Poli or Obittu

Stuffed sweet rotis made using maida or wheat or all purpose flour.

Ingredients:       

For outer Cover:

Maida or All purpose Flour or Wheat flour - 1 cup

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1 tbsp

Water as required

For Pooranam:

Bengal Gram Dal - 1 cup

Jaggery - 2 cups

Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Method:

Make a dough using maida just like chappati dough. But this should be a bit elastic in texture. Rub the dough with gingely oil and cover it with a muslin cloth and set aside for a while. In the mean time make the Pooranam. 

Pressure cook Bengal Gram Dal. Let it cool. Grind it along with cardamom powder. Make a syrup of Jaggery using 1/2 cup of water and when it boils add grated coconut and bring it to a boil in medium flame. Add the ground bengal gram and mix well. Saute well till all the jaggery is absorbed and it becomes thick. Remove and let it cool. 

Make thin chappatis from the dough. Make a ball of big gooseberry size of the bengal gram mixture. Place it in the middle of the chappati. Pull the sides of the chappati and cover the pooranam thoroughly. Flatten it again. Heat a tawa and put the poli. Pour a tbsp of oil around it to help in cooking.  Ensure both the sides are golden brown in colour. Remove from the tawa and spread ghee on both the sides. Serve hot. 

Note: The Poli will come out well and will also taste very good if the outer cover dough is let to set for atleast 2 to 3 hours the best result can be obtained when it is let to set for about 6 hours. 

Pappadi Samosa

Ingeredients:

Lijjat Pappad - 1 pkt (either garlic variant or jeera variant)

Potato - 4 nos big

Ginger paste - 1 tbsp

Onion - 2 nos (finely chopped)

Salt - to taste

Oil - to fry

Method:

Boil and peel the potatoes, mash it finely. Add onion, salt and ginger paste. Mix well. 

Dip the pappad in water and place it on a flat plate, make balls of the potato mix and fold the pappad to desired shape. Fry in oil. 

Grated Paneer or cheese can also be added to the stuffing mixture. 

This makes a different party starter and also evening snack. 

Pappadi Paneer Balls

A starter dish and also a dish that kids will love it as an evening snack after school.

Ingredients:

Urad Dal Papad (Raw) - 4 nos

Paneer - 100 gms

Chaat Masala - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 1 no (finely chopped)

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)

Corn Flour - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil to Fry

Method: 

Crush the papads finely and spread them on a plate. Mix Paneer, chaat masala, salt, finely chopped green chillies, coriander leaves and mint leaves together to a dough form. Make small balls out of this dough. 

Mix salt to corn flour and add little water to it to make a thick and smooth paste. Dip the paneer balls in flour paste and roll them in the crushed papad. 

In a shallow pan heat oil and fry these balls till they turn golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup. 

Kanpur Dal a healthy snack

A very simple but easy snack or churmur which can be given to kids when they want to munch something.

Ingredients:
Moong Dal - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
(Add a lttle peper powder or chilly powder for spiciness but this is optional)

Method:
Wash and soak moong dal for 5 mins. Drain and spread it on a cloth. Dry it in shade.  Transfer it to a dry vessel when all the water is absorbed.

In a hard bottom pan heat oil, fry the dry dal. Add salt and chilly or pepper powder. Add ghee and mix well.

Note:
* Avoid ghee if it is served for adults.
* Add salt while frying so that salt will get mixed up evenly.

Eggless French Toast

Ingredients:

Bread (wholemeal pref)              - 4 slices  

Besan                                          - 3 tsp

Rice flour                                    - 1 tsp

Semolina (rava)                          - 1 tsp

Onion (small)                             -1 tsp

chat masala                               - 1/4tsp 

Paneer cubes                             - 4 or 5 small

Salt                                            - little

pepper                                       - little

Method : 

Mix the  flour, rava, salt ,pepper,chat masala and finely cut onions in a bowl. Keep  paneer cubes in 3 or 4 tbsp of water in a bowl and heat it for about 2 min in microwave to make it soft. Take it out and squeeze the water from the paneer and crumble them and add to the flour mixture. Add the water squeezed from paneer to this to make a thick paste.  Heat a  tawa .Take a bread slice and spread the paste on one side and put it on the hot tawa and put little butter on the sides and roast it. Just flip over and roast the other side too.. Do the same for the other slices too. 

This is a very good evening snack for the kids who raid the kitchen otherwise !

