Obattu / Poli

In our family we do this poli during most of the special occasion, especially for Diwali, Ugadi and Varalakshmi viratam. Poli is very tasty and traditional recipe which are rarely made during festival season. In my way of doing poli there is a small difference when it comes to stuffing, usually all will prepare stuffing in channa dhal but we use toor dhal for purnam which is also traditionally done from my hubby’s native Krishnagiri. My MIL is an expert in doing polis she will finish making 30 tasty polis in just 30 min. I am slowly catching up the method and now practised for many times and finally I got the shape and taste as my MIL use to prepare and got certificate for the same from my hubby also.

Ingredients :

For outer layer:

Maida – 2 cup
Salt a pinch
Oil ½ cup


For puranam:

Toor dhal – 11//2 cup
Jaggery – 11/2 cup
Cardamom a pinch
Ghee – 2 tsp




Method:

• In a bowl add maida , a pinch of salt and mix well by adding adequate water to make a smooth dough (softer than chapathi dough). Add oil to this dough and keep it aside for minimum 2 hours (oil should float on dough).
• Grate the jaggery and keep it aside.
• Wash and soak the toor dhal for 1 hr. Then cook the toor dhal in an open pan till soft and well cooked (don’t cook for mashy).
• Now drain the water from the cooked dhal and spread in a plate and allow cooling for room temperature.
• Grind the cooked dhal with grated jaggery and cardamom powder in a mixer in to coarse and thick paste (don’t grind for long time just on and off for 2 times).
• Now transfer this puranam into a bowl and add some ghee on top and mix well.





• Now make out small balls for filling.
• Now collect the oil from maida dough in to a small bowl (can use for roasting poli).
• Take a plastic sheet/ banana leaf and grease some oil in it. Now take a small portion of Maida and spread with your fingers and place a small ball of puran and cover well.





• Now flatten well into a thin and round shape.
• Now carefully place the poli in to a hot tawa and flip on both sides until golden brown colour.

Delicious and soft Obattu/Poli is ready to serve with ghee.

Note:

• Instead of using toor dhal can substitute with channa dhal for doing purnam.
• Poli will be fresh in a room temperature, until 2 days no need to refrigerate it.
• Take care while cooking the dhal doesn’t cook for mashy.
• While grinding for puran don’t make it as a paste, if it goes watery then add some roasted gram powder, grated coconut(optional) and ghee 2 tsp and fry in a pan for 5 min it will become thick and flavourful.Then you can use for stuffing.
• Excess drain water from cooked dhal can use for preparing Rasam "Obattu Charu" it will be more tasty.

Vinayagar chathurthi Celebrations

Vinayagar chathurthi is one of the most popular of Hindu festivals. It is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha who is considered to be the God of good luck, prosperity, wisdom and wealth. The name Vinayaka! Indicates the remover of all obstacles. He is worshipped first in all prayers and before any auspicious work is begun. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 20 August and 15 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).
- Courtesy Wiki.

In our family we celebrate in grand festive manner. Actually we start chathurthi celebrations one day prior to the actual day by performing pooja to Parvathi devi , the mother of Vinayaka, the goddess face which is made with turmeric powder and decorated with flowers.

On this day in India you get to see Vinayagar idol of various sizes and forms. My father use to buy one for this day too. It has become a customary for me and my sister to open eyes seeing this Vinayagar Idol. On this day my grandfather will decorate lord vinayagar by arukampul, arukalam malai and flowers to the clay idol.

My mom and grandmom would perform pooja to vinayagar by chanting ashtotiram 108 names of lord vinayagar. Now comes the best part. The dishes prepared on this lovely day to celebrate the birth of Vinayagar. The special dishes are actually the neivedhyam such as Idly (kudumulu), steamed dhal balls (Udhu untallu), Rice flour payasam (Thalikallu paravanam), Rice balls sundal (undrallu sundal) and finely two types of Kollukattai with coconut and white sesame filling/ sweet dumplings (Jillidikayalu).

Note: the bracketed names are names of the dish in telugu. As soon as the pooja is over we start enjoying the Neivedhyam hahaha….

Ok.Let’s get back to business. “Cooking”. Starting with Kolukattai. I am gonna brief you with two variety of kolukattai namely WhiteSesame kolukattai and Coconut kolukattai….

Below is the method for outer layer of kolukattai dough preparation.

Kolukattai Dough:

The same dough is used to do other dishes for Rice flour payasam and Rice balls sundal.

