Ash Gourd Halwa | Boodh Kumbalakai Halwa | Kashi Halwa | DumRoot Halwa Recipe

It is a very popular Indian dessert prepared from ash gourd, sugar, and ghee. It is also called boodh kumbalakai halwa, it is very rich in taste and healthy too. You can prepare ash gourd MajjigeHuli. By clicking the link. It is mainly served during breakfast and lunchtime. Ash gourd halwa is quite popular in the Udupi-Mangalore side. 

  

Usually, food color will be added to make halwa, but no need for any artificial color to prepare ash gourd. One best thing is, this halwa can be stored last long when stored in the fridge. Always use mature ash gourd to save your time. Do not use a food processer, grating ash gourd gives the best texture at last. Gratin the ash gourd and frying is a big deal, but it feels worth your effort after tasing it. 

You can use saffron and cardamon for the best flavor. Adding saffron gives the best color to halwa. along with add crunched cashew, pistachio, almonds, and raisins for best tastes and extra flavor. 

Cuisine: Karnataka | Prepare Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4 

Ingredients:

Grated ash gourd           3 cups/800 grams.

Sugar                             1 cup

Saffron strands               a few

Cardamom powder        1/2 tsp

Ghee                              5 tbsp

Broken Cashews            10

Raisins                           few

Broken Almonds           10

Broken pistachio            5 

Method:

1. Peel off the skin, discard the pulp and seeds inside and grate ash gourd using a grater. 
2. Squeez grated ash gourd and remove extra water from it. 
3. In a large Kadai, add the grated ash gourd and saute the ash gourd on medium heat till all the water evaporates and the ash gourd is cooked and soft. It will take nearly 15-20 minutes. 
4. Once it cooked, add sugar, saffron, cardamom and mix well until sugar dissolves in it. Adjust the sugar as per your taste. 
5. Keep stirring the ash gourd and ensuring that the ash gourd does not burn and stick to the bottom of the pan. 
6. Add ghee to the halwa and continue stirring until the halwa became thicken and leaves the sides of the pan. This will take about 10 minutes. Turn of the flame.
7. In a small pan, heat tbsp of ghee, add broken cashews, almonds, raisins, pistachio, and fry. 
8. Pour dry fruits over halwa and serve hot/cold and refrigerate for a week. 

Recipe Notes:

• Always cook halwa in a low to medium flame to avoid sticky and burning.
• Pick mature ash gourd to prepare quick halwa.
• Sugar should be added after the water evaporates completely.
• Keep string in the whole process of making halwa. 

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Bottle Gourd Majjige Huli | Sorekai Majjige Huli Recipe

Majjige Huli is simple south Indian recipes prepare with leftover curd/yogurt. It is common on all occasions and it is prepared with water-based vegetables like ash gourd/cucumber/ Mangalore cucumber. It helps to weight loss and diabetes. It is flavored yogurt curry made with grounded coconuts, green chilies, and coriander leaves. 

Majjige Huli is less spicy curry and goes well with steamed rice. Very simple and quick recipe. If you have leftover curd, don't throw because sour curd is perfect to prepare this curry. Moreover, ensure to whisk the curd properly before cooking. 

Cuisine: South Karnataka | Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4-5 person

Ingredients.

To grind:

1/4 cup channa dal

1/2 cup grated coconut 

4-5 green chilies

A handful of coriander leaves

2tbs Bengal gram/roasted gram

1tbsp cumin seeds/Jeera

1tbsp Mustard seeds

1tbsp of ginger-garlic paste

pinch of turmeric powder

For tempering:

2tbsp oil

1tbsp mustard seeds

1tsp of asafoetida/Ingu

few curry leaves

chopped ash gourd

2 medium onion

Method:

1. Soak channa dal for 20 minutes before making Majjige Huli.
2. Firstly, the wash bottle gourd well. peel it, deseed it, and cut into cubes size.
3. In a thick bottom pan, add chopped ash gourd along with water and steam/boil in a medium flame, until ash gourd cooked. 
4. In a while, Add the coconut, soaked chana dal, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, coriander, roasted gram, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric into a mixer grinder and make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
5. Once ash gourd cooked, add the ground paste and little water. Mix well and let it boil in a medium flame. 
6.  The Majjige Huli will begin to thicken. At this point stir in the buttermilk and boil for another minute. Turn off the heat.
7. Now, in a separate small saucepan, add tempering ingredients and pour this tempering on Majjige Huli and mix well. 
8. Serve Majjige Huli with hot steamed rice. 

