Kaliyadakka / Cheeda /Uppu Seedai

I cant even remember one Onam without these highly addictive crunchy snacks.There are two versions- a sprial sweet cheeda and the salty Kaliyadakka - well, Iam no guru in Kerala Snack names but this is how I remember- the sweet version was usually called cheeda (both rice flour and maida versions are there) and the salty version Kaliyadakka. To be frank, I wasnt very fond of this till I made Chennai my home. In Tamil Nadu, it is called Uppu seedai and the ones at Grand Sweets in Chennai are the BEST tasting Uppu Seedai on EARTH!!!!! So if you've not had it yet, this recipe comes very close!!!! So over to the recipe:

Rice flour: 1 cup

Urad Dal Flour: 3 level tbsp

Coconut Grated: 3 level tbsp

Butter: 2 tbsp

Sesame Seeds: 1 level tbsp

Cumin/Jeera: 1/2 tsp

Salt: as required

Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp

Water: to make the dough

Oil: for deep frying

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, rub the butter in.

Add water and make a stiff dough

Make small smooth balls (the size of a marble) with your palm and arrange it in a tray.

Once you are done with rolling, heat the oil.

Drop a few balls carefully into the oil and lower the flame to medium.

Deep fry till golden yellow to brown colour

Drain on an absorbent paper.

Once cooled, store it in airtight containers.

Believe me, it wont last long.

Notes: 

1. I make it with both roasted and plain rice flour, the ones made with the roasted flour usually will be a darker shade and those with the plain flour is lighter in shade. Also, I personally feel it is easier to make the balls with the dough made out of plain rice flour

2. Roll the dough with the help of both your palms to get a smooth ball

3. Dont fry it as soon as you roll it coz it wont be crunchy. So make balls out of the whole dough and then start frying in batches.

Wheat Diamond Cuts

Diamond cuts is something my mom used to make regularly during my childhood. Her version is with maida and then dipped in either sugar syrup or powdered sugar (both version are absolutely yummy). But in Chennai, Wheat savoury diamonds are popular and when I was there, I used to buy it regularly from Primas Bakery... (hmmmm absolutely yummy stuff they have!!!!) So here's how Wheat Diamonds are made...

Wheat Flour: 2 cups
Cumin: 2 level tsp
Chilly Powder: 1 level tbsp
Warm Oil: 3 tbsp
Salt: as required

Water:  for making the dough
Oil: for deep frying

Mix the flour, cumin, chilly powder and salt.
Add the oil and rub it in to resemble fine bread crumbs.
Now add water little by little and make a firm dough.
Keep it covered for about half an hour.
Now make small balls out of it and roll it out like for roti/chappati/pita bread
Prick with fork all over and cut it with a knife, first vertically and then diagonally so as to get diamond shapes.
Heat oil and once it is hot, lower the flame to medium and fry in batches till golden brown.
Drain on an absorbent paper and once cooled, store it in an airtight container.

Thattai Muruk

Whenever I bite into a Thattai, I go back to my Coimbatore days. There was a snack shop very close to where we lived and most evenings, I used to buy Thattai from there. It was so tasty and addictive and I used to love having it with my evening tea. This is how I make rice flour thattai and within minutes of making, it will be all over, so Ive never had the chance to store it in airtight containers.

Rice Flour: 2 cups
Urud Dal flour: 5 level tbsp
Coconut grated: 1/2 cup
Melted Ghee: 5 tbsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp
Channa Dal/Kadalaparippu/Bengal gram: 4 level tbsp
Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp
Salt: as required

Water: to make the dough
Oil: for deep frying

To make Urud Dal flour:
Dry roast Urud dal on medium heat without burning it. Once cooled, powder it properly in your dry grinder.

Wash the Channal Dal properly and soak it in water for half to one hour.
When it is soft, take it off the water and mix in all the other ingredients.
Now add a little water and make a stiff dough
Make small balls from the dough and flatten it on your palm or on a plastic sheet.

Heat oil and fry the flattened dough on medium heat till golden brown.

Flip and fry the other side too.
Drain it on a tissue paper and have it with your evening tea.
If you feel it will last for more than a day, then you have to definitely store it in an airtight container.

Prawns Pulao

This is another lunch box speciality from my kitchen. If you have cleaned prawns in your freezer, this is very very easy to prepare.

Prawns: 15 shelled, deveined ad cleaned properly

Cooked Basmati rice: 2 cups

Onion: 1 chopped

Green Chillies: 2 slit

Ginger: 1 inch chopped fine

Turmeric Powder; 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder: 1 tsp

Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp

Oil and Salt: as required

Cinnamon: 1 inch

Cloves: 2

Cardamom:1

Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.

