Namkeen

Namkeen a common snack made up north of India. It's a simple yet tasty snack for the evening. At my place we make it every year for Diwali and here i share it.

• 2 cups - Refined flour/Maida
• 1 cup - Rice flour/Arici mav/Chawal ka atta
• 2 tbs - Unsalted butter
• 1 cup - Water
• 1/2 tbs - Baking soda
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Sieve the Maida,rice flour,salt and baking soda on to a bowl.

2. To it add butter and mix them well.

3. Now start adding water to the flour butter mixture.

4. Remember you have to knead the dough tight with less moisture in it.

5. Make big portions of the dough.

6. On to the cooking station flatten the one portion of the dough maintaining 1/2 inch thickness.

7. Cut them lengthwise first and then breadth wise so that dimonds shapes are formed.

8. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep fry pan.

9. When the oil is hot drop in the diamond namkeens one by one sliding from the sides of the pan.

10. Do not drop in from the center or there may be a possibility of oil spilling.

11. Fry them till they turn half golden brown or full golden brown.

12. Drain excess oil and put them on to tissue paper.

13. Once they turn cool transfer them to an air tight container.

14. Repeat the smae process keeping the flame low till the namkeens are going to be dropped.

Omma Podi/Ajwain Sev

Simple savory which can be made on any festival..

• 2 cups - Gram flour/Kadala Mav/Besan
• 1 cup - Rice flour/Arici mav/Chawal ka atta
• 2 tbs - Carom water/Oma water/Ajwain pani
• 1 tbs - Oil
• 1 tbs - Salt
• 1/2 cup - Water
• Oil to deep fry
• Omapodi achu or Sev Mold.. which has small circular dot holes in them.

Method/Vidhiee:
1. In a bowl add gram flour,rice flour,salt and mix well.
2. To it add carom water (oma water.. its simple boil some omam in 15ml water strain the water)
3. Add oil and mix well.
4. Now add water and start kneading.
5. Make a solid dough.
6. Make small partitions of the dough.
7. Heat oil for deep frying the podi.
8. Grease the mold/achu so that the batter does not stick to the walls.
9. Take a portion put them inside the achu .
10. Once the oil is boiling hot press the mold from the top with the mold lid.
11. Move the mold in circular motion so that the worm like shapes form.
12. Be careful as the heat would be unbearable at times.
13. Leave them for 1/2 min in oil.
14. Now gently using a spatula turn them the other side.
15. As per your wish you can fry them light brown,light yellow colour.
16. Once its done drain excess oil and transfer on to a tissue paper.
17. Transfer them into an air tight container once they are cool.
18. Crush them so that they become podi/sev.
You can serve it as it is. Or you can add chopped onion, green chilies and few drops of lemon juice garnished with coriander. They can also be added to while making mixture.
Tip:
Do not close the container when the omapodi is hot or else it would become soggy.
You can add unsalted butter instead of oil.
You can also add more butter and less water.
While doing the next sets try lowering the flame. Raise few seconds before you are going to squeeze the batter.

Paruppu Urundai Kozambu / Lentil Dumplings in Tamarind Sauce

This recipe is one of the oldest South Indian recipe being passed on for generations.
When you deeply concentrate on this recipe it tells me a story hidden behind it.
Story might be a family might not have been able to buy any vegetables for the day and thus the kozambu happened or.... it can also be the other way round...as we Indians were so happy to serve the mighty kings. May be one day a king wanted a different dish without vegetables as he was bored of having them and thus happened the recipe... ;)))) well well many stories can be made to preserve the authenticity of the dish.

Serves 6

• 25 gms - Pigeon pea/Toor dal/ Thuvram parupu
• 25 gms - Channa Dal/Kadala parupu
• 6 - Whole dry red chilly
• 1 tbs - Turmeric powder
• 1 tbs - Dry red chilly powder
• 1 1/2tbs - Sambar powder
• 15 gms - Tamarind /Imli/Puli
• 1/2tbs - Asafatida / Hing / Perunkayam
• 2 arc - Green Curry leaves
• 1tbs - Mustard seeds / Sarason/Kadugu
• 1/4tbs - Fenugreek/Methi/Vendayam seeds
• 2 tbs - Oil
• 500 ml - Water to soak tamarind
• 500 ml - Water to steam dal
• 250 ml - Water to soak dal
• 1/2 tbs - Salt for the dumplings
• 1 tbs - Salt for the kozambu / Sauce

