PALAKOTTAI  AND KANI VELLARI SAMBAR

Jack Fruit Seeds have been in use in Indian kitchens since time immemorial , much before researchers found out about their nutritive value and health benefits . My brother's home grown Jack Fruit does not need the customary honey dip since the fruit itself tastes as sweet as honey ! Like always we enjoyed the luscious fruit and collected and saved up all the seeds for future use during this season as well.  

A spicy Sambar with Jack Fruit Seeds and Yellow Cucumber (Golden Cucumber also known as Kani Vellari in Malayalam) with steaming hot rice is the perfect food to enjoy on a cold and rainy day !

The outer shells of the Jack Fruit seeds crack open when they are sun dried . They can be easily peeled and cooked along with dal . Or they can be cooked with the shell , peeled and then added to the sambar.

Jack Fruit Seeds - 10 to12

Yellow Cucumber - 1 small (Peeled and cubed)

Tamarind - 1 lemon size ball

Salt - 1 1/2 tsps

Tur Dal - 1/2 cup 

Turmeric powder - 1/ 4 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTING AND GRINDING

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Bengal gram dal - 1 tbsp

Red Chillies - 8 ( broken)

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Grated coconut - 2 tbsps

Sesame oil - 1 tsp

MAKING THE SPICE POWDER

1. Heat half tea spoon of oil in a kadai and roast coriander seeds, Bengal gram dal, fenugreek seeds, and red chillies together till it emanates a pleasant aroma. Add asafoetida and roast for another minute.

2. Switch off flame and add the fresh coconut gratings and roast in the still hot kadai .

3. Allow to cool and grind the roasted ingredients into a smooth powder .

TO MAKE THE SAMBAR

1. Pressure cook the dal adding 1 1/2 cups of water and turmeric powder. 

2. Place a plate with Jack Fruit seeds on top of the dal container so that they get cooked simultaneously.

3. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside . Peel the shells of the Jack Fruit seeds and keep aside.

4. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the juice adding two glasses of water.

5. Add salt and cook the cucumber cubes in tamarind juice.

6. When the cucumber cubes are soft add the mashed dal and the cooked and peeled Jack Fruit seeds.

7. Mix the ground spice powder with little water and stir into the boiling sambar.

8. Stir and cook till the spice blends well with dal emanating a pleasant aroma.

9. Heat the remaining oil in a seasoning ladle and splutter the curry leaves, and pour it on the sambar . 

Enjoy the Palakottai and Kani Vellari Sambar with steaming hot rice topped with a spoon of fresh ghee!

 FIVE SEEDS LADDU

Spreading joy and good will is the main aim of sharing goodies during festivals. This is the time of the year when the winter months come to a close and Makara Sankranti heralds the arrival of the bright and sunny Spring season . Makara Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated by all the states in India . Each state celebrates the festival with its own traditional food prepared with the seasonal produce. Sesame seeds which lend warmth and nourishment to the body find an important place in the festive sweets of all states. In Karnataka  Yellu Bella - a mixture of Sesame seeds, Jaggery, Peanuts, Roasted Gram and Copra - is distributed among friends and relatives during Sankranti . 'Yellu Bella tindu olle maatanaadu' is a saying which means ' eat sesame and jaggery and speak good words. ' Sesame Laddus and Sesame Chikkis are popular in other states.

Five Seeds Laddu is a Makara Sankranti / Pongal special prepared with a blend of four other healthy seeds along with Sesame seeds.

INGREDIENTS

                                                                     

Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup

Flax seeds - 1/4 cup

Pumpkin seeds - 1/4 cup

Sunflower seeds - 1/4 cup

Chia seeds - 1/4 cup

Raisins - 1 cup 

Cardamom - 2

METHOD

1. Dry roast the seeds one by one till they start cracking, emanating a pleasant nutty flavour.

2. Allow the roasted seeds to cool down . 

3. Grind the roasted seeds together into a coarse powder .

4. Add raisins and cardamom and grind again .

5. The powder will come together when the seeds start releasing oil . 

6. Scoop the powder into a bowl and knead well .

7. Take small portions of the seeds and raisin mixture and firmly shape them into  Laddus . 

The oil from the seeds and the stickiness in the raisins will help to hold the Laddus together . 

Enjoy the healthy Five Seeds Laddus and share them with your near and dear ones during the festival .