Green Peas and Pudina Vadai

 Ingredients:

  

    Green Peas - 1 cup

    Onion - 1 finely chopped

    Pudina leaves - 1 cup

    Ginger - 2 inches

    Green chillies - 3

    Gram flour - 1 tbsp

    Salt - to taste

    Oil - to fry

  Grind the green peas coarsely. Grind pudina leaves, green chillies and ginger. Mix the ground green peas and pudina,ginger, green chillies and chopped onion . Add gram flour just to bind the mixture. Add salt and sprinkle little water in case required and mix well. Take small balls and make it in vada shape and deep fry it in oil.

Pudina Pakoda

 Ingredients:

  

   Potato - one small grated

   Carrot - one grated

   Beans - 4 to 5 chopped finely

   Pudina leaves - 1 cup

   Gram flour - 1 cup

   Rice flour - 1/4 cup

   Bombay Rava - 1 tsp

   Green chillies - 3

   Ginger - 1 to 2 inches

   Salt - to taste

   Oil - to fry

Grind pudina,ginger and green chillies together. Mix it with gram flour, rice flour, rava, salt.Add the grated vegetables to the mixture. Use very less water to sprinkle on the mixture and mix it well. Make small balls and deep fry it. Pakodas are ready.

Mixed Vegetable Bonda by Shripriya

Starter recipe posted by Shripriya Ramakrishan for party menu contest entry 1

Make the mixed vegetable curry with potato, carrot, beans, peas, capsicum etc., and make lemon sized balls. Instead of dipping it in the Besan gravy, we are going to wrap it in white bread. Remove the brown part in the bread, sprinkle little bit water on the white part, place the mixed vegetable ball on the bread, then wrap the mixed vegetable ball with the bread...if the bread is hard and you are not able to wrap, then wet your hands and try. It will work out. Then deep fry these rolls. The taste will be awesome. I made this for one of the potluck parties....and the guests were going ga-ga over this. :)

Masala Bhindi fingers - an easy to make party dish

Ingredients:
Lady's finger - 1/2 kg
Besan flour - 1/4 cup
Dhaniya powder (Coriander powder) - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying

Method:
Wash and dry the lady's finger thoroughly. Remove the ends and cut them into four lengthwise. Spread the cut pieces in a tray. Make a mixture of besan flour, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and ensure no lumps are formed. Sprinkle this mixture on to the cut lady's finger slices. Ensure all the pieces are evenly coated with the mixture.

Heat oil in a pan, when hot add few pieces at a time. Fry them till they become golden brown. Remove and serve it with tea or coffee.

Aloo tikki with fillings.

Baby corn and potato makes a great combination. Making tikkis out of it in a combination or making cutlets out of it along with a few other vegetables will be a best choice to make the kids eat a lot of vegetables.

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 nos
Sweet corn - 1/2 cup
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chat masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Amchur Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Corn flour - 1/4 cup
Bread Crumbs - 1 cup
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying

Method:
Boil and grate potatoes. Boil corn and green peas separately (if dry green peas is used, it should be soaked over night and then boiled).

In a large mixing bowl, add the grated potato, salt, turmeric powder, amchur powder, red chilly powder, chat masala, garam masala, coriander leaves, mint leaves and mixed well. (Alternatively you can grind coriander leaves and mint leaves along with the other masala powders and salt and mix it with the grated potato). Mix all well to make a thick dough. (Add little corn flour, if the mixture is little watery)

In another bowl add peas, corn, salt, 1/4 tsp garam masala, salt and lemon juice. Mix well and let it set.

In a shallow bowl add corn flour, salt and little water to make a batter. Should flow freely when it is poured from above using a spoon.

Divide the potato mixture into large lemon sized balls. Flatten them, and add about a spoon of peas corn mixture. Fold and cover with potato and make them into a cylinder. (It can remain as cylinder or can be flattenned out a bit). Let it set for a few mins.

Spread the bread crumbs in a plate. Roll the tikkis in the batter and again in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a shallow pan. Fry the tikkis one by one till they are golden brown.

Serve hot with mint chutney and tomato ketchup.

