Hema's recipe: "Ribbon pakoda"

Ingredients:

1) Rice flour - 2 cups

2) Moong dal - 1 cup

3) Channa dal - 1 cup

4) Asafoetida - a pinch

5)Chilli powder - 2 tbsp(adjust according to spice)

6) Salt - as required

Acessories:

1) Mullu thenkuzhal press

2) Mould

Method:

1)Dry roast the moong dal and channa dal in a kadai.

2)Take them in a plate and let it cool.

3)Now add them to a blender and grind it to a fine powder.

4)Now sieve this to a very fine powder once.

5)Take this very fine powder 1 cup and rice flour 2 cups in a bowl.

6)To this add 2 spoons ghee, asafoetida, chilli powder and salt and mix them well.

7)Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadai to deep fry.

8)After a minute or two, when the oil is just heating add 1 spoonful of this hot oil in that

that flour and mix them well once again.

9)Take a small portion from this flour separately in a bowl and make a soft dough.

10)Now when the oil is hot enough, put this dough in the "mullu thenkuzhal" mould and press it firmly in a circular motion into the oil.

11)Fry them in the low flame till crisp & golden brown.

12)Take it out in an oil strainer to remove excess oil and let it cool.

13)Repeat the same process with the remaining flour mixture.

14)Store it in an air tight container.

Hema's recipe: "Mullu thenkuzhal/Mullu murukku"

Ingredients:

1) Rice flour - 2 cups
2) Moong dal - 1 cup
3) Channa dal - 1 cup
4) Asafoetida - a pinch
5) Jeera - a few
6)Butter - 2 tbsp
7) Salt - as required


Acessories:

1) Mullu thenkuzhal press
2) Mould


Method:

1)Dry roast the moong dal and channa dal in a kadai.

2)Take them in a plate and let it cool.

3)Now add them to a blender and grind it to a fine powder.

4)Now sieve this to a very fine powder once.

5)Take this very fine powder 1 cup and rice flour 2 cups in a bowl.

6)To this add 2 spoons butter, asafoetida, jeera and salt and mix them well.

7)Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadai to deep fry.

8)After a minute or two, when the oil is just heating add 1 spoonful of this hot oil in that
that flour and mix them well once again.

9)Take a small portion from this flour separately in a bowl and make a soft dough.

10)Now when the oil is hot enough, put this dough in the "mullu thenkuzhal" mould and press it firmly in a circular motion into the oil.

11)Fry them in the low flame till crisp & golden brown. Ensure medium-low heat.

12)Take it out in an oil strainer to remove excess oil and let it cool.

13)Repeat the same process with the remaining flour mixture.

14)Store it in an air tight container.


Tips & cautions for a perfect & crispy murukku:

1)Instead of adding direct gram flour, if u follow this method the murukku will be crisp & soft.
2)The dough should not be neither very soft nor very hard.
3)The hot oil is added to make the murukku very taste & crisp.
4)After making each murukku, try to make the dough i.e. mixing the flour with water as this avoids turning murukku brown.

Madhu's recipe: Vaazhaipoo Vadai

Ingredients:

1.Gram dal/chana dal (kadalai paruppu) 1 cup

2. Banana flower/ Vaazhai poo (1/2 or 2/3 rd cup)

3. Onion 1

4. Green chillies 3

5. Fennel seeds 1 tspn

6. Hing a pinch

7. Salt to taste

8.Oil for deep frying

9. Coriander leaves

10. Curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak chana dal for atleast 1 hour. Then grind together chana dal and green chillies coarsley. Add very little water. Consistency should be like a solid coarse dough. Pictured above.

2. Now to the above grinded stuff add chopped onions, vaazhai poo, pinch of hing, salt, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix well. I chopped and steamed the vaazhaipoo for 5 min. Its optional.

3.Now take a pan, heat oil, once its hot, take lemon size piece of the above Vadai mixture and make patty shapes/Vadai shape and fry it in oil until golden brown.

4. Place the fried vadais in a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve hot as a snack along with Tea.

Hema's recipe: Paruppu vadai

Paruppu vadai is one of my favourite of all vadas. My mom does it on all special occasions for me.

I did it as per my mom's recipe and it was so tasty and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Gram dhal(kadala paruppu) - 1 cup
2) Toor dhal - 1/2 cup3) Urad dal - 1 fistful
4) Red chilli - 6 nos.
5) Hing - a pinch
6) Curry leaves - a few
7) Salt to taste
8) Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

1)Soak all the 3 dals and redchilli in water for 2 hours.
2)Soak 3 tbsp of gram dhal separately.
3)After 2 hrs, drain the water completly and grind the dhals(3 dals+redchilli) to a coarse paste without adding water.
4)Now add that 3 tbsp of gram dhal to this coarse paste and mix them well.

