Patnam Pakoda / Pattanam Pakoda / Medhu Pakoda

Patnam Pakoda also called as Medhu Pakoda is a famous street food in Tamil Nadu and is mostly available in many tea shops. These pakodas should be enjoyed with a cup of hot coffee or tea. Once you start enjoying these crunchy pakodas, you cannot hold your hands taking more and more. Generally pakodas are made with Besan Flour or Kadalaimaavu. But this pattnam pakoda is made with Pottukadalai Maavu ( Roasted Gram Dal / Chutney Dal ).  I made these pakodas during lockdown thinking that these would last for a week so that we could enjoy during our tea time with a nice snack for a week. On the Contrary, the bowl got emptied on the same day of preparation. These pakodas are deep fried in oil to get the delicious crunchy bite. If you have an Air fryer, you can try with few pakodas and compare both the versions. I have not ventured it out yet.

Ingredients

Chutney Dal / Roasted Gram Dal / Pottukadalai Flour  - 2 Cups

Rice Flour - 1 Cup

Green Chilli - 4 

Ginger - 1 small cube

Garlic - 2 pods

Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - As Required

Red Onion - 1 Big or 2 Medium

Curry Leaves crushed - 1 stem

Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Oil - Enough for frying

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Baking Soda - 1 pinch

Preparation

• First prepare the Pottukadalai Maavu / Roasted Gram dal flour by grinding them in a mixie smoothly and keep it aside.
• Crush the green chilli, fennel seeds, curry leaves, garlic, ginger in a mortar or in a mixie gently. Keep it ready. Chop the onions and keep it aside.

• In a mixing bowl, add the ghee and a pinch of baking soda. Gently mix them using the tip of the fingers in order to mix the soda with the ghee completely. This process keeps the inner part of the pakoda softer and enhances the taste as well.
• To the bowl, add the Roasted gram flour / Pottukadalai Maavu,rice flour,chopped onions,crushed green chili mix, red chilli powder, hing and mix them thoroughly. Add water little by little to the bowl and make a dough like a roti dough. 
• Once the dough is ready, make lemon sized balls of the dough and keep them ready for frying.
• While preparing the pakoda dough, you can start heating the oil for frying process.
• On low-medium heat, fry all the pakoda balls in the oil and drain them out once they turn golden brown and crispy.
• Enjoy the delicious Pakoda with hot tea / coffee.

Tips / Suggestions

It tastes best when its slowly fried on low-medium flame. Cooking on high flame might yield half cooked inner part and dark coloured pakodas.

Thai Velli Maa Vilakku - Healthy Maa Vilakku

 

"Maa Vilakku"  in Tamil means Edible light with a small dent in the middle to hold the ghee. Its generally lighted during the month of "Thai" and "Aadi" in our place as a prasadam / offering to Goddess. This edible lamp is made out of processed rice flour and powdered Jaggery.  Still I remember how my mom used to light these traditional edible lights in our native place Thanjavur in front of the Goddess Bangaru Kamakshi Amman. She used to follow all the traditions in her own unique way in spite of having a hectic work schedule.  Following her traditions with heartful of thanks and respect, I made the Maa Vilakku today in our home but with a small twist. I have substituted rice flour with my processed millet flour, little almond flour, sesame seeds powder and Jaggery.  The consistency of the prasadam was good enough to make a nice ball and it tasted very good.  

Next time try this Maa Vilakku at your home especially when you want to have a healthy millet option.

Ingredients

Processed Millet Flour - 1.5 Cups 

Almond Flour - 1 Cup

Brown sesame seeds powder - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 2 tsp

Powdered Jaggery - Between 1/2 cup to 3/4th.

Elachi powder / cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method 

1.  Soak the Kodo Millet / Varagu in water for 1 hour. Drain them completely and dry them on a dry paper towel or on a thin muslin cloth for 20 minutes. Powder them in a blender.

