Kat vada in Tamil

 Kat vada is a Maharashtra traditional recipe. Potato vada is served on a masala gravy. Traditionally it is served with a slice of bread on side. The gravy is called kat ,which is hot and spicy which goes well with potato vada. For a rainy day, this kat vada is a perfect snack with hot tea and also can be served as breakfast along with bread .

Kat masala:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Big onion - 1 chopped

Copra coconut - 1/4 cup

Ginger - 2 inch piece

Garlic -3

Poppy seed- 1 tsp

Jeera- 1 tsp

Coriander seed- 1 tbsp

Cinnamon -  1 piece

Cardamom-2

Black stone flower- small piece

Star anise- 1

Black pepper -10-15

Cloves - 4-5

Tomato- 1 big 

Kat gravy:

Oil- 4 tbsp

Asafetida-  1/8 th tsp

Turmeric -1/4 tsp

Kashmiri red chili powder-1 tbsp

Grinder gravy

Salt- as required

Water- 4 cup

Potato filling:

Oil- 1 tbsp

Onion-1

Curry leaf- few sprigs

Crushed garlic,ginger,green chili- 1 tbsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt- as per taste

Boiled potato -3

Cilantro - few chopped

Vada batter:

Besan/kadala maavu- 2 cup

Rice flour- 2 tbsp

Asafetida- a pinch

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Salt- as per taste

Baking soda- a pinch

Water- 1-2 cup

Recipe:

Step 1.Masala for gravy preparation:

   1. In a kadai,add oil followed by chopped onion,chopped ginger and garlic.Add all the ingredients under masala preparation and sauté in low flame for few minutes and grind it with little water to thick paste.

Step 2:Gravy preparation:

   1. In kadai,add oil(usually for this gravy more oil is used to cook the gravy) and add turmeric,kashmiri chili powder and grinder gravy. 

   2. once the gravy is well cooked and oil separates out,add enough salt and add water to the gravy ,bring to boil.

   3. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.

   4. After 15 minutes, once oil floats on top .switch off the flame.(The longer the gravy sits on counter,the taste of the gravy will more good)( so prepare this gravy 1 or 2 hrs before serving).

Step 3: Potato filling for vada

  1. In a kadai,add oil,mustard,jeera,asafedita,chopped curry leafs,crushed ginger,garlic and green chili.once the raw smell of ginger n garlic, add turmeric and salt.Finally add boiled and smashed potato followed by chopped coriander leafs. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a bowl to cool down.

Step4 : Vada batter preparation 

   1. In a bowl,add besan,rice flour,salt,asafetida,turmeric for color ,mix well and then slowly add water to the mix. Prepare a semi thick batter which will coat the potato filling for potato vada.(Baking soda is added for plush and crispy vada)

Step 5: Potato vada preparation 

    1. Take small portion of potato filling and flatten it.Dip it in vada batter and place it hot oil. Fry both side till golden brown and crispy.

Step 6: Serving kat vada

    On a plate, pour the kat(gravy) and place two potato vada on top. Garnish with chopped onion,coriander leaves and sev. 

 

Read more »

Chettinad baby potato dum biryani in tamil

 Chettinad cuisine is perhaps the most renowned fare in the Tamil Nadu repertoire. It uses a variety of spices and the dishes are made with fresh ground masala. In this video, I prepared fresh chettinad masala and cooked chettinad baby potato masala roast and layered with cooked rice and prepared dum biryani. This is my way of cooking chettinad dum biryani. I also prepared cucumber and carrot raita which go well along with this style of dum biryani. This is can be served like dum biryani style or mixed all together and served as regular biryani.

