Sambar Vada| Vadai

I don’t make sambar vada much it’s one of those once in blue moon things in our plcae though my DH loves sambar vada & it’s one of few South Indian dishes that he will eat happily.  I made this yesterday for group of friends (whom eventually didn’t turn up except one kind soul, God Bless her).  I made these sambar vada for one of them whom love South Indian food, since she couldn’t make it I thought let’s give her a virtual treat, so gals enjoy.

These sambar vada came out perfect soft, moist and delicious I shared these with my neighbour whom loved it and she thought these are from restaurant.

 

Ingredients:

For Vadas - makes 12 medium size vadas

Whole Urad Dal/Black gram - 1 Cup [ use the whole white ones]

Peppercorn - 3

Green Chillies - 2

Ginger - 1” pieces [chopped]

Onion - 1/2 small [ chopped]

Salt - to taste

Cooking Soda - a pinch

Oil - To deep fry

Water - 2-3 tbsp + for soaking

Method:

1. Wash and soak urad dal for 5-6 hours or over night.  Wash soaked dal, added in grinder/mixer along with chopped onion, green chillies, pepper corn and grind to smooth paste.  Add water only if required each time 1 tbsp. [I added around 3 tbsp water]

2. Transfer the batter to a wide bowl and mix well batter with hand for 2 minutes until it becomes soft and fluffy. You can do a small test to know if the batter is ready, in a bowl of water drop a small amount of batter if it’s floats on top then it’s ready to use, if the batter sinks on base then you have to mix the batter more.  Now add salt and soda and mix well again.

3. Heat oil in a wok, drop small piece of batter in oil if the batter immediately comes on top then the oil is too hot, off the flame and let oil cool down a bit.  Once we put little batter it should go down in oil and then slowly float on top, that’s the right temperature.

4. Make vada on your palm or use a plastic sheet/zip lock bag.  Dip hand on a bowl of water and wipe the plastic sheet with the same hand, take small lemon size batter and place on plastic sheet spread it making a small round, use finger to make a small hole in the center. 

5. Carefully lift the sheet and transfer the vada on another hand then slowly slit it to oil, be careful not to get burn.  I have many times put my fingers on hot oil

6. Fry each side until nice golden brown and fry each time 3-4 pieces so it doesn’t stick together [deep hand in water each time shaping vada and grease the sheet with water each time too].  Once fried take out vada  from oil and place on a kitchen tissue lined bowl, allow it to cool.

For Sambar

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 3/4 Cup

Vegetables - 3/4 Cup [I used Carrot, beans]

Tamarind - 1 Small Lemon Size

Onion - 1 Large

Tomato - 1 medium

Green Chillies - 3

Garlic Pods - 2 crushed

Sambar Powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig

Salt - To taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Cilantro - 1 tbsp [chopped]

Jaggery - 1 tsp [optional]

Water -

Method:

1. Wash and soak dal for 1 hour, this is optional and pressure cook dal for 3 whistles with enough water and turmeric powder.  Once cooker release pressure mash the dal well and keep aside. 

~ You can pressure cook the veggies too. 

2. Soak tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 15-20mins and extract juice from it, keep aside.

3. Slice onion, tomato, slit chillies and crush garlic.  Chop veggie like carrot, beans or any other of your choice.

4. In a pan/wok heat oil add mustard and cumin seeds and allow it to crack, add garlic and sauté until light brown.  Now add curry leaves onion and green chilli, fry until onion become transparent.  If using raw vegetable add it now to fry with onion. 

5.  Add tomato, sambar powder and cook until tomato mashes.   [Sprinkle little water if using raw veggies]

6. If using boiled veggies add it now along with tamarind juice and bring it to good boil, simmer for 2 minutes.  Add mashed dal, salt and 2 cups of water and bring it to boil again and simmer for 5-7 minutes on medium flame.

Garnish with cilantro.  You can add jaggery to get sweet taste like restaurant style taste, I didn’t add.

