VADAKARI - A SNC CHALLENGE # 4

I am very happy to take part of this interesting SNC event. A great going event started and organised by Divya Pramil from  You Too Can Cook Indian Food. This is a monthly event where two teams, 'South team' and 'North team' have to challenge each other with their regional dishes. 

This Month North team got a challenge to make Vadakari from Ramya. Same like South team got a challenge to make Rajasthani Ghevar with Rabri from Manjula.

Since I am a part of Northern team, so very delicious and flavorful, a traditional South Indian style vadakari I made here with semi gravy. We enjoyed it too much, thanks a lot Ramya for this toothsome recipe.

Now lets move to this month's challenge VADAKARI.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR MAKING VADAS:
1 Cup Bengal Gram
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
4 Red Chillies
3-4 Pods Garlic
Oil as required
Salt to taste

FOR SEASONING:
1 tbsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
1" Cinnamon
3 tbsps Oil

FOR GRAVY:
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Onion (paste)
1 Tomato (chopped)
2 Green Chillies, cut in slits
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/3 tsp freshly grounded Garam Masala
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Water as required

METHOD:
Soak Bengal Gram for 1 hour. Drain the water completely.

Grind bengal gram along with garlic, red chillies, fennel seeds, 2 tbsps water and little salt. Make a coarse paste. Set it aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Put flat ball shaped portions in it.

Fry both sides of each vada till golden brown. Drain oil and remove from wok by using a slotted spoon. Keep aside. Follow the same process by making  the remaining vadas.

Then crumble the vadas for making curry.

Heat 3 tbsps oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds, cinnamon stick and fennel seeds in it. Saute for few seconds, add chopped onion and green chillies in it. Fry till onion gets translucent.

Now add onion paste and ginger garlic paste in it. Fry till onion leaves oil. Put chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt in it.

Fry till all spices leave oil from the sides of the wok.

Pour 1 cup water in it. When it starts to boil, add all crumbled vadas in it. Fold well. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add coriander leaves in it. Mix nicely. Remove from heat now.

Vadakari is ready to serve with warm steamed rice, appam, idlis or chapathi.

Well Ramya, I tried to do justice with your vadakari. Over to all of my friends for your lovely and precious comments.

Sending to: Ramya

UZHUNNU VADA / METHU VADA / URAD DAL SAVORY DOUGHNUTS - A SNC CHALLENGE # 3

Hi Friends,

I am part of very interesting contest 'South vs North Challenge' organised by Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian food. This is my second entry to this challenge, though I could not post November's challenge due to some unavoidable circumstances. 

As I belong to the Northern Group, so challenge came from Sherin on behalf of Southern team. This month Sherin challenged us to make Methu Vada, one of the great urad dal savory, famous and very popular among Southern India. Me and my family loved this scrumptious delightful savory a lot. I tried to make it on proper ways following the rules, now friends, its your turn to decide, whether I could made Methu Vada perfectly or not!

(without flash on)

(with flash on)

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Urad Dal / Uzhunnu Parippu (with no skin)
15-18 Curry Leaves (finely chopped)
2 Green Chillies (or as per taste)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp Asafoetida
1 tsp Freshly Crushed Black Peppercorns
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Water
Oil to Fry

METHOD:
Soak urad dal overnight.

Drain water completely. Grind it with two green chillies. Add water drop by drop as required while grinding.

Grind dal till it makes a smooth paste. The batter must be very thick. Keep it aside for 30 to 40 minutes.

Now add chopped curry leaves, onion, asafoetida, crushed black pepper and salt in it. Mix well and stir nicely, so that batter will be little fluffy. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a wok enough to dunk the vadas.

Grease a pastic sheet with little oil. 

Wet your right hand, then make a small ball out of the batter and pat it in the greased plastic sheet. Carefully transfer it to the wok with make a small hole in the middle of each vada.

Deep fry the vada on the medium flame. Flip over the second side once the sides turn golden brown. 

When both sides turn golden brown, remove it from the oil by using a slotted spoon and drain on a kitchen papper towel to absorb the excess oil from it.

Now delicious Methu Vada, which is crispy from outside but soft spongy from inside, is ready to serve.

Serve hot with coconut chutney accompanying with sambar.

Linking to: Sherin, our Southern Team.

MYSORE PAK (SNC EVENT)

Hi Friends,

I am a part of very interesting contest 'South vs North Challenge' organised by Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian food.

Mysore pak is a traditional and popular sweet of Karnataka. Actually people make it on Deepawali or any festive time. Very few ingredients are used in it, but little tricky. I was scared to make it, because I made this first time here. But now I fallen love on it as tastes absolutely divine.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Gram Flour
3/4 Cup Ghee
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water

FOR GARNISH: 2 tbsps coarsely pounded Pistachios.

METHOD:
Grease a tray with little ghee and set it aside.

Mix oil and besan nicely.

Boil sugar and water in a pan, to get the required consistency of syrup. (The required consistency means, when you drop syrup in a bowl water, it should stand without getting dissolved)

Add the besan mixture to the syrup. Keep stirring.

Add ghee little by little and keep stirring continuously till the mixture changes in texture, colour and starts leaving the edges. The mixture not be sticky anymore. Pour the mixture into the greased tray.

Garnish with coarsely pistachios on the top.

Grease a knife with little ghee. Slice it to desired shapes by knife while it is still warm.

Enjoy this mouthwatering Mysore Pak!!!

Linking this recipe to: Divya, our Southern team.