Readymade Kootu Podi

Whenever I visit India...I bring lot of podis back with me...they are simple and easy to make...but still it is always nice when someone does it for you, packs it and gives it to you...ready to be used when you get back here. They are so handy. Though I like to use my own podis which are fresh...I tend to get lazy about it...mostly I end up using the kootu podi I get from India. Since they grind it in the mill they have a very good texture to it rather than what we grind using a mixie/blender. For my non Tamil speaking friends who peep into my blog...kottu means vegetable and dhal cooked together with spices added to it.

Ingredients:

Urad Dhal 1/2 Cup
Kadala Paruppu (Bengal Gram) 3/4 Cup
Red Chillies 5 - 7
Milagu - 5 Teaspoons (25 Gms)
Hing

Dry roast the above ingredients and grind it in a mixie in the form of powder. You may dry roast the coconut and add it along with the other ingredients and grind it for making kootu podi. You can store it in ziploc covers/airtight container in the freezer for months together!

Note: If you are using the componded hing (not the powder one)..then roast it in oil and then add it while grinding.

PS: The measure shown in the photo does not depict the exact quantity as set out in the ingredients section. It was just done for the photo.

Urad Dhal Vadas

We cannot imagine a festival without Vadas right!! My mom always says that we have to make that can be fried on festival days...it is a norm according to her (she keeps telling me ella pandigaikum yennai vechi yedavadhu pannu ....is a statement that I hear from her all the time!)...my son is a big fan of vadas....I must say he has taken a liking to anything that is fried!! I was talking to him about the menu that I was going to prepare for the Tamil New Year and the only thing that he picked from the list I gave him was vada and started asking me everyday till I made it for him.... that is the long story short about the vadas...Is there a rhyme or reason to make it??........!!

As I sit on my couch writing about this...feel like making it today too since it is starting to rain.....

Ingredients: ( You get about 20 Vadas)
1 Cup Urad Dhal

3/4th Teaspoon Salt

1 1/2  Green Chilly

1 Inch Ginger

1/2 Tsp Whole Pepper (optional)

Curry Leaves

Cilantro

Pinch of Turmeric

Oil for frying

Soak the Urad Dhal for an hour. Do not over soak it ...will take more oil while frying the vadas. Grind the Dhal with green chilly and ginger. Do not add the salt while grinding the batter...it makes the batter to get watery. So always add it after grinding it. You can also grind it and refrigerate in an air tight container to be used for the next day...especially when you whipping up a meal for a big party this comes in handy.

After grinding the dhal. Add the turmeric, curry leaves, salt and cilantro. I did not add the pepper since my son will find it difficult to eat it...you may add it if you want.

Keep your palm scooped up. Put a little bit of water. Place a ball of the batter on your palm and make a whole in the middle (it is a norm to make a whole in the vadas but I guess it is more for making it cook well inside!). Immerse them in the hot oil. Take them out when they are cooked.

The yummy vadas are ready to be served.