Usli sevai - Sevai with a twist

All of us are familiar with sevai or idiyappam as it is commonly called as it is quite easy to dish out with readymades available now.  But, I still prefer the traditional method of making the sevai with the 'sevai naazhi' or the 'sevai machine' and especially the taste is too good if it is prepared with boiled rice.  Here, I come with usli sevai which is quite filling and tasty too.

Ingredients for Sevai:

Boiled rice - 3 cups
Salt
Oil

Soak boiled rice for about 5 to 6 hours and grind it fine, add salt.  In a thick bottom pan, pour two tablespoon of oil and pour the ground mixture.  Keep it in low flame and let the rice paste cook and turn color from white to grey.  When the mixture does not stick to your wet fingers you know that  the rice paste is cooked.   While hot, dip hands in cold water and make balls of the same and keep it in idli cooker for about 7 to 8 minutes.  Once it is done, the balls to be inserted into the sevai machine and made into sevai.

Ingredients for Usli

Urad dal - 1 cup
Green chillies -4 to 5 (according to your taste)
Hing/Perungayam
Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
Salt
Red chillies- 4 to 5
Curry leaves

Soak urad dal for 20 minutes and grind it coarsely with green chillies,hing and salt.  Place the ground mix in an idli plate and steam it for 10 minutes.  Take out these urad dal idlis and allow it to cool completely.  Fragment these idlis and keep aside.  In a kadai, pour two tablespoons of oil, add a teaspoon of urad dal, half a teaspoon of mustard seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and put the usli and keep stirring.  Now, add the sevai to this usli and very gently mix it so that the sevai retains its shape.

A very interesting version of the regular sevai and very filling too.

Yummylicious pepper cheese uthappam

Cooking can get very monotonous with the daily routine and a set of regular dishes.  Thus, came the concept of this pepper cheese uthappam and take my word, it is yummylicious and from then on, plain uthappams were history in my kitchen :):)

Ingredients:

Dosa batter
Cheddar cheese and Mozarella cheese - grated
Capsicum/Pepper - 1 finely chopped
Onions - 1 finely chopped
Tomato - 1 finely chopped
Green chillies - as required

In a pan, pour a tablespoon full of oil and saute the onions and keep stirring till it is soft. Keep it aside.

Pour a ladle full of dosa batter in the dosa tava. Make it slightly thick.  Pour little oil around the uthappam.  Now spread the chopped capsicum/pepper, tomatoes and the onions. Cover with a lid and cook for three minutes in medium heat. Now, spread the cheese mix and cover again for just 30 seconds.

Yummylicious pepper cheese uthappam is ready to devour.Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can add grated carrots or any other vegetable of your choice. The flavour that hits your palate is the melting cheese.

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Amma recently got me the non-stick flat bottom Kuzhi appam kadai from Chennai and I was so excited that I wanted to use it the very same day. I had some left over dosa batter and added a few ingredients to it and here is the outcome. Yummy kuzhi paniyaram!

Ingredients:
Dosa Batter - 1 cup
Onion- 1 medium sized
Green chillies- 1-2 nos
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Oil- 1 tsp

1. Finely chop the onions and green chillies and add to the dosa batter.
2. Heat some oil in a pan and add mustard seed. Let it splutter and add to the batter.
3. Heat a non-stick appam kadai and grease it with oil.
4. Add the dosa batter and keep the heat at medium and make nice golden brown kuzhi paniyaram.


Bon Appetit!

Masal Vadai

Since the weather doesn't seem to be getting any better- here is another yummy snack for the rainy day!


Contents:
chenna dal - 1 measure
tuvar dal - 2 measure
urad dal - 1/4 measure
whole red chillies - 4 to 5
green chillies - 3 finely chopped
onions - 2 medium size finely chopped
cilantro - 3 tbsp finely chopped
curry leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped
ginger - 1 tsp finely chopped
salt.
asafoetida - a pinch

Recipe:
Soak the dals for 45 minutes . Wash it and place it in a colander for the excess water to drain. Grind the dals, red chillies, asafoetida and salt coarsely with as less water as possible. To the ground batter, add finely chopped onions, cilantro,green chillies, ginger and mix well. The consistency of the final batter should be thick. Check for salt. Make small vadais in your palm and drop one by one in hot oil in medium heat. When one side is done, turn over for the other side to be done. The vadai must turn into a nice golden brown color.

Enjoy the crispy, crunchy masal vadai! :)

Tips:

• Flatten the vadais well in your palm to get crispy ones.
• If by chance, you have added more water, do not panic. Add little besan flour to set right the consistency.
• While dropping the vadai in oil, be careful that they do not break.
• Fry the vadais in medium heat and keep flipping to get the right color and crispiness.

Urulaikizhangu Bonda - Alu Bonda

This was one of the favourite snack in my household especially during winters and on rainy days. I wonder why we love to eat such snacks only on those days.  Maybe the weather has something to do in bringing about the cravings for a particular food.  Whenever I prepare this, it used to get over as it is getting done. Now,over to the simple recipe for u all to enjoy.

