Curd vada/ Thayir vadai recipe

                   One of beautiful memories  still I stay in mind is,when I was a kid, me and my family go to Coimbatore for clothing purchases. We don’t forget to have our food in annapoorna restaurant. I used to order one rose milk, 1 parota set and Thayir vadai to share with family. They are very creamy and thick. It melt like ice cream and very tasty. The secret behind this thick creamy curd vada/ Thayir vadai is the coconut mix they add to the curd. Let’s see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Vadai:

Urad dhal - 1 cup

Idli rice - 3 tbsp

Ginger - 2” piece

Green chili - 2

Thayir/ curd preparation:

Curd.                      - 2 cup

Water                       -1 cup

Coconut                   - 1/4 cup

Jeers/cumin seed       - 1 tsp

Green chili.                - 1

Cashew                     -   3 or 4 broken

Oil                             - 3 tbsp

Mustard seed            -1/4 tsp

Urad dhal                 - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves           - few chopped

Hing/ asafoetida    -  pinch

Decoration:

Chili powder            - a pinch

Boondi                      -  2 t so

Coriander leaves      - few finely chopped

Shredded Carrot      -  1 tbsp

Recipe

1️⃣   Wash and soak rice and urad dhal/ulundhu for 5 hour and grind it with green chili, finely chopped ginger with just 2 cup water. 

2️⃣ Grind coconut,jeera,green chili and broken cashew with 1 cup water and set aside.( cashew gives that thick creamy texture to curd)

3️⃣ In a bowl,add 2 cup thick curd,1 cup water and grounded paste. Adjust water measurement according to the thickness of curd you need. 

4️⃣ In a small kadai, heat oil add mustard,urad dhal,hing, curry leaves ( add red chili if u like that flavor). Sauté and add to curd mix.

5️⃣ Heat oil in a big pan and fry the vadas and keep it aside. ( how to get perfect vada shape is explained in my channel video)

6️⃣ To make the vada soft when we eat and also to absorb the curd which is poured on top, immerse the vada in warm water or diluted butter milk. Squeeze all liquid and keep it aside.

7️⃣ While serving, place the vada on a plate, pour prepared curd on top( we can store this curd in fridge if we like cold Thayir vada), sprinkle some chili powder, coriander leaves ,boondi and shredded carrot .

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Cauliflower popcorn

           Vegetarians favorite veggies is cauliflower (mine too). Any appetizer prepared using it is a great hit in any parties. I love to order gobi manchurian whenever I visit any restaurants. Sometimes, I feel bored to see same gobi 65,gobi chili, gobi manchurian in any parties. When I was searching for something new, I came across this recipe and it was my new appetizer which I make often in any parties or get together in home. Kids love it( thinking it as chicken nuggets,but it won’t disappoint them when they try).  To make it more flavorful, I make a special powder to sprinkle on top while serving.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 2 cup

Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp

Onion powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Salt - as per taste (1 tsp)

All purpose flour/ maida - 3 tbsp

Corn flour - 3 tbsp

Batter:

All purpose flour- 4 tbsp

Corn flour - 4 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Soya sauce - 1 tsp

Water       -   1/2-3/4 cup water

Bread crumbs - 1 cup

Powder:

Onion powder                 -  1/2 tsp

Garlic powder                 -   1/2 cup

Black pepper powder     -    1 tsp

Salt                                 -     1/2 tsp

Powdered sugar              -  1 tsp

Chaat masala                 -  1 tsp

Red chili powder           -   1 tsp

Recipe:

1️⃣  Blanch the cauliflower florets in hot water till they are cooked 3/4. ( this makes the insect get killed in hot water and also removes the raw smell in cauliflower)

2️⃣ In a bowl, add the blanched cauliflower, garlic powder, onion powder( use 1 tsp ginger garlic paste instead), black pepper powder,salt, all purpose flour and corn flour. Mix well,so the flavor is mixed on top and inside the cauliflower. ( this is done to infuse flavor inside cauliflower)

3️⃣ Remove the coated cauliflower aside and in same bowl, add all purpose flour , corn flour, salt and soya sauce ( I used dark soya sauce to get that dark color). Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water and mix the batter to medium thin batter( The batter should be thick enough to coat the cauliflower and helps bread crumbs stick to it).