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. :)

Dhokla

Party menu posted by Uma Sridharan

Ingredients

Gram flour                            1 cup

Juice of a lime

Sugar                                     1 tsp

Turmeric powder               1/4 tsp

Ginger paste                        1/2 tsp

Green chilli                           1 crushed

Water                                     3/4 cup         

Soda bi carb                        3/4 tsp

For seasoning

Mustard seeds                    1 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves          handful

Grated coconut                   handful

Green chillies                      2 finely chopped

Method

Mix salt, sugar, lemon juice along with 3/4 cup of water. Mix gram flour, turmeric powder, crushed chilli  and ginger paste. Slowly add the water mixture and prepare a smooth batter.

Grease a suitable baking dish to steam Dhokla.  

Heat a cooker or steamer with enough water to steam. When the water is hot, mix soda bi card with the batter and pour it into the greased baking dish. Now steam it for 10 mts.

Remove from the fire. Let it cool for few mts. Remove the Dhokla carefully from the baking dish.

Cut into big cube.

Heat a kadai, pour oil and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splatter, add coconut and green chillies. Remove from  the fire. Pour it over the dhoklas. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

Vegetable Kebab by Uma Sridharan

Ingredients:

Potato                          250 gms

Paneer                         200 gms 

Cauliflower                   grated  1 cup 

Capsicum                    1 finely chopped

Green chilly                  3 finely chopped  

Coriander leaves         chopped handful

Maida                          1 cup

Red chilly powder       1 tsp  oil for frying

Method

Boil and mash potato. Grate paneer.  Heat oil in a kadai. Sauté grated cauliflower and capsicum for 2 to 3 mts. Add mashed potato, grated paneer and green chilli. Add enough salt. Remove it from the flame and let it cool. Make small balls of the mixture and keep aside. Make a smooth batter by mixing maida, salt, red chilli powder and  water. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a pan. Dip the balls in the batter and deep fry them until they turn golden brown.   Serve hot        .

Wheat Rawa Vadai

Wheat based recipes posted by Shripriya 

Ingredients:

1. Wheat rawa: 1 cup (roasted)

2. Rice flour : 1 cup

3. Green chillies - 2 chopped fine

4. Ginger - 1 inch piece chopped fine

5. Curry leaves and Coriander leaves - few strings chopped fine

6. Onion - 1 small chopped fine (optional)

7. Sour curd - about half cup (optional)

8. Salt - to taste

9. Oil - to fry

Method:

Mix all the ingredients from 1 through 8. If you like a little sour taste for the vadas then add sour curd else mix it only with water. The batter should be in medu vadai batter consistency. Leave it aside for about 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a kadai, and make vadas with the batter and deep fry them. Can be relished with any kind of chutney or sauce.

Variation: Can boil one potato and mash and add it with the batter, it can be called as "Urulaikizhangu Rawa Vadai"!!!!

Crunchy spicy broken wheat snack powder

Wheat based recipe post by Saloni Ramachandran

First I thought I’ll name it as “Anamika snack” as I didn’t have a name for it originally. Then realized it would become like “Anamika” is the owner of this recipe so to avoid such confusions I gave this slightly long and confusing name!

This will some become the favorite snack of your household pretty soon. Kids will love it because of its crunchy taste & powdered form, instead of the usually made solid/semi-solid snack items. It makes a wonderful instant evening time snack for your kids and family if you are bored and don't want to get into something heavy and elaborate for a change.

Preparation Time:-

 5-7 Minutes

Ingredients:-

1 Cup of Large  Sized Broken Wheat (Big Granules are preferred because they richer taste and flavor) - 100gms

3/4 Cup of Kobbari Powder (Dry shredded coconut) - 60-75gms

2-3 Green chillies

Tamarind - 1/2 a strip or less (depending on your taste bud for tanginess)

Curry Leaves one string (optional)

Asafoetida/Hing - 1 pinch

Salt to taste 

For Seasoning:-

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tablespoon

Urad Dhal - 1 tablespood

Cumin Seeds (optional) - 1/4 tablespoon

  

Preparation Method:-

1. Slightly Roast the broken wheat in a medium flame until about 2 mins so it loses any moisture (do not roast until color change).

2. Now, in a mixer, grind the roasted broken wheat, dry shredded coconut  powder, green chillies, tamarind, asafoetida, curry leaves and salt.

3. The ground mixture should be coarse in texture and should not be a very fine powder.

4. Now, in a pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil and add mustard seeds, urad dhal and cumin seeds, once the urad turns brown and mustard splutters, add the ground coarse powder into the pan and start stirring and sautéing continuously for 5 mins.

5. You will notice a slight change in the color and the powder will start getting crispy, you can turn off the gas and serve hot.

6. If you are a person who loves the crispy and crusty taste a lot then keep stirring the mix further more until you see more dark brown crusts.

  

Tip: You can try out the same thing with Aval/Poha, it will come out really good.

