Sweet Boondi & Seasoned Black-eyed peas

Sweet Boondi

Ingredients:

Besan flour (Senagapindi) - 1 cup

Water (for besan flour) - slightly more than 1/2 cup (approx 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp)

Sugar - 1cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Elachi powder - one large pinch

Baking soda - pinch

Yellow food color (optional) - 1 drop

Oil - to deep fry

Procedure:

1. Take a wide kadai, heat oil to deep fry boondi. Meanwhile take a wide mixing bowl, sieve besan and baking soda together. Now add slightly more than half cup of water and mix well to get a smooth batter without any lumps. Add a drop of food color if required. Remember that the quantity of water purely depends on the nature of the besan flour. So adjust accordingly. You can test the batter consistency by dipping the other side of spoon in to batter and add a single drop in to oil. If the drop turns round without any tail formation, then the consistency is perfect. If you notice tail formation, then the batter is dilute and you can add one more tbsp of besan.
2. On the other flame, take a deep cooking vessel, add sugar, water and stir well. Boil sugar syrup until one thread consistency is obtained. Sprinkle some elachi powder and let the syrup stay warm.
3. Now take a wide perforated ladle on top of the oil and add some batter on it. Let the boondi fell in to oil. Fry them until they are almost cooked.
4. Repeat the process in batches until all the batter gets used.
5. Now transfer the boondi in to sugar syrup and stir well.

TIP: After making each batch of boondi, clean the perforated ladle on both the sides. This prevents uneven shape and tail formation of boondi.

Seasoned Black-eyed peas

Ingredients:

Alasandalu (Black-eyed Peas) - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies - 2

Red chillies - 2

Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tbsp

Salt - as per taste

Freshly grated coconut - 2 tbsp (optional)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak black-eyed peas overnight. Boil them in a pressure cooker with salt. Drain all the excess water from boiled peas and set aside.
2. Take a kadai, heat oil, add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and fry them for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add boiled peas and fry them in the seasoning for two more minutes.
4. Sprinkle some red chilly powder, salt and mix well. Finally garnish with freshly grated coconut and serve.