4️⃣ Take marinated cauliflower in a bowl, batter in another bowl and bread crumbs in another bowl( you can use crushed sweetness corn flakes along with bread crumbs or as it instead of bread crumbs). Take one piece cauliflower and dip in batter and coat the cauliflower with bread crumbs.( I used seasoned bread crumb with panko bread crumbs for flavorful textured coating, you add garlic powder and onion powder,if seasoned bread crumbs not available). Repeat same step to all cauliflower.

5️⃣ Keep coated cauliflower in fridge for 30 minutes( this helps the bread crumbs to stick to cauliflower and it become bit hard and it won’t fall off when dropped in hot oil).

6️⃣ Heat the oil and drop coated cauliflower one by one and cook till it is crispy outside . 

7️⃣ Prepare the special powder by mixing all ingredients given under powder ingredients section and keep it ready.

8️⃣While serving, sprinkle the powder on hot hot cauliflower popcorn .( This gives the flavored popcorn taste)

  I prepared this cauliflower popcorn many times in home and in home function. It is great party snack to satisfy a vegetarian and also vegans. The cauliflower can be coated and stored in fridge ahead and deep fried on any party day. Also we can store this powder and use it for any fried appetizer.

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Restaurant style paneer 65 l பன்னீர் 65

      Paneer 65 is like chicken 65 for vegetarians. It can be prepared either with sauce or without. Today I prepared paneer 65 using sauce like prepared in restaurants. The gravy or sauce which coats the paneee will be tangy and spicy. The fried paneer as is,will be yummy when fried only for 5 minute,where you will get soft paneer inside and crispy on outside which can be served with just fried curry leaves or tossed just in tadka. To make it more yummy, I tossed it in masala mixed in curd sauce,which is so yummy to have hot hot. 

Ingredients:

Paneer marination:

Paneer - 300 gms/ 0.6 lb 

Maida- 3 tbsp

Corn flour - 3 tbsp

Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp/ as per taste

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few chopped (for flavor)

Crushed black pepper- 1 tsp 

Paneer 65:

Oil- 1 tbsp

Ginger chopped - 2 tbsp

Garlic chopped - 2 tbsp

Big onion-1/2 

Green chili- 3 slit

Red chili- whole 5

Curry leaves- few sprigs 

Coriander powder/தனியா தூள் - 3/4 tsp

Jeera powder/சீரக தூள் - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala/ கரம் மசாலா- 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri red Chili powder/ காஸ்மீர் மிளகாய் தூள்- 1 tsp

Red chili sauce- 1 tsp

Ketchup- 1 tsp

Curd/ yogurt/தயிர் - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves/cilantro- few chopped

Recipe:

* chopped ginger and garlic into fine pieces

* cut paneer in cubes and add in warm water to make it soft.

Step 1: Paneer marination:

        In a bowl add all the ingredients under marination section and mix first and then sprinkle water little by little. The marination should not like that for manchurian(thick outer coating) or like fritter/bajji( very thin runny coating) ,it needn’t to be fully covered,as we are again going to toss in sauce.(no need to marinate for long)

Step 2:  Paneer frying

         Heat a pan with oil(add less oil ,as the red color from Kashmiri chili powder discolor the oil) once it is warm,add marinated paneer one by one.  Fry just for 5 minutes,else the paneer lose its soft texture inside.

Step 3: Paneer 65 preparation

        In a kadai or skillet,add oil followed by chopped garlic ,ginger,onion and curry leaves. Sauté it till the onion and all cooked well.

        Add the masala powder mentioned under paneer 65 preparation,(note: flame should be low always when adding dry masala powder,else it get burnt easily and it will be infused in the dish),once the masala is mixed,add the sauces and sauté few more minutes.

       Switch off the flame and add curd.( Adding curd/yogurt in hot pan will led to curdle ,so switch of the flame and add.Mix with masala powder and sauce ). Then switch on the flame, cook in low flame for 2 minutes and turn high, add fried paneer and toss in high flame for just 2 minutes to retain the soft paneer and the sauce are all dried and coated on paneer. Finally add chopped cilantro /coriander leaves and serve it with fried rice or serve as starter with hot soup.

Note:

* Can also be served just fried paneer and fried curry leaves or Fried paneer and normal tadka or this way.

*Vegans,can avoid yogurt.

*Can also be fried in airfryer by marinating with oil with other ingredients and fry in airfryer in fries mode.

* Always keep in mind,the longer the paneer in flame,harder they become so fry just for 5 minutes and toss fried paneer in high flame just 2 minutes.

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