Ingredients 

Chettinad masala:

Jeera/சீரகம்  - 2 tsp

Coriander seed/தனியா - 1 tsp

Fennel seed/ சோம்பு - 2 tsp

Black pepper/ மிளகு - 2 tsp

Red chili/அவர் மிளகாய் - 6

Black stone flower/கல்பாசி - small

Cinnamon/பட்டை- 2 

Cloves/இலவங்கம்- 5

Cardamom/ஏலக்காய் - 2

Curry leaves /கருவாப்பிலை-  2 sprigs

Rice preparation:

Water - 10 cup

Salt- 1 tsp

Cinnamon/பட்டை- 1

Cardamom/ ஏலக்காய் - 2

Jeera/சீரகம்- 1 tsp

Basmati rice/பாஸ்மதி அரிசி- 3 cup

Chettinad baby potato masala roast:

Oil/எண்ணெய் - 3 tbsp

Urad dhal/உளுத்தம் பருப்பு - 1 tsp

Curry leaves/கருவாப்பிலை - 2 sprigs/few

Big onion/பெரிய வெங்காயம் - 2

Green chili/பச்சை மிளகாய்-1

Ginger & garlic/இஞ்சி பூண்டு - 5  garlic & 2” ginger ( crushed)or 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Salt /உப்பு - as required

Tomato/தக்காளி - 2

Grounded masala/அரைத்த மசாலா- 1 bowl( grounded masala is enough for 3 cup rice biryani)

Coriander powder/தனியா தூள் - 1 1/2 tsp

Chili powder/மிளகாய் தூள்- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder/மஞ்சள் தூள்- 1/2 tsp

Curd/தயிர் - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves/கொத்தமல்லி- .chopped

Mint/புதினா - chopped (optional)

Raita:

Curd - 2 cup

Salt - as required

Cucumber and carrot- finally chopped 1 cup

Oil- 1 tbsp

Mustard - 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal- 1/2 tsp 

Curry leaves- few sprig

Red chili- 2

Cilantro- few chopped

Recipe:

* chopped big onion in fine pieces.

* chop tomato and slit green chili.

Step 1:  chettinad masala preparation 

Fry the ingredients under masala preparation in low flame till the aroma of the masala arise. Cool down and grind to fine powder.

Step 2: Roast baby potatoes.

    1. In a skillet,add oil ,followed by chili powder,turmeric powder and grinder masala. Add boiled potato to it and roast it till golden brown.

Step 3. Biryani rice preparation 

   1. In a pan,add water and bring to boil. Add cinnamon,cardamom,jeera and salt. Once it boiled for few minutes ,add 30 minutes soaked basmati rice. Cook till the rice is 75% cooked. 

   2. Once cooked ,drain and spread it in a wide plate .

Step 4.Chettinad baby potato masala roast preparation :

    1. In a wide kadai, add 3 tbsp oil, once it is hot add urad dhal and curry leaves. The curry leaves should splatter and the aroma should mix in oil,which gives unique flavor to this biryani.

  2. Once curry leaf splatter, add finely chopped onion, followed by crushed ginger and garlic. Sauté for few minutes.

   3. Add slit  green chili,chopped tomatoes and followed by chili powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder,grounded masala. Sauté till the tomato is mushy and masala is well cooked.( grounded masala is perfect for 3 cup biryani rice preparation).Add 1/2 cup curd to the masala and cook for 2 minutes.

  4. Once oil separates from masala(oil separation is indication of cooked masala), add masala roasted baby potatoes.( without roasting baby potato in masala, I felt the potato taste bland in biryani).cover and cook for 5-6 minutes,till the potato is well coated and masala cooks.

5. After 5 minutes, add coriander leaves and mix well. Let it rest.

Step 5 : Dum biryani preparation 

    1. Place dosa tawa on stove and place thick bottom pan on top and spread 1/2 portion of potato masala and followed by half cooked rice and layered again with baby potato masala and rice. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and mint(optional).

    2. Cover it with plate and place heavy item on top and keep it in low flame and cook for 20 minutes in dum.(heavy item on top helps the pressure inside pan stay inside and helps to cook the rice and masala in dum setting)

    3. After 20 minutes,remove the heavy items and open the plate. Slowly mix the rice and masala. Transfer it to plate.serve it with cucumber and carrot raita.

