MORU APPAM / KUZHI PANIYARAM (BUTTERMILK FRITTERS)

MORU APPAM / KUZHI PANIYARAM (BUTTERMILK FRITTERS)

This is a snack I absolutely adore, soft and spongy on the inside and crisp and crusty on the outside. This dish gets its name because sour buttermilk (moru) is used in the batter. It is known as Moru Appam in Kerala but in Tamilnadu it is known as Kuzhi Paniyaaram.

One evening when I was pondering over what to make for tiffin (evening snack), I raided my fridge and found a big bowlful of Dosa batter, the batter was slightly sour. Sometimes inspite of refrigerating the dosa batter, it becomes sour. Once, the batter becomes sour the dosa doesn’t taste so good. I thought of putting it to good use by making moru appams. It’s like making the best out of something that would go waste.

Traditionally Moru Appam is made by soaking raw rice and Udad dal in the 3:1 consistency (3cups of raw rice and 1cup Udad dal) just as we do for the dosa batter and then adding on the other ingredients as mentioned below.

I made the Moru Appams with the leftover dosa batter. I would say it is the easier, faster and tastier way to make this dish.

Moru Appams are traditionally made in a vessel called the Appa Kaarai / Paniyaram vessel which has holes in it (like a muffin tray). You drop the oil in the holes and when the oil is hot, you can drop the appam batter into it. But for those who don’t have this vessel, you can deep fry in the frying pan as well.

MORU APPAM / BUTTERMILK FRITTERS

Ingredients

Left over dosa batter – 12-15 ladleful

Rice flour – 2 tbsps

All purpose flour(Maida) – 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 2 small finely chopped

Ginger - ½ inch piece grated

Toasted Cumin seeds (Jeera) - ½ tsp (Optional)

Asafetida (Hing) – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 6-7

Fresh Coriander - 1 tbsp

Chopped coconut slices – 2 tsps (Optional)

Buttermilk (Moru) - ½ cup (Optional)

Salt as per taste

Method

In a big bowl, add 15 ladlefuls of left over dosa batter, add the 2 tbsps of rice flour, 1 tbsp of Maida, 2 finely chopped green chillies, ½ inch ginger grated finely, Toasted jeera if you like, ½ tsp of Asafetida, curry leaves 6-7 torn and put into this mix, fresh coriander leaves chopped finely and added to this. I haven’t added the coconut slices to my mix here, but if you like the coconutty flavor go ahead and add it. Add the buttermilk and mix everything into a batter. The consistency should be like the dosa batter. Allow this to rest for about half an hour till the batter soaks in all the flavors added into it.

After this, heat the appa karai with some oil in all the holes, once the oil is nice hot pour the batter to ¾ level of each hole, the oil will be bubbly and frothy, wait for a minute or two and then with the help of a chopstick prick the appam and turn it around so that it can cook it on the other side too. Do this gently with a light hand, else the oil can splash and burn you. When you see that both sides are Golden brown as in the picture, remove them from the appa karai. Then fry the next batch. If needed pour some oil in the holes, wait for it to be heated and fry the next batch.

Enjoy the golden brown Moru Appams, soft inside and crisp and crusty outside with some white coconut chutney.

Tips

·        In case you are using the sour leftover dosa batter then you can skip the sour buttermilk, otherwise, the mor appams will be too sour.

·        Some people add a tablespoon of Maida(all purpose flour) for it to come out non sticky, porous and floating in shape like a ball in the oil but once we put the maida the Mor appams become oily (they soak in more oil). You will have to dab it well in a serviette before serving to remove the excess oil.

·        If you don’t want to put finely chopped green chillies and grated ginger, you can grind them into a paste and add into the batter.

