Vegetable Bonda

I made this couple of months ago but did not find time to post it. Vegetable bonda reminds me of Janavasam tiffen. This one is sure to be present for the janavasam tiffen. Nischiyatharthan followed by Janavasam is done the day before the wedding. These days this one is  performed before the reception but whatever said and done bondas are definitely in the kalyanam menu at least for one velai. I miss attending weddings. I havent attended one for the past two years. During my next trip to India I will make sure that at least I attend one.  I know it is not a healthy snack since it involves frying hence I try to add other veggies too... (mainly people use potatoes for this) like beets, carrots and peas.

Now lets get to the recipe....

Ingredients:

For the Filling

4 Large Potatoes

1 Carrot

Few Strands Beans

1 Beetroot

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas Thawed (you may use fresh ones too)

1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder (the one I use is very hot so I use only half a tsp)

3/4th Tsp Salt

1 TBSPN Lemon Juice

For tempering - mustard, channa dhal, urad dhal, cashew, curry leaves

Cilantro

For the batter

3/4th Cup Besan Powder (kadala mavu)

1/4 Cup Rice Flour

Hing

Turmeric Powder

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Red chilly powder

Water

Oil for frying

Combine all the ingredients mentioned for the batter (except water) and mix it well. Add water little by little without forming lumps. It should not be too watery. It should be like dosa/bajji batter.

Boil the veggies (Remember to drain the water - do not let the veggies stand in the water after boiling them for too long). Mash them well.

Take a Tsp of oil in a pan. Add the items listed for tempering. Add this to the mashed veggies. Add salt,

red chilly powder, cilantro and lemon juice. Make balls out of it.

Heat enough oil in a pan. Dip the veggie ball inside the batter and drop it in the oil. Take it out when the outer layer is cooked. Drain the excess water. Serve it with ketch up or chutney! Enjoy!

Kunukku (Rice and Dhal Pakoras)

Kunukku is very famous in Tamil Nadu. Not sure whether it is made in other parts of India. It is a nice evening snack in our household. I could not come with a better English name for it....hence simply calling it rice dhal pakoras. My patti used to make this all this time. You can also make Adai with this batter by adding water to it. Adai is made similar to dosas but would rather say it is closer to the way pesarattu looks. I am not a big fan of Adai so patti used to always make kunukku for me. Once my friends had come home for some dance practice for an inter school competition and patti prepared this for everyone and they all enjoyed it. As I write my mouth is watering....will sure make it once again sometime next week!

Ingredients:

2 Cups Raw Rice (you may use par boiled rice too). This time I used Idli Rava since I had this in my pantry
1/2 Cup Toor Dhal (it comes crispier if you add more of this dhal)
1/4 Cup Channa Dhal
1/4 Cup Urad Dhal
6 Red Chillies
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut
Hing
Turmeric Powder
Oil for frying

Soak the rice, red chillies and dhal for around 5 hours. I soaked the dhal and red chillies separately since I used idli rava. If you are using idli rava soak it water just enough for the rava - do not add too much water.

After 5 hours drain the water completely from the rice and dhal. You may also use a colander to remove the excess water. Grind it into a coarse batter.

Add salt, turmeric and hing and mix it well.

Take oil in a pan. After it gets heated drop small dumplings (balls) into the oil. Take it out once it starts turning slightly brown. Drain the excess oil using a kitchen towel. You may also add bell pepper or mint to this batter and make this snack. Serve this yummy crispy snack with chutney or ketch up...I love it "As Is"..
Enjoy!

Rava Idli and Peanut Chutney

As mentioned in my previous posts my family is recovering from bout of cold and related stuff. We have kept ourselves busy by making visits to the Doc and pharmarcies!! We just want to get better and we are looking forward to it. All that said....it was one of the days after our visit to the doc...I did not have much choice and was pretty tired too and with one big goal "to make my son eat" since he was going with out food .. I decided to make the rava idli...I was scared to give it an attempt since that was the first time I was making it and also scared what if it does not turn out well...I would have to make something all over again and keep my family waiting at the table for dinner...but left it to God and ventured to make the idlis.

After all it turned out good...I made sambhar and the peanut chutney (it is always a good hit in our house) to go with it!

Ingredients:
Rava - 2 Cups
Curd - 2 Cups (Back home they use the sour curd to make the idlis...but I some how do not like to use sour curd.)
Carrots - 1 Grated
Tadka - Green chillies, Mustard, Curry leaves, Urad dhal, Channa dhal and Cashews
Onions - 1/2 Cup (optional)
Oil
Salt to taste
Idli Plates

Take a pan and roast the rava with little ghee. (Do roast it for a while even if you use pre-roasted rava)
Before you start mixing the batter. Prepare the tadka and fry the onions for few seconds and add it to the rava.
You may use the raw grated carrots...but since my son may not feel comfortable that way. I microwave the grated carrots for couple of minutes before using it in idlis.
To the rava add the curd and salt.

I learnt from my folks that we need to make the idlis then and there and it should not be allowed to stand in the curd for a long period of time. It yields 16 idlis.
Grease the plates and add the carrots (you may alternatively add it to the dough too) and steam the idlis...serve it with sambhar or chutney of your choice..

Peanut Chutney

Dry roast  Peanuts with skin (about a handful).. and 1 1/2 red chillies I always made it without the skin but recently my friend passed me the tip of making the peanut chutney with the skin...indeed it tastes better!  and grind it well with water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve it with idlis.