Bajji

Bajji is a favorite snack that is also a starter or accompaniment to our Lunch menu. It can be prepared in a jiffy. Great during the rains with a cup of tea!!!

It had been raining heavily and continuously in Chennai now; and we enjoyed it. Confined to our homes, snacking was one way to warm ourselves.

Carrot, Brinjal, Snake gourd and Ridge gourd Bajji are favorites in our home along with the ever popular Potato, Onion, and Raw Banana Bajji's.

Pudalangai Bajji

(Snake Gourd Bajji)

Ingredients:

2 cups Gram Flour

3 Tbsp Rice Flour

3 Tbsp Idli Batter (fermented)

1 tsp Chilli Powder

¼ tsp Asafetida

¼ tsp Ajwain seeds

Salt to taste

Vegetables: – Potato, Onions, Carrot, Brinjal, Raw Banana, Snake gourd and Ridge gourd

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Mix the flours with batter, spices and enough water. Add spices according to taste. Spoon in a Tablespoon of hot oil into the batter and mix well.

Slice vegetables of choice thinly.

Dip in batter and drop it gently into hot oil. Deep fry in hot oil until cooked, flipping over once.

Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot with Coconut Chutney.

Malaysian Salad

Salad with a Malaysian touch. This was served with a lot of love and affection by my sister’s friend Emily. Amma made this for us today to accompany Pumpkin Puli Kuzhambu, Bajji and Drumstick - Mango Pachadi.

Pineapple Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup Pineapple

1 cup Cucumber

1 cup Capsicum

½ tsp Chilli flakes

A pinch of grated Garlic

Salt to taste

½ tsp Olive oil

1 tsp Vinegar

Method:

Cube the vegetables and fruit.

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a bottle.

Pour into the salad and toss. Keep covered for an hour before serving.

Instant Dhokla

Dhokla is a yummy healthy Gujarati snack best served with tea. The best part is that it hardly takes any time to make.

Instant Dhokla

Ingredients:

¾ cup Chickpea Flour

¾ cup Water

1 tsp Citric Acid

½ - ¾ tsp Salt

2 tsp Sugar

2 drops Lime Juice

½ tsp Cooking Soda

1 pinch Turmeric Pd (optional)

Seasoning:

2 Tbsp Oil

½ tsp Mustard Seeds

½ tsp Sesame Seeds

1 pinch Asafetida

1 sprig Curry Leaves

1 – 2 Green Chillies, finely sliced

1 Tbsp Hot Water

3 Tbsp Coconut

3 Tbsp Gr. Coriander

Method:

Mix the flour with water and

Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat water in a steamer. Grease a shallow plate.

Place the oiled mould in the steamer for 2 minutes.

Mix in the soda to the batter and whisk well. Immediately pour into the hot mould and cover the steamer. Cook for 12 minutes.

Sprinkle water on the dhokla and keep aside to cool.

When cold, turn onto a plate and mark into pieces.

Sprinkle grated coconut and finely chopped coriander evenly on top of the dhokla.

Heat oil in a seasoning pan and splutter mustard. Add sesame seeds, asafetida, curry leaves and green chillies. Pour in hot water. Spoon seasoning evenly over dhokla.

Serve with Green Chutney and Garlic Chutney .

Fresh Mango Pickle

Mango mania takes over – whenever we see them. In season, it’s (raw) mangoes, (semi ripe) mangoes and more (ripe) mangoes. Off season mangoes are good enough to make instant pickles – the perfect companion to Curd Rice.

Ingredients:

1¼ cup Mango

2-3 tsp Chilli Pd

¼ tsp Asafetida

¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds, powdered

¼ tsp Turmerric Pd

Salt to taste

3 Tbsp Oil

¼tsp Mustard seeds

Method:

Chop mango into small pieces and place in a container. Heap all the masala powders onto the center of the chopped mangoes.

Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds and pour on top of the masalas. Mix well.

Kovakkai - Beans Sadham

I simply love to eat variety rice for the simple reason that it is a one dish meal. I love the inclusion of vegetables; and it is ideal for the lunch box. With the least fuss nutrition is packed. Good food for the palate.

This rice is mildly spiced, and was taught by my sister. You can make this with either of the vegetables or in a combination.

Kovakkai – Ivy Gourd

Kovakkai-Beans Sadham

Ingredients:

1 cup Kovakkai/Ivy Gourd

1 cup Beans

4 Green Chillies

1 cup Long Grain Rice

2 cups Water

2 Tbsp Oil

1 Tbsp Ghee

½ tspTurmerric Pd

1½ tsp Dhania Pd

½ tsp Jeera Pd

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes.

Cook with salt and water until fluffy and spread on a thali/plate to cool.

Heat oil and ghee. Add the vegetables and stir fry until half-cooked. Add green chillies, salt, turmeric powder, dhania and jeera pd. Stir cook until the vegetables are tender.

Mix the vegetables into the rice and allow it to heat through.

Serve hot with Raitha and Pappad.

