Spicy mixture

Diwali is not complete without making mixture. Here is an easy recipe of mixture which can be done in minutes. Even novice cooks can make this with ease.

INGREDIENTS:

Thick aval (poha) - 4 cups
Oma podi - 2 cups (crushed roughly)
Roasted peanuts - 2 tablespoons

Roasted gram (Pottukadalai) - 2 tablespoons
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Curry leaves - a sprig
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Oil - to deep fry

METHOD:

Sieve aval without any sand. Heat oil in a kadai and make Oma podi as said here. Keep aside. In the same oil, deep fry aval. Aval puffs immediately. Fry little aval at a time. Remove aval and put it in a broad bowl. Add little salt and mix gently. Crush Oma podi slightly and add to the fried aval.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add peanuts and fry until golden. Again add a spoon of ghee and fry pottukadalai until crisp. Add curry leaves and roast a bit. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and hing. Give a quick saute and add these to the fried aval, omapodi mixture. Mix everything well but gently. Spicy and crispy mixture is ready. When cool, store in an airtight container.

NOTE:
Generally, peanuts and pottukadalai are also deep fried in oil. Using ghee enhances the flavour.

Mixed nuts burfi

INGREDIENTS:

Unsalted almonds, cashews, pista, walnuts - 3 cups
(I used the whole almonds with skin. Any combination of nuts can be used.)
Sugar - 2 1/2 cups
Water - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

METHOD:

Dry roast the nuts separately until slightly warm, be careful not to burn the nuts. Cool and dry grind to a coarse powder. Grease a tray and keep it ready.

In a kadai, dissolve sugar in water and make one string consistency syrup. Add nuts powder and mix well. When the mixture starts boiling, simmer the stove and stir continuously in low flame. Once it starts to thicken, add ghee and keep stirring until the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai. Pour it into the greased tray. While still warm, cut into desired shape.