Sambar Vada

Sambar Vada

Sambar vada is served in restaurants and tiffin stalls. It can be served along with breakfast or as a snack.Uzhunnu vada soaked in sambar is an absolute comfort food and represents the simple and homely flavors of South Indian breakfast. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
For the vada
Urad Dal/Black lentil skinless- 1 cup
Ginger finely chopped- 1 inch thick
Curry leaves finely chopped- 1 spring
Whole black pepper-a few
salt to taste
Oil- 2 cup to fry

For the Sambar
Toor Dal/sambar parippu- 1/2 cup
Pearl onions- a few
Tomato-1
Tamarind one lemon sized
Chilly powder- 1  tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Sambar powder- 1 tsp
Fenugreek powder- 1/3 tsp
Asafoetida- 1/3 tsp
Mustard seeds
Dry red chilly- 2
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

To make the sambar
Wash Toor dal/sambar parippu and cook with enough water in pressure cooker. After 3-4 whistles remove the lid and mash the dal.
Add pearl onions, chopped tomato,turmeric powder and salt. Add one more cup of water if necessary and close the lid. Cook till it is soft.Add all the powders and pour thick tamarind pulp. Bring this to a boil and finally add coriander leaves and asafoetida.
In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add one tsp of chopped onion and saute. Fry red chilly and curry leaves and add this to the curry and mix well.Keep this aside

To make vada
Wash and soak urad dal for about 4-5 hours.
Drain and using a food processor or mixer  make this into a smooth thick batter.
 Add  chopped ginger, curry leaves and whole black pepper. Mix in salt and keep this aside for about 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. Take a lemon sized portion of the batter mixture and shaped into a  ball and then press a finger in through the middle to  make a depression in the center. Drop into hot oil and fry in medium flame till both sides turns golden brown.Drain into paper towels.
To serve take two vadas in a bowl and pour sambar on top. Allow it to soak for a few minutes and serve.

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Tandoori Prawns

Tandoori Prawns

Tandoori marinade is spicy and zesty with an amazing smoky flavor. This marinade goes well with  chicken ,fish, prawns and veggies like cauliflower. Grilled prawns is a tempting delicacy.Traditionally these are made in tandoor oven but you can grill them or pan fry. Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Prawns large sized- 10-12
Kashmiri chili powder- 1 1/2 tbs
Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Ginger- garlic paste- 1 tsp
Gram flour- 1 1/2  tsp
Cumin powder- a pinch
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Yogurt (hung)- 2 tbs
Kasoori methi powder-a  pinch
Lemon juice- a few drops
Mint leaves- 3-4
Mustard oil- 1 tbs

Use a sharp kitchen scissors to trim off the legs, antennae and the sharp point at the top of the head.Keep the head and shell intact.Make a cut just near the head and the body and pull out the vein. Insert a tooth pick to retain the shape and avoid curling.

Whisk yogurt and gram flour into a smooth paste.Mix all the rest of the ingredients listed including the mustard oil,finely chopped mint leaves and marinate the prawns and keep refrigerated for at least least two hours .
Heat  a grill pan and spray with cooking oil.Place the prawns and cook three minutes on each side or until crispy. If you are using bamboo skewers thread three to four in each and lay flat on the pan. When one side is crispy,turn to the other side. Serve with lemon wedges.

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy..

Nadan Vaala Meen Curry/BeltFish Curry

Nadan Vaala Meen Curry

This is a nadan style fish curry. It is my grandmothers recipe. When ever she gets vaala meen/ribbon fish/belt fish she makes a similar curry . This is a varutharacha meen curry/roasted coconut gravy. You can also make it without roasting the masala. But the roasting gives a distinct aroma and enhances the taste of the curry. You can add regular tamarind as souring agent or fish tamarind/kudampuli. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients

Vaala meen- 1 kg
Pearl onion- 2 cup (roughly chopped)
Dry Kashmiri red chilly-12-15
Coconut grated- 1 cup
Thondan mulaku/banana peppers-2
Ginger- 1/2 inch thick
Muringakka/drumstick- 10-12 pieces
Kudampuli/Malabar Tamarind- 3 pieces
(or tamarind lemon sized ball)
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Mustard- 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 spring
oil and salt to taste