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Wash the dals and soak them in 250 ml water for 1hour.
2. Soak tamarind in 500ml water.
3. After an hour drain the water and grind them in a mixer along with 4 whole dry red chillies.
4. Grind them coarsely. Do not make them into paste.
5. Add 1/2 tbs to them.
6. Make cylindrical shaped balls or medium sized balls.
7. Now place them on the idlli plate or any plate that are greased with oil that has holes so that the balls can be steamed.
8. Steam them for approx 20 mins.
9. Make sure that the dals are done well.
10. Once they are done cool them and keep them aside.
11. Take the tamarind water. Mix the tamarind with hand thoroughly.
12. Mash the tamarind in water well. Squeeze the tamarind well so that the pulp comes out.
13. Throw away the squeezed tamarind. Extract the pulp.
14. In a heavy bottom vessel add oil.
15. Once it gets heated add mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds,asafatida,curry leaves,whole dry red chilly.
16. Add the tamarind pulp to it.
17. Add in the turmeric powder,dry red chilly powder.
18. Boil the pulp till the metallic smell and taste fades away.
19. Now add sambar powder.
20. Add salt to taste. Remember the dumplings also have the salt in them.
21. Add the urundais / lentil dumplings into the boiling kozambu.
22. Stir occasionally.. and boil them for 10 mins.

Serve hot with rice. The original taste enhances when the urundais gets soaked and becomes juicy after few hours.

Quick Carrot Pulav

I have always tried to make things that are easier, less time consuming and tastier too.. this recipe is a sure shot for the mothers who pack the lunch boxes for kids. Well suited for singles who their own stuffs :)

• 5                           - Medium sized orange carrots
• 1                           - Red medium sized tomato
• 1                           - Green chilly
• 1 inch                    - Ginger  ( Not mandatory)
• 2 pods                   - Garlic (Not mandatory)
• 3                           - Cloves/Kramb/loung
• 1                           - Cinnamon/Dalchini/Pattai
• 1                           - Bay leaf/Tej patha/Brinji elai
• 1 tbs                      - Fennel/Saunf/Sompu
• 1/2 tbs                   - Cumin/Jeera/Seeragam seeds
• 1 tbs                      - Clarified butter/Ghee/Nai
• 1/2 tbs                   - Garam Masala powder
• 1 tbs                      - Refined oil (Do not use any strong fragrant oil)
• 2 cup                     - Basmati Rice
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup        - Water (Depends upon which mode you are cooking)
• 2 cups                    - Water to wash and soak rice
• Salt to taste
• Green coriander to garnish

Method/Vidhiee:

1. Wash the carrots thoroughly. Cut of the ends of the carrots.

2. Roughly chop them roughly and put them into the blender.

3. Wash the tomato and roughly chop. Put it along with carrot into blender.

4. At this stage itself if you prefer ginger and garlic pods add them.

5. I preferred out of garlic and ginger.

6. Grind them into a fine paste.

7. The water in tomato is enough for the carrot to get blended but, if you feel its not getting down add some water.

8. Remember, you are making a rice dish and not a liquid juice so add water very little.

9. Meanwhile, wash the Basmati rice in 1 cup of water and soak them in another 1 cup of water for 5 mins.

10. I made it in a pressure cooker so my measurements are different when compared with electric rice cooker or open pan cooking.

11. For other modes scroll down for measurements of water and rice.

12. Pressure cooker  - 2 cup rice - 1 cup water.

      Electric cooker   - 2 cup rice - 1 to 1 1/2 cup water

      Open pan cooking - 2 cup rice  - 2 cup water

13. In the pressure cooker add ghee and oil. Heat them.

14. Add cloves,cinnamon,bay leaf,cumin,fennel and saute well.

15. Do not burn them. Once the cloves splutter add the carrot paste to it.

16. Saute well till the 3/4th of water in it evaporates.

17. Add salt and garam masala to it mix well.

18. Now drain the water from the rice and add it to the carrot paste.

19. Mix well and add water to it.

20. Close the lid and give one whistle.

21. Do not open immediately let it cool for 10 mins.

22. Slowly with soft ladle transfer into a bowl and serve hot.

23. Do not keep mixing as the rice tend to break and get mashed.