Kuzhi Paniyaram : A spicy snack

Often when we get bogged down by the regular snacks or on a rainy evening or just for a want of change, we feel the need to try a different snack - if something hot & spicy is what you are looking for and that too in a jiffy, here is one such lip smacking dish : the famous from granny's kitchen, kuzhi paniyaram : the spicy variety

We have a lots to thank our grannys' for their tips & tricks, which are endless. The main ingredient to make the paniyaram is just the left over & a bit sour idli / dosa flour :)

Preparation Time: 15-20 mts

Ingredients:

Idly / Dosa flour : Left over & a bit sour (else you can add a bit of sour curd) -- 2 cups 

Green Chillies:     4-5 chopped (As spicy as you like)

Black Pepper:      4-5 pepper (If you want to have a bit of pepper flavor; you can reduce the chillies if you add more of pepper)

Onion           :      1 Medium chopped finely

Ginger:                 1/2 " fine chopped

Coconut       :       A few pieces (finely cut into small pieces - I haven't added in this picture shown)

Salt              :       To taste (Only a spoon or so more to make for the sourness & added ingredients)

Curry Leaves / Coriander : A few (if rqd)

Oil :                      To Fry

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix the flour (sour curd if the flour is not sour), and all other ingredients mentioned above. 
2. Ensure consistency is semi-solid and not very watery
3. Keep the Paniyaram pan (best suited are the non-stick pans available in the market) on a medium fire
4. Add 1/2 a tspn of oil (lesser from second round)
5. As the oil heats up slightly, pour a spoon of flour each (should not be overflowing)
6. Close the pan and allow it to cook for 2-3 mts (max) - till they turn golden brown
7. Using a knife or a bread knife turn it around & allow it to cook till golden brown
8. Remove from fire & serve it hot with some interesting side dish : Chutneys / Sambhar 

    Tip: Alternatively, some do the following:

• In a tava, add 2 spoons of oil and add mustard. As it sputters, add the chillie, ginger, and onions. Cook till the onion turn pinkish and then add the coconut and finally the garnishing leaves.
• Remove from fire and add it to the flour & follow the remaining steps to prepare the paniyaram.

Chutney:

Onion & Tomato:

Onion: 2 medium

Tomatoes: 3-4 medium

Tamarind : A small peas size

Garlic:    4-5 pods
Red Chillie : 4-5 (splicy ones or you can also add red chillie powder)

Salt:     To taste

Fry each of the above in a spoon of oil separately and cool them before grinding the chutney (with salt). You can garnish it with curry leaves & coriander leaves; season it with spluttered mustard.

Coconut:

Coconut: 1 cup (grated or pieces that can be ground)

Fried gram : 1 tbspn (Potu kadalai)

Green Chillies: 3-4 (As spicy as you like)

Ginger:  1/2 "

Salt:     To taste

Grind them fresh (no fry rqd) with salt. Season it with spluttered mustard & udadh dhal and garnish with curry leaves.

Dumplings : Indian Style

Dumpling is a dish similar to the well-known Chinese dumplings or momos. In India, this is a dish made of primarily the Rice flour and varied styles such as sweet (alias Modaks), salted, fried etc. Its considered to be the favorite dish of Lord Ganesha and is made to celebrate his birthday (Ganesh Chaturthi). It is famously known as "Kozhukatai" in South India.