Clean the fish, sprinkle salt on a broad and a rub the fish  with salt. Rinse and cut into small pieces. Soak kudam puli/ Malabar tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water and set aside.
Heat two tsp of oil and  roast  dry red chilly and coconut for 5-6 minutes till the coconut turns  brown. Into this add the chopped pearl onions and saute till it turns translucent. Allow this to cool and then make a fine paste.
In a heavy bottom pan add the ground paste,soaked kudampuli, banana pepper/thondan mulaku, drumstick,ginger,crushed curry leaves and 2 cups of  water. Mix well and allow this gravy to boil. Slide in the fish pieces, cover and cook high flame for three minutes. Remove the lid and simmer in low flame for another 15 minutes or till the gravy thickens.
In a heavy bottom pan heat oil and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters add chopped onions and curry leaves. Pour this over the fish curry. Serve with rice.

You might also like,
Kozhikodan Ayala Mulakittathu
Kerala Meen Mulaku Curry
Karimeen Molly
Spicy Tomato Fish Curry
Mathi Adukkiyathu/ Chilly Sardine
Pepper Sardine

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Maa Ladoo/Maladu/Pottukadalai Laddu

Maa Ladoo/Maladu/Pottukadala Laddu

Maa ladoo is a delicious and quick sweet with  pottukadalai/roasted gram/chutney dal. It is a quick no fuss recipe and is usually made on special occasions like Diwali. It involves little cooking and can be made in a jiffy. Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Pottukadala/roasted gram- 1 1/2 cup
Sugar- 3/4 to1 cup
Ghee- 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts- 1/4 cup chopped

Heat a pan and dry roast the pottukadala in low flame till there is a nice flavor. Do not allow it to change color. Roasting is optional,but it enhances the flavor.

When it slightly cools down make it into a fine powder using a mixer. Sieve the pottu kadala powder and keep aside. In the same way powder the sugar,cardamon and sieve.

In the bowl add the powders. Heat ghee in a pan and add the chopped cashew nut and roast for a minute. Add the hot melted ghee into the pottukadala sugar mixture and mix well with your hands. At this stage it will resemble course sand. Make ball when it is warm other wise it is difficult to form shape. Take hand full of the mixture, press and roll into smalls balls. Allow to cool and serve.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!

Farm To Feast Dinner - Taliesin

I just love this time of year in Wisconsin!  So many fun things going on all summer long.  Like yesterday, we went to a Farm to Feast Dinner at the Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin.  Taliesin is an 800 acre estate located in Spring Green.  The property has seven buildings that span decades of Wrights career, 1887-1959.  A guided walking tour was provided.  Our guide Jill filled us in about the property, buildings and shared with us a little history about Frank Lloyd Wright.  The property is still used for the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.  There are only about 25 students and they live and study right on the property.  It was fascinating and now I want to go back and take the tour of the Wright's main house.

After the tour we got to listen to the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra string quartet while enjoying some delicious appetizers along with some local wine and beer.  What a wonderful event!  The weather was perfect, the Taliesin setting for the dinner was beautiful,  spending time with friends, Tony and Margaret, is always great and the food was amazing.  The featured Chef was Michael Pruett from Cento, one of our favorite restaurants in Madison.  He was one of the reasons we got tickets for this event because we knew we'd be in for a treat.  He did not disappoint!

Margaret, Tony, Dawn (me) and Kevin

Jill (tour guide)

Salumi & Cheese

Buratta & Tomato

Mini BBQ Pork Sliders

Cured Salmon Cones

Chef Pruett 

The meal was paired with wines from Botham Vineyards and beers from WI Brewing Company,  Vintage Brewing Company and One Barrel Brewery.

Wine Poached Beets, Goat Cheese, Hazelnut Soil

Ricotta Agnolotti, Pea, Mint & Summer Truffle

Pistachio Crusted Lamb, Carrot Puree, Roasted Vegetables, Bordelaise Sauce

(Batch Bakery) Cherry & Franipane Galettes (pictured) & Blueberry lemon Cream Cheese Galettes and Sassy Cow Ice Cream 

Thanks to Madison Magazine, the Sponsors, Chef Pruett and all the volunteers!   It was a perfect Wisconsin Summer Day!