Recipe Note:

• Adding channa dal gives the thickness to Majjige Huli. Make sure to adjust the thickness by adding water. It should not be thick nor thin.
• make sure to turn off the flame after adding curd. (don't over boil after adding curd).
• Majjige Huli tastes best when the yogurt is sour, so do not use fresh curds in this recipe.
• You can also replace bottle gourd with watery vegetables like Mangalore cucumber, green cucumber, white pumpkin(ash gourd).

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Instant Gulab Jamun Mix Recipe | Best Dessert For All Time

Gulab Jamun is an all-time favorite dessert for all and very easy to prepare. It is a classic Indian sweet preparation in most festivals. It is mainly prepared from milk solids, traditionally from khoya, which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Gulab Jamun is deep-fried, dipped in a sugar syrup by adding a pinch of cardamom to enhance the flavor. It is also served with vanilla ice cream which makes it cold and hot sweet dessert recipe. 

                                   Tips to make perfect gulab jamun

1. Don't add too much of water/milk, moisture dough Jamun will break in the oil.
2. Jamun dough balls should roll through using your palm, avoid using finger and it should be no crakes on it. 
3. Pre-heat the oil before you making the balls.
4. While frying the flame should be medium. The higher or too low flame will make Jamun uncook or over-roasted.
5. Fry both the side until crispy and keep it on tissue paper to remove excess oil from it.

Cuisine: Indian        | Preparation: 10 minutes

Cookin: 15 minutes | Serves: 20 to 25 Jamun

Ingredients:

To make a dough

Instant Jamun Mix powder: 1 pack (any brand)

Milk: 2 tbsp

Water as needed

Oil to deep fry

Little oil to grease your palm

To make sugar syrup

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

pinch of cardamom

                  

Method:

1. In a medium Kadai, add 2 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar, and a pinch of cardamom and set it to boil in a medium flame until sugar dissolves completely and slightly sticky.
2. In the meantime, add instant Jamun mix power in a bowl and mix with tbsp of milk and water as needed and knead it well without any lumps and make it into small balls. (always make sure to roll a ball on your palm, it should be smooth without any crack.  
3. Divide 20-25 equal-sized portion balls by grease your palm with oil and roll it until smooth balls. Keep them covered for 5 minutes.
4. Heat the pan by adding enough oil to deep fry in a medium flame. Check the oil temperature by adding a little piece of dough in oil. 
5. Add balls and fry for 1-2 minutes or until crispy. (frying too much makes burnt balls). Keep stirring gently to fry them uniformly.
6. Add them to the hot syrup and let it sit for 1 to 2 hours. 
7. Garnishing gulab jamun with chopped pistachios. 
8. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy the dessert.

NOTE:

• 1 pack of Jamun mix makes 20 to 25 small balls.
• Balls should roll on the palm, don't use fingers to roll a ball.
• Make sure oil temperature should be perfect.
• Check the sugar syrup consistency. if the syrup is less, then balls will not absorb and doubled in size.
• Adding cardamom powder gives extra flavor.

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Bombay Saagu | Aloo - Potato Gravy

Potato is one of my all-time favorite vegetable as we can make different kinds of dishes using potatoes. It can be used for the main course, side dishes like palya or gravy, you can prepare soup, you can use it as a starter and more. Today am going to share a simple and easiest dish called potato saagu|aloo gravy. It can be served with rava dosa, neer dosa, poori, or rava idli. I like this gravy to be slightly spicy. It does not take much time to prepare, here I am going to share the recipe with you all today.

Cuisine: Karnataka  | Preparation: 10 minutes
Cookin: 20 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Potatoes                -  3 medium size
Oil                         -  1 tbsp
Chana dal              -  1 tsp
Urad dal                -  1 tsp
Curry leaves          -  1 spring
Mustard seeds       -  1 tsp
Onion                   -  1 large size
Green chilies -  2
Turmeric powder   -  1/2 tsp
Besan powder       -  2 tsp (gram flour)
Water                   -  1.25 cups
Salt                      -  as per taste
Coriander leaves   -   2 tbsp

Method:

Boiling Potatoes

• Rinse and wash 3 to 4 potatoes very well and cut into the middle. In a pressure cooker, boil the potatoes along with salt for 3-4 whistles in a medium flame. 
• Once the cooker is cool, take off the potatoes and peel them and smash in a smasher or using hand. keep aside.

