Mom's Recipies

Wishing you all a Very HAPPY UGADI (Ugadi Subhakankshalu) May this New Year shower you and your family with Health, Happiness and Prosperity..


Ugadi means Yuga means year and adi means beginning (Begining of new Era) is the new year's day for the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.. Marathi people also celebrate the same day as Gudi Padwa..Sindhis, people from Sindh, celebrate the same day as their New Year day Cheti Chand.

The Kannada and Telugu people celebrate the festival with great funfare. Rangoli is made in the front of the home .Entrance of houses are decorated with Mango Leaves. New clothes, gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous and lip smacking feast like Bobatulu ,Pulihora, vada and preparations made with raw mango etc are prepared .The day, however, begins with ritual showers followed by worship to God invoking his blessings before people start off with the new year. They pray for their health, wealth and prosperity and success in business too. Ugadi is also the most auspicious time to start new ventures.Then people listen to the Panchangam on TV. There are also special Ugadi programs on TV which everyone enjoys seeing them.

Ugadi Pachadi

A traditional sweet dish made with Yellow Lentils and rice eaten during the festival Pongal/Sankaranthi. Its easy ,tasty and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup Raw Rice
½ cup Split Moong Dal /Pesara Pappu / Yellow Lentils
1 1/2 cups Jaggery (OR as per taste) crushed fine.
3 cups water
4 cups Milk
1 tsp Cashews
1 tsp Raisins
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
1 tsp Ghee


Method:

1) Mix rice and Split moong dal together, wash well for 3 times and pressure cook in cooker with water till cooked.
2) Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan , add ghee and fry cashews till they turn golden in color. Then fry raisins and keep aside.
3) In a bowl add milk . Leave the milk on the stove for some time on a medium flame until the milk boils .
4) Later add the cooked rice and dal mixture to the boiling milk and mix very well. Keep stirring now and then so it doesn't stick to pan.
5) Then add crushed jaggery and mix well .Add cardamom powder and mix well.
6) Leave it again for on a low flame for 10 -15 minutes and switch off the flame.
7) Add fried cashews and Raisins to the prepared Pongal.
8) Serve hot, topped with a generous dollop of ghee!!!
Enjoy this sweet pongal:)

Spicy Shankarpali is such a crispy and crunchy snacks suits incredibly for diwali savories.Spicy Shankarpali also surprises people as people associate shankarpali with sweetness. This is a different kind.They are crunchy and an excellent accompaniment with tea or coffee.Kids will also love this.My Kiddo liked it.These were a favorite of my family.Its easy and tasty.

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour / Maida
4 - 5 green chilies /1 tsp Chilli Powder (Adjust according to your taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt (Adjust according to taste)
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup water
Oil to deep fry



Method:

In a big bowl take the flour. Add salt, turmeric powder, caraway seeds, sesame seeds.,cumin seeds. Coarse crush green chilies in mortar and pestle. Add the crushed chilies to the flour . Heat 1 tablespoon oil and pour it over the flour . With a spoon mix the flour. Do not do it with hand as it may cause a burn. Then add the water and knead a tight dough but smooth dough. Let it rest for atleast an hour.
Later roll out chapatis thicker than normal, cut into diamond shapes or shapes of your choice with a knife or cookie cutters or pizza cutter.Do not stack the pieces one above other. Separate each cut and fry in hot oil till golden. When they are cooled to room temperature, store in air tight container.These taste like spicy biscuits.

Variation :-

You can add handful of curry leaves and coarse it with green chillies and add to flour.

Making time: 1 hour
Makes: 25 pieces
Recipe Courtesy -Vahchef

Ingredients:-

For Boondi

A fine holed shallow strainer spoon
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
3 cups Ghee for frying
2 1/2 cups Gram flour (not superfine variety)
500 ml Milk
1 tbsp Raisins


For Syrup

* 2 1/2 cups Sugar
* 3 1/2 cups Water
* 2 tbsp. Milk
* few drops orange colour



Method:-

For Syrup

* Put sugar and water in a vessel and boil.
* When sugar dissolves, add milk.
* Boil for 5 minutes till scum forms on top.
* Strain and return to fire.
* Add colour and boil till sticky but no thread has formed.
* Add cardamom powder and mix. Keep aside.

For Boondi:

* Mix Gram flour and milk to a smooth batter.
* Mix all the ingredients mentioned under stuffing except milk.
* Heat ghee in a heavy frying pan.
* Hold strainer on top with one hand.
* With the other pour some batter all over the holes.
* Tap gently till all batter has fallen into hot ghee.
* Stir with another strainer and remove when light golden.
* Keep aside. Repeat for remaining batter.

Final Steps:
* Immerse boondi in syrup.Mix in Raisins.
* Drain any excess syrup.
* Spread in a large plate. Sprinkle few tsp. hot water over it.
* Cover and keep for 5 minutes.
* Shape in laddoos with moist palms.
* Cool and keep open to dry, before storing in containers.


I am sending this to Purva's Diwali Damaka Event .

DIWALI is one of the Biggest ,very interesting and fun filled Indian festival. First of all we decorated our house with lighting and Rangoli.Then Everyone of us Dressed up in new clothes for this lovely festival :)





Then we performed Lakshmi and Ganesh Pooja.


Then we lighted up diyas.




Then wishing our near and dear ones is something that makes it all the more interesting. Wishes shared by phone calls, messages, mails ,on skype and in person. :)

Diwali Feast:

Diwali Feast included Pulihora ,Aloo Bajji ,Semiya Payasam ,Besan Ke Ladoo ,Chakali ,Ribbon Pakoda ,Karanji /Kajjikayalu ,Shanakrpali ,Spicy Shankarpali ,Motichur Ladoo