Sambhar Vada

Ingredients

• Sambhar
• Vada - 10 medium size
• Onions - 1small size chopped
• Coriander leaves - handful

Method

• Take a cup of sambhar & add 3-4 cups of water bring it to boil (add enough salt). Soak the vadas in it for 1 minute.(this makes the sambhar vada more soft)
• Now transfer the vadas into the hot sambhar & keep the sambhar on low flame for 10 minutes.
• Now switch off the flame & leave the vada in the sambhar, atleast for another 30 minutes.
• While serving, sprinkle some onions & coriander leaves.

Curd Vada

Ingredient

• Vada - 10 medium size
• Curd - 1 1/2 cups
• Ginger - 2 tsp
• Hing - few pinches
• Mustard & urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - 4
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves - handful
• Boondi - to taste
• Chat masala - to taste
• Chilly powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste

Method

• Add some water to the curd & mix it well till it looks smooth.
• It should be little thin consistency.
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame.
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, cumin seeds, hing, green chillies, curry leaves & ginger one by one.
• Pour it into the curd. Add salt & mix well.
• Dip the vadas in the water for 15 to 20 seconds & add it to the curd.
• While serving, on top of the vada,  sprinkle some coriander leaves, boondi, chat masala & chilly powder.

Tip for the recipe - Allow the vada to get soaked in the curd for at least 1 hour for good taste.

Medu Vada

Ingredients

• Urad dal - 1 cup
• Rice flour - 1/4 cup
• Ginger - 1 tbsp
• Onion - 1 big size
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Whole pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - 4
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method

• Soak the urad dal for 6 hours or overnight.
• Grind it by adding very little water now & then, till it becomes fluffy & soft.
• Now mix all other ingredients & deep fry it on medium flame, till it becomes golden brown in color.

Tips for the recipe - The taste & softness of the vada depends upon how fluffy & soft the batter is. It should be super soft and fluffy. Take a pinch of dough and drop it in a cup of water, then it should float. If you are making big vadas as in the photograph then make hole in the center for the vada to cook evenly. If you are making very small vadas then the hole is not necessary. Wet your hands while shaping vadas. This makes the work easy and gives better shape for vadas.

Bread Roll

Ingredients

• 2 days old white bread - 6 slices
• Milk - 3/4 cup
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Potato - 1
• Mixed vegetable - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1/2 medium size
• Green chillies - 3 (chopped)
• Garlic - 1 (grated)
• Ginger - equal to garlic
• Curry leaves - few
• Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Stuffing

• Boil the vegetables & potato separately by adding little salt.
• Heat oil in the pan & fry ginger & garlic.
• Then add curry leaves, chillies & onions.
• Fry well. Now add the chat & garam masala powder.
• Then add the mashed vegtables & coriander leaves.
• Continue to mix till it gets incorporated with the masala.
• Now the stuffing is ready.

Bread Roll

• Add sugar to the milk & mix well.
• Remove the brown edges of the bread and use only the white portion.
• Now dip the bread in the milk & remove it immediately (approximately for 2-4 seconds, do not dip it for long time) & put it in-between the palms & squeeze out the milk completely.
• Place the stuffing in the center of the bread slice & cover it with both the sides.
• Now shape it by gently pressing it. The bread roll should be stiff.
• Deep fry the rolls on medium flame till it becomes crispy.
• Serve it with sauce & chutney.

Tips for the recipe
The bread roll should be stiff. There should not be any excess milk in the bread. If you feel the bread rolls are not stiff enough to hold the shape then use clean & wet cloth or tissue towel to remove the excess milk. The rolls can be rolled in the towels till it becomes stiff & slightly dry. Then this can be deep fried.

