Kesari bath (Sooji ka Halwa)

Kesari Bhath Ingredients:
Rava / Sooji / Suji or Semolina – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 cup
Ghee / Clarified Butter- 4 tsp
Kesar colour – 1 pinch (optional)
Kesar or Saffron – 5-6 strands
Cashew Nuts
Raisins
Cardamom powder
Pineapple or Banana fruit chopped (optional)


How To Make:
Fry the Rava/Sooji with 2 tsp of ghee in a frying pan until there is a slight change in the color of Rava. Keep it aside.
Fry Cashew nuts, Raisins in ghee.
Boil 2 cups of water in a vessel. When boiling, add Kesar/Saffron strands, Kesar color (optional) along with fried Cashews/Raisins and Cardamom powder and let it to boil.
Now add fried Rava from Step 1 and allow the mixture to cook for 5 min. Then add Sugar to it and stir vigorously so as to not allow the Rava mixture to form knots. Cook the whole preparation until it turns thick as seen below.

Notes:
Pineapple or Banana pieces can be added to enhance the taste of Kesari Bhath. The fruit pieces can be added to the boiling water in Step 4. Boil 1/2 cup of additional water if you plan to use these fruits to help accommodate for water being absorbed by the fruit pieces.

Kadale Bele Payasa

Ingredients:

1 cup Kadle bele/ Chana Dal
1 - 1.5 cup Jaggery
2 cups Fresh grated coconut or Thick coconut milk
3/4-1 tsp Rava or Raw rice
1 tsp Ghee
1 tsp Elaichi powder
1-2 tsp Raisins
1-2 tsp Cashews

Method:
Pressure cook chana dal in water (6 wistles) and keep aside.

CAREFUL - Usmall amount of Rava, Dry roast the rava until the raw smell disappears and add it to the cooked chana dal. If you are using raw rice, dry roast it and grind it to a smooth powder and then add to the dal. This gives thickness to the payasam.

Add thick coconut milk to the above mixture and boil. If you are using grated coconut, grind the coconut with water to a smooth paste and then boil with the mixture. Add extra water if required. Stir regularly. If you buy frozen grated coconut, put it in the microwave for 1 minute before grinding. I prefer grinding over coconut milk because it gives a better texture

Add jaggery and elaichi powder. (If powdering elaich on your own, throw away the skin, and powder only the seeds very fine) Roast raisins and cashews in 1 tsp ghee and add to payasam. Mix well and let it boil for some more time. Adjust the sweetness according to your taste.

Serve hot or cold, as desired and enjoi!

Masala Vada

Masala Vada - Ingredients:

Channa Dal - 1 cup
Rice flour or Rava - 1 tbsp
Fennel Seeds(Sombu) - 1.5 tsp
Green Chillies - 5
Garlic - 5 cloves chopped finely(optional, I don't like garlic in Vadas, your choice)
Ginger - half inch piece
Coriander Leaves - 3 to 4 tbsp finely chopped
Small Onion - 10 or Big onion - 1 big sized (finely chopped)
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying

Wash and soak channa dal for 2 to 3 hrs (better overnight). Then drain the water completely and keep aside. Grind together garlic (Optional), Green chillies, ginger and fennel seeds to a coarse paste.Set aside.

To get better texture, I sometimes simply chop them finely instead of grinding


2.Then grind 3/4 of the  channa dhal to a coarse mixture make sure it should not be thick. Add the remaining  dhal without grinding. Then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add onions, sooji, coriander leaves, salt, garlic fennel paste and mix well.

3.Do not add water, it will look crumbly but will get together easily. Make equal lemon sized small balls out of the mixture, and pat them on your palm to form a circle to medium thickness.

4.Arrange them in a plate ready to deep fry. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them till golden brown, turning over both sides. Drain it on a tissue paper.