RIBBON PAKODA | NADA MURUKKU | RIBBON MURUKKU

Ribbon pakoda is a popular South Indian Snack done during festive seasons. It is done using besan flour, rice flour sprinkled with hot oil and knead to dough by adding water, along with other spices. The ratio of besan flour and rice flour may vary according to individual preference. The addition of spices may also vary. Here, the amount of besan flour is more than rice flour, to give a touch of softness and crispiness. 

The dough should not be like chappathi dough. It needs to be sticky, so that it gives a nice texture. Adding hot oil while kneading is a must, to give crispiness to the recipe. If the oil is not hot while deep frying, the ribbon pakodas will absorb too much of oil. 

Video recipe of Ribbon Pakoda:

INGREDIENTS:

Besan flour - 1 & 1/4 cup

Rice flour - 3/4 cup

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

• In a bowl, add besan flour and rice flour.
• Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin, pepper powder, salt and asafoetida.
• Mix well and add 2 tsp of hot oil.
• Mix thoroughly with hands, so that the oil gets blended.
• Add water little by little and knead to slightly sticky dough.
• Take a murukku maker and add the nozzle used for ribbon pakoda.
• Grease with little oil and add a portion of dough and close it.
• Heat oil, keep the flame in high, squeeze directly in the oil.
• See to that it is not over crowded.
• After a minute, gently turn to the other side with a ladle and lower the flame.
• Fry till golden brown and sizzling of the oil stops.
• Remove the pakodas from oil.
• Crispy and tasty Ribbon Pakoda is ready.

Step wise pictures of the recipe:

1. In a bowl, add besan flour and rice flour.

2. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin, pepper powder, salt and asafoetida.

3. Mix well and add 2 tsp of hot oil.

4. Mix thoroughly with hands, so that the oil gets blended.

5. Add water little by little and knead to slightly sticky dough.

6.Take a murukku maker and add the nozzle used for ribbon pakoda.

7. Grease with little oil and add a portion of dough and close it.

8. Heat oil, keep the flame in high, squeeze directly in the oil.

9. See to that it is not over crowded.

10. After a minute, gently turn to the other side with a ladle and lower the flame.

11. Fry till golden brown and sizzling of the oil stops.

12. Remove the pakodas from oil.

13. Crispy and tasty Ribbon Pakoda is ready.

ONION OOTHAAPPAM, Restaurant Style

ONION OOTHAAPPAM

INGREDIENTS:-
Left over idli batter -- as required for making oothaappams
Finely chopped Onions - (1 big onion for one oothaappam) - as required
Oil / Ghee for making dosas

METHOD:-

Heat a dosa tawa/pan, smear a drop of oil, using tamarind/small onion over the tawa (it helps in non-sticking of batter on the tawa). Keep it in low flame. Now take 1 and half laddle full of batter and pour it in the center of the tawa. Do not spread it.

Now, add the finely chopped onions over the batter and gently press using fingers, so that the onions settles in batter.

Pour 1/2 tsp of oil/ghee around the oothaappam.

Cover it with lid and keep it in medium flame.

After about 2 to 3 minutes, check whether the batter is cooked.

Flip it, to cook the other side too. Pour 1/4 tsp of oil/ghee around the oothappam, so that the onions gets cooked.

Cover it with lid and keep it in sim/low flame.

After a minute, uncover the lid. Remove the oothaappam from the tawa and restore it in a plate.


Hot Onion Oothaappam is ready to serve.

ALMOND BURFI | DIWALI RECIPE

ALMOND BURFI

I tried this version of making Almond Burfi, by taking  Burfi  using Oats  as reference.

INGREDIENTS:-
Whole Almond/Badam = 1 cup
Sugar = 1/2 cup
Water  for making sugar syrup = 1/4 cup
Saffron strings = few strings (optional)
Ghee = 1 tablespoon

Almond /Badam Powder Making:-
Keep the Almond/Badam  in Freezer for 12 hours. After the stipulated time, add the almonds to a blender/mixer jar. (Make sure that the blender is dry.). Depending upon the size of the jar, we can make powder. It nearly took 3 times to blend it to powder. Using pulse mode, 3 to 5 times with frequent intervals, blend it to a powder form. Don't run the mixie continously, as the oil content in the almond releases, then we can't make powder.

Using siever, sieve the powdered almond to get a fine powder. The remains which will be in coarse form can be blended in final along with other remains of almond coarse powder. Blend & sieve the rest of the almonds in the same manner. After sieving when there may be a tablespoon of coarse badam powder. (This coarse powder can be used in preparation of  gravies.)

