Papdi and Papdi Chaat

Papdi chaat is one of my favourite chaat to make . Papdi can be made in advance and can be stored for few weeks . Papdi  goes very well with a nice cup of tea . For chaat you will need to some black chickpea ,potato and tamarind chutney. Papdi chaat can be made by crushing the paadi and adding everything together mixing well and serving or like i have done in the picture by using papadi itself as a serving tool.
Check out other chaats that i have posted in the past
Chole Tikki Chaat

Sabudana Tikki Chaat

For Papdi :

Maida /All purpose flour -11/2 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Oil for frying

1. Mix flour, ajwain , salt and oil together well.
2. Add water and make a dough.
3. Keep the dough aside for 15 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into five parts.
5. Roll each part to quater inch thick dics.
6. Prick the disc with a fork all over.
7. Using cookie cutter cut out small circles.
8. Keep the small circles covered with a wet cloth.
9. Do the same with the rest of the dough.
10. Heat oil to 350 F .
11. Fry few small circles at a time to light golden.
12. Papdi can be stored in air tight container for few weeks.

For Tamarind Chutney :

Tamarind chutney recipe

For Papdi Chat :

Papdi -  Dozen
Black Channa / Chickpea - 1/2 cup (soaked and cooked)
Potato - 4 ( boiled and mashed)
Curd - 1/4 cup
Tamarind Chutney - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Green Chili - 1 tbsp , chopped or to taste
Chat Masala - 2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt  to taste

1. Mix cooked chickpea ,potato ,green chili , salt , chat masala and coriander leaves.
2. Mix salt , sugar and curd and mix well.
3. Serving :
1.     Place a few papdi on each plate. 
2.     Place a tbsp of chickpea potato mix on papdi.
3.     Pour about a tbsp of curd .
4.     Also pour 1 tsp of tamarind chutney on it.
5.     Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve.

Kerala Olan - Onam Sadhya Recipe

Kerala Olan is a very simple preparation using winter melon and red cow peas cooked in coconut milk. Most important ingredient for this recipe is good coconut milk. Below i have given method to create fresh coconut milk. Use fresh coconut milk if possible but if not available use canned coconut milk. It is wonderful soothing soup  served by itself. Traditionally it is served with boiled rice . It is an important item in Onam sadhya . 

    Vanpayar / Red Cow Peas - 1/2 cup
    Kumbalanga/Winter Melon - 1 cup , 1/2 ' cubes
    Green Chilli - 4
    Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
    Coconut - 1 cup ,  grated
    Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

    Step  1 : How to make Coconut milk

1.     Break open a coconut and take out the white part using knife
2.     Use a grater to grate the coconut flesh to get a cup of grated coconut.
3.     Or use a cup of small pieces of coconut flesh instead.
4.     In a blender jar add coconut and 1 cup warm water. and grind  for few minutes.
5.     Squeeze out the juice from the mixture using a fine sieve.
6.     Keep this  first milk aside.
7.     Again add a cup water to the left over coconut and grind for few minutes.
8.     Squeeze the juice and keep this second milk in a separate container.

    Step 2:

1.     Cook  (or preesure cook ) the vanpayar/ cow peas till just tender. 
2.     Drain and keep aside.

 
    Step 3 : Olan preparation

1.     Cook kumbalang , chili , few curry leaves and salt in second coconut milk.
2.     When the vegetable is fork tender add the cooked peas .
3.     Simmer for few minutes and add the  first coconut milk.
4.     Add coconut oil and a few curry leavesl.
5.     Remove from heat.
6.     Serve as soup or with rice

  Sending to

  @ nivedhanams.blogspot.in for event : celebrate summer

 @ pramithalovecooking.blogspot.in to event : foodabulous-fest

Chena Theyal / Yam cooked in roasted coconut and tamarind gravy

Theyal is a very popular preparation in Kerala.Roasted coconut ground with spices and tamarind is used as gravy for pan fried vegetables.Today i have used Chena or Yam. Here in US, yam can be found in the frozen section.

Chena / Yam - 1 cup

Pearl Onion - 10 , slit into four parts

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Green Chili - 2

Thick Tamarind pulp - 2 tsp or to taste

Jaggery - 2 tsp , grated

Coconut Fresh - 1/2 cup , grated

Fenugreek Seeds  - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida Powder - 1/8 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

Step I

Cook chena  with  turmeric , green chilli and few curry leaves till fork tender and keep aside.

Step II

Heat a heavy bottom pan and a tsp of oil and add the fenugreek seeds and roast till golden.

Remove the fenugreek and add the coconut and roast till golden.

Add to it  coriander and chili powder and mix well for a minute .

Grind coconut mix , fenugreek seeds to a smooth paste.

Step III

Heat oil in a pan add the asafetida and mustard seeds and let it pop.

Then add the pearl onion and remaining curry leaves.

When onion turns translucent add the boiled chena , coconut paste and tamarind pulp.

Simmer for about five minutes and serve with boiled rice.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a very popular party recipe. This recipe requires very few ingredients and is quick so can cooked  for everyday meal too.

Spinach/Palak - 1  pound

Paneer - 100 gms , cubed

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp

Green Chilli -2

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Asafoetida Powder - 1/8 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1/3 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

1. Heat oil and deep fry the paneer cubes and drop in salted warm water.
2. Pick the spinach leaves , wash and keep aside
3. Bring a  few cups of water to rolling boil .
4. Add spinach and green chili and cook for a minute and drain.
5. Coarsely grind the spinach and chili  and keep aside.
6. Heat ghee and add asafoetida ,turmeric,chili powder .
7. Mix and immediately add the spinach and paneer.
8. Add garam masala and simmer for five minutes.
9. Add salt and remove from fire .
10. Serve with jeera rice or roti

Banana Flower Vada/Fritters

Banana flower is cooked and enjoyed all over south India. Cleaning is the time consuming part of cooking this delicious and nutritious vegetable . I find this post Clean banana flower  very useful. Banana flower thoran is my favorite kerala preparation but i like to make this vada to once a while.

Banana Flower - 1 
Chana Dal - 3/4 cup
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup (optional)
Green Chilli - 4 , finely chopped
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few sprigs,chopped
Salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

1. Soak moong and chana dal for few hours.
2. Clean and finely chop the banana flower and soak in water.
3. Grind the dal coarsly with salt and few tbsp water.
4. Mix in chopped banana flower, cumin, curry leaves and green chill.
5. Heat oil in a deep pan to 350 F.
6. Make small vada or patties and deep fry to golden.
7. Serve hot with any dip of choice.