RM#2 : Day 6 Andhra Pesarattu

Here comes another healthy variety of Dosa. Now I hear, all of you shouting at another Dosa. I had planned this weeks theme as a breakfast week for the Recipe Marathon # 2. And then to my dismay I saw many Dosas waiting silently for being posted. So I took pity on them and started posting them. Hope to give you some different recipes for the rest of the week.

Pesarattu is a very famous breakfast dish in Andhra. Since it is made from Moong, it is very very healthy. It fills up your stomach amazingly, just about 2 to 3 pesarattes keeps you running tirelessly and does not allow you crave for food for the next 4 to 5 hrs. It is a dish for 1 and all, i.e. for everybody.

This dish was taught to me by my dear friend Prashanti, who was my neighbor in Chennai. Those were days when we both were newly married. She hailed from Andhra and her dishes used to be very spicy. And we used to like those spicy Andhra dishes a lot.

Andhra Pesarattu
Ingredients
Moong (preferable the broken ones, if not the whole ones would also do) - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Ginger - 1/4 inch
Green Chillies - 5
Salt to taste

For the filling
Finely Chopped Onion - 3 to 4 big
Finely chopped green chillies - 1 tb.sp ( optional, i usually avoid this becoz of my children)
Cumin Seeds - 1 t.sp
Oil

Method
Wash and soak the moong for about 4 to 5 hrs. Grind it together with the onion, green chillies and ginger to a smooth paste. Add salt and mix well.
In the mean time you can get the filling ready. Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds and then add the onions and green chillies. Saute till the onion becomes little translucent. Transfer it to a bowl.
Now heat the dosa tawa. Brush it some oil. Do not heat it too much. When it has reached the right heat, pour the batter on the tawa and make thin Pesarattu. Sprinkle a few drops of oil and cover cook till the bottom layer is done. Flip to the other side and cook again. Now turn again and fill the Pesarattu with the onion filling. Fold and serve hot with chutney/sambhar.

So an easy & healthy Pesarattu is ready in a jiffy.

Packing off this Andhra Pesarattu to the contest Eat Healthy - Fight Diabetes hosted by Sangeeth of Art of Cooking Indian Food

Now lets see what our dear runners of RM#2 are cooking at their end.
1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4) Ranji

5)PJ

6)Curry Leaf

7)Medha

8)Priya

9)Bhawna

10)Raaji

11)Ruchii

12)Anu

13)Kamala

14)Roopa

15)Divya Kudua

16)Rekha

17)Divya M

18)Lakshmi

19)Raaga
 
20)Sripriya

21)Viji

22)Kamalika

23)Pavani

RM#2 : Day 5 Carrot Dosai

We are always on the look out for a change in everything. Especially this holds true for food. That is why keep on trying so many different combinations and then stick to the one we like. One of these trials made this is "Carrot Dosai" feature in our cooking timetable very often. It is very healthy and tasty.

Carrot Dosai
Ingredients
Raw Rice - 1 Cup
Boiled Rice - 1/4 cup
Carrot - 3/4 cup
Red Chillies - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 t.sp
Onion - 1 medium
Tamarind - small lemon size
Salt to taste

Method
Wash and soak both the rices together for about 2 to 3 hrs. Peel the carrot and onion, chop them and grind them in a mixer along with cumin seeds and tamarind. Grind the rice slowly adding this mixture instead of water. Add water if required. Add salt. Mix the batter nicely.
Heat a tawa and brush it with oil. When the tawa is medium hot pour the batter in the centre of the tawa. And spread it using the back of the ladle in circular motion. Cook on both the sides. Serve hot with chutney/sambhar.
Very easy and delicious dosa ready in a jiffy. Do not store this batter for a long time, as far as possible use it immediatly.

Thanks for letting me know about the JFI, Rekha. Sure I am sending it to this event. Nowadays so busy admist these postings and the children I am not able to look for the new events coming up. But still very excited about doing it. Keeps me on the go with full petrol (I mean the lovely comments you give make me keep running with full tempo. ) If anybody knows about the events pl. do inform me or a single place where I can find the events to participate. Thank you to all for you support.

So serving dosa to the JFI : Carrot event hosted by "The Cooker"
and
To Saapadu Ready event hosted by Aartee of From the Kitchen

And lets see what are my co-runners preparing today.

