Urad Dal Vada

Urad dal vada, an extremely common yet much loved south indian snack. I planned to make Pongal for breakfast today. Pongal without urad dal vada, its impossible for my hubby. My hubby says pongal tastes divine with these vadas. Ya i agree with him. Here is the delicious vada

Ingredients

• Urad Dal/ - 2 cups

• Onion - 1

• Green Chillies - 2

• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

• Pepper Corns - 1 tbsp

• Salt to taste

• Oil for deep fry

Method

• Soak urad dal for 2 to 3 hrs and drain the water completely.

• Grind the batter to a smooth paste,, don't add water while grinding.

• Then add onion, green chillies, curry leaves, salt, cumin seeds, peppercorns to it an mix well.

• Dip your hands in water and take a small ball sized batter and keep it on the palm and pat it to form a circle.

• Make a hole in the center of the patted batter.

• Fry the patted batter in oil till golden brown on both sides.

• Now the vadas are ready to serve, serve hot with coconut chutney.

Tips: After soaking, drain the water and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour and then grind it, so that u will get the round shape.

Watermelon Juice

Watermelon juice is a very refreshing drink. It is very quick and easy to prepare also and everyone would love it. It is a delicious thirst quenching drink. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A and has a higher water content i.e 90% water in it and lower calorie content. This fruit is liked by all especially during the summer month.

This is going to participate in " Soup N Juice "event hosted by Sreesha of Mom's Recipes.

Ingredients

• Watermelon chopped - 2 cups

• Ice cubes - 1/2 cup

• Honey - 2 tbsp

• Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Method

• Combine watermelon, ice, honey, pepper in a blender.

• Blend till smooth.

• Stir well before serving and serve chilled.

Vegetable Rice/ Pulao

Ingredients

• Basmati Rice - 2 cup

• Onion, chopped lengthwise - 1

• Green Chillies

• Cooked Mixed Vegetables- 1 cup ( I used Carrots, Green peas, Beans)

• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

• Garam Masala - 1 tbsp

• Cinnamon - 2 sticks

• Cloves - 3

• Cashew Nuts - few

• Oil - 3 tbsp

• Salt to taste

• Lemon - 1/2

Method

• Cook basmati rice with enough water and spread it on a plate to cool.

• Heat oil in a wok, add cinnamon , cloves, cashew nuts and fry for 1 Min.

• Then add ginger garlic paste and garam masala to the oil and fry till raw smell goes off.

• Now add onions and fry till it becomes golden brown.

• Then add cooked vegetables to it and cook for one Min.

• Next add salt and cooked rice and mix well.

• Squeeze some lemon juice while serving.

Fish Fry

Cuisine of Andhra Pradesh is world renowned for it spiciest flavor. Food from Andhra Pradesh is rich, high on spices, it is absolutely delicious and the taste is very distinguishable. The spicy lip smacking dish of Andhra Pradesh are something to savour forever. So i tried the fish fry from Andhra Cuisine. And here is the spicy fish fry :)

This is going to participate in " Spotlight : Fish " Event hosted by Indrani of Appyayan.

Ingredients

• Fish - 1/2 kg

• Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tbsp

• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

• Tamarind pulp - 1/4 tbsp

• Red Chilly powder - 3 tbsp

• Pepper powder - 1 tbsp

• Gram Flour - 1 tbsp

• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

• Curry Leaves few, finely chopped

• Salt to taste

• Oil for shallow frying

Method

• In a bowl marinate the fish with ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and salt for 10 Min's.

• Mix all the other ingredients except oil together to make a paste.

• Now coat the fish in this mixture and rest for 10 Min's.

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and shallow fry them.

• Serve hot with lemon and onions.
  

Cabbage Peas Gravy

This is going to participate in " Side Dish for Chapathi " event hosted by Vicky Xavier of Viki's Kitchen.

Ingredients
Onions- 1
Tomatoes - 2
Cabbage - 1 cup
Peas - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

To Make Paste
Garlic - 4 cloves
Aniseed - 1/4 tbsp
Red Chillies - 5
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Method

• Cut onions, tomatoes and cabbage finely.

• Grind the masala and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cloves and fry for few Min's.

• Add onions and fry till it becomes golden brown.

• Then add tomatoes and fry for few more Min's.

• Now add cabbage and peas and fry till cabbage becomes tender.

• Then add grounded masala paste, turmeric powder and salt.

• Add enough water and boil till the gravy becomes thick.

• Serve hot with chapathi.
  

Recipe from Mallika Badrinath Cookbook.

Vegetable Rava Pongal

This is going to participate in " WYF : Breakfast " Event hosted by EC .


Ingredients

• Rava / Semolina - 1 cup

• Split Green Gram / Moong Dal- 1/2 cup

• Boiled Vegetables, chopped - 1/2 cup ( I used Carrot, Beans, Peas)

• Green Chillies - 2 , finely chopped

• Ginger Root - 1" piece, finely chopped

• Garlic - 3 cloves, crushed

• Pepper Corns - 1 tbsp

• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

• Ghee - 3 tbsp

• Cashew Nuts - Few

• Curry leaves - few

• Salt to taste

Method

• Pressure cook moong dal and keep aside.

• Heat ghee in wok, add cashew nuts, cumin seeds, peppercorns, green chillies, garlic, ginger, curry leaves to it. Let them splutter.

• Then add rava to it and fry for 2 to 3 Min's.

• Add the roasted rava and cooked vegetables and salt to the moong dal with enough water for the rava to cook.

• Serve hot with coconut chutney.
  

Capsicum Rice

Ingredients

• Capsicum - 1, Medium Sized

• Rice - 1 cup

• Onion - 1 , chopped lengthwise

• Split Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp

• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp

• Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 cup

• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp
  

• Curry Leaves - few

• Oil - 1 tbsp

• Salt to taste

Method

• Cook the rice along with salt with enough water and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a wok add mustard seeds, chana dal and curry leaves let them splutter.

• Add cashew nuts and peanuts and garam masala to it and fry for few Min's.
  

• Add chopped onions to it and fry until it turns golden brown.

• Then add chopped capsicum to it and fry till done.

• Now add cooked rice and salt and mix well and serve hot.

Happy Friendship Day