METHOD:-

1) Grease a plate with ghee and set aside.
2) In saucepan add sugar and water, allow it to boil to prepare one string consistency.
3) Keep the flame in low/sim, heat non-stick tawa, add the finely powdered almonds, pour the one string sugar to it and mix well.
4) Add half of the ghee to it and mix well so that it leaves the sides of the tawa. Switch off the flame and add the remaining ghee to it. Mix well. Pour immediately to the greased plate and make it flat.
5) Cut into desired shapes, when it in lukewarm stage. Remove from the plate, when it completely cools down.
6) Almond Burfi is ready to serve.

See also for Cashew Badam Burfi, Nuts Burfi

SWEET BISCUIT | MAIDA BUSCUIT | DIWALI RECIPE

Sweet Biscuit is one of the recipes done during  festivals like Diwali, Holi etc. The main ingredients are Maida, Butter and Sugar. Butter gives crispness and nice aroma to the dish. A pinch of baking soda can also be added to give a flaky texture. The dough should be thick like poori dough, since sugar added in the dough tends to make it soft after a while. 

If the dough turns too soft, add little maida and knead again. It should be deep fried in low flame to get crispness, and also the inner portion to get cooked well. It will take atleast 6 to 7 minutes to deep fry one batch of biscuits. It will be soft at first, but will turn crispy after it cools down. It is popular all over India, but called by different names. The Spicy version of this recipe can be done by replacing sugar with spice.

Video recipe of Sweet Biscuit:

INGREDIENTS:
Maida/ All purpose flour - 1 & 1/2 cup
Powdered Sugar - 1/4 cup
Butter - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 1/4 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

• In a bowl, add butter, maida, powdered sugar and cardamom.
• Crumble butter and mix all the ingredients well.
• Add salt, and mix again.
• Add milk and knead to dough similar to poori dough.
• It will turn soft in quick time.
• If the dough is too soft, add little maida and knead again.
• If the dough is hard, sprinkle little water and knead again.
• Take a small portion, dust little maida and start rolling.
• Roll as thick as we do for pooris.
• Using a biscuit cutter/ knife, draw lines of desired shape.
• Deep fry in hot oil on low flame.
• After 6 minutes, it starts browning.
• Remove from oil when golden brown.
• Crispy Sweet Biscuit is ready.

Stepwise recipe with pictures:
1. In a bowl, add butter, maida, powdered sugar and cardamom.

2. Crumble butter and mix all the ingredients well.
3. Add salt, and mix again.

4. Add milk and knead to dough similar to poori dough.

5. It will turn soft in quick time.
6. If the dough is too soft, add little maida and knead again.
7. If the dough is hard, sprinkle little water and knead again.

8. Take a small portion, dust little maida and start rolling.
9. Roll as thick as we do for pooris.

10. Using a biscuit cutter/ knife, draw lines of desired shape.

11. Deep fry in hot oil on low flame.
12. After 6 minutes, it starts browning.

13. Remove from oil when golden brown.
14. Crispy Sweet Biscuit is ready.

RAVA IDLY | INSTANT IDLY | SOOJI IDLY

A Popular breakfast recipe of Karnataka, done steaming  rava, curd with seasoning. The rava batter should not be too thick or watery. This will be handy if we don't have the regular idly batter. It can be done within easily within half an hour. It will be soft and fluffy.Baking soda must be added only at the time of steaming. If more quantity has to be done, add baking soda in batches while steaming. See also for

• Batter varieties for Idly and Dosa

Video recipe of Rava Idly

INGREDIENTS:
Rava - 1 cup
Curd - 1/2 cup
Baking soda - 1/8 tsp
Coriander leaves - little
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Cashews - for garnishing
Salt

For Seasoning
Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Bengal gram - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 tsp
Chopped green chilly - 1 
Curry leaves - little

METHOD:

• In a tawa, add oil/ghee and roast the cashews and keep aside.
• Add cumin, mustard and after it crackles add bengal gram and urad dhal.
• Add curry leaves and green chilly and saute for a while.
• Add Rava and roast on low flame until aromatic.
• Switch off the flame and add asafoetida and mix well.
• After it cools down completely, add to a bowl.
• Add curd and mix well. Add water to adjust the consistency.
• Add required salt and keep aside for half an hour.
• Rava would have absorbed water, add little to get idly batter consistency.
• Grease the idly plate with little oil and arrange the cashews.
• Add baking powder to the batter, give a mix.
• Pour on the idly plate immediately and steam it.
• Tasty and fluffy Rava idly is ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures:

1. In a tawa, add oil/ghee and roast the cashews and keep aside.

2. Add cumin, mustard and after it crackles add bengal gram and urad dhal.

3. Add curry leaves and green chilly and saute for a while.

4. Add Rava and roast on low flame until aromatic.

5. Switch off the flame and add asafoetida and mix well.
6. After it cools down completely, add to a bowl.

7. Add salt, curd and mix well. Add water to adjust the consistency.
8. Add coriander leaves and keep aside for half an hour.

