UGADI PACHADI,OBBATTU - UGADI RECIPES

I wish all my friends a very happy ugadi. Though we don’t celebrate this festival at home , i love ugadi pachadi and poli with coconut stuffing.. We tamilians celebrate Tamil new year which falls on 14th of this month.We prepare Mango pachadi and rice payasam along with other lunch recipes. My friends here and in Andhra celebrate this festival in a grand manner. I asked them about their lunch menu for ugadi and they gave me a big list .. But i thought of trying this famous ugadi pachadi and obbatu recipe among them. I got these recipes from my friend Megha.She said obattu and ugadi pachadi will be in their menu for sure..Other than this they prepare Mango rice / puliohara , Vada, sambar , Sundal ,chitranna ( Variety rice) and it goes on..  

I’ll start with ugadi pachadi. Its the easiest pachadi i’ve ever made. We too make mango pachadi on Tamil new year day but its a bit time consuming process. But this recipe needs no cooking. Its just a mixture of 6 tastes ie , sweet , salt , spice , sour, tangy and bitter.. I liked it very much .. Adjust the quantity of ingredients based on ur liking.

INGREDIENTS

Raw mango – 1/4 cup Grated jaggery – 3 tbsp Tamarind – Big gooseberry size or 2 tsp extract Red chilli powder – 1 tsp Crushed Neem flower – 1 tbsp (i used dried one, fresh would be fine) Coconut bits – 1 tbsp (optional) Water – as needed Salt – little

METHOD

Wash and chop the raw mango pieces finely.Soak tamarind in water and take the extract .. In a bowl , take the raw mango pieces  , tamarind extract , red chilli powder , grated jaggery , salt and mix well. Add little water to adjust the consistency based on ur liking.. Some like it to have it thick and some likes to be thin. Please add water accordingly.

OBBATU / BOLI / PURAN POLI/BOBATTU

Click here to see my latest detailed post on Obbattu

Usually i make poli using the left over channa dal puran. Yesterday when i went for shopping i saw a newly opened stall for selling obbattu and other snacks for ugadi especially..I bought some to taste. It was very nice. The thing is they make obbattu in front of us and they serve it really hot. So i was able to see how they rolled , the consistency of dough , puran etc.With that help,i tried it. It was very tasty ..We loved it a lot.It came out soft and thin.Oil is the most important ingredient here. The more oil u add , the more tasty poli.. Use sesame oil / Gingely oil to get a nice taste.So no need to worry about adding more oil as it is is very good for health.Also the consistency of dough should be loose.. It should not be sticky, adding more oil make it non sticky. I have tried to give the quantity of water and oil what i used. Try and adjust if more quantity is needed.Keep the dough covered for 1 hour minimum which also helps to get soft poli. I used obbattu sheet to roll them. In india, u can get in all stores. It costs just 2 rs.. If u don’t get it , u can use either banana leaf or good quality polythene sheet. Grease it with oil and make the shape..

INGREDIENTS

Click here to see my latest detailed post on Obbattu

For dough Maida / All purpose flour – 1 cup Gingely oil/Cooking oil – 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp Water – 1/2 cup (little less , may be 1 tbsp) Salt – 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Cooking soda – a pinch (optional) For stuffing / Puran Grated coconut – 1 cup Grated jaggery – 3/4 – 1 cup Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp Water – Very little Poli / Obattu sheet  - 1 no ( cut into round shape) Ghee – 1 tbsp ( for greasing the poli , optional)