For Assembly:

1.   Soak vadas in warm water for 5 minutes, remove it from water and squeeze between palm to remove excess water, do it gently to retain the shape. 

2. In a serving bowl pour sambar and arrange the vadas, now pour sambar on top of vada and keep it for 5-7 minutes for the vadas to soak sambar.

3. Before serving add more sambar, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot/warm.

Notes:

~ You can serve the sambar vada with chopped onion, I don’t like that much. 

~ If you don’t soak the vada in warm water then you have to soak the vada in sambar for long time.

~ Beating/mixing the batter is very important to get soft vadas so don’t skip that.

Have a nice day ~~

Vegetable Momos | Steamed Vegetable Dumplings

Momos are quite famous more in North/North-East compare to South India and mostly wrongly presumed as Indo-Chinese food where it's actually native from Tibet and Nepal. 

First time I had Momos was in Delhi and immediately liked it, though I have tried the same in Singapore at few Indo-Chinese restaurants but it was so-so.  Momos can be either steamed or fried, fried momos called 'Khotey Momos'. It taste wonderful if served steaming hot with sauce, it actually very easy to make except the flour rolling part, that's the only tedious job I find but neither the less the end result makes up for all the hard work :)

Ingredients:

Makes - 20 medium size momos

For outer layer

Maida/APF - 1 1/2 cups

Sesame Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Water 

For Filling 

Cabbage - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Carrot - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Beans - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Paneer - 2 tbsp shredded 

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Green Chilies - 2

Garlic & Ginger - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Freshly Grounded Pepper - 1 tsp

Light Soya Sauce - 1 tsp

Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Spring Onion - 2tbsp divided [ I didn't use]

Method:

 1. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for outer layer, add water in small quantities and make smooth pliable dough.  Cover with damp cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes or until we are ready to use it for filling.

2. To make the filling heat a wok or pan, add 1 tsp of oil, chopped ginger-garlic and green chilies sauté until light brown.

3. Add chopped onion and fry until light pink, add carrot, beans and stir for a minute.  

4. Now add cabbage and mix well, cook for 2 minutes in high flame.

5. Add paneer, salt, pepper, soya sauce and stir for a minute. 
~ Add less salt and soya sauce contains salt too.

6. Off the flame, the veggie should be crunchy and  not  over cooked.  Add 1 tbsp of chopped spring onion and let the filling come to room temperate.

*My paneer had little extra moisture, make sure yours is dry.

7. Till we wait for the filling to cool down, take lemon size pinch from the dough and roll in to thin roti.  Always keep rest of the dough covered with damp cloth.

8.  Use a cookie cutter, or any steal bowl, cap and cut into rounds puri.  The size depends on how big you want your momos to be.

9. Add 1 tbsp of filling each disc and bring the sides together in the center, pinching firmly together, pinch out extra dough OR make a half moon and pinch the edges.  

I simply bring the edges together as it was faster compare to doing the half moon.  

10. Heat water in steamer or idly maker.  If using idly cooker then brush the plates with little oil and place momos on them, do not over lay but give lot of space in between.  Brush all the momos with sesame oil and steam for 8 to 10 minutes or until it gets cooked.

Garnish with remaining spring onion and serve hot/warm with any sauce of your choice.  I made soya sauce dipping and also used plum sauce.  

For Soya Sauce Dipping

Light Soya Sauce - 3 tbsp

Water - 2 tbsp

Green Chilies - 2 finely chopped (I used green n red chili)

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

Enjoy the hot steaming momos.

 Note:

~ Use minced chicken instead of vegetables for a chicken momos.
~ You can deep fry the momos.

And this goes to Chinese Cuisine event by Radhika.

Have a nice day ...

Assorted Pakoras | Fritters

Most of us like/love pakoda/fritters over a cup of tea.  I have tried so many times to post a pakoda recipe but it never really happened so this time I made up my mind I have, this was part of starter for a small get-together we had this Sunday.  This recipe which is little different, I just tried adding few new extra ingredients and made pakoda of Cauliflower, Onion, Potato, Bread along with mint chutney, I have posted mint chutney here.

