This Ribbon Pakoda is prepared from the same batter for Murukku using Idli rice and Pottukadalai flour ( Roasted Channa Dhal ). We can prepare within 30 mins. tasty Ribbon Pakodas.
This can be prepared on the day when we are grinding the Idli batter, so that cleaning the grinder is easy.The Pakoda should be prpared atleast within 30 mins. after grinding.The Pakodas will be very crispy as the Pottukadalai ratio is different but
does not absorb oil.
 |
Ribbon Pakoda |
Ingredients :
Idli rice 2 cups
Roasted Channa Dhal ( Pottu Kadalai ) 1 cup.
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Butter 1 tsp. ( If no stock, hot oil can be used )
Salt, Hing
Oil 2 cups.
Method :
1. Dry the Pottukadalai in the sun for 2 hrs. or dry roast for 2 mins. If the Pottukadalai is
fresh and crisp, they can be powdered without drying.Seive them.This can be prepared
in advance and kept ready.
2. Soak the rice for 2 hours and grind to a fine paste. Add 1 tsp. of salt and hing
removing from the grinder.The consistency must be similar to Idli batter.
3. Mix the batter,Pottukadalai flour and butter together.If the batter is very hard,
sprinkle some water and mix. Be careful and don't add much water. The batter should
not be too hard or too loose.
4. Press them in the hot oil using the Murukku mould and the disc meant for Ribbon
Pakodas as one single round piece.Turn to the other side and remove from the oil after
the bubbles disappear.The whole batter can be made as Pakodas with in 30 mins.
Note :
As the batter is the same for Murukku,grinding 2 cups of rice, half can be made as
Ribbon Pakoda and half as Murukkus.For 2 cups of rice, 1 cup of Pottukadalai is used.
So the Pakodas are very crisp.For this proportion, adding coconuts or more butter
will make the batter to break into small pieces in the oil.
This Murukku, made of Boiled rice and Pottukadalai Flour is a very popular savoury of Kongu region.The measurements of the ingredients are my own, out of my experience because in our family, we used to make most of the snacks using raw rice flour.
The ratio of the ingredients were passed on to me by my neighbours and friends who gave as per kilo.They have been changed to cups for convenience.The ratio of the Pottukadalai to rice may seem to be high. But I have been preparing this Murukku for the past 30 years.They are very crispy and tasty. Murukkus made of raw rice flour and urad dhal powder,posted by me as Murukku I have an aroma of urad dhal flour whereas this Murukkus II have a different taste.
 |
Murukku |
Ingredients :
Puzhungal arisi ( Idli Rice ) 2 cups.
Roasted Channa Dhal 1 cup
Butter 1 tsp.( if not, hot oil 2 tsp. )
Cumin or Ellu ( Sesame , Black or White ) 2 tsp.
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.( optional )
Hing
Salt 1 tsp.
Oil 2 cups
Method :
1. Dry the Pottukadalai in the sun for 1 hour or dry roast for 1 min. in a tawa.Powder in
the mixi and seive it.If the Pottukadalai is crisp, they can be powdered without drying
or roasting and seived.
2. Soak the rice for 2 hours and grind to a fine paste by adding water as for idli batter.Add
salt in the end.Make the Murukkus atleast within 30 mins. after grinding.
3. Collect the batter in a bowl, add Hing, butter and Sesame or Cumin.Add Pottukadalai
powder and Chilli powder.Mix well. If the batter is hard, sprinkle some water and make
it little loose.The Sesame should be free from impurities.
4.Using the Murukku mould, press 4 by 4 in the hot oil in a tawa.Turn to the other side
and remove from oil after the bubbles disappear.The time taken is only 30 mins.
Note :
4 tbsp.of grated coconut also can be added while grinding the rice.In that case, Pottukadali has to be reduced to 3/4 cup.Otherwise the Murukkus may dissolve in oil.
One more tips.Some in their over enthusiasm to make soft Murukkus, add more butter.That is not right. Because already in my recipe, Pottukadalai, rice ratio is 1 : 2.
Adding more butter may make the Murukku to get split to small pieces.
With the same batter, Ribbon Pakoda can also be prepared.Half of the batter can be made into Murukkus and the other half as Ribbon Pakodas.
This is a spicy and tasty Kuzhambu for rice.
 |
Vendaikkai Karakuzhambu |
To serve 2
Ingredients :
Vendaikkai 8
Onion 1
Tomatoes 1
Garlic pods 6
Tamarind 1 big goose berry size
Grated coconut 2 tbsp.