Vegetable cutlet

Ingredients
Group I

• Mixed vegetables of your choice (chopped into small pieces) - 1/2 cup (boiled by adding little salt)
• Potatoes - 2 (Skin peeled & boiled by adding little salt)
• Chat masala -1 1/2 tsp
• Onions - 1 (chopped)
• Ginger - 2 tsp (grated)
• Green chillies - to taste (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)
• Curry leaves - few (chopped)
• Handful of bread crumbs
• Salt to taste

Group II

• Bread crumbs - 1 cup
• Egg white - 1
• Oil for deep frying

Method

• Mix all the group I ingredients together & make it into small desired shape.
• Dip the shaped cutlet in the egg & then roll it in the bread crumbs to get it coated well.
• Now deep fry it on medium flame till it turns golden brown.

Tips for the recipe

• Instead of egg white you can also use flour batter to dip the cutlets (2tbsp corn flour + little water).
• Instead of bread crumbs you can also use corn crumbs to coat the cutlet.
• I have added a handful of spinach(half boiled) in my cutlet. If you are adding spinach take care that you squeeze out the water completely before adding it to the mixture or else it may spoil the thick consistency of your mixture.
• The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape or else it will get split in the oil while frying.

Channa (chick peas) Chat

Ingredients

• Channa (boiled) - 1 cup
• Grated carrot - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Grated mango (raw) - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Tomato - 1/2 (chopped)
• Mint - handful (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)
• Red onion - 1/2 small size (chopped)
• Lemon - few drops
• Chilly powder - 2 pinches
• Chat masala - few pinches
• Salt to taste

Method

• Except the last 3 ingredients, mix all the other ingredients together.
• Then sprinkle some salt, chat masala & chilly powder.
• Healthy & tasty snack is ready to serve.

Tips for the recipe - Boil the channa till it becomes very soft. You can also add 1 or 2 spoons of chopped cucumber if you wish.

Gobi manchurian

Ingredients

• Cauliflower - 1 medium size (cut into medium size florets) 
• Vinegar - 1 tsp 
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp or to taste 
• Pepper - 1/4 tsp 
• Corn flour - 5 tbsp 
• All purpose flour or maida - 7 1/2 tbsp
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic - 4 
• Handful of spring onions diagonally chopped for garnishing 
• 1 or 2 handful of thinly chopped purple cabbage for garnishing 
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying. 

For the sauce

• Ginger - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Garlic - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Green chillies - 2 (thin round slices)
• Onion - 1/2 (medium size chopped) 
• Tomato sause - 4 1/2 - 5 tbsp 
• Chilly sause- 4 tbsp 
• Soya sause -3 tbsp 
• Vinegar - 1 1/2 tbsp 
• Cornflour - 2 1/2 tsp
• Pepper - 1/4 tsp (adjust) 
• Water - 1/2 cup 

Method

• Make a paste of ginger & garlic.
• Mix ginger-garlic paste with the 1st 6 ingredients.
• Add salt & mix well till the florets gets nicely coated with the flour (sprinkle little water if necessary).
• Now deep fry the florets on medium flame, till it becomes crispy.
• Mix the corn flour in the water & keep it aside for the sauce.
• Now add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan on medium high flame.
• Fry ginger, garlic, green chillies & onions one by one.
• Do not fry the onions much. It should be crunchy. Pinch of salt can be added.
• Now add all the sauce & the vinegar.
• Mix well & now add the diluted corn flour.
• Reduce the flame to low medium & allow the sauce to get thick.
• Now add the fried florets & mix well till the sauce gets well coated to the florets.
• Sprinkle pepper & mix again.
• Add spring onions & cabbage. Give a quick mix & serve immediately. 

Tip for the recipe - There should not be much water in the florets when you add the flour.The water content should be very less in the florets. This will ensure that the batter will get coated well & the fried floret will be crispy.

