Medhu vada (Uddin Vada)

Medhu Vada/ Uddin Vada is one of the south Indian traditional snack. It is protein rich & heavy snack served with main course such as Dosa, Idli & Pongal.This vada is shaped like a doughnut, with a hole in the middle. My mother used banana leaf/ beetle leaf/ polythin sheet to give proper shape, we can give the shape from single hand also. It is fun to prepare this vada while grinding & giving shape. In our child hood we used to put it on fingers & play with it as rings. It is offered to God as Prasad also in garland form.

Time:

Prep Time: 2 Hours soak time   

Cook time: 20 minutes    

Serving: 8 to 10 medium sized vada

Ingredients:

Urad Dal/ Black gram        - 2 Cups

Ginger                               - ½ inch

Green Chilly                      - 2 Chopped

Onion                                - 1 finely chopped - Medium sized (Optional)

Black pepper corns           - ¼ teaspoon (Crushed)

Coriander Leaves              - 2-3 stems (Chopped)

Curry leaves                      - 8-10 leaves (Chopped)               

Coconut pieces                 - 2 spoon

Asafetida                          - 2-3 pinch

Salt                                   - As per taste

Water                                - As needed

Oil                                     - For deep fry

Preparation Method:

1. Soak urad dal for 2 hours at least. (Use whole urad dal without skin (Black Gram) for better result).

2. Grind urad dal with only little water till fluffy. Please note the following points:
   a) Add urad dal little by little (no water), while the grinder is running.
   b) Sprinkle few drops of water now to avoid jamming of the grinder.
   c)Stand near till you finish grinding for sprinkling water now and then and wipe the urad dal that sticks to the wall of the grinder container.
   d) This whole process takes around 12-15 minutes, you will get a fluffy white batter.

1. Now add chopped onions ,ginger, green chillies, coriander crushed black pepper, coconut pieces and curry leaves to the batter along with salt and asafetida.(You can add ginger and green chillies while you are grinding the batter itself, If you don’t want pungent taste of ginger. If you decide so, first add ginger and chilles, then urad dal)
2. Now mix well, keep aside and heat enough oil in kadai (be generous or else vadas may stick to the bottom and get burnt).
3. Now wet your right hand well and make a small ball, use your thumb to make hole in the middle and drop it in oil,(just invert the vadas over the oil and slightly shake ur fingers)

4. Fry on medium flame, turn the vadas and fry till both the sides turn crisp and golden brown.

COOKING TIPS:

• If your vada drinks too much oil then it means you have added more water, reduce next time. Try adding any one of the following only one tsp to reduce vada drinking oil-Rice flour or gram flour or Maida/all purpose flour.
• Don’t grind for too long, it will make your batter sticky and you may not be able to give proper shape to the vadas. Keep in refrigerator and try after an hour.
• A good variety/quality of urad dal also matters.
• If you grind everything correctly, you will get a crispy vada, no need to add rice flour or anything.

Best Serving Method:

You can serve vada’s plain or with hot sambar /coconut/Tomato chutney.

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Benne Murkh / Crispy Butter Murkh

Benne Murkh

Murkh is one of the crispy & tasty snack prepared within few minutes. This is one of the south indian recipe. It is available in sweet marts but preparing at home by your hands & sitting with family & enjoying it & receiving compliments from them matters a lot isn’t it? It is the best picnic snack.

Type: Snack

Serving: As desired

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice Flour – 3 cups

Roasted Gram – 1 tablespoon

Dry Red Chili – 8 to 10 /(Chili Powder – 1 to 2 teaspoon)

White Sesame seeds – 1 teaspoon

Butter – 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Water

Oil for deep fry

Preparation Method:

Grind roasted gram & dry red chili into a fine powder mix it with rice flour, sesame seeds, butter, salt, 1 cup of water mix it & prepare a dough. Get the chakkali mould fix the star shaped plate & fill the dough in it. Heat the oil for deep fry & start pressing the mould fry the murkh till crisp take it out from the kadai.

Note: You can store it for 15 days in a air tight container.

You can use vanaspati instead of butter but butter is the best option.

Best served hot.

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Frankie

Type: Snack

Serving: As desired

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/ multigrain atta/wheat flour(Any one) – 2 cups

Salt to taste

Water – 1 cup

Boiled eggs (Cut into round pieces )– 2 to 3 / Chicken Breast – 50 grams

Capsicum (Red, Green, Yellow) (Finely chopped length wise) – ½ cup

Cabbage (Finely chopped length wise) – ½ cup

Onion (Finely chopped length wise) – ½ cup

Red chilli sauce/ chili paste/ schezwan chili sauce (Anyone)

Barbecque sauce/white sauce/mayonaise /mustard sauce (Anyone)

Preparation Method:

Mix the first 3 ingredients prepare a chapathi dough & prepare plain chapathi’s keep it a side.(Note: You can use tortilla’s too).  Take a roti/tortilla spread chilli paste on it then place chopped capsicums,onion,cabbage, shredded chicken or egg around 3 pieces exact in the centre of the roti(3/4^th of the roti length wise) put some mayonise on the top if required you can grate some cheddar cheese on it & wrap it from down & left & right wrap the half part from down with a tissue paper/ aluminium foil. If you want hot Frankie keep it in the microwave for 2 minutes in convection mode.

