Sunnundalu-Black Gram Dal Laddu-A Pongal And Sankranti Treat

SUNNUNDALU

" If it is Pongal, it is Pongal!"
This was the reply I got from most of my relatives and friends ,when I enquired them about what was going to be their Pongal Special. I was greatly excited when one friend mentioned to me about SUNNUNDALU. She said that her children and grand children relished this nutritious laddu prepared out of black gram dal, and it was a special dish prepared during feastivals back at Andhra, her native place.
Her recipe was very short and sweet. The Sunnundalu I prepared tasted delicious, though I had used only the basic minimum ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Black gram dal - 1 cup
Crushed jaggery -1 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsps

METHOD

1. Dry roast black gram dal in a thick bottomed pan till it becomes reddish in colour emanating a pleasant aroma.
2. Cool the roasted dal thoroughly.
3. Grind into a moderately coarse powder using the mixer.
4. Add the crushed jaggery and run the mixer for one more minute.
5. Spread the dal and jaggery blend in a deep plate.
6. Warm up the ghee and mix one spoon into a portion of the dal jaggery mix, and make laddus.
7. Keep mixing in warm ghee little by little and keep making laddus till the entire dal jaggery mixture is used up.

Cashew nuts and raisins can be fried and added to the basic mixture. Cardamom powder can also be included. But the earthy flavour of the roasted dal is enough to take one to heavenly heights!

Fiestaa Potatoes

I made this potatoes for lunch as a side dish for lemon rice. These were one of the many methods I make potatoes for side. I named them Fiestaa potatoes because they looked (??) much similar to the Fiesta potatoes we get in Taco bell in US. I cut down the cheese & sour-cream since I am not a big fan of cheese and I am preparing this for south-indian lunch.

 
Ingredients:
Potatoes - Chopped to 1/

Semolina/Sooji/Rava Pongal - Savory Version

Rava Pongal, another wonderful Breakfast Recipe. The side-effects of having  Normal Pongal(made of Rice and Moongdal) for Breakfast is the Extra Dose of Sleep and Lunch Menu getting postponed to Dinner Menu. :) So, i try avoiding rice and Make it with Burghol/Bulgur, Brown Rice and even with Sooji/Semolina. An easy to make and a damn filling Breakfast.

Check out my other Marathon Buddies Srivalli, Priya Suresh, Jay, Monika, Reva, PJ, Azeema , Ayeesha and Veena.

Ingredients

1 cup Semolina/Sooji

1/2 cup Moong dal

1 green chilli, slitted

1 tsp Pepper Powder

1 tsp cumin Powder

1 inch ginger, grated

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 sprigs of curry leaves

2-3 tbsp Ghee

Salt to taste

Chopped  & Roasted Almonds for garnishing

Method

Pressure Moongdal with little turmeric soft. In a Pan, add a tsp of Ghee and Roast the Semolina/Sooji until golden brown. Take care not to burn the Sooji/Semolina.  In a Deep pan, heat a little oil/ghee, toss the cumin seeds, once it is browned add the green chilli and curry leaves.  Let it roast, Now add 2 cups of water. when the water begins to boil, add salt and simmer flame.

Slowly add Sooji/Semolina and Keep Stirring to avoid any lumps. Let the Sooji/Semolina Cook for 5 minutes. By this time, Sooji/Semlina should be completely cooked, now add cooked Moong dal and Mix well.  If the Mixture is completely Dry add anothe 1/2 cup water and Mix well. Let the Pongal Cook for 3-5 minutes in a simmer flame. Add cumin and pepper powder,  Ghee, Mix well. Heat a tbsp of Ghee, Roast the chopped almonds and Pour it over the Sooji/Semolina Pongal. Garnish it with Ginger Juliennes and Serve Hot with Sambhar.
Sending this to Pongal Feast happening @ Kurinji