Green gram sundal

Sundals are offerings to god during the nine days of navarathri. It also serves as an excellent evening snack. Green gram being high on protein is recommended for diabetics.

Ingredients:
Green gram -2 cups
Grated coconut -1 tsp
Red chilly -1 broken into two
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Wash and soak the green gram in water for 5 hours. Drain the water and steam it in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes. Keep it aside. Next, temper the mustard seeds, red chilly and curry leaves in little oil. Add the cooked green gram and required salt.. Stir fry for few seconds. Garnish with grated coconut. 

Happy new year 2018

Warmest Greetings
and
Best Wishes
for the
New Year 

Sweet split chickpea

Chickpea is easy to cook and considered healthy too. It lends itself well to  various kinds of cooking. Here is a sweet using chickpea and brown sugar. It tastes great and can be made at short notice.

Ingredients:
Split Chickpea -2 cups
Brown sugar -1 cup
Cardamom powder -2 tsp
Grated coconut -1 tsp
Clarified butter -1 tsp (optional)


Method:
Soak the Split chickpeas in water for 10 hours or overnight. Wash and add sufficient quantity of water and cook in a pressure cooker till soft. Drain the water. Keep it aside.
In another wide mouthed pan or Kadai melt the brown sugar. Then, add the cooked chickpea. Cook over a medium flame stirring continuously till all the liquid is evaporated. Remove from the stove. Add the clarified butter and cardamom powder. Finally, garnish with grated coconut. Serve hot or cold.

Chutney salad

Salad is not palatable unless it has a tasty dressing. For that matter even sprouts needs to be steamed to make it more palatable. Leftover green chutney is prepared for sandwich can be combined with boiled chickpea a make a tasty salad. This salad is healthy as it is oil free and high on fiber. It is makes for a teatime snack for diabetics.

Ingredients:
Brown chickpea -100 gm
Chopped onion -1 cup
Salt to taste

For green chutney
Ingredients:
Chopped coriander leaves -2 cups
Green chilies - 3
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 pinch (optional)
Salt to taste

Method: Combine all the ingredients listed under green chutney and grind to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Soak the chickpea in water for 10 hours or overnight. Wash and cook in a pressure cooker until soft. Drain the water and keep it aside.
To make the salad combine the chopped onions with cooked chickpeas and green chutney. Adjust the salt and serve immediately. 

Note:
More chilies can be added to make the chutney hot and pungent. Adding sugar helps in the retaining the colour of the chutney.

Mava gulab jamun

Gulab jamun needs no introduction to Indians as it is easily available in every sweetmeat shops besides being made in homes on different occasions. It is prepared by deep frying small balls of blended mava and soaking them in sugar syrup. 
The key ingredient to make Gulab jamun is Mava/khoa/ evaporated milk. However, sometimes cottage cheese is also added along with mava in its preparation. 

Ingredients:
Mava/evaporated milk -1 cup (150gms)
All purposes flour/maida -1/2 cup
Salt -1 pinch
Baking soda -1 pinch or little less
Sugar -2 cups
Water -2 cups

Method:
Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Knead the mava to remove all lumps. Mix the salt, baking soda and all-purpose flour well. Combine the mava with the all-purpose flour. Leave it aside for five minutes. Then, divide the dough into equal parts. Roll each part into a small ball. Deep fry them in small batches in medium hot oil till brown and crispy. Drop it immediately in hot sugar syrup. 

To prepare sugar syrup:
Combine the sugar and water. Boil it over high heat till it reaches a syrupy consistency. It should be just sticky and flowing and slightly less than one thread consistency. Prepare the syrup while the dough it seating for five minutes. 

Note:
Do not press the dough hard while rolling the balls. 
Keep the flame very low while frying. 
Keep stirring the jamuns while frying to get an even colour.



  

Split chickpea snack

Chickpea, which is also known as garbanzo beans is  a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. It can be used to make a variety of things. Here is a simple snack that is usually prepared during navarathri as an offering to the lord.

Ingredients: 
Split Chickpea -2 cups
Grated coconut -1 tsp
Chopped green chilies -1/2 tsp
Chopped ginger -1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Soak the split chickpeas in water for 10 hours or overnight. Wash and drain the water. Cook in a pressure cooker till soft. Remove from the cooker and add required salt. Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in little oil and add to it. Garnish with grated coconut, chopped green chillies and ginger. 

Peanut bars (chikki)

Peanut bars are healthy and a good substitute to store bought energy bars. It has lot of nutrients and a low Glycaemic Index. It is a excellent food for growing kids.

Ingredients:
Peanuts -200 gms
Brown sugar/jaggery -200gms
Butter - 2tblsps

Method:
Invert a flat plate or tray and grease it with butter. Set it aside. Roast and skin the peanuts. In a wide pan add the place the brown sugar along with 1/4 cup of water. Heat over a low flame until the sugar melts. Keep boiling till the syrup becomes thick and hard to stir. At this stage add the peanuts and butter. Stir over a low flame till it becomes a hard mass. 

Spread over the greased plate. Using a rolling pin flatten it to 1 cm thickness. Cut into squares. Cool it completely. Store it in an airtight container.