Thayir Vada - Dahi Vada

Wishing Everyone a Very Happy New Year 2015

Hope Everyone had a great New Year Celebration. Guys, New Year resolution anyone?

I took a break from blogging and many activities to get four day long weekend and be with my kids and best-est buddies. The holidays were really fun filled with New Year Celebration with our small group of close knit friends here, potluck food, dance and Masti. Kids enjoyed the most, dancing on 'Thudakkam Maangalyam' song and many more. This was followed by our very close friends visit from New Jersey, catching up with them after so long was so happy and exciting :) 

Holidays are over, kids have to get back to schools and we are looking ahead for an exciting year ahead. So here I'm wishing you all a Very Happy, Prosperous and Fulfilled New Year 2015. Let the Almighty bless everyone with peace and Happiness on Earth.

Now let us get back to today's Recipe Dahi Vada or Thayir Vada. 

I made them recently as a starter on my son's birthday party. This is pretty quick and ezee option for snack/starter for parties, the only longest time taken is the four hours soaking time for Urad Dal. 

So here is how I made it. Do give it a try and let me know the results !

Thayir Vada Aka Dahi Vada is an Indian chaat made with Urad Vada doused in thick yogurt. The deep fried Vadas are immersed in water and then transferred to thick Yogurt. Vadas remain soaked in yogurt for a couple of hours before serving to make them soft and spongy. So Make them for sure and enjoy with your loved ones :-)

For Urad Vada/Medhu Vada:- 

1. Urad daal - 1 Cup 
2. Whole Pepper slightly crushed  - 1 tbsp
3. salt to taste ~ 1 tsp
4. Oil to deep Fry 

Yogurt/Dahi Mix:-

1. Yogurt - 2 Cups
2. Coriander Chutney - ½ cup(** Recipe Below)
3. Water - ¼ cup to make the yogurt Mix a little thin if it is too thick(add only if needed)
4. Salt to taste

For Garnishing:-

1. Chilly powder
2. Chaat Masala - 1 tsp
3. Coriander Chutney (** Recipe Below) -  3 tbsp
4. Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Coriander chutney for garnishing: 

1. Curry leaves few(~ 5 Leaf )
2. Green chilies chopped  1-2 Numbers 
3. Salt - 1/4 tsp
4. Cumin  1 Tablespoons 
5. Finely chopped coriander leaves  1 Bunch

For Urad Vada/Medu Vada: - 

• Wash the Urad dal and soak them for four hours.
• Grind it into a thick paste, add water little by little as you grind only if and as needed. Add salt and crushed black pepper, mix well with a spoon. 
• Heat oil in a pan and drop a spoonfuls of batter. Deep fry till golden brown. Continue the procees until all the batter is done. Switch off the stove
• Put the hot vadas in cold water, few at a time, and keep for two-three minutes. Take them off the water, squeeze out any excess water and set aside. 

Coriander Chutney For Garnishing:-

• Add cumin, green chilies, coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt in a mixer and grind well. Set aside.
• Divide the chutney for Garnishing and 

For Yogurt/Dahi Mix: -

Add ½ cup of Coriander Chutney and salt to the yougurt and Mix well. Set Aside till ready to serve.

Assembling and Serving: -

In a flat dish or tray, arrange the Urad Vada and pour dahi mix over them. Garnish with coriander Chutney, chilly powder, chat powder and coriander leaves. Set aside for an hour before serving. 

Move into serving dish and serve. 

Note:-

You can serve them chilled by refrigerating it no more than 30 minutes which is how I love them, but I don't prefer doing this in the cold winter here. If you live in a zone where it is not cold go ahead and serve them cold :-)

Broccoli Kuzhi Paniyaram ~ Guilt Free One's

 Kuzhi Paniyaram, another tongue tickling snack devoured by kids and grown ups equally. These are delicious Rice and Urad dal dumplings shallow fried and served with Tomato Chutney, Sambhar, Ketchup or Coconut chutney. Its Originally from Tamil Nadu I believe, when I made this Chellamani Snack first time, recipe found in eVanitha I think, I didn't knew it is just a simple Paniyaram. I tried different variation with the same recipe as I always have some Idly batter in the fridge and I make snack almost everyday for the little one's. Later I noticed many of my fellow bloggers posting the same kind of snack named Paniyarams and then I realized its original name is not Chellamani but kuzhi paniyaram as its made in Paniyaram pan or Unniyappan pan. I made this Paniyaram with broccoli florets this time and I used a drop of oil in each holes, that too only for the first batch. Make this absolute guilt free snack if you have some leftover Idli/dosa batter with any veggies of your choice or just with simple onion seasoning and serve dunk in Tomato Chutney or Sambhar.