2. Add a cup of almond flour, sesame seeds, crushed jaggery into the blender and grind them nicely.

3. Pour the grinded mix into a bowl. Add elachi powder and ghee into the mixture.

4. Divide them into two portions and make a round lamp with a small dent in the middle.

5. Pour ghee into the dents and keep them on a silver plate. Decorate the plate with kumkum, flowers and light this divine Maa Vilakku in your pooja.

Suggestions

I used Kodri Millet / Kodo Millet for making this prasadam. You can use any millets of your choice.

Vankaya Biryani / Brinjal Biryani

During lockdown,  I made Vankaya Biryani ( Brinjal Biryani ) just for using my tender purple brinjals in a different form for lunch. Whenever I get baby brinjals from the store, either I make brinjal gravy or curry. Big brinjals would be mostly consumed for making Baigan bhartha, Brinjal Thogayal, baba ghanoush, kathirikai Gothsu. Our foodie family totally love this biryani. Flavor of this biryani is so unique due to the addition of baby brinjals. Try this only with fresh baby brinjals as the taste is totally determined by the freshness of the brinjals. We can enjoy this hot biryani with a side of mixed veg raita. This brinjal biryani is an excellent alternative to our regular vegetable biryani. Next time, if you have abundant baby brinjals, Vankaya biryani should hit in your mind.!!!

Ingredients

Baby Brinjals ( Purple ) --  12 to 15

Red Onion - 2 Medium or 1 big one

Green Chili - 5

Tomato - 1 Medium

Basmati Rice - 2 Cups

Salt - As Desired

Ghee - 1 tbsp.

Cooking Oil - 1 tbsp.

Ginger garlic Paste - 1/2 tbsp.

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbsp.

Biryani Masala Powder - 1 tbsp.

Water - 3.75 cups of water.

Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Roasted Cashew nuts - To Garnish

Coriander Leaves - To Garnish

Masala Ingredients - For First Tadka 

Cinnamon Stick - 2 or 3

Marathi Moggu - 1

Lavang - 3 or 4

Sombhu / Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Kali jeera - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Bay Leaves - 2 or 3

Procedure 

Wash the brinjals and slit them into four keeping the stem intact and keep it ready.  Cut tomato, onions, green chilies and keep it aside.

Cook the Basmati Rice Separately

Soak the basmati rice and keep it ready. Cook the basmati rice separately in a vessel or pressure cooker along with a cinnamon stick, 2 lavang, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp of ghee. Add 3.5 cups of water for 2 cups of basmati rice. Basmati rice should be cooked three fourth and not mushy.  

While the rice is getting cooked, finish the remaining process as below.

Brinjal Cooking Process

• Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani. Add 1 tbsp. of ghee and 1/2 tbsp. of oil first. 
• Add all the masala ingredients and fry them little on medium heat. Then add the red onion slices into the vessel. Fry them till it turns light golden brown and not burnt. Add the ginger garlic taste then and fry them till the raw smell goes away.
• Add the tomato, green chili into the vessel now and let it cook till they get mushy.
• Add the slit brinjals into the vessel now along with the remaining oil.  Fry the brinjals on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add all the powders required for making the biryani. Add salt just enough for the brinjals sitting in the vessel. Don't add all the salt.
• Mix them thoroughly with the brinjals. Cover the lid and allow them to get cooked on medium heat till the brinjals get cooked completely.
• When its done, layer the vessel with the cooked basmati rice and the cooked brinjal masala. 
• Press them and cover the lid. On a low flame, let the biryani cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
• After its done, switch off the flame. Add a tsp of lemon juice and mix it. 
• Garnish the biryani with coriander leaves and roasted cashew nuts.
• Enjoy with a side of mixed veg raita. 

Tips

• Good quality basmati rice to get a rich flavor.
• Small baby brinjals should be fresh.
• Brinjals should be well coated with all the masala powders and get cooked.
• Keeping the layered biryani on low flame will give a well cooked biryani with tiny light crispy brinjals.
• You can add some fried onions on its top just before serving.

