Padma's Recipes: 4/1/11

26 ONION (VENGAYA) VADAGAM

Onion(Vengaya) Vadams/Vadagams/Vadiyalu/Vathal/Sandige/Fryums

Summer time is the right and best time to prepare all the sun dried vadagams at home and store it for almost a year. My mom and grandma used to wake up very early in the morning and start preparing the dough/ mix for making the vadagams and with some help from a maid start pouring/ dropping the mix to sun dry on top of our terrace before the sun comes out or else it will be very difficult to stay out and work.

At my house like many other houses vadagams are fully home made and prepared and stored for a year. Now my mom does make vadagams for all her 3 children and sends it every year without fail. So she tries to do each of vadagams at a time so that she can pass it all 3 of us that includes my sister, me and brother who all live in US. Though our lunch consists of rice, veggie and some dhal and curries, a small fried portion of some vadagams goes best with all and nothing tastes more good than home made ones. All types of vadagams prepared at home are a great hit at my home among relatives and friends. This recipe is direct from my mom. This summer want to post some preserves/powders and fryums one by one as much possible.

Starting with my first post on vadagams, I want to post our family favourite Onion Vadagam. This vadagam is so tasty that you feel like having with any type of dhal or curries daily.
Though this vadagam is made with urad dhal, it is called as Vengaya( onion) Vadagam.

Urad dhal/Uddi pappu/Uddina bele/ Ulundhu - 1 tumbler(glass or apporx 1 1/2 cups)
Onion(sambar/pearl/small onions) - 1/2 KG ( Peeled and chopped fine)
Green Chillie - 50 Gms( chopped fine)
Curry Leaves - Few sprigs chopped fine
Asafoetida/Hing/Perungayam - 1 tbsp
Methi/Fenugreek Seeds/ Menthya/Menthi/Vendhayam - 1 tsp
Salt as needed

Wash and soaK Urad dhal along with methi seeds for 2 hours. Later drain the water and grind to a thick paste. Note the paste has to be very thick. Remove and transfer to a big mixing bowl. To it add chopped onion, curry leaves, green chillies, asafoetida and salt. Mix well.

Spread a cloth preferably a saree( grandma says synthetic works best). Have an other bowl with water.

Start taking some mix in hands between your palm and fingers and drop a small portion in the saree and repeat the same leaving a small gap between each. If the mix sticks to your hand, then dip your hands in the water and wet and start preparing the vadagams until you are done with the mix. Sun dry for at least 2 days. At the end of the second day remove the dried vadagams one by one carefully. Third day spread it in a big plate or cloth and sun dry until it is completely dry or dry it again for another day. Remove and store it in a air tight container.

For frying:-
Heat oil for deep frying. The oil should be hot and not piping hot like frying other vadagams. Once hot reduce flame and start adding in small batches that has to be fried as and when required. Carefuly fry till nice brown and again make sure the oil is not very hot or it will make the onion vadagams to turn black in few seconds and turn bitter. The slower the heat and the nice color tastes good.

31 ALMOND / BADAM KATLI

Almond / Badam Katli Version 1

Posting a sweet dish for my Son's(Younger One) Birthday today. I have already posted Kaju Katli that I made last year for his Birthday and this year I am posting another sweet with Badam. The step and procedure to make is the same as Kaju/Cashew Katli. Though I make this sweet very often I had not clicked and posted it till now. When I asked him what sweet he wants for the day, he happily replied Diamond sweet as he calls this Katli and I knew this would be his answer.

This version of mine is very simple and so easy as 123 to prepare that no one can go wrong. Best to prepare with silvered almonds or almond powder.

Silvered Almonds/Badam - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 - 3 tbsp

For rolling:-
Parchment Paper
Rolling Pin

In a pan/kadai dry roast almonds for 3 - 4 minutes without discoloring. Remove and cool completely. Add the sugar in a mixie/blender and run for few seconds till they powder fine. Keep aside. Next add the roasted almonds and powder as fine as possible. Next add the sugar to the same and run the mixie for few more seconds so that they both get mixed well.

