Medhu Vada / Urud Dal Vada

Cooking Time : 30 mins
Serves              : 15 no

Medhu Vada is a popular and favourite traditional south Indian Recipe. This Vada is one of the important menu in breakfast during weddings in Tamilnadu. It is also a part on the menu on festivals and Pooja. When I tried to make this Vada for the first time, I thought that it is a difficult task. Only the soaking time is more, making vada is very easy. My mom used to make this vada using Banana leaf or Plastic sheets to drop in Oil. But on practising, I learnt to drop batter in oil using my hand itself. It goes very well with Idli, Chutney and Sambar. Coming to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

Urud dal	1 cup
Raw Rice	1/4 cup
Onion	1 - Finely Chopped
Green Chillies	5
Curry Leaves	As Required
Ginger	1" Finely minced
Coriander Leaves	As Required
Pepper Corns	1 tsp
Salt	To Taste
Oil	To Fry

STEPS:

1. Combine and wash Urad Dal and Raw Rice thoroughly and soak  in water for minimum 1 hr. 
2. Drain the water and grind the mixture in grinder or blender. Don't add water unless it is required. 
3. Add the other ingredients- Onion, Green Chillies, Curry Leaves, Ginger, Coriander Leaves, Pepper Corns Salt to the batter and mix well.
4. Heat Oil in a deep bottomed vessel. Wet your palm and take some batter and make a doughnut shape and make a hole in the centre and drop carefully into the oil. Fry till vada becomes crispy on both sides. 
5. Serve hot with coconut chutney, Idli and Sambar.

Tips:

• Batter can be stored in Refrigerator for 2 days before adding the other ingredients.
• Once you prepare the batter, Don't allow the batter to ferment, else it will absorb more oil during frying. Either use the batter or store it in refrigerator.
• Adding Raw rice makes more crispy, It can be optional also.

Idli Milagai podi / Idli Chilli Powder

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Whenever I face the power cut problem at my home or when I have less time to prepare breakfast, Idli podi is the only side dish which gives me a helping hand for breakfast to have with dosa and Idli. This serves such a super combination with idli or dosa when mixed with Gingelly oil. I got this recipe from my Grandmother. The below ingredients I mentioned is much spicier. You can add the Red chillies according to your taste.

INGREDIENTS:

Urud dal	1 cup
Channa dal	1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chillies	15 to 20
Curry Leaves	One Handful
Asafoetida	1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds	2 tbsp
Salt	To Taste
Oil	1 tsp

STEPS:

1. In a pan, heat oil and add Urud dal, Channa dal. Once, it becomes light brown color, add Sesame seeds. Once it splutters, add Red chillies, curry leaves, salt and Hing. Once these are dry roasted, remove from the flame.
2. Allow the mixture to cool and grind in a mixture to a dry powder
3. Serve with Dosa/Idli.

Channa Sundal / Kondakadalai Sundal - Vinayakar Chaturthi Special

Cooking Time  : 10 mins
Serves               : 2

Happy Vinayakar Chaturthi to all Friends.. Today I prepared my favourite Sundal - Channa Sundal. It is one of the popular sundal for Vinayakar chathurthi festival.  I like to have White channa/Brown channa. This can be made with white/brown channa. It is an easy to make recipe and also is flavourful one. Only the Soaking time is more, but the preparation can be done in minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

Channa	1/4 cup
Grated Coconut	2 tbsp
Salt	To Taste
Gingelly Oil	1 tbsp

TO TEMPER:

Mustard	1/4 tsp
Urad Dal	1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chillies	4
Curry Leaves	As Required
Asafoetida	a pinch
Onion	1 medium size

STEPS:

1. Soak Channa overnight and pressure cook for 5 whistles with salt and water. Drain the water and keep channa aside.
2. In a Pan, heat Oil and add all the items one by one as mentioned in "To Temper" Section. Don't fry Onion too much.
3. Add the Channa and stir for a minute and add the grated Coconut and stir well and remove from the flame. Delicious Sundal is now ready to be served. 

Tips:

• Green Chillies can also be added while tempering.
• I added salt while pressure cooking as the soaking time is more. This will prevent channa from overcooking. If your soaking time is less, then don't add salt. Else channa will not be cooked properly.
• Don't fry onion too much. 

