Keerai vadai / Vada with Drumstick leaves

Ingredients
Split yellow peas/Mattar ki dal/ Pattaani paruppu-1 cup
Ginger- 2" piece
Garlic-2 cloves
Fennel Seeds-1 teaspoon
Green chilly-2
Onion-1 (or)Shallots-15
Drumstick leaves(washed and cleaned)~~1/2cup
Salt
Oil

Method
Wash and soak the dal for 2 hours.
Drain the water, keep a fist full of dal aside.
Take the remaining dal with ginger-garlic-green chillies and grind it to a coarse paste (without adding water).
Chop the onion and drumstick leaves finely.

Combine the onion,fennel seeds, drumstick leaves, whole dal kept aside, enough salt with the ground dal mix everything together.

Heat Oil in a kadai. Make small balls out of the vada mixture, flatten each ball slightly with your palm, and drop carefully into the hot oil.

Fry the vadas till they become golden colour on both the sides. Take them out and drain the excess oil on a paper towel. Enjoy it with a hot cup of tea!

This post was lying in my drafts for a long time..During my last visit to India, I prepared this. As it was raining the other day, it was chill and everybody wanted to munch something..our neighbours made Bonda and we made Vada. Everybody enjoyed both the snacks with garam garam chai! :)))))

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Pongal kuzhambu/7 kaai kuzhambu/ Kadamba sambar

Ingredients
Cubed Veggies-11/2cups [I used a small piece of pumpkin,few beans, a small carrot, couple of broccoli florets, few leaves of cabbage, fist full of peas and a small potato]
Cooked n mashed thoor dhal - 1/4cup
Tamarind juice- 1/4cup
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Sugar-1/2teaspoon
Salt- to taste

To roast n grind
Cumin seeds-1teaspoon
Pepper corns-1teaspoon
Coriander seeds(Dania)-1teaspoon
Red chillies-3
Channa dhal-1teaspoon
Grated coconut-1tablespoon
For tempering
Oil-teaspoon
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon
Few curry leaves
Method
1.Dry roast items given under "to roast n grind" table..

2. and grind it to a coarse powder.

3.Wash n cube the veggies into uniform cubes, cook them with enough water, turmeric powder and salt.
4.Add the tamarind juice when the veggies become tender.

5.Once the raw smell of the tamarind juice has gone, add the mashed dhal, adjust the salt, let it boil for a couple of minutes.

6.Add the roasted-ground masala, adjust the water to the desired consistency of the sambar, and let it boil for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.

7.Add 1/2teaspoon of the sugar and put off the flame.

8.Heat oil in a small pan, make the tempering with mustard -cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour it over the sambar and serve.
This aromatic, spicy n yummy sambar tastes great with Plain Rice/Ven pongal/idli/Any kind of Dosa. We had it with Wheat flour dosa.

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Ven Pongal & Vegetable Gotsu

Ingredients for Pongal
Raw rice (Basmati Rice(or)Sona masoori Rice) -3/4cup
Split moong dhal -1/4cup
Ghee-1tablespoon
Cashew - 7 pieces
Crushed cumin & pepper corns- 2 teaspoons
Green chilly-1
Few curry leaves
Hing -1/4 teaspoon
Salt
Water-2 1/2cup
Milk-1/2 cup

Method
Wash and soak the rice n dhal for 20 minutes.
Pressure cook it with water,milk and salt for 4-5 whistles and let it cool.
Chop the g.chilly and curry leaves into fine pieces.
Heat ghee in a small pan, once its hot, add the cashews let them fry for a minute. Then add the crushed pepper corn-cumin seed,followed by hing,green chillies and curry leaves.
Mix this with the pongal and serve hot with gotsu.
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Ingredients for Gotsu
Small brinjals-2
Small potato-1
Small piece of Ridged gourd
Tomato-2
Tiny piece of tamarind (or) 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
Onion-1
Green chilly- 1
MDH Madras curry powder- 11/2 teaspoons (optional, otherwise increase the number of green chillies.)
Cumin seed-1teaspoon
Dania-1teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Cilantro to garnish
Sugar-1/2teaspoon
Water-1/4cup or little more
Salt
Oil

Method
Chop the veggies,onion,tomato,g.chilly into big chunks.
Heat little oil in a pressure pan. Add the cumin and coriander(dania) seeds and let them splutter.
Now add the onion-g.chilly-tomato chunks and cook for a couple of minutes.

Then add the veggies with turmeric powder, curry powder,salt and sugar. Add the water, close the pressure pan and cook for 2-3 whistles.
Open the cooker after it cools down, mash the condense coarsely with masher and garnish with cilantro.
Enjoy with Pongal/Idli/Dosa.

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Plantain & Brinjal Curry

I learnt this recipe from a SriLankan friend. I have tried it several times and totally love it. Fresh grated coconut is the key ingredient and oil plays an important role too! So use these ingredients according to your comfort level and taste! :) Thanks Vanathy for the yummy recipe!

