Milagu / Pepper Kara Sevu

         Often Kara Sevu with Garlic and Zeeragam is only prepared by me. Now, Milagu Sevu is also prepared by me. It is very easy to make but the taste is very good.

                                                              Milagu Kara Sevu



Ingredients :

Besan Flour / Kadalai Mavu     2 cups
Rice Flour   1/2  cup
Pepper powder  1 tbsp
Salt. Hing, Oil


Method:

Seive the flours and make a dough with all the ingredients except oil. Add water slowly and make a dough, neither rigid nor loose.


Heat the oil, add a tablesoon of hot oil to the dough and mix well. 

Using the Murukku mould, press the dough into the oil,in a circular form, using the disc with 3 holes. Flip to the other side, break into small pieces, using the laddle. Once the bubbles disappear, remove from the oil. The whole dough can be pressed in 6 to 7 batches in less than 30 minutes, using a medium Kadai and 2 cups of oil.

Crunchy Kara Sevu is ready in 30 minutes. For soft Sevu, 1 tbsp. of butter or Ghee can be added instead of hot oil.

Bread Bajji

                     Bread Bajji was tasted by me for the first time in the canteen of the organisation, I was working, some fifteen years back.

   
                     The batter is similar to that of the other Bajjis.This Bread Bajji is very crisp and goes well with the coconut chutney.


                                          

Bread Bajji

To make 12 Bajjis :

Ingredients :

Bread Slices  6
Kadalai Mavu / Channa Dhal Flour    3/4 cup.
Rice Flour    2 tbsp.
Chilly Powder    3/4 tsp.
Baking Soda,    Salt,    Turmeric Powder,  Hing
Oil

Method :

1. Mix all the ingredients well except oil. Add water and make a batter as normally done for the Bajjis, that is of the Dosai consistency.When the oil gets hot for frying the Bajjis, add 2 tsp. of oil to the batter and mix well.This makes the Bajjis very crisp. 



2.  Keep the Bread in the fridge for at least an hour so that cutting is easy. If the bread is already in the frigde, well and good.No need to wait to come down to the room temperature.Remove the edges of the slices and cut each slice into 2 halves, that is 2 triangles.


3. Dip the slices one by one in the batter and gently slide in the oil. Do not crowd the Bajjis. When one side is cooked, flip to the other side and remove from the oil, after the bubbles disappear. All the slices can be completed in 3 or 4 batches depending on the size of the Kadai and the quantity of oil used.


If Rice Flour is out of stock, Idli or Dosai batter can be used.

Sweet Kuzhi Aappam

                Sweet Kuzhi Aappam is loved by all as it is not very sweet like the Payasam, Kheer and other sweets.

Sweet Kuzhi Appam

Ingredients :

As given in Kuzhi Aappam plus 3/4 cup of Powdered Jaggery and Cardamom Powder

Method :

1. Prepare the batter as done for Kuzhi Aappam without salt. Do not add much water as the Jaggery syrup has to be added after fermenting the batter for 6 - 8 hours.

2. Add the minimum water for the Jaggery and heat it till just the Jaggery dissolves.Filter for impurities. Let it cool.Then add with the batter, add Cooking Soda and the ground coconut paste.Cardamom Powder can be added.The batter must be of the Idli batter consistency.

3. Heat the Paniyaram Tawa and do as given in Kuzhi Aappam.The sweet Paniyarams are ready.

Masala / Kara Pori

                  This Kara Pori is a popular snack item in the Coimbatore district and surroundings to munch in the evening with Coffee or Tea, be it a sunny day or a rainy day.

Masala Kara Pori

Ingredients :

Pori / Puffed Rice   2 cups
Roasted Groundnut   1/4  -  1/2 cup.
Pottukadalai    1 handful
Oil    2 tsp
Chilly Powder   1 tsp.
Salt, Turmeric Powder,Hing, Curry Leaves.
Garlic    4 pods- to be crushed.


Method :

1. Heat oil, add Curry Leaves and the crushed Garlic and later salt, Turmeric Powder,Hing  and Chilly Powder.Mix well and stir for 2-3 mins. 