** You will need a Kuzhi Paniyaram skillet or Unniyappan Skillet to make this.

Ingredients: -

• Leftover Dosa/Idli Batter ~ 2 Cups
• Shallots or onion chopped fine -  ½ cup( 1 onion or 3 shallots)
• Ginger chopped fine - a small piece
• Green chilies chopped fine - 3(or use  ½ tsp chili powder) 
• Curry leaves few
• Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp(optional)
• Broccoli florets chopped ~ 1 Cup
• Salt ~  ¾ tsp(to taste)
• Oil - 2 tbsp for tempering + few drops or cooking spray to shallow fry the paniyaram. 

Preparation Method: -

1. Chop the broccoli florets taking only the flower parts and discarding the hard stalk. Wash them well, pat dry and reserve
2. Heat up a pan, pour oil add mustard seeds. When they splutter add urad dal, curry leaves and saute for  a min till urad dal turn to light brown color. 
3. Add in the chopped onion, ginger, green chilies, salt and saute well till the onion turns soft and pink. 
4. Add in the broccoli florets, stir fry for couple minutes say five-seven minutes till they become soft. Check for salt and take off the stove, set aside to cool down for about five minutes.
5. Add this broccoli mix to the Idly batter and stir well to mix. Add water to loose up if its too dry and thick.
6. Heat up the Unniyappan/Paniyaram Skillet, maintain the heat in between low-med as its gonna be a slow cooking process. 
7. Pour one or two drops of oil in each hole of the skillet(or use cooking spray), pour a tbsp of batter in each hole. Cover and cook for three-four minutes till the top of the dumpling dries up and bottom of the dumpling turn golden brown. 

8. Turn upside down and let it again cook for couple of minutes without the lid till the other side turns also turn golden brown. Take paniayarams out of the pan and repeat the process with the remaining batter. You don't need to add oil when you make next batch of paniyarams.

 9.  Serve immediately with Tomato Chutney, Sambhar or Ketchup. 

Notes:- 

1. If you are using very loose dosa batter, add some rice flour or soak and grind 1 cup of rice with a little buttermilkto thicken up.

2. If you don't have dosa/Idly batter and want to make paniyarams, soak 1 cup of rice with  ¼ cup urad dal for 4 to 6hrs and grind and use it.

Linking this to Lets Cook # 16 ~Kids Special

Kerala Style Egg Puffs With Puff Pastry

Frozen Puff pastries are so very easy and handy, great and quick way to prepare snacks, may it be sweet or savory choice is all yours. Every time I buy them I end up making these egg puffs first, as they are easy to make, very filling and satisfying snack especially for kids and even grown up kids like us ;) Some boiled eggs, puff pastry and a simple onion masala cooks up this awesome snack.

Many of my friends ask me where to buy the puff pastries, so just in case you are confused check out for them in the frozen sections where you find other frozen foods. Its normally available in most of the super markets, so next time you find them you know what to make. Try out the recipe by yourself and enjoy some warm homemade egg puffs with a cup of Hot Chai!!!!!!

Ingredients:

1. Puff Pastry - 1 Sheet
2. Boiled Eggs - 5
3. Pepper powder ~ ¼ tsp(optional)
4. Turmeric powder ~ ¼ tsp
5. Garam masala ~ ½ tsp
6. Salt ~ ¾ tsp +  ¼ tsp(check for the taste and adjust accordingly)
   
7. Onion finely Chopped - 2
8. Ginger, Garlic finely chopped or crushed in a mortar ~ 2 tsp
9. Green chilly
10. Curry leaves a sprig
11. Oil of your choice ~ 2 tsp