Serving: 6-8 persons
Ingredients:

Potato - 1 Medium
Onion - 2 medium
Cauliflower - 1 cup florets
Bread - 4-5 slice (I used 2 hot dog buns)
[optional]
Tomato Ketchup - 3tbsp
Mint Chutney - 3tbsp
Oil - for deep fry

For Batter:

Chickpeas Flour/Besan - 1 1/2 cup
Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
Red chili Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp [optional]
Soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Orange Food Colour - 1/2 tsp [optional, I used Kesari Powder]
Water -

For Chili Paste: [optional]
Green chili - 4-5 [ to taste]
Mint Leaves - 3 tbsp [chopped]
Garlic - 1 small pod
Ginger - 1/2" piece

Method:

1. Grind all the ingredients under 'Chili Paste' into smooth paste with little or no water.

2. Mix all the ingredients under 'Batter' along with chili paste in to smooth paste without any lumps adding water in small quantity and make a thick batter, keep aside.

3. Wash, peel and cut onion, potato in thin round/slice shape.

4. Cut the cauliflower in small florets and microwave for 5mins in little water, keep aside.

5. Cut the hot bun from middle and apply tomato ketchup in one slice and mint chutney in another, place both the slice together and cut in small pieces. 
[If using bread do the same thing, apply chutney and ketchup in individual slices, place together and cut in desired shape and size]

6. Heat oil in a wok/kadai, dip veggies and bread pieces in chickpeas batter covering the batter all over the pieces and deep fry in medium heat until golden brown.  Repeat the same for all the batch.

Serve hot/warm with choose of chutney/sauce/ketchup.

These are great starters for any party or a yummy snack, we all know this ofcourse :)

Enjoy your day ....

Tandoori Chicken on Stove top

This is again made by sis along with Chicken Gravy.  She made these for starters and these sell very fast, unlike my previous Tandoori Chicken which was prepared in microwave this she had made on stove top but the result was just awesome. 

Before moving over to the recipe a reminder to all about Festive Food: His Cooking Event, do send in your entries.


Ingredients:

Chicken - 200 gms (boneless)
Capsicum - 1/2 [chop in square]
Onion - 1/4  [chop in square]
Butter - 3 tbs

For marination:

Ginger-garlic paste - 1tbs
Lemon Juice - 1tbs
Redchili powder - 1 tps
Turmeric - 1/2tps
Tandoori Masala powder - 1 tps
Black pepper - 1/2 tps (freshly crushed)
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. clean, wash and cut chicken in medium cubes.

2. Dice onion (separate each layer of onion) capsicum in same size, shape and keep aside.

3. Marinate chicken with all ingredients for marination 1-2 hrs, the longer marination the better.

4. Heat a pan add 1 tbs butter, add onion & capsicum and saute until capsicum gets tender for 5mins in high flame do stir in between to avoid burns & keep aside.

5. In a same pan add again 1 tbs of butter allow it to melt now add the marinated chicken and cook in high flame for 5mins tossing in intervals.

6. Add remaining butter and cook in medium flame for 8-10mins or until chicken become tender. 

7. Add capsicum and onion and toss well and cook for 2 mins, add little more butter if required.

**To save time one can cook the chicken in microwave for 5mins after marination.

Have a nice day...

Chilli Chicken | Chili Chicken Recipe

Chili Chicken is popular Indo-Chinese recipe and if you eat chicken than this is a treat.  My sister makes some really good chili chicken and while we visited her she made this.  Though the ingredients and method looks long and complicated but if all the ingredients kept ready then it's easy and quick recipe.  Have it as started or side dish and enjoy.