1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4) Ranji

5)PJ

6)Curry Leaf

7)Medha

8)Priya

9)Bhawna

10)Raaji

11)Ruchii

12)Anu

13)Kamala

14)Roopa

15)Divya Kudua

16)Rekha

17)Divya M

18)Lakshmi

19)Raaga

20)Lakshmi Venkatesh

21)Sripriya

22)Viji

23)Kamalika

24)Pavani

RM#2 : Day 4 - Idli Manchurian

Idli Manchurian is one of my favourite dish. Once when I had gone to a hotel in Chennai I ordered for this dish. I liked the name very much. Indian-Chinese Combo. And it tasted very good. We liked it very much. But then my husband told me that he thinks its made from old idli. So we didn't want to eat it in a hotel next time. But we liked the dish very much and decided to make it home myself. What I did was, I adapted the manchurian recipe which I already knew to suit this one. And it was yummy and lip-smacking.

Idli Manchurian
Ingredients  
Quartered Idlis - 2 cups

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped Onion - 1 medium
Chopped Bell pepper - 1
Chopped Spring Onions - 3
Green Chillies - 3, chopped finely
Garlic - 1-2 tsp, minced
Soyasauce - 2 t.sp
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp, ( I used Tabasco)
Ketchup - 2 tsp
Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Oil
Salt - to taste

Method
Marinate the Idlis with the mixture of chilli powder, 1 t.sp soya sauce, 1 t.sp ketchup, salt and cornflour. Add water only if needed. Ensure that the idlis are well coated with the mixture. Cover and keep it for about 15 to 20 min. 
Heat a non-stick pan and shallow fry the idlis till golden brown and crisp. Remove and keep aside. Heat some more oil and saute the chopped onion and garlic. Till the onion becomes translucent. Add the chopped bell pepper and saute for a min or 2. Then add rest of the ingredients. Cook for a min. Keep aside. 
While serving, heat the gravy a little add the crispy idlis and garnish with spring onions.
It is easy right. And yummy way to use old idlis rather than the usual Idli uppuma.

Submitting this post to Srivalli's Rice Mela. 

Now lets see what's cooking up in my fellow marathoner's kitchen ?

1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4) Ranji

5)PJ

6)Curry Leaf

7)Medha

8)Priya

9)Bhawna

10)Raaji

11)Ruchii

12)Anu

13)Kamala

14)Roopa

15)Divya Kudua

16)Rekha

17)Divya M

18)Lakshmi

19)Raaga

20)Sripriya

21)Viji

RM#2 : Halloween Special Adai

Halloween just got over. And my children celebrated in their schools. The most I liked about Halloween is the availability of different kinds and shapes Pumpkins everywhere. Which otherwise is not so very commonly available here in all the shops. That was about Halloween.

Now to tell you "How my adai became a Halloween Special Adai". I made this adai when I started blogging sometimes in September. I am not so good in garnishing or designing the food. I do it only to some extent. But then I saw so many of my friend bloggers presenting their dish very beautifully decorated. So thought about decorating my Adai and it turned out to be a Halloween Adai. All where laughing at me and asking me "Unakku ithu thevaiya". But the happiest part of it was that children liked the idea of dressing up food like this and both of them ate happily.

Now announcing my entry to DK's Recipe Marathon. Well I have been seeing for 2 days everywhere. 1st time when I saw it in Srivalli's blog I said Hats Off to her for posting recipes everyday. And then I kept on seeing it everywhere. I started asking myself "Will I be able to do it?". First time when the question arose I was very nervous and decided I cannot and put it out of my mind. But then again the next day still many more participants and then I decided that I will also give it a try. So asked DK with lot of doubts in my mind, if I could join the race too, since I was already 1 day late. And too my happiness she accepted it. Thanks to her and to all others friends who have already started wishing me luck even before I announced my entry for the Marathon.

So then here is the recipe of the 3rd day of Recipe Marathon hosted by DK of Culinary Bazzar. Adai, a simple and scrumptious dish, is a very popular South-Indian savory. It makes an excellent snack, school-lunch and an equally good meal. Adai served with Avial is the very best combination. Go to any South Indian hotel and order for Adai you will get with Avial. But then it can also be served with Coconut Chutney or Jaggery ( we call it chakkarai. It is like coarsely shredded jaggery, but then has a little different taste than the usual jaggery). It is quick to make and unlike Dosa, it does not require as much planning.