Porichcha Kootu

Kootu is a nutritious side-dish with the goodness of protein. The vegetables, being cooked with the dal adds to the nutritive value. ‘Poricha’ – means fried. The masala ingredients added to the Kootu is fried and ground before adding to the dal-veggie mixture. It makes it rich and flavorsome. It tastes best mixed with plain Rice and Ghee.

Podlangai = Snake Gourd.

Podalangai Porichcha Kootu

Ingredients:

2 cups Podalangai/Snake Gourd

½ cup Moong Dal

1 pinch Turmeric Pd

2 tsp Oil

½ tsp Mustard Seeds

½ tsp Urad Dal

1 Red Chilli

1 Curry Leaves

Masala Paste:

½ tsp Oil

1½ tsp Urad dal

1 tsp Channa dal

3 Red Chillies

¼ tsp Pepper

½ tsp Cumin

2 Tbsp Grated Coconut

Method:

Peel, deseed and cut snake gourd into tiny cubes.

Boil 2 cups water and cook moong dal in it with turmeric powder and ½ tsp oil.

Heat ½ tsp oil (for the masala paste) and sauté all the ingredients together; adding coconut at the very end. Cool slightly and powder coarsely.

When the dal is plump and half-cooked, add the chopped vegetable and simmer for 7 minutes. Add salt and ground paste. Simmer cook until well blended.

Heat oil for seasoning in a small pan and add mustardseeds, urad dal, chillies and curry leaves. Pour into hot Kootu.

Serve with hot Rice mixed with Ghee.

Milagai Chutney

This fiery thuvayal/chutney is a favorite accompaniment to various savories made in Chettinad. It also goes very well with staples. Shallots and regular onions are used in combination for a hot & sweet taste.

Red Chutney

Ingredients:

2 Onions, diced

10 Shallots cut into two

2 Tomatoes, diced

8-10 Dry Red Chillies

1 tsp Tamarind

Salt to taste

5 Tbsp Oil

½ tsp Mustard seeds

½ tsp Urad dal

1 sprig Curry Leaves

Method:

Heat 2 Tbsp oil and fry the onions until they change colour. Add chillies, tomatoes and salt. Stir fry until well done. Add tamarind and cook for 2 minutes.

Cool slightly and grind in a blender to a smooth paste.

Heat remaining 3 Tbsp oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add urad dal and curry leaves. Pour in the blended chutney and boil for 4-6 minutes or until oil separates.

Chocolate Fudge

Fudge! Home-made!!! It is double or triple ecstasy.

Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

1 cup Milk Powder

5 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

¼ cup Sugar

1/3 cup Water

½ tsp Liquid Glucose (use slightly lesser quantity)

½ cup Butter, cubed

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

¼ cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Method:

Line a shallow tray with greased aluminum foil.

Mix cocoa powder with milk powder.

Mix water with sugar and liquid glucose and bring to a boil. Remove from fire at soft ball stage – 2 string consistency.

Add butter and leave undisturbed to melt.

Mix in milk powder-cocoa mixture and nuts. Beat well with a wooden spoon till very thick and stiff.

Transfer to the prepared tray and allow it to set.

Cut into cubes and serve.

Nutty Moss Pudding

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. - Don Quixote.

Homemade puddings are easy to prepare and are nourishing.

Nutty Moss Pudding

Ingredients:

750 ml Milk

400 g Sweetened condensed milk

10 g China Grass

½ cup Water

½ tsp Vanilla Essence

Chocolate Sauce (Hersheys / home made)

Cashew Praline (Cashew Chikki)

Method:

Cut china grass into small bits and soak in water. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Boil and simmer milk until it reduces, slightly. Add the condensed milk and stir cook over a low flame.

Cook the soaked china-grass until it dissolves. Add to the milk mixture and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Strain into a glass dish.

Refrigerate until set.

To Serve:

Scoop out some pudding into a dish.

Top with chocolate sauce and crushed praline.

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

¾ cup Milk
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa powder
¾ Tbsp Corn flour
½ tsp Vanilla Essence

Method :

Mix milk, sugar, cocoa powder and corn flour with a whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from fire and add butter. Mix well to blend. Add vanilla essence and stir well.

Praline

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp Nuts (Cashews/Almonds)

Method:

Place sugar in a thick bottomed vessel (medium flame) till golden brown, without stirring. Add nuts and butter to it. Mix well. Transfer immediately on a butter paper. Cool completely and crush coarsely.

Cabbage & Capsicum Rice

The easiest and favorite flavored rice is Cabbage & Capsicum Rice. When I first saw this recipe in Tarla Dalal’s book, I thought that something this easy is worth a try. This is an adapted version. The flavor of cheese entices your taste buds for more. It tastes good without the cheese as well.

Cabbage & Capsicum Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup Cabbage

1 Capsicum

2 cups Cooked Basmati Rice

1 Tbsp Butter

¼ tsp Shahjeera (optional)

3 Green Chillies, crushed/ground coarsely

3 Tbsp Cheese (optional)

Method:

Heat butter in a pan. Add Shahjeera seeds and then the chillies.

Add the vegetables and stir fry until it imparts flavor. Add salt to taste.

Add in the rice and mix well. Add grated cheese and stir through (if using).

Keep over a very slow flame for 2 minutes.

Serve hot.