Preparation Method:-

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 Degree F.Thaw the Puff Pastries according to the package instructions, it normally takes 45 mins to 1 hour. 
• Peel of the shell from boiled eggs and cut them vertically into two equal halves. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on top of the boiled eggs from the ¼ tsp pepper powder and salt(Sprinkling salt n pepper is optional, I do it though)
• Heat a frying pan, pour oil, saute the onion till translucent. Add the crushed/chopped ginger-garlic, green chilies and saute till raw flavor disappears.
• Add curry leaves, turmeric powder, garam masala and saute well till the masala leaves it raw smell and combined well with onion mix. Make sure the masala mix should be dry(You can add some chopped veggies as well like carrot, green peas etc if desired)
• Once the pastries are thawed cut them vertically into three pieces through the folded lines. Cut them again horizontally into three again to get nine pastry squares

• Take a spoonful of onion masala and keep in the middle of each pastry squares, top each of them with egg halves. 

                      

• Dip your finger in water and apply it on the edges of the pastry squares.Pull the corners towards the center diagonally and seal them.

                                    

• Line them in a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15- 20 minutes or until the pastry top becomes   golden brown and crisp.

                          

• Take out of the oven and let it cool for couple of minutes. Enjoy warm with a cup of tea!!!!!!!

Notes :- 

1. I cut the pastries into 9 squares but I would suggest you to cut into 6 pieces (3 through the folded  lines and 2 horizontally) to make six puffs as I felt the egg filling was heavy compared to pastry sheets. or cut one egg into four pieces and keep one small piece in each squares. But either way you won't have any problem in folding or making them.
2. Instead of applying water and sticking the pastries together you can beat an egg well to make egg wash. Brush the egg wash on four sides before folding and top of the pastry after folding to get a shiny, crispy and perfect finishing when you bake.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Jehanne at The Cooking Doctor

Vermicelli/Semiya chicken masala upma

Vermicelli/Semiya Upma is a breakfast or snack that I make fo my kids. This version of masala upma that I make is a rescuer at times when my son insists for chicken noodles. Kids just loves it and for adults it is a hand-licking treat. You will never get bored of this dish and an ezee one to prepare when you are in jiffy whether it is for an ezee snack or breakfast. Go for it guys, it is just awesome :)

Ingredients:-

Boneless chicken breast - 2 halves( cut into small bite size pieces or cubes)

Onion - 1 big finely chopped

green chilly - 2 chopped

ginger, garlic - crushed or finely chopped
tomato finely chopped

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp
few curry leaves
coriander leaves chopped

Vermicelli/Semiya - 2 cups
water - 4 cups
salt to taste
Oil

Preparation method:-

1) Dry roast the Vermicelli/Semiya till golden brown.

2) Boil the water by adding a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.

3) Add Vermicelli and cook it till firm but not overly soft and set aside. Drain off excess water if any so that vermicelli do not stick together(If you feel they might become sticky add a tsp of oil while boiling the semiya, this helps them remain separate)

4) In another pan add oil, onion, green chilly, ginger, garlic, salt, curry leaves and saute well on med flame.

5) When onion turns translucent add tomatoes, little coriander leaves and saute till tomato is soft

6) Add the masalas and saute for a min, add chicken and saute well to mix masala and chicken well.
7) Close the pan and let the chicken cook for 10-15 mins or till chicken is soft in a med flame. Open the lid and check for the salt and taste, the chicken masala should be juicy but not watery.(If you feel the masala has excess water keep the id open and cook for a while till water is evaporated)

8) When chicken is cooked well, add the cooked vermicelli and mix gently so that it absorbs all the moisture from the masala and masala gets mixed well with vermicelli.

9) Switch off the flame and move to a serving dish. Garnish with few chopped coriander leaves and serve hot..

