Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Sambhar for idli or dosai

Sambhar for idli or dosai - Preparation time 20 mins
 
En Anubhavam

We love holidays because mom used to serve with hot and tasty idli sambhar. The idli's soaked in sambhar will be very delicious. We used to fight for the potato's which she used to boil and put in the sambhar because she used to boil one or two potato's, break them and add to sambhar.
When we go to restaurant we will get sambhar for idli but for me idli will be bit spicy but it will be to our taste when cooked in home. We use only small sambhar onion's to make this gravy which adds taste to this dish. 
One day when my brother came to my home i made this idli sambhar. When i asked him to come for breakfast after seeing the sambhar quantity (3/4 in a serving vessel) he asked me why you prepared sambhar for me alone and not for you people :-( i was stunned) i told him wait we all will take breakfast together :-) . This how it will be when we were kids and fighting for breakfast.
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Ingredients:-
Small onion - 15 (peeled and cut to 4 pieces all the onion)
Curry leaves - 1 string
Coriander leaves - 3 strings
Tomato - 1 (cut into pieces)
Boiled potato - 2 (medium size) peeled and break to small pieces
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Red chili - 5 (break into pieces remove the seeds)
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Channa dhal - 1 tsp
fenugreek seed - little (optional)
Peppercorns - 5
Coriander seed - 1 tbsp
Tamarind - little (only if you don't have sour tomato)
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Boiled toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Water required amount (roughly 1.5 or 2 cup)
Milk - 1 tbsp

Preparation method:-
In a kadai add coriander seed, pepper, channa dhal and 1 red chili. Dry roast till nice aroma comes and ground to coarse powder. Keep this aside.
In kadai add sesame oil, mustard to splutter, red chili , fenugreek (optional) roasted to brown add chopped onion.
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Fry till the onion's are transparent and add chopped tomato along with little curry leaves and coriander leaves.
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When tomato is cooked add sambhar powder, turmeric powder and fry. Now add required amount of water to the ingredients, close kadai with a lid  and leave to boils.
Once raw smell of sambhar powder goes off and onions are cooked (if you use tamarinf add at this stage and boil till the raw smell goes) add the potato pieces. Let this cook for few mins so the potato's absorbs the taste of sambhar.
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Now mix softly boiled toor dhal with milk and add to the boiling gravy. The sambhar will becomes thick.
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Finally add 1 tbsp ghee, chopped curry and coriander leaves. The powder (channa dhal, pepper, coriander and red chili) to sambhar. When in boils switch of and transfer to serving bowl.
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Make idli's, keep in plate (minimum 3 to 4 ) and pour the sambhar over the idli's so that the whole idli is covered with sambhar. Over this add 1 tsp of sesame oil.
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When you start eating (be careful it is really hot) you will feel the taste which i felt when i am writing this recipe. Happy and Healthy eating.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Kabuli channa and green mung dhal snack (Kondai kadalai and pachai payaru vadai)

Kabuli channa and green mung dhal snack (Kondai kadalai and pachai payaru vadai) - Preparation time 10 to 15 mins if soaked dhal is available

One day i made channa masala with half of the soaked channa dhal and don't know what to do with remaining half of soaked channa. I also had sprouted mung dhal to make sundal. Since i don't want to waste both the legume thought to make some new dish. 

I then tried making vadai using both. This vadai tasted very good and full of nutrition ( i know deep fried items are not good for health but occasionally it is okay). Vadai was soft in inside and crispy from outside. As we are adding ginger and saunf the digestion will also be easy.

Ingredients:-
Soaked channa dhal and mung dhal - 1/2 cup 
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green chili - 1 or 2 
Fennel seed - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 10 finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Oil - to deep fry

Preparation method:-
In a grinder coarsely grind channa and mung dhal along with ginger, fennel seed and chili.
In a bowl mix the ground dhal, chopped curry leaves, salt and onion.
Make small balls from the mixed dough and keep.
Check the salt and spice level ( if you want you can add red chili powder to increase the spice).
Heat oil in a kadai. Once the oil is hot bring the flame to medium. Flatten the ball you made using the dough and slowly drop in the oil. 
Leave it for few mins and turn the vadai. Cook the vadai well by flipping the sides of vadai.
When the color of vadai is turned to golden brown remove from the oil and serve hot.
Surely everyone will love this yummy, tasty and healthy vadai and ask for more vada's.