Corn sundal - an evening snack

Corn is one grain that is loved by almost all the ages. It can be made in a variety of forms to make the kids eat and reap the benefits in store.

Ingredients:
Corn Kernels - 2 cups
Onion - big 2 nos
Green Chilly - 1 no
Red Chilly - 1 no
Sambar Powder - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice - from 1 lemon.
Oil - 2 tbsp
Broken Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup (optional)

Method:
Pressure cook corn kernels for about 3 whistles using a little salt. Cut onions into small pieces. Heat pan and add oil to it, when hot add mustard seeds. When they splutter add broken urad dal, slit green chillies, red chillies and saute will. Add the corn kernels and mix thoroughly. Taste the salt and add the desired amount. Add the sambar powder and mix well.

Remove from flame add, curry leaves, finely chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut and mix well. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Makes a great evening snack for the kids.

Moong Dal Vada

Ingredients:
Moong dal - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Saunf - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 8 nos
Onions - 2 nos
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:
Wash and soak the Moong dal for about 2 hours. Drain and grind it along with 6  nos of green chillies and 1/2 tsp of saunf to a thick paste (it should not be watery so avoid adding water while grinding). Chop onions, remaining green chillies, coriander leaves and curry leaves finely. Mix them to the moong dal batter along with the remaining 1/2 tsp of saunf. Make vadas out of it and fry them till it becomes golden brown in colour.

Serve with green chutney and or coconut chutney.

Masala Vada - 2

This is another method to make Masala Vada using ingredients used for Aama Vadai.

Ingredients:
Thuvar Dal - 2 cups
Bengal Gram Dal - 1 cup
Rice - 2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds - 2 tbsp
Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 6 nos
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Onion - 2 nos
Oil for frying

Method:
Wash and soak the dals  and rice together for about 1/2 an hour. Grind them coarsely along with salt, asafodeita, curry leaves and red chillies.

Chop onions finely. Crush the fennel seeds. Mix onions and fennel seeds to the ground dal. Make vadas out of the dough and fry it in hot oil. Fry untill golden brrown.

Potato rolls - A great snack for evening after school

Ingredients:
Potato - 4 nos
Green Peas - 4 nos
Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
Green chilly - 5 nos
Salt to taste
Bread slices - 4 nos (White sandwhich bread)
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Bread crumbs - 1 cup

Method:
Boil, peel and mash potatoes and green peas. Chop green chillies finely. Chop the coriander leaves finely. Soak the bread slices in water for about 2 seconds after removing the sides. Squeeze out the water completely.

 In a big bowl add the mashed potatoes and peas along with jeera powder, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and amchur powder and mix well to a fine dough. Add the bread slices to the mixture and knead well so that the bread get mixed thoroughly. Roll the dough to cylinder shapes.

In a shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup of water and corn flour to make a thin paste. Dip the rolls in the corn flour paste ensure that it is evenly coated. Roll the cylinders in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the rolls in the oil till they turn golden brown and crisp. Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Healthy Snack bag

Ingredients:
Corn flakes - 2 cups
Roasted Channa Dal - 1 cup
Roasted puffed rice - 2 cups
Roasted Poha - 1 cup
Roasted peanuts - 1 cup
Roasted channa - 1 cup
Roasted green moong - 1 cup
Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method:
Heat 1/2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the curry leaves in it till they turn crispy. Add all the ingredients one by one and saute them. Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp of ghee on top and mix well. Remove from flame and let them all cool. Store in an airtight container.

This makes a great snack for exam going students and for dieters.

Recipe for Paneer Samosa

Ingredients:
Maida or All purpose flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt little
Oil - to fry
Paneer - 200 gms
Onion - 1 big
Salt to taste
Green Chillies - 1 no
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:
Grate paneer. Grate green chilly. Chop Onion finely. Mix paneer, green chilly, salt, coriander leaves and onion.

Make a dough of Maida. Let the dough set for about an hour. Make small balls out of Maida and roll them into small chappaties. Place 1 to 2 spoons of the paneer mixture inside the chappati and fold them in triangle shape. Make all the samosas and leave them in freezer for about half an hour.

