Mixed Vegetable/Mixed Dhal Vada!

 

 

                                      Mixed vegetables/Mixed Dhal Vada

I seem to do this vada often at home during festivals and when I have guests at home! Everybody's favourite! Not very difficult to prepare also! Try it!

Ingredients:

 For soaking for half an hour:

 1 Cup Channa dhal

 1/2 cup Thuvar dhal

 1/4 cup Urad dhal

 Add these while grinding:

 5/6 /cashews

 5 to 8 Red chillies

 3/4 Green Chillies

 Few pieces of coconut

 1" ginger

 Finely chopped vegetables for adding with the batter: 

 1/2 cup Capsicum

 1/2 cup Cabbage (This veg. gives a unique taste)

 1/2 cup carrot 

 Curry leaves and coriander leaves.

 And

 2 tsp. of Ghee for flavour and crispness 

 1/2 tsp. of sugar and enough salt.

 For frying:

 I use unrefined groundnut oil for frying. 

 Method:

Grind all the ingredients together coarsely.  Add the vegetables, ghee, salt and sugar.  Mix well.

Heat oil well, then reduce the flame a bit.  Make balls out of the batter, flatten it and drop into the oil one by one.  Wait till the bubbles come down.  Take it out and put in a paper napkin.  Chillies and salt can be reduced or added as per your taste.  

Finely chopped onions can be added to the batter to make it taste like masaal vada.  Add a bit beaten saunf also.  The taste will be heavenly.  

 

Just drop a line after trying this snack, if you like it! Thank you!

Simple Tomato Soup!

We have different types of soups every night at home.  I have already posted 'Mixed vegetable soup' here: 

This one is one of the favourites of our family:

Ingredients:

1. 2 tomatoes, chopped

2. 4/5 Shallots (Saambaar vengaayam) or normal onion, chopped

3. 4/5 cloves of garlic, chopped

4. 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

5. A small piece of capsicum (just for flavour)

6. 2 Bay leaves

7. 1/2 tbs. butter.

8. 2 tsp. of Milk powder to give a creamy taste.

9. 1/2 tsp. Sugar, Salt and Pepper as per your taste.

Method:

Take a small pan.  Heat it. Put the butter.  

Add the Bay leaves (cut into small pieces), turn a bit.  

Add Onion, Garlic and fry a bit.  

Add capsicum, carrot pieces and the rest of the ingredients. Fry some more.  

Add sugar and salt.  Add a cup of water.  

Put a lid on the pan and cook for 5 mts.  Let it cool.

Put all these ingredients in a mixer and grind. Add the milk powder in the last run.

Strain in a strainer, not tea strainer but in a strainer with a bit big holes. You can add water, around 3/4 cups or according to your taste.  Thin soup or a bit thick soup!

Boil it, add pepper powder.  

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves! Your tasty soup is ready! 

Try it and tell me if you like it!

P.S.: Variants: You can add a few drumstick leaves or methi leaves while cooking the ingredients.  It will give a different flavour. 

Cabbage Rotti/Uppu Puli Dosai With Coconut Chutney!

Cabbage rotti/Uppu puli dosai with coconut chutney!

My niece had been asking for this recipe for sometime now! This is a sort of adai but no dhaal is added.  A unique Udupi recipe!

Ingredients:

1.  2 cups Raw rice/Pachcharisi (Wash and soak for 3 hours)

Dry Roast in a kadai one by one: 

2.  1 tsp. Methi/fenugreek/vendhayam

3.  1 tbs. Urad dhaal/Black gram dhaal (split)/Uluththam paruppu

Fry with 2 tsp. coconut oil: 

 

4.  1 tbs. Channa dhaal/Bengal gram/Kadalai paruppu

5.  1 tbs. Dhania/Coriander seeds/Dhania vidhei

6.  15/20 Red chillies/Lal mirch/Sigappu milagaai

7.  1 small coconut/Naariyal/Chinna thengai (cut into pieces or grated)

8.  1 small piece asafoetida or 1 tsp. powder/Hing/Perungaayam

9.  Curry leaves

10. Half lemon size Imli'Tamarind/Puli (Soaked)

11. A small piece of jaggery

12. Salt to taste(add half tbs. first, taste with a small rotti first and add more if needed.)

First fry the hing (If you don't have solid hing, add the powdered hing directly while grinding). It will become light.

Then add Channa dhaal, fry a bit.

Add dhania, red chillies...fry a bit.

Add red chillies, curry leaves. Fry again till the dhaal is golden brown and the chillies crisp. Add 1 tsp. of Jeera/cumin/jeeragam while grinding. No need to roast this.

Now, you have to grind all the ingredients together.  Add tamarind water and jaggery.

These are the ingredients for grinding. Zoom and check if needed.

 Vegetables to be added:

13. 1 Handful of finely chopped cabbage

14. Half handful of finely chopped Capsicum

15. Half handful of finely chopped Onion 

      (You can avoid onion if you want, on vrat/festival days)

You can add these vegetables, add salt and the batter is ready!

