4 JONNA UNDRALLU / SORGHUM FLOUR MINI BALLS

JOnna Undrallu / Cholam Mani or Ammini Kozhukattai/ Sorghum Flour Mini savory Balls

 

I was away from blog for many months. Though was clicking some pictures, I was not updating. May be as I had a very busy summer with house full of guests for 2 months around a dozen :D.  After everyone left I felt  very lazy to kick start to post when one day I saw Priya’s status in FB asking to join the Sunday brunch event. Without any thought I just replied that I am in as it was the best time to wake up my blog and also to join in an event.  When I was looking at my pictures as what to post an idea came up to post an appropriate one for the festival. We usually make this undrallu very often for snack and also with many twists loved by all. It is very easy and also very healthy. Try it out for a change and you will not be disappointed.

 

Jowar Flour/ Sorghum Flour – 1 cup

Salt – as needed

Oil – 2 tsp( preferably gingelly oil)

Mustard seeds -  very little

Urad dhal – very little

Asafoetida – 2 pinch

Red Chillies – 3 or 4 broken

Curry leaves - few

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

Take a bowl  with the flour, add salt and a tsp of oil. Mix well and slowly add hot water and make a soft dough. It should not be very had or very watery. When pressed with your fingers/fist it should nost stick but easily go in. Apply a drop of oil in your palm and pinch a piece of dough and make small balls, as small as you can so that it will cook easily and also very easy to bite. Prepare balls with all the dough and place in a steaming plate and steam for 15 mts in a pressure pan without weight or in a idli cooker or anything else that you steam with. Remove and keep aside.

Heat remaining oil in a pan and when hot add mustard seeds, urad dhal and asafoetida . When it splutters up add broken red chilies and curry leaves. Stir once or twice and add in steamed balls and grated coconut. Mix well and serve. Can have this as a meal or snack.

Sending this to Sunday Brunch event started by Veena and Priya

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22 TOOR DHAL PAKODA - Celebrating 4 years of Blogging

Hope everyone had a nice break for Thanksgiving. Mine went very well, Kids had break from Wednesday which kept me extra busy at home and then we went out of town for couple of days. Visited some parts of Chicago and then a short visit to Wisconsin and then reached back late night yesterday. Only in the morning I realised that my blog reached 4 years and today I had to post something at least to make this special for my BLOG. Checked my drafts and thought this toor dhal pakoda would be appropriate as it is very very simple and easy to make. This tastes so good, soft inside and crisp outside. Will make a perfect snack in the evening with a cup or tea or coffee.


 

Today my blog reached 4 years. To celebrate my 4 years of blogging I am posting a very simple pakoda. On this day I would like to Thank all my Family members, Friends and Readers for supporting me in all possible ways and keep me posting more. With your continous support I was able to post today. Though I had a long break very recently and this is my first recipe post after that. I hope you all will support me in the way as you did before.

 
Ingredients to make toor dhal pakoda:-

Toor dhal/Tuval dhal( Tuvaram paruppu/ Kandi pappu/ Togari bele) - 1 cup
Onion - 1  chopped fine
Red chillies - 4 or 5
Curry leaves - few sprigs chopped roughly
Ginger - 1 inch chopped fine or grated
Asafoetida - 1 or 2 pinch
Oil for deep frying
Salt as needed
Wash toor dhal gently and discard water. Soak in water for atleast 2 hours. The amount would have doubled and absorbed some water. Drain excess if any. Grind the dhal along with red chillies to a paste. Remove and transfer to a bowl, add chopped onion, ginger curry leaves, salt, asafoetida and mix well.

 

Heat oil for deep frying. Take the mixture in your hands and drop little by little in oil by pushing  with your thumb. Fry till they tur crisp ad nice golden brown in colour. Remove from oil and press with a tissue paper. Serve hot with ketchup or chutney.
Note:- Instead of redchillies green chillies can be used, instead you can chop and add them to the pakoda mix along with onion and other ingredients.
I made this post for the 4th blog Anniversary. I will be back soon with replying to my comments and to my emails.

