Rava Kesari (ரவை கேசரி )

My husband ‘K’, an ardent supporter and encourager of my blogs, has the innate qualities of a top chef. There hasn't been one dish that he has 'hobbied' with which I did not like. Unfortunately, he is the obligated lab rat who has been at the prestigious end of not being spared for any of my culinary experiments :). This post, ladies and gentlemen, is his contribution to my food blog which starts off on a sweet note.

Rava Kesari is a popular Indian dessert that is made during special occasions. But when it comes to relishing this mouth watering dessert, do not restrict yourself to certain days of the year only.

Ingredients

1. Rava-1 cup
2. Sugar 1-2 cups
3. Water -2 cups
4. Handful of raisins and chopped nuts
5. Food coloring -1 or 2 pinch
6. Ghee (clarified butter) 4-5 tblsp
7. Cardamom 3-4

Directions

1. In a pan heat 3 tblsps of ghee.
2. Once hot, add the cardamom, raisins, nuts and saute them until golden brown.
3. Now gently add the rava and stir it until it turns light brown.
4. Lower the stove flame and add water.
5. When the water starts to boil, add sugar in small quantities and ensure you stir after each added portion. 
6. Add the food coloring and continue to stir gently.  
7. Once the sugar is melted and mixed well turn off the stove. Rava Kesari is ready.

Tip

The secret to making kesari is to keep stirring it constantly while adding water and sugar so that there are no lumps formed.

PS- Thank you K for this sweet addition!

Masala Vada (மசாலா வடை )

Masala vada is a south Indian snack that is often made on indigenous festivals. It is also a comfort food that can be served as an evening snack.

Ingredients

1. Channa daal- 2 cups
2. Finely chopped onion-1
3. Chopped green chilly-1
4. Garlic cloves 1-2
5. Red chilly 1-2
6. Green chilly 1-2

Directions to make

Soak the daal for 30 minutes in water so that it softens up a bit
Now add the garlic and red chilly in the food processor and grind it
Drain and add the daal into the processor along with some salt and mix it.
Add a little bit of water to make a thick paste out of the mixture (this should not be watery)

Heat some oil in the kada over the stove
Take the paste out and mix it with the chopped onions, green chillies and 1 tsp of non soaked fresh channa daal
take a tblsp of the mixture and make a ball out of it, place it in your palm and flatten it out
Place this flattened ball in the hot oil and deep fry it until crisp brown.
Masala vada ready!

                                          Tip

If the mixture made is too watery, it would be difficult to make small balls that would stick together.
If you find it too watery, add some basin and mix it up until you get the right consistency.
The additional tsp of non soaked daal would give that extra crunchiness in the vada.