Making Saagu:

• Take a deep Kadai/pan, add oil to heat. add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Add chana dal, urad dal and fry till color change to little brown.
• Add curry leaves, chopped onions, and green chilies and fry for few minutes or until onions turn transparency. 
• Now add boiled and mashed potatoes and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add water, turmeric powder and besan powder to it and stir well.
• Adjust the salt as per taste, and add more water if the saagu becomes thick. Let it boil for a few minutes in a medium flame.
• Once it is cooked well, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rava idli or rava dosa.

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Carrot - Beans Palya | Karnataka Special Stir Fry Recipe

The combination of carrot and beans is a perfect dish that goes very well with chapati or paratha. It can be served with rasam and rice as well as a side dish. It is very simple and easy to prepare. This recipe looks simple but very delicious in taste. It is loaded with a lot of nutrients as the main ingredients are beans and carrots. It is dry in texture with its own softness. Carrot beans palya is one of the side dish which is prepared during the wedding, or any other functions.

Cuisine: Karnataka | Cooking: 15 minutes
Preparation: 15 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Carrots              -  2 carrots or 300 grams
Green beans      -  1/4 kg or 300 grams
grated coconut   -  5-6 tbsp
Salt                   -  1 tsp or to taste
Water                -  to boil veggies
Green chilies -  2
Onions              -  1 small size
Turmeric           -  1 tsp

To Tempering:

Mustard seeds  - 1 tsp
Urad dal           - 1 tsp
Chana dal         - 1 tsp
Curry leaves     - 1 spring
Oil                   -  2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash beans and carrot well in running water and soak water completely.
2. Peel the carrot and discard the edges of beans.
3. Now chop them into small pieces, keep them aside.
4. Bring water to boil and add chopped beans and carrot to boil in a medium flame, until the carrot becomes a little bit of soft.
5. heat a cooking pan/deep Kadai, add oil, mustard seeds. once mustard seeds splutter, add chana dal and urad dal until it turns little brown in color.
6. Now add curry leaves, green chilies, and chopped onion and fry till it becomes transparent. do not fry over.
7. Add turmeric powder and boiled veggies and fry by adding salt to taste for a few minutes.
8. Once it is done, add grated coconut and mix well.
9. Serve hot with chapati.

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Banana Ice-Cream Smoothie

Banana ice cream is a healthy smoothie to beat this summer. This is a simple, easy, and quick recipe to prepare. This is prepared using a ripe banana and vanilla ice cream. You can prepare this recipe by using other types of fruits as well. Banana smoothie is one of the best energy drink for summer. Ice cream gives a rich texture in any kind of smoothies when it is perfectly blended. This is so fresh, smooth, and creamy. 

Cuisine: Karnataka | Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 2 

Ingredients:

Banana                   -  2 large
Milk                        -  3/4 cup chilled
Vanilla Ice cream    -  2 scoop
Ice cube                 -  2
Almond                  -  4
Cashews                -  4

Method:

1. Before making smoothies, prepare ice cubes, freeze the ripe banana for 15 minutes and chill the milk.
2. In a mixer jar/juice maker, add frozen and chopped bananas.
3. Now add ice cubes into it and blend it well until a smooth paste.
4. Add chopped dry fruits, chilled milk and grind it well.
5. Now add 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream and grind it well and make it a thick paste.
6. Banana smoothie is ready to serve. you can store in the fridge or serve immediately.

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Instant Rava Idli

Rava idli is one of the most popular south Indian breakfast. It is made up of with Rava/semolina/sooji. This Rava idli is very easy and quick to prepare as there is no need for grinding and fermenting is required. Using fresh curd makes Rava idlis tastes well. It goes well with coconut chutney or tomato saagu. For preparing puffy and soft idlis mainly you require two ingredients which are fresh curd and roasted Rava. Here I am going to share this recipe with you all today.