I think it was too much of bla bla bla today. Let us go the Recipe now.

Halloween Special Adai (Thuvaram Paruppu Adai)
Ingredients
Par Boiled Rice - 2 cup

Thuvar Dal - 1/2 cup

Red Chillies - 4 to 5 ( You can vary the number of chillies to suit ur taste buds)

Coconut Shredded - 3 tb.sp ( I prefer to Coconuts cut into small very very tiny pieces in Adai, it gives a crunchy taste. But does not work out for people having false teeth. Here in my Adai I have not used coconut since I did not have it that day)

Pepper + Cumin Powder - 1 t.sp
Chopped Onion - 1 Big
Freshly chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves - 2 tb.sp (optional)
Asafoetida - a pinch (optional, I prefer to add it for all my Adais since it helps in easy digestion)
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

Method
Wash the rice, dal and soak for about 3 to 4 hrs. Grind it a little coarse mixture (i.e. not very fine like for Idly/Dosa and too coarse) along with the red chillies, asafoetida and salt. Remove it in a vessel add coconut and onions. Add water if required and bring to dosa batter consistency. Heat a dosa tawa and brush it with little oil. Keep the heat on medium and make as far as possible thin Adais i.e like the way we make dosas. Take the batter in a ladle, pouring in the centre of the tawa and with the back of the ladle spread the batter on the tawa in circular motions. The tawa should neither be too hot nor too cold. Drizzle some oil on top of the Adai and cover and cook little the bottom side is done. Then flip it on the other side, drizzle some more oil and let it cook again ( no need to cover it). Remove it to a plate and serve it hot with the side dish of your choice.

Note : If you are planning to keep some rest of the batter for the next day then pl. Keep the batter in the fridge without adding onions, salt and coconut. So that the batter does not get fermented for the next day.

And for my Halloween Decoration I used
Two Onion Rings and two black peppers for the eyes.
Carrots for the mouth.

And this Halloween Special Adai apart from taking part in the Recipe Marathon, it is also going to scare Srivalli at her Rice Mela conducted at Cooking 4 for Seasons.

And now lets see whats cooking at my fellow marathoner's kitchen.
1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4) Ranji

5)PJ

6)Curry Leaf

7)Medha

8)Priya

9)Bhawna

10)Raaji

11)Ruchii

12)Anu

13)Kamala

14)Roopa

15)Divya Kudua

16)Rekha

17)Divya M

18)Lakshmi

19)Raaga

20)Sripriya

21)Viji

Churma Laddoo - RM - 2 : Day 2

A feast of ladoos heralds the festival season. Varieties of ladoos are made all over India throughout the year for various festivals. This sweet can be made with different ingredients and in many different ways. Here I am presenting a recipe of a Gujarati ladoo made from wheat flour - Churma Ladoo. My neighbour at my mother's place used to make it for Diwali. We all used to like it very much.

Churma Ladoo
Ingredients :
Wheat Flour (coarse if possible) - 2 cups
Ghee - 3/4 cup
Ghee for frying
Jaggery - 1 1/4 cup
Dry grated coconut - 1/2 cup (optional)

Method
Take the flour in a bowl. Add ghee and mix well. Make stiff dough with water or milk. Roll into balls. Heat the ghee and deep fry on low heat till they are golden brown. Remove and cool. Break and crush them. Sieve through a coarse sieve.
Melt jaggery till it starts bubbling. Add the coconut. Mix well and pour it over the wheat mixture. Mix well and make ladoos when still warm. Arrange in a plate.

Rolling these laddoos to Festive Food : Diwali hosted by Priti of Indian Khana

2nd Day in The Recipe Marathon hosted by DK of Culinary Bazzar.