Chapatti Vegetable Roll

Ingredients

• Chapatti - 5
• Mixed vegetable (carrot, beans, cabbage, peas, corn, cauliflower, potato) - 3 cups (thinly chopped, lengthwise 1 inch). Soak the cauliflower in hot water for few minutes.
• Lettuces (optional) - few
• Tomato - 1 medium size (thinly chopped lengthwise)
• Onion - 1 small size (thinly chopped lengthwise)
• Green chilies - 3 (chopped lengthwise)
• Ginger - 1tsp (grated)
• Garlic - 1tsp (grated)
• Mint leaves - 10 -15
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

• Heat the oil in the pan on high medium flame.
• Splutter cumin seeds & add the ginger & garlic.
• Add chilies, mint & onions. Fry for 1 minute. Do not fry too much.
• Now add the tomatoes & fry for 30 seconds.
• Add all the vegetables & continue frying.
• Add salt, chilly powder & the garam masala powder.
• Fry well. Do not cover it.
• Remove it from fire when it is done.
• Spread a layer of lettuces on the chapatti & place the vegetable masala on top of it.
• Now roll the chappathi & serve hot.

Tips for the recipe - Do not over fry the vegetables. This kind of rolls taste good when the vegetables are slightly crunchy. I normally remove it from flame when the vegetables are 3/4th cooked.

Horse gram sundal

Ingredients

• Horse gram - 1/2 cup 
• Red onions - 1 small size (chopped) 
• Green chilly - 4 or adjust according to spice level needed 
• Mustard & Urad dal - 1/4 tsp 
• Ginger - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp 
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 
• Curry leaves - 1 strings 
• Coconut - 2 tbsp (shredded) 
• Coriander leaves - handful 
• Salt to taste

Method

• Add some water & pressure cook the horse gram on high for 3 or 4 whistles. 
• Drain the water completely & reserve it for horse gram curry or rasam. 
• Heat oil in kadai on high medium flame. 
• Splutter mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, ginger & green chilies one by one. 
• Add onions and fry till it becomes slight brown in color. 
• Now add the boiled gram and salt. 
• Fry well & add the coconut & mix well. 
• Garnish it with coriander leaves. 

Tips for the recipe - Drain the water from the gram completely so that the sundal looks dry after frying.You can also soak the gram over night if you have time. In that case do not pressure cooker the gram. Just cook it on heavy bottom pan till it becomes soft.

Egg Paniyaram

Ingredients

• Fermented idly batter - 3 cups (235 ml each cup)
• Eggs - 3 or 4
• Onion - 1 big size (chopped)
• Green chillies - 6 (chopped)
• Ginger - 3 tsp
• Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
• Crushed pepper - 2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)
• Oil - as required
• Salt to taste

Method

• Beat the eggs well.
• Except oil, add all the rest of the ingredients & mix well.
• Heat the paniyaram moulds with some oil, on low medium flame.
• Fill 3/4 of the moulds with the batter.
• Drizzle some oil on the top of the paniraram & allow it to cook till the bottom layer becomes brown in color.  
• Turn the paniyaram to cook both the sides evenly.

Tips for the recipe - Beat the eggs well using the beater. The more you beat, softer the paniyaram will be.

Ragi-onion Pakoda & Vada

Ingredients
Group I

• Oil for deep frying 

Group II

• Ragi Flour - 1 cup (235 ml)
• Onion - 1 big size (chopped) 
• Roasted channa dal/ pottukadalai/ roasted gram - 1 tbsp 
• Green chillies - 3-4 (chopped) 
• Red chillies - 2 (halved) 
• Curry leaves - 2 sprig (chopped) 
• Garlic - 5 (grated) 
• Ginger - 1 inch (grated) 
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp 
• Butter - 1 tsp 
• Salt

Method

• Mix all the group II ingredients together with less water & keep it aside for 20 minutes. 
• Heat the oil & drop the mixture, in the form of small pieces. 
• Fry them in batches, till it becomes light & crispy.

Variation - Ragi vadas can also be prepared using the same mixture.Take some prepared mixture & make medium sized ball. Now flatten the ball to bring it to flat round shape. Deep fry the vadas till it becomes crispy.

