Try this festive fare

Holige

(Though there are 3/4 variations, this is the easiest & common)

Ingredients: For the casing/dough:  Fine sooji  2 cups, oil,  1 tbsp, a pinch each of salt & turmeric a pinch each oil, 1/4 cup (to soak the dough)

For the filling: Gram dal, 1 cup,  coconut gratings 1 cup, jaggery powder 1 cup, cardamom powder  ½ tsp poppy seeds-toasted 2 tsp (optional)

Method: Make a soft dough with mentioned ingredients; knead well; Soak the dough in oil for 3-4 hours; For the filling, cook gram dal till tender, and drain and allow to cool. Grind coconut to a smooth paste and mix with jaggery & grind again to blend to a smooth paste; if the mix is found watery, cook over a low heat till the moisture evaporates, and the mix becomes dry. Add cardamom powder and mix well.

To make Holige, remove the dough from the oil, knead well using the same oil, till dough is soft & elastic. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls; take one ball and place on a banana leaf or plastic sheet and pat well to get a 4-inch dia round.

Place a ball of the filling in center and cover all around and evenly to a uniform round sweet holige of 6-7 inch dia.  Heat a tava; transfer the holige to it and cook till brown on both sides on a medium heat;  Serve with a dash of ghee.

Chitranna

Ingredients: Rice cooked 4 cups, salt to taste, mango gratings 2 tbsp, copra gratings 2 tbsp, sugar 1/4 tsp

Grind to a coarse paste: coconut gratings 2 tbsp, mustard seeds 1/4 tsp, red chilli 3 pieces, turmeric and asafoetida 1 pinch each.

Seasoning:  Oil 3 tbsp, mustard seeds  ½ tsp, red chilli 2/3 pieces, groundnuts 1 tbsp, urad dal & gram dal 1 tbsp, asafoetida a pinch, curry leaves chopped a few

Method: Prepare rice in such a way that the grains are soft but separate. Spread it in a plate; add salt, sugar, ground into paste, mango & copra gratings; Season with the mentioned ingredients and pour over the rice mix. Mix thoroughly and serve;  Serves four.

Bele Payasa

Ingredients: Gram dal & greengram dal, ½ cup each, jaggery powder 1 cup, coconut gratings 2 tbsp, cashew bits  2 tbsp, cardamom powder ½ tsp, nutmeg powder  ½ tsp, raisins a few, ghee 1 tbsp,  milk 1 cup.

Method: Cook both dals together till tender in 2 cups of water. Grind coconut gratings with half of the cashew bits to a smooth paste. Add jaggery powder along with paste to the cooked dal and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the hot milk fry cashew bits in ghee and pour over the payasa. Add the cardamom & nutmeg powders and serve hot. Serves four.
 

Kosambari

Ingredients: Gram dal  ½ cup,  greengram dal ½ cup, salt to taste, mango gratings or lime juice to taste pomegranate seeds (optional) 2 tbsp, coriander leaves and curry leaves a few chopped Grind to a coarse paste: coconut gratings 2 tbsp, green chilli 1,  asafoetida - a pinch

Seasoning: Oil 2 tsp,  mustard seeds ½ tsp, red chilli 2/3 pieces, asafoetida - a pinch

Method: Soak the two dals for about 2 hours; drain thoroughly; add the ground paste, salt, mango gratings (or lime juice) and mix well;  season with the mentioned ingredients and serve. Serves four. Happy sumptuous Ugadi feast.