Kala chana,puri,halwa

Chaitra navratri kanjak ashtami, is a very auspicious ritual in India during the 9 day navratri festival. This was probably the only one ritual I liked and followed religiously in India twice every year, in October and April. After relocating to the states,it was not just difficult but practically impossible to get 9 girls to get to eat the halva chana puri in the morning after the ashtami pujan. I had to give up on that aspect of the ritual but I still continue to offer my prayers to mata rani ,and make the halva puri& kala chana on the day of Ashtami. My daughter loves the ,"kanjak" prasad/food. Here is the recipe for Kala chana,halva,puri

Kala Chana/ Bengal  gram
1 pound kala chana/bengal  gram
1 tbsp oil
salt  : 1/4th tsp
cumin : 1/2 tsp
Paprika: 1/4 tsp
water to pressure cook

Method:

Soak the bengal gram/kala chana overnight
pressure cook the chana with salt,till the chana is done.
Drain the water and save it, you can use it to kneed the flour( this water is rich in nutrients)
Take a pan add  oil ,wait for couple minutes,add cumin and add the boiled chana. Add the paprika . Check to see if the salt content is OK. The chana will have a glazed texture and the oil gives it a nutty flavor,when you saute it for a couple minutes. Enjoy the piping hot chana for breakfast. It is an excellent source of fiber and protein.

Note: For kanjak I keep it plain. When cooking otherwise I usually garnish it with one finely chopped onion,1 green chilly finely chopped, and juice of 1 lemon. This is a good snack anytime of the day.

Halva/flour pudding

Ingredients:

3 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
3 tbsp- 1 each of semolina,wheat flour,besan/gram flour
Sliced almonds
1 cup water
sugar : 3 tbsp

Method:

take a pan heat butter/ghee
Add 1 tbsp of wheat flour,1 tbsp of semolina,1 tbsp of gram flour/besan
Roast in butter for 5-7 minutes on very low flame till you get the desired  golden brown color. Add water and sugar and cook till all the water is absorbed and the halwa is not runny .  Cook for some more time till you see the oil appear on the sides. Garnish it with sliced almonds and enjoy with puri and kala chana.

P.S  I eye ball the water, this is a personal choice some people like the halva runny and some prefer it with a grainy and thick texture.