Ingredients
Plantain-1
Small round Brinjals-3
Onion-1
Green chilly-1
Few curry leaves and cilantro
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon
Coconut-1/4cup (or to taste! ;) )
Pepper corn-10
Garlic-2cloves
Chilly powder-11/2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoons
Oil - 2 tablespoons (or to taste! ;) )
Salt

Method
Boil the plantains with little pit of turmeric and salt. Veggie should be soft but not mushy.Remove the skin and grate it after it cools down.
Cut the brinjals into thick slices.
Heat a tablespoon of oil, arrange the brinjal slices, close the lid and cook for few minutes. Then flip them over and cook on the other side too.
Combine the grated plantain, roasted brinjals with turmeric powder,chilly powder, coconut, salt. Mash and mix it with hand.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add the onion-curry leaves- green chilly and sauté them till the onion becomes transparent.
Add the mashed veggie mixture and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes(or till the raw smell of the spices are gone), stirring in between.

Crush the garlic and pepper corns, and add it with the curry.garnish with cilantro and put off the flame. Serve hot with any rice variety.

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Vegetable Aval Upma / Vegetable Poha Upma

Ingredients
Flattened rice/Thick Poha/Getti Aval - 11/2cups
Carrot-1
Beans-5
Onion-1
Green chilly-2
Red chilly-1
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Channa dhal-1teaspoon
Urad dhal-1teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/8th teaspoon
Few Curry leaves
Sugar-1/2teaspoon
Salt
Oil

Method
Wash the aval(poha) 2-3 times and strain 90% of the water and keep it aside for 5 minutes.

Chop the onion-g.chilli into thin slices.
Cut the carrots and beans into small cubes, add little water and microwave it for a minute.

Heat oil in a kadai, make the tempering with mustard seeds,channa dhal and urad dhal.
Add onion-g.chilly and curry leaves with turmeric powder.

Add the veggies(without water) with salt and sugar and sauté till the onion become transparent.

Now add the aval(poha) and reduce the heat to low. Fry for 2-3 minutes, and put off the flame. Tasty veggie aval upma is ready to serve.

Serve hot with your choice of chutney/pickle.

Note

• Adding veggie is purely your choice. You can add green peas,broccoli,cabbage,spring onion. In either case, don't overcook the veggies.
• Red onion enhances the taste of this upma than yellow onion. You can add roasted peanuts/cashew with the tempering to make this upma richer.
• You can add a splash of lemon juice for the tangy taste.

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Lauki ka Kofta / Bottlegourd kofta Curry

This is a healthy version of kofta curry..you can prepare only the koftas and have it as a snack or side dish for any rice varieties.

Ingredients for Kofta
Lauki/Bottle gourd/Suraikkaai -small one, peel, grate and squeeze out the water.-1cup (approx.)
Besan- 1/2cup(approx.)
Chilli powder-1/2teaspoon
Coriander powder-1/2teaspoon
Garam masala-1/2teaspoon
Salt
Method
Peel and grate the lauki/bottle gourd. Squeeze out the excess water and take it in a separate bowl.
Combine the all the masala powders with grated lauki, add besan little by little till you get the consistency to make the koftas. Don't add salt.
Heat the paniyaram pan with little oil in each well on constant low heat.
Once the pan is hot, add salt to the lauki mixture, make the koftas and cook till they turn golden in color on both sides.

For gravy
Onion-1 (Mince the onion)
Tomatoes-2 (grind the tomatoes into paste)
Bay leaf-1
Chilly powder-1teaspoon
Coriander powder-1teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Fresh Garam masala (powder of one cloves,elaichi and cinnamon stick)
Cilantro- to garnish
Salt
Oil

Method
Heat oil in a pan and add the bay leaf..let it splutter. Now add the minced onion and fry till the raw smell goes off.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking till the oil oozes out.
Now add the chilli,coriander and turmeric powder& fresh garam masala, add 2 cups of water and enough salt.
Let the gravy cook for 6-7 minutes on medium heat.
Add the kofta's and cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and put off the flame.
Serve the kofta curry with your choice of Roti/Naan/Jeera Rice. For me, it tasted the best with Jeera rice! ;)

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Wheat Flour & Oats Dosai

Ingredients
Wheat Flour/aata -1/2cup
Rolled oats -1/4cup
salt
water- 1/2 to 3/4cup

Method
Combine the wheat flour,oats and salt in a bowl.
Add 1/2 cup of water, close it and keep it for 5 minutes.
Mix the flour-oats-water mixture without lumps, adjust the water to get the dosa batter consistency.
Heat a griddle, and pour one ladle of batter, make dosa.
[dosa won't be thin n crisp, it will little thick like "adai"]Sprinkle little oil, flip it on the other side.
Healthy and yummy dosai is ready to serve. Enjoy with your choice of sambar/chutney.

This measurements will yield 8 dosa's (as shown in the picture.)

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Linking this with Shoba's 'Just "4" Fun' event.

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