The batter should not be watery or very thick.  You can grind and make rotti immediately.  The remaining batter (keep in the fridge) can be used for the next day.   My husband says the next day's rotti is tastier.  

Heat a tava, add one tsp. of groundnut or refined oil. Take one or two ladle/karandi of the prepared batter and spread it into a round shape. It should not be very thick.  Make 3/4 holes, which will help the dosai to get roasted. Drop another tsp. of oil into the holes and around the rotti/ No need to cover. You can notice when it is brown underneath. Turn it and cook on the other side too. Medium flame is good for getting crisp dosas. My mother uses coconut oil instead of refined oil, which will enhance the taste (I am from Udupi and now they say that coconut oil is the best!). Less oil is enough unlike adai.  Adai is cooked on the tava in this manner. 

This will be good with Coconut chutney, Chutney powder, Dhaal powder, Pulikkaachchal paste, Yellu podi,

Coconut chutney:  

Ingredients for coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

For grinding:

1. One small coconut grated or cut into pieces.

2. 2 tsp. Fried gram/Pottu kadalai OR 5/6 cashew nuts/mundhiri    paruppu/kaaju, which will give the creamy taste.

3. 1 piece of raw mango or a tsp. of amchur powder/mango powder. (optional)

4. Half tsp. Asafoetida/hing/Perungaayam

5. Ginger 1" piece
6. 2/3 green chillies

    Salt as per taste.

For garnishing: 

7.  1 tsp. Coconut oil

8.  1/2 tsp. of Mustard/Rai/Kadugu

9.  1/2 tsp. of Urad Dhaal/Black gram dhaal/Uluththam paruppu (optional)

10. Chopped Curry leaves/Kadi paththa/Kariveppilai.

Add:

Chopped Coriander leaves/Koththamalli/Dhania paththa

Grind the ingredients I have mentioned above and garnish.  While garnishing, first let the mustard splutter and add the urad dhaal later. Once it turns slightly brown, add chopped curry leaves plus one red chilli cut into 2 pieces and garnish.  The roasted chilli will give a unique flavour.

Enjoy! Any suggestions/doubts? Pl.write in the comment section.  Let me know if you like this, which will make me happy:) Thank you!

Coconut chutney

ENJOY! 

P.S.: Variations:

You can use the batter without the vegetables to make different snacks. Cut ridge gourd into into small small round round pieces after removing the thick areas in the skin. Dip these pieces one by one into the batter and place it on the hot tava.  Apply oil.  Cook in medium flame, both sides. It will be very tasty.

Cut Yam into small small square or rectangle pieces (2" x 1/4" x 2").  Drop them into boiling water with some salt. Cook for 2 mts.  Dip this in the batter and tava cook.  Everybody will love it.  This will be even better if it is spicy...add chilly powder if needed.  Check salt.

Tell me which snack you prefer!

Milagu/Kariveppilai Kuzhambu...Pepper/Curry Leaves Subji.

 

Kaththrikkai milagu kuzhambu

People who like pepper taste will love this subji/kuzhambu.  This can be made with garlic or without.  Our family loves garlic taste in this kuzhambu. Typical Tamilnadu dish!

Ingredients:

1.  1 lemon sized Tamarind (Puli) soaked in warm water for 10 mts.and strained.

2.  1/4 kg. Brinjal (Kaththrikkai/bengan) cut into pieces.

3.  15-20 Garlic (Poondu) pods.

Fry these ingredients with 1 tsp. coconut oil:

4.  1/2 tsp. or a small piece Perungaayam Hing/Asafoetida

5.  1 tbs. Bengal gram/kadalai paruppu/Chana dhaal

6.  1/2 tbs. Black gram/Uluththam paruppu/Urad dhaal

7.  1 tbs. Coriander/Koththamalli vidhai/Dhania

8.  1 tbs. Pepper corn (you can take half tsp.more if you like the taste)

10. 3-4 red chillies.

11. 1/2 tsp. Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam/Methi (optional)

12. 1 small piece of Jaggery to blend the taste. 

13. 1/2 cup grated or small pieces of coconut.

14. Curry leaves, as much as you like. 

15. Salt 1 to 1 1/2 tbs. Add 1 tbs. first,taste and add more if you feel it is too tangy.

15. 1/4 cup Gingelly oil/Nallennai/Til oil  

Method: 

You can see all the ingredients here.

Roasted ingredients on the left and tamarind water with salt and jaggery on the right.

Take a Kadai, add a tsp. of coconut oil, add hing/perungaayam. It will fluff up. Heat should be medium. Add bengal gram, fry a bit, add black gram, coriander, chillies and curry leaves.  Fry a bit till the leaves look roasted.  Add coconut pieces.  Fry little more. Add pepper.  Fry till one pepper flutters! Switch off the stove.  Grind these ingredients in a mixer.  You can add water in the end and blend.  Keep it aside.

Take a vessel. Boil the strained tamarind water with the jaggery piece and salt.  I add half tsp. of haldi/manjal podi/Turmeric powder in this.  Some people don't.

