Sweet Pongal Recipe for Makara Sankranti | Pongal

Hope everyone has had a great Sankranti .. Ours was a simple one. Sankranti coincided with a public holiday here so the husband was at home. I made a huge pot of Khara Pongal (which is a favourite & a breakfast staple at home) & a tiny bit of sweet Pongal. No one at home is fond of sweets so eating even a tiny bit of sweet requires a lot of coaxing from my side .. I nevertheless made it for the festive spirit

Sankranti is not complete with Ellu mixture Here is a link to the Ellu Bella post, if you want to read more about how it is made

Here's my way of making Sweet Pongal. The Rice:Moong Dal proportions vary from one household to another. Amma has always been using equal parts of Rice & Moong Dal so I continue the same

HOW TO MAKE SWEET PONGAL

Name: NAVILKOS MOSARU BAJJI | KNOL KHOL RAITA | ನವಿಲು ಕೋಸು ಮೊಸರು ಬಜ್ಜಿ
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 7 min
Ingredients: 1 large or 2 medium sized Knol Khol/Kohlrabi - Peeled & Grated; 2 Cups Yogurt; 1/4 Cup Grated Coconut; 2 Green Chilies; 1 teaspoon Ghee; Salt As per taste; To Temper:; 1 teaspoon Ghee; 1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds; 2 Broken Dry Red Chilies; 5 Curry Leaves

You Will Need:

1/2 cup Rice - I used Sona Masuri
1/2 cup Yellow Moog Dal
3/4 - 1 cup powdered Jaggery
1 cup Milk
3 cups Water
1/4 cup Ghee
2 tbsp Dry coconut - Optional (I did Not Add)
A big pinch of turmeric
A pinch of cardamom powder
A pinch of nutmeg powder
8-10 Raisins
8-10 Cashew nuts

How To:

In a pan, dry roast Moong Dal on medium until aromatic. Wash rice under running water & pressure cook Rice & Moong Dal with 2 cups of water for 2-3 whistled Allow it to cool down. Once cool, mash it slightly

Fry Raisins & cashew nuts in a tbsp of Ghee & set aside

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup of water & add powdered jaggery. On a medium flme, keep stirring & let the jaggery melt. Once the jaggery is completely melted and starts bubbling, Add the cooked Rice & Dal mixture & mix well

Add turmeric, Ghee & milk & give it a good mix & allow it to cook on medium flame. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk or water.

Pongal should have the consistency of a kheer initially. It tends to thicken after a while & will be of soft porridge like consistency. Keep this in my while adjusting the consistency.

Initially, if you find the Pongal to be very runny, do not panic & add more rice to thicken it. Pongal thickens as it sits over time

Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder & Dry coconut & mix well. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat &. Add in fried Raisins & cashew nuts and transfer to a serving bowl

NOTE:

Adding Turmeric is optional but I love the golden hue it brings

Adding Milk it optional too but it adds a nice rich taste.

I don't like an overdose of sweetness, so I've added just about 3/4th cup of powdered jaggery & the sweetness was perfect for me. Add a bit more jaggery if you like

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Instant Pot Recipes

Everyday Pulao Using MTR Pulao Masala

Pulao or Palav has been one of my favourite things since childhood .. And this version is made very frequently in our household ..

I thought the recipe was too basic to be shared here on the blog, but wanted to tell you guys that MTR Pulao Masala tastes amazing .. I highly recommend trying it, if you haven't used it before

Pulao is one of those dishes that takes very little effort to make but tastes amazing isn't it? And with all the veggies thrown in , it sort of is a wholesome meal with some salad & Raita or plain yogurt on the side

You Will Need:

1 Cup Basmati Rice
1 medium sized Onion - sliced lengthwise
1 Medium sized Tomato
1 small sized Potato
A handful of Green Beans
1/4 Cup Green Peas
1 Small Carrot
Salt as per Taste
2 tablespoon Ghee or Cooking Oil

Spices Needed:

1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1.5 Teaspoon MTR Pulao Masala
3/4 Teaspoon Kitchen King Masala
1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
2 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

How To:

Add Basmati Rice into a colander & clean under running water, drain & set aside

Add Ghee or Cooking oil into a Pressure Cooker Pot, once its hot enough, add cumin seeds & bay leaves & sauté for 20 seconds.

Meanwhile, To speeden the cooking process, keep 1.5 cups of water to boil on the stovetop

Add onions & sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped Tomatoes & All the Spices Powders mentioned in the list along with some salt. Sauté for about 2 minutes

Add the rest of the vegetables & Mix well

Add Rice & gently mix. Now, carefully add the water that was kept boiling. Add salt, & give it a mix.

Close the Cooker Lid & let it cook for 1 whistle. Set aside for the Pressure to release naturally

Gently fluff with a fork & Garnish with fresh chopped coriander & serve with Raita or Yogurt on the side
INSTANT POT METHOD:

(PRESSURE COOK ON HIGH FOR 4 MINUTES, NPR FOR 4 MINUTES & RELEASE PRESSURE AFTER 4 MINUTES)

Clean Basmati Rice in several changes of water, Drain & set aside

Turn on the Sauté mode in the Instant Pot. Select the Normal Mode
Add Ghee & Cooking oil into it, once its hot enough, add cumin seeds & bay leaves & sauté for 20 seconds.

Meanwhile, To speeden the cooking process, I keep 1.5 cups of water to boil on the stovetop

Add onions & sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped Tomatoes & All the Spices Powders mentioned in the list along with some salt. Sauté for about 2 minutes

Add the rest of the vegetables & Mix well

Add Rice & gently mix. Now, carefully add the water that was kept boiling. Add salt, & give it a mix.

Now, Press the cancel button to cancel the sauté mode. Close the lid & close the vent to sealing position (I have the model in which the vent automatically seals itself when closed)

Choose the Pressure Cook mode & Pressure cook on High for 4 minutes

When the instant pot beeps, Do an NPR for 4 minutes & then manually release the pressure.

Gently fluff with a fork & Garnish with fresh chopped coriander & serve with Raita or Yogurt on the side

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Karnataka Recipes

Amaranth Greens Sasive | Mosaru Sasive | ದಂಟಿನ ಸೊಪ್ಪಿನ ಮೊಸರು ಸಾಸಿವೆ

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Festive Food

Hesarubele Carrot Kosambari | ಹೆಸರು ಬೇಳೆ ಕ್ಯಾರಟ್‌ ಕೋಸಂಬರಿ

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Karnataka Recipes

Navilkos Mosaru Bajji | Knol Khol Raita | ನವಿಲು ಕೋಸು ಮೊಸರು ಬಜ್ಜಿ + {VIDEO}

Knol Khol | Kohlrabi | ನವಿಲು ಕೋಸು | Ganth Gobi is quite an underrated vegetable in my opinion. It tastes great in Sambar | Huli .. We add it to Saagu & Bisi Bele Bath as well.

I made a quick Raita | Mosaru Bajji using Knol Khol that goes really well as a side with Anna - Saaru & can be paired with Palav as well, especially with you want to give the regular Onion-Tomato Raita a break

Serves 4

You Will Need:

1 large or 2 medium sized Knol Khol/Kohlrabi - Peeled & Grated
2 Cups Yogurt
1/4 Cup Grated Coconut
2 Green Chilies
1 teaspoon Ghee
Salt As per taste

To Temper:

1 teaspoon Ghee
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
2 Broken Dry Red Chilies
4-5 Curry Leaves

How To:

Heat a teaspoon of Ghee in a pan, Add 2 slit Green Chilies & once blistered, fish them out.

In the same pan, add grated Kohlrabi & sauté for a couple of minutes until slightly cooked & is no longer raw. Decant into a bowl

In a mixie jar/blender, grind together Grated Coconut, Green Chilies, Some Salt & a dash of water into a smooth Paste

Mix this into the cooked Kohlrabi, Add Yogurt, Add some salt if needed & mix well

Heat Ghee & temper with mustard seeds, Dry Red Chilies & Curry Leaves. Pour the tempering over the Raita& mix

Serve as a side dish along with Rice & Saaru or even Pulao

NAVILKOS MOSARU BAJJI | KNOL KHOL RAITA | ನವಿಲು ಕೋಸು ಮೊಸರು ಬಜ್ಜಿ

Yield: 4

Author: Deepthi Shankar

Prep time: 2 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 7 Min

Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium sized Knol Khol/Kohlrabi - Peeled & Grated
2 Cups Yogurt
1/4 Cup Grated Coconut
2 Green Chilies
1 teaspoon Ghee
Salt As per taste
To Temper:
1 teaspoon Ghee
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
2 Broken Dry Red Chilies
5 Curry Leaves

Instructions

Heat a teaspoon of Ghee in a pan, Add 2 slit Green Chilies & once blistered, fish them out.
In the same pan, add grated Kohlrabi & sauté for a couple of minutes until slightly cooked & is no longer raw. Decant into a bowl
In a mixie jar/blender, grind together Grated Coconut, Green Chilies, Some Salt & a dash of water into a smooth Paste
Mix this into the cooked Kohlrabi, Add Yogurt, Add some salt if needed & mix well
Heat Ghee & temper with mustard seeds, Dry Red Chilies & Curry Leaves. Pour the tempering over the Raita& mix
Serve as a side dish along with Rice & Saaru or even Pulao

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @https://www.instagram.com/dee_shankar/ on instagram and hashtag it #vegetableplatter

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Festive Food

Khara Kadubu For Naga Panchami + {VIDEO}

Khara Kadubu is a traditional steamed sweet dumpling & in Karnataka, these are made on the day of Naga Panchami. These Kadubus are made out of Rice Flour wrappers & filled with a mixed Lentil filling.