Heat oil and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Fry the samosas in hot oil. (You can add one or two at a time). Keep turning the samosas till it becomes golden brown in all the sides.

Serve hot with mint chutney and Katta meeta chutney

Shankarapalli - A sweet tea time snack

Shankarapalli is a triangle shaped tea time snack which can be made very very easily in about 20 to 30 mins.

Ingredients:
Maida - 3 1/2 cups
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 3/4th cup
Oil to fry

Method:
Seive the maida to avoid forming lumps. In a hard bottom pan add ghee, sugar and milk and boil it. When the mixture starts boiling remove from flame and let it cool.

Mix the seived maida to the above mixture slowly and making a dough out of it. The dough have to be stiff enough to make be able to make chappatis out of it.

Divide the dough into equal parts and make balls out of it. Heat oil in a kadai and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Make chappatis out of the balls (the chappatis should not be very thin). Cut the chappatis with a knife or shankarapalli cutter into square or diamond shape. Fry it in oil in the medium heat itself. Keep turning it till it becomes golden brown in colour.

Note: If the sugar is very sweet, reduce the quantity by half cup.

Recipe to make Cashew Pakora at home

Ingredients: 

Cashew nuts whole - 1/4 kg (approximately about 50 pieces)

Bengal Gram Dal - 1 cup

Raw Rice Powder - 1 tsp

Cornflour - 1 tsp

Green chilly - 2 nos

Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 6 cloves (optional)

Saunf - 1 tsp 

Salt - To taste

Oil - for frying.

Method:

Mix besan flour, rice flour, corn flour together along with salt. Grind garlic, green chillies and saunf to a paste and add it to the flours. Add finely chopped curry leaves to the flour. Add cashew nuts to the flour and add water slowly to make a dough. 

In a pan heat oil and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Add small dumplings little by little to the oil. When they turn golden brown, remove from flame, drain the excess oil. 

This pakora can be stored for about two or three days. Makes a good starter and also a good tea time snack. 

Note: Do not increase the flame untill, the whole consignment of dough is fried.

Onion Pakora

Ingredients:

All ingredients as in Simple Pakora

Onion - 2 to 3 nos big

Method:

Chop Onions finely. Mix the dough as that of Simple Pakora, but before mixing the water add onions and mix well. Add water little by little and make a dough. Heat oil and fry the dough just as said in simple pakora recipe. The onions will turn brown a bit faster than the dough. (But wait till the dough turns golden brown before removing it from oil).

Serve hot. Ideal snack for rainy day.

Potato Sabudana Wada

Ingredients:

Sabudana - 1 cup

Potato - 3 nos (medium sized)

Green chillies - 2 nos

Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 2 inch piece

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method:

Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Wash and clean sabudana and soak in water for 2 hours. Deskin the dried peanuts and grind it to coarse powder. After 2 hours drain the water from sabudana and let it dry. 

In a bowl, add sabudana, crushed peanuts, chopped green chillies, mashed potatoes, grated ginger, coriander leaves and salt. Mix everything well and form a dough. Make flat vadas with your hands. Press them slightly so that the vadas dont break. 

Heat oil in a pan. In medium flame add 4 to 6 vadas in hot oil. Increase the flame to high again. Keep turning sides till it turns golden brown in colour on both the sides. 

Remove from oil and put it on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Serve with green chutney and or tomato sauce.

Vegetable Cheese Balls

Ingredients:

Potato - 1/4 kg

Beans - 100 gm

Peas - 100 gm

Cheese - 100 gm

Carrot - 1 no

Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup

OIl for cooking

Powdered Ginger - 1/2 tsp

Green chilly paste - 1/4 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp

Lemon - 1/2 

Salt to taste

Method:

Boil potaotes, carrot, beans and peas and mash thoroughly. Add ginger powder, green chilly paste, salt and lemon juice to the mashed vegetables. Make a ball of the mashed vegetables and make a hole in the middle.

In a small cup add cheese, salt, remaining green chilli paste, red chilli powder. Mix them thoroughly and make a fine blend. Add the cheese paste inside the hole and cover it with a piece of the vegetable mix. Dip the cheese balls in bread crumbs and arrange them in a plate and leave it in freezer for about 15 to 20 mins.

