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!

Beans Paruppu Usili

I guess paruppu usili is unheard of in any other place other than Tamil Nadu. I am not sure whether this dish is made in any other part of India....whenever I used to take this to work..everyone used to wonder whether  it was made mixing besan with the vegetables and after tasting it they say....it does not taste like besan at all!! Everyone loves this....in our house everyone is a fan of this. This way of preparing the vegetable is part of every occasion be it marriage, seemantham, ayushhomam!!

Traditionally people use lot of oil to make this crispy and roasted. But I try to make it the healthier way! This base paruppu usili can be mixed with any of these vegetables Capsicum (bell pepper), Cabbage, Beans,  Kothavarankai (Cluster Beans) etc. This goes well with vetha kuyambu.

You may even make this usili and store it in refrigerator for future use...it comes in handy.

Ingredients

For making paruppu usili:

Toor Dhal 3/4th Cup
Channa Dhal 1/4th Cup
Red Chillies 3
Salt ot taste

Tempering
Mustard, Urad Dhal, Hing, Curry Leaves, Turmeric

Any vegetable as mentioned above - I used beans

Soak the dhal in enough water for couple of hours along with the red chillies. Grind it without the water into a  coarse form.
Steam it in a shallow vessel in a cooker upto 2 whisltes.
After the presurre is released. Take a pan and heat the oil. Add the items listed for tadka (tempering).
If the paruppu usili that has been steamed is slightly in the form of lumps. Try to loosen the lumps with your hands.
Add this to the pan and saute it. Add Salt. You may cool it and store in zip loc boxes in the freezer section (whenever you are making it....do a little bit more since it is the same effort and store the extra in the freezer it comes in very handy). If you are planning to use the same day. Make the beans vegetable separately the way you make it and mix this paruppu usili to it.  The yummy beans paruppu usili is ready to be served...i just to mix it with rice and ghee and eat it!! Enjoy!!