ULUNDU THATTAI

Thattai is a crispy disc- shaped snack prepared by blending varied flours in precise ratio. This ulundu thattai is another variant, prepared from coarsely ground urad dal/ black gram dal batter. Ulundu translates to urad dal/ black gram dal in Tamil.If you prefer super-crispy thattai,then your batter should be of very coarse and of tight consistency. 

 

After flattening it, you have to make perforations on the surface with a fork or stick to prevent accumulation of air while frying. I love the softer version,hence I didn't follow the aforementioned procedure.

 

 

 

 

 

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INGREDIENTS :

 

URAD DAL-  1 CUP

RICE FLOUR- 1 TBSP

CRUSHED PEPPERCORNS- 1 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 3/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS 

OIL FOR FRYING

 

PROCEDURE :

 

1. Soak urad dal for 2 hours till it softens. Pass the urad dal through a colander. Drain the water completely

 

2. In a mixer jar take the soaked urad dal ,salt and pulse it to a coarse consistency. Don't add water,else thattai will become soft and soggy. While grinding,stop in between to prevent damage to mixie blades. 

3. Transfer the batter to a wide bowl, add crushed pepper powder,asafoetida,curry leaves,cumin seeds and mix well. Incorporate rice flour to the batter and keep it aside.

4, Brush some oil on the surface of banana leaf or plastic cover. Pinch out a small portion of the dough and flatten it on the banana leaf. 

5. Heat oil in a pan. To check the right temperature,drop a small portion of dough  in the oil. If it pops up,then you can fry the thattais.

6. Now gently slide the flattened dough one by one in oil and deep fry it. Fry till the colour changes to golden brown on both the sides.

 

7. slide the fried thattais on a papper tissue to absorb excess oil

TOMATO PULIYOGARE SEVAI UPMA

 

As the prices of tomatoes has plummeted,I decided to prepare this tomato -based sevai. Sevai is Tamil word for rice noodles.Sour notes from the tomatoes is an apt substitute for tamarind. This dish was certainly on par with the authentic Puliyogare

You can even try this recipe with rice / flattened rice,millet or vermicelli. Preparing sevai is bit time consuming,but there are instant sevai mix packets available at the supermarkets that be incorporated in this recipe.

 

 

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 INGREDIENTS  FOR PREPARING SEVAI :

RICE FLOUR-  1 CUP

WATER-  1 1/4 CUP

OIL  -  1 TSP

SALT AS REQUIRED.

PROCEDURE FOR PREPARING SEVAI :

1. Heat water in a pan. Add salt,a teaspoon of oil. Don't boil water for too long. It should be hot enough.

2. Slowly sprinkle flour over the hot water . Switch off the stove after heating the water. Now mix the flour till the flour has completely absorbed the water.

3. Cover the dough and keep it aside and allow it to cool.On cooling, knead the dough to get rid of any lumps.

4. Take a murukku maker and apply oil along the sides of the murukku maker. Load the dough and insert the perforated disc.

5. Grease the idli plates and make idiyappams . Heat the idli cooker with water and transfer the plates and steam for 5 minutes and switch off.

6. Allow the steamed idiyappams to cool. Tear the idiyappams and keep it aside. 

FOR THE PULIYOGARE POWDER:

 

 CORIANDER SEEDS- 2 TBSP

RED CHILLIES- 5NOS

PEPPERCORNS- 1/2 TSP

FENUGREEK SEEDS- 1/4 TSP

URAD DAL- 3 TSP

GRAM DAL- 3 TSP

SESAME SEEDS- 2 TSP

ASAFOETIDA SOLID- SMALL PIECE

PROCREDURE FOR  PREPARING SEVAI  UPMA :

 1. Prepare puliyogare podi by roasting all the above cited ingredients in column. Blend all the roasted ingredients to fine powder and keep it aside.

 

2. In a pan heat 1 tbsp sesame oil. Splutter mustard seeds. Add groundnuts,asfoetida and curry leaves.

 

3. Add two chopped ripe tomatoes over the seasoning. Add salt and saute till it turns mushy. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and saute for a second and put off the flame.

 

4. Transfer the puliyogare powder over the sauteed tomatoes and mix well . This action should be performed without  flame.  

5. Now transfer the sevai over the puliyogore mix and gently mix without breaking it. 

6. Serve with any crispy side dish of your choice.

 

 

 

BANANA FLOWER STIR FRY

 

 

If you plan to cook any dish involving banana florets,then chop it the previous day and immerse it in water and buttermilk mixture to avoid discoloration. This method removes the bitterness from the florets too. Chopping the flower is bit cumbersome ,but I always listen to music/ watch television,to break the monotony and make the chopping process enjoyable. I mostly prepare paruppu usili-  a crumbled lentil and vegetable curry. But this time,I found this simple stir fry to be more delectable. 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS :

 BANANA  FLOWER-  1 NO

TOOR   DHAL  STEAMED-   2 TBSP 

COCONUT  SHREDDED-  2 TBSP

SALT TO TASTE

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

 

FOR SEASONING :

OIL-   4 TSP

MUSTARD-  3/4 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 3/4 TSP

URAD DHAL- 3/4 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

ONIONS CHOPPED- 2 NOS

PROCEDURE :

1.Chop the banana flower and immerse it water and butter milk mixture for 5-6 hours. I always soak it overnight and refrigerate it.