Heat the same pan in medium flame. Add the ghee and before it changes its color pour in the powdered ingredients. Keep turning around with a spatula so it gets cooked and a soft dough like paste consistency is formed. If the dry ingredients are still too dry then add few tbsp of water and keep stirring so it does not stick and cook till it leaves out the side. Immediately transfer to a parchment. Place it in the middle and cover into half. Using a rolling pin roll as thin as possible. Open one of the side and with a knife cut into as shape needed. Wait till it cools down a bit and store it. The unshaped ones you can place back in the same pan with a tsp of water and stir again to get a soft paste and follow the same procedure.

Note can add few drops of any flavor/essence like rose or almond to enhance the flavor. Store and enjoy your home made Badam/Katlis.

20 SCHEZWAN IDLI

Schezwan Idli

An other interesting recipe using leftover idlis in Chinese style. Can be had as a meal or snack. This is a slight variation of Idli Manchurian recipe. The addition of schezwan sauce added so much taste and with the all the veggies is very filling.

Idlis - 8 - 10
Onion - small sliced
Capscium - 2 sliced thin
Green Onions - choped 4 tbsp
Cabbage - sliced or grated - 1 cup
Carrot - 1 grated or sliced very thin
Ginger Garlic sauce - 1 tbsp
Chings Schezwan Sauce - 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp
Soya sauce/All purpose sauce or Tomato chilli sauce - 1/2 tbsp
Salt as needed
Oil

Cut each idli into 6 pieces. Shallow fry in oil till golden brown and keep aside.( Frying gives a good taste, if not can just toast on tawa or spray some oil in a aluminium foil and broil it for few minutes in the oven).

Heat 3 tsp of oil( can use sesame seeds oil or olive oil) and add onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes and add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute till raw smell leaves. Next add chopped capsicum and saute for 3- 4 minutes and add chopped cabbage and carrot. Fry everything till they are cooked but yet firm and not mushy. Finally add chopped green onions and saute once and then followed by the sauces preferred. Mix well and add salt and the fried idlis. Mix well and serve.

In case you don't have store bought schezwan sauce, then can try making some at home by grinding few red chillies, salt, garlic cloves and vinegar to a fine paste.

15 VEGETABLE PIZZA - With Spinach Puree and White Wheat Pastry Flour

Vegetable Pizza - Indianised version of pizza with a twist by adding spinach puree to prepare the pizza dough and also using White whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular flour(whole wheat flour or all purpose flour).

White whole wheat pastry flour is very different from whole wheat flour. It can be used to make pies, cookies and other sweet or savory pastries.

White Whole Wheat pastry Flour - 5 cups
Spinach leaves - 1 pack ( 2 bunch)
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Rapid Rise Yeast - 1 pack
Garlic - 10 cloves/flakes
Salt

For the toppings:-

Pizza Sauce( Marinara Sauce)
Cheese (pizza cheese/mozarella)
Oregano Leaves(optional)
Chopped red onion, chopped mushroom, deseeded and chopped tomatoes, chopped capsicum, chopped jalapeno, chopped pine apple, chopped olives( use toppings as desired)

Grind spinach with cumin seeds and garlic to a fine paste. Warm milk ( in a microwave for 45 seconds or on stove top for few seconds).
In a large bowl sift in flour, yeast and salt. Add in spinach puree and milk and mix well and prepare a soft dough. Add a tbsp of olive oil and knead well. Cover and set it aside for 3 - 4 hours.

Set the oven to broil( or to 450 degrees)

Divide the dough and roll each one on a pizza sheet/stone by applying olive oil.

If cooking on broil then place the pizza sheet/stone with the rolled dough and cook on broil for 4 - 6 minutes. So that the one side is cooked. Remove and cool. Turn the side and on the top side spread some pizza sauce evenly. Next spread all the desired veggies and cover it with cheese.Sprinkle some Dried oregano leaves. Cook on broil for another 8 - 10 minutes. Remove, cut and serve.

If not cooking using broil method then preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the prepared dough with all the toppings and cook for 12 - 15 minutes. Remove and serve.

Makes 2 large pizzas.
Note: Recipe shared in by my sister Vimala.

17 JONNA PINDI (SORGHUM FLOUR) UPMA

Jonna Pindi / Cholam Maavu/ Sorghum Flour / Jowar Flour Upma/ Uppittu

Jonna is also known as Milo and very low in gluten. This is an other interesting recipe using sorghum flour. Is a very healthy and tasty dish for breakfast. Try this out if you are tired of making upma with rawa, semiya, puha or anything else for a change and definitely you will love it and will start making it again and again.