Spicy Brinjal-Drumstick Curry / Kathirikka Murungakka Kaara kuzhambhu

Cooking time : 20 mins
Serves           : 3

My ever best combo for Kaara Kuzhambu is Brinjal and Drumstick. This is the basic Kaara Kuzhambu I usually make in my home. The Special ingredient that gives good taste to this curry is Sambar Powder. The same procedure can be followed to prepare ladies finger  curry as well. It goes well with Rice and Papad. I like to have this with Dosa as well. Coming to this delicious recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal	4
Drumstick	1
Garlic Pods	6
Onion	1 medium size
Tomato	1
Tamarind	1/2 lemon size
Mustard	1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds	1/4 tsp
Toor Dal	1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves	As Required
Asafoetida	a pinch
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Cumin Powder	1 tsp
Sambar Powder	2 tsp
Rice Powder (Arisi Podi)	2 tsp
Salt	To Taste

To Grind:

Grated Coconut	3 tbsp
Shallots	5

STEPS:

1.  Chop Onion and Tomatoes. Chop Brinjal Lengthwise. Chop Drumsticks to 1" Size. Soak Tamarind in warm water for 15 mins and extract tamarind juice.
2. In a pressure cooker, Heat Oil and add mustard seeds. Wait till it splutters and then add Fenugreek Seeds, Toor Dal, Asafoetida and curry leaves. Add Onion and Garlic and fry till it becomes golden brown. Add Brinjal and Drumsticks and fry for a min. Add tomatoes and Stir well.
3. Add Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Cumin powder and stir well. Add Tamarind juice and allow it to boil for few minutes. Add Sambar Powder.
4. Add the ground paste to the mixture and Rice powder and  pressure cook with 1/2 cup water for 2 whistles and keep it in the sim for 3 mins and remove from the flame.

Tips:

• You can prepare this without coconut as well.
• If you have Puli Kuzhambu masala bought from stores, you can add that also.
• For Rice Powder, Dry Roast Raw rice and grindit to fine powder.

Maida Pakoras / Diamond Pakoras

Cooking time : 20 mins.

This is a simple recipe that can be prepared using Maida Flour. This has been one of my favourite that remembers my childhood. My Grandma used to prepare this so often and store it in an air tight container. It is so crispy and can be munched anytime. It goes very well with a cup of Tea/coffee esp during rainy days. It is very easy to prepare with the available ingredients to serve unexpected guests. Coming to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

Maida	2 cups
Onion	1 medium size
Green Chillies	3 - Finely Chopped
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Salt	To Taste
Curry Leaves	As Required
Coriander Leaves	As Required
Oil	As Required

STEPS:

1. In a Vessel, Mix all the ingredients except Oil by adding necessary water slowly to form a dough.   Let it be for 10 mins.
2. Flatten the dough using Rolling pin and make Chapathis out of it. If the dough is bit sticky, dust with more flour while flattening.  Cut into diamond shapes using knife.
3. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan and fry till golden brown. Don't overcrowd the Pan.
4. Remove from the flame and place it in kitchen tissues to absorb excess oil.
5. Store it in a air tight container once it cools down.

Tips:

• Don't fry much as you won't get good taste and the maida with be so hard.

Spicy Egg Toast

Cooking time : 10 mins
Serves            : 2


This is yet another simple egg recipe which can be made in few minutes. Rather than having boiled egg  as such, egg can be toasted which gives such a taste. you won't even feel the taste of an egg. It can be prepared with the ready available ingredients at your kitchen in minutes. Addition of Pepper gives good flavour. Try this lovely recipe. Goes well with Biriyani, Fried Rice, Puli Kuzhambu. Can be taken Raw as well.

INGREDIENTS:

Boiled Eggs	2
Onion	1 medium size
Ginger	1 " - Finely minced
Garlic	3 pods - Finely minced
Green Chillies	3 - Finely Chopped
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Crushed Aniseeds	1/2 tsp
Pepper	To Taste
Salt	To Taste
Curry Leaves	As Required
Oil	As Required

STEPS:

1. Cut the Boiled eggs into halves carefully. 
2. In a pan, heat oil and add Ginger, Garlic, Aniseeds and saute for a min. Add Onion and Fry till it becomes golden brown. 
3. Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and little water. Allow the gravy to completely boil by increasing the heat. 
4. When the gravy starts reducing, add the boiled eggs carefully. Reduce the heat.Add Curry Leaves, Green Chillies and Cook till the masala gets mixed with eggs and the oil gets separated.
5. Remove from the flame and sprinkle pepper.Serve hot with your favourites.

