Moong dhal idiappam

Ingredients for 4 servings

1. Moon dhal -  3/4 cup (semi-cooked about 3/4th of the way)
2. Red chilly - 5
3. Green chilly  split - 2 nos
4. Mustard - 1 teaspoon
5. Channa dhal - 3 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Oil - 2 tablespoons
8. Salt to taste
9. Curry leaves - 10 in number
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Coconut scrapings - 4 tablespoons (optional)

Procedure

1. Loosen the idiappam 
2. Heat the oil and add mustard, channa dhal, red chilly, green chilly and asafoetida
3. When the sesoning becomes golden color add the turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt
4. Now add the loosened idiappan to the pan and slowly mix well
5. Drain the water from the cooked idiappam and add this to the pan
6. Mix well without mashing 
7. Remove and serve
8. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 
9. Add Coconut scrapings is options.

Black gram and Rajma curry

Ingredients

1. Full Black gram - 1 cup
2. Rajma - 2 tablespoons
3. Tomato puree - ! cup
4. Chopped ginger - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Finely chopped onion - 1 cup
6. Finely chopped garlic - 3 tablespoons
7. Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons
8. Salt to taste
9. Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
10. Chopped garlic - 2 tablespoons
11. Chilli powder - 2 teaspoons
12. Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
13. Jaggery - 1/2 teaspoon
14. Oil - 2 tablespoons
15. Cumin seed - 1 teaspoon
16. Slit green chilli - 3 numbers
17. Fresh cream - 3 tablespoon (optional)
18. Butter - 1 tablespoon (optional)

Procedure

1. Wash and soak both the dhals for 6 to 8 hours
2. Pressure cook dhals with 1/2 teaspoon salt for 5 whistles
3. Now keep a pan on the stove and heat the oil
4. Add the cumin seed, green chilly, garlic, onion, ginger and sautee for 10 minutes
5. Then remove the dhal and mash it coarsely with a a spoon and add to the pan in the stove
6. Add 3 cups of water to the pan and allow it to simmer
7. Add the tomato pure, salt to taste, turmeric powder, dhania powder, chilli powder and jaggery
8. Heat it til the curry becomes like idly mavu consistency
9. Remove from the stove and add the chopped coriander leaves
10. Adding butter of fresh cream is optional prior to serving
11. Eat with roti, naan or dosai

Achu (mould) Murukku

Ingredients

1. Maida flour - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Sesame seeds - 1.5 teaspoons
4. Coconut milk - 2 cups
5. Oil for frying

Procedure

1. Mix all the ingredients by adding coconut milk to a batter consistency
2. Place the metal achu (mould) in a kadai (vessel) with oil and heat it till the oil reaches frying temperature. 
3. Dip the achu in the mixed batter to 3/4 depth of the achu (mould) and transfer the achu to the hot oil with the batter sticking to it
4. When the murukku comes out of the achu turn it to fry the other side.
5. Remove it from oil when this becomes golden color
6. When it becomes cold, the murukku will be crispy and ready to use
7. It can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks

Coconut and Cashewnut burfi (Sweet)

Ingredients

1. Fine coconut scrapings - 1 cup
2. Cashewnut powdered - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar - 1 cup full
4. Rose essence - 1/2 teaspoon OR Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon

Procedure

1. Mix all the ingredients by adding 2 tablespoons of water 
2. Now keep them in a pan and heat them by stirring constantly
3. When the mixture does not stick to the pan, remove and transfer to a greased plate with ghee and flatten it uniformly 
4. After 5 minutes cut them to a square or diamond shaped pieces and serve

Instant poricha kozhambu

Ingredients

1. Green gram dhal - 1/2 cup (paasi paruppu or moong dhal)
2. Turmeric powder - pinch
3. salt to taste 
4. Vegetable: Brinjal or Ribber gourd or Drumsti
5. Use the instant powder (recipe can be found under Instant poricha kozhambu powder) for making this recipe

Procedure

1. Roast 1/2 cup of green gram dhal and cook it with turmeric powder (simmer in hot water)
2. Now add any one of the vegetables ribbed gourd or brinjal or drumstick
3. When it is cooked add salt and the instant powder
4. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes
5. Remove the gravy and season with mustard and cumin seed 
6. Serve with rice. Very soothing dish when you have cough or cold.

Instant poricha kozhambu powder

Ingredients

1. Red chilly  - 21 nos
2. Black pepper - 3/4 cups
3. Cumin seeds - 1 cup
4. Moong dhal - 3/4 cup
5. Coconut scraping - 2 cups
6. Ghee - 1 teaspoon

Procedure

1. Heat the ghee and add the black pepper
2. When it gets roasted  add all other spices and roast uniformly
3. When it cools, dry grind the ingredients in a mixer to a powder form
4. Store it in an airtight container and deep freeze it

Pakora Kurma - Fat or non-fat version

Ingredients for Pakora:

1. Channa dhal powder - 3/4 cups
2. Rice flour - 1/2 cup
3. Asafoetida - 1/2 tea spoon
4. Salt to taste
5. Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Chopped coriander leaves - 3 tablespoons
7. Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon
8. Ghee - 1 tablespoon
9. Oil for frying (Option to steam for non-fat recipe)