Let us have a peek in my fellow marathoners kitchen.
1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4) Ranji

5)PJ

6)Curry Leaf

7)Medha

8)Priya

9)Bhawna

10)Raaji

11)Ruchii

12)Anu

13)Kamala

14)Roopa

15)Divya Kudua

16)Rekha

17)Divya M

18)Lakshmi

19)Raaga

RM#2 : Day : 1 - Kuzhi Paniyaram

Kuzhi Paniyaram is a very popular Chettinad tiffin item made in special pans. It got its name from these pans which have half ball sized holes, kuzhi in Tamil. It is a favourite dish from young to old. No age bar. And because of its taste and size, it keeps on going non-stop. There two versions of this paniyarams, sweet & salted.  My husband is a fan of the salted ones & so I usually make the salted version. But then both the versions are yummy. With the children it is always "Innum Konjam Amma". Many of our friends also like it very much including our neighbours here. Once I made it for the BBQ here and all of it vanished in a jiffy. This has long been waiting in the "Coming Soon" section, shouting at me "Post me, Post me, Post me, Post me, Post me will you". So here I have put down the recipe for the savoury paniyaram.

Ingredients
Raw Rice - 1 cup (Also you can use Basmati Rice, though it is not used traditionally but my trial with worked out fine.)

Boiled Rice - 1 cup
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Fenugreek Seeds  -  1/4  tsp
Onion - 1 big
Green Chillies - 2
Grated Coconut - 2 to 3 tb.sp

Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste (about 2 t.sp)

Method

Wash the rices and soak them with the urad dal & fenugreek seeds in water for at least 6 to 7 hours. Grind it to get a thick batter without adding much water (little thicker than the consistency of idli batter). Add salt, mix well and allow it to ferment for at least 6 hours or better overnight.
Heat 1 tb.sp oil in a flat pan & season with mustard and finely chopped curry leaves. Add the finely chopped onion and saute till translucent. Toss in the green chillies and grated coconut. Saute for few minutes. Add this to the batter and mix well.

Heat the paniyaram pan (better non-stick) and add a few drops of oil in each hole. The heat should be medium. Pour the batter in each kuzhi, just 3/4 of the kuzhi not more. Wait for a minute. And then Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. When it is cooked underneath, flip to the other side using a spoon or a sharp needle or paniyaram stick. And cook again. To check the readiness insert a needle in the center it should come out clean. Serve hot with tomato chutney. We normally make a side dish called Thakkali Urulaikizhangu Therekkal. I will try to post the recipe for this also in the near future.

And these Kuzhi Paniyarams are being served to the following events :
1) Saapadu Ready event hosted by Aartee of From the Kitchen
2) WYF : Kitchen Gadget event hosted by Easy Crafts of Simple Indian Food - An Easy Cooking Blog
3) Rice Mela event hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons

Let us see what my fellow marathoners are cooking
1) DK

2) Siri

3) Srivalli

4) Ranji

5)PJ

6)Curry Leaf

7)Medha

8)Priya

9)Bhawna

10)Raaji

11)Ruchii

12)Anu

13)Kamala

14)Roopa

15)Divya Kudua

16)Rekha

17)Divya M

18)Lakshmi

19)Raaga

Black Forest Cake

Black Forest cake is one of my favourite cakes. Whenever we used to go to a cake shop during my college days, I always asked for Black Forest Cake. And one day I was lazily turning the pages of a recipe book. And there I found this recipe. To my surprise it was very simple and easy to make. So I became very enthusiastic and immediately set out shopping for the items I need.

It is basically a German cake called Schwarzwälderkirschtorte, which means Black Forest Cherry Cake. It is made up of layers of chocolate cake with Kirsch, whipped cream, sour cherries and chocolate curls. It seems it was founded in late 16th century in Black Forest region of Germany soon after Chocolate was founded. This region is known for its sour cherries and Kirsch or Kirschwasser.

Ingredients:
For the cake
All-purpose flour - 21/4 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3/4 cup
Baking powder - 2 t.sp
6 large  eggs
Vanilla Essence - 1 1/2 t.sp

For the Frosting & Filling
Pitted sour cherries - 1 bottle (785 gms)
Sugar - 1 cup
Cornstarch - 1/4 cup
Heavy whipping cream - 3 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans.
In a large bowl, combine together flour, cocoa, baking powder. Sieve together and keep aside.
Break eggs one at a time into a bowl and then transfer it into the mixing bowl.
Beat the Castor Sugar and eggs till nice creamy and fluffy.
Mix the vanilla essence.
Fold in the dry ingredients with a light hand.
Pour batter into pans.
Bake till the cake is done i.e. until a knife inserted in centers comes out clean. Takes about 20 min. Cool.