Chilly Powder 3/4 tsp.
Coriander Powder 1 1/2 tsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Mustard, split urad dhal
Salt, Turmeric Powder
Method :
1. Soak the tamarind in warm water and take 2 cups of tamarind extract.
2. Heat oil, add the mustard, split urad dhal and curry leaves.
3. When the mustard splutters, add the sliced onions,garlic and saute.
4. When the onions turn brown, add the tomatoes,little salt and saute on medium flame.
5. Once the tomatoes shrink, add the sliced Vendaikkai and saute for 5 mins.
6. Then add the chilly powder, coriander powder,turmeric powder and saute for 2 mins.
7. Add the tamarind water and salt.Mix well and let it boil on medium flame.
8. In 5 to 6 mins. the gravy reaches a thick consistency.Add the finely ground coconut.
9. Mix well and simmer for 3 mins. Switch off. The delicious Vendaikkai Gravy is ready
Note :
1. Garlic ,Onions and coconut can be avoided.Then reduce the chilly powder.
2. Coconut can be rduced a little by adding Pottukadalai with coconut for grinding.
 |
Banana Halwa |
Banana Halwa is a sweet made with the common ingredients but tasty.The only condition is that the Bananas should be ripe with more of sweetness and less sour.This sweet can be prepared when many ripe Bananas are left after Poojas and festivals.Try with four Bananas for the first time.
Ingredients :
Bananas 4
Sugar 1/2 cup.
Ghee 2 tbsp.
Cardamom Powder, Cashew nuts, Raisins.
Method :
1. Heat 1 tsp.of ghee in a thick bottomed tawa, fry the nuts and raisins.Set aside.
2. In the same tawa, heat 1 tbsp. of ghee, add the sliced and mashed Bananas.
3
.Keep on stirring continuously on a medium flame till the Bananas shrink and get cooked.
4. After 5 mins. add the sugar and the colour,if you wish to add.Reduce the flame.
5. Let the mixture simmer for 5 to 7 mins. The Halwa consistency must be formed.
6. Switch off, add the remaining ghee, nuts, raisins and cardamom powder.
7. Mix well and tranfer to the serving bowl.This is very important.If it is left in the hot
tawa, the Halwa becomes hard.The hot and tasty Banana Halwa is ready
This is a traditional and tasty gravy for rice to be mixed with it and eaten.A tablespoon of plain cooked toor dhal or mashed greens ( Keerai Masial ) added with the rice and this kuzhambu gives a unique and combined taste.
 |
Katharikkai Kuzhambu |
Ingredients :
Medium sized Brinjals 8
Onions 2
Tomatoes 2
Tamarind 1 small lemon size
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Coriander Powder 2 tsp.
Grated coconut 3 tbsp.
Garlic Pods 6
Oil 3 tbsp.
Salt, Turmeric Powder, Mustard, Split Urad Dhal, Curry leaves.
Method :
1. Soak the tamarind in warm water and take two cups of tamarind extract.
2. Split the Brinjals into 4 parts from the stalk side, removing the stalk and do not cut till
the end. The Brinjal must be whole but cut in 4 parts, joined at the bottom.
3. Heat the oil, preferably Gingelly Oil, add the mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves.
4. After the mustard splutters, add the finely sliced Onions and the Garlic.Saute well.
5.When the Onions turn brown, add the sliced tomatoes and little salt.Saute on a medium
flame.
6.After the tomatoes shrink, add the split Brinjals, add little more salt for the Brinjals and
saute on medium flame. The veg. should not get burnt.
7. After 8 to 10 mins. the Brinjals become soft, getting cooked in the oil.Add the chilly
powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder .Sautefor another 2 to 3 mins.
8. Add the tamarind water and salt.Mix well and let the gravy boil on a medium flame for
5 mins.
9. When a thick gravy consistency for rice is reached, add the finely ground coconut
paste, mix well and allow it to simmer for 3 mins. Switch off. The tasty Katharikkai
Kuzhambu is ready.
Note :
The oil is the real taste maker and the Brinjals have to get cooked in the oil.It can be reduced a little.
Chilly Powder and salt can be added according to our taste.
Pottukadalai ( Roasted Channa Dhal ) can be added to the coconut, reducing the coconut a little.
Thirty or forty years ago, for most of the people of Tamil Nadu, so many varieties of side dishes for chappathies were not known.Not many cookery shows on TV; no internet ; not so many magazines were in circulation.Notebooks were used to document the favourite recipes using a pen.
