Rice Pakoda

This recipe was prepared using leftover rice.

RICE PAKODA

INGREDIENTS:-

Leftover Rice - 1 cup ( approx. 250 gms)

Thinly Sliced Onion - 1

Finely chopped Curry leaves - 1 leaflet

Finely chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Sambhar Powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Corn Flour - 2 tsp

Besan Flour - 2 tsp

Oats Powder - 2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp

Grated Ginger - 1/2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

METHOD:-

Add all the ingredients given under ingredients list except oil. Smash well using hands. 

Heat oil in a Kadai. While making Pakodas, there is no definite shapes like vadai or bajji. Drop the pakoda mix little by little. Fry it in sim flame for 2 minutes and increase the flame to high. Flip it and fry the other side too. 

Crispy Crunchy Rice Pakodas are ready. It lasts the crunchiness throughout the day.

JACKFRUIT MINI PANCAKE

Seasonal fruits and vegetables retain more nutrients than their counterparts making them the better choice for the health. Seasonal fruits being, Mangoes and Jackfruits, occupies the major space in the market.

I tried this receipe using Jackfruit. (This recipe is similar to Apple-Carrot Pancake. )  Jackfruit is rich in Vitamins, Minerals, Anti-oxidants. It increases Red blood Cells, thereby preventing anemia. It also prevents Colon Cancer, protects Eyes and reduces Asthma symptoms. 

JACKFRUIT MINI PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:-

Jackfruit edible pieces -  5 nos

Organic Sugar/brown sugar - 1tsp

Salt - a pinch

Cardamom Powder - 1/8 tsp

Oats Powder - 50 gms

Wheat flour - 50 gms

Lukewarm milk - 50 ml ( use the same cup for measuring all)

Ghee - for making pancakes.

METHOD:-

In a mixer jar, add all the ingredients except Ghee. Add required milk for grinding the mixture to a fine paste. Now transfer the contents to a bowl. Add wheat flour and oats powder to it. Mix well to avoid lumps. If needed milk/water can be added to make a pouring consistency or in dosa batter consistencey. Set aside for 15 minutes. Check the consistency.

Heat a non-stick dosa tawa, or Pancake tawa, with little ghee. Pour a small laddle full of batter and spread gently, neither thick nor thin. Cover with lid and cook in sim flame. After 5 minutes, flip the other side, allow it to cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the flame, once it is done.

Now pancakes are ready to be served.

BURFI using Oats

Burfis were made using all purpose flour/maida. But this version of Burfi is made using Oats.

 BURFI

INGREDIENTS:-
Powdered Oats - 3/4 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water for making sugar syrup - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup + 1tsp for greasing a plate
Boost powder / Bournvita powder - 2 tbsp (optional)

METHOD:-
Heat ghee in a kadai and add powdered oats to it and fry for 4 to 5 minutes till a nice aroma arises. Add boost /bournvita powder (it is completely optional, instead for regular sugar, you can use brown sugar).
Restore it in a bowl.
Now in the same kadai, add sugar and water and allow it to boil till you reach 1 string consistency. It took nearly 8 minutes in medium flame. Once one-string consistency is reached, pour the oats mixture to this sugar syrup and mix well so that no lumps formed.
When the mixture doesn't stick to the kadai, pour it over a greased plate. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into desired shapes, when it is in lukewarm heat. Remove the pieces, when it completely cools down. The total time to prepare this burfi, is 20 minutes only.

Eggless Apple-Carrot-Oats Pancake

Pancakes are made with limited ingredients in less time. Regular Pancakes are made using eggs, maida/all purpose free. Here, is tried it using Oats, a gluten-free food. To add sweetness, instead of regular sugar, i added Apples & Carrots. Along with Oats, we can even prepare Beetroot Pancake using Beetroot, Banana Pancakes using Banana etc.

APPLE - CARROT - OATS PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:-

Peeled Apple - 1/4th
Peeled Carrot - 1/4th
Lukewarm Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Powdered Oats - 1/2 cup
Oil /Ghee - for making pancakes

METHOD:-

In a mixer jar, add 1/4th apple, 1/4th carrot and make a fine paste using milk. Now pour this mixture to the powdered oats and add required salt. The batter is ready to make pancakes.

Heat a tawa or non-stick pan and smear a 1/2 tsp of oil/ghee. Pour a small ladle full of the batter on to the tawa and spread gently. Cover with lid and cook in medium flame, till it cooks well.

