Drumstick Leaves / Murungai Keerai Vadai

Drumstick leaves / Murungai keerai is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, also a good source of iron. The vadai made from this is very tasty and healthy too !

What you need for Drumstick leaves Vada :

• Drumstick leaves – 1 cup
• Onion – 1 finely chopped
• Chana dal –3/4 cup soaked in waterfor at least 2 hrs
• Toor dal – 1/4 cup soaked in water at least 2 hrs
• Fennel seeds -1/2 tbsp
• Red chilli – 4 no
• Asafoetida / hing-1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

The Preparation Method:

• Grind soaked chana daal ,toor daal ,fennel,red chilli,asfoetida,and salt coarsely.
• Mix the drumstick leaves,chopped onion and the ground paste together.
• When the oil is ready to fry, make small balls of the vada mix, place them in your palm and flatten them using your fingers.
• Slowly place them in to the oil.
• Deep-fry both sides, remove from the oil and place them in a paper towel.
• Drumstick leaves vadai is ready to be served hot with tea or coffee.

Beetroot Salad

There is something wonderful about salads! They are filling, satisfying and very very healthy.It’s a very simple dish but the combination of these three ingredients beetroot , groundnut and coconut - is what makes it so tasty. 

What you need for Beetroot Salad:

• Beetroot - 1 grated
• Peanut - 1/2 cup soaked
• Coconut grated - as required
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

The Preparation method: 

• Soak the raw unsalted peanuts in water for about 20-30 minutes. When it looks pink and juicy it’s ready to be used. Peel and cut the beets into julienne strips.
• Mix beet, peanuts and coconut together. Squeeze some lime juice on it and serve fresh!

Ela Ada

Ela Ada or steamed rice parcel in banana leaf is a traditional Kerala delicacy.It is traditionally made of coconut and jaggery ,which is layered inside rice paste in banana leaf and steamed in a steamer or idli mould vessel. This snack goes great with evening tea.

What you need for Ela Ada:

• Rice flour - 2 cup roasted
• Jaggery -1 cup grated
• Coconut -1 cup grated
• Cardamom - 2
• Banana leaf - 4
• Salt a pinch

The Preparation method:

• Mix jaggery, coconut, and cardamom .
• Cut the banana leaves in to small pieces.
• Spread some oil in banana leaf.
• Mix the rice flour  and salt with hot water in a thick consistency.
• Pour 1 laddle of dough in banana leaf.Add the jaggery mixture  in the middle of the rice flour.
• Fold the leaf half and keep it in the idli vessel or steamer for steaming.
• Ela ada is ready to served hot or cool.

Gobi 65

Gobi 65 is a popular dish served in restaurants.It can be had as a starter or as a tea time snack.

What you need for Gobi 65:

• All Purpose Flour - 3 tbsp
• Corn flour - 4 tbsp
• Cauliflower - 1
• Chilly Paste - 1 tbsp
• Pepper Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs
• Coriander - 1/2 bunch
• Salt To Taste

The Preparation method:

• Take cauliflower florets. Blanch them in hot water for 1 minute. 
• In a bowl add salt, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, chopped coriander, chopped curry leaves, red chilly paste, pepper powder, all purpose flour and corn starch. Add water and mix it like a thick batter.
• Pour this batter on to the cauliflower, coat with the mixture to the cauliflower.
• Deep fry them along with green chilly and curry leaves.
• Serve Gobi 65 hot with tea and coffee.

Chicken Cutlet

Chicken cutlet is a perfect snack which tastes great and can be had any time of day and you can stop with just one ;-)

What you need for Chicken Cutlet :

• Minced Chicken - 1 cup
• Onion -1 finely chopped
• Ginger -1 piece finely chopped
• Garlic -4 pods chopped
• Green chilli - 2 finely chopped
• Coriander leaves - few finely chopped 
• Mint leaves - few finely chopped
• Potato - 4 mashed
• Curry leaves -few 
• Garam masala - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Egg - 1
• Bread crumbs -1 cup
• Salt to taste

The Preparation method:

• Boil the minced chicken pieces with salt and turmeric powder.Keep it aside
• Boil the potatoes with salt and turmeric powder.Keep it aside
• Heat oil in a pan add chopped ginger, garlic. Sauté for a minute then add onion ,green chilli and salt.
• Saute till the onion turns brown.Add turmeric powder,coriander powder and garam masala. Saute for a minute.
• Then add mint and coriander leaves.
• Then add the minced boiled chicken then sauté for a minute.
• Also add the mashed potato.  Mix well .Finally add curry leaves.
• Allow to cool and make round shape with this mixture.
• Then take the cutlet and dip it in egg then dip it in bread crumbs then fry it in oil.
• Tasty chicken cutlets are ready to be served with tomato sauce.