URULAKIZHANGU KAARA CURRY (MASHED SPICY POTATO CURRY(DRY)

URULAKIZHANGU KAARA CURRY (MASHED SPICY POTATO CURRY(DRY)

This is absolutely on the top of my “Comfort foods” list. This curry can never stop exciting me to have my grub. Hot rice, a small dollop of ghee (thanks to weight watching) mixed with rasam and the hot and spicy urulakizhangu kaara curry, simply lip smackingly awesome.

Urulakizhangu means potato in Tamil, Kaaram means spicy, Curry means a dry curry (it can also mean something with gravy), but this recipe is a dry curry recipe.

On a boring day when you have run out of ideas as to what to cook and feel totally uninspired and feel like nothing could be as laborious and cumbersome like cooking, this would be the dish that would totally cheer you up. Simple, yet delicious. Hardly takes any time to cook. Ready in a jiffy. You can even have this with Yogurt and rice.

URULAKIZHANGU KAARA CURRY

Ingredients

Potatoes – 5-6

Red chillies - 1

Red chilly powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Sambhar powder – 1tsp

Pickle Masala(Achar Masala) – 1 tsp

Asafetida – pinch

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard -1 tsp

Cumin – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – a sprig

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Wash, boil and peel the potatoes. Mash them and keep it aside. Don’t mash the potatoes into a paste, just crumble them. If you are not good at mashing well, just dice them into chunky cubes. It works both ways.

In a Kadhai (wok), heat some oil add mustard, when the mustard begins to crackle add the cumin and break the red chilly into 2 pieces and let it fry. Keep the gas on sim and then add all the masala powders, asafetida, curry leaves, and salt as per taste and then add the mashed potatoes. Mix well, check for salt, if less add now and mix. While mixing don’t mash the potato just turn it gently. Let this cook for a few minutes.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot with Poori/ chappati or hot rice and sambhar/rasam/dal

Tips :-

If you don’t get the pickle masala, dry roast, 1 tsp of mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp of fenugreek seeds and grind into a fine powder.

SWEET AVAL / VELLA AVAL / SWEET POHA (SWEETENED BEATEN RICE FLAKES)

BEATEN RICE 

Flattened rice (also called beaten rice) is a dehusked rice which is flattened into flat light dry flakes. These flakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they absorb water, milk or any other liquids. The thicknesses of these flakes vary between almost translucently thin (the more expensive varieties) to nearly four times thicker than a normal rice grain.

This easily digestible form of raw rice is very popular across Nepal, North East India and Bangladesh, and is normally used to prepare snacks or light and easy fast food in a variety of Indian cuisine styles, some even for long-term consumption of a week or more. It is known by a variety of names: Poha or Pauwa in Hindi, Baji in Newari, Pohe in Marathi, Chindé in Bengali, Chira in Assamese, Phovu in Konkani, Chudaa in Oriya and parts of Bihar and Jharkhand, Atukulu in Telugu, Bajeel or Bajil in Tulu, Chudwey in Urdu(Dakkani), Aval in Malayalam and Tamil, Avalakki in Kannada, Pauaa/Paunva in Gujarati, and Chiura in Nepali, Bhojpuri and Chhattisgarhi.

Flattened rice is also a convenience food and very similar to instant mashed potatoes in uses and spirit.

(Info courtesy – Wikipedia)

SWEET AVAL / VELLA AVAL / SWEET POHA (SWEETENED BEATEN RICE FLAKES)

This dish is usually prepared for Krishna Jayanti as Lord Krishna loves Aval (Beaten rice) and Vellam(Jaggery). Since my daughter has a sweet tooth and keeps asking for something sweet once in a while I decided to make the Vella Aval. Personally Iam partial to the savory versions of Aval.

Close up of the Sweet Aval

Ingredients

Poha (Beaten Rice flakes) – 1 ½ cup

Jaggery – 1 cup or 6-7 cubes

Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

Freshly grated Coconut - 2 to 3 tbsp, grated

Ghee - 1 tsp (optional)

Method

I have used the thick slightly reddish Aval in my recipe. Check for husks or stones if any and remove them from the Aval. Put the Aval in a colander and rinse it thoroughly. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. The aval becomes soft, keep aside.

