Krishna Jayanthi Special-Sweet/Vella Seedai & Salt/Uppu Seedai

Wishing you all a lovely gokulashtami ! Krishna Jayanthi is a festival celebrated on the occasion of the birthday of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna was born in the prison of Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva as their eighth son. This incarnation of Vishnu is the most delightful of all his avatars. He was born at midnight and was carried across the River Yamuna to Nanda Gopal and Yashodha who brought him up. Krishna was born in the month of Shravana (August- September) on the eighth day of the dark fortnight and his birth falls on the star Rohini. Lord Krishna was born to kill the evil Kamsa.

Nobody even realizes the amount of sweets and savouries they eat during this festival, lots of them will be there to hog on. I will be confused to pick what to eat during my childhood :) This festival is so endearing to me since my maternal grand mother would prepare right from kara sev,om padi, vadai, muruku, thattai, seedai, laddoos, burfis, thirati pal, appam, mysore pak, .... there were days that i wished this auspicious day to be everyday :D Her seedai is the best one could ever eat. I made sweet seedai/Vella seedai along with salt/uppu seedai on this festive day. I did not use sesame seeds for the sweet seedai, you can incorporate it.

Sweet/Vella Seedai:

Ingredients:

Rice flour- 2 cups  

Room temperature butter-2 tbs

Cold milk-1 cup

Grated coconut-1 tbs 
Powdered Sugar -1 cup  

Cardamom(optional)-a pinch

Baking soda -1/2 tsp

Oil-As required 

Method:

Dry roast the rice flour for nearly 10 minutes, let it cool. Now mix together the rice flour, butter, coconut, baking soda and the sugar. Pour the milk gradually into it, get the consistency similar to roti dough consistency. Roll the dough into round balls and get it ready to fry it in the oil. Wait until the sweet seedai turns golden brown, then remove it from the heat. This overcomes the craving for people having sweet tooth :) You would n't end up eating just one, so stay careful :)

Salt/Uppu Seedai:

Ingredients:

Rice flour-2 cups

Urad dal flour-3 tbs

Asafoetida-a pinch

Room temperature butter -2 tbs

Cumin -1 tsp

Grated coconut-1 tbs

Sesame seeds -2 tsp

Salt-As required
Oil-As required

Water -As required

Method:

Dry roast the rice flour in a pan for nearly 6 to 8 minutes, take care not to burn it. Remove it from the heat, let it cool. Those who do not have urad dal flour can dry roast the urad dal and grind it. Now mix together the  flours, asafoetida, cumin, butter, sesame seeds, coconut, salt and sufficient amount of water. The dough should resemble the roti dough consistency. Heat oil in a skillet, have it in the medium heat and make small balls gently. Fry them in the oil, take care that the seedai might burst initially so stay little away from the stove. Remove it from the heat when it turns golden brown color. Place them on paper towels and drain the excess oil. Salt seedai/ uppu seedai is ready to munch around.