Mysore Bonda

Mysore Bonda is a very traditional and delicious evening snack from Mysore Cuisine. This tasty bonda goes great with tea or coffee and also with Idly/dosa.

What you need for Mysore Bonda

• Plain flour/ Maida -1 cup
• Rice flour -1/4 cup
• Coconut pieces -1 tbsp
• Cooking soda -1/2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds -1 tbsp
• Ginger - 1 piece chopped
• Green chilli - 2 chopped
• Plain flour/maida -1cup
• yoghurt -1 cup
• salt to taste

The Preparation method:

• Mix curd and water keep it a side.
• Take a bowl add maida ,rice flour,salt,soda mix well then add buttermilk. Make it into a vada batter consistency.
• Now add cumin seeds,coconut pieces finely chopped, chopped green chillis. Mix well and keep a side for half an hour.
• Heat oil to fry, make into small round bondas and put in to the oil, cook in a very slow flame.
• Remove once it is golden brown colour.
• Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

Somas / Kajji Kaya

Somas in tamil , Kajji Kaya in Andhra, Karanji in Maharashtra is a traditional sweet that is prepared by rolling out small balls of maida dough into thin puris and filled with a mixture of dry coconut, sugar, semolina and cardamom powder and deep fried.This delicious snack can be eaten anytime of the day and makes a great tea time snack or an after lunch/dinner dessert. 

What you need for Somas / Kajjikaya :

• Maida-1 Cup
• Koya-1/2 Cup (optional)
• Grated Coconut  Or Dry -1/2 Cup
• Sugar -1 Cup
• Sooji /Rava- 1/2 Cup
• Raisins -few
• Cashew nuts-few
• Ghee-1 tbsp
• Cardamom -pinch

The Preparation Method:

• In a bowl ,mix maida and ghee well then add little water and make a dough.
• Take a pan. Add ghee,cashew nuts,raisins. Saute them and then add Sooji. Roast for some time then add coconut grated roast till it changes colour to slight golden brown,then add koya(optional),sugar,cardamom powder. Mix well and keep it a side.
• Now take the dough , make a small thin puris stuff the mixture and spread water at the edges and press the edges and make as shape at the edges make all and keep it a side.Now take a pan add oil to fry deep fry these stuffed kajjikaya and remove when it is slight golden brown colour.
• Tasty Kajji kaya is ready to be served.

Chicken Vada

Chicken Vada is a spicy preparation made from boneless chicken that promises to be a delight.

What you need to make Chicken vada :

• Chana dal - 2 cups (soaked in water for 2 hours at least)
• Chicken - 1/2 cup minced 
• Onion - 1 chopped fine
• Green chilli - 3 chopped fine (according to spice level)
• Ginger - a small piece - chopped fine
• Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
• Fennel seed - 1/2 tbsp
• Pepper powder -1/2tbsp
• Curry leaves - a few leaves - chopped fine
• Salt to taste

The Preparation Method:

• Grind the Chana Dal,  without adding water. Don’t grind them into a paste. Grind them coarsely.
• Boil the minced chicken with water salt and pepper powder till it is cooked.Drain the water and keep it aside.
• Take grounded chana daal  in a vessel.Mix cooked chicken and all the ingredients together.
• Take the mixture and make ball out of it then press it round shape.you can dip your in hands in water then it will not stick in your hands
• Put the vada into the heat oil. Deep fry them in hot oil until they are golden brown.
• Hot and spicy Chicken vada is ready to served with tea or coffee.

Kara Sev

Kara Sev is a very easy snack recipe.Kara Sev is crispy and flavourful and it got over the same day we made.This simple snack goes great with tea or coffee on a rainy day ;-)

What you need to make Kara Sev:

• Besan Flour  - 2 cups
• Rice flour  - 1 cup 
• Crushed pepper - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 2
• Cumin Seeds -1 tbsp
• Salt  to taste

The Preparation method:

•  Mix all the ingredients together.Add water little by little to form a dough .You can add little oil as it will help to avoid sticking.
• Fill the murukku press with the dough and press it in hot oil. Alternately you can make the Kara Sev by rubbing the dough through a ladle with holes  Do not make it crowded, just press circles around with large gaps. Do not make layers like we make for murukku.Fry in medium flame till golden brown , turn over to cook on both sides evenly. Drain in tissue paper, break it roughly into pieces. 
• Let it cool down completely and then store in airtight container.
• Enjoy Kara Sev along with Tea or Coffee.

