Makara Sankranti with Ellu-Bella

Makar Sankranti or Makara Sankranti is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour, and gaiety. It is a harvest festival. Makar Sankranti is perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same day every year on, January 14, with some exception, when the festival is celebrated on January 13 or January 15.

Sankranti offering "Ellu Bella" in Karnataka

This is the Suggi or harvest festival for farmers of Kaveri basin of Karnataka. On this auspicious day, young females (kids & teenagers) wear new clothes to visit near and dear ones with a Sankranti offering in a plate, and exchange the same with other families. This ritual is called "Ellu Birodhu." Here the plate would normally contain "Ellu" (white sesame seeds) mixed with fried groundnuts, neatly cut dry coconut & fine cut bella (Jaggery). The mixture is called "Ellu-Bella" (ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ). The plate will also contain sugar candy molds of various shapes (Sakkare Acchu, ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಅಚ್ಚು) with a piece of sugarcane. There is a saying in Kannada "ellu bella thindu olle maathadi" which translates to 'eat the mixture of sesame seeds and jaggery and speak only good.' This festival signifies the harvest of the season, since sugarcane is predominant in these parts.There is also a tradition of some households giving away red berries "Yalchi Kai" along with the above. In North Karnataka, kite flying with community members is also a tradition. Drawing rangole in groups is another popular event among women during Sankranti.An important ritual is display of cows and cattle in colourful costumes in an open field. Cows are decorated for the occasion and taken on a procession. They are also made to cross a pyre. This ritual is common in rural Karnataka and is called "Kichchu Haayisuvudu  

 Source:Wikipedia

Ingredients for Ellu-Bella:

Sesame seeds/Ellu-1cup
Jaggery/Bella-1big block
Copra/Dry coconut/cobari-1
Puff channa/Hurigadle-1/2cup
Peanuts/Kadlebeeja-1/2cup

Method:
1.Lightly dry roast the sesame seeds on low flame or in a oven and keep it aside.
2.Cut the jaggery into small cubes and keep it aside.
3.Gently grate and remove the brown skin of copra and cut it into small cubes and keep it aside.
4.Lightly dry  roast the channa and keep it aside.
5.Dry roast the peanuts on a medium flame or in a oven until skin becomes loose and come off easily,make 
sure you don't over roast it.Rub them between the palms and remove the skin completely and keep it aside.
6.Now take a bowl and add sesame seeds,jaggery,copra,puff channa and peanuts,mix everything and serve.

Happy Sankranti

Wish You All a Happy MakaraSankranti

Chocolate and Coconut Slice

Ingredients:
Plainflour-1cup
Wheatflour/Atta-1cup
Oil-1/3cup(80ml)
Baking powder-2tsp
Dessicated coconut-3/4cup
yoghurt-1/4cup
Brown sugar-3/4cup
Cocoa powder-3tbsp
Instant coffee-1tsp
Salt-1/4tsp
Vanilla essence-1tsp
Eggs-2medium
Milk as required

Method:

1.Sift the plain flour,atta,baking powder,cocoa-powder and salt.
2.Dissolve  instant coffee in 1tbsp of warm water and keep it aside.
3.In a mixing bowl add oil,sugar,eggs,coffee,yogurt and vanilla essence and
beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until frothy.
4.Now add sifted flour mixture to wet mixture part by part blend gently until all
 the flour is used,if the mixture is thick add milk to make it thin.consistency
should be like idli batter.
5.Mix the dessicated coconut blend well,transfer the batter to greased loaf tin.
6.Bake at 180'c in a preheated oven for 35-45minutes.
7.Slice the cooled loaf and serve..

Plantain/Banana Cutlet

Ingredient:
Plantain -1(boiled)
Potato, medium-1(boiled)
Onion-1,finely chopped
Green chilli-1,finely chopped
Jeera-1tsp
Chillipowder-1tsp
Besan-2tbsp
Riceflour-2tbsp
Salt to taste
Gingergarlic paste-1tsp
Fresh coriander-1tbsp
Bread crumbs as required
Oil for shallow fry

Method:
1. Grate the plantain and potato using grater.Mix all the other ingredients mix well.
2.Make a lemon size round balls out of the mixture.Roll the balls` in bread crumbs and
press the balls gently flat  in a palm to give them patty shape.Prepare these and keep it aside.
3.In a wide pan  add 2-3tbsp of oil,shallow fry all the patties until golden brown evenly on both sides.
Serve with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Shavige Kheer/Vermicelli Kheer for New Year

Happy new year to every one,may this year brings happiness,prosperity and peace into our lives..not to forget humanity and kindness towards others to create a peaceful and beautiful world for everyone..Lets all of us learn to live and let other live peacefully this year..

Ingredient:
Vermicelli-1cup
Sugar-1/2-1cup{according to your taste)
Milk-3cups
Cardamom powder-1/4tsp
Saffron strands-few
Cashewnuts-1tbsp
Raisins-1tbsp
Almonds-1tbsp
Ghee-2tbsp

Method:
1.Chop the nuts roughly,Fry the nuts and raisins to golden brown with ghee. and keep it aside.
2.In a pan boil the milk,when its nearly to boil add vermicelli,when it becomes soft  add sugar,cardamom and saffron strands, cook for 2-3minutes.Mix the nuts and raisins along with ghee.
Serve hot or cold.

Butter Scotch Brownies

Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to all my fellow bloggers,friends and visitors of Nammaruchi.As this the season for baking I baked this yummy brownies 

to cheer my family.these days as you know i am not doing much baking because of my commitments.Anyways happy holiday baking...

Ingredients:
 100gm-butter
200gm brown sugar
2-eggs
1tsp-vanilla essence
200gm-all purpose flour
1tsp-baking powder
1/4tsp-Salt
Handful of chopped walnuts


Method:
1.In a pan heat butter and brown sugar until it caramelise,leave it to cool.
2.In a mixing bowl add eggs and vanilla essence,blend in a electric blender.
3.Seive flour,baking powder and salt
4.Add caramel to egg mixture and blend.
5.Add seived flour part by part and blend well.
6.Pour the batter into greased cake tin and sprinkle walnuts on top.

7.Bake at 180.C for 30 minutes.cool on a rack and cut into squares.