One more shout out, thanks to Badger Bus for the transportation to Spring Green!

Vazhuthananga Varuthathu/Crispy Eggplant Fry

Vazhuthananga Varuthathu/Crispy Eggplant Fry

Aubergine/eggplant fry is quick and easy side dish that goes well with rice and sambar/rasam. Eggplant is a wonderful vegetable but I like it best when fried. Are you a fan of eggplant fry? Eggplant sometimes tastes bitter and soggy when fried.Adding salt and keeping aside for a few minutes will release the water from the eggplant making it perfect for crispy fries. Earlier I shared another version of breaded eggplant fry that can be served as an appetizer. This is a home style crispy fry. Try this you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Egg plant- 1
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3tsp
Pepper powder -1/4 tsp
Fenugreek powder- a pinch
Cumin powder- a pinch
Garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
Rice flour- 2 tsp
Potato starch- 2 tbs
(or a combination of rice flour and corn starch)
Lemon juice- 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
oil for frying

Cut eggplant into half inch thick round pieces and sprinkle a little salt after let it rest for 3-4 minutes. Place them on  paper towel and gently press down and take off the excess water.
Make a paste of chilly powder, turmeric powder,pepper powder, cumin powder, fenugreek powder, garlic paste,lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Spread this paste as a thin coating on the eggplant.
 In a bowl mix rice flour and potato starch.Take the eggplant pieces one by one and roll them in this flour and set aside for five minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the eggplant till both sides are crispy. Drain to paper towels. Serve with rice.

You might also like
Vazhuthananga Theeyal
Spicy Eggplant Masala Fry
Mediterranean Spicy Stuffed Eggplant 
Pavakka Varuthathu/Bitter Gourd Fry
Chena Varuthathu/Yam Fry

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!

Chicken Croquettes

Chicken Croquettes

Chicken croquettes are tempting delicacy that can be served as fun finger foods in kids parties or as an appetizer/ snacks. It is deep fried breaded meat patties. You can make it with left over chicken,meat,fish or potatoes.Along with chicken/meat Béchamel sauce/white sauce is added to this recipe. This sauce is a mixture of butter,flour and milk.This recipe will make around twelve to fourteen croquettes. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it.

Ingredients

Chicken- 1 lb

Onion- 1 small

Garlic 2 cloves

Pepper powder-to taste

salt to taste

Ground thyme- a pinch
Ground nutmeg and clove- a pinch

Chopped parsley- 2 tsp

Lemon juice-a few drops

For the white sauce

Milk/3/4 cup

Cream-1/4 cup
Butter-  3 tbs
Chicken stock - 1/4 cup (optional)
All purpose flour- 3 tsp

Bread Crumbs- 3/4 cup

Egg whites- 2
Flour- 1/2 cup

Oil for frying

To make the sauce,heat a pan and add butter, when it melts add the flour and cook the butter and flour in low flame, till the raw flavor disappears and  the flour changes color. Do not allow it to brown up. Add chicken stock, milk and cream and whisk till it thickens to sauce consistency. Switch off the flame.

Cook chicken along with salt and pepper powder. You can also use left over cooked chicken.Once cool add  chicken,white sauce,onion, garlic,lemon juice,ground thyme,nutmeg and clove ,chopped parsley into a food processor. Process till it turns into a course and crumbly mixture. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Beat egg whites in a bowl. Spread bread crumbs on a plate and flour in another plate.

Take the chicken mixture and make small balls and using your palm flatten into patties. Dip first into flour and then in egg whites and then roll on bread crumbs and set aside for another ten minutes. You can put it back in the fridge till you are ready to fry.
Heat one and half cup of oil in a pan. Fry 4 to five croquettes at a time. Fry for 3-4 minutes or  till both sides are evenly brown. Serve with  mashed potatoes, vegetables, cream sauce/aioli sauce or any sauce of your choice.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy!