coconut
1 table spoon butter
2 teaspoons oil
1 inch grated ginger
4 green chillies slit
Pinch of asofotedia

salt per taste
Water

Method:
In a thick bottom vessel, add 1 teaspoon of oil and roast moong daal. When the moog is almost transparent add 4 cups of water and let the moong cook on medium heat until completely cooked and mashable. If required add more water because each brand of moong daal differs while getting cooked (Faster or slower and some absorb more water). The process takes about 15-20 minutes

Note on Poha:
Wash the Poha only after daal is cooked.
If using thin poha just wash and drain immediately set aside for 1 minute
If using a thick poha wash the poha longer, drain and set aside longer (probably 3 minutes)

Once the daal is cooked, add poha/aval and mix without lumps. If the mixture thickens, add more water. The consistency should be like gruel/soup. Add salt, dry coconut, butter, grated ginger and slit green chillies. Mix and turn off heat.

In a separate pan heat oil and add cashews, pepper and cummin. Fry until cashews turn golden brown. Add asofotedia, turn off the heat and pour it on the Pongal.

To enhance the flavor add more butter

Serve with coconut chutney or cucumber raitha.

Mysore Adai and Tomato gravy

Last weekend I made this for brunch. Turned out very good, for side dish had tomato gravy.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup channa daal
1/2 cup toor daal
1/2 cup rice
1/4 cup moong daal
1/4 cup urad daal
10-12 dry red chillies
1 teaspoon methi seeds
1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
1/2 teaspoon Cummin
Pinch of asefotedia
salt per taste
curry leaves
Little Oil for frying

Method:
Soak all daals and rice with methi seeds for about 3 hours. Grind the soak ingredients and red chillies into a fine batter (batter should not be very dilute. Consistency is between idly and dosa batter. Approximately for the above measurements, you can use about 2 - 3 cups of water)

Adais can be prepared immediately after grinding, add coconut, cummin, asefotedia, salt and curry leaves to the batter and mix. On a hot pan spread the batter and smear 1/4 teaspoon of oil on the edges (medium heat). Close the pan with a lid. It usually takes about 2 minutes for the adai to get cooked. (Usually you can hear the steam fall on pan - thats the way I determine the Adai is cooked ;)). Adais are roasted only on one side. Fold it and serve with fresh butter or ghee.

Ingredients for Tomato Gravy:
1 Large Tomato finely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
5 green chillies slit
salt per taste

Masala:
1 tablespoon roasted gram - (pottu kadalai,split peas dal, roasted gram, puttani dhal, chutney sengapappu)
1 tablespoon coconut
small piece of cinnamon
3 cloves
1/4 teaspoon aniseed (saunf)

Tadka:
1/4 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon oil

Garnish:
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves

Method:
Cook tomato, onion, green chillies with salt and turmeric. Mash it when cooked. Grind the ingredients on Masala and add it to the mashed tomato, simmer the fire and let it cook on slow fire for about 3 minutes. ( If the gravy turns too thick, add water and salt appropriately). When the gravy boils, turn off heat and add garnish and provide tadka. This gravy also tastes good with rotis and idli.

Whole Wheat Halwa

This is my aunts recipe. Very easy and healthy sweet dish.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole Wheat
1 Cup Sugar or 1 Cup Jaggery or 1 cup molasses
1/4 teaspoon rose essence (optional - any essence can be used)
2 teaspoons of ghee
Water

Method:
Soak Wheat overnight. Grind wheat with the soaked water into a fine paste. Extract the milk out of the ground paste through a strainer or muslin cloth. Repeat the process of grinding / straining of the mixture adding little water at least twice. (approximately you should get 3 to 3.5 cups of extract - depends on the amount of water added for grinding)

In a thick bottom vessel, melt 1 Cup Sugar or 1 Cup Jaggery or 1 cup molasses (Color of Halwa will be darker if Jaggery or molasses is added, add the strained mixture and bring it to a boil stirring continuously till it begins bubble. Then add 1 teaspoon of ghee and 1/4 teaspoon rose essence stir and turn off the fire Smear a plate with 1 teaspoon of ghee and pour the mixture. When the halwa is cooled cut into desired shapes

NOTE: If you find the Halwa is not solid enough. Cool it and microwave it for a couple of minutes. The Halwa does get hardened. Use your own creativity to decorate the halwa with nuts or flavoring