Kandathippili Rasam / Long Pepper Rasam

Kandathippili Rasam / Long Pepper Rasam is one of the traditional rasam recipes of Tamil Nadu. This rasam has numerous health benefits. It helps to cure severe cold, soothes cough and it is used to cure stomach related problems and good for digestion. It increases the appetite, removes toxins from your body and boosts immunity.

My mom used to make this rasam whenever we complained of any body aches, especially after coming back home from a long trip. 

In our household, rasam is enjoyed by everyone and they all love to drink the rasam as an Appetizer.

Ingredients

For Rasam Base :

Thick Tamarind Water - 1 cup 
Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - As Required
Jaggery - 1 pinch
Crushed Tomatoes - 1.5 Cup
Water - As Required
Corainder Leaves - To Garnish 
Cooked Toor Dal Water - 1 cup

For Seasoning:

Ghee - 2 tsp
Hing - 1 pinch
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - Few

For Grinding :

Coriander Seeds - 3 tsp
Black Peppercorn - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 4 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 1
Kandathippili ( Long Pepper ) - 6 sticks

Preparation :

• Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and extract the tamarind juice and keep it ready.
• Roast the ingredients for making the Kandathippili powder and grind them in the mixer.
• Add all the ingredients for making the rasam in the cooking vessel. 
• Adjust the consistency by adding required amount of water.
• Close the vessel and allow the rasam to boil for 4 or 5 minutes.
• When the raw smell of the tamarind completely goes away, add the kandathippili powder, toor dal water and mix them well.
• Allow the rasam to cook for few more minutes on medium flame till you see a frothy layer on top of the rasam.
• Switch off the flame and do the seasoning separately.
• Pour the tadka over the rasam vessel.
• Garnish with crushed coriander leaves and enjoy this healthy homemade rasam with hot rice and ghee.

Tips

Try to make rasam always in "Eeya Sombu" , a pure tin vessel and enjoy. 

Healthy Salad for Weightloss

Earlier, I was not a big fan of raw salads. I found it really difficult to pick them and chew little by little, I totally did not enjoy it. Slowly, few salads that I had at outside restaurants triggered my tongue and I discovered the way of enjoying the salad in my own terms. Its always good to eat raw vegetables and fruits daily. If you like to reduce your weight or fat from your body, consumption of raw vegetables helps you to achieve the results quickly. This is one of the salads I make often. I don't follow any rule or formula specifically while making a salad for myself. I fix my salad with any leftover veggies and if I like the combo, I will record it and follow the same pattern sometimes.  This salad was also recorded in the same way. 

Ingredients

For the Salad :

Romaine Lettuce - 1 cup roughly chopped
Cucumber - 1/2 cup chopped 
Grated Carrot - 1/2 cup
Steamed Corn - 1/2 cup
Cherry tomatoes - 1/2 cup ( Cut the cherry tomato in half )
Mixed Bell Pepper chopped - 1/2 cup ( I used red bell pepper, orange bell pepper and green bell pepper ).
Salt - As required
Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp ( Shredded Leaves )

For the Dressing:

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Salt - As required
Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Mexican Seasoning Powder - 2 tsp
( If you don't have this, you can add 2 tsp of crushed red chili flakes and cumin powder )

Preparation

Wash all the vegetables and cut into desired shapes.
Assemble them in your salad mixing bowl.
Meantime, make the dressing and keep it ready.
Add required amount of salt and pour the dressing into the bowl.
Mix it thoroughly and enjoy.

Tips 

You can add any chopped nuts of your choice into this salad and enjoy. Nuts like Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds are best suited.

