DRY PAAN... best homemade paan/ mouth freshner

Dry Paan 

by Latha Murthy

Festive season is here. I hope you all had a wonderful Dasara. Most of us have experienced that after every festival or function we are left with plenty of betel leaves which is a must in our festivities. People who are preparing themselves for the confinement of their daughter/daughter-in-law.can prepare this which will be very handy specially when you are going abroad to help them out.

This time do not wonder or despair try this simple dry paan which is healthy and tasty. 

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped Betel leaves 

1/2 cup of Sugar. 

optional to be mixed later : betelnut powder (supari), saunf/Fennel seeds , diamond sugar .

Method.

Wash and dry the betel leaves without traces of water. Remove the nodal part ( thumbo kudi) and chop the leaves into fine bits.

In a kadai, add sugar and leaves together ( please remember absolutely no water). Keep stirring occasionally , the sugar starts to melt. Before it completely melts take it out of the heat and keep stirring. Soon the crispy paan is ready. 

Simple isnt it... The consistency can be mastered in a few trials.

After this cools store in a airtight container for a long time.

For added taste add saunf,diamond sugar and ready supari . It can be used without all these too.

Have a great season . Do let me know how it is . 

Mosaravalakki

Krishnashtami at my place is a matter of delight for kids, Only snack day . The typical dish of the day is Mosru Avalakki (beaten rice with yogurt and seasoning). Avalakki being the favourite snack of Lord Krishna they say. A Sketch of Balgopal by my girl.. adorned the pooja room with my other pictures this time. I told this story to my girls as a part of the festive day.. This is what I found perfect to write in Indokidz... you can find more stories here.
The story of Sudhama is described in the Bhagwat Purana, an ancient scripture of the Hindus.
Sudhama was a poor brahmin boy who became a close friend of Krishna in sage Sandipani's hermitage. Krishna learnt to chant from Sudhama.
Once, Sandipani's wife asked Sudhama and Krishna to get some wood from the forest. While they were collecting the wood, a storm came and they got lost. Sudhama was scared. Krishna held his arms and assured his safety. When the storm was over, they found their way to the hermitage. Sudhama was relieved. Sandipani blessed them with a long life and happiness.
After completing their studies, Sudhama and Krishna went their own ways. Krishna became the king of Dwarka and married princess Rukmini, the goddess of prosperity. Sudhama, on the other hand, married a simple brahmin girl and began to lead the life of a devotee, reading scriptures, praying, forsaking worldly pleasures. Everyone loved Sudhama. His family was quite happy.
Then Sudhama's wife gave birth to two children. Because of Sudhama's austere life style, the family began to face difficult days, with little food to eat and no clothes to wear. Sudhama's wife was extremely devoted to her husband but when her children began to suffer, she was concerned.
Finally on a cold night, when her children were without blanket, she approached Sudhama and humbly said, "Aren't you and Krishna, the lord of Dwaraka, friends? And, Krishna married to the goddess of prosperity, Rukmini?"
Sudhama replied, "Yes."
Sudhama's wife dreamed of seeing an improvement in her family's poor condition. She earnestly said, "Go my lord, I beseech you, for the sake of our dear children, meet Krishna."

The very prospect of meeting Krishna, his old friend, made Sudhama happy. "I will go and see him, but I will not ask him for anything." Sudhama's wife could hardly conceal her joy. She happily said, "Even a visit to Krishna will bless our family. Do not ask anything from him. I will be content my lord."
Just before his departure for Dwaraka, Sudhama came to his wife. Both had the same thought. "What will I give to Krishna when I see him after such a long time?"
Sudhama's wife suddenly remembered, "My lord you used to tell me that Krishna immensely loved Poha, the flattened rice!" Sudhama too remembered Krishna's great liking for Poha . Sudhama's wife ran to her neighbor's house and they happily gave her the gift of Powa in a small bundle. Sudhama then set out on his long journey to Dwaraka.
When Sudama came to the palace, surprisingly enough, no one stopped him.
He looked through various rooms and finally located Krishna and Rukmini. When Krishna saw Sudama he ran to embrace him. Then Krishna sat down and washed Sudama's tired feet with warm water and put sandalwood paste on them.
After the royal meal, they all settled down to chat. Krishna and Sudama exchanged the happenings of their lives since they departed from Sandipani's hermitage. Suddenly Krishna noticed a small bundle on Sudama's waist. He remarked, "Ah! You have brought a present for me!"
Sudama hesitated, "How do I give a king, a poor man's Powa?" When Krishna noticed that Sudama was ashamed to give him the bundle, he remarked, "Sudama, the poorest gifts given to me with love is dearer to me than the richest of gifts given without love." Krishna was thoughtful, "He has not come to ask anything for himself. He came out of love for his wife and me." Then he quickly snatched off the bundle and opened it. There it was, his favorite Powa! He tossed some in his mouth with great satisfaction. Then they talked and talked, as old friends, to their heart's content. Sudama could not ask anything from Krishna.
Next morning Sudama bid Krishna and Rukmini farewell. The long road back home did not seem to be that hard as he thought of Krishna. When he reached home, he was amazed to see that a huge mansion was standing in place of his poor hut. His wife and children, wearing new clothes, came to receive him. He could hardly recognize them. Sudama felt the touch of the all-knowing Krishna who had rewarded Sudama for his gift of love.
Sudama continued to lead the life of a hermit while his family enjoyed the generous gifts of wealth from Krishna.