2. Add the Groundnut and Pottukadali and roast for 2 mins.

3. Finally add the Pori, mix well and stir carefully for 4 - 5 mins. till the Pori becomes crisp.The simple evening snacks is ready.

Lemon Aval / Poha

                  Lemon Aval /Poha is a very common item that suits all times, be it a breakfast, evening snack or night dinner.Deleting the onion, this also makes a good Neivedhium to be offered to the Gods. Only one clarification may people have, to the quality of Aval.

          Only thick Aval has to be used for this.

Lemon Aval

Ingredients :

Thick Aval    1 cup.
Onion   2
Green Chilly    2
Lemon Juice  1 tsp.
Grated coconut ( optional )  2 tbsp.
Salt, Turmeric Powder, Hing
Oil    2 tbsp.
Mustard,  Split Urad Dhal, Curry Leaves.


Method :

1. Rinse and soak the Aval in water for only 2 minutes.

2. Drain the water and transfer the soaked Aval over a sieve, press and let all 
    the water drain completely.

3. Heat oil, add Mustard, Urad Dhal and Curry leaves. After the Mustard 
   splutters, add Hing,Turmeric Powder,Salt, the sliced green chilly and the finely
   chopped onion.

4. Saute the onion till it turns brown.Then add the Aval and mix well. Stir on 
   medium flame for 2 minutes.Mix the lemon juice and switch off.Decorate with
   the roasted nuts of your desire.

Radish / Mullangi Vadai

                            This Radish Vadai is one of the few types of Paruppu Vadai.The taste is also good and not the one done for a variety or name sake. It is also a dish, other than the Sambar, Fry or Chutney in which we can include Radish.

                         The Vadai has also a fibre content.

Radish Vadai

The ingredients:

The same as Paruppu Vadai  plus 1/3 cup of grated white or red Radish.


Method :

In step 1 in Paruppu Vadai, add the grated Radish, squeezing the water to the ground dhal in the end.Grind for a minute. All the other steps are the same.

Vazhaipoo / Banana Stem Vadai

                       Vazhaipoo Vadai is a very special , tasty and crispy Vadai of Tamil Nadu.Vazhaipoo also has a lot of medicinal properties.

               All the other ingredients and method are the same as Paruppu Vadai. Either Vadai Paruppu or Channa Dhal can be used.

                     Clean the Vazhaipoo and dip in the water mixed with little curd or butter milk to avoid changing into black colour. For 1 cup of Dhal, add 1 cup of Vazhaipoo. Though the the quantity of Dhal and Banana stem are the same 1: 1, the Dhal enlarges after soaking.All the other ingredients are the same.

                    After grinding the Dhal and the other ingredients, add the Banana stem in the end and grind for 2 or 3 minutes.There is no need of partly cooking the Banana stem before grinding as some people do because it gets cooked well in the oil as Vadais are deep fried in oil.

Vazhaipoo Vadai

Masala Ribbon Pakoda

                      This Masala Ribbon Pakoda has a different and wonderful  taste from the routine Ribbon Pakodas as Mint, Coriander leaves, Green Chillies and Ginger are used.

                     Making it for the first time, I never anticipated the taste to be so perfect.

Masala Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients :

 Besan Flour / Kadalai Mavu   1 cup 
 Rice Flour   1/3 cup
Butter    1 tbsp.
Oil,  Salt, Hing

To grind in the mixer :

Cleaned, chopped Mint   1 tbsp.
Cleaned, chopped Coriander leaves   1 tbsp.
Cleaned chopped Ginger   1/2 tbsp.
Finely chopped green chillies   1/2 tbsp.

Method :

1. Finely grind the given ingredients in the mixer by adding 1/4 cup of water and stain it.

2. Mix the Besan Flour, Rice Flour, Hing and salt well.Add the stained Masala water and
    butter. If necessary, add more water and make a dough like the Murukku dough.Hot oil
    can also be added instead of butter.But only Butter gives the real taste.