Dangar Pachidi / Dangar Pachadi / Urad Dal Raita

Dangar Pachidi / Urad Dal Raita /Dangar Thayir Pachidi is a very traditional recipe,which is not talked by people nowadays. In fact, I wonder how many people of our generation know about this easy thayir pachidi.  This is one of the no cook raita / thayir pachidi which can be easily prepared at home. This fiber rich pachidi is a good source of Iron, folic acid and is best suited for women. It reduces cholesterol and has numerous health benefits too. It serves as a good accompaniment to Vatha Kuzhambu, Milagu Kuzhambu or any spicy Kara Kuzhambu.

We can add vegetables if we like, I added few fried  ladiesfinger / okra into this pachidi. My grandma used to add fried vathals along with tadka into this pachidi. Dont forget to make this yummy pachidi with a vegetable of your choice and enjoy with some spicy kuzhambu. This Pachidi helps you greatly especially when you are making a very big feast with 15 items for some guests. 

Ingredients

Thick Curd - 1.5 Cup

Water - As required

Black Urad Dal - 1 tbsp

Salt - As Required

Oil - 2 tsp

Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few

Dry Red chili - 1

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Cut Okra / Ladiesfinger / Vendaikai - 2 Cup ( As you Like )

Preparation

• Dry Roast the Black Urad dal till you notice a nice aroma.

• Powder it in a mixer and add it to the curd mixture. Add water to adjust the consistency of the pachidi.
• Add required amount of salt to this and keep it aside.

• Meantime, add oil in a frying pan. When its heated, add mustard seeds, jeera, hing, curry leaves, dry red chili, turmeric powder. 
• After that, add the cut okra,salt,red chili powder and fry them till the okra is nicely cooked and fried.

• Transfer the hot fried okra/ ladies finger curry into the Dangar Pachidi mixture.
• Enjoy with Vatha kuzhambu and Appalam. 
  

Tips 

1. You can add grated carrot or grated cucumber / zucchini into the pachidi directly. If you prefer to add freshly grated veggies, make tadka separately and pour it over the pachidi.

2. I like to make this Pachidi with black urad dal. You can make this with white urad dal too. 

3. This pachidi tastes very good with fried veggies or vathals.

4. I like to make this with fresh curd or light sour curd as its a no cook Pachidi.

Gooseberry Cucumber Curd Pachidi / Nellikai Vellarikai Thayir Pachidi

In every meal of the day, I love to include one curd pachidi with either cucumber, carrot or any other suitable vegetable. Though we don't get fresh Gooseberries year round here, I bought a pack of frozen gooseberries from the Indian store.  Using those gooseberries, I made this fresh curd pachidi for our Saturday lunch thali. I make this pachidi whenever I buy frozen gooseberries. Gooseberry also called as "Nellikai" in Tamil is a good source of Vitamin C, boosts immunity in our system, good for diabetes and has numerous health benefits. I also added a small cucumber along with gooseberries while making this pachidi but its totally optional. Personally I like the blended mixture of cucumber with gooseberries and coconut.

Try to make this curd pachidi often in your kitchen and enjoy. Try to add tadka to your curd pachidi always, it definitely adds more flavor and enhances the taste of the curd pachidi. 

Ingredients

Gooseberries - 5 or 6 medium size
Cucumber - 1 Small

Green chillies - 3 

Fresh Coconut flakes - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds / Jeera - 2 tsp

Ginger - 1 small piece

Salt - As required

Fresh Thick curd - 1 cup

Coriander leaves - To Garnish

For Tadka

Oil - 1 tsp

Hing - A Dash

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 2 or 3

Dry red chili - 1

Preparation

Grind gooseberries, shredded cucumber, coconut flakes, green chillies, jeera, ginger along with little curd in a blender. Add required amount of salt and grind again for few seconds. Transfer the mixture into a serving bowl. Add the remaining curd to the pachidi and mix it well. If its too thick, add little water to the pachidi and adjust the consistency. Prepare the tadka in a pan with little oil and pour the tadka over the curd pachidi. Garnish with few crushes coriander leaves and include this delicious curd pachidi in your thali / meal.