Baby Corn Fritters/Bhaji 

We all love Bhajjis, especially during winters they are a must have. This recipe is a sure shot way to get crispy Bhajis. I have used baby Corns, you can use Onions, Chillies, Paneer anything you like.

So in this recipe I would sharing how to make the basic Bhaji batter that can be used to make Bhajji or fritters.

Ingredients
Besan/Gram flour - 1 Cup
Rice Flour - 1/2 Cup
Sooji/Rava - 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric Powder - A generous Pinch
Hing/Asafoetida - A generous Pinch
Salt - To taste
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 - 1 Teaspoon
Garam Masala - A pinch
Chat Masala - A pinch
Baby Corn - As needed (Parboiled)
Drinking Soda - As required  (Refer Notes)
Oil - For Frying.

Method

• In a kadhai, place the oil for heating on the stove on Medium flame. 
• In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients expect the Baby corn and soda and mix well. 
• Now to this add drinking soda and mix till till you get the batter of a thick Doa batter consistency.
• Now Take Baby corn and dip it in the batter and place it carefully in the Hot oil and cook it till it becomes Golden Brown on all sides.
• Remove it using a slotted ladle and keep it on a Paper Towel to drain excess Oil.
• Serve hot with tea/Coffee. 

Notes:

• You can use water instead of Drinking Soda to prepare this dish. Using Drinking Soda makes the Mixture Airy and lighter.
• I have also seen my mom add Warm Oil to the Bhajji mix. She mixes all ingredients and adds some Warm Oil and leaves it for a minute or 2 and then adds Water and prepares the Bhajji.
• Ensure that the batter is not too watery or else it wont stick to the Baby corn or any other ingredient you are using to make Bhajji.
• Ensure that the Oil is at medium heat, if its is too much of heat it will then only the outer layer will cook and the inner layer will remain uncooked.
• If the Oil is not hot enough then the Bhaji will drink the Oil and it will be too Oily. 

Rice Flour Kozhukattai/ Arisi Maavu Kozhukattai 

I love Kozhukattai and I have a variety of Kozhukattai Recipes in my Blog. This one is a easy to make Kozhukattai , if you have ready made Processed Rice Flour.

Do check other Kozhukattai recipes Here.

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Dry Red Chillies - 4 or 5.
Broken Gram Dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Broken Urad Dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Hing or Asafoetida - A generous Pinch
Water - 2.5 Cups
Coconut - 1/4 Cup (Grated, Optional)
Oil - 1 teaspoon (Preferably Coconut Oil)

Method

• Take a Kadhai/Large Vessel and heat a teaspoon of oil and once the Oil is hot add the Mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
• Then add the gram Dal, Urad Dal and Dry Red Chillies and saute. 
• Add Hing/asafoetida, to this and add the water and Salt to taste. 
• Allow the water to boil and then add the Processed Rice Flour while stirring it.
• Also add the grated Coconut to this. 
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes or till all the water is absorbed.
• Now switch off the flame and keep the prepared dish aside.
• Now take a Steamer or Idly pot and add water to the steamer and allow it to Boil.
• Meanwhile, Grease the Idly plates/plates in which you are planning to steam the Kozhukattais.
• By now, the prepared mixture would have come to bearable heat.
• Now wet your hands and take a good amount of the prepared mixture and shape into a ball or any desired shape.
• Arrange the prepared balls in the greased plates.
• Now place this in the steamer and steam for 10 -12 minutes.
• Allow it to cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Notes

• Start making them into balls only when it the prepared mixture is of bearable heat to your hands or else allow it to cool for some more time.
• Adding Coconut is optional, however it takes this recipe up by few notches.
• While adding the Mustard seeds, Dal and Hing keep the stove on low flame.
• Using coconut Oil brings a nice flavour to this recipe.
• You can grease your hand with coconut Oil while shaping these Kozhukattais. 

Ganesh Chathurthi/Vinayagar Chathurthi Recipes 

In my earlier posts, I had already written about Ganesh Chathurthi is a important festival at our house and how elaborately we celebrate.This year Ganesh CHathurthi is celebrated on 29th August .

 Happy Ganesh Chathurthi to all!!!

Click on the below links for the recipes

• Ammini Kozhukattai
• Aval kozhukattai
• Sweet Kozhukattai/Mothagam
• Paal Kozhukattai
• Kara Kozhukattai/Ulundu Kozhukattai
• Pidi Kozhukattai
• Channa Sundal/Kondakadalai Sundal 

Krishna Jayanthi Recipes - Janmashtami Recipe Collection 

Krishna Jayanthi/Janmashtami is celebrated this year on 17th or 18th August 2014 depending on you are a saivaiite or vaishnavite.