Cuisine: Indian | Cooking: 20 minutes

Preparation: 5 minutes | Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

For Idli Batter

Roasted Rava/sooji     -  2 cups

Thick curd                 -  1 cup

Water                       -  1 cup (adjust thickness)

Salt                          -  as needed   

Coriander leaves        -  3 tbsp

Grated carrot             -  4 tbsp 

Baking soda               -  1 tbsp

To Temper:

Mustard seeds      -   1 tbsp

Chana dal            -    2 tbsp

Urad dal               -   1 tbsp

Curry leaves         -   1 spring (chopped)

Broken Cashews   -    8-7

Oil                       -    1 tbsp

Ghee                    -    1 tbsp

Baking soda          -    1 tbsp

Green chillies        -    1-2 (chopped finely)

Method:

• In a pan, add oil and ghee to heat, once heated add mustard seeds to splutter, followed by chana dal, urad dal and broken cashews. saute till dals and cashews turn little brown, it takes about 1-2 minutes.
• Now add chopped curry leaves, chopped green chillies and fry for few minutes.
• Once done with tampering, low the flame and add roasted Rava/sooji into it and start frying for 2-3 minutes.
• Rava should be mixed well with tampered ingredients. once it has done, switch off the flame and keep it aside to cool.
• Once it cools completely, take Rava mixture and add curd, salt to taste and baking soda and mix well.
• Check the salt and adjust the batter thickness by adding water. Let the batter be medium thick. Mix it well and set it for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare an idli maker to stand by greasing with ghee/oil. Add glassful of water and pour in idly cooker/steamer and keep it aside.
• Now take a Rava batter, mix well again and immediately pour in the idli maker stand.

• Place the idli maker stand in the idli cooker/steamer and cook for 10-15 minutes in a medium flame. 
• You can insert a knife or spoon in the centre of the idli to check if it is cooked properly.
• Once it is done, remove the idli stand from cooker/steamer and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. (don't take off the idlis from idli moulds/stands when it is hot, you won't get proper puffy idlis as it sticks to moulds)
• After a few minutes or once it cools off, apply little oil/ghee to spoon and remove idlis using it.
• Serve with coconut chutney or tomato gojju/gravy.

If you like this post, kindly comment below and do share your valuable

response. Thank you :)

Broken Rice Upma - Akki Thari Uppittu

This is one of my favorite recipes which is made with broken rice instead of rawa/sooji. It is very tasty and mouthwatering too, it can be served for breakfast or evening snacks. This broken rice upma(ಅಕ್ಕಿತರಿ ಉಪ್ಪಿಟ್ಟು)tastes different
from the regular upma. If you use lilva beans to this, you will get an unbeatable aroma which makes this upma very special. It can be served by making it into small balls too, as the same look a little attractive for kids. 

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Breakfast/snacks 

Prep Time: 5 mins         |  Cook time: 15 mins    |  Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

Broken rice                  -  2 cup

Water                          -  5 cups

Onion                          -  2

Green chilies -  6-7

Curry leaves                -  1 spring

Oil                              -  3-4 tbsp

Salt                             -  as needed.

Grated coconut             - 1 cup

Coriander leaves           -  few

Ginger                         -  1 Inch (optional)

Lemon juice                 -  Few drops

To Temper:

Ghee                  -  2 tbsp

Mustard seeds     -  1 tbsp

Urad dal             -  1 tbsp

Channa dal         -  1 tbsp

Hing/asafoetida   -  1/4 tbsp   

Cashew               -   6-7

Method:

1. Heat a Kadai/pan to dry roast broken rice in medium flame until a roasted smell of rice goes and till it turns light golden brown. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, let water complete boil.
3. Take another pan, heat oil and ghee. add given Temper items, mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, cashews, curry leaves, asafoetida/hing, green chilies, and curry leaves. Fry them all.
4. Now add chopped onion and ginger, fry till raw smell goes and saute till it becomes transparent. Don't fry too much it makes broken rice upma fresh less.
5. Add 5 cups of water and salt and bring it to boil. When water starts boiling, Taste the water to check for salt, if it is slightly salty, it will be perfect once to add broken rice.
6. Once it has done, now reduce the flame to low and start adding broken rice slowly with one hand and stir continuously with the other hand, so that it does not form lumps to the boiling water.
7.  It Will splutter so be careful with it. Mix well until it becomes thick by absorbing water.
8. Now cover with a lid for few minutes. be sure flame should be low after boiling water.
9. After 5-6 minutes, switch off the flame and stir well with few drops of lemon juice.
10.  At last, garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut.

        Delicious broken rice upma ready to eat. Serve hot with curd or chutney.

Note:

• The water quantity is more for this broken rice upma because rice observes more water when it starts boiling.
• Half fry of onions makes upma more tasteful.
• adding cashew is optional.
• Few drops of lemon juice at the end give little tangy taste.
• This is plain upma. you can add tomato or other vegetables like lilva beans, beans, carrot, or potato.