Drain cherries, reserving the juice. Keep about 1/4 cup of the reserved juice aside. Combine the rest of the reserved juice, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool. Mix together the drained cherries.
Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Sprinkle both the layers on the topside with 6 tbsp of the reserved juice.
Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer. Frost top & side of cake.
And decorate the top the way you like. I filled the frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip and piped it around top of cake. And topped it with cherries.
Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Keep it in the fridge. Serve after about 3 to 4 hrs or later.

And this special treat is going to FIC : Brown hosted by Sunshinemom of Tongue Ticklers.
And to the event AFAM : Cherries hosted by Rachel of Tangerines Kitchen. AFAM was initially hosted by dear Maheswari of Beyond the Usual

Damrot Halwa

Damrot is a delectable Halwa which I first tasted in a marriage in my native place. It is made from Pumpkin and is very famous in South India. It is long time since I had made it. Now it is Halloween time here and we get Pumpkins in all different sizes and shapes. And my previous post Healthy Pumpkin Dosa tells the importance of Pumpkin for our health. So this is my next Pumpkin recipe.

Dumrot Halwa

Ingredients :
Finely Grated Pumpkin - 2 cups
Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder
Nutmeg powder (Jayphal)
Dry fruits for garnishing

Method:

Grate finely the pumpkin. Take the grated cloth in a clean thin cotton cloth. And squeeze it tightly to discard the water from the grated Pumpkin.  

 

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel and add the grated pumpkin.

Keep stirring till the raw smell of the Pumpkin is almost gone. Takes about 7 to 10 min. Keep the gas on medium. When it is done add milk.

Stir frequently, and when it becomes very thick i.e. the Pumpkin gets cooked will in the milk add sugar, cardamom and nutmeg powder.

Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches halwa consistency.I cooked it a little further so that the mixture leaves the sides of the vessel.

Remove from heat, add the dry fruits ( I added the dry fruits shown in the above picture.It gives a good crunchy taste). And transfer it to a greased plate. Garnish with dried fruits. Let it cool, cut into pieces and serve.

And Dumrot Halwa is going to the following events

1) AFAM - Pumpkin hosted by Madhuram of Eggless Cooking 

2) JFI - Festival Treat Event guest hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons. JFI was initially started by Indira Of Mahanandi
3) Festive Food : Diwali hosted by Priti of Indian Khana
4) FIC : Brown hosted by Sunshinemom of Tongue Ticklers.

Butterfly Award - Pass On

Happy Diwali 

Last week i was awarded "The Butterfly Award" by Malar of Kitchen Tantra. Thankyou very much Malar. This award comes with some rules.

The rules of the award are:
Put the logo on your blog. Add a link to the person who awarded you. Nominate 10 other blogs. Add links to those blogs on yours, and leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
Since I was busy with my Diwali preparations last week I couldn't do this then.

I am very glad to pass on this award to some of my fellow blogger friends.

Shreya of Mom’s Cooking

Pavani of Cook’s hideout

Roma of roma’s space

Divya of Dil Se

Bhawana of Tastes Of India

Meera of Enjoy Indian

Sharmi of Neivedyam

Divya of Easy Cooking

Mahimaa of Indian Vegetarian Kitchen

Kamala of Kamala's Corner

Healthy Pumpkin Dosa

The bright oranged color of pumpkin is is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.
Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Pumpkins also contain potassium, fiber, and iron. Pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds are a good source of unsaturated fatty acids ("good fats"). Pumpkin seeds are very good sources of the minerals magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous, and good sources of tryptophan (an amino acid essential for growth and normal metabolism), iron, copper, zinc, and protein.

A study by the USDA indicated that diets high in pumpkin as a fiber source tend to curb the appetite, while providing high nutritional count for the calories consumed. Subjects also absorbed less fat and calories from their food.

So we saw that Pumpkin is a very healthy vegetable. But unfortunately it is not a favourite of many. My husband also does not like it. My children only like to eat pumpkins when I use them in kuzhambu. So I try to use pumpkins in such a way that they don't come to know that I have added it to the food.

One such recipe is Healthy Pumpkin Dosa.

