Diwali special-Anarsa

The festival of lights is here. The entire city is lit up with colorful lamps and lanterns.I don’t need to mention that the fireworks have already begun. I love this festival.Diwali also brings along my favourite treats (Faral).I am really glad Vee has chosen JFI theme as Diwali treats.

Anarsa is one of my most favourite snacks for Diwali.I remember how we would eagerly wait every Diwali for my Grandmother to make them. The ingredients are quite simple..Rice and jaggery …the taste amazing…This recipe needs preparation in advance.But is worth the effort.

So go on and enjoy my grandmothers recipe this Diwali for Anarsa

To make 10- 12 Anarsas you need

2 Cups rice (the older the better)

1 ¼  Cup jaggery finely grated (change the proportion as per taste)

Ghee made from Cow’s milk for frying

2 tbsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp milk

Wash and soak rice in water for 3 days. Change the water everyday.Drain the rice and spread it on a cotton cloth and let it dry nicely.Grind this to a fine powder and sieve it through a fine mesh(the one you use for sieving all purpose flour).Add the grated jaggery and mix nicely. Press the mixture nicely and keep it closed /covered for 5-6 days. Knead this mixture into a pliable dough sprinkling a little milk if required.

 You will need very little milk. So just sprinkle the milk and knead. Take a plastic sheet and sprinkle the poppy seeds on it. Make small lemon sized ball from the dough and press it lightly on the poppy seeds. Flatten the dough into a round.Apply some ghee to your hand if the dough sticks.

 

Meanwhile heat the ghee. Fry the Anarsa in the Ghee with the poppy seeds side up.Keep on splashing ghee over the upper side of the Anarsa with the ladle without disturbing the Anarsa. Fry till the Anarsa is golden brown. The poppy seeds side of the Anarsa will have a siort of a mesh on it once it is fried.You have to be careful with the oil temperature here.Heat it on medium flame or else the Anarsa will break.

Remove the Anarsa and drain the ghee. To drain the ghee keep the Anarsa in a vertical position. Cool nicely…5-6 hours or till crisp and store it in an airtight container.

 

 

Happy Diwali to all of you. May this festival sparkle your life with joy and happiness. Have a safe Diwali.

See you on 28^th October.

Chivda

Preparations for diwali are in full swing all around. First the cleaning and now making the sweets and snacks! Chivda is a must every Diwali. In fact munching on Chivda is a must all year round. Its one snack which has to be made before the earlier reaches the depletion level!

I must warn you..Chivda is very addictive..no one can eat just once!

Great snack to carry with you when you are traveling, it is also very very easy to make. Like most of the recipes there are many variations of this snack. Keeping Diwali in mind I made this Chivda without any masalas or garlic and with one of the easiest recipes.

For Chivda you need:

2 cups crisp Poha (flattened rice) –the thin variety

1 cup murmura (puffed rice)

¼ cup peanuts

¼  cup roasted Chana dal (daliya) 

6–8 green chillies coarsely ground

10-12 curry leaves (tear them with your hands)

2 tsp white sesame (white Til) seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1tsp powdered sugar

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumene seeds

Salt as per taste

2 tbsp oil 

The flattened rice as well as the puffed rice has to be very crisp for making Chivda. Use the thin variety of poha.

In a deep pan heat oil. Add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle add the cumene seeds and then the curry leaves. Add the peanuts and fry for a few minutes. Then add the daliya and again fry for some time.Add the sesame seeds. Add the green chilly paste, fry nicely, add turmeric and then add the poha and the murmura.Stir nicely so that the poha and the murmura is coated with the masala. Add salt and sugar and stir nicely once again. Switch off the gas and cool this chivda nicely say about 2-3 hours and then store it in airtight containers.

Chivda can be eaten as it is.

It sould be had directly from the container! Serving in bowls with a spoon…no the taste isn’t the same!!!You can also top it with some chopped onion, chopped green coriander and lime juice.

You can also add few cloves of garlic at the tadka stage…that’s one of my favourite variations…But for diwali it has to be without garlic.

So this Diwali enjoy this quick and easy, crispy Chivda.

I warned you…it is addictive!