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken - 400 gms
Carrot - 1/2 diced [square pieces]
Capsicum - 1/2 diced [square pieces]
Onion - 1 diced [square pieces]
Spring onion - 2 tbsp chopped
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chili - 1 tsp minced
Egg - 1
Cornflour - 2 tbs[
While Cashews -  18 to 20 pieces
Dry red chili - 10 sliced
Black pepper - to taste
Ajinomoto - a pinch (optional)
Dark Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste (if required)
Oil - to deep fry + 2 tbsp oil
Water - 1/4 cup


Method:

1. Marinate clean and washed chicken with 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp cornflour, salt, egg, minced green chili for 1 hour or more. 

2. Dissolve 1 tbsp of cornflour in 1/4 cup of water and keep aside.

2. After 1 hour deep fry the chicken pieces [add more cornflour if required] and keep aside.

3. In a pan heat 2 tbs oil, add garlic paste, onion and saute for minute, add dry red chili, cashews  & mix well.

4. Add diced carrot and capsicum and saute for 2-3 minutes in high flame.

5. Now add fried chicken pieces along with pepper, soy, chili sauce, ajinomoto (if using), vinegar, salt, sugar and stir well.

6.  Add dissolve cornflour mix and stir well for a minute or until chili chicken becomes dry.  Add half of the chopped spring onion and stir.

Garnish with remaining spring onion and Serve hot.

Birthday Celebration Continues....Part II

DH has conveyed his heartfelt THANK U to all of you for your wishes. Continuing from my last post let's move on to the main course but before that I didn't mention in my last post that those Almond Stuffed Dates are awesome...it's just melt in mouth and everyone liked it so much, want to thank again Yasmeen :)

So after starters we move on to main course:

Chickpeas Salad - Check in previous post

Stuffed Capsicum

After looking here n there I settle with SuperChef's Stuffed Peppers. I made few changes in the recipe and it was super hit, the most appreciated item was this Stuffed Capsicum and it's pity simple to make too. Thanks SuperChef for the recipe ..here is my version:

Ingredients [ For Original Recipe click here]

Capsicum - 6 [I used green, yellow and red]
Onion - 2 medium size [chopped]
Ginger-garlic paste - 2tsp
Cooked Rice - 1&1/2 cup [a cup which can hold 150ml]
Kasturi Methi - 2tbsp
Raisins - 2-3 tbsp
Olive oil - 3-4 tbsp
Cheese - 1/4 cup [ I used Parmesan cheese]
Pepper - 1-2 tsp freshly ground
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F - 390F.

2. Wash, dry and scoop out the seeds from capsicums [use sharp knief
and scooper] and brush them with olive oil and bake for 15-20 mins. [I
baked for 20mins in 390F].

3. Heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions and ginger-garlic paste until onion turns light brown.

4. Soak kasturi methi in warm water with 1/4tsp of salt for 10-15mins. Drain the water and keep the methi.

5. Add soaked methi, rice, raisins, salt and pepper mix well and cook for 2-3mins.

6. Take out the capsicums from oven and fill them with rice mixture [use different size of spoons for filling will help]

7. Top with grated cheese and bake for 20 mins in 390F. [ I sprinkle some fresh crushed pepper on top of cheese]

Yummy stuffed peppers are ready.

Dum Aloo - I have posted the recipe here and trust me this is full proof recipe...always tasty, everyone liked it very much again.

Next up is Paneer Jalfrezi

I thinking a lot for what to make with paneer and after so much of thinking I settle for jalfrezi, I search lot of recipes but nothing excited me much so I came up with my own.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 500gms
Capsium - 1/2 cup Julians [I used red and yellow]
Onion - 1 large [chopped]
Tomato - 1large [julians]
Carrot - 1 medium [julians]
Ginger-garlich paste - 1tsp
Dry red chilli - 1
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Redchilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 4tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. In a pan heat 1tbsp Oil and saute paneer until golden brown, keep aside.

2. In a same pan add remaining oil and heat. Add cumin and fennel seeds, dry chilli and allow them to crack.

3. Add chopped onion and ginger-garlic paste and suate until onion turns brown. Add carrot and capsicums and fry for 2mins.

4. Add tomato and all powder masala fry for another 2mins. Now add 1/2 cup water,salt [add more if you want] mix everything well and cook for 5mins in medium heat.

