Almond Halwa or Badam Halwa recipe

1 cup almonds
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup or one stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of ghee or clarified butter
1 cup of water
optional coloring
a few strands of saffron
1/4 teaspoon of crushed cardamom seeds

Soak the almonds hot water.  When cool and the skin comes out easily, remove the skin.

Grind the almonds with skin removed to a slightly coarse paste with about 1/2 cup of water

Heat sugar on medium heat with 1/2 of cup water.  When the sugar is dissolved add the ground almond paste stirring all the time.

Start adding small pieces of butter heating and stirring constantly.
When the butter is dissolved add some color (optional) and saffron strands.  Continue stirring until the mass starts pulling away from the sides of the pan and the butter is oozing out, add a teaspoon of clarified butter and stir for a few seconds.

Add the crushed cardamon and turn the heat off.

Cooking time 15 to 20 minutes.

Note:  If you are making large quantities, grind the soaked almonds a cup at a time.

Almonds cooked in sugar makes this dish a very tasty dessert.  Some recipes call for almonds to be ground in milk.  It is a matter of choice how you like it.  This is a popular sweet made for auspicious occasions.

Almonds are so versatile.  They are used all over the world to make sweet and salty dishes.  It is available through out the year.
Almonds are low hanging nuts everyone should enjoy.   

Molagootal or Kootu - squash cooked in mung dal

4 cups of chopped chayote squash (also called chow chow) or use any squash or a combination of squashes
1/2 cup mung dal
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of grated fresh coconut can be substituted with dry coconut
2 cups or enough water for preparation

Seasoning:
2 tablespoon of oil
3 teaspoon of urad dal
2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
dry red chili or to taste

Heat a pan with 1 1/2 cups of water.  Wash and add mung dal to it and cook for 10 minutes.

While the dal is cooking wash the chayote thoroughly and cut it to small pieces.
  
After 10 minutes add the cut vegetable to the dal and cook for 10 minutes after which add turmeric powder, chili powder, salt, coconut and water if necessary and cook for 5 minutes.  Check the vegetable if it is cooked turn the heat off and get the seasoning ready.

Seasoning:
In a separate pot heat oil, when it is hot add  urad dal, cumin seeds mustard seeds and red chili.  When the mustard seeds crack add it to the dish.  Serve with rice or chapati.
Serves 4.

All kinds of squash's go well for this recipe.

Serve with rice or chapati.

This is a simplified version of kootu.   Kootu in Tamil means to add or join.  Usually the urad dal and cumin are roasted in few drops of oil and ground with coconut.  Spinach can also be used to make this dish.  When spinach is used it is the sole vegetable.  This dish is popular in Southern India specially in Kerala.  My mother used to make this dish very often.  We all loved it.  It is healthy, hearty and delicious.

Spicy Buckwheat crepes or Kuttu ata ki Dosa

Ingredients:
1 cup Buckwheat flour or kuttu ata
2 cups water or as needed to make a flowing batter
a few curry leaves
a few cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Ingredients: for crepe or dosa topping
ginger
chili
red and green bell pepper thinly sliced
shredded carrots
or use your own favorite topping


Prepare Batter:  Add water to buckwheat flour and make a liquid batter.  Add curry leaves, cilantro leaves, cumin powder, asafoetida, salt and keep it aside.  For best results make the dough 4 to 8 hours before making the crepes or make it overnight and refrigerate it.
Before making crepes add lemon juice and ground black pepper and stir the dough since the contents would have settled.


Prepare crepes or dosa:  Heat a greased griddle.  Pour some batter in the middle and tilt the griddle to spread the batter.  Evenly distribute the topping over the dosa.  Press it down lightly with the spatula,  Let it cook until the sides are loosening.  Use a spatula to turn it and cook the other side.  It is done when brown spots appear. Remove and serve.

Makes 6 crepes.

Note:  I usually buy buckwheat flour in small quantities.  It gets rancid very easily.  I store it in the refrigerator. 

Tomato Pachadi

1 cup chopped tomato
chopped green chili to taste
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
2 tablespoon of shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt

Seasoning:
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
less than 1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds

First start the seasoning. Heat oil in a pan.  When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.  When the mustard seeds pop add green chili, tomato, turn the heat off cover and let it cool.  When it is down to room temperature add mustard powder, salt, yogurt and chopped cilantro leaves.

This serves two people and takes 10 minutes to prepare.  It is served with chapati or rice.  It can also be served as a dip or salad dressing.

This is served as a side dish for almost any occasion.  This is a south Indian recipe.  There are several variations of this recipe.  Instead of tomato other vegetables can also be used like cucumber, winter melon, chayote, dosakai.  This is a great way to use up ripe tomatoes.