Meanwhile crush the jaggery with a mortar and pestle. In a wok, add the crushed jaggery and ½ cup of water. You will notice theat the jaggery starts to melt. Add the cardamom powder to the jaggery and when the jaggery completely melts and starts to froth. Add the aval to the jaggery mixture and mix the aval with it properly. Add a teaspoon of ghee. Close with a lid and cook on a low flame. The steam that builds up slowly aids in cooking the aval further. Cook for about 10 minutes on a low flame. Keep opening the lid and stirring every now and then so that it doesn’t get burnt. Finally add the freshly grated coconut. Switch off the gas. Put the lid on the wok and keep closed for 5 minutes. Serve hot. Enjoy the sweet Aval.

I am sending the Sweet Aval to Priya Suresh’s Celebrate Sweets – Sweets with rice event. This event was originally started by Nivedita from Nivedita's Kitchen

I would also like to send this to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela

BHARVA BHINDI (STUFFED OKRA/LADIES FINGER)

BHARVA BHINDI (STUFFED OKRA/LADIES FINGER)

I would like to apologize to all the people who visit my blog regularly as I am not able to blog these days although blogging is one of my favorite hobbies or pass time as you may call it.. Partly due to work and family pressures and partly due to Facebook which has slowly but surely taken a lot of my leisure time. I promise myself that I would atleast retain the habit of posting one recipe a month. Here is a recipe everyone in my house loves. I could call this version of Bharva Bhindi a more south indianized version or a fusion between south and north Indian. Do try this recipe and enjoy the bharva bhindis.

BHARVA BHINDI WITH A DIFFERENCE

Ingredients

Okra / Bhindi -1/2 kilo

Cumin seeds – 2 tsps

For stuffing:

Coriander powder – 1tbsp

Cumin powder – ½ tbsp

Amchoor ½ tbsp

Red Chilly powder – 1 tbsp

Bengal gram / Chana dal -2 tbsp

Black gram dal /White lentil /Udad dal – 1 tbsp

Sesame seeds – 1tbsp

Salt as per taste

Method

Dry roast the Chana dal and udad dal and make a coarse powder. Dry roast the sesame seeds and when it starts to splutter, allow it to cool down and make a coarse powder in the mixie. Mix the above 2 powders and all the other ingredients (cumin powder, coriander powder, amchoor powder, red chilly powder and salt as per taste). Keep it aside.

Now rinse, wipe and make a slit on each okra/ bhindi and set side. Stuff the powdered masala into the slit in the okra. If the masala is not enough, make more, if remaining keep aside.

Heat 3 tbsps of cooking oil. Add the cumin seeds and when they splutter. Add the stuffed okra pieces. Place them in the wok in such a way that all get the heat. Sprinkle some water and a bit of salt, the remaining masala powder and cook covered on a low flame for about 30 minutes, being careful not to burn them in the process. Keep turning the okra occasionally.

When it is soft and done, remove from the fire and serve hot with Fulkas / chappatis ot Rice and dal.

Tips : - 

• You can add some roasted coconut as well to the masala powder mixture and stuff in the okras. This gives a   very nice and fresh coconutty flavor to the okras.
• You can also add some onions sautéed in oil to the powder mix.
• Okra is a very delicate and fast to cook vegetable so please ensure that while cooking on the gas stove you keep the flame low.

MICROWAVE VERSION

This recipe comes out nicer in a microwave as the okra get cooked evenly and there is no stickiness too.

If you are using a microwave oven, please keep the okras on a plate and microwave on high for 10 minutes. Open the microwave after 5-7 minutes and turn the okras. Check if done, if not keep for another 5 minutes. 

And serve as above.

I would like to send this recipe to Charitha’s C- for Colourful Curry’s event that she is hosting in her blog Woman’s Era 2008.