Enjoy Paneer Jalfrezi

Other items will be in next post :)..Dum Aloo and Paneer Jalfrezi goes to Viki's Side Dish for Chapathi Event.

And this post goes to Rak's Cooking For Guests” Event

Gobi Manchurian | Dry Gobi Manchurian Recipe | Indo-Chinese Recipes

Gobi Manchurian or cauliflower manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese appetizer recipe which most of us do like along with a bowl or fried rice or noodles or have it as a appetizer/starter. Gobi manchurian has to be the most popular indo-Chinese recipe I think, it's favorite among all age group and everyone love this for sure right? Crunchy yet soft and flavorful gobi/cauliflower manchurian is a great to enjoy and we can make the same at home too.

Baby Corn Manchurian

Manchurian is my nephew Kedar's favorite, he always wants me to make it..though I have to make Gobi Manchurian for long time now but that's not just happening. Meanwhile he got this lovely looking baby corn from cold storage and I thought of making baby corn Manchurian for him. It was just yummy and everyone liked it very much. I used my own version to make this.




Ingredients:

Baby Corn - 10 -12 pieces
Corn flour - 1/4cup
All purpose flour - 2tbs
Redchilli powder - 2tbs
Carrot - 1
Capsicum - 1/2
Onion - 1 Large
Green chilies - 6-7
Ginger-garlic paste - 1tps
Tomato sauce - 2tbs
Soy sauce - 1 tbs
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep fry
Spring onion - optional
Coriander leaves - for garnishing.
Water

Method:

1. Mix corn flour, all purpose flour, 1tbs redchilli powder, 1/2 tbs ginger-garlic paste,salt & water with the consistency as pokada batter.

2. Dip baby corn in the batter and deep fry them in medium heat until golden brown. Keep them in kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

3. Dice carrot, capsicum & slice onion and green chili.

4. In a pan heat 2-3 tbs of oil, add onion and saute it. Now add remaining ginger-garlic paste and mix well.

5. Include chillies, carrot, capsicum and cook for 4-5 mins. Now add soya sauce, tomato sauce and salt. (Do remember both the sauce does have salt in them)

6. Mix everything well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If you have spring onion, chop then and add now.

7. Now add the fried baby corn in the veggie mixture, combine everything. Garnish with coriander leaves and server hot.

.


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Kedar really loved this and wants me to make gobi manchurian soon now , since this is special dish for my nephew I decide to send this to Alka of Sindhi Rasoi 'Just for You' event.

Dear Aru of Gourmet Affair has passed me Lemonade Award, Thanks you so much dear...I would like to pass this award too Purva, Lakshmi, Priyanka, Sowmya, Anisheetu, Sukanya, Vani, Rekha, Ramya and Raji. Enjoy the award gals.

Tandoori Chicken Tikka | Chicken Tikka Recipe

Chicken Tikka or tandoori chicken tikka is easy starter recipe and specially good for chicken lovers. This is very easy to prepare with minimal ingredients, my sister made this and it was really delicious. Try it to know what I am talking about.

Ingredients:
Chicken - 250 gms (or as required, boneless)
Capsicum - 1/2 of each colour (we couldn't find all colours in store so used only green)
Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1 medium
Butter - 1 tbs
Skewers - few

For marination:
Thick Curd - 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Clove power - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp (freshly crushed)
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Cut chicken in large cubes, dice onion (separate each layer of onion), tomato, capsicum in same size and shape too.
2. Marinate chicken with marination ingredients for 1-2 hrs. The longer marination the better it tastes. We have done 6hrs + of marination.
3. Preheat the oven at 200c
4. Take a skewer or tooth pick and place chicken piece, onion, tomato, capsicum as you like.
5. Grill the skewers for 12-15mins. Turn the skewers to other side and grill for another 12-15mins.
6. Yummy Grilled/tandoori chicken is ready to attack.

We can use paneer instead of chicken too.