Tips for the recipe - (For pakoda) If you add more water pakoda may not turn out crispy. So add less water & fry testing few pieces. If they are very hard than add little more water (1 tbsp at a time) & then fry again.

(For Vada) Apply some oil on your palm so that you can flatten the vada easily. vada are not as crispy as the pakodas. 

Undi (Konkani Cuisine)

Basically this is a konkani food. But when i tasted it for the first time, soon it became one among my favorite food.Here is the recipe;

Ingredients

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves - 2 spring
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Coconut oil - 1-2 tbsp
• Green chillies - 1-2 (adjust)
• Tamarind - big gooseberry size
• Refined oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak the tamarind in a little water for few minutes. 
• Give a few quick turns in the bender along with the green chillies. 
• Do not grind it smoothly. It should be coarse. 
• Mix salt & refined oil. 
• Now the tamarind water is ready.
• Soak the rice for 1 hour.
• Grind the rice along with coconut to the rava consistency & keep the rice batter ready.
• Heat coconut oil Splutter fenugreek, and curry leaves on medium flame. Do not over fry this.
• Add the prepared rice batter & salt.
• Keep stirring till it becomes tight enough to make balls.
• Remove from heat & transfer it to another vessel. 
• Cover & keep it for few minutes.
• When it is warm enough to handle make small flat balls & press one of the flat side with the finger slightly. So that it cooks evenly.
• Now steam boil this balls for 15 to 20 minutes or till it is done.
• Serve hot with tamarind water.

Note -  For 1/2 liter of tamarind water use 1 or 2 green chillies & 3 tbsp of oil.

Kara kolukattai

Ingredients

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves - 1 spring (chopped)
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - 2 pinches
• Ginger - 1 tsp(chopped)
• Green chillies - 2 or adjust (chopped)
• Red chillies - 2 (halved)
• Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
• Onion - 1 small or medium size (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (chopped)
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak the rice for 1 hour.
• Grind the rice along with coconut to the rava consistency & keep the rice batter ready.
• Heat coconut oil Splutter mustard, urad dal, cumin, curry leaves, green chillies, red chillies, ginger & hing one by one on medium flame. 
• Add onions & fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the prepared rice batter, coriander leaves & salt.
• Keep stirring till it becomes tight enough to make balls.
• Remove from heat & transfer it to another vessel. 
• Cover & keep it for few minutes.
• When it is warm enough to handle make any desire shapes (preferably thin or small, so that it cooks evenly).
• Now steam boil it for 15 to 20 minutes or till it is done.
• Serve hot.

Tips for the recipe - Make balls as soon as possible. Later it becomes hard & it is difficult to make balls.

Sweet kolukattai

Ingredients

For the dough

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For the stuffing

• Chana dal - 1/2 cup
• Powdered jaggery - 1/4 cup or adjust
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp 
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method

• Cook the dal till soft & half broken.
• Drain the excess water & mash the dal by adding jaggery.
• Heat the pan with ghee.
• Add the dal mixture & saute well till it turns dry.
• It should become thick enough to make balls.
• Finally mix grated coconut with the dal & remove from heat.
• Allow it to cool & use it for stuffing
• Soak the rice for 1 hour.
• Grind the rice along with coconut to the rava consistency & keep the rice batter ready.
• Heat oil in the pan & add the prepared rice batter & little salt.
• Keep stirring till it becomes tight enough to make balls.
• Remove from heat & transfer it to another vessel. 
• Cover & keep it for few minutes.
• When it is warm enough to handle, take small quantity of the dough to make medium sized ball & keep the stuffing inside.
• Cover it & form it to any desire shape.
• Repeat it with all the balls.
• Now steam boil this balls for 15 to 20 minutes or till it is done.
• Serve hot.

Tips for the recipe - Make balls as soon as possible. Later it becomes hard & it is difficult to make balls.

