MOONG DHAL POLI | PASIPARUPPU POLI

This is one of the South Indian Traditional recipe done on special occasions. The stuffing is done using Moong dhal and Jaggery. Even coconut, bengal gram can also be used in the place of Moong dhal. The outer layer is done with Wheat flour/ Maida or combining both. The outer dough should be soft and rested for an hour to get a nice texture. 

It is served with a liberal dose of ghee as topping. See blog for

• Khoya Poli
• Paruppu Poli
• Coconut Poli

Video Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dhal - 1 cup

Jaggery - 3/4 cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil - as needed

Ghee - for serving

For Outer dough

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Maida/ all purpose flour - 1 cup

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

METHOD:

• Add all the ingredients given for outer dough in a bowl.
• Knead to a soft dough by adding water little by little, smear oil and keep aside.
• Soak Moong dhal for an hour and cook by adding enough water.
• Once cooked well, drain the water completely.
• Add to a tawa and mash well.
• Add jaggery and cook on low flame till it combines together.
• Add cardamom powder, mix well and switch off the flame.
• Let it cool for few minutes.
• Knead the dough again and make balls of desired size.
• Also, make little large balls of the stuffing.
• Grease an aluminium foil/plastic sheet/ banana leaf with little oil and spread the dough ball.
• Place the stuffing ball and close all sides.
• Spread the stuffed dough gently with fingers/palm evenly as thin as possible.
• See that the stuffing doesn't come out.
• Heat a dosa tawa, place it and cook until brown spots appear on both sides.
• Serve with ghee.
• Tasty and soft Moong dhal Poli is ready.

Step wise method with pictures:

1. Add all the ingredients given for outer dough in a bowl.

2. Knead to a soft dough by adding water little by little, smear oil and keep aside.5

3. Soak Moong dhal for an hour and cook by adding enough water.

4. Once cooked well, drain the water completely.

5. Add to a tawa and mash well.

6. Add jaggery and cook on low flame till it combines together.

7. Add cardamom powder, mix well and switch off the flame.

8. Let it cool for few minutes.

9. Knead the dough again and make balls of desired size.

10. Also, make little large balls of the stuffing.

11. Grease an aluminium foil/plastic sheet/ banana leaf with little oil and spread the dough ball.

12. Place the stuffing ball and close all sides.

13.Spread the stuffed dough gently with fingers/palm evenly as thin as possible.

14. See that the stuffing doesn't come out.

15. Heat a dosa tawa, place it and cook until brown spots appear on both sides.

16. Serve with ghee.

17. Tasty and soft Moong dhal Poli is ready.

Ven Pongal | Khara Pongal |Ven Pongal using Seeraga Sambha

Ven Pongal is a very popular breakfast recipe of South India. It is easy to prepare and healthy too. It can be served with any chutney variety or sambhar. Any function or occasion doesn't become complete without Ven Pongal in its menu. Here, I have done using Seeraga Sambha, a popular rice variety in Tamilnadu, with unique aroma and immense health benefits. Raw rice, Sona masuri rice can also be used to prepare Ven Pongal. 

It is  named  due to the  resemblance of Seeragam, Cumin in English. This rice is suitable for preparing Biryani and other variety rice like Tomato rice, Mint rice etc. See also for other recipes like

• Side dish for tiffin
• Sarkarai Pongal
• Seeraga Sambha Vegetable rice

Video recipe of Ven Pongal

INGREDIENTS:

Seeraga sambha rice - 1 cup
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Cumin - 1/2  tsp
Salt

For Seasoning
Ghee - 2 to 3 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Ginger - little

Cashews
Curry leaves
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

METHOD:

•  In a bowl, soak rice & moong dhal together for some time. 
• Wash thoroughly and add 3 cups of water along with 1/2 tsp cumin and salt.
• Pressure cook up to 3 whistles in high flame and 8 minutes in low flame.
• After the pressure reduces, open the lid and mash well till it becomes smooth.
• In a pan, heat ghee, add cumin and pepper.
• Add ginger, curry leaves, cashews.
• Add asafoetida and switch off the flame.
• Pour over the cooked rice, mix well.
• Tasty Ven Pongal is ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures

1. in a bowl, soak rice & moong dhal together for some time. 

