Corn Fritter/Vada

It’s an easiest and tastiest fritter. It’s a perfect tea time snacks. Kids will addict with this fritter. Its best evening snack when it’s more crisp on the outside and inside with soft and flavors.
 
It works well as a starter. This is simple to make and delicious. Hope you will enjoy with this corn fritter at your snack time.

Ingredients
Corn Kernels - 1 ½ cups
Chana Dal – ½ cup
Chopped Onion – 1 (big)
Green Chillies – 3
Red Chilli - 2
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
Corn Flour – 3 tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves – ½ cup
Chopped Mint Leaves – 5 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Method
Soak chana dal in hot water for at least an hour. Keep ready all the ingredients to prepare this tasty vada.
Grind the corn kernels (1 cup) and the soaked and drained chana dal, green chillies, red chilli (optional), fennel seeds and ginger to a coarse paste adding little water.
Boil ½ cup of sweet corn and keep aside in a bowl. Then transfer this vada mix, add chopped onions, corn flour, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and cumin seeds, salt and mix well.
Form lemon sized balls with the mixture. Flatten it on your palm to make a patti shape.
Prepare patties with rest of the mixture. Keep ready to fry all the patties. If you wish you can refrigerate another 10 min in this stage.
In a pan, heat oil. Once it’s hot, reduce the flame to medium and carefully place the patties in the oil and fry them on both sides to golden brown color.
Server hot corn fritter with coconut chutney or tomato sauce.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

This is a traditional south Indian recipe. It’s such a great combination with steamed rice. But it takes time to prepare this dish. 

So I hope we can make this special kuzhambu on week ends. I have added urundai directly to kuzhambu, if you wish you can make and boil the urundai using steamer then add into kuzhambu.

Though it might seem to be a lengthy process, the taste of this kuzhambu is actually very super and great tastes. It goes well with hot steamed rice/ idli / dosa…

Ingredients

(For paruppu Urundai)

Toor Dal – ½ cup

Channa Dal – ¼ cup

Dry Red Chilli – 8

Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp

Chopped Small Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Ginger – 3 tsp

Chopped Garlic – 2 tsp

Chopped Coriander Leaves – ½ cup

Salt to taste

(For Kuzhambu)

Vengaya vadagam – ½ tsp

Red chilli - 2

Small Onions – ½ cup

Tamarind – lemon sized ball

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Curry Leaves – few

Sesame Oil – 3 tsp

Chopped Tomatoes – 1

Coconut Paste – ¼ cup

Salt to taste

(For Coconut Paste)

Grated Coconut – ¼ cup

Small Onions – 5

Fennel Seeds – ½ tsp

Method

Soak lemon sized tamarind in ¼ cup water, extract juice and keep aside. Soak dals, red chilli and fennel seeds in water for about 2 to 3 hours.

Then drain water from the dals and grind it as a semi coarse mixture. Don’t add water while grinding. Then keep aside in a separate bowl.

Then add chopped ginger, garlic, small onions, curry leaves and coriander leaves with required salt and mix it well.

Make lemon sized balls out of it and keep aside. It should be in right consistency.

In a blender all add ingredients under “for coconut paste “and grind it as fine paste.

Heat oil in a kadai, add vengaya vadagam and red chilli fry for 10 seconds, and then add curry leaves and small onions. Then fry well.

Now add chopped tomatoes keep fry till it becomes mushy. Add 4 cups of water with chilli and coriander powder and allow it to boil.

Once the water starts boiling, add tamarind juice and keep cook on a low flame.

Once it done, add the paruppu urundai one by one carefully. Then allow it to get cooked, don’t disturb that until it cooked very well.

Once the balls are cooked it, then add coconut paste and mix well. Now let the gravy thicken and boil for few minutes until oil separates.

Keep cooking on simmer for another 4 minutes, and then switch off the flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice!!!

Egg Fritter / Pakora

It's a easy and tasty appetizer / snack. This dish makes the evening wonderful when served with hot tea/coffee. Children's will love it. It also goes well with main dish like fried rice/ biryani/ pulav/ kuzhambu / rasam or curd rice...

 Ingredients

Eggs - 2

Finely Chopped Onions – 1 cup (Big)

Potatoes – 2 (Boiled and Mashed)

Besan (Gram Flour) – 5 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Fennel (Sombu) Powder – ½ tsp

Chilli Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder – ½ tsp

Chopped Ginger & Garlic – 2 tsp

Chopped Coriander Leaves – ½ cup

Salt as per taste

Method

In a big bowl, break the eggs and pour the contents. Add all other the ingredients to this egg. Whisk the mixture properly with the help of egg beater or spoon.

In a pan, heat oil. When it is hot take a full tsp of the egg mixture and pours it in the oil.

Fry the pakoras on a medium flame, till it turns golden brown in color.

Once done, transfer the pakoras to a plate and keep it aside.

Serve hot egg fritters with tomato ketchup or ranch...