Though a bit time consuming to make, these are delicious & we eagerly wait for Naga Panchami to make them

The Other 2 most commonly made dishes on Naga Panchami are Sihi Kadubu & Uddina Kadubu & you can find them on the blog here & here

They are a bit tricky to make especially for a beginner, but if you get the consistency of the dough right, then the rest is a breeze.

I have added 2 tablespoons of Maida so that the delicate wrapper doesn't tear. But, traditionally, Maida is not added

The recipe can be divined into 4 parts

Making the Filling
Making the Dough for the Wrapper
Making the Kadubus
Steaming
I have also added a video so that Its easier for you to follow the steps

How To Make Rice Flour Wrapper

Makes About 30 Kadubus

You Will Need:

2 Cups Rice Flour (I used the traditional Paavu Measurement)
2 tablespoon Maida/All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Water
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Oil

How To:

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 cups of water. Add Oil, & Salt. When it comes to a boil, quickly add in the flour & whisk swiftly such that no lumps are formed

The ratio of Water:Flour should always be 1:1

Sprinkle some water on top & cover with a lid & let it cook for 1 minute on low flame

Turn off the heat & after 10 minutes, transfer the cooked flour onto a wide bowl

When cool enough to handle, apply oil to your palms & knead well to form a soft dough

You will want to knead for about 5 minutes

Transfer the dough into a bowl & cover with a damp kitchen towel

How To Make the Filling

The Spicy Lentil filling is quite similar to the Nuchina Unde Mix except that we do not add Onions & Dill Leaves here

You Will Need:

1/4 Cup Chana Dal
1/4 Cup Toor Dal
1/4 Cup Moong Dal
3 Green Chilies
3 Red Chilies
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
A small Piece of Ginger - Chopped
A few curry leaves
Chopped Coriander Leaves - 1 tablespoon
Salt

Wash all the 3 lentils in water & soak them together for about 3 hours or overnight.
In a mixie, grind the lentils coarsely along with the other ingredient

Add a dash of water & grind inyo a coarse paste

Transfer into a bowl, add chopped Coriander & Curry Leaves & mix well. The filling is ready

Stuff the Wrapper with the Lentil Filling

Pinch lime sized balls from the dough & dust them with rice flour & roll into a longish wrapper with the help of a rolling pin.

Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center & wrap the dough into a crescent shaped Kadubu

Repeat this till you finish off the dough & the filling. You will get about 30 Kadubus with this measurement

Steam The Kadubus

Place all the kadubu onto a plate in one line without overcrowding the plate & steam them for 10 minutes

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Cucumber Recipes

Khamang Kakdi | Kakdi Chi Koshimbir | Maharastrian Style Cucumber Kosambari

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, by Deepthi Shankar

Bangalore Special

Bangalore Darshini Style Sambar | Hotel Style Sambar

Bengaluru's Famous Darshini Style Sambar Made With Onions, Tomatoes & a Hint of Jaggery

I have always always been an 'Idli Sambar Dippu' fan since childhood & most darshinis in Bangalore serve excellent Sambar in my opinion.

If you are a fan of Namma Bengaluru style 'Idli Sambar Dippu' you are going to love this recipe

Also, The Recipe for Soft & Fluffy Karnataka Style Idlis can be found Here

HOW TO MAKE DARSHINI STYLE SAMBAR

Recipe Source: My Amma

Serves 5-6

You Will Need:

1/4 Cup Toor Dal
2 Large Tomatoes - Finely Chopped
1 large Onion - Chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
A small Piece of Tamarind
2 small lumps of Jaggery
Salt

Spices Needed:

1/4 Cup Coconut
10 Byadgi Red Chilies
1.5 tablespoons of Coriander Seeds
2 small sticks of Cinnamon
6-7 Cloves
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds/Jeera

To Temper:

1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
2 Broken Dry Red Chilies
A generous Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
A Sprig Of Curry Leaves

How To:

Pressure Cook Toor Dal with chopped Tomatoes & Turmeric Powder

In a Pan, add a teaspoon of oil & Roast Byadgi Chilies, Coriander seeds, Cinnamon, Cloves & Cumin seeds

Transfer into a mixe jar, along with grated coconut & Tamarind & grind into a smooth paste adding a little water

In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds add Asafoetida, curry leaves & onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions turn soft

Add the cooked dal, ground paste & some salt

Add 3-4 cups of water, Jaggery & mix well.

On medium flame, bring it to a boil. Check for Salt & Jaggery. Add more if needed. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Turn off the heat & serve Darshini Style Sambar with Idli/Dose

NOTE:

Cinnamon & Cloves are 2 Star Ingredients in this recipe which gives it that distinct taste. Do Not Skip Adding them