2. Wash thoroughly and add 3 cups of water along with 1/2 tsp cumin and salt.

3. Pressure cook up to 3 whistles in high flame and 8 minutes in low flame.

4. After the pressure reduces, open the lid and mash well till it becomes smooth.

5. In a pan, heat ghee, add cumin and pepper.

6. Add ginger, curry leaves, cashews.

7. Add asafoetida and switch off the flame.

8. Pour over the cooked rice, mix well.

9. Tasty Ven Pongal is ready.

MOONG DHAL HALWA | INSTANT HALWA

Moong dhal halwa is a special and classic delicacy of Rajasthan. This dessert is creamy with exotic aroma and done using split moong dhal (yellow dhal), nuts and lots of ghee. The authentic way of cooking is  time consuming and takes lots of mixing and stirring. But here, I have done using roasted and powdered moong dhal and can be done quickly with the same taste.

• Badam Halwa
• Carrot Halwa
• Kasi Halwa 
• Beet root Halwa
• Asoka Halwa 

INGREDIENTS:

Moong dhal - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 and 1/4 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1 and 1/2 cup

Cardamom - 1 tsp

Kesar/ Saffron - a little

Ghee - 1/4 cup

Cashew

Badam

Pistachios (optional)

METHOD:

1. Wash moong dhal well and pat dry for few minutes.

2. Add little ghee and dried moong dhal and saute on low flame until nice aroma comes out.

3. The colour of the moong dhal should change into orange red. Allow to cool and grind to a little coarse powder  and keep aside.

4. In a thick tawa, add little ghee and roast the nuts and almonds and keep aside.

5. In the same tawa, add powdered moong dhal and little ghee and stir on low flame for few minutes. See that the moong dhal is well coated with ghee.

6. Heat the given quantity of milk and water in a pan and add to the moong dhal little by little, since it will splutter.

7. Keep on stirring while adding the hot milk and water.

8. The moong dhal will be well cooked and froth a bit and will absorb the water and milk in few minutes.
 9. Add sugar and kesar, remaining ghee and mix well and cook on low flame.

10. At first, it will turn watery and later the sugar will be absorbed.

11. Add Cardamom powder, mix well and cover with a lid and cook on low flame for few minutes.

12. The Halwa will start to leave the sides of the pan. Add roasted nuts and almonds and mix well.

13. Tasty and delicious MOONG DHAL HALWA is ready.

Note:

• See that the moong dhal is not very coarse. It will not be cooked well while adding water and milk.
• If adding only ghee is not preferred, oil can be replaced.
• Milk can be avoided and water can be used instead.

VAZHAKKAI PODIMAS

This is done by cooking  raw banana/vazhakkai in hot water or steaming it without cutting into pieces. With the help of pressure cooker, it can be prepared easily. It tastes awesome with rice and sambar and Mor kuzhumbu/Butter milk kuzhumbu.

INGREDIENTS:

Vazhakkai/ Raw banana - 2

Onion - 1

Garlic - 4

Green chilly - 2

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt

For Seasoning

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp 

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - a little

Coriander leaves - a little

METHOD:

1. In a pressure cooker, add vazhakkai cut into two with enough water and cook for 2 whistles on high flame.

2. After the pressure reduces, drain the water and peel of the skin after it cools down.

3. Using a grater, grate finely or can mash with hands.

4. In a tawa, add oil and add the seasoning one by one.

5. Add finely chopped onions, green chillies and garlic and cook well until nice aroma comes out. 

 

6. Add the grated vazhakkai, pepper powder along with required salt and mix well and cook for few minutes.

7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

8. Tasty Vazhakkai Podimas is ready.

See for Mor Kuzhumbu in this blog

Note:

• Pepper powder is optional. I have added since vazhakkai may cause gas related problems.
• Adding a pinch of Turmeric while pressure cooking vazhakkai is optional.