3. Using the mould and the disc meant for Ribbon Pakoda, press  the dough in the hot oil,
    flip to the other side.When the bubbles disappear, remove from oil.Repeat till the
    dough is over.The  tasty Masala Ribbon Pakoda is ready.


            

Milagai Bajji

            Milagai Bajji ! What else can be better with a cup of tea or coffee and Milagai Bajji to rejuvenate us on a cold or rainy day !My choice is always to prepare the batter at home than to go in for ready made mix. The batter is nothing but to mix all the ingredients.

Milagai Bajji

To make 12 Bajjis
Ingredients :

Bajji Milagai  6
Besan flour / Kadalai mavu    1 cup
Rice flour    1 tbsp.
Chilly powder   1/2 to 1 tsp.
Cooking Soda   1/4 tsp.
Turmeric Powder, Salt
Oil for deep frying

Method :

1. Mix all dry ingredients well. Add water and make a batter like Idli batter.Cut the
    Milagais into 2 pieces lengthwise.Then only the batter sticks. There are 12 pieces.

2.Heat the oil and add 2 tsp. of hot oil to the batter and mix well. This gives crispy
   Bajjis.

3. Dip  Milagai pieces in the batter. Take care that they are coated well with the batter.

4. Drop them one by one in the oil. Do not crowd.Four of five can be deep fried even in a
    medium sized Kadai.Drop the coated Bajjis gently that both the sides are inside the oil 

5.When on side is cooked, gently turn one by one to the other side. Do not insert the
   laddle till the batter is cooked. Otherwise the wet batter sticks to the sides of the
   laddle.

6. Remove from oil once the bubbles are gone.The hot and tasty Bajjis are ready.

Toor Dhal kuzhi Paniyaram

                                The credit of this simple yet tasty Paniyaram goes to the great chef, the late Jacob in his Chattu Puttu Samayal, which I happened to watch by chance.Toor Dhal, as mentioned by me several times, is always stocked in the fridge by most of the vegetarians.The same applies to Idli /Dosa Batter also.By mixing both, a crispy Paniyaram can be prepared.
   

Toor Dhal Kuzhi Paniyaram
 

Ingredients :

Cooked Toor Dhal     1/2 cup.
Idli Batter / Dosa Batter   4 cups.
Sliced onion  1tbsp.
Chilly Powder / Chilly Paste / Sliced Green chillies / Broken Red chillies.
Grated coconut ( optional )   1 tbsp.
Green Peas ( optional )  2 tbsp.
Grated carrot ( optional ) 2 tbsp.
Oil, Mustard, Salt, Curry Leaves.

Method :

1. Heat oil add  Mustard, Curry Leaves and later the onions and chillies. Saute well. Add   
    the grated carrot, Peas and salt. Saute for 2 mins.

2. Mix all the ingredients well and bring to Dosa batter consistency. Chillies can be added
    in any one of the forms according to convenience.

3. Heat the Kuzhi Paniyara Tawa, pour 1 tsp. of oil, batter in half of the  Kuzhi( hallow
    cup),again one 1 tsp. of oil. When one side is cooked, turn to the other side. Remove
    after the other side is also cooked.The Paniyaram is little crispy as Toor dhal is added.

Note :

The combination of the ingredients can be altered according to our convenience.If Dosa
batter is less,Sooji can be added.







                               

Paruppu Vadai

            Paruppu Vadai is also called Ama Vadai.This Paruppu Vadai always has a place in all festivals and feasts in Tamil Nadu. It is easier to prepare, in the sense that the Dhal can be ground in the mixi while  the Uzhulanda Vadai comes out well if only the grinder is used.At home, what can be more delicious than these Vadais either with Payasam or with the hot coffee or tea at any time during any season ?

        Vadai Paruppu is always used by me as I feel that gives crisp Vadais. But only Channa Dhal is used by most of the people. Vadai Paruppu is nothing but Pattani ( Peas ) Paruppu.

