HAPPY SANKRANTHI 2010

Sankranti festival is as enjoyable as every year but this time my girls are bigger and am sure will enjoy it with me. They are all very excited to go to houses in the neighbourhood and all relatives. This festival is celebrated for various reasons. I did write a couple of years ago about it here. I enjoy the social networking with this festival , where we visit people with the Yellu - Bella ( mix of sesame and jaggery) and Sakkare Acchu (sugar moulds)

This season has been special as I have learnt to make the sakkare acchu finally, thanks to Aunt L and enjoyed a lot of unripe chickpea, known as soppina kadle kayi in kannada which is very delicious when tender (of course developed taste). I have made sure girls love it as much as I do. The menu on this festive day will be the traditional meal of sihi pongal and I will be making Soppin kadale kayi pulav, which I had tried a few day ago.

These beautiful and delicate Sakkare Acchu, literally meaning sugar moulds are typical of this festival and specially in Mysore during Sankranti festival.

Making the sugar moulds SAKKARE ACCHU is very easy, of course can master this art with a bit of practice.

Ingredients :

3 cups of sugar

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 cup yogurt

a lemon

food colours of your choice and

traditional moulds or candy moulds.

Method:

Soak the sugar overnight ( to get the proper white colour or two or three hours to get a decent colouring).In a thick-bottomed pan add sugar and water and let the sugar melt. Continue to cook until it starts to boils to a and forms froth.Now add a spoon of milk and one spoon of yogurt (mosru) strain the syrup into another thick bottom pan . This removes the first round of dirt. Sieve the syrup and pour the syrup back into the pan and boil again. The syrup will start to froth with this boiling now. Add a spoon of yogurt again and repeat the process. Put to boil the strained syrup . This time add the remaining Milk and stir and sieve again.

Mean while the moulds should be prepared. the wood moulds need to be soaked in water an hour before they are ready to be used.

Pour the syrup back in the pan and continue to boil until the mixture to a consistency called MUTTU PAKA in Kannada , muttu meaning a pearl. The syrup at this time will be thick and a droplet of it will stay put at one place when dropped and doesn't flow.

Take the syrup in a smaller bowl and knead till it gets a slight whitish colour ( the syrup thickens ) then pour quickly into the moulds. Just before adding add a drop or two of lemon juice.

This kneading leaves the syrup very soft and pliant.Using a knife trim the extra sugar over the mold.

Leave it aside for 5 to 10 minutes and remove the moulds gently.Use a needle to move the delicate ends and open up with a knife.

Add the required food colour and

make these lovely , delicate colourful moulds.

If you do not have the traditional moulds, the candy moulds serve the purpose.

Lo , the Sakkare acchus are ready to be distributed.

YELLU - BELLA:

2 meaures of roasted peanuts: Select only the fine, nice rounded white ones

2 measures of fried gram dhal(puthani/hurigadle): select the round ones

2 measures of the moulded sugar blocks( / Bella (jaggery) : sugar syrup is poured in plates and cut into small equal pieces ( coloured ones add a lot of colour)] or Jaggery.

2 measures of dried and cut copra (dried coconut) - the copra is peeled and cut into fine small equal sized pieces.

1 measure of fried white sesame (Nylon biLi yeLLu) - Fry the sesame (on low heat) take care it doesn't burn and get the black colour ,but gets fried enough to lose the raw taste.

Mix all these together and prepare the tasty Yellu Bella.

YELLU BELLA TINDU OLLE MATADI. Do speak sweet and good after eating this mixture of sesame and jaggery mix.

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY SANKRANTI.

JHATPHAT SAMBAR

December has crept in and already second week is on. It has been a bit busy month with lots of travelling , loads of dishes to try and taste.

Idli ,usually is served with traditional sambar, one or two chutneys. I like it with Onion chutney.

A quick recipe of sambar which I had heard from a friend long back helped me today as I didn't have coconut to make the usual combo of idlis.

Jhat phat sambar as I call it is quick to make and perfect accompaniment for Idlis, specially when there is a constraint of time and resources.

Jhat pat Sambar :

Ingredients:
1 cup masoor dal

2 spoonful tamarind juice

2 tomatoes finely chopped

1 spoon grated coconut

two onions finely chopped ( one cup full peeled sambar onions (shallots))

sambar powder to taste ( I used MTR)

salt to taste

Oil - 1 tsp

mustard 1/2 tsp

cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

one or two dry red chillies

curry leaves - a sprig

a pinch of asafoetida

coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Make a coarse powder of the masoor dal in the mixer- grinder. Add grated coconut,tamarind juice or paste, sambar powder and some water to make a fine paste and keep aside .
In a deep pan add the oil, let it heat and then add mustard let it splutter add the cumin seeds ( jeera ) curry leaves , dry red chillies and asafoetida. Then add the cut onions and tomatoes . Add desired vegetables which cook quickly like brinjal and carrot, but they should be sliced thin to cook quickly.When the vegetables are sauteed well add the ground paste and salt and let it boil. Add water for the required consistency . Yummy Sambar is ready in minutes , garnish with the coriander leaves and a dash of ghee.
Enjoy this dish with Hot Idlis and filter coffee.

Enjoy the Christmas season and have a wonderful New year 2010.

Waiting for the New year which I hope will bring prosperity to all of us.