METHOD

Click here to see my latest detailed post on Obbattu

In a wide bowl , take the flour , salt , turmeric powder , soda , oil and mix well.Add water and make a sticky dough. Then add 1 tbsp of oil over the dough and knead well for 5 minutes to make the dough non-sticky. Add one more tbsp of oil if necessary. Lastly add 3 tbsp of oil and cover the dough.Keep it covered for minimum of 2 hours to maximum 8 hours. The more time u keep the dough the more soft it would be.Click here to see my latest detailed post on Obbattu Start making puran now. Grate coconut and jaggery.Grind the coconut in Mixie to make it a fine powder.In a non-stick pan , melt the jaggery adding little water just to cover it..Strain the impurities using a metal strainer if necessary. Again boil the syrup till it becomes frothy and raw smell of jaggery leaves it. It will take 5-8 mins in low flame.. Then add the grated coconut and mix well till it becomes thick. Switch off the flame and add the cardamom powder. Mix well and allow it to cool.. Now take the dough , knead well for 10 minutes. The dough should be loose , elastic and pliable. Add more oil if it sticks.. Take a small lemon sized ball of dough and equal sized ball of puran. Pat the dough to make a thick small circle and keep the puran in the middle. Bring all the corners to the middle and close the ball. Roll it well. Cut the obbattu sheet into round shape and grease it with oil.Place the ball and press it with ur hands to make it very thin. Press it to make it round as per the size of the sheet. Heat dosa tawa , drizzle little oil and put the obbattu along with the sheet and remove the sheet alone in a second . Cook the poli for few seconds , flip it and again cook for another few seconds. Make sure u don’t over cook it. It will be roasted and becomes like an papad…Cooking has to be done very fastly.. After removing from the tawa , grease it with ghee for additional taste and flavour..Enjoy !

Note : After it cools down , u can store them in a box for 2-3 days.

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Mixed Lentil and Rice Indian Pancakes

Adored is an understatement for me when it comes to Indian savory pancakes. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack or dinner accompaniment pretty much covers the range of my favorite ways to serve up delights like these soft and fragrant Indian-spiced griddle-fried flatbreads. Very easy to make too, though they do take a bit of time to cook up, one by one. It's more than worth it, though, and if you have breads leftover, they store well in the refrigerator for a few days and can be reheated in foil with most satisfying results. I served them up with a chickpea curry and a chunky cashew-tamarind chutney. Lots of legume goodness in that meal.

Mixed Lentil and Rice Indian Pancakes

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on April 8, 2013 Soft, savory and fragrant Indian-spiced pancakes made from mixed dals and rice — flourless and gluten-free, they're perfect for rolling up with a dal or vegetable curry or serving with your favorite chutney Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup toor dal 1/2 cup chana dal 1/2 cup split urad dal with skins 1/2 cup split mung dal 1/2 cup basmati rice 4 to 6 dried whole red chilies, broken into pieces   2 to 3 cups warm water 2 to 4 fresh green or red chilies, seeded and finely chopped a few handfuls of dried curry leaves, crumbled 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili or Kashmiri chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin a few pinches of asafetida pinch of cayenne 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt oil for frying Instructions: Thoroughly rinse the dals and rice. Soak in 6 cups of water overnight with the dried red chilies. Drain and rinse. Process in a blender in batches, adding about 2 cups of the dal and rice mixture and 1/2 cup of warm water each time. Transfer each processed batch to a large bowl. Stir in the fresh chilies, curry leaves, chili powder, cumin, asafetida, cayenne and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for an hour or two, or refrigerate for up to a few days and cook up the pancakes as needed. Whisk in more water as needed to achieve a fairly thick but pourable consistency. Brush a non-stick skillet with a little oil and heat over medium heat. When hot, scoop 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan and quickly spread into a 6- to 8-inch circle. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until small bubbles begin to form and the bottom is lightly browned. Flip and cook for another few minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep the cooked pancakes wrapped in foil. Brush the pan with more oil as needed and repeat with the remaining pancakes. Makes 12 to 15 pancakes

More Indian savory breads you are sure to enjoy from my kitchen:
Besan Roti
Fenugreek Roti
Chickpea Flour Crêpes

On the top of the reading stack: Everyday Raw Express: Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less by Matthew Kenney

