Rava Laddu or Sooji Laddu

2 cups rava (sooji or semolina)
2 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 cup milk (add slowly as needed)
5 tablespoon ghee
1/4 cup cashew broken
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
A few drops of rose essence

In a frying pan heat the ghee add the cashew and raisins to it and fry till it starts to turn light brown add rava to it and roast it constantly till it is golden brown.  Add sugar and coconut, slowly add the milk until the mixture comes together, turn the heat of add crushed cardamom seeds and rose essence.   When it is cool to touch shape them into balls and serve.
Makes 24 to 30 laddus

This is a very nice dish to take to a friends house.

Sprouted Mung Beans Salad

3/4 cup cooked black chana (1/4 cup dry weight(kala chana)
1/4 cup cooked dry yellow peas(pattani, vattana, 1/4 cup dry weight)
1 cup boiled potato(alu)
1 cup chopped cucumber(kheera)
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup carrot shredded(gajar)
2 cups sprouted mung beans
2 green chilies or to taste chopped
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon of roasted (1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 2 red chilli all roasted and powdered)
2 teaspoon chaat masala
2 tablespoon thin nylon sev

To a bowl add the cooked black chana, cooked yellow peas and potato and mix.
Next, add the chopped cucumber, tomato and shredded carrots and give it a mix.  
Next, add the sprouted mung beans, green chilies, lemon juice and mix.
Next, add salt, chaat masala.

Mix all of the ingredients and serve.

Sprouting Mung Beans

1/2 cup mung beans(125 g)

water as needed

Day 1: Take the mung beans in a bowl add water to it and rinse it out.  Add fresh water to it above the level of the beans and let it soak overnight.

Day 2:  The next day, the beans would have absorbed most of the water and some of them would have started to sprout.  Discard the what is left of the water that it was soaking in, add new water wash gently and rinse it out. Repeat this at least 2 to 3 times and 2 to 3 times a day.

Day 3:  Repeat day 2.

Day 4:  The beans would have mostly sprouted and it is now ready to use or you can refrigerate this for 3 to 4 days until ready to use.

Millet Upma - Millet Recipe

Video 0f preparation:

Instead of eating rice or wheat all the time, I like to mix up my diet with other grains at least once a week.  Millet is one of my favourite grain.  It not only cooks fast, it is also very tasty.  Millet upma is one of the dishes I make frequently.  It is easy to make and so delicious.   Many Indians eat millet on the days they fast.  Other Indian names for millet is bajra, kambu, varagu. Here is my recipe, I am using foxtail millet.

1/2 cup millet (100g or 3.65 oz)

1 cup water to cook the millet

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 cup peanuts (raw or roasted)
2 chopped green chillies 
1" inch piece of ginger chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon sambar powder( can be substituted with curry powder)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1 cup chopped potato (225g)
1 cup chopped green beans(125g)
1/2 cup chopped carrots(80g)
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
A few curry leaves or cilantro(dhania) leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cook the millet and keep it aside.  In a pressure cooker it takes one or two whistles or 10 to 15 minutes.  On the burner it takes about 15 minutes.
To a pan on medium heat with one tablespoon of oil add mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the peanuts and let it cook for 10 to 15 seconds, next add the chopped ginger and green chillies and let it cook for 10 seconds.  Next, add the turmeric powder and sambar powder mix let it cook for a few seconds and add asafoetida powder after cooking for 10 seconds add the chopped vegetables and peas, add about half cup of water or as needed for the vegetables to cook.  Cook for 10 minutes or so or until the vegetables are cooked.  After the vegetables are cooked add the salt mix, add the curry leaves, and next add the cooked millet, mix and lastly add the lemon juice mix and serve.

Serve with raita or chutney.

Serves 3