Flip it and cover & cook the other side in low flame, till you see some golden spots on the pancakes.

Pancakes can be eaten as it is or it can be served with smearing 1/2 tsp of honey over it.

MILK KHOA using Organic Sugar

Milk Khoa, otherwise called as Paal kova in Tamilnadu. In traditional milk kova recipe, regular sugar is used. But, I used Organic Sugar and followed the traditional method of preparing milk kova.

This is my all time favourite in my childhood days. My mother prepares this often, even though it is time-consuming in preparation.

MILK KOVA, using Organic Sugar

INGREDIENTS:-

Milk - 1000 ml
Organic Sugar - 100 gms
Ghee - 2 tsp (optional)
Elachi powder - 1/4 tsp

METHOD:-

Heat a thick bottomed kadai with Milk. I used Non-stick tawa to prepare. It will be easy to scrap the sides, if we use a non-stick kadai or tawa.

Stir continuously to avoid burnt at the bottom. Allow the milk to boil, then keep it in sim flame. The milk should reduce to half of the quantity and it thickens.

Stir the milk for every 10 minutes, scrape the sides and mix well.


It took me nearly 1 and a half an hour to prepare this recipe.
Once the milk starts to thickens, add the organic sugar to it and mix well.


Now keep it in high flame and stir continuously, till it doesn't stick to the sides of the kadai. Add ghee and elachi powder at this stage. 

Grease a bowl with ghee and transfer the contents. Delicious Traditional Milk Ka is ready to serve.

   

VALLARAI KEERAI THOGAIYAL | வல்லாரை துவையல்

Vallarai keerai / Brahmi leaves  is one of the Indian herbs which has immense medicinal values. It boosts the immune system and memory capacity. It can be consumed once in a week. Other recipes like sambhar and kootu can be prepared using this keerai. It tastes slight bitter, but can be reduced by adding appropriate ingredients. It tastes well with hot rice sprinkled with ghee/ gingelly oil. Can also be used as side dish for idli and dosa.

INGREDIENTS:
Vallarai keerai - 2 cups
Urad dhal - 3 tbs
Red chilly - 4 or 5
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Small onion - 6
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Gingelly oil - little
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt

METHOD:
1. Wash the leaves well and keep aside. Tender stems can also be used.
2. In a pan, heat little oil, add mustard, cumin.
3. After it splutters, add red chilly, urad dhal and stir well until dhal turns golden brown.
4. Add asafoetida and remove to a bowl.
5. In the same pan, add oil, small onions.
6. Saute well for few minutes and add vallarai leaves.
7. Stir well till the leaves are well cooked and nice aroma comes out and allow to cool.

8. Transfer all to a mixer and grind adding jaggery and little water and required salt.
9. Tasty and healthy VALLARAI KEERAI THOGAIYAL  is ready.

MUDAKATHAN DOSAI | முடக்கத்தான் தோசை

Mudakathan keerai known as baloon vine is popular for its medicinal value for reducing joint pain. Here, it is used to make healthy dosa along with rice, urad dhal and fenugreek. Fermenting the batter reduces the bitterness and even Children will not resist eating it. This is easily available in market and can be grown easily in houses too. 

Mudakathan dosai with Onion tomato thokku

INGREDIENTS:

Idly rice - 1 cup

Raw rice - 2 tsp

Urad dhal - 3 tsp

Fenugreek - 1 tsp

Mudakathan keerai - 1 cup

Salt

METHOD:

1. Soak idly rice, raw rice, urad dhal and fenugreek together for 2 hours.

2. Clean and Wash the greens and add to the mixer.

3. Add the soaked ingredients and grind to a smooth batter adding required water like idly batter.

4. Add required salt and mix well and allow to ferment for 6 to 7 hours/ overnight.

5. Heat a dosa tawa.

6. Mix the batter using a ladle, add little water if needed. 

7. Spread the dosa, sprinkle oil and cook well both sides on medium flame.

8. Tasty  and Crispy Mudakathan dosai is ready and can be served with any chutney/ sambhar.

Note:

• Adding more greens is up to individual preference.
• Adding more urad dhal makes dosa soft.

POTATO BONDA

This is an easy deep fried snack done using potato stuffing dipped in bajji bonda mix. Instead of bajji bonda mix, besan flour along with rice flour added with salt and spice  can be used. It tastes delicious with a cup of tea.