MATHRI / MATHI - A North Indian Layered savory cookie

MATHRI / MATHI - A North Indian Layered savory cookie

Joys of staying in Mumbai and a cosmopolitan neighborhood is that you get to taste the best of all the worlds. I still remember when my neighbor aunty used to be back from Punjab, she used to come back with loads of Mathi (that’s what they call this dish in Punjab). Big crispy ones and trust me they used to make the best tea time snack for days to come. This introduced me to the Mathi.

Mathi or Mathri is an Indian snack. It is mostly made in Northern part of India. It’s a savory snack. Crispy, salted and flaky usually served with tea. Mathris are served even at marriages and poojas. Mathris are served with pickles. It’s a snack which can made and preserved for days, and is ideal to carry with you for long distance journeys. Nowadays, we get mathris off the counter, but try making them fresh at home it tastes much better. You can also make it flavored with methi (fenugreek leaves), Pudina (Mint leaves) or Dhaniya (coriander leaves).

You can make small lots of the mathris and keep them in airtight containers and savor these lovely layered cookies as and when you want them.

Mathris

Ingredients

All Purpose flour (Plain flour or maida) -2 cups

Semolina(Rava/Suji) - 1/2  cup

Bishops weed(Ajwain)-1/2 tsp

Butter /Ghee / Margarine – 2 tbsps

Salt as per taste

Oil to fry

Method

In a wide mouthed vessel, Add in the all purpose flour and semolina, salt as per taste( add very little salt, as your mathri will become salty otherwise). Add the ajwain and butter and mix well. The flour should look crumbled. This means that the butter is mixed well. Now add a little lukewarm water and mix well, add the water little at a time, kneading into a firm dough. Cover the dough and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Divide the dough into about 40 equal parts.

Take each part of the dough and make a flat ball shape. You can roll them neatly with a rolling pin, but I chose not to, so that, it looks ruffled and handmade. You can involve the kids in this. They will actually enjoy pressing flat shapes of dough balls using their palms. Imperfect is Perfect. Too perfect looks like you bought it from the shop. The homemade ones should always look a bit imperfect but with loads of love packed in it.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Ensure the oil is not fuming hot but just medium hot(you can do a dough test and if the dough rises immediately you know the temperature of the oil is just perfect). Put in some of the handmade or rolled out mathris. Don’t over crowd the oil, just put enough mathris to cover the frying oil. Fry on a low flame so that they get cooked well and form into layers of crispy biscuit.

Fry the mathris until both sides are a light golden-brown.

Enjoy with pickles or a cup of tea

Tips:

Prick each mathri with a fork in 5 to 6 places, so the mathris do not puff when frying.

If the mathris are cooked on high heat, they will be soft.

Mathris can be stored for a couple of months in airtight containers.

PIAYA - A FILIPINO DESSERT / SWEET SNACK

This is an ode to my Filipino maid who is with me for 2 and half years. Its festive time for Christians with Christmas and New year  around the corner and here is a Filipino dessert to tingle your taste buds. The first glimpse of the Piaya actually makes you feel it is an Indian dish. Since it looks like a paratha (Stuffed bread) and the first bite gives you a nostalgic feeling as it tastes somewhat like the Puran Poli.

After the completion of 2 years with me, my domestic helper(maid) who helps me dish out these wonderful dishes went home to visit her family and came back with this sweet delicacy for us. Since we are strict vegetarians we were a bit skeptical, so she told me, ”Maam it is completely vegetarian”. I tried it and the taste was so much like puran poli that I decided to share this wonderful recipe

Piaya

PIAYA

This Filipino dish originated in the Negros province found in the middle of the country which is considered as the sugar capital of the Philippines. Other regions in Visayas also produce this sweet delicacy or snack.

Piaya (pronounce Peeyaya) is made up of a jam made from raw sugar (muscovado) which is brown in color and sandwiched inside a flat unleavened bread, sometimes sprinkled with sesame seed and finally grilled onto a pan.