Chellamani Snack - With leftover Idli/Dosa batter

                             

Ingredients:-

1. Fermented Idli Batter - 1½ cup
2. Raw rice - 1 cup
3. Butter milk/Moru ~ ¾ cup
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil for deep frying 

Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Ginger finely chopped ~ 2 tsp 
4. Few curry leaves chopped
5. Shallots/Kunjully finely chopped - 2 small
6. Green chilies finely chopped ~ 2 (adjust according to the spiciness required)
   
   

   

   
   

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and soak the rice for 4-5 hrs. Drain the water and grind the rice by adding buttermilk to make a smooth batter.
• Add this to the Idli batter, add salt and mix everything well together. Reserve
• Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, ginger, shallots, green chillies and saute till shallots turn transulent.
• Add this seasoning to the prepared batter.
• Pour oil in an Unniappam vessel, pour a scoop of batter into it. fry till light golden brown color.
• Turn it over and fry for few mins till other side also turns golden brown.
• Remove from the oil using a skewer
• Repeat the  process using remaining batter
• Serve hot as it is or with any Coconut Chutney, Tomato Chutney, Sambhar or Ketchup.
  
  Note:- If you don't want the green chili bites(unlike grown ups sometimes kids have problem biting green chilies) you can add a tsp of chilly powder in the batter instead of chopped green chilies
  
  Recipe Source: Vanitha

Kiddie snack - Coconut wrap

Ingredients:-

1. wheat flour - 1 cup
2. Water - as required to knead the dough
3. salt - 1 tsp
4. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
5. Sugar or powdered jaggery - 3 tbsp
6. Ghee - 2 tsp
7. Cardamom powder - 1tsp (optional)

Preparation Method:-

Mix first three ingredients and make chappathi dough out of it.
Roll out small rotis like poori's from chappathi dough.
In a tbsp of ghee, stir fry the grated coconut for a while in med flame till nice smell of coconut comes.
Add sugar and cardamom pwdr mix well, switch off the flame. Fill the rolled roti with a tbsp each of this filling, fold into half and close the edges. Either deep fry it(i remember eating it deep fried in my school days) or add a spoon of ghee to the non-stick pan and cook both sides till done.
I used ghee for my kiddos and made it without any oil and ghee in a non-stick for myself and husband...
I swear this is really an awesome snack for kids, they will love it...

Spinach Pakoda

It was a rainy Sunday, my husband and kids were taking a nap after lunch and I was sitting and browsing. I knew my hubby will not sleep more than an hour and he will start asking for Tea from the bed itself. Such a rainy day 'Chai' really needs some pakodas to munch and I didn't have anything preplanned. I had some spinach in the fridge and thought of making the normal spinach pakodas that i make, but was being lazy to finely chop everything, mix and fry it. I came across this recipe of Spinach pakoda where you don't have to chop the spinach and so easy to make it and I wondered why didn't this way of making pakoda strike my mind before.

Ingredients:-

1. Spinach - 1/2 lbs
2. Besan flour - 1/2 cup
3. Corn flour - 1tbsp
4. Salt - 1 tbsp
5. Pepper pdr - 1 tsp
6. Cumin pdr- 1/2 tsp
7. Chilly pdr - 1tsp
8. Asefoetida - a pinch
9. Water- 1/2 cup
10. Oil as needed to deep fry

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and pat dry the spinach leaves well and keep aside.
• Mix besan flour and rest of the ingredients in water and make a batter, batter should be thin.
• Heat a kadai in medium heat and pour the oil. To check for the correct heat of the oil, put a drop of batter in the oil and if it comes up right away without changing color your oil is hot enough.
• Dip spinach leaf in the batter one at a time and slowly drop it in the oil.
• Fry for 2-3 mins and turn it upside down. Remove it from the oil when the spinach turns golden brown color on both sides.
• Repeat the process for the rest of the spinach leaves.

Be careful not to overheat and burn the spinach. Stove should always be in medium heat.

Recipe courtesy- Manjula's kitchen...

ILA Ada/Ottada

ILA ADA was one of my favorite breakfast item when I was a kid. I'm sure every mallu kid might used to love it or still loves it. It is traditionally made by grinding the soaked par-boiled rice with very less water in a manual stone grinder called 'Ammi Kallu' to a smooth dough, then rolled into roti by pressing with your hands on top of banana leaves with sweet stuffing inside and steaming it. On weekdays my grand-mom used to be busy with daily chores of getting us all ready to school, packing breakfast, lunch etc for us and I remember Ada was made on weekend at our ancestral home as it requires a lot of manual labour.