Immaterial of when you celebrate it, Krishna Jayanthi is so much fun. Drawing of those small Krishna feet, Bhajans, loads and loads of sweets and savory to eat, I just love it

I have given a collection of Krishna Jayatnhi Recipes. Happy Krishna Jayanthi.

Click on the Below links for the recipes:

• Thattai
• Seedai
• Boli/Poli
• Pal Kozhukattai/Paal Kozhukattai with Jaggery
• Kesari
• Pull Halwa
• Gulab Jamun
• Kaju Katli
• Semiya Payasam

Pidi Kozhukattai

 I have already posted the recipe of Kara Kozhukattai and Sweet Kozhukattai. This kozhukattai is pretty easy to make. However this is still tasty.

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Water - 2 Cups
Salt and Oil
Mustard seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Gram Dhall - 1/2 Teaspoon
Green Chillies - 3
Hing/Asafoetida - A Big Pinch
Coconut - 3 Tablespoon (Cut into small pieces, you can add coconut as per your taste)

Method

In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil and add the Mustard seeds. Once it splutters add gram dhall and green chillies and saute for 30 second and then add the water,coconut  and salt.

let the water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the rice flour and stir it. Cook it till the rice flour is cooked and the water is completely absorbed.

Remove from the flame and allow it to become warm. Once the mixture is warm, grease your hands and take the mixture and make kozhukattai in desired shape.

Now steam the kozhukattai in a Idly pot or steamer for 10 minutes.

Hot, steamy easy kozhukattai is ready.

Tips
This kozhukattai can also be made with rice Rawa.

Bottlegourd Tikki

It was on a Sunday when I had quite heavy breakfast and waned to have something refreshing and light, that's when I made this Tikki.

I had this along with freshly Cut Cucumber Salad and Masala Curd. The Cucumber,Curd and Bottlegourd was so refreshing.

I am sending this to Lets brunch on Sundays event organised by Priya. 

Ingredients

Bottle Gourd - 1 Cup (Grated)
Besan/Gram Flour - 2 Tablespoon
Rice Flour - 2 Tablespoon
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt and Oil

Method

In a mixing bowl, add add ingredients except oil and mix well. Divide them into equal parts and shape them as tikkis.

Meanwhile, place a pan on the stove. Once the pan is hot, smear some oil and arrange the prepared tikki and cook.

Cook till it is golden brown on both sides.

I had it with Freshly cut cucumber and Curd flavoured with Chaas Masala.


Tips
I did not have any problems in making the tikkis with the above given ingredients. if you have doubt on the consistency add Bread slices or Bread Crumbs. You can also add Besan or rice flour, however I do not prefer it as it makes the tikki heavy and not fluffy.

Ammini Kozhukattai

One more recipe of Kozhukattai,which is very easy to make. it is a savoury version so I love this a lot. We usually make this a lot during Navaratri and Ganesh Chathurthi. 

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour/Idiyappam Flour - 1 Cup
Water - As required (I needed about 2.5 Cups)
Salt - As required
Idly Milagai Podi - 1 Tablespoon
Coconut - 2 Tablespoon (Shredded)
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 4 Nos
Dry Red Chilli - 2 (Optional)
Oil - 1 Teaspoon (Preferably Coconut or Sesame Oil)

Method

 In a vessel add the rice flour,Salt. To this, add the boiling water and mix well using a wooden Spatula. Make a soft dough.

Once it is warm enough for you handle it knead it well. Smear some oil on your hands if required.

Cover with a wet muslin cloth so the dough does not dry up and crack.

Using this dough, make small balls. The smaller the better.

While making these balls, ensure that you take a little quantity at a time and rest of the dough is covered with the wet towel.

Steam these in a greased Idly Pot for 10 minutes on a medium flame.

Heat a pan, with a tablespoon of oil and once it is hot add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. 

Then add the Curry Leaves and Red Chilli. Add the steamed Balls,Idly Milagai Podi and Coconut and gently toss them.

You can adjust Milagai Podi and Coconut to suit your Taste. 

Potato Cheese Cutlets

Who does not love Potatoes? That too Potato and Cheese is a such a heavenly and sinful combination. So I decided to make this Potato Cheese Cutlet. If you have boiled potatoes it will make only couple of minutes to get this amazing snack.

Ingredients

Potato - 2 (Medium, boiled and mashed)
Green Peas - 1/4 Cup (Boiled and roughly mashed)
Cheese - 3-4 Tablespoon (I used grated Mozzarella)
Green Chillies - 2 (Finely Chopped or you can use Chilly Sauce)
Garam masala - 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for Tawa Fry
Maida/Rice flour/Corn Flour - 1 Tablespoon (Anyone of these Flour)

Method

Mash the Potatoes without any lumps. In a mixing Bowl, add all ingredients except Oil and mix them well.