2. Drain the water thoroughly and wash the chopped florets in running water for couple of times. Squeeze the water from it and keep it aside. Steam toor dal for one whistle. Take care not to make it mushy.

 

3. Now transfer the chopped florets to a container with fresh water. Add salt to it boil well. Check if the florets are boiled. Drain the water from the florets completely for the fluffy consistency. 

4. In a pan heat oil and when it hot splutter mustard,urad dal, cumin seeds. Now add in chopped onions,salt,curry leaves and sautee till the onions turn translucent.

 

5.  Add in turmeric powder,chilli powder and fry well till the raw smell evades. Now transfer the steamed toor dal over it and mix well.

 

6. Transfer the boiled florets and coconut shavings and simmer in mild heat for a minute and switch off.

PUMPKIN SEEDS CHUTNEY

 

 

This is the second dish, I prepared with pumpkin seeds. Now a days, I scoop out the seeds and stock it up for future use. Apart from the health benefits,this seeds imparts an unique taste and texture to any kind of dish. You can pair this chutney with idli,dosa, uthappam,set dosa plain rice,vada,bomda .

 

 

 

 

 

                        

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

PUMPKIN SEEDS- 1/2 CUP

ONION-  1 MEDIUM

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

TAMARIND- SMALL PIECE

GARLIC CLOVES- 4 NOS

SALT TO TASTE

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES- 1 TBSP

OIL-   4 TSP

 

                                         

PROCEDURE :

1. Scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin and wash it thoroughly for couple of times in running water and keep it aside.

2. Soak the washed seeds in  water for 3 hours.

3. In a pan heat oil and saute chopped onions. Add salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.

4. Now add all the ingredients : chopped green chillies,curry leaves,tamarind,minced garlic cloves,chopped coriander leaves and saute well.

5. Allow all the ingredients to cool.

6. Transfer the ingredients to a mixer jar along with soaked seeds and grind to smooth paste using water.

 

 

 

 

RIBBON MURUKKU

Janmashtami holds a special significance in all the Indian households. The birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great fervor- people fast for the entire day and perform puja rituals late in the evening. I always look forward to this particular festival with great enthusiasm,as I get to relish an array of sweets and savories prepared during the festival. I prepared ribbon murukku,besides other savories and sweet dishes. This murukku gained its name due to semblance to ribbon. It also goes by other names : Ribbon pakoda,ola pakoda and nada murukku. Murukku making is an art- you need to follow every nuance right to get the perfect taste and texture. Please do check out my post on tips for preparing perfect murukkus.

 

 

 INGREDIENTS :

RICE FLOUR- 2 CUPS

GRAM FLOUR- 1 CUP

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 3/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

WHITE SESAME SEEDS- 1 1/2 TSP 

TURMERIC POWDER-1/4 TSP

WATER FOR MIXING

OIL- 1 TSP

PROCEDURE :

1. In a wide bowl take rice flour,gram flour and all the above cited ingredients .

2. Add hot 1Tbsp of hot oil to flour and add water carefully and knead to smooth dough.

 

3. Apply oil on the sides of murukku maker and load the dough inside.

 

4. Heat oil in a pan. Always maintain medium heat while frying snacks. Drop a small portion of dough in the hot oil. If it pops up,then the oil is at right temperature for frying. 

5. Now press the muruku maker to drop the ribbon -shaped dough in the oil and fry. Always maintain the same temperature,else you wont get the crispy texture.

6. Fry the murukkus on both the sides till it turns golden brown in colour.

7.Dish out the fried murukkus and allow it cool a bit prior to stocking it in containers.

BHINDI DO PYAZA

Bhindi do pyaza is a popular North Indian dish involving okra and onions. As the name implies,it comprises of bhindi, Hindi name for okra and pyaz meaning onion in Hindi. Do, is  two in Hindi- Onion is incorporated twice in this dish; in two different ways- finely chopped and big square pieces.You can pair it with chapati,phulka,naan,puri,jeer a rice and cooked plain rice.

 

 

INGREDIENTS :

OKRA-  500 GRAMS

ONION- 4 NOS ( Finely chopped- 2 nos, Big chunks - 2 nos)

TOMATOES- 2 NOS

KASOORI METHI- 1 TSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES- 1/2 CUP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER- 1 1/2 TSP

CUMIN POWDER- 1/4 TSP

FENNEL POWDER- 1/4 TSP

AAM CHUR POWDER- 1/4 TSP 

GARAM MASALA POWDER- 1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

OIL- 1 TBSP

KALA JEERA/ KALONJI- 1 TSP

CRUSHED GINGER GARLIC-  1 TSP

PROCEDURE :

1. In a pan heat oil. Then add kalonji,finely chopped onions,salt. Fry till the onions turn translucent.

2. Wash,wipe and chop okra. Fry chopped okra separately in another pan after adding salt and keep it aside. Cut onions into big square pieces. Fry chopped big onion pieces separately and keep it aside.

3.Add crushed ginger garlic over the sauteed onions and fry till the raw smell of the paste evades.

4. Now add in chopped tomatoes,all the spice powders and fry well till the spice powders blend well.Add little water to the paste and simmer in mild heat. 

5. Now add crushed kasoori methi leaves. Transfer the fried okra,fried onions to the gravy and mix well. Simmer the gravy in mild heat for a minute and switch off.

6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.