Soya bean masala Vada

Vadas or vadais are a common snack in South India.Most famous being the parupu/bengal gram ones and the medhu/black lentil vadas.I just tried the parupu vadai with the soya beans they were a big hit and also I though it was much easier to use up the soya bean than the usual gravy or sabji.

With the winter moving away fast, having a hot tea and a snack to go along with it is just an excuse.I wonder if its only me or anyone else too whose tummy tells them its 4.These days since i pick my daughter from school at 3 i'm hungry at 330 and have my evening tea then!

My DH got soya beans a month ago I wasn;t sure how a gravy would taste out f it but I tried that too which i didn't like too much though.So i have a packet of beans to get over with.I remember my mom used to grind soya beans along with whole wheat to make chapathi atta she tells me it makes the rotis really soft and ofcourse more fibre.

 You need

Soya beans (Soaked for 10-12 hours) half cup
Oil to deep fry

To make the batter

Small/sambar onions 5-6
Green chillies 1/2
Ginger a small piece
Garlic 2 pods
Salt to taste
Cumin/jeera seeds 1 tsp

• Soak the soya beans for 10-12 hours.Drain the soaked beans completely.
• In a blender with the remaining ingredients grind it to a course mix.You need not add more water as the onions and the soaked beans provide enough moisture to blend the beans.
• Mix well with your hands.Shape them into small balls then flatten it with you fingers.
• Heat oil in a pan, drop the vadas and fry until golden brown on both sides.
• Enjoy hot spicy vadas with tea!

 Tea and vada anyone :)

Soya bean masala Vada

Vadas or vadais are a common snack in South India.Most famous being the parupu/bengal gram ones and the medhu/black lentil vadas.I just tried the parupu vadai with the soya beans they were a big hit and also I though it was much easier to use up the soya bean than the usual gravy or sabji.

Mutton Cutlets/Croquettes

For nonveg lovers, meat is an absolute necessity but at my place, Mutton/meat is something we are trying to include a bit more than chicken in our diets these days for many reasons.But anything we do my LM doesn't like it and she's one of the reasons we would like her to eat some more meat than chicken which she absolutely adores.So its trials everyday to sneak it into her.

This time we decided to try minced meat.I know she won't like the meat ball curry so I thought of trying cutlets with great efforts i managed to get two into her but we absolutely loved it.

The good thing about these are that you can prepare them a day ahead of use and freeze them until you need them.My mom used to make awesome fish cutlets the mix is almost similar and even people who detest fish would gobble down many cutlets without even guessing its made of fish!Check out the recipe here.

Ready to freeze

Preparation time : 1 hour
Makes 8 cutlets

You Need

Mince mutton 1 cup
Boiled potatoes medium 2
Whole spices 3-4 of each cardamoms,cloves and cinnamon sticks
Ginger garlic paste 1 heaped tsp
Onion 1 large finely chopped
Tomato 1 small finely chopped
Green chillies optional 1 finely chopped
Oil 2 tablespoons + more to deep fry
Coriander leaves few sprigs chopped finely
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
pepper powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

To make the cutlets you need
Bread crumbs,
1 egg

• In pressure cooker, add the whole spices along with the meat and add a little water to cook the meat until tender for about 3-4 whistles.
• Heat oil in a deep sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil add the onions and saute well until soft, then add the ginger garlic paste, then followed by tomato and green chillies.
• Fry the above until all turns into a mushy paste.
• Add the garam masala and pepper powder and fry well.
• Add the cooked meat with the water.Fry until all the water goes away.If its a lot of water retain the stock and use it later in any other nonveg dishes.
• Mash the boiled potatoes and add it to the meat masala mix.
• Add chopped coriander leaves.
• Mix well into a thick mixture that can be shaped into balls or rolls.If the mixture is loose it will fall apart when you fry it.
• Roll all the mixture into desired shapes i usually roll it into flat patties or oval shaped ones.
• Dip the patties into the egg with one hand and use the other hand to roll it in bread crumbs.
• Repeat for all the mixture.If you need to freeze do so now in air tight containers.
• Heat oil and deep fry the balls.
• Serve hot as appetizers or with rice or stuff it in bread and have it as a sandwich.

Linking this to 100th post Give away @ Cutchi's Kitchen

Mutton Cutlets/Croquettes

For nonveg lovers, meat is an absolute necessity but at my place, Mutton/meat is something we are trying to include a bit more than chicken in our diets these days for many reasons.But anything we do my LM doesn't like it and she's one of the reasons we would like her to eat some more meat than chicken which she absolutely adores.So its trials everyday to sneak it into her.