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20 GOLD FINGER CHAAT

Masala Gold Finger Fryums/ Gold Finger Chaat/ Masala Boti and Vadagam/Vathal/Sandige Chaat

Gold finger fryums is one of my favourite just like anyone. When I was kid I used to insert them in all my fingers and munch it on one by one just like other friends in school or neighbourhood. My son’s too love this snack and I always stock up with it at home. This snack which I am posting now is very similar to Masala Papad that we get as starters in restaurants. Here is the recipe link to Masala Papad. Here I used the same ingredients by filling in gold finger fryums also called as Boti in Bangalore. If you have the ingredients ready, then all you have to do is just fill the gold finger and have it right away or within few minutes before it gets soggy. The same ingredients can be used to top on regular fryums/vadagam/vathal/sandige.

 

Here I have used some chopped red onions, deseeded and chopped tomotoes, chopped deseeded or salad cucumber, grated carrot, salt, lime juice, chilli powder or chopped green chillies, chopped coriander leaves and also can use some sev(oma podi or mixture for crunchness which is optional).

Fry Gold finger in oil. Remove and keep aside.

 

In a separate bowl mix all other ingredients as needed( Note the quantity depends on your individual taste and need). Mix well and stuff inside the gold finger and serve. For a change can mix some sweet chutney and green chutney with other ingredients and mix and then stuff or arrange on top.

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35 Multi Colored , Fruit and Bowl Shaped Kai/Suttu/Suthu Murukku

Multi Colored/ Fruit and Bowl Shaped Kai/Suttu/Suthu Murukku

Kai / Murukku or Suttu/suthu murukku is a traditional snack prepared in Tamil Nadu. In my family they make this murukku very often. My aunt and grandma are experts in making this swirls and also they do it so fast and very accurate in size and shape. In many of my posts I have mentioned about my Gomathi Athai and this recipe is also from her. Today I am happy to share her recipe in my blog.




 


Recipe: From Gomathi Athai and Mom
Basic Murukku recipe :- check the Kai Murukku recipe here. 

For a change try this colourful/ different shaped murukkus and use it for yourself or any having gatherings or function at home /family and make it look more eye chatching.
For more designs ideas:- can make as apple, Mango, Banana, Leaves, Lotus, Flowers( simple flower with leaves). Just add in the required edible color to the murukku mix as much as needed.

 

While making this many step by step pictures was clicked, which all got erased accidentally and now have to wait for the next batch when making this.
So for the New Year I posting a colorful/ fun (Interesting) shaped Kai/Suttu/ Suthu Murukku.



For the bowl design use any stainless stell bowl and grease in some oil inside. Start rolling from the bottom center till you are filled with the top. 





 

For Fruit/ Flower design: Use a paper stencil or your imagination and start rolling till a design is formed. Make sure you roll this also in a flat greased stainless steel plate.

 For frying:- Heat oil and a frying pan/kadai and when hot( not burning hot). Add the murrkus along with the plate or bowl one by one as much as the kadai fits. Do not crowd it. Wait for few minutes, after which the murukkus will seperate from the containers. Now can remove the bowl or plates with a ladle carefuly. Fry the murukkus till they are brown and cirspy. Remove and cool. Store in a air tight container and munch on when needed. 

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16 NAVRANG MIXTURE / Mixed dhal/lentil Mixture

Navrang/ Navadhanya/ Mixed Dhal/lentil/Pappu/Paruppu Mixture

For this Diwali I made Rawa Laddoo, Milk Peda, Murukku, Ragi Murukku and Navrang Mixture. Navrang(9 Colors) mixture is nothing but a mix of of mixed/multi dhals/ lentils soaked seperately, dried and then deep fried. Then mixed with some spices and served. This can be stored in an air tight container for longer use. I prepared all the sweets and snacks in large quantity and distributed to my friends staying nearby and faraway places. My friends after tasting and liking all of them were praising particularly for this navrang mixture and their immediate request was to post it soon in my blog.