Audio Accompaniment: Biosphere

MUSK MELON (CANTALOUPE) JUICE | MULAM PAZHAM(KIRNI PAZHAM) JUICE

Cantaloupe Or Musk melon in English , Mulam pazham or Kirni pazham in Tamil , Kharbooja in Hindi , kannada – It comes in various colors. But tastes similar..
This is my father’s most favourite summer drinks.When i was a kid , my dad used to buy this juice and compels to me to try once. But me a stubborn girl , never touched it .Now , being a food blogger , i try & taste varieties of food and juices. Earlier i used to have only black grapes and pomegranate..But now i started to make juice with all seasonal fruits..I wanted to try this musk melon juice for a long time.Recently when i went to my in-laws place,my MIL made this juice for us. For the first time i had that juice and i loved it. Then i felt bad tat i missed this healthy , tasty juice in my childhood days . This is one of the best coolants and thirst quencher for summer..My MIL makes thick juice and stores it for 2-3 days by refrigerating it.She adds ice cold water to adjust the consistency at the time of drinking.Its very easy to make and tastes great.

INGREDIENTS

Mulam pazham / musk melon – 1 no  (Big sized) Sugar – 1/2 cup Water – 2 cups

METHOD

Wash and remove the outer skin of musk melon using a knife or aruvaamanai.( we use aruvamanai) . Cut them in to four halves and remove all the seeds using a spoon or ladle.. Now chop them into cube sized pieces. Add sugar and grind well to a smooth paste. Add the required water as per the desired consistency and store in a bottle. Refrigerate it . Add ice cold water , mix well , adjust sugar and drink when needed !!

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THENGAI SADAM | COCONUT RICE

Thengai sadam/Coconut rice is Sendhil's favourite rice variety.I am not a big fan of this rice . So I make this only for my husband..Its very easy to make and very flavourful too..My Mom & MIL makes it very well.They make in a slightly different way.My MIL adds lot of soaked & roasted urad dal. But my mom adds roasted urad and channa dal without soaking them.I combine both their methods and it comes out very tasty.When u make this rice , ur house will be filled with nice aroma of coconut oil. The roasted smell of coconut , crunchy urad and channa dal, nice flavour of ginger and coconut oil  are the highlights of this rice. .Over to the recipe,

INGREDIENTS

Cooked rice – 1/2 cup ( Boiled rice or raw rice would be fine) Grated coconut – 1/2 cup Salt – As needed To temper Coconut oil – 2 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Urad dal – 2 tbsp (soak for 30 minutes – optional) Channa dal – 1 tbsp Jeera / Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp Red chillies – 1 no Green chillies – 1 no Finely chopped Ginger – 1 – 2  tsp Curry leaves – few Ghee – 1 tsp Cashews – 5 nos

METHOD

Cook the rice adding 1:2 rice n water till fluffy .Add a tsp of oil or ghee while u cook the rice to get it separate and fluffy.Spread the cooked rice in a plate.. In a kadai , heat coconut oil and temper all the items given under “ To temper” in the same order..Then add the grated coconut ,salt and mix well.. Roast everything in a low flame till u get a nice aroma of dals and coconut.But roast the coconut without changing its color. Finally add the mixture to the cooked rice ,check for salt .. Roast the cashews in a tsp of ghee and  add to the rice.Mix well. Serve !!

Note My MIL makes it in a slightly different method by soaking the urad dal for 1 hour and roast them till golden brown and proceed in the above mentioned way. I too follow this method sometime. But when i forget to soak the dal , i use the above method. Both of them tastes ‘very nice.Do try any based on ur liking and the preparation time .. Please don’t skip adding ginger . It adds a nice flavour to the rice and it helps for digestion as well..