Healthy Pumpkin Dosa 

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 2 cup

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tb.sp

Shredded Pumpkin - 4 cups

Onion - 1

Mustard Seeds - 1 t.sp (optional)

Cumin Seeds - 1 t.sp (optional)

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the rice for about 3 hours. Grind it to a smooth paste along with coconut, chilli powder & shredded pumpkin. Add salt. And keep it covered for about 5 to 6 hrs. Better over night. Heat oil in a pan. Season the mustard and cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onion & saute for a few minutes, till the onion becomes translucent.  Add this to the dosa batter.  Heat a dosa tawa, smear it with oil slightly and make dosas. Try to make thin dosas as far as possible. Serve hot with the chutney or sambhar of your choice.

This Healthy Pumpkin Dosa is going to AFAM - Pumpkins event guest hosted by Madhuram of Eggless Cooking. AFAM (A Fruit A month) was initially started by Maheswari of Beyond The Usual to appreciate the goodness of fruits.

and 

The Rice Mela hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons

Seepu Seedai

The Chettinad cuisine is one of South India's best known cuisines and this mouth watering cuisine has carved a niche for itself not only in Tamil Nadu but elsewhere in India and even abroad. Apart from standard and traditional food items, Chettinad cuisine is renowned for its unusual snacks and munchy items that are lip-smacking good. Some of the popular Chettinad dishes are Kandarappam, Ukkarai, Pal Paniyaram, Thenkuzhal, Karupatti Paniyaram, Kavanarisi, and Seepu Seedai to name just a few.

These are some dishes which has been an all time favourite for many people, from young to old. My grandfather who has lost almost all his teeth still likes to eat them. We give him by making it to a coarse powder in an ammi or mixie. We had mostly lived in north india, so people coming to visit us from our native place usually bring these snacks item. And almost in a jiffy it is finished.

I would like to post the recipes of some of these dishes which I make at home. Already I have posted a few of them. Today I am posting the recipe of the authentic Seepu Seedai. It is usually fried in edible coconut oil, which adds to its superb taste. It is made with rice flour, roasted gram flour. It gets it name "Seepu Seedai" because of it design. Seepu means comb in tamil. It got its design from Comb those days and hence the name. Nowadays they have designed some instruments like to achhu, kattai etc to do it easily. When I was young, we used to go to our native place - chettinadu for every summer vacation. During these days of our stay there, my grandmother, athai etc used to take our (children) help for preparing many snacks, vathal etc. Seepu Seedai always used to one of the items and we all children used to be very happy in helping them for preparing it, for 2 reasons. One because it was very interesting to do it and the next one because we will soon get our favourite snack.


Seepu Seedai

Ingredients
Raw Rice Flour - 4 cup
Urad dal Flour - 3/4 cup
Roasted Gram Flour - 3/4 cup
Diluted Coconut Milk - 2 1/2 cup
Ghee - 4 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
Basic Raw Rice Flour
Soak raw rice in water for about 2 to 3 hours. Drain the water from the rice and spread it on a clean white cloth in shade (not in sun). Let it dry for about 1 hr. Grind in a mixer. In South India we have special flour mills in many places to make wet rice flour. But then I mostly grind it in the mixer. Sieve the flour through a fine siever. Dry roast it in a low fire till it the raw smell of the rice is gone and it becomes like "sand", you should be able to draw line with it.

This is the basic rice flour for many snacks. You can prepare this rice flour before hand and keep it stored in an airtight box.

Seepu seedai
1) Mix rice flour, urad dhal flour, & ghee. Take milk from coconut by adding warm water to the same. Take about 2 ½ cups of milk, if it is not sufficient, you can add some boiling water. Boil this milk with salt, add to flour mixture & knead well . The should be soft.

2) Press in the seepu seedai achu into a long strip.
                         or
Since I didn't have a here I adopted the old fashioned way of making it with a comb. For this use a new, clean comb. Spread the dough like we do for chapatis, cookies etc in a clean greased plastic sheet. About 2 mm thick not very thin. Press it lightly with the comb, so that the lines of the comb get formed on it.

3) Cut into pieces of even length. Form it in the shape of rings using your finger. Fry for about 10 – 15 in hot oil (but not very hot) till it is done (i.e till the sound of the oil has stopped or is very little). Remove to kitchen tissue, cool & store.

Submitting this post to the JFI - Festival Treat Event guest hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons. JFI was initially started by Indira Of Mahanandi

and
To the event Festive Food : Diwali hosted by Priti of Indian Khana