Kasi Halwa

Ingredients:

White Pumpkin / Winter Squash / poosanikai - 2 cups (Peeled and shredded)
Sugar - 1 1/4 cups
Ghee - 4 TBSP
Cashew nuts - 5 (broken into halves)
Raisins - 10
Saffron - few strands (soaked in warm milk)

Method:

1. In wide bottomed pan, saute the grated white pumpkin (with the juice), till it becomes dry.
2. Add the sugar and keep stirring for 10 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and becomes a little thick.
3. Add the ghee, broken cashews and raisins.  No need to fry them.
4. Fry for another 10 minutes in a low flame.  Add the soaked saffron and mix well.
5. Continue stirring and cooking till the halwa leaves the sides of the pan.  Do not let the halwa become hard.
6. Remove from the fire.  Let it rest for 1/2 hour before serving.

Whole Moong Dal Curry

Ingredients:

Whole Moong Dal - 1 cup (soaked in water overnight)
Onion - 1 small (chopped)
Garlic - 1 clove (optional) chopped
Tomato - 1 medium (chopped)
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp or to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Fresh Coriander - 2 tsp

Method:

Cook the soaked moong dal in a pressure cooker or on a stove top with enough water till soft.  Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let it brown.  Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry till the onion is translucent.  Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and fry for 1 minute.  Now add the chopped tomato and fry until soft.  Add the cooked moong dal and salt and mix well.  Add enough water if needed.  The curry should be little thick in consistency.  Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.  Sprinkle garam masala powder and give it a stir.  Garnish with fresh coriander.

Serve hot with chapatti or rice.

Sweet Potato VathaKuzhambu

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato - 1 cup (Peeled and cut into cubes)

Tamarind Pulp - 1 Cup ( Squeezed and extracted from a lemon sized tamarind)

Peanuts - 2 TBSP ( with or without skin)

Ajwain Seeds / Omam - 2 tsp

Sambar Powder - 2 TBSP

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Asafetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 TBSP (preferably sesame oil)

Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan or kadai and splutter the mustard seeds.
2. Add the peanuts, ajwain seeds and curry leaves.  Fry till the nuts are roasted.
3. Add sweet potato, sambar powder, asafetida and turmeric powder and fry for 1 minute.
4. Now add the tamarind pulp and salt.  Let it boil for 15 minutes or until the vegetable is cooked.

If the sauce is too watery, add 1 tsp of rice flour in 2 Tbsp of water, mix well and add it to the sauce and bring it to boil.

Serve hot with rice and papad or appalam.