 

I used different types of dhals/ lentils and soaked. Later dried it up by spreading and then deep fried each seperately in small batches until crispy. Quantity can use any of these as per your requirement. To make in small batch can soak each of these by using a handful or by cup measurement use 1/4th cup of each

Dhals/Lentils that I used
Green Gram Dhal /Pasi Paruppu / Moong dhal
Green Whole Moong/ Pasi payiru
Dry Peas( Vatana) / B(P)attaani
Cow Peas/ Black Eyed Peas / Karamani
Red Chori / Thatta Payuru
Raw Peanuts
Channa / Konda Kadalai / Garbanzo Beans
Whole Masoor
Rajma / Kidney Beans

For seasoning/mixing:-
Salt, pepper powder, chilli powder, black salt( few pinch), chat masala( few sprinkles) - all as needed or per taste

Rinse and soak Whole Moong, Dry Peas, Black Eyed Peas, Red Chori, Channa, Whole Masoor and Rajma seperately for 6 - 8 hours or overnight.
Soak Moong dhal for one hour.
Next drain the water from alland spread each seperately in a cloth or plate to dry them out to loose out moisture.
Heat oil for deep frying and add each one of them in small batches( I added each variety seperately in small batches as each of them takes different cooking time) and deep fry till crispy until the sizzling sound stops. Remove and transfer to a mixing bowl.
As for precaution I used splatter screen just to avoid any popping and splashing out which I faced for some of them. So be careful in frying. Also wait for the oil to heat before you add in the next batch for frying.


 

Remove everything and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add salt, chilli powder, pepper powder, black salt and chat masala. Mix well and allow it to cool. Store in a air tight container and serve and when needed.

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29 BASALE SOPPINA BHAJJI

Basale Soppu / Bachali Kurakku / Kodi Pasalai /Vine or Creeping or Climbing or Malabar Spinach Bhajji/Bajji/Fritters.

 

These leaves are slightly thicker than regular spinach and more intense in flavor. This variety produces dark green leaves and vines and the stem are either green or violet in color. This plant was grown right in our garden at home( Mom's place in Bangalore), as kids we used to play with these leaves and especially the fruit. They were green and violet in colors and we used to remove and press to make colors and squeeze on others for fun or draw on ground.
After many years had the chance to cook with these leaves, my neighbour friend grows these leaves in her garden and every summer she shares them with me and now her mom who is visiting her has given me some more recipes using the leaves and stem( typical Mangalorean dishes) which I am yet to try.


Making bhajjis is not something new to me. My mom used to make this bhajjis on most evening for snacks. Bhajjis were served in varieties  with some onion, potato and some greens or veggie bhajjis. These leaves were plucked right before making, washed and cleaned and prepared as bhajjis. They were just irresistable and the taste is simply superb. The leaves will be lightly crisp and the taste just awesome. Do try it out, you will definitely agree with me.

 
Basale soppu/ Climbing Spinach Leaves - around 15
Besan/ Chick pea flour/ Kadalai Maavu - 1 cup Heaped
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - as needed
Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp( or more if needed)
Cumin powder - 1/8 tsp(optional)
Hing/Asafoetida - 2 or 3 pinch
Oil for deep frying 
Wash and pat dry the leaves. Keep aside.
In a bowl mix all the ingredients except oil , see there are no lumps. Can also add few sprinkles of pepper powder. Add water
little by little and mix into to right dipping/dropping consistency. Heat oil for deep frying. Dip the leaves in the batter
and drop in oil. Deep fry intil golden brown and crispy. Remove and serve with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.

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20 SEEDAI

Seedai / Uppu Seedai / Crispy Rice Balls / Palakayalu - Version 1

 
Uppu(salt) seedai is one of the savory snacks prepared for Krishna Jayanthi also called as Janmashtami. These are like mini rice balls that are crispy and one cannot stop eating with just one or two. Seedai can be made savory called as uppu(salt) seedai and or sweet called as vella seedai made with vellam(jaggery).

My mom says if you are not able to make any dishes for the celebrations just keep butter and aval( flattened or beaten rice/rice flakes) as offerings to Sri Krishna which are his most favourite.

There are different versions of making seedai and this version is a bit elaborate, but the result is very good and is very tasty and delicious.

Recipe and tips from my Mom and Grandma.

Boiled Rice - 2 Cups
Urad Dhal - 1/4 cup
Dalia/ Pottu Kadalai/ Hurigadale/ putnala powcder - 1/4 cup
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds( white or black) - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 5 - 6 tbsp
Salt
Oil for deep frying.
  