Slightly wet your hands, make a Lemon Sized ball of the mixture and pat into Tikki.

Meanwhile, warm the non stick Tawa and add 2 tablespoon of oil.

In the heated Tawa, arrange the tikki and cook till it is golden brown on all sides.

Serve with Tomato Ketchup or Cheesy Dip (I will post this recipe soon)

Tips

You may add any of the flour to help you get the right consistency. However, too much of the flour will spoil the taste of the Cutlet.

The trick is to reduce the moisture in the potatoes as much as possible. The best solution is use a steamer to boil your Potato, instead of cooking them in Pressure cooker.

If you are using Pressure cooker, then dont leave the potato in the cooker once it is done. Remove them immediately from the water.

Lets say, in your cooker it takes 2 whistles for the potatoes to get cooked. After 2 whistles, switch off the flame and put the pressure cooker under cold running water for few minutes, so the pressure inside is completely released.Once the pressure is completely released, Then you can open the pressure cooker and remove the potatoes from the water, peel them and mash them. 

Kara Kozhukattai/Ulundu Kozhukattai

I have never been this nervous in my kitchen. My mom was saying making kozhukattai is difficult and I felt the same way when I read the recipe in various sites.

Actually, it is the thought that was more tiring than the process of making it. So making Kozhukattai is not as difficult as it sounds. I am so happy and relieved that I have done them on my own.

I have posted the recipe for Sweet Kozhukattai too.However my personal favorite is the savory version.

The preparation for the outer layer is similar to that of Verum Arisi Adai

Ingredients
For the Outer Layer:

Processed Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Water - As required (I needed about 3 Cup)
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 1 Teaspoon

For the Stuffing:

Urad Dhall - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies - 5
Grated Coconut - 4 Tablespoon
Asafoetida -A pinch
Salt - To taste
Oil - 1 Teaspoon

Method:

Soak the Urad Dhal for 1-2 Hours. Once it is soaked, drain the water.

In a mixer, add the Green Chilly and the Urad Dhal and pulse it into a Coarse Consistency. Dont make a batter.

Make this Coarse mixture into 4-5 balls and steam it in a steamer/Idly Pot for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes,allow it to cool and then crumble it.

In a Pan, add the oil, Asafoetida and then add the Crumbled Urad dal mixture and toss for few minutes till all the moisture is gone. Then add coconut and Salt and toss for a minute and remove it from the Pan.

Once the Mixture is warm (Bearable heat), wet your hands with some water/oil.

With greased hand, divide the mixture into 8 balls. Keep this covered till the Outer Layer is prepared.

Outer Layer:

In a vessel, add the Rice Flour ad Salt. To this add Boiling water and mix well using a wooden spatula. Then rest it for about 3-5 minutes.

When the dough is slightly warm, knead it using your hands for 5 minutes till it frms a smooth dough.

Always keep this dough covered with a kitchen towel, as the Kozhukattai will crack if the flour drys up.

Making Kozhukattai

Grease your fingers with oil. Take a Lemon sized ball of rice flour. Slowly make a hollow cup using your fingers. Once you have the cup, place the Stuffing mixture and seal the cup.

Once, you have done it with all the rice flour, steam it for 5-8 minutes in a Idly pot/Steamer.

Sweet Kozhukattai/Mothagam

I have already posted the recipe for the Kara Kozhukattai. This one is the sweet variation. The Outer layer recipe is the same as in Verum Arisi Adai. For the stuffing you can use the stuffing that we made for Boli too.

However, I have used a simple Coconut-Jaggery Stuffing.

Ingredients
For the Outer Layer:

Processed Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Water - As required (I needed about 3 Cup)
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 1 Teaspoon

For the Stuffing:

Jaggery - 1 Cup (Grated)
Coconut - 1 Cup (Grated)

Method:

In a pan, add the Grated Jaggery and Grated Coconut and keep on stirring them for 5-6 minutes. You will know that they are cooked, once it becomes thick and leaves the sides of the wall.

Once the Mixture is warm (Bearable heat), wet your hands with some water/oil.

With greased hand, divide the mixture into 8 balls. Keep this covered till the Outer Layer is prepared.

Outer Layer:

In a vessel, add the Rice Flour add Salt. To this add Boiling water and mix well using a wooden spatula. Then rest it for about 3-5 minutes.

When the dough is slightly warm, knead it using your hands for 5 minutes till it frms a smooth dough.

Always keep this dough covered with a kitchen towel, as the Kozhukattai will crack if the flour drys up.

