Kunuku (a version of pakoda)

Kunuku is a pakoda which is made out of rice and dals and it is very tastyand our favurite dish. You can have it with tea or coffee or even as a small snack with either tomato sauce or even chutney. This snack can be made as a starter also when you invite guests. This dish will be liked by every body.This is our typical south indian pakoda snack. It is also a very homely snack made more at home and which you don't get to eat in hotels. My m-in-law is fully aware that we love this pakoda so she will make sure that she makes it even one day for us and we end up having platefuls of these and never get tired at all.


Ingredients:
Rice -1 cup
Chana dal (bengal gram dal) 1 cup
Toor dal (red gram dal used for sambhar) 1 cup
Urad dal (black gram dal) -1/4 cup
Moong dal (the tiny yellow dal) - 1/4 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Red chillies -7 -8
Method:
Soak all the ingredients in water for 2 hours.
drain the water and then grind them without water or very less water.
The batter should be of dropping consistency.
Now heat a kadai with oil and when the oil is hot pour with your hand one by one the batter into the oil
The batter forms pakodas and turn them constantly till they get cooked and turn a slight brownish colour.
Remove this pakodas from the oil and serve them hot with either sauce or green chutney or white coconut chutney.

Milagu (black pepper corn) kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Tamarind - 1medium lemon size
Pepper corns - 3 tsps
Methi seeds -1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chillies -6 to 7
Turmeric (haldi)powder 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard -1 tsp
Salt - as required

Method:
Soak the tamarind in water and make a thick liquid.
Take a kadai and roast the pepper corns,methi seeds, urad dal and red chillies
Powder these items in a dry grinder along with curry leaves.
Take a kadai and season in 2 tsps of oil mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Now pour the tamarind water on the seasoning and add the ground powder mixture.
Add salt, turmeric powder and curry leaves.
Allow it to boil and when it becomes thick put off the gas and remove from fire.

You can add some bits of bittergourd (pavakai) vegetable or dried raw mango (mangai vathal)i
in this kuzhambu.
This kuzhambu can be had with rice. It is quite sour and spicy. During winter this will make an excellent dish. You can also make a curd pachadi (raita) as a side dish for this kuzhambu since it will make a good combination.
You can make either cucumber, tomato or brinjal pachadi (raita)

Semolina (Rava) squares

Ingredients:
1 cup rava (semolina)
1 cup sour curd
salt as required
1/4 tsp soda bicarbonate or 1 tsp eno fruit soda
1 tblsp oil
3 green chillies (ground to paste)

For Seasoning:
1 tblsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
1.Put a large vessel with 3 inches water to heat.
2.Place a stand which goes above water level.
3.Place a shallow plate with vertical edges atleast 1' high, on the stand after greasing it.
4.Mix rava, salt, green chillies paste and curds in a bowl.
5.Add 2 tblsp water beat well with a spatula.
6.Mix oil and soda into the batter mixing very well till frothy.
7.Pour the mixture into the prepared plate.
8.Heat the prepared vessel or a cooker covering with a fitting lid.
9.Steam and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.
10.After it is cooked after sometime remove the plate.
11. Now cut it into squares with a greased knife.
12.Heat oil for seasoning.
13.Add mustard seeds and after it splutters add curry leaves.
14. Spread the seasoning over the squares.
15.Remove the squares from the plate and arrange in a serving dish.
16. Garnish with coriander leaves.
17. Serve either with green coriander chutney or coconut chutney.

Actually this is a small mini version of our usual idli only the ingredient is semolina.
This is our favourite dish which can be had as a light snack in the evenings.

Ethnicity
Indian

Type of meal
Teatime, dinner, breakfast

Type of dish
Tiffin varieties, steamed

Main Ingredients
Rava, curds, green chillies

Pavakai (bittergourd) pitlai

Ingredients:
Bittergourd -3
tamarind -lemon size (soaked in water)
Chana dhal - 1 Tblsp
turmeric powder -1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Dhaniya (coriander seeds) 1 tsp
Methi seeds (fenugreek) 1 tsp
Red chillies - 8
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Grated coconut -1/2 cup
Coriander leaves for garnishing

For seasoning:
Urad dhal (black gram dal) -1 tsp
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsps

Method:
1. Cut the bittergourd into small pieces and boil it in tamarind water.
2. Add salt, turmeric powder and curry leaves.
3. In a kadai roast chana dal, coriander seeds,red chillies and methi seeds.
4. Now wet grind the roasted items with fresh grated coconut and add to the tamarind water with bittergourd and mix it well and allow it to cook.
5. Now when the mixture thickens, put off the gas.
6. Now remove from fire and garnish with little coriander leaves and then season with mustard seeds,urad dal and a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

This dish can be had with plain white rice as well as with chappathi as a side dish. This is a favourite with everybody because of its unique taste. It is a thicker version of sambar with more spices

Cauliflower Sambar

Ingredients:
Cauliflower medium sized -1
Red chillies - 6nos
daniya seeds - 1 1/2 tsps
tur dal - 1 tsp
grated coconut - 1cup
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
tamarind -1 lemon size
curry leaves few
methi seeds - 1tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1 fry all the masala items in a little oil.
2Grind these items with coconut to a paste.
3Cook Cauliflower in tamarind water with haldi and salt.
4Add cooked dal and ground masala and boil for some time.
5now season with mustard seeds urad dal and 1 red chilli.
This sambar can be had with rice , idli or dosa.

Gujrati potato and sabudana vada

Ingredients
sabudana (sago) -100 gms
potatoes 1/2 kg
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
2 tblsps coriander leaves chopped
2 tblsps peanuts (roasted and coarsely pounded)
6 green chillies ground
a small piece of ginger (ground)
juice of one lemon
salt to taste
oil for frying.


Method:
Soak sago in water an hour before preparation.
After one hour drain it through a seive and set aside.
Boil the potatoes, peel and make into a smooth pulp.
Next add the sago, cumin, coriander, peanuts, green chillies and ginger, lemon juice and salt mix well.
make into small, lemon-sized balls and flatten them and deep fry on a medium fire till golden brown
Serve hot with coriander chutney.