ALOO BONDA/URULAI KIZHANGU BONDA

Last weekend since my hubby was at home,I decided to have pani puri chat recipe as it was my son's long day desire to have.so I boiled potatoes and made green chutney and red chutney.But I could n't get puris at that time.so I planned to do something with that boiled potatoes.So i decided to make aloo bonda as it requires less cooking.It was a nice snack for evening to have it along with tea.So here's the recipe.
INGREDIENTS

1. Potato-4-5
2. Onion-2 small size
3. Green chilly-1-2 finely chopped
4. Lemon juice-few drops
5. Coriander leaves-finely chopped
6. Turmeric powder-a pinch
7. Salt -to taste

METHOD

• Boil potatoes .mash it without any lumps.

• Add finely chopped onions(no need to saute it).
• Add finely chopped green chilly.if u r more spicier,u can add some more chilly powder too.
• Add some drops of lemon juice and add turmeric powder,salt,fresh coriander.
• Mix all the ingredients well.
• If u want u can saute them too.while sautéing,u can temper with mustard seeds and adding onions,then potatoes,chilly,salt,coriander,lastly lemon juice.
• Now ur stuffing is ready.prepare small lemon sizes balls from the stuffing which u had prepared.

FOR OUTER COVERING

1. Besan flour-1/2 cup
2. Rice flour-1/4 cup
3. Cooking soda -a pinch
4. Turmeric powder -2 pinches
5. Water -to make a thick batter.
6. Salt-to taste
7. Chilly powder -1/2 tsp
8. Hing-1/8 tsp

METHOD

• Prepare thick batter with the above ingredients..dont add too much water.
• Drop one ball(stuffing) into the batter.

• Coat it nicely in the batter uniformly.
• Carefully drop into kadai filled with oil for deep frying.

• Keep the stove in medium flame.
• After few minutes,flip the bondas.wait till othet side gets nice yellow colour.

          Now ur bondas are ready.serve it with coconut chutney.

BREAD CUTLET

Today when my son asked for evening snacks,I saw wheat bread at my home.So I planned to go for cutlet with few simple things available at my home.I had some leftover rice .So mixed up everything and preparred in a jiffy.It came out well.Here I 'm sharing the recipe which we enjoyed.
INGREDIENTS

• Bread slices-2
• Cooked rice-1/2 cup
• Onion-1 cut finely
• Potato-1/2 grated
• Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder-1 tsp
• Salt-to taste
• Corn flour-2 tblsp

METHOD

• Dip bread slices in water.Immediately squeeze it tightly.Add cooked rice,onion,squeezed grated potato(don't forget to squeeze as it will ooze out water if directly added to it).
• Add chilly powder,garam masala powder,salt.

• smash everything well .If u want,add coriander leaves.

• Divide into 12 equal balls.
• Take one ball.Shape it like a cutlet in whatever shape u like.

• Take a flat tawa.pour 1 tblsp of oil.place prepared cutlet pieces.sim the stove.Let it get nice golden brown colour.

• Turn it other side.If u want pour somemore oil.Let the other side also get nice golden colour.

Enjoy ur cutlet with sauce,sweet chutney/green chutney in ur way.

TOMATO KURMA

Usually I prepare veg kurma or dal for paratha to accompany with.But this time i made kurma with onion and tomato alone.I can assure u for its taste.Its a mild flavoured kurma.But i felt this spice and flavouring is apt.It is so simple to make but taste simply superb.
INGREDIENTS

• Tomato-5
• Onion-3
• Red chilly powder-1 tsp
• Milk-1/2 cup

TO GRIND

• Grated coconut-1 cup
• Green chilly-2
• Ginger-1 inch piece
• Garlic-2 pods
• Fennel/sombu-1 tsp
• Roasted Bengal Gram-1 tblsp
• Onion-1 small size
• Tomato-1

TO TEMPER

• Fennel-1/2 tsp
• cloves-2
• cinnamon-1 inch piece

METHOD
Grind the ingredients as mentioned in "TO GRIND" section.

