Thappalam [ Andhra Dish (like kuzambu) ]

Ingredients :

• Cut vegetables mix together* - 1 cup
• Green chilli - 2 [ slit ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 11/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Daniya powder - 1 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 3/4 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Rice flour - 2 tsp [ disolved in water ]

*Brinjal, Red pumpkin, white pumpkin, raw mango, bitter goard, raw banana, yam (Senai)


For seasoning :

• Seasame oil - 2 tblsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - little

Method :

First cut all the vegetables in same size. Then take one kadai, add enough water and  put the vegetables in that, adding salt, turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, asafoetida, tamarind paste and jaggery. Allow to boil till the vegetables becomes soft. Then add the rice flour water to that. Allow to boil for 5 minutes more. Finely add seasoning in seasame oil and add to the thappalam [ kuzhambu ]. This goes well with rice. Generally in Andhra they will prepare this for ladies after delivery. Add ghee to the rice and have this kuzhambu and roasted curry with rice. I made yam roasted curry with this.

Vazakkai Pal Curry

Ingredients :

• Raw banana [ vazakkai ] - 3 [ peel and sliced ]
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Green chilli - 3 to 4
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
• Salt - As required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Sambhar onion - 6 to7 [ chopped ]
• Curry leaves - little

For seasoning :

• Coconut oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

Method :

First take one deep bottom kadai. Add the sliced raw banana along with enough water, adding salt and turmeric. When the vegetable becomes soft, add coconut milk and sambhar powder. Allow to boil for 5 more minutes. Meantime keep one small kadai on the gas & add coconut oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasoning. When the mustard seeds pop, add red chilli, chopped onion and ginger. Fry till the onion changes into golden brown in colour. Then add this to subji and mix well. Keep for 3 minutes more and garnish with curry leaves. Remove from the gas. This subji goes well with roti and hot rice.

Azuga mangai Pachadi [ arachu kalakki. ] Side dish - gravy

Ingredients :

• Mavadu - 3 to 4
• Unsour curd - 1/2 cup [ beaten ]
• Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 2 to 3
• Salt - If required [ This is because, already salt is there in mavadu, so check and add if required ]

For seasoning :

• Oil - 1tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tso
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

Method :

Grind coconut, mavadu, green chillies, in a mixer and mix well with beaten curd. Then add the seasoning. Serve with milakoottal. You can also mix with hot rice and eat. Its very tasty.

Cabbage Mila Kootal

Ingredients :

• Fresh cabbage - 1/2 kg  [ chopped ]* 
• Moong dal - 1 cup
• Salt - As required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fresh grated coconut -  1/2 coconut
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

* You can add carrot and fresh peas also along with cabbage.

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp
• Fresh curry leaves - little

Grind toghter :

Coconut, cumin seeds, dry red chilli to gether in mixie to a smooth paste

Method :

Pressure cook moong dal and cabbage together adding salt, turmeric and required water. Wait for 2 whistles to come. After the pressure goes, open the lid and add the ground masala to that. Allow to boil for 5 minutes more. If the milakootal becomes thick, add some more water and allow to boil for 3 minutes more in a low flame. Add the seasoning. [ Prepare the seasoning in the coconut oil ]. 

Garnish with fresh curry leaves. Serve with as a main accompaniment for rice with pachadi. Can be served with chapattis also.

Mango Lassi

Ingredients :

• Mango  - 1 [ remove the skin and keep the pulp ]
• Fresh thick curds - 11/2 cups [ 300 ml. ]
• Fresh cream - 1 tbl. sp.
• Water - 1 cup
• Sugar - as required
• Saffron - a pinch
• Kesar colour - 1 drop
• Ice cubes - as required

Method :

Mix all the other ingredients, run the mixie at low speed with short intervals. Serve in tall glass immediately.

Note :

Any fruit can be used to prepare sweet - lassis. It gives goodness of  vitamins, minearals, from fruit as well as from curds / yoghurt. Serve immediately after preparing.

