Yummy & Easy Olan

I'm sending this recipe to Satya's 'Thank you Mom' event.


I love the way my mom makes Olan and this is a shortcut method. It has always been a great favorite with my friends too. This one's for you, Amma!


Ingredients

Yellow pumpkin : 1/4 kg
White pumpkin : 1/4 kg
Black-eyed peas (dry karamani) : 1/4 cup
Green chillies : 5-6, slit lengthwise
Milk : 1.5 cups
Coconut oil : 2 tsp
Curry leaves : 10 nos.
Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash, peel, and cut yellow and white pumpkins into 2 inch squares.
2. Pressure cook the pumpkin squares along with black-eyed peas, green chillies, curry leaves and 1 cup water for 3 whistles.
3. Once pressure releases, add milk and curry leaves and let it boil on medium flame till it thickens and the squash get all mashed up.
4. Add salt and coconut oil and give it a good mix. Allow it to come to a boil and turn off heat.
5. Serve with rotis or as an accompaniment for rice.

Serves : 4 (for people like Hari & me who love Olan, this makes only 2 servings!)

Pumpkin

Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients

Cranberry - 2 cups
Onions - 1 medium, finely chopped
Garlic - 4 flakes
Red chillies (dry) - 15 (you'll need this to even the sourness of the berries)
Channa dal - 2 tbsp
Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - 4 nos.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add channa dal, urad dal, garlic and red chillies and saute till golden brown.
2. Add cranberries and saute till mushy.
3. Allow to cool and grind to a paste with salt.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
   
5. Add curry leaves and hing and saute for a minute.
6. Add the chopped onions and saute till golden brown.
7. Add the sauteed onions and sugar to the paste and mix well.
8. Serve with dosas.
   

Cranberry-Banana Whole Wheat Cake

Ingredients

Whole Wheat flour : 1 1/2 cups
Oats (quick-cooking variety) : 1 cup
Ripe banana : 2
Fresh cranberries : 1 cup
Sugar : 3/4 cup
Baking powder : 1 tsp
Baking soda : 1 tsp
Salt : a pinch
Eggs : 3
Vanilla extract : 1 tsp

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F. Grease baking tray and keep aside.
2. Grind cranberries, eggs, bananas, sugar and vanilla together in a blender.
3. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together – whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Combine the cranberry mixture and flour mixture and mix well. Don't worry if the mixture is a little thick.
   
5. Pour into greased baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Cool and cut into pieces of desired shape and size.