5)To this, add hing, curry leaves and salt as required.
6)Heat oil in a pan for frying the vadas.
7)Take a small ball from the paste and flatten them with your palm and drop them in the oil.
8)Once they become golden brown take them and dry it in paper towel.
9)Serve hot.

Hema's recipe: Steamed Dumplings

when I was was just wondering what to do for the evening snacks, I came across this recipe in manjulaskitchen. I immediately tried it and wow........... it was too good.

These dumplings are made with gram flour and cabbage as main ingredient. Since it is steamed it is very good for health. It is a spicy snack perfect for tea time.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Gram flour/Besan - 1 cup
2) Whole wheat flour - 2 tbsp
3) Grated Cabbage - 2 cups
4) Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
5) Turmeric - a pinch
6) Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)
7) Coriander leaves - a few
8) Salt to taste
9) Oil - 2 tbsp


FOR SEASONING

1) Mustard - 1/2 tbsp
2) Ajwain seeds(omam) 1/2 tbsp
3) Whole red chilli - 4
4) Curry leaves - a few
5) Oil - 2 tbsp
6) Coriander leaves - a few

METHOD:

1)In a bowl add gram flour, wheat flour, cumin seeds, turmeric, green chillies, coriander leaves, and salt.
2)Add cabbage to this flour mixture and mix them well.
3)It should be like a soft dough. If the mixture is sticky add oil.
4)Now grease your fingers with oil and make small dumplings with your fists and steam them for about 20 minutes.
5)After these are ready, let them cool for sometime.
6)Now cut each of these dumplings into two.
7)Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, ajwain seeds, whole red chilli, curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
8)Add these dumplings and fry them till they are light brown (for about 5 mins)
9)Finally take them out in a plate and serve hot.


Sending these yummy dumplings to Steamy Kitchen Event

Hema's recipe: Papdi chaat

Chaat is one of the most popular snacks and generally sold by street vendors all over India.

Papdi chaat is a crispy snack garnished & served with spices and tangy chutney along with yoghurt which makes you crave for more and more papdis.

A unique feature of papdi is that you can store the papdis in airtight container for a month.

Me and my husband enjoys eating papdis and I often make it for evening snacks.


INGREDIENTS:

For Papdi:

1) Maida - 1 cup
2) Rava/sooji - 1/4 cup
3) Salt - 1/2 tsp4) Oil - for frying
5) Water to knead the dough



For garnishing the papdi:

1) Potato – 1 medium(boiled, peeled & diced)
2) Chickpeas/kondakadalai - 1/4 cup
3) Yoghurt - 3/4 cup (beaten)
4) Chaat masala - to garnish
5) Red chilli powder - to taste
6) Tamarind chutney - to taste
7) Salt - as required
8) Thin sev - 1/2 cup


METHOD:
How to make papdi:

1)In a bowl add the maida, rava, salt and oil(2 tsp) and make it like a chapathi dough by gradually adding water.
2)Cover the dough and it should rest aside for few minutes.
3)Now take one lemon sized ball from the dough and roll it like chapathi.
4)Make 3-4 long strips from the rolled dough and cut into square shaped pieces with the help of a knife.
5)Prick square shaped papdi pieces with fork so that it does not gets puffed up.
6)Heat oil in a pan and fry these papdis. Fry till they are golden brown on both sides.
7)Now the papdi is ready.

How to serve with garnishing:

1)Arrange the papdis in a plate.
2)Mash the chickpeas and add salt to the beaten yoghurt.
3)Place a slice of potato on each papdi and chickpeas on top of these potatoes.
4)Add yoghurt over them.
5)srinkle chaat masala powder, red chilli powder on them.
6)Add Tamarind chutney on top of it.
7)Finally sprinkle sev and serve immediately.


Variations:

1)Papdis can be cut into your desired shapes round, diamonds etc.
2)Cilantro chutney can also be added to papdis.
3)Roasted cumin powder can also be added.

Madhu's Recipe: Chikpea / Konda kadalai Sundal

Chickpeas are a helpful source of zinc folate and protein. They are also very high in dietary fibre.Chickpeas are low in fat and most of this is polyunsaturated.Chik peas can be used in a variety of dishes. This is my mom's recipe.. she makes wonderful varieties of sundal.

The recipe for chik pea sundal is as follows:

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds - 2 tspn

Chana dal - 1 tspn

Dried red chilli - 2 large

Urud dal - 1/2 tspn

Grated coconut - 2 table spoon

Oil - 1 tspn

Chikpea/Chole - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn

Serving: 2

Method:

1. Soak chana dal /chik pea over night and pressure cook it with some salt for 4 or 5 whistles.

2. Heat oil in a pan.

3. Once its hot, add coriander seeds, chana dal, dried red chilli, urud dhal, fry till the colour of dal changes and switch off the stove. let it cool for sometime.