Saute the onions and ginger till onions turn slightly brown

Now add the green chillies and the dry powders and saute till the raw smell is gone.

Add the prawns, salt and let it cook on low flame, sprinkle water if necessary.

When the prawns are done, take off fire and mix in the cooked rice.

Serve with raitha and pickles.

Curd Rice

Though Iam not very fond of curd rice, I make it often coz my husband just LOVES it... and I love to prepare it coz " its easy peasy lemon squeezy"... LOL!!!

Cooked Rice: 1 cup

Curd: 1 3/4 cups

Warm Milk: 1/4 cup

Green chillies: 2 chopped fine

Ginger: 1 tbsp chopped fine

Salt: as needed

Chana Dal: 1 tsp

Urad Dal: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Dried red chillies: 2

Asafoetida: 1 tsp

Grated Carrot: 2 tbsp

Corinader leaves: 1 tbsp

In a kadai, Heat a tbsp oil and splutter the mustard, chana dal and urud dal.

 Add the dried red chillies, green chilly and ginger and saute for a minute on low flame.

Add asafoetida, Take off fire and mix in the rice and salt.

Now mix in the curd and warm milk and adjust the salt if needed.

Finally mix in the grated carrot and coriander leaves minced.

Serve with pickle and papad.

Tomato Pacchadi

This is the easiest Pacchadi you can ever make. This was my grandom's easy way out for a quick dish when someone came for lunch unaanounced.

Onion: 1 medium chopped fine

Tomato: 1 medium chopped

Green chilly: 2 chopped fine

Ginger: 1/2 tsp chopped fine

Curd: 1 cup

Salt: as needed

Oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Dried red chillies: 2

Curry leaf: 1 sprig

Mix the onion, tomato, green chilly, ginger and salt in a bowl.

Add the curd and salt and mix well.

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard, dried red chilly and curry leaves.

Pour it over the curd mix.

Serve with rice.

Linking this to Anyone Can Cook

Adai Dosa and Tomato Roast

This is a very tasty and healthy breakfast from Tamil Nadu. You can serve this with sambar or chutney or even tomato sauce, but somehow I like Tomato roast, my Mom's style, with this.

 So heres what U need for the Adai Dosa

Raw Rice: 1/2 cup

Urud Dal: 1/4 cup

Toor Dal: 1/4 cup

Channa Dal: 1/4 cup

Moong Dal or Masoor Dal: 1/4 cup

Onion: 1 chopped fine

Green Chilly: 2 small chopped

Ginger: 1 tsp chopped

Pepper: 1/4 tsp

Salt: as required

Soak the Raw rice, Urud Dal, Channa dal and Masoor/moong dal for 8 hours (overnight) and grind to a smooth paste adding water. The batter should be slightly thicker than the dosa batter.

Now mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Now heat the griddle and pour a ladle of batter and spread like for dosa (but not as thin)

Cook both sides and serve hot with chutney, sambar or Tomato roast.

Recipe for Tomato Roast:

Onions: 1 thinly sliced

Ginger: 1/2 inch chopped fine

Tomatoes: 2 medium chopped

Green Chillies: 3 slit

Pepper Powder: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Mustard: 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves; as needed

Salt and Oil: as required

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Throw in the onions, ginger and green chillies and saute till onions are properly browned.

Now add the turmeric powder, pepper powder salt and saute for a few seconds.

Add the tomatoes and cook till done.

The tomato roast can be served as a side dish for chapatis, Adai Dosa etc. You can also add boiled eggs to the tomato roast for egg-tomato roast.

 

Lime and Ginger Squash

This is my favourite summer drink. My paternal grandmom always used to make it fresh and give me. She used to say it is the best medicine for healthy digestion. Well, I do make it fresh often but this is easier especially in summer when kids come in tired- just pour the concentrate and water in to the glass and give them and make one for yourself too!! This is my aunt, Leelakochamma's recipe.

Lime: 30-40
Ginger: 80 gms
Sugar: 700 gms
Citric Acid: 1 tsp
Water: 2 cups

Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and keep aside.
Grate the ginger (or run it in the grinder for half a minute) and boil it along with the sugar and water till you get a syrup (as it reaches 1 thread) consistency.
Strain it and let it cool.
Add the lime juice, citric acid and mix well.
Store it in bottles.
While serving, Pour 1/8th glass syrup and fill with cold water and have it on hot afternoons. If you feel the sugar is not enough, you can add a little more while serving.