Urad dal Onion Bonda.

Urad dal onion bonda is a healthy and easy to make deep fried tea time snack made with whole white urad dal (whole black gram without skin) and onion.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Urad dal Onion Bonda.

Ingredients:-

Whole Urad dal. -1 cup
Onion.                 -1
Green chillies.     -3
Black Pepper.      -1tsp
Curry leaves.       -2 spring
Coriander leaves.-1/4 cup
Baking soda.       -a pinch
Salt.                     -to taste
Oil.                      -for deep frying

Instructions:-

1). Wash and finely chop onion.Chop green chillies into very thin round pieces.Finely chop coriander leaves and curry leaves. Crush black pepper. Keep aside.

Method:-

1). Wash and soak whole white urad dal in water for 4 hours.Then drain soaked water completely and grind the soaked urad dal in a mixer grinder to a smooth and thick paste without adding water or adding 2 tbsp of water.The ground batter should be thick.Transfer the thick ground urad batter to a bowl.

2). Add finely chopped onion, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, crushed black pepper, a pinch of baking soda and 1tsp salt into the urad batter and mix well. Keep aside the ground urad batter for a minute.

3). Heat oil in a deep frying kadai.Once the oil is hot wet your hand and take a small portion of the urad batter and drop the batter little by little into hot oil.Deep fry and cook it evenly on medium flame until crisp and golden colour on all sides.

4). Remove the fried urad dal onion bonda from hot oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil. Repeat the process and deep fry urad dal onion bonda and transfer to a bowl.

Urad dal Onion Bonda is ready to serve with coconut chutney and hot tea or coffee.

Kadgi Upkari / Raw Jackfruit Stir Fry

Kadgi upkari is a very tasty and easy to make raw jackfruit stir fry adding grated coconut and goes well as a side dish with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Kadgi Upkari /Raw Jackfruit Stir Fry.

Ingredients:-

Raw Jackfruit/Kadgi.-2 cup chopped
Dry red chillies.        -2
Grated coconut.        -2 tbsp
Turmeric powder.     -1/4 tsp
Curry leaves.            -few
Mustard seeds.         -1tsp
Salt.                          -to taste
Coconut oil or Oil.    -2 tsp

Instructions:-

1). Cut raw jackfruit /Kadgi and remove the outer thorny skin.Chop the raw jackfruit into small pieces.Wash well and pressure cook the raw jackfruit pieces along with turmeric powder, salt and water till soft.Drain the cooked water and keep aside the cooked raw jackfruit pieces.

2). Broke dry red chillies into halves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat coconut oil or any cooking oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add broken dry red chilly halves and curry leaves into the pan and saute well.

2). Add cooked raw jackfruit pieces and 2 tbsp of water into the pan and mix well.Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.

3). Add grated coconut into the pan and mix with the cooked raw jackfruit pieces. Switch off the flame.

4). Transfer the kadhi upkari/ raw jackfruit stir fry to a serving bowl.

Kadgi Upkari /Raw Jackfruit Stir Fry is ready to serve hot with rice.

Thattai

Thattai is a healthy and crispy deep fried South Indian snack.Thattai recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Thattai.

Ingredients:-

Rice flour.              - 1cup
Urad dal flour.        - 1tbsp
Pottu Kadala flour. - 1tbsp
Curry leaves.          - few
Chilly powder.        - 1tsp
Turmeric powder.   - 1/4 tsp
Crushed pepper.      - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida.              - 1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds.          - 1tsp
Chana dal.                - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves.            - few
Hot ghee or hot oil.   -1tbsp
Salt.                           - to taste
Oil.                            - for deep frying

Instructions:-  

Soak chana dal in water for half an hour. Then drain water completely and keep aside the soaked chana dal.

Method:- 

1). Heat a pan and dry roast rice flour, urad dal flour and pottu kadala flour (roasted gram dal flour) seperately.In a mixing bowl add dry roasted rice flour, urad dal flour, pottu kadala flour, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, crushed pepper, asafoetida, sesame seeds, salt and mix well.

2). Add hot ghee or hot oil, soaked chana dal and few curry leaves into the bowl.

3). Mix all the ingredients in the mixing bowl.

4). Add water little by little into the bowl and mix well all the ingredients to form a soft dough.

5). Make small round gooseberry size dough balls.

6). Keep the dough balls on a butter paper. Flatten the dough balls by pressing them with the back of a glass. Keep aside the flattened dough balls.

