Ammini Kozhakattai (small kozhakattai)

Ammini Kozhakattai

Ammini kozhakattai

In Kerala, we call this kozhakattai ammini(means very small) kozhakattai.Serve these kozhakattai with coconut chutney.
Ingredients

• Rice flour...................2 cups
• Coconut..flakes..........2tbsp
• Mustard seeds............1tsp
• Red chilli.......................1
• Salt to taste
• Oil.............................. 2 tsp
• Curry leaves...............few

Method

• Boil two cups of water and add salt and 1tsp oil.
• When the water boils add the flour slowly with out any lumps
• Remove from the gas and cover it for five minutes.
• Heat a pan with oil add mustard seeds, red chilli, and curry leaves. 
• Add to the dough with coconut flakes. 
• Mix well and make very small balls with little dough 
• Make kozhakattai and steam them.

Ribbon Pakodas

Pakodas

Pakodas

Cooking in oil

Pakoda Nahzi

Batter

Ribbon Pakodas

This snack is salty crunchy , spicy good for munching while reading a book , watching TV  with Cabernet Sauvignon wine (my favorite)or with hot coffee/tea. Mix the  below ingredients and keep.When you are ready to fry then mix water ,make the dough. So that you get the right color for the pakodas .I make differently using more rice flour 

Ingredients

• Rice Flour.............. 4 cups
• Besan....................1 cup
• Chili Powder........1 tbsp
• Asafoetida............1/2 tsp
• Oil to Deep Fry
• Salt to taste

Method

• Mix rice flour, besan, chili powder, salt ,melted butter and asafoetida. 
• Add water and make a thick dough.
• Heat a china chatti or wok add oil to fry.
• When the oil is hot, put a handful dough pass through the special pakoda nazhi (see the photo), fry till the ribbons crispy and golden.
• Remove from the oil place them in a paper towel.
• Eat these pakodas with hot coffee/tea.

Patra Bhajia (Chepankizhangu elai in tamil)

patra Bhaji

Patra

Patra Plant

Patra Bhajia(Arabi leaves) Chepankizhangu elai in tamil

Ingredients

• Patra Leaves…............ 9
• Tamarind Water….......1/2 cup
• Besan(
• Gram flour)…….........1 cup
• Chilli Powder……......1 tsp
• Dhania Powder….......1/2 tsp
• Jeera Powder……......1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder…....1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida……......... a pinch
• Cumin Seeds…...........1/2 tsp
• Sesame Seeds…......   1tsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Wash, clean and wipe the leaves nicely. 
• Mix all the ingredients and make a thick paste.
• Place a leaf back side up and spread thinly all over the leaf.
• Place another leaf over it and again take a little paste and apply on this leaf.
• Repeat this with 3/4 layers.Fold the leaves with tip apply some batter here and fold the sides,seal the sides with the batter.
• Steam this roll in a cooker for about 30 minutes till it is cooked. 
• Remove, cool them and cut into 2” round slices. (can keep these rolls in the freezer)
• Heat oil and( shallow) fry them till it becomes crisp. 
• Serve them with chutney.It is very tasty. 
• Frozen patra are available in desi stores. Cut the patras into small pieces
• Heat a pan with oil add mustard and jeera. 
• When it splutters add the patra pieces. Sprinkle some white sesame seeds, coriander leaves.Serve hot with chapathi/puris.

Netrankai Upperi and Chakka Upperi(Jackfruit chips)

Banana Chips, Upperi (Kai varuthathu in Malayalam)

Upperi(Plantain Chips)

Plantain pieces

Banana chips (Upperi)

Banana chips usually made in Kerala known as upperi,fried in coconut oil.Buy netrankai, remove the skin and slice into round pieces and deep fry them with salt..

Ingredients

• Raw plantain.......4(nentrakkai)
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Oil to fry.

Method

• Remove the skin of the plantain and cut into round shape.
• Slice them into thin pieces. Heat the oil and when it is hot put the cut sliced bananas into the oil. 
• Stir them .When the noise of the oil is less sprinkle salt water(keep some salt and put water and use) 
• When the chips are cooked remove from the oil and keep them in paper towel (to remove the excess oil)
• Eat the chips with coffee/tea.