Veg Cutlet using wheat flour

Wheat based recipe by Saloni Ramachandran 

This vegetable cutlet made of wheat dipping is of great taste and also very nutritious for those young and busy bodies that are always up and running :-)

Makes a wholesome snack with the right blend of vegetables and wheat it's sure to become a favorite evening time snack of everyone in the family!

Preparation Time:

About 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of wheat flour (100gms)

1 large potato

1 cup of finely chopped mixed vegetables (Green peas, Carrots, Beans)

2 Onions finely chopped (I personally don't like using onions but some may like it!)

small amount of finely chopped coriander leaves (optional)

1 tablespoon of red chilli powder (reduce if you want it less spicy)

1 tablespoon of dhania powder/corriander powder

Asafoetida/Hing (1 pinch) (Use only when you don't use onions)

1 inch of finely chopped ginger

10. Salt to your taste

11. 1 cup of bread crumbs or rusk powder

12. Oil as required to fry

How to Prepare?

1.Deep boil, peel and evenly mash the potatoes and make a ball out of it and 

     keep it aside.

2.Cook the mixed vegetables until they are tender but not very soft.Strain the

     vegetables from any excess water used for cooking and set aside.

3.In a big bowl, add 50gms of wheat flour and add the mashed ball of potato 

    into it. Blend these two very well so that they form the binding for the cutlet,

    just add very little water if the mix is too dry. Please remember that dough

    vegetable mix should be firm and not loose.

4.Now, add all the cooked vegetables, chilli powder, dhania powder, salt,hing,

    onions to this big bowl containing mashed potato and wheat flour mix and

    mix it evenly cautious enough not to crush the vegetables out of shape.

5.In a small bowl, add the remaining wheat flour and add water to make a

    batter like that of dosa batter's consistency and set aside.

6.Great hands with excessive oil and make small ball out of the vegetable

    mixture prepared in the large bowl. keep the ball of dough vegetable mix on

    palm and press with the other so that it takes a circular shape. Make sure

    the circular shaped mix is not very thick. (1/2 an inch or little less would

    suffice)

7.If you would like your cutlets to be square in shape then use a knife to cut it

    into the shape you want.

8.Now take a long tray and spread the bread crumbs/rusk powder in it.

9.Next step is to dip each of these circular veg/dough mix in the wheat flour

    batter kept in the smaller bowl and roll it in the tray containing the bread   

    crumbs/rusk powder.

10.In a frying pan (non-stick preferred), add little amount of oil let it heat-up,

      once the oil is ready place the cutlet rolled in the bread crumbs in the pan

      and have it fried on both sides until it turns golden brown.

Tips:-

Instead of wheat flour batter, sabudhana (Javvarisi/Sago) can be used. But, the Sago should be soaked in water over night and cooked softly and strained without water.

Similarly, in the place of wheat flour batter, rava/sooji and rice flour (in equal parts) can also be used.

Serve cutlets hot with tomato chutney/ketch-up/corriander chutney!!!

Bird's Nest

Party Menu recipe by Rohini Renganathan

Ingredients

Potatoes (boiled) –Four medium size

Paneer , Khoya or green peas - 50 grams (Any one of these or all three, is is your choice)  

Vermicilli - 100 gms

Maida – 50 grms

Red chilli powder – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 2tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Hing – ½ tsp

Salt – as per taste

Besan (gram flour) – 2 tbsp (optional)

Lettuce or Cabbage leaves – Shredded finely – for garnish

Oil for frying

 

Method –

Mash the boiled potatoes. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt to it. In a pan add a tsp of oil. Add Jeera. When it turns its colour add hing and the boiled potato mix. Just toss a bit. It should be in such a texture that you can make ballswith it. If you find it soggy then add besan to adjust the texture. Once thisis done , let this cool.

Mix maida with some water and make a thin paste.

 

Take paneer , khoya,give them shape of very small balls (these would become the eggs). You can use boiled green peas as well to make it green eggs. This is upto your choice.

Spread Vermicilli (unroasted one) in a plate.

 

Now take the potatomix, make a small ball with it. Then place the eggs in its center by making a little hole. Cover the eggs with little bit of potato mix. Remember which side was top (where you covered the eggs)

Dip these balls in maida,(just a coating)  then roll them on vermicelli. The vermicelli should stick on all sides perfectly.

 

Deep fry these balls.(need not keep in oil for long as vermicelli gets roasted soon ). While deep frying you need not toss this. Deep fry it with the egg part on top.

In the serving plate,spread the lettuce or cabbage leaves, place these birds nest. Before servingremember to open the top part so that the egg shows.

 

Serve this hot with any chutney.