Tips:

• Use Hard Boiled Eggs, So that the eggs won't break.

Tofu Masala

Cooking Time : 30 mins
Serves             : 2

I wanted to try Tofu Masala for a long time. I finally bought it and tried this recipe and it turned out great for Chapathis. Like Soya, it is also a substitute for meat. It has various health benefits like Soya as it is prepared from Soya milk. It is a great source of Calcium and Vitamin E, yet good for bones and lowers cholestrol. It also lowers the risk of cancer. I used fresh silken Tofu for this recipe.  It tastes similar to Paneer but still softer than paneer. So I tried the version similar to paneer butter masala but I didnot add butter. It goes very well with Roti. Coming to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

Tofu	200 gms
Onion	2 medium size
Tomato	2
Green Chillies	4
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tbsp
Cashew Nuts	8
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Garam Masala	1 tsp
Kasturi Methi	1 tsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Oil	Ass Required
Salt	To Taste

   To Garnish :                                                                                                                                                                        

Green Chillies	2
Onion	1 (Finely Chopped)
Coriander Leaves	As Required

                                                                                                                                                          STEPS:

1. Cut the Tofu into small cubes and keep aside. Puree the Tomato and grind it. Split open the green Chillies. Grind the Onion into coarse paste. Grind the cashew nuts to a fine paste separately.
   
2. In a pan, heat Ghee and Oil and add Bay leaf. Add the ground onion paste and fry till it becomes golden brown. Add Ginger Garlic Paste and saute for a min.
3. Add Tomato  and little water and cook till the oil gets separated. 
4. Add Turmeric Powder, Salt, Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder and mix well.
5. Add Kasturi methi and water if required and allow to boil for 2 mins. Add Garam Masala.
6. Add cashew nut paste and stir well and add Tofu. Allow to boil for a min and remove from the flame.
7. Garnish with Coriander leaves, Chopped Green Chillies and Chopped Onion and Serve hot.  Tips:

• Don't cook Tofu more than 2 mins as it is very soft. 
• There are many types of Tofu available.Use  only Tofu for frying for this recipe. 

Nannari Sarbath

Preparation Time : 3 mins
Serves                 : 1 Person

Nannari Sarbath is one of the popular drink in Tamilnadu which is easily available on even road side shops. This is the favourite drink for me and my hubby. So I bought 2 bottles from my native.  Nannari is a special syrup for summer which reduces our body heat. Today i really had lot of works and I badly wanted to have one. I was really very happy to see a soda and lemon in my refrigerator. I made this Sarbat immediately and felt very much relaxed. It is really a good thirst quenching drink that cools our body.

INGREDIENTS:
Nannari Syrup - 3 tbsp
Water              - 3 tbsp
Soda                - 1 (Cooled)
Lemon              - 1

STEPS:

1. Mix all the ingredients except soda in a glass and mix well with a spoon. 
2. Add Soda to fill the glass.
3. Now the refreshing Drink is ready to quench our thirst.

Tips:

• If you don't have soda, add water. But adding soda gives excellent taste.

Star Fruit Juice / Carambola Fruit Juice

Preparation time : 5 mins
Serves                : 1 tall glass

Here is an easy juice recipe that can prepared with either raw fruit / Ripen ones. It can be eaten with Salt and Chilly powder as well.. These fruits are available from Sour to mildly sweet.. It looks green when raw and golden yellow when ripen. I really enjoyed this juice as it had different sweet and sour taste. Do try this juice and enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
Star Fruit    - 2
Sugar          - As Required
Salt             - 1/2 tsp (Optional, but i added)
Water          - As Required

STEPS:

1. Wash the fruit and cut into half. Check the taste whether it is sour or sweet, so that salt and sugar can be added accordingly.
2. Peel off the skin and cut into pieces. you can see seeds inside. Remove them.
3. Add Star fruit to the blender along with sugar and 1 cup of water and puree it. You can add more water if required. 
4. Pour it into the glass and add salt if it is raw. Adding salt gave a different taste.
5. Serve it just like that or sieve it.