Keep the kadai in another burner, switch on and add the gingelly oil.  Some people add a tsp. of mustard seeds/Kadugu/rai and let it flutter.  I don't.  Again, medium heat. Add garlic, fry a bit and then add the cut brinjal pieces.  Fry it a bit more and then add it in the boiling tamarind water. Add the ground paste after you check the brinjal is soft/cooked.  Add 2-3 glasses of water till you get the needed consistency.  Bring it to a boil.  Switch off.

Some people like it slightly thick and some people like it a bit watery.  Do as you please.  We can have it with rice or chapaathi/roti or dosa/idly even.  You can keep it for 2-3 days and use.  It tastes better when it gets old!


Variations: You can use drumstick/murungakkaai  instead of brinjal.  You can add a tsp. of Jeera/cumin seeds/jeeragam also while grinding.  No need to roast. You can do this recipe without adding coconut too.  You can do your own variations.  I do this quantity for 3 people in my family and use it for minimum two days!

Hope you, esp. Sharada, because of whom I wrote this recipe, like it

Any doubt means just drop a line here.  I will be happy if you write if you like too!

Pulikkaachchal Paste With Tamarind/Huliogare Gojju

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Pulikkaachchal

We prepare this chutney at home, esp. during Pongal festival time because we make mixed rice on the next day of Pongal, Kanu.  Pulianjaadham (rice mixed with this chutney) or lemon rice and other rice like 'yellu saadham' (Podi/powder recipe is here)

Now, let me give the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. 2 lemon sized ball of Imli/Puli/Tamarind. Soak it in warm water and keep
    aside. After 10-15 mts. squeeze and filter the water in a vessel. Do it
    2-3 times by adding water.  It should not be very watery also.

Dry Roast:

2.  1 tbs. Til/Yellu/Sesame seeds

3.  1 tbs. Urad dhaal/Uluththam paruppu/Broken black gram (for powdering)
     1 tbs. for garnishing.

4.  2 tsp. not tbs.:) Methi/Vendhayam/Fenugreek seeds


Roast with 2 tsp.of coconut oil:

5. 1 tbs. Channa dhaal/Kadalai paruppu/Bengal gram (for powdering)
     1 tbs. for garnishing.

6.  1 tbs.  Dhania/Coriander seeds

7.  1 tbs. Kaali mirch/Pepper/Milagu

8.  20-25 Red chillies

9.  Curry leaves

For the Last step:

10.1 small piece of jaggery (or 1 tbs.) to moderate the tamarind's sour taste.

11.1/2 to 1 cup Til ke tel/Gingily oil/Nallennei (You can use refined or groundnut
      oil too, if you like. But Tamilians use Nallennei)

12.4 tbs. Namak/Salt/uppu (nearly or according to your taste...you can add
      later  if it is less)

13.1 small piece or 1 tsp. (powder) of Hing/asofoetida/perungaayam

14. 3-4 tbs. Moongphali/Groundnut/Verkkadalai

15. 1 tsp. Rai/Mustard/Kadugu

16. 1/2 tsp.Haldi/Turmeric powder/manjal podi

Method:

Take a kadai/wok and dry roast til, till you hear them burst/crackle... Remove from fire as soon as it starts bursting.  Put it in a plate.  Then roast methi till it becomes a little burnished in colour.  Put it in the plate. Roast Urad dhaal, till it becomes a bit brown in colour. Put it in the plate.

Now, put the coconut oil in the kadai and fry hing if it is a piece. (If you are going to use hing powder, you can add it later).  It becomes slightly bigger in size. Add Channa dhaal, dhania, fry a bit. Add previously washed and cleaned curry leaves, chilly etc.  Roast a bit more.  Then add pepper.  You should not add it in the beginning.  It will burst and you should remove from fire as soon as you hear one sound! Put it with the earlier ingredients.   When it is cool, powder it in a mixer and keep aside.

Tamarind

Filtering 

Fried ingredients for powdering.

Take a vessel/kadai (a bit thick bottomed would be better), pour gingily oil.  Add mustard. When it crackles, add groundnut.  Let it fry till it turns its colour slightly.  Add Channa dhaal, urad dhaal etc.  We are adding them size wise.  When they are fried, reduce the heat and add the filtered tamarind water, slowly.  Fumes will come out.  Be careful.  Add haldi, jaggery, salt and hing powder if you hadn't added the hard hing in the powder.  You can increase the heat now. Boil it well.  Add the powder from the mixer after 10 mts.  If you add a bit more of gingily oil, it would be tastier.  This oil is harmless and good for health.  You can see the oil on the sides in the first picture. Let it boil till it becomes a bit thicker, not dry.  It should be lose.  Reduce the heat when it starts becoming thicker.  Your pulikkachchal is ready!

You can mix it with hot rice, eat it with dosa, idly, chapaathi or apply on bread for sandwiches.  Hope you like it.  You can use it for a couple of days and then keep the remaining in the fridge in an airtight container.

Try it and tell me if you like it or if you got any doubt while preparing it.

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P.S.: If you want to prepare less quantity, take 50% of all the ingredients.

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