Raita:

   1. In a bowl,add thick curd and add salt, followed by chopped cucumber and carrot. Mix it.

   2. For tadka, in a small skillet add oil,mustard,urad dhal,curry leaves,red chili and hing. Sauté and mix it with raita.

  3. Finally add chopped coriander leaves , mix and serve with yummy dum biryani.

  

 

Read more »

Vegetable Crepe in tamil|வெஜிடபிள் கிரீப்|Savory crepe|வெஜிடபிள் ஸ்டபுட் தோசை

 Vegetable crepe is combination of Indian filling and   France crepe. Generally it prepared either sweet or savory. The filling is differed. Sweet version are filled with banana,sugar or drizzled with honey. Today, I have made savory one filled with vegetables,paneerand cheese mixed with Indian spices. It can be served for breakfast or filling evening snack. The crepe alone can be served as it is. The outer layer of crepe will be soft because of all purpose flour  and inside cheesy with vegetables.

Ingredients:

Crepe batter:

All purpose flour/maida- 1 cup

Milk - 1 cup

Water -  1 cup

Egg - 1 (add 1/2 cup yogurt for egg alternative)

Chili flake - 1 tsp

Cilantro- Chopped

Butter- 1 tbsp melted

Stuffing:

Garlic- 3 chopped

Green chili-1 finely chopped

 onion- 1 

Green capsicum/ green peppers- 1 

Carrot- 1

Potato- 1

Paneer- grated 1 cup

Cheese- 1 cup

Salt - required

Chili powder-1/2 tsp

Jeera/cumin powder -1/2 tsp

Chaat masala- 1/2 tsp

Ketchup - 1 tbsp

Cilantro - few

Recipe:

* slice onion,green pepper,carrot.

*Boil potato and grate to avoid lumps.

* Grate paneer and cheese.

1. Crepe preparation:

1. In bowl ,add all ingredients under crepe preparation and mix well.( The batter should not be thin nor thick.The batter should be right consistency to pour the batter and easy to fold while stuffing)

2. In a skillet, apply oil and pour batter, prepare a thin crepe. ( don’t have to be crispy). Once it is cooked,before it turn crispy,remove and save it in a plate.

2.Crepe filling preparation:

  1.In a kadai, add 1 tbsp oil. Followed by chopped garlic, green chili and red onion.

  2. Once onion sauted well, add carrot,capsicum,potato and paneer. Once sauté for few minutes,add spices and cook for 2-3 minutes till raw smells fades. 

  3. Add ketchup and cilantro. Mix well and transfer to a bowl.

  4. Let it cool down and add shredded cheese.( Adding cheese to hot filling, will melt cheese immediately and become sticky).Mix well.

3.Crepe stuffing.

   1. Mix all purpose flour/maida with water in a bowl to seal the crepe.

    2. Place prepared filling on top of crepe and seal on four side with batter prepared with maida/all purpose flour. (Cheese lovers can add shredded cheese on top of the filling for extra cheese ness)

4.Crispy crepe preparation:

   1. In a skillet,add oil or butter and cook the stuffed crepe till outer layer is crispy and brown. Also, inside the cheese melts.( Butter gives extra cripsiness to the crepe).

Note:

* Crepe alone can be served as it is as savory crepe.

* Stuffing and spices can be altered according to individual preferences.

* Instead of Indian spices, can add Italian seasoning  and chili flakes for filling.

*  Use 1/2 cup yogurt/curd for vegetarian instead of egg.

  

Read more »

Salem norukkal

Norukkal Mix, another snack which is served by pounding murukku mixed with chutney, groundnut, coconut-oil and chopped tomatoes. Like bhelpuri, all ingredients are added to a deep bowl , mixed well and served. The crispness of murukku and thattai will be softened by adding the sauce and veggies which helps anyone to eat it without any difficulties.

Norukkal:

Thattai- 6

Mururkku-5

Big onion - 2 tbsp

Tomato- 2 tbsp

Coriander and mint leaves - 3 tbsp

Roasted peanut - 2 tbsp

Garlic soaked coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Veggies mix- shredded carrot,beetroot,sliced onion and mint leaves.

Salt- required

Green chutney:

Mint - 1 bunch

Coriander: 1 bunch

Green chili: 2

Coconut : 2 tbsp

Ginger :3 small piece

Jaggery/vellam: 1/2 tbsp

Lemon juice : 1 or 2 tbsp

Gram dhal/pottukadalai: 2  tbsp

Salt : required

Red chutney:

Oil : 1 tbsp

Garlic :3 cloves

Big onion:1 big

Tomato:2 

Chana dhal :1 tsp

Urad dhal:1 tsp

Red chili and kashmiri chili: 6

Gram dhal/pottukadalai : 1 tbsp

Tamarind : small piece

Salt : as required

Recipe:

*Shred carrot and beetroot. Slice the big onion and chop mint and coriander leaves from first section in ingredients.

* Pound the murukku and thattai to very small pieces.

Step 1: veggie preparation

In a bowl,mix shredded carrot,beetroot,sliced onion,chopped mint and coriander .( mix this veggies before serving else the moist in onion will make the veggies more soggy)

Step 2: Green chutney

1. Transfer all the ingredients under green chutney into a mixer and grind it with very less water. It should in a consistency where it is easy to spread on thattai.( If it is watery, the chutney runs when eating). Transfer it to a bowl.

Step 3: Red chutney

1. In a kadai, add little oil and add Chana dhal and urad dhal. Once it turn brown,add red chili.

2. When chili fried,add chopped big onion and tomato. Cook till they cooked well and the tomato is mushy . Cook till the water from tomato and onion is reduced and very little water left behind.

3.when it is cool down,grind it without water. Transfer it to a bowl.

Step 4: Norukkal preparation 

1.In a deep bowl,add pounded murukku and thattai mix.To that add chopped onion,chopped tomato,chopped mint and coriander leaves,roasted peanut,garlic soaked coconut oil,veggie mix,spicy chutney and mint chutney. Mix all well together.

2. Add more chutney according to your taste. Serve on a plate,topped with chopped onion and crushed murukku mix.

Read more »

Paneer tikka tacos

        After coming to USA, I started to explore all type of cusines. One thing which is close to Indian food and taste is mexican. They serve tacos,burritos and quesadillas. My favorite is tacos (both soft and hard tacos). Tacos are made of corn or flour. They topped it with meat or beans also but with onion,sour cream,lettuce and spicy sauces which will satisfy our Indian taste buds. I like to create a indian version of it which can be eaten by any Indian food loving person. In Indian version, I choose roti, as it is prepared often in our homes. To get well with it, I made paneer tikka masala which is the apt combination for roti. To merge both together i applied mint yogurt chutney to give a kick to this dish.

Ingredients:

Paneer marination ingredients:

Paneer cubed - 150 gms 

Curd/yogurt - 1/2 cup

Coriander powder/தனியா தூள் - 1 tbsp

Kashmiri Chili powder / காஸ்மீரி மிளகாய் தூள் - 1 tsp

Salt /உப்பு - Required

Turmeric powder/ மஞ்சள் தூள் - little/சிறிது

Garam masala/கரம் மசாலா - 1 1/2 tsp

Jeera powder/ சீரக தூள் - 1 tsp

Mint yogurt chutney:

Mint/புதினா - 1 cup

Coriander leaves/கொத்தமல்லி தழை - 1 cup

Green chili/ பச்சை மிளகாய் - 1

Ginger/ இஞ்சி - 3 small pieces

Jeera powder/சீரக தூள் -1/4 tsp

Chaat masala/சாட் மசாலா - 1/4 tsp

Salt - as required

Water - little

Paneer tikka masala Ingredients:

Oil -2 tbsp

Jeera / சீரகம் - 1 tsp

Onion / வெங்காயம் - 1/2 finely chopped

Tomato/தக்காளி - 2 big

Ginger garlic paste/இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுது- 1 tsp

Salt/உப்பு -as required

Chili powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder/தனியா தூள் - 1 tsp 

Turmeric powder/மஞ்சள் தூள் - 1 tsp

Color capsicum - 1/2 cup

Big onion-1/2 cubed

Kasuri methi/உளர்ந்த வெந்தய இலை - 1 tsp

Garam masala - very little

Coriander leaves- few

Recipe:

Step 1 : Paneer marination:

1.Add all the ingredients under marination section,mix well and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Step 2: Mint yogurt chutney

1.Prepare hung curd by tying the regular curd in muslin or cotton cloth and hang it to drain all the water.

2.Grind the other ingredients in the mint chutney section and add it to hung curd .( Add little water if needed).

Step 3: Paneer tikka tacos preparation

1.In a kadai, add 2 tbsp oil and add jeera to splutter.

2.Then add finely chopped onion and to that add ginger garlic paste. After Sautéing  for few minutes,add grinded tomatoes to onion and cook till oil separates.

3.Once oil separates,add marinated paneer  ,capsicum and onion to the mix and cook for 7-8 minutes.

4.Finally add crushed kasuri methi,garam masala and coriander leaves. Mix and switch off flames.

Step 4: Prepare phulka/roti/chappathi

1. Prepare chappathi without oil and finally add oil on top .

Step 5: Final preparation 

1. Before serving,place chappathi on a plate,on top spread thick mint yogurt chutney( Else it will runny while eating). Place the paneer tikka tacos on top and finally place raw onion or vinegar soaked onion on top and garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Read more »

Crispy corn on stick

  Crispy corn on stick is unique way of skewing the corn in a stick ,marinating it,frying and on top homemade masala powder is sprinkled with a daze of lemon. The corn on stick will be crispy and the masala will be spicy.so both together is a good combination when served . It is just a change from normal corn fries,it can also be fried without skewing and following other steps. The masala prepared can also use for French fries and other fried veggies to get that Indian flavor.

Ingredients:

Corn- 2

Corn flour - 2 tbsp

Rice flour - 2 tbsp

Pepper and salt - Required

Water - as per needed

Tooth pick - 20-30

Masala:

Chili powder:1 tbsp

Jeera powder: 1 tsp

Chat masala: 1 tsp

Amchor powder: 1 tsp

Pepper and salt- as required

Recipe

* Chop the corner part of corn a den cut it into tooth pick size pieces

* Choose the corn with big size corns.

* Prepare masala by adding all ingredients under masala and mix well.

1.After cutting to tooth pick size pieces,remove one row of corn so that it is easy to skew and remove from cob.

2.Pierce the tooth pick from top corn to bottom and using finger slightly move the corn from cob. It get removed easily. Do it remaining corn on cob.

3.In a pan,boil water and boil skewed corn for 5-6 minutes.

4.In a bowl,transfer the boiled corn and add rice flour,corn flour,pepper and salt.sprinkle little water,enough to coat the flour to corn.Freeze for 15 minutes.

5. Fry freezes corn skewer in oil till they are crispy and golden color.

6. Before serving,sprinkle the masala on top of plated fried corn and squeeze lemon on top for that extra tanginess.

Note:

*Freezing helps flour to set and coated on corn and when fried it won’t seperated.

* Can also toss masala and fried corn in a bowl and then served but squeeze lemon before serving else lemon will moisture the fried corn and loose his crispness.

* Can also use this masala for fried potatoes and any veggies.

3.

Read more »