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Chickpeas Smothered in a Tangy Tomato Gravy

Tender and plump chickpeas really need no introduction as far as I'm concerned. Even my comrades who profess not to like beans can be persuaded to enjoy them. And they present so many possibilities to the cook. Now, as should be clear from even a quick look at my blog, I adore spicy food so it's no wonder that I should be especially smitten with spicing them up. When I cook them, I always boil up more than I need for the dish as I can never resist snacking on them just as they are while I complete my dinner prep.

I tend to eat small meals throughout the day, but this longtime favorite dish is one that I am tempted to eat just a bit more than maybe I am accustomed to at one sitting. But so long as I am not too stuffed, I don't feel guilty in the least. Despite its relative simplicity, or perhaps because of, it's a signature dish that I have perfected over the years. If you like a thick and spicy chickpea curry with a tangy and tart flavor, consider this as a meatless alternative to your usual fare or another recipe to add to your vegetarian or vegan repertoire. Give this one a try. You won't be disappointed.

Chickpeas Smothered in a Tangy Tomato Gravy

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on April 5, 2013 Tender chickpeas simmered in a thick, rich and tangy spiced tomato gravy Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups chickpeas (3 1/2 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric 3 tablespoons ghee or oil 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped 2 to 3 black cardamon pods, crushed 2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped a few handfuls of dried curry leaves, crushed 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon amchoor powder 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon chat masala 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pinch of asafetida 3 large tomatoes, partially seeded and finely chopped handful of fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside. Wipe the saucepan dry and add 2 tablespoons of the ghee or oil. Heat over medium heat, then add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and stir for 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Add the ginger, cardamon and chilies to the pan and continue to stir for another 2 minutes. Add the curry leaves, ground cumin, amchoor powder, garam masala, chat masala, chili powder, cayenne, asafetida and the remaining turmeric. Stir once, then add the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes thicken, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpeas and the reserved cooking liquid, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water as necessary or desired. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of ghee or oil, most of the parsley or cilantro, and lime juice. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm, and garnish each portion with some of the remaining chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve with fresh hot cooked basmati rice, a vegetable dish and some homemade chapatis. Makes 6 servings

More chickpea recipes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Avocado Chickpea Hummus
Chickpeas with Mushrooms
Shredded Paneer with Tomatoes, Chilies, Mushrooms and Chickpeas
Tamarind Chickpeas

On the top of the reading stack: Savory Pies: Delicious Recipes for Seasoned Meats, Vegetables and Cheeses Baked in Perfectly Flaky Pie Crusts

Audio Accompaniment: Tim Hecker

Chia Seed Pudding

I've been hearing a lot about the benefits of chia seeds lately, one of the latest "superfoods", but until recently I had yet to try them although they have long been a traditional food in some cultures, so they might best be considered an ancient superfood.

My best friend Basil had a bag of them that was passed on by a co-worker and he thought that I might be interested in coming up with a recipe. Surely I was but, well, with my distracted attention span combined with Basil's, those little gems nearly went to the grave with us. We didn't forget about them, but Basil forgot to bring them to me when he visited and I forgot to remind him to send them home with me when I visited. Finally they arrived back in my kitchen and I went with a simple custard-like pudding that turned out even better than I imagined. I suppose you may describe the dish as tapioca-like. The chia seeds puff up into little pearls as they soak, contributing a pleasing texture to this vegetarian and vegan-friendly delight. It might not be the prettiest pudding you'll eat, but one of the most delicious I've had in a long time.

It makes for a fine breakfast because it's not too sweet, but it's also a lovely dessert to end any meal. If you are going to enjoy the pudding for breakfast, I would suggest getting the soaking process started before you go to bed — it won't take long.

The benefits of chia seeds are well known at this point, I suppose, although for many of us the once trendy chia pets might be the closest acquaintance with chia. It's all fun to grow a furry house plant but eating the seeds is even more enjoyable. Chia seeds fill you up without excess calories as they are digested slowly because of their glutinous gel-like consistency. Gluten-free, chia seeds interact with digestive enzymes helping to slow the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar, helping to control blood sugar, while they are also apparently a good source of omega-3, fiber, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants, to name just a few of the perceived benefits. If you are new to chia seeds, start with a few teaspoons and gradually increase your consumption. Like many other foods, the key is moderation though — you don't need to sprinkle them on everything you eat throughout the day.