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 4
Onions - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 1/2 tsp finely chopped
Cilantro - 1/2 tsp finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Besan - 1 cup
Rice flour -  2 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil
Salt

Boil the potatoes, mash well and keep it aside. Finely chop the onions, green chillies,curry leaves and cilantro.

In a heavy bottom pan, add 2 tbsp oil and then the urad dal.Once the dal turns pinkish in color, add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the finely chopped green chillies, curry leaves and then the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions turns translucent. Now, add the turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp chilly powder and toss a little. Add the mashed potatoes, finely chopped cilantro and finally salt. Toss well so that the masalas are coated well into the potatoes. Allow it to cool.  Make small balls and keep aside.

For the batter, mix Besan and the rice flour and make a dough of semi-thick consistency.  Add salt, asafoetida and 1 tsp of chilly powder too.  Add 2 tbsp of hot oil to the batter to make the Bonda crunchier.  Dip the potato balls one by one into the batter, coat it thick and deep fry  in medium flame.  Yummy, urulaikizhangu bonda ready to devour.  Tastes awesome with any chutneys, sauce or ketchup.

Tips:
1.  While mashing potatoes, there should not be any water.
2.  While making potato balls, make it small as the bonda tends to become a size bigger once it gets coated with besan.
3.  Make the potato balls tight so that it does not break after dipping in the batter.
4.  Dip the potato balls one by one into the batter as and when frying. Do not soak them in the batter.

Uttappam

Uttapam is a variation of Dosa- same batter, more ingredients. I usually make these when my dosa batter is a week old (pulicha maavu).

Ingredients:
Dosa Batter - 3 cups
Onion- 2 medium sized
Green Chillies- 1 nos
Mustard Seed
Curry Leaves- 3 or 4nos
Corriander
Oil- 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Recipe

1. Finely chop the onions, chillies & corriander and add it to the dosa batter.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seed. Once the seeds splutter, add it to the dosa batter.
3. Add salt to taste and make nice small uttappams.

Bon Appetit!!

Vadai

It is a New Year and time for my favorite recipe. Crispy and Crunchy vadai!!


Ingredients:
Urad dal: 1 cup
Green chillies: 2-3 nos
Asafoetida: 2-3 pinches
Oil: 1-2 cups
Salt to taste

Recipe:
1. Soak urad dal in warm water for 1 hour
2. Grind the urad dal with green chillies, asafoetida and salt (do not add any additional water)
3. Heat oil in a pan
4. Wipe your palm with some water, take a spoon full of the batter and place it in your palm to flatten it. Make a hole in it.
5. Add this to the oil at medium high heat (this ensures the vadai is crisp while getting cooked).


Bon Appetit!

Idli w/ Brinjal Gothsu

For the Idli
Contents:
Idli rice - 3 cups
Urad Dal- 1 cup
Methi seeds- 1 tsp (key ingredient)
Salt- 1 and 1/2 tsp

1.) Soak the idli rice in water overnight and grind it into a fine batter
2.) Soak the Urad Dal and Methi Seeds in water and grind it into a fine batter
3.) Mix the two batters and add salt.
4.) Leave the batter to ferment for 12-14 hrs in warm temperature (keep it close to room heater in winter).
5.) Serve the idlis with sesame oil.


For the Brinjal Gothsu
Contents
Brinjal - 5 (small)
Onion - 1 (big)
Green chillies
Mustard seeds
Tamarind - 1 tbsp paste
Curry leaves - a sprig
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Wheat flour - 1 to 2 tbsp for thickening
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

1.) Chop Brinjal and Onions into small cubes and keep aside.
2.) Mix the tamarind paste in little water and keep aside.
3.) Take oil in a heavy bottom pan and add mustard seeds.
4.) When it splutters, add curry leaves, green chillies,onions and brinjal.
5.) Put little salt and cover to cook.
6.) Once it is done, add the tamarind mixture, turmeric powder, Asafoetida and salt. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes.
7.) Blend the wheat flour in water without lumps and add to the tamarind mix.
8.) Keep stirring as it will start to thicken slowly. Add water if the consistency is too thick.

This dish goes very well with Idlis.


Bon Appetit!!

Rava (Semolina) Upma

I was never a big fan of upma and almost dreaded the days mom used to make them. My dad (who is an amazing cook) made for me on his recent visit and it was the best I have ever had. He has a very unique and experimental style of cooking with increased focus on measurement. This is one recipe that I can completely vouch for, hope you like it!

Content:
Rava (Sooji): 1 cup
Onions: 2 medium size (key ingredient - chopped)
Carrot: 1 (chopped into small cubes)
Beans: 7-8 nos (chopped into small pieces)
Asafoetida: 1 pinch (key ingredient)
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp (key ingredient)
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Channa Dal: 1/2 tsp (optional)
Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 3-4 nos
Oil: 1tbsp
Ghee: 1tbsp
Water: 3 cups
Salt to taste

1. Take the pan and dry roast the rava (sooji) until it turns light pink in color. This is to prevent the upma from getting mushy.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, Urad dal and channa dal, asafoetida and curry leaves.
3. Cut the onions horizontally into half and finely cut it into thin slices. Add the onions to the oil and saute till it is cooked(we don't want it to turn brown)
4. Cut the carrots and beans into fine slices and add it to the pan and let the vegetables cook.
5. Add the water, salt and turmeric to the pan and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the rava(sooji) slowly while stirring the pan (this will prevent lumps).
7. Cover and cook in medium low for 3-5 min.
8. Add the ghee in the end for flavor.