Keera/Spinach Vada

Most people don't like the spinach or Keera - the powerfood of the nutrition world. Even if you don't like this amazing leafy vegetable , you can try to have this in form of crispy vadas !

What you need to make Keera/Spinach vada :

• Chana dal - 2 cups (soaked in water for 2 hours at least)
• Spinach - 1 cup chopped finely
• Onion - 1 chopped fine
• Green chilli - 3 chopped fine (according to spice level)
• Ginger - a small piece - chopped fine
• Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
• Fennel seed - 1/2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - a few leaves - chopped fine
• Salt to taste

The Preparation Method:

• Grind the Chana Dal,  without adding water. Don’t grind them into a paste. Grind them coarsely.
• Take this batter in a vessel.Mix all the ingredients together.
• Take the mixture and make ball out of it then press it round shape.you can dip your in hands in water then it will not stick in your hands
• Put the vada into the heat oil. Deep fry them in hot oil until they are golden brown.
• Hot and spicy spinach vada is ready to served with chutney or sambhar.It is good enough on its own too.

Ribbon Pakoda

Ribbon Pakoda is a spicy South Indian snack which is easy to make and tastes great with tea or coffee.

What you need for Ribbon Pakoda:

• Rice flour - 1 cups 
• Gram flour - 1 1/2 cup 
• Butter - 2 tbsp  
• Asafoetida -1/2 tbsp 
• Chilli powder -1 tbsp
• Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

The Preparation method:

• Mix rice flour,gram flour,chilli powder,butter,asafoetida,salt ,sesame seeds and 1 tbsp of oil.
• Then add water little by little to make a stiff,non-sticky,dough.
• Heat oil in a pan.Fill the press with the prepared dough, with the ribbon pakoda plate.
• Press the dough in hot oil in a circular way to form a single layer. Dont layer so much,just one layer to ensure even and quick cooking.
• Drain it in the paper towel,after cooled down store in airtight container. 

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Kuzhi Paniyaram is a popular Chettinad breakfast or snack/tiffin dish made with leftover idli-dosa batter. Kuzhi paniyaram can be made sweet or spicy version and today we made Chettinad style spicy Kuzhi Paniyaram.Paniyaram are soft from inside and crunchy outside plus spicy and filling too. Try it out with nice chutney and hot tea. You would need a paniyaram pan ( check our unniappam recipe for the pan). 

What you need for Kuzhi Paniyaram:

• Idly Batter - 2 cups (sour)
• Mustard seeds -1 tbsp
• Rava or Semolina - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1
• Green chilli - 1 finely chopped
• Ginger -1 piece - finely chopped
• Curry leaves - few 
• Coriander leaves - few finely chopped
• Salt to taste

The Preparation Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add finely chopped onions, ginger, green chilli, salt and curry leaves.
• Saute till onions turn brown. Add them to the idli batter and mix well. Add Rava or Semolina to this. If the batter is not sour enough , you can add a little yogurt.
• Our paniyaram batter is ready now.
• Heat a paniyaram pan, add 2-3 drops of oil in each hole and pour a tbsp of batter in each hole.
• Keep the heat in medium low. Once the edges turn golden brown, turn the paniyaram using a fork or spoon.
• Cook the other side also till golden brown.
• Remove from pan and serve hot with chutney or sambar along with hot tea.

Mullu Murukku

Mullu Murukku is a popular traditional snack , mostly made in the tamil brahmin household. It is very easy to prepare with easily available ingredients. You need the presser and a disc with star shaped holes to get the desired shape.

What you need for Mullu Murukku :

Rice flour - 3 cup

Moong daal - 1/2 cup

chana daal - 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds -1 tbsp

Sesame seeds -1 tbsp

Asafoetida - pinch

Butter - 1 tbsp

Salt as per taste

The Preparation  method:

• Heat a pan, dry roast moong daal and chana daal for two  minutes. Do not let it brown. Put this to a mixie and grind it to a very fine powder. Sieve it once so that there are no lumps found. Set aside.
• Take a mixing bowl, add rice flour, moong daal and chana daal powder, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida, salt and mix well. Then add butter and required water to make this into a soft like chapathi dough.
• Heat oil in frying pan, fill the murukku press with this dough with 1 star murukku hole plate. Grease a ladle with little oil and make spiral shape and then drop them in oil.
• Deep fry them over medium flame to slightly golden brown. Use paper towel to remove excess oil.
• After murukku cools down , store them in an airtight container.