Piaya is a dessert but can be also classified as a sweet snack.

The piaya has various variants, the most popular is the ube (purple yam) piaya. When you eat this, be sure to have a glass of water nearby. It’s very very sweet.

Now, there are different flavors such as Ube (Purple Yam), {Please click on link to know more about Ube},Mango and Chocolate. 

Piaya regular/Ube flavored

Ingredients

All purpose flour -2 cups

Oil – 8-10 tbsps.

Muscovado sugar - 1/2 cup (can alter as per taste)

Water – About 5-6 tbsps

Sesame seeds – 3 -4 tbsps (as per your liking)

Method

In a bowl, combine half of the flour and half of the oil; mix well.

Divide into 20 portions shape in balls. Set aside.

Add some water to the muscovado sugar to make it moist. Divide into 20 portions. Set aside.

Mix the remaining flour, oil and some water. Knead to a cylinder and divide into 20 portions.

Flatten each portion and top with the flour and oil mixture. Roll out and stuff with muscovado filling. Close the edges.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in a preheated oven in medium heat or grill until brown on the outside.

SPAGHETTI & VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

SPAGHETTI & VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

Spaghetti is served with meatballs in many Italian restaurants and is considered a great combo and there are kids meals with spaghetti and meatballs in the menu.

An emblem of Italian cuisine, spaghetti is frequently served with tomato sauce, which may contain various herbs (especially oregano, and basil), olive oil, meat, or vegetables. Other spaghetti preparations include using Bolognese sauce, alfredo and carbonara. Grated hard cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and Asiago cheese, are often added. But since we are vegetarians and the strictest to the order, talking about meatballs would be something I think most readers to my blog would raise an eyebrow for, but the meatballs here are purely vegetarian, made of soya which is not only highly nutririous but also has high protein content

Ingredients

Soya chunks -2 cups

Onion - 1 (medium)

Tandoori Masala Powder – 1 tbsp

Red chili powder -1 tsp

Coriander powder -1 tsp

Cumin powder -1 tsp

Garam masala -1 tsp

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Corainder leaves for garnish

Lemon - 1

Oil

Method

Boil soya chunks for about 5 minutes with salt. Drain by passing through a colander. Rinse in cold water and then squeeze the soya chunks to remove the water. Take a big bowl. Add the soya chunks, then add Tandoori masala powder (you can make it fresh, click on the link recipe in my blog)

Aerial view of the spaghetti & meatballs platter

or you can buy it from the market (It is available in India stores) & salt. Squeeze one lemon and mix well. The soya chunks must get completely coated. Allow to marinate for about half an hour to one hour. You can even marinate it overnight in the refrigerator. The longer it marinates the tastier it gets. You can set it for marinating one day earlier or keep some marinated balls in a ziplock bag and place it in the freezer and as and when you want you can fry some. After marinating…the next step is, in a wok take some oil and deep fry the soya chunks as shown in the picture. It should be a nice reddish-golden color. (The tandoori masala powder imparts the color to the soya balls). Remove and set on Kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Once all the soya chunks are deep fried, get ready to serve your spaghetti with soyaballs meal. 

Place the amount of spaghetti you want on the plate, Place some soya balls on the side. And top it all up with some homemade Pasta Sauce.(I will give you the recipe later) You can also serve with grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano on the side and a sprig of parsley or coriander leaf(whichever is easily available). Dunk into a wonderful meal which can be prepared in less than 15 minutes(without including the marinating time for the soyaballs). 

AGLIO OLIO SPAGHETTI

AGLIO OLIO SPAGHETTI

Aglio Oilio is a family favorite dish. I can tell you frankly that I got introduced to western food thanks to me being in Singapore and since we can’t be choosy about eating Indian vegetarian food. I learnt to eat some western food, which are not only healthy but absolutely delicious. One of this is Aglio Olio Spaghetti. When ever I go to this famous casual dining joint called Pastamania which is near my house. I order for this dish, they have choices in normal spaghetti & wholemeal. I always choose the wholemeal one which is a healthier choice. I learnt too cook this at home and now I don’t need to eat out. As it is very easy to cook this and is ready in a jiffy and all enjoy this at home.

