Adai ( Lentil Pancakes )

Adai brings back the memories of my childhood. I like the combo of adai with butter; the mix of spiciness and butter really tastes good. I think each family has their own proportions to make this recipe. I learnt this recipe from my mother. This recipe is also healthy, since it is made of different lentils. Here it goes:)

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice
• ¾ cup toor dal
• ¾ cup chana dal
• 1tsp of urad dal
• 2 red chilies
• ¼ tsp asafetida
• 10 pearl onions finely chopped
• ½ turmeric
• ½ tsp ginger
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• Handful of Drumstick leaves ( I replaced with cilantro leaves)
• Few curry leaves
• 2 tsp of coconut
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• Salt to taste
  

Method

• Soak rice, chana dal, toor dal and urad dal for about 2 hrs
• Grind the soaked items coarsely with red chilies, salt, and asafetida. Do not grind to a fine paste
• Transfer the grinded mixture to a vessel and add pearl onions, turmeric, ginger, green chilies, cilantro or drumstick leaves, curry leaves, grated coconut, and fennel seeds. If the consistency is too thick dilute with little water.
• Heat the griddle with oil and apply the oil evenly; take a ladle of mixture and pour in the centre of the griddle and spread evenly like a circle.

• Add ½ tsp oil around the corners for the adai. Once the adai is cooked one side, turn over to the other side and let it get cooked.

• Serve hot with butter or jaggery or coconut chutney:)

Tamarind Rice ( Puliyodharai)

This recipe I learnt from my mother-in-law. I like this recipe for its spiciness and it has a sour taste. The recipe can be stored for more days in the refrigerator if cooked with proper care. I like this recipe cooked with gingili oil than the other normal oils. It adds flavor to the recipe. Here it goes!

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice (Sona Masoori)
• Lemon size tamarind
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 4-5 dried red chilies
• 2 tsp of roasted peanuts
• 3-4 tsp gingili oil
• Salt for taste

Dry roast powder

½ tsp of mustard and methi seeds, dry roast and powdered.

For seasoning

Mustard, Chana dal, urad dal, and curry leaves

Method

• Cook rice and allow them to cool
• Soak tamarind in two to three cups of warm water and extract the juice from it. The consistent should be thick.
• Heat oil in pan, add mustard, chana dal, urad dal, peanuts, red chilies and curry leaves and sauté them.
• Add the dry roasted powder and sauté them with the mixture.
• Add tamarind extract, pinch of asafoetida and salt. Keep stirring constantly till the tamarind extract reduces its volume and becomes to a thick pulp.
• Add the gravy to the rice and mix well. You can keep the rest of the gravy in the refrigerator. It will stay in the refrigerator for more than 20 days if cooked properly.

Serve rice with papad and curd.

Potato Fry

I think most of them like potatoes. I love potatoes cooked in any form. I learnt this recipe from my Sister-in-law. I found this method of cooking potatoes is the healthiest and easy to cook. All you need is to boil the potatoes and season it with onions and other spices. Here goes the recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 -3 potatoes
• ½ onion or 5–6 pearl onions finely chopped
• 1tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• Salt for taste

For seasoning: Mustard, Cumin, Urad dal and curry leaves

Method

• Boil the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
• In a pan, add some oil and season the oil with mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal, and curry leaves.
  
• When the mustard starts to crackle, add the chopped onions. Stir fry until the onions turn to golden brown in color.
• Add turmeric powder, chili powder, salt and stir fry so that the onions absorb the flavor.
  
• Add the boiled potatoes. Mix the potatoes with the onions and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Once the potatoes absorbed the flavor, turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Eggplant Curry ( Kathrika Gotsu )

I learnt this recipe from my mom. We call this recipe , “Kathrika Sabji”. After coming to the U.S., I heard from my friends there is another name for this recipe. It is often called “Kathrika Gotsu”. This recipe is the best accompaniment with idlys and dosas. I like this recipe for the tangy flavor. Here goes the recipe!!

Ingredients

• 3-4 Eggplants
• 1 Onion or 10 pearl onions finely chopped
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 4-5 red chilies
• 1tsp of ginger-garlic paste
• ¼ cup tamarind extract
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt for taste
  

For seasoning: Mustard, Cumin, cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves.

Method

• Chop the eggplant to small pieces and place them in water adding salt to prevent discoloration.
  

• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, cumin, cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves.
  

• Add onions and ginger- garlic paste to this and sauté until the onions become translucent. Add tomatoes and turmeric and cook for few minutes until the tomato becomes soft and tender.
  

• To this add the eggplants, sauté them with the mixture to absorb the flavors. Add the tamarind extract and salt.
  

• Cover cook for 15 minutes in medium heat until the eggplant becomes really soft.
  

• Turn off heat and mash the mixture with the whisk or wood masher.
  

• Serve hot with idly, dosa or pongal.