Moong Dal Halwa/ Pesarapappu Halwa

In this month's Indian Cooking Challengewe were asked to prepare Moong Dal Halwa.......

Ingredients:

• Split (Yellow) Moong dhal - 1 cup
• Ghee - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 3/4 cups to 1 cup (as per required sweetness)
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Cashews/ raisins roasted in ghee for garnish.

Method to Prepare:

• Soak 1 cup moong dal overnight. Next morning, grind to a paste.
• Heat a heavy Kadai, take initially only 1/2 of the ghee and heat it.
• Add the dhal and stir continuously, not allowing lumps to form. This part is very tricky as the dhal cooks really fast, irrespective of the ghee.
• Keep the heat at the lowest and keep stirring even after the dhal becomes thick.
• Add the rest of the ghee intermittently and cook the dhal until aromatic and the ghee starts oozing out.
• Meanwhile mix the sugar with water/ milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add this slowly to the cooking dhal.
• Keep the fir low at all times and break lumps if formed while adding the sugar and water/ milk mix.
• Cook until the ghee surfaces.
• Garnish with cashews and raisins.

Chegodilu / Chekodilu

For this month’s ICC challenge we are given a savory snack, Chegodilu/Chekodilu from Andhrapradesh. I had these snacks from my chailhood, always had them from shops, never tried making these cuties at home.....These are little time consuming, but simple to make and worth to try.

Recipe:

• Rice Flour - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Split Yellow Moong dal / Pesara pappu / Mung Dal / Pasiparuppu - 1 1/2 - 2 tblsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Ghee or oil - 1 tblsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method to prepare:

• Making the dough: Soak moong dal in water for half hour to 1 hour.In a deep bottom pan, boil water, then add salt, ghee and moong dal. Bring it to boil, simmer and slowly add the rice flour. Using a rolling pin or the ladle, mix the flour with water by stirring it well. When the flour is mixed and done, turn off the heat immediately. Cover with lid and keep aside for 10 to 15 mins.Once the dough is cool, add chilli powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds and mix well. Knead till you get a smooth dough. Adjust the salt and spice depending on your preference.

Frying the Chokodi:

• Heat a pan with oil, enough to fry 3 -4 at time, if you conscious of not using too much oil. Simmer once it gets hot. The temperature should not be smoking hot.Grease your fingers with oil and pinch out a small lemon size ball and roll between your palms to form a thick rope. Bring the two ends to together and press to form a rope. Ensure the ends are firmed pressed as not to give out during frying.Continue with the rest of the dough until you are done with the entire batch. You can either cover it with a plate or a cloth to prevent the dough from getting dried.Check if the oil is in the correct temperature, by dropping a tiny bit into the oil. Then gently slide the rings or the chakodis in batches of 4 -5. The flame has to be on high until the chakodis come up to the surface, then lower the flame to medium and cook till you get a golden colour on the chakodis.When the chakodis are golden all over, using a slotted ladle, remove to a kitchen towel and cool. Store in an air tight container for longer shelf life

Notes:

• Remember to turn the heat to medium to high and high to medium for getting the chakodis to golden colour and also to be cooked evenly. Only this way you get crispy chakodis. These should not be cooked on low flame as they will absorb more oil and can turn soggy also at times.

Variation: Instead of Cumin and Sesame seeds, 1 tsp of Ajwain or Omam can be used along with chili powder.