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients :

• Onion - 3 [ finely chopped ]
• Red tomato - 4 [ finely chopped ]
• Garlic flakes - 2-3 [ finely chopped ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Sugar or jaggery - as per taste
• Seasame oil - 5 tbsp

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Black gram dal - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 2 [ broken ]

Method :

Take one kadai and add oil. When the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When the seeds pops, add black gram dal. When the dal changes its colour, add the chopped onion along with garlic. Fry in low flame till the onion changes into brown colour. Then add the chopped tomatoes, along with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, asafoetida, sugar or jaggery. Mix well. Then add 1/2 glass of water to that. Close with a lid till the tomatoes gets completely cooked and becomes soft. When the oil leaves aside, remove from the gas and garnish with chopped coriander.

It goes especially well with neer dosa. It can also be had together with rice, rotis and parathas.

You can store it in a refrigerator for ten days. 

Neer Dosa [ Mangalore dish ]

Ingredients :

• Raw cooking rice [ normally we use, to cook ] - 1/2 kg
• Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 [ 1/2 portion of coconut ]
• Salt - As required
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp [ optional ]
• Coconut oil or fresh ghee - For roasting

Method :

First soak the rice in enough water in previous night. Then drain the water completely and grind with coconut to a smooth batter [ the batter should be thin like rawa dosa batter ]. Add salt and a pinch of sugar to that and mix well. If you add sugar to the batter, it gives light brown colour [ not compulsory ]. Keep dosa non- stick tawa on the gas. When it becomes hot, pour one cup of batter [ drop the batter like making rawa dosa ]. Pour oil or ghee round to the dosa. When one side is cooked, remove from the tawa and serve with tomato chutney.

Kadi Pakodi or Sindhi Kadi

Ingredients :

• Besan - 1/4 kg
• Onion - 3 to 4 [ peeled and cut into thin lenth wise ]
• Green chillies - 4 [ finely chopped ]
• Sour curd - 2 cups
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves - little [ finely chopped ]
• Cooking soda - a pinch
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Roasted jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - enough for frying

Method:

For making pakodi :

First take one bowl. Add besan, cooking soda, 3/4 cut onion slices, [ keep little onion aside ], little chopped green chillies, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder. Then mix well, add little water and prepare batter. Mean time, keep oil in the kadai. When the oil becomes hot, make small small size pakodas and fry in hot oil, till it becomes crisp and golden in colour [ Keep aside ].

For making kadi :

Take one vessel, add sour curd, 3 table spoon of besan, turmeric, asafoetida,  little chilli powder, roast jeera powder and salt. Whisk well without forming lumps. Then keep the same kadai adding 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil becomes hot, add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds changes its colour, add  remaining onion and green chilli. When the onion changes into brown colour, add curd mixer and stir continuously. If it becomes thick, add water to that. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. When kadi gets ready, add the pakodi to that. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. It goes well with roti, and steamed rice.

Tiffin Center Sambhar

Ingredients :

• Mixed vegetables* - 1 cup [ cut into small pieces ]
• Tomato - 2 [ red chopped ]
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Boiled thurdal -1/2 cup
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillie powder - 1 tsp
• Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery - 1/ 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - little
• Coriander leaves - little

*Mixed vegetables include brinjal, onion, red pumpkin, carrot, ladies finger etc.


For grinding :

• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
• Tuvar dal - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Raw rice - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 5 to 6
• Grated coconut - 2 tsp

Fry all the ingredients in oil and grind along with tomatoes and keep aside.


For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]

Method :

First take one small cooker, add oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the seasoning. When the mustard seeds pop, add channa dal and red chilli. When the dal turns into golden colour, add onion and then other vegetables And boiled and mashwd dal.. Mix well. Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, sambhar powder and jaggery. Mix well, close the cooker and wait for 3 whistles to come. After the pressure leaves, open the cooker and garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves. Serve with idlis, dosas, upma and steamed rice.

