Poppy seeds and Cashewnuts Halwa!

The dessert was long time pending. Even this recipe is from south karnataka, India. It is rich and calorie-packed with cashews and flavourful poppy seeds,coconut milk and clarified butter/Ghee. You can use oil to make it less- fat but adding ghee gives halwa wonderful taste.

I will be offline for next one week as me and him going on vacation to Glaciers and will miss all your interesting recipes. See you soon..

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Cashewnuts 
1/2 cup Poppy seeds(soak for 15-20 mins)
1 cup Coconut milk
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Milk
1 tsp Cardamom powder
1/4 cup Ghee(clarified butter)

 

Grind cashwenuts,soaked poppy seeds with the coconut milk to fine paste.
Heat a heavy saucepan, add milk, sugar and ground paste.
Keep adding ghee in regular intervals and stirring continuously.
Add cardamom powder, mix well. when the mixture becomes thick and you can see ghee on the surface. remove from heat.
Transfer to serve bowl and garnish with safforn strings and cashewnuts.

Sending off to the event"Sizzling Summer Contest" hosted by SpicyTatsy.

Split Pigeon Peas Chutney ~ (Toor Dal, Thogari bele chutney)

The Slipt pigeon peas chutney is very famous in southern part of India especially south - north Karnataka. This chutney goes well with hot rice, chapati, idlis with a slice of onion. The aroma/flavour of the chutney is divine.
When I'm out of veggies will prepare this chutney ;)

Ingredients-
2 tbsp Split Pigeon Peas
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
small piece of tamarind(if you use taste take 1/2 tsp)
salt to taste
asafoetida powder
4-5 Red chilies
few fresh curry leaves
Tempering
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 Red chili
few curry leaves
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder
Oil

Dry roast the Split Pigeon Peas, red chilies, asafoetida powder,3-4 curry leaves.
Grind the roasted peas together with coconut, tamarind, salt by adding little water(as required) and transfer it to serving bowl.
Lastly, heat a 1 tbsp oil add mustard seeds, when it starts splutter add red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder. Mix it with chutney and serve.

Watermelon punch with dash of Orange and Sweet lemon- Non Alcoholic!

As the temperture rises in seattle you see people with glass of colorful refreshing drink. Here comes one of the simple yet colorful refreshing punch to beat the heat.

2 cups Watermelon cubes
4 tbsp fresh Orange juice
2 tsp fresh sweet Lemon
3 tsp Sugar
Ice cubes
pinch of salt

Blend the Watermelon cubes and strain it.
In a glass pitcher add orange and lemon juice with salt and  sugar,some lemon slices and ice cubes.
Dress the glass with slice lemon and mint leaves and serve.

Sending off to event "Sizzling Summer Contest" hosted by Spciy Tasty's. 

 

Gram Dal - Rajasthani Style

Ingredients:
1 cup Black gram split
1/2 cup  Bengal gram
1 big Onion sliced
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp green chilies chopped
2 red chilies
2 cloves
1 small inch cinnamon
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
Oil
Salt to taste
Water

Wash the grams and pressure cook with turmeric powder and 3 cups of water.
Heat a medium saucepan, add 2 tbsp oil add the whole masala(cloves,cinnamon and red chilies) add sliced onions and deep fry until they turn golden.
Add ginger-garlic paste and  green chilies saute for few minutes. Add redchili powder and garam masala mix well.
Now, add cooked grams, salt and water(if required) cooked for 4-5 miuntes and turn off the heat.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced ginger- chilies.
Relish the Rajasthani style dal with rice or any roti/ chapathi and onion slices.

One of Tarla dalal recipes.