While I've tried making the sweet kozhukatai also known as Modak, this year I also tried to make the salted kozhukatai. Good start with all liking what they got to taste! This is joined effort of mine & aunt (sangee's mom) based on recipes read on the web :)

Sweet Kozhukatai / Modaks

Salt Kozhukatai 

Kozhukatai Flour 

Ingredients:

1. Rice Powder: 3 cups (for both sweet & Salt kozhukatai) - You can buy the readily available rice powder or soak raw rice in water for about an hour, drain, ensure all water is absorbed via a cloth, and powder it in a mixer. Seive it to get the nice powder.
2. Oil : Preferably Coconut oil - 2 tspn
3. Salt : 1/4 tspn
4. Water: 2.5 cups (same measuring cup as the one used for the powder)
5. Milk : 0.5 cup

Preparation:

1. In a pan, add water and heat it along with salt, oil, & milk.
2. As the water starts to boil, add the rice powder slowly & stirring constantly
3. As soon as the powder is mixed with the water, remove it from fire
4. Mix it with hand to make it into a smooth dough. Sprinkle water and a bit of oil to mix it smoothly. If its too watery, add more of rice powder.
5. Leave the dough covered with a cloth for a few minutes

Sweet Kozhukatai 

Stuffing Ingredients:

1. Coconut : grated 1 cup
2. Jaggery : grated 3/4 cup 
3. Cardomom powder : 1/4 tspn (2-3 pieces powdered)
4. Oil or Ghee : 2 tspn
5. Water : 1/2 cup or lesser to just dissolve the jaggery

Preparation:

1. In a pan, add water and the jaggery
2. When it dissolves completely, filter it to remove any sand or other particles
3. Add it back to the pan and allow it to start boiling
4. To this add the coconut, ghee, and cardomom powder continuosly stirring it
5. When it reaches a consistency like a ball with not sticking on to the pan, remove from fire

Salt Kozhukatai 

Stuffing Ingredients:

1. Uradh dhal (Uzhutamparupu): 1/2 cup soaked in water for 2-3 hours
2. Green Chillies: 2-3 (based on the spice level)
3. Salt : per taste
4. Curry leaves: 4-5 pieces
5. Oil : 2 tspn
6. Mustard seeds: 1/2 tspn
7. Coconut (optional) : 1-2 tspn
8. Asafotedia (hing) : a pinch

Preparation:

1. Grind the soaked & drained dhal with green chillie, salt & curry leaves. Ensure its coarse & don't use much water. Sprinkle water (if rqd) and grind
2. Take this mix, make it to into medium-sized balls & steam it (you can use idli plates by applying a bit of oil) - for 5-7 mts
3. Remove & break the cooked balls
4. In a pan, add oil. When its hot, add the mustard seeds. As they splutter, add this steamed mix along with hing and coconut.
5. Cook them for 2-3 mts & remove from fire.

Making the Kozhukatai (both sweet / salt)

1. Take a lemon-sized dough in hand, apply a bit of oil, and make it into a cup shape (shd be thin on the sides & deep in the middle)
2. At the center, place a lemon-sized sweet / salt stuffing
3. Close the cup into the desired shape - could be a round or horizontal or any other shape you can think of. Ensure the stuffing is fully covered & there is a balance between the dough & stuffing proportion.
4. Once all made, take the idli plates, apply a bit of oil / ghee in each plate & place these kozhukatais. 
5. Steam them for 5-7 mts. When done they appear transparent (you can just touch water and touch the kozhukatais by the fingers. If its not sticky its done)
6. Serve them hot

We get those kozhukatai makers (shown below) which will ease your job. Just ensure you apply oil before placing the dough inside it.

Enjoy delicious & healthy kozhukatais! These make for a good evening snack as well. These are 2 basic varieties. Soon planning to try on some more & will share. Till then, eat healthy & enjoy life!

Pav Bhaji : A popular street food

Pav Bhaji is one of the most famous and commonly available street food in India, especially in aamchi Mumbai. It is known for its aromatic, chat-pati (fine blend of spices) taste, and is also an easy to make dish. Definitely a winner across ages right from kids to elderly, and a food at easy reach for a common man.

Its a simple bun had with a tasty vegetable preparation along with onions, lemon, and if you like it a green chillie along with hot tea! Dish can be cooked in 15-20 mts.

