Adai

INGREDIENTS: (TO MAKE 8 MEDIUM SIZED ADAIS)

TO SOAK:

1.RICE - 1 CUP

2.THOOR DHAL - 1/4 CUP

3.URAD DHAL - 1/4 CUP

4.CHANNA DHAL - 1/2 CUP

5.DRY RED CHILLY - 5

SOAK THE RICE FOR 4 HRS AND DHALS SEPARATELY TOGETHER FOR 2 HOURS IN WATER.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

1.CHOPPED ONION - 1 CUP

2.JEERAGAM - 3/4 SPOON

3.SALT TO TASTE

4.OIL TO FRY

5.CHOPPED CILANTRO,SCRAPPED COCONUT (3 TO 5 SPOONS-OPTIONAL),GINGER AND CORIANDER LEAVES -1/4 CUP(ALL TOGETHER)

PROCEDURE:

1.AFTER 4 OF SOAKING,WASH THE RICE & DHALS FOR 2 TO 3 TIMES(TAKE OUT THE CHILLIES WHILE U WASH).

2.IN A MIXER,PUT ALL THE RICE & DHALS,RED CHILLIES,3/4 SPOON OF JEERAGAM AND NEEDED SALT. GRIND THIS WITH NEEDED WATER.THE BATTER SHOULD BE LITTLE THICKER THAN IDLI BATTER.

3.TO THIS ADD A CUP OF CHOPPED ONIONS,GINGER AND CHOPPED CILANTRO / CORIANDER AND MIX IT WELL.

5.MAKE ADAI ON HOT TAWA,SPREAD THE BATTER IN DOSA SHAPE.... ADD NEEDED OIL.FLIP IT AND ADD A SPOON OF OIL.TAKE OUT WHEN THEY REACH GOLDEN BROWN.

6.SERVE WITH AVIYAL / POWDERED JAGGERY OR SIMPLY WITH SUGAR.

Masala Dosa

Dosa batter Ingredients:

1.Idli Rice..........4 cup
2.Urad dhal........1 cup
3.Menthya/Fenugreek seeds .....2 spoons
4.Salt to taste


Masala ingredients:

1.Chopped carrot......1/4 cup
2.Onion.........................1/4 cup
3.Red chilli powder.....1 spoon
4.Oil............................... 2-4 spoons
5.Salt to taste
6.Cilantro chopped
7.Mustard seeds.......... 1 spoon
8.Boiled & mashed potatoes....1 cup

Procedure to prepare Dosa Batter:

1.Soak rice for 5 hours separately.

2.Soak urad dhal and fenugreek seeds together for 1 hour.

3.Grind urad dhal and rice separately,then mix both the batter.Add salt and stir well.Allow this to ferment for a whole nite.

4.Next day the batter will be ready to do dosas.


Procedure to prepare MASALA:

1.Place a kadai on flame,heat the oil,add mustard seeds and wait till it splutter.

2.Now add chopped onion and fry till it changes its color(pink/whitish).Then add all the chopped vegetables.Allow this to cook for 10-12 mins(sprinkle little water if necessary).

3.Finally add salt,chilli powder and chopped cilantro,mix this well.Switch of the flame in a minute or two.

4.Stuffing is ready now.


Procedure to prepare Masala Dosa:

1.Place a dosa tawa on flame,grease it with drops of oil,before u start.

2.Pour 2 big spoons of batter on to the tawa,spread it thin round the tawa.

3.Add a spoon of oil around the edges of the dosa.Once it starts turning golden yellow,turn it and toast the other side of the dosa,again with a spoon of oil.

4.Again reverse it,make sure that the golden side lies down.Now place 2 or 3 spoons of masala in the middle of the dosa,roll it into two.

5.Thats it.Serve with coconut chuteny and hot sambar.

Masala Bonda

Masala ingredients:

1.Chopped carrot......1/2 cup
2.Onion.........................1 cup
3.Red chilli powder..................1 spoon and turmeric powder ...........1/4 spoon
4.Oil............................... 2-4 spoons
5.Salt to taste
6.Cilantro chopped & green chillies (2)
7.Mustard seeds.......... 1 spoon
8.Boiled & mashed potatoes....1 cup

9.Besan flour..........1 cup
10.Rice flour............4 spoons
11.Salt to taste
12.Red chilli powder.... 1/2 spoon
13.Hing/asafotidea.........1/4 spoon

14.Vegetable oil / sunflower oil for deep frying.

Procedure to prepare MASALA:

1.Place a kadai on flame,heat the oil,add mustard seeds and wait till it splutter.

2.Now add chopped onion & chopped green chillies and fry till it changes its color(pink/whitish).Then add all the chopped vegetables and little turmeric powder.Allow this to cook for 10-12 mins(sprinkle little water if necessary).Once it is half cooked add mashed potatoes.

3.Finally add salt,chilli powder and chopped cilantro,mix this well.Switch of the flame in a minute or two.

4.Stuffing is ready now.

Procedure to Prepare masala bonda:

1.Mix the ingredients(9 to 13) ie., besan flour,rice flour,salt,chilli powder,hing.Add water and make a batter just like dosa batter(should not be too watery or too thick).

2.Now take little masala,Place them betwen ur palm and make a ball(round shaped).

3.Now immerse this round ball in besan flour mix.This forms a coat over the masala ball.