7). Heat oil in a pan on medium flame for deep frying.Once the oil is hot add the flattened thattai into hot oil and deep fry on both sides until golden brown and crispy.Remove the fried thattai from hot oil and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.Crispy thattai is ready to serve with tea or coffee.

Store the deep fried crispy Thattai in a clean and airtight container.

Ridge Gourd Potato Masala Curry.

Ridge gourd potato masala curry is a delicious side dish made with ridge gourd, potato, onion, tomato and spice powders and goes well with chapati, phulka or rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Ridge Gourd Potato Masala Curry.

Ingredients:-

Ridge gourd.          -1big
Potato.                     -2
Onion.                     -1
Tomato.                   -2
Ginger garlic paste. -1tbsp
Red chilly powder.  -1tsp
Turmeric powder.    -1/4tsp
Coriander powder.   -1tsp
Garam masala.         -1/2tsp
Water.                       -as required
Salt.                          -to taste
Oil.                           -2tsp

Instructions:-

Peel, wash and finely chop onion.Wash and finely chop tomatoes. Remove outer skin of potatoes and wash well. Chop the potatoes into medium size cubes and boil in water till soft and keep aside. Remove the outer sharp skin of ridge gourd. Wash and chop ridge gourd into big square pieces and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat oil in a wide bottom pan and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.Add ginger garlic paste into the pan and saute well.

2). Add chopped ridge gourd pieces into the pan. Add 3tbsp of water and mix well.Cover and cook the ridge gourd pieces till soft on low flame and saute well in between.

3). Once the ridge gourd pieces wilt add finely chopped onion and required salt into the pan and saute well till onion becomes translucent.

4). Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala into the pan and mix well.

5). Add finely chopped tomatoes into the pan and saute well till tomatoes become soft and mushy.

6). Add boiled potato cubes and 1/4 cup of water into the pan and mix well.Boil and cook the masala curry for 2 minutes on low flame and switch off the flame.

Ridge Gourd Potato Masala Curry is ready to serve hot.

Vermicelli Kheer

 Vermicelli Kheer is a sweet dish made with ghee roasted vermicelli, milk and sugar.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Vermicelli Kheer.

Ingredients:-

Vermicelli.   - 3/4 cup
Milk.            - 1/2 liter
Sugar.           - 1/2 cup
Cardamom.  - 4 crushed
Cashew nuts.- 10
Raisins.         - 10
Ghee.            - 1tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Heat 1tbsp ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and raisins and keep aside.

2). In the same pan roast vermicelli until light golden brown.Remove the roasted vermicelli from pan and keep aside.

3). Peel and crush cardamom and keep aside.

Method

1). Boil milk in a vessel adding 1/4 cup of water. Add roasted vermicelli into the boiled milk. Keep stirring and cook ghee roasted vermicelli on medium flame till soft.

2). Add sugar and keep stirring until sugar dissolves in milk.

3). Add crushed cardamom into the vessel and mix well.

4). Add ghee fried cashew nuts and raisins into the kheer and mix well.Switch off the flame.

5). Transfer the vermicelli kheer to a serving bowl and garnish with few ghee fried cashew nuts and raisins on top.Vermicelli Kheer is ready to serve hot or cold.

As the kheer cools it will become thick. You can add hot milk to adjust the consistency of the kheer before serving.

Rice Laddu / Ariunda

 Rice Laddu /Ari Unda / Kerala Rice Ladoo is a very easy to make healthy and sweet evening snack made with Kerala matta rice, jaggery, grated coconut, cashew nuts and ghee.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Rice Laddu / Ariunda

Ingredients:-

Kerala Matta Rice. -1 cup
Grated coconut.      -1/4 cup
Jaggery.                   -1/4 cup
Cashew nuts.           -10
Ghee.                       -1tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Wash Kerala matta rice in water and keep them in a siever to strain out water completely. Dry roast the washed matta rice in a kadai on medium flame and saute well continuously till it starts to splutter and changes to golden colour. Keep the roasted matta rice on a plate.

2). In the same kadai add cashew nuts and dry roast them on low flame. Chop the roasted cashew nuts into small pieces and keep aside.

3). Grate Jaggery and keep aside.

Metho:-

1). In a mixer grinder add the roasted matta rice and grind to a coarse powder.Transfer the coarsely ground matta rice powder in a mixing bowl.

2). Add grated coconut, grated jaggery, chopped cashews and ghee into the mixing bowl.Mix all the ingredients in the mixing bowl using your hands.

3). Take a small portion of the warm mixture in your palm and press it in your fist to make a tight ball and shape it into round small rice ball. In the same way make rice laddu with the remaining mixture while it is still warm and keep them on a plate.

A healthy and nutritious Rice Laddu / Ariunda is ready to serve as a sweet evening snack.

Badam Katli

Badam katli also known as almond katli is a homemade sweet prepared with badam powder, sugar and crushed cardamom. Badam Katli recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Badam Katli.

Ingredients:-

Badam Powder. -1 and 1/4 cup

Sugar.                -1/2 cup

Water.                -1/4 cup

Cardamom.       -1/4 tsp crushed

Ghee.                -1tsp

Instructions:- 

Keep aside 1and 1/4 cup of  store brought badam powder.

Method:-

1). In a wide bottom pan add sugar and water and stir well. Boil till sugar melts completely and form a one string consistency. Add crushed cardamom into the pan and mix well.

2). Add badam powder into the pan and mix with the melted sugar and keep stirring till the mixture becomes thick.Switch off the flame.

3). Grease a plastic sheet with ghee and transfer the badam sugar mixture to the greased plastic sheet.Press the hot mixture with the back of a steel glass to flatten it on the greased sheet. Then roll the flattened badam mixture with a chapati roller to spread it thinly on the greased plastic sheet.

4). Cut the thinly spreaded badam mixture into diamond shape with a cutter and put them on a large plate.

5). Then keep the badam katli in an airtight container. Badam Katli stays good for a week at room temperature and for a month if stored in the refrigerator.

Homemade instant sweet Badam Katli is ready to serve.

Horse gram Vada / Kollu Vada

 Horse gram Vada / Kollu vada is a deep fried crispy and tasty teatime snack. Horse gram Vada/ Kollu Vada recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Kollu vada/ Horse gram Vada.

Ingredients:-

Horse gram/ Kollu.-1cup
Chana dal.             - 1/2 cup
Green chilly.          - 2
Ginger chopped.    - a small piece
Garlic.                    - 8
Onion.                    - 1
Fennel seeds.          - 1tsp
Asafoetida.             - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves.    - few
Mint leaves.            - few
Curry leaves.           - few
Salt.                         - to taste
Oil.                          - for deep frying

Instructions:-

1). Wash and soak horse gram and chana dal in water overnight in seperate vessels. Then remove 2 tbsp of soaked chana dal from vessel and keep it seperately in a bowl.

2). Drain the soaked water completely and add the soaked horse gram and remaining soaked chana dal in a mixer grinder. Add fennel seeds, green chillies, garlic and chopped ginger into the mixer and grind all together to a coarse paste without adding water. Transfer the coarsely ground mixture to a bowl.

3). Add finely chopped onion, 2tbsp of soaked chana dal, finely chopped few coriander leaves, finely chopped few mint leaves, finely chopped few curry leaves, asafoetida and required salt into the bowl. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl using your hands.

4). Make small lemon size balls with the ground mixture. Flatten the balls a little and shape like vada. Deep fry the flatened vada in hot oil till golden brown.

5). Remove the deep fried horse gram vada/ kollu vada from hot oil and transfer to a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

6). Repeat the process and make horse gram vada / kollu vada with the remaining ground vada mixture and transfer to a serving plate.

A tasty and crispy Horse gram Vada / Kollu Vada is ready to serve hot. 

Besan Laddu / Gram Flour Ladoo

 Besan laddu also known as gram flour ladoo or besan undo is a sweet dish made with gram flour and sugar.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Besan Laddu /Gram Flour Ladoo .

Ingredients:-

Gram flour.       - 2 cup
Sugar.                 -1 and 1/4 cup
Cardamom pods.-8
Cashew nuts.      -10
Raisins.               -8
Ghee.                  -1/2 cup +1tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Peel the cardamom pods and mix with sugar and powder together to a fine sugar powder.Keep aside.

2). Chop the whole cashew nuts into halves and keep aside with raisins.

Method:-

1). Heat 1/2 cup of ghee in a non stick kadai.Add chopped cashews nuts and raisins and fry in ghee.

2). Once the cashew nuts and raisins are fried add gram flour into the kadai and stir well and mix with the ghee without lumps.

3). Stir gram flour continuously on medium to low flame until the raw smell of the gram flour goes off and nice aroma comes.

4). When the colour of the gram flour gets slightly brown switch off the flame.

5). Remove the kadai from flame. Let the ghee roasted gram flour to little cool.Add the ground sugar cardamom powder mixture into the kadai. Stir well and mix with roasted gram flour.

6). Add 1tbsp ghee and mix well to hold the ladoos tightly. Take a small portion of the hot mixture and roll to ball shape using your hands.Make ladoos when the mixture is hot and keep them on a clean and dry plate or a paper.

Sweet Besan Laddu is ready.When cooled store the besan ladoo in a clean and dry airtight container.

Mushroom Manchurian

 Mushroom Manchurian is a Indo-Chinese dish made with button mushrooms and green capsicum and can be served with chapati, fried rice, noodles or as a snack.Mushroom Manchurian recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Mushroom Manchurian.

Ingredients:-

Button Mushroom. - 1packet
Maida.                    - 1/2 cup
Corn flour.              - 3tbsp+1tbsp
Ginger garlic paste.- 1tbsp
Pepper powder.       - 2tsp+1tsp
Onion.                     - 1
Capsicum.               - 1
Ginger chopped.     - 1tbsp
Garlic.                     - 8
Green chillies.         - 3 chopped
Green chillies.         - 2 half slit
Soya sauce.             - 2 tbsp
Red chilli sauce.      - 1tbsp
Tomato ketchup.      - 2 tbsp
Vinegar.                   - 2 tsp
Salt.                         - to taste
Water.                      - as required
Oil.                          - for frying

Instructions:-

1). In a bowl add maida, cornflour, ginger garlic paste, 2 tsp pepper powder, required salt. Add enough water and mix well and make a semi thick batter. The batter should not be too thick nor thin.

2). Wash and wipe mushrooms and chop into halves. Dip the mushroom halves in the batter and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. Remove the fried mushroom from oil and keep aside.

3). In a bowl add 1tbsp corn flour and 2tbsp of water and mix well without lumps. Keep aside the corn flour water mixture.

4). Finely chop onion, finely chop garlic, finely chop ginger and finely chop 2 green chillies.Chop green capsicum into big square pieces, Half slit 2 green chillies. Keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat oil in a wide bottom pan and add finely chopped garlic, finely chopped ginger and saute well in oil.Add half slit 2 green chillies and saute well.Add finely chopped onion and saute well till onion becomes translucent.

2). Add finely chopped green chillies, required salt and 1tsp pepper powder into the pan and mix well.

3). Add chopped capsicum pieces into the pan.Saute well and cook the capsicum on medium flame for 3 minutes.

4). Add tomato ketchup, soya sauce, vinegar and red chilli sauce into the pan and mix well.

5). Pour the corn flour water mixture into the pan.

6). Mix the corn flour water mixture and sauce and bring it to boil.

7). Add fried mushroom into the pan and mix well till the sauce nicely coats the fried mushrooms

8). Stir well and cook the mushroom manchurian for a minute on low fame and switch off the flame.

9). Transfer the Mushroom Manchurian from pan to a serving plate.

Very tasty Mushroom Manchurian is ready to a serve hot with chapati, fried rice, noodles or serve as a snack

Fresh Turmeric and Ginger Pickle

 Fresh turmeric and ginger pickle is a healthy and delicious pickle made with fresh turmeric and fresh ginger goes well with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Fresh Turmeric and Ginger Pickle.

Ingredients:-

Fresh turmeric.       - 2 inch pieces
Fresh ginger.          - 1 inch piece
Green chillies.        - 4
Lemon                    - 1
Salt.                         - to taste
Red chilly powder. - 2 and 1/2 tsp
Hing powder.          - 1/4 tsp
Mustard powder.     - 2 tsp
Fenugreek powder. - 1tsp
Mustard seeds.        - 1tsp
Gingelly oil.            - 2 tbsp

Instructions:- 

Scrap and remove the outer skin of fresh turmeric.Wash and grate the fresh turmeric.Wash and chop green chilly into thin round pieces.Scrap and remove the outer skin of fresh ginger.Wash and grate the fresh ginger.Chop lemon into halves and remove the seeds.Keep all the above ingredients on a plate.

Method:-

1). Heat gingelly oil in a wide bottom pan and splutter mustard seeds and saute well. Add thinly chopped green chilly pieces into the pan and saute well in oil.

2). Lower the flame and add red chilly powder, fenugreek powder, mustard powder and hing powder one by one into the pan and mix well.