Dhokla

Dhokla

Dhokla

DhoklaIngredients

• Besan………...........................2 cups
• Curd…………........................1cup
• Salt to Taste,Sugar......................1tsp
• Soda Bi Carbonate……............1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds………..............1 tsp
• Oil……………………...........,2 tbsp
• Green Chili……………............4
• Grated Coconut…....................2tsp
• Chopped Ginger………........…2tsp
• Coriander Leaves Chopped…… 3tsp
• Asafoetida…………….............1/2 tsp

Method

• Mix besan, beaten curd,sugar,oil, soda bi carbonate, salt in a bowl. 
• Add little water if needed.Whisk nicely with out any lumps.
• Cover and keep it for 2 hours.
• Make a paste of ginger and chili and add to the batter. 
• Mix it well. Grease a plate..(can use the dhokla mould)
  and pour the batter evenly and steam it for 15 minutes. 
• Heat a pan add oil and mustard seeds. When it crackles add asafoetida chili and little water.
• Pour this over the dhoklas. Garnish with grated coconut ,coriander leaves on the top.
• Cut into pieces and serve with green chutney.
  You can make dhoklas with the ready made dhokla mix (Khaman)

Mumbai Sandwich

sandwich

Mumbai Sandwich

Sandwich

 Sandwich(White) Bread ......1

• Cucumber............................1
• Tomato................................2

Butter to apply in bread
For chutney

• Grated coconut.............1 cup
• Green chilies.................5
• Asafoetida....................1tsp
• Tamarind......................1 tsp
• Ginger..........................1 small piece
• Coriander leaves...........few
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut the tomato and cucumber thin round slices.
• Grind coconut,chilies, tamarind,asafoetida, coriander leaves and salt. to make chutney.
• Take the bread, apply the butter and spread the spice chutney. Place the cucumber tomato slices.
• Take another slice of bread apply butter put on the bread slice and press lightly and cut the sandwich into triangle pieces.(steamed potato, beetroot and onion can be used for sandwiches.)
• Serve the sandwiches with ketchup

Bread sandwich(with Dhal and Podhina)


Ingredients

• Turdhal,masoor dhal and chana dhal....... 1/2 cup each
• Jeera.......................................................1/2 tsp
• Bread..slices............................................6
• Chili powder...........................................1tsp
• Podhina leaves........................................1packet
• Salt to Taste 
• Butter
• Oil
  

Method

• Soak the dhals for an hour.
• Grind them with salt coarsely. No adding water. 
• Clean the podhina leaves and cut them into pieces.Heat a pan with oil add jeera. 
• Put the ground dhal paste. Keep in a low flame and stir it. 
• Fry it till they becomes separate.
• Add podhina leaves and fry 5 more minutes.
  
• Cut the bread in round shape. keep the dhal mixture in the center. 
• Cover with anther bread slice .Block all the sides with little water. 
• Heat a pan and. keep the bread sandwich with little butter. 
• When one side becomes crisp turn to other side.
• Serve this hot sandwich with chutney.

Medu Vadai



Medu vada

Vadai is  a traditional South Indian food.  Vadas are typical street food in India  and in railway stations too. Everybody loves this snack. eat with chutney or sambar

Ingredientsdients

• Urad Dhal                                 2cups
• Green Chilies                            5
• Asafoetida                                1/4 tsp
• Raw Rice                                  1tsp
• Curry Leaves                            few         
• Salt to Taste
• Oil to Fry

Method

• Wash and soak the dal, rice for 3 hours. Grind  into fine paste adding chilis (add pepper corns also)salt curry leaves.
•  Do not add water and mix the batter well.
• Heat a pan with oil . Wet your palms and take batter into the palms.
• Shape into balls and make a hole in the center.
• Deep-fry them in oil until golden brown and crisp.
• Serve them with coconut chutney and sambhar