Vendayakeerai/Methi vadai

Ingredients:

Bengal gram dhal-1 cup

Somf-1/2 tsp

Garlic-3 pods

Red chillies-2-3

vendaya keerai/Methi-1 bunch

curry leaves-few

Oil-for frying

Salt-as required

Method:

Soak bengal gram in water for 2-3 hours along with red chillies.Then coarsely grind it without adding water.Crush garlic along with somf and mix with the batter.Now mix finely cut methi along with curry leaves.Add salt as required.Heat oil in kadai.Make small ball from the batter,flatten it and deep fry till golden brown.Serve hot with coconut chutney.

P.S:keep the flame in medium so the inner portion of the vadai is cooked well.

Surakkai Halwa

Ingredients:

Surakkai/Bottle guard-2 medium

2 medium lauki gives around 6-7 cups

sugar-21/2 cups

Milk-1 cup

Condensed milk-1/2 cup(optional)

Cardamom-4

ghee-4 tbsp

cashews-few

raisin-few

Method:Peel the skin and cut into long pieces. Remove the seeds and grate. Heat ghee in a non-stick vessel and fry the cashews and raisins until cashews turn golden brown and set aside.In the same ghee fry the surakkai until all the water is absorbed.(I used rice cooker for whole of the procedure).Now add milk to the surakkai mix and close the cooker and wait until it comes to automatic warm or until the surakkai is cooked well. Then add the sugar and condensed milk and stir thoroughly until it becomes semi solid.Now add the remaining ghee, stir well and close the lid until almost all the liquid is absorbed and halwa does not stick to the sides of the pan.Now halwa is ready.Garnish with fried cashews and raisins.

badhusha

Ingredients:

Maida-1 cup

Baking soda-1 pinch

Curd-3 tbsp

Ghee-2 tbsp

Orange food colouring-1 pinch(Optional)

Sugar-1 cup

Water-1/4th cup

Cashew-few

Badam-a few

oil-for frying

Method:In a wide mouth pan mix ghee and baking soda well.Then add orange food colour,curd and maida, mix thoroughly using hands.Mix well to a soft dough.Now make small balls from the dough and flatten them about 1/2 inch thickness.Make a depression with the thumb in the centre. Do the same procedure for the remaining. Now heat oil in a kadai.Keep it in low flame and fry all the badushas until golden brown. At the same time take a pan and put the sugar adding the water .Bring it to 1 string consistency.Dip the fried badushas in sugar syrup for 10-15 minutes.Remove from syrup keep aside and decorate with grated cashew/almonds.

Channa Kuruma

Ingredients:

Channa-1 cup

Onions-2

Tomatoes-2

Ginger-1 inch

green chillies-3

somf/fennel-1 tsp

bay leaf-1

cardamom-1

Cloves-2

coconut-1 handful

cashews-3

haldi-1/4tsp

chilli powder-1 tsp

mint leaves-few(Optional)

coriander leaves-few

Oil-3 tbsp

Method:

Pressure cook the channa adding salt and keep aside. Now in the same cooker add little oil and fry ginger,somf(1/2 tsp),and green chillies for sometime.Mix this with coconut along with cashews and grind it to a smooth paste and keep aside. In the same cooker add oil, after it gets heated add the masalas and allow it to splutter.Add onions and fry until golden brown.Add tomatoes and mint,fry for sometime.Add haldi,chilli powder,channa,salt and water (1/2cup) .close the lid and allow 1 or 2 whistles.When the pressure comes down open the lid and add the coconut paste.Mix well.Allow it to boil for sometime and turn off the stove.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:

Channa should be soaked overnight or atleast 6 hrs. When adding water always reuse the same water that was used to cook channa.Neve throw this water as it contains many water soluble vitamins.

Milagu sambar/Pepper sambhar

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal:1/2 cup

onion:1

garlic:4

haldi:1/4 tsp

asafoetida:1/4 tsp

Red chillies:4

pepper:1-2 tsp(powdered coarsely)

tamarind-golf ball size

curry leaves-a few

Oil-2 tbsp

Method:

Pressure cook toor dhal along with onion,garlic,haldi,asafoetida until it is well cooked. Now, soak the tamarind in water (1/4 cup of water)and squeeze out the juice from it.Add the juice to the mashed toor dhal along with little water and mix well by adding required amount of salt and keep aside.Take a kadai add oil.once the oil is heated add red chillies and powdered pepper . Wait for few seconds and add this to the mashed toor dhal.Mix well and again keep on the stove for few minutes .Switch off the stove after 2 or 3 boils.Garnish with curry leaves.

Note:This is a very different type of sambhar with more medicinal taste.It is neither thick like our usual sambhar nor thin like rasam.Its somewhere in between with very good flavour.It really helps to have it during cough/cold.try it and please post your comments.

Kaara Pori(Quick evening snack)

Ingredients:Pori(Puffed rice)-2 cups

onion-1 medium(finely chopped)

Tomato-1 medium(finely chopped-optional)

Green chillies-2

chilli powder-1/2-1 tsp

Lemon juice-1/2 tsp

ground nut(steamed/fried)-3tbsp

Coriander leaves-few

Method: Take a shallow pan add all the above ingredients. Mix thoroughly.Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients:Gobi(Cauliflower)-250gm

maida-2 tbsp

corn flour-2 tbsp

rice flour-1 tbsp

chilli powder-1tsp

Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp

garlic-3 pods

Onion-1 cup

Capsicum-1 medium

Aginomotto-1/4 tsp

soya sauce-1 tsp

Tomato sauce-2 tsp

chilli sauce-1 tsp(optional)

Method: Cut the cauliflower into medium size florets.

Wash and soak them in warm water adding 1 tsp. of salt for 10 minutes.

Make thick batter of all the flours,ginger-garlic paste and salt.

Dip florets in batter, deep fry and set aside.

In a pan heat oil and add onions,green chillies and finely chopped garlic and saute well .

Add aginomotto, chilli powder,all the sauces and saute well.

Add 1 tbsp of corn flour dissolved in 1/2 cup of water.

Add fried florets and mix well.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve piping hot.

prawn-capsicum curry

Ingredients:Prawn- 250gm

capsicum-1(medium)

onions-2(medium)

Tomato-1(medium)

Ginger-garlic paste-1tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Chilli powder-2tsp

Coriander-( optional)

Oil-2-3 tsp

salt-as required

Method: De shell the prawns and clean them.

Cut onions,tomatoes into small pieces.

Cut capsicum into medium size pieces.

Now in a kadai add oil.To this fry onions until it turns golden brown.

Fry the ginger-garlic paste for few minutes until the raw smell disappears.

Now add prawns, capsicum, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.

Saute for some time and close the kadai for few minutes or until the prawn is cooked and all the water is absorbed and a golden brown colour appears. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Rava ladoo

Hi,
happy diwali to all. I would like to share the famous recipe -Rava ladoo.Easy to prepare and kids will enjoy them.My mother-in-law used to prepare for occasions back in India.

Ingredients:

rava(sooji)-2 cups
Sugar-2 cups
cashews-6-7
raisin(optional)
Cardamom-1-2
Milk-1/2 cup
ghee-2 tsp

Method:

Heat a little ghee in a pan and fry cashews and remove them.
In the same ghee fry the rava for a few minutes , remove from the pan and mix sugar,cardamom(crushed),cashews , raisins and mix well.
Now sprinkle little warm milk over small portions of rava and make ladoos.