Preparation of chicken: Take the chicken breast marinate with barbeque sauce/any other sauce for 15 minutes. Take a pan put a spoon of oil/butter cook the chicken in it then shred it or cut it into medium size pieces.You can even deep fry the chicken with your favourite marination.

Best served with any dips or sauces.

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Egg Roti

One of the most yummy snack/roti . My family just love it. It tastes like egg puff.

Type: Snack/Roti

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

All purpose flour(maida) – 2 cups

Eggs – 5 to 6

Salt to taste

Water – ¼ cup

Milk – ½ cup

Oil – 1 cup

Chili paste – 6 teaspoons

Preparation Method:

Firstly prepare Chili paste, soak dry chili in warm water for 15 minutes grind it into fine paste either with water & salt.(Remove the seeds before soaking) 

Take a bowl for mixing put maida, salt, water mix it, add  milk & prepare a dough, add half cup of oil mix it well leave it to rest for 30minutes(Note: The dough should be prepared into parata consistency).  Now take handful of dough make a ball shape knead it with a roller with sprinkling some maida on it now apply oil on one side & role it in & out ½ cm each then role it from one tip to the end again knead it smoothly into thin size heat a pan put the parata on it apply chili paste in the center spread it a bit break a egg in the center of it close the parata from four side putting sides on the egg it should look like a square put oil around it cook it on medium flame when the egg is half cooked turn it on the other side cook it for 2 minutes if you like crispiness then put some more oil serve it hot.

Best served with palak chicken, butter chicken, tomato sauce, plain or with any gravy.   

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Chakkali /Tenggol

One of the simple & easy snack even tasty & healthy. South Indians prepare it on Krishna Janmashtami, it is one of the favourite of Lord Krishna & also mine too.     

Type: Snack

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 1 Hour + 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Black Gram – 1 cup

Rice Flour – ½ cup

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Sesame seeds – 1 teaspoon

Chili powder – 1 teaspoon(optional)

Preparation Method:

Soak black gram for an hour, wash & rinse it grind it into a fine paste using some water around ¼ cup then take it into a bowl add rice flour, salt, sesame seeds, chili powder mix it well you will get soft dough now take the chakkali making machine fix the tenggol preparing plate & grease some oil inside the machine take handful of dough fill it in the chakkali machine heat the oil for deep frying when it is hot enough to fry take the machine press it into clockwise in the hot oil then fry it both the sides into light golden color take it out from the oil keep it on tissue paper serve it hot.    

(Note: Do not fry it too much because it will be hard to eat fry it into proper consistency  just till the bubble stops appearing)

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Mirchi / Chili Bhajji (Pakora): Type 2

Type: Snack

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Gram flour (Besan) – 1 cup

Bajji mirchi (less spicy) -5 slit

Soda a pinch

Chicken 65 powder – 25 grams

Chili powder (optional)- ¼ teaspoon

Water – ½ cup

Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method:

Soak slit chili’s in salt water, take a bowl put gram flour, soda, chicken 65 masala powder, chili powder, water mix it well without any lumps.

Keep the oil on flame for deep frying, when the oil is hot enough to fry lower the flame dip chili in the batter so that batter fully covers the chili leave one by one in the oil stir it in between fry it into golden brown, take it out put on the tissue paper then serve it hot.

Best served with green chutney, tomato sauce, chopped onion, grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves. 

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Cabbage Dosa

This is one of the tasty & interesting recipe whoever eats it for the first time will definitely discuss about it.

Type: Snack

Serving: 2 to 3

Cooking time:1 Hour +15 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice(Sona masuri/raw rice) – 1 cup

Dry red chilli(less spicy) -8

Tamarind – half lemon size

Jaggery – 1 lemon size

Cumin seed – 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds – 2 teaspoon

Coconut – 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Water for grinding

Oil – 2 to 4 teaspoons

Cabbage (finely chopped) – ½ cup

Onion (finely chopped) – 1 cup

Preparation Method:

Soak rice for an hour, put it in a grinder with tamarind, jaggery, cumin, coriander seeds, coconut, dry chili grind it with little water to prepare a thick batter.

Take the batter into a bowl put cabbage, onion , salt mix it .

Keep a non-stick tava / preferably rock griddle on the flame grease it with oil put the batter of around 2 tablespoons press on the top(it should be thick like pan cake) put oil on the top close a lid cook under medium flamefor 2 minutes then open the lid & twist it roast it for another 3 minutes serve it hot.

(You can add tasting salt of half a teaspoon if you like Manchurian, it tastes exactly like cabbage Manchurian but not deep fried).

Best served with tomato sauce.   

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Phaddu/Guntha pongal/Gullidli

This is one of the all-time hit recipe for lunch box.