Pav Bhaji can easily figure in your choice for breakfast, evening snacks, for a get together, or at times for dinner as well. (For most this is a staple food through the day)

Pav Bhaji Masala: This can be powdered and stored in air-tight container like any other masala powders.

Ingredients:

1. Red Chillies             - 7-8 (as spicy as you need the vegetable preparation)
2. Coriander Seeds      - 4 tspn
3. Cumin Seeds            - 2 tspn
4. Black Pepper           - 1/4 tspn
5. Cinnamon                 - a small piece
6. Clove                       - 2-3
7. Cardamom               - 2 
8. Fennel Seeds            - 1 tspn
9. Turmeric Powder     - a pinch
10. Dry Mango Powder - 1 tspn

Method: Dry roast all ingredients & powder it. 

Bhaji: The vegetable mash that goes along with the Pav.

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 4 - Boiled
2. Beans / Carrot / Cauliflower / Green Capsicum / Green Peas - any other vegetable of your choice that will go well with these - Boiled (Quantity of vegies you take will define the quantity of the bhaji. A handful of beans, 1 carrot, a cup of flower, 1 capsicum, and handful of peas would serve 4)
3. Onions - 2 - Nicely chopped
4. Tomatoes - 4 - Nicely chopped
5. Ginger - 1-2 inch piece
6. Garlic - 3-4 pods (or you can use the ginger/garlic paste available readily)
7. Green chillies - 3-4
8. Coriander - to garnish
9. Pav Bhaji Masala - 1-1.5 tspn (the one you prepared)
10. Oil - to cook

Method:

1. Boil all vegetables together with a pinch of salt (including potatoes)
2. Make ginger garlic paste (to have a fresh flavor) or you can use the readily available one
3. In a pan, add oil and 3/4 of the diced onions
4. Fry till they become light brown (to quicken, you can add a pinch of salt)
5. To this, add the ginger garlic paste & green chillies. Fry them for a few seconds
6. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 mts till the oil separates
7. Add other boiled vegetables and stir them by continuously mashing them (this dish is known for its fine mash finish)
8. When the vegetables are well mashed and cooked, add the pav bhaji masala 
9. Add salt to taste
10. Cook on medium heat (if rqd add some water) till the dish is fully done & gets the semi-gravy consistence.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves
12. Serve it hot with the toasted pav

Pav: These are readily available in any bakery as a pack of 4 or 6. Just before you eat, start preparing this because its best served hot / warm.

Ingredients:

1. Pav - 8 (to serve 4 ppl)
2. Butter - 2 tbspn (to fry the pav)
3. Lemon - 1 

Method:

1. Apply butter to the pav & toast them on a tava till they become crispy and browny. If done in large quantities, you can apply butter on the tava and add as many pavs & continue to toss them till all sides are done
2. If the pav are smaller in size you can toast them as is, else preferably we cut the pavs into two & toast them.
3. To serve, on a plate, place the toasted pavs, the bhaji, some onion, lemon slices, and green chillies (if you like it)
4. Best eaten when hot

Jamming with mango

After relishing and taxing your tummy with mangoes through the season, most definitely you would want to try out other dishes using mangoes. Lovely it will be if we can make some mango-based dishes that can be preserved for at least some time. Among the many types of tasty mango dishes, one easy to do & preserve dish is mango jam. 

Ingredients:

• 1-2 ripe mangoes (you can pick any variety but ensure they are not very tangy)
• 1-2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of water

Method:

1. Boil the mangoes until they become real soft (can boil the whole mango or the pieces)
2. Cool and peel the skin. Strain any excess water
3. Mash the pulp and keep it aside
4. In a pan, add the water and the sugar. Over a low flame, allow the sugar to dissolve by constant stirring. Then bring it to boil over medium flame until the sugar syrup gets formed as thin threads. 
5. When this consistency is reached, add the mashed mango pulp and boil it till it thcikens into a semi-solid state
6. Allow it to cool and store it in an air tight container. Preferably refrigerate it.