Bon Appetit!

Vada Pav

I had a couple of friends with their family visiting us last weekend, so had to think of the menu much ahead. I wanted to make something different but not time consuming. By public demand from my family, ended up preparing 'Vada Pav' which was an instant success. It was real fun having hot Vada pav on a cold evening. Sharing the recipe with you all to enjoy.

Ingredients:
Pav
Boiled Potatoes - 4
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies(finely chopped) - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro(Finely chopped)
Green chilly paste
Samosa chutney
Oil
For the batter:
Besan (Gram flour) - 2 cups
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt

Put 3 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add ginger garlic paste and ginger paste. Keep stirring till it is done and releases flavour. Add turmeric powder, chopped green chillies, chopped cilantro, mashed potatoes and salt. Mix well and keep aside. Once it is cooled, make into small balls and keep aside.

Mix the batter ingredients with water so that it forms a batter of considerable thick consistency so that the potato balls are coated thick.

Heat oil and keep dipping the potato balls in the thick batter and deep fry in medium heat till all the sides are done. Remove and keep it paper towel to take away the excess oil.

Butter the pav (bread) on both the sides generously and gently toast in a hot tava till it turns golden brown. Apply green chilly paste on one side of the pav and samosa chutney on the other side. The vada pav is complete when you place the vada in between the pav. Here is the yummy 'Vada pav' ready 'Garam garam'.

Kunukku - A Tamil Nadu speciality

This is a delicious and tempting dish . I learnt this from my mother-in-law who was a wonderful cook. This is one of her speciality. Dedicating this recipe to her.

Ingredients:

Rice : 1 cup

Toor Dal / Sambar Dal : 3/4 cup

Chenna Dal : 3/4 cup

Black Urad Dal (Whole or split) - 1 cup

Red chillies - 4 to 5

Green chillies - 3 to 4

Asafoetida

Onions

Curry leaves

Cilantro / Dania
Oil for deep frying

Soak rice, toor dal, chenna dal for an hour. Grind the black urad dal dry in a mixer and keep it aside. Grind the soaked dal coarsely with green chillies, red chillies, asafoetida and salt. Mix the dry urad dal in the last churn so as to mix well with the rest. Add finely chopped onions, curry leaves and cilantro to the batter.

Take small portions and deep fry in the oil in medium heat.  The smaller the portion put in the oil, the crispier it is.  Black urad dal brings out the flavour and the crispiness. 

Extra inputs:

Very little water to be added while grinding.
If the batter is a little watery, add besan (Chenna dal powder) to thicken the consistency.
Batter can be stored in the fridge and used as and when needed.
Tastes well when the batter is fermented.
Finally, although this is a deep fry item, a perfect competitor to Pakodas and Bajjias !!!!!!!!

'I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation'- Madame Benoit

Kozhakattai or Indian dumpling

Raw rice - 1 cup
Tuvar dal - 1/4 cup
Red chillies - 3
Curry leaves
Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Coconut - 1/4 cup shredded
Oil - 2 teaspoon
Salt

Dry grind rice and tuvar dal in a mixer. Keep oil in pan, add urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies and mustard seeds. When the mustard splutters, pour water in the ratio of 1 rice : 2 water. Add salt in the water and let it come to a boil. Once it boils, add the dry mixture and the shredded coconut and keep stirring continuously so as to not form lumps. Cover with lid and cook in very low flame. When it is cooked, take it out and make small dumplings or kozhakkattai and keep in idli cooker for 5 minutes.

This is a healthy diet and goes well with coconut chutney combination.

Surely it's no coincidence that the word "listen" is an anagram of the word "silent".

Lemon sevai

Ingredients:
Sevai - 2 cups
Lemon - 1
Asoefoetida/Hing/Perungayam - a pinch
Red chillies - 1
Green chillies - 2
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Chenna dal - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil
Salt

Soak the readymade sevai in boiling water. Once it is cooked, put salt and cover it with a lid for about 5 minutes. Later, strain it in a colander and keep aside. Pour oil in a kadai, add urad dal, channa dal, mustard seeds, chopped green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder and when the mustard seeds splutter, put the asoefoetida and switch off the gas and then add the lime juice and stir it. Now, put the prepared sevai and add salt and stir well.

Yummy lemon sevai is ready to eat !!! This dish can be further enhanced by adding finely shredded carrots and tossing it in the oil along with the other ingredients. Since carrots are finely chopped, it gets cooked very easily. Adding carrots will bring a beautiful colour combination which is very inviting :)