Sorghum Flour(Jonna Pindi) - 2 cups
Onion - 1 large or 2 medium chopped
Green Chillies - 5 or 6 slit long( as spice needed)
Ginger - 1 inch grated or chopped fine
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt as needed
Coriander leaves - some chopped

Dry roast sorghum flour in a pan until you get a nice aroma for 3- 4 minutes or you can take the flour in a microwavable container and keep in the microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves. ( Can also add a pinch of hing and a tbsp of channa dhal). Wait till it splutters and add chopped onion. Fry till tansculent and add slit green chillies and ginger. Fry everything till onions are golden brown. ( can also add some salt for the onions). Next add water in the ratio of 1:2 . So for 2 cups of flour add 4 cups of water. Allow it to boil and bubble up. Then add the flour and let it alone without mixing or stirring for 4 - 5 minutes until the flour is cooked. Do not cover the pan ( or you can close halfway with a lid). Next hold the pan/vessel and with the spatula or a wooden spoon/ladle mix well evenly and allow it cook in low flame for another few minutes. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve with pickle or chutney.

Can use some broken red chillies instead of green chillies.

Sending this entry to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

38 KAAYI(COCONUT) OBBATTU / HOLIGE

Kaayi Obbattu / Holige - Thengai Boli ( Coconut and Jaggery Stuffed Sweet Flat Bread).

I have already mentioned about this obbattu in some of my posts and it is one of my favourite among all obbattus. Love the soft filling inside and the most important the shelf life of this obbattu is more than any other dhal obbattu. You can keep outside in normal temparature for 3 - 4 days and many days in a refrigerator. Long back when I was working in Bangalore my home town there was a store in Jayanagar which
was very close to my working place and me along with my friends used to get some packets and eat to satisfy ourselves.

Since I love this a lot, I always make sure that I get it freshly made at home and bring it back with me from my trip to India back to US. My mother will be busy with me in packing things and final shopping so my neighbour/tenant aunty does this for me.

For the outer cover:-

Fine sooji/ Rawa/Chiroti Rawa/ Semolina - 1 1/4 cup
Maida/ All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup
Salt for taste
Turmeric powder - very little
Oil - 5 - 6 spoon

For the filling/poorna:-
Jaggery - 2 1/2 cups
Coconut( grated) - 2 1/2 cups
Cardamom powder - 2 pinch
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Additional :-
Poppy seeds - few tsp
Ghee for frying
Plastic sheets/banana leaf / holige paper for rolling/pressing

In a bow mix rawa and maida with salt and turmeric. Add water and oil and mix into a very soft dough. The consistency should be very loose than chapathi dough. When pressed it should just go very easily. Then comes the kneading part, the more you press with your fist and palm the more softer dough you get. So keep on doing this and add another spoon of oil and cover and keep aside. When tired give some time and
repeat the step. I remember my neighbour pound the dough in a stone mortal and hitting it with a pounding stone. This makes the dough very very soft and easy to roll and tastier to eat.

In a different vessel add jaggery and melt it with a cup of water and heat it till it just melts. Remove and strain the syrup and place back the syrup and heat it up. Add grated coconut( can use frozen coconut, first thaw and if the flakes are thick/big then run once in a mixer and remove) and keep on mixing until all the moisture has left and thick enough to hold in hands and make balls. Note once cool the mixture
does become lightly harder so keep this in mind. Add poppy seeds and cardamom powder. Allow it to cool.

First prepare balls for the cover and the filling: Note that the cover has to be slightly smaller than the filling(One round smaller than the filling that is the saying).

Apply oil to the rolling sheet. Take a ball for the outer layer and press and pull the corner ends. Note leave the middle part intact and it has to thicker inside. Place a ball of filling and cover the filling with the pulled layers so there is no gap. Add few pinches of poppy seeds on top and below the balls.

Start pressing with your fingers as thin as possible. Some tip keep pressing with one hand and with the other hand rotate the rolling sheet in opposite direction so that you r hands stay intact and it is pressed evenly. This way you get a perfect shape and a thin obbattu. An other way to roll is place another plastic sheet on top and with a rolling pin press as thin as possible.