Type: Breakfast/ Snack

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups

Blackgram – 3/4^th cup

Pressed Rice – ¼ cup

Oil – 4 spoons

Onion (finely chopped) – 2 medium size

Green Chilies (finely chopped) -8

Curry leaves (finely chopped) – 1tablespoon

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tablespoon

Ginger (finely chopped/crushed) -1 inch

Bengal gram – 1tablespoon

Mustard seeds – 1teaspoon

Grated coconut – ½ cup

Salt to taste

Preparation Method:

Wash & soak rice, blackgram, pressed rice separately for 8hrs in the day time, evening grind it to a smooth paste using water (prepare idli batter) keep it over night.

If chopping is boring then coarsely grind green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, coconut in a grinder without water. Heat a pan put 1 spoon of oil, add mustard seeds let it crackle, put bengal gram fry till red, then turn off the flame. Mix all the ingredients except oil. Grease the phaddu mould with oil put ¾ batter, cover & cook in medium flame with one teaspoon oil for each phaddu turn it cook till golden color before removing from the moulds, prick each phaddu with tooth pick, if it comes out clear then it is ready to serve.

Best served with ghee, butter, green coconut chutney, saagu, tomato sauce.  

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Babycorn fries / Pakoda / Bhajji

Type: Starter/Snacks

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Babycorn (blanched) – 1 cup (cut into 2 piece)

Gram flour – ½ cup

Cooking soda – 1 pinch

Green chili paste – ¼ teaspoon

Onion (finely chopped) – 1

Fresh coriander leaves – 1tablespoon

Hot oil – 1 tablespoon

Oil for deep fry

Salt to taste

Chili powder – ½ teaspoon

Water – ½ cup

Yellow color (optional) – 1pinch

Preparation Method:

Take a bowl for mixing put gram flour, cooking soda, chili paste, chili powder, onion, coriander, hot oil, salt, food color mix it with water into a thick batter.Cut babycorn into 2 pieces blanch in the hot water with some salt for 2 to 3minutes take it out from the hot water.

Keep a pan with oil for deep frying, dip the babycorn in the batter & fry it till crispy & golden color.

You can put tempering on it for extra taste. (put 1teaspoon of oil, mustard seeds, chopped garlic, curry leaves)

Best served with tomato sauce, chili sauce.        

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Cabbage spinach Vegetable Roles

Type: Snacks

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 15minutes

Ingredients:

Cabbage leaf – 8

Carrot – 1(Sliced into long Julian)

Green Capsicum – 1(Sliced into long Julian)

French Beans – 8 to 10(Shredded length wise)

Palak/Spinach -8 leaves

Butter -2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

White sauce/pepper sauce/garlic sauce (Any one) -1 to 2 spoon

Chili powder/White pepper powder -2 pinch (optional)

Preparation method:

Separate cabbage layer by layer & blanch it in hot water with some salt for 5 minutes, take it out & dip in cold water keep it aside. Now blanch carrots, beans together for 2 minutes keep it aside, blanch spinach for a minute & take it out from hot water dip in cold water. Take a bowl for mixing put carrot, beans, capsicum, butter half teaspoon, sauce, chili powder, a pinch of salt & mix it.

Take a cabbage leaf spread spinach leaf on it then put the above stuffing in the middle (that is around 1 spoon), role the cabbage so that stuffing should not leak out do the same with the other cabbage leaves.

Heat a pan minimize the flame arrange these roles on it put some butter turn it on the other side don’t fry it for morethan 2 minutes serve it hot.   

Best served with bread, plain.

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Paneer Cheesy Roles

This recipe is kids favourite, it is nutritious food which can be prepared easily.

Type: Snack

Serving: As desired

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Paneer (Cottage cheese) -100grams

Boiled & mashed potato - 1 big size.

Cheddar cheese (grated) – 2 tablespoon

Onion (finely chopped) -1Big size

Green Chili paste -1/2 teaspoon

Oil or Butter – 2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Wheat Bread or White Bread (edges cut) – 10(As desired)

Coriander leaves or dry herbs – 1 to 2 spoons

Garlic Sauce (optional)

Oil for deep fry

Preparation Method:

Stuffing:

Take a pan Keep it on the medium flame put 2 teaspoon of oil or butter (you can avoid oil fry it dry on low flame) add chopped onion fry till light pink put chili paste fry it for couple of seconds, crumble the paneer add it fry for 1 minute, add mashed potato, add garlic sauce, herbs, chopped coriander leaves, salt to taste (garlic sauce contains salt so be carefull while adding salt), turn off the flame & lastly put grated cheese mix it well.    

Take half cup of water in a medium sized bowl, dip one side of bread in water carefully squeeze water out of bread (bread should not be damaged as much as possible), now make a small ball of stuffing keep it in the centre of the squeezed bread & cover the bread on stuffing so that it won’t leak while deep frying prepare the roles keep it aside & keep a pan for deep frying when the oil is hot enough to fry (put a small piece of bread if it comes up immediately than the oil is ready ) start frying the roles on medium flame stir it between so both sides will be equally fried into golden brown color. Take it out put on the tissue paper then serve it on serving  plate.  

Best served with tomato, white, garlic, mustard sauce.

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