Ingredients for Kurma:

1. Cashewnut - 2 tablespoons
2. Coconut scrapings - 3 tablespoons
3. Fried gram (pottu kadalai) -2 tablespoon
4. Green chilly - 4 nos
5. Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
6. Cloves - 6 nos
7. Cardamom - 4 nos
8. Bay leaf - 3 nos
9. Cinnamon - 1 inch  bit
10. Chopped onion - 1 cup
11. Chopped tomato - 1 cup

Procedure for Pakoras:

1. Mix channa dhal powder, rice flour, grated ginger, salt, asafoetida, coriander leaves, ghee, chiily powder well.
2. Now sprinkle 4 tablespoons of water and mix well and make small pakoras
3. Heat the oil to a moderate frying temperature 
4. Fry the pakoras till golden color and keep aside on a paper
5. To avoid oil, steam the pakoras like idly for 15 minutes without the pressure cooker weight.

Procedure for Kurma

1. Grind the chilly, cashewnut, coconut scrapings and pottu kadalai to a fine paste
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add the spices, ginger garlic paste and stir for 5 minutes
3. Now add the chopped onions and stir for 5 minutes till the onion becomes transparent
4. Add the tomatoes chopped and allow it to cook for 5 more minutes
5. Add the ground paste, salt and half tea spoon turmeric powder with 4 cups of water. When this starts simmering drop the pakoras in the boiling gravy. 
6. Keep it on the fire for 5 minutes. 
7. Remove and serve with hot biryani, tomato rice or chappathi or dosai

 

Maida Kara Tukda (Spicy diamond shaped biscuit used in mixture)

Ingredients

1. Maida flour - 8 tablespoons
2. Rice flour - 4 tablespoons
3. Channa dhal powder - 2 tablespoons
4. Ajwain (omam) - 1 teaspoon
5. Chilly powder -  2 teaspoons
6. Salt to taste
7. oil for frying
8. Cooking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
9. Ghee or butter - 25 grams

Procedure

1. Mix all the ingredients well except oil
2. Now sprinkle water little by little and mix thoroughly to get the poori dough consistency (like play dough)
3. Make the dough into 4 equal parts
4. Make each one like a ball
5. Now roll each ball like a roti (tortilla, pizza base, chappati) about 1/8 inch thick
6. Cut into small (1 inch) diamond shapes and keep it aside for 30 minutes spread on a paper
7. Heat the oil to moderate frying temperature
8. Fry the cut diamonds to a golden color 
9. When it is cooked, it floats on the top of the oil
10. Remove from oil and spread on a paper towel
11. Store in an air tight container after it cools

Baadusha sweet

Ingredients

1. Maida flour -  1 cup
2. Ghee - 7 teaspoons
3. Salt - a pinch
4. Sugar - 1 cup
5. Cooking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Oil for frying
7. Cardamom powder for garnish
8. Almond pieces for garnish

Procedure:

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil and sugar. Add 3 to 4 teaspoons of water to make it a poori dough (not watery like playdough) consistency.
2. Leave the dough aside for 10 minutes
3. Make a syrup with the sugar by adding 3/4 cup of water
4. When the syrup gets the double thread consistency (stringy), remove from the stove
5. Make the dough to lemon size balls.
6. Slowly make a depression in the center with the thumb (like a donut but without the hole like the vadai)
7. Heat the oil to moderate temperature for frying
8. Fry the badhushas / donut shaped balls like a donut on both sides to a light golden color
9. Remove and drop them one by one in the sugar syrup.
10. Allow it to be immersed for 10 minutes
11. Remove and arrange in a plate to get the sugar spread evenly
12. Garnish with cardamom powder and badam pieces (almond) on the top

Dahi Vadai or Thayir Vadai

Ingredients:

1. Ulundu Vadai
2. Ginger - 1/2 inch
3. Green chilly - 1
4. Yogurt cups - 3 
5. Butter milk or yogurt drink (Diluted yogurt) to soak the vadais briefly
6. Coconut scrapings - 2 teaspoons
7. Salt to taste
8. Pinch of sugar

Seasoning:

1. Mustard seeds
2. Coriander leaves
3. Asafoetida (perungayam powder)
4. carrot scrapings or karaboondhi for sprinkling

Procedure:

1. Refer to the Ulundu vadai procedure from my blog. 
2. After making vadai, transfer them one by one in a a pan having yogurt drink and remove it.
3. Arrange the vadais in a shallow bowl. 
4. Now grind 1 green chilly, 2 teaspoons coconut scrapings and 1/2 ginger bit coarsely.
5. Mix the ground items with 3 cups of yogurt, a bit of salt and a pinch of sugar.
6. Pour the mixture into the vadai in the shallow bowl and sprinkle coriander leaves. 
7. Season with mustard and little asaefoetida (perungayam). 
8. Add the carrot scrapings or 4 spoons of karaboondhi to the top for decoration