Making Kozhukattai

Grease your fingers with oil. Take a Lemon sized ball of rice flour. Slowly make a hollow cup using your fingers. Once you have the cup, place the Stuffing mixture and seal the cup.

Once, you have done it with all the rice flour, steam it for 5-8 minutes in a Idly pot/Steamer.

Thattai - Krishna Jayanthi Recipe

As Krishna Jayanthi is becoming I tried and tested some recipe and measurements. The first recipe I tried was Thattai. It turned out so tasty and Crunchy.

For this recipe,  we need to make Processed Rice flour,however I used ready made Processed Raw rice flour. 

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour - 2 Cups
Urad Dhall Flour - 2 Tablespoon  (Roast urad dal until nice aroma rises and then cool down, grind to a fine powder)
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 Tablespoon
Roasted Groundnuts - 2 Tablespoon (Optional)
Asafoetida - 1/4 Teaspoon
Roasted Gram Dhall Powder (Pottukadalai) - 2 Tablespoon 
Urad Dhall - 1 Tablespoon (Soaked) (Optional)
Butter - 2 Tablespoon
Salt and Oil

Method

In a mixing bowl,add all ingredients except oil. Make a smooth non sticky dough by adding water litte by little. Cover it with a damp kitchen towel.

Heat oil for deep frying in the stove. The oil needs to be hot for making the Thattai.

Now take the dough and make a lemon Sized ball. Grease a aluminium foil and place the ball on it.

Using your fingers flatten the ball till it is thin and even. To ensure that it is cooked evenly, you can poke the Thattai with a fork. 

Now, carefully slip the Thattai in the oil. 

You will hear a cracking sound once you slip the Thattai in the oil. Cook on medium flame. Flip it on the other side after a minute or 2.Once the cracking sound stops, reduce the flame to low and cook for one more minute to ensure that it is cooked completely.

Transfer to a plate lined with Paper towel and allow them to cool completely and store in a airtight container.

Pal Kozhukattai/Paal Kozhukattai

Usually for any occasion may be it is Vinayaka Chathurthi or Krishna Jayanthi My mom would make all Bakshanam (all sweets and savouries) required for it. However this year I have told my mom that I will make all Bakshanam for all occasion this year.

As I did not want to make anything disastrous on the festive day I have decided to do them,practise them well in advance. So you will get to see more of festive dishes in the blog often now.

One dish that my mom makes for Krishna Jayanthi is Pal Kozhukattai. So I decided to start off with something simple, so it isPal Kozhukattai/Paal Kozhukattai this time.

Ingredients

Processed Rice Flour - 1 Cup (I used Store bought)
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Coconut Milk - 1/2 Cup (thick Milk)+2 cup (Thin Milk)
Water - 1 Cup
Ghee - a Teaspoon
Sugar - 1/2-3/4 Cup (As per your taste)
Cardamom Powder - as required
Salt - a pinch

Method:

In a pan, add the 1/2 cup of milk,1 cup of water and a teaspoon of Ghee and allow it to become warm.Once it is warm add the Processed Rice flour and mix it well.

Cook it till the mixture comes to a dough consistency.

Now remove the mixture from the stove and knead it well. Smear some oil on your hands if required.

Cover with a wet muslin cloth so the dough does not dry up and crack.

Using this dough, make small balls. The smaller the better.

While making these balls, ensure that you take a little quantity at a time and rest of the dough is covered with the wet towel.

In a vessel, add the thin coconut milk and let it to boil in a low flame. Then add the balls to the coconut milk. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir to ensure that they don't get stuck to the bottom of the vessel.

Add the cardamom powder,sugar and cook for 4-5 minutes.

After switching off the stove,add the Thick Coconut milk and mix well and serve. 

Verum Arisi Adai/Rice Adai

This is my very very very favorite dish. The aroma that fills the kitchen when you make this is out of the world. It just needs few ingredients. My mom used to make the processed Rice Flour at home and make this.

I buy ready made Processed rice flour so I can make this fatafat with no prior planning.

Ingredients
Processed Rice Flour - 2 cups
Coconut - 3-4 Tablespoon (Finely Chopped)
Boiling water - As required
Salt and Oil

Method
 In a vessel add the rice flour,Salt and coconut. To this, add the boiling water and mix well using a wooden Spatula. Make a soft dough.

Now take aluminium foil and grease it with oil. Take a golf ball sized dough and flatten it.

Now heat a Tawa, place the flattened dough on the tawa and cook for 3-4 minutes and smear some oil.

Then flip and cook for another 3 minutes and serve hot with Spicy Onion Chutney.

Note

• This Adai may take some time to cook. 
• Cook for medium flame so it gets cooked well inside and crispy on the outside.