Kasi Halwa/White Pumpkin halwa

Kasi halwa/White pumpkin halwa is a popular south Indian sweet/halwa served in weddings mostly.
wondering why the same not done regularly at home.when asked mom she told me that in weddings the cook throws away the water from the scrapped white pumpkin and makes halwa,but the original version i mean the way it is done at home is to retain the water and make the halwa and it used to take long  time for the water to get absorbed... but it tastes very nice this way....hmmm.......tedious and time consuming...no wondering not a regular dish done at home......yesterday i went to market and ended up buying half a pumpkin.....and the result is the golden and lovely halwa before your eyes....Very very tasty believe me.......and easy to make too...lets see how to make it.

Ingredients:-
Pushinikka/White pumpkin - 1/2 or 1 big cup scraped

Ghee - 4 tsp
Cashews - 1 tsp
Raisins - 1 tsp
Low fat milk - 1/2 cup
Condensed Milk - 4 tsp
Saffron -- few strands(Soak it in 2 tsp of warm milk for 10 min)
Sugar - 1/2 a cup(a little bit less)
Cardamon - 2
Method:-
1.peel the outer skin of pumpkin and scrape it in a scrapper and keep it aside.

2.In a pan heat 1 1/2 tsp of ghee and fry the cashews and raisins and take it in a bowl and keep it aside.

3. In the same pan add the scrapped white pumpkin and fry a little bit till all the water is evaporated.

4. To this add milk, and let it cook nicely.

5. once cooked add sugar,cardamon powder, saffron to this and keep stirring until it becomes halwa consistency.

add the remaining 2 1/2 tsp ghee while stirring little by little. add half of the fried cashew and raisins.

6. cook until ghee separates.

7. Garnish with the remaining cashews and raisin.Nice tasty and yummy Kasi halwa/Pumpkin halwa is ready to eat...

Note:- You can throw way the water from the scraped pumpkin its up to you. As i didn't have so much water from the scraped pieces i have done as it is with the water. You can use food colour(orange) a little bit but as i wanted a natural colour i used saffron mixed with little milk hence the lovely golden yellow colour.... As i used condensed milk i have reduced the sugar other wise the consistency is for 2 cups pumpkin one cup sugar can be added, but take care once cooked the quantity reduces..so add sugar accordingly. You can use full fat milk and avoid condensed milk too...

Vegetatian Thali - 8

Ha ha you may be wondering where is the thali...for a change i have posted the pic of my dining table with the dishes....The items displayed are White rice, Drumstick arachivitta sambhar,Yenna katherikka karanadhu/stuffed brinjal curry,tomato rasam,buttermilk,papad, and banana......Individual recipes can be seen in the blog....

Yenna Katherikka karamadhu/ Stuffed brinjal curry/Guthi Vankaya kura

My Mom makes this yenna katherikka karamadhu or stuffed brinjal curry in a yummy way .......this curry tastes yummy with vengaya sambhar/onion sambhar or Murungakka/drumstick sambhar. this is a very  very tasty curry... When we make it in nonstick pan it consumes less oil than the old traditional method. So lets see how to make it.....

Ingredients:-
Brinjal/Kathirikkai- 250 gms

Urad Dal - 3tsp
Chenna Dal - 3 tsp
Red chillies - 5
Dhania/coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a big pinch
Tamarind juice - 5 tsp
Salt to taste
oil - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves-few
Dill leaves - few
Method:-
1. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan fry urad Dal,chenna dal,red chillies,Coriander seeds, asafoetida until golden brown.
2. Let it cool and grind it in a mixie with salt,asafoetida into coarse powder. keep it aside.

3. Cut the stem of brinjal and slit brinjal into 4 as shown below.

4. Fill the brinjal with the ground powder.


5. Heat 1 1/2 spoon oil in a non stick pan and place all the stuffed brinjal in that.

6. Sprinkle tamarind water to it and cover the pan with a plate and cook in low flame for 10 to 12 min.

7. In between just move the brinjals a little bit , care to be taken not to break them.

8. Stuffed Brinjal curry is ready.

9. Garnish with Coriander leaves or Dill leaves.

10. you can serve with hot rice and a tsp of ghee and this stuffed brinjal....or you can have as a side dish sambhar rice or rasam rice or mixed rices.....

Note:- you can use idli chilli powder for stuffing.

Rava Idli

Today i made rava idli for dinner. Its a very easy recipe and gets done fast. Soft, tasty rava idlies in half an hour. Lets see how to make this mouth watering idlies...

Ingredients:-

Rava(Sooji/fine semolina) - 1 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 tsp

yogurt - 11/2 Cup

Butter Milk - 1 cup

Eno fruit salt - 1 tsp (for making soft idlies)

Carrot - 1/2

Coriander leaves - 1 tsp

Curry leaves- a few

Ginger - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

For seasoning:-

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil - 2 tsp

 Method:-

1. In a pan heat oil add seasoning and fry till golden brown.

2. Add rava to this and fry till golden.

3. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool.

4. Add chopped green chillies, ginger,curry and coriander leaves , salt to Rava.

5. Add curd and keep it for 10 min.

6. add Butter milk to this and make a thick batter.

7. Finally add eno salt and mix nicely and add ghee to this.

8. Grease the idly plates with a drop of oil and decorate with carrot and cashews.

9.Immediately pour into greased idli moulds.

10.Set the plates in idly cooker and pressure cook for 10 min.

11. Switch off the stove and  Let it cool for 5 min. Idlies are ready.

12.Tasty Rava idli is ready to eat. 

  Tasty Rava idlies with manga thokku/ Mango pickle or Idli chilli powder/Molagapodi or SpicyOnion tomato chutney.

 Yummy Carrot sprinkled Rava idlies......

 

Note:- Sending this recipe to cook up a meal under 30 min by Srivalli Meal under 30 min

Popcorn

Popcorn is a favourite for all age group. Popcorn and movies go together...watching movies either at home or theatre with a popcorn bowl....brings in more enjoyment both with friends and family.... This is so easy and gets done in min and you don't have to count the extra calories....Kids will Love this and elders too....and a best snack......and we can make it in cooker in min....lets see how to make it.

Ingredients:-
Popcorn seeds - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste.
Method:-
1. Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add pop corn seeds and shuffle so that oil coats on the seeds.
2. Close the cooker with a plate. popcorn will start popping. once the sounds stops switch off the stove.

3. Add salt to it mix well and transfer it to a air tight container.

4. Tasty Pop corns are ready.

Vegetarian thali -7

This simple vegetarian thali consists of palak rice, tomato raitha, curd rice and onion pickle,chenna dal pakoda. The individual receipe of the same is available in the blog.