Paramannam-Sweet Rice Pudding ( Naivedyam )

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw rice washed and drained
1/2 cup sugar or grated jaggery
1 lt milk
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp ground green cardamom
fried cashewnuts and raisins for garnish
1 tbsp ghee(clarified butter)for frying cashewnuts and raisins

Wash and soak rice in water for about fifteen minutes.
Heat a pan and bring milk to a boil.Lower heat and add the rice to the milk.Cook until the rice is soft and the mixture looks thick.Remove from heat and cool.
Add the sugar and mix well and keep stirring till it mixes well.
Heat ghee in a skillet and add cashew nuts. Fry for 1-2 mts till the cashewnuts turn light brown. Add raisins and stir for a few seconds.Add this along with the remaining ghee to the cooked rice.Add cardamom powder and a pinch of salt and mix well.Turn off heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.Serve hot or cold.
Masala Vada

Ingredients:

1 cup soaked and drained channa dal(split bengal gram)
1 tsp raw rice
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 flakes garlic
1″ ginger chopped
5-6 curry leaves
4 green chillis
1 large chopped onion
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
pinch of garam masala (optional)
1 tsp chopped mint leaves (optional)
salt
oil for frying

Soak channa dal and rice in water for 2 hours.Drain.Keep aside a fistful of drained channa dal and grind the rest of the channa dal and rice,green chillis,cumin seeds,ginger and garlic coarsely.To this coarse mixture, add chopped onions, curry leaves, coriander leaves,salt and garam masala and mix well.Add the remaining channa dal and mix well. Make small lemon-sized balls and pat it lightly on your palm or on butter paper and slide into hot oil and deep fry until golden brown.