Place a pan on the stove.Pour some oil into it.
When it becomes hot add the items mentioned in "TO TEMPER".
Add onion.Saute it.Dont saute it leaving it brown color.It will add bitter taste to the gravy.Instead u can add some water to it.
Cover it and cook.By this method it will become soft and also leaving sweetness to the gravy.

Then add tomatoes.Follow the same method.Dont make it mushy.let the tomatoes been seen as an individual one not a mashed tomatoes.

Add  the grinded paste .Mix it well.Add red chilly powder.Allow to cook till the raw smell leaves from the gravy.

Add milk.Dont add water.Milk adds richness to the gravy .Add sugar to enhance the taste.
Add lots and lots of fresh coriander leaves to it.Let it boil for few minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve it with Paratha,poori,any pulao or even with dosa,idly as u like.

VARAGU ARISI / KODO MILLET DOSAI

Nowadays many people pay more attention to their health.Due to media,people get health awareness and many of them are including siru dhanyam(millet) in their daily food.Actually its good to have atleast one sirudhanyam once in a week.I got an oppurtunity when my friend PRABHA gave varagu(kodo millet) pongal to taste.It was nice.I also wanted to make a try with varagu asisi but made dosai.It came out well.I couldn't find out any difference from normal dosa.Easy to prepare and also more healthy.
INGREDIENTS

1. Varagu rice-3 cup
2. Urad dal-1 cup
3. Methi seeds-1 tblsp
4. Aval-1/4 cup(optional)
5. Salt-TO taste

METHOD

• Soak rice,dal along with methi seeds seperately  for 5-6 hours.
• Half an hour before u are about to grind,rinse poha with water.If its thick aval,soak it with water.
• grind it to make dosa batter along with soaked poha.Add salt.
  
• Allow it to ferment overnight.
• Next day morning give a mix from top to bottom the fermented batter.
  
  
  
  
• Prepare dosa as u do for normal dosa.

Serve with chutney/sambar as u wish.

kothavarangai vatral kulambu

Vattal kulambu is a traditional  brahmin recipe which tastes divine.No words to express its taste.Such a mouth watering dish and it will go with any sidedishes like potato kara curry,any type of roast or any kootu.Or sutta appalam also goes well.In my home ,my husband loves this if I prepare with kothavarangai vatral.I usually prepare this for weekend  to taste it without any hurry.

Now over to recipe
INGREDIENTS

1. Tamarind-one medium lemon size
2. Onion-1
3. kothavarangai vatral-one fist full
4. kulambu podi/sambar powder-3  tsp
5. Garlic -4-5 pods(optional)
6. Gingely oil-3-4 tblsp
7. Turmeric powder-1/8 tsp
8. Hing-1/8 tsp
9. Salt-To taste
10. Rice flour-1 tsp

TO TEMPER

• Mustard seeds-1 /2 tsp
• Methi seeds-1/4 tsp
• channa dal-1/4 tsp
• toor dal-1/4 tsp
• curry leaves-few
• kothavarangai vatral-As mentioned above.

METHOD

1. Pour some hot boiling water over tamarind.After 10 mts,extract the pulp .Alternatively u can microwave tamarind for 2 mts in a bowl along with some water and take out the juice.
2. Do tempering in a kadai with the items mentioned in the section"TO TEMPER" leaving vattral.
3. Take a seperate pan and pour some oil and when it is hot add vatral.fry it it achieves crispiness.
4. I microwaved vatral for 2 minutes in turn over plate itself turning vatral  now and then.Then i transferred to kadai and my vatral turned super crisp and consumes very little oil.
   
5. Sepearate vatral alone from temperings and keep it aside.
   
6. Now add onion into the tempered kadai.Fry for 2 mts.
7. Then add tamarind juice.add turmeric powder,sambar podi,salt.
8. Allow to boil till the raw smell goes.
9. Add vatral to the boiling kulambu.
10. Take a tsp of rice flour and add some water and dissolve it.Transfer the dissolved contents into kulambu.
11. Let it boil for 1-2 mts.Now add jaggery,hing.Add coriander leaves into it.
12. Simmer for a minute .switch it off .