Roast urad dhal in medium flame until light brownd and nice aroma comes. Remove and cool and powder finely. Sieve through a siever to get a fine powder. This also helps in reducing bursting of the balls while frying.

Wash and soak rice for 4 - 5 hours. Grind in a grinder until soft using as little water as possible. Remove and transfer to a wide vessel or mixing bowl. To it add urad dhal powder, dalia powder, salt, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, melted butter, grated coconut and asafoetida. This will come to a thick dough like consistency. No need to add water while mixing as water while grinding rice is more than enough. Add only if it cannot be mixed that too few drop by drop while mixing. Also if the dough is too watery, you can more of dalia/pottu kadalai powder and mix.

Next take small portion of the dough and from that pinch in a small bit and roll as mini balls. Do not put much pressure in rolling, just roll between the palms and spread in a wide plate or a cloth to dry them out( so the moisture is let out).
Repeat until you are done with all. Let it sit out for 20 - 30 minutes.

Heat oil for deep frying. Then reduce flame and add a bunch of the rolled balls in hot oil in one go, next increase the temp to medium and deep fry until golden brown. Repeat the same for all.

Tips from Mom and Grand Mom.

1. Dry the rolled balls in a plate or cloth to remove moisture,as the water in the balls would make the balls to burst in oil.

2. Important do not make very perfect round balls. While rolling, first gently roll between the palms and immediately give a
light pressure just like squeezing( can do this holding between two fingers- just give a light push). This will help the air bubbles to release. My mom says that the shapes should not be too round as this makes the balls to burst in oil while frying, just roll and press once gently this will help not to burst and even while frying it will retain its shape and come out good.

3. After rolling all the balls, poke through a needle a pin but inserting in one of the sides in each and every balls - just a small poke just like pricking.

4. Most important do not add the balls one by one while frying, the tip is to add the rolled balls in one bunch while frying.

5. You can also make seedais out of rice flour or processed rice flour and follow the same steps instead of soaking and grinding.

6. Adding grated coconut reduces the shelf life, instead to make it more soft add few tbsp of pottu kadalai powder/dalia powder and mix.

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20 GREEN MOONG KUZHI PANIYARAM

Green Moong Puffed Balls/ Pacha Payiru Kuzhi Paniyaram - Gunta Punugulu - Paddu


Few days back I started with posting some vadagam and powders recipes. Today had scheduled to post one powder/podi recipe and all of a sudden changed my mind and am posting this delicious and healthy breakfast or snack item can be had even for dinner. Making the batter and some preparations for it is very simple and main thing it can be made instant other than time needed for soaking. The method for making is same as making batter for pesarattu( Green Moong dosa). Only difference is this is poured in paniyaram pans and cooked.

Green Whole Moong - 1 cup
Raw rice - 2 - 3 tbsp
Green Chillie - 2 or 3(or as spice needed)
Ginger - 1/2 - 3/4 inch piece
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt as needed
Onion - 1 medium( 1/2 chopped roughly and half chopped fine)

For tempering:-
Oil - 1 - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 2 or 3 sprnkles
Curry leaves - few
And the half chopped fine onions


wash and soak moong and rice together for 4 - 5 hours. Next grind to a smooth paste with cumin seeds, green chillies, ginger , half of the roughly chopped onions and salt. See that it is ground fine and batter should be of pouring consistency and not running.

Heat oil for tempering in a small pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves, asafoetida. Wait till it pops and add finely chopped onions( Adding onions here is optional). Fry till nice brown and pour this on the batter. Mix well and keep it ready.


Heat the paniyaram pan and pour few drops of oil in each hole. Next pour some batter in each hole and wait for it to cook. Use a wooden spoon or a stick( I used a bamboo stick that we use for making kababs). Slowly turn side and cook till done. Remove and serve with your favourite chutney( Preferably coconut` or kara chutney or tomato chutney).

Sending this to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

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26 MIXTURE

Mixture / Chevda / Hot mix/ Bombay mix

This is a very famous Indian snack. It is a combination of ingredients( snacks) which is mixed together. Is a perfect snack to have anytime and the best thing is it can be prepared in large quantities and stored in an air tight container for a longer period.


