Kothamalli Sundal | Coriander Sundal | Kothimeera Guggillu | Navarathri Special

Today being the last day of Navarathri, wrapping up this beautiful festival with this Navarathi special sundal. This is a flavorful sundal recipe loaded with refreshing cilantro flavor. This same recipe can be made with any of the legume /dried beans. 

Ingredients :

Kondakadalai / White Channa / Guggillu - 1/2 cup

Salt

To grind :

Coriander leaves / cilantro - hand full 

Coconut - 2 tbsp  

Green chili - 2  

Tempering /thaalippu / popu : 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp 

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Red chili - 1 

Hing - 1 pinch 

Curry leaves - few

Procedure : 

Wash and soak 1/2 cup Kondakadalai / Guggillu for at least 8hrs or overnight.

In a pressure cooker add white Channa, salt with enough water cook the beans until soft but not mushy ( cook for 1 whistle in pressure cooker)

In a mixer jar grind coconut, coriander leaves and green chilies

Strain the cooked Channa 

Once oil is hot add 1/2 teaspoon mustard Heat a pan and add 1 teaspoon oil 

Once mustard splutter add 1/2 teaspoon urad dal 

Once urad dal changes color add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seed.

Next add 1 red chili, a pinch of hing and few curry leaves and fry 

Once roasted add strained beans and the ground coconut mixture and toss gently all together

     

Do not cook after adding coconut mixture

Step by Step Video :

Karamani Sundal |Alasandalu Guggillu | Navarathri Special

Navarathri is one the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated across India.Navarathri means Nine Nights,Nava means nine and Ratri means night. It's a colorful and lively festival. 

Navarathri is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India. South Indians observe this festival by displaying Golu. Golu is festival display of dolls with different themes and ideas. Golu dolls are displayed in odd number of steps (3.5.7.9,11). 

When you say Golu, Sundal comes together with it. They both are best pair. During this nine days, different types if sundals are made as prasadam and distrusted to people who visits our house for Golu. 

Mostly dried pulses need overnight soaking before cooking. Black eye peas is one that do not need much soaking time. Three hours of soaking is enough Karamani/Black eye beans. This tastes awesome on an auspicious day.

Ingredients :

Black eye beans / karamani / Alasandalu - 1/2 cup 

Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp 

Salt 

Tempering /thaalippu / popu : 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp 

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Red chili - 1 

Green chili - 1 

Hing - 1 pinch 

Curry leaves - few

Procedure : 

Wash and soak 1/2 cup karamani / Alasandulu for 3 hrs

In a pressure cooker add soaked black eye beans, salt with enough water cook the beans until soft but not mushy

Strain the cooked beans 

Once oil is hot add 1/2 teaspoon mustard Heat a pan and add 1 teaspoon oil. Once mustard splutter add 1/2 teaspoon urad dal Next add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds.

Next add 1 red chili and 1 green chili Add a pinch of hing and few curry leaves and fry 

Once roasted add strained beans and toss gently 

Finally add 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut , salt and toss all together

     

Step by Step Video :

Bonda

Bonda is  a famous snack with evening tea. Any South Indian restaurant will not be complete without Bonda in their menu. 

These Bondas tastes best with coconut chutney. Coconut pieces and whole pepper corns give a good crunch to the bondas. 

Ingredients :

Urad dal - 1 cup

Raw Rice - 2 tablespoons

Green chilies - 2

Coconut pieces - 1 tablespoons 

Pepper - 1 teaspoon 

Curry leaves - few

Hing - 1/4 teaspoon 

Salt - 1 teaspoon

Procedure : 

Wash and soak 1 cup urad dal and 2 tablespoons raw rice for 3 hours

Grind soaked urad dal and rice until fluffy preferably in wet grinder

Remove the dal mixture to a bowl and add 1 1/2 tbsp coconut pieces ,1tsp whole black pepper

Next add chopped curry leaves, 2 green chilies, hing and 1tsp salt

Mix well with hand until all ingredients are combined. Heat oil in a kadai and check the oil temperature, once a small drop of batter is dropped it should raise up to top with sizzle.

I used small ice cream scoop to drop bonda in oil. This makes uniform size bondas

Once it’s cooked in one side. Use a ladle to turn the bonda to other side

Fry bonda until golden brown in medium flame

Once golden brown remove bonda and drain in paper towel

                     

Serve hot with coconut chutney

                                                      
                  

Step by Step Video :

Mohabbat ka Sharbat | Rose Milk With Watermelon | Old Delhi Special

Mohabbat ka Sharbat is a cool and cool and refreshing summer time drink. It's very simple to whip up for huge crowd. It is a best cooling agent for the body.

I often make this as an accomplishment with spicy and heavy lunches during weekends. It's a kids favorite drink too. We especially like the flavors of rose and watermelon together.

This drink's origin is from Old Delhi. It's is very famous on Delhi streets. 

Ingredients :

Cold milk - 1 cup

Rose syrup/ rooh afza - 2 Tablespoons
Sugar - 1 Tablespoon
Finely chopped watermelon - 1/2 cup
Ice cubes - few

Procedure : 

In a large bowl add ice cubes

Next add cold milk to the bowl

Add sugar and mix well

Next add rose syrup and mix

Finally before serving add finely chopped watermelon and serve cold

                                                           
                  

Step by Step Video :

Ada Pradhaman | Onam Special | Traditional Indian Dessert

Ada Pradhama is payasam recipe traditional from Kerala. This is a staple recipe in Onam Sadhya.  This payasam / kheer is made with coconut milk and jaggery. The Ada / rice palada is traditional made from scratch with rice flour, but nowadays we get readymade ones in market as i have used here. 

Ginger powder balances the flavor of jaggery and helps for digestion, a pinch of ginger powder in payasam makes a lot of difference in flavor. 

Ingredients :

Readymade Rice Palada - 4 tablespoons

Thick coconut milk - 1 cup

Ginger powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Jaggery- 1/4 cup

Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Coconut pieces- 2 tablespoons

Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon

Procedure : 

Cook readymade rice palada in excess water until soft to touch

Strain the palada and rinse it with cold water 

Dissolve jaggery in water and boil for few mins and strain and add to cooked palada 

Once the mixture boils for 2 mins add coconut milk and once it boils add ginger powder

Heat a small sauce pan add ghee and fry coconut pieces till light golden brown

Then add cashew nut and fry for bit then add cardamom powder fry for a bit in hot ghee 

Add this mixture to payasam pan and boil all together for 1 min

Serve warm