Aglio e Olio actually means garlic and oil. This is a traditional Italian pasta dish that can be made cheaply without seasonal or store-bought ingredients. It is said to originate traditionally from the region of Abruzzo, although it is popular across the country.

Usually served with spaghetti, the sauce is made by lightly sautéeing minced or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of dried red chilli flakes. Finely chopped parsley can be added as a garnish, along with parmesan cheese.

It takes about 20 minutes from start to end and is a favorite dinner or weekend choice at our home, when Iam too tired to cook.

Ingredients

Spaghetti – 1 packet (usually 500 gms)

Garlic -1-2 cloves of garlic, minced, you can add more as per your taste.

Crumbled dried red chilli pepper – ½ tsp, you get this in the store. Don’t use red chilly flakes. If you like it spicy you can add more chilly. If you don’t get it you can use fresh red chillies too.

Extra virgin Olive oil – 2 tablespoons

Salt as per taste

Grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano (optional)

Method

In this recipe I have used Linguine (also spelled 'Linguini') spaghetti made from Durum wheat.

Linguine spaghetti(Image courtesy-Wikipedia)

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water. The water should be enough that the spaghetti can immerse completely. Once the water starts to boil add salt  as per taste and after a minute or so add the spaghetti. Never cut or break the spaghetti, spaghetti is to be eaten long and they used to make very long spaghetti in olden times. After 10 to 15 minutes (the timing is based on the thickness of the spaghetti and many a times you will find it on the packaging as to the ideal boiling time.
After this drain the water from the spaghetti by using a colander (a vessel with holes known as scolapasta in Italian). Mind you the water is hot and the spaghetti too. So use a mitten and keep your face far when you are draining to avoid the steam gushing to your face. The spaghetti is usually cooked “al dente” (Italian for to the tooth), soft but with texture, sometimes even with bite in the center. However, spaghetti is sometimes cooked to a much softer consistency, especially when you make it for children.

Different varieties of spaghetti take different time to cook. Spaghettoni/Fusilli are thicker spaghetti varieties which takes more time to cook. Spaghettini and vermicelli are very thin spaghettis (both of which may be called angel hair spaghetti in English) which take less time to cook.

Meanwhile, in a wok, add the oil and when it is warm (olive oil comes to smoking point very soon, so don’t leave it on the gas unattended), add the garlic and crumbled red pepper, and sauté them in the oil until the garlic begins to brown. Turn off the heat (the garlic will continue to brown; you don't want it to over brown and become bitter). Now add the cooked spaghetti. If you feel the salt is less you can add salt at this point also.. Toss well till the garlic and chilli flavored oil coats the spaghetti for about 5 mins and serve hot garnished with parsley or coriander leaves whichever is available.

TOMATO THOKKU / THAKKALI THOKKU

TOMATO THOKKU / THAKKALI THOKKU
I had bought a kilo of tomatoes accidentally not knowing that there was huge bag of tomatoes lying in my fridge already. Since I had so many tomatoes and I knew that they surely would spoil. I sorted them and picked out the red ripe tomatoes and decided to make this awesome Thokku. (Read all about thokku in this link). Thakkali thokku tastes awesome with curd rice, bread, dosas, chappatis or absolutely anything
The cooking of the tomatoes takes time but the thokku has a shelf life of weeks and you can enjoy it everyday. I have used to 10-12 tomatoes which gives me about 300gms of thokku. If you want more use more tomatoes.

