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.