Wheat oats Ladoo

Happy Dussera to my readers and friends!

Here is a semi-healthy snack to munch on:)

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
oats - 1 cup
puffed channa dhal (pori kadalai) - 1/2 cup
brown sugar / white sugar - 1 1/2 cup
cardamom powder - 1 tsp
ghee - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
cashew , raisin - 1 for 1 ladoo
milk - 1/2 cup
dry ginger powder (sukku) - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat a wide frying pan with 1 tbsp ghee.
Fry the cashews , raisins in the ghee.

In the same wok fry the oats till it turns crispy and mild pinkish.
Once it gets cool, grind it to a fine powder. Keep aside.

Now add the remaining ghee and start roasting the wheat flour.
After some time, the flour will turn very loose and flavorful.
Roast it in medium flame till it starts turning mild pink.
Take it off the wok and let cool.

Grind the puffed channa dhal to a fine powder along with cardamom.

Powder the brown sugar / white sugar in a blender.

Mix the 3 flours, sugar, nuts, ginger powder and sprinkle some milk to moisten it.
Let it be just enough to make balls and not sticky as we are not going to knead it as a dough:)

Make lemon size balls. (It should be soft and powdery, but holding the shape).

Wheat oats laddu is ready!

Serving suggestion:

Serve as snack.
If made with 1/2 cup ghee instead of milk, it stays longer.
If made with milk it can be refrigerated for a week.

Thengai mangai pattani Sundal

Thengai - coconut; managai - unripe mango; pattani - dry green peas ; sundal - stir fry.

Navaratri is a festival celebrated by Indians for 9 days continuously during the month of Purattasi. The festival starts today and  hearty wishes for those who are celebrating that.

Kolu (themed arrangement of dolls and statues to depict the Indian culture) and sundal (lentil stir fry) are inseparable during those days. Those who arrange the kolu has to invite friends and relatives. Different types of sundals are made, offered to God and shared with the guests. The 10 th day is called Vijaya Dasami, meaning the victory of Good.

Here is a different and interesting sundal. A spicy sundal is made using cooked dry peas and some masala. Freshly chopped cilantro, unripe mango, onion, tomato, coconut are added before serving. This is also called 'marina beach sundal'.

Ingredients:

Dried peas (white / green pattani) - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
oil - 1 tsp
fennel - 1 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
salt - to taste
lemon juice - 1 tbsp

To grind:

dry red chillies - 4
coconut - 2 large pieces
cumin - 1/2 tsp
coriander powder - 1 tbsp

To Garnish:(finely chopped)

Onion - 1
unripe mango - 1/2
tomato - 1
cucumber - 1/2
coconut - 1 large slice
cilantro - few

Method:

Soak the dried white peas overnight. Drain that water.
Add enough water to immerse the peas and 1 inch to stand above.
Keep it in pressure cooker with turmeric, put pressure valve and let a whistle come.
Reduce the flame and keep it for 5 minutes.
Switch off and open after the pressure releases.

Grind the items given very coarsely.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add the fennel and let it get red. Then add the curry leaves, cooked lentil, salt and let all the water evaporate.
Now add the coarsely ground masala and cook till it becomes grainy.

Sprinkle lemon juice and add all those items given for garnish.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as snack with tea.
Serves 6 people.