Chickpeas Green Peas Curry

It’s a great and healthy dish which goes well with any steamed rice / tamarind rice / lemon rice/ curd rice / chapatti…

Chickpeas are an excellent source of the essential nutrients such as iron, protein and dietary fibre.

Green Peas are starchy but high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and proteins. You can use this curry to prepare bread sandwich.  Here is the recipe to make this curry…

Ingredients

Soaked Chickpeas – 1 cup

Soaked Green Peas – 1 cup

Chopped Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Ginger & Garlic – 2 tsp

Chopped Tomatoes – ½ cup

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander Powder – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Chopped Coriander Leaves - few

Salt to taste

(To Grind)

Grated Coconut – ¼ cup

Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp

Ginger – 1 inch piece

(To Temper)

Cinnamon – 2 sticks

Cardamom – 1

Fennel Seeds – ¼ tsp

Bay Leaf – 1

Curry Leaves – few

Oil – 2 tsp

Method

Wash and soak both chickpeas and green peas through overnight. Then pressure cooks it till it becomes soft or 3 whistles.

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil then add chopped ginger garlic and add chopped onions fry until it become mushy.

Now add chopped tomatoes and fry well. Add chill powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Then add ½ cup of water, close the lid and keep cook for another 3 minutes.

Then add boiled chickpeas and green peas into it. Keep cook for about 5 min. In meanwhile, take a blender and grind the ingredients which are mentioned below “to grind”.

Add this coconut masala into chickpea curry. Mix well with coriander leaves.

In a pan, heat another tsp of oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, fennel seeds and curry leaves fry for a min.

Then add this into curry. Mix well. Switch off the flame.

It’s time to serve this curry with hot steamed rice.

Cucumber Carrot Raita

It is a simple and easy raita which can be served as biryani / pulav/ fried rice/ parato… This is a cooling, healthy and delicious raita that makes a perfect accompaniment to any Indian meal. You can make it ahead and keep in refrigerator till you are ready to serve. I have added fried nuts. It gives great taste.

Ingredients

Cucumber - 2 (Large)

Carrot – 3 (Medium)

Red Onion – 1

Curd (or) Yogurt – 2 cups

Black Pepper Powder – 1 ½ tsp

Fried Cashews & Dry Grapes – 3 tsp

Salt to Taste

Lemon Juice – 2 tsp

Chopped Coriander Leaves – few

Chopped Green Chilli – 3

Method

Wash all the vegetables and fine chop them and keep aside in a medium sized bowl.

Then add green chilli, coriander and mix it well. Now add pepper powder and salt.

Then add 2 tsp of lemon juice, mix well. In a separate bowl take 2 cups of curd and beat well with little salt and pepper powder.

Then add the beaten curd into chopped cucumber mix. Then add chopped coriander leaves.

Finally add the fried cashew and raisin into it. Your colorful raita is ready to serve with Briyani!!! 

Shahi Aloo Biryani

Briyani is one of the most favorite dishes in our household. The taste of aloo and the fragrance of spices used to make this dish as very well. This goes well with onion raita, papad or any chicken/egg fry.

Ingredients

(For Rice)

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Ghee – 2 tsp

Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 4

Black Pepper – 4

Salt to taste

(For Aloo Masala)

Sliced Onions – 2 cup

Halved Green Chilli – 4

Oil – 2 tsp

Cloves – 2

Black Pepper – 4

Cinnamon Stick – 2

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Saffron – 1 tsp

Cubed Potato – 2 cups

Chopped Coriander – ¼ cup

Chopped Mint Leaves – ¼ cup

Salt to taste

(For Garnishing)

Fried nuts & Grapes – ¼ cup

Ghee – 2 tsp

Coriander Leaves – few

Method

Wash the rice. Heat ghee in a pan; add cloves, cardamom, and black pepper. Then fry for a minute.

Add the rice, with cups of water and salt. Cook till the rice is 3 by 4th done. Switch off the pan and keep aside.

Wash and cut the potatoes into cubes. Heat oil in a pan; add cloves, cardamom, black pepper and cinnamon sticks.

Cook for a minute. Then add onions and green chilli. Fry till onions get mushy.

Then add ginger garlic paste, coriander and mint leaves and fry for about 2 to 3 min.

Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, saffron, turmeric powder and salt. Fry for 3 minutes.

Sprinkle water if it is needed. Add potatoes and cover the pan and cook till they are done.

Remove the cover and fry the onions till all the water has reduced. Add chopped coriander leaves.

Heat 1 tsp of ghee, fry dry nuts and grapes. This will give nice taste to this dish.

In a pan, add a layer of 1/3 rd rice. Top it with half on the potato masala. In another layer, apply 1/3 rd of rice.

Then top it with remaining potato masala. Finally top the masala with the remaining rice.

Cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes. Once it done, sprinkle saffron, milk, mint, and coriander on top.

Serve hot with onion raita.