Paruppu Vadai

To prepare 20 to 25 medium size Vadais :

Ingredients  :

Vadai Paruppu / Kadalai Paruppu ( Channa Dhal )     1 cup.
Green / Red chillies    3
Onion   1
Ginger  1 small piece
Sombu ( optional )   1 tsp.
Garlic Pods ( optional )  5
Salt, Hing,  Curry Leaves,  Coriander Leaves,  Oil.


Method  :

1. Soak the Dhal for 1 hour. Drain the water completely and grind in the mixi coarsely
    with salt,Ginger, Garlic, Sombu ( Fennel ) and chillies.A little water can be sprinkled
    to bind the Dhal and grind together.If preferred 1 tbsp.of the soaked Dhal can be taken
    and kept aside.That can be mixed in the end after grinding the rest of the dhal.

2. Add the finely sliced onion, Hing, 2 tsp. of oil after the oil is heated, curry leaves and
    coriander leaves.Mix well and make them into balls, flatten them on the plastic sheet.

3. Drop them in the hot oil as much as there is space for the Vadais to get cooked freely.
    When one side of the Vadais are cooked, turn them to the other side and remove from
    the oil after the bubbles disappear.

4.By dropping them in a batch of 6 to 8 Vadais in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of hot oil on the stove
   it will be over in 3 or 4 batches.

Note :

Some people add 1 tbsp. of Raw Rice while soaking the Dhal or add a1 tbsp.of Rice flour in the end to give crispness.I feel, adding hot oil is enough.

Several versions of this Paruppu Vadai like Vazhaippu Vadai, Araikeerai Vadai, Radish Vadai, Murungaikeerai Vadai etc. can be made.

This Paruppu Vadai is also very tasty, added to Morkuzhambu.
  

Banana Chips

                                          Whenever Banana Chips are made, that day,myself a newly married girl enjoying the Virundhus,meaning dinner,something special for the newly married couple, nearly 3 decades ago flashes in my memory.That day is so fresh in my memory as I was astonished to see my " Chinna Mamiar "( junior mother in law, that means my mother in law's co-sister)  prepare banana chips with ease, directly scratching the chips in oil.
                                  My junior MIL is an adorable character and a highly accomplished lady with an undying interest in all fields, right from cooking to music.A soft spoken lady with a unique smile that radiates her face is simply loved and respected by one and all.
         
                                                                                      

Banana Chips

                  
Ingredients  :

Raw Banana              2
Oil
Chilly Powder / Pepper Powder
1 tsp. of salt mixed with 3 tbsp. of water.
                                              
Method :

1. Peal the raw bananas and cut them into 2 parts.

2.Heat the oil.Once the oil becomes hot, scratch the bananas using a chips cutter
   directly in the oil See that the oil in not dumped with the slices more than it can
   hold. If they are too much,the slices stick to each other and the chips will not be crispy.

3. Stir well and when the bubbles are likely to disappear, sprinkle just 1/ 2 tsp. of salt
    water and stir well. Remove from the oil,once the bubbles totally disappear.

4. For the subsequent set of chips to be scratched in the oil, reduce the quantity of salt  
   water as already the oil is salty.This method of sprinkling salt water in oil makes the
   salt mix uniformly with the chips.After all the chips are ready,mix with chilly or
   pepper powder. 

Note  :

It is better to use a chips cutter that can bring out thin slices of chips.I always prefer thin
slices as they get cooked fast and the quantity is also more. It is better to avoid the cutters used for Bajjies as the slices will be thick. 

Potato Bondas

                      This teatime snack is one among the palagarams (snacks) made freshly on the day of Deepavali  to be kept for pooja along with the clothes and crackers in most of the families in Tirunelveli region.Other items like Laddu, Mixture, MysorepaK are prepared one or two days earlier and tasted of course.
                        So on the day of  Deepavali we get up at 4 A.M. and prepare Ulundu Vadai, Paruppu Vadai, Bajji, Bonda and Susiyam.Now with lots of awareness about health, even if we skip one or two items made on the day of Deepavali, my mother in her eighties is not ready for a compromise
                     Our children with their mouths watering would have to wait patiently at least till 7 A.M. for tasting them after the pooja.There hardly seemed to be any change in their attitude when they were here for Deepavali  last year after a long time.Coconut chutney is the best combination for the Bondas.

