Peanut pakodas

Peanuts/groundnuts are a favorite time pass for many of us. Peanut pakodas is a very popular and lip-smacking snack from South India. Masala peanuts are the delicacy of Tamilnadu. I often prepare it and serve it as snacks for tea. It’s an easy recipe and you will love it.

I invariably make them in large batches, but the challenge is not making them, it's trying not to eat them all at once! Try this with cashews or almonds too.

Ingredients:

Raw peanuts                       – 2 cup

Corn flour-                             1 cup

Rice flour                              – 1 cup

Red Chili powder                   – 1 tsp

Hing                                  – ¼ tsp

Salt                                  – to taste

Oil                                    for deep frying

 Method:

• Mix the corn flour, rice flour , red chili powder, Asafetida(Hing), peanuts and salt. Sprinkle very little water and mix well. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
•  A small bit of batter dropped into the hot oil bubbles and rises to the top immediately. Then add the batter-coated peanuts, piece by piece (or by the handful), adding as many as the wok can hold at one time.
• Deep fry the peanuts in hot oil till they turn crispy and golden brown color.
• Repeat with the remaining peanuts. Transfer to paper towels to drain the excess oil. Let cool and store in an airtight container and serve as a snack.

Brinjal Gothsu

All Madurai hotels used to serve steaming hot blobs of ghee laden Venn Pongal with spicy Brinjal Gothsu. This combination always works as the sweet spicy tanginess in the Gothsu compensates for the peppery niceness of the Pongal. Gothsu is an easy, tasty side for Pongal/Dosa and Idli.

INGREDIENTS:

Long Japanese Eggplant                - 1 no OR small Brinjal – 6 no

Moong dhal                                  – 5 tbsp.

Turmeric powder                          – a pinch

Tamarind                                   – a small lemon size

Tomato                                     – 1no (Chopped finely)

Sambar Powder                               - 2 tsp.

Hing                                              - ½ tsp.

Salt                                               to taste

 Seasonings:

Mustard seeds                                     – 1 tsp.

Cumin seeds                                   – 1/8 tsp.

Curry leaves                                   - 2 tbsp.

Cilantro                                          to Garnish.

Method:

•  Wash and dice the Brinjal into 1’’ cubes. Chop tomatoes finely. Keep aside.
• Soak tamarind in water, extract the juice and make 1 cup of tamarind water.
• Cook green gram dhal along with a pinch of turmeric powder and keep aside.
• In a kadai put the oil. When it is hot add mustard and cumin seed. When it pops up add asafetida powder, curry leaves and fry for seconds.
• Now add tomato pieces and cook till the tomato is mushy. 
• Now add Tamarind juice,diced eggplants, Sāmbhar powder, and salt and mix well.
• Cook on medium flame till the vegetable is soft. Then add the cooked dhal. Stir well and allow boiling for few minutes.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot with Venn Pongal.

Note:

• Some people make this Gothsu without adding dhal. In such case, if you find the Gothsu is watery, then you can mix one or two teaspoons of rice flour in little water and add to the Gothsu while boiling.
• Normally it would be a little thicker than “Sambar” but thinner than a chutney or dip.
• You can also use mixed vegetables (carrots, peas , potatoes) and make this Gothsu.

Kathirikkai Pitla (Brinjal Gravy)

Pitla is another tasty south Indian dish similar to sambar. We do not use sambhar powder, instead prepare with ground spices and coconut. Brinjal Pitla is a popular dish among Iyengars.

Ingredients

Oil for sautéing             – 1tsp

Brinjal                        – 1 cup  (Chopped)

Toor dal                   1/4 cup (cooked)

Turmeric powder              -1/2 tsp

Peanusts –                2 tbsp (optional)

Tamarind                    a lemon size ( dissolved in water)

Salt                          to taste

Spices for grinding:

Oil                            ½ tsp

Coriander seeds          – 1 tsp

Whole Black Pepper     1/4 tsp

Chana Dal                   1Tbsp

Urad Dal                     2 tsp

Asafetida                  – ¼ tsp

grated fresh Coconut     ½ cup

 Curry Leaves              1 Sprig 

Seasoning/Tadka:

Ghee/Oil                       1 tsp

Mustard Seeds              1/2 tsp

Red chili                        1 no

 fresh Curry Leaves        1 Sprig

Method:

• Cook dhal in a pressure cooker. Keep aside.
• Cook the peanuts in microwave for 5 minutes. Keep aside.
• Wash and dry the Brinjal. Cut into medium size square pieces.
•  Roast all spices for grinding in a tiny bit of oil, add coconut and the curry leaves last and fry until coconut is golden. Cool and grind using a blender into a fine paste with about 1/4 cup of water.
•  Sauté the brinjals pieces with 1 tsp oil, a pinch each of turmeric and salt for 5 minutes and cook the brinjals and peanuts in tamarind water. Bring to a boil and cook until veggies and peanuts are tender.
• When the brinjals is cooked, add the cooked dal &  grounded coconut paste. Combine well. Stir again. Let it simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
• For the tempering:  Heat the ghee/ oil, and Pop mustard seeds and curry leaves, red chilies in a teaspoon of hot oil/ghee and pour it over the Pitla.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with plain rice with other vegetables dishes.