It is our choice to use whatever ingredients we want to add in these snack. So we can add or skip according to our individual/families taste or depending upon what we have at home.

Kara Boondhi - 2 cups
Oma podi/Sev - 2 cups
Murukku - 1/2 cups
Thenkuzhal - 1/2 cup
Fried Thick Aval/puha - 1/2 cup
Fried Peanuts - handful
Fried channa dhal(dalia/pottukadalai) - handful
Curry Leaves - 2 sprig
Red chillies - 3 broken or chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - few pinch
Garlic - few flakes(crushed with skin) - Optional use
Fried cashewnuts - few count

Adding crushed garlic( fried in oil) gives out a very good taste to this mixture.


Take a large bowl and add in kara boondhi, crushed oma podi, broken murukku, thenkuzhal , fried aval/puha and mix well.

Add salt and chilli powder or if using red chillies fry first with few drops of oil.
Also add peanuts, fried channa dhal, cashewnuts, curry leaves, garlic all fried in few tsps of oil.

Combine well and store in an airtight container and serve.

Looks for all the recipe below here.
Kara Boondhi
Thenkuzhal
Murukku
Oma podi
Aval mixture

An other interesting recipe sent in by my Gomathi Athai.

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31 KARA BOONDHI

Spicy or khara(kara) Boondhi.


A delicious snack that can be had anytime or with coffee / tea.

Note:- An other interesting recipe sent in by my Gomathi
Athai.

Besan/Chick pea Flour / Kadalai Maavu - 2 cups
Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
Water - to mix
Salt - as needed
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Raw peanuts - a handful
Curry leaves- 2 sprig
Oil for deep frying
Garlic - few flakes crushed with skin( optional)

Mix besan, rice flour, salt and chilli powder to a thick batter consistency with water. Should not be very thick or very light but of a pouring consistency.

Heat oil for deep frying. First fry raw peanuts till nice brown and crispy, remove and keep aside. In the same oil fry curry leaves till crisp. Remove and keep aside. In the same if adding garlic add and fry till crispy.


Next take a boondhi ladle/perforated ladle( which has holes) and keep it on top of hot oil a little higher so you can pour the batter and rub in such a way that tiny droplets fall into the hot oil. First take a ladle full of batter and pour on top of the boondhi ladle and immediately start to press down the batter with the ladle. You can see tiny droplets falling and bubbling. Repeat until the pan is full, do not over
crowd. Fry each batch till they are very crispy. Remove and drain. Mix with salt, fried peanuts, curry leaves and or garlic. Mix well and store in a airtight container. Remove and serve as needed.

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19 RAW BANANA FRITTERS

Raw Plantain(Banana) Fritters Hara Kela - Vaazhakkai - Aratikaaya - Baalekaayi Bhajji

A perfect evening snack on a cold and a rainy day.

Raw Banana - 2
Besan/ chick pea flour - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 1 1/2 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Roasted cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Hing/ Asafoetida - 2 - 3 pinch
Salt as needed
Oil for deep frying

Mix besan, rice flour, salt, asafoetida, chilli powder and cumin powder. It is opitonal to use cumin powder, but it gives out a good taste.

Peel the bananas and slice with a slicer into thin long slices. Use the small bananas that we get or if using the big long ones, then can cut them into half. If slicer is not available, then try to cut with a knife as thin as possible. ( If making in large quantities, then can immerse them in cold water to avoid discoloring).

Heat oil for deep frying. Mix the flour with water to a dropping consistnecy( do not make it very water). Add water little by little and add more only if needed. Avoid any lumps and press to remove them. Dip the banana slices one by one in the batter and immerse well to coat both sides. Drop them in oil and repeat the procedure. Do not over crowd the bhajjis for frying. Fry both sides until golden color and nice crisp. Remove and press out with a paper napkin to drain excess oil if needed. Serve with tomato ketchup or coconut chutney and enjoy.

Sending this to Radhika's Deep Fried Snacks Event .

Have received few awards from few friends. Want to share it here.

One Lovely Blog Award from Sangeetha Nambi and Maha Vijay.

Stylish Award from Sangeetha Nambi

Thank you for sharing it with me :)

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