“The virtues of donations are great, because it helps the needy and at the same time it gives an opportunity to the donor to give the surplus to the people in need ” - Sama Veda

Search This Blog

Friday, June 29, 2012

KODUBALE / KOLA VADAI / CHEGODILU

KODUBALE / KOLA VADAI / CHEGODILU

KODUBALE / KOLA VADAI / CHEGODILU

A tasty and delectable tea-time snack called by different names in various states. It is kolavadai in Tamil Nadu, Kodbale/ kodubale in Karnataka and chegodilu in Andhra. Kodu is horn in kannada and Bale is bangle.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour - 2 cups

Pottukadalai (roasted gram) flour - 2 tablespoons
Salt - as per taste
Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Butter - 50 gm.
Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

Sieve the flour well. Dry roast until hot. Take a bowl and mix all the given ingredients together with your hand, without water. Ensure butter is mixed well uniformly in the flour. Then, sprinkle water little by little and knead well to form a medium - soft dough.

Grease your hand with oil and make marble sized balls from the dough. Roll them straight like a rope, as shown in the picture (3" length and 1/4"thickness would be fine) and join the ends to form a circle.

Heat oil in a kadai , and drop the kodubales gently in oil, wait for a minute and flip. Fry till the hissing sound and bubbling of oil reduces and till they turn to a golden brown colour. Remove from oil onto a kitchen tissue.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

VARIATIONS:

Any of the following : Maida, pottukadali podi, sooji, sesame seeds are added to the above ingredients. Scraped coconut is also added.

NOTE:

Ensure medium heat of oil.

Take out only little portions of the mixed flour and knead with water as and when required. By doing like this, it will get a beautiful golden brown colour, This applies to all bakshanams.

Knead and roll with your hand to get uniform thickness.

If water is less the roll breaks. You can sprinkle some more water and knead again.

When forming a circle, small cracks may appear on the surface. Need not worry. It is enough if the rolls doesn't break.

DO NOT FRY ANY SNACK ON HIGH FLAME AND SMOKING HOT OIL AS IT TURNS BROWN OUTSIDE AND DOESN'T COOK INSIDE.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

SODHI / TIRUNELVELI SODHI



INGREDIENTS:

Moong dal - 2 tablespoons
Potato - 1
Mixed vegetables - beans carrot and peas - 1 cup
Shallots ( small onions) - 10
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Green chillies - 3
Coconut milk - 1 cup (thick extract), 1/2 cup (2nd extract) and 1 cup (3rd extract)
Salt - to taste
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Lemon - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil (preferably coconut oil) - 2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

METHOD:

Extract milk from coconut three times. Keep all the three coconut milk separately.


Pressure cook moong dhal, mash well and keep aside.

Boil potatoes, peel and roughly mash it. Keep aside.

Chop vegetables and onions finely.

Grind ginger and green chillies to a fine paste.

Heat coconut oil in a kadai, add whole spices and then onions. When onions turn translucent, add the chopped vegetables. Saute for 3 minutes. Now add the ginger, green chilli paste and saute for another two minutes. Add the 3rd coconut milk. Cook covered till the vegetables are tender.

Now add the mashed potatoes, moong dal and salt. Mix well. Simmer the stove and add the 2nd extract. Stir continuously for 3 minutes.

Now add the 1st thick extract of the coconut milk. Mix well. Switch off the flame. DO NOT BOIL AFTER ADDING THICK EXTRACT AS IT WILL CURDLE.

Temper with cumin seeds and curry leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl, squeeze juice of a lemon and mix well again. Serve hot with idiyappam, aappam or rice.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

METHI PULAO (JAIN) / METHI MATAR PULAO (JAIN)


INGREDIENTS:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups
Fresh shelled peas - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1
Green chillies - 3
Cardamom - 2
Clove - 3
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Pepper powder  - 1/8 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 11/2 cups

METHOD:

Wash and soak rice in water for half an hour.

Take out the fenugreek leaves from the bunch, discard the stem, wash well and keep aside. DO NOT CHOP THE LEAVES AS THE PULAO WILL BECOME BITTER.

Chop tomatoes roughly. Slit green chillies.

Heat oil in a pressure pan, add the whole spices, cumin seeds, green chillies, tomatoes and saute for a minute. Now add the fresh peas and fenugreek leaves. Saute till the leaves wilt. Add in the water, coconut milk, pepper powder and salt.

Drain the water completely from the rice. When the water in the pan boils rapidly, add the rice and garam masala into it. Mix well, cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles. When the pressure is released, add the butter  and gently stir the rice without breaking the grains.

Transfer the pulao to a serving dish and serve hot with papads and raitha of your choice.
.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

BASIC JAIN GRAVY



This is the basic jain gravy for subzis and side dishes without onion and garlic. This type of gravy can be used during fasting (vrat ) days, the days in which we do not use onion and garlic. Any side dish or gravies can be done using this without changing the creamy consistency of the gravies. 

NOTE: This is only the basic puree or paste substitute, for any side dish and this by itself is not a gravy.
 

INGREDIENTS:

Yellow pumpkin - 1 cup (diced)
Tomato - 1 Big
Green chillies - 1 or 2
Cashews - 4
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Peel the pumpkin and chop roughly.

Soak cashews in lukewarn water for 15 minutes. Drain the water.

Heat oil in a pan, and saute the pumpkin, tomato and green chillies till done. Grind in a mixie alongwith cashews and salt to a fine paste and use in any side dish / subzis of your choice.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

NELLIKAI THOKKU -TYPE 4/GOOSEBERRY PICKLE/AMLA ACHAR




INGREDIENTS:

Nellikai - Big variety -15
Salt - 2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Oil - 2 ladles
Hing - 1/8 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.

METHOD:

Heat water in a vessel, add a tsp. salt and turmeric powder. When the water boils rapidly, add the gooseberries and allow it to boil for 1 minute. Switch off the stove. Drain, and allow to cool. Chop them roghly. Discard the seeds. Grind in a mixie to a coarse paste.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add hing, turmeric powder and the ground gooseberries. Add salt and chilli powder and saute well. . Saute frequently till oil leaves the sides. When cool, store in airtight ceramic or glass jars and refrigerate.

NOTE: If well sauted and done with more oil, this can be stored at room temperature for 3 days and when refrigerated it can be stored for 1 month.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

NELLIKAI AVAKKAI OORUGAI-TYPE 3/GOOSEBERRY PICKLE/AMLA ACHAR



INGREDIENTS:

Gooseberry wedges - 8 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/8 cup
Chilli powder - 1/2 cup
Sea salt (powdered) - 3/4 cup
Mustard seeds powder - 1/2 cup
Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp.
Hing - 1/4 tsp.
Gingelly oil (Sesame Oil) - 2 or 3 cups

METHOD:

Wash and wipe each gooseberry with a clean white cloth . When dry, cut gooseberries into wedges.

Take a wide vessel, and mix all the ingredients (except gooseberries). Mix well and then add the gooseberry wedges. Again mix well till all the wedges are coated. Transfer it to a clean porcelain jar OR sterile bottle and add some more oil till the pickle is immersed. Mix well daily with a long spatula for 5 or 6 days. Hot and spicy nellikai avakkai is ready in a week. NOTE : Always use a dry spoon to take out the pickle.