Annavaram Sri Satyanarayana Swami prasadam

1 cup Godhumarava (Broken wheat sooji), rava
1 1/2 cups Sugar
¼ tsp Elachi Powder
1/2 cup Ghee
3/4 cup milk
Cashew nuts, Almonds and Raisins

Depending on the size of the rava, grind in a mixer jar to a rough course.

Take 2 tsp of ghee in a non stick pan and when it is hot, add almonds and cashew nuts and fry them, then add raisins. Remove the nuts and raisins, leaving ghee in the pan. Add godhuma rava and fry till it turns golden yellow stirring frequently without burning. Empty the rava into a plate or onto a paper.

Take 1: 2 ratio of water to the rava. Pour water into the pan and bring to boil, then simmer the stove and add rava in small quantity, stirring continuously. Be careful not drop the whole thing at once or lumps of rava will form and it will not be cooked evenly. Now add milk and mix well.

Once bubbles appear on the pan top, add sugar, gently stirring in. Add ¼ cup ghee, elachi powder and mix thoroughly. Keep stirring frequently till ghee bubbles appear on the top of the pan. This is a sign that rava has been cooked well. Garnish with nuts and raisins. The secret to this recipe is lots of fresh ghee and cooking on low flame till nicely done.

This prasadam can also be prepared with Bombay rava or sooji, this is how it is prepared in Annavaram, the abode of Rama sahita Sri Satyanarayana Swami.  The prasadam offered to the devotees at the temple has a wonderful taste that cannot be replicated.

Pongal - Venna Pongal

2 cups Rice
1 cup Moong dal - Pesara pappu
3 Green Chilies
1" Ginger
Few Curry Leaves
Cashew nuts
1 tsp Jeera
Pepper powder
Ghee

In a tsp of ghee fry moong dal till golden brown and then add rice and fry a little longer.

Transfer into a vessel and wash. Add 1: 2.5 water for the mixture. Add chopped green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, ½ tsp jeera, turmeric and a pinch of ground pepper. Cook in pressure cooker until softly done.

Take 4 tsp of ghee in a non stick pan and add jeera and cashew nuts. When they are nicely done add pepper powder and the previously cooked rice mixture. Add salt and more ghee according to taste.

Pongal can be eaten as is or with pachi pulusu or chutney of choice. A good item for Brunch, quick lunch.

In some areas vegetables like carrots, beans and peas etc. can be added while boiling and it is called "Kichidi".

Annam paravanam - Rice Pudding

1 cup Basmati Rice - any Raw Rice
1.5 cups grated Jaggery
2" Butter stick or Ghee
¼ tsp Elachi powder
4 cups Milk
1 cup half-half : Optional
Cashew nuts, Almonds and Raisins

In a small skillet add 2 tsp of ghee and fry cashew nuts, almonds and raisins till they are nicely roasted.

In a medium sauce pan wash and drain water. Add 2 cups water and cook on low/medium flame mixing well.

When the water and rice starts to boil add milk and cook until the rice becomes soft. Water or milk can be added as needed. Keep mixing so that it will not burn. Add elachi powder and butter stick (or ghee can be added according to taste). Half -half can be added just 2 minutes before removing from the flame, this gives a very rich taste to the dish. Add a pinch of pacha-karpuram (camphor) {Not the regular arati camphor, this is edible}, this gives any sweet dish, temple prasadam taste.

Remove from flame and after 2 minutes add grated jaggery and mix well. Do not cook after adding jaggery, this will break the milk. The heat in the mixture will make the jaggery melt and mix evenly.

Garnish with fried nuts, raisins and serve hot.

Special Bhojanam

We had a function at home today.

Items in the thali are dondakaye kura, artikaye kura, pesarappu, charu, garelu, allam pachadi, nuvu pachadi, paravanam, magiga mirapakaye, vadiyam, perugu and fresh mango.

Chakra Pongali - Dal & Rice Pudding

1 cup Rice
¼ cup Moong dal - Pesarapappu
1 cup Sugar
2" Butter stick or Ghee
¼ tsp Elachi powder
2 tsp Grated Coconut: Optional
½ cup Milk or Half-half
Cashew nuts, almonds and raisins

In a small skillet add 2 tsp of ghee and fry cashew nuts and raisins till they are nicely roasted. Remove only the nuts and raisins and in the remaining ghee fry moong dal till it is golden yellow in color.

In a medium sauce pan wash and drain water. Add 3 cups water and cook on low/medium flame mixing well.

When the rice starts to boil add dal to it and mix and cook till it becomes soft. Water can be added as required. Add Grated coconut, milk and elachi powder, butter stick or ghee and cook for a few more minutes. More ghee can be added according to taste.

Garnish with fried nuts, raisins and serve hot.

Pulagam

2 cups Rice
1 cup Moong dal
1 tsp jeera
2 green chilies
½ “ginger
Few curry leaves.

Mix rice and dal and wash. Take 1: 3 ratio of water for the mixture. Add jeera and turmeric powder. Add chopped chili, ginger and curry leaves. This is optional if you want milder, simpler pulagam. Add 2 tsp of ghee and cook in a pressure cooker.

After it is done, mash it with salt to a smooth consistency.

It tastes good with any chutney or pachi-pulusu.