Heat oil in a pan and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Fry the balls till they become golden brown in colour. 

Serve hot. Kids will enjoy this recipe.

Cauliflower Pakora

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 big

Gram Flour - 3 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Amchoor - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 2 to 3

Oil for frying

Method:

Wash and chop cauliflower into florets in a big shallow bowl. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp amchoor, 1 tsp coriander powder and mix well. Add besan flour, 1/2 salt, 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp amchoor, 1 tsp coriander powder, chopped green chillies and mix well with water and make a thick paste, with very less water. The paste should be thick enough that it coats all over the cauliflower. 

Heat oil. When hot turn the flame to medium. Dip each and every floret of cauliflower in the besan flour mixture till the whole floret is covered with the besan mixture. Fry in oil till it becomes golden brown. At one point of time, about 6 to 8 florets of cauliflower can be fried. Repeat the same with all the florets. 

Serve hot with Tomato sauce and coriander sauce. 

Note: If the paste is not thick, the pakoras will not be crisp enough.

Simple and Easy Pakora

Ingredients:

Gram flour - 1 cup

Rice Flour - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Green Chilly - 2 nos

Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tbsp(optional)

Salt to taste

Water - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Oil - for deep frying.

Method:

Chop green chillies finely. Mix besan flour and rice flour thoroughly. Add salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly, red chilly powder, ghee and mix well. Add water slowly to make thich dough. It should not be of batter consistency. 

Heat oil in a shallow pan and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Take the dough in hand and put pieces into the oil. (no need to make the dough into perfect ball before frying). At one time depending upon the size of the pan about 6 to 8 nos can be fried. Keep turning the pieces till they turn golden brown. (Do not let it turn dark brown, for the taste of the pakoras might get altered). Drain the pakoras in kitchen towel and serve hot. 

Though these pakoras need no side dishes, it can be taken with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Ribbon Pakoda - Recipe for a crispy south Indian savoury

Nada Pakada, Tape are the other names given to this south Indian savoury.

Ingredients:

Processed Rice Flour - 2 cups

Besan Flour - 1 cup

Butter - 100 gms

Oil to fry

Salt - 2 tbsp

Hing - 1 inch piece

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp

Method:

Soak hing in water. Add water to salt to make 1/5th cup of salt water.

In a shallow mixing bowl, add rice flour, besan flour, butter, hing water, salt water and red chilly powder and make it a dough. Heat oil in a shallow pan, reduce the flame when hot and squeeze the ribbon using the ribbon achu. Turn it to the other side. Fry both the sides till they become golden brown in colour. Remove from flame and spread it on kitchen towel to remove the excess oil. Store it in airtight container. 

Note: Do not add salt directly, it will make the ribbon pakoda to splutter and break.

Recipe for Microwave Paneer stuffed Lady's finger

Lady's finger, Okra, Bhindi, whatever name you call it, it is a big hit in any house hold if cooked properly. My This is a special method of cooking Lady's finger to make even those who dont like it. Combined with Paneer and  Tomato Puree, this dish, turned out to be an extremely mouth watering side dish for Chappati, though the kids might finish it  off as a starter dish.

Ingredients:

Very tender, fresh ladies’ finger - 250 gms
Paneer - 200 gms ( grate)
Oil - 1 tsp
Tomato puree - ½ cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt and sugar to taste

Method to make stuffed Lady's finger:
Wash and wipe dry the Lady's finger. Cut the top and bottom end and slit it lengthwise (care should be taken, so as not to cut it into two halves). Microwave on low for just 30 seconds. Remove and spread it on a plate.

Mix grated paneer with chlli powder, salt and oil. Stuff the lady's finger with Paneer mixture. In a flat bottom shallow micro bowl, spread the stuffed Lady's fingers and micro wave it for 30 seconds on medium. Mix tomato puree, salt and sugar (alteratively tomato ketchup can also be used). Pour on top of the spread bhindis. Cover the bowl and micro medium for 10 mins. Let it be in room temperature for 2 mins. Open the lid and microwave it in high for about 2 mins.

Serve with hot  Parathas, Rotis, Naan and Veg Pulav.