Paitha Laadu

Paitha Ladu or otherwise called in Tamil as Paitha mav laddoo. It's a healthy, less time consuming,hassle free recipe. One of the oldest secret recipe of tamilnadu. Why not try for this Ganesh Chathurthi???

Serves 10 (Vary on sizeof the ladu and consumption)

• 150 gms - Paitham Parupu / Moong Dal / Split green gram
• 300 gms - White sugar powder
• 10gms    - Kaju/Cashew/Mundiri
• 10 gms   - Kismis/Ulrandha Dhrachchai
• 75 gms   - Ghee/Nei/Clarified butter
• 2            - Elaichi/Elakai/Cardamom

Method/Vidhiee:
1. Take a heavy bottom pan. Roast the paitham paruppu till they turn light golden brown.
2. Cool them and grind them into powder.
3. If you do not prefer the finest pieces you can sieve them to get the powder. I prefer those fine crunches adds to the taste.
4. Meanwhile, powder the sugar finely along with cardamom.
5. Make a fine powder. Do not use the skin of the cardamom.
6. Break the cashews and fry them in 1tbs of ghee.
7. Heat and melt the ghee so that its easy to mix with the powders.
8. Cool the ghee a bit so that you can add and make balls.
9. In a big bowl add pitham parupu /green gram powder, sugar,cashews,kismis and mix well.
10. Take a tablespoon of ghee and pour at one small portion of the powder.
11. Mix tight and make small balls.
12. First press tight then toss the ball and keep aside.
13. Keep the laadu in a vessel and let it dry for at least 2hrs.
14. Then transfer into a air tight box.

Ladu stays good for 3-4 days if kept away from light and ants :))
I recommend this amazing sweet to be tried by all. Simple to make yet tasty. Try it !!!

Beet Kola Vadis

Beetroot one of the least sort of vegetable during cooking. I was bored making cutlets, salads, raitas, sweets from beetroot. Happen to get to know this fried recipe of Beet from a  cookery show. As usual i made few add ons and name changes. Guess what the recipe was really a bang on hit. Try it!!

• 3 - Beetroot medium sized
• 2 - Green chilly (Depends on the hot meter of chilly can be added or reduced)
• 150gms - Roasted Gram dal/Pottu kadalai
• 4 tbs - Cornflour powder
• 50 gms  - Grated coconut
• 10 - Green coriander Strands
• 3cups - Oil to deep fry
• Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Wash well the beetroots. Peel of the outer skin. Grate them finely.

2. In a mixer jar add the roasted gram dal, green chilly,grated coconut,green coriander. Grind them well. Do not make paste.

3. Do not add water.

4. In a bowl add the grated beetroot, roasted gram dal mixture to it.

5. Add cornflour , salt and start mixing the mixture well to make sufficient balls.

6. Do not add water at any point. Water inside beetroot is enough to make a tight dough.

7. Start heating oil to fry the Vadis.

8. Once the oil is boiling hot add the balls made from the beet dough.

9. Lower the heat and drop the balls one by one from sides.

10. Now raise the heat.

11. Fry them so that they turn golden brown.

12. Once they are done drain excess oil and transfer them on to a tissue.

Serve hot.

Tip: Make medium sized balls. Do not make big or very fine balls it would spoil the taste limit factor.

Panneer Aaloo Sabzi Dry Curry

As i have mentioned in the blog, i do touch on basic cooking. Have come across many who look for everyday make ups at the kitchen than fancy long procedural recipes. So here goes one from the pitara/petti :))

Serves 4

• 3 - Medium sized potatoes/asloos/urlakazangu
• 1 - Big red onion
• 2 - Medium sized tomato
• 1 - Green chilly
• 150gms - Panneer/Indian cottage cheese
• 1tbs - Jeera/Cumins seeds
• 1tbs - Turmeric powder
• 1tbs - Kashmiri chilly powder
 (I play a low key on red chilly powder these. Hence, substituted the kashmiri chilly powder instead of the normal red chilly powder. Choice is yours)

1/2tbs - Roasted Jeera powder

1tbs  - Garam Masala

2cups - Water

2tbs - Oil

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Wash thoroughly and peel the outer skin of potatoes. Dice them into cubes.

2. Put them into 1/2 cup of water

3. Meanwhile, chop off the onions, tomatoes and green chilly finely.

4. In a pan add oil heat it. To it add jeera/cumin splutter them. Do not turn them black.

5. Immediately add chopped onions, green chilly. Saute them for 1 min till onions turn transparent.

6. Add tomatoes to it and saute again.

7. Now drain water and add the potatoes that were diced.

8. Add on the turmeric powder,kashmiri chilly powder,jeera powder.

9. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of water.

10. Close the pan with a lid and leave it till the water evaporates.

11. Stir occasionally. 

12. Once the water evaporates add salt, garam masala powder.

13. Mix them well and coat well onto the potatoes.

14. Make dices of the panneer after draining excess water.

15. Add them to the sabzi mixture.

16. Now do not rough handle the sabzi.

17. Gently mix the panneer with aaloo mixture.

18. Sprinkle some water and close the lid of the pan and keep it for 2 mins.

19. Give gentle sitr at least 4 times in these 2 mins.

20. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice, chapatti,rotis, Nan,breads.

Tip: You can add on dry kasoori methi/fenugreek leaves for different aroma.

Thengai Pottukadalai Chutney / Coconut Roasted Bengal Gram Chutney

Pottukadalai or otherwise called as Roasted Bengal Gram. They are thick yet soft easy to be powdered.
One of the common ingredient to make chutney's , savories down south. Remember, my childhood when you ponder around the kitchen and i used to find this roasted gram dal popping out of the box. It's good to much on when taken with jaggery. But, too much raw dal is always not good for your tummy :)))
This chutney is mostly prepared when the mothers don't find time early morning. Can be a condiment for dosa, Idli, Aappam. Iddiappam at times rotis too..

• 1cup/250gms     - Pottukadalai /Roasted Bengal Gram
• 1/2cup/ 150gms - Thengai / Fresh grated coconut
• 2or 3                 - Green chilly
• 2 arc                 - Curry leaves
• 1tbs                   - Mustard seeds
• 1                       - Dry red chilly
• 1/2tbs                - Broken Urad dal/Odacha Ulathamparupu
• 1tbs                   - Oil
• 1/2cup/150gms  - Water
• Salt to taste

Method/Vidhiee:
1. In a mixer jar add the roasted Bengal gram powder it.
2. To it add the grated coconut, green chilies and salt.
3. Grind it so that they get minced well.
4. Now add half of the part of water into the jar.
5. Mix them and grind them again.
6. Open and check whether the chutney is not dry or very thick.
7. You can add water how much ever thin the consistency of the chutney you prefer.
8. Once the chutney is ready pour it in a bowl.
9. In a small pan to temper pour oil on to the pan. Heat it.
10.Add mustard seeds, asafatida, red chilly, broken Urad dal, curry leaves.
11. Temper them and pour hot on to the chutney.
12. Mix them well.
Serve as a condiment. You can store this in fridge for about 4 days if kept in air tight.