Chia seeds are commonly used as an egg replacer and are an excellent and delicious addition to soaked breakfast grains, smoothies and puddings such as this.

Chia Seed Pudding

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on April 2, 2013 Simple, tasty, nourishing and not-too-sweet, easy-to-digest vanilla chia seed pudding made with almond and coconut milk Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup chia seeds a few handfuls of raw cashews, broken into pieces 1 1/2 cups almond milk 1 cup coconut milk 3 to 4 tablespoons agave or maple syrup, to taste 3 teaspoons vanilla extract dried unsweetened coconut and fresh blueberries for garnish (optional) Instructions: Combine the seeds, nuts, almond and coconut milk. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Stir in the agave or maple syrup and vanilla, and serve garnished as desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More healthy breakfast ideas from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Anooshavoor (Turkish Barley and Apricot Porridge)
Oat Mango Smoothie with Blackberries
Breakfast Quinoa Porridge

On the top of the reading stack: various stacks that I can't seem to get to

Audio Accompaniment: virtual silence

PEPPER PULIYODHARAI | MILAGU PULIYODHARAI

I wanted to try this recipe for long time.. I usually follow my MIL’s method for making tamarind rice / puliyodharai .. It comes out very well. This time i tried the same recipe with pepper .As i mentioned in my pepper idli post , my hubby is very much fond of pepper dishes.. So i tried this pepper puliogare on my own.. It came out very well. It had a nice flavour of pepper in it. I packed it for my hubby’s lunch box. He liked it very much.. There is no much difference in the method and the ingredients..U can prepare the paste the previous night and make the rice the next day. Adjust the amount of pepper powder based on ur taste.This paste stays well for 1 week even without refrigeration.Also i feel for puliyodharai , mixing the paste in raw rice or boiled rice tastes well more than basmati.Add few tsps of sesame oil / gingely oil while mixing the rice & paste to get the additional flavour and taste..As we all know , this rice is apt for travel too..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml

Serves 2 people

Rice – 1/2 cup ( Raw rice or boiled rice) Tamarind -  Medium gooseberry size Jaggery – A small piece Salt , water – As needed To roast & grind Oil – 1/2 tsp Methi seeds – 1/2 tsp Pepper corns – 1 tsp Channa dal – 1 tsp Hing/Asafetida -  A big pinch To saute Gingely oil – 2 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 2 tsp Channa dal – 1 tbsp Red chillies – 2 nos (pinched) Curry leaves – few Hing /Asafetida-A pinch Crushed Pepper powder – 1.5 tsp Sesame oil /Gingely oil – 1 –2 tbsp

METHOD

Pressure cook the rice and spread in a plate adding a tbsp of gingely oil..Let the rice cools down and becomes fluffy.. Soak tamarind in warm water for 20 minutes and take the extract adding 2 cups of water. Heat gingely oil in a pan and temper mustard , urad , channa dal , red chillies , curry leaves , hing..Saute well. Now add the tamarind extract , salt , turmeric powder , little hing and curry leaves.Allow to boil well . In the middle add the jaggery. Add 1/2 tsp of oil and roast the ingredients given under “To roast&grind”.Roast till the pepper corns splutter.Powder them and set aside. When the tamarind extract reduces to half in quantity , add the roasted & ground powder. After u add the powder , give a boil. The mixture thickens..Let it roll boil well for few seconds. After u get salangai satham ( gala gala sound) ..switch off the flame.. Finally add the crushed pepper powder in the paste , mix well..Set aside..Tamarind paste is ready.. Mix the required paste in the rice adding gingely oil..

Note

• If u want more spicy , add more pepper powder at the end..

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