Bittergourd fritters/Karela pakodas

Most of us detest bitter gourd but almost everyone likes them fried.These are just a different version of fried bitter gourd rings.Try them you'll love them.

I get really happy and gleam with happiness when the clouds come in and its about to rain, especially in dry places such as this when the few drops of rain come down the drenched trees top dancing with new shine make me all the more joyful.As i type this post the skies are darkening and I can hear the rain drops fall on the leaves, the cool winds in my bedroom and scent of wet soil fills my mind and soul.I love the monsoons!

My mom actually told me to try it this way even though i have tasted pavakka pakoda a few years ago from some chips' vendor i never tried it at home.These really turned out good and are a great side dish to any pulav or just plain sambar/rasam and rice.

You need
Bitter gourd 2 medium
Besan/ kadala maav/gram flour 3 tablespoon
Rice flour 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Chopped curry leaves 2 sprigs
Crushed garlic 2
Water to sprinkle and mix the above
Oil to deep fry

- Wash the bittergourds and cut them into thin rings.Place them in a large mixing bowl, now add the remaining ingredients.
- Sprinkle water little by litte so that the flours evenly coat the rings thinly.Let this rest for about half hour or more.
- Deep fry them and drain them onto kitchen towels.

- Serve hot with pulav and raita.

Bittergourd fritters/Karela pakodas

Most of us detest bitter gourd but almost everyone likes them fried.These are just a different version of fried bitter gourd rings.Try them you'll love them.

Masala coated Peanuts

Peanuts are such an addictive snack :) they are healthy alright but you need to know how and when to stop munching on them.And extra enjoyment with yummy masala coated and deep fried ones to make it even heavenly - guilty pleasure!

I used to love these always but now when i was at mom's for my delivery the love was renewed for these crispy crunchy spicy peanuts...me,my mom and my daughter used to finish off a packet easily!And remain stuffed for the rest of the evening :) What fun!

I saw these on Monsoon Spice last week during the V-day weekend.I instantly wanted to make it.However Sia has made a really healthy version of these in the microwave I didn't have the patience to try that out and so deep fried it.Lazy me!

Since this was the first time i made it, the flour coating was a little too thick which i want to rectify the next time i make them.Also i want to try microwaving it.

You need

Roasted peanuts 1 cup

Besan/Chick pea flour 1/2 cup or to coat the peanuts thinly

Rice flour 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Chopped curryleaves 6 7

Ginger crushed 1/2 tsp

Garlic crushed 4 5

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Water as needed to wet the mixture

Oil 1 tablespoon

• Add all the ingredients except oil and water and mix well.
• Add water slowly along with the oil such that the besan evenly coats all the peanuts.
• Heat oil in a pan and drop bunches of peanuts and fry them until golden brown.
• Drain fried peanuts on a tissue paper and store in an air tight container.

EnJoY crunchy peanuts with hot tea!

Sending this to WTML @ Hema's space started by Gayathri , Bon Vivant Kids delight, WTML - Hostel food, \Let's cook for kids\

Masala coated Peanuts

Peanuts are such an addictive snack :) they are healthy alright but you need to know how and when to stop munching on them.And extra enjoyment with yummy masala coated and deep fried ones to make it even heavenly - guilty pleasure!

Plantain fritters/Pazham bhajji

Ask any south indian and this has to be among their favorite snacks :) Mine too!Pazham pori, pazham bhajji, ethakka appam --- its got more names but i like to call it kerala banana bhajji.Since we are geographically neighbours we also share a common tea time snack!

I make this easy snack whenever these plantains find their way into my kitchen.My daughter is against trying new stuff so if i take the whole plantain or cut into round slices (like how my mom used to give it to me) she will just refuse to eat it.So i need to redress the plantain in this form to get her to eat it.Call it - Food makeovers - Pleasures of motherhood :)

These plantains are really healthy much more than our regular bananas.My keralite friends tell me that they even give these plantains in a  dry powdered form to toddlers.

To make this you need

Ripe Plantains/nendram pazham 1
All purpose flour 2 tablespoons
Rice flour 2 tsp
Salt a pinch
Sugar to taste 2 tsp(optional)
Turmeric powder a pinch
Baking soda a pinch (optional)
Oil to deep fry

• Slice the plantains into round slices or into long wedges or you can use it on the whole too.
• Mix the all purpose flour and rice flour with salt,sugar and turmeric powder.Add lil water to make a not too loose batter such that it coats the plantain slices.
•  Heat oil and drop the coated plantain pieces one by one and fry until golden brown on both sides.