Pan Pizzzzzaaa @ Home

Pizza, though not my most-desired food, I don't mind it once a while; especially with my all-time-favorite Jalapeno topping. But I've my close ones who love to have pizza any time and this has been a long-pending request from my little princess Aman:) So, having decided to make some pizza at home, I wanted to make it from the scratch instead of using the readily available pizza bases. While browsing, I accidentally got the recipe to make pizza using a non-stick tava instead of an OTG / Microwave.

Thanks to the lady who shared this recipe, it surely worked out to be an easy-to-make method and with very minimal and easily available ingredients. Along with one of my partners in crime, @ Sangeeta, ventured into making these yummy pizzas and have succeeded twice so far...It's been  vanishing into people's tummy :)

Ingredients:

Base:
All purpose flour (maida): 2 medium-sized serving spoons 
Yeast (dry / instant): 1-1.5 tspn [Note: If its dry yeast, soak it in warm water with sugar; allow it for 5 mts & then use it]
Salt : as per taste

Oil : 2-3 tspn (we used refined oil but recommended by many is olive)

Topping: (that we used)

Capsicum - 1 medium sized : Green
Baby corn - 1 small
Mozirela cheese - Grated
Amul cheese - Grated or sliced
Mixed herbs - for flavor
Olive - as many numbers as you like
Onion - 1 small sized
Tomato - 1 small sized
Panneer (Cottage cheese) - grated

Sauce:
Onion : 1 big or 2 medium sized; cut into small pieces (would suffice for 2 small pizzas)
Tomato: 2-4 medium sized; 2 cut into pieces & 2 ground as tomato pure
Garlic  : 2-4 pods; cut into small pieces
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1/2 tspn (depending on the sweetness of the tomato)

Method
Steps to prepare the base:

1. Mix the flour with yeast, salt, sugar, oil and make a dough. Use warm water to make the dough as smooth as for rotis
2. Apply a bit oil on the dough and cover it with a cloth
3. Allow it to soak for 1 hour

Steps to prepare the sauce:

1. Cut onion, tomatoes (half the number), and garlic into tiny pieces
2. Pure the remaining tomatoes
3. In a pan, add a spoon of oil (refined), followed by garlic, onion, salt and saute it till they become golden brown
4. To this mix, add the sliced tomatoes and saute it for a minute. Then add the pure, followed by sugar
5. Stir till the water is absorbed and the sauce consistency is obtained
6. Remove from fire & allow it to cool

 Steps to prepare the topping:

1. Cut the capsicum, baby corn, onion, tomato into small pieces
2. Saute capsicum, baby corn, and onion separately for a minute or two (to ensure they are slightly cooked before adding to the pizza; don't add any salt to this)

  Steps to prepare the pizzas:

1. Keep a non-stick pan, close it with a lid and heat it up for a minute or two. It's similar to pre-heating the OTG or microwave but should be medium hot. 
2. Meanwhile, portion the dough into sizes that you would like for making a small or medium pizza
3. Spread it and make a base similar to rotis but should be a little thicker
4. Place this in the pre-heated pan, close it and allow one side to cook till its golden brown
5. Reverse the pizza and slow the fire
6. Now, on the top of the cooked side, first apply the sauce evenly. On top of it, you can do the dressing in the desired manner - we applied cheese, then each vegetable, cottage cheese, then topped it with more amul cheese.
7. Close the pan and allow the cheese to melt. 
8. After a minute, when the bottom-side of the pizza is brownish, and the cheese has begun to melt, you can remove it from fire
9. Allow it to cool and then slice it
10. Spray some oregano, mixed herbs, and chillie flakes

Yummy home-made pizzas are now ready for your tummy! Can be relished without / with any sauces / chutneys that you prefer.

 

1 hour of soaking time for the base flour is the maximum time. In the next 10-15 mts, you can start having your hot-pan-pizzas. Try it out!