4.Deep fry this coated masala ball in oil.Fry till they turn to golden yellow color.

TIPS:First make all masala to round shapes,keep them in a plate,so that u can fry them continously(without wasting time in rolling one by one).

Also do the besan batter after making masala,if besan is soaked for long time,it sucks more oil.So do besan batter lastly,just before frying.

5.Serve them with coconut chutney.

Urad vada

Ingredients:

Serving 4 persons

1.Urad dhal - 1 cup (200 gms)

2.Black pepper corn - 10

3.Salt to taste

4.Red chillies - 5

5.Chopped coriander - little.

6.Oil for deep frying

7.Rice flour - 5 spoons

Procedure:

1.Soak urad dhal for 1 hour.

Note:The quantity of urad batter will be less,if u soak dhal for more than 1 hour.

2.Grind soaked dhal,red chillies together into a smooth,thick batter.

Note:Just sprinkle water while grinding,the batter should not be very loose.

3.Add salt,broken pepper corn,Rice flour,chopped corinader to the batter and mix well.

4.Take a round ball of batter-mix,slightly flaten it,make a small hole in the center.

5.Deep fry the vadas in well heated oil.

6.Fry until they turn golden yellow.

7.Golden-crispy urad vadas do well with coconut chutney & mint chutney.

Masala Vada

Ingredients:

Serving 4 persons


1.Soaked Channa Dhal - 2 cups (300 gms,soak it for 30 mins only)

2.Dried chillies - 5 to 8

3.Chopped onion - 1/2 cup

4.Chopped Coriander leaves - little

5.Cilantro leaves - little

6.Salt to taste

7.Cumin seeds - 1 spoon

8.Chopped ginger and garlic cloves - 1 spoon

9.Oil for deep frying

Procedure:

1.Grind soaked channa dhal,chillies,cumin seeds and salt in a mixer.

Note : Make a coarse paste.(no water plsss)

2.Now mix onion,coriander,cilantro,ginger,(minced garlic & cumin) to the channa paste.Mix well.

3.Take a small lemon size 'mix',make it flat to a round vada shape.

4.In the mean time heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.

5.Fry those vadas in the hot oil until they turn golden brown.

6.Now spicy masala vadas are ready to eat.

7.This doesnt need any side dish,if u want,have it with coconut chutney.

This is always a perfect evening snack to have with hot tea/cofe.

Kerala Aapam

Kerala Aapam is one of the famous dishes in kerala.This goes well with sweetend Coconut milk or coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

1.Idli rice.....1 cup
2.Urad dhal.....1/4 cup
3.Boiled rice.....1 cup
4.Fenugreek seeds.....3/4 spoon
5.Salt to taste


Coconut milk ingredients:

1.Grated Coconut.....1 cup
2.Cardomon powder.....1/4 spoon
3.Sugar..........5-8 spoons(its up to u)

Procedure:

To do Aapam:

1.Soak idli rice,urad dhal,fenugreek seeds together or separately for 4 hours.

2.Grind it in mixer to a dosa batter consistency.Now add salt,and leave this for one whole night to ferment.

3.Next day the batter will be ready.Take 2 medium scoops of batter and do aapam.

a.Pour 2 big spoons of batter,hold kadai with two hands,round it,so that the batter spreads over the aapa kadai in a circular form.


Note:If the aapa kadai is not made of non-stick,then grease it with oil before u start.

4.Then close it with a lid,always do this in low flame.

5.Once it starts turning golden,take out the aapam from kadai(this should not get brown).Serve hot.


To do coconut milk:

1.Grind the grated coconut with little water in a mixer.

2.Now filter out the coconut milk using a tea filter.

3.Add water if the milk is so thick.

4.Add sugar and cardamon powder,mix it well.

5.Now the coconut milk is ready to serve.

Pongal

Pongal is One of my favorite breakfast items.Very easy to make,need no special side dish,can be had even with a spoon of sugar...A healthy,filling food here u go....

Ingredients:

1.Rice....1 cup
2.Moong dhal....1/2 cup
3.Ghee.... 25 gms
4.Pepper corn.... 8 - 12
5.Cumin seeds.... 1 spoon
6.Salt to taste
7.Coriander leaves(chopped)... 3 spoons
8.Water.... 3 1/2 cups
9.cashew nut.... 10 gms
10.chopped ginger... 1 spoon

Procedure:

1.Roast moong dhal for 2 minutes and soak it for 15 minutes.(Soaking is optional.If u don hav time,no need for roasting too.)

2.Now cook rice and moong dhal together in a cooker with 3 1/2 cups of water.

3.In the mean time,fry grounded pepper corn & cumin seeds,chopped ginger,coriander leaves and cashew together with 3 spoons of ghee.
(Note: pepper corn and cumin seeds should be in splitted state... "dont make it a fine powder".)

4.Once the rice is done,add the fried items(pepper,cumin etc) and needed salt to this.

5.Stir this nicely,so that all the spices mixes well with the rice.

6.Now the pongal is ready.Add 2-3 spoons of melted ghee while serving.Enjoy with chutney and sambar.

Note:Usually people used to say that pongal is a heavy food for tiffin.I don add vanaspathi as it has more cholestrol.Also add ghee when u serve.It consumes more ghee if u add while cooking.