Ginger Pachadi

Madappalli provides a simple recipe to make Ginger Pachadi.

Ingredients:

 Fresh Ginger piece – 1 Big

Fresh Grated Coconut- ¼ cup

Green Chilies – 5 no

Plain Yogurt/ Curd – 1 cup

Salt to taste

Seasonings:

Oil- ½ tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Asafetida – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – few (optional)

Method :

Wash and ‘grate the ginger.

Grind coconut  with ginger, green chillies and salt coarsely.

Churn the curd very well and mix with grounded ginger masala.

Season with the above seasonings ingredients.

Serve with rice.

Ginger Pachadi

Inji Thogayal ( Ginger Thogayal)

Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many ailments for centuries. Now, science is catching up and researchers around the world are finding that ginger works wonders in the treatment of everything from cancer to migraines. Here are ten health benefits of this powerful herb.

Health benefits of ginger

Ovarian Cancer Treatment: ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.

Colon Cancer Prevention: ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.

 Reduce the Morning Sickness.

Heartburn Relief.

Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment: Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu

 Menstrual Cramp Relief : In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.

Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy:    ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

 For those who love the flavor of ginger, it is a pure bliss to eat this thogayal .Great for digestion.

Ingredients:

 Chopped Fresh ginger                    – ½ cup

 Curry leaves                               – 1 stem

Red Chillies                                  – 2 no

Bengal gram dhal                      – 1 tablespoon

Urad dhal                                    – 1 teaspoon

Asafetida                                  – a pinch

Tamarind                                   – a small gooseberry size

Salt                                        – ½ teaspoon

Oil                                          – 1 teaspoon

Method:

• Soak tamarind in little hot water.
• Wash the ginger, scrap the skin and cut it into small pieces.
• Put oil in a kadai, fry the dhals, red chillies, asafetida and curry leaves. Keep aside.
• Fry the chopped  ginger in the same oil for two minute.
•  Add tamarind, and salt and grind to a coarse paste.
• Serve with hot rice,pappad , Milaghu Kuzhambhu.
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  
  

Coconut thogayal

Coconut thogayal is different from Coconut chutney. Mix coconut thogayal with hot steaming rice topped with a tsp of ghee or sesame seed oil - it will taste heavenly. This is a very simple recipe which can be  make it with in 5 minutes. Simple, tasty and quick recipe -go ahead and try it.

Ingredients:

Urdh dhal                               – 2tsp

Chenna dhal                           – 2 tsp

Coconut (grated)                     -1/2 cup

Red chillies                             - 3 no

Tamarind                                 - small pea sized ball

Hing/ Asafetida                      - a pinch

Oil                                        - 2 tsp

Curry leaves                           - 1 sprigs (optional)

Chopped coriander leaves        – 2 tbsp

Mustards seeds                       -1/2 tsp

Salt                                        to taste

Method

• Heat 2 tsp of oil, add Urad dal,chenna dal, red chilies and Hing .When dal turns golden brown, add curry leaves, grated coconut and switch it off.
• Grind  along with tamarind,coriander leaves and salt to a coarse paste. Do not add too much water. It should be thick.
• Heat  oil in kadai add mustard seeds when it splutters add to the thogayal.
• Serve with hot rice.

Pudina Thogayal

Pudina is the most traditionally used herb in Ayurveda. It has various health benefits. Ayurvedic physicians recommend pudina leaves and its preparations for indigestion. It has antibacterial and antifebrile properties. Essential oils and menthol are extracted from pudina plant. The oil is an effective treatment for headache, cough and vomiting.

Mint leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a pungent aftertaste. In Indian cuisine, mint is used in chutneys, tea and Biryani.

Ingredients

Mint leaves                        -  2 cups

Urad dal                             - 2 tbsp.

Grated coconut                    – 2 tbsp

Red Chili                              - 2 or 3

Asafetida                            - 1 pinch

Tamarind                   - a marble sized ball

Salt                               - as needed

Oil                                   - 1 tsp.

Water                            - a little to grind

Method:

• Wash and clean the mint leaves.
• Heat oil and add the Ural dal, red chili, tamarind. Fry till the Urad dal starts to turn light red. Set aside.
• In the same pan, add the cleaned mint leaves and sauté for a minute.
• Transfer all the roasted ingredients to the mixer and grind along with coconut, Asafetida, salt and little water.
• Serve hot with steamed rice with a teaspoon of sesame oil and roasted pappad.

Pudina Thogayal