3). Add grated fresh ginger into the pan and saute well. Add grated fresh turmeric into the pan and saute well.

4). Add required salt and mix all the ingredients in the pan. Switch off the flame.

5). Squeeze lemon juice over the pickle and mix well.

6). Transfer the pickle to a clean and dry bowl and allow it to cool.

 Once cooled store the fresh turmeric and ginger pickle in a clean and dry airtight glass bottle. Keep aside the pickle for 2 days. Then store in the refrigerator and it stays good for 2 weeks or more.

Chickpeas Vada /Karuppu Kadala Vada

Black Chickpeas Vada or Karuppu Kadala Vada or Chickpeas Vada is a deep fried tea time snack made with soaked and deskinned black chickpeas. Chickpeas Vada /Karuppu Kadala Vada recipe is given below with step by step photos.

Ingredients:-

Black Chickpeas.- 1 and 1/4 cup
Onion.                 - 1 big
Green chillies.     - 3
Ginger chopped.  - 1tsp
Curry leaves.       - 1 sprig
Fennel seeds.       - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt.                      - to taste
Oil.                       - for deep frying

Instructions:-

1). Wash and soak black chickpeas in water for 8 hours or overnight and keep aside.

2). Drain water and deskinned the soaked black chickpeas and keep aside.

3). Finely chop onion, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add soaked and deskinned black chickpeas, fennel seeds and a pinch of turmeric powder.

2). Grind the above ingredients to a coarse paste without adding water.

3). In a mixing bowl add finely chopped green chillies and required salt and mix together using your fingers.

4). Add finely chopped ginger, curry leaves and onion into the bowl and mix together.

5). Add coarsely ground chickpea into the bowl and mix well.

6). Divide the chickpea mixture in the bowl into equals size round balls and keep them on a plate.

 7). Place one ball size chickpea mixture on your palm.Gently press and flatten the ball into vada shape.In the same way flatten the remaining chickpea mixture balls into vada shape.

 

8). Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Once the oil is hot drop the flattened vadas in hot oil, 3 at a time. Deep fry the flattened vadas in batches on medium flame.

 

9). Flip and fry the vadas in hot oil until they turn crispy and golden brown on both sides. Remove the deep fried vadas from hot oil using a slotted spoon.

 

10). Transfer the deep fried chickpeas vada to a tissue paper on a plate to absorb excess oil.

 

Chickpeas Vada / Karuppu Kadala Vada is ready to serve with a cup of hot tea or coffee. 

 

CHICKPEAS VADA/ KARUPPU KADALA VADA RECIPE

 

 Black Chickpeas Vada or Karuppu Kadala Vada or Chickpeas Vada is a deep fried tea time snack made with soaked and deskinned black chickpeas. Chickpeas Vada /Karuppu Kadala Vada recipe is given below with step by step photos.

Ingredients:-

Black Chickpeas. - 1 and 1/4 cup
Onion.                  - 1 big
Green chillies.       -3
Ginger chopped.   - 1tsp
Curry leaves.        - 1 sprig
Fennel seeds.         -1tsp
Turmeric powder. - a pinch
Salt.                      - to taste
Oil.                       - for deep frying

Instructions:-

1). Wash and soak black chickpeas in water for 8 hours or overnight and keep aside

2). Drain water and deskinned the soaked black chickpeas and keep aside.

3). Finely chop onion, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add soaked and deskinned black chickpeas, fennel seeds and a pinch of turmeric powder.

2). Grind the above ingredients to a coarse paste without adding water.

3). In a mixing bowl add finely chopped green chillies and required salt and mix together using your fingers.

4). Add finely chopped ginger, curry leaves and onion into the bowl and mix together.

5). Add coarsely ground chickpea into the bowl and mix well.

6). Divide the chickpea mixture in the bowl into equals size round balls and keep them on a plate.

7). Place one ball size chickpea mixture on your palm.Gently press and flatten the ball into vada shape. In the same way flatten the remaining chickpea mixture balls into vada shape.

8). Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Once the oil is hot drop the flattened vadas in hot oil, 3 at a time. Deep fry the flattened vadas in batches on medium flame.

9). Flip and fry the vadas in hot oil until they turn crispy and golden brown on both sides. Remove the deep fried vadas from hot oil using a slotted spoon.

10). Transfer the deep fried chickpeas vada to a tissue paper on a plate to absorb excess oil.

Chickpeas Vada /Karuppu Kadala Vada is ready to serve with a cup of hot tea or coffee.