Masal Vada

Ingredients 

Group I

• Channa Dal - 1 Cup
• Red chillies - 10
• Aniseed - 1 tbsp
• Toor dal - 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
• Oil for Deep Frying

Group II

• Green chillies - 5 Nos (chopped)
• Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)
• Garlic - 3 (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)
• Curry leaves - 2 springs (chopped)
• Onions - 1 (Chopped)
• Salt to Taste

Method 

• Soak both the dals separately for an hour.
• Take 2 tbsp of soaked channa dal & keep it with the group II ingredients.
• Grind rest of the channa dal with group I ingredients to a thick paste.
• Mix all the group II ingredients with the grinded dal mixture.
• Shape it into medium sized balls.
• Then flatten the balls slightly into the shapes of vada & deep fry till it becomes golden brown on medium flame.

Tip for the recipe - Shallots can be using instead of red onion for good taste. Use minimum amount of water while grinding the dal. Instead of grinding the aniseeds it can be also used as a whole seeds or in the powdered form. 

Stuffed Kara Paniyaram

Ingredients

• Potato Stuffing
• Idly rice - 1 cup
• Split urud dhal - 1/4 cup
• Fenugreek - 1 tsp
• Poha - 1/4 cup
• Salt to taste.

Method

• Click here for the preparation of the potato stuffing.
• Soak rice, urad dal, poha & fenugreek separately in water for at least 5 hours.
• Boil the poha & grind it with the rice. Do not add too much of water.
• Grind fenugreek & urad dal together to smooth & fluffy.
• Add salt & mix it together with the rice batter.
• Leave it over night for fermentation, at room temperature.
• Now the batter is ready.
• Heat the paniyaram moulds with some oil.
• Fill 1/2 of the moulds with the batter.
• Now place little amount of the stuffing, in the batter.
• On top of it, pour the batter again to cover the stuffing completely.
• Simmer the flame & allow it to cook till the bottom layer becomes brown in color.
• Turn the paniyaram to cook both the sides evenly.

Tips for the recipe - You can make any kind of stuffing. The only concern is the stuffing should be tight enough to hold its shape, when it is placed in the batter. Adjust the quantity of the potato masala stuffing, according to the quantity of the batter prepared.

Chili Gobi

Ingredients

• Cauliflower - 1 medium size (cut into medium size florets)
  
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
  
• Orange red food color - 1-2 pinches
• Egg white - 2 (large)
  
• Vinegar or lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Chilly powder - 2 tsp or to taste
• Pepper - 1/4 tsp
• Corn flour - 4 tbsp
• All purpose flour or maida - 6 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Take sufficient water (that the florets can immerse) & bring it to boil.
  
• Add the cauliflower floret in the boiling water & switch off the flame.
• Cover & keep it for 10 minutes.
  
• Drain the water completely.
  
• Except egg, mix all other ingredients together to the cauliflower.
  
• Finally mix the egg white.
• Heat the pan with oil.
  
• Then deep fry the cauliflower between medium high & low flame.
• Remove the cauliflower from the oil when it is done.
• Drain the excess oil & serve hot with lemon & onion.

Tip for the recipe - The florets should be almost dry, before adding any ingredient.The water content should be very less in the florets. So that the batter will get coated well & the fried floret will be crispy. If suppose the batter is still watery, you can mix 1/2 tbsp of maida or all purpose flour & then deep fry.

Sweet Sevai

Ingredients

• Par boiled rice - 1/2 kg
• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Salt for taste
• Sugar for taste

Method

• Soak rice for 2 hours and grind to a smooth batter by adding little salt.
• The consistency of the batter should be watery.
• Prepare idlies of out this batter.
• Press 2 idlies at a-time using the idiyapam instrument.
• Now the idiyapam is ready.
• Mix coconut & sugar to the idiyappam.
• Sweet idiyappam is ready.

Tips for the recipe - Press the idilies when it is hot or warm. It is difficult to press once it is cool. Take care while mixing the idiyapam that it should not get mashed. Cool down the idiyapam completely before mixing it to the lemon mixture.