Serve crispy hot pazham pori/bhajjis with tea :) 

- The rice flour is meant to make the outer coating crispier.

- Baking soda can be omitted, if added it will give you a nice puffy outside.

- Sugar is optional as the plantain is sweet enough i omitted it.

Sending this to  What is with my cuppa?and Nupur's page, Recipes with fruits, 30 min challenge

Plantain fritters/Pazham bhajji

Ask any south indian and this has to be among their favorite snacks :) Mine too!Pazham pori, pazham bhajji, ethakka appam --- its got more names but i like to call it kerala banana bhajji.Since we are geographically neighbours we also share a common tea time snack!

Old fashioned doughnuts with chocolate glaze

I love doughnuts!who doesn;t.I fell in love with these fried beauties long ago i don;t remember when.But whenever i pass by a doughnut store i'm lifted off my feet by the amazing fragrances!!!So for our wedding anniversary last year i decided to try these.While the whole world is turning healthy and using more and more of their ovens, i decided to try these deep fried traditional doughnuts.Chocolate glazed too!

I can't think of anything much to say about these doughnuts i'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

The weather here in Chennai is fairly decent just right for some doughnuts but i would love for it to be more cold atleast winter should show its presence.Having kids around i seal the windows and doors by 5pm and then i'm pretty much playing bat and ball with mosquitoes.Those who are in India would know about our recent technical gadget - the electrical mosquito trap.

These doughnuts were a big hit especially since they were chocolate glazed.I made the balls for my LM chocolate glazed as well.Father and daughter were pretty much fighting over it!

I plan on making these for valentines day too because these are much easier to make and ofcourse look so professionally done that i wouldn't want to waste much time making something too complex.

You need :


Preparation time :  1 hour (preparing dough + frying)
Cooling time: 1 hr or more
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker
You need

All-purpose flour 1 n quarter cup

Baking soda 1 tsp

Fresh grated nutmeg 1/4 tsp

Pinch of salt

Granulated sugar 1/3rd cup

Plain yogurt or sour cream 1/4 cup

Egg 1 large

Unsalted butter, melted 1 tbspn

Vegetable oil for frying

• In a bowl, sift dry ingredients flourbaking soda, nutmeg powder, salt.
• Whisk egg,yogurt and butter until they are well mixed.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well into a smooth dough.
• Dust flour on the counter top, spread dough into a thick 1 n half inch layer and cut out doughnut shapes.I used 2 lids one large and one small to get the shape.
• Deep fry the doughnuts and allow to cool.

For the chocolate glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or less as the cocoa powder already is sweet)

4 tablespoons cocoa powder ( cadbury drinking cocoa)

3 tablespoons milk or water

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.

In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Slowly stir in milk and vanilla extract.  Whisk until silky and smooth.  If you need make this a chocolate dip glaze, add a bit more milk to this.

Enjoy these beautiful doughnuts the same day or refrigerate them.

Sending this to Valentines Day Recipe Contest ,

Old fashioned doughnuts with chocolate glaze

I love doughnuts!who doesn;t.I fell in love with these fried beauties long ago i don;t remember when.But whenever i pass by a doughnut store i'm lifted off my feet by the amazing fragrances!!!So for our wedding anniversary last year i decided to try these.While the whole world is turning healthy and using more and more of their ovens, i decided to try these deep fried traditional doughnuts.Chocolate glazed too!

Fried Chicken and apple pineapple salad

Everyone loves fried chicken!Winter is the time for lovely fresh fruits and so this easy combo with fried rice for a easy weekend lunch came up.

These are pictures i clicked back home while i was resting after my delivery.I thought it wouldn't be too tough managing too kids and not neglecting my blog.But now its difficult to cook everyday lunch itself with the baby.So until i can get back to proper cooking i have to make do with these pictures lying in the draft.

For the salad :
You need : Apples,cucumber, pineapple roughly chopped.
For the dressing : in a jar, mix olive oil,pepper,salt and lime juice and give it a good mix now pour over the cut fruits and mix well.

For the fried chicken :
You need :

Chicken 1/4 kg
Salt to taste
Curd 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder/dhaniya powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Pepper powder 1/2 tsp

• Mix all the above with the chicken and let it rest for half hour.
• Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry until chicken is done.

• Serve hot with fried rice or as a starter with any sauce of your choice.