It is also known as Ottada in the North Kerala-Kannur, and I always wondered why it is known as Ottada since I have never seen it being made in any Ottu Paathram - a bronze metal vessel such as 'Uruli/Ottu Uruli'.   According to my grand-mom - in her early days Ottada/Ada was made in manchatti - a claypot or earthen ware by wrapping the spreaded rice dough in banana leaves and with sweet coconut stuffing. Since the clay pot is made of Odu ie Clay it was called Ottada. I could only imagine it as she tried to make me feel the smell of the Ada being cooked in manchatti, banana leaf ohhh my, gone are those days. As she continued saying our favorite Puttu- a kind of steam cake used to be made in Chiratta ie in coconut shell. Friends that is one of the reason our grandma's food used to be the best as they used to put all the effort by cooking them the authentic way. The Ammi - manual grinding stone, chiratta - coconut shell, Ila - banana leaves, Plavila - Jackfruit leaves, every single thing has its own fresh smell which adds up taste and smell to the dish. I wonder if my kids will ever be able to feel/understand all these, which I have at least seen few, can imagine some and try to implement little bit. 

ILA(banana leaf) Ada as the name says is made in ILA/banana leaf and it has great smell of steamed banana leaf. I found some frozen banana leaves in the Asian stores and tried making Ada with it. But somehow I didn't like the taste of that Ada. My brother-in-law suggested me the idea of making Ada in silver foil and since I didn't get fresh banana leaves in US I thought of trying it out. Even though I didn't get the feel of the fresh banana leaves it came out good with its authentic taste which I always admired. So here we go with the silver foil version of Ada. Enjoy!!!!!

 

Ingredients:-

Rice flour(puttu podi)- 2 cup
Boiled water- 3-1/2 cup(u can add salt to this as well)
Cumin/Jeera-2 tsp
Salt to taste

For filling

grated coconut
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Raisins,cashews handful (optional, i added it)
cardamom pdr- 1/2 tsp(optional)
Mix the grated coconut, sugar,raisins, cashews and cardamom powder with hand and keep aside

Preparation Method:-

In a bowl mix rice flour, Jeera and salt and mix well. Add hot water and stir with a spoon so that rice flour is well mixed. Once it become cool, mix gently with hand and make a smooth dough. Make lemon size balls out of the dough. Take banana leaf/silver foil keep a rice ball on top of it and spread it with hands. Take a scoop of filling and spread on top and fold the banana leaf into half. Steam this in a vessel for about 15 mins. Remove the banana leaves. Serve warm as breakfast or evening snacks. Kids really love it...




Note:- If you get the fresh banana leaves please make it in the banana leaves. That really tastes good.

Dearies, Adding recently taken Ada pictures. This was made in banana leaves since I happened to get some fresh banana leaves.

Kappa (Cassava or Yuca) Puzhukku

Here again one of my grandma’s recipe. Tapioca (yuca) which is known as Kappa(Kizhanghu) in Kerala is served as an evening snack with Fish curry or Mutton Curry and tea. Wow what an awesome combination. I remember my grandma serving this dish in a banana leaf along with ‘chai’ when we come back from school. Those days can never be back where we don’t have to think anything other than playing, eating and studying; with loads of love and affection of elderly people especially the grand parents. So guys, enjoy this lip smaking delight with Fish Curry and a cup of tea. Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients:-

Tapioca (Yuca) peeled and diced – 2 lbs
Turmeric pwdr – 1 tsp
Shallots chopped – 4 small or 2 big
Green chilly – 4
Curry leaves – few
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad daal(uzhunnu parippu) – 1 tsp
Dry red chilly – 3
Salt to taste

Preparation Method:-

1. Cut the yuca roughly, peel off the skin and wash it thoroughly in running water.
2. Pressure cook it by adding enough water(Yuca should be fully immersed in water), salt and turmeric powder for 2 whistles.
3. When the pressure is off, open the cooker and strain the water in a colander. Set aside.
4. Heat up a frying pan, pour some oil, crackle the mustard seed, add dry red chillies and urad dal and stir
5. Add chopped shallots, curry leaves, green chillies and a tsp of salt. Saute for a while till shallots are golden brown.
6. Add the grated coconut and sauté for a while(say 2-3 mins).
7. Add the yuca and stir well to mix everything.

8. Sprinkle few more curry leaves on top and serve hot with fish or lamb curry.