Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) Halwa

This is an awesome sweet dish which is very easy to make.

Ingredients

1 cup Bengal gram (chana dal)

1 cup water

¾ cup sugar OR jaggery

½ cup grated coconut

½ tsp cardamom powder

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 tbsp Kismis (raisins)

1 tsp ghee

Instruction

- Wash and soak chana dal for about 6 hours. Pressure cook with 1 cup water for 8 minutes. Cool and open.

- Heat a thick bottomed pan, put the cooked chana dal and sugar. It becomes watery now. Keep stirring on low flame.

- When it becomes thick, add grated coconut, cardamom powder, cashew nuts and kismis. Mix thoroughly and remove from fire.

- Smear a plate with ghee and pat down the halwa. When it cools down slightly, cut into pieces.

- Can be served immediately, or after refrigeration.   

Dosa with sago

 This has an awesome flavour and texture that I just love.

Ingredients

2 cups rice ( for 10 dosas)

1/3  cup beaten rice

2 tbsps sago

2 tsps fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste

Instruction

-          Wash and soak all the ingredients except salt, for about 6 hours. Grind to a thick batter and allow it to ferment overnight

-          Add salt, mix well and make dosas. If the batter has not risen well after fermentation, add a pinch of baking soda to the batter.

-          Serve with coconut chutney.

Banana Bread

 This bread is easy to make; it is soft, with nice aroma, heavy and quite filling. You can have it with fresh cream, butter, or jam.

Ingredients

1 cup refined flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ cup oil

1 egg

1 banana mashed

¼ cup milk

2 tbsps jaggery

1 tbsp melon seeds (optional)

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instruction

-          Sieve the refined flour with baking powder and keep aside.

-          Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

-          Beat the egg, add the mashed banana and oil, beat again.

-          Add the jaggery, milk, and mix well. Finally add the refined flour with baking powder, the melon seeds and mix.

-          Pour into a baking box lined with baking sheet, spread pumpkin seeds on the surface.

-          Put inside the pre heated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, till a tooth pick when inserted, comes out clean.