Vadavams or Vadagams

Vadavam or Vadagam or Thalippu Vadagam are balls made of onion and garlic and dals. These are used while seasoning.

Ingredients:
Small Onions (Shallots) - 2 kgs

Garlic - 1/2 kg
Fenugreek seeds - 100gms
Urad dal - 1/4 kg
Crystal salt - 2 handful
Turmeric powder - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 100gms
Thuvar Dal - 1/2 cup
Bengal Dal - 1/2 cup
Curry Leaves - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 cup
Oil (either Castor Oil or Gingely Oil) - 1 cup

Method:
Finely chop the onions and garlic to fine pieces. Coarsely grind all the dals coarsely. Mix dals, chopped onions and garlic together and dry in sun for about 3 days. Grease your palm with oil and make lemon sized balls from the mixture and dry them again in the sun for about 2 weeks or till the balls become harder.

This can be stored for about an year. When it is need to be used, break small piece from it and add it to Vathal kuzhambus, keerai masiyals etc. This will give a definitely different taste from the normal ones.

Fennel Seeds

Saunf or fennel seeds are highly aromatic in flavour which are pale green in colour and have a sweet taste. These are taken as mouth freshner and digestion inducer after meals. But these seeds have lots of culinary uses and health benefits too. Used to make many of the masala powders like Panch Pooran, Malvani masala powder (Goda masala), Punjabi Garam masala etc. The fennel seeds are used to flavour both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Health benefits of these seeds include, releiving chronic coughs, releiving flatulence not just in infants alone but also in adults too.

Fennel seeds can also be powdered and both Fennel Seeds Powder and Roasted Fennel Seeds Powder, have its own flavour and fragrance that enhances different foods.

How to make mustard powder at home?

Ingredients:
Mustard - 100 gms
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Grind mustard in a dry grinder along with turmeric powder. Store in air tight container.

This can be used to make pickles, added to food to give flavour.

How to make Cinnamon Powder at home?

Cinnamon is available in the market, in both rolled bark form or in powdered form. As Cinnamon powder tends to loose its flavour very easily, it is better to powder it at home in small quantities and store them.

How to grind cinnamon powder?
Break cinnamon to small pieces. Roast whole cinnamon in a dry pan. When cold grind it to a fine powder. Use small mixie jar to grind it. But it is better to grind it in a mortar or a pestle.

Cinnamon powder is used in marinades, stews, soups, cakes etc.