Ingredients:

Rice flour / Idiyapam flour - 1 cup
All purpose flour / Maida – 1 tbsp
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Salt - a Pinch

Method:

• Mix rice flour and Maida and keep it aside.
• In a bowl add water and salt a pinch, when it starts boil simmer the stove and add the rice flour mixture and leave for ten minutes.
• After ten minutes switch off the stove and knead the dough by adding 1 tbsp of oil and sprinkle some water to it.
• Now the outer layer dough is ready to make Kolukattai/ Rice flour payasam/ Rice balls sundal.
• Apply some oil in your hand and take out small size dough and make a ball. Using thumb slightly press the ball in the middle and hold with your fingers and make a cup. (To make cups simple can use mould or chapatti press too).
• Now add the filling in the centre of cup and press the edges and seal well.
• Finish all the dough by filling the mixture inside as above. Arrange in a greased plate and steam it for ten minutes. You will see the color change and shiny.

Filling for Coconut kolukattai:
Ingredients:

Coconut scrapings- 1 cup
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Cashews – few
Ghee – 1 tsp
Cardamom powder a pinch (optional)

Method:

• In a pan add a tsp of ghee and roast the cashews and keep it aside.
• In a same pan add the coconut scrapings and sugar and mix well let cook on low flame until the sugar melts and get thicken.
• At this stage add cardamom powder and roasted cashews to it and mix well.

Now the coconut filling is ready.

Filling for Sesame kolukattai:
Ingredients:
Sesame - 1 cup
Jaggery - 3/4 cup

Method:

• Powder the jaggery and keep it aside.
• In a heavy bottom pan add sesame and sprinkle some water to it. Once the sesame crackles and roast till nice aroma comes and turns to brown.
• Switch off the flame and let it cool for a while.
• Now grind the sesame to powder and the powdered jaggery to it and run again for once and mix well and use it for filling.

Rice flour payasam / Thaligalu paravannam:

Ingredients for Paravannam/Payasam:

Jaggery - 1 cup
Coconut scrapings - 2 tbsp
Rice - 1 tbsp
Cashews - few
Cardamom -1 no
Ghee

Method:

The recipe for preparing thaligalu dough is same dough used for kolukattai.

• Place this dough in murukku pressure (there is a option for whole) and then squeeze the dough on a well greased plate. Now steam it for 10 to 12 minutes when open you will see the color change and shiny.
• Now grind coconut, cashew, rice and cardamom together into a smooth paste and keep it aside. In a bowl add the jaggery and some water just to immerse it and heat till the jaggery dissolves completely.
• Once done strain it and transfer to another bowl and add the ground paste to it and boil for few minutes.
• When it starts boiling add the steamed rice noodles to it (you can break it into small pieces). Stir well for 3 min and your Rice flour payasam is ready to eat. :).

Rice balls Sundal /Undrallu Sundal:

Ingredients:

White channa – 2 tbsp
Field Bean (Mochai) – 2 tbsp
Ground nuts – 2 tbsp
Horse gram (Kollu) – 2tbsp
Rice Balls – 1/4 cup
Green Chilly -4
Coconut – 1 tbsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Mustard – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Lemon extract – 1 tbsp
Salt for taste
Oil – 2 tsp

Method:

• Soak all beans for 5 to 6 hrs and pressure cook for 3 whistles and keep it aside.
• The dough to make Rice balls for sundal is same dough used for kolukattai.
• Apply some oil in your hand and take out small size dough and make small balls and place them in greased plate and steam it for ten minutes.
• You will see the color change and shiny.
• Now the Rice balls are ready to add in sundal.
• In a pan add 2 tsp oil and crackle mustard and add the curry leaves, green chili and cooked beans and sauté for a while.
• Now add the steamed Rice balls to it and add salt for taste and sauté for 2 more minutes.
• Now switch off the flame and add lemon extract and coriander leaves to it.

Yummy Rice balls Sundal is ready for Neivedhyam…

Wish you all a very happy Vinayagar Chaturthi.

Beetroot Halwa

Today I plan to do some dessert and I saw a couple of beetroots in my fridge and instantly stricks halwa in it. Beetroot has a high nutritional and medicinal value. As most of us are adding very less quantity of vegetables to our daily diet, this is also one of the best way to include to our diet. With rich taste and color this invites all, especially kids who will enjoy this!

Ingredients :

Beetroot - 1 big
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cashews - few
Cardamom Powder - a pinch
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Peel the skin and grate the beetroot and pressure cook by adding milk to immerse it and keep it aside.
• Heat one tbsp of ghee in a thick bottomed pan and roast the cashews till golden brown and set aside.
• In a same pan add the cooked beetroot and add sugar (depends upon your sweetness) to it and let cook on low flame until the sugar melts and get thicken.
• At this stage add cardamom powder and ghee and stir continuously till the mixture leaves the pan.
• Finally garnish with roasted nuts.

Serve warm or cold as a dessert.

Enjoy Making...

Tips:

• Keep the halwa in refrigerator and can use it for upto one week.
• When serving add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top.
• Instead of sugar you could substitute with sugar free to enjoy the dessert to reduce calories.