Thottil Payaru /Green Moong Sweet Sundal

Sundal as this is usually called can be prepared with various kinds of legumes. Each day, one legume is used - Whole Moong - one of my favorite legumes. (In tamil we say pachai payaru)It is Nutritious and easy to digest. Healthy and tasty, This vella payaru sundal.prepared on navratri times and on auspicious occasion in South Indian Homes.This is also made as a sweet during Thottil Podal | Cradle Ceremony of newborn!

Ingredients:

1. Green Moong Dal - 1 cup

2. Jaggery (Gud) - 3/4 cup

3. Coconut (Grated) - 1/4 cup

4. Elaichi Powder to taste

5. Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1.Fry Green Moong for 5 minutes and Cook in a open pan till done. (not too mushy)

2. Mean time, Boil Jaggery with 1/2 cup of Water, Strain to remove dust and sand.

3. Make this into a thick syrup. Now add Cooked Moong, and stir well till water evaporates.

4. Now add, Grated Coconut, Elaichi powder ,ghee and stir well . serve hot or cold.

Rava Wada

Rava wada is very simple, does not take in much oil, very tasty, a wonderful snack to have with tea or coffee. My Amma used to make this as a vadai for prasadam.It is my family’s favorite snack. . This is very delicious when you eat it hotor cold. The output is a very crunchy pakoda on the outside but chewy and soft on the inside. Can be eaten with or without chutney or sauce.

Ingredients:

Rava/Sooji – 1 ½ cup

Rice Four – 2to 3 tbsp

Maida-1/2 cup

Curd/yogurt plain – 1 cup

Salt

Green chilli's – 2

Ginger 1"

Asafoedita pinch

Curry leaves.

Coconut - 1 or 2 tbsp

Soaked channa dal- 2tbsp

Method:

Add curd or yogurt in rava and mix itand soak for 2 to 3 hrs for softness. . (use sour cream and make it immediately)

Then add rice flour, maida, green chilli's, asafoetida, grated ginger, salt, coconut, chopped curry leaves,channa dal and salt in soaked rava

Heat the oil and just sprinkle like pakodas.

When it turns golden brown remove and serve it hot.

Fruit Kesari

For Navrathri Some sweets, snacks, sundal or fruits can be offered as 'neivedhyam'.To know about how navrathri festival celebrated read here.

Ingredients:

1cup - Semolina/Rava

1 1/2 cup – Sugar

1/2 cup - Ghee

1/8 tsp of kesari food color dissolved in 2 Tbsps of water or milk(optional

1 1/2 cup – water or 1cup water ½ cup milk( I doesn't use milk)

1/2 cup - Fresh pineapple, apple, banana, grapes. dates(and any other fruit you desire cut into small cubes or grated)

Any fruit essences-1tsp

1 or 2 tsp cardamom powder

50gmsCashews/raisins nuts

Method

1. Fry Rava with 2tbsp of ghee,till aroma leave out on medium flame(Don't over fry) and keep it aside.

2. Add 1 tbsp ghee fry raisins and cashewnut and keep it aside.

3. Add the Kesar color dissolved in water

4. Now in same pan, add water and sugar, stir till sugar dissolves

5. Then addFruits, fried rava stir it once and let it cook till water is absorbed and rava leaves the walls of Pan.

6. Add ghee and essences, cardamom powder stir it and garnish with cashew &raisins Serve hot or cold.