9. Add  little water to get idly batter consistency.

10. Grease the idly plate with little oil and arrange the cashews.

11. Add baking powder to the batter, give a mix.

12. Pour on the idly plate immediately and steam it.

13. Tasty and fluffy Rava idly is ready.

OIL FREE PHULKA

PHULKA

INGREDIENTS:-   

Wheat flour/ Aatta = 1 cup
Water = 1/2 cup 
Salt = 1/4 tsp








METHOD:-

(1)  Sieve wheat flour in a bowl & add salt to it, mix well.
(2)  Now add water pour half of the mentioned water & knead to make a dough.
       Add the remaining water, as required and prepare a soft dough.
(3) Using the rolling pin, beat the dough to make it softer.
(4)  Cover the dough with another bowl, so that the dough doesn't dries up.
(5)  After 15 minutes, beat the dough again and divide the dough in small parts.
(6) First, we will take 4 small parts & cover the remaining with bowl.
(7) Dust a ball of dough in flour and spread it in round shape (not too thin or not too thick)
(8) Heat a tawa , wipe it off with cloth. Place a flatly rolled dough over it, heat for few seconds till air bubbles comes (1st side). Now flip it to other side & allow the bubbles to come (other side). Immtly remove the chappthi and place it directly into the flame (1st side). It puffs up. Flip the other side & it puffs. Remove from flame.
(9) Repeat the process for remaining dough

Soft phulkas are ready...
Softness longs for 18 hours...

The video will be posted shortly.....

PANEER MINT GRAVY | PANEER MINT MASALA | PUDINA GRAVY

Paneer Mint gravy, will be really refreshing with the domination of Mint flavour. When we think of Paneer side dish recipes, we always relish on  paneer butter masala/ Paneer tikka/ Paneer kofta etc. But, this tastes totally different. Here, we use Paneer/ cottage cheese, mint along with badam and cashews to give thickness with other masalas. Sambhar powder which is used here can be replaced with green chilly also.

Mint has a natural bitterness, so milk is added to compensate it. If soaking badam and cashews is done earlier, this recipe can be done in quick time. The aroma is so good and sure to increase our appetite. See blog for

• Paneer recipes

Video recipe of Paneer Mint Gravy

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer - 200g

Mint - handful

Tomato - 2

Onion - 1 (big)

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 2

Sambhar powder - 2 tsp

Milk - 3/4 cup

Salt - as required

Butter - 3/4 tsp

Oil - as needed

To  soak & grind

Badam - 10

Cashew - 5 or 6

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Fennel - 1 tsp

Poppy seed - 1/2 tsp

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 2 (small piece)

METHOD:

• Soak all the ingredients given for grinding for 2 hours.
• Grind to paste along with Mint, tomato, ginger, garlic and sambhar powder.
• In a tawa, add butter, after it melts, add onion.
• Saute for a while till onion turns translucent.
• Add the paste and cook well till the raw smell goes off.
• At on stage, the water evaporates and the masala comes together.
• Add Paneer cubes and mix well.
• Add oil/butter if needed.
• Add little water and salt and mix well and cook on medium flame.
• Add milk and mix well.
• Taste for salt and spice. Add if required.
• Tasty and appetizing Paneer Mint gravy is ready.

Step wise recipe with pictures:

1. Soak all the ingredients given for grinding for 2 hours.

2. Grind to paste along with Mint, tomato, ginger, garlic and sambhar powder.

3. In a tawa, add butter, after it melts, add onion.

4. Saute for a while till onion turns translucent.

5. Add the paste and cook well till the raw smell goes of.

6. At on stage, the water evaporates and the masala comes together.

7. Add Paneer cubes and mix well.

8. Add oil/butter if needed.

9. Add little water and salt and mix well and cook on medium flame.

10. Add milk and mix well.

11. Taste for salt and spice. Add if required.

12. Tasty and appetizing Paneer Mint gravy is ready.