Now ur vatral kulambu is ready.

MALABAR AVIYAL

Whenever I see ash gaurd,pumpkin,aviyal is the first item my mind will think to make it off.I Love aviyal.
I like to have it even for dosa,adai,chappati,puri,anything.My mom used to prepare it in dry form,my MIL used to prepare it in little bit watery form.But both tastes awesome.Now we will see how to prepare aviyal.

INGREDIENTS

1. Ash gaurd/chow chow/cucumber-3/4 cup
2. pumpkin-1/2 cup
3. Potato/raw plantain/sweet potato-1
4. Drumstick-1
5. Carrot-1
6. French beans/cluster beans/ground beans-10-15
7. Yam-1/4 cup
8. Coconut oil-2-3 tblsp

TO GRIND

1. Grated coconut-1 cup
2. Green chilli-2
3. Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
4. Curry leaves-8-10
5. Raw rice/rice flour-3/4 tsp
6. Curd-2 tblsp

METHOD

• Cut all the vegetables into 2 inch long pieces .
• Grind coconut with chilli,cumin seeds,curry leaves,rice/rice flour into coarse paste using curd.Use whipper mode to grind.
  
• Take a pan preferrably pressure pan.Put all the vegetables one by one.Add turmeric powder (only little),salt.
  
• Stir it well.Cover it with pressure pan 's lid without adding weight.Allow the vegetables to cook.If there is no water sprinkle some water(not too much) since some vegetables added will release water by itself.
  
• Cook till veggies turn soft but firm not overcooked.
• Then add the grinded mixture and mix it well.
  
• Drizzle some TABLESPOONS of coconut oil into the pan.Add some more curry leaves .Give a quick mix.
  
• Switch it off.Transfer the contents into a serving bowl.Now malabar style aviyal is ready.

TOMATO GARLIC RASAM

                                         
I  usually don't have the habbit of making rasam daily.If my kids are not feeling well or if I feel  lazy ,I make rasam as it can be prepared in no time even though i don't like it to a great extent.
Now over to recipe.
INGREDIENTS

1. Tamarind-small lemon size
2. Tomato-2(one finely cut into small pieces,one into four pieces)
3. Garlic-5-6 flakes
4. Rasam powder-1 tsp
5. Pepper powder-coarsely crushed half a tsp
6. Jeera powder-1/4 tsp
7. Turmeric powder-A pinch
8. Jaggery/sugar-to enhance the overall taste
9. Hing-1/8 tsp
10. Boiled Toor dal-1/2 cup .mash it and dissolve it in a cup of water.
11. Salt-to taste

TO TEMPER

1. Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
2. Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
3. Curry leaves-few
4. Ghee-1/2 tsp

METHOD

• Pour some hot boiling water over tamarind.Let it sit for 10 minutes.Alternatively u can microwave tamarind along with some water in a bowl for 2 minutes .And u can extract pulp from tamarind easily if u follow second method.I feel comfortable  by this way.
• Take a deep pan(not a frying pan).
• Pour some ghee .When it is hot,add mustard seeds,cumin seeds.Once it started to splatter ,add curry leaves.
• Add tomatoes which is cout into 4 pieces(Reserve the other ).Saute for a minute.
• Add tamarind pulp ,turmeric powder,rasam powder,pepper powder,jeera powder,salt,hing to the sauted tomatoes.
• Since I forgot to add garlic,I added seperately into a pan by adding ghee into it and fried it for 1-2 minute.
• Then I added garlic into the boiling rasam.No need to add seperately.U can add garlic while tempering itself and continue the process.
• Let it boil for few minutes.
• Then add toor dal water into it.
• Now at this stage add finely chopped toamato pieces into it.
• Add lots of coriander leaves.
• Allow to boil till it becomes frothy (Don't boil for long time.just frothy is enough).Immediately transfer rasam into bowl and cover it with lid to retain the flavours)

Now rasam is ready to serve .