Unniyappam /Karolappam

Unniyappam is a famous festival snack in Kerala which is made for all special occasions. We made this on the occasion of Navarathri.Traditionally Unniyappam is made with fresh Rice Flour. But as making/ getting fresh Rice Flour is a bit hard, the best alternative is to use the store-bought roasted rice flour. You need a special mould(unniappa chatti) to make these round-shaped unniyappams.

What you need for Unniyappam:

• Rice flour – 2 cup roasted
• Jaggery – 1/4kg
• Small Banana  – 2
• Coconut pieces – 1/4 shell 
• Cardamom – 4 no
• Sesame seeds -1tbsp
• Baking Soda – pinch
• Salt a pinch
• Ghee/coconut oil for frying

The Preparation method:

• Melt jaggery with enough water to make syrup and strain to remove impurities.Let it cool.
• Dry roast coconut pieces in ghee till brown in color.Blend banana into a fine paste.
• Mix together rice flour,ground banana and melted jaggery. Add water little by little till you get the consistency of idli batter. Add fried coconut bits ,cardamom powder, sesame seeds and baking soda to the batter. Mix well.
• Keep aside the batter for half an hour. 
•  Heat oil in unniappachatti (pan), when the oil is really hot, reduce the flame to medium. pour a small ladle of batter to the chatti. Keep turning the unniyappams in between, till you get a golden brown colour on both sides.
• Yummy Unniyappam is ready to be served. 

Pazham Nirachath

Pazham Nirachathu in Malayalam means Stufffed Banana. Ripe Banana stuffed with grated coconuts, nuts, and then its fried in ghee. It’s such a simple and easy snack which can be prepared in just a matter of minutes using the ingredients that are always seen in the pantry and not only that this is healthy, filling and a nutritious snacks.

What you need for Pazham Nirachathu:

• Ethapazham/Ripe Plantain - 2

For the filling.

• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Coconut -1 cup
• Sugar - 5 tbsp
• Cardamom pwdr
• Cashews & raisins
• Maida -2 tbsp

The Preparation Method:

• Heat ghee in a pan and roast the cashews and raisins. Add the grated coconut and saute a little. Then add sugar and cardamom powder and mix nicely.
• Wash and  cut the two tips of the ripe bananas. Make a slit through the centre of the bananas. Be careful not to cut open. Stuff with the filling nicely and fully.
•  Make a thick paste of little maida with water. Seal over the filling. Peel the skin off and deep fry.
•  Cut into slices and enjoy!

Aval / Poha Vadai

Aval or Poha Vadai is an easy recipe which  tastes almost like paruppu vada and it’s very easy to make too in less time.

What you need for Aval vadai:

• Chana dal - 1 cup (soaked in water for 2 hours at least)
• Aval/Poha - 1 cup
• Red onion - 1 chopped fine
• Green chilli - 3 chopped fine (according to spice level)
• Ginger - a small piece - chopped fine
• Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Besan powder - a few tbsp (optional)
• Curry leaves - a few leaves - chopped fine
• Cilantro - a small bunch - chopped fine
• Salt to taste

The preparation method :

• Grind the Chana Dal,  in a blender or a food processor without adding water. Don’t grind them into a paste. Grind them coarsely.
• Wash aval in water and keep aside.
• Take chana daal and aval in a vessel.Finally add the ingredients (Red onions, green chillies, ginger, sweet cumin, salt,cilantro,curry leaves and hing). Mix them together.Add rice powder if the consistency of the batter is not thick.
• Make a round shape with your hands running through the edges. You could also apply some oil in a plastic paper and make the shape of vada.Drop the vada into the oil. Deep fry them in hot oil until they are golden brown.
• Hot and spicy Aval vada is ready to served with chutney or sambhar. It is good enough on its own too. 