Rasam Vadai

Ingredients :

• Whole black gram - 1 cup
• Rock salt - 1 tsp
• Green chilli - 3 to4
• Dry red chilli - 1 [ broken ]
• Curry leaves - little
• Rice flour - 2 tbl. sp.
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - enough for frying

Method :

Soak dal in enough water for 1 hour. Then drain water completely and grind in mixer with other ingredients to a smooth paste [ try to  grind without adding water ]. Add salt and rice flour at the end of grinding. Mean time, keep oil in kadai. When the oil becomes hot, make your hands wet. Shape little dough into balls and then deep fry in oil. Turn once to fry the other side, brown and crispy. Mean time, make rasam. After deep frying the vadai, soak in hot rasam [ dhal rasam ] for one hour before serving.
 
Enjoy your rasam vadai at evening snack or break fast. 

Note : For making rasam, see my blog for rasam varieties.

Arbi Pakodi

Ingredients :

• Arbi - 1/4 kg [ boiled, peeled and mashed ]
• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Besan - 2 tbsp
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Cooking soda - a pinch
• Ajvan [ omam ] - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - enough for frying

Method :

First make flat vadas like tikki with mashed arbi and keep aside. Then make batter with rice flour adding all other ingredients [like normal baji  batter ]. Mean time, keep oil in the kadai. When the oil becomes hot, dip the tikkis in the batter and leave them in hot oil. When it turns into golden in colour, remove from the oil and serve with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.

Arbi Tawa Fry

Ingredients :

• Arbi [ sapakezangu ] - 250 gms [ boiled peel and cut into round pieces ]
• Green chillies - 2 to 3 [ chopped ]
• Onion - 2 [ peel and chopped ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillie powder - 2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Rice flour - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1/4 cup

Method :

Take one bowl, mash the arbi, add salt, turmeric, red chilli, chopped onion, green chilli and lemon juice. Mix well, make tikkis and keep aside. Dust the tikkis on the rice flour,  (  the tikkis should completly coat with rice flour ) Then keep tava on the gas, arrange the 4-5 tikkis on the tava,  pour the oil  round the tikkis and  shallow fry . When both the sides becomes golden brown, remove from the tava and arrange in the tissue plate. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Karnataka Thuppa Dosa

Ingredients :

• Urad dal - 1 cup
• Maida or Plain white refined flour - 2 cups
• Rice flour - 1 tbsp
• Salt - 2 tsp

Method :

Soak Urad dal in the morning in twice the amount of water and leave aside. In the evening or after atleast 4 hours, grind the urad dal with 1 or 2 cups water to a smooth batter. You can use grinder or mixer to grind this. Grind the batter for extra 5 minutes than usual to make the batter very airy. Now transfer the batter to another vessel and cover and allow to ferment in warm place in the kitchen.

[ During winter, Option 1 : Take a cooker which will fit this vessel.Heat the cooker with some water for about 5 minutes.Then switch off the stove and then keep the vessel with the urda dal batter inside. Allow to stand overnight.

Option 2 : Switch on oven / mircowave for about 5 minutes with a cup of water, switch off and keep the vessel with the batter overnight inside, closing the door of the oven /microwave oven. Allow to stand overnight ].

Next morning, open the vessel with the batter, mix in the maida, rice flour and salt well into the urad dal batter. Consistency of the dough should be semi thick [ like idli batter or cake batter ].

Now take a griddle or tawa, allow to heat well with atleast 3-5 minutes, take a big laddle full of batter, put on the tawa as shown and make the dosa in round shapes [  like pancakes ]. Allow the top of the dosa to form bubbles [ as shown in image 1 ]. Now put ghee on all sides and smooth lightly [ as shown in image 2 ]. Cover for about 1 minute. Now turn the dosa on the opposite side and put 1 tsp ghee and again cover and cook for 1 minute.

Now you will get a golden crispy dosa or pancake. Serve with coconut chutney and shambar.