INGREDIENTS:

Bajji bonda mix - 1 cup
Potato - 4
Onion - 2
Crushed ginger garlic - 1 tsp
Sambhar powder/ red chilly powder  - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder-  1/4 tsp
Lemon - 1/2 slice
Mustard  - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - little
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves-  handful
Oil - to deep fry
Salt

METHOD:
1. Pressure cook chopped  potatoes in water with required salt and turmeric up to 3 whistles on high flame.
2. Allow the pressure to reduce, drain water and peel the skin and keep aside.
3. In a tawa, heat  little oil, add mustard, cumin, asafoetida and curry leaves.
4. Add finely chopped onions and saute well till turns translucent.
5. Add crushed ginger garlic and stir till raw smell goes off.
6. Add sambhar powder stir a minute on low flame and add potato.
7. Using a masher, mash well till it comes together. Taste for salt and spice and switch off flame.
8. Add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix well. Let it cool.

9. Prepare balls of desired size.
10. In a bowl, add bajji bonda mix, add required  water and prepare a thick batter such that it gets coated well on the potato balls.
11. Heat oil to deep fry.
12. Dip a ball in the mix batter and drop in oil one by one.
13. Likewise prepare in batches.
14. Tasty and delicious Potato Bonda is ready.

GODHUMAI RAVA ADAI

Adai/ Kara adai is one of the most popular South Indian dish served along with Aviyal and Jaggery. It usually done with rice. Here broken wheat/ godhumai rava is used instead of rice. The other ingredients are the same as we prepare adai using rice .

• Millets Adai
• Aviyal

Adai with Kara chutney, jaggery and butter

INGREDIENTS:
Broken wheat/ Godhumai rava - 1 cup
Toor dhal - 1/4 cup
Bengal gram - 1/8 cup
Red chilly - 1
Green chilly - 1
Pepper corn - 1/4  tsp
Cumin/ Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - little
Onion - 2
Coriander leaves-  handful
Curry leaves - little
Asafoetida  - 3/4 tsp
Oil
Salt

METHOD:
1. Wash and soak both dhals along with pepper, cumin and red chilly. Soak broken wheat separately in a bowl.
2. After 2 hours, add soaked dhal along with ginger and grind to a little coarse paste.
3. Add soaked broken wheat and required salt and grind for few minutes and transfer to a bowl. The batter should be thick like idli batter.

4. Ferment it for 4 to 5 hours ( optional)
5. Add finely chopped onions and coriander leaves along with asafoetida and mix well.
6. Heat a dosa tawa, add a ladle full of batter and make a thick adai.

7. Sprinkle oil on all sides and cook well on low flame untill it turns golden brown.
8. Flip to the other side and press on all sides using a dosa spatula  so that it gets cooked well. Sprinkle oil.
9. Tasty and healthy Godhumai adai is ready to be served with Chutney/ aviyal and Jaggery.

KARA KUZHAMBU

There are many ways of preparing Kara kuzhumbu. Usually rice flour or coconut paste is used  as thickening agent. Here, ground nut/ peanut paste is used. It tastes awesome and goes well with hot rice sprinkled with gingelly oil. It can be stored in refrigerator and used for 1 0r 2 days.

INGREDIENTS:
Sundakkai vathal - little
Small onion  - 10
Garlic cloves - 10
Sambhar powder - 2 tsp
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Tomato - 1 (small)
Roasted ground nut - 3 to 4 tsp
Jaggery - little
Salt

For Seasoning
Gingelly oil - 5 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek  - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves-  a leaflet
Hing / asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

METHOD:
1. In a thick bottomed tawa, heat oil and add the seasoning one by one.
2. Add vathal and let it get roasted well.

3. Add garlic and chopped small onions and saute well for a while.

4. Add finely chopped tomatoes and stir well till it turns juicy and comes together.
5. Extract tamarind juice by adding half a cup of lwarm water and add along with sambhar powder.

6. Add a half a cup of water and required salt and allow to boil for 5 to 6 minutes on high flame.
7. The raw smell goes off and the sambhar starts to thicken.

8. Prepare a paste of ground nut and add to the sambhar along with jaggery and cook for few minutes.
9. Adjust consistency by adding little water since it will thicken fast after adding ground nut paste.
10. Taste for Salt and Spice. Add little gingelly oil.
11. Tasty Kara kuzhumbu is ready.

 Note:

• Manathakkali vathal/ lady's finger vathal can also be used.
• Vegetables like brinjal, lady's finger, yam, drumstick, potato can also be used.