Potato Bondas

                                                         

Ingredients  :

Medium sized potatoes              3
Besan flour        1 cup
Rice Flour         1 tbsp.
Big onion         1
Chilly powder            1 tsp
Oil
Salt, turmeric powder, cooking soda

To temper :

Mustard, Urad Dhal, curry leaves.

Method :

1.Pressure cook the potatoes, peal them and mash them.

2.Heat little oil in a tawa, add mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves.

3.Once the mustard cracks, add the finely sliced onion ,salt and saute well.

4.Transfer the onion ,1/2 tsp. chilly powder, turmeric powder to the mashed potatoes.Mix well like a dough.

5.Make the mashed potato, onion mixture into small balls.From 3 medium sized potatoes,10 to 12 Bondas of medium size can be made.

6.Mix besan flour, rice flour, turmeric powder, salt, 1/2 tsp. of chilly powder, little cooking soda with water and prepare a batter of iddli consistency.

7.Dip the potato balls in the besan flour and deep fry in hot oil.

Notes :

• It it is very important that the besan batter must be of the correct consistency.If the batter is watery,it does not stick well to the potato balls. A very thick batter makes the outer coating thick and subsequently little hard Bondas.
• Two green chillies can be added instead of chilly powder for the potato filling.
• If rice flour is out of stock, 2 tbsp. of iddli or dosa batter can be added to the besan to get crisp Bondas.
• Adding two tsp. of hot oil to the batter can make the Bondas very crisp.

MAIDA KUZHI PANIYARAM

                       Thanks to Mrs.Revathi Shanmugam, the great culinary expert for the exact measurements of this sweet delicacy. The most endearing thing about her recipes is that,many of her recipes include the common ingredients available in any kitchen.There is a clarity in her demonstration and the dishes are also very tasty.
                    We used to do this with the appam batter by adding karupatti,which gives it a unique taste and it is called Mukulizhyam.That may be little laborious.But the given recipe can be tried immediately and it is also soft and tasty.

Ingredients:

Maida                                                    1 cup
Rice flour                                              1/4 cup + 1 tbsp.
Powdered Jaggery                                 1 and a half cup
Banana                                                  1
Cardamom Powder                                little
Oil and ghee                                           as required

Method:

1.Add water to the jaggery till it is immersed.Heat till the jaggery dissolves.

2.Mix the maida and rice flour well.Add the jaggery water using a stainer.

3.Mash the banana well and add.The consistency of the batter should be similar to that of the dosa batter.

4.Add the cardamom powder and let it ferment for 1 hour.A little baking soda can be added if preferred.

5.Fill 1/4 of each kuzhi of the non stick kuzhi paniyara vessel with a mixture of oil and ghee.
Pour the batter to 3/4 of the kuzhi and fill all the kuzhis.

6.When the paniyaram is cooked, turn it and let the other side get cooked.Then remove from the vessel.

Notes:

1.Wheat flour can also be used instead of maida.

2.Adding fried nuts are optional.

3.Nearly 40 paniyarams can be prepared from the given measurement.

4.A non stick kuzhipaniyara tawa is my choice and the paniyarams come out very well.

Peanut Chat

                                             My daughter makes this chat item frequently during tea time.The preparation is nothing but the mixing of ingredients.Yet the taste is very good and now one of my favourite tea time recipes.




Peanut Chat

Ingredients:

Ground Nut [ Peanut ]       : 1 cup [ roasted ]
Tomato                              : 1 medium size
Onion                                : 1 medium size
Chat Masala                      : 1 tsp.
Chilly Powder                    :1/2 tsp
Green Chilly                       : 1
Lemon Juice                      : 1 tsp.
Salt                                    : To taste

Method:

               Chop the onion,tomato and green chilly finely.Remove the husk and split the ground nuts.Mix all the ingredients and set aside for an hour.A tasty chat item is ready.