Ingredients
Tomato – 10 - 12
Tamarind paste – 1 tbsp
Fenugreek powder – 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Red chilly powder – 1½ tbsp
Mustard seeds for seasoning – 2 tsps
Sesame (Til) oil – 8-10 tbsps
Method
Wash and wipe the tomatoes. Chop them and grind them in a blender along with 1 tablespoon of the tamarind paste. Blend into a puree.
Now in a wok heat 8-10 tablespoons of oil, Add in the mustard seeds and when it crackles, add in the fenugreek powder, red chilly powder, asafetida(referred to as masala hereon) and salt and fry for a few seconds. Be careful and don’t let it get black.
Now, add the Tomato puree and cook until the water evaporates. Check for salt. If required you can add some more at this point.
Cook covered as the water in the tomato starts to splutter.
Cook until you see the tomato puree starts to leave the sides of the pan and the oil starts separating from the mixture.
This indicates that the thokku is done. Turn off the heat and let the thokku come to room temperature, after which you can store it in an air tight container and enjoy as a condiment with any of the dishes mentioned above.
Yo(my husband) was eating it with bread and saying that it tastes great and my mom has it with her curd rice. You can even add some to plain hot rice, mix well, add some oil if you want and eat it plain with papad. "Thokkun chaadam"(Thokku rice)
This can be stored in the refrigerator for many weeks like any other pickle.

(Above picture - A closer look at the tomato thokku)
Tips
• I had readymade fenugreek powder, for those who don’t have it. Dry roast a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds and powder it to use in the thokku. Make it fresh, it tastes better.

• Once the mustard splutters, the temperature of the oil will be very high, so reduce the flame of the gas to sim and add in the powders and when you see them froth just wait for about 10-12 seconds, be careful don’t let the masala get black. Frying the masala imparts great taste to the thokku. If you are not confident, then you can add the masalas later to the puree.
• For those who like garlic, you can add 4-5 pods of garlic (4-5 for Indian garlic which is small in size), if using the bigger sized ones that we get abroad, make it half of the said quantity. Fry the garlic well after the mustard splutters and then add in the masala. If you want you can use garlic paste as well, but ensure to fry it well else the thokku won’t be aromatic.

• You can add chinna vengayam(madras vengayam/shallots/ mini onions), but always fry them once the mustard splutters.

• My mom usually adds green chillies . If you are using green chillies reduce the amount of red chilly powder, else your thokku will be very spicy.

• My grandmom used to add a bit of ginger. When you are adding ginger, make a paste and fry well after the mustard splutters.

You can try any variation that you desire and enjoy this awesome finger licking thokku.

NUTTY PARATHA

NUTTY PARATHA
Nutty Paratha is something I invented while thinking of how to feed my little one with nutritious food, considering the small portions that she has. She is a fussy eater and it’s tough to feed her. She likes chappati, so I thought of hiding some goodness or the other inside it and feed her. Nuts are good for health so I hid inside the conventional chappati roasted & chopped nuts and she fell for it. The secret was the slight sweetness imparted by the Roasted Sweet almonds, which gave it the taste of Puran poli (but less sweet)
The nuts I used were. (Please click on the link, to know more about the health benefits of the nuts.
Almonds ,  Cashewnuts , Pistachios

You can see that this Paratha is worthy of the royals…..

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups

Roasted sweet Almonds – 3 tbsp

Roasted Cashewnuts – 2 tbsp

Roasted Pistachios – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water for the dough
Oil – 1 tbsp & for cooking the paratha

Method

Mix the wheat flour, one tablespoon of oil, salt, mix well and make a dough adding a bit of warm water. Now slowly add in some warm water to make the dough. Knead it well till it becomes one uniform dough mix. Keep aside for half an hour. After this knead again well. Make small balls of the dough and roll it into a puri first, fill in the roasted & chopped nuts )close the filling by making it into half moon shape and then roll the sides and make a ball and then roll again like you do for chappati .

Then cook the Nutty Parathas on a flat bottomed pan (tava) using a few drops of oil / ghee, till u see brown spots appear on both sides as in the picture. Serve the hot parathas with any sabji of your choice.