4.Now in a blender, add grated coconut and also add all these roasted items, and powder them finely.

5. Take another pan, heat oil, once hot, add mustard seeds, then add this cooked chole /chik pea, and also add the above grinded powder , then add salt and saute for 3 min and switch it off. Then transfer it to a bowl and serve.

Madhu's Recipe: Carrot Cutlet

This is my own version of Cutlet made by using only carrots.

Here is the Recipe:

Carrots full big size - 3

Chilli powder - 2 tspn

Garam masala - 1/2 tspn

Salt as needed

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn

Bread crumbs - 1 cup

Rice flour - 3 tblspn

Oil - For frying

Method:

1. Grate carrot and steam them ,for 5 min by adding salt .It can also be boiled in microwave by adding water.

2. Mean while, take rice flour , add some salt to this also, and mix enough water to form a thick batter.

3. Now take the steamed carrot, squeeze well and drain water if any. To this add, chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder. Once all items are added,Check the salt and add if needed.

4. Make round balls and form a cutlet/patty shape.This shape can be small or medium as desired. Now dip this in to the rice flour batter, and then coat well with bread crumbs.

5. Heat oil in pan. Once oil becomes hot, fry these cutlets.

6. serve hot,with tomato ketchup.

Variation:

1. Can use finely chopped green chillies for spicyness,

2. Can also use chaat masala instead of garam masala.

3. Peas can also be mashed and added.

Hema's recipe: Spicy Diamond Cuts

DIAMOND CUTS makes a great snack. It is very spicy and crispy and can be served with tea in the evening. My mom usually does it with maida. But I tried with wheat flour which has fibre content and is good for health.


INGREDIENTS:

1) Whole wheat flour - 1 Cup
2) Red Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
3) Hing - 1/4 tbsp
4) Butter - 2 tbsp
5) Ajwain seeds(omam) - 1 tbsp
6) Oil for frying



METHOD:

1)Mix the Wheat flour, chilli powder, butter, ajwain and hing with water and make this into a tight dough like chapati dough.
2)Make lemon size balls from the dough and roll it like chapati. Roll it little thick & not too thin.
3)Using a knife cut these rolled chapatis into small diamond pieces.
4)Place the diamond shaped pieces in a paper and allow it to dry.
5)Take a kadai, heat the oil on medium heat and when the oil is hot, add handful of dried diamond pieces and fry it until it becomes crisp.
6)Take the crisp diamond cuts and keep it in a bowl with a paper tissue to dry the excess oil.
7)Diamond cuts can be stored in air tight container for one month.

Hema's recipes - Gobi Manchurian Dry

Gobi manchurian is a Indian chinese dish. It is made of cauliflower. It is one of the famous starters served in many Indian restaurants which is dry, spicy and tasty. I usually make it as evening snacks during weekends which can be had with tea.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

2) Gram flour - 1/4 cup

3) Rice flour - 2 tbsp

4) Corn flour - 3 tbsp

5) Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp

6) Soya sauce - 2 tbsp

7) Red chilli sauce - 1 tbsp

8) Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

9) Salt to taste

10) Oil to fry

11) Finely chopped coriander leaves - a few

METHOD:

1) Cut the cauliflower into big florets, wash nicely and boil it in water for 5 minutes.

2) Mix gram flour, rice flour, cornflour, 1 tsp soya sauce, salt, red chilli powder with water to get a thick batter. Dip the cauliflower pieces and

fry them in hot oil till golden brown.

3) Take a seperate vessel, heat little oil, add spring onions, add the red chilli sauce, tomato sauce, 1 tsp soya sauce, coriander leaves and a pinch of salt and cook for 1 min.

4) Put the fried cauliflower pieces in the above sauce, let it get mixed well and cook for further 1 or 2 mins.

5) Finally serve hot.

Corn Salad

This my own version of Corn salad. Im reminded of beaches in chennai when i see this corn. I like Corn (otherwise called as makka cholam in tamil) and bell peppers a lot. Especially Red Bell peppers have 3 times of vitamin C than that of an Orange.

One fine day i came up with the idea of making this salad by mixing all my fav ones and my hubby liked it a lot.
Also, kids can also have a nutritional intake.

Ingredients:
Sweet Corn 1
Onion 1 medium size (finely chopped)
Very finely chopped bellpeppers (green ,red,yellow)
Grated carrot 1/2 cup
Salt (as per taste)
Pepper 1/4 tspn

Cook the corn in stove directly. It is my (indian) version of Grilled corn. Once its done, coat the cooked corn with little bit of salt and chilli powder along with few drops of lemon. This is done,so that the corn is spiced up evenly. Then slice the corn vertically with a knife and the kernels will come out easily. This is how i normally make this salad.

Now mix the bell peppers, onions,grated carrot, little bit salt and pepper. Combine all. Then serve, with a bit of lemon on top. Enjoy!!