Learning from our mothers,in laws, relatives and some acquaintances, a few cookery books and one or two women's magazines in Tamil and English ( I remember Mangai, Femina and The Eve's Weekly ) with cookery recipes were the sources.
Now things have totally changed. The stores are flooded with cookery books;Someone is seen demonstrating a dish in any one of the numerous channels, once the TV is on.Above all hundreds of recipes pop up in the food blog at the click of the mouse.
Still, the Vegetable Kuruma prepared out of the common vegetables like Potato,Carrot, Beans, Peas both at home and the restaurants, according to me, can be called as the Queen of the infinite variety of side dishes cooked for the chappathies.
The credit of this veg. Kuruma, one of my favourite dishes, goes to an aunty who was a good friend and neighbour of us three decades ago.
 |
Vegetable kuruma |
To serve four.
Ingredients :
Sliced mixed veg.( Potatoes, Carrot, Beans, Peas ) 2 cup.
Medium sized tomatoes 2
Medium sized Onions 2
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
KasaKasa ( poppy seeds ) 1 tsp.
Cashew nuts 8
Ginger, Garlic paste 1 1/2 tsp.
Cinnamon ( Pattai) 1 piece
Aniseed ( sombu ) 1 tsp.
Grated coconut 5 to 6 tbsp.
Oil 2 tbsp.
Method :
1.Cook the finely sliced veg. in a three lit. cooker with little water for just 1 or 2
whistles.
2. Soak the Kasakasa and cashew and grind them with the coconut to a fine paste.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add the Pattai, Sombu and then the sliced onions.
4. When the onions turn brown, add the finely sliced tomatoes.
5. Once the tomatoes start shrinking, add the ginger, garlic paste.
6. When the oil starts coming out with an aroma, add the cooked veg. and 2 cups of water
7. Add salt, chilly powder and coriander powder.Mix well and simmer on low flame for 10
mins.A thick consistency will be formed.If not, simmer for few more mins.
8.Add the coconut paste, stir well and allow it to simmer again for 5 mins.Garnish with
coriander leaves and switch off. The tasty evergreen side dish for Chappathies is ready.
Note :
1. The ginger, garlic paste and the spices Pattai and sombu used in seasoning are more
than enough to give a mild aroma and a good taste.Little Garam Masala can be added.
2. The combination of spices can be changed to an individual's taste.
3. Health conscious people can avoid cashew and reduce the coconut and add little
Roasted channa Dhal ( Pottukadalai )
Sarkkarai Pongal is an additional Prasadam on the day of Saraswathi pooja.
This Sarkkarai Pongal, a sweet made of Rice, Jaggery and Ghee is a traditional Neivedhium offered to God and Godess in most of the temples in Tamil Nadu and also at home on auspicious occasions.
Some people add roasted Pasiparuppu along with rice for this Pongal.But somehow in our families we prepare this sweet Pongal,exclusively out of rice.
During Thai Pongal,this sweet rice is prepared in a bronze pot and milk is added.That recipe is to be given in a separate post.
 |
Sarkkarai Pongal |
Ingredients :
Raw rice 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery 2 cups.
Ghee 3 to 4 tbsp.
Cashew nut, raisins, Cardamom powder.
Method :
1. Pressure cook the rice directly in the cooker with water in ratio of 1: 4.The water 4
cups may seem to be too much but the Pongal comes out very well and remains loose
even after getting cool.
2. Add 1/2 cup of water to the jaggery and heat just till the jaggery dissolves.
3. Open the cooker and the rice will be well cooked in pressure cooker.Mix well but don't
mash it too much. That will lead to lumps later.
4. Drain the impurities and add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice. Mix well and let it
boil on a low fire for 5 mins.As the cooker has a heavy bottom, there is no chance of
getting burnt. Add the fried nuts and raisins.
5. Add the ghee and mix well. Let it simmer for 3 more mins.Switch off, add the
cardamom powder and mix well.
6. The hot and tasty Sarkkarai Pongal with the an aroma of ghee is ready.
7. Ghee is the real taste maker but in this cooker method, very health conscious people
can reduce it.
Note :
For making Pongal with 1 cup of rice, 3 lit. pressure cooker is well and good. The water
doesn't come out. There is enough space to mix the jaggery syrup well and let it boil.
2 lit. cooker is ideal for using 1/2 cup rice.