Uppu seedai /Salted seedai

Uppu or Salt seedai are fried crispy rice balls made during Krishna Jayanthi but we decided to make this during Diwali. You cannot stop with just one ! 
Note : Avoid Uppu Seedai(s) from bursting in hot oil by ensuring there are no stones in flour.
What you need for Uppu seedai:

• Rice powder - 2 cup
• Gram flour - 1/4 cup
• Urad daal powder - 2 tbsp
• Ghee/Butter- 1 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
• Seasame seeds - 1 tbsp
• Hing -1/4 tbsp
• Salt to taste

The preparation method:

• Mix all ingredients and sprinkle water to make it a dough.
• Do not add more water. The dough should be tight.
• The dough should roll like a ball and keep it aside.
• Take some oil and grease the palm with the oil and make tiny balls out of the seedai dough
• Place the tiny seedai balls in a tissue paper or dry cloth to dry it.
• Heat oil in pan. Take one tiny ball of seedai and drop it in the hot oil. When the seedai immediately rises up in the hot oil, then this is the right stage to start the frying of seedai balls.
• Put the balance seedai balls in the oil.Allow the seedai to fry well to cook completely inside.
• When the bubbles and frying sound starts decreasing, take the seedai using a fry ladle and place it a fry basket to remove excessive oil
• Now the yummy uppu seedai/Salt seedai is ready to be served.

Thattai

Happy Diwali to All ! We made Thattai and Salted Seedai along with our friends  Kalai and Jayanthi. It was fun cooking together !

Thattai is a yummy savory delight prepared during festivals of  Tamil Nadu , especially Diwali. Thattai can also be served as a tea time snack.

What you need for Thattai:

• Rice Flour - 2 cup
• Gram Flour/Besan- 1/2 cup
• Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
• Hing - 1/4 tbsp
• Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
• Chana daal - 1/4 cup (soak it in water for 1 hr)
• Curry Leaves - few
• Ghee /Butter -1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

The preparation method:

• Take a bowl , mix all the ingredients together. Sprinkle water and mix all these ingredients to make it a thick dough.
• Take a piece of plastic paper, spread oil in the paper, make small ball of the flour, and keep it in paper.
• Grease the fingers with oil and press the ball to flatten it.
• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Slowly turn the plastic paper over your palm. The greased plastic will enable flattened thattai to slip on your hands easily
• Fry  them  both sides to cook evenly until golden  brown
• Drop them on a paper towel to drain excess oil
• Once cooled, store them in an air tight container.
• Crispy and Spicy Thattai is ready for serving.

Diamond Cut

Diamond Cut is crispy sweet treats shaped in diamond shape. This recipe is also called 'Araam Number' in Kerala as there are 6 steps in this recipe. A simple snack using everyday ingredients, that could be prepared in a short time. 

What you need for Diamond cut:

• Maida/All purpose flour -1 cup
• Salt - a pinch
• Sugar -1/2 cup
• Cardamom - 4 crushed

The preparation method:

• In a pan boil  1/2 cup water and sugar  to make the sugar syrup. It should reach a 1 thread consistency so as to get coated on to diamond cuts. Once ready, switch off stove.
• In a bowl mix  all purpose flour/Maida with water and salt and make smooth dough like chapathi dough. Make small balls and roll them out to thin rounds. Now with a sharp edge knife cut the rounds diagonally from left and then diagonally from right so as to get diamond shapes.
• Heat oil for frying and fry the diamond cuts, until golden brown and drain excess oil onto a paper towel. Set aside.
• Add the fried diamond cuts in sugar syrup  mix well. Lay them on to a tray and allow the sugar syrup to crystallize. Store them airtight once cooled 

Crispy Corn

A new recipe by VahChef we found on youtube ... Hats off to Vahchef Sanjay Thumma for introducing many innovative dishes to the public.

We really enjoyed making and eating the crispy corn. Try it out to believe it !

What you need for Crispy Corn:

• Corn - 1 cup
• Cashew nut - 1/4 cup
• Corn flour - 4 tbsp
• Maida / all purpose flour - 2 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
• Egg - 1 (optional)
• Ginger garlic - 1tbsp crushed
• Onion - 1 chopped
• Green chilli - 2 slit
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves - few
• Soya sauce -1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

The preparation method:

• Take a bowl and add pepper pwd, salt, cornflour, egg. Mix well then add the sweet corn. Coat the sweet corn in the dry flour. In the balance mixture , add the cashew nuts and coat well.
• In another bowl , mix cornflour and maida. Coat the sweet corn again in this flour. Strain of the exess flour and keep it aside.
• Now take cashew nuts and repeat the same process as above.
• Heat oil and deep fry the corn.Once  it is done , keep it aside. Now repeat the same process with the cashew nuts.
• In the same pan , add some more oil and saute onions,  crushed ginger garlic , green chillies,chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves ,salt, soya sauce.  When the onions turn brown , then add the fried sweet corn and cashwnuts and mix well.
• Tasty Crispy Corn is ready to be served as a snack along with tea.