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Spinach & Pigeon Pea Rice - Palak & Togari Kayi Rice

So today am sharing a healthy recipe which is loaded with a lot of nutrients, antioxidants and considered as one of the very healthy food. The ingredients which I mainly use here is spinach and pigeon pea. It contains high vitamin A, calcium and folic acid etc which is very important for our body, especially for expectant mothers and also post-delivery. Eating spinach and pigeon pea has healthy benefits in several ways. I use spinach every alternative day in form of Parata, bath and playa. Here I am sharing spinach pigeon pea rice bhath recipe with you all. (ಪಾಲಕ್ ತೊಗರಿ ಕಾಳು ಅನ್ನ).

Cuisine:  Indian | Cooking: 20 minutes

Preparation: 10 minutes | serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Rice               -   1 cup/pavu

Spinach         -   2 bunches

Pigeon pea     - 1 cup

Water             -   2 1/2 cups

Salt                -   as per taste

To Temper:

Onion                     -    1

Curry leaves          -    1 spring

Oil                          -   4tbsp

Mustard seeds        -   1 tbsp

Bay (Paulo) leaf      -   2

Spices Paste:

Coriander seeds      -    2 tbsp

Garlic                      -    1 whole

Cinnamon               -    2

Moggu                    -    2

Cloves                     -   2

Grated coconut       -   1 cup

Turmeric                 -   a pinch

Green chillies         -   4-5

Method:

1. Before you start, rinse rice for 10-15 minutes and keep aside.
2. Meanwhile add water in a deep pan/Kadai, let it boil in a small flame until it becomes warm. 
3. Wash well, spinach and pigeon pea. Chop spinach into medium size.
4. Now Take a jar and add all above-mentioned spices, grind well by adding little water and make a well-blended paste.
5. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add Mustard seeds, bay leaf and curry leave fry for half a minutes in a medium flame.     
6. Now add onion and pigeon pea, and keep frying them till the onion turns into golden brown colour. It takes 2-3 minutes to fry.
7.  Now add chopped spinach and ground spices paste and blend well.
8.  Add rinsed rice, warm water and salt to this and stir well for 1 minute and let it boil for 5 minutes.
9. After 5 minutes taste and add salt if needed, and then close the lid and cook until two whistles.
10. Once the cooker cools mix it well and serves spinach pigeon pea rice bath with raitha.  

Notes:     

• You can use basmati rice instead of the regular one.
• For tempering, you can add cashews for a good flavour.
• Instead of pigeon pea, you can use white Kabul or Lilva beans (avarekalu).

Moong Dal Gravy/Thove or Dal Fry

Moong dal thove is an easy and simple delicious dish prepared all over India. It has its own unique flavor and color. Moreover, it does not require much masala, hence you don't feel it much spicy. The main ingredients are tomatoes and onions. It contains a high amount of proteins, low cholesterol, and low fat. This is one of our favorite side dish which is often prepared by my mom for chapathi. It is not only served with chapathi but also can be served with hot white rice or Ghee rice or Jeera rice. Here am sharing my mom's recipe today.

Cuisine: Indian | Cooking: 20 minutes
Preparation: 15 minutes | Serves: 4-5    

Ingredients:

Moong dal                -  1  cup

Water                        -  3  cups(to cook dal)
Tomato                     -   2 or 3 medium size
Salt                           -   as required
Grated coconut         -  4 tbsp
Coriander leaves       -  few

Onion                         -  1 medium size

Water                         -  1 1/2 cups (if required)

To Tamper:

Oil                             -   2 tbsp

Mustered seeds        -   1/2 tsp
Curry leaves              -   1 spring
Green chili -   3 to 4

Method:

1. Wash and boil moong dal with 2 cups of water in a deep pan/Kadai in a medium flame until it becomes soft.
2. Now add chopped tomatoes to boiling moong dal and let both cooks completely. Once it has done, add salt as per taste.
3. Meanwhile, take a small pan to tamper, add oil to heat, mustard seeds to splutter, curry leaves, green chilies, and onion, fry until it gets transparent. 
4. Add this tempered to cooked moong dal and tomato mixture. Stir well 
5. Switch off the stove, garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut.

      Serve hot with chapathi, jeera rice or white rice.

Note:

• If gravy becomes thick add water as required when boiling dal and tomatoes.
• The onion should be fried till transparent as it gives more flavor.
• You can cook moong dal and tomatoes in a pressure cooker, but make sure not overcook (moong dal should not over smashed).