So during the Janmasthami festivities we do make a lot of snacks which have avalakki/poha /beaten rice as a main ingredients.

This snack plate shows KAYIBELLA AVALAKKI, GOJJAVALAKKI AND

MOSARAVALAKKI.

We do make Bisibele avalakki too .

Today I am sharing the recipe of

Mosaravalakki , will post Bisibele avalakki and Kaibella avalakki soon.

MOSARAVALAKKI (BEATEN RICE WITH YOGURT):

This is a very tasty and easy to make snack. Filling and healthy too..

Tasty Mosaru avalakki

Ingredients:
2 cups thick – Thick Avalakki

2 cups of yogurt – Mosaru

1/2 cup freshly grated coconut.

1 or 2 green chillies very finely chopped

few coriander leaves finely chopped

a sprig of curry 1 cup milk,( optional)

the usual seasoning ingredients.(cumin, mustard, chana dal, urad dal and 1tsp oil)

Method:
Wash the avalakki, beaten in water twice and then let it soak for about 15 minutes.Then add the yogurt, salt to taste , grated coconut and coriander leaves.In a small pan, heat oil. Add all the seasonings add the dals after the mustard splutters then add green chillies and curry leaves. Mix this seasoning with the above avalakki mixture. If the yogurt is thick or sour, add milk .
Enjoy the Mosru avalakki.

Have a happy Janmashtami. Jai shri Krishna.

Yugadi - HOSA VARSHADA SIHI - HOLIGE ( Puranpoli)

ಯುಗಾದಿ - Yugadi (also known as Ugadi) is the first day of the of the first month, the Chaitra, according to the Hindu (Lunar) calender.
In Karnataka and Andhra, the tender flowers of neem mixed with jaggery and mango slices are distributed on the occasion। The neem , extremely bitter in taste, and jaggery which is sweet and delicious, gives the different aspects of human life... joy and sorrow.... This is a message to accept both and try to overcome the difficulties of life with a positive not. It is exchanged among friends and relatives after a small pooja at home.I make it more tasty by adding some cashew nuts and raisins , kids like it better.

ಬೇವು ಬೆಲ್ಲ

According the Hindu calendar, we are now in the 5101st year of the KALIYUGA and the year 1922 of the SHALIVAHANA SHAKA.On this 16th of March, 2010, we have entered the first month of CHAITRA. This will be followed by VAISHAKA, JYESHTA, AASHADA, SHRAVANA, BHAADRAPADA, ASHWAYUJA, KARTHIKA, MARGASHIRA, PUSHYA, MAAGHA and PHALGUNA.

The typical Menu of Yugadi Festive meal in our house is Holige, Mavinkayi Chitranna, Ambode , Payasa and Kosambari. On seeing the ingredients in all these I am seeing that all these are made of the ingredients which are available in this season.. mango , the Dals (lentil season) etc.

This year I tried Holige... Thanks to a dear friend Sharadha who taught me with patience and answered all my silly questions and made it possible. it was easy to make and tasty as expected.

TOGRIBELE HOLIGE/ Arhar daal puranpoli...

Here is the recipe...Straight from her.

Ingredients: I was clean bowled with her puran polis and understood that it was not difficult to make but had certain tips to be followed to make it tasty. The consistency of the dough used for covering and the stuffing is extremely important. With a little practice I am sure we can get it right.

For the Stuffing:

6 cups of water

1 cup Arhar dal ( Tuvar dal, Split pigeon peas)

1 cup Sugar or Jaggery

Elaichi/Cardamom powder to taste

Freshly grated coconut ( optional and to taste)

For the covering:

1 cup all purpose flour.

1 pinch turmeric powder

1 cup oil.

Method:

Covering:Mix one cup of all purpose flour ( Maida) with a pinch of turmeric with a little water. The mixing is a bit tricky . Keep adding water little by little till the dough gets pliant. Cover and let it soak for about 2 to 3 hours. Then add two spoons of oil and make it more pliant to hold the stuffing and roll.

The stuffing (hoorana) : Boil 6 cups of water in a wide mouthed and heavy bottom vessel. Add a pinch of turmeric for the yellow colour. Add one cup of Dal in this boiling water and let it cook well ( but do not let it get soft. it such be cooked but a bit firm). Drain the water out and let the dal /lentil cool a bit and add the sugar or jaggery , whichever you wish, both have their own special taste. Add cardamom/Elaichi powder to taste and grind in a mixer to a paste consistency. This paste is lighter in colour.

Making the hoLige:

Take a small ball of the dough meant for covering and mould it in the shape of cup. Make a tiny ball of the hoorana (stuffing) and cover it well with the dough. Place this on a oil smeared thick plastic cover or butter paper add enough oil to roll them into thin rotis and roast on hot tawa adding as much oil required.

My grandmother would always make saaru out of the left over hoorana (stuffing) . Will post that recipe soon. Today the blogger isn't in a very amicable mood took me more than 5 hours to load these pictures .

Wishing you all a very happy new year...

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.