Shankrathi Special Yellu-Bella

Shankranthi

In south India Shankranthi , Festival of Harvest.  Makar Sankranti is a major

harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. In their own traditions.

Makar Sankranti, apart from a harvest festival is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture. It is said as the 'holy phase of transition'. It marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to the Hindu calendar begins around mid-December. It is believed that any auspicious and sacred ritual can be sanctified in any Hindu family, this day onwards. Scientifically, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights. In other words, Sankranti marks the termination of winter season and beginning of a new harvest or spring season.

There is a story also behind this festival.

We celebrate this festival with distributing sesame with groundnuts, fried grams, dry coconut, jaggery cut into small pieces and distribute, with this we give sugar cane piece and banana with sugar dolls.

I would like to share how we make this yellu. Even though we mix other ingredients we give call it yellu (sesame).

Ingredients:

100 gms of groundnuts.

100 gms of fried grams.

125 gms of jaggery.

75 gms of  dry coconut.

250 gms of sesameseeds.

1.       Takeground nuts and fry in a low flame. Once it is turned brown, let it cool and take out the skin by rubbing with both hands.

2.       Cut Jaggery into small pieces with the help of jaggery cutter.

3.       Take dry coconut peel the skin which is black. Cut it into small pieces.

4.       My mother keeps jaggery and coconut in sun for a day,  after cutting into small pieces so that we can store it for few days.
5.       After all these take sesame seeds fry in a very low flame. Once it is little brown keep it aside.

6.       Mix ground nuts, fried gram, coconut pieces, Jaggery, and sesame and store it in a air tight container. 

 

Avallaki with carrot and peas

Ingredients:

Flattened rice: 250 gms. (For 3 servings)

Carrots: 2 (Grated)

Peas: 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves finely chopped.

Curry Leaves few

Green chillies: 2-3chopped.

Mustard: 2 tea spoons.

Turmeric Powder: 2 teaspoons.

Ginger: 1/4 inch chopped.

Cumin seeds : 2 teaspoons

 Asafoetida : Pinch

Lemon juice: 1 table spoon.

Grated coconut: 1/2 cup or 3tablespoons.

Oil : 2 tablespoons.

Salt to taste.

1. Soak flattened rice for 5 min, drain water and keep it aside.

2. In a kadai take oil, once oil is heated, add mustard, after it cracks add cumin seeds.

3. Add chilly, ginger, next curry leaves and Asafoetida.

4. Mix it well, add carrot and peas and cook it till carrot and peas are done.

5. Add turmeric powder and mix well.

6. Take flattened rice and add to this mix and stir it well.

7. Add salt, lemon juice and mix it well.

8. Garnish with grated coconut and serve.

Strawberry Milk Shake

You need fresh strawberries10 to 12 for 2

Sugar as required, 2tablespoons

Milk 1/4 liter

Kesar a bit.

Wash strawberries cut into pieces

In a jar put the strawberries,

sugar, and milk.

Press the juicer one.

let it be thick while preparing it.

If you like add kesar or decorate it .

Add ice cubes and serve cold

For 3 servings: take 150 gms of macaroni, heat oil 2-3 tablespoons in a pan and fry onions about  2 onions till it turns light brown, add ginger garlic paste 1 table spoon, fry it well, add garam masala powder 1 table spoons, ( if u need more masala you can add more spoons) add red chilly powder of 1 table spoons, turmeric powder 1/2 table spoon, jeera powder1 table spoon, add  tomatoes about 2-3 finely chopped and fry it till it is mashed. Add macaroni about 1 measure and add 1 and a half measure of water, stirr well and close the lid for 2 min, again stirr it and close it for 5 more min, Macaroni is ready, serve hot. You can add cheese toppings if you like.

Brinjal with curds

You need:

Brinjal - 3-4 (cut in to small pieces.)

Curds: 2 cups.
Hing: pinch.
Green chillies: 2-3
Curry leaves: few.
Grated coconut: little.
Salt to taste and oil for tempering.

How to make it:

Cook brinjal and keep it aside. Once it is cool, smash it.
For tempering, take little oil and add mustard in a kadai, after it cracks add cumin seeds, asafetida
Curry leaves and chillies.
Mix it well.
Take curds and add the tempering and cooked brinjal, add salt and mix it well.
Garnish with grated coconut and serve.

Baby potatoes with capsicum and kasuri methi

Every one likes potatoes, here is another easy one

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes: 250 gms for 3 servings
Kasuri methi: 1table spoons.
Capsicum: 1 finely chopped.
Cumin seeds,
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon.
Salt to taste
Oil for frying.
Pepper powder: 2 teaspoons.
Coriander powder: 2 teaspoons.
Cumin powder: 2 teaspoons.


Cook potatoes and take out the skin of potatoes. In a kadai, take oil of 2 table spoons, add cumin seeds, capsicum, fry till capsicum is little done, later add pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and kasuri methi.  Let it cook for 5 min. mix baby potatoes in this masala and add salt mix it well and serve with roties.

Avallaki Puri (snack of beaten rice)

I used to waste lot of oil, I mean after frying once in oil, I never used to reuse the oil.  My mother taught me a recipe,  wherein I could use oil and make a tasty snack.

Ingredients:
Beaten rice: Thick 1/2 kg. you can make it and store it for evening snack.
Mustard:2 teaspoons.
cumin seeds: 2 teaspoons.
Asafoetida: pinch.
Ground nut: 1/2 cup.
Fried gram: 1/2 cup.
Curry leaves: few
Red chillies: 2-3
Dry coconut grated:1/2 cup.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying and tempering.
Salt to taste.Method:



Take oil in a kadai and once the oil is heated, put handful of  beaten rice and fry take it fast from oil and spread it on a tissue, it observes excess oil and continue the process till the quantity of beaten rice which you have taken gets over.

In an other kadai take oil and put mustard, after it cracks, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, ground nut and fried gram, after it is done add dry coconut, asafoetida, chillies, salt and turmeric powder. Mix it well and add the fried beaten rice to this and mix it well. Serve with tea or coffee.